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Yoga Sutras: Sutra 1.1
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| shabdahu 2006-02-25, 9:33 pm |
| Yoga Sutras: Sutra 1.1:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Yoga-Sutras/
http://www.swamij.com/yoga-sutras-10104.htm#1.1
YOGA SUTRA 1.1: Now, after having done prior preparation through life
and other practices, the study and practice of Yoga begins.
(atha yoga anushasanam)
ATHA = now, at this auspicious moment; implying the transition to
this practice and pursuit, after prior preparation; implying a
blessing at this moment of transition
YOGA = of yoga, union; literally, to yoke, from the root yuj, which
means to join or to integrate; same as the absorption in samadhi
ANU = within, or following tradition; implies being subsequent to
something else, in this case, the prior preparation
SHASANAM = instruction, discipline, training, teaching, exposition,
explanation; Shas implies the imparting of teaching that happens
along with discipline
YOGA COMES AFTER PREPARATION: This introductory sutra suggests that
after our many actions in life, and whatever preparatory practices we
might have performed, now, we are finally ready to pursue the depths of
self-exploration, the journey directly to the center of consciousness,
Atman, or Self, our eternal and True identity.
DISCIPLINE AND LEARNING: To practice Yoga requires cultivating
discipline and following a systematic method of learning
(anushasanam). This has more to do with the quality or conviction in
one's practices than it has to do with the quantity. This is
described in greater detail in sutras 1.21 and 1.22.
FIVE STATES OF MIND: In describing this sutra, the sage Vyasa names
five states of mind, of which the one-pointed (ekagra) (1.32) state of
mind is the desired state of mind for the practice of Yoga. These five
states of mind range from the severely troubled mind to the completely
mastered mind. (These five are also described in the five states
section of the Witnessing article.)
KNOW WHERE YOU ARE: It is very useful to be aware of these stages, both
in the moment, and as a general day-to-day level at which one is
functioning. It reveals the depth of practice that one might be able to
currently practice. Some aspect of yoga meditation applies to every
human being, though we need to be mindful of which is most fitting and
effective for a person with this or that state of mind.
TWO OF THE STATES ARE DESIRABLE: Of the five states of mind
(described below in more detail), the later two (one-pointed and
mastered) are most desirable for the deeper practice of yoga
meditation. For most people, our minds are usually in one of the
first three states (disturbed, dull, or distracted). To deal with the
troubled mind and the lethargic mind is progress, leading one to a
merely distracted mind, from where one can more easily work on
training the mind in one-pointedness.
STABILIZE THE MIND IN ONE-POINTEDNESS: By knowing this, we can deal
with our minds so as to gradually stabilize the mind in the fourth
state, the state of one-pointedness (Note that this use of the phrase
fourth state is different from that used in relation to the fourth
state of turiya). This is the state of mind which prepares us for the
fifth state, in which there is mastery of mind. (The first two states
might also be dominant or intense enough that they manifest as what
psychologists call mental illness.)
1. KSHIPTA/DISTURBED: The ksihipta mind is disturbed, restless,
troubled, wandering. This is the least desirable of the states of
mind, in which the mind is troubled. It might be severely disturbed,
moderately disturbed, or mildly disturbed. It might be worried,
troubled, or chaotic. It is not merely the distracted mind
(Vikshipta), but has the additional feature of a more intense,
negative, emotional involvement.
2. MUDHA/DULL: The mudha mind is stupefied, dull, heavy, forgetful.
With this state of mind, there is less of a running here and there of
the thought process. It is a dull or sleepy state, somewhat like one
experiences when depressed, though we are not here intending to mean
only clinical depression. It is that heavy frame of mind we can get
into, when we want to do nothing, to be lethargic, to be a couch
potato.
The Mudha mind is barely beyond the Kshipta, disturbed mind, only in
that the active disturbance has settled down, and the mind might be
somewhat more easily trained from this place. Gradually the mind can be
taught to be a little bit steady in a positive way, only
occasionally distracted, which is the Vikshipta state. Then the mind
can move on in training to the Ekagra and Nirodhah states.
3. VIKSHIPTA/DISTRACTED: The vikshipta mind is distracted,
occasionally steady or focused. This is the state of mind often
reported by students of meditation when they are wide awake and
alert, neither noticeably disturbed nor dull and lethargic. Yet, in
this state of mind, one's attention is easily drawn here and there.
This is the monkey mind or noisy mind that people often talk about as
disturbing meditation. The mind can concentrate for short periods of
time, and is then distracted into some attraction or aversion. Then,
the mind is brought back, only to again be distracted.
The Vikshipta mind in daily life can concentrate on this or that
project, though it might wander here and there, or be pulled off
course by some other person or outside influence, or by a rising
memory. This Vikshipta mind is the stance one wants to attain through
the foundation yoga practices, so that one can then pursue the
one-pointedness of Ekagra, and the mastery that comes with the state of
Nirodhah.
4. EKAGRA/ONE-POINTED: The ekagra mind is one-pointed, focused,
concentrated (Yoga Sutra 1.32). When the mind has attained the ability
to be one-pointed, the real practice of Yoga meditation begins. It
means that one can focus on tasks at hand in daily life, practicing
karma yoga, the yoga of action, by being mindful of the mental process
and consciously serving others. When the mind is one-pointed, other
internal and external activities are simply not a distraction.
The person with a one-pointed mind just carries on with the matters at
hand, undisturbed, unaffected, and uninvolved with those other stimuli.
It is important to note that this is meant in a positive way, not the
negative way of not attending to other people or other internal
priorities. The one-pointed mind is fully present in the moment and
able to attend to people, thoughts, and emotions at will.
The one-pointed mind is able to do the practices of concentration and
meditation, leading one onward towards samadhi. This ability to focus
attention is a primary skill that the student wants to develop for
meditation and samadhi.
5. NIRODHAH: The nirodhah mind is highly mastered, controlled,
regulated, restrained (Yoga Sutra 1.2). It is very difficult for one
to capture the meaning of the Nirodhah state of mind by reading
written descriptions. The real understanding of this state of mind
comes only through practices of meditation and contemplation. When the
word Nirodhah is translated as controlled, regulated, or
restrained, it can easily be misunderstood to mean suppression of
thoughts and emotions.
To suppress thoughts and emotions is not healthy and this is not what
is meant here. Rather, it has to do with that natural process when the
mind is one-pointed and becomes progressively more still as meditation
deepens. It is not that the thought patterns are not
there, or are suppressed, but that attention moves inward, or beyond
the stream of inner impressions. In that deep stillness, there is a
mastery over the process of mind. It is that mastery that is meant by
Nirodhah.
In the second sutra of the Yoga Sutras (the next sutra), Yoga is
defined as "Yogash Chitta Vritti Nirodhah," which is roughly
translated as "Yoga is the control [nirodhah] of the thought patterns
of the mind field." Thus, this Nirodhah state of mind is the goal and
definition of Yoga. It is the doorway by which we go beyond the mind.
TWO OTHERS NEWSLETTERS: http://swamij.com/newsletter.htm
LINKS: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Yoga-Meditation/links
WEBSITE: http://SwamiJ.com
CALENDAR: http://swamij.com/Calendar.htm
ADDRESS CHANGE: http://swamij.com/newsletter.htm
SUBSCRIBE: Yoga-Meditation-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
UNSUBSCRIBE: Yoga-Meditation-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
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| Dave K 2006-02-25, 9:33 pm |
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Dave K wrote:
> shabdahu wrote:
> <trim>
>
> Hey, neat yahoo group. When will it start at the beginning again?
Oh hell, I'll just catch up.. 
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| shabdahu 2006-02-25, 9:33 pm |
| You can find the sutras both at SwamiJ's website and at the Yahoo link
above. I will also be posting the entire series here over time. I
think they are pretty neato, too:-).
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| kohlrabi_croce 2006-02-26, 12:55 pm |
| oh, a follower of swami rama.
http://www.rickross.com/groups/lenz.html
2 Claims Complicate Tussle Over New Age Guru's Estate
Cult or Company?
Cult Recruits Students Via Meditation Group
Mentor to Some, Cult Leader to Others
Lenz Dies On Drugs
Frederick Lenz, self-styled guru
Why We Love Gurus
Diving into Conscience Bay
Will of "Yuppie Guru" Inspires an Un-Zenlike Battle
$18M Battle of Wills
Audubon may be heir to guru's Bedford estate
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kohlrabi_croce wrote:
> oh, a follower of swami rama.
>
> http://www.rickross.com/groups/lenz.html
>
> 2 Claims Complicate Tussle Over New Age Guru's Estate
> Cult or Company?
> Cult Recruits Students Via Meditation Group
> Mentor to Some, Cult Leader to Others
> Lenz Dies On Drugs
> Frederick Lenz, self-styled guru
> Why We Love Gurus
> Diving into Conscience Bay
> Will of "Yuppie Guru" Inspires an Un-Zenlike Battle
> $18M Battle of Wills
> Audubon may be heir to guru's Bedford estate
:-D :-D
let's say there are many Rama's on earth...
(like Maria's, John's, etc)
this post his about this one:
http://swamij.com/swami-rama.htm
or
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/08...glance&n=283155
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| moon wrote:
> kohlrabi_croce wrote:
>
>
>
>
> :-D :-D
>
> let's say there are many Rama's on earth...
> (like Maria's, John's, etc)
Yes certainly this RAMA is a self-styled gurulike,this RAMA used DRUGS
mostly barbitral type,This RAMA had a towering EGO, this RAMA had no
information regarding,ZEN but he pretended himself as a ZEN
MASTERlike,This Rama knew nothing about Buddhism but said many
unrelated bullies on BUdhism...
Yes for sure this is a different RAMALIKE ...But a cult leader,as other
cheaters,,,
No place to cheaters ....
Swami means being on oneself.... did he know it i wander?
TANGOLOSLUCA
>
> this post his about this one:
> http://swamij.com/swami-rama.htm
>
> or
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/08...glance&n=283155
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