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| Yoga and Awakening | ||||||||
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center for Arlington, MA 02474
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Yoga Sutras Studies I: Samadhi Pada I-1 atha yoganushasanam: Now begin the teachings of Yoga Now, where the infinite meets the world of time and space, Now, the holy moment, the only moment Now, at this time of tremendous climatic and social change Now, with revolutionary breakthroughs in science and spirituality Now, with the guidance of a yoga master (Patanjali) Now, as we are ready to be initiated into spiritual adulthood, begin the teachings, passed on from teacher to student, begin the teachings, preserved in the sacred texts, begin the teachings, revealed moment by moment in Consciousness begin the teachings, revealed moment by moment in the radiant expression of the natural world, begin the teachings, as revealed in the infinite wisdom of the body/mind, of Yoga, the knowing of Unity, of Yoga, the disciplined practices of integration known as samadhi. "Yoga is samadhi" ... Vyassa Sutras I-2 - I-5 are by far the most important sutras of the 196 articulated by Patanjali . All of the subsequent sutras in this and the other three chapters offer further elaboration and refinement on the basic principles stated here and thus we will focus deeply on this sutra group I-2 yogash citta vrtti nirodhah: Yoga is the resolution of the (dysfunctional) mind states. (Dysfunctional mind states include the rajasic and tamasic vrttis, traumas and traumatic behavior patterns, confusion between Self and seen, subject and object. The term dysfunctional is implied here, but revealed in Sutra I-4) Sutra I-2 is the first half of Patanjali's definition of yoga. This involves the process of resolving, dissolving, eliminating, attenuating, dysfunctional mind states and dysfunctional mind activity. As we will see in I-4, a dysfunctional mind state is one that has as its foundational premise the notion of a confused sense of self, an "I" or self -sense that is composed/comprised of transient mind activity. How this "I-sense"arises and is sustained over lifetimes is a fascinating topic we will pursue. By understanding nirodha as 'resolution', we recognize the fluid, energetic nature of mind states and the possibility of transformation through samadhi/yoga. A dysfunctional mind state is simply an enduring pattern of energy that can be redirected into a healthy expression through diligent practice. The nature of this practice is the on-going subject of the Yoga Sutras. Modern neurobiology refers to this process directing energy flow into patterns of health and wholeness as integration. We could thus call yoga the science of integration. "Neural integration is fundamental to self-organization, and indeed to the capacity of the brain to create a sense of self. Tucker and colleagues further suggest that integration within the brain may consist of at least three forms, which focus on particular aspects of anatomic circuits: "vertical," "dorsal - ventral," and "lateral." (TDM-302) (Those of us in hatha yoga explorations will recognize this as a huge clue as to why postures can be effective tools for integration.) A common mis-translation of vrtti is 'thought'. Vrtti refers to all mental activity, mental processes, and mental states, not just thinking and thoughts. Perceptions are vrttis, emotions are vrttis, memory and imagination are vrttis. This is explained further in I-5, - I-11. And as we shall see in the coming sutras, most of the samadhi practices articulated here in the samadhi pada require mind activity. So Patanjali is definitely not stating here that yoga is the ending of mind activity. (See sutra I-4 below.) I-3 tada drashtuh svarupe avasthanam: Then the identity of the Self (I am) with pure Awareness becomes stable. Sutra I-3 continues the definition. The culmination of this practice, self realization, enlightenment or kaivalya which will be the primary subject of the 4th chapter, is when the Seer, the "I am", the subject, rests stably as itself, as the infinite, non-dual consciousness. The mind's confusion of Seer and seen is resolved and the deep spacious unbounded openness remains present as life unfolds through space and time. Buddhists call this the end of suffering, Vedantins call this Atman/Brahman. There are many more Sanskrit and English words that are used interchangably to point to this 'beyond words' we awaken to. Purusha is the term Patanjali will use the most and he will contrast this with Prakriti, creation, the world of form. Ironically, all of us have tasted our infinite self without necessarily recognizing so. We have all had moments of total inner peace, of the dropping away of conflict and struggle and resting in the ever-present joy, light and love. Because there is no meta-recognition here, that is, we don't 'know that we know' it is not technically yoga. But we can use these experiences as guideposts to help us relax and see yoga practice not as a struggle to aquire something 'other', but the opportunity to rest in this moment as it is.
Also, there can be spontaneous revelatory awakening, known as satori in Japanese Zen, where delusion drops away and the Self as unbounded luminous awareness shines forth, and bingo, there is recognition or jnanam, knowing. This is often preceeded by some type of spiritual practice, but not always. But usually this awakening is unstable and eventually the previous confusions return. This is why Patanjali uses the word avasthanam, refering to the awakening being stable though time. Krishna, in the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, refers to sthita prajna, or stable wisdom. Also this is why Patanjali, as he unfolds the sutras, uses the term yoga as both 'stable awakened Awareness' and the process of bringing stability to the awakening. The Hsin Hsin Ming, "Verses on the Faith Mind" attributed to the 6th century Chinese Zen master Seng Ts'an, offers an eloquent and beautiful unfolding of this key sutra. I-4 vrtti sarupyam itaratra: (At other times, i.e., in dysfunctional mind states) mind activity is mistaken for the Self. So that we may be very clear, in sutra I-4 Patanjali defines a dysfunctional mind state, ie, when one is not in the state of yoga. It is one where the activity of the mind, including what the mind is as well as what the mind does, is mistaken for the Self. Many yoga students jump to the conclusion (a classic example of mind activity, viparyayah or wrong conclusion (see sutra I - 8) ) that citta vrtti nirodha means that you control the mind, resist the movement of thought or that all mind activity ceases. This is a linguistically tricky and complex realm, but we will see as the sutras unfold that many levels of samadhi, yoga as practice, involve very specific types of mind activity. Thus sutra I-2 cannot mean that yoga requires the elimination of all mind activity. Vyasa, recognizing this potential pitfall, points this out immediately in his commentary to sutra I-1 when he mentions Patanjali does not use the word 'all'. We find similar observations in Zen Buddhism. James Austin, in "Zen Brain Reflections" offers "No-mind does not mean a coma. It means that no self-centered thoughts interrupt the flow." (my bold) I-5 vrttaya panchatayyah klishta aklishtah: Mind activity can be classified into five basic categories and can perpetuate delusion or not. And finally, sutra I-5 opens the door into the nature of the mind. Patanjali introduces the term klishta, refering to the five kleshas (kilesas in Pali), the major impediments to a healthy mind he will further describe at the beginning of the second chapter. Patanjali not only articulates the nature of mental health and the possible evolution to spiritual awakening and spiritual stability, but also how the mind can become stuck in patterns of activity and belief that inhibit awakening. Modern neuroscience and the emerging field of interpersonal neurobiology offer us a language and an understanding of the dynamics of mind activity that is very helpful in navigating Patanjali's instructions. What might Patanjali be referring to when he uses the expression citta vrtti? Mind activity involves changing patterns of neuronal firing known as states of mind. What is a mind state? According to neurobiologist Dan Siegel, a 'state of mind' is 'a clustering or a profile of activation within the brain's neural network.' Or, " a 'state of mind' can be defined as the total pattern of activations in the brain at a particular moment in time." (TDM - 208). Also, a state of mind is "a pattern of activation of recruited systems within the brain responsible for (1) perceptual bias, (2) emotional tone and regulation, (3) memory processes, (4) mental models, and (5) behavioral response patterns." And finally " a state of mind does two fundamental things: It coordinates activity in the moment, and it creates a pattern of brain activation that can become more likely in the future." (TDM - 210) These ' patterns of brain activation that can become more likely in the future' are known in sanskrit as samskaras. (see I-50) Patanjali describes these states as being painful (dysfunctional or traumatic) or not painful (not dysfunctional). (Later on we will see the dysfunctional vrttis come in two basic categories, tamas and rajas.) In neuroscience, tamas is stuckness of rigidity; the inability to change or adapt even when the situation requires it. Rajas is chaos, the inability to stabilize the mind to function normally (serious chaos) or the inability to settle the mind for meditation. As mentioned in the commentary to I-2, integration is a type of mind activity, a process where different systems of organizing and processing information can be linked together to create a new set of possibilites. We can now say that traumatic or dysfunctional states inhibit integration, and healthy mind states enhance integration. Dysfunctional states create the illusion of a self that is false, a self that is based on mind activity, which we can call 'I" thoughts. I am unhappy, I am angry, I am ... fill in the blank. I want..., I need..., if I only could..., then I would be happy, whole free. Yoga involves resolving those patterns, alchemically integrating them into pre-existing states where stability and flexobility are in balance. Mind activity is to be recognized for what it is. This brings us to another way to look at the samadhi process. Samadhi is about the process of paying attention. What does it mean to pay attention to something? What determines which objects attract my attention? Who is paying attention? Patanjali will spend the rest of the sutras unfolding the answers to these questions. We will see that sustained attention on the various aspects of mind activity gradually strengthens and focuses the capacity to pay attention. Sustained attention on awareness itself dissolves into Pure Awareness, the Seer. Yoga is healing (making whole) the self sense suffering from confusion and misunderstanding. Yoga is integration, the natural process of the nervous system when in a healthy environment.
Why do we suffer? And by suffering, its important to carefully . differentiate physical and physiological pain from pyschological and emotional pain. A tooth ache or a broken bone, influenza or any of a number of unpleasant diseases and conditions are painful, miserable experiences. Experienceing the death of a loved one, or recognizing the amazing amount of suffering humans inflict upon each other can be heart-breakingly painful. Intelligent living and life style choices can eliminate some types of pain (see Yoga Sutras, Chapter II), but various types of pain and disease are an inevitable aspect of the human condition. However, thoughts also have an amazing capacity to inflict pain and suffering and this is the realm addressed in these sutras. How do some thoughts come to be self destructive, or dysfunctional? Why do some people seem immune to mental anguish while other seem totally imprisoned by it. Most of us lie somewhere in between, moving in and out of suffering like the sun moving in and out of the clouds. The Sanskrit word for suffering is dukha and literally means to be stuck. It comes from the root kha meaning axle and refers to a wheel that is either no longer turning, or wobbling and off center giving a bumpy unpleasant ride. It complements the sanskrit word sukha which means free or flowing, or easy as a well greased, well centered wheel flows smoothly over the road. When the mental suffering becomes great enough there is often the incentive to take action. Yoga practice can be seen as helping the healthy, integrated components of mind learn how to heal and integrate the dysfunctional ones. Dan Siegel, in his book "The Mindful Brain", describes 9 distinct domains of neural integration. Neural integration is "the linkage of anatomically or functionally differentiated neural regions into an interconnection of widely distributed areas of the brain and body proper. These interconnections take the form synaptic linkages structurally, and create a form of coordination and balance functionally."In the developing of the nervous system in infancy, integration is a natural process when the infant is surrounded by mature, integrated adults. But as we all know, we are all a work in progress, with more than a few regions of dysfunctionality floating around in our mind fields. Sutras I-6 - I-11 offer further elaboration on these five categories. Dan Siegel offers a useful definition of mind as " a process that regulates the flow of energy and information", and we can use this to consider the term vrtti as a particular pattern of energy and information flow. I-6 pramana, viparyaya, vikalpa. nidra, smrtayah (the 5 basic categories of mind activity are) correct or valid knowledge, incorect knowledge, imagination, sleep and memory I-7 pratyaksha, anumanaagamah pramanani correct or valid knowledge (arises through) direct perception, inference, and testimony How do we know something is true, is correct? There is a perception, an interpretation and a correct conclusion drawn. This is a neurobiologically complex process, not a simple one, where at least these three layers are involved. Patanjali includes three variations on this process. 1. An object is directly perceived and correctly recognized. I see the apple. I hear a Beatles song. I smell the coffee brewing. 2. I see smoke rising in the distance. Although I do not see fire, I can infer its existence from the smoke. I see foot prints in the sand. Although I do not see a dog, I can infer that a dog was walking here. Good trackers are masters of subtle inference. 3. My son told me about seeing a rabbit in the back yard. I did not see it, cannot infer this from any evidence, but trust his word. Reliable testimony is the third form of uncovering correct knowledge. I-8 viparyayah mithyajnanam atadrupa pratistham wrong understanding arises through misperception, misconception, (or some combination of both) As in I-7, there is a perception, interpretation and a conclusion. But here, the conclusion is wrong or false. We make a mistake. The form perceived is misinterpreted, but the truth of the form is available to correct. Sometimes our senses fail us. In low light, we don't see as well, we do not always hear clearly, etc. Also, our senses may be reporting acurately, but because of previous conditioning, known as 'priming' in neuro-science, we draw the wrong conclusion. I-9 shabdajnana anupati vastushunyah vikalpah imagination is when conception is not based on the perception of a real object We can combine memories and experiences from the past, combine them in new and unusual ways, and create images the mind 'sees' This can be a very positive, a neutral, or a very dysfunctional process.
I-10 abhava pratyaya alambana vrttih nidra sleep is a state of mind activity accompanied by the absence of cognition Here Patanjali is referring to the dreamlessness of deep sleep. In dream sleep, there is mental activity, with cognitions, but the outer world plays a minimal role. In deep sleep, the mind continues to operate in the background, but in the foreground is emptiness, the absence of activity normally associated with being alive and present in the world. I-11 anubhuta visaya asampramosah smrtih memory is the retention of experience We now know that memory is a highly complex, multi-modal experience that changes with every recall. Autobiographical memory, the experience of " I am remembering" is but one type of memory. The body also holds memory, like the ability to tie ones shoes, or to play a piece of music. In our neuroscience section, we will look at memory in a bit more detail. The next 4 sutras discuss the first two upayas or spiritual practices that are used to reduce the dysfunctional mind states and increase integration. They are the alpha and omega, the yin and yang foundational practices of samadhi. I-12 abhyasa vairagyabhyam tan nirodhah Practice and dispassion lead to the resolution of the dysfunctional mind states. Abhyasa, practice, can be seen as a consciously chosen, disciplined focused state of the mind where we create specific neuronal pathways of action and perception. Vairagya can be conversely seen as a state of consciously inhibiting neuronal pathways, of relaxing and letting go of habits and patterns that are perpetuating a delusional, inadequate self-sense that sustains suffering. I-13 tatra sthitau yatno'bhyasah Practice leads to stable healthy mind states and stillness. I-14 sa tu dirgha-kala-nairantarya-satkarasevito drdha-bhumih Stability of mind requires continuous practice over a long period of time, without interruption, and with an attitude of devotion and love. Deeply engrained habits do not go away overnight, whether in an individual or a society. The neuronal connections can be strongly wired, especially if they have been repeated over and over. To lay down new neural pathways and weaken the old ones takes time and patience. Devotion and love are required to make sure the new pathways are healthy and not dysfunctional. It is quite easy to react to an unhealthy pattern by creating another unhealthy one. ""I hate myself for having all this judgment," is a common thought/vrtti. Learning to gently and compasionately see the thought and recognize it for what it is requires discipline and patience. This then leads to the process of letting it go. This is vairagyam, described in the next sutra. There are many vrttis floating about the mind field that are triggers for suffering. Vairagyam is sustaining a healthy and alert immune system for the mind. I-15 drshtanushravika-vishaya-vitrshnasya vashikara-sanjna vairagyam The control over craving after any experience, whether sensual, psychological or spiritual is known as dispassion. The root of dysfunctionality is craving, the intense desire to aquire or get rid of 'something' to create a temporary feeling of wholeness or relaxation. To a self-sense that feels inadequate, there is always something that needs changing. Craving, as we soon find out in life, is a self-perpetuating path of inadequacy and subsequent suffering. Life is what it is moment by moment and true happiness is not dependent upon the constantly changing circumstances of life. If I believe that my happiness depends upon something changing, I will suffer. Seeing through this delusion is a crucial component of yoga. The true nature of the Self, the unchanging limitless existence and consciousness, (sat - chit - ananda) is undisturbed by any and all possibilities life throws our way. With the discipline of vairagya we stop believing the craving thoughts, even if they keep arising. No, my happiness is actually not dependent upon gettting rid of Glen Beck! This eventually leads to dispassion towards most craving. The subtle forms are dealt with in the mnext sutra. Important note! Vairagyam is not the absence of passion! An integrated self is highly passionate, just not insecure and needy. I-16 tat param purusha-khyater guna vaitrshnyam The more advanced form of dispassion involves the full realization of self as the absolute and the dropping away of the most subtle forms of craving and attachment. see also sutras II - 26, III - 5, IV-29 - 31 In I-16, Patanjali restates I-3, the knower/seer resting in its own nature, as an example of the culmination of refined discipline/dispassion. In I-17, he introduces more details on the nature of samadhi practice, this being the samadhi pada.
I-17 vitarka-vichaara-ananda-asmita-ruupa-anugamaat samprajnaatah In samadhi with wisdom, refined focal attention (samadhi) can be sustained on the forms of gross level of reality, forms of the subtle level, the sense of limitlessness, and the sense of "I-am-ness. Samadhi is a flowing and focused mind state balancing alertness and relaxation, abhyasa and vairagyam. Like a microscope, the samadhi state can be focused on different levels of reality/experience and the possible confusion and dysfunctional habits that may exist in each. In these four stages, a support or seed is used to focus the attention as the samadhi process of abhyasa/vairagyam seeks out confusion and dysfunctionality. In I - 18, seedless samadhi is introduced where awareness no longer needs anything, any form, to sustain itself. The first stage of the samadhi with support requires attention on the gross or most tangible aspect of the world of form or prakriti. In hatha yoga we use the felt sense of weight, through bone, fluids and gravity to access this level. Confusion here is directly felt as tension in the muscles, connective tissues and joints. The second stage, the subtle body, that is, the breath and all energetic interactions of aliveness can be used for support. Included are the physiological processes, lower mind activity such as perception and memory, and higher cognitive functioning such as abstract thought and analysis. Confusion here begins as physiological tension, restricted breathing, digestive tension, and can soon be seen as psychological, in the form of fear, anxiety or anger. Even more subtle forms arise as belief systems and wrong assumptions about life and the nature of the world around us. The third level steps back from specific aspects of mind activity all together and explores the pure vibration of the atoms, molecules and cells. There is a natural harmony here experienced as pure pleasure or bliss.We are still in the world of form, the seen and not the Seer, and the 'I sense' can land here and claim the territory for itself. The samadhi scanner seeks out such confusion and brings vairgayam to help in the resolution. Finally, in the 4th level, the I-am-ness itself is explored. In the Samkhya model of creation, this realm is the intelligence underlying the universe, mahat or the higher buddhi, and thus is more subtle, more primal than even the vibration of the bliss level. This is the first emergence of form from the primal void/Seer, but is still not the Seer. The samadhi uses this as its last support before finally resolving the need for any support. This leads to the seedless samadhi of I - 18. I-18 viraama-pratyayaabhyaasa-puurvah samskaara-shesho'nyah In the other samadhi focal attention is on the radical emptiness or absence of mind activity, with only unconscious traces remaining. Here the I-am-ness has resolved and what remans is the radical emptiness of the quantum field, where time, space, and creation appear and disappear instantaneuously. 'Luminous Emptiness' is a lovely term pointing to this I learned from His Holiness, the Twelfth Gyalwang Drukpa is his visit to Cambridge a few years ago. See sutras III-10 - III-14 I-19 bhava-pratyayo videha-prakrti-layaanaam Samadhi can occur spontaneously at rebirth to those who have in previous lives been practicing samadhi at death. Here Patanjali offers a brief acknowledgement of incarnation and the developmental nature of spiritual practice. Thus some may move right into the state of samadhi seemingly without having done the preliminary work. The work just happened to be done in previous lives. See sutra III-43 I-20 shraddhaa-viirya-smrti-samaadhi-prajnaa-puuvaka itareshaam The samadhi of others (one's who achieve samadhi in this life) is accompanied by faith, strength, memory, meditation and wisdom. The five yoga vitamins are key components to practice. These are more attitudes of mind that create a state conducive for awakening. shraddha, translated as faith, is the full clarity and pleasantness of the mind field. Like a benevolent mother, she protects the yogi, says Vyassa. It is an inner confidence that it is in fact possible to awaken and move out of suffering and confusion. Spending time in the company of those who radiate love, compassion and wisdom nurtures this. It builds enthusism which leads to virya. virya, strength, energy, vitality acumulates with the inner confidence of shraddha and the results of practice. Virya can also be seen as creativity, the power to create, and has traditionally been associated with celibacy. The tantrikas have a different point of view. smrti or memory, mentioned previously in I-6 and I-11, is recalling states of deep inner peace and clarity as a way to restimulate the neuronal circuitry associated with these states and strengthen them. The practice of samadhi deepens and further wires the circuitry of the samadhi state. The more time spent here, the easier it becomes to sustain as a natural state. Prajna or wisdom arises through samadhi practice and reinforces our capacity to make intelligent decisions as we go through our daily activities. Intelligent decisions do not lead to negative mind states and further suffering I-21 tiivra-samvegaanaam aasannah Awakening is near for those whose practice and desire for liberation is intense. Abhyasa is mentioned again as intense practice. When accompanied by passion, focused emotional energy, the being is ripe and ready to pop open like a flower bud about to bloom
I-22 mrdu-madhyaadhimaatratvaat tato'pi visheshah Even in the serious students there are mild, moderate and intense levels of practice The emotional energies available for practice vary from student to student. It is important to be true to one's own capacities and not try to force the process. Balance is always a smart path. **************** Now Patanjali introduces the practice of direct experience of the Divine as a means to samadhi. Ishvara in Vedanta is what we might call the 'Laws of the Universe" in manifestation. Or the underlying intelligence and on-going expression of the creation/universe. In Indian theology, there is the recognition that the divine as the attribute-less, unchanging, unbounded Absolute is too challenging to handle for many, so a "Divinity with attributes" is presented as a more graspable concept. This the divine as an alambana or support is seen as the seed of sabija samadhi of sutra I-46. In Vedanta you find Nirguna Brahman (attributeless, no gunas) and also Saguna (with attributes) Brahman. It is complicated, trying to evoke the infinite while still defining something to grasp. Such is Patanjali's challenge here. Let's see what he does. I-23 ishvara pranidhaanaad va or by practicing the presence of God Isvara pranidhana will show up again as one of the three practices of Kriya Yoga in sutra II-1, and as one of the niyamas of the eight limb ashtanga yoga. In sutra II - 45 Patanjali repeats that surrender to God leads to perfection in samadhi. The fact that there are six sutras devoted to Ishvara right here in the Samadhi pada indicates how important this is as an aspect of yoga practice. Praying to a personal divinity contrasts strongly with the Buddhists who stay away from 'Divinity', probably to avoid the inevitable contradictions that arise when trying to describe the undescribable. I-24 kleshaa-karma-vipaakaashayair a-para mrshtah purusha-vishesha ishvarah Isvara is a special 'purusha', untouched by the afflictions, actions and the results of actions, or previous impressions. Samkhya gets a bit convoluted here as the term purusha now has another connotation. Here pursusha refers the divine aspect of an ordinary individual, a person. Thus there are multiple purushas, some enlightened, some not. Your typical mortal human type has had to work through doubt, confusion and plain wrong thinking. The Christians might call this 'original sin' our inheritance from Adam and Eve. Ishvara is a special purusha. One cannot say he is enlightened, as he never had any afflictions or karma to transform, but obviously he is not unenlightened either. But he is not human either. I-25 tatra nir-atishayam sarvajna-biijam In him, the seed of omniscience is unsurpassed. He/she is all knowing. The seeds of all possible knowledge are contained in his/her being. I-26 puurveshaam api gurah kaalena an- avachchedaat (Ishvara) is also the teacher of the ancients, because he is unlimited by time. Ishvara is unlimited in time as well as in knowledge. Patanjali is building the case for the infinite. I-27 tasya vaachakah pranavah He is designated by Om pranavah means the sacred mantra Om, the sound that contains all sounds, the form that contains all forms 1-28 taj japas tad artha-bhavanam Repeating (OM) and contemplating the meaning 1-29 tatah pratyak-chetanaadhigamo'py antaraayaabhaavash cha From this comes freedom from obstacles and an inward directing of awareness. The practice of japa, silently repeating a mantra, in this case Om, is introduced as a way to develop powers of concentration and to help transform distracted and dull mental states into samadhi states of deep clarity and wisdom. The main types of distracted states are described next. I-30 vyaadhi-styaana-samshaya-pramaadaalasyaavirati-bhraantidarshanaalabdhabhuumikatvaanavasthitatvaani chitta-vikshepaas te'ntaraayaah The obstacles are disease, mental laziness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, attachment, mistaken perception, failure to reach stability, failure to sustain stability. They are distractions to the mind. Patanjali lists 9 fundamental obstacles to the state of relaxed focal awareness we call samadhi. Here he describes the psychological and physical aspects. In I-31 he will add the emotional piece. 1. disease: when the physiology is disturbed and out of balance, the mind has trouble remaining clear and present. 2.mental paralysis: the mind just will not cooperate in sustaining a concentration practice. 3. doubt: can be a positive component to advanced practice as it prevents the mind form holding on to subtle beliefs thinking they are absolute truth. But for the beginner doubt prevents a commitment to serious practice. Maybe it will work, maybe it's a waste of time. Who knows? Sraddha, faith, givin in I-20 is the antidote. 4. carelessness: not practicing, or living your life with full mindful awareness. Once one has tasted awakening, it requires a powerful sustained effort to sustain. It is easy to feel that one has already accomplished something and thus slack off, distracted by the trivia of daily life. 5. laziness; I want to practice but, you know, maybe tomorrow I'll get back to it. Not today. I'm a little tired. A physical and mental heaviness. 6. attachment: Craving for sensory satisfaction. Vairagyam, introduced in I-15 and I-16, address ways to address this obstacle. In sutra II-4 when Patanjali introduces the kleshas, or impediments, we will find raga attachment and dvesha - aversion, variations on this theme 7. mistaken perception; related to I-8, viparyaya. Unlike in doubt, there is no oscillation. As this relates to yoga practice, it involves wrong notions about practice. 'The pain in my back is good for me". "I have to eliminate all thoughts for my mind to meditate". There are many more. 8. failure to experience the samadhi state: In spite of diligent effort, the mind is still stuck in dullness and aggression. The harder you try, the worse it gets. 9. failure to sustain the samadhi state. In the beginning, samadhi is often neurologically unstable. Abhyasa and vairagya, as mentioned in I-12 - 1-17, and Ishvara pranidhana, are the practices to stabilize the wisdom. I-31 duhkha-daurmanasyaangamejayatva-shvaasa-prashvaasaa vikshepa-saha-bhuvaha Suffering, sour-mindedness, unsteadiness, (incorrect) inhalation and (incorrect) exhalation acompany the distractions. How do we recognize the disctracted state? Patanjali now lists the emotional components, the energetic expressions, of distraction. 1.Duhkha, suffering, is a very useful sanskrit word. The Sanskrit root 'kha' means 'axle hole' and refers to the way a wheel and the axle interact in a cart or chariot. A well drilled axle hole gives you a smooth ride, sukha. A poorly drilled one, a dukkha', leads to a bumpy ride or even being stuck. Duhkha has come to mean suffering and all Buddhist teachings begin here. Not gliding through life effortlessly, but being tossed and turned and banged around emotionally. The word sukha will appear when Patanjali describes the nature of a yogic posture in II - 43. 2. Sour-mindedness. I love this word, probably because this state is very familiar to me. Unfulfilled desires, large and small can lead to this pissy feeling. 3. wiggly limbs: the body expresses mental restlessness by fidgeting. this will definitely interfere with seated meditation. Asana practice can help integrate the body/mind to overcome this tendency. 4. (disturbed) inhalation 5. (disturbed) exhalation: when the mind is distracted the breath is also affected and this can be felt directly. Asana and pranayama practice help liberate the breath into an effortless flow conducive to samadhi/meditation I-32 tat-pratishedhaartham eka-tattvaabhyaasah Constantly creating one-point attention will eliminate these disturbances. Patanjali again uses the term abhyasa, (sutras I-13 - I-14), to indicate long dedicated uninterrupted practice of eka-tattva, one pointedness of mind. This is also known as concentration practice, dharana/dhyana, to be introduced in chapter 2 as part of the 8 limbs of astanga yoga. Vyasa discusses ekagra citta in his commentary to sutra I-1.Patanjali returns to this again in III-12 as ekagrata parinama. I-33 Maitri karuna mudita upekshanam sukha dukha punya apunya vishayanam bhavanatash citta prasadanam. (The mind becomes purified by) friendliness, compassion, joy, and indifference (equanimity) (respectively) towards those who are successful, suffering, virtuous and unvirtuous. Patanjali continue the discussion of eliminating the distractions to samadhi consciousness by addressing the emotions. Because the emotions are so crucial to bringing stability to the mind, this is one of the most important sutras. This sutra also is recapitulated in sutra II-33 where pratipaksha bhavanam, cultivating the opposite mind state, is reintroduced as a means to overcoming negative emotions. These are practices of the heart and are very important in the Buddhist teachings as well. Friendliness is the easiest and most natural positive emotion to cultivate. We all know what it is like to have a friend, to feel the warmth and openness that comes when we are with a friend. But also, it is not uncommon to feel envious or jealous over other people's success or good luck. Practicing (maitri) amity, friendliness or loving kindness, by remembering and recreating these feelings, when feeling jealous or disappointed helps to keep the mind calm and the heart open. Compassion goes right to the heart. When we see others suffering we may either turn away to avoid the depths of feeling, or perhaps take some cruel delight if it happens to be an enemy that is suffering. Choosing to remain compassionate (karuna) in the face of suffering keeps us in our hearts and grounded in being. Being compassionate towards ourselves is also an important and challenging practice. Virtuous people may make us feel inadequate, less than worthy, insecure in our selves, if we are prone to engage in comparison. Expressing joy or delight (mudita) in their virtuousness allows us to touch our own joy, our own virtue and thus strengthen our own joyful, open -hearted self sense. Seeing injustice can easily evoke anger and fear. The Sanskrit word upeksha literally means indifference. Here, indifference to injustice does not mean inactivity (See Bhagavad Gita) but a state of non reactivity so that anger and fear do not arise to disturb the mind field with a torrent of negative emotional energy. The Buddhists translate upeksha (upekka in Pali) as equanimity. Again the point is to be present to injustice without falling into emotional turmoil. Then appropriate action (dharma) can be taken with a clear mind and open heart. I-34 pracchhardana-vidhaaranaabhyaam vaa praanasya Or by sustaining the state experienced during soft relaxed exhalation and the natural pause after exhalation has finished. Here begins the 'or' section. Patanjali is discussing ways to stabilize and relax the mind and he lists several options. In I-34, the breath is used. There are two natural pauses in the breathing cycle; one after inbreath and before outbreath, and one after outbreath and before inbreath. These may or may not be conscious and relaxed. Opening and releasing the exhalation relaxes the mind and after a relaxed exhalation, the following pause is also relaxed and open. Patanjali says to discover and nurture this sensation/feeling of calmness and ease and the stability of the mind will increase. This is directly tied in with the emotions as they determine the flow of the breath. (See I-32 above) I-35 vishayavatii vaa pravrttir utpannaa manasah sthiti-nibandhanii Or, focusing on a subtle sensation brings steadiness of the mind Patanjali uses the term manas rather than citta as manas is where the information from the senses first appears. Modern neurobiology recognizes that differing regions of the brain and sets of neural circuits govern different types of brain function and Patanjali concurs. To attend to this level of sensitivity requires patience and persistence and thus naturally cultivates a relaxed, one pointed mind state. see II-53 and III-48 I-36 vishokaa vaa jyotishmatii Or, (by focusing on) the sorrowless luminous (sattvic qualities of mind) Sattva is the dynamic balanced integration of relaxtion and arousal in the nervous system/organism. It is described as joyful and luminous. It is the beginning of recognizing the realm of light, more subtle than that of fluid flow. I-37 viita raaga-vishayam vaa chittam Or, (by contemplating) one who is beyond worldly desires "What is this person like?," asks Arjuna of Krishna. For Krishna's reply see Bhagavd Gita, II- 55 - II- 72. I- 38 svapna-nidraa-jnaanaalambanam vaa Or (the mind acquires stability by) taking support from knowlege arising in sleep and dreams. As sensitivity awakens, information from the higher planes of consciousness begin to appear in the dreams. As the cells become energized by practice, their capacity to communicate often first emerges in the dream state and thus clues to deepen the practice appear here. I-39 yathaabhimata-dhyaanaad vaa Or (the mind acquires stability by) meditating on anything that works for you. This is Patanjali at his most open minded and a great sutra. There are many ways to bring clarity and stability to the mind. He gives permission to use your own temperment, wisdom and experience to come up with a practice that works for you. I-40 paramaanu-parama-mahattvaanto'sya vashikaarah Mastery (of one who has refined the mind) extends from the smallest particle to the totality of creation Patanjali the physicist descibes how the mind of one who is fully stabilized extends from the sub-atomic realm of the quantum field all the way to the galaxies and beyond. The universe is the mahat, the great mind that is the mind of the yogi. I-41 kshiina-vrtter abhijaatasyevamaner grahitr-grahana-graahyeshu tat-stha-tad anjanataa samaapattih Absorption of the mind that is free of the fluctuation, is like a transparent jewel reflecting the object before it, whether that object be the knower, the instruments of knowing, or the object to be known. Patanjali now begins a more detailed description of the nature and process of the samadhis introduced in I-17. The main metaphor is that the purified mind is like a clear crystal that reflects the objects placed in its vicinity. The term samapatti is introduced, offering a more nuanced definition of an aspect of the samadhi process. Here samapatti refers to the coalescence of mind with the object of contemplation, where the mind totally takes on the form of the object to know it more completely. The object of contemplation can be any gross form, or the any of the instruments of knowing such as the sense organs and lower mind, or the intelligence (buddhi) itself. From a neurobiological perspective, all unnecessary neurological activity has been inhibited/eliminated and the mind state that remains is stable and undistracted. But, as we shall see, there is still much more refinement available to the yogi. Samadhi refers to the generalized process of transmuting the vrttis to reveal the luminous Self. Samapati is a specialized version of this process. Notice that samapatti is a vrttti itself, as it is a state of mind. More variations on samadhi will be introduced next. In the following sutras, Patanjali uses the metaphysics of Sankhya to articulate the levels of reality penetrated by the deepening lens of samadhi. We can use the metaphor of a microscope to help make sense of the 24 point structure the Sankhyans have created to explain the manifest world. Prakriti refers to the first emergence of all forms. It is completely undifferentiated and cannot be reduced any further. Mahat of Buddhi, primordial intelligence, is the emergence of the laws of the universe, the organizing principles that underlie all forms. Ahamkara is the principe of self-identification. It is where individual forms begin to distinguish themselves from all other forms
I-42 tatra shabdaartha-jnaana-vikalpaih sankiirnaa sa-vitarkaa samaapattih Savitarka accompanied samadhi, introduced in I - 17, is now further divided into two separate, more nuanced categories as described here and in I-43. In this first level of samadhi, savitarka samadhi, although absorbed, the mind unconsciously intermingles three levels of reality. If I were contemplating a rose, for example, the mind would rotate amongst the actual word 'rose', its sound, its shape, the memories and thoughts about 'rose' that I have accumulated over the years and lifetimes, and the actual rose itself. Thus the absorption is less than clear as conceptualizations are entangled with the actual perception of the rose. I-43 smrti-parishuddhau svaruupa-shunyevaartha-maatra-nirbhaasaa nir-vitarkaa In nirvitarka samapatti, the conceptualizations have been eliminated and only the pure perception of the object remains. This is the highest form of correct direct perception, pratyaksha, introduced in I-7, and is likely the perceptual state the animal world experiences. We are still at the gross level of reality, the material realm, the most obvious and tangible, but are seeing this level with total clarity. I-44 etayaiva savichaaraa nirvichaaraa cha suukshma-vishayaa vyaakhyaataa Savichara accompanied samadhi, like savitarka, is divided linto two levels. Here we are engaged with the subtle realms, the energy underlying the material level. Modern science, Einstein specifically, has shown that matter is actually a dense form of energy. In savichara samadhi the energy of an object, or any form as it appears in time and space, is felt directly. In nirvichara, the universal energy of all forms, unlimited by time and space is the seed of absorption.
I-45 suukshma-vishayatvam chaalinga-paryavasaanam The subtle levels, the layers of creation (explored in the levels of samadhi) extend to unmodified prakriti itself, (the substratum of all forms, before disticnt forms emerge.) In Sankyha metaphysics, the most suble evolute, the level beyond which you can no longer find a yet more subtle, is known as prakriti, here noted as 'a-linga', without a sign. this sutra indicates that the previous samadhis can continue to be refined all the way to prakriti. In sutra II-19- II - 28 Patanjali will return to the sankhya metaphysics.
I-46 taa eva sa-bhiijah samaadhih They (the four levels of samadhi just discussed) are known as "samadhi with seed" The 'seeds' are any form, any evolute of prakriti, that the mnd uses as an anchor to stabilize, or seed to "crystallize" the mind field and inhibit the emergence of the dysfunctional patterns, the rajasic and tamasic vrttis. I-47 nirvichaara-vaishaaradye'dhyaatma-prasaadah As nirvichara samadhi becomes clarified, spiritual clarity or lucidity arises. As the most refined samadhi with seed deepens, the rajasic and tamasic vrttis, (the dysfunction mind states,) have been transformed and all that remains in the mind, as mind activity, is sattva, illumination, the inner light. I-48 rtambharaa tatra prajna There (in the state of nirvichara samapatti) is truth bearing wisdom Rta is the ancient Vedic root for the wisdom of the universe, the underlying harmony of the whole. This is pure sattva and from this vantage there is direct realization of the nature of suffering and the freedom. this is pointed out in the next sutra. I-49 shrutaanumaana-prajnaabhyam anya-vishayaa visheshaarthatvaat (Truth bearing wisdom) is different from wisdom gained through scriptures or logic and inference because it deals with specifics. More yoga metaphysics underlies this sutra. The term 'vishesha' refers to a specific object or form. I-50 taj-jah samskaaro'nya-samskaara-pratibandhi Samskaras produced by that (truth bearing wisdom, rtam-bhara-prajna) inhibit other samskaras from emerging. The dysfunctional samskaras (latent patterns of possibility still lurking in the unconscious) or inhibited by these new patterns of energy created by the wisdom. I-51 tasyaapi norodhe sarva-nirodhaan nir-bijah samadhih Upon the cessation of even those (truth-bearing samskaras) seedless samadhi is attained. Patanjali returns to I-3. No seed, no form, nothing is needed for the mind. It rests in absolute stillness, the truth of the Self.
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