a center for
personal and planetary
awakening

Mystic River Yoga
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Arlington, MA 02474

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Introduction

12 Principles of Awakening

Spiritual Foundation

Scientific Foundation

Embodying the Practice

Collective Awakening

                      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,

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 dissolution of the (dysfunctional) mind states. (Rajasic and tamasic vrttis, traumas and traumatic behavior patterns)

Sutra I-2 defines the practice of yoga as the process of dissolving, eliminating, attenuating, any 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 separate "I" or self -sense. How this "I-sense"arises and is sustained over lifetimes is a fascinating topic we will pursue.

I-3  tada drashtuh svarupe avasthanam:

Then the identity of the Self with pure Awareness becomes stable. 

Sutra I-3 defines the culmination of this practice, self realization, enlightenment or kaivalya which will be the primary subject of the 4th chapter. The Seer rests stably in itself. There are many Sanskrit and English words that are used interchangably to point to this 'beyond words' awakening. Purusha is the term Patanjali will use the most and he will contrast this with Prakriti, creation, the world of form.

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!) that citta vrtti nirodha means all mind activity ceases. This is a tricky and complex realm, but we will soon see that samadhi, yoga as practice, involves mind activity. Vyasa, recognizing this potential pitfall, points this out immediately in his commentary to sutra I-1. 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."

I-5  vrttaya panchatayyah klishta aklishtah:

Mind activity can be classified into five basic categories and can be painful or not painful.

And finally, sutra I-5 opens the door into the nature of the mind.

We need to step back and examine dysfunctional mind states to uncover the truth of the self, the sense of "I am". Also, mind activity posing as the self is dysfunctional, but not all mind activity is dysfunctional. Wonderful!

 What is a mind state? According to neurobiologist Dan Siegel, a 'state of mind' is a clustering of a profile of activation within the brain's neural network. 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."

  Mind activity involves changing patterns of activity known as states of mind. These states can be painful (dysfunctional or traumatic) or not painful (not dysfunctional). We can also say the traumaic states inhibit integration, and healthy mind states enhance integration. Yoga involves eliminating the dysfunctional states as they 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.

The True Self, Awareness, Purusha is not subject to change, movement or transformation of any kind.

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. Intelligent living and life style choices can eliminate some (see Yoga Sutras, Chapter II), 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.

   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,

     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 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 other factors, 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 dreamless 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.

I-11  anubhuta visaya asampramosah smrtih

memory is the retention of experience

We now know that memory is a highly complex and multi-modal experience. 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.

The next 4 sutras discuss the first two upayas or spiritual practices that are used to reduce the dysfunctional mind states and increase integration.

I-12  abhyasa vairagyabhyam tan nirodhah

Practice and dispassion lead to the dissipation of the dysfunctional mind states

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. " It is embarrassing to have such thoughts. They need to go away. " or "I hate myself for being this way."

I-15 drshtanushravika-vishaya-vitrshnasya vashikara-sanjna vairagyam

The control over craving, after any experience, whether sensual, psychological or spiritual is known as dispassion.

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

Patanjali now returns to I-3, the knower/seer resting in its own nature, as an example of the culmination of dispassion.

Patanjali now returns to 'Samadhi and defines 2 varieties: with a support for the mind and with no support.

I-17  vitarka-vichaaraanandaasmita-ruupaanugamaat 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. Like a microscope, the samadhi state can be focused of different levels of reality/experience. The first stage requires attention on the gross or most tangible aspect of the world of form or prakriti. Interestingly enough, mind is also of the nature of prakriti, the seen, but as it is more subtle, it is not as easily noticed.

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.

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.

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.

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

I-22 mrdu-madhyaadhimaatratvaat tato'pi visheshah

Even in the serious students there are mild, moderate and intense levels of practice

                              ****************

   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, 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 atributes) 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 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 an expanded connotation. Here pursusha refers the divine aspect of an ordinary individual, a person. Thus there are multiple purushas, some enlightened, some not. Ishvara is a special purusha. He is not enlightened, as he never had any afflictions or karma to transform, so obviously he is not unenlightened 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

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.

I-30  vyaadhi-styaana-samshaya-pramaadaalasyaavirati-bhraantidarshanaalabdhabhuumikatvaanavasthitatvaani chitta-vikshepaas te'ntaraayaah

The obstacles are disease, dullness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, attachment, mistaken perception, failure to reach stability, failure to sustain stability. They are distractions to the mind.

I-31 duhkha-daurmanasyaangamejayatva-shvaasa-prashvaasaa vikshepa-saha-bhuvaha

Suffering, sour-mindedness, unsteadiness, (incorrect) inhalation and (incorrect) exhalation acompany the distractions.

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 samadhi. Vyasa discusses ekagra citta in 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.

   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 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.

  Compassion goes right to the heart. When we see others suffering we may either turn away to avoid the depths of feeling, of perhaps take some cruel delight if it happens to be an enemy that is suffering. Choosing to remain compassionate (karuna) keeps us in our hearts and grounded in being.

  Virtuous people may make us feel inadequate, less that worthy, insecure in our selves if we 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 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 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 conmscious and relaxed. Opening and releasing the exhalation relaxes the mind and after a relaxed exhalation, the floowing 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.

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 differing regions of the brain and sets of neural circuits govern differnt types of brain function and Patanjali concurs.

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.

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.

I-39 yathaabhimata-dhyaanaad vaa

Or (the mind acquires stability by) meditating on anything 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

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 it be the knower, the instruments of knowing, or the object to be known.

I-42 tatra shabdaartha-jnaana-vikalpaih sankiirnaa sa-vitarkaa samaapattih

I-43  smrti-parishuddhau svaruupa-shunyevaartha-maatra-nirbhaasaa nir-vitarkaa

I-44  etayaiva savichaaraa nirvichaaraa cha suukshma-vishayaa vyaakhyaataa

I-45  suukshma-vishayatvam chaalinga-paryavasaanam

I-46 taa eva sa-bhiijah samaadhih

I-47 nirvichaara-vaishaaradye'dhyaatma-prasaadah

I-48 rtambharaa tatra prajna

I-49 shrutaanumaana-prajnaabhyam anya-vishayaa visheshaarthatvaat

I-50  taj-jah samskaaro'nya-samskaara-pratibandhi

I-51  tasyaapi norodhe sarva-nirodhaan nir-bijah samadhih