Patanjali's Yoga Sutras

Page 1 of 21 PATANJALI’S YOGA SUTRAS. Patanjali’s yoga sutras are considered to be a central guide to yoga practice and experience. A guide that it is helpful to return to again and again as a reference point and map that can help to make sense of some of the territory we enter through yoga practice. It can give us a foothold when we first start out in our practice but perhaps much of it only starts to seem relevant and helpful after some experience and depth of practice. Just a reminder on a couple of ideas used in philosophy which may have a bearing on how we take the book: Dualism – where the nature of reality is described by separating it out into component parts: matter, energy and consciousness. Non-dualism – Where the apparent diversity of life is described as an illusion or mirage – all is ultimately connected at source – in this case consciousness. Patanjali is described as dualistic by some and non-dualistic by others! Perhaps the confusion is due to the fact that elements of nature and reality are separated to help explanation. The central question relating to this is whether there is an aspect of consciousness existing separately from matter and energy within a human being, a spiritual element if you like? This could be seen to be implied at times in Patanjali. Or does a base level of consciousness exist within us only as the deepest layer of our own mind? Personally I feel we can happily appreciate Patanjali from a Humanistic perspective as an exploration of layers of human life and depth psychology. But equally there is a question of the ‘mystery of consciousness’ which perhaps leaves a more open question as to how far consciousness permeates and what its origins are (modern physics/science is also interested in this question) . Either way the book is a useful guide to practice. Page 2 of 21 1. BACKGROUND AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras were one of six systems of Indian philosophy that developed during the period 400 BCE - 400 CE. The dates are vague, as there are no clear records. This text likely had a long gestation period before ideas from the older books and oral teachings crystallised and were systematized and written down. If we take the Upanishads as reflecting the original enlightened wisdom of the Yogis, then the six systems (traditionally named ‘Darsanas’ – view points) are more sophisticated analyses of this wisdom and view of reality with each one looking from a slightly different philosophical angle. Like looking at the same mountain summit from a different geographical viewpoint, most scholars tend towards the idea that in general the 6 Darsanas are complementary views of a many sided reality rather than competing theories. In relation to the cultural context of the time, some scholars feel that the development of the 6 systems was in response to the popularity and intellectual clarity of Buddhism (even though they don’t contradict Buddhism). The lists of steps and stages of practice and lists of obstacles and hindrances in Patanjali perhaps reflect this. Or perhaps lists were just the intellectual trend of the time as memorising was a key element of learning as there was no printed matter as such. In Brief, the six systems are: 1. Nyaya – A system of logic establishing the correct procedure for gaining knowledge of an object. 2. Vashheshika – identifies an object through the characteristics that differentiate it from any other. 3. Samkya – A dualist approach that separates matter and spirit/energy in order to analyse the nature of both, and also how they interrelate. 4. Yoga (Patanjali) – the practical means of refining perception from matter though to our true nature as consciousness - presented in a clearly laid out path . 5. Karma Mimansa – a consideration of the entire field of action to determine which actions and attitudes are in accordance with the Page 3 of 21 nature of consciousness; as well as philosophy and morality it includes the science of Vedic rituals in relation to living in harmony with the natural order of the elements and consciousness. 6. Advaita Vedanta – (Based on the Upanishads) is non-dualist in that in the final analysis all of life is unified by being an expression of consciousness, underlying reality or Brahman. Put another way there is an underlying Unity within the Diversity. Patanjali – who was he? In keeping with the vagueness of the dates, was an enigmatic figure about which little is known. It is generally agreed that he was not a founder of yoga or anything like that, but someone who collated and systematized all the information about existing practices and ideas. It is important to remember that yoga had been evolving in varying forms in India for a long time albeit in a loosely organised culture. Much of what is in his work is scattered about in the Vedas, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Gita in a less orderly way. His Yoga Sutra’s are generally considered to be the definitive guide to what has become known as Classical Yoga; it is though important to realise that whilst they represent the mainstream of Yoga philosophy and theory, he could only collate what he knew about, which in the vastness of India (and its isolated pockets), was unlikely to be everything. Also he perhaps only included what he agreed with or with generally socially acceptable yoga practices and may have been influenced as to what to include/exclude by other authorities. We also need to bear in mind that there has always been a healthy diversity within yoga and varying aspects of the tradition and there is sometimes a tension between more conservative traditionalists and progressive modernists in any discipline or art, and both usually have a point. Tantric practices which are arguably the source of most/much hatha yoga that we practice are less included perhaps due to some of their practices and lifestyles at the time being viewed as disreputable (we look at Tantra later) That said, whilst there has been much creative innovation in yoga practice and teaching in the modern day, and useful scientific understandings, we might usefully reflect whether what we are doing is consistent with the essence of Patanjali’s message, which is generally accepted by most as providing a useful baseline reference point for authentic yoga practice. Page 4 of 21 2. MAIN IDEAS MEANINGS AND TERMS. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras are organised into 4 books of Sutras (sometimes called aphorisms). Sutra means thread. A Sutra is a concise one liner (designed for easy memorising within the oral tradition) that requires commentary and interpretation by an experienced teacher and practitioner. The main purpose of the Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras is to describe the stages, developments and pitfalls of an inner journey that is unfamiliar to most of us. In looking at this text we might reconsider closely the main term; yoga and what our associations with the word are? In relation to Patanjali’s sutras yoga is described in six ways with perhaps number one being the primary definition: 1. The stilling of the thought waves of the mind – and ceasing to identify with thoughts through incorrect identification with a separate sense of I. 2. Union with the divine/core consciousness– whereby we realise our true nature beyond the conditioning of body and mind. 3. Integration – of all aspects of ourselves: body, mind/emotion and spirit/consciousness 4. Connection – as in to connect together ( on many levels) 5. Relationship – to self and other. 6. Yoke – in the sense of a harness. All of the meanings interrelate and arguably one is not more correct or definite than another. The idea of yoking or harnessing the forces or energies of mind and body on various levels is a useful idea to bear in mind for this text, in addition to the other meanings rather than instead of them. In the light of Patanjali’s text we could perhaps describe a Yogi(ni) using modern terminology as someone with a fully integrated personality gathered around a still boundless centre. This definition includes all the above ideas and includes the idea of a rounded personality or character which cannot be developed without engagement in the world as well as yoga practice. As we start to look at the path set out by Patanjali, it seems that a kind and generous but clear and firm, harnessing and gathering of our Page 5 of 21 attention is at the centre of the story so that we can look closely at and SEE CLEARLY our experience of body and mind. In practical and general terms it describes the path of harnessing the energy of the largely distracted and outwardly directed mind in various ways in order to draw that energy inwards to a simpler, clearer consciousness to understand our inner workings and realise our true essence. The texts describe the makeup of the mind and the psyche and how to refine our perception in order to see beyond our conditioned state. Main Terms Purusha – Purusha is essentially the same as Brahman, an unchanging underlying reality or a base consciousness underlying all. Variously described as ‘The knower’, ‘The seer’ or ‘The witness’ or consciousness that exists behind the surface activities of the mind. It is possible for Purusha to be reflected through the subtle quiet aspects of the mind allowing us clear seeing that this underlying consciousness is our true nature. The mind, interestingly, is classified under Prakriti or Matter (see below). Purusha sees things as they are without the warping filter of the conditioned mind that prevents us seeing and knowing clearly and directly.

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