Synopsis: Sadhana means spiritual practice. Yoga sadhana is something a yogi "does" in order to move from a pre-existing disconnected, fragmented, and dispirited way of life, while shifting into making the connections with the integral whole where one's innate living spirit is given wings. Here we learn experientially through practice, versus by following dictums, memorizing politically correct beliefs, through proven theories (pramana), inference, conceptualization (vikalpa), or any of the other vrtti. Practice, practice. practice, is the mantra here. Authentic yoga is not for the academic observer, but for the yoga practitioner. Mountain yogis have little need of books because they have in their presence a living oral and transverbal tradition. However modern man lives in a very ego driven materialistic setting (Kali Yuga) and hence the yogic practices have to relate to that situation in order to be relevant and useful. It is key not to attempt to place yoga within the Western or modern context (as it will never fit because the whole is much larger than its fragmented parts), but rather to place the modern context within the context of yoga.
Although Patanjali gave many practices (sadhana) as remedies (pratishedha) for that situation of spiritual estrangement in Pada I (such as vairagya, nirodha, virama-pratyaya, isvara pranidhana, dhyana, eka-tattvabhyasa, japa, shradda, virya, prajna, maitri, karuna, upeksanam, mudita, bhava, and especially rtam prajna (the self arising truth bearing seed which is the practice of no practice), it is here in Pada II, that Patanjali focuses upon practices in a more concrete and focused way. Practice is thus the way we learn through self discovery in functional yoga which is different from the methodology of philosophy, logic, religion, or any "ism".
Since the need for practice assumes a pre-existing disconnection (from samadhi), hence remedies (pratishedha) are presented as sadhana (practices), eventually going beyond remedies to acknowledging and directly merging with our innate evolutionary power. Where Pada I (Samadhi Pada) outlined the contextual framework of the disconnection or spiritual malaise and its general resolution in deep samadhi; here, Pada II, acts as a continuation of the outline sketched in Pada I, where now Patanjali focuses upon the basic and auxiliary practices as remedies and what the remedies actually remediate (kleshas and karma).
If we keep our focus in our yoga practice keeps the integrity of a living spirit -- the innate primordial consciousness which is linked via the innate evolutionary power which underlies all of life, then the practice thus becomes both devotional and revelatory -- self liberating and self motivating. Then sadhana becomes a practice of bringing more clarity, truth, integrity, heart consciousness, light, joy, and love into all facets of our lives. As such it has its own innate and profound momentum and enthusiasm as it aligns itself with the universe and universal power (shakti). As such authentic yoga sadhana has nothing to do with externally imposed discipline, hard work, force, comparative power over others, or an individual/selfish willfulness. That way it is not willful nor mechanical in the ordinary sense, because the authentic goal of yoga is to align the individual will with the universal will and power, to enter into a profound harmony, balance, and integral alignment of the power of consciousness because the yoga practitioner gradually ceases identifying with only the body or as a separate egoic/limited "self". Rather the sadhak (practitioner) no longer lives in an estranged "world" of being apart from nature, but rather as a vital part of nature and its beginningless source (creation) being consciously united. Thus yoga (as this integrative process), is a process of surrendering to a very large all encompassing intelligent sacred dynamic. Simultaneously, one surrenders the tendency to disintegrate, to isolate, and become apart from it. Just to say a mechanical and willful approach is a common trap that has seduced many. It can be avoided through balancing it with bhakti (its devotional elements). Human beings have a natural innate impetus toward communion/union and integrity, but it has become beaten out of many and perverted by negative conditioning. It is that negative conditioning that authentic yogic practice destroys.
Integrity is the kind of ultimate completion felt as santosha (sense of fulfillment, completion, and peace) that authentic yoga affords in the beginning, the middle and the end. That instruction as the innate presence of eternal Now awareness which we can focus upon now and always. That is the gift we give to ourselves via yoga. In the end -- when re-union consciously is achieved in samadhi we surrender the practice itself, because there is no need for it. May your sadhana be graced with love, peace, wisdom, light, and joy and all encompassing unbounded completion..
Brief Synopsis of Sadhana Pada
Sadhana Pada Patanjali then progresses from the overall context of yoga delineated in Pada I, to presenting the various techniques and practices of yoga (sadhana), starting off with Kriya Yoga (pre-requisite purification) activities (tapas, swadhyaya, and isvara pranidhana). These three are often greatly misinterpreted by intellectuals, academicians, and religionists who look at them from the outside. We will point out the common mistakes of such coarse misinterpretations.
Sutras II.1-2 tell us that kriya yoga attenuates the kleshas (obstructions/hindrances to free spiritual flow) and hence samadhi is brought forward in that way.
Sutras II.3-9 proceeds with more detailed descriptions of the kleshas, karma, vrtti, and thus how suffering/distress (duhkha) arises. This outlines the vast depth of yoga psycho-pathology.
Sutras II.10-11 describes how to eliminate the kleshas and karma in general via pratiprasava and meditation (dhyana),.
Sutras II 12-16 describes the cause and origins of the kleshas and how the relationships between the kleshas, karma, and vrtti.
Sutras II.17-26 describes how the kleshas and suffering are maintained via samyoga (false identification), confusion (avidya), and eventually how they are destroyed through an informed conscious yoga practice that both heightens and utilizes viveka (powers of differentiation). This ends the psychopathology sections of how karma, klesha, citta-vrtti, delusion, fear, craving, hatred, ego, and delusion interact to create suffering.
Viveka is presented as a gradual process of emptying the contents of the mind from frozen fixations of stagnant citta-vrtti associations with gross and vague ordinary consciousness to an awareness of a profound integral mutuality which underlies the entire universe in its true holographic arrangement. This is accomplished through seven levels of practices which wake us up -- opening up the inner organ of clear vision leading to samadhi (the eighth limb of ashtanga yoga). With that process in mind, the practice of viveka is introduced, which potentiates and extends prajna (intrinsic wisdom) by both removing the two extremes of false identification where the conflation that is called samyoga, which produces false identification and bondage.
From II.27-55 (the end) At sutra 27 astanga yoga (eight-limbed) is introduced as an awareness practice culminating is samadhi. Awareness is sharpened so that the one is found in the all, and the all in the one. Astanga yoga (eight-limbed) is presented as a method to sharpen, strengthen, and extend the expedient means of viveka-khyater which is first utilized as discriminatory awareness, understanding the relative relationship between objects and the observer, leading to a profoundly heightened differentiated and integrated consciousness where we may discern the light of the intrinsic unborn wisdom in All Our Relations. All illness and ignorance is a result from this split from primordial wisdom. That split of ignoring primordial wisdom is avidya (ignorance). In short ashtanga yoga is presented as the remedy to the illness perpetuated by the kleshas (ignorance and egoic delusion) and karma (past causes and conditions). Eventually a sublime balance, alignment, integration, harmony, and holographic synchronicity is realized. A profound shift and healing in the practitioner is effected, as one becomes aware and aligns body, mind, breath, creation/creator in one synergistic harmonious process thus residing more continuously in samadhi, eventually becoming its active expression.
HERE the yoga practitioner refines their discernment of "self" and "other" starting off with elementary self awareness and individuation. Then the dynamic relationship between the observer and the observed, the seer and the seen becomes increasingly conscious, refined, and subtilized in ever expanding terms which increasingly reveals an all pervasive Holographic Integrity culminating in samadhi. Such does not end as the primitive individuation process or object relations as outlined in Western psychology, but rather it it is a transpersonal process of realizing the "one in the many" and "the many in the one". The yoga process, not being a belief or ideology, has to be discovered through practice -- experienced in full participation. The practice reveals both subjectively and objectively, inner and outer, a true naturally open and pure non-dual Self awareness where the apparent differentiations of phenomenal reality is experienced as luminous, radiant, intelligent, vivid, and alive with living spirit. Without Holographic Self awareness true awareness of "reality-as-it-is" is blocked or distorted. Without knowing the true relationship between the seer and the seen in context, reality is skewed. Astanga yoga hence ends in samadhi, in the profound vivid and radiant space of ultimate union between the differentiated everchanging and evolving divine shakti who is intimately pervaded and integrated by the presence of the undifferentiated eternal (shiva). Shiva is contained by shakti and within him. Shiva is within all. Shakti thus makes it possible for siva to come alive and embodied HERE in the integrated realm of shiva/shakti where consciousness and matter, spirit and nature, undifferentiated and differentiated realities are experienced as inseparable -- as a living holographic Great expanse.
Viveka is not a concept but a process of psychic evolution of consciousness where objects of thought are compared with each other until the unbounded and unbiased whole is consulted as judge.
1) Without viveka man is not conscious or aware. Then awareness of "things, events, and an observer who is observing them may develop. This may be considered to be an elementary aspect of viveka as a human being's recognition of his own awareness or mindfulness
2) With the awakening of viveka, man starts to become increasingly more conscious of his conditions, conditioning, and mental processes. This is the elementary modality of viveka as discriminatory awareness. This discrimination operates comparably in the realm of a profound mutuality and relationship of perceived phenomena. In yoga viveka is much more than simply a statement of difference between two or more objects nor an analytical breakdown or isolation of objects into its parts.
3) With further practice and awakening the sadhak becomes more conscious increasingly recognizing more of the contents and mental processes of his mind (samprajnata and pratyaksa) as limitations`to self awareness; i.e., how causes and conditions not only modify the amorphous energetic and physical existence, but also one's own state of mind (citta-vrtti). This is the beginning of the more subtle refinement of viveka as a vast process of spiritual discrimination in the sense of recognizing and honoring the vast multiplicity and diversity of creation as being interconnected and co arising as well as our ability to recognize the true nature of phenomena. This occurs as the citta-vrtta fade away or cease (citta-vrtti nirodha). The yogi starts to recognize his/her own bias, colorings, hindrances, obscurations, afflictive mental emotional patterns (kleshas) and false limited self identifications in relationship to objects, thus allowing her/him to let them go (vairagya) surrendering one's previously self limiting bondage (ego) to the more expansive and rich natural dynamic and inherently intelligent processes of natural (sahaj) yoga.
4) As practice (sadhana) succeeds itself the bonds of samyoga (false egoic identifications/conflations) are broken, and concurrently a new awareness as a recognition of a profound all encompassing mutuality/presence inherent in all beings and things is revealed. Hence the sadhana becomes self liberating through practice. As the evolutionary power along with its intelligent consciousness (being inseparable) moves through the human vehicle, the preexisting fragmented and disorganized nervous system, nadis, and neurophysiology are reorganized, realigned, and attuned so that primordial natural and innate order is restored. Therein the human being acts as an active expression of the evolutionary power spontaneously and naturally.
Negative conditioning tends to blur our vision (avidya instead of vidya is heightened). As we have seen, samyoga is the sleepy state of a bland sameness, blocked creative energy, and indifference which inures us to ignorance (the blockage of creative pure vision). Samyoga fixations are broken up via viveka, which is an innate power brought forward into fruition via astanga yoga. Although the power of viveka is innate, in humans who have become conditioned/programmed viveka starts off as a beginning limited awareness (or a recognition of very limited sub-consciousness). Then further practice breaks the bonds of unconscious habits and karmic propensities (vasana) separating the observer from its false identification. That separation/isolation is where most samkhya interpreters end, but to go further in the culmination of yoga as union. after the associations of the fixated boundaries of samyoga are broken apart, then a profound alignment and mutuality in unity with all beings and things as-it-is in swarupa is attained, as one's true unconditioned nature of mind - all pervasive and never ending. In short, in yogic non-dual realization there is neither a fixated identification with everything else, nor a separation. Rather undifferentiated (absolute) reality and differentiated (relative) reality are both understood to be inseparable and undivided, as each illumines and reveals the other.
First one has to have that awareness activated inside to a certain degree, in order to effect it as an operant in daily life activities -- to activate it further. That is what asana and yogic practices (sadhana) effect. It activates a recognition at first. It is really quite natural (as evolution is natural), but in human society it is not "normal". It would be an error to not recognize evolutionary power in the universe (the so called outer world) as being separate from that evolutionary force which is innate within all humans as part of this universal self existing order (dharma), but such mostly dormant or repressed (unconscious) in man. In fact this power and consciousness as conscious power, or the power of consciousness are made of the same "stuff" and thus are mutual synergists once this relationship is recognized. Again spiritual sadhana (practice) activates this awareness, and the awareness itself in turn makes the Sadhana even more effective and successful activating it. Hence viveka both is the goal and the activator of astanga yoga as we will see in II.27 and onward.
"The gnosis is the effective principle of the Spirit, a highest dynamic of the spiritual existence. The gnostic individual would be the consummation of the spiritual man; his whole way of being, thinking, living, acting would be governed by the power of a vast universal spirituality. All the trinities of the Spirit would be real to his self-awareness and realized in his inner life. All his existence would be fused into oneness with the transcendent and universal Self and Spirit; all his action would originate from and obey the supreme Self and Spirit's divine governance of Nature. All life would have to him the sense of the Conscious Being, the Purusha within, finding its self-expression in Nature; his life and all its thoughts, feelings, acts would be filled for him with that significance and built upon that foundation of its reality. He would feel the presence of the Divine in every centre of his consciousness, in every vibration of his life-force, in every cell of his body. In all the workings of his force of Nature he would be aware of the workings of the supreme World-Mother, the Supernature; he would see his natural being as the becoming and manifestation of the power of the World-Mother. In this consciousness he would live and act in an entire transcendent freedom, a complete joy of the spirit, an entire identity with the cosmic self and a spontaneous sympathy with all in the universe. All beings would be to him his own selves, all ways and powers of consciousness would be felt as the ways and powers of his own universality. But in that inclusive universality there would be no bondage to inferior forces, no deflection from his own highest truth: for this truth would envelop all truth of things and keep each in its own place, in a relation of diversified harmony, - it would not admit any confusion, clash, infringing of boundaries, any distortion of the different harmonies that constitute the total harmony. His own life and the world life would be to him like a perfect work of art; it would be as if the creation of a cosmic and spontaneous genius infallible in its working out of a multitudinous order. The gnostic individual would be in the world and of the world, but would also exceed it in his consciousness and live in his self of transcendence above it; he would be universal but free in the universe, individual but not limited by a separative individuality. The True Person is not an isolated entity, his individuality is universal; for he individualizes the universe: it is at the same time divinely emergent in a spiritual air of transcendental infinity, like a high cloud-surpassing summit; for he individualizes the divine Transcendence."
Sri Aurobindo, "The Future Evolution of Man" Chapter 8
Thus four steps can be discerned that can be discerned apart from the total subjectivity of an infant devoid of self awareness or conscious awareness. Although the infant eventually learns elementary self awareness, which could be also called healthy "object relations" in modern psychological terms, or individuation in Jungian terms these are all elementary states of fragmentary awareness.
According to Sri Aurobindo then, first the ability to recognize the role of mental consciousness and our actual situation; i.e., the ability to isolate conscious awareness from phenomena, thus recognizing the role of the mind in framing "reality". This heightened awareness of the role of mind and observer is still dualistic -- the so called, "objective or independent isolated mental "freedom" of samkhya. Eventually this objective awareness has to be applied inward, to the true nature of awareness itself (the so-called mind).
Second then, there is the subjective experience of universal consciousness (cit) as being omnipresent and all pervading in all beings and things -- in all of nature and evolution. There is god, there is god, everything as a holographic bit of god consciousness, reflecting the hologram. But god or the hologram can not be successfully reified. In the holographic context, the observer no one can be apart or excluded, rather one is an intimate part (participant) of that very intelligent evolutionary process as we will see.
Thirdly this leads one to a heightened awareness of a profound mutual synergistic synchronicity, as the wisdom eye opens (supramental or siva) then our awareness of the evolutionary power increases (supernature or shakti), so that this synergistic synchronicity becomes accelerated in continuity as All Our Relations -- as an integrative boundless seamless unified interactive wholistic Great Living Integrity. Yet the human being has not yet activated his role as mother/father -- seeder/planter and catalyst. This is non-dual, transpersonal, and transconceptual direct experience. Next to come is conscious inter-action.
Fourthly, that leads to a supernatural or profound sacred encounter between the awakened yogi and all of creation (siva/shakti) where sacred space is created; where a portal or open doorway into a inter dimensional timeless space is effected -- the Shambhala-like multiverse/buddhaverse is opened while Buddhafields are expanded naturally in its natural expression of evolutionary activity and integrity -- a profound or sacred mutuality is awakened, activated, vivified, and expressed as All Our Relations as the expression of timeless love. Here the vast potentiality of primordial wisdom effortlessly manifests as in a transconceptual amorphous vivid and radiant display as human beings awaken to their creative/evolutionary potential -- their inner/outer alignment, allied in a common rhapsodic love, purpose, celebration, and unconditional happiness and freedom.
"What we call 'concrete,' a concrete reality. --yes, what gives you the sense of a 'real' existence—that particular sensation has to disappear and be replaced by.... It's beyond words.... It's all-light, all-power, all intensity of love at the same time, and a fullness! It is so full that nothing else can exist beside that. And when "that" is here, in the body, in the cells, it's enough to direct 'it' onto someone or something, and everything falls immediately into place. So, in ordinary terms, it 'heals'": the illness is cured. No! it doesn't cure it: it cancels it! That's it, the illness is made unreal.... For it isn't the action of a "higher force" through matter, into others: it's a direct action, from matter to matter. What people usually call "healing power" is a great mental or vital power imposing itself despite the resistance of matter — that's not at all the case here! It is the contagion of a vibration. So it's irrevocable."
The Mother, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, 12 July 1967.
What this truly portends is inscrutable to the intellect, and can only is be experienced through non-dual/transconceptual wisdom. Hence authentic yoga provides effective practices which through which direct experience (experiential knowledge) is accessible. Matter is not "just" matter, but mater and pater, integral and inseparable. The amorphous morphogenic resonances of nature responds to mind, vibration, and the whologram as a whole, hence from that vast integration (samadhi) all and everything become articulated.
Pada II ends with presenting the first five limbs (yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, and pratyhara) of astanga yoga. Toward the end of Pada II in the discussion of ashtanga yoga, Patanjali again brings up the valuable practices of Kriya Yoga (swadhyaya or self study, tapas or kindling divine passion through renouncing nonproductive activity, and isvara pranidhana surrender to the highest formless Self), thus emphasizing their value when they are functionally understood both as purification practices as well as mutual synergists with the other limbs (of astanga). Thus here in Pada II, Patanjali, briefly prepares us for the last three and most subtle practices of ashtanga yoga found in the beginning of Chapter III (Vibhuti Pada). These last three limbs are generally considered the higher or more subtle inner practices of astanga yoga being dharana (concentration techniques), dhyana (meditation), and samadhi (integrative absorption) to a gradual degree of increasing subtleness, until the samadhi beyond all subtlety, where all seeds of falling back out of union ceases in (nirbij samadhi).
Pada II Sutra 1
Tapah-svadhyayesvara-pranidhanani kriya-yogah
The applications of tapas (the practice of heightening our spiritual passion), swadhyaya ( the practice of self study, self observation, or self awareness), and isvara pranidhana (the ability to acknowledge, to listen to, and to act from our innate seed source of inner guidance, which is the universal source of omniscient Now awareness) are the three premier activities (kriya) that lead the yogi to realizing the fruit of yoga.
Tapas: P practices which fuel the spiritual flame. Spiritual passion. heat, or fire generated by plugging the dissipative leaks of energy through renouncing distractions such as unconscious or unwise degenerate, materialistic, non-productive activities of body, mind, or speech and thus creating open space that redirects those vectors toward fruitful spiritual practice (sadhana). Tapas is on a coarse level at first simple renunciation and is thus coarse and physical on that level.. It is not forceful restraint, repression, or self-abnegation. Nor is tapas mere withdrawal/passivity. The secondary coarse aspect of tapas is then the redirection of the pranic energy back into its natural constellation and hence it is NOT sublimation nor neurotic displacement. On a heightened and more subtle level, tapas is tapping into and allying oneself with this universal evolutionary movement/vector, thus it is more than effortless and spontaneous, rather it is moving, Self propelling, and energizing.
On the coarse and immature level one has a choice to decide to move in the direction of profane/mundane and neurotic passion (the external or objectified world), or redirect that impulse so as to be guided by increasing the communion with evolutionary spiritual force depending on one's level of spiritual intelligence/ability. The yogi embraces the latter. As a more subtle practice, the yogi creates spaces/pauses inbetween thoughts, allowing for the evolutionary energy or cit-prana to guide the moment. In mature tapas, this vector occurs consciously and spontaneously without willful choice or decision. Rather it is guided by a well recognized inner wisdom gleaned through preliminary practice. Thus it concentrates and effects our ability to harmonize with and express divine or evolutionary will, reflecting its innate order and intelligence..
Swadhyaya: The practice of self-study; self observation; self awareness; the process of knowing true self nature (swarupa-sunyam in samadhi) or Self (both passive and active). The true Self is not found in books.
Kriya: The word, kriya, can have many meanings It can mean activity, action, or divine activity (as in Kriya Shakti). It is also used to mean purification activity, preparation, preliminary practices, and pre-requisite, or primary practices. In yoga, the primary practices can also be the premier and hence superior practices, while the secondary practices are taken up as a supplement, only if the the practitioner fails in the primary or premier practice. Here we will use the word, premier, as Kriya Yoga is proactive to the kleshas rather than remedial. It is thus an affirmation of Self and hence closer to Self realization than the remedial practices which remedy the kleshic activity.
Isvara pranidhana: Is a practice of dedication, devotion, or surrender to our innermost heart/core Self, our greatest evolutionary potential, the transpersonal all encompassing Self. Beyond prayer and asking for guidance, it is listening to that Self as guidance, eventually moving in harmony and integrity with isvara as its expression in one's very life as Self expression. "Ish" means "inner" and svara is "master" or teacher. Thus one recognizes and gets in touch with one's intimate innate hereditary master teacher and becomes Self directed by one's true inner natural evolutionary Self (the teacher of even the most ancient of teachers). Also vara may be defined as grace, so isvara can be defined as an inner and implicate grace. Thus, isvara pranidhana is acknowledgement and surrender to one's innermost teacher called by the yogis, self emergent grace. As such isvara pranidhana is non-self doing (selfless action). (I.26).
Commentary: Another way of translating this is that a successful yoga practice is based upon the activities (kriya) of increasing spiritual passion/inspiration (the spiritual engine), self study, and observation (understanding the true nature of Self), and surrendering to the ever-present universal sublime intelligence that is at the universal center core/heart of *HEART* [which is formless, all pervading, and universal]. These three are fundamental for success in yoga.
Tapas, swadhyaya, and isvara pranidhana all work together as an effective unit as kriya yoga. For example first there is self awareness of a pre-existing dissipating or distracting pattern (swadhyaya). Then one suspends or renounces that activity (tapas) freeing up new energy to fuel a heightened onepointed dedication toward the heart of yoga (isvara pranidhana). One's practice thus leads more onepointedly toward samadhi.
In an advanced stage of kriya yoga. one recognizes a state of non-dual Self and abandons not-Self through a refined/heightened self-awareness (as self-study) on a daily and moment to moment (continuous) basis. At the same time one recognizes the distinction between dissipative and degenerate activities on one hand, and integrative activities on the other, thus moving into the direction (vector) of spiritual fire (tapas), while lastly at the same time, one moves into the Integrated Self as the All-Self (selfless), becoming the arms and legs of its descent, it manifestation, expression, or sublime transpersonal evolutionary activity (isvara pranidhana). At this point the three elements of Kriya Yoga have become one.
Technically, the practice of yoga (sadhana) is the ongoing never-ending process, the verb and activity that fulfills, an interface tool/procedure, the intelligent process of continuous transformational re-configuration, and the most subtle technique that merges us to mesh in harmony with the deepest meaningful currents of Reality (wherein the true self nature or true identity can be realized in swarupa-sunyam). In this first sutra of pada two, Patanjali is telling us that to begin yoga practice -- as its preliminaries (kriyas), so that it can be eventually successful, these three powerful kriya practices are of immense value capable of leading the inspired practitioner to the deepest successful the yogic process (by becoming connected with primordial awareness (eternal spiritual presence) in our daily life as sublime Divine Presence within its boundless all fulfilling complete continuity (integrity). That living integral presence is our guide and friend. Indeed the universalist definition of isvara pranidhana is just that, surrendering to eternal spirit in everyday life -- at every moment -- in All Our Relations. This is knowing the true unadorned Self as-it-is (swadhyaya); while it is tapas that kindles the fire to help us get HERE and keeping us on the path. Realization of this Integral Self, negates the possibility of a separate/independent self (except as a limitation and delusion).
As defined elsewhere, tapas is the heat, fire, and transforming impetus that catalyzes the yogi's practice. Swadhyaya is self observation, self-awareness, and self-inquiry. Isvara means the inner (ishta) teacher/master (isvara). Pranidhana is acknowledgement, focused dedication, and on pointed devotion. In this case isvara pranidhana is listening for and openness to the inner transpersonal/interpersonal innate omnipresent guidance which is nirvikalpa (which is transconceptual) and omniscient. In that sense isvara pranidhana is focusing on the true nature of our own mind as it truly is beyond delusion. That is found in samadhi (swarupa-sunyam) as defined by Sri Patanjali in III.3.
We will run into these three practices (tapas, swadhyaya, and isvara pranidhana) again many times in the Yoga Sutras (as they also comprise the three of the five niyams of ashtanga yoga); and we have already discussed isvara pranidhana as the teacher of all teachers (purvesham) in Pada I, Sutras 23-27. So one may ask, why does Patanjali put them here at the beginning of Sadhana Pada (the Chapter of Practices) again? This is because they are the foundation upon which successful sadhana is based. This translation thus can read: Kriya yoga prepares the yogic aspirant (sadhak) for success in all further sadhana, because the necessary elements for success are the cultivation of spiritual fire and passion (tapas), the desire to study and know self, and the desire to know, embrace, and be guided by (isvara pranidhana) the eternal divine -- teacher of all teachers (isvara or the inner teacher).
Unfortunately, these three foundational practices are widely misinterpreted in ideologically based systems as self sacrifice and austerities (tapas), study of scripture (swadhyaya), and surrender to God (isvara pranidhana) by those immersed in extrinsic dualism and religionism . Before going into a discussion on these three preliminary practices which constitute kriya yoga, and which may be applied both in daily life as well in other sadhana, it's always wise to investigate how these practices are applied in meditation (the main practice of raj yoga).
So in one sense, we may view these three as activities that prepare us for meditation. First one makes the effort to sit in meditation. Withdrawing one's energy from ordinary temporal pursuits, one redirects it internally to fire the meditation. This is the application of tapas (spiritually redirecting one's energy from the "normal" dualistic distractions of outer materialistic objects of attraction and activities, back into our inner Source core/center (on a physical and energetic level it is related to the fifth limb of ashtanga yoga, pratyhara, and the hatha yoga bandhas).
As one sits in open awareness, greater awareness of the mental contents of the mind is revealed. How the mind works and how it colors "reality" is revealed. The sadhak becomes aware of the ordinary mind's karmic propensities, habits, psychic signatures, and imprints, and eventually through consistent application of the energy brought forth from tapas fueling awareness its essential nature is revealed. One understands oneself because one understands the mind. This is authentic swadhyaya (self study). This self study is not the same as analytical intellectualization, but rather we simply observe that the ordinary mind wavers, fluctuates, and is unstable (cit-vrtti) and acknowledge it. While observing the pauses between these fluctuations (nirodha) space is created for the formless (isvara as the eternal formless attributeless eternal teacher/teaching then enters).
Eventually one becomes aware of the objectless, timeless, transpersonal ultimate -- that universal formless intelligence which underlies the entire universe and embraces it as formless Self -- that unites eternity with this very moment. That is isvara pranidhana. It is coming HOME to what has always been HERE and always will.
Isvara is unreachable through the analytical process, but must be experienced (usually through meditation or else through other subtle practices). Some may say that such an experience is grace, by realizing the innate original timeless and unlimited light, but as a practice that leads us out of darkness (ignorance), Patanjali would say that it is the result of punya (meritorious actions) and effective practice which are positive acts that create positive karma which create positive results and conditions; i.e., often resulting in prolonged or short experiences of open-heartedness, wonder, great beauty, luminous light, clarity, and wisdom).
Applying these three procedures many times (as needed) even in one meditation sitting can be productive in directing its successful outcome -- creating positive causes and conditions. Thus the three kriyas (activities) of tapas (which is often the renouncing of one activity to fire catalyze all the other practices), self study (swadhyaya), and isvara pranidhana can be applied as techniques as yoga sadhana in All Our Relations
The above example is applied to meditation practice, because it is the main practice of Raj Yoga, the main teaching of Patanjali; however all the limbs are meant to be synergistic and hence kriya yoga forms a basis both of intent and activity for the success in yoga in general, but only in the non-dualist, non-exclusive, transpersonal, and universal sense. For example the immense existence of widespread mis-interpretation of these three activities, exist mainly because they are interpreted through non-yogic eyes by those who believe in dualism and separation. Such a dualist bias protects the dualists and hence attempts to prevent the culmination of authentic yoga. Indeed in "another" non-yogic system, these terms mean different things, but here we will attempt to translate these terms in the context of an authentic yoga practice, specifically raj yoga.
Tapas: As we will see tapas means the generation of energy and its direction in order that we have the requisite energy to power our sadhana. Tapas is the spiritual fuel, fire, or passion for sublime union, which is associated strongly with the practice of vairagya (non-attachment/non-grasping). Through authentic tapas, we create space, time and energy through the practice which is essentially vairagya. One can create space between impulse and action through self-awareness. One no longer is committed to the impulsive action or vector as one pauses. In that momentary pause the dissipating/distracting habitual dynamics that previously commanded our attention and energy (being imprisonment within the "I-It" world of duality) can now be effectively identified and recycled by allowing the spiritual energy and fire to become kindled. This turns frees us from karmic propensities, frees up the heat, builds up spiritual momentum, and activates the spiritual circuitry. Our deeper spiritual potential becomes activated. By emancipating our addiction to external objects of gratification and dissolute habits, this previously bound up energy is also liberated and made available. Thus, tapas is closely associated with the fifth limb of ashtanga yoga, pratyhara, and with the hatha yoga bandhas.
Simply speaking, tapas is nothing more than a practice that liberates and recycles already bound/imprisoned energy and consciousness (cit-prana), which has become misdirected (conditioned). Through a special kind of renunciation based on swadhyaya (self study) the yogi gains self awareness of this misdirected vector toward self imposed imprisonment, and subsequently releases it (releases the dissipating negative actions). In this way tapas is not a repression of imposing external codes, moral, religious or ethical philosophical laws upon the human being, rather it is based on Now awareness (cit-prana) gleaned from authentic self study (swadhyaya). Such then feeds the fire of further dedication and devotion (isvara pranidhana) leading eventually to the one pointed (ekgrata) culmination of samadhi. Without authentic swadhyaya and isvara pranidhana tapas is also inauthentic (just a mechanical parroting to authority and rules -- following orders. The latter does not lead to liberation, but rather the opposite.
In this sense tapas has nothing to do with the negative or fear based practices of self abnegation, repression, self defacement, penance, sacrifice (as is more commonly misinterpreted), self harm, self punishment, or self mutilation. This unfortunate negative association is the result of a confusion (avidya) due to the kleshas of egotism (asmita), raga (attraction/attachment) and dvesa (aversion, negativity, or revulsion). It is absurd to hypothesize that through repression or by hurting ourselves or denying ourselves health or comfort, that spiritual progress will necessarilly follow, yet this is a stubbornly held and not uncommon delusion. Indeed much of what passes for tapas is really dvesa (aversion/negativity) and self delusion (pride), albeit one is trying. But spiritual progress is not so simpleminded as the mechanical action of sacrificing one thing in exchange for another, for instance like cutting off one's finger in barter for "spiritual" progress. This absurdity is taken to extremes by some unfortunate souls who believe that if cutting off one's finger is good then cutting off two will certainly bring more benefit. Such futile arguments can go ad absurdum into the more pain that one can withstand the stronger they become spiritually. Victory over craving, aversion, or pain indeed is a result of waking up, but it is doubtful that it can be reversed engineered through renunciation. Unfortunately such a confusion is not uncommon.
Yes there is involved an element of recognizing the nature of the conditioned vector, and its renunciation based on that recognition. But the renunciation is always an affirmation. It is not mere renunciation.
Tapas as meant by Patanjali is actually much more practical than turning away from the world as in disgust or aversion (dvesa), but rather it is an affirmation -- a tapping in to the evolutionary force. In one sense there exist two sides of tapas. One side is renouncing activities which do not lead toward our evolutionary spiritual evolution, while the other side is the firing up of that spiritual side, i.e., it is the affirmation side of tapas. As such it is like recycling or energy conservation. As such it is not simply left at a negative renunciation, but rather part of the greater process -- an integral part of an affirmation, acknowledgement of, and surrender to the higher Self (isvara pranidhana). It is very dangerous to think of tapas as merely self-control, discipline, negation, or repression. Rather tapas, swadhyaya, and isvara pranidhana should be taken together as an integral whole -- as a mutually synergistic affirmation. Tapas is not discipline (sadhana) but one of many transformational disciplines to be implemented in conjunction with self-discovery, and self-realization.
The misconception surrounding tapas arose from the quagmire of those who have become habituated to dualistic thinking, where the desire to escape existence and feelings predominates. Thus it became perverted as an escapist and an isolationist strategy. Commonly, ordinary people (non-yogis) would observe the yogis who were living simple lives in bliss in the mountain caves or reclusive forests, and wrongfully conclude that they were denying themselves pleasure; rather than understanding the simple evidence. Their minds played tricks on them disclosing their preference and bias, confusing pain as pleasure or liberation. To their minds what was deemed as pleasure was in truth mere neurotic and unnecessary sublimation, while their faulty evaluation of so called "austere" yogis was actually evidence of being content and fulfilled in the sphere of primal joy. In other words those who observed such yogis mistook affirmation and fulfillment for negation and sacrifice. They assumed that the yogis had the same values and desires that they themselves read into the picture. In other words these interpreters who were attached to fancy food, clothes, money, and worldly activities "interpreted" what they saw within the mire of their own attachments and values, rather than in understanding that these yogis had no need nor desire for such attachments. What must be made clear is that pursuing temporary happiness is simply another form of suffering (duhkha), as it is based on dualistic craving (raga), which is based on the basic egoic rend. Waking up brings about wisdom, as it destroys ignorance/confusion. Secondarily, the destruction of ignorance produces true and lasting happiness, nirbija samadhi being the end of the search.
Consequently, in the modern day, yogis choosing a life of simplicity may be viewed as being self-hating or self-abnegating, while in fact these yogis may be experiencing and reflecting a deep and profound state of wellness and spiritual fulfillment. A modern analogy might expand on this further, such as rather than "viewing" the bliss of a true yogi living without the need of TV, air conditioning, fancy clothes, microwave ovens, rich pastries, automobiles, or other such superfluous if not unhealthy attractions/addictions as a sacrifice; we can rather more correctly view that within a positive context of affirmation i.e., that the yogi has attained something more primal, fulfilling, and satisfying and has no ersatz external attachments or desires in these regards, rather he/she is focused on attaining moksha (liberation). In other words, these yogis may look like they are sacrificing something if viewed from the eyes of a greedy, lustful, or fear based ego, but from the yogi's point of view it is the ego bound individual who has sacrificed the ALL, for something truly vacuous and empty.
Patanjali already discussed the power of the practice of vairagya, which is the passive aspect of surrender and tapas, all of which can become natural and spontaneous when the gravitational pull of karma has become cancelled. Later in Pada II, Patanjali again discusses the positive value of tapas, swadhyaya, and isvara pranidhana as techniques (sadhana) in order to eliminate the kleshas. Authentic tapas is far more straightforward than self sacrifice or self defacement i.e., rather through authentic tapas we relieve ourselves of the neurotic obsessions of ego gratification thus freeing ourselves from needless stress and distraction.
The processes of tapas, swadhyaya, and isvara pranidhana are thus intimately intertwined. For example we first may make an affirmation or establish a spiritual aspiration to become free of neurotic behavior by knowing our "self" better -- study our "self" more, see how and why it becomes imprisoned and caught up in suffering (duhkha). This is the momentum in alignment with swadhyaya (self study). Thus at first, we might at the same time reaffirm our higher potential (our so-called spiritual side) and wish to integrate eternal presence more into our life. This latter is isvara pranidhana, but is bolstered by self-study and tapas. Tapas naturally follows, because in the light of the former, we can analyze each action whether or not it will lead toward more self understanding, liberation, and spirit or not. In other words, we can analyze whether the habit of attachment, neurotic greed, new clothes, entertainment, distraction, fancy or rich foods might lead toward the desired spiritual goal or not. If not, then we decide not to go in that direction any more, thus breaking old mental and physical neurotic habits., which free up our time and energy tremendously. That is authentic tapas. It is not renunciation or repentance in the Western sense, because it is an affirmation. It is not discipline, because we are doing what we truly desire, abiding in the self-liberating flow.
Tapas in everyday practice can first liberate us from the obvious addictions that are possessing our vital energy and attention (cit-prana). They are given up on the spiritual altar -- as an affirmation of the Great Integrity. Then, more subtle hindrances are removed, and as such tapas is also closely aligned with the yams of aparigraha, asteya, and brahmacharya (See Sutra 37-39 below).
Sometimes tapas is misconstrued, as discipline, external dictates, or morals, in the sense of externally applied rules or duties such as found in authoritarian systems or religions. No, authentic tapas is not effected by simply obeying moral or legal precepts, but what distinguishes authentic yoga from religion is that the yogi is self disciplined, self aware, and dedicated to the truth. The yogi inquires as to the true nature of the mind or Self; rather than memorizing answers from one;s appointed external slave masters. Eventually the yogi realizes that one is only a slave to ignorance because of lack of self-awareness. The yogi's self discipline is his/her daily sadhana (practice), which is to be applied continuously (day and night) eventually as an affirmation, dedication, and love (isvara pranidhana), not as an aversion or escape (dvesa). So tapas means much more than discipline, rather it is a specific self-discipline that is applied to boost and fuel our spiritual progress -- to realize yoga in
All Our Relations.
A yogi cleans house with tapas by eliminating the non-essential clutter in action, speech, and thought. It frees psychic space and allows the yogi to reclaim energy that had been previously expended in less satisfying dualistic activities. The yogi is then able to focus more onepointedly upon the goal of yoga. The goal is not the perfection of the practice (in this case tapas), but rather samadhi, by eliminating obstructions that maintain stagnation.
Again tapas is to be applied not only in meditation, but integrated into our simple every day relationships. Tapas is simply letting go of attachment or self involvement in an activity which is seen as neurotic, distracting, entertaining, or diversionary such as neurotic entertainment, recreation, consuming ersatz objects of gratification, or the engagement in any action which is imbued with kleshas. In every day terms we have many choices, so we can ask how does this activity or that activity fit into my spiritual evolution. How does going to the movies, going shopping, acquiring more things, going out to eat and so forth compare with doing meditation, asana, pranayama, karma yoga, or study tonight in regard to our spiritual progress and happiness?
Tapas is not simply renunciation for renunciation's sake, nor will any success come from hatred, fear, or an aversion (dvesa). Nor is it a simple minded remedy for raga (attraction), nor should it be motivated by ego (asmita) or pride; but rather tapas involves giving up the obscurations and hindrances (kleshas), attachments, vasana, and old habits (any dualistic separate identification) upon the altar of love -- in the context to free up more energy for our spiritual activities --as a yoga kriya. As such it is always an affirmation.
On the other hand acting out our kleshas (out of ignorance, attachment, aversion, ego, greed, jealousy, ignorance, and the rest of the kleshas will dissipate/distract the energy; so the yogi who achieves a certain amount of self awareness through self study (swadhyaya) will make better use out of their time and energy applying it to fire the kiln of effective practice instead. This is how swadhyaya and tapas interface on the mundane level to increase the spiritual vibrations and sacred presence.
Tapas is a recycling of the energy that could have been placed into further distraction and dissipation -- placing that energy into the service of further fueling one's spiritual evolution -- tapas becomes the activity that freshens up and sparks a practice that has become sluggish and dull. As such then it is an affirmation of the higher Self. This is the action of authentic tapas. Very simply by letting go of one's attachment in such neurotic activities or propensities, then space and energy is liberated and reclaimed that can now be directed toward ultimate liberation.
For example, mouna. or the practice of silence, is a traditional way yogis build up "spiritual heat" to ward off spiritual stasis. Simply by refraining from verbal chatter that energy (chatter can be a severe drain on the throat chakra) is recycled as it were for "other" activities. This is effective for those of us who are subject to this kind of energy suck. Another common physical practice of tapas is fasting, but again not to reinforce the false identifications of pride, ego, or willfulness (as in look how long I fasted), but rather for spiritual energy -- living on the more subtle sources of prana -- becoming more attuned to the Source of true Sustenance. Many yogis say that the best and most effective tapas is entering into silence of the mind, or meditation (dhyana). For more along this line see Tapas and Addiction at www.HeartMind/Tapas.htm
Swadhyaya: Swadhyaya is most often mis-translated as scriptural study, but that is more often the cause of false identification than its remedy. Although scriptural study has become a institutionalized philosophical tradition in India for thousands of years, swadhyaya in the yogic sense means exactly as it says; self study. Of course the religious and academic types will deny/ignore this last statement, declaring that one can find oneself only in books (scripture). Yogis meditating do not accept being defined by authoritative books or external authorities; but rather they are dedicated toward finding that Source intimately within as the authentic living modality of true Gnosis. Patanjali meant swadhyaya as just that i.e., studying the self at each moment. As such it is an important technique in meditation practice (raj yoga). In meditation activity however we do not want to analyze the mind processes or self, nor "do" anything other than to simply observe in awareness. In this sense meditation then could be called the activity of no activity where the Self discloses itself. Here swadhyaya in its highest form is pure awareness -- where the small self disappears and the True Self is revealed. That is where authentic swadhyaya can lead.
Swadhyaya is misinterpreted widely by scholars and religionists as "scriptural study" or book study. Although studying "correct" philosophy and practicing contemplation on mental and psychological phenomena (jnana yoga) can provide some specific benefits of clarification or inspiration for some students (but only when placed in the context of the heart), such external study can be often very misleading and disorientating (unless balanced with inner study), as it merely leads toward the reinforcement of institutionalized mass illusion and as such is not characterized as an authentic yogic path. too often we find that those who study external authoritative systems become obsequious, robotic, quarrelsome with others sects, conformists, and jealous of others who do follow the injunctions of the guru or scripture. Too often the books substitute for the book of the Heart, but the map is not the territory, nor will the symbols delineated by words, serve well to replace our direct experience. Indeed we must learn from our direct experience what is Self -- no one can be spared this experience who wishes to know the authentic Self.
Thus in a yogic sense swadhyaya means studying, observing, and eventually knowing our true self nature, not through the conceptual confines and objective externalized eyes of the intellect, books, scripture, or authority, but rather through Gnosis acquired through meditation -- from an authentic direct transpersonal experience. This study or inquiry into Self is an essential practice of the process of self realization via the removal of delusion/illusion. It is a moment to moment university culminating in Self Knowledge or inner realization. See "Who am I" and "Self Enquiry" by Ramana Maharshi, "You Can Be A Light Unto Yourself" from the Collected Works of J. Krishnamurti, vol. 13, "Krishnamurti and the Direct Perception of Truth", and similar.
Isvara pranidhana: Isvara is often mistranslated with the English term, "God", which in the Western sense of the term, is almost the opposite of what is meant because isvara specifically is not a theistic idea (as yoga is not theistic) nor is it a separate or independent entity (ego). In other words the word, isvara, specifically refers to the formless and deity-less seed source aspect of infinite awareness (omniscience or universal unbounded non-dual reality). Isvara specifically is formless and attributeless (alinga), hence "aspectless aspect" of the divine and as such even to name it is a contradiction. Thus isvara pranidhana is to surrender to the seed source of the great integrity of formless infinity which is eternal (beginning-less, unborn, and never ending) -- the all pervading creative spark or seed source found reflected in all of creation, thus that which connects up the Great Integrity, while anything short of that is being short changed.
The word, isvara, thus expresses or symbolizes the essence of completeness, the whole, or infinite mind and as such can not be represented successfully by symbols, being the vast open ended unbounded emptiness that includes all and everything and which is simultaneously included in it, "isvara" often defies words, description, definition, and conceptual labels. It remains formless and undifferentiated in order to not exclude even the minuteness differentiation of existence. What does this mean then as a practice (isvara pranidhana is a practice of astanga yoga which leads to samadhi). It means that Divine intelligence and Divine will is always available both inside each human being and within all of creation IF we look for it. We can always surrender the egoic "s"elf to THAT. THAT larger momentum, force (or grace if you like) can and does lead us into the Great Transpersonal Presence -- into the natural and true "S"elf that knows no bounds and as such isvara pranidhana is a daily moment to moment practice. In meditation we allow THAT ineffable immeasurable Light and Love to shine forth -- we create time and space for this communion. THAT experience is hat is called completion practice, while the acts of making offerings, sacrifice (yajna), and surrender are the preliminary stages.
Always we surrender to THAT which is taintless, imperishable, and pure -- which has no definition -- does not exist, yet is reflected in all of existence; that which is beyond all names; yet may be called isvara only if we realize that although it pervades all, it can not be contained or bound by form. If we do not devote our energy and attention to that which is COMPLETE and WHOLE and never changes, we will not accomplish yoga. If we are not focused in this direction which neither expands inside out nor outside in exclusively, then we remain incomplete, corrupted, fragmented, diverted, rended, neurotic, and vulnerable to repeated fragmentation and separation in the corrupted and confused mire of dualistic reality (samsara). Isvara is always available in Now awareness. always HERE, but we have to look for it, acknowledge it, respect it, and honor it. When we let go of our willful practices; when certain karma is extinguished; then we make room for isvara to guide us for we are listening -- That is guidance (grace so to speak) from the primal teacher of all teachers, isvara yet isvara resides *inside* all sentient beings, hence isvara is the universal transpersonal intimate teacher (not a separate god or operator. (see Pada 1.26).
Any confusion by what Patanjali meant by isvara pranidhana, is generated by the conceptual and linear mindset. For example, it has been created because various religious and analytical "schools" devoid of direct experience and inner wisdom project their own "definitions" upon the term, isvara. For example the pre-existing older samkhya school did not recognize any god at all. Then samkhya itself changed. Later schools such as some branches of the philosophical Vedantic's attribute an impersonal absolute (state devoid of any attributes) only to nirvisesha (without attributes) nirguna (without qualities), and nirakar (formless), which is distinguished from isvara. Some bhakti yoga schools attribute isvara pranidhana to mean simple worship or devotion; while the karma yogis may interpret it to mean selfless service (as is found in karma yoga). There are numerous other interpretations displaying the specific bias of the various schools predilections or cosmology which influence their approach and practices. Indeed in Hinduism alone there are thousands of names for god, and ten times that number of books which attempt at different definitions for each. The point that concerns the yogi after liberation, is that the "name" doesn't matter, i.e., that in order to rest in the universal ultimate one must surrender all attachments to these separate forms, be they religious or philosophical -- in Reality -- WE ARE THAT -- Tat Tvam Asi. That is assuming that we are sincerely on a genuine spiritual search versus simply finding solace in ersatz external systems. (See also Pada 1.23-27)
Rather than harp any further on this subject, we will assume that Patanjali meant the practice of isvara pranidhana in the context to facilitate the culmination of Raj Yoga (the realization of the highest samadhi). This practice is not only a kriya (essential or prerequisite activity) for spiritual transformation, but also a niyama of astanga yoga, and as such it is perhaps more valuable to point out that isvara pranidhana is not a practice that can be accomplished through the intellect or conceptual manipulation, nor is it difficult to access and practice like some scholars might indicate. Rather it is a simple yet profound practice of first consulting with our our highest innate seed potential (inner wisdom) in All Our Relations while allowing it to extend and manifest (prajna), which brings about in its completion the direct experience and manifestation of the non-dual transpersonal expression of yoga, simultaneously where the inner and the outer, crown and root, left and right, tha and ha, ida and pingala, nature and spirit, converge HERE in the instantaneousness of the sacred moment.
"The importance that all these Indian metaphysics, and even the ascetic technique and contemplative method that constitute Yoga, according to "knowledge" is easily explained if we take into consideration the causes of human suffering. The wretchedness of human life is not owing to a divine punishment or to an original sin, but to ignorance. Not any and every kind of ignorance, but only ignorance of the true nature of Spirit, the ignorance that makes us confuse Spirit with our psychomental experience, that makes us attribute qualities and predicates to the eternal and autonomous principle that is Spirit -- in short, a metaphysical ignorance. Hence it is natural that it should be a metaphysical knowledge that supervenes to end this ignorance. This metaphysical knowledge leads the disciple to the threshold of illumination -- that is, to the true 'Self'. And it is this knowledge of ones Self -- not in the profane sense of the term, but in its ascetic and spiritual sense -- that is the end pursued by the majority of Indian speculative systems, though each of them indicates a different way of reaching it.
For Samkhya and Yoga the problem is clearly defined. Since suffering has its origin in ignorance of Spirit -- that is, in confusing Spirit; with psychomental states -- emancipation can be obtained only if the confusion is abolished. The differences between Samkhya and Yoga on this point are insignificant. Only their methods differ: Samkhya seeks to obtain liberation solely by gnosis, whereas for Yoga an ascesis and a technique of meditation are indispensable. In both darshanas human suffering is rooted in illusion, for man believes that his psychomental life -- activity of the senses, feelings, thoughts, and volition -- is identical with Spirit, with the Self. He thus confuses two wholly autonomous and opposed realities, between which there is no real connection but only an illusory relation, for psychomental experience does not belong to Spirit, it belongs to nature (prakriti); states of consciousness are the refined products of the same substance that is at the base of the physical world and the world of life. Between psychic states and inanimate objects or living beings, there are only differences of degree. But between psychic states and Spirit there is a difference of an ontological order; they belong to two different modes of being. Liberation occurs when one has understood this truth, and when the Spirit regains its original freedom. Thus, according to Samkhya, he who would gain emancipation must begin by thoroughly knowing the essence and the forms of nature (prakriti) and the laws that govern its evolution. For its part, Yoga also accepts this analysis of Substance, but finds value only in the practice of contemplation, which is alone capable of revealing the autonomy and omnipotence of Spirit experimentally." Mircea Eliade, Immortality and Freedom
Thus vairagya, tapas, swadhyaya, and isvara pranidhana are the individual parts of an integrated and potent process of spiritual transformation and liberation. Success in yoga proceeds from here. Thus it is valuable not to forget nor misinterpret these kriyas as they are very useful when properly understood and applied. In this sense we let go of ego involvement or attachment which is self enslaving, but not in a rigid, static, or willful framework of self denial or repression nor as a religious or moral duty, but as a passionate and joyful release/relief -- as divine longing and intention -- as Divine Love -- as a portal into THAT wholistic and joyful interaction which provides us completion in the heart, true happiness, and fulfillment. Thus we embrace and reside in our core energy -- in the heart relinquishing our unhappiness. How to stay thus centered is brought about through self observation (how our energy shifts or our attention and consciousness becomes obscured and modified by the vrttis. In this way self study (swadhyaya), leads to self knowledge -- or knowledge of the Self or Source. When we observe ourselves to be occupied with activities that do not lead in this direction, we perform tapas and this feeds the fire of our practice. When we feel lost or corrupted, we search out the omnipresent sacred and all intelligent presence in all and surrender to THAT. For more on Isvara see Pada I: Sutra 23-27 and Pada II Sutra 45.
Kriya yoga (as self-inquiry, control of one's cit-prana, and selfless non-doing) is a fine art. Tapas, swadhyaya, and isvara pranidhana all are mutually synergistic i.e., the more we understand who we are, simplify our activities and involvement, and dedicate our attention and energy toward staying connected and in harmony with the Great Integrity, the more natural, accelerated, and fulfilling our yoga practice becomes. More could be explicated, but this commentary is already overly expanded.
Kriya yoga as a premier activity clears a path, creates a pathway, and removes the causes of obstruction and as such is the primary means that purifies the citta-vrtti opening up into samadhi. In a similar way we can use the word, prerequisite or fundamental, for kriya. As such, see Patanjali's further elaboration of tapas, swadhyaya, and isvara pranidhana as niyama (the proactive branch of astanga yoga called beneficial activities to undertake) starting at Pada II, sutra 43-46) following.
II. 2. Samadhi-bhavanarthah klesa-tanu-karanarthas ca
[Tapas, swadhyaya, and isvara pranidhana] attenuate the causes (tanu-karana) of the kleshas, thus bringing forth (bhavanarthah) samadhi.
bhavana: to bring forth: to fructify, to cultivate. Cultivated intent. Focused concentration on an object so that one affects it or that the intent is absorbed into it. The result of such absorption or focused intent.
tanu: attenuation, reduction, releasing.
artha: purpose
karana: cause, the causal reason, origin of.
klesha/klesa: hindrances. obstacles, obstructions, afflictive emotions, or obscurations of pure consciousness that block samadhi. Stains or blind spots upon pure awareness. They are also deemed afflictive or afflictions that poison or taint the mind, thus increasing the gravitational pull toward ignorance (avidya) and the samsaric wheel of life (duhkha). Kleshas are painful states even though they may appear not to be painful (duhkha) in the state of normal and partial awareness. Likewise, since kleshas are associated with pain, painful experiences and trauma also reinforce kleshas. Until avidya is defeated by vidya, this kleshic association remains entangled.
Samadhi: at-onement/wonderment: Union; State of total non-dual integration: total absorption of the self (atma) with the Self (Brahman) in a non-objectified transpersonal state; total dissolution of "selfness"; the total and complete union of Sat-Cit-Ananda.
Commentary: Succinctly, samadhi is produced through practices which attenuate and eliminate the *causes* of the kleshas. The practice of kriya yoga purifies the biopsychic organism serving to reduce the causes (tanu-karana) of these embedded obscurations, hindrances, afflictions, occlusions, obstructions, negative mental habits, and/or impure residues of karma (kleshas). Once these impediments are eliminated, one allows for natural flow (at-onement or samadhi) to occur seamlessly. Hence, kriya yoga is a fundamentally deep proactive practice remediating directly the causes of the kleshas verses dealing with the symptoms. Instead of prescribing remedies for the kleshas, Sri Patanjali suggests the joyful practice of focusing directly upon the joyous source (isvara pranidhana) through moving into full alignment with the evolutionary force (tapas) as intense self study (swadhyaya) at every juncture.
As we cultivate and get a deep heart-felt sense (bhavana) of samadhi through effective hands-on practices, our sense of purpose (artah) becomes refined, and the causes of hindrances (kleshas) lessen (tanu). Thus, samadhi becomes more accessible and continuous (bhavana) -- it shines forth more often from deep within the core of our being sometimes called the deepest Universal Self/Soul without a second. This is the most effective way to reduce the kleshas by eliminating their causes. When the kleshas (hindrances) are lessened then our practice is less hindered and more successful - it shines forth spontaneously from Source.
Kriya yoga lessens the causes of the obstructions and hindrances so that our practice blossoms. A wise practitioner who has found that his/her practice has become stagnant, can go to tapas, swadhyaya, and isvara pranidhana to remove the hindrance, blockages, and obscurations by building up the spiritual fire (tapas), the passion to know Self (swadhyaya), and the surrender to that highest transpersonal wisdom that comes from divine and infallible guidance (isvara pranidhana). So if our intent (artah) is to cultivate samadhi (samadhi-bhavanarthah) we should learn how to attenuate the causes of the kleshas in All Our Relations. Kriya yoga thus is a deep practice, but not many are able to practice it successfully without the aid of auxiliary or supplemental practices.
Practice: When the kleshas are attenuated, then the citta-vrtti cease. The mind and energy has become less distracted and dissuaded. Hence through swadhyaya, tapas, and isvara pranidhana, the dissipation of the cit-prana (mind-energy) becomes attenuated and more available to heat up and burn off the residues and impurities of the obscurations (kleshas). The essential energy is then activated, drawn up inside and put into harmonious service to isvara, as isvara pranidhana. This activates the dormant evolutionary force in man. So activated, kriya yoga, activates the kundalini (evolutionary energy) making completing man's human destiny as the pure channel between primordial timeless sourceless source and embodiment -- between siva and shakti, crown and muladhara chakras, heaven and earth in Satchitananda.
See II.43-46 and II.2 for more details about tapas, swadhyaya, and isvara pranidhana. Now, Patanjali lists the root kleshas to be eliminated.
II. 3. Avidyasmita-raga-dvesabhinivesah klesah
The five primary mental, emotional, and biopsychic hindrances (kleshas) are avidya (unawareness of our true nature). As a result of this ignorance [which veils the bright light of truth], the other kleshas arise such as asmita (the limited false identification of egoism), raga (fixation and craving), dvesa (repulsion, dislike, hatred, anger, fear, antipathy, or aversion), and the fear of dissolution (abhinivesah).
klesha: spiritual hindrance, affliction, obstacle, obscuration, impediment, affliction, affliction, blockage, or obstruction to waking up. That which feeds the citta-vrtti and karma and which is fed by them forming a constituent on the circle of samsaric existence. Kleshas are specific manifestations of dukha (mental pain), and they entangle one in duhkha, both. Kleshas define duhkha (the samsaric state of mind); while the light of wisdom liberates (vidya), which is the causeless cause of lasting unconditional joy free from arising and cessation.
avidya: absence of vision; non-vision; ignorance; unawareness, insensitivity, dullness, limited or obscured awareness, confusion; denial of spiritual light; hence lack of light. Vidya unclothes avidya.
asmita: ego, pride, sense of separate or independent self; false identification with or a belief in a limited small self. Due to the non-recognition or self denial of the Universal Self.
raga: craving neurotically for happiness, an attraction toward an object, ordinary desire, consumer consumption, fixation, fascination with material objects, an obsession, attachment to results, expectation, goal orientation, hope, dualistic love or liking, a movement toward self-gratification.. A belief that the possession of an object/objective in the future will provide fulfillment or pleasure. Raga is the desire by the ego for happiness in objects (mental or physical).
dvesa: Negativity, antipathy, aversion, fear, dislike, hatred, repulsion, revulsion, indifference, avoidance, a bland or neutralizing indifference, numbness. escapism. How is indifference or numbness dvesa, one may ask? It is dvesa as it is aversion as such is an act of avoidance, an escape from something. When we are present -- in Now Awareness powerful positive emotions are evoked such as love, sympathetic joy, happiness, compassion, inspiration, exaltation, boundless enthusiasm, santosha, cheerfulness, etc. These latter are positive emotive forces that result naturally from a fearless open mind and heart, while dvesa is a contraction/recoiling from presence --Now awareness. We want (raga) happiness and don't want/dislike (dvesa) unhappiness. However we often confuse that which creates suffering as appearing pleasurable We substitute neurotic compensatory happiness for true and lasting happiness, because of avidya (mental confusion). Dvesa and raga are two sides of the same kleshic coin.
abhinivesa: fear of death or discontinuity, the ego's fear of dissolution or disintegration.
Commentary: The kleshas are mental/emotional obscurations/afflictions that obscure our pure vision (vidya). They are also referred to as poisons, because they poison our mind. As mental phenomena in the average human consciousness, they arise mostly unknowingly and unrecognized, as knee jerk reactions triggered by a combination of past causes and conditions (karma). Sometimes they are partially recognized in moments of mindfulness, whereby they can be released into the light of knowledge (vidya).
An authentic yoga practice reveals and dissolves the karmic attraction to the wheel of samsara (suffering). The gravitation to the wheel of suffering (samsara) thus declines. Duhkha (suffering) is attenuated as ignorance (avidya) is extinguished by the action of the light of wisdom (vidya), which is empty of subject/object duality. Thus avidya (unawareness) is the primary cause of the kleshas. One can see that the very definition of klesha as being the obstruction of pure awareness (vidya), is self defining.
The second klesha is asmita, which is nothing other than I/it dualistic delusion, where one's consciousness and realm of experience becomes imprisoned in an egoic limited/partial identification. After the limitation of asmita klesha has become established, then raga (attraction) and dvesa (repulsion) come into play for those suffering from egoic disturbances. For most, attachment to the ego and fear of death (of the ego or of the body as identified by the ego) become the major kleshas to be eliminated.
When the kleshas are active, that is, when the consciousness is obstructed (citta-vrtti), we become under their spell; hence, a hindrance to full awareness/waking up (spiritual liberation) is maintained. Being triggered by past karmic residues and samskaras, which have not yet been recognized and deconstructed, their activation/operation leads to further negative karma, and hence, reinforces the citta-vrtti (the limited samsaric mindset). See (IV.30). This habitual clinging of the mind to samsaric gravity when it mistakenly misinterprets the true nature of (empty) phenomena, leads to variations of grasping/attachment (raga), mental stagnation/fixation, fear, hatred, envy, competition, greed and many more afflictive permutations.
They are concomitant. They are often referred to as afflictive, but the conclusion, "afflictive" may not be a helpful elaboration in explaining their mechanism, such as affliction is affliction -suffering is suffering, and so forth unless we are able to switch contexts and compare with a non-afflictive, unobscured, unconditional, and boundless state of mind where even the afflictions (kleshas) are not known as mental objects existing by themselves, but are known as inter-dependent (as conditions of prior causes and conditions). Samsara is a afflicted mental state and even mental/emotional pain/suffering is of course a mental state. That does not mean that pain or samsara as mental states are not experienced or do not exist (rather it is prevalent in materialistic human society based on ignorance and the rest of the kleshas); however, the afflictions do not exist independently of the obscurations of the mind; i.e., there is a cause to the obscurations ignorance and grasping. The samsaric syndrome is a result of the fundamental egoic delusion that the ego truly exists. As we have seen in Pada I, kleshas arise from the citta-vrtti or produce further citta-vrtti (especially I.5-I.11) -- they obscure the true primordial nature of mind (swarupa). One may say that it is the citta-vrtti that is the illusory field. So, the first step is to recognize the kleshas as they arise, be it confusion, pride, craving, fear, hatred, etc.. The second step is to shine light/awareness on the klesha, devoid of aversion. This awareness in itself will dissolve the illusory state and tendency eventually. When universal primordial essence is recognized in All Our Relations then mental obscurations will have faded away, as the dualistic mind has been washed clean of stains allowing for the original pristine awareness to bathe us in its immeasurable light.
The kleshas are ordinarily classified by the above five general categories of which functional and effective yoga practice is designed to completely purify and clear, but there are many combinations/permutations. Kleshas show up as obscurations, negative emotional hindrances, or afflictions, which if acted upon further obscure true happiness (duhkha). Such makes up the cyclic nature of samsara until the habitual tendencies are broken. Indeed the kleshas are an aspect of suffering, just as a drop of water may be part of the ocean when we are swimming, whether we recognize it to be so or not. The kleshas start with egoic ignorance (avidya) whose first samsaric error of ideation is "I am a separate self apart from the whole" (asmita). Another way of stating this, is that ignorance (avidya) of our true primordial nature of mind is the basic confusion or erroneous mindset which separates ourselves from the full non-dual experience of who we truly are (swarupa) in terms of the whole, free from the limited fascinating delineations of time and place.
Thus to reiterate, ignorance (avidya) or lack of vision (as the chief klesha), as the rend/split into the fundamental fragmented dualistic view (citta-vrtti). Avidya (as the absence of unlimited unconditioned awareness), thus causes this split as a sense of "separate self" (egoic sense) apart from from the intelligent evolutionary power by chronically ignoring the transpersonal and non-dual true nature of Self. Hence, at its root is Self ignorance, a false identity, or loss of true vision, wherein the egoic self habitually ignores the truth of our essential true nature; i.e., swarupa. From that split, craving/attraction (raga) and compensatory carnal lust is created. Likewise repulsion (dvesa), greed, envy, competition, lack of true self-worth and fulfillment, etc.
This lack of awareness (avidya) can be said to create a habitual and familiar flat-plane linear milieu of separation, a reference point of an observer (ego) and the observed (phenomena), a partiality, fragmentation, rend, split, and traumatic/painful separation, which is the primary cause of all other secondary obstructions that appear as the myriad afflictive modalities, which Patanjali calls kleshas. That primary split from awareness of our true non-dual awareness is the primary cause of craving, aversion, attachment, and pain. True and lasting happiness is found when we consciously rejoin with our true nature, while the pursuit of temporary happiness as an end, is a subtle form of suffering. Asmita thus us the compensatory result of avidya (ignorance)-- a poor substitute for the Big Self, and then raga (craving) or dvesa (antipathy) are the secondary results of that causal split. Thus this split or fragmentation of consciousness gives rise to asmita (sense of separate self), raga (as attraction -- the neurotic desire for a compensatory union/gratification), dvesa (aversion, repulsion, or dislike, and abhinivesah (a craving for continuity while lost in temporal impermanence) and an over objectification that imputes upon nature, evolution, and other living beings separateness/alienation which is an alienation from All Our Relations.
Afflictions such as raga (craving), occur more frequently and intensely in the young, while dvesa is more common and intense in the old; but this is only a generalization. Both occur until the rend from the all-inclusive impartial unbounded Self (our true nature) is healed via samadhi, wherein, our spiritual passion is fulfilled in sublime unification (yoga). Raga, dvesa, and abhinivesa, are mere tricks of the mind stemming from asmita klesha (the delusion of a separate self), Asmita stems from avidya, which is the ignorance of the Great All Encompassing Self which discloses our true non-dual nature (swarupa-sunyam in samadhi (III.3). Hence raga, dvesa, and abhinivesa are secondary neurotic results of the dualistic mental fabrication of I/it dualism imposed upon the mental field (citta-vrtti). Desire (attraction) for or an antipathy (repulsion) toward such temporary objects of ideation is at best only an ideation. As we will see dualistic objects are hallucinations while their true appearance is revealed when the yogi realizes the true nature of one's own mind in clear vision (vidya). In reality those objects which are clung to or run away from are not independent, solid or substantial. Avidya (ignorance) is merely seeing through a dirty lens.
Although there exist numerable combinations of these kleshas, their source is ignorance (avidya). Mindfulness reveals their presence and allows for their release in the light of vidya. In general, we can observe "self" and "others" operating from and driven by their kleshic fields daily. Although Patanjali breaks them down into five toxic dynamics, they will be shown to combine in thousands of combinations until they are recognized and released. The kleshas can be viewed as the various frictions of separateness or ignorance (as compensatory neurotic displacements) which causes the experiences of discomfort, desire, craving, dissatisfaction, restlessness, angst, and the myriad other hindrances (kleshas) of spiritual self alienation which fuel the wheel of karmic prison, and further suffering. Of these innumerable kleshas, Patanjali simply classifies them into these general groups all emanating from this state of spiritual alienation which is in reality, the absence of vision (avidya) -- the process of ignoring the profound reality of who we really are in wholeness and integrity -- in All Our Relations.
Thus the five broad categories of kleshas stem from avidya (lack of awareness, partiality, bias, and confusion). It is the base of all the other kleshas. Then follows asmita (ego delusion, the belief in the separate or small self, prideful conceit, arrogance, denial, sense of ownership, and so forth), raga (attraction, desire, attachment, etc.), dvesa (repulsion, aversion, hatred, fear), and, abhinivesah (the fear of death which counters the eternal spiritual identity and presence).
It naturally follows that when we are fragmented from our deepest heart connections, then love and pure vision cease to flow freely. Cut off from that natural flow, we desire a compensatory or neurotic ersatz replacement. This is called raga or desire which is a poor substitute for true non-dual union, interconnectedness, and interdependence. Thus in the yoga context, neurotic desire, temporal love, and lust cease naturally when we come back to the True Self -- the All and Everything of the Great Integrity from which we have become estranged.
It should be noted that fear in this context is really negative desire; i.e., desiring something not to happen is fear. Fear is also an aversion (dvesa) to something while raga is following the attraction. Attraction and repulsion occur naturally, but any activity or dominance of them become afflictions and cause suffering. Repulsion or aversion is also manifested as hatred, anger, disgust, and condemnation. Most people do not acknowledge such in themselves due to their conceit and self deceit, but they manifest in many ways in the ordinary man on a daily basis. Also ignorance causes asmita (pride, ego delusion, conceit, and belief in separateness). More will be said about these mechanisms later, but asmita, like the other kleshas, is merely a compensatory neurotic coping mechanism to substitute an identification to replace the rend from true Self.
Note the Buddhists similarly trace the source of the kleshas to clinging onto false views and ego ignorance. They group them similarly into aversion (anger, hatred, and fear), desire (raga), pride (or arrogance and delusion), greed, and envy. The yogi understands that all the manifold varieties of kleshas such as jealousy, anger, hatred, possessiveness, arrogance, condemnation, self righteousness, aggressiveness, etc are simply permutations of two or more of these basic kleshas -- all stemming from ignorance of our intrinsic true nature. For example jealousy is based on a combination of desire (raga), dvesa (aversion), and asmita (pride).
Abhinivesah is often translated as clinging onto physical existence, but I have chosen to translate it in its negative as the fear of death. But really it is the clinging onto a false sense of continuity or security onto something which is ever changing. Abhinivesa is really is rooted in the fear of change. In other words, we do not fear the discontinuity of eternal love or consciousness when we reside in the firm experience of its continuity. It is only when we are disconnected within the realm of false and confused identifications, does the fear of discontinuity and death arise. Both say the same thing. Abhinivesah is one of the greatest sources of desire, fear, and separation and hence unhappiness (duhkha). It entirely goes away when we identify more continuously with the eternal imperishable Self (that which never dies which is always present.) in All Our Relations.
Abhinivesah is one of the most profoundly misunderstood kleshas, especially in this modern materialistic age where consensus reality has sunk deeply into the coarse, external, physical, materialistic, and temporal "reality' at the detriment to the subtle, the inner, the energetic, spiritual, and eternal. Indeed these two worlds are not meant to be split into two, but our conditioning does this all too successfully. Yoga on the other hand is designed to embrace that re-connection i.e., of eternal spirit as divine presence at each and every juncture of physical manifestation as its basis.
The young infant is born fresh from the eternal, while the elderly prepares to re-enter the "reality" of eternal flux, but for those who live it, they have never left it and it never leaves. In dualistic religions, Spirit is said to exist in the beginning and the end (alpha and omega), but precisely that statement betrays abhinivesa, i.e., the clinging onto a life bias. Rather, REALITY, as-it-is says that life and death both belong to a greater wholistic continuum -- the beginningless never-ending. In other words, in Reality there is an "I" which is bornless and deathless that exists right HERE and now -- in the Eternal Now -- the Continuity and Great Integrity which is authentic yoga.
If we were able to shed the conditioning that frames and limits "reality" as we ordinarily know it in terms of temporal life, but rather in terms of timeless now awareness-- the never ending continuum, then our life would become far richer and productive. It would be inter-dimensional and holographic. When we embrace this great continuum -- when we lose our materialistic bias and prejudice, then we also give up all fear of death -- fear itself vanishes. HERE the Universal non-dual transpersonal transpersonal Sacred Presence of All Our Relations -- as Reality as-it-is -- becomes revealed.
Even though, in non-dual realization (in reality), phenomena does not exist by itself, hence kleshas do not exist as separate things, independent from the observer and process of observation, we can never-the-less state that there exist 840,000 combinations and permutations of the kleshas besides the aforementioned such as jealousy, greed, anger, arrogance, willfulness, self centeredness, vindictiveness, haughtiness, superiority, pomposity, prejudice, bigotry, intolerance, disdain, scorn, and so on, as if it were helpful to list them as objects/phenomena. Many of the kleshas are compounded such as in the tendency to ridicule and belittle others as being stupid, thus deluding the ego that the ego is smarter/better is a combination of pride (asmita) and dvesa (aversion), but really this need (raga) comes from ignorance (avidya). Kleshas are caused and in turn cause chitta-vrtti. Acting upon kleshas are the cause of negative karma (results) or suffering (duhkha). Likewise the cause of the kleshas is the mind that is predisposed to avidya (non-recognition). In short, the limited awareness associated with kleshas is what binds us to the samsaric wheel of suffering (duhkha); while vidya (awareness) is what we designate as the mind's liberator.
“By defilement, we mean our perception is defiled or stained or blinded by emotion. Because of emotions, phenomena that are in a continuous process of falling apart are wrongly perceived as truly-existing phenomena.
Let me illustrate: a great flock of birds in the distant sky appears to be a black spot, which is a distortion, because that spot is actually fragmented into as many parts as there are birds in the flock; it is not one indivisible stain. And, from the Buddhist point of view, everything is like that: everything is composite, and in constant motion, and dependent on conditions.
Likewise, our flock of deceptive thought patterns, which are composite and ever-changing and conditional, we deludedly perceive to be solid and partless and real: and it is this deluded pattern of perception with no basis in reality that is the definitive definition of defilement.”
~ Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, "Parting from the Four Attachments" (Given in Nepal, 2009).
Practice:
Sit or stand quietly and take a few deep and conscious healing breaths utilizing the diaphragm. Take one more breath and another, and continue in that simple way. Without losing breath awareness, scan the present contents of your mind for residual memories of the limitations of avidya, asmita, raga, dvesa, or abhinivesa. Is the mind wandering and if so go back to the breath while observing the mind. Is their an emotional tone or countenance afflicting your consciousness? Can you recognize any tension, pain, strain, stress, and release it? Release it and go back to mindfulness. Mindfulness is not just of the body and the sense objects but also includes inside your biopsychic organism . Release any stress anywhere in thought or action. It is not necessary to make a list of the operational kleshas, but do not be afraid of them or try to avoid or repress them although such tendencies may arise. Simply be aware fearlessly, attentively, meeting fully what may arise and do not grasp at it. Actively look for any and they will disappear because darkness can not live in light. One day if you are very lucky none will return, they will be destroyed by the light of day. Then you can rest in bringing awareness to the universal mind itself -- awareness of pure unlimited all encompassing awareness.
In short, when we abide in our natural state of Mind free from conditioning as in swarupa-sunyam (samadhi) through yogic practices like kriya yoga, then we will naturally be unaffected and undistracted by the kleshic activity.
II. 4. Avidya ksetram uttaresam prasupta-tanu-vicchina-udaranam
[Kleshas] arise from (uttaresam) the field (ksetram) of avidya (a chronic conditioned process of habitual ignoring -- non-recognition), be they dormant (prasupta), attenuated or subtle (tanu), temporally restrained or repressed (vicchinna), or fully active and dominant (udaranam).
avidya: The habituated state of lack or absence of spiritual vision (vidya); The state of stupefaction and unawareness. Obstructed or impure vision; A chronic state of mind plagued by the citta-vrtta, limited awareness, spiritual ignorance, confusion, dullness, blockage, or non-recognition of unobstructed pure vision; the habituated act of denial of true vision or light. The state`of being dimly lit. Avidya is a lack of recognition (ma-rigpa, Tibetan) of our true unconditioned (natural) condition -- a denial of the all pervading Light of Cit. Avidya is the primary klesha.
ksetram: field
klesha: spiritual obscuration, hindrance, obstruction, or affliction. That afflicted subjective state which feeds the citta-vrtti and karma and which is fed by them as a link perpetuating the circle of samsaric existence (samsara) one causing duhkha. Kleshas are afflicted mental-emotional states of mind which are triggered by past karmic traces, vasana, conditioning/programming, or samskaras.
Commentary: Avidya-ksetram is the field of ignorance, which imprisons and limits self-awareness. It is the field of ego awareness (dualisic I/It miserception), which is organized around the dimming of the light. Being a mindfield based on ego ideation it is also the same as the Buddhist samsara. Vidya means vision or to see clearly as in clear view or clear vision. Avidya is the lack of vision -- the obscuring blinder in our field of vision, a veil that filters and distorts "reality". It is the impure obstruction that prevents us from seeing what is-as-it-is or Thusness. The larger problem of spiritual stasis arises (or rather our vision becomes chronically obscured) when we become conditioned (habituated) to a limited way of seeing/visioning the world through self limiting and narrow lenses which attempt to interpret our existence and identity through this distorted view, colored lens, shaded veil, or sliver lodged in the spiritual eye. Avidya as ignorance or confusion, can also be translated as non-recognition, unawareness, and/or a confused state of the mind. Worse in subsequent kleshas such as asmita, we identify with such a distortion, mistaking it for "reality" and misidentifying "self" as the viewer of or with "it".
Avidya is the root cause of all unhappiness (duhkha). Because of avidya (unawareness), we search for happiness elsewhere, and become mired in the wheel of of samsara. Avidya, being the primary root klesha is both due to the egoic split from Universal NOW limitless awareness and the glue that also holds the split in place. It is the foundation of duality, the sense of separate self (asmita) and with it raga, dvesa, and abhinivesa. Through conditioning we become familiar and somewhat try to become comfortable in this prison. the conditioned self (small self), but the yogi finally realizes that such a neurotic existence is not functional, no matter how much we try to satisfy our cravings and/or protect ourselves against perceived threats. Temporary ersatz pleasures are merely another form of suffering which hold us back from focusing upon samadhi which liberates the yogi from suffering -- which produces true and lasting happiness beyond normal neurotic compensatory pleasure.
Thus, through negative conditioning (through the mental habits of samskara and vasana) our familiarity and comfort with this dualistic "reality" becomes confused as being "security" and "reality" itself. Then we are in trouble (duhkha), because we start to habitually demand, prefer, or mistake our obscured and limited familiar "state of reality" in favor of REALITY AS IT IS -- unobstructed clarity, true vision, or the "real thing". We start to "prefer" to see the impermanent as permanent and the unreal as real, replacing wonder with flat plane linear "reality". Then consciousness becomes occluded and patterned (citta-vrtti). Then past patterning (vrtti), conditioning, and negative programming (karmic propensities) are dominant.
Swami Satchidananda used to give this example of dormant (prasupta) ignorance. Ignorance is a potential just as innate wisdom can be occluded and veiled by the citta-vrtta. The seed for the kleshas exist in the new born as a potential toward acquiring ignorance, or the opposite, the sprouting of the innate seed for love and wisdom, depending how the garden is tended. What grows depends on what is watered and nourished. A newborn child looks at the world with wonder and simplicity devoid of conditioned patterns of thinking (citta-vrtti). This is the prasupta or potential stage of ignorance, which most likely will mature into an active stage (udaranam) unless the child is brought up very wisely -- in harmonious alignment with natural law. Although the little child has access to the subjective experience (sat) of deep reality, he/she lacks stability in conscious awareness (cit). So too is there discontinuity and distortion of the mind field at the the other stages of kleshic manifestations be they subtle (tanu), inhibited (vicchinna), or active (udaranam). It is actually in the very active stage stage (udaranam) which lends itself to easy identification/awareness while they are very difficult to notice while subtle or inhibited. That is why some teachers give practices that provoke the kleshas so that they will be seen in the light of day. This may seem strange but it is true that subtle and repressed emotions only linger in the unconscious and as is said in the Chandi, light (Durga) destroys the darkness), while darkness seeks darkness. Authentic yoga thus beats the bushes for these inner demons and then flushes the out through consciousness. The they become destroyed, not by further ignorance, non-recognition, or denial. They are identified through self observation practices and conscious awareness such as swadhyaya, dhyana, and the rest of the yogic practices. When NOW awareness reigns in its continuity in All Our Relations then the kleshas have become successfully disenfranchised.
As we shall see authentic yoga practice is thus geared to both attenuating kleshas which gives us increasingly wider breather spaces in order to eventually destroy them all. Since avidya is the major klesha in which all others (uttaresam) reside within its field (ksetram), that field is eventually shattered so that light penetrates it fully. Thus the goal of yoga is reached through vidya (through the removal of ignorance and the kleshas), which brings us back to this natural unobscured visionary ability of All Our Relations.
Thus, yoga practice concentrates on destroying ignorance because avidya is the cause of all the afflictions and obstructions. Our unlimited and ever present innate true self nature (swarupa) awaits us always in the eternal now when all the spins, bias, and vrttis cease -- when the illusory veil of false identification and ignorance is lifted. this buddha potential, our higher self, or the kundalini lies dormant in waiting while we are lost in this dualistic veil of suffering (samsara), but when we emerge even for an instant we then see that this very is our true essential nature, and as such this gives us impetus to become entirely free (in nirbij samadhi).
A klesha is a negative emotion that is felt. It is a subjective stupid
affection such as a separate sense of self, spiritual-self-alienation, aversion,
fear, hatred, desire, craving, attachment, addiction, and fear of egoic death.
Although the klesha of dvesa (aversion) is most commonly associated with duhkha,
while raga is associated with pleasure, we can say that all kleshas lead to
duhkha or suffering recognized as such or so subtle that it is not so
recognized.
Although physical pain is often gross and easily recognized,
such is not the case for mental/emotional pain, which is more subtle and often
disguised through mental bias such as delusion, confusion, and citta-vrtta.
In fact, the kleshas of asmita (pride), ignorance (avidya), dvesa (fear,
anger, loathing,.hatred, strident competition, vindictiveness, strife,
conflict), raga (addiction, desire, attachment, jealousy, envy, greed, pleasure)
and are often unrecognized as painful afflictions. Even masochism can become
addictive for severely afflicted beings. Thus, we can say that all kleshas lead
to duhkha and are part and parcel of the samsaric wheel of death (abhinivesa),
more or less until liberation is realized.
Since there are innumerable amounts of combinations of kleshas, it is sometimes said that there are 84,000 kleshas. Although the root kleshas are avidya, asmita, raga, dvesa, and abhinivesa, some of their combinations are: anger, hatred, jealousy, revenge, pride, prejudice, bigotry, arrogance, contempt, disgust, disdain, abhorrence, condemnation, bitterness, resentment, acrimony, dismissiveness, haughtiness, self righteousness, fear, envy, paranoia, confusion, terror, inhibition, cold heartedness, insecurity, contentiousness, squabbling, attachment, competitiveness, mania, habitual discomfort, angst, anxiety, self centeredness, and so on.
Some of these are often extended in interactive group behavior, manifestating collective suffering and collective bad karma such as: extensions of ego into group egos, religionism, chauvinism, racism, sexism, nationalism, crusades. jihads, wars, clanism, ethnocentrism, bigotry, prejudice, tribalism, nationalism, regionalism, languagism, kinsmanism, geocentricism, egocentrism, exploitive propensities, theft, violence, group predation, scarcity psychology, self adversity, xenophobia, etc. To a yogi being free mukti (liberation) depends upon the elimination of the kleshas. In turn, the kleshas such as ignorance, hatred, fear, ego false identification, religious, ethnic and nationalistic pride; self righteousness, bigotry, and prejudice is the manipulative fuel for militaristic/totalitarian and authoritarian societies.
In short, where the kleshas are prominent, then it is certain that ignorance, stupefaction, deception, delusion, impure vision, attachment, fear, hatred, arrogance, greed, etc are dominating the human population. Strife and suffering is the outcome. Sometimes these kleshas are obvious and gross. At other times they are politely and subtly expressed or hidden, and at other times they are temporarily inhibited, repressed, or dormant waiting to be activated, triggered, or explode,
Practice:
Sit or stand quietly and take a few deep and conscious healing breaths utilizing the diaphragm. Take one more. Now scan the present contents of your mind or in the past day for residual memories of the specific limitations of avidya (ignorance). You will not find those which are dormant or very subtle, but you might have a memory of repressing some or an activation of some coarse manifestations where we have imposed a contracted and limited field of consciousness upon our great potential boundless expanse which is always at our finer tips.
Try hatha yoga asana practices with deep diaphragmatic breathing while observing the arising of any physical or mental resistance or tension. Bring your awareness to focus upon the arising of any tension spots and then breathe further into this area with pure open consciousness combined with the energy behind the breath, while reflecting upon any mental/emotional components that may be brought to the surface tension of awareness. While moving into and out of the postures, breathe even more deeply into the living temple as an intimate part of the evolutionary energy that has arisen from the source of all (in somato-emotional relationship with naked awareness) and then release any tension/stress or blockages by visualizing the breath and prana rippling through the region. Repeat if desired and/or go onto another pose in the same manner utilizing the body, breath, focus, and release technique. This is self activated pranahuti which not only releases the blocked energy but also the kleshas and residual karma when practiced over time.
Even more simply focus on isvara pranidhana and the evolutionary power in All Our Relations while opening up to the transconceptual teacher inherent in the moment. Become accustomed to the beauty and expansive living intimate power in that sphere. Then one will naturally become accustomed to moving and being moved in harmony with the all inclusive innate light and beauty because the natural clarity of one's true nature has been allowed to shine through.
II. 5. Anitya-asuci-duhkha-anatmasu nitya-suci-sukha-atma-khyatir avidya
Avidya (the habituated mental absence of spiritual vision) is an embedded, programmed, confused, and conditioned state of afflicted consciousness, where the egoic mind habitually confuses that which is painful (duhkha) as pleasurable (sukha); that which is transitory (anitya) as being permanent (nitya); that which is impure (asuci) as being pure (suci); and that which is limited and vacuous as the true and real Self (atman). That limited awareness (avidya) squashes true, lasting, and unlimited happiness, conflating that with what brings more pain and unhappiness (duhkha). Thus, the original non-dual clarity (vidya) of the true nature of awareness as the all encompassing Mind (anatma) is ignored.
anitya: temporal; impermanent; transitory
suci: pure
asuci: impure
duhkha: Unhappiness, suffering, dis-ease, a sense of un-wellness, displeasure, annoyance, discontent, discomfiture, grief, suffering, mental/emotional pain; mental/emotional discomfort, struggle, uneasiness, dissatisfaction, unhappiness, a tense, difficult, or stressful situation, a sense of tension, perceived or unconscious. Duhkha, as a state of mind is the samsaric mind. Since samsara is in the mind, one may fairly equate duhkha as samsara. Samsara (duhkha) both defines the kleshas; while simultaneously the kleshas maintain samsara (the state of duhkha). The chief klesha is egoic constructed ignorance, or simply put unawareness of the true nature of mind.
sukha: pleasure; joy; here, a temporary happiness. A state of mind associated with temporary satisfaction of neurotic/sublimated craving (raga).
atman: a separate self viewed as apart from the whole. The fragmented, deluded, or corrupted self.
anatma (anatta): the non-self, selfless self, true self, the universal and unbounded self, the altruistic and all compassionate loving self, not self; the impure or untrue "self";
nitya: eternal
khyatir: the act of clear seeing; apprehension, illumination, clarity.
vidya: clarity of mind; clear or unobstructed vision, awareness, recognition of what-is-as-it-is. Non-dual vision. Pure perception..
avidya: The state of stupefaction, lack/limitation of spiritual vision, ignorance: dullness, fragmented and broken awareness, blocked awareness, insensitivity, limited awareness; confusion; the resultant sphere or habituated activity of ignoring or avoiding; non-recognition; denial or avoidance. Avidya (unawareness, dull, blocked, or limited awareness) is the primary cause of unhappiness (duhkha) because it is the chief klesha.
Commentary: Another way of saying this is that avidya (impure vision) is the state of occluded, limited, and distorted vision (the basic confused dualistic mental state), which confuses the impure, temporal, and false sell, which brings forth pain, with the pure, eternal, and true Self which brings forth joy. It is a perceived state of mind, which is mired in clouded, obstructed, or limited vision. Hence, the citta-vrtti (mindfield) is by definition an obscured afflictive state, while yoga opens up the mind to the unobstructed view (vidya).
Ignorance or denial, as avidya, is a state of mind that confuses the false-self (anatma) as the true self (atman), as a fundamental false identification; the impure (a-suci) with the pure (suci); that which is ever changing (anitya) as being static and eternal (nitya). This is the dualistic split as avidya (as ignorance) as a false identification (asmita). It is NOT the same "no-self" in Buddhism or what Patanjali calls swarupa-sunyam, which are based on the emptiness of any separate self. Rather duhkha comes into play as a confusion, where "self" is equated with something else, some other things, or basically defined in terms of an "it", from which it is separate. Thus subject/object dualism becomes fixated through ignorance. The true Self, or rather Reality, does not reside in fragmented biased views; rather Reality-as-it-is is entirely dependent upon universal all encompassing eyes/wisdom, where there is absolutely no possibility of bias.
Yoga makes the connection between eternal spirit and nature (shakti) as Maheshvara's sacred integral embodiment, where the timeless formless spirit is continuously present (as divine presence) in the sacred Now, inseparable as it always has and will be. This is Reality, where there is yoga (continuity between primordial consciousness and its intelligent evolutionary expression in nature. It is readily recognized by the wise, but it is ignorance, which occludes the eyes of the perceiver and engages the human being in the fabrication of erroneous conceptual processes leading one astray. Through the inherent liberating light of vidya (pure vision), then confusion, false identification, associating with the impure, and temporal including all neurotic craving, aversion, and suffering (duhkha) ceases. This is very similar to the first two noble truths of Buddhism. The last noble truth being cessation (nirodha) in kaivalyam (see pada IV). That unobstructed vista is the great expanse of the unconditioned/natural mind, thus, producing unconditional happiness.
The focus of this sutra is to make clear that the conditioned mind ordinarily takes for objects of happiness, craves, loves, enjoys, or desires is itself a symptom of duhkha. It is merely a poor compensation for the real thing, and hence a severe distraction.
Buddha and Patanjali both call this recognition of the limited state of ignorance (avidya) as the first step of awakening -- recognizing unhappiness as-it-is, giving it a name, duhkha. This non-recognition (of non-dual integrity and wholeness) causes mental suffering. There, the human being enters into the samsaric wheel of of suffering (in Hinayana (old style) Buddhism that is called the wheel of Life and Death, the 12 links (nidanas) of causation, or the law of dependent arising (pratityasamutpada). All the other kleshas follow as suffering subsets from there. Only later in the Mahayana and tantra does the view of pratityasamutpada (the view of the samsaric world) become more refined and subtle in stating the emptiness of "other" (phenomena and the world). Hence, the gap between samsara and nirvana is bridged. So too, does Sri Patanjali teach this same truth as Buddha, at the birth of Mahayana, albeit many scholars have missed this simple but profound teaching, because of being mired in the confines of ideology. The main point here is that unawareness not only creates unhappiness, but is the embodiment of unhappiness. This is true for all the kleshas as we will soon see. Asmita is form of suffering, although those with eyes tightly closed do not recognize it. Raga, dvesa. and all the other kleshas are also variations of a limited awareness. Suffering is inherent in the samsaric mindset; yet because those so occluded do not recognize suffering as suffering, rather often they mistake it as pleasure, the cycle of suffering becomes unwittingly perpetuated.
The pre-existing, common, dichotomous, and confused dualistic situation which Patanjali comments upon here is that the common man confuses suffering as joyful because he confuses craving and desire with the anticipation of pleasure -- having confused the anticipation of self gratification with it's satiation. He has not awoken to the process in which he creates his own pain. It is likened to a man who eats slow acting poisons during the day and enjoys it then only to suffer extreme pain at night. The next day this same man eats and enjoys the poison again, thinking how good it is, and then again at night he again experiences pain, suffering, discomfort, craving, or a further feeling of incompleteness (duhkha).
Another example is that when we are young we may consider it great fun and pleasure to party all night, drink lots of beer, chase one's genitals all over town, get into fights and get beat up, over eat, overdress, over consume, etc. One day one may see that all that was not only temporary "pleasure", but neurotic activity where the clinging to the habituated activity reinforced one's suffering, even though at the time, such activity appeared as if pleasurable. One day a fortunate person wakes up and asks themselves what it is it that that they truly crave/need`-- what is it that will provide lasting happiness and fulfillment? Eventually one gives up the futile attempt and distraction to possess that which is on fire, temporary, and neurotic as distractions, while realizing what one truly desires in vajra passion/compassion (see below). This is how the aspiring yogi begins to wake up and enters upon the yogic path. All addictive obsessions may appear on the surface as pleasurable, but after investigation are understood as traps and happily released, in the end.
Another is the example of "the itch". The bigger the itch the greater the ecstasy becomes when it is scratched and satiated. It gives us relief, but we are better off without the itch in the first place. Here we can get to remediating the causes of the kleshas, not just their symptoms. The common man who has lost his way only knows the temporary pleasures that occur from satisfying neurotic desires, confusing the presence of desire with the process of pleasure and thus happiness. But where is the lasting happiness that spiritual passion is directed toward? It is not directed at temporary things as such would be foolish. The pursuit of temporary happiness is nothing other than a form of suffering as it contributes to the diversion and dissuasion from lasting and true happiness. This temporary happiness, being based in confusion/ignorance is called idiot happiness, as it does not contain wisdom. Happiness which is the result of vidya (vision), liberation, and awakening is lasting and true happiness. Temporary pursuits of pleasure is compensatory for the prior separation/fragmentation from the Whole Self which is our true nature (swarupa-sunyam -- being empty of a separate self). It is thus clearly a result of ignorance/ignoring. When our attention and energy is aligned with the inseparable unity of the absolute and relative, then there is no longer any further fragmentation, distraction, or further neurotic desire.
There are many examples like this, but another more esoteric example is the man who becomes addicted to massage. He loves the massage so well and it is so pleasurable, but that type of pleasure is conditional, resting upon the pre-existing condition where he habitually accumulates tension and pain in his body/mind acting unconsciously and ignorantly. the pleasure that he is experiencing is really the result of his ignorance i.e., previous actions based on ignorance. This type of "pleasure" is thus contrived and dependent upon suffering and can become addictive, while on the other hand yoga is designed to eliminate the cause of suffering (avidya) and that is why it is said that it brings True and Lasting Happiness.
True and lasting happiness is found through remediating all neurotic ersatz attachment to duality. Coming back into wholeness -- into Samadhi -- into the Eternal Now -- Sacred Presence and All Our Relations, then there is nothing lacking -- nothing is ignored. That is where our attention should be focused.
IV Sutra 28 hanam esham kleshavad uktam
These samskaras create kleshas and thus can be eradicated [by the previously mentioned remediations of the kleshas, samskaras, vasanas, and avidya].
Commentary: See Sutra 30-32
IV Sutra 29 prasankhyane 'py akusidasya sarvatha viveka-khyater dharma-meghah samadhih
Free from selfish motivation while abiding steadily (sarvatha) in self awareness (viveka-khyater) the rain-cloud of natural law (dharma-megha) is absorbed (samadhih).
Commentary: Pure awareness or vigilance (in viveka) applied steadily will activate viveka-khyatir (luminous self revealing intricate lucidity), the remedial propensity where old samskaras, old mind habits (vasanas), and vrtti become nipped in the bud as soon as they arise.
IV Sutra 30 tatah klesha-karma-nivrittih
In this way the waves of karma and klesha are destroyed.
IV Sutra 31 tada sarvavarana-malapetasya jnanasyanantyaj-jneyam-alpam
Then all veils (sarvavarana) and impurities (mala) are removed (apetasya) so that the knowledge of infinite mind (jnanasyanantyaj-jneyam) is revealed which leaves little more (alpam) to be disclosed.
Similarly in a Buddhist perspective kleshas are caused by ignorance. Acting on the kleshas cause bad karma. The context is limited awareness or space; while the content is unhappiness.
"The six poisons (kleshs) are:
hatred, or anger, which creates the experience of the hell realm;
greed, or miserliness, which creates the hungry ghost realm;
ignorance of how to act virtuously is the cause of rebirth in the animal realm;
attachment (virtuous action performed with attachment to the meritorious results) is the cause of human rebirth;
jealousy (virtuous action sullied by jealousy) causes rebirth in the demigod realm; and
pride, or egotism (virtuous action performed with pride) causes a godly rebirth.
The defilements lead to unskillful actions, which generate karma, the infallible operation of cause and effect in the mental continuum of each individual. The negative karma caused by the defilements is the origin of the sufferings of the six realms. The only way to eliminate suffering is to practice the path, method or remedy that will remove the defilements and the negative karma that they produce. By developing loving-kindness and compassion it is possible to diminish the defilements, but in order to uproot them completely, it is necessary also to develop the discriminating awareness (Skt. prajna; Tib. she-rab) that arises from the wisdom of emptiness. The development of loving-kindness together with wisdom is the result of following the path of Dharma, otherwise known as the five paths: path of accumulation, path of unification, path of seeing, path of meditation, and path of no learning.
The first, the path of accumulation, has three subdivisions. The first stage consists of taking the first step in the right direction, that is, taking refuge and practicing tranquility meditation (Skt. shamatha, Tib. shinay). The aspect of wisdom that is involved is that of listening to teachings (called the wisdom of hearing), and of reflecting on them with the analytical mind (called the wisdom of contemplation). The contemplation appropriate to this stage is known as the four applications of mindfulness, which is an examination of the true nature of (1) the body, (2) the feelings, (3) the mind, and (4) all phenomena. By logical analysis it is possible to come to the intellectual understanding that all of these are merely names for interdependent occurrences that lack any true self-existence, this prepares the way for an acceptance of the idea of emptiness (Skt. sunyata; Tib. tong-pa-nyi).
The second stage of the path of accumulation involves the abandonment of negative actions and the cultivation of virtuous actions, by which merit is accumulated.The third stage consists of the development of four qualities, without which further progress on the path will not be possible: (1) aspiration (strong determination to practice Dharma), (2) diligence (enthusiastic effort), (3) recollection (not forgetting the practice), and (4) meditative concentration (one-pointedness of mind without distractions).
What was developed on the first path becomes stronger on the second, the path of unification, which is a linking of the ordinary level to the exalted. On this path the practitioner experiences greater tranquility, more joy in virtuous action and fewer negative thoughts; confidence, energy, reflection, concentration, and wisdom increase, and tolerance of obstacles is developed. Finally the highest possible mundane realization is reached, a momentary experience that occurs during meditation, in which the nature of emptiness is perceived directly.
After having this perception, the practitioner is called a noble or exalted one (Skt. arya; Tib. pag-pa), one who has immediate insight into the four noble truths. This experience is like that of blind person whose blindness is cured and who sees colors for the first time; therefore, it is called the path of seeing. "
Based on a seminar given by Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche
Pain
Follows is a rather elaborate discussion of duhkha. The most straightforward and direct definition is that duhkha is defined as avidya, raga, dvesa, abhinivesa, and their combinations such as greed, envy, competition, etc. Only in grief, sadness, tears, and the expression of loss is suffering recognized for what it is. That is recognition, abandonment, and renunciation.
In order to understand and identify how kleshas occur as forms that the block out the light of clear vision (vidya), it is useful to understand how the term, duhkha, a term most commonly defined as suffering, pain, or unhappiness is used. Similar to a physical disease, duhkha is indeed a symptom of a preexisting injury. One way of translating duhkha is unhappiness, discomfort, suffering, dis-ease, or pain, while sukha (joyful happiness), mangala (happiness), fulfillment (santosha), and a feeling of wholeness/completeness is its opposite. However, as we will see in the discussion on the klesha called raga (craving pleasure), it is too easy to confuse neurotic and temporary pleasure/satisfaction as true happiness. Temporary happiness is another form of pain (duhkha). Such a confusion (temporal love as ordinary neurotic desire) is labeled as idiot happiness. As a matter of fact, such neurotic activity will distract our energy and dissuade us from the realization of ultimate happiness/fulfillment. Being attached to seeking happiness in neurotic union, or escaping pain as an aversion to what appears as suffering, are both prisons which bind us to continued samsaric addictions. All the kleshas are specific aspects of painful conditions that are the results of avidya. Such feeds the wheel of karma and chains consciousness to ignorance. In short, the wheel of suffering is annulled by eliminating avidya (ignorance/fragmented thought), which is nothing other than waking up with clear vision -- the removal of all obstructions and impediments (kleshas) and the cessation of the citta-vrtti, which discloses the natural unconditional nature of our limitless/boundless mind. This is done through yogic practice (sadhana), such as dhyana, etc.
In fact, both sukha (as temporary pleasure) and duhkha (as unhappiness) have arisen out of the same basic mental error, which assumes that the source of happiness or discomfort is external, rather than being a mental state due to neurotic conditional dualistic assumptions. Those kleshas are dependent upon ordinary dualistic egoic consciousness (asmita) as explained adroitly in Sutra 1.17. Vairagya (non-attachment) to phenomena, body, energy, or thought constructs through the perceptions of bodily sense objects energetic senses, and mental objects of thought is the fundamental remedy for duhkha. Then, the mind and basic feelings abide in our natural unconditioned state. When we drop temporal desires/love for things, we have spiritual or unconditional love and unconditional freedom left over. That brings with it unconditional joy (true and lasting happiness). It's absence is spiritual unhappiness (duhkha) being symptomatic.
So here, we can distinguish between two kinds of kleshas (raga and dvesa). Raga occurs when the mind associates union with temporary or neurotic pleasure (sukha); while dvesa arises when the mind associates union with duhkha (unhappiness). Thus the goal is not happiness per se, but the great boundless expanse of unobstructed awareness (vidya). That unconditioned state destroys duhkha and has within it it unconditional happiness (bliss) as a symptom. When the mind becomes happy because of a non-dual interconnectedness/union, then a spiritual happiness (mahasukha) spontaneously arises. When the mind remains happy having renounced foolish activity, that is not dvesa nor duhkha, but naturally informed non-attachment, which obviates duhkha. Basically, when the evolutionary intelligent power is blocked/obscured by the kleshas, there is duhkha (unhappiness), which is a feeling of lack, absence, fragmentation, and incompleteness. All neurotic compensatory "fixes" such as raga (temporal or carnal desires) or dvesa (temporal antipathy) exists within a samsaric (fragmented) state of mind, which is created out of ignorance -- ignorance of the all creating primordial consciousness, which is nothing more than a temporary state of unawareness or amnesia. That "normal" conditioned dualistic state of limited unawareness being limited and constricted, creates the prison of citta-vrtti, where the kleshic mindset operates-- where one's mind is overtaken by the kleshas. There the continuity of primordial awareness is broken, while existence appears as lacking, inhibited, and constraining. Both boy and mind are wholistically affected negatively. Removing pain/unhappiness occurs by welcoming in the innate evolutionary energy, by opening up the knots and blockages, by strengthening the channels (nadis), and avenues of communication. This is not accomplished through repression, inhibition, dissociation, desensitization, blocking out the evolutionary energy and consciousness, rather opposite. It is achieved by the release of such restrictions. .
In the end (samadhi) all questions are answered -- all conflicts are resolved. Answered is the question, "what would the end of suffering (duhkha as the signal symptom of the the cycle of samsara) look like" as lasting unconditional original primordial awareness with unconditional happiness as the symptom. Unconditional liberation encompasses complete liberation from samsaric existence. Another approach is to perform that inquiry (dharana) or contemplation upon the meaning of the word, duhkha. we would ask, "How does the wheel of suffering (samsara) become reversed"? Again, broadly speaking, the answer is the same, eliminate avidya (non-recognition), rather than try to ignore it. The yogi meets duhkha with open unafraid eyes, and faces it with consciousness. Open up to the innate intelligent evolutionary power. Wake up and connect to primordial awareness Now, in Now awareness. A yogi abides in lasting true happiness and fulfillment, and is thus free from unhappiness (duhkha). At the same time. duhkha affects others as an emotional affliction, which the yogi recognizes while responding wisely and compassionately.
Since we are embodied as human beings, who in turn are part and parcel of this overall sacred process, we must honor that innate evolutionary power here and now, on the planet, in the body, and mental frameworks. That starts with the investigation of our own body, its relationship to the environment, the universe, phenomena, and evolutionary/creative momentum, which is traced back to timeless primordial being. Bluntly stated, if we do not know body, breath, and evolutionary momentum, then we do not know its Source. Likewise to know the body and the evolutionary momentum/force, we also must know the original Primordial essence implicate in all of so-called phenomena. That is where authentic hatha and kundalini yoga comes to bear.
So again on the physical level, *pain* is an indicator/symptom pointing toward something amiss or wrong -- it is an indicator of a blockage of cit-prana, a message of himsa (harm) occurring, as a prompt that something DEEPER than the painful symptom that is occurring. As a generalized warning sign or wake up call, instead of labeling an event "painful" or unpleasant to the ego, we can face that "pain avoidance mechanism" and bring consciousness, and hence healing, into the actual event. On a mental and energetic level the pain must be *recognized* as blocked energy, a circuit overload, a short circuit, a twisted nadi, an obscuration, obstruction of consciousness and energy (cit-shakti). When the channel of communication to what-is-as-it-is devoid of fear, pain, resistance, aversion (fight, flight, or fright) then healing energy is allowed to occur naturally and unopposed. Pain by itself does not exist, other than as a limited obstruction of primordial consciousness, a fragmentation, or ignorance,
On the other hand, more commonly, since man is averse to pain, he too often chooses to numb it out, ignore it, become insular, aloof, block the sensory impulse, cut some nerves, create lesions, separation, dissociation, use palliatives or drugs, armor around it, avoid or escape from it, or in general not recognize it and attempt to ignore it through being insensitive to their feeling/being "SELF", but that's not liberation or waking up. Numbing out and dissociating may temporally take away the "pain" (mental or physical), but it also throws the child out with the bath water, dissociating "self" from our deepest feelings and heart core ways of knowing and being. Dissociation and insensitivity is a common and tough habit to break, unblock, and cut through, but such a release is necessary. Although one may have to confront their inner demon that creates pain, when one knows that the absence of pain is not joy, but just appears as pleasurable because the pain has subsided, then perhaps the practitioner will be more enthused to slay their inner demons. The greater the mental pain, the greater the need to dissociate and escape, such in classic traumatic stress syndromes where any association with a painful mental event will trigger defensive neurotic reactions aimed at the protection of the ego's insular identification. They cannot accept reality, because it appears too painful to the egoic delusion to accept. The ego says, "tell me that I am right and good, but spare the bad news" (bad to the ego, but good for awakening). This sad state continues until ego death, which is liberation. Just like in physical pain, if that pain becomes too strong, the person goes into shock, dissociating from the body; similarly in situations of extreme mental pain/discomfort a dissociation occurs where one separates from their situation and retreats into "too horrible to believe", incomprehensible pain, inconceivable, too painful to accept or remember (where the realm of the citta-vrtta dominate). This attempt to escape pain has many negative consequences, such as dissociation, especially when the ego feels trapped with no where else to run. Further dissociation, self deceit (delusion), multiple personalities, schizophrenia, psychotic breaks, or catatonia are extreme examples. This is how pain feeds delusion (asmita-klesha) and how asmita feeds suffering. There are many tragic paths based on the unwise desire for distraction, escape, diversion, withdrawal, and mental/physical inhibition/numbing from acknowledging or experiencing what the egoic mind has interpreted as a painful experience.
Instead of reflexively ignoring or numbing-out the "pain", rather it is always better to recognize the signal as it is, by meeting our fear and aversion straight on, without imputing "painful nor pleasurable", dislike or like, bad or good, foe or friend; but rather take what-is-as-it-is as a signal/symbol, signpost, or indicator. Then, we bring consciousness (cit-prana) through from source to the source of the signal (the message), while abiding free from antipathy or the need to sublimate and bathe it with primordial source consciousness. We open up the channels and face the demon of pain and fear straight on. Then, fear and pain dissolve in light. Being with what-is-as-it-is, openly and nakedly, we can respond more effectively, wisely, spontaneously, and directly. Simply put, we have the innate ability to recognize the signal as-it-is without being pulled toward it or away from it compulsively, rather we can bring conscious awareness to it. Is it really "pain" or the mind interpreting an event as painful? Pain by itself does not exist by itself, rather it is merely a messenger -- a message that has been misinterpreted or mischaracterized by confused mental programming. Such humans armor themselves around their pain and fear in a futile attempt to protect and insulate the ego. All they accomplish that way is further isolation dissociation, inhibition, and ignorance. This is the poison that feeds and supports ideology and belief systems based on incomplete knowledge (pramana), viparyaya (false beliefs based on false knowledge), and vikalpa (delusional thought patterns), all of which are citta-vrtta and all of which further enslaves the mindfield. Pain. like pleasure, is not "out there" in "the world", rather it is a mental imputation, which carries with it severe mental consequences when not understood.
Duhkha is a symptom or mental affect of abiding in the samsaric state of mind. So we inquire as to what is samsara and how are its bonds broken? It is the state where pure vision (vidya) is obscured by the kleshas; samsara's engines being fueled by the five kleshas and karma. Hence, it is an afflicted and obscured state of mind where pure consciousness (cit) and pure vision (vidya) has become obscured. But to understand what samsara really is, we have to have perspective; e.g., we need to experience what it is not (nirvana, pure cit, or awakened vision) and then through this free larger perspective, then the processes of liberation and bondage is illumined. That is experienced through directed application afforded through practice (sadhana) like dhyana (meditation), dharana, kriya yoga, and/or the other limbs of astanga yoga which open up the channels, strengthen the nadis, and activate the dormant circuits which have been long repressed/suppressed through negative conditioning of fear, punishment, abuse, hatred, and ignorance. See "Fear of Pleasure", "Fear of Living", "AVOIDANCE", "What Appears as Pleasure may be Empty and Neurotic", "DENIAL". "Repression", and "THE SUFFERING OF CHANGE".
Deficits of Samsara
Samsara is not a place or a situation but a painful state of mind, dominated by confusion and ignorance. This ignorance is subtle; it is not so much lack information as lack of clarity. We do not know who we are or what we are doing. We wander in samsara and return again; cyclic existence is samsara. Our true nature is absolutely pure and luminous. We lose sight of this purity when conflicting concepts from our senses and the ego cloud our mind. Our awareness is dulled by the repeating cycle of pleasure followed by pain, expectation followed by dismay, and desire followed by loss. The illusions and conflicts of samsara do not really exist. They are myths, constructed by the mind.
We will soon fall under the power of impermanence and death. If after that we just disappeared like a fire burning out or water evaporating, everything would be over. But after death we do not varnish into nothing. We are forced to take a new birth - which means that we will still be in samsara, and nowhere else. The term samsara, the wheel or round of existence, is used in Words of My Perfect Teacher to mean going round from one place to another in a circle, like a potter's wheel, or the wheel of a water mill. When a fly is trapped in a closed jar, no matter where it flies it can't get out. Likewise, whether we are born in the higher or lower realms, we are never outside samsara. It is said that samsara is a circle because we turn round and round, taking rebirth in one after another of the six realms as a result of our own action which, whether positive or negative, are tainted by clinging.
The mind creates samsara because it is the mind which interprets what the body experiences in an incomplete and deceptive way. Our eyes are engineered to picture something visually. We respond to the object with our sense of sight but when we close our eyes, we can only see what we mentally recall, not the original vision. We are never able to reproduce exactly what our senses received because the mind records the information in our imagination, under the influence of former association and memories. These subjective mental patterns shape our whole perception of reality.
Each of us has a characteristic blueprint for the external world and the impressions which do not fit into this model are simply ignored or overlooked. When we are introduced to new ideas, we try to adopt them or cut mental expectation, they will be discarded. I encountered this in a very vivid way when I was in Bhutan. I was told about something called airplane and that can eat food inside and never spilled it inside. I have never heard of one before. Before 1976, there was no such thing in Bhutan. We have no airplane and train there. People told me the airplane was made of light metal and could fly very high with a loud noise. You could ride in it with more than hundred people, sleep in it and eat food. I tried to imagine this. I pictured a paper bird flying over and over on the empty space but I couldn't imagine drinking a cup of tea, eating food without spilling it because the image my mind produced gave me only a very partial understanding of the airplane. With his practice, we can confront the delusion of cyclic existence and free ourselves from them. Being human means we are likely to be happy but it is possible to look for a way out: to renounce the suffering of samsara, to transcend it.
It is the mental/emotional gravity or binding to the wheel of samsara, that causes duhkha. The cause of the suffering could be labeled as the phenomena classified as kleshas. When we realize that the chief klesha (stain of consciousness) is confusion (avidya), then we understand that the light of non-dual wisdom frees the yogi from the gravitation field of the samsaric wheel, from karma, and suffering. What is that wisdom? Patanjali answers that in III.3 (samadhi sunyam).
Denial is a Special Subclass of Ignorance
The denial syndrome is very widespread, even epidemic, in the modern over objectified society, where the egoic mindset (delusion) is very strong. Denial is where the egoic mind (asmita) denies, ignores, and avoids reality or true vision (vidya) chronically. As a chronic psychological disease, one habitually fears the truth because it is too painful to their egoic delusion (self-image); hence, new information and vistas become shocking, unbelievable, or inconceivable. Such people do not desire that painful truth. Since they do not want to face it, they numb or block it out in favor of a more pleasant "truth", which is simply a delusion. On the broad spiritual spectrum, one chronically denies one's True Nature of Mind (swarupa-sunyam as in III.3) which prevents samadhi (communion), by chronically hiding from the truth in mechanisms of self deception/self-deceit. The ignorant might declare that they prefer their own self-created delusion of self-conceit and gratification to what they misunderstand as the game of samadhi. To them all is delusion (make believe fantasies of the mind) in any case, hence they live in a self-contrived fabricated nihilistic ethical vacuum. They will also confuse the freedom to think anything that pleases them, as being equal to kaivalyam (unconditional liberation/freedom). That is how deep strong associations (anusayi) with sukha (self gratification) can become once one becomes lost in the field (kshetra) of avidya, asmita, and raga.
The egoic mindset attempts to avoid mental pain and associate with mental pleasure. Pain and pleasure being something that is imputed by the mind. Pain does not exist as an independent object or entity. It does not exist outside the egoic mindset. In the ego's fear or avoidance of pain, they ignore situations, events, people, or circumstances that bring pain or unpleasant feelings to the egos (one's imagined self-image or mask). This delusional ersatz self (the ego) confuses the events from which they are escaping, from the influence of the mindset that imputes it. However, all the ego has to do is go away. That is, the mechanism of egoic imputation/projection has to cease -- that which appears as a threat to the ego delusion, as a threat to one's self-image, self-conceit, self deceit, or pretension will all disappear and no longer trouble one as a natural result. For that to happen one must devote oneself to the truth wholeheartedly. That uncontrived truth "as-it-is" already truly exists as never-ending presence, here and now. What is illusory is the conditioned egoic projection. Thus, the psychological denial mechanism is at first designed by the ego as an escape temporary mechanism in order to avoid mental pain, but in practice, that ersatz mask winds up prolonging it as chronic ignorance, compensatory pride, aversion, fear, neurotic desire, envy, conflict, stress, and tension.
For a yogi, the problem is not "out there" in a temporal world of seemingly frozen solid external events and phenomena. Rather the yogi is no longer distracted by such passions rests within the inner unborn source of primordial awareness, while consulting it consistently, hence bringing forth joy, release, and liberation. The yogi knows how one's genetic neurophysiology relates/reacts to stimuli (either through acceptance or denial). Acceptance in this sense is not fatalism, rather one can not change situations effectively without first recognizing its presence and then releasing it to effect skillful action. By ignoring a situation and its causes, that same ignorance will insure that the situation is never remedied. Therefore, the yogi does not simplistically pretend that the situation itself is unreal nor does one become a victim of wishful thinking (which are just other self gratifying delusions). The yogi doesn't numb out, protect, or insulate oneself from reality in any manner, but rather faces reality and any "so called" associated pain (anusayi duhkha) directly, fearlessly, and fully. Upon close examination, the discomfiture or uneasiness will be seen as non-existent in itself, just as egoic pleasure or aversion, while that open mindset will transform how we see the event as well, without the need to ignore/deny it, nor to impute another story upon it. Denial reinforces ignorance. Denial is all about egoic mental pain, where one "reality" or story becomes more pleasurable or gratifying to the ego, than the truth. In that defensive milieu evolutionary or spiritual change is held back in favor of egoic fixation and stasis -- a narrative where the egoic mind feels safe, secure, and supported by familiar trappings. Without wisdom (the cessation of ignorance) true happiness cannot be brought into the world. Happiness in the form of wisdom and compassion can not be expressed well in words, rather it is affective/subjective. That is the natural marriage of the great compassion with wisdom as upaya (skillful means). Compassion is non-dual wisdom. Non-dual wisdom is compassion. They are, in reality, inseparable. Where the egoic mindset is dissolved, an independent "other" cannot be posited.
"When one realizes oneself, one realizes the essential nature of the universe. The existence of duality is only an illusion and when the illusion is undone, the primordial unity of one's own nature and the nature of the universe is realized, or made real." ~ Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche
When denial occurs consciously, it takes the form of everyday defensiveness, as an escape from mental pain, where the egoic mind defends its position/place and pride in the face of an imagined assault on the ego's "integrity" or existence in the face of conflicting messages or contradiction, which appear to threaten one's egoic identity (asmita and samyoga). Here one is simply playing a game, wearing a mask, acting inauthentically, and deceptively. However, when this process of denial occurs automatically, unconsciously, beneath the threshold of conscious awareness,or intent, it serves the continuation of the processes of self deceit, delusion, and ignorance insidiously providing refuge to those who would willingly serve their own imprisonment for fear of a seemingly painful awakening. Thus, the distinction of conscious denial (such as conscious defensive and deceitful maneuvering) as distinct from habitual and chronic unconscious avoidance (such as self-deceit) is discerned. The analysis of that process will be expanded upon in the following sutras about asmita and samyoga. That process is easier to recognize when it manifests as conscious guilt mechanisms of defensiveness, justification, or rationalization as "self" defense or armoring. However the defense mechanism of denial which remains unconscious, compulsive, and knee jerk is more difficult to root out as it manifests as a denial of denial - a root mechanism of self deceit, and hence delusion. There one asserts that one is being honest and authentic, while in reality, they are confused and deluded, but won't admit it to themselves (or others).
Please see the section on "AVOIDANCE" below and the section on PAIN (above) for a more thorough discussion the very insidious mechanism of denial as avoidance of reality-- our true nature.
The Phenomena of "Complex Guilt" versus Simple Regret and Renunciation: Pathological Compulsive Reactive and Defensive Guilt Mechanisms as Mechanisms of Self-Justification Denying Responsibility for One's Own Actions
In a similar vein, as is found in simple denial, where one denies accountability, responsibility, or culpability in a plausible and rational manner, even when they may privately admit to themselves the truth of their actions, in the case of compulsive reactive guilt mechanisms, the insecure ego will attempt to cover-up their responsibility by lying to themselves (in defensive mechanisms of self-deceit). This prolongs the state of delusion, thus hindering awakening. Defensive guilt is the egoic self-defense mechanism attempting to protect the egoic-delusion (false identification) against the reality of transpersonal truth, which appears threatening, but in terms of awakening it is a severe negative trait, because one cannot learn and change without being open and curious. That is why remorse, regret, and non-compulsive guilt lead to renunciation of old dysfunctional habits, while allowing for new plateaus to be realized. Such is again reconfirms the indispensable value of vairagya (release), where old views must be relinquished in order to make room for the evolution of consciousness, new ideas, and creative change. Here admitting making a mistake in humility is a manifestation of a healthy simple type of guilt, which must be contrasted to defensive denial (complex guilt), which is an opposing factor toward being open and awakening..
Unfortunately messages/messengers that reminds an insular egoic defense system of the existence of altruism, empathy, compassion, moral courage, conscience, and the recognition of humanity’s common heritage as All Our Relations very often prompts defensive anger, rage, hatred, aggression in an attempt to protect the ego's sense of self-worth and pride. Those dominated by egoic pride do not want to hear nor tolerate criticism, so they resist learning by repeating the same same errors in a closed loop situation of their own making. In fact, ego dominated mindsets place a value on pride, insularity, independence, competitiveness, and comparative self-worth. They view such as good and desirable; while humility is demeaned as a weakness. Such selfish and self-gratuitous values are epidemic in competitive ego-dominated Western "culture", often deteriorating into greed, paranoia, and accompanied by violent and warlike sociopathic behavior. It is the rule, rather than the exception. Indeed, demagogues, tyrants, and bigots are excellent examples of compulsively defensive complex-guilt deniers, who attempt to shift blame upon an imagined demonic scapegoat or evil (an "other"), which automatically makes the demagogue good and right. Although greed, manipulation, fixated security issues, self-esteem issues, and paranoia can lead to gross catastrophic tragedies including human suffering in themselves. The often insidious role of defensive and compulsive reactive guilt (as egoic denial of responsibility), thus serves to entrench and solidify these human aberrations devoid of any sense of shame or conscience. In fact such defensive maneuvering serves to deny responsibility, while justifying/rationalizing one's delusion of self-righteousness. It is a form of mind manipulation, be it with conscious intent or be it as a knee jerk compulsive reaction.
Unfortunately rich examples abound such as in the demonization of negro slaves by white Southerners, accompanied by their dehumanization, hangings, and murder. Similarly, the stealing of native American land, gold, and riches were justified by a self-righteous campaign of genocide against them. The invasions and slaughter of millions during the Medieval Crusades, were also justified by self-righteousness. Similarly the burning of witches during the Inquisition served to place the Church in a superior and righteous position over the infidels. Such acts that blame the victims both assuage one's guilt, while at the same time boosts one's sense of false self-worth and superiority. Such abominations depend on the ability of demagogues to rally confused, deranged, sick, and guilt minds who seek a quick fix for their miserable situations by manipulating their weakness for self-deceit and delusion. A recent example are the many wars the United States have waged upon poor countries in order to to steal their natural resources. Their justification has been to demonize the "other's" religion, ethnic identity, and way of life as either inferior, wrong, dangerous, or evil. Similarly, the war against modern environmentalists and climate change advocates is due to the psychological pain, anger, self-hate, and complex guilt, that become externally objectified by those who need to be held accountable for their actions. Instead of learning from one's mistakes, such people fall victim to making the situation worse by taking what appears to them as the easy way out, albeit dysfunctional and counter-productive in terms of waking up. In common terms it is described as shifting the blame in a futile attempt to exorcise one's inner demons through externalization and projection. Such suffering is due to ignorance of one's true nature; or one can say that such ignorance is due to the overwhelming pain brought upon oneself through a pre-existing conditioned state of unawareness, where integral consciousness has become disrupted, fragmented, and corrupted.
For a yogi, the perpetuation of such activities are classified as dishonest, which is a severe abrogation of ahimsa, satya, and asteya. This dishonesty (steya and asatya) can be entirely unconscious (compulsive), or a conscious act of deception (lies), or a combination of the two such as in schizoid behavior, hypocrisy, equivocation, fragmented thinking, a corrupted senile mindset, and/or a result of confusion (avidya). The secondary source of such abominations, being asmita-klesha; while their primary source is the disconnect and primal split from All Our Relations as the primary klesha -- avidya (unawareness) of their natural state, which discloses the true non-dual nature of mind and as a consequence blocks the recognition of the true nature of nature. In short, for a yogi, spiritual evolution (evolution of consciousness and positive spiritual change) is accomplished through the implementation of a series of yogic practices that involves self-study, self-observation, renunciation of one's erroneous ways of the past, vairagya, a healthy sense of humility to a point of samadhi-sunyam, and consequently the rediscovery of one's innate willingness, enthusiasm, and aspiration to learn, to be vulnerable and open, to act creatively in love and to be loved, to continue to be curious, to seek, evolve, and discover. Simply stated, the yogi has to renounce such foolish egoic mind games.
Object of our Compassion: Truth of Suffering
Again denial is rooted in the desire to avoid pain, misgivings, or any non gratuitous, non-flattering, or unsatisfactory experience through mechanisms of self deceit. Hence denial encompasses the kleshas of avidya, raga, dvesa, and abhinivesa as will be shown. When that mechanism is defeated, awakening and pure vision triumph. In short we can't see anything(phenomena or events) clearly when we are selectively ignoring specific parts of the whole/whologram). Although the pain is really in our mind and hence, self generated, we foolishly associate it with an external object, just as we associate pleasure and happiness with the external object. Of course happiness is a state of mind, just as unhappiness (duhkha) is a state of mind. Because it is a state of mind, it does not mean that the state of mind is unreal. Even if the determination of this is pleasurable and that is painful is based on an error of thought, it does not mean that the error of thought does not exist or has no reality. Rather errors of thought (delusional thought processes which are often labeled as illusions or wrong views) are the result of causes and conditions; i.e., the process of ideation by the ego. That mechanism is what produces suffering. In order to break up that syndrome, we practice methods that allow us to reside more in the natural selfless state.
Natural compassion is a heart-felt feeling. It is unconditional (not dependent upon conditions). It is equanimous and extended regardless as a natural expression of our natural direct non-dual primordial realization. It is not based on moral laws, ethics, logic, fear of going to hell, desire to go to heaven; but rather, it arises spontaneously when we have defeated the internal delusional processes of the egoic mindset (called the defeat of Mara). The Buddha and arhants were called foe destroyers because they defeated the real enemy, Mara. That is how one wakes up; i.e., when our internal confused predilections, fears, kleshas, and ignorance are no longer projected upon "the world". When the ego dies, then vast wisdom arises. There is no limitation or boundaries and love/compassion is automatic. Mahakaruna (great vast compassion) arises from transpersonal and non-dual realization, where the egoic delusion of a separate/fragmented self is released.
When the artificial boundaries of the egoic mindset are broken down, then that human being becomes pain free and experiences great bliss, great happiness, and a great timeless space. e become experience bliss At the same time that human being becomes aware of the mental anguish and pain of others. To be sure in authentic yoga, this process of waking up is not a reactive escape from suffering or an aversion/antipathy. It is not a selective awareness based on personal likes or dislikes, but rather unbounded awareness and love. It also significantly differs from empathy, because authentic compassion derived from authentic awakening includes active intelligence and happiness, the genuine informed desire to eliminate the anguish/suffering and causes of suffering.
Two things are necessary in order to express genuine and effective compassion. The first is having realized the direct experience of unconditional lasting happiness oneself. Such is always based on non-dual transpersonal and boundless wisdom. Freedom from the wheel of samsara (suffering) and happiness are inextricably intertwined, while true happiness and liberation is not fear based but a meeting of all ways (wholographic). There are varying levels of depth in this awakening. In order for compassion to be genuinely effective it must be married actively with this powerful wisdom.
The second necessary ingredient toward genuine and effective compassion includes the recognition of the object of one's compassion (at first an unhappy and afflicted being) coupled with the one's full intent of body, speech, and mind for them to be free and happy. Even if one were to reach a steady state of holographic awareness, where in truth, there are no boundaries, egos, or separate beings who appear to be unhappy because of unawareness (errors of the mind), just so, because of those errors themselves are operational due to causes and conditions, it would be ignorant to ignore the "other". If we try to ignore them, we become ignorant, limited, caged, fearful, reactionary, and bound. We become ignorant. The truth is that there is no independent external object of our compassion in a transpersonal/non-dual sense. In our essence we are compassion and express it naturally and selflessly. When we wake up neither self or other are objects, nor can anything be adequately objectified. We are not simply objectified phenomena, but are natural parts of ever-changing nature and timeless ever-presence (the true nature of nature), both at the same time. Non-dual realization thus produces an objectless and unfocused vast compassion that is present unconditionally at all times and places.
Although compassion can be expressed spontaneously and naturally, such has to be realized gradually until final unconditional liberation, which means that one has to recognize the truth of suffering (caused by ignorance) and the uncaused cause of happiness in order to express genuine compassion expediently. To repeat, compassion is not only the ability to be completely present with some one else's mindset of unhappiness (free from fear or aversion), but also in its higher aspect the spontaneous expression of intending happiness for that being as well as all beings selflessly. A compassionate being (depending upon the strength of their realization) does not lose their own happiness nor becomes swallowed up in the other person's mindset. Rather the truly compassionate being resides in that sacred space of unconditional happiness, which is not based on attachment to the samsaric mindset, in order to bring forth the desired result (happiness and liberation). The light and love shines through irrepressibly. The success and mode of such compassionate activity is dependent upon many factors in order for it to bear fruit, but it always remains inextricably united with wisdom (prajna). Hence wisdom and compassion form an inseparable team (upaya) as skilful means.
Religious and "New Age" Conceptual or Belief/Faith Based Errors
This subject has been dealt with extensively in I.7 (beliefs) and I.9 (conceptual fantasies). Since egoic ignorance (as belief based delusional processes) are directly related to the ideation process, which is the first step in ego ignorance (avidya and asmita-klesha), it may be helpful to talk about this specific mechanism of delusion/ignorance with the intent to reveal its causes, operation, and then to release it, rather than to further ignore it (which is the more common approach which is more palatable to the egoic mindset. It is a trick of the mind to justify or negate the suffering experience of "others" by labeling it as an illusion, unreal, as non-existent, as self created karma, or a mere hallucination. That is a cheap/quick mental trick of self-deception, in order to cope with guilt or simply to justify one's right to be happy. True happiness or clarity and peace of mind, however is not obtained in that negation, dismissal, or denial, rather it is counterproductive/dysfunctional.
A fundamental error occurs in the egoic mind who impatiently desires happiness. Since we all desire happiness, delusional thinking where the ego simply imagines itself as being happy can easily creep in, unless one is firmly rooted in wisdom. The solution to this delusional conundrum is rooted in wisdom, in so far that the yogi understands that the freedom from unhappiness and suffering is not an end in itself, but rather is a symptom that accompanies the abandonment of the causes of unhappiness. In short one first must recognize the cause of suffering (not deny it). Only then one can abandon it, having learned their lesson. Put a similar way, one must recognize the cause of true and lasting happiness, in order to embrace it. Otherwise one is simply chasing after phantoms, temporary fixes, and neurotic substitute cravings which may promise lasting happiness but are in reality diversions. Again. the key here is not happiness, but rather the wisdom/realization which brings it forward.
Similarly, this characterization may be said to apply to a person who is experiencing what is designated as "pain", who then wakes up to the causal underlying factors themselves personally. Suffering for them then is overcome on an individual level (as an personal nirvana). This is the error of the New Age egotists, wishful thinkers, illusionists, and bright-sided positive thinking. But our true reality is not egoic, delusional, made up, fabricated, or merely personal. When we truly and completely wake up, all boundaries dissolve -- all is known. That personal or individual nirvana is free of personal suffering, but it is a confusion to say that all other people have awoke because the Buddha has awoke or that because Jesus is coming, or because one has destroyed one's personal karma. Rather, Buddha and Jesus had a deeper compassionate message. Their message was not one of a personal salvation within a world of estranged souls.
Rather, the inner Buddha and inner Christ have to awake within each being for suffering to be eliminated. This is not a belief or concept, but the result of a profound transpersonal and non-dual yogic experience, where primordial wisdom has been realized. If the human being is living in the vast moment of primordial time and is able to bear its unbounded suffering and joys, then it is a fact that many beings on the planet are limited to a samsaric existence because of their limited mindsets. They are unhappy. They are experiencing anguish, fear, depression, or suffering, etc., even though that samsaric mind state is based on an error of mind (ignorance). None-the-less that is their subjective experience in fact. They still need to realize that. Again, personal or individual awakening such as a merely personal or dualistic nirvana or samadhi) is untenable. One wakes up to our common boundless true nature, which abides free from the constrictions of skin or linear time.
For example if the person understands that the so called pain is generated by the mind, and then sees through the indicator/designator to free oneself of their reactive mental state then that is a genuine spiritual realization, which differs from a mere conceptual thought that happiness is a state of mind, rather tha as a result of an experiential state where causes and conditions have become purified. This may require more elaboration, but in short beliefs and thoughts about the world and self should emanate from experiential practice. In faith/belief based systems experience is limited and dictated by the constraints of belief and concepts. Even if the beliefs and concepts appear to be utopian, they remain sterile and contrived if they have become the "bottom line".
In order to consciously become free from the samsaric mental mechanisms, one has to awake from the "I/it" dualistic sleep of ignorance (avidya), which includes all the kleshas. Those who do not, suffer in the chain of samsaric events, victims of their self made delusions no matter how grandiose. Awakening comes from consciousness, awareness, and transpersonal wisdom, not ignorance, denial, delusion, or fantasy. Although the samsaric state is a mental state, it can not be simply remedied by mere delusional thought, as though mental states do not have causes. Rather the causes have to be eliminated. This is a key difference in conceptually based systems, faith/belief based religions, and many Western New Age thought who assume that belief or thought is the determining or primary factor. They say, "just change the thought or belief". Logically it does seem logical to say that "this world is all a delusion or illusion, so I will create my own-- I will create my own perfect salvation or adapt to someone else's". According to yoga that is not waking up, but rather simply more delusion and fantasy, albeit one becomes free from the tendencies of their past delusions, but then they simply create their own spider web on top of it.
For an authentic yogic practitioner, there arises a time in their progress where they observe the operations of the citta-vrtta and abandon such -- where they realize the truth of samsaric existence, the cause of samsaric thinking, the cause of suffering, and its remedy which brings happiness and liberation. That remedy is not more fantasy (avidya) or delusion (asmita), nor is it ordinary happiness, rather normal happiness is a result of causes and conditions. The remedy is awakening -- coming into alignment with true vision (vidya) as in Sat-Cit-Ananda). This occurs when one purifies their past karma and steps into the realm of unconditional happiness after recognizing the true nature of their mind. It is not a smart mental trick, a contrived concept, nor a matter of belief. This can be a large lesson when the mind is deluded (lost in mechanisms of self deceit).
Although it would be nice to think or believe that samsaric mindsets do not exist or the mechanism of suffering could be ignored by simply negating it, denying its existence, labeling it an illusion, pretending that it is unreal, or attempting escape from it, unfortunately human events on the planet does not support such a fantasy. Rather in order to become free from effects, one must recognize and meet their causes without fear, antipathy, denial, or negativity. When that meeting is neither painful nor pleasurable, when it devoid of any need to negate or include, then a far deeper awakening and liberation occurs from the innate core/heart nestled deep inside all beings, in and by itself. That awakening is not isolated, but universal and primordial. It is boundlessly compassionate and self luminous.
The fact of the existence of human suffering is acknowledged even for a Buddha or enlightened being. Again, that doesn't mean that the buddha is suffering directly; rather the buddha has mastered and become free of any personal karma and hence, personal suffering through transpersonal selfless understanding/wisdom. However, from the boundless transpersonal sphere, as long as any being is suffering, then the Buddha feels that suffering, while naturally desiring (out of his omnipresent infinite openness and love) to help all beings spontaneously and joyfully. That is why the Buddhas are all compassionate, fearless, joyful, happy, all knowing, and wise, missing nothing and seeing everything. Even though the Awakened One (Buddha) resides in unconditional happiness and liberation he/she exhibits infinite love and compassion naturally through his boundless HeartMind in all dimensions.
Although many faith/belief based religions, New Age thinkers, ideologues, and positive/wishful thinkers may attempt to short circuit "suffering" in order to talk oneself into an utopian everlasting bliss; such by-passing winds up as an egoic delusion, because it is contrived and fabricated being held together by logic, conceptual processes, and/or the intellect. In yoga the goal is samadhi (swarupa-sunyam, III.3) which is a total transpersonal union with the multiverse beyond any concept whatsoever, let alone the idea of separate/individual beings -- beyond the concept of an observer and object of our compassion which are all beyond the words, concepts, and artifices of belief, but rather a natural all encompassing implicate order, which is available when the practitioner releases their conceptual thought processes. In samadhi love, compassion, ahimsa, satya, asteya, etc., are natural and spontaneous expressions coming from vidya (true vision) -- residing in the evolutionary power and expressing it. In yoga one does not talk oneself into or out of situations using words, concepts or beliefs, rather the yogi uses practices in order to experience truth directly. Here "view" is uncontrived, unfabricated, and uncompounded. It is not based on words, concepts, beliefs, or even memory. It is not limited by the citta-vrtti whatsoever. As progress in pure vision (vidya) becomes more pronounced, then samsara is not known as phenomena (the world), a thing, a place or object that has any true existence. Hence there is nothing to accept nor reject. Rather all phenomena reflect primordial consciousness -- their timeless source in its wholesome completion -- there is no separate independent self found within phenomena which is constantly morphing in what appears as a magical transconceptual display, once the wisdom eye is opened to perceive that i8n pure unobscured perception.
In yogic self discipline the practitioner has to discover any and all ingrained or conditioned, ignorant, and habitual mechanisms, and mental operations, while flooding that with the light of pure consciousness until the old habitual mental-energetic conditioned patterns are broken asunder. The the discovery of everlasting light and love will be more present and available in true vision and that results in true happiness. In order to release our kleshas and negative mental habits such as the eight worldly attachments, we have to recognize them as they arise and treat them as teachers (such as the famous eight worldly dharmas). Then we have perspective, context, and awareness of these mechanism from a free space of pure consciousness. Eventually, we recognize in our own lives what Buddha called the truth of suffering (a noble truth which brings us on the path toward happiness), It says that suffering is real when the mind is trapped in the samsaric mindset. Samsara, being a state of mind and the result of causes and conditions) has to be first acknowledged/recognized. Then through awareness/recognition of the cause of suffering it can be entirely released. Then we can become free of those kleshic citta-vrtti through effective practice. That brings liberation and happiness. This is exactly what Patanjali is saying also. Once we become very free and clear, then we are able to recognize suffering in others, and naturally desire to help others. In some schools this self transformation and realization is said to require many years and lifetimes of focused practice, but also it occurs in the flash in the moment, not through belief or words, but through their surrender.
Buddha or Patanjali are not saying that suffering is the end point of course, nor are they saying that suffering or the samsaric mindset is a prison that one can not leave, rather the opposite. Rather staring pain straight in the eye without fear, disgust, or desire to escape, is a starting point on the journey to liberation and happiness -- awakening, which allows one to exorcise themselves from pain, while eventually realizing lasting happiness (samadhi or nirvana). The teaching of yoga, thus is free of denial, avoidance, escapism, or pretense, but one of liberation through awareness. The sadhak (practitioner) first has the courage to recognize their own conditioned and present situation, even if it is painful to the ego mask to look at it. The more recognition (awareness), the less ignorance and denial. Then the causes are eventually disclosed, which are dissolved by the light of the higher consciousness which discloses them.. Then the passion and enthusiasm for liberation will become effortless and unimpeded and one will practice skillfully in pathways which will completely liberate beyond any conditions or stagnant limitations.
Then one experiences boundless "self" liberation. Then they are able to help others in All Our Relations. Yes, that place and time is Here and Now, absolutely, but unless one gives up the counterproductive habit of conceptualizing and belief based imputations upon reality, one continues to fall back into stagnant self limitations, asmita klesha, and other kleshic modalities. Te difference is that a fully realized Buddha is in nirbija samadhi -- present HERE and NOW all the time, while the ordinary person who is immersed in samsaric existence may rarely experience that awakened state consciously. It is extremely wise to know that difference. A samsaric being is most likely unaware that they are experiencing samsara or suffering at all, confusing it with happiness because they are mostly unconscious. They have to wake up first to their condition and renounce it joyfully and willfully when they are ready (or when conditions and causes are ripe). Yes, it is wise to approach other beings as potential Buddhas as all beings have this innate seed potential (Buddhanature) inside them waiting to sprout and grow. They are inheritors of the evolutionary power. So we meet this fuller evolutionary potential and aspiration and bring that forward as best we know how. At the same time it is wise not to confuse that innate potential (Buddha nature) with a fully realized Buddha Now which is a contractual arrangement found in New Age thought that says: "I'm awake, then you are awake -- play my game with me"..
Through true compassion (not just empathy) a yogi who abides in truth, does not stop at merely recognizing, hearing, or even feeling the suffering of another, say the anguish of a helpless crying child, but rather spontaneously aspires to bring forth their innate happiness and beauty in the greater context of All Our Relations. The latter assumes that the compassionate yogi is situated in clear vision already or at least knows about happiness and the cause of happiness. Otherwise how can that yogi effect any compassionate change; i.e., happiness.
That is the difference between passive empathy and active, vital, and spontaneously expressed compassion. The expression of compassion is neither depression nor sadness, rather it is the active expression of transpersonal love, generosity, happiness, and selfless service (seva) naturally and spontaneously due to authentic living in the heart essence (foundational space of the boundless HeartMind.. Again authentic compassion is a natural spontaneous expression emanating from true direct vision and happiness. It is not contrived or based on rules, roles, or moral dictates, fear of punishment, or desire for reward. If compassion is the desire for all others to experience happiness and know the cause of happiness, then one must be both happy and wise. One must live in unconditional happiness and embody it.
The chronic dysfunction found in most belief/faith religious systems that promise future rewards, other faith based systems based on rules of conduct, and much "New Age thought" which advocate positive thinking, wishful thinking, remedial thought formulations, and mental affirmations and visualizations is that there is an underlying assumption that says, "if we think it to be so and hold tightly to that belief with confidence or faith, then it will come to pass" or "if positive results do not occur it is because of our lack of faith/belief" or "positive thoughts have positive results, while negative thoughts have negative results". Granted the mind has great transformative power, but all these methods being constructed upon imputation upon "reality" create a make believe reality. In short just because one believes in something, that does not make them free from delusional thinking. To go further if New Age and Faith based belief systems learn the difference between positive thought, make believe, utopian conceptions and contrivance on one hand and Reality-as-it-is as revealed by virtue of the boundless HeartMind, then more effective action will occur with longer lasting benefit. In short it is far more effective to release delusional thought processes and desire first, to realize pure vision, and then simply reflect/express that transpersonal space in All Our Relations.
It is mere wishful thinking, self deceit, and delusion to believe that phenomena (such as social events) can be altered simply by thinking differently about things, although in New Age thought this delusion is recklessly promulgated. It is reckless because that delusion serves as a substitute delusion for effective action. To be sure, our actions and behavior are influenced by our thoughts, however, it is delusional that thoughts alone (devoid of speech or bodily action) can change things by themselves In 99% of the cases, this is mere fanciful self delusion which obviates and substitutes for effective compassionate action. The percentage of people who are consciously producing telekinesis, for example, is really quite small, while it is true that thoughts affect internal states such as endocrine substances, heart rates, chemical reactions, brain waves, and internal energy patterns.
This is not to say that imagining or thinking good thoughts, making aspirational prayers, or focusing our intent are worthless. They may have some value in mental training/conditioning and reprogramming, but they are delusional if one becomes fooled, where one fails to separate the delusion from phenomena. Similarly, although thought may precede physical action, thought itself is an activity and is most often dictated by past causes (karma) at least until the spiritual practitioner starts to take responsibility to change one's thought patterns so that their perception actually is in accord to the true nature of phenomena. That occurs when past negative karmic traces have become dissolved and primordial wisdom has replaced acquired ignorance. Authentic and functional change does not happen by simply wishing things to happen. Thus for a yogi, the first step is in releasing/liberating old mental thought patterns and habits. Then natural light (wisdom) will manifest by itself and motivate us forward from primordial consciousness to evolutionary power with integrity. Transconceptual and transpersonal wisdom then spontaneously arises instructing the yogi not by the intellect or will power, but through the boundless wisdom of the HeartMind. That is yoga as surrender and practice. After one has recognized the holographic nature of reality, then thoughts take on a new power, but transpersonal and transcognitive Heart essence wisdom always acts the guide in that realm. That possibility after one has discovered their true nature. Inwardly focused intent, samaya, sankalpa, aspiration, prayer, tapas, devotion, and the like may be valuable on the yogic path, but they are not enough -- not to be confused as the fruit. They serve to focus our energy and fuel our sadhana. It is true that our view or understanding of what is real or what is not real is dependent on how we process data (how we think), but what changes is our view, not the phenomena itself. Then perhaps one day if we are wise and lucky -- if our view actually coincides with what-is-as-it-is in clear vision (in vidya) -- when the citta-vrtti have become liberated or dissolved) or cancelled out, then expedient action and evolutionary change will arise in its full power. When that happens it will be experienced as very powerful in comparison with positive thinking.
Conceptually based belief systems, intellectuals, New Age thinkers, wishful thinking, and faith based religions (Western or Eastern) confuse "reality" with the "view of reality"). With that confusion in mind (viparyaya), they then erroneously can conclude that suffering does not exist because it is based on a false view (of an ego and a separate phenomena). They may say since neither "self" or "other" truly exist separately, then there is no suffering; i.e., suffering is a lie. No doubt, intellectually that may be said to be the case in retrospect for one who has already realized the truth of "no-self" (who has merged at-wonderment with samadhi), but it is merely word constructs woven together through conceptual thinking and logic (vikalpa) which is delusional -- which has created that conclusion in the latter sense. That is a conceptual error and hence a severe self limitation (stuckness) is maintained.
In short all because one believes that something is true, to imagine that it is true is most likely an egoic delusion unless knows how to perform self inquiry/self analysis. Concepts about "self" that are flattering to the ego are very common. Here the egoic based person or group mind attempts to supplant or transfer their low sense of self esteem and deflated sense purpose upon a grander self image (ego identity) where they bequeath themselves a superior status. Instead of being based upon a deep sense of interconnectedness which is the result of realizing a vital co-creative sense of interdependence in All Our Relations, the individual or group ego confuses freedom with autonomy, insularity, aloofness, and superiority of the personal group vision as terms of separation/isolation. Taken to an extreme such forms the basis of sociopathic and psychopathic behavior.
In psychiatry, the term, neologism, is used to describe the creation of words which only have meaning to the person who uses them. It is considered normal in children, but a symptom of thought disorder indicative of a psychotic mental illness such as schizophrenia in adults. In schizophrenia the break between self and "other' is so pronounced as to be unintelligible to either disparate parts of "self", to others, or to both. Hence schizophrenia is the extreme psychopathic example of disconnectedness. Usage of neologisms may also be related to aphasia acquired after brain damage resulting from a stroke or head injury. Similarly specialized jargon created by groups, clubs, or religious organizations who share various insular or arrogant identities are often driven by similar needs, motives, and mechanisms. However when an entire society or culture has gone paranoid, psychotic, or schizoid, then such misunderstood and marginalized individuals and groups may actually be islands of sanity within a sea swells of mass deluded and non-virtuous kulture. Wishful thinking, being delusional, is common because of the egoic pride (asmita) , egoic craving (raga), for ego's desire for security (dvesa), and egoic self preservation (abhinivesa). For example, the ego may crave (raga) pleasurable feelings (sukha). Pleasure is in the mind. Because of the ego's need for this type of self gratification, it may often desire those situations that make the ego feel good about itself, feel secure, or feel in control. Since the perceived pleasures are the result of the mental perception of these situations, delusional people simply make up fantasy stories about themselves in an attempt to fulfill this need. Similarly they may fall victim to demagogues and marketers who cater to their desire to feel better about themselves (their egoic identity) by convincing them of fantasies which will promise to make them happier, superior, fulfilled, or in control of situations where they may especially feel insecure or which currently produce angst. The more neurotic people are, the more easy they will fall victim to such fantasies.
Having said the above about immature New Age religions, positive thinking, delusional thinking, and immature religious belief systems in general, it would be wrong to extrapolate what has been said, that a genuine new yoga in this and coming ages is folly. To the contrary, it is the destiny of each and every generation to take the best of the old and refine it. We must identify the errors of the past, and rectify them. We must gratefully receive whatever was given in the past as functional and applicable, and adapt it to our present situation in time and space. This way we do justice to the indigenous primordial wisdom tradition. Indeed this process of expressing primordial a-temporal pure vision into temporality is the essential moment to moment joyous and compassionate task of an authentic yogi. All Our Relations
Pure vision (vidya) versus Unawareness (avidya)
In yoga, view is based on direct experience, not the other way around; i.e., direct experience is not limited or defined by view. It is not view either. The territory is never the map. From direct experience in samadhi, reality is determined. A liberated yogi lives in a reality of unconditional natural liberation and happiness, yet that same yogi acknowledges, recognizes, and respects that many others are imprisoned in the samsaric state of unhappiness. Until that direct experience of samadhi is remembered/firmly reestablished in all humans, reality dictates that there exist widespread suffering, victims of abuse, war, natural disasters, robbery, rape, exploitation, slavery, etc, all caused by the split off/disconnect from our pure original innate primordial vision -- linked by the innate intelligent evolutionary power. These victims often suffer greatly mentally. That suffering should be acknowledged as existing at least mentally. The yogi moves naturally and spontaneously to help those who are suffering, because to that yogi who abides in the boundless HeartMind," others" and self are one. They are not the same, but they are united/interconnected intimately. The yogi does not ignore nor deny it, yet he/she is not obsessed by it. Such simply comes with the great bliss of the territory. In "the world of samsara" (mental suffering due to dualistic confusion) the mind may become colored by apparent aspects of sukha or duhkha -- raga and dvesa. Both are kleshic. However, in samadhi or unconditional liberation a true, lasting, unconditional happiness is experienced, which lies outside the temporal and limited spin. That unconditional happiness of unconditional liberation is not the same as the culmination of ordinary raga (in sukha) conditioned by karma. Through yoga the modifications of consciousness are removed (citta-vrtti nirodha), so that the view corresponds to reality (vidya) as-it-is. That occurs through yogic practice, which lead to direct realization beyond the limitations of the intellect to interdict.
So in yoga, in our quest to samadhi -- to being truly present here and now- we disregard any views that are distracting, that are conceptually based, belief based, or faith based --. the result of mere mental manipulation of words (symbolic representations as they are).
Imputations of pain and suffering are indeed wiped out through direct realization which in turn alters our mental processing, but that direct realization can not be realized through the process of mental manipulation (vikalpa) according to Sri Patanjali. Although suffering and pain is based on ignorance or confusion, it is the truth of samsaric existence. Indeed ignorance, confusion, bondage, and suffering do exist -- the citta-vrtti exist, the kleshas exist, and thus for those so afflicted unhappiness (duhkha) exists.
Truth is based on self-study and recognition, not ignorance, denial, delusion, or wishful thinking. This is the teaching of Sri Patanjali and Buddha. Once the errors of false associations (avidya, asmita, raga, dvesa, and samyoga) are recognized, one moves closer to eventually releasing them. If one stays fixated`in denial (in wishful fancy) liberation will be resisted. Reality can appear threatening to people who feel that their whole world and "self" would collapse without their favorite kingpin in place; yet if they could learn to celebrate change, they will be reborn in a far more fertile evolutionary field suffused with evolutionary energy.
For a fully realized yogi in samadhi, there is no longer any personal pain. Simultaneously experiencing Great Bliss, that yogi expresses spontaneously infinite boundless compassion in eternal love and happiness and brings that happiness and love forward naturally as the natural spontaneous living expression of THAT. In the relative sense the yogi has the heartfelt desire that all beings be liberated from the wheel of samsara arise naturally from direct experience. This is a natural result of authentic yogic practice. Because one yogi realizes full samadhi, that does not mean that all beings have entered samadhi, at least such has been the process in the past, however as Buddhafields grow and the truth grows -- as pure vision and awakening grows, then this realization also becomes contagious. In the fourth stage of enlightenment, the realized yogi interacts with integrity through supramental (awakened consciousness) realization with supernature (by seeing the true natural form of shakti) on an evolutionary level opening up deeper and multiplicit dimensions of being and seeing (buddhaverses/multiverses), thus forming holographic doorways -- empty gates into full and total Being and Seeing which become visible portals to other beings. Only in legends and wisdom tales do we hear the story of the coming Buddha from Shambhala who will be able to lift all beings into samadhi upon his/her complete awakening. Theoretically such is possible, but Sri Patanjali does not advise one to wait around to become liberated through another's activity, but rather to practice diligently, with wisdom, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity toward all realizing that wholistic state of samadhi beyond limited concepts of time and space, always accessible to those yogis who are most intent -- who are so focused, aligned, and united.
Jai Durga Ma!
Commonly, subconscious reactive mechanisms of denial are activated whenever it becomes too painful or unbearable for the egoic mind to accept the truth of the situation. This happens to those whose nadis are under-developed -- they short circuit into mechanisms of dvesa (aversion). For example fight or flight syndromes may manifest when an ego perceives a threat. Complex guilt mechanisms are good examples. One such dissociative mechanism may occur when one commits an act of destruction, an unspeakable violence, a heinous crime, a severe injury by accident without malicious intent, or in a schizoid manner to another being or group. Being horribly painful to an intolerable point, the pleasurable alternative becomes to disown the action, to disown responsibility, to ignore the event occurred or to color it in a self gratuitous framework of denial, delusion, and deceit/conceit. This may happen entirely unconsciously and compulsively and become chronic and habitual denial or ignorance, much like anyone else who have suffered severe mental trauma becomes triggered through unconscious mental associations with past unresolved painful experiences. The intolerance to the pain involved may be so severe that one needs dissociates, becomes schizoid, catatonic, psychotic, or assumes multiple personalities. Such a dissociative mechanism may also occur when one witnesses a horrible atrocity committed to someone or thing that they love, cherish, or treasure, while doing nothing. One may go into denial that the event occurred in the first place, retreat into disbelief, or suffer amnesia, rather than to confront the pain of the situation.
For example it is more convenient and self gratuitous to believe that as a Brit, the British provided moral direction and superior culture to the colonized Africans; that the Spanish provided a superior moral and religious civilization to the indigenous North American Indians whom they lied to, cheated, pillaged, robbed, murdered and enslaved; that the crusaders in the Middle East were doing the work of the prince of peace by murdering infidels, and so on. These are only a few obvious examples of the denial mechanism of self deceit (ego delusion) operating in everyday life. This is the main mechanism why people do not learn and continue to evolve spiritually. Complex mechanisms of guilt are mechanisms of deep self deceit (delusion) where one tells oneself a story of justification to boost their feelings of low self esteem. Racial, nationalistic, religious, provincial, and ethnic pride is one such story.
Ultimately ignorance (avidya) is denial of the true Self, while replacing such with a surrogate "self" (asmita). It is the accompanied by the dimming or obscuration of the original clear light/vision. Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one very common example where the egoic mind finds the situation too painful to accept or assimilated, hence one dissociates from their deepest feelings, numbs them out, or attempts escape via denial mechanisms such as shock, "I can't believe it, it's too horrible to believe, it's too painful to accept, I am numbed out, speechless, breathless, lost, disorganized, overwhelmed, and so forth". Pain, dissociation, aversion, or shock is one such mechanism which blocks the message pathway and obstructs the awareness when the pain threshold is reached or overwhelmed. It is ideal to have no pain threshold; i.e., being ABLE to face the truth in all situations without pain, aversion, denial, guilt, pride, or ignorance. Eventually the truth will take one to alignment with great inexpressible beauty, bliss, union, and liberation, but on the way various frontiers must be crossed by not clinging -- by opening up.
Once someone is numbed out and has become inured to be insensitive to their deepest feelings (be it painful or pleasurable), they no longer are capable of trusting their innate sensitivity, intuition, insight, heart-felt gut feelings, transconceptual (nirvikalpa) inner wisdom, or transpersonal heart essence; hence, they chronically live inside a limited superficial dimension defined by their armored denial mechanisms. Through yogic practice (secondary causes) one's mindstream, karma, samskaras, kleshas, and vasana (old habits or tendencies) will at first become weakened and then purified. What will result is pure vision. Then the yogi operates beyond the causal plane free from conceptual grasping in the profound eternal present.
Practice:
Just like the past practice sit or stand quietly and take a few deep and conscious healing breaths utilizing the diaphragm. Take one more breath. Now scan the present contents of your mind for residues of avidya or painful experiences where you have taken objects as existing independently, as self existing by themselves, as separate from the causeless causal momentum of happiness, and our innate mutual inter-relationship with all other beings and things. Allow the universe to resettle around this open and expansive inter-dependent co-creative integral universal vision. Breathe out and in again, while allowing this integral multiverse to expand and resettle again and again until a steady in-depth feeling and joyous light, which is free from craving or angst becomes all pervading and complete. Breathe into this self luminous space again and again, modulating it, and recognize it as your natural condition -- as natural all pervading clear light and pure vision. If limited self identifications arise, recognize them for what they are and offer them up to the throne of the all creating primordial mind. Over and over again surrender to the innate timeless Buddhanature that wishes to express itself in light and love here and now.
In the natural healthy sane state of innate pure being (swarupa-sunyam), unhappy tendencies and negative feelings are eventually rejected naturally and effortlessly moving us spontaneously into light, beauty, and love in wisdom. Bathing in that transconceptual space and light, we rest. Lacking that wisdom or light, we fall into samsaric existence and pain (unhappiness).
Now Patanjali describes the four remaining principle kleshas, which can combine/commingle with each other to form a plethora of afflictive conditions and negative karma, forming a vicious circle of unhappiness (duhkha), that constitutes the tragedy until the cycle is broken. This process is observed both in daily life, but refined and fructified through meditation practice (dhyana).
Christopher Chapple translates this sutra simply as:
"Ignorance is seeing the the non- eternal; as eternal, the impure as pure, dissatisfaction as pleasure, and the non-self as self."
II. 6. Drg-darsana-saktyor eka atmata iva asmita
The obstruction called asmita (ego delusion) is the result of the more specific process of confusing the inherently transpersonal and eternal powers and processes of consciousness with that of individual intellectualization or cognition which then results in faulty identification with fragmented existence (ekatma) -- a fabricated sense of a separate "I" or ego.
drg: the action of seeing/observing
darsana: what is seen, the object of seeing, that which is revealed
saktyor: power. Here the power of seeing or revealing.
ek: one
atma: self
iva: as if
eka atmata iva: As if it were one self.
asmita: The egoic-delusion of an independent self (atman) or rather its imputation as an independent phenomena, object, or event. The fragmented and limited view of "self" as being separate and independent within a limited subject/object (I/it) dualistic framework. Asmita is the result of a fundamental confusion where the intellect creates the fantasy of separation from the foundation of all/source, hence a sense of spiritual alienation and fragmentation is created, wherefrom desire for completion (raga) and the objective sense of ownership or lack is fabricated. In short asmita is the egoic mindset that defines oneself as being separate and independent from primordial cause and the intelligent evolutionary force/energy. The English word, pride or the Greek word, ego, is often used by translators, but they are inaccurate terms as understood from within the egoic mindset perspective. Asmita can not be understood accurately from within confusion, yet Sri Patanjali, by explaining its role as an obscuration allows us to identify the mechanism as it comes up in daily life and hence allows us to consciously liberate from that mental mechanism. Perhaps a better word in English for "asmita" is the mindset of delusion, self deceit, or the false identification of an imaginary and confused separate or contrived "self", which when fixated upon (such as in prideful associations) resists the conscious participation with reality. Most often delusions are somewhat unconscious, but in all cases they are the result of ignorance of the true essential self, swarupa. Solipsism is a subset of asmita.
Commentary: Another way of saying this is that asmita (as a limited false identification) occurs when we falsely identify the power of seeing drg-darsana-saktyor as emanating from a separate self (ekatmatevasmita); while in truth the Infinite power of consciousness (cit-sakti) being omnipresent, universal, unbounded, and all pervasive emanates simultaneously both from within ourselves and within all things transpersonally. The intellect (buddhi) and manas (both ascribed to egoic mental functioning) are but a reflection (darsana) of that primordial eternal and infinite omnipresent original mind (primordial wisdom), which resides in all. The imputation of the appearance of a separate power of intelligence apart from primordial consciousness only reinforces the delusion of a separate self, standing as an alone seer (drg). In that way, duality is reinforced by this non-recognition, because one reinforces the citta-vrtti of a fixated objectified field of consciousness, which is defined as separate from the observer. In short, the power of consciousness and also self-identity is mistakenly attributed given to the intellect (buddhi), rather than from listening, seeing, feeling, and experiencing from a transpersonal non-dual Infinite Mind context in All Our Relations. Asmita identifies and defines itself within the purview of avidya (the split apart from the complete integrity of conscious beingness -- union/yoga. That non-recognition of splitting consciousness from beingness (Sat and Cit) produces all the kleshic obscurations, thus reinforcing asmita as one neurotic coping mechanism that holds onto confusion and the citta-vrtti, as an ego-survival mechanism, versus vidya - as open-now awareness. Asmita is misidentification, where the ego (false self) misidentifies with the fluctuations of the mind field (citta-vrtti) as defining a separate objectified "self"(drg); hence a dualistic field of consciousness is seen, rather than swarupa (the true self as defined by Patanjali as swarupa-sunyam in III.3), which is a natural union with one's own primordial true nature empty of a separate self. (See I.3-4).
Where delusion is self-induced "consciously" as in solipsism, such beings are more resistant to waking up than those who are afflicted unconsciously. The unconsciously deluded human may be merely confused, hypocritical, self contradictory, and corrupt because of a lack of inner integrity of thought -- avidya. That person can desire clarity/truth and find it. On the other hand the trickster, actor, consciously dishonest person, professional con-man, or liar has made a decision to obscure the truth and in many cases to obscure/hide it from others. That type of deceit is still delusion, but the deluded person imagines that they are free, informed, and undeluded. Their error is they mistake conscious awareness of their mask, as conscious awareness of reality -- as the true nature of their own mind and of nature.
"The self or ego is a mere concept. Identifying with the ego begins the process of delusion and suffering. From believing in the existence of self, we then proceed to thinking of "I," "my," and "mine" -- my body, my clothes, my house, my relatives, my friends, my enemies. This is how we create a fundamental split between the "I" and the rest of the world. From this split comes the impulse of grasping at whatever we expect will be pleasant or useful to the self. Or the opposite, were we feel aversion toward anything that threatens or displeases the self. All these attachments arise because of clinging to the "I." Thus, we maintain a continuum of mental confusion and basic ignorance."
~ HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
Asmita is thus a fundamental result of the act of non-recognition, the act of ignoring (ignorance), avidya (Sanskrit), or ma-rigpa (Tibetan), where in the process of ideation, one speculates the true existence of a separate-self as observer, and hence seemingly solidified "observed objects" that are imputed to be bereft from a wholistic context. That is, the solidification the dualistic fog (of samprajnata). In samadhi (III.3) according to Patanjali, there exists no separate independent-self, and hence no separate independent object. That does not mean that illusion truly exists, is the real situation (reality), or any similar nihilistic conclusion is the unobstructed situation, rather I/it dualistic frameworks are limited, fragmented, incomplete, unreliable, and illusory. The concept of "self" (asmita) is an inexact reification, projection, conceptualization, or worse a belief in fragmented dualistic systems. Such grasping has to be let go or even further immersion in samsara and dukha will result. Samadhi is the transconceptual goal to be gleaned in the present (now and in All Our Relations, not to be philosophically grasped/adhered to, but rather experienced through non-dual transconceptual yogic practices.
In asmita-klesha, the identifier ("I") stubbornly identifies as a separate "self" apart from the primordial source and its intelligent evolutionary power (creation) which is the error of the atman thinking itself separate from Brahman. Instead of thinking oneself into a self limiting box (citta-vrtti), the larger all inclusive transpersonal Reality or Self which is boundless and all pervasive awaits to be recognized should we seek it. Asmita in turn forms the base of arrogance, pride, haughtiness, pomposity, bombastic, and superior behavior, which can easily lead to supremist prejudice, religious, racial, and sectarian intolerance and so forth.
When consciousness is obstructed and does not see in clear vision the true nature of "Self" as Universal Self (as swarupa-sunyam in III.3), then an impure substitute view is established as a result of this separation/replacement. This manufactured or contrived ersatz reality is called asmita. This artificial construct, because it is lacking in Self recognition and "reality", it is constantly trying to establish its security, sense of self worth, meaning, purpose, and survival, thus it prevents its own self liberation. That is the tough shell that asmita builds around itself as its egoic self centered, self defensive, and self constructed mindfield (citta-vrtti ). Asmita assumes ownership, and with ownership there is fear of losing, anxiety, possessiveness, jealousy, hatred, or attachment, all of which limit consciousness and being. The pleasure thus derived is limited and far less palatable that the unity of pure consciousness, pure beingness, and pure bliss (Sat-Cit-Ananda). Asmita like avidya and all the other kleshas may appear desirable or rational, yet it not only creates negative karma and suffering, but is the embodiment of suffering itself, even when the ego is being stroked. There are many examples. For example, after a difficult work week at the office putting up with the boss and co-workers, one goes to what they consider a wild and exciting party where he over-drinks alcohol, takes harmful drugs, over-eats, yells loudly, tries to rape a female, and gets into a fight. That person may conclude that they had a great time, but in reality it was merely reflexive; i.e., a release of tensions due to a repressive work and family life -- a temporary karmic release which on that level felt good , but on another level, hurt one's body, one;s mindstream, other people, and ones future karmic consequences. This person may call that a good time, but a yogi may feel compassion for the party goer. Similarly there are so many energy sucks and negative karma involved when ego driven people seek ego gratification in fancy clothes, cars, objects, friends, status, status symbols, control and dominance over others, gossip, condemnation of others, mutual self admiration, and so on. For example, one may go to a victory party after the victory of your ball team, your company, your war, your this or that, but although superficially that seems exhilarating or pleasurable, a deeper look would disclose that it is the result of suffering, lack of self esteem, negative emotions, or simply because one was not feeling good about oneself previously. Again it was a reflexive happiness based on a temporary release of negativity.
Consequences of asmita are lack of self-esteem, jealousy and envy. The lack of self-esteem is replaced by the need for status, privilege, winning over, one-upmanship, and bumptious, cavalier, chesty, condescending, patronizing, arrogant, highfalutin (also hifalutin), high-and-mighty, high-handed, high-hat, huffish, huffy, imperious, important, lofty, lordly, masterful, overweening, peremptory, pompous, presuming, presumptuous, pretentious, self-asserting, sniffy, stiff-necked, supercilious, superior, toplofty, uppish, uppity behavior.
The element of envy is strongest when one is separated/split from the Great all inclusive Integrity, because one's innate meaning, purpose, and vision (and hence true self worth) are absent, hence low self-esteem becomes a symptom of the disconnect from this primary spiritual relationship. Mentally comparing one's hollow self image situation with others in terms of status, privilege, will increase one's self-hatred and pain ,which is then projected outward as jealousy, envy, or even a desire to do harm to others in a vain and perverse attempt to erase one's own pain. Although anger, hatred, and envy is often described as painful (kleshic) states of mind caused by the good fortune of others; it is due to our own mind by identifying egoic ownership of a separate self often caused by false images emanating from the mechanism of the ersatz super ego (inner censor), which tells us that we are not good enough. That only occurs when we are not engaged in life in a meaningful way -- where our spiritual self purpose is not being fulfilled in life, when we are not vitally connected and at one with all beings and things in the non-dual context of an integrated whole.
Regarding the superego, it is usually the result of conditioned by isolated factors such as time, place, society, peers, external scripts, scripture, or any external authority figures, ideology, or philosophies; however in the yoga context it comes through as guidance from the innate timeless unconditioned original teacher as living guidance,
Kant defined envy as:
"a reluctance to see our own well-being overshadowed by another's because the standard we use to see how well off we are is not the intrinsic worth of our own well-being but how it compares with that of others".
In the "ordinary" state of dualistic consciousness, where on thinks of oneself as a separate-self (asmita), an object in itself that objectifies, or as a phenomenon, then such a seer is not aware that one's vision is being severely limited by this cut, false identification, or dualistic bias. When we view an object of cognition in that framework of duality, where there appears a separate-self viewing a separate "self" (as object), and we are not aware of this duality, but rather falsely understand it to be one process (eka), then we suffer from the particular manifestation of avidya called asmita (or ego-sense), rather than as being a participant and reflection of the universal transpersonal Undifferentiated Eternal Source, which permeates and animates the entire universe. In truth, the "self" does not exist separate or apart from the universal laws (dharma) of the universe, but rather can only be said to exist (if at all) as an intimate and intricate part within a non-dual context of a whole system.
Simply put, asmita is attachment to limited`views about self and the world as any dualistic and fragmented view of of an independent separate self and "other" (ek atman) is subject to, no matter how refined and subtle. rather such a fragmented view of self and other serves as an obscuration. The view or map is not the territory. Rather the yogi who desires liberation must take the path/practice into the view.
Asmita occurs when the ego identifies with the limited mindfield called citta-vrtti (see I.5), and especially the tenacious pramana-vrtti (I.7), which is attachment to so called "right views". On the other hand, samadhi is the integration of a transpersonal non-dual " seer" (asamprajnata) in pure vision (vidya) beyond even the most subtle identification (nirvicara). But asmita is dualistic (samprajnata). Asmita is the hindrance/obscuration or affliction (klesha) of the delusional mind that identifies oneself falsely as a separate entity (self), ego. In short asmita is an ego delusion, an arrogance, pomposity, a compensatory sense of self worth or pride, a self deceit, a desire for increased recognition, status seeking, power mongering, and related combinations and permutations all tinged with avidya (ignorance).
In comparison in order to avoid confusion, this sutra is often interpreted as saying that asmita occurs when the seer and the the seen are experienced as one. What is perhaps more clear is to say, that asmita (egoic delusion) is the result when the self (atma) is identified as one with (eka) phenomena and/or defined by objects and external events. These objects may be defined by external phenomena, social standing, orders, status, privilege, comparative advantage, caste systems, nationality, race, religion, parents, peers, loved ones, teachers or any other external method. However in authentic yoga what is required always is true "Self" knowledge which comes from practice. The true self is not a separate independent entity capable of standing alone or isolated by itself (III.3).
In Eastern thought, there are many definitions of (S)elf/(s)elf. One is the atma separate or independent from Brahman. That is asmita. Then there is the purusa as defined by samkhya as being separate, withdrawn and independent from everything (the passive Brahman). Then there is the Self as all inclusive presence inherent and implicate in all as all -- everywhere and all pervasive (the active Brahman). Then finally there is the expression of that Self as true Self in action-- when the yogi becomes the empty vessel for the evolutionary power (kundalini) or call it divine will if you will.
Of course, for the non-yogi, consciousness has become conditioned/corrupted to identify with and be defined by "appearances and symbols (separate objects) or "phenomena" (citta-vrtti). Such (such is the ordinary dualistic state of samsara - duhkha. In the modern age arrogance and pride are knee jerk afflictive and often stubbornly addictive compensatory emotions where the victim attempts to defend and build up their ego insecurity by reinforcing their delusion through methods of self aggrandizement, justification, arrogance, denial of any wrong doing, avoidance of seeing past faults, demonization or condemnation of others, self righteousness, inflated sense of superiority -- in short through the many self deluding reactive methods of arrogance and denial. Asmita is one of the most difficult kleshas to remedy, because the ego misidentifies with itself and thus falsely misinterprets signals that do not support its delusional assumptions as threats to "ego self", thus either defending "ego selfhood" and/or attacking the purveyors of the signals (truth bearers and truth bearing seeds). Arrogance, hubris, pomposity, overbearing pride, conceit, smugness, narcissism, dismissiveness, presumption, cavalierism, condescension, pretension, prejudice, pompousness, disdain, imperiousness, haughtiness, braggadocio, smugness, cockiness, over confidence, snobbery, patronage, affectiveness, vanity, mockery, causticness, flashiness, prestigious, snootiness, boorishness, foppishness, ostentation, self centeredness, self cherishing, self involvement, egocentricity, ego mania, close mindedness, narrow mindedness, jealousy, competitiveness, sibling rivalry, desire for fame, prestige, or status, etc., primarily are variants of and/or an admixture of asmita with raga, dvesa, abhinivesa, and/or the other vagaries of avidya.
“A collective ego manifests the same characteristics as the personal ego, such as the need for conflict and enemies, the need for more, the need to be right against others who are wrong . . . . Can you see any of those characteristics in a group you are part of—your company, team, organization, church, country?"
Eckhart Tolle
Such activities shape group egos, the silent conspiracies of mass delusion, and the destructive activities of mass hysteria, pogroms, genocide, racism, nationalism, and war. That these forces are mostly unconscious and in denial in the mass populace, unscrupulous "leaders" such as demagogues have manipulated and exploited people as their willing slaves, concubines, and soldiers for thousands of years. This is exactly the building blocks that the kleshic aspect from which the pramana citta-vrtti is constructed. Delusions, shame, guilt, scapegoating, nationalism, racism, sexism, chauvinism, xenophobia, prejudice, war, pogroms, and intolerance are reinforced and amplified by negative group peer pressure based on ignorance (avidya), self deceit, conceit, and delusion (asmita). Also concomitant with that a powerful collective karma is formed as well.
Self absorbed, narcissistic, or egocentric individuals tend toward delusions of pride and superiority, which tends to join groups which reinforce their common delusion and conceit such as organizations that reinforce group pride, racial, national, religious supremacy, or similar supremist organizations. Much of what is called radical fundamentalism and all other chauvinistic tendencies stem from this narcissistic need to reinforce one's already diminished feelings of self worth and false identification. Narcissism as a specific modality of asmita is indeed a compensatory mechanism derived from lack of clear meaning, innate purpose, and hence true sense of identity rooted in swarupa. Such chauvinistic and defensive groups seeking self justification thus feed one's need for delusion and self deceit (asmita).
Such people seek out like-minded support groups and teachings/teachers and ideologies which tell them how great and superior they are as compared to other groups which differ from them, thus encouraging provincial close mindedness, while avoiding, disparaging and/ or demonizing the harbingers of different minded groups or messengers that contradict their predilections and narrow mindedness. People who have been stripped of their own ability to think for themselves, to trust their innate feelings, to believe in their innate wisdom, goodness, or buddha nature, are particularly vulnerable to this dangerous distraction. Ignorance of Self again being the root cause of all the other kleshas. See I.17 and I.18 for the difference between samprajnata (with asmita-raga) and asamprajnata (non-dual/acognitive) realization.
Asmita pertains NOT only to mere identification with sense
objects, but identification in general, " the very idea of self
ownership issues, "I am-ness”, the ideation process, ego sense,
self centeredness, self image, one's view of "self" in the
world, and hence all that goes along with that such as
identification with citta-vrtti elements of attachment,
things, status, comparative power, security, jealousy, privilege,
will for power, control over others, competitiveness, the need
to condemn/debase others and elevate one’s ego image,
being a hotdog, smart ass, know it all, show off,
inferior/superior, the need for intellectual ownership, lust for
fame, self importance, haughtiness, arrogance,
superiority/inferiority complexes, hubris, nationalistic
pride, religious pride, religious supremacy, racial
supremacy, ethnic superiority, bigotry, intolerance, the need
for political prowess, the need to belittle or blame others,
sexual supremacy, greed/possessiveness, chauvinism,
provincialism, and so forth all of which fall within the
definition of asmita, which are not limited to sense objects, but
rather the mind. Letting go of what we think we know, our beliefs
about self; or mental fixations and patternings have to be included
in this housecleaning. That is the power of vairagya to accomplish
(see I.12-18) as well as the other yogic practices. When we no
longer limit/imprison ourselves to any specific I/it "thingness" in
the morass of habituated conceptualized subject/object duality,
then all hindrances fall away revealing all. When ego approaches
zero, consciousness approaches infinity). Then we can truly open up
to the unlimited boundless HeartMind.
"We should experience everything totally, never withdrawing into ourselves as a marmot hides in its hole. This practice releases tremendous energy, which is usually constricted by the process of maintaining fixed reference points. Referentiality is the process by which we retreat from the direct experience of everyday life."
- HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
Taken as such, asmita, is a rather very large player in causing self limitation, constriction, citta-vrtti, and negative karma. Asmita and avidya form the basis of turtle shell egoic armoring, withdrawal, fear, defensive, aggressive, prideful, bigoted, dogmatic, and close- minded activities of mind, speech, and body. All the rest of the kleshas are variants and extensions of avidya and asmita. Indeed Sri Patanjali mentions asmita as a primary impediment in many places and the limitation in samprajnata (dualistic cognition) as the limitation of apara-vairagya in I.17 and versus para-vairagya (as in asamprajnata) non-dual states (I.18). The transpersonal is an intimate partner with non-dual because there is no subject/object duality in asamprajnata (I.18).
The Final Victory over Mara and his Minions (Delusion)
There are countless numbers of myriad types of unhappiness due to asmita, as delusion and self -deceit. Buddha and Patanjali both addressed this mechanism of self deceit similarly, as the root cause of delusion called, Mara. Mara is the embodiment of all the kleshas. Mara is a fabricated ideation of the conceptual mind that imputes a conceptual error of a separate self, the ego (atman), independent or apart from primordial source consciousness -- as apart from the evolutionary force. Hence a spiritual estrangement becomes fixed. As such, asmita, is the fundamental player in delusion (Mara) whom Buddha defeated on the night of his enlightenment -- where the word, buddha, simply means to wake up from delusion.
Again this is not to be understood intellectually or conceptually by the discursive mental faculties, rather delusion is a mechanism to identify in our daily practice (through awareness) and then once recognized, it can be liberated. Delusion is not an illusion. On Buddha's long dark night of enlightenment, his last obstacle was to defeat mara. the seductress/deceiver. Mara being nothing other than self deceit/delusion, he could not use delusion to destroy delusion -- he could use the dualistic mind to destroy dualism, nor could he use the intellect, words, or concepts. Buddha paid little attention to mara's lies, temptations, and threats, rather he immersed himself in non-dual absorption -- in profound interdependence with all beings and things as his rightful place, empty of a separate independent self. Hence he achieved selflessness. Losing aloneness, the Buddha gained thusness with all beings and things, in all dimensions and times, In Buddha's final victory over mara, Buddha touched the earth as his vajrasana -- as the seat of total unquestioned enlightenment, summoning all of creation as his witness. This act symbolized engagement and connection, rather than negation, isolation, or avoidance. In short the wavering all reflective mirror of nature, stemming all the way back to the beginning of time, reflected back to Buddha testifying to his final and complete enlightenment, as Mother Nature bore witness without any possibility of mentally contrived guile, fear, or separation. Mother nature symbolizes shakti, the great unconditioned state, free from karmic programming, guile, or limitation, while intimately connected to boundless primordial consciousness (Shiva/Shakti). Nature is defined as natural, unconditioned, uncontrived, unfabricated, devoid of artifice, and hence unbiased. THAT is pure non-dual and unconditional witness consciousness embodied (Cit Shakti iti). That is nothing other than the liberated state where one's true self nature rests the union of primordial consciousness and the evolutionary/creative energy (svarupa-pratistha va citi-saktir). See the last sutra in the Yoga Sutras, Pada IV, Sutra 34, "purusa-artha-sunyanam gunanam pratiprasavah kaivalyam svarupa-pratistha va citi-saktir iti."
Buddha's awakening story emphasizes that waking up is not about telling ourselves a better story, conceptualizing or visualizing a better more perfect world, or verifying one's identity conceptually; but rather when all mental contrivances of the intellect cease, then a universal primordial consciousness (cit) is recognized. Then, in that transconceptual (nirvikalpa) wordless state (aprapancita), which is free from belief systems, the rain cloud of dharma bestows its inconceivable blessing. There is nothing to do, but much to undo -- not do by opening up to what-is-as-it-is devoid of contrivation or artificiality, pure from the beginning. From HERE, action is natural, spontaneous, wise, and uncontrived.
Mara’s defeat as a defeat of egoic-delusion, is not a popular topic in an egoic society. Given the standard psychological definition, one can say that delusion is a strong or absolute conviction/belief (about self and the world) based on limited evidence or experience; however, that would include most everyone except those who may have realized the true nature of mind -- the all-creating mind. Delusions can also be the opposite extreme; e.g., nihilistic or cynical, as a firm belief that one does not exist or that nothing exists, or all is as we think it is, an illusion. Unfortunately, these two extreme definitions fit modern man’s ordinary samsaric state of mind all too well.
In a spiritual sense, delusions (as avidya/marigpa) are caused through negative conditioning – an artificial contraction of a natural state of holographic openness, which has become repressed/compressed; while psychology states various causes such as delusions arising from distorted and fragmented conclusions that attempt to explain life’s experience to oneself, as well as defensive delusions, which are identified as a coping mechanism to deal with significant challenges to one’s egoic identity/world view by attempting to preserve egoic self-esteem. In the latter situation, the egoic-being may view others beings or external sources as causes for their personal difficulties in order to preserve a positive self-view. Indeed there can and do exist “external” causes for conditions, but understanding these causes involves giving up the need to defend one’s ego (self-esteem). Such an investigation becomes successful when one is onepointedly focused upon the defeat of the root of egoic delusion (Mara). Once Mara is defeated, then the true nature of phenomena shines through on its own accord.. Of course, my belief may also be delusional, but I think, that one path that is still open, is Buddha’s living example of the earth goddess (Bhudevi or Prithivi Devi) bearing universal, unbiased, and impartial witness, is admittedly allegorical.
One story goes: “The Bodhisattva stretched down his right hand and touched the earth, summoning her to be his witness. The earth deity in the form of a beautiful woman rose up from underneath the throne, and affirmed the Bodhisattva's right to occupy the vajrasana. She twisted her long hair, and torrents of water collected there from the innumerable donative libations of the Buddha over the ages created a flood. The flood washed away Mara and his army, and the Bodhisattva was freed to reach enlightenment.”
Prithivi means that which contains or embraces everything completely leaving nothing to be included or anything to add. Prithvi Devi also can be Ratnagarbha, the repository of gems as a fructifies, or simply as neutral as tathagatagarbha (literally the innate embryo/potential of all Buddhas inherent in all sentient beings as presented in the Tathagatagarbha Sutras and particularly in the Mahaparinirvana Sutra or in short, Buddha-nature). Buddha-nature is thus presented as natural, unconditioned, unfabricated, uncreated, original, and indestructible essence (svabhava) or true universal self of all beings. That is to say, it is empty of an independent/separate existence apart from the whole (the living hologram). That is the union of pure naked being and absolute consciousness or sometimes described as the inseparability of clarity/vividness and emptiness, or simply as the union of wisdom and emptiness (sunyata). When habitual thought patterns or adventitious obscurations cease, then the innate clarity and light spontaneously and naturally arise illuminating the way.
Asmita as Delusion: The Mother of all Vikalpas, Pramana, Viparyaya, Dissociation, Fragmentation, Spiritual Alienation, Dvesa, Raga, Parigraha, and other Kleshas
The kleshas are the glue that hold together the samsaric mindset whose hallmark is unhappiness. Samsara is based on ignorance (avidya) of pure vision (vidya) -- it is a disconnect and interruption from primordial consciousness. Although it is true that primordial consciousness is immutable, its presence or recognition in human beings can vary considerably according to the play of karma and klesha. The error of asmita (separate self) or rather ideation, is the building block for further discomfort and suffering. It is a result of a primal rend from Primordial Consciousness and its innate evolutionary power.
"The experience of samsara consists basically in one being forced to view oneself as the grasper (grahaka), the enjoyer (bhoktr), the knower (jnatr) of all beings, which are then viewed as the graspable (grahya), the enjoyable (bhojya), the knowable (jneya). There one cannot help mentally constructing the distinction between the subject and the object, the grasper and the graspable, the enjoyer and the enjoyable."
"A Buddhist Doctrine of Experience: A New Translation and interpretation of the Works of Vasubandhu the Yogacarin" by Thomas A. Kochumuttom
That above quote takes the dualistic position of a separate self and separate object within the limited context of monism. That samsaric error does not account for the true Self (which is empty) wherein the boundless mind is disclosed. See the discussion of samyoga starting at II.17 for more on monism, which is a confusion of one thing as being the same as another distinct thing, where absolute monism says that all things are the same. However in yoga all things are interdependent having no separate existence of their own, but not the same. Even on the lowest level of karma, they are created by prior causes and ripen by conditions, and being temporary and subject to karma and conditions they transmute, change, and are impermanent. In short they are not self existing. But that is just the lowest level of realization of karmic laws and a and the truth of impermanence of phenomena and observed objects (physical or mental) as pointed out clearly in I.17 and I.18. Beyond that is when the yogi steps free from karma and the samsaric mindset. Then he/she steps free from dualistic conceptualization processes (Vikalpa and samprajnata mentations). This is an inconceivable experienced which is catalyzed via yoga sadhana. It can not be reached by the intellect (buddhi), the ordinary mind (manas), and most certainly not by the egoic mindset.This will be further elaborated upon in II.17 above.
Where we have widespread and fixated mental confusion (avidya) as limited false identification (samyoga), we do not know authentically "self". Often one's mindstream becomes confused by society, friends, religious leaders, eternal authority, standards, and peers as to what is true and what is false, what is the purpose of life, what is real, and who is self -- what-is-as-it-is. In normal but unnatural development, too often, the young person either accepts blindly the authority of his culture, parents, religion, nation, and/or peers, or they rebel away from it, or they become discouraged as to having confidence that they will ever think it out for themselves. This quest for "self", truth, or "identity" can be very daunting and even overwhelming to young people. The stress and conflict, appearing overwhelming, can have tragic results especially in adolescence when the intellectual facilities come into blossom alongside sexual feelings which often conflict with Western societal standards. This is where inner conflict can arise, multiple personality disorders, dissociation from one's own feelings schizophrenia, indifference, apathy, the different "selves" of multiple personality disorder, catatonia, psychotic breaks, or mildly as the repression of certain parts of the self and the attempt to put another "self" on top; i.e., internal repression, inhibition, dissociation, and fragmentation. This is exacerbated in societies that overly value competition and have marginalized the importance of nature, natural function, and living systems, while maximizing the value of ego, competition, strife, conflict, and war.
To avoid that tension of so many voices telling one what they should do and how to see the world and self, many often will simply "cave-in" and attempt to adapt to a chosen strict ideology or authority, to a clear and "object law and order system, societal norms, even if it is a repressed life in a suppressed and imprisoned society. This is done by inhibiting/numbing one's own feelings and their own critical thought abilities. That severe split is the primal trauma which calls for healing in adult life no matter how buried it may be. This method of mental confusion and torture is in fact, how authoritarian puppetmasters gain support and adherents as the inner conflict becomes too much to bear for the confused and dumbed down "individual".
In a repressed and authoritarian society it is rare that this ability, to think for oneself critically and creatively, will survive in a functional and wholistic way, let alone one's innate ability to question unexamined assumptions, especially those built upon one's adaptation or compromise with "reality" and sense of "self". With that ability missing, so does deep confidence, meaning, and true conviction. In its place, belief systems, ideology, religion, or cynicism are grasped upon. In that circumstance it is rare to continue on the quest which most often involves leaving home (symbolically or literally), going/thinking outside the box, breaking taboo, dismissing the prison of cultural conditioning and standards, questioning religious ideology, nationalistic, provincial, or ethnic pride eventually discovering universal knowledge or non-reified Self-knowledge, which is the wholly quest that the authentic yogi must travel. For the true yogi, no compromise in this regard is possible. One must be ruthless with the egoic mechanisms rooting out delusion/self deceit. Here one will find that one's most favorite and self gratifying delusions and illusions will be the most tenacious -- the most resistant to surrender. The more these are challenged, the more resistance and kleshas will be brought up to the surface.
Hence, the so called "identity crisis", usually very "pointed" at puberty or at the time of "change of life", has neurobiological and energetic components that are addressed by authentic yoga, which impacts also upon the mind, emotions, and world view simultaneously. In fact, this process is ongoing to some extent 24/7 during one's entire life as each moment presents a miraculous choice and opportunity to those who are still fully alive and intact (have kept alive integrity and connection with spirit alive). Here the accessibility to an non-ideological spiritual community (sangha) and daily practice (sadhana) is a valuable aid. Surrounded by loving, conscious, and liberated beings (or those firmly dedicated) is helpful in critical times where one must let go of delusions, pretensions, ideology, false beliefs, and deception that are rife in the general society, that are popular, or even epidemic. In short, the lies that we must exorcise and cease to believe, are also the same limited beliefs and stories that are dominant and limit our immediate society as a whole, unless that society is itself truly enlightened (just believing it as so is just another mass delusion). A critical analysis of mass behavior (society) will disclose an underlying psychology of mass delusion, belief about self, and ideology.
Just as vikalpa (mental thought constructs and imputations) are the building blocks of asmita (I-Amness or ideation), so too does asmita hold together vikalpa and reinforce it. In addition samyoga (conflation as a false identification) depends upon it. The same goes for pramana and viparyaya vrtta, once they a world view is formulated in terms of self and other, in terms of "I/it" object relations, a house or prison (citta-vrtti) for a separate self is constructed. This is untrue only in one situation; e.g., when the world view imputes a world of no separate self (anatman or sunyata) or put in another way a universal Self where where atman and brahman are one). As has been pointed out just the belief in such a world view (correct pramana) is no guarantee of its realization, discovery, or direct experience which is effected in the Yoga Sutras as the result of experiential practices which augment our natural alignment, self coherence, resonance, and union in All Our Relations.
Of course Patanjali does not talk about the kleshas (especially asmita) or the citta-vrtti as some fairy tale or abstract concept. Quite the opposite. Kleshas show up and are operational all the time all over the planet in most people as an obstruction/repression of the innate intelligent evolutionary power which desires to come out but is repressed. That’s what is very admirable about Sri Patanjali and Buddha, as there is no pretension or wishful ivory tower thinking which skirts the actual situations, rather he recognizes suffering as problem areas and cuts it, so that one can be filled with consciousness and life! An awakened being can see clear examples on how asmita shows up in the world, through man's countless wars, violence, oppression, greed, abuse, hatred, prejudice, thievery, lies, and destruction which perpetuates suffering for all beings. The converse is true; i.e., that when the obscurations created by the kleshas are attenuated and dissolved -- when the false compensatory self that appears separate from the all is seen as a delusion -- empty in itself, then the HeartMind will open -- Great Compassion will manifest spontaneously and naturally and in the end the brightness of the implicate intelligent evolutionary evolutionary creative force will be recognized by all human beings, honored, respected, and revered as reverence for all life. For more on this topic see the discussion under pramana (I.7). vikalpa (I.9), and further below on samyoga (limited and false identification),
Asmita is the False Self, but is there a True Self?
The intellectual inquiry into the true nature of "self" consumes numerous volumes in Hindu and Buddhist literature. Classically such an inquiry is relegated to the realm of jnana yoga, academia, and/or monastic institutions, not being a practice of the raj yoga taught by Sri Patanjali. However, since we are discussing asmita as a false identification, let it be said that any "identification" that is separate/independent from any other object becomes limited, fragmented, and dualistic. When pursuing truth the yogi needs to put aside any bias or limited constricted views.
"Self" or non-self" (atman or anatman) has for too long been a false matter of contention between Buddhism and Hinduism. Such contention is based on a misunderstanding and over elaborations between these two schools. Albeit the Hindu tends toward eternalism (narcissism) while the Buddhist may err toward nihilism, Sri Patanjali solves this apparent misunderstanding in III.3 defining samadhi as swarupa-sunyam. Although there are many words that can be used to split hairs on this subject, the most direct approach is to understand that Patanjali's definition of samadhi (in III.3) brings forward a definition of "true self" that corresponds directly with the Buddhist conception of Buddhanature (Tathagatagarbha). Patanjali does not postulate an independent nor substantial "self" (atma) that is limited only to its form, yet the form contains a universal essentiality (it is empty of an independent self).
Hinduism generally does not impute a separate self or soul, albeit like other religions, there is a tendency for overly objectified adherents to over objectify and reify the deities and take the literature literally, when it is intended as an analogy or allegory. Here, one must distinguish between provisional teachings and definitive. For example, in tantra, one first visualizes deities, chakras, mandalas, channels, colors, and other objectified "phenomena", then one enters into and is absorbed by the mandala, but later all that is to be dissolved in completion stage. So too in Yoga Sutras, samyama, one practices dharana (concentration) as a limitation of the conscious field, but then dissolves into the object after dissolving into the hologram, experiencing the object of concentration non-dually as-it-is in its suchness (tahata). The practices are all mere preparation; and they all include form up until the their completion
Such misunderstandings between preliminary/provisional teachings and definitive/complete teachings occur in all religions. The difficulty is enhanced on both sides by misunderstanding of the word swarupa. Etymologically, swa means "self" or "own", while rupa means "form". Literally then swarupa is "one's own form". Is this substantial and independent? Not according to Patanjali in III.3, yet swarupa truly exists in the sense of its fluidity, natural openness, and non-substantiality (sunya) -- by virtue of its universality. It is the empty essence (void of a separate self) of all phenomena including "self". Buddhists can also be said to have a dichotomous way of defining swarupa. Although Buddhism is also heterogeneous, it can be said in the Tathagatagarbha Sutras that the Buddha addresses the "essential intrinsic being" (as svabhava) or even "life-essence" (jīvaka) of each person. This essential being as none other than the Universal timeless Buddha in his formless state as the potential Buddha residing in all -- as the Buddha body --Dharmakaya understood to be radiantly luminous, all compassionate, and indestructible as a diamond, natural, unconditioned, original unborn, primordial, all-creating wisdom mind.
Buddhanature is the primordial timeless universal body of the Buddha. As one becomes a fully realized Buddha, this innate seed fructifies. In tantra this is the process of the harmonization and unionization of the three bodies; i.e., the dharmakaya (truth body), sambhogakaya (pain free energy body), and the nirmanakaya (emanation body) of a living Buddha. the latter two bodies are form (rupa) bodies while the Dharmakaya is empty of form (sunyata), yet has qualities attributed to it.
These are some names given to the ultimate most sublime universal all pervading Buddha:
~ Chanting the Names of Manjusri (Manjusrī-nama-sangīti)
Buddha's basic teaching of non-self (anatma) really addresses the false/separate "self" (asmita) or misidentification as being apart (avidya) from the the timeless hologram. The Buddhist teaching in the Tathagatagarbha (Buddha embryo) sutras provide the basis of the universal Buddhanature -- Buddha-essence -- teachings where this immutable, and universal Buddha essence as the true self nature of the Buddha is purported to be the ground of all beings and things (true nature of phenomena). The phenomena or form (covering) is ever-changing, but its ground of being, heart/core essence, or locus is not impermanent -- it is unchanging.
In the Ghanavyuha Sutra (as quoted by Longchenpa)
"... the ultimate universal ground also has always been with the Buddha-Essence (Tathagatagarbha), and this essence in terms of the universal ground has been taught by the Tathagata. The fools who do not know it, because of their habits, see even the universal ground as (having) various happiness and suffering and actions and emotional defilements. Its nature is pure and immaculate, its qualities are as wishing-jewels; there are neither changes nor cessations. Whoever realizes it attains Liberation."
~ Thondup Rinpoche, Tulku (1989). "Buddha Mind". Ithaca, New York: Snow Lion: p.218
To summarize, atman is inseparable from Brahman, just as rupa and sunyata are inseparable, just as relative and absolute truths are inseparable, shiva/shakti, differentiated and undifferentiated reality, yab/yum, crown/root, etc., are inseparable and non-dual. They are united in the middle channel free from extremes. If further interested, study the debate in Buddhism between the Yogacara school and standard Prasangika Madhyamaka schools, between Rangtong and Shentong, and between Jonangpa and Gelugpa (Jonang and Geluk) for starters.
"Rangtong and Shentong Madhyamika philosophies have no differences in realising as 'Shunyata', all phenomena that we experience on a relative level. They have no differences also, in reaching the meditative state where all extremes (ideas) completely dissolve. Their difference lies in the words they use to describe the Dharmata. Shentong describes the Dharmata, the mind of Buddha, as 'ultimately real'; while Rangtong philosophers fear that if it is described that way, people might understand it as the concept of 'soul' or 'Atma'. The Shentong philosopher believes that there is a more serious possibility of misunderstanding in describing the Enlightened State as 'unreal' and 'void'. Kongtrul finds the Rangtong way of presentation the best to dissolve concepts and the Shentong way the best to describe the experience."
~ Quoting Jamgon Kontrul the Great, THE RIMÉ ( Ris-med ) MOVEMENT OF JAMGON KONGTRUL THE GREAT by Ringu Tulku from the 7th CONFERENCE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR TIBETAN STUDIES June, 1995.
How Does Asmita Show up in Meditation?
For example, I am sitting. I notice the room and the body sitting, and my body and the wall, the window, I wonder about the safety of my car, my job, my wife, my stocks, my status, my boss, my dog ... and so forth. I possess objects of thoughts and become attached to pleasant memories and try to grasp hold of them or run away from unpleasant thoughts that reflect negatively upon my status or sense of importance. All these, more or less can occur when hindered with asmita klesha – that is until we apply the remedy (meditation). Just an example. Asmita is ego *self* the observer in dualistic limited false identifications. Even if we observe the observer, we still are locked in a dualistic\ world (citta-vrtti).
HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche"We shouldn't make a division in our meditation between perception and field of perception."
Here HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche is referring to recognition or awareness that the process of ordinary perception is ordinarily colored, limited, and dominated by the field of what we think we are perceiving. Indeed our tilt, bias, "perspective", way of seeing, determines "what" we see normally. If we take note of that situation then the first recognition of viveka occurs, and hence with that recognition of the limitation placed upon the field of consciousness (citta-vrtti) by the ordinary mind can cease holding the mind captive, hence liberating consciousness compensate for the vantage point of the seer.
We become aware of the power of primordial pure awareness, which is not dependent upon the intellect (buddhi) or ego (separate self) - we become aware of the innate effortless power of pure transpersonal awareness itself. We start cultivating openness to that awareness through practice so that once we become more conscious of it -- recognize it more often. Then we welcome that into our daily life increasingly. Being able to access that in our daily life more often, then the meditation sittings begin and end at with more ease and continuity providing an opportunity to go deeper faster. The practice empties the mind of thought forms (vikalpa) and dualistic tendencies as we become more closely aligned with our true transpersonal and transcognitive nature (swarupa-sunyam).
Instead of having the citta-vrtti define self and other, this awareness of the process of awareness allows us to free the seer from isolated and fragmented self created prisons of the mind. That is why avidya is called a prison, while pure awareness (cit) is likened to mukti, liberation. Does the object of our perception truly exist as something separate from the seer or from other objects? No, not from the vantage point of relative truth where all things are known as interconnected -- in context of the whole having no independent existence apart from that ongoing intelligent dynamic.
Remedies for asmita klesha thus include the cultivation of humbleness, aparigraha, ahimsa, satya, asteya, swadhyaya, tapas, isvara pranidhana, dhyana (meditation), self luminous non-dual and transpersonal realization (asamprajnata realization), citta-prasadanam (I.33), the implementation of true equanimity, compassion, and loving kindness. When we approach the truth of our real situation, then the identification with the transpersonal, eternal, and universal non-dual vision has taken root and the organism has attuned itself to the Greater Self Integrity which is eternal, universal, imperishable and self effulgent. THAT of course is the ultimate remedy to keep in mind.
Swami Venkatesananda translates II. 6 as:
The particular aspect of ignorance called asmita (ego delusion) is the result of the more specific process of confusing the inherently transpersonal and eternal powers and processes of consciousness with that of individual intellectualization or cognition which then results in false or faulty identification with fragmented existence -- a sense of a separate "I" or ego.
See the last sutra of the yoga sutras (Pada IV Sutra 34) for a further elaboration of asmita. Following, Patanjali describes the last three kleshas of raga (attraction), dvesa (repulsion), and abhinivesah (fear of death) as all emanating from a primary ignorance/obscuration. What is this that we are ignoring -- Reality as-it-is - our true self nature (swarupa).
Power and Control Freaks
Similarly we have all met people who are insecure, but rather than show it for fear of establishing their vulnerability, they are out to establish their control and rule. Because of fear and a lack of internal order, they strive to establish their control over other people, situations, organizations, or events. Some will admit to their selfishness, but others may be feign to admit it, so they will often take on an altruistic mask/pretense. Power freaks are known to use any deception they can conjure in order to protect their egoic identity which is really an effort of the ego to conform to perverse demands of the superego, conscience, or other indicators of lack -- diminished sense of self worth. Tee control freak feels secure when they are in full control, which often means that the other is demeaned, stripped of their own authority, or power. Taken to the extreme such is sociopathic, while social behavior is merely a feigned necessity in order to obtain the ulterior object.
That will-for-power is similar to greed, as it is the compensation of an inner lack through the perverse mechanism of acquisition of the ever elusive "more"). also it is similar to competition (the need to be better or beat other people), similar to ,jealousy, rivalry, envy, and other kleshas based on lack of self worth, lack of purpose, or meaning in life. All these ancillary afflictions (kleshas) remain as distractions and obstacles to awakening -- an awakening where the false identification of a separate self (ego) is surrendered
Asmita as a Special Case of Pride where a false sense of meaning acts as a substitute for True Self Worth
The English word, pride, is not an accurate translation of what is meant by asmita, because the English word, pride, is not defined within a generally accepted coherent cosmology. That incoherence exists for many reasons (pro or con, take your pick) but which will not be the scope of this discussion. It is helpful to discern the difference between prideful identification with symbols, objects, status, power, and other "objects" such as occurs in racism, bigotry, nationalism, sexism, xenophobia, ethnocentricity, anthropomorphism, religionism, ideology, tribalism, chauvinism, and the myriad other afflictions of provincialism where the egoic mindset identifies strongly with who they think they are within a self limiting framework, either self contrived or contrived and defined by others. If one believes that one's situation within these self imposed boundaries of limited belief systems are superior, good, safe, needed, or absolutely necessary, then such prideful associations will serve as the glue of one's own prison (warden, guard, prison, and prisoner) all in one. In that way asmita lies at the core of symbolic, self gratuitous, and vicarious neurotic living where true satiation and fulfillment is denied because ones true purpose and meaning in life is denied, because one's true self nature remains ignored, hidden, repressed, suppressed, and denied. In that way institutions are established in order to uphold the status quo and oppose change which are seen as threats to the fearful owners, control freaks, invested interests, and power mongers who are so attached. Bullshit philosophies are fabricated in order to justify and praise these institutions of slavery, exploitations, and abuse, while at the same time marginalizing those who would upset the apple cart. That karmic activity based on asmita and avidya, albeit hidden through delusion and bullshit ideological philosophical deceit, has severe negative karmic consequences. Even more negative are activities of group and mass delusion and pride.
Spiritual (Vajra) Pride as Self Confidence, Spiritual Alignment, and VirtueThere is another usage of the word, which is commonly conflated with egoic pride", but which has a very different cause. Rather, it comes from is a deep sense of prajna or jnana,not dependent on any external thought construct or thing. It also has a healing
effect, because it is not based on ego ownership or association, rather, it is a transpersonal/non-dual identity. It is one's ultimate buddhanature being expressed and given a voice.
When someone feels good about what they are doing, when they are motivated by compassion, love, kindness, sympathetic joy, and selfless service, rather than neurotic craving, envy, rivalry, comparative advantage, domination over others, competition, or superiority in need of of comparative worth, then a deep feeling of well being arises as from residing in the ground of all-being -- in a vajra-space of non-neurotic certainty of beingness. This is a very healthy state of mind, being nourished from a deep feeling of connectedness with all beings and things. In fact one is aligned with primordial space, timeless evolutions, and its natural momentum. Identifying "oneself" with this momentum is not a substitute/ersatz pride, but what can be called vajra pride, which is nothing more than a transpersonal sense of well being and unshakeable confidence born out of vajra wisdom and vajra compassion. This transpersonal identification is associated with a profound sense of interdependence/interconnectedness with a boundless, limitless, and timeless universal all pervading transpersonal identity, not the egoic (false) self, which by definition is alone, aloof, conceited, separate, deluded, and isolated. Both the motive/momentum and the fruit/result of such associations differ. In the former, activity is based on one's true self-nature (swarupa-sunya), hence, an alignment with the non-dual, unfabricated, natural, and intelligent universal evolutionary momentum/force supports it, while the latter activity is based on its denial and obfuscation -- on dualistic objects and a separate observer, which is in flux.
This confidence and identity has no object, is not conceptually or belief system based, and it is not constructed/fabricated by the intellect. Being vajra-pride it comes from the samadhi where the realization of the inseparability of the formless and form realms, the undifferentiated and differentiated, absolute and relative, crown and root, are synchronized as the co-arising unity of the three kayas -- the unshakeable vajrakaya.
There are many tantric practices which provide the yogi familiarity and functionality in this state. By visualizing self as a sambhogakaya (energy body-form), one enters the purified realm of the mandala, where all beings are also deities, and the gates of all three kayas are imprinted in vajralike non-dual seals.
“Wisdom is inherent in mind until the power of wisdom-mind is completely opened. Through believing in self-born wisdom-deity, one must try to transform all immeasurable, ordinary, habitual, samsaric phenomena and perceive wisdom-deity-field. Perceiving is deity, and the perceiver is sunyata (emptiness).”
~ White Sail, Yab Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
The distinction is between neurotic/samsaric or egoic (fragmented ordinary) pride on one hand, and on the other hand where non-dual/spiritual or vajra pride on the other hand (where a sense of transpersonal and non-dual identification in true self worth and meaning manifesting as a result by participating in a deeply meaningful timeless dimension of being, and if lucky, a continuous way of life can be distinguished. This latter identification is not dependent upon how others think of oneself, nor is it derived conceptually/intellectually. It is not dependent upon a reflection upon one's comparative actions, "like I did good or right". A distinction, thus, is made between vicarious or subliminal/neurotic thoughts, from direct yogic experience that is beyond conceptual elaboration where one participates in an intimate evolutionary moves one from their core -- as it flows through one's body, speech, and mind as an intimate alliance with primordial consciousness, its original purpose, and evolutionary expression. This is a state that is deeply experiential, uncontrived, and aware, while totally inconceivable. As spiritual/vajra pride, one does not impute an identification as or with a separate/independent observer (ego). Rather, the identification is with the innate universal wisdom-mind (the param purusa, Maheshvara (the teacher of all teachers), or one's own Buddhanature, which resides in all sentient beings, or with its non-dual intermediary state -- the energy body or sambhogakaya blissful body form. One's identification is universally objectless. This links the practitioner directly with the boundless, unlimited, and timeless "all-good" (Siva or Samantabhadra). Hence, it is premised on no thing or isolated object (mental or external phenomena). Vajra pride is the unshakeable confidence and knowledge based on the underlying vajra space that reflects as the innate wisdom of compassion, conviction of a transpersonal universal kinship, and the reality of interdependence, not on separateness or ownership (asmita as the egoic mindset). Spiritual pride rightly applied is certain antidote for neurotic pride and asmita.
Vajra pride comes from vajra space. In its essential nature, it is objectless and hence the result of non-dual realization. It harnesses the energy of pure primordial awareness inseparable from form. Being primordial, uncaused, and unborn it is unstoppable, irrepressible, and cannot be excluded, nor does it ever need inclusion. Vajra pride conquers all insecurities, doubt, needs for comparative status, power, jealousy, or self-esteem. Such is its power when invoked. Vajra pride occurring in impenetrable vajra space has no isolated referent, no solid ground, except in the all encompassing vajra-like aspect of the ever-changing boundless and unlimited dimensions of samadhi-time/samadhi-space. The true self is empty of self. That formless self is universal and omnipresent. It is known everywhere as imperishable, and hence vajralike, yet carefully discerned as embedded in differentiated consciousness as undifferentiated consciousness. It is self effulgent as-it-is -- but being all pervading it is beyond subtle -- rarefied to the extreme. There is no place where it is not, hence it is impenetrable, all pervading, adamantine, and timeless. The primordial undifferentiated consciousness (pure objectless/formless awareness or light) is eternally/constantly NOW and HERE, ever present, and always has been/will be, in NOW awareness NOW. That Adamantine vajra NOW is all we ever have. From that vajra-space, objectless pure vajra pride arises.
Dharma thus (as the implicate law and order of the universe) is not external, fabricated, manmade, or artificial, nor is the transpersonal spiritual identification. One does not stand apart from it, rather one is immersed in it and acts in harmony, in alliance, and in a resultant deeply heart felt sense of wholeness and completeness. It's lack can not be substituted by manmade laws or artificially created order (which are compensations at the best, while mostly acting as serious distractions. When one acts in this way, one does not feel or evidence any sense of lack, no lack of self esteem issues arise, and no self doubt, fear, and lack of confidence or certainty. All lack of self worth issues arise from the separation of self from this primary direct alliance/connection with Self which is a sense of true transpersonal interdependence which is experienced in action as the result of practice (be it karma yoga, bhakti yoga, hatha yoga, raj yoga, art, healing, etc.). The participant knows it when they are touched by it. It's only requirement is to go beyond normal dualistic conceptual mindsets and allow oneself to drop their preconceptions and self limitations of "self' and "other". Neuroses drop away in that liberated sphere beyond ordinary conceptual processes (nirvikalpa) -- beyond cognitive I/it models (asamprajnata) such as contrived dualistic mind frames. In tantric yoga it is called, spiritual pride (which is not at all religious pride). Spiritual pride in tantric yoga does not connote the superiority of the ego over anyone else, rather it is the result stemming from a stance of inner confidence, fearlessness, and stability that stems from effective practice and the resulting groundedness, not from one's position or status based upon manmade external comparative systems (society, religion, class, business, competition sports, war, and the like) nor through intellectual/conceptual processes.
The degree of vajra-pride that manifests in the yogi's life increases proportional to the degree of intensity of one's spiritual aspiration and purified karma. This is effected by the yogi's ability to focus intent, awareness, and energy effectively in the timeless present in recognition of the interconnected/interdependent impartial/unbiased great integrity.
That recognition affords instant presence and being. This focused aspiration usually becomes stabilized and deepened in meditative stages over many years of authentic spiritual self discipline (yoga sadhana). Such spiritual aspiration is fed by true inspiration and acts as an effective antidote to ordinary neurotic craving and tendencies of egoic pride (asmita). In vajra pride one no longer identifies with the ego (as a separate self), but identifies as a transpersonal fearless and dedicated active agency, and hence emanation of fearless non-neurotic universal love and compassion-- a part of (not apart from) the universal intelligent evolutionary power of primordial consciousness. For the dualistic/samsaric mindset it is too easy to identify the ego with highfalutin gods and goddesses. So it is emphasized that vajra pride is not an egoic identification within the I/it dualistic framework of separate self (ego), rather it is the opposite of that. This fear-freed confidence (vajra pride) defeats all doubts and spontaneously arises naturally, being totally free from contrivance or pretensions. In tantra it is the result of a spiritual alliance/alignment between earth and sky, nature and spirit, muladhara and sahasrara chakras, through realizing the heart of the middle way (sushumna nadi),
"Self-luminous unchanging insight
Is described as unborn dharmakaya.
Unceasing self-born wisdom
Is described as the multiplicity of nirmanakaya.These two unified in coemergence
Are described as the sambhogakaya.
These three free from origin
Are described as the svabhavikakaya.All these, beyond conditions
Are described as the mahasukhakaya.
These are the five ultimate kayas.
Does this gladden your minds, heart friends?Thus Marpa sang and described how the five kayas function.
Sri Bhadra said, "Now please describe the view, meditation. action, and fruition."
So Marpa sang this song:
Please listen without your minds wandering.
Though I am not skilled in composing songs,
This is the way to understand the true oral instructions.
Keep this in mind and ponder it.
The three worlds are primordially pure.
Ultimately, there is nothing more to understand.
Not negation, unceasing continuity,
Unchanging—such is the view.The innate essence is naturally luminous.
Unconditioned, meditation is unceasing.
Not negation, beyond losing and gaining,
Without desire or attachment—such is the meditation.Arising from the natural occurrence of various coincidences,
The play of illusion is unobstructed.
Not negation,
Things are unpredictable, abrupt—such is the action.Mind shines as bodhicitta.
There is no attainment of the three kayas of buddha.
Not negation, beyond hope and fear,
Without ground or root—such is the fruition."From the "Life of Marpa"
As Isvara is the inner master, and the guru of all gurus, so too does the realization of our buddhanature occur as vajra-pride in samadhi (swarupa-sunyam), the end of suffering. Find the inner teacher and abide there, increasingly. That is a meditation practice, which can acclimate/familiarize the yogi with this transpersonal/non-dual state.
Spiritual bliss (ananda) is the result of non-separation -- the union of body, mind, and spirit. That union is expressed spontaneously as blissful love and joy. As such it is a reflection of the Great Integrity of Being, our natural state. Such a natural reflection is uncontrived virtue. It is in this way that our true nature (Buddhanature) shines through as innate goodness. Precisely because we often do not feel good about oneself, we then crave to be like someone else,l crave things, status, praise, support affection, or fear intimidation and hate those who do not flatter, cajole, or share our idea of self identity. In the modern ear especially human beings have had their innate sense of feeling good ripped off. We all are born with inner/intuitive wisdom and great potential (isvara or buddhanature), but modern humans have been negatively conditioned and suppressed/repressed to not recognize such. In this sense functional yoga practice acts as a means to remediate this repressive contraction by opening up the closed down channels (nadis) and let the energy (prana) flow so that consciousness can irrigate the body here on the planet in this very lifetime. We have to learn to reclaim our inner wisdom where the channels of communications have been closed shut. In yoga we work with the emotions, the energy body, and the physical body as a whole. Being in harmony with primordial consciousness not only makes living more creative, but allows for efficient translation into the bodiless dimension, which is no where else but here and now. Yoga thus works on the energy body through clearing obstructions in the energy body, nadis, and chakras as well as the physical and mental bodies. When we are again able to FEEL deeply these good connections here and now, then neurotic compensatory substitutions will no longer be sought such as desires for increased self worth, self esteem, self image, power over others, comparative worth, or other issues of due to the lack of feeling good about ourselves.
On Bliss and Pride by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche
On the level of tantra, the mahamudra level, pleasure does not take place through the pores of your skin, but pleasure takes place on your very flesh without skin. You become the bliss rather than enjoying the bliss. You are the embodiment of bliss, and this contains a quality of your being very powerful. You have conquered pleasure and pleasure is yours. One doesn't even have to go so far as to try to enjoy pleasure, but pleasure becomes self-existing bliss. In this way every experience that might occur in our life -- communication, visual experience, auditory experience, consciousness: anything that we relate to -- becomes completely workable, highly workable. In fact, even the notion of workability does not apply. It's yours. It is you, in fact. So things become very immediate.
This is what is often called vajra pride, indestructible pride. Pride in this case is not arrogance, but is non-dualistically self-contained. You are not threatened by your projections or projectors, but you are there, and at the same time, everything around you is you and yours.
From "Mahamudra," in ILLUSION'S GAME: The Life and Teaching of Naropa by the Vidyadhara, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Page 121.
For example, a mother taking care of her children out of pure unconditional love from her natural heart core acting as the natural channel for universal love also provides a sense of meaning beyond any self-worth issues. Her transpersonal compassion reflects the vajra space. Likewise a father, who acts for the happiness of his family, not from a mindset dictated by forces of external duty, self image, status, guilt, or threat of punishment, but rather from a deeply felt sense of genuine transpersonal love in the present without attachment, does not need to justify or defend his image to others or society in order to feel good about himself. The vajra guru acts similarly for the benefit of ALL beings. Likewise for sisters, brothers, cooks, doctors, tailors, farmers, neighbors, and all others, meaning is found in selfless service -- service as the opportunity to love others intelligently. By intelligent and expedient service, one does not serve others best by acting as their doormat. Many examples abound such as in the many activities of abiding in ecstatic samadhi, music, dance, selfless love, joy in giving, healing, selfless service, creation, or ecstatic living, which as a result produce a deep experiential feeling of completion, fulfillment, spiritual contentment and union (in authentic santosha).
So to reiterate, vajra pride has these aspects. It establishes real/vajra confidence and conviction due to the establishment of wisdom wrought from direct spiritual experience (direct experiential knowledge). That is, knowledge wisdom, which is gleaned from self observation of one's own intimate transpersonal interdependent spiritual with all space and all mind. Vajra pride, like vajra anger, is not born from ignorance nor is its expression connected with suffering (duhkha). Rather one identifies with a configuration vehicle made out of infinite compassion and timeless wisdom, the intermediary bridge between undifferentiated pure awareness and differentiated ever-changing nowness. Free from the gravity of samsara, ignorance, and suffering the yogi is filled with the absolute confidence, strength, freedom, and light of the light body, vajra body, energy body, or bliss body (sambhogakaya). Such a yogi is not subject to death or suffering. Establishing an effective connection, a stabilized identification is preliminary to its selfless and spontaneous expression.
Just as vajra pride is selfless, similarly compassionate fierceness in selfless service (so called fierce compassion) manifests spontaneously and naturally when the bonds of ignorance (avidya), asmita (egoic mindsets), raga, dvesa, and all the other obstructions are released. Here vidya (as clear vision), truth, pure virtue, boundless compassion, ahimsa, and justice are expressed spontaneously.
This is why mechanisms that reinforce the prisons of false or delusional mentation (the egoic mindset) are known to be essential in manipulating the majority of people to serve the minority of tyrants, dictators, rulers, and authority figures. First the dictators (as mind manipulators) must dumb down the majority as to their true self nature, meaning, and purpose in life. Then, when ordinary humans have become confused by having their inner confidence, authority, and power ripped off and hijacked, it is far easier to convince these broken men that their own self worth is intimately involved in being of service or value to their masters. That is the realm where status, external authority, power, and symbols of power replace/substitute for the inner lack. The greater the inner rip off, the greater one's will for power and control becomes or in extreme cases, extreme apathy, complacency, indifference, numbness, intimidation, and depression settles in. In either case true self worth in a meaningful and purposeful life has become perverted and compromised. In the modern era this vicarious substitution is reinforced through mechanisms of propaganda; story telling; TV; support groups; vicarious spectator sports, nationalistic, religious, and regional pride; organized bigoted hate groups; and similar perversions which are designed to upgrade one's own self esteem by demonizing or hating "others". Radio or any other "media outlets", group associations, identifications, or departmental organizational meetings where people are told daily "who" they are, how to think, and what is expected from them, conspire to turn the human being into a mechanized unfeeling robot devoid of their own feelings, critical thought processes, and ability to act intuitively and spontaneously. Rather such attempts to subordinate the inner wisdom and teacher serves as the major mechanisms of suppression/repression to serve the ulterior motives and purpose of puppet masters, paranoiacs, megalomaniacs, and other insecure control freaks who will never have enough security or be free from fear, doubt and guilt until they confront their delusionary mechanisms (egoic self deceit).
So it is very wise not to identify as a separate self, nor identify "others" within a dualistic i/it context. As a practice one identifies with the true nature of one's mind which is universal and resides within all. That identification is vajra pride while one's vision of that recognition which resides within all sentient beings is pure vision (vidya). In that sense vajra pride and pure vision can be a transformational practices as well as a spontaneous result of experiencing one's true non-dual nature of mind (swarupa-sunyam), which destroys avidya and the kleshas.
"A ripened continuous insight gives us the steadiness and courage of a lion’s gaze. Padmasambhava said that when a stick is thrown to a lion, the lion gazes steadily at the source, the thrower. A dog’s gaze follows the object, the stick. Similarly, our source of experience is our own mind. The stick is only the phenomena. We need to look at our mind, the source of the emotion. An emotion like anger represents the stick. The source hurling that emotion is our mind. It is mind that projects. A wise and clear mind experiences something far more luminous and transparent. Conduct is caring. Such dynamic inner and outer relationship informs and purifies our vision. Dzogchen [as practice] turns our gaze inward toward the source of experience, which is mind. Our own direct irrefutable experience is “certainty wisdom.” Buddhists also call this vajra pride. Vajra pride is not ego mind, but an indestructible diamond luminous wisdom view (vajra). Pristine mind is our lion’s gaze. This view is dzogchen [the Great All Encompassing Integral Expanse]."
Joan Kaye from the Introduction to "The Lion's Gaze: A Commentary on the Tsig Sum Nedek" by Khenpo Palden Sherab and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal. Also see Vajra Anger and Vajra Passion/Compassion and love
Blame, Judgment, Denunciation, and Condemnation as Moral Pride: Making the I (ego) right, by making the "other" wrong (knowing better)
As long as we identify with the false self (sarupyam as in I.4) then that egoic self identification will always suffer from self esteem issues, insecurity, lack of knowledge and satisfying meaning in life, a need for inflated images of self pride/identity, status, defensive self image issues, a lack of true self worth and self confidence, and desire for comparative advantage, privilege, control, and power over others. Knowing "better", by deluding oneself that one possesses superior knowledge in comparison to others, blaming others, finding fault in others, superior status, position, power, or control over others is merely one of many permutations of pride (asmita) or its need due being cut off from the evolutionary moment. Such are merely futile attempts to compensate for an already low sense of "Self", spiritual Self alienation, or disconnect. These are manifestations of asmita-klesha and also reinforce such. Indeed all pride issues are the result of a need to fill the vacuum left by the great dualistic split/rend from the innate intelligent evolutionary power and hence, Primordial Conscious -- the Self. In that sense even greed is the result of a feeling of that lack as an attempt to fill that hole. So too all the other kleshas. Asmita combines with dvesa and raga kleshas to form myriad variants such as censure, bigotry, race hatred, xenophobia, transgenerational and institutionalized vengeance, prejudice, avarice, over consumption, acquisitiveness, addiction, fear, and so forth.
In addition claiming superior knowledge or "knowing better" one attempts to control or dominate the conversation and other people because of neurotic needs. For example the many arguments about politics, religion, or whatever are really about who is right, good, or better, rather than the subject that is being argued. Asmita combined with dvesa (aversion) are the driving forces that feed jealousy and competition.
"It is said that one who has studied with the mistaken attachment to their welfare in this life alone will look down on those who have not studied as much as they have, rejecting the other persons, ignoring them, even behaving hurtfully toward them. Their knowledge has given them license to belittle others, to find fault with others but never with themselves. These kinds of attitudes are simply due to the person's own sense of insecurity and inferiority, which causes them to disparage others, whether their knowledge may be greater or less than their own. Someone like this will sow seeds of discord and feel that they must try to get people to side with them, fearful that others will not support their opinions."
From, PARTING FROM THE FOUR ATTACHMENTS, Jetsun Drakpa Gyaltsen's Song of Experience on Mind Training and the View, by Chogye Trichen Rinpoche
The denunciation of others is a form of mental hatred, violence, and meanness based on asmita and avidya kleshas and directed toward hurting others while protecting/defending the ego. Ordinary people (non-yogis) will rarely admit to being mean, for doing so, they would have to come down off their self appointed superior perch and self righteousness. In other words, it would damage their already low sense of self esteem. Hence, they miss the opportunity to learn and evolve spiritually until they see the nature of their suffering. The pathetic attempt of the ego to demonstrated that it knows better or knows more than another is yet another subterfuge, where owning "knowledge" is nothing more than a futile attempt to inflate and/or replace an already inane, meaningless, and fragmented confused life. Rather, it is not possible to put the universe in one's pocket or locked safe, let alone primordial time and all pervading space. Such frenzied attempts only feed the neurosis.
Unethical and Non-virtuous Behavior (non virtue) Comes from Ego Sense
Egoic identity being a false identification always carries with it a sense of insecurity and need to justify and elevate oneself (ego). One way to compensate from this insecure state, is to feel superior, better, or identify with being at a comparative advantage over some one else who is designated as worse, less worthy, inferior, wrong, unethical, or bad. Hence the wounded ego cultivates a mask of self deceit which seeks to place itself in a moral superior position over others. The ego hence is always seeking out evil, the devil, or some one to blame who one opposes, inferring that opposing evil or injustice, automatically makes the ego good and just.
Yoga, to be sure, is not based on an ethical or unethical system. One's spiritual purpose and ultimate reward does not come how well one obeys dictates of right behavior in terms of trust, faith, blind servitude, or fear of punishment. Punishment is not meted out because of disobedience or lack of faith/belief. Rather, in yoga, it is the mind which dictates right behavior and right livelihood or not depending on its clarity, purity, or true reflective virtue. So in that sense a corrupted and fragmented mindset based on error, obfuscation, and delusion is capable of creating bad karmic circumstances, while the mindset free from kleshas is allowed the opportunity to know and align one's mindstream with the primordial consciousness -- to align individual will with universal will and act virtually and virtuously interconnected as one in conscious integrity. That INTEGRITY and VIRTUE in the aligned body, breath, mind, nature, and primordial source is called virtue in so far one reflects that Reality in All Our Relations. If we contemplate upon it, all unethical behavior such as parigraha, asatya, himsa, steya, greed, jealousy, and so forth come from the Great Rend from primordial consciousness -- from our interconnectedness (yoga) or union with the Great Universal Unlimited in All Our Relations. Although the split is based on an error of thought, that error of thought exists as a state of confusion, just as clarity exists in the state of pure unobstructed vision. These are two mindsets are quite discernibly different states of experience.
Tragically many human beings have become repressed, trapped, and boxed in by self limiting concepts to which they cling. When the subject is locked into the belief that "the self" is an independent or separate ego, then the ego can rationalize and justify taking what they want from others, exploiting others, enslaving them, manipulating them, abusing and harming them. One's will does not have to align with universal will, nor with anything else but one's desire (raga). The only thing that holds these egoic driven beings back (driven as they are by klesha and karma) is the fear of getting caught and punished (either here or in the hereafter).
On the other hand other people who have had the transpersonal non-dual selfless experience act out of maitri (kindness), karuna (compassion), upeksha (equanimity), and mudita (being happy that others are happy). They have no need to act unethically or ethically as the question of ethics (as in following external rules) has become mute, because they do not live in the realm of asmita. These true yogis have realized true vision and spontaneously reflect the true nature of mind as pure unobstructed natural virtue -- Here and Now. In short unethical behavior and related criminal activities which manifest as creating harm or suffering to others is based on a psychological, or more so, due to a spiritual, ignorance of who the human being truly is in relationship to cause/creation, the evolutionary power, and primordial beginningless Source. Ignorance of what? Our interdependence and transpersonal non-dual identity. It is a matter of identity, asmita in the former and an Infinite Universal all pervasive Identity in the latter. One can live conflict/schizoid free or in contrast live in harmony, integrity, and community as one big family Inseparable. Vasudeva Kutumbakam! Ohana! In All Our Relations. Let it shine!
Unethical actions are selfish when causing harm (including confusion) to others. Ethical actions are selfless, causing happiness and liberation to others. Neutral actions are often unethical as they are a waste of time where the human being may be helping others or self.
Practice:
Again when abiding in our natural state the foolish vagaries of ego to not dominate. So again all yogic practices including kriya yoga or astanga yoga help us move into that natural state by deconditioning/deprogramming the ignorance which corrupts the mind into ignoring one's true nature in the unified field, while substituting the false assumption of the egoic mind. (separate self) of fragmented dualistic existence. Stay with the love, the beauty, and expansive light. Recognize it when they are absent, and then practice in order to achieve that shift.
II. 7. Sukhanusayi ragah
Raga (craving) is the anticipation (anusayi) of pleasure (sukha)
or
We desire happiness [and try to own it]
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Dualistic attraction (raga) arises because the mind assigns the object as if its attainment were capable of bringing forth pleasure or happiness.
or
Raga (desire) occurs when the mind associates or imagines pleasure by anticipating through an anticipatory union of possessing an object/objective.
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The desire or craving for pleasure is called raga. It arises out of pain/dissatisfaction or displeasure. [It is similar to the desire to escape dissatisfaction or pain (dvesa). It aries out of the rend from unlimited all-awareness)
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The affliction of craving, attraction, and yearning (raga) occurs when the mindfield attaches itself to the confused idea that mental pleasure or happiness is external to the all- essence of the mind (absence of primordial presence)
or
When the mind is attracted to obtaining a potentially pleasurable object or situation, an energetic attraction or craving for it (raga) occurs which obscures true presence of mind.
or
Craving or "like" (raga) is the affliction of the mindfield that occurs when the mind associates (anusayi) an isolated event (past or future) as pleasurable or happy (sukha).
or
Yearning is triggered by events or objects that promise pleasure, hence raga arises from a state of discomfort, which in turn seeks fulfillment..
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Raga is a desire which is accompanied by attachment (anusayi) to an anticipation of pleasure (sukha).
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Hope (raga) is the act of associating the mind with a future event that promises happiness [thus reinforcing the idea of unhappiness in the present].
sukha: here, is meant as ordinary pleasure or enjoyment. Self gratification. A temporary union between an estranged or fragmented consciousness/being (ego) and an object which he/she craves to join/unite.
anusayi: An anticipation or association with a result (in this sutra with happiness/gratification). In "sukhanusayi ragah", anusayi occurs when the path toward the object is conflated with the goal (desire of the object becomes associated with its possession). It occurs when the gratification/pleasure accompanies or is associated with obtaining or possessing an object, event, result, or phenomena, hence an attachment to the entire process is concomitant. The expectation or anticipation becomes exciting and sometimes addictive as much or more than the achievement of the goal. An attachment process that closely accompanies or is associated with some object; a clinging toward; grasping, glomming onto, or dependence upon a goal oriented process. An addiction to an obsessive process or associative dependence. An intertwined addictive identification with a neurotic purpose. The connection process that links the one who is craving with an object of craving. The glue which binds an obsession or addiction. An attachment process which closely accompanies with some object, event, or circumstance. An association, anticipation, or attraction (here promising "pleasure") or fixation constitutes sukhanusayi raga; while a negative attraction or repulsion (promising pain or suffering (duhkha) constitutes dvesa (aversion as in sutra II.8).
raga: A state of craving, attraction toward the gratification of desire, fixation, obsession. An attachment to results, expectation, hope, or like. A belief that the possession of an object/objective in the future will provide fulfillment or pleasure. Raga is the desire by the ego for happiness in objects (mental or physical). By definition it is a state of unhappiness because one is seeking it outside oneself or outside this very moment. Raga arises from a more primary split/estrangement or dissatisfaction, hence it is associated with its opposite (boredom, indifference, indolence, or disinterest)..
Raga is one of the chief kleshas (afflictive impediments to spiritual union). It is a state of craving, yearning, and attraction away from an unsatisfactory or unfulfilling present, toward an object in the future distance, hope, gratification, or fulfillment due to a feeling of lack, absence, or hollow emptiness, which craves to be be filled, gratified, or satisfied. Any attachment/attraction toward an object outside of the present circumstance, any attraction or propulsion away from the Here and Now toward a future that promises fulfillment/union. In yoga raga is the result of the split from primordial vision (avidya) through the ideation process (samsaric attractions) establishing the false identification of an illusory separate independent self (asmita or ego), and then ignorantly attempting to compensate for this disunion via compensatory ersatz cravings. In short, raga is the compensatory and neurotic externalization toward secondary sources of "pleasure", due to the primary split/rend with being Here and Now in harmony with the process of creation, creativity, evolution, and life as natural process that provides pure bliss (ananda), which is the natural union of pure beingness (sat) and pure consciousness (cit) and has no equal. Searching for fulfillment while abandoning this innate union is the source of ignorance and suffering. This unsurpassed bliss is the result of asamprajnata samadhi (non-dual transconceptual transcognitive union), See sutra I.18.
Raga is the self who is craving for happiness, which is imputed by the ideation of the ego; while in fact action motivated by raga-klesha will only cause more unhappiness. raga acts as a liking or preference imputed by the ego, as being positive or good; something that the egoic mind associates as good or desirable in the sense that it is estimated that pleasure or perceived benefit would result. Hence a craving of the egoic mindset which desires to possess (or rather becomes possessed by it) occurs. A propensity toward an ersatz or temporary union (not samadhi). Attachment to results of action; attraction to objects/objectives that promise pleasure (sukha), clinging to pleasure; defining one's purpose as seeking pleasure; or the anticipation of what might appear as pleasurable. A desire toward apprehending an object, its expectation, as well as ordinary hope. Raga thus includes the expenditure of effort toward a yearning, craving, association, propensity, and clinging toward an object of desire, lust, or arousal which draws one out into the dualistic sense world of continuous craving leaving one so immersed in the cycle of temporary satisfaction/dissatisfaction (samsara). Attachment to self and/or objects of desire by the restless mind. The result of separation and spiritual alienation from the true imperishable Self. On a gross level raga combines with asmita or dvesa and manifests as greed, plunder, rape, thievery, predation, power mongering, exploitation , obsessive scarcity consciousness, competitiveness, himsa (violence), asatya (untruth), asteya (dishonesty), over indulgence, over consumption, avarice, jealousy, envy, invidiousness, covetousness, possessiveness, addictive behavior, and so forth.
Raga as need, is based upon a preexisting condition of separation, lack, scarcity, and absence -- the absence of visionary spirit (avidya) and union. Without that connection there remains a sense of incompleteness hence the ego delusion (asmita) of a separate self who craves, desires, or may find satisfaction by loving an external object or "thing" becomes reinforced via raga. Raga is an obscured/afflicted state of mind, where one enters into a craving mindset away from innate happiness or sense of santosha (fulfillment) HERE and NOW.
"Attraction (or mental conditioning or coloring) follows, rests in, and is just another term for, the erroneous evaluation of an object or experience as pleasure. Because of the mental coloring something looks attractive."
Swami Venkatesananda
Commentary: In general people desire happiness and dislike unhappiness, but generally they are unhappy and neurotic, in the sense that they mistake the cause of happiness. If not, there would be no desire/craving in the first place. Hence, craving (raga) is a specific symptom of duhkha masquerading as happiness, masking dissatisfaction (duhkha). It is also a further distraction, hence reinforcing the split of avidya. The cause of duhkha is to mistake the cause of suffering and happiness. That mistake is called avidya (or ignorance). Hence, Patanjali teaches avidya (ignorance) as the root cause of all the kleshas as well as both raga and dvesa (aversion) as suffering (duhkha). Here, ordinary raga is an energetic association/relationship with an anticipation toward the ownership or possession of a future enjoyment of a result or fruit that promises pleasure/gratification (sukha). Combined with asmita, the sense of control over that object whose possession is associated with pleasure, or simply its ownership causes even greater suffering, such as seen in control freaks, security freaks, and manipulators. Attachment simply being a strengthened version of raga. See I.17 and I.18 for another description of this process (vairagya being the remedy). In short, raga as craving only occurs after the spiritual estrangement or split from wholeness. That primary split leaves a hole/gap. The neurotic attempt to compensate, adapt, or fill it is called craving (raga), which promises happiness. However, in yoga (see I.17) only a coarse temporary happiness (ananda) will be found in such pursuits, while in nirbij-samadhi lasting happiness is regained as a result of union without falling back into the state of separateness or estrangement.
Raga is that simple; however, since most people have become spiritually disconnected, while living in dualistic and limited mental spheres *citta-vrtta) to some extent, the following paragraphs are offered. Those who get its simplicity need not read any further, as they already understand how their own mind works. Especially in a society where neurosis, consumerism, and vicarious pleasure are rampant, raga often is insidious -- goes unnoticed and is accepted as the norm.
Notce that raga (attraction) and dvesa (repulsion) are two sides of the same coin. Anticipated pleasure is the goal of raga, while anticipated dislike (pain) is the perceived outcome of dvesa. Both exist in the dualistic subjective world of spirtual self-aienation. Raga, as craving, by nature in itself assumes disastisfaction (duhkha). It arises from samsara and leads one to samsara. being a cog in the wheel of self-ideation. Contemplate upon the nature of true and lastng happiness.
Raga is a major klesha (hindrance/impediment) only because it impedes or dissuades the sadhak from innate spiritual awakening, while further distracts one from the fulfillment of sacred presence, hence sucking one's spiritual energy and focus. The key word here is anusayi (attachment or obsession toward an ersatz communion of the ego with external events or objects that the mind has associated with pleasure when attained). Such creates a negative vortex, a corrupting tendency, dependency and attachment to a non-present future goal (called raga). Part and parcel with the egoic state of separation caused by ignorance (asmita and avidya) is the anticipated pleasure (sukha) of union with an ersatz object of attraction (raga), i.e. what we deem pleasurable as a compensation for that primal split/disconnect. Hence raga as craving is falsely associated with (anusaya), its fulfillment as pleasure, but craving is not pleasure or fulfillment, rather its opposite. With practice raga, is one of the most easy kleshas to recognize and overcome since it is often very gross. The key is vairagya, release, just let go, and empty the thoughts. Sounds too easy? Hence daily sitting emptiness meditation (dhyana) even if only for a few minutes gives us a taste of true bliss -- non- craving. See more in II.11.
Pleasure or enjoyment are not kleshas in themselves, rather the impediment (klesha) of raga occurs when we expend effort, attention, expectation, and attachment toward obtaining an object of our craving in future time, thus taking us out of the moment and further into egoic (I/it) dualistic attachment dependencies with samsaric phenomena (I/it) dualism, thus forming dualistic tendencies/habits; i.e., looking for happiness in things, the illusion of independent phenomena, objects, or form, rather than recognizing the true nature of our own mind in relationship to the true nature of nature. Raga thus is essentially neurotic. It is due to the primal split from the non-dual and natural identification of being a part of the whole, to the conditioned identification of conceiving "self" apart from the whole. Since the view in samadhi is swarupa-sunyam (III.3), Patanjali declares that such a subject/object dualistic vision is itself an illusion.
In reality there is no separate independent observer (an egoic "I", or asmita identity), but rather it is a fabrication of the conceptual mind. Human beings do not live in a vacuum. In reality, thus there is no separate/independent "object" to grasp at or run away from -- to desire or to hate. But we do have to learn how to relate. Thus, raga is the teacher in the tantric sense -- as how we interact successfully with all our relations. When raga arises as attraction or attachment, it is recognized as such. Through that recognition/awareness raga can be liberate, rather than to be further buried through ignorance, non-recognition, numbness, insensitivity, or denial.
One of the major sources of confusion can be obviated by asking ourselves where happiness is located, i.e., what are we hoping for? It is of course located in the mind in the form of mental assignments/imputations, not in the external object. The egoic mind (I) sees an object and then associates (anusayi) the object with pleasure or happiness. These mental associations when blurred by impure vision (avidya) are incapable of discerning between the mental feeling and the object which triggers it. Thus the object itself is assigned to a category of being desirable or pleasurable. Often what we assign as temporary pleasure or happiness, is just another form of suffering, because it distracts us from our ultimate liberation from suffering; i.e., the eradication of ignorance (avidya). To be sure, in authentic yoga, the goal is not simply happiness, rather it is ultimate liberation. Concomitant as a consequence unconditional happiness is directly experienced.
With a little practice and self awareness, a yogi can learn how to experience and feel true and satisfaction/completeness and great non-dual bliss without being distracted into dualistic samsaric states of mind. In fact that state of great bliss, fulfillment, and union in sacred presence is experienced directly precisely because of the absence of that dualistic primal split/trauma from primordial conscious or Self. This realm is cultivated and made continuous via authentic yogic practices so it becomes natural and spontaneous. True and lasting happiness is truly a state of mind.
In a similar sense an addiction or craving could be established by first experiencing a degree of pleasure as a release of craving, like scratching an itch. It may be a temporary satisfaction/gratification through a temporary union, for example by eating food, releasing sexual tension by engaging in sexual intercourse, jumping in a river on a hot day, etc. That could be true, but one must take into consideration the cause of the desire/hunger in the first place; i.e., is it compensatory and hence neurotic, or is it natural? Vyasa has proposed that a samskara (residual seed) for the repetition of such pleasurable experiences would be unconsciously planted creating a feedback loop as future desires, hence an addiction mechanism is created. That might be true but only to a limited extent. That does not explain the primary cause for the experience of the pleasure as that appears to presume the result before the cause. So in one sense it is true that past pleasurable associations often do call to us. We may have had pleasant experiences as a child with mom and pop by a lake, and hence lakes call to us when the mind associates that pleasurable sensation with similar lakes. Likewise for many addictions and obsessions, conscious or not, wherein a special smell, taste, sight, sound, or event triggers a pleasurable memory (samskaric predisposition), as those mental associations traps the ego in repetitive prisons of the past, dissuading him from the present -- full sacred presence. Regardless, craving is associated with its relief/release (pleasure) Chasing pleasure via neurotic craving is a vicious circle which calls for release and liberation. It feeds the samsaric wheel of suffering.
Ordinarily, hope is like that in that we expect something "good" or desirable as something that we expect, desire, or like in a future time/space or dislike in the present. Hence, through hope and expectation the mind abandons sacred presence. Not only that but with raga, there is an accompanied dvesa (dislike or fear) that the desired goal will fail. One pointed focus in the present as we go about our business makes our "business" perfect. So it depends on the object of our desire and hope being grounded in Now awareness (our source of power and creativity) or not. Ordinarily what we label as hope is a klesha (raga) desire as long as it is selfish desire/expectation. It's often an escape mechanism, and when chronically engaged it serves as neurotic displacement of "real time" space/time knowledge. Hope or desire for other people's happiness, is however selfless desire and rises from a deep connection with timeless source. It is based on transpersonal and nondual wisdom (bodhicitta) and hence it is not a klesha as it is not based on separation, delusion, or ignorance (avidya). It is not based on separate self or isolation/deprivation, but rather it is based on the truth of interdependence/interconnectedness, compassion, empathy, sympathetic joy, and equanimity which discloses the illusion of a separate self. That beauteous vision is empowering, while it connects us to all beings as kin in a magical mutuality of great Being.
Ordinary Hope: Ordinary Hope is often disguised fear, expectation, or desire: It serves as a neurotic compensation for inspiration and fulfillment.
When I say, "I hope so", I really mean, "I fear that the opposite will not happen". I state my desire that the hoped for event will occur in the future, while the opposite feared or disliked event will not occur. If I am in a state of chronic hope, I am not experiencing nor interacting fully in the present. Granted, the mind may create the appearance that it would be painful or fearful to be present, that the present is unacceptable, terrible, shocking, or unbelievably tortuous, but such attitudes are dysfunctional. What one authentically requires in situations of despair is not hope, but rather inspiration-- not escapist tendencies but more scared presence.
Whether one says; "I hope not" as a statement of fear. desire, or hatred, or says "I hope so", also as a statement of fear, desire, or hatred, it is merely a statement of one's preferences and desires. If one is lost in great despair, depression, and has given up all hope, as in all desire to go on with their life, what is needed then is inspiration, being present. By presence we certainly do not mean an existential flat plane uninspiring empty or inane presence or non-presence. Rather we are referring to sacred presence as primordial wisdom. For example being lost at sea for may days, one may give up all hope of surviving and hence stops rowing. But giving up rowing and being open to another possibility may allow the lost sailor a chance to catch a trade current and find a closer land mass in the opposite direction. We could call this non-hope by various names such as abhyasa-vairagyabhyam, asking for guidance, isvara pranidhana, or simply being present.
Hope is often like faith, as a misplaced trust in an external authority, or blind belief. It is just as destructive as it allows the hopeful or faithful to hang on to an unrealistic dream or fancy, rather than to see the truth and deal effectively with the great potentiality inherent in one's real situation.
Repression versus Refraining from Neurotic Desire: Fear of Pleasure/Desire
To be certain, Sri Patanjali is not dismissing enjoyment or pleasure per se. Nor is natural healthy desire being demeaned or demonized. Nor is self abnegation or self punishment being advocated. Rather, what Patanjali has pointed out succinctly is that the specific impulse (here the attractive impulse) that is accompanied by a "clinging" or dependence upon results; i.e., the possession of an object (in goal orientation) is an avoidable impediment/obstruction, obscuration or hindrance (klesha) to awakening if not recognized and dropped (in vairagya). Part of the process of awakening is self recognition, recognizing our activities, mental patterns, unconscious dependencies, addictions, motives, karmic residues, subconscious mental habits (vasana), and thus releasing all residual unconscious compulsions eventually. This is done gradually through yogic practices. Certainly craving is not a happy state of mind, even though the conditioned mindfield often confuses it to be so. Here it is valuable to recognize how the mind assigns its labels of pleasure or pain (preference), however it is not necessary NOR PRACTICAL to obtain an analytical or intellectual understanding of all one's afflictions/attractions. Rather it is simply necessary to drop them (vairagya), while embracing which is truly endearing and fulfilling. It is necessary to rest in the innate unity with sacred presence -- as part and parcel with the transconceptual (nirvikalpa) unitive transpersonal Great Integrity as the culmination of yoga. From that space/time all else will be illumined and explained. In that sense nothing is repressed or renounced, rather one opens up to a boundless embrace.
As will be discussed in the next sutra under dvesa (antipathy), the mechanisms of repression are a combination of fear and attraction. As an escape from feeling pleasure, it has some serious anti-life and anti-social consequences. It should be pointed out that fear of pleasure and happiness as a conditioned and eventually a habitually unconsciously self enforced mechanism where sadism and masochism ( self punishment) for harboring specific thoughts of obtaining pleasure, which have been made taboo by external "authority structures" (a supervising or censoring super ego) is not uncommon in tightly controlled authoritarian societies, be they religious, fascistic, or merely totalitarian. Alongside that, there widely exists a conditioned fear of innate feelings (such as sexuality the enjoyment of nature, the love of other living beings and animals, instinct, natural function, spontaneity, creative thought, new ideas, and one's direct alliance and interdependence with the evolutionary life force and its source. That in turn leads to a mechanical rigidity where wildness, spontaneity, and nature are often feared as well as people or objects which remind us of such things. This repressive negative conditioning process is accomplished by crushing the developing psyche's innate ability for critical and creative thought, because it may contradict their parents, self appointed support groups, church, religion, society, peers, or superego -- their self appointed board of censors or judges. It is also conditioned by abusing and debasing the victim so they become insensitive to their own feelings (by demeaning their feeling sense through imposing pain). Hence authoritarian types often use stern methods, threat of punishment, and often actual physical as well as mental abuse until the victims become inured the authoritative structure and stops rebelling. When the slave stops rebelling, then they become obedient and capable of exploitation. Then they are rewarded for their obedience. To question the authority is viewed as rebellious. A threat to the control and ownership of the would be slave master/puppeteer. Hence children and slaves are taught not to question basic self perpetuating assumptions and illusions which the authority depends upon. The questioning itself is ridiculed, made taboo, or punished. Hence fear, pain, and threat of punishment are created by the ruling elite in order to dissuade inquiry and true pleasure, joy, and fulfillment. What is left in place is neurotic desire for status, security, privilege, and ersatz consumerism which the ruling class doles out to its most productive servants. The propagation of fear, pain, and punishment (terrorism perpetuated by the ruling class) are hence the prerequisites that perpetuate authoritarian and totalitarian tyranny.
Victims are held in check by perpetuating the need for such an illusory structure. "Else wise, chaos and anarchy" are said to ensue. Hence the oppressor paints itself as one's protector; an elitist paternalism becomes instituted. Any act of disobedience to such external authorities is denounced as a dangerous threat to security. Here by security, it is meant, a threat to the citta-vrtti, the delusory mindset. It is condemnable and "deserves" punishment, hatred, threats, or violence (as rebels are characterized as being "bad"). Hence they or anyone else is "bad" if they desire such healthy pleasures, joy, fulfillment, claim such feelings, knowledge, values, alliances, beliefs, or thoughts. Those "others" who indulge in authentic measures of fulfillment thus are labeled as bad, and are condemned, demonized, ridiculed, and often hated, attacked, threatened, and punished. By condemning others as bad, the ego makes oneself appear good. Such fulfils the need for those who have a low sense of self esteem and need to boost up their sense of pride and superiority (because of an already bruised ego). Jealousy and the desire to effect punishment as vengeance (to avenge the wrong) also comes from this same deep sense of misappropriation and disenfranchisement with one's own innate sense of self worth -- one's deepest feelings. Locked up in such a mental prison (bounded by the citta-vrtti) rife with pramana, vikalpa, and delusion, the egoic mindset appears as a "complex" mechanism because delusion, self deceit, fantasy, and denial are actively involved; mechanisms of denial and withdrawal are strengthened; and intuitive wisdom and instinct are actively avoided. Primordial consciousness and its innate evolutionary power has become disrupted and disturbed. If or when anybody challenges or questions such rigidly held conventional "views", then they are often perceived as an enemy attack and are treated accordingly. For more see "The Fear of Living" (below). Also see"Fear of Pleasure" also "PAIN", "AVOIDANCE", "What Appears as Pleasure may be Empty and Neurotic", and "DENIAL".
Above we briefly discussed the difference between natural desire and neurotic desire. Natural desire is like staying warm, breathing, smelling a flower,allowing for undistorted natural function, eating when truly hungry, touching, loving, honesty, open expression, and expressing love deeply. Unnatural or neurotic desire manifests as over eating, sexual exploitation, misogyny, artificial perfumes, drug and alcohol addiction, and a wide variety of pathological activities (see the next sutra on aversion/antipathy). When the natural or mind or body mechanisms become repressed and shut down, so too does the energy body (nadis). The life energy (prana) is not only not reduced, but it is no longer acknowledged, recognized, honored, respected, or present. Then through authentic yoga practices one can open up these blocked pathways, become more sensitive, aware, and more empowered. This process of awakening is discussed in the last part of Pada II (astanga yoga), Pada III, and IV.
The Ordinary Mind and Ordinary Raga: Profane/Mundane Love versus Divine Passion/Love
Many people ask what is the difference between ordinary or mundane lust, passion, and love on one hand, and divine love and passion on the other? This is a very cogent question, because in many religious schools all passion, love, and desire is seen as negative and are dismissed, condemned, or repressed across the board. That energy of negation can result in pathological inhibitive, dissociative, schizoid, self contradictory, and neurotic consequences. What must be discerned here is that one's world view, the sense world, nature, the body, and sensual function are one thing, while what the mind makes of them to be, is another thing. Shutting down the sense organs, one's innate feelings, or negating nature and life is pathological. What needs to be worked on (rather than avoided or ignored) is how the mind reacts and imputes "the world". Negation and escapism is over simplistic and misses the point entirely. First let us understand what Patanjali means by raga. as ordinary dualistic desire based on asmita. Study of I.17 and I.18 in that regard is essential.
Dr. Christopher Chapple simply states accurately that the klesha of raga is:
"Attraction is clinging to pleasure."
Raga is really an association imputed upon an object, event, or activity which promises pleasure (sukha) or release. That such a pleasure is neurotic, temporary or unnecessary is usually not calculated into the equation. It is the same as stating that "not" having this object, event, or activity would be painful (duhkha). Hence in raga there is an assumed attachment to results which makes it klishta, as distinct from unattached natural pleasure, which leaves no karmic residue. Likewise, there is an important element of time, anticipation, or expectation of pleasure (sukha) as in a projected future union combined with the sense of ownership of that pleasure (asmita-raga) inherent in raga. Raga takes us out of the body and sacred timeless presence. Hence, there is an element of escape and loss associated with it. Raga (as desire, craving. longing, and attachment) hence reinforces the spiritual Diaspora. Raga as craving for "some thing" in anticipation to the result of a future enjoyment of its possession, hence expending energy and vectors toward that goal oriented process takes us out of the sacred present -- now awareness. Just so, one may say that raga it is a result of ignoring or non-recognition of sacred presence -- not being HERE and NOW, hence it is an avoidance or denial of unobstructed vision (vidya).
Likewise as a result of this non-recognition (which is none other than avidya) the ego then experiences dissatisfaction with the NOW and craves a future association == is attracted to or wishes to join up and merge with another object. Again the chronic anticipation of sukha (pleasure) being associated with the pleasure itself, rather than as its lack (craving) becomes an addictive exciting divergent activity such as the excitement of window shopping, pornography, vicarious sports, ersatz living, or other distractions -- cravings that premise ersatz fulfillment. In this sense both raga and dvesa are two secondary kleshas which solidify the more primary kleshas of asmita (the egoic mind's sense of separateness and alienation) and avidya (lack of primal vision) because the victim is constantly looking toward external I/it objects or phenomena in dualistic pursuits for mental comfort, pleasure, or security.
Craving is a state of mind based on a dualistic separation, alienation, lack/absence or scarcity, but the common man mistakenly associates it as fullness, while confusing the process with its result. Since the anticipation of fulfillment of a craving is associated with the craving itself, the common man is fooled that the more desires he has the more pleasure he will obtain. An example is being hungry brings spice into life, or craving sexual intercourse is pleasurable because it is concomitant with sexual orgasm, and so forth where the craving is confused with its fulfillment. Is it the orgiastic pleasure associated with union in sexual joining which many desire, or is it the associated craving, desire, arousal, foreplay, and titillation which promises orgasm the driving factor. Really isn't even complete sexual physical orgasm hollow without ego loss -- without any transpersonal after effect? What is it that drives us? Do we know? Hence can we act consciously with wisdom driven by healthy instincts and capable of discerning between these and compulsive neurotic mechanisms which enslave one and create suffering? Hence the dog chases its tail. Addiction is based upon this cycle of seeking happiness in metaphors -- in that which is symbolic, representational, hollow, superficial, compensatory, and neurotic, It will never substitute for the real thing.
The average person locked into their myopic samsaric prison mistakes samsaric existence as pleasurable (see more on this in the discussion of next sutra regarding dvesa). Craving severely distorts the citta-vrtti (mindfield) as a wave of external desire. In the meditator it appears as the wandering mind (combined with dvesa). All addictions have raga at its base (seeking happiness in external pursuits of pleasure). Raga combined with asmita and avidya form the basis of insatiable greed, where avariciousness is also similar, but contains in addition the next klesha, dvesa (antipathy).
Raga, as a mental affliction, is a difficult habit to break, because its victims for the most part believe that they are experiencing pleasure, rather than bondage and pain. On a physical level this can be seen as desire for sensual contacts such as good tasting food, sex, music, perfume, etc. but on a mental level it shows up as the desire to unite with and the attachment thereof of the ego (self) with the seen (object) as a substitute union-- the conflation of the observer with that which is observed; hence it is obvious that it is due to asmita and avidya. This is also called false identification, sarupyam citta-vrtti, and samyoga in a general sense. Ultimately one learns that pleasure, like, good, and preferable are all the results of the mind -- a light goes off in the pleasure center as a result. It is never the case that any object gives us happiness, but rather it is the mind. So the yogi learns how to stay genuinely happy free from causality, condition, or circumstances. This is concomitant with unconditional freedom (kaivalyam).
Raga as attraction or attachment to the appearances of objects and/or conditions is most often simplemindedly translated as "desire". But it is valuable to point out that "raga" is the specific false identification or rather confusion that misinforms us that the pursuit of objects of attraction will bring about cessation of our cravings or rather create happiness/pleasure. But as any meditator knows, true happiness is a result of a state of mind. The state of mind which is non-dual union (samadhi) comes first.In fact we learn that craving actually doesn't feel good at all, even though we may have learned that its pursuit often brings about a temporary reward. Profane love is egoic love. It is based on a fragmented view -- the split from the innate intelligent evolutionary power. Mundane love is always neurotic, perverse, superficial, and compensatory. It attempts to fill the hollowness that resulted from the subject/object split in the fabrication of the house of the ego (asmita) -- when primordial consciousness became hijacked by criminal and perverse elements in our karmic environment. Yoga reverses all of those negative conditions through positive conditioning. Yoga re-educates the neurophysiological circuitry, the brain, and the patterns of thinking so that it aligns up again with the innate intelligent natural evolutionary power and source. That way primordial consciousness is always available as the true guide/teacher in NOW awareness and true beingness. One has to only get a small taste of that nectar. perfume, and beauty to become its disciple.
This is where Divine passion and love comes in as divine remembrance/remembering -- as reconnecting with Source. As explained above temporal, neurotic, or profane, or is a perverse or compensatory love, Perhaps profane is not the best word, as we do not mean to establish "sacred cows" or taboos, but rather to cut through to the chase. Divine passion is rather our natural state where non-dual wisdom pours forth out of us spontaneously. When we act as its natural integral expression, then boundless happiness love, compassion, wisdom, and egalitarianism are also naturally expressed. The goal of yoga is to experience and abide in that state experientially, effortlessly, and continually. This is not derived or concluded from books, external authorities, or the intellect, but is due to a transpersonal non-dual experience which authentic yoga sadhana will produce when approached with devotion, one pointed focus, passion, and feeling so that the innate responsive/intuitive transconceptual circuitry is awakened.
On the path to that goal one also utilizes divine passion and love. Sometimes this is called the desire for desirelessness. But that characterization can be a sticky wicket, as a separate self may interpret that as a statement of negation, indifference, antipathy, or repression, rather than a state of utter bliss and fulfillment. Again I.12-18 are key sutras, Vairagya again is the key to understanding divine love. When we have given up all personal; attachments not only as owners of things but owners of thoughts, then and only then will divine grace descend. That is love. When asmita (the ego) dies, then Divine passion will engulf one in its flames. Ego death is the death of I/it dualism. Negation, repression or walking a narrow path will not bring this ripening and opening to fruition, albeit the intent may be noble.
We all have the primal imprint of divine love inside us -- that potential bliss and virtue is the primal imprint (samskara). It is the Buddha seed (the seed Bodhicitta), the buddhanature, the core/heart universal formless and attributeless, essence called isvara. As we aspire naturally toward it, removing obstacles (kleshas), it simultaneously flows through us instantaneously. Sadhana then becomes the process oriented adventure of discovering and revealing that innate love and happiness in self and others (non-dually) -- In All Our Relations. Eventually there is no longer any search, no quest, no practice, nothing not to desire or desire. Now Awareness and Instant Presence. Here. Now Pure Consciousness- Pure Beingness as sacred presence-- Great Bliss in the innate Integrity of Sat-Cit-Ananda.
Ignorance is Bliss? --Wisdom reflects true and lasting happiness
There is an American idiom that says, "Ignorance is bliss". It means that many people desire to hear only the good news, preferential news, flattering data, and messages that massage their prejudices and egoic mindsets. That, they associate with the mental pleasure of their ego fixation. At the same time these same people dislike hearing any news that contradicts their prejudice, expectations, preferences, or which may not be flattering to their egoic identity. This dislike may act in extreme cases beyond mere irritation/resentment to a state of reflexive and compulsive denial while ignoring any data that contradicts one's preferred belief or identity. It is just not heard, but rather blocked out through egoic defense mechanisms. In this way many people appear very happy in their egoic cocoons as long as they are not subjected to information which contradicts their preferred view of self and the world. For the most part, when confronted with conflicting information, such people may quickly become unhappy, distraught, or angry. They often seek isolation in cocoons of like-minded people who share their beliefs (like denizens in enclaves of group pride), such as customized clubs, bars, communities, and so forth. In these closeted mindsets, the idea of pleasure or happiness is dependent upon isolation. It is a temporary happiness dependent on the ego finding pleasure in the security afforded by external self gratifying circumstances. To state that another way, it is dependent upon not being confronted with data which contradict the ego's mental sense of gratification or pleasure.
Another type of person may like diversity, new information, variation, while always being open and tolerant of other people's views and ideas without feeling threatened. There is less fear and anger in the latter type person, hence more genuine happiness. Although there may be the absence of the ersatz happiness that comes from egoic flattery, praise, or self satisfaction (based on comparative worth or not), happiness as a sense of well being and deep knowing of who one truly is in relationship with the momentum of the evolutionary force is much stronger. Being that fear, anger, jealousy, prejudice, asmita, and insecurity factors are less, one's overall happiness quotient is considerably higher.
To sum up, many people may temporarily think that they are truly "happy" in not-knowing. They don't want o hear the bad news. It can be said that they can't hear it, are deaf, numbed, ignore, or have holes in their knowledge (blocks). This can be said to be due because the desire for egoic gratification succeeds that of the passion to know the truth, but perhaps closer is that fear to know, exceeds their capacity to accept contradictory information and assimilate it. The tragedy is that many people do not know how to think for themselves and have allowed other people (parents, priests, political or religious leaders, talk show hosts, authoritarian types, etc), do their thinking for them. When confronted with new information that may contradict their isolated point of view, they tend to backslide into their prejudice, attempting to avoid "pain" and remain "happy" within the sphere of egoic based pleasure. Of course, in yoga, we talk about the great bliss (mahasukha or ananda) which is based on the union of Sat (pure beingness) and Cit (pure awareness). It is nothing other than the light of wisdom and compassion shining through our channels (nadis) and warming us. It is transconceptual, non-dual, and transpersonal wisdom.
True Love is not Egoic "Love", Desire, nor Attachment
Non-initiates, who have no intact conscious memory of experiencing non-dual realization, will conflate the kleshas of the egoic self (asmita), ordinary I/it desire, and attachment (raga) with compassionate and unconditional love. This egoic displacement is home base for those who desire to control other people's lives in an exploitive manner. Mechanisms of self-deceit and pride tell them that they know what is best for others. Such people manipulate other people and even take it on themselves to punish others, justifying such punishment as being instructive or for the other's overall good. Taken to the extreme, such is the component of evangelistic movements, witch-hunts, exorcism, and even forced conversions.
For example, one may say that they love a picture. That means that they like the picture to be in their lives. The picture brings pleasure and comfort to that person. If the picture that they like is damaged, destroyed, or stolen, the owner may become unhappy. They may think, "I loved that picture, but now that is gone. It's joy that it gave me is gone." Really they enjoyed the object's company. If so, then an attachment disorder may be set in motion, where there is experienced a loss and a need for yet another replacement, as an ersatz neurotic object. That is an example of neurotic love or simple carnal desire (raga). The point is that such egoic attachment is NOT compassionate love. Any ersatz object could suffice as a substitute for the absence of sacred presence -- for the feeling of loss being apart from the whole, rather than being in an intimate loving embrace/connection. That object could be a cat, dog, lover, friend, or relative. True spiritual love affirms our transpersonal non-dual connection. It is a compassionate love where giving is receiving.
If a mindset, which is afflicted by asmita-raga klesha, imputes that they love a person, they are simply stating that they like that person as an object in their life, they appreciate that person, or approve of them. Consequently, when that person is not in their lives they may feel abandoned, lonely, or resentful. Such selfish egoic thinking is far removed from selfless compassion or true unconditional love. Rather they are happy when they have these objects/people in their lives, and unhappy when they are not. That kind of happiness is based on separation and it is insecure, because there is fear in losing it. People desire true happiness, but they do not know where or how to find it. That is where wisdom comes into the picture. Loving ice cream, chocolate, whiskey, money, fame, control, cars, cats, trees, birds, or "other" as objects of possession or pleasure is ordinary desire (raga), unless the context is shifted to non-dual wisdom, where transpersonal compassionate love shines brightly and spontaneously.
Vajra Passion, Vajra Love, and Desire as Boundless Non-dual Compassion
Just as in the previous sutra we defined vajra or spiritual pride. So too we will define Vajra Passion similarly. In ordinary dualistic mental states raga is based on the imputation of a separate self and a separate object of desire. Succinctly, it is based on the mistaken view of subject/object duality. It can be said that raga then is mostly selfish. In vajra passion, the desire is selfless and hence objectless. Vajra love is entirely free from craving or attachment to any phenomena. It is the bodhicitta (innate buddha mind of awakening) expressing itself naturally and unalloyed in boundless compassion. Vajra passion, as compassion, is based on one's natural transpersonal non-dual real situation, devoid of egoic delusion. There is no single object or qualification of vajra passion. Rather it is objectless shining freely -- self luminous by itself. Any and all that comes into its path is bathed by it -- in it. thus it is said that there are no objects nor end of true compassion -- it simply shines on and on and on.
Vajra passion comes from vajra space. In its essential nature, it is objectless. It harnesses the energy of pure compassion devoid of clinging, preference, or dislike. It is unstoppable and irrepressible. Vajra compassion conquers all fear and attachment. Such is its power. Vajra compassion occurring in impenetrable vajra space has no isolated referent, no solid ground except in the all encompassing vajra-like aspect of the ever-changing boundless and unlimited dimensions of samadhi-time/samadhi-space. The true self is empty of self. That formless self is universal and omnipresent. It is known everywhere as imperishable, and hence vajralike, yet carefully discerned as embedded in differentiated consciousness as undifferentiated consciousness. It is self effulgent as-it-is -- but being all pervading it is beyond subtle -- rarefied to the extreme. There is no place where it is not, hence it is impenetrable, all pervading, adamantine, and timeless. The primordial undifferentiated consciousness (pure objectless/formless awareness or light) is eternally/constantly NOW and HERE, ever present, and always has been/will be, in NOW awareness NOW. That Adamantine vajra NOW is all we ever have. From that vajra-space, objectless pure vajra compassion arises.
This can be realized in stages starting from egoic ignorance (avidya) and moving to enlightened transpersonal non-dual awareness (the realization of one's innate buddhanature potential) . First, one recognizes one's dualistic nature as craving and suffering. Then the yogi desires at first to not crave, become attached, or enslaved. One desires to become liberated in order to help liberate others. The yogi's non-dual awareness grows into the boundless mind where wisdom and compassion are inseparable. That process may take many years or eons. One desires the happiness of all beings and feels compassion for all those who are unhappy. Such a yogi develops a strong passion for the Sanatana dharma, for truth, justice, integrity, and ahimsa. As this compassion turns ferocious, adamantine, immovable, and unstoppable, yogic practitioners are filled with a burning undying enthusiasm that propels and inspires their practice. This fire is the bodhicitta or the motive will and power toward transpersonal awakening that has empowered all buddhas and yogis. In that state of Vajra Passion desires for ersatz temporary objects (things) are known as ordinary raga, distraction, diversions, and are instantly and naturally discarded. This occurs spontaneously when true virtue is expressed and reflected. In truth separate independent objects are beginningless in that they never existed even for a moment. Rather they were created by the ideational mind (the process of ignoring). Phenomena truly exist non- dually, not separate -- they are empty of a separate self since beginningless time. When the true nature of mind is awakened, then the true nature of nature is illumined. Also see Vajra Anger as selfless compassionate action. Also See Vajra Pride
"As a mother would risk her life to protect her child, her only child, even so should one cultivate a limitless heart with regard to all beings. So with a boundless heart should one cherish all living beings; radiating kindness over the entire world." ~The Buddha, Sutta Nipata I, 8
"Normally" what Appears as Fun and Happiness is actually Suffering: Pleasure is Pain:
This section has two aspects. The first is what appears as mundane or dualistic pleasure or happiness is in reality actually painful. The second aspect is that the very quest for dualistic pleasure/happiness is itself painful, being both the result of a pre-existing more primary painful displacement and a search outside in phenomena for its resolution, which is impossible. In short the quest for happiness that is dependent upon conditions is at best temporary and incomplete; while true` happiness is interdependent, being based on the natural, unconditioned, and intimate state of (interconnected) awareness (yoga). Also see pada I.16-17 for more on dualistic (samprajnata) pleasure.
To the mundane and neurotic egoic mindset what often appears to be fun, is in reality a diversion (viksepa) from true and lasting happiness. It is most often a distraction and temporary compensatory mechanism which enslaves the participant. Waking up allows us to let go (vairagya) these activities and subsequently delve deeper into true happiness. This realization requires spiritual maturity -- self knowledge and recognition..
Craving is the embodiment of dissatisfaction. In fact it takes us away of the well being possible in the sacred present. Desires not only pull us out of the Now awareness in anticipation and expectation, but its very nature is based on not being happy in our present now awareness -- it is based on dissatisfaction, want, or lack. That is why that which often appears as fun, entertainment, pleasure, and happiness is actually a mode of suffering, raga/dvesa as a klesha (affliction). Its very nature is duhkha (suffering).
Habitually one confuses the desire with its fulfillment in anticipation, hence the excitement of anticipatory pleasure becomes addictive in chronic neurotic activity. The pursuit is associated with the end result so one ascribes pleasure to the pursuit. Hence, shopping, hunting, sexual titillation, exotic dining, etc. For example pursuits such as shopping is actually masochistic, often associated with pleasure itself and hence is often mistaken as a pleasurable activity even if one comes home empty handed or exhausted. Masochism obviously is a psychopathy. Because it is often titillating, as it awakens dead nerve impulses and allows the self imposed victim to get in touch or deal with their deep repressed feelings, albeit dysfunctionally, it tells a story of dissociation, past trauma, inhibition, and/or unreleased residual pain when successfully seen as-it-is. Hence we can learn from it. But just understanding the whys and how's of it is not enough for the victim to let go of this tendency (analysis is not therapy), rather the most successful "therapy" is to replace the need for such titillation with more effective practices which enliven and irrigate the organism with fresh prana and consciousness (evolutionary creative energy) via yogic practices such as authentic astanga yoga for example.
This won't be an in-depth discussion of the myriad negative psychological, social, economic, and environmental implications of raga, but let it suffice to say that there are many. For example, obesity for the most part, is the result of chronic craving, which is sublimated toward self gratifying compensation through excessive eating. Over consuming as well as over achieving, greed, and addiction are of course also results of raga. Those are numerous mundane examples. In yoga the wandering or monkey mind during meditation (dhyana) is a manifestation of raga. The basic vector is attraction, attachment, and fixation due to prior displacement (the split or basic separation from one's true nature), while the solution is vairagya (letting go of the fixation, creating space, and the return to original nature). That is why Sri Patanjali emphasized abhyasa vairagyabhyam.
Raga, like all the other kleshas is a condition of ignorance (avidya), when consciousness separates from at-one-ment with its own true nature (swarupa) and assumes a false/substitute identity (asmita) in the samsaric realm of citta-vrtti. Avidya is non-other than non-recognition of the true nature of mind as-it-is in reality. Again, desire/craving takes us out of the present and/or attempts to compensate for the rend of being separated from Now Awareness. Therefore it is clear that raga is a result of a more primary split or spiritual affliction, a rend from a more primary deprivation from the deepest heart felt sense of wholeness -- the integrated connection with All Our Relations . When that primary separation occurs, no substitute will adequately compensate for that split from wholeness and completion -- the Great Integrity or Completion which is by its nature, naturally vast and all encompassing, but is at the same time widely ignored in materialistic societies through the programming of spiritual ignorance (egoic delusions).
Raga is thus a temporary compensatory (neurotic) displacement-fulfillment mechanism for our more primary desire (spiritual love) -- a substitute for union (yoga) with the true imperishable Natural Self which has become misdirected/distracted and corrupted into states of chronic yearnings accompanied by temporary fulfillment/satisfaction. -- a temporal replacement/displacement which is secondary and ultimately misleading (leading to further graspings (parigraha), greed, avarice, fear, and conflict. This neuroses assumes a split/rend and disconnect from the Whole Self in the first place -- an egoic state of fragmentation and separation (asmita). When that becomes habituated, one chronically seeks fulfillment in the pursuit and processes of the procurement and possession of external or outward phenomena, objects, people, events, or experiences. The more the repression or inhibition of the expression of that primary love drive in All Our Relations, the greater will be the internal conflict, tension, frustration, dissatisfaction, and need/craving. Even the need for tranquilizers, sleeping pills, alcohol, drugs, escapism, and other activities which dissociate and numb the human being can be identified as raga, hence passionate renunciation, self abnegation, repression, and self censor stems from the same root as other outward forms of raga. The ultimate solution is always the same -- openness, love, reconnection, spiritual realization, realizing the truth of interdependence, the surrender of the egoic delusion.
Thus chronic habits, fixation patterns, and vicious circles are created which cause additional attachment, compulsion, fear, addictions, and bondage. This is the statement of the first Noble truth in Buddhism; that the ego's tendency to grasp onto objects which are impermanent or temporal constitutes the major cause of suffering. The fixation upon an ego, a physical body, or that which is always changing is just another grasping onto a limited way of being. Thus raga organizes the distraught and fragmented ego around an objectified goal/desire. That attraction reinforces the ego's self made prison (based on avidya and asmita). Life is so much richer when we let go or renounce such fixations, but such a process requires positive focused intent and awareness.
Boredom, Complacency, Sloth, Indifference, Indolence, and Apathy versus Excitement, Stimulation, and Shopping
A bored, indolent, apathetic, complacent, or indifferent person is not a signal bearer for vairagya, but rather the opposite. In short non-attachment to results occurs because of true happiness, completeness, and contentment has been realized through interconnected and vibrant union. It is NOT found through disunion/disconnect. It is NOT found through repression, inhibition, withdrawal, abandonment, or escape primarily; albeit, an abandonment of modalities of asmita and avidya are involved. Renunciation does not mean sacrifice; rather it mans victory over the forces of distraction and dissuasion. It is achieved through practicing vairagya as recognition (asamprajnata), which cuts through the attachment associations between the observer and its objects. It is explained well in sutras I.17-18, as asamprajnata (non-dual recognition). Breaking up addictions that are recognized through vidya as being mere distractions creates space for connecting with the primordial presence (which is ever-present). It's qualities are light and compassionate love, and as such is nothing like boredom, sloth, indifference, dissociation, withdrawal, or apathy.
Yoga practice facilitates a connection and empowerment that is loving and fulfilling. Boredom itself is a sign of disconnect and disempowerment. It is a sign that something is lacking, the true nature of mind is blocked, and that the path ways of illumined compassion are obstructed. In many instances boredom, lethargy, and apathy (as a disconnect) are prerequisites for craving where the observer then desires excitement, travel, adventure, objects, and titillation, which is for the most part neurotic; i.e., temporary compensatory substitutes for their primal disconnect. These neurotic compensatory substitutes (sukhanusayi raga) can be almost numberless. A modern example is shopping as a diversion. One may go shopping because of boredom, and find it an "interesting" diversion, entertaining, and even imagine buying some thing or another. As long as one does not actually buy the object, it is a less harmful diversion (a diversion none-the-less). Buying the object while imagining that it will bring the owner happiness only feeds the dynamic mechanisms of neurotic distraction/dissuasion. (as samsara).
The Mechanism of Raga: What is Happiness and Where Can it Be Found?
The ancient yogis learned to know their own mind through yogic practice. They learned *not* how to control or repress their mind or behavior, rather how to release the impediments and obstructions, and thus abide in the true nature of mind. This way one's evolutionary potential became empowered, consciousness was expanded, and great bliss realized (the end of suffering) through recognition of the original unborn mind.
The stages of recognition through raga first involve a recognition of preexisting ignorance. There is a hint of a state of disconnection of consciousness from innate at-wonderment -- from All Our Relations, which becomes quickly followed by a mentally contrived egoic state, a displacement, a compensatory substitute, a separate disconnected entity (ego), which is called asmita or the ego sense which further lacks an authentic object of self gratification. This egoic mind then craves union, but because this mindset is occluded by ignorance (avidya) of its true nature (sarupa), it looks for union/happiness in the realm of dualistic phenomena (the estranged world of separate objects and a separate "I"). Lasting happiness and union will never be found that way. That is the fundamental teaching of Patanjali and Buddha. That external quest is a dead end road, just as a heroin addict, an alcoholic, or greed machine will find out one day. Rather there exists a far more gratifying path back home-- lasting happiness, unconditional freedom, Great Bliss and the end to suffering not dependent upon any external objects of possession -- no obsessions. Eventually in samadhi all quests are quelled. Complete fulfillment is realized beyond any dualistic desire whatsoever. Here unalloyed light and compassionate non-dual love are experienced, expressed, and reign supreme.
To reiterate, there is first a disconnection from one's true natural state, , then the craving, then the false identifications and pursuit with desire associating the craving with the object (pleasure as craving), then attachment to the object (greed, parigraha, possessiveness, obsession)., and fear of losing the objects (dvesa). This can become a predictive self-fulfilling habit/routine as in an addictive behavior of craving, pursuit/attraction, union (temporary gratification), attachment, then craving again, pursuit/attraction, etc., until recognition/mindfulness begins to predominate.
Waking up includes complete satisfaction/fulfillment (santosha) in the present (NOW), which is known in conscious integration of natural unconditioned state. For example, in yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyhara, dharana, and dhyana (meditation) the mind, energy, and attention are brought back into the present moment when it wanders. This present NOW attention/awareness is not some dead existential place or repressive hard place beside a cold rock, rather it contains everything -- it is everything and is known through practice. This provides great bliss/happiness and fulfillment/completion, not as a desired goal/result, but as a symptom/quality of attainment.
For a yogi happiness/contentment is not possessing or yoking toward an external object or ersatz order, rather it is a state of mind. It is knowing what-is-as-it truly is, and deepening one's connection with the primordial momentum of the moment. The yogi learns how to attune body, breath (energy), and mind in non-dual timeless communion.
Ordinary pleasure is often experienced as the satisfaction of a desire and thus a pre-existing tension or stress is resolved or discharged (at least temporarily). One rests in the present rather than being goal oriented (toward an object). Also the release or removal of fear, a threat, or pain (physical or mental) is also associated with pleasure. This type of self gratification although part and parcel of raga (desire or attachment) is confused with an anticipation of pleasure (its gratification), rather than as a struggle or suffering state (duhkha). Here in confusion (avidya) the process of goal orientation is confused with obtaining its object (they are blurred together by the confused mind as one); hence the average person perpetuates their own conflation of pain with pleasure. One easily can be conditioned and fall victim in associating the attraction/repulsion as an anticipation of pleasure/pain. Too often while suffering from neurotic ego afflictions man puts in front of him neurotic objects of desire to be grasped or obtained by the ego, such as in goal oriented pursuits of fame, objects of self worth, amassing of wealth, symbols of success, authority, privilege, power, status, commodity consumption (consumerism), etc. Especially the will for power, privilege, status, and control, (as power over others) is one such manifestation of an internal lack.The pain of not obtaining these objects is obvious in raga (attachment), but the pain associated in craving them in the first place is less obvious, never-the-less it is experienced as such, and can be discerned by the discerning.
Self-Portrait
It doesn't interest me if there is one God or many gods.
I want to know if you belong or feel abandoned.
If you know despair or can see it in others. I want to know
if you are prepared to live in the world with its harsh need
to change you. If you can look back with firm eyes
saying this is where I stand. I want to know if you know
how to melt into that fierce heat of living falling toward
the center of your longing. I want to know if you are willing
to live, day by day with the consequence of love and the bitter
unwanted passion of your sure defeat.
I have been told, in that fierce embrace, even the gods speak of God.
David Whyte, "Self Portrait"
In yoga the apparent separation (dualistic rend) between the seer and seen -- the object of gratification to be possessed is seen as being based on a false assumption -- the assumption of duality, ignorance, avidya, and ego (asmita). In authentic yoga one perceives these false assignations to be distractive and neurotic -- being both contrived and compensatory for a greater longing for union due to a more primary and spiritual dissociation/separation which when reunified and completed (as authentic yoga) brings santosha (true contentment) and bliss (ananda) versus ordinary pleasure. Thus the completion of ordinary desire by obtaining the object of the desire can at best bring about temporary pleasure, but eventually more craving is sure to arise until the primary and non-neurotic passion is completed. That is because the context remains limited and unchanged, one thus repeats the same error while nothing has been learned. A vicious cycle is often formed where the craving itself is confused with the expectation of its consummation so that there becomes a perverse association of pleasure with the process of craving/desire itself. The greater the anticipation or expectation (raga) the greater the resultant suffering, yet at the point of obtaining the object there is a temporary sense of gratification (which is really a release of tension or strife in getting "there").
Similarly unmet desire, expectation, or assumptions then create frustration, displeasure, disappointment, and sometimes grief, resentment or anger (aversion). Similarly when there is attachment, there is often fear associated in losing that which one is attached to. For example if one is attached to a nice house, car, or job, one may become fearful of losing such. For some the more they have, the more they fear. Likewise, the pursuit of security when one is afraid of losing something because they feel insecure, can be said to be a desire/craving as well as an aversion, just as the feeling of temporary well being can over come one after they have escaped from robbers or murderers. Pleasure is the reward and pain is the payment [for ordinary neurotic craving]. Ordinary pleasure and pain are two sides of one coin. Some one carves something and then is rewarded by its union. That is part of the cycle of samsara. More craving (pain), then the more pleasure that is sought. Liberated beings spontaneously manifest santosha and compassion. They reflect the light gleaned from direct experience (vidya) basking in the thousand petaled sun of unspeakable complete integrated spiritual realization.
What is missing is that the ego (I) still perceives the object (it) as subject/object duality. Hence merging with the object is still a limited prison. The real Self is the observer, the object, AND all object, and no objects, all at once. The "object" serves in the latter context as an open doorway -- as a manifestation of mutual causation (interdependence) where behind the veil the innate intelligent evolutionary power is revealed. All the rest is a perversion, corruption, or fragmentation; a futile attempt to find wholeness in a disparate and limited mind-field. Some practices attenuate the kleshas as we have read. Kriya yoga removes even the causes of the kleshas, but few are able to apply such without preliminary support. After the attenuation and then the complete removal of the kleshas become easier in stages. Then spiritual obfuscation and suffering is eliminated. Then is lasting happiness possible outside the cycle of craving, desire, fear, aversion, ego (asmita), pride, greed, jealousy, and death). All the kleshas when understood come from the same dualistic source, the estrangement/fragmentation from Self -- the split of individual consciousness in non-recognition from Universal Source Consciousness.
Similarly, mental pleasure or gratification of the ego can also be accomplished through aversion/repulsion (dvesa) just like raga, not only in the process of assuaging or removing fears, but in exacting revenge in gaining "satisfaction", ego gratification, a compensatory sense of self worth and victory or justice by exacting punishment to one's enemies or to those who have become associated as having inflicted pain upon oneself. Of course this pain is the result of one's own error of mentation, but it is imputed that an outside agency is in control -- has inflicted the blow.
Masochism, schadenfreude, and sadism, are also involved in finding a perverse pleasure as satisfaction in the pain which titillates a pre-existing sensate feeling or memory, like scratching an itch. Even more perverse are schadenfreude (enjoyment taken from the misfortune of others), torturing or teasing others, or morose delectation, First the basis must be created, the mental situation of absence, lack, scarcity, or self estrangement. They are the result of blocked, frustrated or repressed desire. Indeed neurotic, vicarious, and materialistic consumer based cultures tend to perpetuate over-stimulation and over-consumption, gluttony, greed, needs, and such dissatisfaction habitually through mind manipulation tactics to the point that such becomes chronic and "normal". Regardless, it is futile to find lasting happiness by neurotically chasing these phantoms of raga (attractions/anticipations) or dvesa (dislike or fear) caused by avidya.
A modern example is the widespread popularity of viagra (an expensive pharmaceutical drug that stimulates the sexual desire in men). For these men, the craving (raga) is associated (anusayi) with the actual pleasure of the sexual act (sukha) because these men have no other means toward experiencing such pleasurable feelings. To a yogi, such reasoning and resultant activities appear ridiculous, and so it is. It is the result of a very disconnected mindset (vrtti). We will discuss sadism and masochism in greater detail further on, but for now it can be said that all mental suffering is self imposed, self concluded, and self imputed. Placing the situation in that context, then self-liberation becomes tenable. However, a mere correct intellectual analysis alone will rarely effect liberation. Rather, effective practice is still necessary to eliminate the residual tendencies, pain and karma, while yoga is is rich in such practices which must be tailored to individual conditions/conditioning. Similarly, appetite stimulants, spices, pornography, and the like artificially transforms a passive or disconnected person and stimulates their desire (raga) in the hope of anticipating pleasure. For many people these modalities of self-gratifying desire are defined as the purpose of their lives. They measure their success in regard to how many sexual encounters they may achieve, how many grandiose meals that they have eaten, how many objects that they own, how many mountain tops they have climbed, and similar.
Raga and sukha are strong mental associative components that reinforce false identification of ego and pride (asmita) by addicting the mind to stories, messages, dramas, people and and world views that tells the story that is pleasurable, gratifying, and praising to ego pride (asmita) -- that strokes the limited ego fixation telling it that it is good and worthy. Like asmita-klesha, raga klesha is strongly associated with attachment to the citta-vrtti (See I.5) and especially attachment to views, especially identification with "right" or correct views, pram an-vrtti (see I.7). This is a source (together with avidya, asmita, and dvesa vrttis for much egoic defensive and aggressive activity which cause much turmoil, suffering, and negative karma, because here stoking the ego becomes paramount over truth. Raga klesha and asmita-klesha are primary factors for greed, envy, and other attachment disorders whose variations are almost numberless.
Likewise, this desire for stroking the ego (producing temporary and compensatory pleasure) shows up in our preferences, prejudice, and predilections which anticipate the future and as such severely limit it and/or create disappointment. The affliction (klesha) of mental preference occurs when the deluded ego sees what it desires to see, what is most pleasing to the ego and supports it, rather than to see what-is as truth. In other words the spiritual seeker seeks the truth, rather than to serve its vanity, mechanisms of self gratification, self justification, and pleasure (of which the latter serves asmita, pride, delusion, and self deceit). In everyday life because of our grasping and attachment man becomes subject to manipulation, corruption, graft, avarice, greed, covetousness, acquisitiveness, paranoia, rapaciousness, infatuation, possessiveness, addictive behavior, lust, malfeasance, perversion, prostitution, neuroses, selfishness, and so forth because the desire for the object supercedes other priorities such as spiritual values or conscience.
The point here is that raga is associated with secondary, compensatory or neurotic pleasure or temporary happiness within the prison of cyclic existence (the context of samsara or duality). Yoga as a spiritual discipline aims at unconditional liberation and unconditional happiness outside of the wheel of samsara (free from duhkha or sukha). Authentic yoga assumes a spiritual passion for spiritual liberation, unbounded happiness, boundless love, and its expression. It will not serve as an ornament of samsaric or egoic consciousness.
Remember Sutra I.17 vitarka-vicara-ananda-asmita-rupanugamat samprajnatah
[This gradual process which is yogic practice (sadhana) without attachment to results] is at first accompanied by the attainment of a limited knowledge based on the cognizing mindset (samprajnata), which in turn is accompanied with (anugamat) various forms of pleasure (ananda), coarse objectification processes (vitarka), subtle objectifications (vicara) such as attachment to mental objects of form (rupa), but such experiences are still associated with a definite feeling of "I-it" separateness and false identification (asmita) and thus also has the potential that serves to reinforce it.
I.17 best describes the mechanism of raga and I.18 its antidote. Since fear is simply a negative desire ; i.e., the desire for something not to happen, vairagya is also the remedy for dvesa. It is the remedy for samsara as well, but few have realized vairagya as described in I.18.
Any predilection or preference for something to happen or not to happen will bring with it some tension and affliction unless we remain unattached. The larger the attachment, the greater the associated duhkha (pain). As we shall see raga (attraction) and dvesa (repulsion) are simply two sides of one coin being the main motor power of normal neurotic living. The obvious immediate yoga remedy of the kleshas of raga, dvesa, and asmita is vairagya (non-attachment) and as a practical application aparigraha. In ashtanga yoga the practice of the bandhas, tapas and pratyhara serve the same end. In everyday life generating compassion and engaging in generosity and selfless service as well as the practice of chitta-prasadanam (remembering the divine) is remedial to raga. See I. 17 and I.42.
"Who fights with bows and arrows is not the true valiant one. Who banishes from his mind all cravings, lures, and greed is a warrior indeed."
Kabir
Similarly, the Bhagavadgita tells us that the demons that we fight externally are merely external projections of the inner demons of the subconscious mind which haunt us -- disparate parts of ourselves which we have not yet fully recognized, confronted, and reconciled, Outer peace will be won, when the inner war is over.
BetrayaL: Dependence or Trust on External "things", events, objects, people, or in general dualistic "systems", as ersatz realities creates a sense of BETRAYAL and angst
Trust can be misplaced. It is commonly done by those who are confused. One commonly forms attachment relationships and expectations toward parents, friends, places, jobs, situations, etc; and with that often expectations of acceptance, love, reward, or security. These attachment relationships are a form of raga Misplacing trust or dependence on "things" that are impermanent is not wise. Rather it is a result of avidya (ignorance). When trust is broken often a sense of betrayal results. If the trust and faith in a person, group, organization, religion, or belief was deep (which is another way of saying that the attachment was strong), then one often experiences the pangs of betrayal. Such can deteriorate into blame, hatred, anger, paranoia, cynicism, nihilism, and other kleshas. An unfortunate consequence is then not trusting anything or anybody (cynicism and paranoia) to the degree that when a positive opportunity arises which is worthy of our trust, which is reliable, and is true; one avoids it because of the great pain associated with trust.
The Four Reliances
"First, rely on the spirit and meaning of the teachings, not on the words;
Second, rely on the teachings, not on the personality of the teacher;
Third, rely on real wisdom, not superficial interpretation;
And fourth, rely on the essence of your pure Wisdom Mind, not on judgmental perceptions"The Buddha
Mipham Rinpoche comments on the four reliance in "The Sword of Wisdom"
"If you do not have such understanding,
Then, like a blind man leaning on his staff,
You can rely on fame, mere words or what is easy to understand,
And go against the inherent order of the four reliances.1. Do not rely on the individual, but on the Dharma
Therefore do not rely on individuals,
But rely upon the Dharma.
Freedom comes from the genuine path that is taught,
Not the one who teaches it.When the teachings are well presented,
It does not matter what the speaker is like.
Even the bliss-gone buddhas themselves
Appear as butchers and such like to train disciples.If he contradicts the meaning of the Mahayana and so on,
Then however eloquent a speaker may seem,
He will bring you no benefit,
Like a demon appearing in a buddha’s form.2. Do not rely on the words, but on the meaning
Whenever you study or contemplate the Dharma,
Rely not on the words, but on the meaning.
If the meaning is understood, then regardless of the speaker’s style,
There will be no conflict.When you have understood what it was
The speaker intended to communicate,
If you then continue to think about each word and expression,
It is as if you’ve found your elephant but now go in search of its footprints.If you misinterpret what is said and then think of more words,
You’ll never stop till you run out of thoughts,
But all the while you’re only straying further and further from the meaning.
Like children playing, you’ll only end up exhausted.Even for a single word like “and” or “but”,
When taken out of context, there’s no end to what it might mean.
Yet if you understand what is meant,
Then with that the need for the word is finished.When the finger points to the moon,
The childish will look at the finger itself.
And fools attached to mere language,
Many think they’ve understood, but they will find it difficult.3. Do not rely on the provisional meaning, but on the definitive meaning
When it comes to the meaning,
You should know what is provisional and what is definitive,
And rely not on any provisional meaning,
But only on the meaning that is true definitively.The omniscient one himself in all his wisdom,
Taught according to students’ capacities and intentions,
Presenting vehicles of various levels
Just like the rungs of a ladder.Wisely, he spoke with certain intentions in mind,
As with the eight kinds of implied and indirect teachings.
If these were to be taken literally they might be invalidated,
But they were taught for specific reasons.4. Do not rely on the ordinary mind, but rely on wisdom
When taking the definitive meaning into experience,
Do not rely upon the ordinary dualistic mind
That chases after words and concepts,
But rely upon non-dual wisdom itself.That which operates with conceptual ideas
Is the ordinary mind, whose nature involves perceiver and perceived.
All that is conceived in this way is false
And will never touch upon the actual nature of reality.Any idea of real or unreal, both or neither --
Any such concept, however it's conceived is still only a concept,
And whatever ideas we hold in mind,
They are still within the domain of Mara.This has been stated in the sutras.
It is not by any assertion or denial
That we will put an end to concepts.
But once we see without rejecting or affirming, there is freedom.Although it is without any subject/object grasping,
There is naturally occurring wisdom that illuminates itself,
And all ideas of existence, non-existence, both and neither have ceased completely-
This is said to be supreme primordial wisdom."
True faith and trust are completed in the certainty of true vision (avidya which results from samadhi). They are the result of confidence that comes from direct experience/realization. Such comes from genuine yogic practice, not theory.
“Reliance on the Dhamma not (merely) reliance on the person; reliance on the meaning not (merely) reliance on the phrasing; reliance on the suttas whose meaning is already drawn out not (merely) reliance on those suttas whose meaning is to be drawn out (interpreted); reliance on extraordinary-knowledge* not (merely) reliance on (intellectual) discrimination.”
* "extraordinary-knowledge”: the kind of 'higher-knowledge' (abhiññā) or insight that occurs as a result of samādhi. It probably implies here the meditative realisations resulting in the attainments of the noble paths and fruits.
~ Bhikkhu Santi, translation from the Oct 2549 BE Catu-pratisaranana Sutra
Fear of change and transformation
Raga is a form of mental, energetic, and physical attachment that resists change. We ask many times why don't individual human beings continue to expand their horizons, continue to grow spiritually, and continue to learn? We ask why does human society often stagnate or even appear to move backward into more ignorance, violence, and brutality? Even when spiritual and creative leaders offer solutions, they are often ignored, resisted, and even seen as threats and crucified (such as the lesson of Jeshua ben Yusef.
This is because of attachment mechanisms to established orders (citta-vrtta) where one's consciousness remains locked onto the pre-existing configuration which on the surface appears as a known and trustworthy boundary or order. Hence in this syndrome, that which is old and stagnate becomes a known and predictable quantity which can be trusted, while the new is feared because it is not known. Wonder and creativity are gradually thrown out the window. This portrays the sad story of how creative children who have no investment with the immediate past begin to lose their creative/evolutionary potential as they "grow up" and become assimilated in adult society.
The fear of change physically is obvious and we have discussed it already. It is based on attachment mechanisms (raga) to things which we think produce pleasure (which may in truth, be producing suffering). Such is the masquerade of being lost in an ersatz world of the samsaric mindset where "I" and "it are fixated in a dualistic drama culminating in physical death. Remember there is no "world", bo phenomena, no things or objects without the senses (human body). This attachment is discussed in more death in II.9 (abhinivesa). In this realm decisions are made and actions are taken to preserve one's well being, survival, dominance, and power out of covetousness (fear of physical or social, political, or economic change. Many wars, murder, dishonesty, exploitation, abuse, and intrigues have been caused by such neurotic craving. There are of course mental and energetic patterns which become bounded when one's world view is bounded upon identification with the physical body out of context with the evolutionary energy and primordial time. In that milieu, one remains imprisoned in the citta-vrtta, while resisting the everpresent opportunities for self liberation.
The fear of change also appears on an energetic level, as the inability for humans to implement creative change in their everyday life. For example addictions to smoking, alcohol, coffee, stimulants, pornography, bad postural habits, bad breathing habits addictive or co-dependent but destructive relationships have an underlying energetic component which the logical mind and willpower have difficulty in overcoming. Energetic and emotional dynamics established with co-workers, family, and the general public may be very sticky and tenacious energetically. Here hatha yoga, pranayama, and meditation can be very helpful.
Although working on the physical or energetic level has impact on the mental level, since the fear of change is causally accessed on the mental level, it can be addressed very effectively through skillful yogic practice which works on that level. First we must recognize the mental mechanism of attachment to mental habits. These are mental thinking patterns, or the well known monkey/discursive mind known to meditators. It is known to those who know the true nature of their mind. It is available to true and dedicated seekers.
Here the ordinary samsaric dualistic mindset is attached to various concepts and beliefs (see I.7-9). These beliefs may be eternalist, nihilistic, hedonistic, self centered, materialistic, masochistic, sadistic, cynical, religious, existential, etc. Worse the mindset becomes addicted to these conceptual mental patterns and belief systems. Hence such attachment then resists new and creative ideas. In this milieu, the cultural creative, the genius, those who are true leaders become distrusted and feared by those so addicted. This occurs not only because their pre-existing physical and energetic neat, predictable, ordered, and known boundaries appear to be threatened, but ultimately because their mental limitations/boundaries are challenged, hence transformation and creative change becomes unthinkable. Their defense mechanisms of protection, insulation, egoic survival, and sense of security in the known appear to be threatened, hence the unknown is resisted, strangers are suspect, the new and different become feared, and in the extreme xenophobia occurs, as well as the demonization of those who are different. In short, the ego (I) which has become attached to constructs of a world-view that includes itself as an ego, becomes unable to accept a world-view where that egoic view is missing. Such appears as an unthinkable threat, and is hence reflexively resisted (unthinkably). That is how ignorance self perpetuates itself unthinkably. Similarly, that is how suffering self perpetuates itself as the bane to all sentient beings. There is only one final solution, waking up. For that to happen the human being has to challenge their mental assumptions, while entertaining their vast potential for evolutionary change within a context of universal all encompassing primordial time -- the way it truly is.
The egoic fear of change and the ego's related desire for predictability are both symptoms of avidya, insecurity, fear, disconnection, and false identification. For someone holding tight upon an egoic subject/object fixation, anything "new" may spell the death of self, of the world and self as one knew it, and hence appear as a threat to the ego, whereby the egoic mechanism resists or fights it, because it knows no better. This is often more intense at the time of physical death, and also at times which signal the death old paradigms or world orders. However, these are opportunities for celebrating evolution, transformation, new creative opportunities,and the new earth. See abhinivesa (Sutra II.9) for more.
True Passion is not raga
True passion is not limited to things, to fixations, expectation of reward or temporary pleasure. In short it is not limited by modalities of ignorance. True passion is non-attached love, unbounded love, unbounded compassion, loving kindness, joyful, equanimous. In a manner of speaking we may say that a human being is passionate about a specific thing, object, event,or activity -- something. Like someone may be passionate about food, cooking, alcohol, sex, fast cars, heroin, politics, work, money, rock and roll music, or any other specific thing or activity. These are all raga or limited unless they are approached with vairagya. That is not to say that the passion is attenuated or the attitude is blase, rather it is to say that neurotic desire is based on a limited and bounded goal or purpose, which when thwarted brings suffering, while conversely if rewarded brings temporary sukha (temporary pleasure). However boundless passion as in boundless love and compassion or boundless wisdom is extremely passionate. This occurs when the human being is connected with their true purpose in life; i.e., the evolutionary and creative force, where one is able to express their innate love and passion.
When the human being is aligned with their true evolutionary purpose in life, that is to say their evolutionary creative purpose in the context of primordial time, then that passion flows forth as pure love and wisdom. Everything else approached within this context is part of this sacred orchestration. That which occurs fragmented outside of this context is neurotic and fragmented, bounded and limited. This is why tapas (as passion), swadhyaya (self study), isvara pranidhana (surrender to our highest evolutionary potential) are put together at the beginning of chapter two as kriya yoga. As stated in II1-2, ignorance is attenuated when the passion based on the true nature of self rooted in our essential nature is focused upon our highest evolutionary/creative potential in life. This is a transpersonal and non-dual alignment with our true purpose which naturally is inspires, brings forth joy, and fulfillment when it is acknowledged (through swadhyaya), and allowed expression. Passion as divine compassion comes from openness, sensitivity, and a sense of intimate connection with the web of all life and creation/evolution. It is a living flame and we are part of that flame as living candles or torches. Such goes beyond empathy -- knowledge of some one's suffering heart, but also penetrates to the core cause of their suffering -- ignorance (avidya).
"In the present context, we can say that those who have not learned to recognize the true nature of mind, ultimate bodhicitta, are only able to exchange themselves for other beings and to try to eliminate the suffering of others through prayer, visualization, and empathizing with others. However, if one knows how to recognize the true nature of mind, and mixes or merges the exchange of self and others with the recognition of mind nature, this is the best possible way to practice this exchange. The ultimate awakening of bodhicitta includes the realization that the true nature of all living beings is utterly free from all the varieties of temporary, conceptual confusion that normally deludes them. In fact, all beings share the true nature of phenomena (dharmata), which is emptiness. All beings have awareness-wisdom (rigpa'i yeshe), the luminous clear light of the nature of reality. The true nature of all living beings is the expanse of primordial purity (kadag ying). This essence is present in all living beings, and it never leaves them, but they fail to recognize it. Recognizing it is the ultimate awakening of bodhicitta."
~HE Chogye Trichen Rinpoche
Over Consumption; Greed, Covetousness, Gluttony, and Addictive Disorders
The repressed and neurotic attempts to compensate for the break in the union with primordial consciousness through ersatz methods is insidious. The egoic mindset associates pleasure with an obtainment or ownership of an object. Similarly when pleasure is associated with an object, then continued association or re-association becomes has the possibility of becoming habitual. That can lead to addictive disorders, possessiveness, covetousness, avariciousness, greed, grasping (parigraha), gluttony, and over consumption. As has been noted above, possession of more objects and money in most cases increases one's anxiety and fear, as long as one's basic needs are met and exceeded to a moderate degree. The solution to these addictions and bad habits is not to restrain one's behavior in further repression, but rather to change one's mental imputations that say, that more is better. In fact more is most often the heavier burden.
Over-consumption, obesity, gluttony, hoarding, clutter, acquisitiveness, covetousness are a result of a spiritual disease. Their solution is not to be found by behavior modification, rather by removing the modifications of the mind (citta-vrtti) that have already taken place. The negative programming and conditioning have to be released and removed. The kleshas (obstructions) to pure consciousness and vision must be let go. Humans have to acknowledge and know their mother in order to know Self and abide in their true Self. The name for the great mother is Sri, Ma, or Shakti in India. For the Indigenous peoples Peru and Ecuador the Sacred Mother of all is called, Pachamama. They live in indigenous space and time -- in sacred presence -- in harmony with the innate intelligent evolutionary and creative power.
Plagues such as ecosystem plunder and destruction, habitat destruction, air pollution, water pollution, food pollution, and man's generation of a toxic environment certainly is both sociopathic is not psychopathic. Creating scarcity and disease is hardly productive or functional work. If life and integrity are valued (as good) then such activity is immoral and unvirtuous
In order to change the tendencies leading toward over consumption and over acquisition by a few shortsighted, sick, and greedy people, which in turn endanger the many while upsetting ecosystems and the well-being of all beings, requires first the acknowledgment of the underlying assumptions of need, deprivation, greed, and depravity in the first place by framing the malaise of such activities as a disconnect from Pachamama (from our innate alignment with our innate intelligent evolutionary/creative power). That is the first step in the transpersonal non-dual process of connecting up with the hologram -- in knowing our true nature. The opposite force is residing in the fragmented mindset of being apart from the hologram and All Our Relations. That separation leaves a scarcity consciousness where something is missing, hence a need to fill this gap is created. That dominant malaise of being ripped off since early childhood has been institutionalized and dominant in left brain hemisphere dominant cultures (in most technologically dominant societies).
In order to reveal the primary causes in this process more directly through this rephrasing we can connect cause and effect more with the hope of impacting those who are already deeply asleep – who may feel deprived "living" according to mental trancelike constructs of scarcity. In short over consuming and acquisitiveness has itself a more primary cause and all of us are suffering from that all over the planet.
Whether or not such a living framework of integrity would open the flood gate toward reestablishing that re-connection with Pachamama (and our innate creative intelligent evolutionary power) which actually brings more happiness, fulfillment, a deep felt sense of authentic self worth, as well as yet undreamt rewards, or not, remains to be seen. If human beings do awake to who they truly are subjectively and experientially in context with evolutionary power, nature, and living source, then of course we no longer will have a need to remediate or reverse the symptoms, because we would have become self-liberated by experiencing primary/primordial cause. Those who have awakened and have changed their own dream in alignment with this experience (true vision as knowing "self" in terms of evolution) are already more than willing to reduce their consumptive and acquisition loads as being inadequate and insufficient.
They may benefit further from guidance as to "how" to do so creatively or technically (one person's waste may be another's resource). But for others, (the many) who through inhibition, dissociation, and negative programming lack that desire/passion, there is the problem of "will", intent, sense of purpose, which the symposium does not address. Hence I suggest going away from the ideas which suggest sacrifice, negation, reduction, or restraint, which will conjure up images of even further deprivation, but rather emphasize true and lasting happiness – a full life aligned with purpose, meaning, love, and vision, hence naturally happy and self fulfilling.
Greed has many aspects, but in general it is scarcity consciousness. It is an ersatz need to replace a very deep need that is not being met on All Our Relations. Although this neurotic illness manifests in myriad ways, we can understand as a need as "more" as deep craving or chromic raga. On a more complex level this "more" becomes "more than" some one else or a competitor, hence elements of competition, rivalry, jealousy, asmita, and lack of self- worth and meaning in life can be mixed in together. However in all cases, happiness/pleasure is being sought through impulses of increased acquisitiveness, possessiveness, and schemes (sometimes very elaborate) of self gratification, comparative advantage, domination, control over others, status, clothing, pretense, privilege, and egoic game playing, rarely having any healthy or practical rewards. Nor do such neurotic mechanisms lead more than to neurotic (substitute) happiness. In short substitute desires lead to substitute/false happiness; however true desire to connect (yoga) leads to lasting and unconditional happiness. Authentic yoga leads to lasting and unconditional happiness/bliss. Hence a redirection of neurotic living, mental and energy patterns is accomplished through authentic and natural yoga.
Along those lines, studies have shown that the happiness quotient does not go up according to more wealth, acquisitions, or dependence upon dead material things that one may acquire, own, or identify with, rather "scarcity consciousness" it starts to go down after basic survival and security needs are met. This unhappiness no doubt has to do with fear of losing the things that have been acquired and the acquisitive person's ability to feel happy without these things, because they have been convinced that they need more "things" and/or need to hold on to them or their ability to obtain and keep more.. Trying to persuade or convince such people otherwise, who are caught up with scarcity consciousness and deprivation, is a difficult proposition because they are convinced that happiness is connected with the consumption or acquisition of more things. Of course this is due to a pre-existing feeling of separation and alienation – even more causal and primary they do not know "why" they want more -- why they crave in endless cycles of over consumption and acquisitiveness. As we have seen, such craving is fundamentally neurotic and contrived. It stems from the mental split from not feeling -- not consciously being an intimate part of Pachamama – an intimate part of natural wholistic systems, and aligned with the creative evolutionary process/power. It is a diversion, a dispossession dissociation, and corruption. It is the result of negative conditioning -- the repression of their primary passion and motive force – Pachamama. No "thing" can fill that great chasm in compensation, hence over consumption/acquisition as a dysfunctional temporary reaction which creates more problems and depravity than it solves. In order to eradicate the effect (over consumption and resource destruction), the cause has to be acknowledged and remediated by helping people understand where they are, how they got there, the nature of the split and their feelings of deprivation, the causes of their discontent and depravity (which manifest in desire, frustration,greed, over consumption, etc.), by how to reconnect in Awakening their dormant power of seeing and being – their innate visionary, creative, and evolutionary power. when the negative conditioning masked by the egoic mindset self deceit falls, so too will all false identifications and confusion. People will then again be able to see clearly and walk in a truly upright manner.
This false identification (egoic delusion) of separation (independence) from Source is the most stubborn and primary fixated habit to break.
"Carried along by the waves of the qualities darkened in his imagination, unstable, fickle, crippled, full of desires, vacillating, he enters into belief, believing I am he, this is mine, and he binds his self by his self as a bird with a net. Therefore a man, being possessed of will, imagination and belief, is a slave, but he who is the opposite is free. For this reason let a man stand free from will, imagination and belief. This is the sign of liberty, this is the path that leads to brahman, this is the opening of the door, and through it he will go to the other shore of darkness."
The Maitrayana Upanishad
Practice:
While abiding in the natural healthy sphere one naturally moves toward unconditional liberation and is attracted to the light, love, beauty, and expansive state innately. We naturally move away from antipathy and aversion innately in alignment with the evolutionary power.. When we find ourselves in subliminal states or contrived mechanisms we practice kriya or astanga yoga in order to shift back into this alignment -- in order to free ourselves from the grip of ignorance and the kleshas. Especially helpful in diseases of raga is the practice of tapas, aparigraha, vairagya, and dhyana. Thus we give up attachment to these graspings of the mind, and learn to rest more often and naturally in an open receptive, peaceful, calm silence in pure awareness. Instead of coffee breaks, we take stillness/silence breaks. We can go to nature for this more often when possible, and we can meditate everyday and thus opening our mind to Primordial presence.
So, by recognizing and becoming familiar with this freedom mind in everyday life, we can observe/recognize when attachment comes up as to objects, events, situations, people, preferences and craving and, and by so doing, we can release its constriction/hold. But it is especially in the practice of dhyana (formless meditation) do we have the opportunity to observe the mindstream in its more subtle forms of attachments. Thoughts will be noticed to arise, and then we can let them go, realizing that vairagya (release) combined with conscious awareness is the first key element to master in meditation. Thoughts arise, then they are let go. They arise again, but then we become more adept at letting them go. Then we can observe the observer who is watching and rest in that light unceasingly. Eventually a calm and clear abiding sets in which contains just empty space and light. Learning how to abide in that luminous empty space of pure consciousness is the second blessing of meditation practice. Resting there in calm abiding in the vastness of timeless and formless space is recognized as the seat -- the fundamental basis of all. We integrate that pure vision increasingly through unsupported emptiness meditation practice in All Our Relations
"Don't go outside your house to see flowers.
My friend, don't bother with that excursion.
Inside your body there are flowers.
One flower has a thousand petals
That will do for a place to sit.
Sitting there you will have a glimpse of beauty.
Inside the body and out of it.
Before gardens and after gardens"
~ Kabir, translated by Robert Bly, in "The Kabir Book".
Unhappiness (duhkha) is the result when one is addicted (anusayi) to modalities of aversion and antipathy (dvesa)
II. 8. duhkhanusayi dvesah
Dvesa the association or anticipation of an event (past, present, or future) as being painful.
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The dislike or fear of suffering is called dvesa
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Dvesa (antipathy or repulsion) is the anticipation (anusayi) of pain (duhkha) and/or the expression of that association.
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Repulsion, antipathy, or dislike (dvesa) occurs when the mind associates (anusayi) an event or object as painful, grievous, unhappy, or threatening (duhkha).
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When the mind associates an external object or event with a pained or uncomfortable situation, then antipathy (dvesa) toward that object results.
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Aversion, antipathy, repulsion, or negativity occurs as a desire to escape/dissociate from a perceived painful situation (the pain being created by the mind).
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The affliction of antipathy/negativity (dvesa) occurs when the mindfield attaches itself to the confused idea that mental pain (duhkha) is external to the mind.
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Aversion (dvesa) is triggered by events or phenomena that conjure mental pain or appears to be a threat to the ego (delusion).
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Dvesa is the process of clinging onto (anusayi) antipathy and its repeated painful experiences (duhkha).
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Chronic antipathy occurs when a the mind assigns a negative association to an object or event; hence pain is merely an assignment to an object of thought or assignation, designator, or label (anusayi) that clouds the true nature of reality.
Aversion occurs as a reactive mental state when a mental attachments, graspings, concepts, and egoic self ideations, or mentally contrived self identifications are challenged or threatened-- when clinging and/or desirous expectation are threatened.
duhkha: Symptoms of unhappiness, suffering, dis-ease, a sense of un-wellness, displeasure, discontent, discomfiture, grief, suffering, pain; mental/emotional discomfort, struggle, uneasiness, dissatisfaction, unhappiness, a perceived difficult or stressful situation, a sense of tension. The associated state of mind accompanied by aversion or antipathy. A grimaced state of mind. Also, but more subtly the state of mind created by craving the appearances of pleasure. Duhkha, as a painful symptom of a fragmented/egoic mindset, is the samsaric mind. Since samsara is in the mind, one may fairly equate duhkha as samsara. What creates samsara (duhkha) are the kleshas. The chief klesha is the positing of a separate self (atma or ego) which is ignorance, or more simply put unawareness of the true nature of mind. Asmita (ego sense), raga (craving), dvesa (aversion), and abhinivesa (fear of death) are also chief kleshas that cause duhkha. Dvesa is the most obvious reflection associated with the samsaric mind.
A mental attitude of dislike, discontent, angst, unease, pressure, annoyance, distress, sorrowful, shock, chagrin, fret, inflammation, bruised feelings, hurt, ruffled feathers, irritation, a sense of constriction, off-centeredness, upset, or a locked in feeling of chronic repugnance, disdain, enmity, or chronic complaint, etc. Duhkha, as unhappiness, or rather the lack of happiness, satisfaction, contentment, peace, fulfillment, completion, and integrity occurs when we are not residing in true vision, in primordial wisdom; when we are in non-recognition of the evolutionary power, sacred transpersonal intention and momentum, and divine will. This misalignment is duhkha (painful). Duhkha as suffering comes in many flavors and aspects, such as affective feelings of being overwhelmed, overloaded, shocked, traumatized, withdrawn, conflicted, depressed, an overt apathetic state, cynicism, nihilism, disturbed, distraught, in an ugly mood, knocked out, etc. In yoga psychology ordinary raga (craving) and pride (asmita) are causes of suffering (unhappiness), whose root obscuration is avidya (ignorance). Duhkha, therefore, is a result of an obscured state. One such an obscuration as above is defined as dvesa.
anusayi: An anticipation, expectation, or association with a result (in this sutra with an unpleasant result). In "duhkhanusayi dvesah", anusayi occurs when the path toward the object is conflated with the goal (repulsion/dislike of the object becomes associated with its possession). It occurs when displeasure/dislike accompanies or is associated with it attaining, obtaining, or possessing an object, event, result, or phenomena; hence a connection to the entire process is concomitant. The expectation or anticipation becomes repulsive and sometimes, declination, hatred/anger, and/or fear sets. Sometimes inhibition, withdrawal and an overall deadening/avoidance defensive/aggressive reaction is activated.
Any attachment process that closely accompanies or is associated with some object/event; a clinging toward; grasping, glomming onto, or dependence upon a goal oriented process or that which reminds one of such associations, be it pleasurable (sukha) or painful (duhkha). An associative dependence upon an outcome, result, event, or object or an associated aversion to such events, outcomes, results, or objects. Anusayi includes obsessive compulsive neurotic activity. The connection process that links the one who is craving or averse with an object of craving or aversion. An attachment/detachment (attraction/repulsion) process, which closely accompanies the imaged appearance or perception of an object, event, or circumstance. An association, anticipation, attraction, or fixation (promising "pleasure" in sutra I.7 as sukhanusayi raga; or a negative attraction/repulsion (promising duhkha as in duhkhanusayi dvesah) constitutes dvesa (aversion here in Sutra II.8).
dvesa: The dislike or anticipation of pain or suffering is called dvesa. Another way of saying that, is that the affective state of dislike or repulsion of an event, object, thing, phenomena, appearance or person, either lodged as a past impression or projected in the future, is defined as dvesa. That dislike is the cause of more discontent, unhappiness, and suffering, which often blurs the distinction between dvesa and duhkha. Dvesa is both a cause of unhappiness and a resultant unhappy state. Like attraction (raga), dvesa is repulsion -- a desire to avoid a phenomena. Both are based upon the dualistic split of asmita-klesha, where there is an observer and an object. A neutral position that is neither attraction or a desire to escape such phenomena, comes from a wisdom, not from an existential negation. It comes from realizing a co-creative interconnection. Hence, contemplation on suffering and its causes are important parts of yoga sadhana. Even more so, contemplation on happiness and the causes of true happiness, equanimity, compassion, and sympathetic joy are effective contemplations.
Dvesa is any form of reactive and negative thinking that is motivated by a negative stimulation -- a desire to move away from, avert, avoid, escape from, destroy, or demean that object/event or one's association (anusayi) with it. Dvesa on one level could also be called the desire to escape from suffering. In that sense, the desire for liberation (nirvana) from suffering (samsara) as well as renunciation, is klesha (dvesa-klesha) unless it is based on the innate spiritual passions (see vajra passion above in the previous sutra). Ultimately when the kleshas are attenuated (II.1 and II.2) then the innate true self (bodhimind) will shine through as the pathways for the innate wisdom motivation becomes purified, opened, and strengthened through authentic yogic practice.
In general mental nausea, repulsion, revulsion, antipathy, repugnance, distaste, aversion, derision, displeasure, a negative connotation, fear, terror, resentment, dislike, hatred, anger, enmity, rancor, loathing, bitterness, dismay, disgust, opposition towards, contempt, vituperation, vilification, hostility, resentment, animosity, superciliousness, snideness, snarkiness, intentional rudeness, meanness, denunciation, castigation, disparagement, disdain, scorn, abhorrence, shock, disbelief, contrariness, antagonism, revulsion, avoidance, procrastination, or escape from (such as in fright, flight, or fight reactions), withdrawal, intimidation, a desire to isolate or separate, denial, ignorance (verb), desire to forget, erase from memory/recall, block acknowledgement, unconsciously filter out data, ignore reality, desensitivity, bland indifference, to dissociate as in apathy, nihilism, cynicism, paranoia, acedia, sloth, languor, to escape into servility or complacency, passivity, escapism, avoidance, blindness, the act of emotional numbness and mechanical/robotic like behavior devoid of feelings, to go to sleep, shock, dismay, shocked disbelief, daydream, entering into a trance or swoon, to reflexively block out or not hear data, the mechanism that creates fanciful delusions, self deceit mechanisms, and fantasy are variations of dvesa. Many kleshas such as dvesa are mixed (combinations) with other kleshas, such as jealousy as a mixture of raga, dvesa, and asmita.
On a gross level dvesa combines with asmita or raga and manifests as covetousness, plunder, rape, thievery, predation, power mongering, exploitation , obsessive scarcity consciousness, competitiveness, himsa (violence), asatya (untruth), asteya (dishonesty), over indulgence, over consumption, avarice, envy, invidiousness, spite, competition, rivalry, possessiveness, hoarding, and addiction. On an even more perverse level jealousy taken to extremes goes beyond mere derision, scorn, and condemnation in, schadenfreude (enjoyment taken from the misfortune of others), sadism, torture, morose delectation, etc.
How is indifference or numbness translated from "dvesa", one may ask? It is dvesa because it is aversion, it being an act of avoidance or an escape from something -- as a desire or escape from "pain" by numbing out feelings (desensitization) and insularity. Indifference is utter contempt, avoidance, non-recognition, ignorance, and prideful arrogance all rolled up as one. When we are present, we are open and accepting -- all inclusive in Now Awareness. Then powerful positive natural emotions can spontaneously arise, such as love, sympathetic joy, happiness, compassion, inspiration, exaltation, boundless enthusiasm, santosha, cheerfulness, etc. These latter are positive emotive forces that result naturally from a fearless open mind and heart, while dvesa is a contraction and numbing out from presence. (Eternal Now awareness).
Dvesa encompasses anger, dissatisfaction, disdain, chronic repugnance, enmity, chronic complaint, loathing, schadenfreude (enjoyment taken from the misfortune of others), sadism, torture, morose delectation, resistance or frustration (pratigha), perverse pleasures or obsessions such as necrophilia, sadism, masochism, misandry, misogyny, xenophobia, racism, nationalism, bigotry, prejudice, censure, vindictiveness, dismissiveness, rage, disdain, haughtiness, angst, blame, censoriousness, condemnation, contempt, derision, ridicule, mockery, denunciation, cutting satire, abhorrence, insecurity, inhibition, intimidation, cowardice, withdrawal, extreme passivity, catatonia, nihilism, listlessness, extreme cynicism, boredom, disassociation, catatonia, paranoia, violence and cruel intent toward others, abuse, revenge, desire to harm others, exploitation of others, oppression, sadism, necrophilia, patronage, condescension, disparagement, demonization, disapprobation, dismay, horrified, being aghast, shocked, or any similar similar type of negative reaction such as revulsion, dislike, resistance (as in frustrated desire -- pratigha), or hatred when mixed with other kleshas are further examples. Dvesa is the modality behind the growl, wince. anger, scowl, evil eye, etc. Varieties of dvesa are any negative (painful) associations with an object, event, stimulus, or phenomena, or perceived appearance; while a positive (pleasurable) association is named raga. The common context between the two is the samsaric mindset/context of an assumed separate self (ignorance); i.e., both raga and dvesa are based on a dualistic separation, based on asmita, are neurotic substitutes for true and lasting happiness, and are causes for future duhkha (unhappiness). After aversion (fear, hatred, anger, jealousy) has taken hold then there can be secondary reactions such as casting aspersions, condemnation of others, pejorative speech, aggression, violence, and other such correlated pathologies.
Dvesa is widely epidemic and insidious in the Kali Yuga, as is raga. For example, a frequent modern phenomena that is quite common in arrogant/prideful societies is an antipathy which is the result of an interpretation by the egoic mindset (asmita) which creates mortification, shame, wounded pride, a sense of invalidation, helplessness, lack of self worth, or humiliation. Instead of acknowledging one's feelings and condition, a reactionary defensive/aggressive desire is provoked to defend/'justify the ego (guilt) by a desire to destroy, condemn, dismiss, ridicule. or ignore the the messenger, hence the message is chronically ignored. Blaming the messenger is one way for the ego to remain in ignorance,but it merely the ego's vain attempt to avoid mental pain, shame, blame, or hurt. Wounded and insecure egoic beings are the rule in materialistic societies, rather than the exception. These many permutations of the obscurations of dvesa are mixed together and often masked by mechanisms of asmita as self deceit/conceit, pride, and aloofness. They are widely insulated against, hence asmita-klesha is strengthened by dvesa-klesha, thus strengthening avidya-klesha. These and many other dysfunctional mechanisms are based on negative associations of the dualistic egoic mind toward objects of its mindfield, its mental contents (pratyaya), or phenomena resist liberation. Negative associations have negative results; they feed the cycle of mental suffering (samsara). That cycle is broken asunder by authentic yogic practices.
Commentary: Simply or literally translated as, an association (anusayi) made painful (duhkha) serves as a basic definition of the mental affliction (klesha) called dvesa (aversion). On an affective base level, dvesa is the wince or grimace (subtle or gross) of an apparently painful experience. It can be considered as the growl of a cornered or threatened animal (an analogy of the desire of the ego to survive).
As we have already stated dvesa is another aspect of raga, or one could say that raga is another aspect of dvesa. As raga (craving) is the anticipation of an externalized state of pleasure (sukha); dvesa (antipathy) is the anticipation (anusayi) of a painful state (duhkha). Raga is the "like" of some event or happening, while dvesa is dislike. Both are anticipations taking the subject outside one's innate happiness and wisdom, both are dualistic errors based on avidya and asmita, and both are incapable of bringing forth lasting happiness/fulfillment or sense of completion/integration. This sense of wholeness happens outside of sequential time and inside of indigenous-now time. Waking up entails the realization that all and everything that is needed is already happening now, underlying the mind smog. "What's the haps, man? It's happenin!"
Thus, dvesa is simply attachment or desire (similar to raga) for some thing or event NOT to happen. In short, it is based on a preference for the opposite thing to outcome or event to occur (and hence a form of desire). In this way, dislike is based on liking something else more; i.e., it is based on like/desire or preference. Where raga is based on attraction or affinity, similarly dvesa is as well, but the situation is stated in the negative, as an opposition, or repulsion/revulsion; "I don't like 'that', because I prefer 'this'". Often we mistake the object or event as painful, but really it is merely in the mind associations and beliefs that create and hold the pain. Just like happiness, pain is all created in the mind.
To be absolutely clear, the resolution of either raga/dvesa is not a neutral indifference. Indifference is merely another form of dvesa, escape, denial, numbness, a neutral meaningless association, a dissociation, or simply ignorance. Rather, the remediation of raga/dvesa is the cessation of ignorance (avidya) and all obscurations (the kleshas) that occlude pure vision. Pure vision is anything but indifference. Indifference is merely another form of withdrawal, antipathy, or aversion. Further, the resolution thus is not further antipathy, aversion, negation, escape, ignoring, denial, disbelief, or renunciation of the world, but rather, a profound non-dual shift of consciousness that is uncontrived, unconditioned, transconceptual, and based on vidya (an all inclusive vision), not avidya (a limited view).
Dvesa, like the other kleshas, are reactive samsaric states of mind involving objects of the mind-field (such as an external stimuli, phenomena, events, people, etc.) which are construed by the mind and framed within a conflictive relationship evoking antipathy or aversion. Phenomena or objects appear to come from an externalized sense world such as conceptual based imputations of phenomena; or it can arise from memory such as past samskaras; or it can come from conceptualization and worry about future events known or generalized (unknown), etc. But it is the ordinary fragmented mind that orders it into a meaningful but limited frame (right or wrong). The subject/object dualistic mindset (consisting of an observing mind and that which is observed) triggers reactive tendencies which further skews reality and obscures pure vision, thus creating a misalignment with the evolutionary power (or divine will, if you will). This distortion which stems from an inner confusion, confliction, and resistance stemming from the primary blockage/impediment of the evolutionary power is called duhkha or suffering.
There, one is cut off from their creative well springs and source of wellness/joy in lieu of abiding in a compensatory, but inadequate, shell of scarcity consciousness, lack, conflict, strife, anxiety, and turmoil. Dvesa is of course a secondary klesha built upon the more primary dualistic egoic split (asmita) and avidya (loss of the primal vision of clarity). So it should be very clear that when we define dvesa as an affliction (klesha), it does not mean that people should become passive, withdrawn inhibited, or indifferent; rather, instead of obscuring the evolutionary life force from a compulsive-reactive state, one should remain creatively empowered embodying its expression -- acknowledging and reflecting it.
Where raga (craving) is accompanied by an ersatz`desire for happiness and anticipation of pleasure, dvesa (aversion) similarly, is accompanied by an anticipation of something unwanted, painful, disliked, negative, or disagreeable. Both are based on unhappiness -- a need for gratification or the fear of losing an object -- a preference (positive/attraction or negative/repulsion) and anticipation/expectation and are entirely mental states just as mental happiness or mental suffering is entirely mental. Both take the victim out of the present into the future because of past associations. On the other hand, creative activity is based on pure vision -- vidya.
Sometimes like raga, where one associates/identifies (anusayi) the act of craving with the attainment of pleasure; the difference between raga and dvesa (aversion) and its result (suffering) is often blurred; because one associates (anusayi) the process (aversion) with the result (as pain). Pain occurs when the messenger is confused as being the message. Thus, the negative association itself becomes confused as painful. That which can be referred to as the viagra syndrome occurs, where the act of craving is associated with its attainment (orgasmic pleasure); yet the craving is not its fulfillment.
For example, craving a big meal may be associated with the pleasure of eating that meal, but really the craving itself is suffering, while its satiation is merely its temporary assuagement. Similarly, the negative expectation (disappointment) of not having an expected chocolate ice cream dessert, itself creates mental pain or trauma even though it is merely an expectation based on a future possibility -- a manufactured thought process by the confused egoic mind. Here, the real message is not "pain" per se, it never is. There is a deeper message, like there is something unpleasant happening, undesirable, or "bad", but what is it really? The mind may label it as pain, but that is superficial. If we face the message back to its source, we become aware of something deeper. Consciousness receives the message fully. Moving consciousness into any "point of pain" (regardless if it appears to be only physical or mental), liberates us from the superficial label,. It also liberates us from reflexive fight, flight, or fix mechanisms, rather the natural light of consciousness permeates remains victorious unimpeded. There is no limitation/impediment (klesha) placed upon pure awareness (cit or vidya). That way there is no dissociation, avoidance, escapism, fear, ignorance, or denial involved. Hence, cit or cit-shakti act as tremendous healers as one shines the light of consciousness upon all situations free from the need of reactive/neurotic programmed mechanisms. As consciousness expands, so does liberation.
Generally or normally, human beings crave pleasure and run away from pain, unless we are masochists, or do we? rather human confusion, delusion, and self deceit can appear quite complicated and convoluted. Indeed it seems rather ignorant to cling onto painful experiences or suffering, but that is exactly what most people do. Why, because there is already a pre-existing lack of intensity, lack of feeling, and lack of meaning -- a neurotic inner emptiness of the heart that triggers neurotic compensatory desire, but that burning avenue of temporal/carnal desire can never be adequately fulfilled -- it will never provide lasting happiness. Rather it always ends in pain. The union that is being sought (because of being separated by conditions of spiritual self alienation), is samadhi which occurs when the yogi experiences his/her true self nature (swarupa) -- the Self in both its active and passive aspects. Otherwise the wellsprings of our evolutionary and creative (divine) willpower is being blocked and obfuscated (kleshas) with the result of many negative aberrations and suffering.
One of the major sources of confusion can be eliminated when we ask ourselves where the happiness or pain is located. It is of course located in the mind in the form of mental assignments, not in the external object. The egoic mind (I) sees an object and then associates (anusayi) the object with either pleasure, pain, or with indifference. These mental associations when blurred by impure vision (avidya) are incapable of discerning between the mental feeling/emotion and the object which triggers it. Thus the object itself is assigned to a category of being either painful (dvesa) or pleasurable.
In reality, there is no separate independent observer (an egoic "I" or asmita identity), but rather it is a fabrication of the conceptual mind. In reality, thus there is no separate object to grasp at or run away from -- to desire or to hate. Thus dvesa and raga are teachers. When they come up and are recognized, they can be liberated through awareness, rather than to be buried through ignorance or denial.
Dvesa colors the mindfield (citta-vrtti) and acting as a severe mental/emotional modifying condition such as in chronic fear, anger, hatred, revulsion, antipathy, disgust, despair, etc. As a negative mental habit and chronic knee jerk reaction to events it can be quite debilitating. Dvesa is triggered by past karmic residues and samskaras.
For example, Ms. Jones may observe that each time she sees a blue cadillac automobile, she becomes upset or angry. That was because she was severely injured physically by one when she was young. Seeing the blue cadillac brings up the residual painful memory of that past painful event. That recognition that she is pained by an object is the first step. Answering "why" only provides an intellectual logical analysis of the series of events. The causal primary causal factor is right in front of her staring her in the face, as the mental mechanism. Thus the blue cadillacs become her teacher. Every time she sees a blue cadillac is an opportunity to release the old habitual painful reflexive mechanism and to begin a new neural pathway devoid of dvesa and duhkha. That release will free her energy and awareness. It is concomitant with awakening her locked up/dormant cit-shakti.
So instead of intellectual analysis, in functional yoga, and especially in tantric yoga, one goes directly to the primary causal factor, the direct awareness remediating any residual mental patterning (citta-vrtti) that surrounds, occupies, or obscures consciousness in open awareness. Similarly that is how yoga psychology can work with any past unresolved trauma which still has left residual negative karmic traces.
As mentioned these objects, events, stimuli, phenomena, etc., which trip the mind are all secondary, while the process of consciousness is more primary. Finally through open awareness, we clear out these negative feedback loops and have direct, clear, unimpeded, and continuous access to the big unobscured open mind itself as primary cause, or at least that light shines through our daily lives increasingly.
So here it is helpful once again to discern primary causes from secondary causes. Mental pain may come from anticipation, associative thinking, or connection with an object or event that we may unconsciously dislike, but really that neural mechanism is a thought process with its resultant neural circuitry which lead to or is associated with the more primary and causal mechanism. That mechanism can be consciously addressed, recognized, and deprogrammed through first recognizing it in awareness and then releasing it. This is done through functional/authentic yogic practices (such as astanga yoga). There exist many yogic practices that do that such as daily swadhyaya, mindfulness, meditation (dhyana), an awareness based asana practice, as we will see. In advanced yoga, the yogi works directly with their inner neural networks and psychic circuitry.
When our ability to process what-is-as-it-is becomes overwhelmed, overloaded, or unbearable for what ever reason, it is said that our pain threshold is reached hence provoking an escape mechanism or a fight or flight mechanism (dvesa). These escape mechanisms of overload are like short circuits. They can manifest as denial, disbelief, numbness (emotional or physical), withdrawal, habitual ignoring, denial, arrogance, aloofness, indifference, prideful disdain of others, escapism, avoidance, aggression, blame, scorn, anger, schizoid behavior, and many more impediments to pure vision.
These kleshas (as impediments to the light of true happiness) once recognized, can be easily augment the five citta-vrtti (belief systems, conceptual thought processes, fancies, preferences, false and limited assumptions, unprocessed memories, dullness of the mind, and so on). As the citta-vrtti are associated with the kleshas, so too are the kleshas associated with past conditioning and impressions (samskaras), karmic propensities, vasana (habitual tendencies), and the wheel of samsara (suffering). In tantra we use the external stimuli, event, sense object, or person that triggers a klesha so e can work with that process consciously in order to liberate/release it. This is also the secret of the effective use of asana as a practice to release and purify the negative neural circuits arranged around duhkha and other kleshas, and then open and strengthen them, finally creating a more direct and open pathway with infinite spirit. In meditation and dream yoga, these objects and associations come up more subtly devoid of the present time stimuli of sense objects, phenomena, or real time events. In that sense it is more subtle and hence potentially more powerful practice in spiritual transformation
Aversion addiction is one of many avenues which the kleshas block pure vidya (pure unobstructed .awareness (spiritual vision). Because vidya is innate the way the kleshas are imposed is from negative conditioning of the mind-field (citta-vrtti). For example mostly the this negative programming is is accomplished via repression of divine will and innate awareness by institutional forces of avidya (ignorance) such as when a religious leader, parent, esteemed teacher, conventional wisdom, peer pressure, or authority figure contradicts one's own innate wisdom or intuition. This disease is especially prevalent in materialistic and degenerate societies and nations. The victim then may adopt these negative censure through projection mechanisms and then superimpose them upon their own life as self criticism, repression, low sense of self esteem, self deprecation, etc where the contrived and conditioned superego denies one free reign or in some anti-hedonist or anti-life cultures even simple pleasures equating pain with good and pleasure with evil. Then the mentally painful associations that the superego imposes as emotional pain such as guilt, can easily become associated with any type of physical pleasure, while denial and control of natural instinct and intuition is associated as good (spiritual reward or pleasure). These types of schizoid relationships can appear to be complex in an anti-nature, anti-life, violent, materialistic, and militaristic culture. These contrived mental dramas and conceptualized relationships may appear complicated. Indeed confusion by definition is indeed complicated, but truth is not.
After aversion (fear, hatred, anger, jealousy) has become established, then there can be secondary reactions such as casting aspersions, condemnation of others, pejorative speech, defensiveness, aggression, violence, and other correlated pathologies can manifest out of basic dvesa. Yoga practice is designed to break up these negative and limited associations
Anger and Hatred as Disguised Fear: Barking Like a Dog
Anger and hatred are disguised fear. Simply, the analogy is a dog barking. It feels threatened; it feels it needs to protect its life, itself, its owner, or that the egoic mindset assumes that it is being invaded/attacked. Instead of retreating (inward or away), it springs into defensive attack.
With humans, we often hear that the best defense is a strong offense and/or we have to not only armor ourselves against potential attacks, but more so perform preemptive attacks; i.e., "get them before they get us".
In a highly competitive, aggressive, violent, and/or paranoid society, children are often trained at an early age how to defend themselves physically, psychically, socially and economically, all of which pertains to an image of ownership (ego) which may feel threatened. Such defensive/aggressive behavior is often accrued over many years of conditioning which may include actual combat with other competitors so afflicted, so that one's character becomes compulsively defensive/aggressive. This unconscious protective mechanism is mostly unconscious and is often disguised as a state secret, in order to throw the ever-present enemy off. As elaborate artifice and deceptive mechanism are employed in the making of such "characters", the greater the character does not know oneself, the less the character is empowered to experience authentic love, openness, and vulnerability – the more the ego is deluded.
Particularly in situations of deep fear such as in life threatening situations, such as being a soldier on a battlefield, there appears no alternative other than to turn up the testosterone readying oneself for battle where "fight" rather than "flight" mechanisms are demanded. These mechanisms are not very different in similar social, political, economic, marital, or pivotal philosophical situations where one's egoic identity or ownership appears threatened. When this type of behavior becomes both chronic and unconscious, denial sets in, while the egoic mindset becomes stubbornly fixated and frozen in fearful reactivity.
Fear is, of course, the result of desire, a preferred like, and attachment – nothing other than the fear of losing something; hence, the relationship between anger and greed, where the angry boss barks loudly in order to manipulate and exploit his troops toward a greater selfish outcome. This is a circular malaise where the greed, being due to a feeling of lack in the first place, creates an ever more compensatory replacement, which can never really substitute adequately for one's sense of spiritual lack -- lack of love. Jealousy and envy are the same, where one desires comparative advantage over another, as compensation due to their existing lack of meaning, self worth, sense of separation/alienation, and/or general inadequacy/inferiority. In fact, all such maladies are symptoms of human being's break apart from their primordial nature -- their conditioned estrangement, and ignorance of our true nature within the timeless context of evolution. In the context of yoga, the solution is always the same, the integration and free functioning of body, breath/energy, and mental processes. Mainly the best approach is to just practice. We can study the Yoga Sutras when we have specific questions, difficulties, obscurations, or lessons to focus upon, instead of barking like a dog.
What is Aversion/Antipathy/Dislike?
"Similarly, repulsion (which is another phase of attraction) follows, abides in, and is just another term for, the erroneous classification of an object or experience as pain-giving. On the other hand, what the human mind in ignorance regards as attraction and repulsion exist in nature and are inherent, invariable and constant in the manifestation of cosmic intelligence (e.g., the magnetic polarity). In nature, however, there is neither the cloud of ignorance nor its consequent ego-sense, and hence the attraction and repulsion in nature are of an entirely different quality to that found in the human psyche."
Swami Venkatesananda
Dvesa (aversion/repulsion) is the opposite of raga (desire/attraction); yet, they are part of one process. For example a fear of failure is not much different from a driving desire for success. The very desire for success if held onto addictively will cause anxiety of failure. Desire (raga) by itself combined with anusaya (attachment/addiction) characterizes the suffering associated with aversion. Any resistance or frustration in achieving that desire (pratigha) is most often met with aversion. On a subtle level aversion (dvesa) is anything we dislike or avoid. This of course colors the mind and acts as a poison to the yogi. Of course dislike is impossible without "likes", desire, or preference. Such realization occurs on a very subtle level through the implementation of self awareness processes. Perhaps the word, nausea, is a good word for word translation for dvesa. Dvesa a large factor in turning away from the light of clear vision (vidya). Today, in the Kali Yuga, dvesa is widespread, as is raga, asmita, and avidya.
"It [aversion] expresses itself as censure, blame, or condemnation (ninda), and all of these terms make anger (krodha) and aversion [dvesa] synonymous. These synonyms truly express various connotations and depths of (and other emotions associated with) anger, that is aversion towards things and hate toward beings. It takes the form of seeing obstructions everywhere, by which one becomes excited and seeks to overcome them in a real or imagined context. It is done with the conscious or the unconscious desire to vanquish past pain and prevent future ones, together with the causes thereof that are seen as current obstructions. The mind's fixation upon these obstructions, pains, and their causes, and on the attempts to vanquish them becomes the first stage of anger. One censures and condemns all these with a vengeful desire to destroy them, even to a point of an anger that leads to violence, causing injury or hurt, and killing. All of these emotions are expressed by the word, dvesha, as juxtaposed to the attraction and attachment (raga) explained in the preceding sutra [II.7]."
Swami Veda Bharati , The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: with the Exposition of Vyasa, Volume II, Sadhana Pada. Motilal Benarsidass Publishers, Delhi, 2001.
Avoidance as Chronic Ignorance
On a coarse level, aversions become obvious as wisdom grows. We become increasingly aware of what we were ignoring as the more subtle conditioning mechanisms are recognized and shed. Ignorance (as unawareness), naturally dissolves over time in accordance with our growing awareness. Heightened sensitivity occurs when more subtle awareness of the kleshas occur. THEN more subtle and spontaneous awareness of joy, compassion, insight, creativity, evolution expresses itself, since the kleshas are no longer sapping our strength or diverting us. A special synergistic synchronicity with the entire universe and source us experienced, as the previous "inconceivable", "unimaginable", "unthinkable", and "unbelievable" are no longer limited and left as fragmented thought processes un-remembered within the realm of the citta-vrtta.
It might sound contradictory that our recognition/awareness of the kleshas (pain) is accompanied by greater bliss, but indeed this is true as we see its folly and release them (vairagya). Why? Because awareness liberates us. In order to become aware we do need also to be aware of all and everything in order to be absolutely clear. We can not selectively become aware of anything short of the whole as-it-is, if we want to truly awake and avoid delusion. As a matter of fact, such mechanisms of selective likes/dislikes (or preferences/predilection) are the strong glue that hold delusion in place. Hence, we must desire the truth over preference and illusion; illusion being the path to suffering and hell. Contrary to popular belief, illusion is bondage, not liberation -- it is the root of nihilistic tendencies, which is at the same time narcissistic.
Emotional reactive occurrences like nausea, horror, ugliness, revulsion, shock, disbelief, amnesia, and the like are often normal but dysfunctional reactions to what we do not like or do not prefer. We often call these "painful", but such reactions to numb them out. ignore them, block them out, or pretend that they do not exist is counterproductive. Perhaps they may seem like clever mind tricks, all they do is cause greater ignorance and illusion as they greatly delay waking up. The arising of feelings of nausea, revulsion, horror, distaste, and so on, are excellent clues for self contemplation or self awareness revealing our attachments/fears. Without self awareness there`is no waking up. For example if you have great pain on your foot because you stepped on a thorn, it would be stupid to ignore it and pretend that it did not exist. Rather, it would be wise to look at it clearly, and then find a way to remove it and treat the injury. Even those injuries which can not be treated, are best never ignored, rather their mechanism can simply no longer negatively effect us nor do they have to create a reactive mechanism of avoidance.
Whenever we are motivated by hatred, fear, anger, scorn, contempt, condemnation of others, revulsion, an ugly mood, displeasure, indeed why do we subject ourselves to it, one may ask if it were not due to a habitual clinging mechanism. Even repulsion, avoidance, revulsion, denial, aloofness, and numbness acknowledges the existence of something we judge as "painful" which the ego attempts to avoid. It is this activity of running away from something which also maintains the relationship with the "painful" object and our painful experience or anticipation of a painful experience When we exercise swadhyaya (self study) then we inquire when this mechanism is triggered, by what, and them discover how to disrupt the pattern of aversion (dvesa). It does not mean that the painful object goes away or disappears, but rather our attitude toward it changes; i.e., we no longer subject our citta-vrtti to the klesha of dvesa (dislike), hence the mind then is given an opportunity to open in a profound manner, instead of armoring around fear or protecting ourselves from pain. Closing down, contracting, or protecting "ourselves" from what the mind imputes as "pain" is a dysfunctional syndrome to break. Similarly seeking diversion/distraction (raga) is another similar avoidance reaction
Avoidance is often a very large habit and limiting factor that chronically holds back awareness, and hence authentic spiritual growth. In that sense, it serves as the glue that holds together the wheel of samsara. On an elementary level, avoidance can manifest as procrastination, where an unpleasant but necessary task is put off to the last moment or forgotten simply because one is running away from the ego's imputation of pain. Is it really painful or unpleasant? Only to the mental constructs that say that it is. The problem with procrastination is that the task has to be done regardless, so it is a way of self pretension by ignoring it (temporarily). The larger problem is that the unconscious mind knows that the task still has to get done and thus one undergoes needless anxiety for a prolonged period of time, as opposed to facing the task head on and getting it done in the beginning, thus relieving oneself from its burden..
But avoidance shows in more dysfunctional ways as denial. Since most people tend to desire to avoid pain, but by avoiding mental pain, "unpleasant" situations, or withdrawing from it, there is a tendency to chronically ignore such, block it out, numb it out, or forget it, as well as to make up stories around it, tendencies to ridicule it, as well as become obsessed with it. It is simply more self-deceit if the egoic mindset says to itself that, "if it doesn't exist (ignored) and only exists in my mind, then I will pretend that it doesn't exist and ignore it". That is the definition of ego-delusion (as self-deceit) and is of course very dysfunctional; yet many people suffer from it. In avoiding what is thought to be painful by the ego, one then seeks out what is thought to gratify the ego. Hence denial becomes an addiction to delusions that support one's sense of self conceit and arrogance (a static and illusory sense of "self" is fixated upon which resists change and healing) -- the delusion, self deceit, conceit, and pretension being more flattering and pleasurable to the ego, while ignoring, avoiding, discounting, or denying the lessons that the ego must learn in the ego's attempt for survival and dominance. Similarly all the citta-vrtta operate in this way when attempting to avoid pain, they create more pain as their mindset become overwhelmed by the kleshas and locked into limited awareness and modes of existence,
All obscurations and hindrances (kleshas) stemming from avoidance can become obsessive negative habits that are difficult to recognize because of the basic impulse to avoid or "not" recognize the pain. What eventually needs to be recognized is not the "pain" as such, but rather the mental mechanism behind the pain. Then the observer can release those reactive neural mechanisms and circuits which imprison the human being to the wheel of samsara (suffering). Release and liberation do not come from ignorance, but from wisdom. For example, in modern psychiatry today, mental or physical pain, anguish, discomfort mechanisms are treated by blocking the neural pathways to the brain. The system basically is numbed out and the patient no longer cares about "events" or situations. The consequences of such so called therapy can be very destructive, as the neural pathways are shut down, disconnected, and blocked rather than being opened and realigned in harmony with one's innate evolutionary and creative power. Such drug therapy is turning out generations of indifferent, numbed out, emotionally deficient and dissociated neural robots and morons who have been made distant from their heart.
In the ego's desperate attempt to numb out, avoid, and ignore what appears as unbearable pain, the ego grasps onto an escapist fantasy. The sensual stimuli or evidence that triggered the pain, that triggered the ignorance, that triggered the fantasy truly exists, although it may be misperceived. That evidence truly exists, in reality as-it-is, but the pain and aversion that triggered the escape mechanism was entirely fabricated and manufactured by the egoic mindset, which is fixated in dualistic delusions. This escape mechanism, triggered by aversion to discomfort/pain drives dysfunctional diversions such as TV, spectator sports, pornography, over-eating, other vicarious substitutions and compensatory distractions.
For example, smoking cigarettes or any other neurotic-compulsive activity is like that. Because of aversion (anticipation of pain or discomfort), one automatically (compulsively) undertakes another compensatory activity. This is how many habits become insidious and difficult to break, without applying effective psychological or yogic techniques.
To go deeper antipathy/aversion as the clinging onto pain and our continued confused associations with painful experiences, can be entirely remediated without reactive repression, avoidance, denial, or negation; but rather through acceptance -- facing the demon of our own mental assignations and associations with the so called painful object. Acceptance does not mean approval or disapproval of anything, but rather, it means recognition of the real situation as-it-is free from the reactionary mind set which because of attachment desires to label, blame, judge, disapprove, negate, dismiss, defend, etc. This is not simply a trick of the mind, but rather a waking up where the object is seen as it is without a "bad", ugly, or undesirable label or judgment laid upon it by the judgmental mind. Similarly, since we ascribe dislike (dvesa) to that which we associate with pain (duhkha-anusaya), we actually become victims and are controlled by our own fear and hatred. The burning question is of course why would we cause ourselves pain, misery, and suffering (duhkha) in the first place since even running away from pain (aversion itself) is painful. Herein lies the understanding which can be applied not only to dvesa but to raga or any other klesha as we shall learn the kleshas all bring about pain and misery because they predictably hold together asmita (the ego sense) whose root is ignorance -- or non-recognition of the true nature of our own mind.
Just as in the previous sutra the anticipation or attraction (raga) toward objects associated with pleasure (sukha) creates chronic craving (duhkha), similarly in this sutra the association between aversion and duhkha (pain) is even more obvious bringing forth chronic fear and dislike. Desiring or attachment to any "thing" necessarily implies a fear or losing "it" and hence a dislike of forces that threaten its existence or the ego's ownership (asmita).
In that regard, to be sure, nihilism, negation, avoidance, and extreme cynicism are not solutions, rather they are further examples of dvesa. Boredom and listlessness are also sure symptoms of the disease of dvesa. Just as nihilism is based on dvesa and hence ignorance, so too is eternalism based on raga, and also ignorance. Raga and dvesa thus are the two polar generators of samsaric mindset
This relationship becomes clear after practice in deeper meditation as we learn to release (vairagyabhyam) past mechanisms of mental conditioning. Without such associations the ego no longer identifies itself with any "thing" or as a "thing"by itself. Then true freedom is glimpsed, while illuminating itself as our natural unconditioned state. The mind is no longer wandering or searching in cycles of attraction nor repulsion, but rather has learned how to abide in deep and wide stillness and open awareness. This non-recognition is the meaning of "sarupyam" (at other times) in I.4 and the glue which holds the citta-vrtti (false identifications) together. These types of objective identifications form the basis of samprajnata (see I.17) and must be relaxed and let go. In asamprajnata samadhi (I.18) we are truly present and such assignations and labeling factors are absent.
"You will be free to let go of your unhappiness the moment you recognize it as unintelligent. Negativity is not intelligent" . . . pay close attention to negative thoughts, feelings or actions and any background unhappiness, including resentment, discontent, nervousness or being "fed up." Become alert to your negativity and repeat silently: "At this moment, I am creating suffering for myself."
Eckhart Tolle
Negation, repression, or suppression only buries the neurotic conflict deeper in an attempt to flee from it. Masochism is a subliminal or secondary neurotic activity which attempts to satisfy a feeling state by the titillation of already deadened or numbed pathways. When the neuroses and pain is driven far enough from consciousness, it merely arises in the unconscious often through tertiary compulsions which in most events are far more dysfunctional than the original repression/suppression.
The recoiling mechanisms of chronic indifference, boredom, complacency, apathy, zombie type behavior, extreme cynicism, nihilism, catatonia, disinterest, withdrawal, coldness, aloofness, arrogance, narrow-mindedness, shallowness, superficiality, inhibition, chronic intimidation, fear of thinking for oneself, aloofness, and such dissociative behavior are good indicators of the existence of a severe blockage, repression, or disconnect from some basic feelings. In extreme cases the pain of feeling anything becomes overwhelming and one becomes frightened and deadened to feeling anything or even chancing resurrecting the sensate state at all. Feelings of the heart thus become judged to be just as threatening to the ego which feels it must protect itself as if they were threatened by a physical attacker. The most common threats of course are fear of of sex, shame, sin,. or experiences associated with past painful memories. punishment, or ridicule of a badly bruised and fearful ego -- a contracted heart. Albeit the ego may feel that they are escaping pain, but they are also escaping life. They are dead inside. Their creative/evolutionary power is blocked or contracted. They suffer from arteriosclerosis of the nadis. See also the mechanisms of "PAIN", "The Fear of Living","AVOIDANCE", "Repression", "Fear of Pleasure", and "DENIAL".
Nihilism, Cynicism, Escapism, Denial, Avoidance, Other Worldliness, Religion, and Belief in Reincarnation are Other Forms of Aversion and Antipathy
In this way nihilism, extreme skepticism, and cynicism are other subsets of this same escapist mechanism of denial and avoidance. Healthy skepticism is excellent as it is essential not to believe in lies, deception, and false assumptions. All assumptions need to be questioned. Unhealthy skepticism says that nothing is true, everything is a lie, nothing is real, hence extreme skepticism leads to cynicism, paranoia, and nihilism. How do we know truly? Through yoga practice which leads to clarity of vision. A cynic is a person who believes that only selfishness motivates human actions and who disbelieves in or minimizes selfless acts or altruism. It is a disinterested point of view, except for one's selfish gratification. A cynic insists that other beings and things" exist only to gratify oneself, hence true friendship is negated. A competitive society with competitive values, turns people into misanthropes, those who hate or mistrust "humankind" in general. "Others" as well as nature are seen as competitors, objects of exploitation or control and hence an oxymoron is created; i.e., a sociopathic society, for profit disease care systems; self poisoning one's air, water, food, children, and one's own body.
Through nihilism and antipathy toward life, an antipathy to nature, natural function, self, the body, sexual function and all other natural functions is established. Not only is fear of pleasure established, but also hatred of pleasure and life, hatred of those who remind us of our hate (sexual objects for example), and hence misogyny and misandry also can result. Through nihilism and extreme cynicism, one can mistakenly thinks that one can excuse oneself from any responsibility, karma, or avoid guilt, because nothing exists except one's own desire. Escapist mechanisms based on denial and avoidance are contrived where one will die and go to heaven where a personal savior will come and take them away, or one will live happily ever after in some "otherly" world with an otherly alien god -- anywhere than here which has been judged as unreal. Such people live a life of avoiding responsibility, love, friendship, and reality, seeking instead to disown life, nature, response-ability, and its consequences in an attempt to find "happiness" through negation, fantasy, and self deceit. One fantasy is that a better life awaits one "elsewhere", perhaps in a future life. With that attitude toward reincarnation, one misses the information available to them in the sacred present, hence they chronically stay uninformed as to the depth and rich fulfillment that is available now.
What is Duhkha: Suffering or Simply Unhappiness?
Duhkha is defined at the myriad combinations and extensions of the five primary afflictive emotions, which in turn inhibit pure awareness (vidya). As stated, what is often masked as temporary ersatz happiness, is just another version of suffering; albeit the pain is often not apparent at the time. Such serves only to fool and distract the yogi from his/her prime directive; i.e., ultimate liberation. Ultimate liberation involves the defeat of ignorance (avidya); and hence, unhappiness/suffering is replaced by true and lasting happiness as an effect. Such a process is very different than a dualistic attempt to find happiness as an object or goal for egoic self satisfaction. In order to avoid confusion, it is better to translate duhkha as unhappiness, because if we translate it as suffering, then one may imagine that some "thing" like suffering truly exists. Rather it is only a lack of happiness -- a mental state of separation from the true nature of one's mind.
A sophisticated observer can not help to notice that everyone chooses their own poison.. well almost everyone. One man's poison is another man's medicine. One person may consider their addiction to opium, large meals, sexual obsession, alcohol over indulgence, or work as happiness or pleasurable (sukha) while another may label it an unfortunate addiction. Some people may consider a yogi living in a mountain cave, naked, and with no possessions to be suffering (duhkha), while the yogi may feel himself liberated and happy. So a large question is to inquire as to "what is suffering or unhappiness" as the answer is too often couched in terms of materialistic cultural values rather than in spiritual terms. The answer to that inquiry will become clear if we acknowledge the context of the Yoga Sutras is spiritual; i.e., it aims for unconditional liberation and unconditional happiness, and nothing short of that. Unhappiness or duhkha occurs when the consciousness is trapped inside the dualistic samsaric wheel, where the citta-vrtti is active. That is egoic consciousness, delusional consciousness, or avoidance/ignorance (avidya) of the state of true vision (primordial consciousness and evolutionary power). The blockage of that consciousness (Cit-Shakti) defines the state of suffering. It might or might not wind up acknowledged or diagnosed correctly by the sufferer. Denying or ignoring the disease of suffering of course is not the cure, yet an essential testament of the Yoga Sutras is that the disease of ignorance and suffering can be cured.
Both Patanjali and Buddha define the mental state of duhkha as the result of the kleshas whose primary cause is ignorance -- as samsaric and egoic consciousness. Every one of the kleshas afflictive, acknowledged or not. Like unhappiness, it is best to translate avidya as unawareness rather than risk reifying it as truly existing thing. Ignorance and suffering do not exist, rather they are the result of limited awareness and beingness. Duhkha is thus an obscured and impeded mental state characterized by unawareness (avidya) , confusion, asmita (ego), raga, dvesa, etc --samsaric existence being fueled by ignorance (avidya), the egoic mindset (asmita), attachment (raga), and aversion (dvesa) as we have been studying. Because one whose consciousness is ignorant and afflicted, then it is very difficult to see the cause (diagnose) their own malady. Ultimately the cause of mental pain and suffering is found to be an error of the mind itself. Realizing that truth (not just intellectually) but by realizing the true nature of one's mind, as swarupa-sunyam in samadhi (III.3) is the remedy. According to yoga, that is realized through yogic practices, not through conceptual thought processes.
With the above in mind, then on a more subtle level, pain is an indicator of samsaric involvement of the mind. It is not a thing in itself that exists independently. When I say that I experience pain, I am saying that I am feeling something is "wrong". It is a signal or message. However it is a great error to stop there, treat the symptom, alleviate or palliate it, numb it out, block the nerve passageways, choke off the nadis, dissociate from it, avoid it, fear it, or further anesthetize oneself as is the common treatment. Either becoming obsessed with it or attempting to escape from it, both are dvesa. Dvesa will only make the duhkha worse. The cure then, is to not stop there (with the mental assignment as being "painful", disliked, or bad to the sensation) --not to block the signal or dissociate from the discomfort, but to go deeper to the source of the signal -- to open up to the experience and not contract in fear or loathing by being even more fully present and aware.
So on this more subtle energetic level, we keep the nadis (psychic energy pathways) open and then realize the source of our discomfort, that we are sitting on an energetic artery, and we need to get up and stretch, or maybe the diaphragm is frozen and needs to expand, or the heart is racing, the jaw is tight, the adrenaline is over pumping, the acetylcholine levels are too high, the parasympathetic nervous system is suppressed, I am holding back, repressing, or suppressing my true feelings, my breath is erratic, I am holding my breath, I am angry or upset, this ar is toxic, my children do not love me, I am afraid that I will lose my job, and so forth. When we get to the end/source or core of the pain or primary discomfort (the citta-vrtti), then the pain will go away (as it is only an indicator/signpost of a more primary disturbance). We should use it as a signpost when it comes up and travel to the root/source by opening up to such, not by closing down, blocking the signals or running away from it in dvesa. Here the subtle yogic practices become powerful. Ultimately duhkha is due to the blockage of the evolutionary/creative power -- the our innate connection/union with primordial consciousness by the egoic mindset (asmita) based on the number one false assumption ( avidya), which has created the cosmic split/crack within the consciousness of so many humans. It is not necessary to know the "why" of it as the why is the past, rather recognize the effect in general. Recognizing the "how" of it, is better because the "how" reveals the process as it is operating. The "why" is the past, while the "how" is the present. Then we witness that how and through awareness laugh at the folly of unhappiness.
Both Dvesa and Raga Occur only Within the Subject/Object Dualistic Samsaric Mindset
So just as raga is chasing around compensatory temporary desires to fill in the cosmic crack/split from primordial consciousness, so too is dvesa the attempt to escape from the clutches of "suffering and pain". A common question beginners ask is, "Is not Yoga an escape from the world , an escape from suffering I(duhkha? Are not all religions avoidance of the things in 'this world'?" In regard to authentic yoga the answer is a resounding no, because authentic yoga is designed to open up the pathways, channels, and vehicles for evolutionary/creative energy to animate this very embodiment HERE and NOW. It is the opposite of escape. It is designed to live life fully and without affliction, encumbrances, inhibitions, limitation, or ignorance. It is granted, some interpretations of "yoga" and religion (such as samkhya and others who teach about a separate and alien god) as has been pointed out previously do teach dvesa (escape and antipathy) as part of the path. Among many things these same interpreters do not understand nirodha, tapas, brahmacharya, vairagya, and other vital yoga practices, rather they teach control, individual will power, conceptual prowess, and repression as a path. That path leads to increased bondage (samsara).
Dvesa occurs as the anticipation of pain or suffering to be avoided combined with the sense of ownership of that pain (asmita-dvesa), which remains as an unexamined assumption for most people. They say I feel pain or discomfort. "This or that hurts me", rather than to say that "my mind is hurting me". Then dislike or aversion to avoid or dissociate from that experience or person so associated becomes the repulsive motive factor as dvesa. Just as raga is the craving for "some thing", dvesa is the repulsive force to avoid another thing. The trigger does not have to be an object of the future, but also merely a past karmic trace, mentally painful memory, or any such past imprint (samskara) or association (anusayi) with a past event. This negative association with pain (anusayi-duhkha). If they say that "my mental associations made up by my mental habits is hurting me", then that can be the beginning of a learning experience - swadhyaya where the kleshas become attenuated and quelled, the nadis opened, and the creative/evolutionary energy flows through. In fact awakening opportunities in daily life are plentiful if we stay open and aware.
Dvesa also takes us out of the present (sacred presence). Like raga, it is a result of ignoring/non-recognition of sacred presence == not being HERE and NOW. Likewise as a result of this non-recognition (which is none other than avidya) the ego then experiencing dissatisfaction with the now, and interposes another associative outcome as avoidance, denial, escape, or negation. Duhkha brought about through dvesa is a bad reaction to what it, thus it is the result of a mental imputation. The good news then is that although the event of what-is can not be changed, the mental imputation can be changed.
On a mental level that which appears unpleasant to the ego, unbearable, threatening, or painful is commonly armored around, protected from, or defensively attacked. This aversion/antipathy can manifest as hatred, disgust, contempt, fear, anger, scorn, disdain, defensiveness, aggressiveness, arrogance, aloofness, and the like. The egoic mind *desires* something NOT to happen and hence desire (raga) and aversion (dvesa) are to be understood as two sides of the same coin.
Ultimately one realizes that pain or suffering is the result of non-recognition or ignorance of our innate intelligent creative power. Samsara is best understood from that perspective (happiness). The samsaric mindset is just that, not the world and not a "thing", but the result of a mental imputation. Neither happiness nor displeasure is found in an object, but rather is entirely mental. Mental pain and pleasure are thus entirely contrived by the mind and hence an unnecessary self-made burdens is established -- a bad habit of the egoic mindset. Temporal happiness (sukha) or unhappiness (duhkha) is not found outside the mind. However when the mental error which upholds the basic split of egoic ideation is broken asunder, then unconditional happiness and boundless light reigns illuminating and clarifying all that is as well as what is not.
Contemplation (dharana) on the relationship between dvesa as desire to avoid pain, and raga as desire to attain pleasure or gratification is very useful beginning practice, because it discloses how we define pleasure and pain. Contemplation between dvesa and duhkha is also most rewarding for those who have never questioned the happiness of a "two car garage, a good paying job, and a mortgaged home in the suburbs".
This relationship between dvesa and duhkha is always a two way street; i.e., if the egoic mind did not define something as painful or if it didn't find any situation as uncomfortable, then dvesa (repulsion/revulsion) would not arise. So pain (duhkha) creates aversion (dvesa) just as aversion creates more duhkha as suffering. Dvesa is based upon revulsion, it is nothing more than a negative preference, a negative attraction, or a dislike as contrasted with a positive preference, attraction, or liking.. As soon as we feel either raga or dvesa we leave NOW AWARENESS -- full pure and total NOW presence.
In Buddhism duhkha (suffering) is the first noble truth. It does not say that all of life is suffering, rather it states that egoic life based on raga and dvesa in regard to material objects brings forth suffering. Suffering exists and it is not wise at all to ignore it, numb it out, pretend that it does not exist, wish it away, deny it, nor negate it. Rather we must have the courage (nobility) to look suffering square in the face without aversion nor artifice. Then the suffering will no longer drive the wheel of samsara (cyclic existence built upon of suffering) once the engine which drives the cycle of attraction and repulsion are disconnected.
Like the other hindrances (kleshas) dvesa (repulsion, aversion, hatred, or fear) thus are based on the confusion that the possession of or the identification with specific objects or conditions, or their loss (fear), or the change of states from one false identification (seemingly secure) to another state will bring about pain or sorrow. This can be a sense object, like aversion to a loud noise or "bad' smell, touching a hot surface, etc., or due to a purely self induced mental dislike of the ego. Mental/emotional aversion is very often a supporting cause of ignorance where one's compensatory mechanism of pride is averse to hearing the truth about its delusion (haughty mask), or where one's fixated identification within a seemingly safe and secure framework of one's existing dualistic world view (citta-vrtti) appears "threatened" by an antagonistic truth -- where the ego views new information as a threat to the old identification/fixation of self (atman/asmita).
Eckhart Tolle says in Chapter two of his now classic: "The Power of Now":
The greater part of human pain is unnecessary. It is self-created as long as the unobserved mind runs your life.
The pain that you create now is always some form of non-acceptance, some form of unconscious resistance to what is. On the level of thought, the resistance is some form of judgment. On the emotional level, it is some form of negativity. The intensity of the pain depends on the degree of resistance to the present moment, and this in turn depends on how strongly you are identified with your mind. The mind always seeks to deny the Now and to escape from it. In other words, the more you are identified with your mind, the more you suffer. Or you may put it like this: the more you are able to honor and accept the Now, the more you are free of pain, of suffering - and free of the egoic mind.
Why does the mind habitually deny or resist the Now? Because it cannot function and remain in control without time, which is past and future, so it perceives the timeless Now as threatening. Time and mind are in fact inseparable.
Imagine the Earth devoid of human life, inhabited only by plants and animals. Would it still have a past and a future? Could we still speak of time in any meaningful way? The question "What time is it?" or "What's the date today?" - if anybody were there to ask it - would be quite meaningless. The oak tree or the eagle would be bemused by such a question. "What time?" they would ask. "Well, of course, it's now. The time is now. What else is there?"
Yes, we need the mind as well as time to function in this world, but there comes a point where they take over our lives, and this is where dysfunction, pain, and sorrow set in.
The mind, to ensure that it remains in control, seeks continuously to cover up the present moment with past and future, and so, as the vitality and infinite creative potential of Being, which is inseparable from the Now, becomes covered up by time, your true nature becomes obscured by the mind. An increasingly heavy burden of time has been accumulating in the human mind. All individuals are suffering under this burden, but they also keep adding to it every moment whenever they ignore or deny that precious moment or reduce it to a means of getting to some future moment, which only exists in the mind, never in actuality. The accumulation of time in the collective and individual human mind also holds a vast amount of residual pain from the past.
If you no longer want to create pain for yourself and others, if you no longer want to add to the residue of past pain that still lives on in you, then don't create any more time, or at least no more than is necessary to deal with the practical aspects of your life. How to stop creating time? Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have. Make the Now the primary focus of your life. Whereas before you dwelt in time and paid brief visits to the Now, have your dwelling place in the Now and pay brief visits to past and future when required to deal with the practical aspects of your life situation. Always say "yes" to the present moment. What could be more futile, more insane, than to create inner resistance to something that already is? What could be more insane than to oppose life itself, which is now and always now? Surrender to what is. Say "yes" to life - and see how life suddenly starts working for you rather than against you.
In summary dvesa is translated as antipathy, aversion, dislike, withdrawal, or repulsion -- an association is made by the mind with some thing one desires to avoid, dislikes, or fears. In general it may manifest as generalized hatred and fear and in general social antipathy such as found in the sociopath. Dvesa includes the mechanisms of anger, disdain, loathing, bigotry, prejudice, vindictiveness, scorn, rage, haughtiness, revulsion, dislike, fear, repulsion, jealousy, contempt, condemnation, repugnance, derision, ridicule, mockery, blame, denunciation, satire, abhorrence, revulsion, dismay, insecurity, inhibition, cowardice, withdrawal, extreme passivity, catatonia, nihilism, disassociation, paranoia, violence, cruelty, abuse, exploitation of others, sadism, patronage, condescension, disparagement, demonization, disapprobation, or any similar type of revulsion. Many kleshas are a combination of these 5 root kleshas, for example pomposity, arrogance, jealousy, and supremist bigotry are combinations of dvesa, asmita. and raga. Especially those who have become terrorized and severely abused may experience extreme numbness and dissociation fixations as well as chronic schizoid behavior patterns which are difficult to identify at first. The kleshas occur when the ego superimposes its desires (likes and dislikes) upon what is in the NOW.
The mental affliction of fear occurs when we are confronted by a message that the egoic mind associates (anusayi) with being painful (duhkha), or an event is associated`in the mind with a past trauma, or anything which appears threatening or painful to our ego's identification or "reality", which contradicts our sense of security or world view; or else appears as a threat to our identification with the small "self" -- something deemed threatening or dangerous to be avoided. In order to avoid, escape, deny, negate, or dissociate from the pain (of ego) in aversion, the ego often armors around it or else protects itself from its apparent threat through sometimes elaborate and complex mechanisms of aversion/repulsion, negation, denial, dissociation, justification, as well as aggressive (first strike) reactions such as generalized hatred. Thus the insecure egoic mindset (all egoic mindsets are inherently insecure) which maintains and protects its afflictive machinations (klesha) while at the same time reinforcing avidya.
Likewise when we dislike something, that is when we do not desire it to happen, we may say we hate or despise it. Many people use hatred to mask their fear or attenuate the discomfort of fear. However neither fear nor hatred really feels good,rather at best one can say that we feel. Aversion feels bad, and hence is more easily associated with duhkha when brought to our attention.
Dvesa is a dysfunctional way of disagreeing, overcoming, transcending, negating, overcoming, or dissociating with "phenomena or events" and registering our dislike or complaint, which again is the other side of raga (desire). Which is to say that we confuse the desire or aversion with its outcome (pleasure or pain), while the desire/aversion itself actually is in reality a craving (an anticipation), Hence the enjoyment and excitement of shopping for example. Raga and dvesa are always due to living outside the realm of sacred presence. Dhyana (meditation) is the best antidote for that.
Condemnation, disapproval, blame, censure, denunciation, enmity, blameworthy criticism, abhorrence, disgust, disdain, scorn, and the like are all statements of extreme displeasure and horridness -- a decision that a desired result has not been achieved and more so the undesired result has occurred. Such is merely an evaluation of the intellect and belief system based on good and bad (ethics and esthetics) and is thus both a vrtti and a klesha. Thus all the kleshas are creations of the dualistic mind and are illusory. Once they are seen for what they are, they then disappear. hatred is an aggressive compensatory adaptive way of coping with our pain, sorrow, and grief. As such it leads us even further astray feeding the illusion that we are not in reality in pain or in a grievous situation. Just like raga, aversion can manifest in many ways in daily life as it is the result of grasping also. More specifically, aversion and/or its combination mixed with the other kleshas manifest as hatred, contempt, extreme dislike, anger, abhorrence, disgust, distaste, rancor, derision, mockery, hostility, resentment, irritation, disapproval, condemnation, demonization, antipathy, repugnance, revulsion, haughtiness, disdain, overbearance, pomposity, scorn, arrogance, and the like.
The ordinary man dominated by dualistic thinking processes, lost in samsara as he is, too often clings to his shortsightedness, predilections, egoic self, hatreds, loathing, predilections, bias, blame, disapproval, condemnation of others, desires, pride and arrogance -- in short his many combinations of hindrances, afflictive emotions and obstructions (kleshas). Thus one not only is blocking out one's true nature, but most often creating more fuel to feed more bad karma. Many people have become conditioned to find their security and self worth (their "delusional reality) by being against an enemy or evil. This is why the Buddha said that dualistic "life is hard when we are attached to our ignorance, but very sweet (when sorrow ends) -- when we have realized the fruit of the path which is our birth rights -- of our latent innate seed wisdom (buddha-nature or true Christ potential) as we become the love and light that we have all been waiting for. Hence the inner demon of delusional thinking (Mara) which is created by the egoic mindset must be defeated.
Security and Insecurity Issues: (Raga or Dvesa or both?)
Security is a large business. Business goes up when people feel insecure. Government security costs American tax payers more than any other service. Such covers war, defense, intelligence, research, prisons, prosecution, homeland security, enforcement, and court costs at all levels of government. Private security corporations are on the rise in both foreign and domestic intelligence gathering as well as prison systems, professional private security police and para-military corporations, as well as the traditional security/alarm companies. This huge amplification in security is of course heightened by insecurity -- concerns over the safety of self and/or property.
In the United States currently we have the UN security council, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Agency, a large array of Spy Satellites, hundreds of foreign military bases, the highest incarceration rate in the world, and spend more money on defense, prisons, and "security" ten times over that of any other nation, yet Americans still do not feel secure. What are they afraid of? One thing for certain, ownership and consumerism does not point to happiness, as much as`fear.
There are two mental aspects to security. One is fear of being attacked, being imprisoned, enslaved, abused, exploited, and so forth. Even proactive defense being based on fear, can all be said to be based on dvesa (as aversion). The other mental aspect is raga and greed, where the motives are to keep what one already has or to gain advantage by exploiting the resources of others. For example most wars in history can be identified as being caused by rapacious aggressors intent on profit. Sometimes both sides were fighting over resources, power, and control -- wealth such as England's wars with Spain or France.or example the American Indian wars were based on exploitation of land and resources. So was the Spanish American war, the war on Panama, the first Gulf War, the Afghanistan War, the second Iraq war, and so on. Some wars could be classified as purely defensive on one side, while always there is some thing to gain (desire and greed) and something to lose (dvesa) always involved either both or at least one. In fact as we have shown raga and dvesa are really two sides of the same dynamo which drives the wheel of samsara. SAt its root is ignorance (avidya), the inability for nations and people to live in harmony with the evolutionary life force -- to honor and respect it. Rather war and all other "security" concerns are due to lack -- to separation from that pure primordial vision (vidya). War and conflict is based on inner conflict, unresolved inner wars and dualities which cloud pure vision and thus prevent its expression. What is expressed instead is the fear, greed, desire, antipathy, prejudice, intolerance and hatred (raga/dvesa) which are merely an acting out (externalization) of one's inner demons (maras) projected upon "the world". What is revealing is to successfully inquire as to the reason why there is such a widespread national mental epidemic of denial of what is otherwise obvious to outside world observers. In general arrogance, pride, self deceit, conceit, and delusion reinforce this ignorance. This denial and ignorance of the evolutionary life force becomes even more pronounced when we consider the widespread poisoning and destruction by human beings of their own, water, air, food supplies, bodies, and sustainable habitat.
Rather the yogi inquires why in the first place one is afraid, is greedy, attached to views or things, hateful, angry, and violent and how does that happen? Then those primary causes are eliminated. Then the yogi reflects/expresses their connection according to the intensity of their intention.
Aversion to Aversion
A negative feedback loop is not uncommon when people become averse to aversion, become afraid of fear, indifferent to indifference, deny being in denial, hate hatred, attempt to escape or avoid situations that they fear, hate themselves for hating themselves, and so forth. For example, there might be an upcoming situation or event that I am afraid of. I become afraid of even thinking about it or being reminded of the situation or event, or anything else that is associated with it. I start to worry about it, become nervous and upset, have nightmares about it, and experience a general malaise of dread or even depression. I may even become depressed that I am depressed or sad because I am sad, or hate myself for hating myself, and so forth. All of that weakens my nervous system and my ability to face the situation. Weakened and in dread, I fear the event even more. Obsessing any further might cause a panic attack or nervous breakdown.
That type of negative obsession over an event or situation can also occur in relation to a past experience which was very painful, traumatic, or which produced overwhelming anxiety. Here again I may have ongoing nightmares about that and carry that fear on into the future. For example in self awareness (swadhyaya) or sitting meditation (dhyana) sometimes we will become aware of a dysfunctional kleshic/karmic mechanism which may show up as aversion. In that case, having more aversion or self blame over discovering the existence of an aversion mechanism will only feed an endless downward spiral until the observer recognizes that the mechanisms of blame, condemnation, guilt, and shame are inexpedient and counterproductive. Such is the opposite of taking "response-ability" for our actions, speech, and thoughts as a pure channel for expression of the evolutionary power and primordial consciousness.
In any event, this samsaric cyclic mechanism fed by raga/dvesa is counterproductive, dysfunctional, and needs to be broken asunder. Although the introduction of remedial thought processes like positive or wishful thinking may be temporarily appear to be helpful, it is more helpful to the release the mechanisms of old samsaric/kleshic thought patterns as they are recognized (self awareness) by releasing them immediately. Utilizing yogic practices aimed directly at aggressively clearing out stuck energy, while opening us up to discovering our innate and latent energy will work far more deeply on activating a deep core lasting change. Such practices such as found in kriya and astanga yoga will have rapid positive results and are far more effective than working merely on the mental or conceptual level.
Observation as in watching the mental processes may help in recognizing the mechanics of the cause and effect relationships that are involved, but it will be effective yogic practices which will be capable of rapidly clearing the psycho-energetic mechanism completely, reestablishing a positive feedback loop and connection with body, breath, mind, and spirit which will displace the negative feedback loop. In short it is not necessary to figure out with the intellect all the causes of the kleshas (asmita, raga, dvesa, etc., but just to know humbly that they stem from ignorance (avidya) and the egoic split from Self, hence such a rend is healed by reconnecting with clear primordial vision, through the vehicles of integration -- integration of body, breath, speech, and spirit -- balancing and harmonizing heaven and earth through our very expression. There is so much suffering (duhkha) -- so much human ignorance and confusion -- so much arrogance, pride, self deceit, and egoic delusion, yet in the realm governed by the evolutionary power and primordial consciousness, all that is mere illusory-- in comparison it is an insubstantial hallucination -- a nightmarish dream. When we are called upon to love, then we must obey. That is how kriya yoga remediates the kleshas through supreme devotion.
The Fear of Pleasure, Self Perpetuating Denial, Masochism and Sadism
As we have seen pain and suffering can become an addictive obsession. It can give us purpose and meaning especially when we identify as a victim. It thus helps hold the egoic mindset (asmita) together around an identifiable and predictable predicament (suffering) or oppression. In that way that predictability brings solace -- a ersatz sense of security and belonging. Indeed samsara is addictive because the egoic mindset has become obsessed with the citta-vrttis. Again liberation is not the negation or demonization of the world or nature -- it is not in aversion to life, but rather of the liberation of the citta-vrtti. When we learn to OPEN our mind, then the path and vision is clarified.
Dvesa creates more bondage to the wheel of suffering (samsara), but also painful past experiences also cause more aversion. Both together make the samsaric wheel difficult to pierce. The method is not to escape this, but to understand how our own mind has created it and then self liberate.. Just as aversion causes more suffering and dissatisfaction (reinforcing the cycle of samsaric existence and negative karma) so too do past painful associations cause even more aversion. Similarly, events, things, sounds, sights, tastes, smells, people, tones, hues, clothing, and so forth which remind us of past painful experiences can trigger fear, aversion, and the re-experiencing of that pain (or fear of re-experiencing it). Of course the events or stimuli are not the pain, rather the pain is imputed by the mind onto the external objects, event, or people via the obscuration of past associations, but because this happens mostly reflexively (unconsciously), the event itself may appear as a threat. This is mechanism is involved in the construction of post traumatic stress disorders.
These negative emotions (fear, pain, terror, overwhelm) associated around past painful experiences may become exploited by others who would manipulate others. Many people become facile demagogues, manipulators, tricksters, predators, power mongers, illusionists, and sadists because they themselves have become spiritually self alienated and victimized. When ignorance and suffering become chronic schadenfreude (enjoyment taken from the misfortune of others), sadism, torture, morose delectation, and unrequited harm are unleashed upon other beings as enjoyment. It is not a large leap from the delight and glee of vicariously watching a gladiator die in a stadium, a bull fighter killing a bull, a football or a soccer player being beaten bloody and the actual perpetuation of organized murder, war, genocide, or ecocide as it satisfies the same inner perverted desire that stems from the more primary repression of one's own originally positive life instincts which have become brutally masked over by pain and/or shame.
In the preceding sutra commentary on asmita and raga, we described how some kleshas manifest as in many victims as a fear of pleasure and the self denial of pleasure and happiness. Parallel to the fear of happiness is the fear of living. In short they find comfort in displeasure... pleasure in pain. In that sense the line between raga and dvesa as well as between sukha (pleasure) and pain (duhkha) appear to become blurred or confused. Certainly to the confused mind (avidya) that is so; however there is a cause and effect relationship to all suffering which can be released through effective yogic practice.
For example once an infant is punished for feeling, expressing their own feelings, or freely expressing their own views or opinions in an authoritarian environment governed by authoritarian parents, not only fear of accessing one's feeling is established, but the very mechanism of accessing those feelings are associated with pain, punishment. guilt, shame, unworthiness, and often evil. One becomes driven to associate and identify with an external "good" or purity and gloms onto that objective structure as reality with great tenacity (a fear often mistaken as passion). Here the fear of punishment and/or the approval of authority provides more security and comfort than one's own natural or primary sensitivities or feelings. In that sense they have had their own sense of self authority successfully beaten out of them.
So the mechanism as a fear of pleasure or even getting in touch with one's own feeling can be programmed at in early age, while being replaced by an ersatz desire to conform, obey, be protected, and accepted by a world which will love and accept one, albeit the modified, adopted, and artificial "one". This can become an unconscious habit of self imposed masochism -- as a chronic repressive mechanism which includes punishment for having thoughts of pleasure (beating it out of one so to speak) either physically or in the sense of exorcism (using pain as the associated negative motivator). In either case such negative conditioning produces an underlying assumption that deep inside human beings lurks evil (or original sin), while salvation is in denying it (one' e feelings)..
This is not uncommon in radical fundamentalist religious conditioning where children have become trained to fear their innate feelings (such as sexuality, the animal nature, their alliance with nature and natural systems, or anything else that contradicts their belief system. Hence one's innate awareness and ability for critical and creative thought processes remain suspect and feared because such mechanisms may contradict their parents, their support groups, egoic protection mechanisms, church, religion, social norms, peers, or mechanisms of censure or constructs of superego ideals (adopted board of censors or judges). This holds true in any externally oriented authoritarian system here the purpose is to strip the human being of their innate sensitivities and feelings, while enslaving them to the system, belief, party, club, nation, religion, race, or organization..The act of disobeying such external authorities often becomes "unthinkable", rather it has become condemned and subject to punishment (bad). Such people would be considered "bad" if they desire such pleasures, claim such feelings, or knowledge. Hence such behavior is relegated as being unthinkable, and hence their evolutionary potential as human beings in alignment with life force and the living systems becomes discarded. Simultaneously those "others" who indulge in pleasure and this life, thus are determined to be bad, and are condemned, demonized, and often hated or attacked. A system of morals is thus constructed that is utterly devoid of honoring life and one's innate feelings. In such a citta-vrtti rife with pramana, vikalpa, and delusion the mindset becomes a "complex" mechanism because delusion, self deceit, and denial are actively involved, mechanisms of denial and withdrawal are strengthened, and intuitive wisdom and instinct are actively avoided and ignored.
In short, a rather large predicament is created when one has become spiritually estranged (split off from primordial consciousness and evolutionary/creative power). then that estrangement becomes further compounded while the original causation factor becomes obscured appearing to be inscrutable by a mind which has become habitually fixated to confused thought patterns. In that milieu strong "authority figures" and external "law and order structures" may appear to some to be safe predictable havens, but in reality they merely act as ersatz meaning and substitute structures, to replace gnawing inner scarcity, lack, and absence of direct connection (yoga) provides. They present the barriers for further spiritual evolution.
Because of grasping and fear, too often the need for the external substitute/subliminal ersatz reality consistently overrides attempts to reestablish the primacy of inner wisdom, primordial knowledge, innate order, inner gnosis and authority, and innate goodness (the innate Buddhanature). Hence the process of waking up and liberation is resisted/conflictive, while those who would waken us up are seen as threats-- dangers to the prison of the ego -- the citta-vrtti. Challenging one's belief systems, questioning previously unexamined assumptions, questioning authority, and new ideas are welcomed by those who value creative and critical thought as a pathway to expand and open their mind and experiences. On the other hand they are challenging, triggering a reaction of conflict, fear, and often hatred and resentment to those who are severely afflicted.
The Psychiatrist, Wilhelm Reich, M.D., and founder of Bodypsychotherapy said over 50 years ago.
"Those who are truly alive are kindly and unsuspecting in their human relationships and consequently endangered under present conditions. They assume that others think and act generously, kindly, and helpfully, in accordance with the laws of life. This natural attitude, fundamental to healthy children as well as to primitive man, inevitably represents a great danger in the struggle for a rational way of life as long as the emotional plague subsists, because the plague-ridden impute their own manner of thinking and acting to their fellow men. A kindly man believes that all men are kindly, while one infected with the plague believes that all men lie and cheat and are hungry for power. In such a situation the living are at an obvious disadvantage. When they give to the plague-ridden, they are sucked dry, then ridiculed or betrayed." "It is high time for the living to get tough, for toughness is indispensable in the struggle to safeguard and develop the life-force; this will not detract from their goodness, as long as they stand courageously by the truth. . . . Anyone who wants to safeguard the life-force from the emotional plague must learn to make at least as much use of the right of free speech that we enjoy in America for good ends as the emotional plague does for evil ones. Granted equal opportunity for expression, rationality is bound to win out in the end. That is our great hope . . .
You could have long since become the master of your existence, if only your thinking were in the direction of truth. You are cowardly in your thinking, Little Man, because real thinking is accompanied by bodily feelings, and you are afraid of your body. Many great men have told you: Go back to your origin - listen to your inner voice - follow your true feelings - cherish love.
The kindly individual believes that all people are kindly and act accordingly. The plague individual believes that all people lie, swindle, steal and crave power. Clearly, then, the living is at a disadvantage and in danger.
There is only one antidote to the germs of the emotional plague in the mass individual: his own feeling of living life. The living does not ask for power but for its proper role in human life. It is based on the three pillars of love, work and knowledge.
You beg for happiness in life, but security is more important to you, even if it costs you your spine or your life. Your life will be good and secure when aliveness will mean more to you than security; love more than money; your freedom more than party line or public opinion; when your thinking will be in harmony with your feelings; when the teachers of your children will be better paid than the politicians; when you will have more respect for the love between man and woman than for a marriage license.
You will no longer believe that you "don't count." You will know and advocate your knowledge that you are the bearer of human society. Don't run away. Don't be afraid. It is not so terrible to be the responsible bearer of human society. Inflated leaders would have no soldiers and no arms if you clearly knew, and stood up for your knowledge, that a field has to yield wheat and a factory furniture or shoes, and not arms. All you have to do is to continue what you have always done and always want to do: to do your work, to let your children grow up happily, to love your mate.
You are GREAT, Little Man, when you are not small and petty. You are great when you carry on your trade lovingly, when you enjoy carving and building and painting and decorating and sowing, when you enjoy the blue sky and the deer and the dew and music and dancing, your growing children and the beautiful body of your woman or your man, when you learn to understand and think about life. You are great when you hold your grandchildren on your knees and tell them about times long past, when you look into an uncertain future with their trusting childlike curiosity, when you lull your newborn to sleep, when you sing the good old folk songs.
Follow the voice of your heart, even if it leads you off the path of timid souls. Do not become hard and embittered, even if life tortures you at times. There is only one thing that counts: to live one's life well and happily."
"Listen Little Man", Wilhelm Reich. M.D.
In addition, when children are loved unconditionally for who they are as they are, that unconditional love and acceptance provides a base for the establishment of an innate sense of well being. That state or even its memory has to be rediscovered. Those who have lost that memory or have never experienced that in this world, need love. They too can benefit from yoga as an exploration of that.
See the discussion on PAIN above and Fear of Living below.
Of course the best medicine is preventative and proactive; i.e., to remove the conditions of ignorance that perpetuates the institution of transgenerational ignorance and suffering in the first place. Also see "AVOIDANCE" and "DENIAL".
Chronic Meanness
"So, as I said, Kalamas: 'Don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, "This contemplative is our teacher."
When you know for yourselves that, "These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to harm & to suffering" — then you should abandon them.' "
We saw that in Sutra I that Loving Kindness (maitri) is a yoga practice. It is an effective practice because it reflects the wisdom of the transpersonal and non-dual state. It brings us in communion with that state. Just contemplating maitri, karuna, mudita, and upeksha, helps us to transform dvesa and the other kleshas. The boundless mind is always an option to entertain. So is ahimsa, the primary yama. On the other hand, chronic meanness is a stance that reflects spiritual self-estrangement, pain, lack, and desire due to fragmentation/corruption from the whologram.
Chronic meanness is due to deep imbedded chronic pain which has taken over the consciousness and overrides the higher wisdom. People hate and desire to hurt others because they hurt inside. Torture, hell, and pain for them is "life". They run amok on the planet creating more pain and suffering. The schadenfreude or sadist (see Fear of Living and Fear of Pleasure) is in a chronic state of desiring to discharge their pain upon others, thus obtaining temporary relief. Tragically these people waste their own lives and others in unconscious vicious cycles of himsa, inflicting harm onto others. This blocks their bodhicitta (innate goodness) and spiritual progress creating even more negative karma for themselves; yet they are resistant to change because mean and hateful people often refuse to admit that they are mean. In short it is not chic to be mean or hateful, so such people justify their behavior in rationalizations, often with elaborate lies and self deceit. For example the Nazis torturers said of themselves that they were only following orders. So did the American torturers at Abu Grhaib. The the Israeli soldiers claimed self defense in Gaza. The slave owners claimed that they were giving their African slaves a superior way of life and religion. So too did the Spanish conquistadors claim that they were civilizing the heathens of the Americas by slaughtering them and stealing their land. Some Buddhist meat eaters claim that they are doing the animal a favor by slaughtering and eating them. None of that is very flattering to the ego, so the ego makes up more lies (asmita) itself. Such poppycock is found in the history books written by the victors and master class.
Chronic meanness is due to chronic forgetfulness of the innate good, the absence of the sacred, an inner emptiness and coldness, the result of a severe repression and blockage of the innate bodhi-citta. Practices must be undertaken in earnest to melt the hardness of the heart.
Anger and Pain
Yogis desire to investigate the kleshas such as hatred, fear, anger, craving, etc., in order to eliminate the pain, not because the "investigation" itself gives us pain, albeit it may reveal underlying pain; albeit mental or physical pain is an indicator that calls for our attention of course. The yogi wants to meet his/her inner demons and shadow/twilight modalities in order to shine light upon life for reasons of self liberation, which eliminates all pain. The greatest enemy is delusion (self deceit) and its many guises and retinues.
Anger, which is painful, but addictive, can be eliminated in every situation by knowing how our mind works, as it is the mind which creates the anger and pain as a reaction to both external stimuli, events, and situations, as well as dreams and thoughts, which seem not be the result of outside events/stimuli. Both what we label as external events and also what we label as internal mental events are the result of past karma – they are explained by the Buddha as dependent origination and by Patanjali as karma. Since these mental habits are karmically induced, they can be changed by the accumulation of positive actions/karma and/or wisdom.
In short, it is not possible to escape from the mind, but we can change our old mental habits and karmic patterns. It can be as simple as using the anger as an awareness tool – meeting your anger. That is, "oh here I am becoming angry. How interesting. I am angry because ..... blah blah. Or I feel angry, but I don't know the cause. In either case, I celebrate my awareness! How wonderful to know my present condition. I celebrate awareness! Watching my anger, I create space for awareness. I bring this awareness as a glowing light with me wherever I go."
That awareness eventually becomes clarified. Buddha is pure and complete awareness – awareness of everything in samadhi. Thus, this is a step toward Buddha – waking up and liberation.
Therefore, escape from the mind is as futile as escape from our fears. They will haunt us until we confront them. Temporary distractions of self-gratification will not substitute for the joy of being fully present without fear, aversion, greed, or confusion.
It is common to attempt to escape or displace unpleasant feelings by putting off their eventual confrontation through ersatz mechanisms of diversion or distraction. This is not healthy, in the sense that a delusional and consumer oriented society caters to this sickness. Unfortunately, sick is normal. Fulfilling temporary self-gratifications work temporarily. Eventually they will become empty and neurotic. This too is normal.
Anger often arises when events do go the way we desire or intend, i.e., when our object of desire is denied. Anger is a common reaction, especially for men. When we become frustrated in an attempt to accomplish something (when our desires/expectations are not met), we become angry. That anger is wasted emotional energy. The classical female response is more healthy, in recognizing that the desire has become thwarted (accepting the situation as it is) and then moving on. There is no efficiency in complaining about something that can't be changed, excessive grief, blame, anger, or self-incrimination.
Of course, these are generalizations. They are all dysfunctional/counterproductive emotional traps that can be avoided. There is a lesson in suffering. If we don't learn our lesson then (what causes suffering and pain), we might have to repeat the activity until the lesson is learned. Having become liberated from the cause of suffering through awareness, we can focus on unending happiness. That awareness is joyful and liberating. It is our friend if we accept it.
Many people become angry with themselves when they find out that they have been duped or misled and have acted naively. I agree that when we are severely dumbed down, drugged, living in a stupor, and insensitive we do not feel the pain, nor are we aware of the anger. That is also a common dysfunctional escape mechanism, while waking up and meeting our pain can be very refreshing, self empowering, and joyful without bringing up elements of anger or self-recrimination. Just to say that authentic dharma can be far more pleasurable and liberating than normal neurotic distractions. Dharma light can destroy fear, confusion, anger, and craving, but its general principles should be applied according to one's own unique situation, not in a common cookie cutter mode.
Anger is not healthy. It causes stress, while disturbing our innate healing energy. There are many remedies (practices) offered to transmute this klesha. In fortunate practices the yogi does not try to repress or negate it; rather it is transformed. In more fortunate circumstances the anger is simply released as the yogi has become accustomed to his/her natural abode of great potentiality. In one sense, it is mindfulness, as we recognize it arising; it is released. In a similar sense it is samatha, as one relaxes increasingly in the natural unconditioned of primordial awareness. All of the above can be addressed as skillful means; wherein all conditions are met with the unity of pure wisdom and pure compassion, which eventually extends into all our relations ... until all sentient beings recognize and are integrated in true nature-- in a sublime fount of co-creative creativity.
Yogic practice is best seen as abiding in a state of immovable lasting happiness, which is unconditional and unconditioned. It is a characteristic of vast awakening. It is a natural happy path that leads to true and lasting uncontrived happiness. As we have seen practice is designed to dissolve the obstructions of mind-essence, natural space. Then duhkha (unhappiness) ceases to arise. In every moment the mind can create happiness or pain, so it's a no brainer. This joyful light and awareness is something we carry around with us to illumine life; yet it illumines us and all beings/things naturally when our inner eye is open. It is buoyant and self luminous.
Catharsis of ill will: hatred and anger as the pathological transformation of jealousy, frustration, and denied desires
Frustration of desire often leads to anger as a discharge mechanism when release is mechanisms are not recognized as available or are otherwise blocked. Many people do not even recognize that they are seeking discharge through anger, because they have little emotional self awareness/consciousness. Many are thus in denial that they are addicted to chronic anger when desires are not met. When such anger becomes built up, bottling it up any further becomes impossible, and the victim explodes with rage and wrath at an object, which is the externalized object of their anger. It does not occur to such people, that the cause of their anger is their own inefficient mental/emotional mechanism. Unable to see the true cause of their anger (their own particular mindset), angry people become addicted to expressing anger as a venting mechanism. Because this mechanism is very common and because large anger often signals righteous indignation, which points the finger at an externalized accused object of the anger, other angry people become attracted to other angry people as genuine. They are genuine only in so far that these people share a common emotional illness and bias; i.e., anger which they can feel and relate to with each other. Finger pointers, as demagogues, hence often become "leaders" of angry men as they lead them in a battle that promises to destroy the cause of their pain/anger, thus uniting angry men in performing heroic feats for the benefit of a demagogic king who would exploit men's emotional weakness (anger).
Angry people, can congregate together, not unlike mutual support groups expressing their shared anger as in group catharsis, such as in taverns, sports events, political gatherings, nationalistic, or other chauvinistic events where there may be much yelling, shouting, cursing, pounding, jumping around, etc. Group catharsis can become criminally psychopathic when it involves gay bashing, hate crimes, rape, lynching, pogroms, brawls, riots, and berserking. As long as the taverns, sports events, and gatherings involve angry people who share common objects of their anger, fights, and violence may be cathartic without harming others, but there is always a chance that an enemy (an object of the anger) may appear so that the anger may be discharged violently upon another human being. Indeed many angry people find that discharge as very stimulating and satisfying, at least temporarily.
"I'll ask of the berserks, you tasters of blood,
Those intrepid heroes, how are they treated,
Those who wade out into battle?
Wolf-skinned they are called. In battle
They bear bloody shields.
Red with blood are their spears when they come to fight.
They form a closed group.
The prince in his wisdom puts trust in such men
Who hack through enemy shields"
Translation from the Haraldskvæði saga describing Harald's berserkers, Page, R. I. (1995). "Chronicles of the Vikings". Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press, p. 109.
Of course expressing anger outwardly as a mechanism of catharsis is not a cure for anger, but it being a connecting point to its origin, its mechanism must be studied and understood, while approaches that are more efficient become implemented. Then anger is mastered, not through its repression, but rather through effortless liberation (non-grasping). How is this mechanism to be studied? Not in laboratories, academies, hospitals, or books, but rather through self observation/self-awareness. That is how it is studied, through swadhyaya. It is liberated through its non-arising.
"If a soldier survives the berserk state, it imparts emotional deadness and vulnerability to explosive rage to his psychology and permanent hyperarousal to his physiology — hallmarks of post-traumatic stress disorder in combat veterans. My clinical experience with Vietnam combat veterans prompts me to place the berserk state at the heart of their most severe psychological and psychophysiological injuries."
Shay, Jonathan (1994). "Achilles in Vietnam". New York: Scribner. pp. 98. ISBN 0-68912182-2.
Transference of pain, anger, and violence through punishing "self" and others
We often hear about spreading the love and joy, but similarly there occurs much spreading of the hatred, anger, pain, confusion, and violence. This occurs in a society proportionately to the extent that its people are experiencing pain, dissatisfaction, and misery. Today, America has the highest rate of violence per capita, despite being the world's largest customer of consumer goods. Does that reflect the level of American happiness is not dependent upon craving -- egoic ownership? Such is evidence that the craving for more "things" is the result of a spiritual malaise – a substitute compensation for something more deep, which has become taken away, a separation, and rend from experiencing being interconnected.
How this works (or rather does not work/is dysfunctional)
Human behavior ordinarily originates from the psychological, emotional, or philosophical content inside their mind. If human beings are filled with frustration, confusion, pain, and resentment, they are likely to express such in their activities and speech.
For some people who have excess anger/pain, as if they are ready to explode with anger, find that they can discharge such uncomfortable/painful feelings through surrogate means. This transference of pain, anger, and even violence can be vented in a "civilized" society by pounding pillows, defacing pictures of the hated object, person, or group. Many times such surrogates like scapegoat figures are used. Sometimes anger and violence is discharged upon groups that symbolize the enemy, the pain, or the feelings of abuse. For example, if a woman is a source of a man's pain, beating up any woman might provide a suitable vent, albeit usually temporarily. This applies to random acts of violence against members of differing races, nationalities, religions members, ethnicities, etc.
Chronic anger, hatred, fear, jealousy, competitiveness, and violence are most often learned at a very early age from parents, peers, teachers, religious leaders, or authority figures. One too often becomes convinced that the world is a dangerous place and that violence, war, blame, punishment, prisons, deceit, and competition are necessary for one's survival. Such stands in stark contrast to one who believes that the universe is basically friendly where reverence for life, compassion, love, peace, truthfulness, honesty, cooperation, and liberty are paramount corollaries to one's integrative vision (realization of samadhi).
For example, if one person was traumatically punished in the past, then in this way of punishment transfer, that same person may perpetuate a similar brutal act upon another person in a perverted attempt to discharge the shame, pain, or trauma. One may become overwhelmed, feel helpless, disempowered, desperate, or engulfed with such a dominant affliction and as such, it governs their mind and behavior. Transference of blame works the same way, like blaming your dog after a day in the office where we were "picked on" or abused.
Of course, these transfer mechanisms of shifting the blame, pain, violence, or punishment are perverse and dysfunctional. It is counterproductive as the pain, unhappiness, and/or anger is recollected, wells up repeatedly, demanding discharge until one learns to deconstruct, disconnect, or release the habitual mechanism, rather than discharge/release the symptoms upon others, the society, or upon ourselves. It is neither a healthy mechanism for the organism nor for others, yet it may provide a temporary release/vent.
Indeed, the martyr figure does not have to be the one that we nail on the cross (kill and punish as a surrogate), so that our pain is absolved, rather we can become our own self suffering martyrs by holding in our anger, while reenacting daily rituals of self hatred and self abuse. Such self-harm, self-punishment, and self-torture can be considered as "safe", harmless, just, and even self-righteous, but of course it is not. Self punishment hardly transfer pain and punishment upon a surrogate object, even if it is oneself without making the schizoid split even worse. These injurious dysfunctional mechanisms must and can be identified and disassembled. One must ask with compassion, what does one do when the pain becomes unbearable.
There "should be" (but isn't) a social mechanism or institution made available to those who are about to "blow their tops". The other cost-free way, is self-awareness, where we learn how to watch our mind and emotions, as we interact with events and people. Here we learn how to stay centered, focused, aware, and in recognition with the life energy in All Our Relations. In this chapter, Patanjali offers us Ashtanga Yoga as such an awareness practice. This is a process of de-conditioning/deprogramming dysfunctional habits of anger, aggression, harm, and self-centered abuse.
Sick, dysfunctional, and violent people, who live in a sick, dysfunctional and violent society, who respect, reward, and glorify violence and aggression will disagree that violence and harm are not innate and natural. Albeit the potential for violence, dysfunction, greed, exploitation, and violence exists, so too is the potential for compassion, love, altruism, happiness, and contentment. A sane and healthy person and society is free to choose. An honest investigation into human and social maladies will provide answers. No such investigation wallows in its own self-created misery and confusion. One who recognizes that they have an anger problem, may find it very beneficial to cut their ties with other angry/hateful "friends", while cultivating relationships with kind and compassionate people. Similarly, if one has friends who are constantly angry, hateful, paranoid, and harmful, do not encourage or feed that outlet. Be a real friend by being real – reflecting/mirroring the truth, while avoiding possible wrath or harm.
Self anger, self-adversariness, or self hatred
How can one hate oneself unless there are two "selfs", the one who hates, and the other, who is the object of one's hatred? These two selves, who are at odds, or rather as multiple personalities, are parcels of a schizoid personality, a person who is at odds within – within their "self". This inner conflict creates tension, conflict, and saps their strength, love, courage, creative ability, healing power, and evolution
How this condition is created has myriad causes, but there are common general features that can be identified as well as general methods to defeat the process, while returning to synergistic synchronicity with one pointed concentration, attention, focus, purpose, meaning, balance, wellness, love, and harmony. In general, the primary general cause is always the same; i.e., confusion, however in this case the delusional roles, personalities, or characters have been given lives of their own.
More specifically this can occur when the parents are schizoid, conflicted, hypocritical, have multiple personalities, have bi-polar tendencies, multiple allegiances, undergoing life changes, etc. For example, they may show one face to the boss and another to the spouse, one face to one child and another to the other child, one face to the neighbors and another to the uncle or aunt, etc. The child then grows up with mixed values and confused realities/world views as contexts, while learning how to put on safe faces to each parent depending on which they are at the moment. To a greater or lesser extent, the parents do not always consciously know "who" they are at any given moment, or if they are playing a role/game or not depending on their own self-awareness brought upon by swadhyaya (self study).
Some people play various roles consciously as a game that they can manipulate, while most play the games reflexively, compulsively, and subconsciously depending on needs, conditions, and aspirations. When this role changing is done reflexively, then it is more than deceit or masquerading, but rather has become self-deceit and delusional. Especially if the "player" believes that "everything" he/she does is a character act or role, which they can play or not play, then that person is completely deluded.
Multiple personality disorders can also be picked up other than by parents. Teachers, peers, TV heroes, idols, priests, bosses, and even criminals can serve as multi-personality success stories or examples, especially when these people believe that they are getting away with something by manipulating dissociation tactics or deception.
In these cases, these dissociations are often seen as escapes from painful situations. They are conflated as liberation, but it is just a delusion. Cynical and nihilistic personalities will say that "life" and reality are the lie and that there is no reality, world, or truth. Thus, their belief in delusion only becomes more solidified by their need to justify and rationalize their unaccountable and sociopathic behavior. Although dissociation and schizoid splits can occur as an escape, because of severe painful trauma where the person is overloaded and frozen in pain – where the split is seen as the only way out, such escape mechanisms only punish the victim more. The more efficient response is ALWAYS to meet the pain directly head on, and then it will go away ceasing to haunt one later.
When these multiple faces or personalities become internalized (usually by early adulthood), then one has become at war with themselves. It is no longer about what one's parent may say, the boss, the priest, teacher, neighbor, husband, etc., but now the personality has multiple voices criticizing their every move or thought. Some of these voices were relegated by Freud into the domain of the super-ego, the conscience, or internal censor. They cannot substitute for self-awareness. For example, conscience could be defined as a learned trait by conforming to external authoritarian rules; or, as in yoga, we can recognize a higher conscience, as dictates coming from a transpersonal universal compassionate awareness. Whether these contradictions between our self-identity stems from external social mores, peer pressure, or our higher spiritual self, friction, conflict, tension, and resistance can often manifest in angry terms as if one were at war with oneself.
In regard to self-anger/self-hatred, one often can become angry with oneself for the lack of specific "good" actions that the conscience "expects" from the self (actor) or the implementation of other actions, which are contrary to one's own self censor (conscience), In short, one's values must be congruent/aligned with one's actions, thoughts, and deeds. If not internal conflict, frustration, anger (externalized), self-anger, self-inhibition, or dissociation are likely. Again, this always comes from confusion/non-awareness, not knowing as to what is the most expedient response/action to take (its frustration). It's root cause as a disharmony/non-alignment between body, mind, and meaning. For the ordinary person, the specific source of the self-anger is not conscious, rather it is compulsively expressed (internalized or externalized) being set in motion apparently stimuli (conditions), which are the result of pervious causes and conditions (karma). In yoga, we call these samskaras (programs and conditioning, which have become habituated as chronic thought formations. Yoga so aptly aims at disrupting and breaking up these thought formation processes.
Thus, anger can manifest as self-destructive behavior or it can be re-externalized (after it has been internalized) where the self-angry personality finds an external shadow figure to kill, hate, or destroy. This reaction is strongest when the shadow figure represents a message, which appears threatening to one's present delusional character set (egoic mindset) which is nothing other than a dualistic belief system where an egoic identity (I) is fixated within contexts which are conflicting or contradictory. Hence, contradiction is undesired, while integration and harmony is representative of an inner and outer non-dual alignment.
The solution is always the same, integration of body, speech, true nature of mind, and the true nature of nature. That is, when the delusional coverings (confusion) are exorcised, then clarity, compassion, and skill will spontaneously manifest as bliss – as wisdom and compassion in motion. For this to be continuous, all the past negative samskaras will have to be deprogrammed. Then one's true (Buddhanature) innate potential will shine forward naturally and spontaneously.
Sri Patanjali knew this and much more. He taught the ten yam/niyam, not as moral codes such as the ten commandments, nor as a system of good and bad to repress/inhibit or control some actions while imitating, conforming, or adapting to others, because that approach is certain to create even more inner turmoil, self conflict, and self-anger, self hatred, and self-adversarial behavior. This is common in fundamentalist religious sects, where one is coerced not to think for oneself; i.e., where any critical or independent thought, which does not conform to the strict external guidelines and structure of "good" and "bad" behavior laid down according to the belief system or interpretation of "right" and "wrong" of that specific religious cult is discouraged, penalized, and/or condemned. Of course, such belief systems (as we have seen in I.9) not only create intolerance of other sentient beings, but also self-intolerance/self-hatred. For example, if one is taught that sex is bad out of wedlock, but one's sacred duty within wedlock, then a man learns to hate himself for sexual thoughts and desires before he is married and/or if it involves anyone else but his wife. Albeit, one way for the fundamentalist to express their self-hatred in denial is to condemn the woman for exciting his "evil" desire, thus projecting that the woman is evil. If the man is a bit more introspective, he will blame himself, and think that he is evil, thus supporting ideas of original sin. These types of externalizations/internalization errors are myriad in unnatural belief systems. Another example would be the fundamentalist error, which associates pain, self-hatred, self-punishment, and self-abnegation with Godliness, goodness, salvation, or heaven; i.e., the more one suffers, the closer is one to God. Similarly, it is not uncommon with fundamentalist evangelists to conclude that the spiritual or holy war is to be externalized outside, as in a war to convert the unbelievers or "evil-doers". They mistake their shadow world populated by inner demons, and externalize them for lack of insight and self-awareness. These same people conclude that democracy is evil because man is evil and hence democracy is not God's government. Although they find God's government to be interpreted from books and man's words, they take their interpretation as infallible.
Patanjali, in his wisdom, thus avoids "good and evil" altogether by simply stating that yam/niyam are true reflections of one's unconditioned (liberated) state. Thus, taking a deep look at one's own thoughts and actions in terms of yam/niyam will be helpful in revealing samadhi, which is the experiential state of absolute liberation (kaivalya). Yoga is not a system of willpower and conformity to a belief system; rather it is a process of awakening. Here anger (ill will or mal-intent) brings negative results to that aim, while love elicits the highest merit and virtue. Anger and hatred as ill will tear us up inside, even more so if it is inner directed. Directing it deeper inward only makes it less apparent. It makes it more difficult to detect and remedy. It is the cause of much social and physical pathology.
One may imply that I am making a case for narcissistic self-love, but that is not so. The case is being made against the delusion of any separate self, which exists independently. The case is for non-duality, no self, or rather a mindset, which is empty of the fragmentation process of self and objects. Since no-self is our natural and healthy condition, it saps much energy to constantly cling upon a self and the resultant disconnected objects of such a fragmented "self-created" universe.
To be certain, utilizing moral codes of good as reward and objectifying an "evil" as wrong or bad, is at best a provisional teaching, which can never replace one's direct, deep, and meaningful communion with reality as-it-is. It will not substitute for non-dual realization, just as garlic, onions, and heavy spices are not able to obviate the ill effects of tainted food. Rather than to conform, obey, and become addicted to mechanically obedience to rules of behavior, by feeling good about being able to obey, or on the other hand, punish oneself for disobedience, one can rather learn how to connect with the beauty, love, meaning, inspiration, and resultant joyful liberation more directly. Instead of using fear of hell, punishment, damnation, or threats as motivators, one uses the union (yoga) with the primordial motive power of nature as indicator.
Release of the Mechanism of Controlled Anger, Fear, and the Explosive Personality
Controlled Anger
Anger is often used to control and manipulate people. Classically this is evidenced by fathers, bosses, sergeants, rulers, or "superiors" whom one feels compelled to please (not anger). Anybody who depends upon the good graces of another, will fear angering them. Such does not go unnoticed by the tyrant, who uses controlled anger in subtle and nuanced ways to manipulate and exploit others who are susceptible. Such a person thus titrates his "angry personality" according to his purpose, greed, and desire to manipulate people and events to his/her advantage. Albeit this controlled anger is in the beginning contrived, but later often becomes chronic.
It is important not to repress anger or other emotions so that it festers within. Rather it must be allowed to come up to the service by recognizing and feeling it. Noticing it, we say that is anger, that is grief, that is jealousy, that is craving, or that is unhappiness. Eventually we witness that is mental arising and that is mental cessation. Eventually all the negative emotions become released simply by watching them arise and cease, not by forcing or trying to change them. They arise in the mind, and cease in the mind. SUch mental tendencies may take many years of practice to cease. but positive results can be experienced immediately in the process.
The Explosive Personality
In other circumstances where anger is not contrived, controlled, or consciously recognized through meditative practices, further situations may develop where the anger becomes explosive in harmful activity such as physical violence, hate crimes, lynching, burnings, looting, vandalism, or other abusive activity toward others or self. This is the danger of repressing anger or any other emotion because relief valves (as in vain neurotic expressions) become grounds for further human, social, ecological, and planetary despair and suffering. Mechanisms of chronic repression/denial of emotions provide the hooks that demagogues and emotional manipulators use to exploit people, fear being a rather large one.
Deprogramming/unconditioning the Anger mechanism naturally
We have already discussed at length the relationship between desire, fear, and anger, elsewhere. We can discuss endlessly skillful methods that deal with the cause of anger, so that anger is neither repressed nor expressed. Thus in yoga, all kleshas are destroyed when ignorance (as unawareness) is deprogrammed. Through the practice of yoga, anger no longer arises, rather all situations become opportunities to practice compassionate and skillful means. Thus without raga, anger does not arise. Without asmita, there is no anger. Without ignorance, love and skillful means spontaneously arise in the non-dual and transpersonal state. (See "vajra anger" as fierce compassion).
In general, "out of control" anger is perceived as a generalized threat. Indeed, the very phrase, "out of control", will be feared by many as a dangerous state of mind, as there is often an assumption that wild and natural is suspect; i.e., that it is construed as bad, dangerous, or threatening. the more tightly in control the ego, the more constrained are natural, spontaneous, and direct expressions. In fact, many psychologists and religious leaders argue that our deepest emotions "should be" repressed (overcome) because the assumption is that human beings are bad/evil. If left to their natural momentum, mankind would unleash that evil, therefore, one must bundle it up, repress, control and constrain it. Further, natural people are dangerous and undignified, wild and wilderness connotes danger, unpredictability becomes paramount with insecurity.
Hence the young child in "civilized societies" that accept the paradigm that nature and wilderness are a danger, rather than a co-creator/ally or sustainer, will become conditioned to fear nature, unpredictability, and change, while the innate order, wisdom, intelligence, beauty, and mutually synergistic co-evolutionary connection that humans have with nature becomes ignored. Since the only way to step outside of nature is to go to heaven, one unnaturally learns to fear life (fear being an ever-present danger) and nature, as well as the body and natural feelings (as being an intimate part of nature, evolution, and the creative process).
Gender Generalizations (left and right brain mechanisms regarding fight or flight)
Men and women deal with frustrating and/or disagreeable situations differently, in so far that generally speaking, men are more prone to anger, while women are more prone to grief and despair. Women, in general, thus adapt better to situations that cannot be changed, while men, in general, respond to situations more aggressively, where action is called for to facilitate change. By "male" or "female", we can refer to the dominance of the left or right brain mechanisms respectively. For example, when attacked it may be best to stand and fight especially when the situation requires swift and forceful action; yet in another situation it may be wiser to retreat (take flight).
In yoga, the left and right as well as all dualistic tendencies are perfectly balanced, harmonized, and integrated in the middle way (sushumna). This is done by practicing asana, pranayama, bandhas, hatha yoga mudras, pratyhara, dharana, and dhyana in an integrated and synergistic fashion.
Bringing light into the darkness of the illness called anger
A sane person may inquire, why it is that so many people chose ignorance, denial, and pain? The answer is most often pain itself, accompanied by its cousin fear. The self-perpetuation, by the victim, of their own victimization is due to their inability to accept their own unbearable mental pain; rather they constantly deny it. They surround themselves with "friends" who also deny it, while blaming others for their pain, eventually associating their pain with those who do not share it. "Friends for those so afflicted form alliances "against" the common enemy (truth) and attempt to find protection through cooperative/conspiratorial militarism; i.e., as long as the group is united in their paranoia and hatred of the "agreed upon enemy" a truce within the group is declared and hence a sense of security. That is, until a group member evidences contrary behavior, he is a fellow protector, a co-conspirator, as friend. Such paranoid groups held together by their common desire to inflict pain upon the enemy, while protecting/raising their self-image, lowered sense of self-esteem, or insecurity forming an uneasy and unsustainable coalition need to be disassembled. The desire to blame, punish, and harm "the other" – those who do not conform to the pain body's representation of their own world view and self-image, tends to trivialize and marginalize others at the minimum; yet "the other" serves a valuable purpose, albeit temporary, to the pain body as a transfer mechanism for their hatred. Devoid of such an outlet, the pain body would collapse upon itself, short circuit, or explode, depending on external circumstances. The first step in recovery from the pain body is for one to give up denial, to surrender their compulsive arrogance, to enter into dialogue, to look and listen. The solution is always awareness, to wake up, surrendering paranoia, old programming, arrogance, hatred, and predictability within a contrived artificial order, for their learning. The disorders of the pain body (the ego) are myriad. It solidifies the mental pathology of all times.
Cultivating real friends who will tell us when we are making mistakes is one answer. True friends will help us come out of delusion, rather than playing us with words that the pain body wants to hear in order to assert its seemingly indomitable hold.
“Buddhism is not at all a tactful religion, always trying to avoid giving offense. Buddhism addresses precisely what you are and what your mind is doing in the here and now. That’s what makes it so interesting. … My approach is to expose your ego so that you can see it for what it is. Therefore, I try to provoke your ego. There’s nothing diplomatic about this tactic. We’ve been diplomatic for countless lives, always trying to avoid confrontation, never meeting our problems face to face. That’s not my style. I like to meet problems head on and that’s what I want you to do, too.”
~ Lama Thubten Yeshe
It would help a lot if we lived in a society (external environment) where truth and kindness were honored more than propaganda, deception, guile, self-protection alliances, masquerades, threat, and aggression. Just imagine! It would certainly help if the society was less competitive, greedy, violent, and paranoid. In short, it would help to grow up in a world where people were honest and had integrity and would not constantly cling onto ready-made substitute belief systems to compensate for their confusion. It would help if there were many Lama Yeshes too! But alas, we live in a “challenging” time.
Some pain bodies (egoic mindsets) are very insecure and needy (are suffering deeply), hence they are objects of my true compassion. They identify with their egoic delusion like all egoic beings, so they constantly suffer from lack of worth and meaning in life, attempting to fill an endless self-created chasm due to ego.
The other extreme are people who flatter us by telling us how great our egos are, instead of giving us constructive feedback when we need it. That is not true friendship either, because it merely reinforces our own delusion (self-deceit). The trick is how to be with true friends honestly while honoring truth, kindness, reality, integrity, openness, and authenticity without merely bruising some one’s ego and leaving them bleeding on the sidewalk, while feeling self-righteous (better) about oneself. Mostly paranoid pain bodies habitually do not believe in kindness, compassion, and true friendship, so we can expect friendship to be resisted. Busting delusions/illusions is good karma, but requires compassion and wisdom—skill in means (upaya).
That skill which requires marrying compassion and wisdom will not cause harm. Both wise caution and wise courage are required. Denial must not be fed or habitually ignored.
It is a conundrum unless we have skill, self-awareness, and the self-confidence that self-awareness bestows, which in turn yoga our practice bestows. Many will feel that it is best to cop out, but WE are in this all together (copping out is impossible). So if one subscribes to the value of radical honesty, then they also have to do it consciously and wisely without self-guile, so that it is not merely an arrogant/egoic expression and/or merely a cloistered expression of anger, hatred, or egoic insecurity (confusion). That is what waking up is about.
Taking a long retreat or doing meditation is like a recovery center, recovering from past programming/conditioning, breaking up conditioned reflexes mental habits, and then acclimating to that sacred space which is empty of such – our unconditioned/natural condition. This undertaking must be voluntary and self-perpetuating
Afterwards, it is a matter of integrating with that open unconditioned space, while interacting with all sorts of people, despite the morons, psychopaths, paranoids, angry or abusively oriented people. That is also practice, while that practice to stay centered in the heart, extends everywhere WE go (if we are lucky). That is the manifestation of extreme kindness and compassion.
The above is far short of indiscriminately trashing people whom we are envious or jealous, blaming others by praising ourselves, or praising other’s egoic identifications/self images in order that they might praise our own egoic images in a mutual egoic love-fest, all of which is more than a waste of time and energy for those on the true path. In short, Lama Yeshe, like most Lamas, taught those who were seeking truth, not delusion. He taught those who desired to become free and not remain imprisoned, thus they were ready to give up their egoic identities/prisons (citta-vrtta). Beating around the bush (indirect teachings) were not his style, neither was he into cajoling or flattering others. Neither was he into trashing them as well.
Yogis are not ordinary people. Surround yourself with yogis. After being around people like this for many years, you will have great confidence in this method; i.e., that deep inside (at our core) resides our Buddhanature, which is daily being crowded out by egoic charades, conditioned defenses, and confusion. Human beings cannot afford denial anymore.
On the other hand, many people have fragile egos, which are left fragile and unreinforced, with little or no defenses to deal with the onslaught of aggressive bullies. Certainly please be their true friends even more so. In the end, the truth hurts nowhere as much as does pretense, lies, propaganda, misinformation, deception/deceit, and dumb-me-down-on-purpose secret societies run by in-the-know elitists who closely guard it. In such cases many emotional defensive mechanism may arise such as avoidance, dissociation, withdrawal, etc; but when all is said and done, the earth and the entire cosmos are available to come to our side with its inscrutable power and momentum.
Although a temporary balance or compromise can be struck, when someone is weak, confused, and at a very low ebb, when full catastrophe living strikes home, and they are experiencing a dark night of their soul, that may be an excellent opportunity for their ego (self-deceit/delusion) to die… completely in total disillusionment and light.
Typically, in Western psychology, the temporary solution has been to build up the egoic defenses, while reinforcing it so that it can cope in an imperfect society, but that can have disastrous effects, such as endless striving toward status, privilege, power over others, domination, endless war, religious pride, bigotry, phobias, broken marriages, sexism, racism, chauvinism, nationalism, isolation, insularity, close-mindedness, destruction of the wilderness and nature, and xenophobia. The list is as long as it is ugly. Nothing can adequately substitute for non-dual knowledge (jnana) -- love.
Healing as Remediation of the Kleshas
Once we recognize the role of the mind as being the causal factor in pain, we have half the battle won. Such is true for all the kleshas. Although it is true that one may be said to experience pain, even though it is generated by the mind, it is merely mind caused and has no independent existence outside that causal field of contrived thinking. Once we stop numbing out and blocking out these messages through the bluntness of perceived pain, then recognition and healing can occur.
Many human beings reside in various states of pain (mental or physical), while numbing out, insulating oneself, or dissociating from the pain may at first be confused as pleasure or desirable, but in the end it is always a dysfunctional direction that leads to habitual syndromes of chronic self limitation. Instead it is awareness that liberates us even from pain
For example pain may be a substitute vague term for physical pressure, tension, destruction of cells or tissue, excessive heat, a bone rubbing on a nerve ending, etc. It is not pain that one experiences, but rather something deeper. If we knew what that is, then we could heal through wisdom/recognition as the first step. The second step would be to release the mechanism that is causing the primary injury and/or activate a remedial procedure. Otherwise we rest in ignorance and suffer from it. Hence a yogi does not numb out the pain or his body or block the nadis, rather the yogi faces what-is-as-it-is without the elaboration of this is painful, this is bad, this is hurtful, this I must escape from, etc. When the " pain threshold" is reached, then a mechanism of flight, escape, or aversion is activated -- a desire to be elsewhere. That is "dis-ease" or dvesa. Abiding in the truth as-it-is in the present, the yogi self liberates and is able to pierce all obstructions and reach the core/heart. Avidya, asmita, dvesa and/or raga prevents that.
Similarly in mental pain, the pain can definitely be attributed to the mind and hence self caused and capable of being uncaused via heightened self awareness. An object or event is -as-it-is. Again accepting the fact of the present situation does not sanction it, approve it, or fixate it; nor does it disapprove it. It remains as-it-truly-is as relative truth. This recognition then allows us to respond more effectively and wisely acting from the heart core in alliance with the entire multiverse, That acceptance allows for its own transformation/evolution. Instead of from fear, aversion, enmity, or any other self limiting impediment (klesha). Hence mental pain can be seen as a mental state of dis-ease, discomfort, unease, tension, unpleasantness, or aversion. Again a pain threshold is reached that triggers a desire to escape, the ignore, to deny, to numb out -- avidya and reject -- in some instances the well known fight or flight mechanism. It is all these unpleasant habitual mechanisms can be broken and liberation won.
Compassion is based on the Recognition of Suffering and the Desire to bring forth Happiness; e.g., Love
Obviously an object is not in itself painful or pleasurable, rather something in the mind makes the association, hence in that sense pain and pleasure are entirely subjective and due to the mind. That is not to say that people do not experience pain or suffering through that mechanism. Even if that mechanism is based on an error in perception, that mechanism itself (unhappiness) will be experienced. It is germane to state that because some delusional people will speculate that if the pain or suffering is mind made, it doesn't really exist. Hence they conclude suffering doesn't exist or that the average dualistic situation is an illusion (not real). That may be cunning, smart, or a self conning of the mind by the mind, but it is not wise. Rather such a conclusion is the opposite of what Patanjali and Buddha are saying. The samsaric condition is the chronic mental unhappy situation for billions. Pretending that these mental states do not exist is merely a convenient self serving delusion (self deceit). Delusion does not go away through further delusion, and delusion is not the name of the game. Indeed unhappiness is based on ignorance and delusion, but the fact that people are locked into samsara, ignorance, delusion, craving, aversion, etc., is an essential recognition to acknowledge (in Buddhism it is the first "noble" truth. Patanjali is not saying to pretend that mental suffering doesn't exist or that it goes away simply by believing that it is an illusion. Rather such thinking and belief is itself a delusion.
Suffering and ignorance does not go away by ignoring it -- through avidya. Rather the opposite one thoroughly recognizes and accepts all what-is-as-it-is. That does not mean one approves it, rather clarity as gnosis/wisdom in the sphere of non-prejudicial recognition is a starting point in remediation of all obscurations and hindrances. When that curtain is removed, it is not a case of cunning or pretension, rather one is filled with light, consciousness, transpersonal wisdom, and boundless love. Such is not the result of an ideation, reification, or imputation. Then the innate healing wisdom can spontaneously express itself. That does not happen in an aura of fear, attachment, or discursive thought -- but rather an uncontrived innate healing presence has overtaken the yogi. See Vajra Anger as selfless compassionate action.
Most of these kleshas operate while being deeply hidden from our daily superficial awareness. A meditator knows that they must be brought to the surface, recognized (not ignored), thus exposed to the light (vidya), then they are *effortlessly* released (vairagya).
Often we might even be running away from facing them (painful as they appear to be when viewed from inside an artificially created egoic framework of ersatz self worth). For example inhibition and repression may lead to repressed anger and result in self hatred and dissociation if one fears one's own anger. Likewise, extreme fear and cowardice may be the cause for inhibition, repression, withdrawal, dissociation, extreme passivity, overwhelm, languor, indifference, hollowness, coldness, numbness, apathy, complacency, lack of feeling, locked in dread, frozen, deadness, impassiveness, moral cowardice, machine like mechanical and android like obsequious behavior. Such aversion thus is often masked because it is characterized by inaction. passivity, withdrawal or indifference. Such frozen passivity exists insidiously in terrorized cultures especially. Because of this insidious dissociation from one's deepest longings and heartfelt feelings with its concomitant resultant disconnection and numbness to one's inner wisdom, intuition, self confidence, being informed directly by the life force, one's connection to the evolutionary life force (Prana), and the intrinsic seed potential (isvara), these victims have become stupid, and thus without any sense of self confidence or inner authority, they become willing slaves and robots for brutal totalitarian and/or authoritarian systems which promise external order, meaning, reward for obedience, and a predictable tightly bounded structure for those who are obedient or cooperate. The yogi is free from all that and more. Through silent sitting meditation we can become aware of any and all tensions, vagaries, constrictions, stress, energy blockages and release them. They arise and they subside. When vairagya becomes heightened via meditation the boundless transpersonal, transcognitive (nirvikalpa), and non-dual wisdom becomes very strong and present. Here also the infinite Heart naturally shines forth and is expressed.
Sacred Absence is the Mother of Sacred Presence: In the Presence of Absence; Remembering having Forgotten
Recognition by being present with one's grief is a far superior state of mind than denial, dissociation, emotional numbness, insulated aloofness, chronic indifference, and numbness as unfeeling mechanical automatons or left brain dominant drones suffocated, isolated, and shut off from our feelings..
As we have heard and will continue to hear in the Yoga Sutras alignment with the evolutionary power brings forth natural light and happiness, still it is crucial that one does not deny or run away from feeling grief as an escapist reaction when one is not aligned.
Acknowledging a grievous situation as a grievous situation (a fragmentary disconnection as a fragmentary disconnected state of mind) although not seeing the whole picture in context with the evolutionary power and source, still is a step in the right direction when it reflects one's true feelings at the time. In this way one is capable of learning from our experience through bringing in more conscious light into the situation. That way one is not role acting, acting pretentious, ignoring, or lost in self deceit and play, but then they are capable of true recognition. Once recognition of our situation is acknowledged, then more conscious awareness is possible, By turning away from the situation, conscious awareness is denied.
Through more conscious awareness. then more liberation is possible. Liberation does not come by ignoring a situation, covering it up, escaping from, numbing out, or overcoming our emotional feelings., rather it makes the situation far worse. That is why when we say avoidance, dissociation, emotional indifference, antipathy, aversion, repulsion, and denial is a more gross form of ignorance than grievousness, sadness, remorse, or tears. One has to learn to be present with grief and loss. in order to fully appreciate fullness. Hence sacred presence is generated via the acknowledgement of sacred absence; e.g., that something is lacking. Once we recognize that something is missing/lacking or absent, then we can honor that space via increased recognition.
Grief as a Path -- Grief as a great Teacher
When we completely accept our grief and allow ourselves to feel and experience that state of loss and absence completely and fully, then the great portal of the heart of compassion opens. Through this boundless open hearted place, the sense of separateness and loss is entirely healed. The rend/split is re woven as we realize our true innate state of interdependence on this trans dimensional level of the buddhaverse. Grief is the acknowledgment of suffering, the ability to meet it, and renounce/cleanse it with our tears. One needs to be strong of heart to face our fears and neurotic syndromes. In that way grief becomes a portal or practice into the boundless land of Great Compassion.
In Tantra yoga we take each experience as an opportunity to learn more about ourselves (swadhyaya). This is the way authentic yoga as integration can occur. The deeper the emotional state, the more we have to learn and liberate. Instead of avoiding, escaping, negating, numbing out our feelings, denying, dissociating from, inhibiting or running away from grief, we have the opportunity to fully understand where it is coming from (which is a feeling of lack, absence, loss, or feeling of separateness). Hence going deeper into discovering its true nature, we go deeper into the very core nature of "self" and separation/absence into boundless compassion.
Being open in the heart at a time of great loss (say of a loved one or precious "thing"), is a great lesson in non-attachment t results which is none other than being present in integrity with primordial consciousness (Now Awareness) -- NOW.
It certainly requires a lot of strength in order not to shut down. That is, it requires being in integrity with the Eternal Now which is something functional yogic sadhana provides. That's truly awesome, because we often go into protection like shut down, go numb, indifference, or dissociation, or similarly not to become distracted in blame, anger, hatred, vengeance, attacking some one for our feelings or anything else to avoid/escape the actual situation of acknowledging our loss (and hence attachment). We avoid feeling the pain, but it is more empowering to fully feel everything completely and hence to truly abide in what-is-as-it-is to feel/know the true nature of our situation trans verbally/trans conceptually in the heart.
Loss of a loved one, best friend, compatriot, a partner, or kin,
may be the most difficult loss we can experience short of
separation from the oneness – the Great Continuum where we are all
connected. But the key here is that when we are connected as one
with the intelligent evolutionary power and consciousness, there is
no separation and no loss is possible. Then we act as the living
bridge – that expression of infinite love and wisdom.
Of course physical separation in a static and illusory
materialistic sense is in the cards for all created beings
eventually, so that is to be accepted from the beginning. However
if we bring into this living in a timeless Now in All Our Relations with us as the living gift we give to
ourselves and everyone simultaneously NOW as we navigate, then
there is no loss, no separation, and no absence. Here love reigns
unabated. Thus we are often "re-minded" how often we take the
miracle of the breath for granted. Both laughter and sobbing
involve the breath. If not repressed they can be very healing. If
they are repressed they reinforce our separation from our feelings
and deeper ways of knowing. That repression/inhibition in an
attempt to flee from or fight lour emotional feelings, in turn also
creates neurological imbalances, tension, and physical disease.
When "flow" is established between one event and another fully
naturally and spontaneously without attachment, we are animated and
allied by the innate evolutionary life energy there is no karmic
residue that is left behind. When emotions are repressed or
dissociated from, then a residue will cry to be expunged in the
future.
To be carried away by the waves of grief, this can be a great opportunity t wash up on the unknown shore of unconditional happiness and love. So it is recommended by the wise to shed tears freely when we feel like it. Along those same lines also to laugh whenever you want and especially laugh at yourself is a gift worth considering. The main thing here is to not become accustomed to being a wounded a victim lodged in chronic dualistic estrangement/separateness. In short too many people hold on to their woundedness and identify with that, rather than to live their lives by being open in the the present – sacred presence..
So witness any feelings of grief and observe it. See who it is
who is sad and who if anyone benefits. If it is self pity, then
know the difference and then let that go when you realize that you
are helping no one including yourself with that.Let go of grief
when you are satisfied/satiated and finished with it.
Ask "who" or what you are grieving for. Is it an object of desire
or eternal presence? Relating to others as merely a physical body
will limit our creative potential greatly. Rather form a
relationship with the Great Integrity --your own "Self" in All Your
Relations.
In short, the dysfunctional pathological mechanism of blocking consciousness from a perceived/judged painful situation is a counterproductive short circuit. Rather it must be reversed, by bringing in more light and consciousness as cit-shakti and prana-shakti into All Our Relations as the tool for awakening and liberation.
"I cannot sleep in your presence.
In your absence, tears prevent me.
You watch me My Beloved
On each sleepless night and
Only You see the differenceLooking at my life
I see that only Love
Has been my soul’s companion
From deep inside
My soul cries out:
Do not wait, surrender
For the sake of Love.If you can’t smell the fragrance
Don’t come into the garden of Love.
If you’re unwilling to undress
Don’t enter into the stream of Truth.
Stay where you are.
Don’t come our way.All year round the lover is mad,
Unkempt, lovesick and in disgrace.
Without love there is nothing but grief.
In love… what else matters?Love is our Mother and
The way of our Prophet.
Yet it is in our nature
To fight with Love.
We can’t see you, mother,
Hidden behind dark veils
Woven by ourselves.Do you want to enter paradise?
To walk the path of Truth
You need the grace of God.
We all face death in the end.
But on the way, be careful
Never to hurt a human heart!Do you know what the music is saying?
“Come follow me and you will find the way.
Your mistakes can also lead you to the Truth.
When you ask, the answer will be given.”The Master who’s full of sweetness
Is so drunk with love, he’s oblivious.
“Will you give me
some of your sweetness?”
“I have none,” he says,
unaware of his richness.You know what love is?
It is all kindness, generosity.
Disharmony prevails when
You confuse lust with love, while
The distance between the two
Is endless.This Love is a King
But his banner is hidden.
The Koran speaks the Truth
But its miracle is concealed.
Love has pierced with its arrow
The heart of every lover.
Blood flows but the wound is invisible."
From: Rumi" Whispers of the Beloved "
Translated by Maryam Mafi and Azima Melita Koln
Getting in Touch
Dvesa as in antipathy, repulsion, revulsion, aversion, hatred, fright, flight, fight, dismay, shock, denial and similar is the reverse of being present -- residing in sacred NOW awareness or presence. Grief in terms of tears and crying however reverse this process and brings one back in touch with the mental situation of the mental cause of dissociation which is of course a mental pain or overload --duhkha, Here the mind is no longer running away or in denial of the event, hence progress can be or has been made because self recognition and causal forces can be related.
This is important doorway in trauma therapy such in PTSD where ownership of one's authentic feelings have become disowned. Getting past the absence into the feelings eventually allows one to feel good again -- in alignment with the evolutionary force. Escapist tendencies and fear have to be defeated and reversed before one can access their deepest feelings in true "remembering". The mechanisms of fear and dissociation have to be destroyed. Such requires consciousness -- the ability to see through the smoke signal of pain into one's actual situation without artifice or defensive maneuvering in naked awareness. Then we can own up to our situation fully, and move deeper into the true nature of mind undistracted.
Suffering (dukha) has to be acknowledged as well as its cause acknowledged. Then the path of liberation can be practiced effectively. Then the mechanism of fear is disengaged and can not rule over us. After knowing happiness and the cause of happiness, then compassion can be practiced effectively. See this discussion under "pain" above. Also see "Fear of Pleasure" above and "Fear of Living (below).
"Fear invites calamity"
Swami Rama
This recognition and ability of living with the light, with love, with virtue, in harmony with the innate evolutionary power, requires increasing one's enthusiasm for effective practices such as sitting in now awareness/sacred presence, in naked awareness, increasing one's aspiration, and moral courage.
Further here on Pada II please see: "Fear of Pleasure", "Fear of Living", "AVOIDANCE", "What Appears as Pleasure may be Empty and Neurotic", "DENIAL". "Repression", and "THE SUFFERING OF CHANGE".
Practice:
So again while abiding in the natural healthy sphere of perfect lucency, one naturally moves away from constriction and antipathic trappings and toward continual alignment with unconditional openness, liberation, light, love, and beauty innately. We naturally move away from antipathy and aversion innately in alignment with the evolutionary power as our intimate inheritance -- as a primordial boon. When we find ourselves in subliminal ersatz states or contrived mechanisms, we then find yogic practices such as kriya or astanga yoga in order to shift back into this alignment -- in order to free ourselves from the grip of ignorance and the kleshas. Especially helpful in diseases of dvesa are the practices of pranamaya, pratyhara, isvara pranidhana, visualizations (dharana), and dhyana (meditation).
In functional hatha yoga asana practice we move light and prana-shakti and cit-shakti into the dark recesses where cit and shakti are absent. We breathe life into the disconnected neural circuits and remove the blockages/obstructions of the nadis (removing the kleshas and karma). We move into that divine breath and grace which is pure vision (vidya) without a trace of asmita (separate self). That is what the magical movements of asana afford.
Perhaps the most effective practice that counteracts dvesa is the cultivation of loving kindness and compassion toward all beings, while accepting all events in the now without any preference except to know the truth/reality of the situation in its unbiased and unaltered clarity. Only with that clarity which comes from wisdom will we be able to effectively and compassionately accomplish our long term goals and hence the cessation of dvesa, craving, and duhkha will be accomplished.
In objectless silent sitting meditation or in conscious movement (hatha yoga), dvesa may come up (be revealed) in any of the forms that have been mentioned above. It is vitally necessary to recognize it when it does, and then let it go (vairagya) by surrendering it to the holographic advent of waking up (samadhi). Every out-breath gives us an opportunity to let it go to whence it came from, while every in- breath allows us to become regenerated with fresh cit-prana, space, light, and non-dual primordial wisdom until we become intoxicated, in love with, and aligned with the hologram -- as its loving and intelligent arms and legs.
Survival Mechanisms and the Imperishable Self : Depends on who we define our "self" to be on one hand, and who we truly are (swarupa) on the other. Fear and attachment are two results of confusion; i.e., the false identification with the body in phenomenal world. It is not just a matter of attachment to a false and limited sense of self which is defined outside of primordial time and the evolutionary energy, and hence an attachment to existential "things", rather it occurs also on a more subtle level as well, as on stagnating thought patterns, mental fixations, limited world views, and resistance to psychological and spiritual transformation/evolution within the context of primordial time and the boundless universal "self" (swarupa-sunyam).
II. 9. svarasa-vahi viduso pi tatha rudho bhinivesah
Even (api) in so called learned people (viduso) an automatic inclination (svarasa-vahi) arises for continuity in this life or in future and past lives. Hence a fear of disintegration and revulsion toward disparate isolation (oblivion or catatonia) arises.
svarasa-vahi: intrinsic, built in; flowing of its own accord; inclination
viduso: of a learned person
api: even
tatha in the same way
rudho: strongly appears; arisen; produced from.
abhinivesa: The ego's desire for continuity or fear of discontinuity, oblivion, or disintegration; The will for union. An innate obsession or deep feeling of insecurity which results from grasping onto a false identifications (be it body, ego, identification with place, time, things, or temporal systems (changing phenomena).
Commentary: Simply put, abhinivesa is best taken as a combination of raga, as in dualistic attachment to physical life, sense objects, and the egoic identity (asmita); and as fearful anticipation (dvesa), as in fear of losing communion and identification with sense objects, the body, the ego (asmita), and "*reality/life. Like dvesa, abhinivesa has both the elements of fear (repulsion) and attachment/desire (raga). Also like the other kleshas the solution is not to dissociate from the evolutionary life force, but rather to move into non-dual pure vision (vidya) by abandoning asmita (egoic identifications) through recognizing swarupa (the true nature of our own mind).
It is NOT correct to over simplify Patanjali's meaning to interpret this sutra as body or earth negative, that the body and the evolutionary life force should not be honored and respected, or that the body is a problem. Absolutely not. What is stated is that the dualistic obsession/fixation and dependence upon the body as an object of possession outside the context or process of everlasting life is merely another severe ignorant (avidya) obscuration (klesha). Rather the yogi knows and honors the body as part of that non-dual all encompassing continuum, not apart from it. In that sense, death is a fake, ultimately in terms of life (living systems). Once we recognize the process, the true nature of mind and nature, then we become free from avidya's obstruction and all kleshic activity. There is no greater insecurity/fear than not knowing who we truly are (the true nature of mind and true nature of nature within an integrated (non-dual) all inclusive context. A question of inquiry may be, whether are human beings independent bodies that exist in a vacuum or is the human body a result of billions of years of co-evolution with the elements, nature/prakriti, and primordial causeless source? Knowing who the human being is in reality, leads to the continuum, likewise recognition of the continuum leads to the recognition of one's true nature. They are inseparable -- the two as one.
As such abhinivesa, like all the other kleshas is a teacher. It represents the truth of the impermanence of all compounded objects (so called solid physical or material things). The remedy to attachment to such fixations upon that which is continuously moving and on fire is, of course, non-attachment (vairagya). Where it is non-attachment to sense objects, one realizes the truth of anicca (impermanence). When it is culminated in the realization of swarupa-sunyam (samadhi as anatta), it is the realization of the non-dual true nature of the mind, of self, and nature as one profound interconnected vast matrix.
Without the death of the physical human body, most humans would grasp onto their limited fixation and identification upon physical life, hence limiting their further vistas of knowledge and perception in the realms of energy and beyond. In this way physical death becomes a great teacher, just as the other kleshas, once we recognize our actual situation beyond the third dimension. Just as an arm is a part of the body, it does not function well apart from the body. Just so, the human body is part of a greater wholistic system of earth, water, air, sun, nature, the intelligent evolutionary force, and primordial original causeless source. As humans on this planet we are a product of this process and hence our experience of that up the present. We do not function apart from that whole, albeit the ordinary dualistic conscious mind may be quite ignorant of that larger ecological process. Hence acknowledging the inevitability of physical death is a step in recognizing our energy body, our wisdom mind, and the true transpersonal nature of nature and mind. For example this is what illusory body, energy body, dream yoga, sleep yoga, phowa (consciousness transference) , and bardo yoga reveal should the yogi be interested.
Ordinarily, the dualistic or egoic mindset associates itself with separateness, dead objects, and dead phenomena, rather than being part of a transpersonal non-dual transconceptual process of eternal becoming. (siva/shakti). Once the eternal is seen in the temporal (nirvana in samsara) and the relative is known within the unified context of the absolute (where differentiated and undifferentiated consciousness is experienced as inseparable) as siva/shakti there will occur consternation about physical death and attachment to physical life or there may be even aversion to physical life and a desire to end it all in a conceptually nihilistic death (the death wish as escape).
When the dualistic egoic mind set (asmita) is given up as a false identification based on avidya (ignorance) then this clinging and fear will vanish -- eternal love will be victorious here in the eternal present. Physical death is a great teacher in so far that it teaches the truth of impermanence and the limitations of mere sensory awareness. Yoga Sutras intend the yogi to go further; that is, to integrate the timeless unlimited in the here and now.
Since most people identify the ego with their body abhinivesa is most often translated as the clinging onto the body or physical existence, but that is another false identification of asmita-raga and asmita-dvesa Rather in deep Now Awareness there is always continuity -- the Great Continuum presents itself in All Our Relations. Thus because of ignorance (avidya) of our true self nature (swarupa), we have these other kleshas (desire of continuity or fear of discontinuity).
Thus this sutra is often translated as:
(The fear of death (abhinivesa) arises (rudah) from the desire for continuity in this life (vahi). It is perpetuated (vahi) even in the learned (viduso) through inclination (svarasa).
This too often leads to the false conclusion that fear of death is instinctual and unavoidable, but here it is pointed out that the recognition of the timeless unbound awareness is is the destroyer of all fear, attachment, fixations, boundaries, and blockages. The yogi has to become aware of the primordial process -- its presence, devoid of conditioned beliefs and fixations. That great continuum of life continues evermore regardless of physical birth and death, regardless of phenomena or form.
Abhinivesa is thus as much a fear of living completely as it is a fear of dying. Abhinivesa arises because of attachment to the limited identity of self as a body in a phenomenal world, rather than understanding the body as an expression of the universal evolutionary life force taking place within the context of primordial time. Hence, it's cause is ignorance; i.e., a mistaken and limited self identification. Since abhinivesa is literally a "desire for continuity" and predictability, while svarasa literally means own (sva) taste (rasa). Svarasa-vahi thus is the attachment or dependency upon the familiar flow of the life energy (prana) in the body mistaking it for Prana-Shakti (universal evolutionary life energy), which is interpenetrated by Maheshvara/purusa, but is not limited to the body. This integration occurs when the body's pranic networks are harmonized internally and aligned with the universal life force (Shakti) without limitations or distortion. Recognition of this universal timeless and intelligent energetic configuration allows the yogi to navigate freely in time and space and beyond time and space limitations.
When the fear of unpredictability is superseded by a greater fear of predictable and limited outcomes, then authentic change will occur (when the predictable outcome is sacrificed at the altar of wisdom). Similarly, when the fear of a predictable outcome is more painful than the fear of unpredictability, then authentic change will occur. Fear of the unknown – the stranger, is the same as fear of something new and different; yet that is where creativity abides – when the fear is overwhelmed by pure presence. Fear of death is like that, as the average person is living in an existential, materialistic, and unexamined "world", where metaphorically speaking, he is blinded by the tree so that the forest is not seen.
In physical death the ego (asmita) loses all possibilities of physical sense gratification and associations with ownership, ego gratification, and its resulting pleasure, hence physical death is a powerful liberation teaching if approached wisely. This fear of death and attachment to life accompanies only those who have not integrated their life with Eternal Source in the Eternal Now -- who have forgotten their innate primordial Now awareness.
Few, except the dedicated yogi, inquires asks what is the false identification of the ego (asmita), who is this self which desires continuity, but more importantly what is human life truly dependent upon, how did it arise, to what happens afterward? A true yogi asks "who am I, what is this 'I', what is this mind", and more important "what is the true nature of the mind as the instrument of knowing, what is the true nature of nature"? A true yogi gets real and true answers wrought by direct experiences, not merely book knowledge or patent answers, which are most often memorized and regurgitated. Certainly false assumptions and identifications with a limited ego or "body-only" consciousness would fabricate various survival anxieties. But if one realizes that as a human being, one is not independent and separate from the evolutionary power and creative source (except in ignorance), then in that wisdom there is no death -- the yogic adept is not separate from the true self -- for him/her an unbroken and uninterrupted continuity/flow has been recognized and achieved.
This problem is mentally conceived. This " fear of death" is created by a trick of the mind where the human mind attempts to grasp onto something which is fluid, temporary, and in motion as if it were solid, fixed,and permanent. That is the error of mistaking the temporary and transient as permanent and absolute. When we wake up we know the true nature of our own mind (swarupa) as being empty of a separate self (sunya) as one and the same with the universal absolute. Until that "S"elf realization, the human being grasps onto false "selves" and suffers from a fear of the formless void. When the human awakens he/she will know the void as a non-dual fullness and all pervasive wholeness, and completion. When we are rejoined in that Great all inclusive Integrity -- the Great Continuity of all beings and things, then there is no longer any desire for continuity. We are that continuity should we realize it in Now Awareness..
It is valuable to note that it is not effective to simply negate the body, mistreat it, punish it, or declare it as an illusion to become free of such fear. Neither will accomplish the abandonment of physical or egoic-mental attachments. Such a negative attitude toward the body by the mind not only creates an increased fixation even more so on the body and the ego, and hence merely acts as an agent of aversion or escapism (dvesa). Rather, consider the body as part of a much greater whole -- the Great Integrity. Rather than to fixate on the body, allow the primordial Self to enter one's field of awareness as NOW Awareness NOW. This way we allow the eternal voice of infinite Love to speak through us now. That way the body is not harmed, rather it is taken care of as the loving arms, legs, speech, and mind of primordial unbounded unending love. That is love loving love, is it not?
The normal ego dominated consciousness, who by definition is stupefied by limited identifications and associations tends to want to perpetuate and defend itself -- to grasp onto things such as, in this case, the human body as an island onto itself. Because the ego (asmita) is lost in ignorance, confusion, and delusion, and hence separated from direct contact with the innate order and meaning of the true Self, it tends to grasp onto "things" as it is has been known; i.e., the ego tries to perpetuate itself in terms of the past. Ordinary non-seekers fear change, defend their egos and views, and habitually define themselves within a rigid and tight framework of reference which they cling to. Such a stubborn klesha tends to obscure our larger transpersonal non-dual identity with All Our Relations -- the larger Self. As such it obscures vidya (clarity). That is the literal translation of this sutra. That creates a rut; the prison of seeking out predictability in the old order, and thus one resists change and spiritual growth being locked into a self perpetuating prison of "the already known". Thus this sutra is most often interpreted as a statement of some type of fear of physical death, but in reality Patanjali is addressing ego death. Since the physical body is the most common and most coarse false identification of the ego, most interpreters thus take this sutra only in its most dense and coarse sense (of fearing physical death) and the known world of the sense objects. Hence, this is a subset of asmita, where the sense of ownership is attached to the physical body and hence the sense world and hence the physical universe/creation of differentiated consciousness. It's quite a large dependency to let go of, but focused dependence upon isvara/purusa HERE and NOW in terms of NOW awareness can provide for such.
From the point of view of the body, the ultimate sacrifice may seem to be physical death. For an egoic being it may be one's fame, accomplishments, or egoic possessions. However, for a loving mother or bodhisattva the ultimate sacrifice would be one's bodhi-citta (their transpersonal innate compassionate intention to liberate all beings). Hence, in yoga practices the contemplation on physical death as well as the death of all egoic associations, which are to be mastered. In tantra yoga this is done through such practices as dream yoga, illusory body yoga, tummo/kundalini, bardo yoga, phowa, and/or chod. Eventually through surrendering the ego, the innate bodhicitta is realized. It is THAT simple, simpler and more subtle than the most subtle, but the ego has many defense mechanisms and mental habits that require unwinding in unconditional surrender.
Over time, the word, svarasa has become "interpreted" as meaning physiological, instinctual, or genetic inclination; while abhinivesa has been "interpreted" as desire for physical existence or even clinging to life); but readers should be notified that although such connotative interpretations are common, they are not based on the Sanskrit meaning. Rather, we first have to know ourselves, and that includes how human beings co-evolved on the planet. Then we can get a sense of "who" dies, if anyone, in a transpersonal and non-dual way without discontinuity or a lack of integrity.
If we take the larger view, then any clinging onto physicality devoid of energetic or spiritual integration will be incomplete and act as a cause unhappiness (duhkha). In other words, how can we fear the discontinuity of eternal love or consciousness, when we are firmly centered in the experience of its continuity? It is only when we feel separated and disconnected from that eternal flow, does the fear of discontinuity and death arise. That is, clinging onto the physical body is only one example of abhinivesa.This confusion occurs because one has mistaken the individual life force (prana) which flows through the physical body) as the Prana (with a capitol "P") which permeates the universe. Indeed these two pranas are to be integrated and harmonized, but as one's non-dual realization free from the limitations of time and place matures, free from subject/object duality, then one identifies with the Long Body of the Iroquois, the Great Integrity -- the self luminous seed source that underlies Prana-Shakti who is nothing other than Maheshvara (Siva). Svarasa thus becomes replaced with svarupa-sunya, the true form which is free from temporal existence yet permeates it thoroughly..
In short, a further conceptual abomination is added to this possible conundrum, when we take abhinivesah as the clinging onto physical existence (or to say it another way the fear of a physical end through ignoring the all-creating primordial). Why, because this error in identification with just the personal physical body is the result of the insecurity due to not fully accepting life as temporal, not flowing with impermanence while grasping onto the limited thought forms of a separate self, and negating the true nature of nature, which is always dancing. Grasping on to something that will disappear is indeed rather frightening. That is a false identification or error of mentation. Ii is an error in judgment that concludes that the earth and the body are discontinuous with the universe and its origin (shakti/shiva)-- that the continuity of eternal spirit -- of Sacred Presence - is not present. It is the fear of the unknown and death -- of discontinuity itself (the perpetuation of the self or familiar ordered structure which underlies that specific fear. It is of course due to ignorance of the innate order -- of knowing the self within. Thus abhinivesa is based on the illusion of death or rather the materialistic over emphasis that is most often placed upon an exclusive physical existence which is not harmonized with a living creation story -- with a living and present all inclusive omnipresent god. Physical death is feared by those who have not integrated (joined) the eternal with the living -- spirit and nature (or purusha with prakriti) in the eternal now (while living). This union accomplishes kaivalya, absolute and unconditional liberation.
A third abomination of fear and withdrawal is added which is a dissociation/isolation from life and nature as well as the body by those who are afraid of death. They reason that by NOT identifying with the body or nature, then they will be spared the pangs of dissolution/disintegration at death. In short by NOT living, they can not die. So this becomes a fear of life and living life fully. here one resists SAT (experience and beingness) in the fear it will be killed and taken away from one. One thus is afraid to be and even experience pleasure (bhoga). Fear prevents pure being; its root being confusion (avidya). This fear is really not death anxiety, rather it is more perfectly considered as asmita anxiety, due to false identification and confusion.
Physical death is the big unknown only if one has not first fully investigated and understood where the body and the universe has originated (shakti or prakriti). The insecurity occurs when one has not integrated the "timeless uncreated eternal" (Maheshvara or Purusa) as a living continuity or presence in their daily life. For these people suffering from the ignorance (avidya) of false and limited identifications of ego (asmita) death is frightening, because it represents a discontinuity/disruption. The fear of death represents the end of everything that they think they possess or are holding onto including their identification of "self" as the assumption of an ego who is surrounded by a bag of bones and temporal objects (possessions or "other' people). In that limited way, then physical death becomes equated with the great fear of losing "everything"-- total annihilation. But such fear is based on a limited (ignorant) dualistic assumption of separateness with a living creation/creator (Shiva/Shakti) in the first place. So what needs to die in "reality" is only the delusion (ego) of separateness. With that the fear dies as well.
Although, abhinivesa is more commonly translated as attachment to the physical body and its physiological function (and hence the fear of its cessation), when we become attached to that imperishable great integrity, which encompasses our many rounds of births from beginningless time, in All Our Relations, then even though these physiological functions are to be honored and respected, they will not dominate our emotions, create fear or false grasping, nor pain (duhkha). It's temporal nature will thus be acknowledged and respected, at the simultaneously as we acknowledge the imperishable -- as we integrate self within Self -- crown with root -- spirit and nature, Shiva/shakti.
It is a profound truism that until the fear of physical death is overcome, the fear of life will always be present. We must acknowledge, respect, and cherish the human form for what it is, temporary , subject to disease, old age, and death. Then we do not become complacent (like the devas) and do not waste our time here. With this wise perspective we can maximize our opportunity for spiritual practice (sadhana). The certainty of physical death actually helps us to embrace the larger Self that connects us with all of life, all of creation, as well as uncreated Source which is unending/timeless and eternally present.
Physiological death is always part of an ongoing process of continual transformation on the physical plane (shakti) and thus Siva is the traditional governing deity of the end of manifestation as transformation/death. This sutra assumes that inherent to the body, there exists a self sustaining life preserving intelligence -- the innate life supporting energy (prana) intelligence that is part of prana-shakti which animates the entire universe. When the yogi's body/mind has become purified, refined, and tempered through authentic yogic sadhana then one's consciousness merges with shakti (nature's creative force) -- one's prana shakti merges with cit-shakti, kundalini shakti, and para-shakti. Then the continuity of eternal consciousness (Shiva/shakti) is harmonized in the body just as siva/shakti as represented in prana/shakti are harmonized in the gross physical body -- spirit and nature -- the body and the mind -- heaven and earth work in harmony, love, and synchronicity in All Our Relations. This is where we go for true nurturance and support - to the love that never dies. Here there is no fear of death nor attachment to physical objects, rather only ETERNAL LOVE and life.
There is only one instance where one is still in avidya and also does not fear death, which occurs by those who are severely afflicted with dvesa (aversion) so that their pain and suffering in life are so great, that they crave the end of their physical existence. here the pain of continuing to live is greater than the pain of annihilation (suicide). Such have an opportunity to attain realization at this time, by letting go of all attachments and embracing the eternal, but unfortunately more often this opportunity for vidya is over-powered by dvesa and ignorance (avidya). the dying process has thus been part of spiritual traditions and practices for waking up. The dying process being an integral part of the living process, thus fully coming to terms with death, allows us to also fully come to terms with life without fear.
What is all too common is that the fear of death will be so strong so that it inhibits/restricts the full embrace of living -- people contract from experience and duck life. In fact since physical birth is the cause of physical death (everybody dies), many people unconsciously run away from life in the mistaken hope that they will escape death (by not fully accepting their birth). For these people life is judged as full of grief and (duhkha), as scary -- full of aversion, fear, hatred, sin, and evil, because they so much fear dying, misidentifying ego loss and physical death nihilistically as a personal annihilation. Another factor here to consciously harmonize is to respect the body's natural intelligence and instinct to stay alive and to maintain life (resist disease and death). As above, aversion to life will not save us, and as such attachment to it only creates aversion to death.
“I'm not me.
I'm the one who walks by my side
Without my noticing.
The one I visit often and often I forget.
He who remains silent when I speak,
Who forgives gently, when I hated
Who wanders away, where I am not,
Who will remain standing when I die.”
~ Juan Ramon Jimenez
The Fear of Living/Being and the Fear of Death
A tension arises when we do not know Self or live a life in
harmony with reality-as-it-is. It is a state of ignorance where the
intelligent primordial/evolutionary energy is blocked, where
primordial timeless consciousness is blocked and consequently
obstructed. Normally the egoic mindset desires to end or release
that tension/blockage through various neurotic activities governed
by raga and dvesa (and hence asmita and avidya), Thus the ego
driven person misses their true purpose in life By fearing death we
actually limit life, hence such activities that are governed by the
fear of death (abhinivesa) are dysfunctional. We have a fear of
living because we can not accept physical death. That is
characterized by being guarded, distrustful, close-minded, shut
down, paranoid, cynical, protective, and armored while placing
trust in external authoritarian, cultural, social, nationalistic,
ethnic, or religious institutions that promise to protect us. These
are characteristics which are the opposite is being natural, open,
spontaneous, trusting inside, loving, and honest.
That malaise is based on the grasping onto "a separate self" and
defining “other”; an I/it dualistic system based on separation. On
the other hand, natural and open being is based on a non-dual
realization of self as a vital participation with the great
community of All Our Relations. The former is of course fear based and
carries with it much tension and anxiety. To open into life without
fear or guardedness is courage we find especially in the new born.
It is innate vital drive that stems from the evolutionary power
(shakti kundalini) that brings us naturally into alignment with the
Greater Community of All Our Relations -- being in harmony with nature and
natural systems in all ways. The programming of fear and the
repression of the innate evolutionary power in mankind is a crime.
It is the result of negative programming, while yoga is a powerful
effective deprogramming tool -- the medicine.
Because of this fear of death, the fear of life and its consequential tensions and stress is created. Then there arises a desire to end this fear. In one's desire to escape the fear, tension, and pain in life often there is generated a death wish, hence what appears as a contradiction (the fear of life and the fear of death) are really part and parcel of the same process. The evolutionary power is thus subverted/perverted into an unconscious death wish as a means of escape. Hence we see the rise of violent death cultures who torture their citizens, neighbors, wage war continually, enslave others, and even poison and destroy their own ecosystems and hence ability to survive. They consciously or unconsciously expect death to be their final liberation and reward (the ultimate end of suffering) in terms of the destruction and negation of life and hence their salvation with an absent God who can not be found HERE. This self hatred forms the foundation of further externalized acts of violence, destruction, and hatred aimed at others and the world in general. The desire to end one's pain and suffering can be easily externalized to the desire to end the world. The desire to end this suffering and to kill the ego, can extend to the creation of a death culture where killing others is "doing them a favor".
Through his work as a psychologist, Erich Fromm developed an advanced theory of necrophilia as a pathological character orientation which is not necessarily sexual. It is expressed in an attraction to that which is dead or totally controlled. At the extreme, it results in wanton destructiveness and a hatred of life. Fromm, also developed his theory of biophilia (love of living systems), which is the opposite of necrophilia. For Fromm, unlike Freud's death instinct, necrophilia is not biologically determined (genetic) but results from social conditioning.
"Fromm believed that the lack of love in the western society and the attraction to mechanistic control leads to necrophilia. Other factors include; the impact of modern weapon systems, idolatry of technology, and the treatment of people as things in bureaucracy."
from Wikipedia
Both Freud and Fromm defined psychoanalysis as the art of making the unconscious conscious, a kind of assisted study of self. Both recognized that humans resist knowing the truth and that for lasting therapeutic change to occur, that resistances must be overcome. They differed on ascribing the causes of the resistance and hence their remediation/treatments differed also. Fromm believed repression is a becomes ingrained where the subject will habitually resist new perceptions, new ways of relating, knowing, experiencing, and being because of fear of contradicting his /her peers, parents, society, religion, or perceived support/security structure allows Remaining inside those bounds (prisons) is more comfortable because the truth would force the subject to question one's irrational beliefs, while deconstructing all one believes as self and other. One's sense of "self" so defined would be more than threatened, but rather completely shattered and annihilated. Fromm believed that inside every being is a profound love for life (biophilia) which when repressed creates anger, self hatred, violence and destructive tendencies. Hence therapy was designed to liberate this innate drive allowing the subject to be its expression.
Destructiveness is not parallel to, but the alternative to biophilia. Love of life, or love of the dead is the fundamental alternative that confronts every human being. Necrophilia grows as the development of biophilia is stunted. Man is biologically endowed with the capacity for biophilia, but psychologically he has the capacity for necrophilia as an alternative solution."
Erich Fromm, p. 366, the Heart of Man. 1973.
Many people feel trapped or crushed by "the world" situation, phenomena, objects of thought, "reality", or rather how they frame events and hence in a desperate way strike back attempting to crush the world and hence escape from the oppressive crush of it. When this becomes institutionalized in a society, it is in this context of a violent death culture emerges, with a strong death wish, where we see the fear of life and the desire for death to be the result of a deeply perverted sense of self and belonging with all of creation, nature, and life. Hence the fear of death (death anxiety) becomes dysfunctionally a desire for death. First we will examine the fear of death anxiety.
Ernest Becker, the well known social psychologist, would say that the greatest problematical challenge or fear to the egoic mindset is a death anxiety, but yoga may simply say that it is an ego anxiety (a fear of the death of one’s beliefs that reinforce the sense of separate “I” that is defended and armored around). Anything that challenges this belief increases the victims defensiveness and hostility. Such is the crust that must be cut through. Although correct that Generative Death Anxiety (GDA) is a major vector in modern ego oriented society, Becker misses the alternative. GDA is widespread precisely because one has become inured to asmita and avidya, hence death means to those mindsets oblivion or a catatonic nothingness. Not so to the yogi. Rather death of the ego releases the limited small self mired in the citta-vrtti and kleshic consciousness. Ego death means great bliss and richness beyond measure.
Daniel Liechty, in his Introduction to "Death and Denial: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Legacy of Ernest Becker".writes;
"This book draws together original contributions from a wide spectrum of scholars and professionals. Each of the twenty five chapters i interacts with Ernest Becker's theory of Generative Death Anxiety (GDA) from the perspective of the writers' specialized expertise, cumulatively demonstrating the utility of GDA as an interdisciplinary organizing principle for the humanities and social sciences.
The theory of Generative Death Anxiety (GDA) suggests that at the deepest level, human behavior is motivated by the unavoidable need to shield oneself from consciousness of human mortality. … Whether pictured as friend or enemy, as he great leveler or as the fruit of sin and divine abandonment, human beings have never been without reminders that death is a problem quite unlike any other. … it is [the] clash between the living, instinctual will to survive and the knowledge that we will not survive, that forms the unique contours of the human psychological condition. … GDA theory suggests that while the original reaction of the human psyche in relation to its awareness of death is to deny and repress it, this move itself is predicated on the ability to view death/mortality and life/immortality as a complex symbol. This produces a generative effect in which the move to deny and repress awareness of death and mortality is commonly expressed in an urge toward creativity and accumulation—to make one's mark on the world and thus conquer death and insignificance on the symbolic level. The nexus of desire-motivation-action in every human endeavor … is tinged in various degree by the need to suppress the fact of mortality from immediate conscious awareness, and insist, as it were, that we are anything but fleeting, perishable, transient, insignificant specks of nothing in the universe..."
So in Becker, like in most other Western frameworks, the former, an ego identity, is composed of an isolated "I" and “the other” or "I" and “it”. When one grasps at something solid, then they become attached (at least subliminally) to the body, its sense objects, and life. However if the affirmation of this life entails an implicate physical “death” (subliminally if not rationally), then this becomes an attachment which causes death anxiety in the ego oriented individual, because inherent to this attachment is death and hence the dissolution of what the ego thinks is a “self” and their world – a total sense of nothing/nihilism, disintegration, or oblivion (abhinivesa) of the ego. Thus if we approach life from the point of view of the ego, there is inherent much anxiety. However if we live life within the context of Continuity (yoga) there is no such anxiety generated.
So it comes to pass that in specific group illusions (shared delusions) the human mind invents the illusion of physical immortality or a heaven where one does not die, such in the idea of personal salvation, in order to assuage these mind generated fears. Hence such promises of immortality are attractive to fear filled and confused people, especially when they are confronted with death anxiety or messages of death, destruction, hell, sin, and/or suffering and violence.
This mental fabrication or invention of heaven is not needed if
the ego would undergo a contemplation on the impermanence of the
body, and eventually recognize the beginningless reality before
life and after death – the eternal continuity of the ages in
his/her present life HERE and NOW – integrated and recognized as
the spiritual presence in All Our Relations.
But because most people are not trained to recognize this subtle and spacious innate freedom and openness filled with compassionate energy, but rather are conditioned to ignore it and be distracted to the objects of the senses, then in one attempts to seek fulfillment, pleasure, or security in physical constructs as “reality” (say in consumption of objects and/or social/cultural identifications and status), one becomes one’s own victim of by being preoccupied by conforming to social/cultural expectations, identifying with social constructs, mores, status systems, consumer patterns, religious structures, family games, seeking to control or dominate situations or “others” – in short an involvement, attachment, and dependence on external systems that are subject to change is established which when threatened tends to again increase insecurity, anxiety, and hostility.
This compensatory desire to become one with something bigger than the isolated ego, will never be fulfilled until one has merged totally so that the ego dissolves entirely from its self created cocoon or self created sense of separation (ego). In short instead of the ego becoming the universal consumer or universal ruler in order to gain fulfillment in a far distant heaven or nirvana, all one has to do is dissolve the sense of separate self (ego) freeing the mind/body to enter that realm of total integration in the present. In short all one has to do is to become more accustomed to one’s natural un-programmed and unconditional true nature.
Thus to reiterate the most negative motivation is fear and confusion from which all one’s nightmares and sufferings become fabricated. For the ego materialist then the ultimate fear is physical death or dissolution. The most negative fabricated ideation thus based on fear is the invention of an other worldly ego oriented personal immortality, by discarding or sacrificing the present earth reality – or nature. This drive becomes the ultimate perversion when one becomes convinced that their ticket to heaven and immortality is dependent upon the ultimate sacrifice to God, the killing of the evil other, those who do not support their illusion, The greatest suffering, violence, cruelty, and destruction has been caused by this negative motivation, through crusades, martyrdom, religious or ideological wars, nationalistic or ethnic war, killing the “other” and destroying “evil” with the dream that one will find immortality in another “world” or life (heaven). Some where the human chronically is convinced that through this sacrifice, then they will finally attain peace, anywhere of course, but here and now.
Such people become attached to their belief and ideology, as it promises salvation as escape from bodily existence/nature. When such beliefs appear threatened by “others” beliefs they are more than willing to convince the other that they are wrong or misguided, or in more extreme situations more than willing to annihilate them. Any ideology that promises peace, happiness, or spiritual fulfillment by meting out violence, punishment, torture, meanness, destruction, social disparity, unhappiness to others (suffering), can be considered unjust and criminal in regards to the human community. And that’s the inherent problem with ideology coming first. Evil is simply a useful contrivance by ideologists to make adherents locked in to “being good” by opposing/fighting the other ideology. Such a puerile mechanism promises instant self esteem, a meaningful life, and a welcome validation of self worth for people who suffer from confusion and low self worth. Rather fulfillment and inner peace does not reside in that direction of fear and hatred, of opposing “evil”, of being anti-this or anti-that. At the core that is simply ingrained fear.
Our true life potential is much more spacious and creative when we reclaim it and align with it. So one can change one’s society’s collective dream and vision once one has awakened to how the old dream arrived and what the new non-dual vision is. An essential part of the process IS TO RECLAIM OUR ABILITY TO FEEL IN THE BODY and resisting those who would tell us that natural function is evil and that one is a sinner or evil to feel. That is where the disconnection from the body and fear of the life force (prana) in the body as well as in all other living begins. That is the basis which justifies crusades, the demonization and annihilation of other life forms, habitat, and other people. Once some one has lost their sensitivity about life and has disconnected themselves from direct experience with the subtle but powerful self organizing energy fields which we use to communicate in a universal language with all beings and things, then they are ripe candidates for demagogues and dogma. They no longer trust themselves, so they also do not trust others. They do violence to their own bodies and habitat and hence are capable of doing violence to others. They have given up personal responsibility by fabricating faith in a belief that tells them that their savior will come and take them away. If they attempt to do anything responsible, then it is a sign that they do not have true faith/belief. That kind of belief system is most definitely pernicious to life forms on the planet.
Thus to summarize there is a direct relationship between spontaneous FEELING good, following your bliss, listening to our bodies, honoring our bodies, instinct, intuition, being moved by nature, spontaneous natural expression and function and the pursuit of happiness such as found in democratic systems and liberal values, complete openness and openheartedness, non-biased balance and equanimity, a heart felt direct sense of community and justice, indigenous values, etc, on one hand. That is not the result of ideology nor artifice, but the result of direct experience.
On the other hand control, repression, fear, the distrust of the body, distrust of spontaneity, repression and control of instinct, the suppression of intuition, the ignorance of inner promptings and inner wisdom, fear of nature and natural process, the neurotic need to be in control of the body and nature, fear of death and hence fear of life, meaning and order misplaced onto external authoritarian systems, paranoia (of the other) or xenophobia in general, all reinforces misplaced trust in external systems of order and control, police state mentalities, state terrorism, penal systems based on torture and punishment, systems based on threats and fear as negative motivators, close mindedness, close heartedness, bias, prejudice, increasing dependence upon ideology and belief/faith based systems, loyalty, patriotism, flag waving, shutdown, obedience to authority, need to identify with authority/good, and eventually unquestioning resignation/obedience to an ideology that demands chronic unhappiness and destruction of the earth as proof of its self fulfilling estrangement from and demonization of nature where happiness and salvation/heaven is found in another alien world.
Specifically one is free to critically analyze all of the above factors in the above two paragraphs in detail describing their common and parallel connections (how one leads to the other and are interconnected) and/or we can contemplate on them as an inter-related whole, but in general, it is clear that one can discern that one direction leads to lasting unconditional happiness, openness, and spontaneous creative expression; while the other direction leads to delusion, self fabrication, suffering, restriction, suffocation, repression – the tragedy of dualistic existence (cyclic existence or bondage).
A mature or practiced meditator knows that a very spacious open hearted identity taken to the extreme, is no separate identity at all. When the ego dissolves the heart opens. Then there is no need for ideology, moral systems, obedience to conceptual thought processes, systemization of good or evil, systems based on rote memory, belief, faith, or punishment. Direct core/heart experience is the infallible remedy for all the maladies of self absorption, asmita, and ego separation. Thus love’s wisdoms or wisdom’s love is the simple and most accessible remedy for all the above afflictions. No fancy or expensive deprogramming or reentry remediation facilities are needed when we go directly to source, integrate with that, and allow that to flow through the human heartmind vehicle. That's the direct path of kriya yoga, however, once the ego has contracted and split off from nature's evolutionary power in the egoic mind, a barrier is thus erected protecting that egoic identity (asmita). That protective shell resists being cracked open wide to rest in pure daylight. That is the touch samsaric mechanism of habituated citta-vrtti that must be surrendered in order for spiritual evolution for the common man to proceed..
So even more succinctly put, it should be obvious that the more common path is characterized by the contraction into (egoic) self absorption, fear, pride, jealousy, anger, false identification, and other egoic self-made prisons, while the opposite direction is the expression of openness and spontaneous love that leads to a non-dual realization where no effort is necessary – freely manifested and expressed.
All of us have been exposed to negative programming and attempts at mind manipulation to an extent because the modern world is rife with fear and people holding onto belief systems )pramana). One cannot predict exactly how someone, who has been exposed to such severe ideological programming since the womb, eventually breaks free; but yoga says that it is possible to reclaim one’s life and live a creative and empowered life “afterwards” free from fear and inhibition. In fact after going through the process of such a disillusionment (an ego death), that one is far more empowered than the average person who had not been so compromised at a young age. Just to say that there is a way out (which is a way in), for those who feel that they are trapped.
The Death Wish
The yogic path which succeeds this painful trap of the ego, is ego death. That takes place in samadhi as swarupa-sunyam (III.3). It takes place in kriya yoga as true self study, true tapas, and true isvara pranidhana. All the practices lead to it. To the egoic mind samadhi will appear as a threat, but it is a great gift -- a tremendous expansion and enrichment of who one previously thought they were. The world opens up as the third eye opens. Instead of retreating into numbness and ignorance, one's reaction is to remain open.
For the common man, ego death is equated with physical death. That is a huge but common error. That misidentification occurs in non-meditators and non-practitioners -- those with no insight into the true nature of mind. Hence Kali with her sword and garland of skulls is seen as a murderer rather than a liberator from ego, while change and transformation (Siva) is generally feared or unsettling. Since the egoic mindset is a self perpetuated prison that ties one into the samsaric world through unconscious and compulsive mechanisms, then on an unconscious level ego death is associated with physical death. Mistakenly many people then decide (consciously or not) that ending their life will end the wheel of suffering. Hence they engineer self destructive mechanisms, illnesses, wars, situations, ecocides, suicide, or other self destructive situations in the subconscious desire to end their suffering/unhappiness. We have already discussed "Death Anxiety" and its resultant stress and tension (see Ernest Becker above). Those tensions desire relief/outlet. One way completely dysfunctional way is to end one's life -- suicide, ecocide, or the unconscious death wish. Of course these subconscious death wish mechanisms are pathological, the common man would be very surprised how widespread they are. Many religions actually are attempts to escape embodied life in order to find spirit or god after physical death. Sigmund Freud describes this death wish ("unsterblichkeit") in detail. Erich Fromm has written many books on psychology, "Escape from Freedom" being one where he masterfully outlines man's fear of freedom and escape from life and living systems as a pathological syndrome. In short when "life" becomes more preferable than death, then we have a healthy situation as long as non-attachment (vairagya) is implemented, but if mankind throws life in a negative spin, then death becomes preferential. Pathological activity as well as sociopathic activity is a matter of values -- choose life or choose death, as the saying goes. So instead of choosing death, the sane and healthy choice is choosing change -- ego death and rebirth here in this very life!
"Fromm distinguishes between ‘Freedom From’ (negative freedom) and ‘freedom to’ (positive freedom). The former refers to the process of becoming emancipated from the restrictions placed on humanity by other people or institutions. This has often been fought for historically but is not of much inherent value unless accompanied by a creative element, ‘freedom to’; the use of freedom to behave in ways which are constructive and respond to the genuine needs and wants of the free individual/society by creating a new system of social order. In the process of becoming emancipated from an overbearing authority/set of values, Fromm argues, we are often left with feelings of emptiness and anxiety (he likens this process to the individuation of infants in the normal course of child development) that will not abate until we use our ‘freedom to’ and develop some form of replacement of the old order. He characterises this as a dialectic historical process whereby the original situation is the thesis and the emancipation from it the antithesis. The synthesis is only reached when something has replaced the original order and provided humans with a new security....
As ‘freedom from’ is not an experience we enjoy in itself, Fromm suggests that many people, rather than utilising it successfully, attempt to minimise its negative effects by developing thoughts and behaviours that provide some form of security. These are as follows:
- Authoritarianism: Fromm characterises the authoritarian personality as containing a sadist element and a masochist element. The authoritarian wishes to gain control over other people in a bid to impose some kind of order on the world, they also wish to submit to the control of some superior force which may come in the guise of a person or an abstract idea.
- Destructiveness: Although this bears a similarity to sadism, Fromm argues that the sadist wishes to gain control over something. A destructive personality wishes to destroy something it cannot bring under its control.
- Conformity: This process is seen when people unconsciously incorporate the normative beliefs and thought processes of their society and experience them as their own. This allows them to avoid genuine free thinking, which is likely to be anxiety provoking."
From "Fear of Freedom" article
Without empowering the healthy instinct toward change (the innate urge toward biophilia) because of the repression of the evolutionary power, tension arises within those prison walls which desires relief/release or venting -- a pathological desire to end the suffering and self induced torture through death, death transference, or violence transfer inflicting such on self and/or others. Such is a modern widespread pathology. Freud has written about the "death drive" as an escape from life, but ascribes to it a genetic cause (a flaw of nature) with his "unsterblichkeit" theory of dissociation (freedom from) from the body and hence existence as the ultimate escape (playing both sides of the fence). It was Otto Rank, Freud's closest early student, who was more concerned about this mechanism, but it was most likely Ernest Becker who has written the most about this unconscious death wish in his books such as "Escape from Evil" and the "Denial of Death"discussing the mechanism more fully.
"The theory of Generative Death Anxiety (GDA) suggests that at the deepest level, human behavior is motivated by the unavoidable need to shield oneself from consciousness of human mortality. … Whether pictured as friend or enemy, as he great leveler or as the fruit of sin and divine abandonment, human beings have never been without reminders that death is a problem quite unlike any other. … it is [the] clash between the living, instinctual will to survive and the knowledge that we will not survive, that forms the unique contours of the human psychological condition. … GDA theory suggests that while the original reaction of the human psyche in relation to its awareness of death is to deny and repress it, this move itself is predicated on the ability to view death/mortality and life/immortality as a complex symbol. This produces a generative effect in which the move to deny and repress awareness of death and mortality is commonly expressed in an urge toward creativity and accumulation—to make one's mark on the world and thus conquer death and insignificance on the symbolic level. The nexus of desire-motivation-action in every human endeavor … is tinged in various degree by the need to suppress the fact of mortality from immediate conscious awareness, and insist, as it were, that we are anything but fleeting, perishable, transient, insignificant specks of nothing in the universe..."
"Death and Denial: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Legacy of Ernest Becker", By Daniel Liechty, ed., Westport CT: Praeger Publishers, 2002. It is thus not a contradiction that death anxiety (fear of death) not only prevents us from living life most freely and fully, but also creates the death urge -- the desire for death as final release from the repressed, painful, and/or deadened and un- meaningful experience of life.
Thanatos versus Eros
Freud, in latter years, referenced the death instinct (which has been translated as Thanatos) as an overriding principle that supersedes the drive for pleasure. There are many ways to interpret "Thanatos", but in a nutshell, it is in the death of the old, that gives rise to the dawn of a whole new and fresh awareness. Fear and attachment of course resists this death; therefore one is encouraged to surrender to death and receive ever-lasting life. This is not a contradiction, if we see death, as the dissolution of our imprisoned mind, the ego delusion, or the dissolution of illusion -- as in disillusionment, or the classic "dark night of the soul" as the journey to union with god as told by St, John of the Cross. That would be the positive definition such as letting go of the old and surrendering to the present. However, if we take the death wish as a means of self-oblivion, as an escape, or and end in itself; then it is indeed negatively self-destructive and pathological. When this type of endgame is entertained it can destroy Eros. When death is feared or resisted, then all sorts of neurosis are generated in the forms of escapism, denial, the concretization of illusory beliefs and identifications. Mainly spiritual stagnation in the form of the lack of bright and dynamic awareness sets in, which in itself is a death. This demanding tension is not healthy. It is caused by a mistaken/dualistic view of "self" and the "the world".
Where Erich Fromm saw this as a war between biophilia and necrophilia, Freudians termed it as a tension between Thanatos and Eros (life instinct and death instinct). Through the death instinct, Freud attempted to explain the reason why people risked death or exalted in risk taking. Rather than Thanatos being an innate natural drive, it can be more easily explained merely as the repression of eros (the drive for connectivity and union/reintegration with nature). When that union is thwarted/repressed then one seeks compensatory (neurotic) methods such as thrill seeking, risk taking, or other activities that may tend to stimulate a sleepy and dulled eros. If one is so oppressed, their world view tends toward the macabre, sordid, nihilistic, and indifferent, resulting in sociopathic and/or self destructive behavior. In an evolutionary way, the acceptance of impermanence (death) in so far that all things are in motion and impermanent gives reign to Eros. However, when the fear of death reigns, then Eros is oppressed, and thus either Eros or Thanatos may try to express itself in erratic or bi-polar ways.
Carl Jung took Eros and Logos to be in opposition, where Logos, as order and logic, imposed itself upon Eros (uncontrolled wildness). The dynamic is characterized by the classic male (Logos) and female (Eros) duality or in this case split. Here wilderness or Eros can be represented by the right brain;, while Logos or rational intellectualized order is represented by the left brain. In yoga we reconnect, unite, and obtain a non-dual unity consciousness. If te left brain (logic) is dominant to the degree where it represses or kills Eros (the urge to live and evolve) then Logos acts as killer, not only in opposition to the eros inside the psyche, but to others as well. That domination of logos is the bane of modern society with its overly dominant left brain control function.
Natural creation has an innate order to it that is beyond the human intellect to conceive. In that sense, that Logos is not a function of the human intellect, rather intellectual ability and intelligence is dependent upon it. Similarly, Natural Creation (evolutionary force) has an innate evolutionary force or energy, which can be termed Eros. Thus Eros and Logos are two aspects of an undivided whole or whologram.
Similarly, in yoga, Siva is the Supreme teacher. Siva is often described as the destroyer and is associated with death and dissolution. Indeed Shiva dances in the new world and gives it birth after the old is surrendered into dissolution. Siva is the agent of transformation of the old imprisoned consciousness, into its next incarnation. Sometimes Siva is called the lord of death.
Ego Death
The basic idea of holding tightly onto our grief and pain is of course fundamentally flawed, but because of ignorance/confusion, human beings compulsively often do just that. One may ask, "who" does that morbid attachment serve other than the pain body (the egoic dependent "self") which self inflicts/afflicts more pain and grief in our lives? The pain body is held together by karma and can be also described as the karmic body. Is pain good? Is grief good? Is death bad? These circumstances are determined by a limited self identification called ego attempts to survive (serve to self perpetuate itself. The ego is that very same false identification which is made by the conceptual dualistic mind. This error of the mind assumes subconsciously falsely that if physical death were "bad" or undesirable, than birth is also bad (because physical birth is the cause of physical death). Again these false assumptions are made sub-consciously and held together compulsively via self protective defensive/aggressive egoic mechanisms. However if another (non-egoic "self" were able to accept the temporal nature of the body and ego while CELEBRATING its temporal nature as an expression of infinite love, then “who” is it that dies no longer becomes an unthinkable black hole of fear, rather one identifies with who/what continues to live. Yes universal transpersonal non-dual and definitely transconceptual Universal Self (Brahman) lives HERE ETERNALLY but not as a separate/individual "self". It is not an ego. That is who we really are, if we dare to embrace it or accept its possibility. True unfettered unconditional love never dies!
On the other hand human beings have adopted this cult of fear and pain that is crying to be defeated. It says that life is scary, it is painful, “bad” things are happening, “life” is bad because “death is bad” -- hence one feels threatened, insecure, inadequate and needy. That is what the ego fixation surrounded by the "haunting" bag of bones when one identifies as a separate body from the life force, creation, nature, and shiva/shakti. That separation created by the fragmented mind establishes a false identification and dualistic mindset fraught with fear and doom for one who has bought into this false assumption. Of course in Reality there exists a vast non-dual beginningless Reality that will never die. That is why Patanjali specifically mentions abhinivesa as one of the chief kleshas built upon ignorance (avidya), asmita (ego), raga (attachment), and dvesa (aversion). This cult of fear and doom is opposed to the above mentioned belief that Unending Intelligent Loving Source presence is always present -- is All There Is in Everything all the time. This last experience and resultant realization is what wholistic non-dual yoga is all about.
In functional yoga the human body, life, nature, creation and the creative/evolutionary power are viewed as an operational integrity in harmony with infinite Source acting as a spontaneous and wise integrator -- a co-evolutionary instrument in creation for creativity and evolution - as divine willpower and moral courage together. Here body, nature, and beginningless Source are all aligned and act as one in a profound natural synchronicity. Here divine will and individual will are synchronized; earth and heaven; muladhara/sahasrara chakras joined through the sushumna; conflict, stress, and duality are destroyed. Here the profound teachings of the three bodies ((physical, energy/astral, and spirit bodies). the five koshas, the bindu, winds, and channels are all integrated as divine seva -- love in action (perfect karma and bhakti yoga). Here there is no lack of continuity from birth to death, from before birth to after death. Rather for the yogi, this evolutionary power is Here/now -- present in All Our Relations.
So here abhinivesa is remediated as a profound teaching, that when known in pure gnosis aligns one's neurophysiology, biopsychic instrument, energy field, and mind connected in total harmony with the unconditioned universal evolutionary life force -- the source of spiritual non-dual universal and eternal love and healing! Once one experiences and realizes the continuity (yoga) that always exists here and now -- the "always-is" beginningless "never-ending" sacred presence of All Our Relations, then the fear of the discontinuity of temporal existence will also disappear. Physical bodies may come and go -- come and go -- but eternal spirit -- ineffable LOVE is all-ways HERE. This is the simultaneous realization of both the immanent and transcendent Self as one Great Integrity -- a continuous sacred presence.
So here the fear of physical death, ego death, discontinuity, or self annihilation where one has identified as a separate self is completely replaced by the culmination of the desire for the immortal divine life -- the realization of the Eternal Self or sacred presence Here and Now. This continuity (yoga) is known by the wise as asamprajnata (non-dual) and nirbij (seedless) samadhi. Avidya is extinguished and replaced by vidya (clear vision).
The tragic fear of death that haunts human beings, also cripples them. This is because being afraid of death, creates a fear of life. More so, if one spends their entire life dependent upon their physical brain, when that organ starts to fade in old age, sickness, and death, then a claustrophobic fear ensues. On the other hand a life where the body is dependent upon the evolutionary force, is enlivened and is built upon that intelligent creative force, within the continuity of primordial time, physical death is not an end, just as physical birth is not the beginning, rather both are part and parcel of the Great Continuity and integrity of All Our Relations.
Sex, Pro-Creativity, Co-generation, and Physical Death as a Conscious Path to Realizing the Light Body
The connections between death, birth, and rebirth are obvious. Obvious also is the connection between physical birth and the procreative force. This connection is also examined in the sutra on Brahmacharya; however, it is cogent to mention it here. Sexual, generative, regenerative, and procreative energy is indeed related to physical death. Knowledge of its workings can allow us to extend physical life, regenerate, heal, and in rare yogic cases connect with what is variously called the divine body, immortal embryo, light body, energy body, bliss body (sambhoga-kaya), or rainbow light body. It is called the bliss body because it is free from suffering -- free from the dualistic grab of samsaric dualistic existence. When the unconditioned natural state is no longer experienced as apart from one's momentary existence as an integrative wholeness, then unconditional happiness is continuous.
As natural and whole human beings living within the timeless and boundless great continuum, this integration of the very powerful procreative/creative, regenerative/generative life force is natural and spontaneous. Although some will negate, deny, avoid, or repress the innocent nature of the sexual force, it is done so out of egoic fear. It is seen as an inability to control it. The majority disciplines that do approach sexual behavior tend to see it as a powerful force to control and manipulate forcibly. Many schools of yoga teach such manipulative disciplines based on the prana (life force), the nadis (channels), and bio-psychic transformative substances utilizing asana, bandha, pranayama, pratyhara, mudra, dharana, and samyama. The general idea is to activate the energy body after the channels have been purified and opened. There are many yogic techniques that are devoted to this realization, but details are outside the scope of Pada II. Rather Pada III focuses upon samyama practices that open, activate, and integrate one's spiritual potential utilizing the energy body. Here one consciously integrates sun and moon (ha and tha), yang and yin, shiva and shakti, crown and root, sky and earth, right and left, pingala and ida, male and female -- all dualistic propensities.
There is another non-controlling and non-manipulative approach that accomplishes the same thing without risking repression. Natural yoga teaches the yogi to be an open vessel/channel, while allowing the channels to remain open and the energy flowing, filling, energizing, activating, empowering, and integrating through its own innate natural intelligence, albeit it may sometimes require some jump starting (such as devotion, concentration, yam/niyam, asana, bandha, mudra, pranayama, pratyhara, samyama, etc. In natural yoga, the main emphasis is to honor, respect, and be aware of the life energy (cit-shakti) innately flowing inside oneself and in all beings. This is more than memorizing the positions and names of the chakras or mechanically performing breathing and visualization exercises. Here one does not separate from nor attempt to ignore/deny the body, from the earth, creation, creative well springs, from the evolutionary creative life force, from procreation/regeneration. Rather this is an integrative path, where body, breath, mind, and timeless presence are harmoniously recognized as our natural condition. Many have heard about kundalini shakti residing in the muladhara; yet, few actually practice keeping the energy in the muladhara freely flowing, while integrating it with the crown chakra -- bathing in that conscious state continuously, let alone allowing it to express itself in our modern and mostly alienated fragmented "life" in a life/earth negative death culture.
Paradigm Death: A New Uncontrived Earth is Calling
Until the operations of the citta-vrtta cease, the egoic mindset identifies with thought forms (objects of thought), which are limited contextually. When an object of ego-fixation or dependence disappears, is doubted, questioned, demeaned, or annihilated`within the province of the egoic mindset, then the ego itself may feel threatened and confused, especially if one feels that one's world/reality is crumbling. Chaos is often the word one gives to this state of mental disorder, but it may also be labeled as complexity, disillusionment, or "the dark night of the soul". This parallels similar to the fear of physical death, where sense objects and the objectified world of phenomena disappear. But in this case we are addressing the death of`a world paradigm, belief system, or familiar frameworks of reference such as in change/transformation. This fear is not the situation for a yogi, who welcomes change and accepts the flow of ever-newness in an evolutionary context. Especially, in times of social upheaval, war, disaster, or extreme external strife, this expression is most valuable, just as it is at the time of physical death.
A yogi welcomes change without attachment. Such an attitude allows the yogin to continue to learn and evolve. As consciousness expands, the static state of constricted HeartMind consciousness is reversed. The fear of living and learning by the dying of the old, and being reborn, speaks to the reason why many people become stuck in narrow mental prisons, and why others continue to learn and grow. See the discussion above on the Fear of Change. A healthy body/mind continues to make changes. In improvisational jazz it is called "making the changes" (an essential).
Everything that we need to know in order to think clearly and be emotionally healthy and happy is accessible if we know where to look for it. Cit is not separate from Sat, Shiva from Shakti, nirvana from Samsara; rather these are states of mind. Just so, the New Earth, as a sacred life of ever presence, has always been a possibility, but only our vision has lagged behind. The wellsprings of our inspiration is awaiting its own fulfillment in its creative expression. It is up to us to allow for it, and bring it forward -- and birth it.
Integration with the Great Continuity: Bardo States as Transition Stages
Physical death often remains as a very large mystery, a source of fear, and thus, a needless consternation and pain results. Because of the associated pain (mental pain to the egoic attachment), it is widely ignored and avoided, rather than more closely questioned and faced.
Hence, a preliminary inquiry may be in order. What is death? Is it utter annihilation, or a natural change in state? Is it an escape from worldly pain? Who dies? Where does one go? What is reincarnation, and so forth? The answer lies in knowing one's true nature – waking up now. Strangely most people do not want to know. That inquiry is most left for "last", but strangely that cheats the present.
If human beings define themselves as living exclusively inside a box, a conceptual and hence fabricated "reality", then it is difficult if not impossible to conceive of living outside that box. That is how ignorance operates to obstruct knowing (Jnana). When we know our true nature – the true nature of the mind and phenomena, the true essence of nature, then that box no longer limits our knowledge of who we are, how we got here, how the universe got here, the true nature of the universe and the primordial undying nature behind it. In that context there are no fragmented transitions, in-between states (bardos), but rather evolutionary transitions occur within a Greater Holistic Continuity of Great Time and Great Space. Death is no longer a limitation or great transition.
The Great Continuity/Great Integrity is always NOW HERE, but is rarely recognized/acknowledged, integrated, or known, by the ordinary mind. In recognizing and honoring that NOW we are freed from fragmented consciousness and being. There is no "fragmented transition" or disruption when primordial wisdom is integrated now -- when we live with that in integrity now.
The "problem" arises when we identify and limit our self awareness to just this body without acknowledging or knowing its source, its history, its place in evolution, or beginningless causeless source. In tantra this integration is explained as the emanation/embodiment of the unity of the three kayas (the svabhavakaya as the integration of dharmakaya, rupakaya, and nirmanakaya).
Framing physical death as a transition stage assumes that we are framing (or rather boxing-in) a separate and independent "reality", which is dependent upon the body and the human sense organs out of context of evolution (before this life and after it). It depends on how completely fascinated we are in the existential present versus the moment as part of a ongoing evolutionary process stemming back from beginningless time. So when that limitation/ignorance dissolves so will the idea of "transition" into an unknown also dissolve. There will be a transition, but within the contextual continuity of a Great Continuity, Great (Primordial) Time frame, a continuing presence.
The best practice for the fear of death seems to be bringing primordial presence and time "in" HERE and NOW. That is, living fully and deeply in the eternal present Now. Dream yoga and bardo yoga are also a practical approach to learning about the bardos (between states) of unembodied consciousness, but really all these death practices such as dream yoga, bardo yoga, phowa, pure land, etc., are like insurance policies just in case we don't wake up this lifetime -- NOW. Shooting for wake up NOW and NOW and NOW...and ... focusing in on that avoids the diversion/distraction. That is the opposite of escape and fear -- being fully present NOW!
"In a cloudless night sky, the full moon,
"The Lord of Stars" is about to rise......
The face of my compassionate lord Padmasambhava
Draws me on, radiating its tender welcome.
My delight in death is far, far greater than
The delight of traders at making vast fortunes at sea.
Or the lords of the gods who vaunt their victory in battle;
Or of those sages who have entered the rapture of perfect absorption.
So, just as a traveler who sets out on the road when the time has come to go,
I will not remain in this world any longer,
But will go to dwell in the stronghold of the great bliss of deathlessness."
The Last Testament of Longchenpa
The Apocalypse: Doomsday
Doomsday is based on the false egoic assumption (asmita-klesha) that one's true identity is a separate ego, and thus that egoic entity may die. Alongside that false assumption is the observation/perception of separate phenomena that appear to truly exist as independent entities. These two assumptions are the basis of a fundamental egoic confusion (avidya and asmita).
Since phenomena are constantly changing and impermanent, including the physical body of the observer, any such egoic assumption will concomitantly produce fear of the future. When such fear that lurks in the background twilight consciousness reaches a crescendo it manifests in many aberrant ways. One such way, as has been shown, is the fear of death, and/or fear of loss. Similarly, strong fear can be very painful, hence, triggering a desire in the egoic mindset to end its torment and anguish. Because the ego is deluded, not recognizing that the pain is caused by one's own ignorance and false assumption within its shadow world, the ego continues to look outward into the world (phenomena) and sees doomsday (or apocalypse) as a salvation from its personal anguish. The ego may even consider that as god's peace, god's grace, or the ego's redemption. The greater one's delusion, the stronger the underlying anguish, and the more strong this aberrant solution may become appealing and take hold. Although it is true that the world as individualized phenomena is impermanent and is crumbling and arising anew at each moment, the doomsday scenario is built upon egoic fear and ignorance, not the realization of impermanence. Although in its most beneficial form, the concept or ideation of an apocalypse may at its best be a teaching on non-attachment as the abandonment of dualistic tendencies, its imputation is most often taken literally as a future physical cataclysmic event, not as an ever-present timeless process. In such a way, doomsday prophets must be considered as fear ridden and when adamant as paranoid, in that they possess an irrational fear and conviction of an approaching future doom.
Reincarnation or Rebirth
One may easily conclude that Sri Patanjali does not directly discuss rebirth or reincarnation anywhere in the Yoga Sutras; yet he does address themes of identity, continuity, isvara, purusa, and samadhi. It is perhaps in this very sutra about abhinivesa, that the question of reincarnation is best addressed.
Simply put,. in pure yoga, any identification with a separate self is asmita-klesha or avidya (ignorance). It is always a false identification based on delusion Therefore the question of reincarnation is solved in samadhi -- in waking up to true nature of self -- the absorption into one's true nature (swarupa-sunyam as in III.3). What reincarnates is always in reality that Divine Self, albeit most of the time hindered, obscured, and fettered by any remaining unfinished kleshas, karma, and accompanied with their samskaric residues, all of which has to be released sooner or later. the yogi realizing that klesha and karma obscure consciousness and produce suffering, the decision to release all fetters is NOW.
"When we pass from this life, we will not be able to bring with us even the slightest thing or person, no matter how much we want to. There is no other way than to leave this guest-house of the body. The only things that will follow us are the karmic traces stored within our mind-continuum. For this reason it is so important to recognize suffering and eliminate its causes before it is too late."
~ Kyabje Garchen Rinpoche
If all the kleshas, samskaras, and karma have become released then what reincarnates is the Primordially Pure Self, Selfless Compassion and Wisdom -- embodied love freed from ignorance. Such divine beings are most often seen as a threat and snared by those afflicted by jealousy, arrogance, pride, hatred, anger, desire, and fear (the kleshas). Such people and their institutions tend to degenerate, abase, seduce, and destroy such divine souls because their very existence reflects a threat to their ego. Just as truth threatens delusion and self deceit, so does transpersonal realities threaten the illusory nature of the ego. Divine beings are thus seen as honorific or terrifying beings to those attached to egoic mind associations. Survival as a self preservation technique is strong in those egoic beings who identify with being separate and apart from the intelligent evolutionary/creative force (shakti), but how else can they know the primordial mind, if not through shiva's container, mahashakti?
Part Eight, Chapter I — Brahman in the Heart (Chandogya Upanishad, trsl. Sw. Nikhilananda
“Om. There is in this city of Brahman an abode, the small lotus of the heart; within it is a small akasa. Now what exists within that small akasa, that is to be sought after, that is what one should desire to understand.
If they should say to him: "Now, with regard to the abode, the small lotus, in this city of Brahman and the small akasa within it—what is there in it that is to be sought after and what is there that one should desire to understand?" Then he (the teacher) should say: "As far as, verily, this great akasa extends, so far extends the akasa within the heart. Both heaven and earth are contained within it, both fire and air, both sun and moon, both lightning and stars; and whatever belongs to him (i.e. the embodied creature) in this world and whatever does not, all that is contained within it (i.e. the akasa in the heart).
If they (the pupils) should say: "If everything that exists—all beings and all desires—is contained in this city of Brahman, then what is left of it when old age overcomes it or when it perishes?
Then he (the teacher) should say: "With the old age of the body, That (i.e. Brahman, described as the akasa in the heart) does not age; with the death of the body, That does not die. That Brahman and not the body is the real city of Brahman. In It all desires are contained. It is the Self—free from sin, free from old age, free from death, free from grief free from hunger, free from thirst; Its desires come true, Its thoughts come true. Just as, here on earth, people follow as they are commanded by a leader and depend upon whatever objects they desire, be it a country or a piece of land so also those who are ignorant of the Self depend upon other objects and experience the result of their good and evil deeds.
And just as, here on earth, whatever is earned through work perishes, so does the next world, won by virtuous deeds, perish. Those who depart hence without having realized the Self and these true desires—for them there is no freedom in all the worlds. But those who depart hence after having realized the Self and these true desires—for them there is freedom in all the worlds.”
Divine and perfect love is a manifestation of perfect wisdom. It conquers fear, aversion, carnal/neurotic/compensatory lust, attachment, small minded self centeredness, dualistic thinking, and ignorance -- in short all the kleshas. For each klesha yoga offers a profound remediation teaching (pratiprasava)-- an antidote.
II. 10. te pratiprasava-heyah suksmah
Even the most subtle (suksmah) of these hindrances (kleshas) can be eliminated (heya) by redirecting (pratiprasava) them back (turning them back upon themselves) into their most subtle origin.
Commentary: Another popular translation is: These afflictions (kleshas) are made progressively subtle (sukshma). Eventually they are abandoned,remediated, and reversed (heya) through a de-evolution process (pratiprasava).
Here Patanjali presents the remedy of pratiprasava (redirection of the manifestation backwards toward the source) for the elimination of the above five major kleshas of avidya (ignorance), asmita (ego), aversion/repulsion (dvesa), raga (attraction or desire), and abhinivesah (fear of death), while the next sutra discloses the remedy of meditation. The source of the affliction is, as we have seen, non-recognition (avidya). Re-direction thus is reunion with one's original all encompassing ever-present awareness -- the unborn mind or true nature within all.
Pratiprasava (redirecting a phenomena back into its cause) is a very valuable technique to refine. In a very simple sense it is nothing other than re-membering in its literal sense. Here, we use the very momentum and kleshic force and turn it back upon itself in order to annul it. Pratiprasava is a valuable if not essential technique in successful meditation. See the last sutra in the very last chapter (Pada IV.34). There we trace everything back to beginningless Source as a divine pulsation (spanda) from creator to creation and back again. Nature holds the source, as this is the source of all. The unborn original primordial source permeates all of ongoing creation -- all forms/phenomena.
Before that recognition (of our true Self Nature as swarupa sunyam) is fully recognized, we can implement opposing remedies to counteract the kleshas and cancel them out. For example the Buddhist six paramitas, the yams (which creates an effective pratisthayam), the niyams, and all the other limbs of astanga yoga are so used in terms of remembering. One may ask where do the kleshas go? These clouds of unknowing become rarified and dissolve back to the source (pure awareness, clear light, cit). At first the redirection may be a recognition of the a generalized painful state, or recognition of an identifiable specific operation of a klesha, a dimming of the light, a generalized but identifiable feeling of confusion, a cramped limited feeling where both unhappiness and unawareness coincide. A specific cause may be identified for a specific condition, but ultimately we may become aware by recognizing the source of karma and suffering itself, the end of karma, causes and conditions, and there reside in the holographic unconditional state of true and lasting happiness. Here the absence of unawareness signals the absence of unhappiness. Put in a positive light clear light awareness brings forth lasting happiness free from causes and conditions. That is liberation from karma -- unconditional freedom (kaivalyam). Indeed karmic forces are created within all inclusive hologram. Realizing that while still in the body brings mukti and happiness. Such rainbow light beings are light bringers, heralding in a sacred earth free from sorrow, attachment, selfishness, fear, and greed. The earth becomes sacralized because there is no longer dualistic separation between cit and sat, cit-shakti, heaven and earth, nirvana and samsara, crown and root, siva/shakti, at least for the yogi adept.
Practice:
In sitting meditation discursive thoughts often arise in- between the spaces of open stillness. When we pay attention we notice that these thoughts start from very subtle imprints (Samskaras) and then express themselves in words, sentences, thoughts, concepts, and ideas (vrtti). Sometimes these are kleshic or not. A preliminary goal then in silent sitting meditation is to establish subtle awareness, so when these thoughts start to arise, they are immediately let go (ungrasped). As this awareness is honed through experience, the awareness becomes more immediate. Before one's mind is carried away by thoughts of the past or future, dramas, ideas, kleshas, or other citta-vrtti (all caused by past impressions and karmic residue), the mechanism of their arising itself is self liberated no longer obstructing the innate wisdom/Buddhanature. In silent sitting emptiness meditation the awareness is of thoughts are brought all the way back to its origin, shining its self effulgent wisdom light upon it. Thus a skilled meditator needs nothing more than his or her mind to self-liberate.
So first we notice/recognize in subtle silent sitting meditation the most subtle and deepest recesses of the origins of the kleshas while rewiring their circuits through nothing more than shining the light of awareness upon it. As we come to know that its origin is really avidya (ignorance) which is the primary obstruction of the innate Buddha nature through purifying that vision (vidya). This clarity spills over into daily life imply so that if a samskara has been triggered activating a klesha, one is more likely to become aware of it and let it go. At the very least one can view it in pure vision (vidya) as being an obstruction of the purified mindfield and not act upon it. Eventually the force fields and habitual patterns of these kleshic/karmic patterns will weaken. The more they weaken the deeper the meditation. The deeper the meditation, the less kleshas in daily life. Hence a positive momentum of positive karma is established and with that a stabilization of pure vision (vidya) .
Simply put, we witness/observe "events" daily. If we are in a dualistic state of confusion, then the aforementioned kleshas may arise. Instead of acting on these or being over powered by them, the yogi shines light on it through awareness without judgment, bringing in and participating with the process of awakening and maturing the intrinsic seed of enlightenment, which manifests as skilful means. If that doesn't happen spontaneously or thoroughly, then we can apply pratiprasava to the klista-vrtti, in order to calm. pacify, or still the kleshic citta-vrtti by moving it back to the origin from which it sprung, reversing its direction and thus no longer feeding nor acting upon that recurring karmic pattern, hence the recurring pattern becomes disrupted and the tendency (vasana) is broken. Dhyana is thus the best practice to remediate even the most subtle klesha.
What is the origin of the kleshas other than the errant mind -- a false perception -- a blockage of pure vision.
II. 11. dhyana-heyas tad-vrttayah
Meditation (dhyana) is the efficacious practice that annihilates and silences (heyas) the fractures and hindrances of consciousness (which maintain the citta-vrtti).
Commentary: Meditation (dhyana) also remediates the effects of the kleshas which in turn uphold the vrtti (agitations and thought patternings that obscure the citta or consciousness). Similarly, the mental patternings that are caused by the domination of the kleshas are annihilated (heyas) through meditation (dhyana). Although pratiprasava as a technique attenuates them to a point of making them more subtle, dhyana is designed to effect asamprajnata (non-dual space) which eliminates them to a point beyond subtle, rather they are annulled, voided ... zilch.When the vrtti are eliminated (heyas), then citta shines forth unimpeded and yoga is accomplished (in samadhi). See Sutra III.2 for more about dhyana (meditation) which leads to samadhi.
We learned in I.5 that the citta-vrtti produce kleshas. We also learn that acting on kleshas produce negative karma and suffering. Hence the trap of cyclic existence is created out of ignorance (avidya). Now we have learned that dhyana is the best remedy. That is what dhyana is meant to do, to help us identify the kleshas and citta-vrtti as they arise and hence to allow us to release them. Sitting silent meditation is the most powerful way of doing so. After sitting silent meditation, its effects bleed over into everyday life where we have more clarity of mind. The more clarity of mind we have during the day, then we can start our next session of meditation at a more clear beginning point. Then the next day even more clarity and more effective meditation so that it becomes a mutually synergistic practice.
Practice:Dhyana (Meditation). Set aside time each day to meditate. Let go of your discursive thought patterns (citta-vrtti) and open up to the vast love and wisdom that is always available. That will help drop old patterns and open yourself to transpersonal non-dual but dormant creative potential so that it will be naturally expressed. Also see the practice in sutra 11 above.
The following sutras are primarily meant to be applied to the practice of dhyana. They are not mere abstract philosophical speculations
II. 12. klesa-mulah karma-asayo drstadrsta-janma-vedaniyah
The root (mula) cause of the kleshas are the effects that are seated (asaya) in past actions (karma) through the laws of cause and effect, be their causes fully known (drsta) or not (drsta-adrsta). This explains what arises and is experienced (vedaniyah) in life (janma) and how kleshas arise.
Commentary: This is a two way street. It is just as true that past negative karma causes obscurations, citta-vrtti, and afflictive behavior; just so do actions, thoughts, and speech based on confusion and kleshas cause additional negative karma. Indeed this is a decent description of the wheel of samsaric existence (the wheel of suffering). Hence the suffering bound by cyclic existence is difficult to break. Acting out of confusion and ignorance is the chief cause of new negative karma, and negative karma is the cause of future kleshas. That is the samsaric wheel that is difficult to break, but which in the following sutras Patanjali suggests practices which breaks this cycle allowing the yogi to self liberate, to become free of kleshas. Not all karma is negative. There also exists good karma, merit (punya), karma yoga (selfless activities), and positive actions which produce future positive results.
Janma means life. Karmasayah means the resting place of karma. Drsta-adrsta means known or unknown. In this way the accumulation of negative karma which resides in the subconscious (and as an analog, the cellular memory, neurology) and energy body are both produced and supported by the kleshas, while further actions based on the kleshas in turn give birth to future negative karma which in turn will feed the kleshas (the pain body). The pain body is simply the karmic body; i.e., the complexes that surround our attachment to samsaric (cyclic) existence, hence pain. The ordinary person is imprisoned by this vicious cycle, while the sadhak (spiritual aspirant) has taken up functional practice (sadhana) as its remediation to break the chain of samsaric existence. The results of karma mixed with klesha can reincarnate in this same lifetime or in the future. Likewise merit from good karma can result in this lifetime or in the future after the physical body departs.
Another way to translate this is that the kleshas are a root cause for the continuation of negative karma. Negative karma causes further kleshas, and the kleshas cause further negative karma. Such forms the basis of the suffering inherent in this cyclic existence (the wheel of samsara). thus authentic yoga teachings attenuates the kleshas and eliminates our imprisonment to karma. Positive karma (actions) produces happiness. One gift of wisdom is knowing the difference.
Through good karma (variously called merit (punya), skillful means, wise and compassionate activities) the karmic cycles of past programs can be dismantled. balanced out, and come to an end. Necessarily here the kleshas end as well because there is no cause for them to arise. What arises is thus the pure innate natural expression of universal love. Patanjali says that we may not know nor do we have to know the causes or whether they are presently manifesting or latent and imprinted upon the subconscious (drsta-adrsta).
We learned that the chief klesha is avidya (ignorance) but not how avidya is itself perpetuated. Now we learn that it is karma (actions) which give rise to kleshic experiences. Also in I.5 we have been given the clue how the citta-vrtti also arise from kleshas and how they produce kleshas. Hence now we now have some effective tools to work with, i.e., our mindfield (citta0vrtti), our actions (karma), kriya yoga (II.2) and meditation (I.11). Indeed practice defeats the kleshas and hence the cycle of karma. Practice can also break up old karmic patterns. Not only dhyana (meditation), but also yam, niyam, asana, pranayama, pratyhara, and dharana destroys kleshas but they also can break up pre-existing karmic patterns.
So when we are meditating for example when a klesha first comes up we can notice it (viveka) such as; "Oh anger, or jealousy, or desire for a soda pop, oh lust, oh envy, oh mental discomfort. or .…" But we don’t have to act nor react to the klesha. What’s next we can ask “show it to me” without fear or expectation. Guess what, they go away then. That is how the monkey mind plays hide and go seek. Not acting on the kleshas, the karmic propensities are de-energized and then we rest deeper and more energized in a peaceful and clear state. Then off the meditation mat we are more clear minded and peaceful and more quickly recognize if/when a klesha is arising and be willing to let it go -- noticing it and then implementing vairagya --letting it pass without reacting. This breaks up the habit/cycle. Eventually with practice, such arising become pacified and ceases by itself. What is left is both conscious and joyful in nature.
When the karma is eliminated then there arises an unconditioned (natural) state or unconditional liberation and happiness (not dependent upon causes or past karma). This produces a natural joy free from dvesa or sorrow. This is tha asamprajnata awareness devoid of separate self which knows infinite timeless awareness (isvara) here and now. HERE we know infinite self luminous compassion as the spontaneous manifestation of a boundless HeartMind.
Thus we should not confuse physical pain or normal pleasure (as the reward for desire or rather its satisfaction). Such is merely a compensatory neuroses for displaced union (samadhi) with the natural self (swarupa). Patanjali is addressing spiritual suffering not neurotic craving. As Yogeshwar Muni says: Pleasure is the reward and pain is the payment [for ordinary neurotic craving]. Ordinary pleasure and pain are two sides of one coin (a samsaric wheel). Some one craves something and then is rewarded by its union. Then they carve again when the bhoga of that temporary fix wanes. That is part of the vicious cycle of samsara which is nothing else but being trapped inside of karmic cyclic existence. . More craving (pain), then the more pleasure that is sought. Removing the kleshas springing from ignorance, then spiritual suffering is eliminated. Then is lasting happiness possible outside the cycle of craving, desire, fear, aversion, ego (asmita), pride, greed, jealousy, and death). All the kleshas when understood come from the same dualistic source, the estrangement/fragmentation from Self (the Great Integrity).
We saw in Pada I how vrtti is associated with klesha and how additional klesha comes from vrtti. Now Patanjali is telling us about the relationship between karma and klesha -- how vrtti will no longer continue to affect, pre-dominate, pre-determine, re-afflict, obstruct, and cause further negative effects which limit and condition our experience in the present and future (which are operational even now) until we remediate the basis (mula) of klesa and karma. This is accomplished through meditation. In other words, vrtti (fluctuations of citta) will continue to manifest in meditation until they are annihilated through uprooting the causes of the kleshas. Thus in meditation we become more aware, identify, and re-cognize (viveka) the kleshas as they arise, and then shine the self luminous light of awakening upon them. This by itself has the power to propel us into samadhi of Now awareness as we then have the opportunity to let them go, cultivating space in turn to summon in the natural unconditioned state (svarupa). This is how the kleshas are remediated (pratiprasava) in dhyana. See II.10 and IV.34). Failing that, we proceed with the following.
II. 13. sati mule tad-vipako jati-ayur-bhogah,
As long as this basis [storehouse of karma and kleshas are not remediated], their results (vipakah) will continue to exist (sati) giving birth or ripening (vipakah) into further varieties of experiences (bhoga) throughout one's life starting at birth (jati) and affecting one's individual experiences (bhoga) of vitality and health throughout one's life span (jati-ayur-bhoga).
mule: root, foundation, base, basis
vipaka: ripened fruit; maturity; results.
sati: existence; inability to change, the first wife of shiva
jati: birth
bhoga: experiences
ayur: health or life
jati-ayur-bhoga: life span: This life's experiences
Without eliminating the basic causes for the occurrences and ripening of past karma due to kleshas, then further undesirable results will continue to appear to arise (vipakah) influencing characteristics from birth (jati), our vital life force and health (ayur), and experiences so that we continue to chase new experiences as pleasures (bhoga), avoid what is not pleasurable, and hence the average man lives out their lives accumulating more negative karma and hence future unfavorable conditions and hindrances. In fact these conditions bear testimony and witness of the process of ripening karma. All physical bodies bear this witness as well as the earth, the entire cosmos, and the relative world itself.
The earth (as shakti/sati) acts as a mirror reflection of isvara/shiva and bears witness in mirror-like wisdom just as the moon reflects the light of the sun. In a nutshell this is the story of Buddha's enlightenment under the pipal tree when he defeated mara (delusion) for the last time because he called the earth as his unfailing witness (defeating deluded thought).
The mirror when it becomes dirty, needs to be cleaned by practice (meditation) or it will distort or color our experiences causing errors. Just so, without cleansing the mirror, past experiences can build up as a set pattern/coating on the mirror forming a storehouse of past reactive patterns which can be repeated in the future often unconsciously and compulsively. These reactive patterns can also cause health problems and weakening of the life force. These obstructive patterns however can change. So stating this in a positive way, at the root of experiencing the fruits of long life, vitality, and health, a wise person might recognize positive causes which gave rise to positive conditions and results, while negative karmic causes negative conditions and results are recognized as the fruits of kleshas. Some karma (actions) are good and some not, depending on the wisdom and intent involved. This practice also provides a method for body/mind psychic and spiritual healing by taking back control of one's own life energy (prana) and mental patterns.
Practice: One simply but profoundly observes the time between the arising of a reactive thought pattern which precedes immediately before the acting/reacting of the body/mind occurs. In the beginning of this self training, one observes the entire event. Then one can trace these fruits (vipako) of the kleshas as they arise, back to their origin (jati) in terms of their root cause (mule) which is revealed (viveka) through the application of gentle (not forceful) conscious attention. The purification of the root cause of these manifestations of the kleshas, will thus result in also eradicating its associated karma. This in turn liberates prana which is involved in the old reactive pattern. The prana is then naturally redirected for evolution, healing, and creative expression. This again is best accomplished through sitting and observing "mind" in dhyana (meditation). After this non-reactive awareness pattern has displaced the old compulsive pattern, then it becomes easy to integrate in everyday life because the karmic storehouse has been cleansed of negative body/mind patterns. Eventually when the primary root cause (avidya) is separated out from the karmic storehouse, a vast liberation occurs.
Normally yogis are taught to recognize and then remediate the kleshas, therefore positive causes and conditions can occur. Although we can create positive future effects and conditions through wise action and practices NOW, there exists a more esoteric relationship where past karma can be remediated as in the example that within the seed there is the tree, while the tree by standing in relationship to the seed, thus affects it.
Mothers and fathers begin programming children from the womb, if not before. The children are terribly vulnerable and open, hence, easily impressed at infancy. Depending on the parents' own past imprints, unconscious compulsive patterns, kleshas (ignorance, fears, hatreds, karmic patterns, and neuroses, such in turn, are often impressed and absorbed directly (via right brain receptive mechanisms) into the child's mindstream. Being reinforced, this early conditioning is often very strong, albeit mostly unconscious, and forms the hardest shell to crack by psychologists who might be summoned in adult life for help. Very often fear, confusion, terror, and intense pain associated with these early life events and traumas; hence, often a protective numbing/insulating fear based mechanism of the pain body must be pierced or rather dissolved, abandoned, or ungrasped. Most definitely positive or negative identifications and preferences (associations with pleasure and the avoidance of non-pleasurable experiences) are formed in early life, which too often effect and haunt the person throughout the rest of their life unless these negative associations (be it anticipation, anxiety, aversion, compensatory pride, or false identifications) are removed. These protective patterns, can be recognized as dysfunctional burdens, impediments/afflictions (kleshas) must be confronted, penetrated fully, and broken. Thus through effective yogic practices such false associations are abandoned, ungrasped, let go, and dissolved.
Children are very sensitive, intelligent, and receptive; albeit not worldly sophisticated. Their life is still mainly undifferentiated. They are in a natural learning (open) mode of investigation/exploration of the differentiated world of human embodiment possessing a natural curiosity, wonder, and desire to integrate. Being mainly wide open vehicles for impressions, they learn coping programs even in the womb and throughout infancy forming habitual learned patterns of thought and activities, often fixated by negative beliefs. Although children arrive into human life with past karma and genetic programming (good or bad), they also come in with the primal intrinsic imprint of isvara -- the innate all-good bodhicitta (desire for awakening). Most moms and dads recognize that to some extent, but if it is repressed and ignored in most adults because of negative beliefs. In this situation having children can be an opportunity for parents to reconnect with that unconditioned wonder, or on the other hand if such remains repressed and unexpressed, it can be an avenue for transgenerational violence and affliction to be passed down.
Psychotherapists today are now recognizing both prenatal and peri-natal traumas. Here is a link to the Assn. for Pre- and Peri-natal Psychology and Health is housed. Also the Santa Barbara Graduate Institute teaches similar prenatal and peri-natal trauma remediation work. Stan Grof of who developed Holotropic Breathwork also focuses on that reconnecting process as well. It’s fascinating but new in the West, but still big in the East. So too are the yams, niyams, asana, pranayama, pratyhara, dharana, and dhyana capable of breaking up old karmic patterns and tendencies, purifying the mind stream and thus allow for infinite Source to shine through the obscurations.
Yoga of course recognizes that both siddhis (abilities) and/or negative samskaras (conditioning) from past births can and do have an influence. Yoga is designed to recognize these programs such as karma), samskaras (imprints/psychic seals), vasanas (habitual tendencies), and kleshas (mental/emotional obfuscations and hindrances) and then eventually eliminate/cathart them -- be liberated from them should the yogi desire. However such requires dedication and awareness.-- a desire to be aware and present. Old habits based on obtaining pleasure and avoiding pain, form habitual prisons or rather trances which are difficult to break, but our liberation depends on their remediation. This is well recognized by yogis and psychologists (although most psychologists will not recognize the presence of past life samskaras and karmic influences). So what my teachers taught me and what I teach, is to get rid of all the karma and all the afflictions so that one resides in the natural unconditioned state (swarupa) regardless where the false identifications and limited mindsets are coming from. "Where", "why", and "how" depend on the engagement of the analytical discursive mind. Just watch it in pure awareness and that clear Light luminosity will destroy the vrtti.
Children learn how to play roles, games, and even conform to those roles (identities) that are expected of them, which they are rewarded to play, are encouraged, where their sense of existence and security are acknowledged, or their sense of insecurity is diminished. . They learn (are conditioned) to chose various roles to play out of fear and need -- out of ignorance of who they truly are. The tragedy is of course that is who they learn to be – what they believe is their “reality” and within that contrived “reality” the reality of who they think they are as they define “self” in terms of “other” is taken into adult life governing their destiny and coloring/covering the expression of their creative evolutionary potential. authentic yoga goes beyond fabrication and game playing. That is why it appears so threatening to socio-economic exploiters, manipulators, would be slave masters, and false gurus.
That is not the aim of authentic yoga of course. Although demagogues and tricksters will continue to attempt to manipulate these reactive patterns, such manipulation is impossible when these fixations and habits have been surrendered in authentic yogic practices such as dhyana or authentic hatha yoga. It is unimaginable sitting in meditation with all that garbage going through the mindstream (citta) for any period of time or surrendering deeply into an open posture without emptying out the junk completely. The more common problem is that most people forgot in the first place that they are even playing an acquired role or that they have fallen inside of some one else’s transgenerational dream, projection, or trap which has negatively programmed and conditioned their citta-vrtti and karma. A strengthened focus and onepointed devotion on liberation (mukti) -- waking up, destroys such negative tendencies and as such, skillful practice (sadhana), bears its positive fruit (vipaka).
So in meditation (dhyana) if we are not able to liberate the klishta citta vrtti and karma, then such will arise again and again in our experiences, both in meditation and daily life, capable of even causing great discomfort, illness and premature death until final liberation. We have the opportunity NOW to wake up; recognizing the burdensome operations the kleshas, which are the results of past karma, we can let go of such fixated limitations. Through skillful meditation practice, great wisdom dawns. Postponing or ignoring such (even by the "learned") leads to negative results.
II. 14. te hlada-paritapa-phalah punyapunya-hetutvat
Those (te) fruits (phalah) [as a result of the winds of kleshas, citta-vrtti, and karma], may appear joyful (hlada) or painful (paritapa) depending upon their causative factors (hetutvat), whether due to meritorious actions (punya) or non-virtuous actions (apunya) respectively.
Commentary: Positive or meritorious thoughts and actions produce positive results (karma) or joy, while negative or non-virtuous thoughts and actions produce negative results (karma) and pain. Pleasure or pain depends on causative factors. We become victims upon the winds of karma which condition the degree, type, and length of the recurring vrttis which in turn further potentiate undesirable karma and hence the vicious cycle of samsaric existence keeps on spinning. So the wise, watch their thoughts, speech, and actions in order to effect lasting happiness, but they do not repress them.
Since kleshas cause karma and karma, in turn cause kleshas, this is a two way street. When we are motivated by the kleshas (such as asmita, raga, dvesa, etc.) we are trapped within the wheel of samsaric existence whether or not the attraction or repulsion appears pleasurable/desirous or potentially painful. Those fruits/results (happiness or suffering) are at best temporary. They are the result of ignorance. Liberation and true happiness in a yogic sense brings forth unconditional liberation and lasting unconditional happiness, acknowledging that happiness and suffering are states of mind.
influence In Sutra I.5 we learned that the fluctuating mental patterning of the mind (citta-vrtti) may cause future suffering or be neutral in that regard. Similarly the citta-vrtti can also be caused by the kleshas. As we learned here in chapter II, the kleshas cause suffering; the chief klesha being avidya (ignorance). In this sutra Patanjali refines I.5 further by discerning that some actions may create temporary results that appear as temporary pleasure, some may create further pain, and most important that virtuous actions in body, speech, and mind may have positive effects.
Many times we may experience ananda-asmita (or joy) or aversion and pain (dvesa-asmita) as aspects of asmita-avidya where the ego either joins neurotically with an object of thought or is disinclined (averse) toward it. This occurs in daily life very often, but in silent sitting meditation it is much more easier to spot. Both raga (attraction) and aversion (dvesa) are due to attachment to citta-vrttis -- to the inferior vairagya (apara-vairaga) rooted in dualism (the samprajnata state defined in Sutra I.17). The mind goes into misery or aversion at one time, and then into joy or ananda another time. Such are the vacillations of the ordinary mind driven by karma and ignorance. But when that kind of pleasure and pain due to karma and kleshas (raga, dvesa, asmita, avidya, etc) are observed and no longer acted upon by body, speech, or mind, then virtuous actions leading to the cessation of ignorance, suffering (duhkha), and karmic compulsions can manifest. That kind of asmita-raga and dvesa are low vibratory states of consciousness dense with karmic propensities. They are due to past karma and avidya which are purified via virtuous actions -- actions governed by the wisdom- mind. The good news is that as these negative propensities arise, they can be recognized for what they are and released. Their causes once known, they are released/let go of directly proportional to our awareness/wisdom. As we form new virtuous habits we learn how to rest in our natural unconditioned true nature (svarupa) more consistently in dhyana and this bleeds over into everyday life increasingly. This is joyous mind training without effort capable of helping sincere practitioners turn the corner on old ways of suffering and dysfunction.
Sacred Earth
In the next sutra (15), Patanjali addresses the practice which frees us from karma, kleshas, and unhappiness. It is viveka, which is applied awareness. At first it reveals a little here and there. Specific causes of our variegated conditions may be recognized and released. Release can last for short or long periods and happiness (a state free from duhkha) can arise, but because all past causes (karma) have not yet been released back to their sources and insufficient new good tendencies (through good karma or punya) have not yet kicked in, unhappiness and unawareness returns until final release. Wisdom and positive actions are thus taught to be cultivated. Some schools recommend them as being cultivated separately, but in one sense both can be cultivated simultaneously as wisdom and compassion (skilful means). In short it is wise to act compassionately, while compassion accompanies and inspires wise activity. They are inseparable.
Duhkha is the lack of happiness. The end of dukha is true and lasting unconditional natural happiness, which is our unconditioned state. Unhappiness and unawareness go together as awareness and unconditional awareness go together. As viveka naturally becomes more subtle and alive progressing from a differentiated consciousness, to awareness of the undifferentiated primordial all-mind embedded in all creative activities, the self effulgent causeless uncaused primordial cause is known beyond a doubt. That is the end of personal karma and unhappiness for the yogin. That happiness signals in the end of karma, while creation and the earth are known as ever-newness in sacred presence, united as in cit-shakti or shiva/shakti, nirvana and samsara, crown and root in rainbowed hues.
II. 15. parinama-tapa-samskara-duhkhair guna-vrtti-virodha ca duhkham eva sarvam vivekinah
Recognizing the pre-existing insidious unhappiness, which is inherent in the habitual fascination processes upon appearances of discrete phenomena, the suffering of change is then identified, its cause recognized, and thus release from the processes of pain is realized.
Viveka is to be applied continuously to all apparent things on fire (things that are undergoing constant change) as the skillful means that reveals the inherent unsatisfactoriness and dysfunctional relationship between the painful attachments to disparate phenomena which are ever changing and the mental suffering, which is inherent in the mental patterning and conditioning associated with its attachment.
or similarly,
Viveka is the skillful means to be applied to all at all times (sarvam) in order to recognize the insidious latent suffering bound by the mental vagaries (vrtti) of fragmentary existence (the false identification with the dualistic world of apparently fragmentary objects and things) which are inherently in constant motion -- in transformation.
or similarly,
Similarly (eva) by knowing the whole -- the all knowing (eva sarvam vivekinah), the`practitioner is no longer limited or imprisoned by conditioning. One is not satisfied (duhkham) with holding on to an ever changing, temporal, and apparently paradoxical indistinct perceptions of phenomena (guna-vrtti virodha) which is likened to be on fire (tapa); rather that ever changing (parinama) bias (vrtti), which is fixated upon is recognized as not as impermanent, temporal, and continuously on fire (tapa). That error of perception (guna-vrtti-virodha) thus (eva) is recognized as the grasping cause of needless mental suffering (duhkhair) [due to mental clinging], and (ca), thus reinforcing the fixation and hold of further negative conditioning with latent negative psychic imprints (samskara),
parinama: change, transformation.
tapa: burns, burning, burn, often in intense pain
samskara: Conditioning, mental formations. Both mental formations and hence the way we view external formations and conditions. Composite, compounded, constructed, contrived, or fabricated "things" which bias our perception of "reality". Embedded psychic imprints left over from past unresolved painful experiences/conditions. Showing up on the body as cellular imprints, neuro-physiological habits, rigidity, posture, energy cysts, tension, and/or disease.
duhkhair: by dissatisfactions; relating to pain, stress, oppression
duhkha: Scarcity consciousness. A feeling of need or distress consciously acknowledged or not. A feeling of unhappiness, suffering, mental pain, dissatisfaction, misfortune, oppression, or grief. Duhkha is best defined as the lack or absence of joy, happiness, fulfillment, wholeness, or completion, thus the absence of joy (sukha) which may be variously characterized by pain, anguish, suffering, unhappiness, discomfort, discontent, angst, unease, stress, tension, pressure, dissatisfaction, grief, distress, chagrin, fretful, irritated, being inflamed, bruised, hurt, ruffled, irritated, dis-eased, off center, upset, shocked, or any chronic complaint, etc. Thus duhkha is the experiential or affective feeling state of incompleteness where pure consciousness (cit) is separated from a sense of completeness in one's subjective experience or state of being (sat).
vrtti: wavering, recurring patterns, biased spinning; fluctuations of consciousness.
guna: the way nature breaks down into its various manifold characteristic parts; Here, meant to describe fragmentary phenomena and its impermanence/transitory nature.
guna-vrtti: changing patterns of the qualities of nature; the wavering and bias caused by the evolutes of nature (the gunas).
virodha: turmoil, adversity, conflict, strife, paradoxical or oppositional.
eva: Also, since, indeed
ca: and
sarvam: all things: everything.
viveka: Primarily the awareness of relationships for example it is viveka which makes the distinction between kleshic (afflicted) awareness and prajna (innate wisdom). In that case viveka operates by first recognizing a dysfunctional mechanism of unhappiness inherent in a reflexive and compulsive conditioned way of existence. Then instead of identifying with the conditioned patterns, one starts to identify with the observer, the knower, or witness consciousness, thus bringing conscious awareness into the situation. Then one eventually begins to observe the nature of this awareness -- observes the eternal observer and becomes more acquainted with it's omnipresence through practice (usually dhyana). Eventually one may identify with this witness consciousness as the self (purusa). But that is not the end of viveka. In the final stages of viveka the observer recognizes itself in all sentient beings and things as the One in the many and the many in the One. It is neither only extrinsic nor exclusively intrinsic, but both/and -- the marriage of Sat and Cit -- being/nature and consciousness/spirit . Thus viveka is differentiated awareness where all beings and things are recognized as mutual interdependent components within an integral context of a greater whole (not separate) brought forward by action of an expanded boundless awareness. Even that is not enough. That differentiated awareness discloses the beginningless uncreated source in all and hence differentiated awareness remains inseparably married to undifferentiated formless awareness in authentic yogic experience. This is not an intellectual or conceptual realization, but rather a direct experience, realized through authentic yogic practice. This is not to say that differentiated awareness is the same as undifferentiated awareness or that relative reality/truth is the same as absolute reality/truth. It is not. What is integrated is their union/marriage in Sat-Cit-Ananda or Siva/shakti. THAT is the "and" in the "both/and". Realized as such, it is the portal of transformation itself -- the miracle of Cit and Sat.
As avidya (lack of vision) binds us to the samsaric and karmic wheels causing repeats of unsatisfactory experiences (duhkha), it is non-dual awareness that frees us from the gravitational pull of karma, duhkha, and samsara. That awareness is fructified by authentic yogic practice.
Viveka deepens as we practice... it is the ability to differentiate, discern, and discriminate, but how? Not between one disparate and isolate "thing" and another disparate isolated thing, but rather differentiated awareness involves the relationship of the one to the many or all. Otherwise the awareness remains limited, tilted, and biased (a vrtti). As such viveka is a sharpened aspect of differentiated awareness, which always must be seen as distinguishably indivisible with the integrative wholistic awareness (prajna or undifferentiated, all encompassing boundless, formless, and unborn primordial awareness. They go together inseparably – as aspects of the non-dual hologram.
Viveka is a differentiating awareness that discerns, recognizes, or acknowledges that integral hologram wherein the one is disclosed in all things, and all things are revealed in context with the one. Viveka is always available when we focus our attention on one thing in relationship to another and the whole. Thus self liberating and self luminous discriminating wisdom can be consulted and invoked increasingly. The union of cit (consciousness) with differentiated reality and being (sat) in Sat-Cit-Ananda is also the beginning, The liberated yogi must enter the holographic mandala and perform active service/worship. That is sacred work.
Commentary: Suffering is a state of the fragmentary mental condition. That samskaric mind state (called samsara) creates feelings of craving (raga) and antipathy (dvesa) as we have seen. So in order to fully understand what is meant by duhkha, we have to experience wholeness, fulfillment, and lasting happiness. That result is the effect of effective yogic practice.
The karmic causes of raga (attraction/attachment), dvesa (aversion), asmita, avidya, etc., must be removed in order for lasting happiness to manifest. The attraction/fascination (raga) to fragmentary existence (citta-vrtti) is exactly the dualistic/fragmented mind prison that is held together by the kleshas. It defines the state of duhkha (suffering) as depicted by the samsaric wheel beginning with ignorance and producing suffering). The difficulty is that one becomes attached/fixated to this static state and hence fears/resists change as change appears to be a threat to the egoic fixations. This samsaric state is called static in the sense that it is bounded by the prison of citta-vrtti or being based upon the ideation of a separate self (asmita) and hence avidya (lack of true vision). However within this prison of samsara there is constant change (parinama) fed by the twin engines of raga and dvesa. So the wheel of samsara spins driven by constant cycles of craving and antipathy until conscious recognition is applied to one's basic condition. Those caught into this snare are characterized as feeling incomplete, discontented, disturbed, or suffering (duhkha), while those who have realized the true nature of their mind are characterized by being wholesome, possessing integrity, wisdom, true knowledge or true happiness. They are the liberated beings (vita-raga or jivamukti).
Mental pain is a very deep subject capable of providing liberation in itself when properly understood. The yogi not only learns about pain, but the cause of pain, the working of one's own mind, how pain is produced by ignorance, and eventually abandoning these causes. This eventually penetrates deep down to the most subtle layer of awareness and sensitivity where the yogi no longer is oppressed by ignorance, but rather liberated in Sat Cit Ananda. The goal is not happiness or joy, but rather they are the affect of total unconditional liberation, which is the goal of yoga.
So the good news is that this painful and imprisoned state of mind, is just that; i.e., a state of mind which when recognized (not ignored) will provide the basis of one's self liberation. Although entirely real as any other fragmented state of mind that is broken off from the multiverse is real, this state never-the-less can be altered and transformed consciously, once it is recognized so that the vagaries of consciousness no longer identifies with the citta-vrtti, but rather aligns seamlessly with the evolutionary power/Reality (divine, transpersonal, transcognitive, and non-dual will-power).
The all knowing (eva-sarvam-viveka) through awakened awareness bears witness to these seemingly endless transformations (parinama) and changes from one mental stage to another (vrtti) as past habits, frozen fixations, conditioning, and imprints (samskaras) and similarly solidified false identifications with fragmented reality (duhkhair guna-vrtti-virodha) as being needlessly stressful and painful (tapa). To them this wheel of change (parinamas) fueled by past karma and kleshas is known as none other than the vicious wheel of cyclic existence (samsara)]. When stratified phenomena (the gunas) are so misperceived through avidya (ignorance) one suffers bondage and suffering.
However the wise discern the cause of this suffering not by further ignoring/avoiding it, but through recognizing ignorance as the very activity which is the cause of dualistic dissociation. Stress, tension, and suffering is inherent in glomming onto that which by nature is in constant flux no longer is capable of creating considerable tension and stress (virodha). Thus it is cut asunder through the sword of self luminous differentiated awareness (viveka) which is rooted in wholeness and integration -- in its marriage with the root mother of creation or true vision should the sadhak take on the courage to view reality as-it-is in naked awareness. Unhappiness is utterly destroyed when we align ourselves with the evolutionary power of the universe. That way we are connected continuously to our roots. Everything else is both pretentious and false -- subject to change and contrived by the individual's conceptual mind.
Yoga provides the necessary selfless (non-egoic) non-dual centering and grounding for human beings to face their demons, accept the truth no matter how threatening to the ego, instead of fight or flight syndromes of escape, anger, denial, or numbness in which "bad news" often provokes in the neurotic.
All mental dualistic attachments and associations with apparently separate objects of phenomena (guna-vrtti-virodha) are revealed as needless suffering (duhkha), It is merely due to mental mismanagement/classification of phenomena as if they were independent and unrelated. Thus such mental associations can be gratefully abandoned through the inherent power of NOW awareness (through viveka which knows the all as one, and the one as the many simultaneously as it is devoid of bias). Through applying viveka constantly, then ignorance (avidya) and hence the kleshas and attachment are defeated. By applying consciousness into the apparent pain, no pain is found separate from the mind, rather the painful mechanism is defused by delving all the way into all things via naked awareness. The lingering pain (parinama-tapa) associated with the pain of past conditioning and old experiences (samskara) are now redirected towards THAT awareness that knows no suffering and which is free from karma and conditions. Thus reality is known in light, not darkness, is it illumined, natural, and ever-present should it be recognized,
Often suffering is mistaken for happiness because of ignorance. For example, one may become very happy after purchasing a new toy, but after opening it up and playing with it become entirely disillusioned with it. Happy expectations can take human beings out of their grounded center in the present and create habitual syndromes of repeated disappointment. Happiness is not fear driven; heroin or alcohol are pain relievers, not true joy or happiness; "happiness is not found in the refrigerator". If we do not recognize suffering as suffering, but rather mistake it as happiness in security or predictability, then that is a major pitfall -- do not be fooled. Put another way, it is the ego sense (asmita) which drive the kleshas, tends to create defenses and armor around its delusions and pretenses protecting itself from unflattering or information due to pride or information which otherwise does not support it, but is perceived as threatening to that delusion. In that sense avidya and suffering is needlessly perpetuated until the observer is able to recognize the truth of samsaric existence -- the mental prison where no lasting happiness can be found. Lasting happiness and unconditional liberation is found when the samsaric wheel is broken -- when attachment and antipathy are conquered -- when true vision reigns and the citta-vrtta are thus liberated..
This is the sutra on the suffering of suffering, the suffering of existence, the suffering of impermanence, the origin of suffering, the all pervasive suffering of conditioning, and its remediation through recognizing it (viveka). Once it is revealed as it is, then its cause (avidya) can be identified and abandoned. As such it is the sutra on how insensitivity and ignorance is provoked, and how it is remediated. The greater the mental trauma or stress, the greater the need to dissociate, ignore, and escape, such in classic traumatic stress syndromes, where mental association with past painful mental events will serve to trigger a defensive/aggressive neurotic reaction aimed at the protection of the ego's protective mechanisms. Those dominated by the egoic mindset, cannot accept reality, because it appears too painful to their egoic mechanisms of self deceit (delusion). The ego demands to hear that which is supportive of it, which translates as preferable delusions. This happens until the eve of ego death, which is awakening, liberation, and enlightenment. This sutra thus is about how ignorance (the cause of suffering) is remediated through effective yoga practices as taught in the succeeding sutras. This sutra is also the first introduction of the term, viveka (clear recognition or lucidity). Viveka as we will see is the key tool of astanga yoga. It is to be applied in All Our Relations.
As we have learned, both raga (with its accompanying sukha/pleasure) as well as dvesa with its accompanying duhkha/pain) are both closely related mental afflictions. Eventually we have to give up all attachment to objects and this can only be accomplished by giving up attachment to the grasper (separate self) which seemingly observes "phenomenal objects (the gunas), Any such attraction or repulsion to an object by an observer is in reality a distraction of ego ignorance. It is bound to be unsatisfactory in the long run unless there is absolutely no attachment at all, then there is immersion, fascination, nor full engagement in such activities. Such activities undertaken with self awareness (viveka) are undergone with vairagya (non-attachment). Then there is neither clinging nor suffering involved. Once the yogi has awakened to an extent, only then can they help others liberate from the prison of suffering and ignorance effectively.
The entire (sarva) temporal world of constant change -- the electrons spinning around the atom, earth spinning around the sun, the galaxy rotating around the milky way, and so forth) are generally characterized by the guna-vrtti. Such in reality, is a never ending magical display which reflects its origin when perceived with opened eyes. From this universal omnipresent and all pervasive boundless point of view, what was previously perceived as dead inanimate phenomena viewed from a straight plane perspective opens up when viewed in the light of universal evolutionary power. Phenomena are now viewed not as reified separate things or entities, but reflections of component relationships that stem all the way back to its primordial origin. The realization that all created things are impermanent and on fire, is now replaced by the deathless Reality which it always reflected but was hidden in past habituations of ignorance (citta-vrtti). Only when these phenomena are understood as a reflection of the whole (not separate entities/egos) will suffering based upon clinging to that which is impermanent be eradicated for ever. The egoic observer's clinging to what appear in dualistic thinking as "separate things" characterized by the gunas and/or fragmented objects of mental thought patterns whose nature is to spin and re-pattern themselves (vrtti), is due to past conditioning and psychic imprints (samskaras) caused in turn by the complex of past painful experiences (duhkhair), kleshas, karma -- negative conditioning. This vicious samsaric circle is to be broken by viveka as all discerning discriminating wisdom penetrates through to the core of the superficial appearances of phenomena.
Similarly, in Buddhism there are denoted three or four general categories of suffering. They are all caused by ignorance (asmita, raga, dvesa, jealousy, greed, denial, and the other kleshas) that, in turn, cause more negative karma and pain due to their action of blocking the rays of all pervading wisdom. Non-dual all pervading wisdom is inside at the core of the mustard seed and everywhere-- all pervading -- all the time unending, but it is commonly not recognized, rather it is commonly ignored.
Suffering of Suffering
The suffering of suffering (Tibetan: sdug bsngal gi sdug bsngal) is the gross/coarse example of recognizing the inherent suffering of existential existence, such as is built on the common dualistic ideation of an ego, for example sickness, old age, death, anticipation, desire, disappointment, depression, grief, unhappiness, discomfort, agitation, stress, etc -- in short duhkha. So, in Buddhism the first type of suffering is coarse or gross obvious suffering. Some one is complaining, crying, beating their hands against the pillow, yelling, being beaten, crying, contemplating suicide, shaking with fear, experiencing a severe nightmare, trying to numb the pain by alcohol or heroin, being tortured, torturing others, mean, killing, raping, insatiably hungry, etc. There are countless examples, but even with these kleshic activities the sufferer may not recognize their anguish, craving, fear, hatred, anger, angst, or rapacious activity as suffering, even if it is obvious to others or not. In short, the suffering of existence ( suffering of suffering) is often confused as seeking pleasure, comfort, happiness, or fulfillment. It is masked by the temporary fulfillment of cravings, which produce temporary pleasure, comfort, or happiness, but actually dissuade us from seeking unconditional and lasting happiness in All Our Relations. The common mindset is dualistic. It resides in subject/object duality where the external objects and forms seduce one as objects to be possessed, which in turn possess the observer. In that manner, the dualistic mindset confuses happiness and fulfillment as the temporary possession of an externalized form and/or the avoidance of an undesirable association of an external form. One confuses temporary comfort or relief, with as happiness; however true and lasting happiness is more than the temporary of a samsaric cycle; rather it is the unending cessation or absolute end of duhkha/samsaric existence.
A classical example of denial is the addict or alcoholic, who may believe that they are experiencing true happiness, but such only leads to more craving and suffering and then its fulfillment. Such is akin to scratching an itch, putting down a heavy load on the left shoulder and placing it on the right, or other similar temporary lifting of burdens, where the stress/burden will eventually return. The egoic mindset, being trapped in delusion and pride, possesses a large bag of tricks to cleverly fool itself to ignore and deny the exposure of its devious and often subtle masquerades in a foolish attempt at protection and survival. Such is the nature of self deceit, egoic seduction, and delusion (mara). Although the tragic suffering of alcoholics are obvious to most observers (except the victim), more subtle addictions like masochistic self-piercing, workaholics, greed-aholics, sex-aholics, thing-aholics, addiction to style, self-aggrandizement, addiction to war, addiction to abuse, addiction to religious ideology, addiction to authority figures or gurus, and similar addictions most often go unnoticed, because they often carry with it the approval of society, peer acceptance, or are considered "normal".
Dealing with human beings who are attached to gross delusion (the egoic mind) is ineffectual until they recognize (viveka) that they are suffering and subsequently make an effort to abandon their suffering propensities by identifying their cause and then abandoning the cause. Otherwise they stay locked in ignorance and delusion until they learn their lesson the hard way. Such is the suffering of suffering (the suffering of self-existence) , briefly stated. In short, if one perceives ones self identity in terms of existential reality through human eyes, human intellect, and static frameworks of time, were past and future are so designated as separate from their present "reality", then inherently there will arise dukha as a result of such fragmented and impure perception. Duhkha, however can be extinguished by recognizing the timeless and all pervading intimate mind-presence intimately, inherent, and unlimited beyond avidya.
The Suffering of Change
Normally one realizes the suffering of existence first as a gross dualistic suffering, then the suffering of change (which we talk about out of order below), and then all pervasive suffering (winch is most subtle) in that order. Subtly then, we can discern the suffering of impermanence (Tibetan: 'gyur ba'i sdug bsngal) where most beings cling onto or become attached to what is not permanent, as if it were permanent, separate fragmented or discrete things, the sense world, friends as objects, people as objects, monasteries or churches, any object, and so forth, which are all subject to the law of impermanence (anitya/anicca).
Through abiding in pure awareness wrought from sublime discriminating wisdom (viveka) without a need to employ personal derived judgments, we no longer falsely identify with subject/object duality, attraction or repulsion; no longer mistaking the temporary and changing nature of "external objects" as being permanent, separate, or substantial, thereby avoiding (false identification) while uprooting samskaras (old psychic imprints and energy signatures imbedded in the cellular memory and neurophysiology. so that the actual patterns of suffering (duhkha) implicit in perceiving the world in terms of its apparent disparate fragments (guna-vrtti) are themselves discerned (viveka). Here the conflicting and confusing world sparked by the manifold permutations (parinama) of samskaras and karma are identified and hold no attraction.
Change without any attachment then becomes a magical display -- the dance of Siva/shakti -- the radiance of primordial consciousness. All that which exists in the world of form (as characterized by the gunas) is on fire, relatives, family, and kin. For a tantric it is experienced as being a celebration of the fire and oblation -- ever changing and impermanent -- an offering of self to the selfless universal Self -- as the Divine Spark of Love being the immutable underlying Source and our true essence (swarupa). This way one avoids conflict and confusion through the sublime wisdom of true and authentic discernment. Here we train the mind to abide simultaneously in the ineffable, changeless, core/heart (hridayam) center which knows no bounds, no end and no beginning.
A wise yogi, Buddha, noted that the world is on fire -- ever changing. One should not be attached to that which is constantly changing and morphing -- that which is impermanent which is none other than the manifest universe as represented by the differentiation of the gunas and apparently disparate momentum (virodha). Finding oneself caught up in fragmented existence (guna-vrtti-virodha) is certainly disturbing (tapa) to the observer who is may be lacking in discriminatory wisdom (viveka), thus confusion (avidya) with its resultant kleshas and duhkha is very likely to occur without self awareness as the ability to recognize one's state of mind and let it go (vairagya). Such clinging onto change, will certainly cause suffering (duhkha). That is what is also called the suffering of change which is closely associated with the second noble truth of Buddhism. That attachment, of clinging onto that which is impermanent, while abandoning that which is changeless and eternally now, is a grave error lacking/ignoring NOW Primordial awareness. That ignorance, lack, and scarcity consciousness is due to past samskaras in turn to past negative emotions (kleshas) and conditioning -- times when the internal neural circuits were put on overload and a short circuit/by pass was created. In short from the place of stillness where the vrtti cease -- our heart/core center -- all (sarva) phenomena are in flux and changing (parinama) "all" (sarva) of existence (gunas) is when viewed from the side of temporality is in itself uneven, fragmented, biased and disparate.
Thus this sutra is not just negative, but points out this huge impediment to spiritual growth (expansion of consciousness) when the mind continually grasps onto objects be they apparent sense objects or merely mental concepts (granted sense objects are also interpreted by the mental concepts). Releasing any and all attachments thus simultaneously opens up new doorway, creates authentic space for clear seeing and new discoveries. If we hold onto the past and are afraid of change (and/or worse armor against it) because we erroneously think that our ego identity will be upset or threatened by transformation, then we will fear and resist change and never learn and grow, Rather we will remain a reactionary ego who armors themselves around fear and pain, and aversion. This aversion to change is the resistance to spiritual growth. It is the formula for bondage. rigidity, and spiritual stagnation. "Who" resists? The egoic mindset.
Of course in the Reality of pure vision (vidya), the recognition of change as the truth of impermanence does not cause mental clinging, anguish, attachment, grief or pain, but the egoic mindset creates the situation because of its tendency toward dualistic and conceptual I/it clinging. Hence the dualistic (subject/object) egoic mindset resists new ideas, information, or input that will contradict its fixated delusion/identity and assumptions/beliefs. Change upsets stubborn beliefs and ego fixations, while further attachment to such increases stress and tension as the world turns. One must learn how to release attachment (vairagya) which is part of every authentic yogi's practice. It requires exceptional courage and ability to accept the truth of "what-is" despite the egoic mind's preferences, predilections, fears, defenses, desires, and prejudice. Here we are not just discussing attachment to things, but to concepts and beliefs. That mental/spiritual stagnation maintains the tight and stifling box of samsara. It is quite restricted and limited.
Realizing the noble truth of "the suffering of change" is actually the path to let go of suffering via vairagya. The truth/realization sets us free from being its unconscious slave. It comes part and parcel with the sword of discriminating wisdom. One has the ability NOW to recognize Now Awareness in the preciousness of the moment as a precious opportunity to practice (sadhana) and take responsibility for one's own liberation NOW, by recognizing the clinging, the cause of the clinging, nature of the clinging, the "who" and "what" of the clinging, the interdependence of all beings and phenomena, and the source of universal primordial consciousness which is always Here/Now (Now Awareness) by residing HERE outside of conventions of sequential time, place, and causality, Hence "the Suffering of Change" is a welcome realization allowing us to become free from attachment as it discloses the open doorway of our immediate freedom now. Viveka thus clears the path for the transpersonal and non-dual wisdom which is facilitated via a functional vairagya (see I.12-18).
All Pervasive Suffering of Conditioning
Attachment to things or phenomena is still gross/coarse compared to all pervasive suffering, because it involves mostly the ideation of a separate observable gross physical world (phenomena) and a separate observer (ego). That is where the mind tends to compound/conceptualize separate "things" in subject/object duality. That limited framework is incomplete and causes angst/duhkha.
What is called all pervasive suffering is much more subtle. By all pervasive, this type of suffering pervades all dualistic mindsets. All mindsets that are defined by temporary conditions, karmic conditions, limited concepts, subject/object duality, the citta vrtti, etc. By all pervasive it does not mean it is unending, or does it? Rather, one must understand it through personal inquiry and direct revelation. It has a beginning, middle, and end. Since all suffering is impermanent, then it would be fair to say that the all pervading suffering of conditioning is a subset of the suffering of attachment to impermanence. So to be clear this discussion is moving from gross to the more subtle, eventually to the removal of suffering. We start with our own mental obscurations (kleshas) and karma, and then once liberated, we naturally have compassion to move us to skillfully liberate others in pure love. At this point it is valuable to distinguish between two definitions of suffering so we do not conflate them. One is the definition that we have been using as how our own minds cause suffering or unhappiness. The other definition is a referent to the "suffering of the world". In any case when we wake up our our affective state is compassionate, joyful, and lucid.
The compounding of so called reified "phenomena" can appear in many ways. One way is that which we perceive as external objects are merely superficial appearances, not the whole story. For example, salt can combine with water, as salt-water, or carbon with oxygen forming carbon-dioxide, etc. These compounds will also break down. They have a beginning, a middle, and an end (are impermanent). Even if we try to put EVERYTHING together as a perfect "Great Something", that "Great Something" will also change in the next moment, unless we bring in the idea of primordial time/primordial wisdom (but we can't do that in this present dualistic context yet). The great everything as a constructed aggregate of objects glued together by the mind is an artifact which is fabricated by the mind -- at best our best guess. It too follows anicca/anitya (the principle of impermanence) and if clinging is involved leads to suffering. Thus through viveka (as pure lucidity), we can break that process down into emergence (arising), expansion, or manifesting on one hand, versus dissolution, contraction, or convergence on the other, as an active principle of (expansive/contractive or emerging/converging) pulsation (spanda). This pulsation (spanda) is ongoing between source/creation -- siva/shakti. It encompasses existence and ordinary linear time. It has no beginning, middle, or end. Even a mountain, a planet, solar system, galaxy, or a universe have a beginning, middle, and end as do all created phenomena. That is the same realization of anicca/anitya above; i.e., that all phenomena is impermanent (anitya), but the key difference here is in the approach. Here we are dealing directly with the mind and its ideation/reification process; i.e., how the individual mind creates suffering. We start to see through the appearances of phenomena into their true nature. As our inner eye opens in clear lucidity, the true nature of phenomena is naturally revealed as well. We see how it is the conceptual mind which constructs seemingly solid and separate sense data as separate solid independent phenomena (which are really only superficial appearances) and makes them into words or bigger "things". That is how the mind constructs, fabricates, rearranges, and reifies what is-as-it-is into complex absurdities, hallucinations, mental prisons and limited frameworks (ignorance). That result is also called compounded phenomena which is likened to a hallucination, like a dream, or like a phantom. In truth it is simply an error of thought.... more or less until this tendency is broken up and abandoned.
Throughout human history people have searched for the ultimate building block, elemental essence, or solid substance upon which the universe is based. There has also been may postulations of what an all encompassing complete universe (as an accumulation of all "things" can look like). Both attempts fail unless we get all the way to zero (beginningless) on one hand and infinity on the other. Such are the subjects of many Buddhist contemplative inquiries. But if we get to the true nature of form (within an awareness of the formational process) we can no longer break things down into a beginning, a middle, or an end. Such awareness is the true context of primordial wisdom, while the rest are imposed sequential limitations by limited thinking (conceptualization). Therefore, this is the second aspect of "compounded things" where it is the dualistic mind, which compounds, ideates, fabricates, conceptualizes, constructs, and arranges "phenomena" according to limited frameworks. Not only is that process of compounding phenomena impermanent, it is entirely delusional, made up, and artificial. It never truly existed the way we thought or perceived it to be in the first place, except as a fancy – a projection of our ignorance. In that context, absolute and relative reality; emptiness and form; prajna (wisdom) and karuna (compassion), etc. are united. What has been removed is the delusional tendency to make more or less of it, to obscure the true nature of phenomena through the process of projecting endless mental complexities/elaborations (as conceptualization processes) upon what is as the true nature of phenomena, dharmata. What may satisfy the proclivities and desire of the self centered and prideful egoic mind (asmita) serves to obscure pure lucidity.
This third category of suffering is called, all pervasive suffering (Tibetan: khyab pa 'du byed kyi sdug bsngal), which is most subtle. It speaks more to our mental attitude toward existence and self more directly (albeit all the prior sufferings are conclusions made by a misguided mental attitude). This is also called the suffering of being conditioned, but normally (in Samkhya and early Buddhism) the suffering is blamed on existence, phenomena, the senses, sense objects, perceptual process of organizing sense data, our intentions, and negative emotions ... in short the skandhas (the aggregations), rather than on faulty mental interpretation; i.e., how the normal mind becomes conditioned, habituated, corrupted, perverted, fascinated, seduced, prejudiced, or influenced in error. In short the normal conditioned mind misinterprets the signals from the skandhas. The skandhas per se are not the problem, but rather difficulties arise when the superficial appearances of form (rupa or form is the first skanda) are taken as disparate and discrete solid essences by themselves. We could get into a large discussion on how this relates directly to the deeper insight that viveka provides and how that relates to samadhi sunya (III.3) as form (rupa) is empty of a separate self, while all "things" are known non-dually as interdependent, yet not compounded (transconceptual/non-dual). A very large subject which authentic yoga brings to foreground.
Buddha said:
"The suffering of being conditioned is not apparent when it arises, remains or ceases, but it is still the cause of suffering.
Although not gross or obvious, conditioning/programming is insidious, and invokes the most subtle awareness, which is free from karmic conditioning entirely. When this contemplation/recognition goes beyond even the most subtle into a recognition of its empty nature, then the natural unconditioned happiness which destroys suffering will spontaneously arise.
One example follows: I am sitting in meditation as a sentient human being upon the earth struggling against gravity, struggling to stay alive in order to practice dharma, struggling to practice under conditions of increasing old age, sickness, and approaching death. Being still dependent upon objects of form, still plagued by negative emotions, limited perceptions, small aspirations, and limited consciousness, where all conditions are recognized as unbearable burdens and limited self identifications, I recognize my mind induced habitual condition (a subtle pre-existing condition), where all existence is recognized as containing suffering. Recognizing this universal condition for all suffering sentient beings (buddhas and bodhisattvas excepted), no longer running away from my self induced mental pain, I vow to become free from the causes of suffering. Recognizing the causes and abandoning them, compassion automatically wells up inside me, and is generated toward all beings and things. Love and healing become my general outward bhava (demeanor or attitude).
So becoming free from all pervasive suffering one simply needs to know its cause (ignorance), not ignore it. Then the cause is removed. That is wisdom in action. In this case the all pervasive suffering is a result of negative mental conditioning by past negative programming – causes and conditions. It's eliminated through positive conditioning (dharma practice) or perhaps more simply put by releasing negative propensities and thought habits. Just drop it! Your choice.
The elimination of the conditioned mind brings forth the natural unconditioned mind or rather primordial wisdom – the wisdom of all buddhas. One must desire to embrace this change. This is accomplished by a change in the way we view self and other, or classically the way the mind has been conditioned to assemble the skandhas, of which form (rupa) is the first. To be sure, it is not that the skandhas themselves need be disassembled or negated, rather what is to be changed is the conditioned habituated way which the mind has ideated their existence, or rather their apparent approximations.
Thus, form (rupa), is not a problem by itself, but rather the problem is what/how the mind determines that form exists or does not exist. Similarly it is not a matter that feelings or sensations are at fault, but how we deal with our feelings and sensations (are we experiencing esthetic beauty, joy, inspiration, happiness, love, equanimity, and friendliness or not). What is our the present affective state of being in the moment?
Similarly it is not an error of will, but rather of how and where we place our intention and will; e.g., is it placed within the realm of self centeredness and selfishness or is it used as a means for inspired dharmic aspiration and liberation. The same can hold true to all the skandhas as whether they are placed within a dualistic framework of self and other, or within a non-dual framework. The skandhas can act interdependently and seamlessly when not fragmented by a fragmented mindset. That is another way of saying that not only all "things" are empty of a separate/independent self existence (not substantial or solid), but also the skandhas. When our perception and consciousness is no longer limited by the imposition of samsara's dualistic mindset, then all pervasive suffering naturally is also disappears. Here the skandhas, per se, are not necessary negated (as they are thought of in Theravadin), just the sense that they are dominating, separate, independent, and not seamlessly interdependent. Here it is not that the skandhas themselves are the determining cause of ignorance (and hence suffering) rather suffering is the result of the mind's ignorance, its misperception, negative conditioning, and delusional habits. So there is a higher level of refinement stated in the Madhyamaka, which cuts through the basis of "all pervasive suffering" – which points to the possibility of an embodied liberation through the interconnection of form (rupa) and emptiness, beingness and consciousness, nature and spirit, earth and heaven, muladhara and sahasrara, shakti and shiva, left and right, etc.
For example in Theravada one does not say form (rupa) is empty, exactly. Rather it is said that the self, as observer, is empty of a substantial inherent existence (anatta), while rupa is impermanent (appears to exist but is in motion, on fire, is changing from moment to moment). That type of relationship is like being in a swirl (samsaric wheel). As long as we don't try to hold on, then we are OK – ha ha. Because skanda means heap or aggregate nit is a form of compounding. It does not just refer to "form", but to how the mind compounds "things" – mistakenly makes/fabricates or constructs things into groups or aggregates.
However in Madhyamaka, form (rupa) is also empty of self -- selfless, like anatta. Likewise in Mahayana, not all emotions or sensations are defiled. Like lasting unconditional transpersonal happiness, exaltation, friendliness, sympathetic joy, bliss, boundless enthusiasm, inspiration, etc., are known as positive emotions. The same goes for the rest of the five skandhas, i.e., will, perception, and consciousness when they are viewed seamlessly as interdependent and guided by wisdom. Here we may wander into Yogacara, which is another Mahayana system which explains this better, or maybe it is better to stay within Madhyamaka.
So in Madhyamaka (middle-path) Buddhism the skandhas are also empty of self existence, but non-the-less function interdependently or non-dually. This approach to the I think we can approach the middle-way (Madhyamaka) in terms of non-duality, in so far that "things" (form) are empty of self from the very beginning, where it is merely the mind which projects a solid independent "thingness" to phenomena, while in fact all things are interconnected/interdependent. Hence the subtle all pervasive suffering ceases in that way. If that is realized experientially (say through meditation) then there are no solid objects to cling to, no self who suffers, no suffering mind, as the mind has become liberated in regards to its habitual fascination with dualistic limitations.
Chogyam Trungpa neatly defines the form aggregate as the "solidification" of ignorance (avidya). In the first turning of the Buddhist dharma, one is taught to apprehend the aggregates without clinging or self-identification. In the Prajnaparamita (second turning) one is taught to apprehend the aggregates as having no intrinsic reality except emptiness of self.
In the Heart Sutra's second verse, Avalokitesvara says after rising from his contemplation on the aggregates:
Form is emptiness, emptiness is form, "form does not differ from emptiness, emptiness does not differ from form. The same is true with feelings, perceptions, mental formations and consciousness."
According to Trungpa Rinpoche, the five skandhas are;
"a set of Buddhist concepts which describe experience as a five-step process" and that "the whole development of the five skandha system is the ego's attempt to shield oneself from the truth of our insubstantiality," while "the practice of meditation is to see the transparency of this shield."
The skandhas do not exist by themselves. They are parts of a greater interdependent process. Causes and conditions (pratityasamutpada) or karma are the interdependent process or force, while sunyata or all pervasive space is the loci – or is kunzhi (alaya) as the all ground, the loci of emptiness? Is the mind a loci of emptiness or the loci of emptiness, is what we call the mind?
It is safe to say that form is not just empty but it is translucent. It opens all doorless doors into the absolute, just as the absolute opens all doorless doors into the all.
Most importantly and most subtly, right here and now, one should contemplate whether there exists a subtle clinging to conditioned world -- to causes and conditions as they appear to be, identification with our universe, body, planet, belief systems, or concepts and be willing to recognize the all inclusive primordial wisdom which encompasses it and which also lies outside it.
So to reiterate there are classically 3 categories of suffering:
1) suffering of suffering (gross and obvious suffering)
2) suffering of change which includes suffering due to clinging onto events, things, people, and self.
3) all pervasive suffering (which is most subtle) as the mental "compounding of phenomena" based on ignorance/separation.
All are the result of causes and conditions and hence can be liberated. See also the mechanisms of "PAIN", "The Fear of Living","AVOIDANCE", "Repression", "Fear of Pleasure", and "DENIAL"
Departing from the Traditional Samkhya Interpretation
Departing from the traditional samkhya interpretation, we understand nature or nature's evolutes characterized by the guna-vrtti are not to be isolated, avoided, negated, nor misunderstood in the context of fragmented, separate, or isolated phenomena, rather the enlightened view of the guna-vrtta would be to see them as operating in a coordinated and coherent way as interdependent and related. The gunas, nature, form, phenomena, or the skandhas are not the problem, rather our preconceived perceptions of them as being fragmented or limited (Separate from the whole) creates a needless mental conundrum, which imposes suffering. They are not the cause of suffering, bondage, nor ignorance, but rather it is the way we misunderstand the body, nature (prakriti), embodiment, evolution, and primordial time causes mental suffering. Again this is because we tend to understand them as fragmented pieces, rather than in terms of the non-dual profundity of the hologram. The confusion is in the limited masquerade of the egoic mindset, not the the fault of the object of our perception. Once the limited mindset (citta-vrtti) has become liberated (nirodha), then the observer rests in clear vision (vidya)-- in true lucency. Then errors of actions caused by errors of preconceived misperception no longer occur.
Any problem (that could be called a problem) is due to an error of perception (avidya); i.e., acquired ignorance. The pain, suffering, burning, and samskaras of change do not come from nature or the gunas at all, but from a mental error its objectification and then attachment to it, as if it were permanent, fixed, independent, or self existing by itself. Indeed nature is in constant motion -- ever changing. When evolution is recognized as a continuous creative flow from seed source to manifestation, then the fixated samskaras and suffering dissolves. Again the problem is not the changing nature of the gunas or prakrti who are always innocent, but the embedded psychic imprints (samskaras) which insist that nature be solid, permanent, inert, and dead.
Viveka is mentioned for the first time here in Sutra II.15. In samkhya, viveka is most often understood as simple discriminating awareness or the discernment process in general that uses comparison or reductionist methods, where an object is analyzed in isolation from the whole (that is the samkhya philosophical definition). The assumption is that an object truly exists as separate from something else. That may be at best an elementary phase of viveka, as basic awareness, but that kind of discernment is from the intellect (buddhi) and remains chronic in samkhya. Using the intellect in lieu of the sublime yogic viveka is not wise. Rather viveka, as discriminatory wisdom, is a profound tool which becomes ever more sharpened through yogic practices.
This is brought up here in order to cogently distinguish between viveka as a non-dual process free from ego and the intellect, which is a discernment not made by the traditional samkhya interpreters, and non-dual awareness. Indeed if one imagines that viveka is limited only to the isolation and separation process(as in breaking things down to its most rudimentary parts), then one winds up with fragmentation, not yoga. That fragmentation where everything is in isolated parts indeed brings forth pain duhkham eva sarvam vivekinah. The problem with the the common samkhya interpretation is that they take viveka as "discriminating or isolating one thing from another which feeds the conclusion that this is a culmination of yoga (having taken liberation (kaivalyam) as being isolation). If however we take viveka to mean the awareness of the process of how all things and beings are interdependent and have no separate self existence -- how relative reality mutually defines each constituent part in terms of a unified whole, then the culmination becomes wholly integrative and wholographic. In that sense viveka becomes a profound discriminatory wisdom simultaneously capable of recognizing the finest differentiation of everchanging phenomena in terms of the their interdependence, history, evolution, and origin. Viveka once refined, is all seeing differentiated awareness with nothing excluded or of need of inclusion. It is the working awareness of the relative interdependent nature of all form (rupa) which is integrated with the param-purusa (Siva).
So to reiterate to be sure, viveka thus does not belong to buddhi (the intellect) and thus is not mere intellectualization. Different stages of viveka can be discerned as the conscious awareness of the ongoing process of waking up is revealed as a process of recognizing this mutuality (seeing all things as interdependent parts of a continuous whole). In the end viveka reveals the universal seed source in everything. It is the realization of the innate resonant harmony between relative and absolute -- prakrti and purusa, shakti and shiva as an inseparable whole..
In a yogic sense then a beginning state of viveka is simple seeing/sensing, noticing, or witnessing as in self awareness, but such a state is limited by the contents of the mind (the observed and observer). If this is under the direction of the ordinary mind (manas), buddhi (intellect), and will power then the perception (pratyaksha) is thus colored and limited. Ordinary human beings whose citta-vrtti are so afflicted start making inferences via anumana (ordinary intellectual analysis). If they are average “thinkers” then taking the testimony of others (agama) or not, they will make up a theory or belief (pramana) about what they are sensing which creates a wall between what they are viewing and what is-as-it-is in its true nature. Hence perception is distorted (in ordinary pratyaksha or pramana. Also if this process is dominated by the sense organs, then the awareness is also limited (see the sutras on pratyhara at the end of Pada II).
Thus in the yogic meaning of viveka, the beginning process is very different from samkhya. Yogic viveka is naked awareness --NOW seeing, NOW awareness, recognition; simply being present. This is direct perception not intervened by ego, buddhi, or manas..
Instead of having the sense organs controlled or dominated by the intellect (buddhi) or by learned beliefs inherited by the views of others (agama) leading to pramana, one rather is informed by direct experience/communion in the Great Integrity afforded by the HeartMind and deeply feels it as-it-is in its true self nature or at least persists in that attempt.. Here the sense organs are not servants to the intellect and ego, but to the non-dual Heartmind. That is the heightened viveka. So first viveka is simple awareness, but that awareness can grow in meditation and other yoga practices (see II.26-28) to reveal the non-dual whole.
Here, viveka in the yogic sense is an integrative wisdom where phenomena and objects are discerned in relationship to everything else (sarva vivekinah). This crucial difference from the samkhya use of of the words, viveka and vivekinah, is crucial to understanding this sutra and future sutras, Thus viveka is not to be confused with merely an intellectual, analytical, reductionist, or comparative process of the intellect (buddhi). Rather basic viveka is that application of pure awareness that notices, watches, and observes forms. objects, and phenomena in terms of the functioning of how the mental processes themselves may be distorting the perception; i.e., what is happening with the citta-vrtti without imposing any further philosophical frameworks, reference points, words, values, comparative analysis, conceptual frameworks, or judgment. In the mountain yogi tradition phenomena (all things) are understood in context as-it-is -- in terms of the whole (sarva).
If a samkhya interpreter insists, on viveka being analytical then this sutra could read; indeed (eva) when all things are broken asunder by those mind fields dominated by the intellect (sarvam vivekinah) one experiences all as painful and unsatisfactory (duhkham eva sarvam vivekinah). All differentiations are morphing and changing and in that world one can not grasp onto anything without losing it (guna-vrtti-virodha). Such craving for permanence and solidity in that which is by nature impermanent and empty of an independent self, leaves a residual negative impression upon the field of consciousness, karmic storehouse, and conditions (samskara), which then creates an additional craving (raga) to avoid pain and objects (dvesa) and further experience hoping for escape and release in non-existence. Hence a state of mind fraught with constant conflict and strife is created which only produces more sorrow, pain, and spiritual self estrangement (parinama-tapa-samskara-duhkhair).
They are not satisfied (duhkham) -- these separate things-- there is no escape ultimately. From there it is too easy to fall into the error of avoidance, escapism, denial, or nihilism. Thus would be an error in our desire to escape from painful and unsatisfactory experience, to place the fault upon existence and experience, rather than the psychic mold/frame which our aberrant mental processes have created. The error is not in life, but in faulty concepts, beliefs, and dysfunctional habits and tendencies (vasana, klesha, karma, and samskara). When evolution is understood as a continuous ever changing process from Source – as the revealer of source, as its emissary and open doorway, as the objective means which eternal Source is known then the apparently paradoxical distinct phenomena (guna-vrtti virodha) will instead of dissuading them, will serve to bring them home, rather than to reinforce the negative conditioning and imprints (samskara) due to ignorance, (avidya), residual painful experiences (duhkha), fear (dvesa), and attachment. So much for levity.
This is a living systems approach where "things" and beings are known in relationship, versus isolation. Things are known correctly (as-it-is) by understanding also how the mind perceives "things". For example how is it that you, the reader, know the created world of things and beings? First one apprehends sense objects, through the sense organs, then it is "interpreted. If the interpretation is colored by pramana or any other of the citta-vrtti, then one will come up with a distorted picture - a misapprehension. How could you analyze the object accurately without some outside information? Like you could taste it, smell it squeeze it, observe its various qualities, compare it with other objects, take it apart, and so forth, but your knowledge of the object would remain limited and biased, be it a shooting star or finger if perceived in thee manners. However if you placed your sense organs in alignment with its intrinsic beginningless seed source origin so that the all pervasive transpersonal inner light inside recognizes itself inside all beings and things, then the manifold diversity of the many is seen as-it-is within the timeless universality of the one. All things not being the same, but being themselves are truly known and experienced simultaneously as they truly are as you experience who you truly are. This is then the process of first going to Universal Source and coming from Universal Source (origin) of both self and all objects and thus knowing things in such a relationship. Thus just as the tree has as its source, the seed; so too does the fruit of the tree allow us to trace back and know the seed as its contingency.
That is a heightened form of viveka which differentiated consciousness (relative awareness) is put into service to help us realize samadhi, so that in every action, word, and thought we may walk the path of beauty and harmony forever -- we know all as a living reflection of Great Spirit. This conscious power/ability is strengthened as we will see in II.26 through practicing astanga yoga. Eventually we realize that undifferentiated awareness and differentiated awareness conjoin as sarva-jnanam. In this higher vision (khyati) of viveka, cit is brought together and merges with differentiated reality.
In Raj yoga (the Yoga of Patanjali) the word, viveka, thus is not an intellectual inquiry utilizing anumana (inference) or conceptual speculations (vikalpa), but rather as has been shown is naked awareness without distortion, an attentive mindfulness not based on fragmentation, and an NOW awareness which is repeatedly visited, applied, and ripened in astanga yoga and especially meditation (dhyana) practice (sadhana). Thus in the yoga context, viveka is developed to a very sharp point through consistent application/practice over time. It goes hand in hand with vairagya (non-attachment) as abhyasa-vairagyabhyam) to realize in turn a-vrtti-virodha. This way the mental processes (cit-vrtti) do not become stirred up, further distracted, become fixated, or dissipated upon objects of thought or phenomena.
In meditation practice the ordinary mind often wanders at first (because of vasana, vrtti, karma, samskara, and klesha). This wandering, dullness, attraction, repulsion, or spinning is noticed and cut short by the sharpness of viveka and through the application of vairagya (by letting it go). Through yogic application of viveka one rests the mind in pure and effortless awareness -- awareness of awareness -- and as such the innate Intelligent Source of awareness is eventually disclosed (through patient practice). Here the intelligent power that empowers viveka of the intellect (buddhi) goes beyond mahat to purusa -- the intrinsic self luminous omnipresent seed source (purusa) residing in all. That is nirvikalpa and asamprajnata non-dual realization which is facilitated at first by viveka, but which leads us back to its source which is not in the intellect (buddhi), but in the unborn formless purusa.
In classical meditation practice there exist many classic ways to deal with the wandering (monkey) mind after wandering has been noticed in viveka. One school recommends reigning it back in to the present -- to sitting meditation, the breath, concentration or meditation. A second school recommends simply letting go of the discursive monkey mind thoughts once one recognizes (through viveka) that the mind contents (pratyaya) have wandered, thus coming back to the meditation. These two are similar but in the former there is more of an effort or force and thus the possibility of inhibition, repression, and even hypervigilence. In the second school there it is more of a letting go (vairagya) and thus effort is not applied except in noticing -- in applying viveka as pure awareness. However in this second application vairagya alone can create stupor, dullness, sleepiness, or spaciness in extreme. So what is needed is a balance and harmonization (sattva) where samsaric attachment is balanced out and nullified allowing firth natural purity to self arise.. Here viveka and vairagya act as a synergistic team. Here we are training the mind through meditation to eliminate the vrtti and kleshas through viveka and vairagya.
A third classic way to deal with the wandering of the monkey mind is through active visualization practice, specific dharanas, and similar practices such as found in laya, hatha, kundalini, and tantra yoga thus riding the dragons to heaven. This third way is only faintly alluded to in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras (mainly in pada three under the many samyama practices), but is prevalent in later day hatha, kundalini, laya, and tantra yoga. By no longer dissipating one's energy (cit-prana) in the dissipating distractions of the monkey mind caused by past samskaras, karma, and avidya, then tapas (psychic heat) is generated and harnessed which feeds the dynamo for further spiritual growth. Here skillful meditation serves as the gateway for knowing "Self".
A fourth school merely recognizes the true nature of mind and rests in non-dual realization throughout merging inner undifferentiated wisdom (prajna) with viveka (differentiated wisdom or wisdom of the relative world). In Buddhism this is the synergistic synchronization of relative and absolute reality.
So, in dhyana as a suitable practice for this revelation our attention may become distracted at first through painful past experiences, past karmic deeds or samskaras, and dvesa-vrtti circuits may be unconsciously as potentially painful images or objects/things appear. These are very self limiting prisons of asmita (the ego oriented mind) due to asmita-dvesa.
In dhyana we first we notice that the attention has become attached or distracted through activating discriminating awareness (viveka) (mindfulness), then we release that attachment or aversion through vairagya. This is awareness meditation. The citta-vrtti arise, the attention becomes attached, a greater awareness becomes aware of tha attachment. The yogi then releases the thought and abides in the the stillness between the cessation of the previous thought and the beginning if the next. The spaces between the end of the previous thought and the next thought becomes longer -- as one becomes used to abiding in absolute stillness. This is formless meditation (dhyana) which trains the mind in asamprajnata non-dual awareness cultivating the state where there is no separate self (asmita), no separate object to observe, but rather non-dual union.
Practice: Through instant recognition in profound viveka, attachment to the suffering inherent in fragmented thought processes become simultaneously liberated in instant presence. Silent sitting emptiness meditation where the sadhak can clear out the contents of their minds entirely of conceptual thought processes and obstructions helps one realize directly and subjectively the great truth behind vairagya. Then vairagya can be implemented in daily life in tandem with a functional meditation practice as catalyst. Through vairagya (letting go of the kleshas, thought patterns, citta-vrtti, and obstructions facilitates the ability to see clearly and truly viveka-khyatir how nature and consciousness operates from its primordial source naturally.
For more on viveka see also sutra 26, 28 here in Sadhana Pada and in Pada IV: Kaivalyam Sutras 8, 15, 21, 26, 27, 29
II. 16. Heyam duhkham anagatam
The misery (duhkham) which is not yet come (anagatam), can and is to be avoided/eliminated (heya).
duhkham: misery, suffering, pain, unhappiness, discomfort. Duhkha can be caused by either aversion (disinclination or neurotic compensatory attraction (raga). The chief cause of duhkha is non-recognition of the all pervading universal boundless true nature of mind.
heya: that which is eliminated, abandoned, or eliminated.
Commentary: Cyclic existence (samsara) is destroyed whence karma, kleshas, and vrtti are annihilated through an effective sadhana such as meditation. Authentic practice can prevent suffering and pain, thus suffering is not unavoidable.
This is the third noble truth of Buddhism., the cessation of suffering. How is this done, by eliminating ignorance which reveals the innate essential buddha nature -- our true nature -- swarupa sunyam.
Just as in II.15 above, in meditation, resting in this sorrowless state which meditation affords us, creates a positive momentum of its own destroying the seeds of future suffering allowing us to rest outside the wheel of cyclic existence (samsara) for ever increasing periods. Skilful yogic practices remove avidya and sharpen awareness (viveka). What holds the ignorance and suffering together (called bondage) is samyoga (an extension of false limited identification with our conditioned "self" or ego -- a conflation). Ego is not the true self.
The Blues as a Spiritual Teaching
"The blues" is an American musical art form that has given birth to many other artful and innovative forms. Its roots are expressed as the recognition of mental/spiritual suffering (duhkha) and its causes (raga/dvesa), jealousy, greed, lack of self esteem (shame) and other such vagaries of asmita and avidya kleshas. As such, they are wisdom stories set to sound, timbre, rhythm, and phrasing that explores, expresses, and reflects the first two noble truths of Buddhism. Rather than "pretty up" or ignore one's situation, the blues artist meets it full on, thus, overcoming fear. These songs and melodies thus tell a story, often disclosing the condition, its causes, and its remedies.
Therefore, it creates a narrative and context, wherein the four noble truths of Buddhism become explicated. starting with duhkha (suffering) as the basis. The blues tell a story of the operations and mechanisms of human clinging, anger, passion, oppression, injustice, hatred, survival, frustration, grief, fear, pride, jealousy, and greed -- as well the value of its transcendence through wisdom, love, compassion, inspiration, empathetic joy (mudita), comradeship, celebration, a sense of transcendental justice, inner strength, equanimity (upeksa), appreciation, humility, and esthetic beauty. Instead of ignoring human emotions, everyday human entanglements, and esthetic forces that generally run the gamut of modern human life, the blues fearlessly meet them head on. In particular, the blues offer a mechanism on how to effectively deal with grief, frustration, and anger, not allowing it to destroy one's spirit, but rather integrate, learn from, and transform it, thus becoming empowered by our experiences. Good blues are thus wisdom stories -- stories of experience, courage, inner strength, and resilience.
The first noble truth (the grasping onto a limited context of views or citta-vrtti, is disclosed as the source of mental pain (suffering). It is a rather huge step, when we learn that dealing with samsaric limitations depends upon our attitude and mindset. Not knowing how to deal effectively with our grief and pain closes many people down, unknowingly. Mental pain is where many people become chronically boxed in and where many people attempt to avoid through denial mechanisms. Most people in an attempt to avoid pain, try to ignore both its symptoms and its causes; hence unfortunately the causes remain hidden and covered over. When the causes remain hidden and obscured, then the hidden ignorant mechanisms/patterns simply repeat itself in louder cadences, until pain forces one to deal with it. Acknowledged, met, and dealt with; it then becomes liberated. As we have been discussing, the recognition of our pain, fears, avoidance mechanisms, and oppressive situations is the first step in unraveling the mechanism of samsara. Because this recognition is something that human beings tend to dysfunctionally and chronically avoid, ignore, or neurotically bury (as if by closing one's eyes and ignoring it, it does not exist), it therefore is both healthy and liberating to recognize it and admit to it as our experience. Those who pretend that they are too smart to have suffered or that they are beyond suffering, live in self deceit, delusion, and denial. All sentient beings have experienced suffering, even the Buddha and sages. The proposition that suffering can be transformed is the testament of the blues and also the yogis. For the transformation to occur however, the suffering pre-condition must be met, recognized, and accepted. This allows us to meet our fears and demons, and hence become empowered to deal with them. Only after one recognizes the cause of suffering (the second truth) in this case, through narrative of hearing the blues, can one enter the path of its remediation. Freedom from the pain (rather ignorance) is pointed out as liberation (the third truth). The fourth truth (the path) is the blues itself -- is listening to the blues, feeling authentically, consciously contemplating on it, singing, dancing, catharting, and/or playing it as a direct method of exploring the process and letting the joy, love, and higher evolutionary creative power come through as group communion when direct transmission occurs through master musicians functioning at their creative transconceptual and transpersonal peaks.
"I've laid in a ghetto flat. Cold and numb.
I heard the rats tell the bedbugs to give the roaches some.
Everybody wanna know.
Why I'm singing the blues.
Yes, I've been around a long time People,
I've paid my dues...
Now Father Time is catching up with me.
Gone is my youth.
I look in the mirror everyday.
And let it tell me the truth.
I'm singing the blues. Mmm,
I just have to sing the blues.
I've been around a long time.
Yes, yes, I've really really paid my dues".
~ BB King, "Why I Sing the Blues"
When the blues are played in the context of the community of co-emergent musicians, a co-emergent listening audience, and a co-emergent larger spiritual community intact with nature -- in the larger co-creative joyful context of All Our Relations, then it attains to a magical or spiritual transpersonal group mass happening, a group recognition, and awakening -- a positive spiritual imprint is impressed beyond the intellect. In that sense, like good art, it becomes a vital sacred ritual; it awakens the latent transconceptual innate spirit within the human being; and thus urges them forward, informs and inspires us, encourages and empowers us to overcome our self imposed limitations and estrangement, be it reinforced by the society/environment (conditions), mental constructs, or on the other hand by an interactive combination as All Our Relations. This is how listening to or playing the blues helps us to directly move into our highest creative, non-dual, and transpersonal potential.
II. 17. drastr-drsyayoh samyogo heya-hetuh
Samyogah (the dualistic conflation of sameness) is caused (hetuh) through a self-limiting association and reification process, where the objectification of a separate "self" or knower is identified and defined in conjunction with that which is designated as separate or reified (phenomena), or when the observer and the observed are conflated to be one and the same. That confusion (samyoga) is to be eradicated (heya).
hetu: cause
heya: Eliminated, annihilated, silenced, annulled, removed, destroyed, or canceled out
drastr: In dualistic terms, the one who sees; the seer; the observer; the potential for censoriousness.
drsyayoh: of the seen. of the apprehensible, of the knowable. That which belongs to the seen or known
sam: from sama, meaning the same, sameness, equivalence.
samyoga: Literally, the same as. Sameness. A conflation, equivocation, and/or confusion of one thing as being the same as another thing. Identifying imputed separate entity with another phenomenal entity which is the object of its confusion. False identification. The addiction of an egoic fixation or entanglement of identification in general, hence a false identification. This includes the gooey mechanisms of self-cherishing, narcissism, and ego-centricity which entangle the ego in its samsaric prison (citta-vrtta). A false identification, delusion, or corrupt conjoining of one thing as another thing by the mind. A specific kind of citta-vrtti where a self created bondage to subject/object duality occurs. The confusion of sameness where one thing is equivocated as being the same as something else, rather than compared in terms of its wholistic mutuality (in terms of the whole). It is the error of over-generalization taking the specific phenomena or event to be the whole, or extrapolating the whole to be the same as the specific such as in stereotyping, monism, etc. The classical statement, "it is all the same" is typical of the predicament of samyogah, where there is failure to recognize differentiated reality. Phenomena are not the same; yet they are all interconnected. Stating that it's all the same, avoids diversity Rather it is the honing of viveka that reveals the undifferentiated presence (love-wisdom) inherent in All Our Relations. Differentiated reality(relative/interdependent reality) and undifferentiated reality (absolute primordial light and awareness) in reality have never been disconnected, except by the dull minded. They are inseparable as the one is in the all, and the all is one integrity. It is only ignorance (unawareness) that obscures one's view. Through heightened viveka this light shines forth as an ever-present magical display in the interconnected life of a realized yogi in All Our Relations.
Samyoga is a conflation -- a limited composite of two or more different
things which are assumed to be one and the same. Although things are not
independent from everything else, the error of samyoga mistakes the composite as
an independent entity. Samyoga is a contrived, inaccurate, and conceptualized
conglomerate, which often substitutes as an ersatz "reality". In one sense
karmic conditions are samyoga, in so far that it appears substantial and solid,
but is temporary and illusory. That is the error of eternalism.
On the other
extreme is the nihilistic error -- to take undifferentiated reality as
all-encompassing, as it becomes an absolutist all exclusive negation. Samyoga is
dispelled when undifferentiated truth and differentiated truth are known as two
seamless integrated aspects of the great truth -- Space and form) the great
non-dual integrity of the two in one, which forms an integrated uncontrived and
natural unified whole --a third.
Conflation (samyogo) occurs when the mind conflates the identities of two or more individuals, concepts, or places, sharing apparently similar characteristics of one another become confused until there seems to be only a single fragmented form which is deemed real — the intricate differences appear to become lost. In logic, the practice of treating two distinct concepts as if they were one often produces error or misunderstanding — but not always — as a fusion of distinct subjects tends to obscure analysis of relationships which are emphasized by contrasts. Through samyoga the deep richness of relative reality is lost. Nature as an intimate radiant agent of unconstructed pure awareness is deprecated, dulled, and demeaned.
Commentary: According to the previous sutra, duhkha (misery) is to be avoided. This sutra speaks both to the cause (the dualistic confusion of samyoga) and to the remedy of duhkha. What is to be eliminated is the conflation called samyoga, where the seer and the seen (objects) are neither identified as the same, nor are they reified as being separate. In short, two dualistic errors are to be avoided. One confusion occurs where one identifies or finds their identification in relationship to a world of isolated and fragmented phenomena as being defined as that phenomena. The other error is where the ego-sense (asmita-klesha) identifies as being separate/isolated from all phenomena. Both are errors of the fragmented mindset (confusion). When confusion is eliminated duhkha (physical and mental pain or anguish) is eliminated. The mind no longer identifies with objects, nor does the mind identify with the self as an observer (as an object who views an object). Here the self (experiencer and that which is experienced neither are fixated upon. Hence one directly destroys subject/object duality. Here no limiting self-identification is experienced.
Instead of identifying within the framework of a dualistic phenomenological experience, the yogi realizes non-dual integration as being inter-connected in an uncontrived profound mutuality.
This is a pivotal sutra, but is often needlessly presented as intellectually complex, thus further confusing many readers. Granted most readers have already become seduced into egoic fixations where they identify with their place or dualistic situation by placing their mind in an objective and externalized phenomenological reality (allowing that to define, and hence, limit "self"). Such dualistic mental constructs are rampant in today's fragmented, selfish, greedy, and paranoid materialistic society. Since such an egoic entity becomes closed minded and sterile, a neurotic need arises to include or acknowledge the world. The error is to conclude that it is all the same and have done with it. This bypasses the rich ever-newness, which results in dullness and further isolation.
Samyoga is the fixated asmita-klesha (sense of egoic ownership or identification), which has become hardened/fixated with habitual mental confusion (avidya), which in turn obscures true vision (vidya). It is projected upon the external world as something real or true. This projection can also be understood as the obscuration of sublimated or false knowledge that attempts to substitute for the basic deprivation of the separation anxiety of "Self as a living whologram" from true self (swarupa). Without asmita klesha being prevalent, there will be no samyoga, or put another way samyoga is dependent upon the dominance of the klesha of asmita. Eliminating avidya and asmita is impossible without the concomitant demise of the mechanism that upholds hardened fixations of samyoga -- the tendency to ignore differences and/or to make distinctions.
In summary, Sri Patanjali is simply saying that at first, through negative conditioning, an egoic consciousness starts habitually identifying with being a separate "self" or an independent observer, observing what is thought of as separate dead/solid phenomena (see I.8 viparyaya). That is really an error of thought (atad-jnanam), albeit some assert that it is a necessary stage in evolution. However, according to Patanjali, that is bondage, and a very narrow way of experiencing. Rather authentic yogic practice is designed to break up limited false identifications as well as all dualistic fixations. Here we present samyoga as a solidified result of avidya and asmita kleshas. It is a dualistic result of the conditioned mind which projects an identity of a separate "self" and separate "object/phenomena". Just so, it can be any projection of self which conflates "self" with any individual object or entity or being dependent upon such. For example, the imputations of being a body, a male, female. human being, black, white, Chinese, European, rich poor, good or bad, right/wrong, partisan or provincial are to some`extent held together by a mechanism of samyoga. They are limited, and hence false, identifications which hold us back from going deeper. Prejudice, dogmatism, extreme fundamentalism, monism, intolerance, denunciation, and stereotyping are similarly related. Relating to the concept of separateness, one must discern between that and sameness. Sameness is not unity, because unity is composed of differentiated parts. For example, the number three is not composed of three, but can be represented by the sum of two and one, or by the division of nine by three, or in many other relational ways. By saying that three is three, says nothing by itself. In this way unity or yoga, being a unity of disorientated parts, is not to be confused with sameness (samyoga). In this way yoga is not dualistic. Things do not exist independently, by themselves, having an inherent separate reality of their own, but rather they appear interdependently as part of a vast and rich whole, not a bland or banal sameness where differentiation is demeaned. "Sameness" undermines and demeans the discriminative processes, thus short circuiting awareness of natural phenomena and one's place in the natural world. Concluding that "all is the same" (samyogah), is not a liberal imputation of oneness; but rather the opposite.
The corruption from this undivided primal integral state that is all inclusive of all-time and space, begins with the particular egoic delusion that reifies phenomena (objects) and a separate observer (an ego). Samyoga on a mental level shows up as the misdirected desire to unite with and remain attached to a subject/object dualistic limited viewpoint that persistently is projected upon one's perception of reality (hence clouding it). It is a compensatory substitution of the ego (self) with the seen (object) because of the primal rend from the whologram. This substitute union composed of the conflation of the observer with that which is observed is imposed in many ways; hence, it is due to asmita and avidya. This is also called false identification, sarupyam citta-vrtti -- identification with form in a general sense.
Samyoga commonly occurs when a generality is taken as an absolute, and/or when a specific "example" is interpolated as a general principle or is over-generalized. It also occurs when a general principle is imputed as being the same as one or more of its parts. For example, yoga is meditation is not a true representational statement, just as water is not the ocean. What is true is that one practice of the great body of yoga is meditation, but they are both equivalent or the same. Although water is part of the ocean, the ocean, it is not true that a drop of water is equal to or should be confused with the ocean, just as a lake or creek is not the ocean. This error of samyoga, as the confused imputation that two separate objects are the same or equivalent is due to the lack of discriminative wisdom (viveka) where the true nature of phenomena are known as relative and interdependent being profoundly mutually interconnected is a habituated conflation. Because of the lack of wisdom, man projects confusion, hence it is necessary to break up the causes of his confusion in order to see clearly (vidya) in pure vision.
A desire arises innocently, but it is too easy to make up false associations (samyoga) while disrespecting the infinite diversity that differentiated consciousness provides. In functional yoga differentiated consciousness is not judged as an oppositional force to undifferentiated universal consciousness, rather the two form an interdependent whole and are inseparable. Yet they can be distinguished as distinct processes as well (distinct yet intimately inter-connected). It is a grave injustice to short circuit this integrative process by substituting "it's all the same" in place of a true vast experience of the inseparable non-dual realization of siva/shakti. The former is merely the bland and neutral box of indifference, the error of monism. "A" does not equal "B", rather A plus B equals "C". Everything is not the same, but they are indeed interconnected revealing a vast continuity. All things and beings are not the same, rather a yogi may say that they are differentiated evolutes of a single primordial source and reflect that primordial beginningless source when understood as being co-creative interdependent differentiated parts of the whole. That whole is constituted as the union of differentiated reality and undifferentiated reality -- of relative and absolute truths together as a non-dual marriage. Those who have not realized this yogic vision (vidya) then may benefit from the following.
For example a candle and its flame are two separate things. If you blow out the flame, you still have the candle. The candle has the potential of being lit, and also many other potentials depending upon causes and conditions. Now a lit candle is a third object. That is, it is not just a candle or a flame, but a combination of the two. As a lit candle with a flame, they are inseparable in that context. Similarly, salt water is composed of salt and water. Salt is not equal to water, and water does not equal salt. Rather everything is as-it-is, in reality, not the same, yet there is an invisible universal force which unites this infinite ongoing diversity. Hence true yoga versus samyoga (false identification) depends on how we identify "self" or the observer -- "who" it is who sees, and hence the characteristics of what is being observed/seen.
Sri Patanjali defines samadhi in III.3 (swarupa-sunyam iva samadhi) as the realization of our true nature as being empty of a separate self. It is both a key and a simple sutra, but often misunderstood by those addicted to reification/conceptualization processes. Never-the-less Sri Patanjali says that samadhi is nirvikalpa (inconceivable by the intellect), yet it must be experienced as our true nature must be known. Experiencing that completely and unerringly brings about liberation (kaivalya). That is why the yogi practices -- being the sole purpose of authentic yoga sadhana. This sunyam is not a thing. It has no thingness to it. It is experienced as transconceptual, pointless, objectless, and hence beyond subject/object duality. See also the commentary in II. 6 (asmita) below. So there is absolutely no need to figure this out with the discursive mind or intellect (being essentially a nirvikalpa realization). Rather Sri Patanjali says just practice. When these non-dual experiences arise, then you will know what they are. Not to worry.
On a gross level the seer (drastir) identifies (samyogah) itself as an object in relative association with another object (drsyayoh) and/or the observer oneself is identified as an object also. This limited fixation (samyogah) is man's conditioned (karmic) folly -- a love affair with suffering which is to be avoided. The ordinary mind is in constant seduction and fascination. It is habitually brought out (externalized and objectified) into the external material world of the sense objects (the phenomenal world) which it identifies with as such thus establishing "self' in relationship to "other". That "appears" to be "real" and as we identify and define our "self" in relationship to that, we too often judge that contradictory information may pose a threat to self and/or security and thus arm ourselves against it often compulsively. That becomes an estranged, alienated, numb way of "living" which we call over-objectification. It's a mental place which intellectuals find impossible to surrender.
Such composes the limited dualistic world of an imagined/ideated independent seer (observer) and an object (phenomena) which is seen (as samyoga). As a dualistic unit, this becomes a severe limitation, preoccupation. obsession, and fascination with a separate self (ego) and a separate apparently real "thing" as a further reification -- as a fixated fascination that must be broken asunder (via viveka or asamprayoge) or released via other yoga practices such as vairagya. Samyoga is a specific case of the egoic mindset (asmita-avidya) as if the function of asmita (ego ownership) has extended itself to objects owned. Taken to the extreme it is the error that says: "I am God". That error is not the param-purusa (the true all pervading unlimited Self or universal Seer), rather it is a limited narcissistic delusion or solipsism.
So to be certain Sri Patanjali is NOT saying that purusa and prakrti (universal Self and Nature) are separate, rather the ego (the separate "I" sense) and hence the concept of an isolated object (physical or mental) is formulating an attachment complex out of asmita-klesha, which is a limited attachment which must be broken in order to embrace the peerless unlimited supreme primordial source. Again the True Self is not a separate "self" (asmita) or ego.
Patanjali says that this ego fixation (asmita) is a basic confusion that creates suffering. It consists of not being aware (ignorance) of the artificiality of the difference our mind creates between the perceiver, that which is being perceived, and how the process of perception can color our view. Here Patanjali is not just pointing out that there is a difference between the seer and the object that is being viewed (which is still an edited externalization and abstraction -- a severe limitation where we ascribe meaning to self and the universe from dualistic and fragmented means. In truth the one who perceives and that which is perceived are naturally interconnected in a vast uncontrived overall network already. Here Patanjali is addressing the profound importance of attitude, stance, and view; i.e., whether it is fixated, frozen, corrupted, and dead or is it Universal and alive. When it is frozen we are incomplete, we start to crave, suffer, and neurotic. When we live in the Heart, we are completed, artificial fixations are dropped. The latter is authentic yoga (non-dual realization), while the former is samyoga (confusion).
Union and Inseparability is Not Sameness or Equality
We have all heard monistic statements like, "love is light, love is all, God is love, life and love, we are all the same, and other monistic statements. These things may be aspects of a greater union or whole, but these aspects have qualities and differences. Multiplicity and diversity are to be honored even though they exist within an integrative context -- in relationship to the whole.
Such is the beauty of yoga (which means union). Yoga does not mean sameness or confusing things by lumping them together. Yoga rather is a an affirmative statement of interconnectedness.
There are many types of samyoga as false identification where the seer falsely and rigidly identifies with an imputed or ideated conceptual and fabricated identity. That rigidified false identification has to be eliminated (heya). That is the main purport of this sutra.
Yet as has been shown we can also learn more about this stubborn fixation of samyama as habitual false imputations upon phenomena such as over generalization taking the specific to be the whole, or by imputing the whole upon the specific. For example, samyoga as monism says that everything is the same. Taken to the extreme it is absolute monism where the self views everything as being the same or "self". That is of course extreme confusion (monism) which is both narcissistic and delusional. On the other hand, nondual wisdom through the honing of viveka, acknowledges and recognizes that the rich diversity of differentiated consciousness (Prakrti/Shakti) is wedded to the universal formless self luminous intelligent seed source (Purusa/Maheshvara) in a profound interdependent mutuality. But this wedding does not equate that purusa is the same as or equal to prakrti, or that siva is the same as shakti which would be a huge confusion. Rather they are inseparable. Together they compose a fundamentally non-dual whole or great integrity which in itself is not a separate entity or an independent thing (but is all inclusive). Such is not separate, disparate, or apart; yet it is NOT the "same". Here they are not the same, but at simultaneously united occupying the same non-solid space. This infinite multiplicity is known through the awakening of the singular eye (which unites the two eyes). It is realized when the cit and the sat are united in pure consciousness, pure beingness, and true bliss.
In the essence of creation/shakti, the self luminous formless creative essence can be found. or can be found. Siva can not be removed from shakti as siva is shakti's essential nature; yet Maheshvara (Siva) is not dependent upon shakti/creation, rather Maheshvara is stainless, formless, and non- dependent. That is the realm of the eternal adi Buddha -- the timeless unborn intrinsic awakened Mind which is the only thing that is not interdependent, but yet it would be incorrect to call this all pervading omniscient and intrinsic unborn seed source isvara a localized "thing". Samyoga as egoic fixations are the result of ignorance (avidya-klesha) and hence is a citta-vrtti (limited mind-field) held together by such associations. Human's most often lock their consciousness up in boxes through conceptual addictions (vikalpa), smrti (past mental associations), pramana (fixated beliefs), racial identification, nationalism, religious beliefs, political adherence, provincial thinking, acquired prejudice, habit, and species limited language based associations which cloud and occlude the true potential of mind.
To be sure samyoga occurs in samprajnata where dualistic (i/it) vectors of asmita and attachment are still dominant. This is not the same as asamprajnata (transcognitive and transpersonal) non-dual realization where seer (the knower), seen (that which is known), and the process of seeing (knowing) are seen within the a singular integrative context of the Great Integrity/whole.
In Pada Three we learn the advanced practice of samyama (not samyoga) which connects the objective focus of concentration (dharma) with the process of awareness itself (dhyana), which creates a samadhi (transpersonal union) between the yogi and the object of focus, but here Patanjali simply is reminding us that in meditation we should avoid the pitfall of getting sucked into the objectification process (isolation fixation) as well as the fascination process )attachment) as they are two sides of the same coin, i.e., raga and dvesa. Samyoga belongs to dualistic errors of consciousness even though it may appear as unity consciousness, it is not samadhi by any means, but moha (confusion).
Further ahead in Sadhana Pada as part of the eightfold practice (of astanga yoga) we will learn how pratyhara is a related effective practice that redirects our cit-prana from external fixations -- from getting caught up in dissipating dualistic sense experiences, and hence preventing the sadhak from becoming distracted from or forgetful of our true essential nature (swarupa). So in the beginning of practice (sadhana) it is helpful to discern fixations of false identification by utilizing viveka, withdraw our attention (cit-prana) away from these false identifications and distractions and then eventually (in advanced practice) connect as the integration which affirms, combines, and embraces the same wholistic and energetic intelligent process of universal consciousness which lies underneath at the root of the process of seeing, all and everything that is seen, and the one who sees as the Unborn spark of infinite love -- as the universal all pervading purusa.
In ordinary dualistic consciousness however, we either blur the process, are not aware of the differences and functions of the process, or artificially create distortions and false boundaries or containers which we cling to by boxing"reality" into a tidy fit. In short we have become conditioned to duality and thus have become externally fixated upon an "it" of which we attempt to conquer or escape. For example, an event may occur. the observer may react with passion if a samskara is activated, in turn activating a vasana or klesha. We may confuse the external event, object, or phenomena with our feelings (reaction) while it is really the mind in conspiracy with the samskara which has created the reaction. Thus a prude may label a sexually attractive woman as being evil because her presence has stimulated a samskara where "evil" thoughts or feelings are triggered. Thus a cause has been confused with an effect. There exist numerous daily illusions based on such ignorance of our mental processes and deeply buried samskara (both of which need to be rooted out in order for self realization to occur).
The resolution to this conflict is simple; i.e., we disrupt the karmic pattern/conditioning involved and thus reprogram the pattern, burn it up, and then offer the ashes to the underlying innate evolutionary/creative power. Thus through functional yogic activity, the yogi will evolve and manifest creatively. The yogi becomes liberated from kleshas, avidya, and samskara through pratiprasava, self awareness, viveka, and swadhyaya which leads to isvara - NOW awareness where a shift occurs from a relational dualistic fixation that defines a separate seer and a separate object (subject/object duality) into non-dual viewing from the maturation of the universal intrinsic seed source -- from the perspective of Universal Heart Consciousness --when we learn to abide in the Heart of Hearts through functional sadhana and view All Our Relations from this vantage point not as the same, but at the same time infinitely rich its infinite differentiations which is married to undifferentiated universal awareness.
Jnaneshwar says in the Jnaneswari (6-40); Oh Infinite One in your Universal form is there anything in which you do not abide? Is there any spot in which you do not dwell? I realize now that you are not different from this universe, but rather that you ARE all this universe.
So to be certain, in samyoga there is a false identification with a separate object or role identification by a separate observer. That is I/it duality. In samyoga it is attachment (asmita-raga), while as isolation or dissociation, it is asmita-dvesa). In either case it is not purusha (the true self) joining with prakriti (creation as the whole), rather this samyoga occurs inside a severely fragmented and limited dualistic imprisoned mindset. In comparison with non-dual union, where the imperishable omniscient light inside is recognized and recognized that unborn light (prakasha) in others, in namaste, a separate isolated observer and a separate isolated and independent object which is observed as illusory, untrue, and false identifications.
Here the cause (hetu) of samyoga (false identification) is transcended and eradicated (heyam) through viveka (discriminative wisdom). The identifications with the citta-vrttis are attenuated. Then true and authentic wisdom as the fruit of yogic spiritual non-dual union shines through (prakasha). The integrated undisrupted and unfragmented profound non-dual awareness where the world of seemingly disparate objects and observers had appeared to be "real" , but are now truly experienced as part of a unified whole united -- inter-connected by an omnipresent presence in All Our Relations -- in the wholistic experience where one simultaneously perceives an object as an effect of a cause and as a possible further cause in the chain of karmic events to which one is no longer attached or governed. At the same time (time out of time) the unborn seed-source awareness that has no beginning or end -- beginningless time and uncreated space abides and co=arises as recognition of eternal presence -- Now awareness persists. This is beyond any human words or power to objectify. It can neither be grasped by the individual mind, but rather exists within the innate unity where pure consciousness and pure beingness reside -- in sat-chit-ananda.
So, in dhyana our attention may attach to objects/things (samyoga) either as objects of thought or sense objects. These are very self limiting prisons of asmita (the ego oriented mind). In this case first we notice that the attention has become attached by discriminating awareness (viveka), then we release that attachment through vairãgya. This is awareness meditation. The citta-vrtti arise, the attention becomes attached, a greater awareness becomes aware of tha attachment. The yogi then releases the thought and abides in the the stillness between the cessation of the previous thought and the beginning if the next. The spaces between the end of the previous thought and the next thought becomes longer -- as one becomes used to abiding in absolute stillness. This is formless meditation (dhyana) which trains the mind in asamprajnata non-dual awareness cultivating the state where there is no separate self (asmita), no separate object to observe, but rather boundless freedom in non-dual union.
How samyoga is broken apart is discussed from here on through to II.25. Especially see II.23-25, and II.35 (asamprayoge = disentanglement). Samyoga is the sleepy state of bland sameness, blocked creative energy, and indifference which inures us to ignorance (the blockage of creative pure vision). Samyoga is broken up via viveka, which is an innate power brought forward into fruition via astanga yoga.
II. 18. prakasa-kriya-sthiti-silam bhutendriyat-makam bhogapavargartham drsyam
That which is seen (drsyam) by the activity (kriya) of the sense organs (indriya) upon the many permutations (silam) of the five elements (bhutas) when not experienced (bhoga) as solid and inert (sthiti), illumine (prakasha) our true transpersonal universal nature (atmakam) and thus serve (artha) as a self liberating (apavarga) activity (kriya).
Or
When we perceive what had previously seemed to appear as a dead and solid object (sthiti) through the illuminated dynamic activity of the inner light of consciousness -- from the perspective of our light and energy body (prakasa) -- we are able to recognize (drsyam) phenomenon's own inherent light as well. This is light knowing light. From this self recognition (atmakam) gazing upon what previously appeared as a separate fragmented *material* (sthiti) object composed of the five elements (bhutas) --as something steady, solid, and stable (sthhiti-silam), now display a self liberating (apavarga) radiance revealing the trans-dual splendor of this inner light (prakasa) universal inborn seed potential which is changeless and imperishable. Then we know that even the sense organs (indriya) can act for the purpose (artha) of a self liberating activity of revelation and self recognition (apavarga) -- disclosing the imperishable self luminous light of intrinsic wisdom which shines forth within all beings and things -- as all our experiences (bhoga) in everyday life becomes our teacher in light, rather than the senses acting as an avenue for outward dissipation, duality, fragmentation, alienation, and corruption.
Or,
The variegated (silam) elements (bhuta) of existence are experienced (bhoga) through the senses (indriya) as having a common self nature (atmakam) while maintaining its diversity (silam), recognizing the self effulgent light (prakasha) whose purpose (artha) is to self liberate (apavargartham) by being reflected off the apparently solid (sthiti) surface (prakasa-kriya-sthiti-silam) of all things (phenomena) seen or unseen (drsyam),
Here the commonality of the inner and outer radiance (prakasha) is recognized by the process of seeing (drsyam) in a state of darshan or revelry. (prakasha) both within and in all things (bhutas). Then this inner illuminated recognition reveals a self liberatory deeper power of transcognition (in which the seer, all which is seen, and the processes of seeing) are a common synergistic activity (kriya) in which the sense organs (indriya) are aligned. That reveals an inherent all inclusive and all pervasive self luminous intrinsic power (prakasa) and common universal source, which is simultaneously experienced (bhoga) in Now awareness and thus the functional purpose is to self liberate (apavargartham) is fulfilled as the activity of light (prakasa-kriya).
Commentary: In short, the elements are fractals representing the hologram. It is inadequate when observed as fragmented, isolated, or limited phenomena, but when known as a holographic display, then the sense organs are aligned and augmented by the evolutionary momentum of the limitless unnamable source. Nature as the native evolutionary force, radiantly reflects the inherent light of universal primordial consciousness when viewed with clear lucidity. If we should be lucky enough to realize the true wholographic interactive nature of the elements of creation as intimate with primordial awareness --that WE all emanate from the same source interactively as a sacred living display of light and consciousness, then every moment is a sacred interplay devoid of samyoga or any klesha. Outside that matrix which binds all things together, all time together, and all space together, that pure luminous vision and natural vivid radiance becomes dim and displaced as we identify, isolated and externalized from this integral intimacy.
However the "normal" dualistic cognition process of a separate seer experiencing (bhoga) an apparently separate object that is seen (drsyam), is not normally instructive nor self liberating (apavarga), but rather this is normally either asmita-raga (grasping at a physical object and possessing it by the ego, or asmita-dvesa (being repulsed or averse to an external object or phenomena in general and attempting to push it away). Thus the reaching out or grasping of "external" experiences and objects within the sphere of duality is always rather unrewarding and unfulfilling, bhoga being mere temporary neurotic pleasure. That is the common (samkhya) approach toward discussing bhoga, but for the tantric who realizes the inter-connected non-dual nature of reality all things are simultaneously expressions of "S"elf in "S"elf and reveal "S"elf instantaneously and hence, in that non-dual sense, there is an inherent enjoyment in all of creation/creativity when recognized as such.
So at a level of seeing (drsyam) that is less superficial the yogi recognizes the intrinsic universal light (prakasha) within all phenomena being revealed as the true essential nature (atmakam) of the elements (bhuta) which are normally sensed by the sense organs (indriya) This allows one to reflect back upon the Self as our transpersonal true form (swarupa), in All Our Relations while preventing superficial, dysfunctional and extractive relationships based on separation to arise. The latter tends toward disparate fragmentation, dissipation, and corruption. However when the meditator rests in the sattvic equipoise, there the fascination with the elements (bhutas) as individual unrelated separate "things" cease. Here the tattvas, bhutas, gunas, prakrti and purusa are revealed in illumination as parts of an interconnected whole. Here imputations and concepts of saguna cease. At the same time the nirguna nature of formless intrinsic wisdom and light -- eternal unborn spirit is allowed to shine forth as the inherent spark of universal consciousness and being. As we will see in III.3 the true nature of mind is realized in samadhi as swarupa-sunyam. That light pervades the entire physical universe (prakrti) but is not limited to that. here the inner radiance (prakasha) within all of nature (prakrti), acts as a beacon for self liberation (apavarga) within the scope of a universal living university.
The yogi is not fascinated nor possessed with the gunas as individual separate things, but rather the inherent quality (silam) of the natural universal activity (kriya) of the universal light emanating from the essential inner nature (atmakam) which is reflected from the seemingly or apparent solidity (sthiti) of all sense objects. This occurs as spiritual practice (sadhana) in All Our Relations.
For example in dhyana (meditation), one way to experience and see the material world (the bhutas) as-it-truly-is (imbued with isvara from purusa consciousness) is to recognize the intrinsic light (prakasha) both within ourselves as an attribute (linga) of the attributeless (alinga) and formless unborn eternal universal all-pervading seed source (maheshvara, buddha-nature, or bodhi-seed). This recognition known trans conceptually aligns, orders and translates the sensory inputs as various coherent forms of the universal light within nondual context of the whole, thus revealing the underlying self liberating (apavarga) true nature (atmakam) of prakrti/purusa -- the true nature of the mind as pure vision. Rather than sensing phenomena as isolated dead matter in a fragmentary context, it is en-lightened. It is lit up and illumined as Mater (shakti), while purusa is understood as seed source (Maheshvara). In Buddhist tantric terms the meditation becomes alive as the activated light body (sambhogakaya) acts as the mediator between the eternal formless realm (dharmakaya) and the physical (nirmanakaya). Thus in effective meditation we sit in alignment with the three bodies, five koshas, chakras, and nadis trans-dimensionally and simply bathe and abide HERE. The yogi simply abides in the true nature of mind.
As we have learned in chapter one, yoga practice transforms our ordinary linear and dualistic awareness from the gross (vitarka), to the more subtle (vicara), to beyond even the most subtle (nirvicara), to nirguna (devoid of the gunas), to arupa (formless), nirvikalpa (transconceptual), nirodha (stillness), asamprajnata (non-dual) and eventually nirbija samadhi (the crown of yoga). HERE in authentic practice we experience the universal eternal imperishable light which is the intrinsic beginningless sourceless source of Universal All Knowing omnipresence is everywhere present in perfect Gnosis. Nothing external is required except authentic practice. All that is required is for us to wake up and recognize our innate true nature (svarupa).
Our experience becomes our teacher within the common trans-personal non-dualistic union as one family, Vasudeva Kutumbakam both diverse and inseparable -- interconnected -- unified but not the same. It is HERE that we have the opportunity to see behind appearances to the causal. Through functional authentic yoga practice we eventually see that all is Brahman -- that we are kin to all of creation within the non-dual context of All Our Relations. In the non-dual tantric sense then all our experiences are vehicles for our liberation (bhoga-apavarga) -- they are in this sense self liberatory when we see each moment in Now Awareness -- as an opportunity to move in harmony with the entire universe as if we were dancing with shiva (atmakam). Every move and breath thus becomes another channel to reflect that innate divine light (apara-prakasha).
Human beings must recognize that they are integral with the
earth, the cosmos, the process of creation, creativity, and the
intelligent evolutionary force which is behind it. Then they must
interact with integrity with that Reality in a conscious manner.
That way human beings acting as an integral part of that process
gives to the universe a mirror like reflection of that sublime
co-creative process – a conscious sense of self within that
context which is not limited by time or place.
The evolution of human consciousness thus evolves through many
stages.
Only a primitive. severely limited, and elementary wake up is the
recognition of a separate self apart from the whole. The more
fundamental wake up is recognizing "self" as part of a very large
and diverse trans-linear continuity/community where differentiated
reality and undifferentiated are experienced as
inseparable/interconnected.
For man to know himself, he must know where he came from. Earth is
primary
Humans are derivatives of the evolutionary process. Diversity
within the continuity and integrity. We are not the same, rather we
are all analogues – all kin – All Our Relations! One Family
Inseparable. Vasudeva Kutumbakam!
The Great Community of Existence is a communion of subjects, rather than a collection of objects.
Inherent in that fourth state
There is continual reawakening
Continual evolutionary interaction
Co-creation, interconnected communication
Birth, death, and rebirth – evolutionary change expressed in
evolutionary action.
Pulsation and Awareness
Fission and fusion
Expression
Humans are integral with the earth
how can that be not so,
The glorification of the human has become the desolation of the
earth
The desolation of the earth has become the desolation of the
human.
See II.23-24 for more on samyoga
II. 19. visesavisesa-lingamatralingani guna-parvani
Relative and transitory phenomenon (gunas) can be further broken down, classified, distinguished, differentiated, or compared (parvani) as being discrete, concrete, separate, and diverse (visesa) or on the other hand as being undiverse, indistinct, or undifferentiated (avisesa), as well as being given symbolic attributes associated with a substantial form (lingamatra), or very subtle and without being assigned attributes (alinga) or qualitative distinctions.
Commentary: There is no limit in the way that the intellect can classify nature's endless diversity (saguna) as discrete entities. This reductionist attempt to delimit formless and attributeless spirit (alinga) can be a full time task of naming, labeling, and classifying, as the ego attempts the arrogation of reification. but the yogi is not interested in that kind of intellectualization processes or classification systems which is more properly the venue of the physical sciences, engineering, philosophy, and/or academia. Phenomena is ultimately indefinable (alinga) and empty by itself, yet it can act to reveal the alinga intrinsic light which pervades the entire universe. WHen a yogi speaks about ignorance, it is NOT an ignorance of external facts or delineated knowledge, but rather ignorance of Self -- of the true nature of one's own mind.
Thus this comparative breakdown and analysis is inferior to viveka if it does not reveal the overall integrity of all of creation. It is an endless and futile activity ending up in dissolution and fragmentation, rather than integration. Here first the yogi affirms the reality of the great integrity -- of All Our Relations. where differentiated reality is known as it truly is (in its true form) only when bias and vrtti are all dispelled -- within the revelation of the unity of differentiated and undifferentiated consciousness -- one defining the other. Phenomena thus is not taken out of that context but are analyzed as to their mutual causality in a holographic manner. That is the yogis way as taught in Pada III and IV.
Instead of having conditions, the phenomenal world, "things" and events define who we are in terms of identity, ego, status, external power, clothes, money, or possessions, do not be possessed or so imprisoned. Instead of boxing "things" or "reality" into narrow views, tables, or containers the accomplished yogi never loses sight of the integrative whole while perceiving events in their interactive phases of of organic mutuality. It is this interaction which when revealed fully through experiential practices, displays the self luminosity (prakasa) the sublime and all fulfilling great completion of the integrative whole.
The history of mankind has shown that human beings throughout the ages have devised myriad ways to classify, differentiate, categorize, and ascribe meaning to differentiate manifest temporal reality (the gunas) in an attempt to control the universe and nature, but such attempts have always been biased and colored by the limited views and spins, not only imposed by time and place, but imposed by the limitations of the intellect (buddhi) through the the cognitive and/or conceptual processes. However the way to approach "Reality" is to gain a universal unbiased perspective even beyond anthropomorphism itself -- even beyond earthling identifications, beyond asmita, and separate self, itself. That reality/realization is where the authentic yogi is focused upon onepointedly. Unless one has spiritual presence to view "reality" from the perspective of the eternal universal omniscient principle (which is alinga), then reality-as-it-is will prove to be elusive. The true yogi not interested in mere symbolic representations, attributes (linga), and apparitions, seeks liberation not through hollow an superficial methods, and thus is not satisfied, nor caught up, nor distracted in the myriad permutations and manifestations of the gunas, rather viewing such as being ever changing fiery temporal characteristic appearances of emanating from the intrinsic undifferentiated seed source. The yogi penetrates beyond even the most subtle to the boundless mind -- connecting self with source and source with self, tha yogi knows her true self (swarupa) in the transpersonal space of the eternal now. The yogi has become initiated into the universal timeless and eternal tradition of the attributeless "Self" (purusa as isvara) which is all pervading, universal, omniscient, unchanging and resides in all.
So yes, the intellect (buddhi) can experience endless diversions and activities, but the yogi in meditation rests free from such turmoil. The yogi abides in nirvikalpa, free from anumana. fee from associations with words and thoughts free from citta-vrtti. Having a calm and empty mind, he enters the highest and most complete samadhi whose characteristic is the highest bliss. Here union is Sat-Cit-Ananda, as the union of pure subject being, pure and complete objective consciousness - pure unconditional natural bliss) .
See also commentary to Sutra I.19, I.26, and I.45.
II. 20. drasta drsimatrah suddho 'pi pratyaya-nupasyah
The cognizer (the one who sees -- drasta) is empowered by a pure, primal, and more fundamental underlying power of seeing (drsi) that is capable of recognizing the process of cognition itself once the cognition process is recognized and turned back into itself (pratyaya-anupasyah) -- once the eyes of the seer is purified and opened (suddho) so that the true seer is recognized as part of the process of seeing. The power of seeing is thus spontaneously recognized everywhere as omnipresent.
Commentary: So what is it that you see when you look out from your eyes? What happens to you when you sit in meditation? Who is it who is seeing? Here Patanjali is disclosing the seer who observes the thinking process itself - the witness who witnesses the mentation process -- the awareness underneath the machinations of the citta-vrtti, the awareness of the awareness principle (cit).When that seer is known and recognized, then what is seen is seen truly and clearly as-it-is. This is the first step in the process of purifying the obscurations of the mindfield.
Here the observer inquires and observes in what direction the cit-prana moves and how the yogi shifts it so that sattva is realized. In yoga we are looking to go beyond fixations upon coarseness (nirvitarka), fragmented form (arupa), mere characteristics (nirguna), beyond even the most subtle (nirvicara) -- to the profound what-is. Then we can see the true nature of phenomena as-it-truly-is. This is a direct perception that is not dependent upon the five senses, rather now the senses are known to be guided by this unitive wisdom. This is not the ordinary conceptual mind where cognition is based on dualistic assumptions.
One could say that such a seer now perceives from the sixth or seventh sense -- a way of knowing (gnosis) that is not limited by time and space. Others say that this is realized when the kundalini (evolutionary creative energy) has become activated by being aligned with the sushumna and has activated the hridayam (the heart of hearts). From that core-center our view is clear and boundless-- splendorous and majestic -- expanded ad infinitum in all directions and dimensions -- transcendent of linear space and time -- it is devoid of qualification (nirguna).
In meditation (dhyana) we apply awareness to our attention or mind which is usually first observed as moving (citta-vrtti). We find that we are able to recognize what we are recognizing -- where the awareness has become attached and.or distracted (isolated) from. We recognize the contents of the mind (which is called pratyaya) and then we can release our grasp or aversion to them. This is basic awareness meditation utilizing basic viveka (discriminating awareness) and vairagya processes. But as we exercise this awareness of awareness, we start to recognize the nature of its seed source. We start to get interested in the seed source as we release our awareness of our previous fascination upon "objects" as an observer. We start observing not just the observation process, but the observer of the observer -- the param-purusha. Our awareness is thus turned back upon its source, first as awareness of awareness, and then pure now awareness, This is the process of waking up -- the activation of the bodhimind which dhyana practice affords the yogi.
When who we really are in our true form (swarupa) starts to become disclosed in authentic yoga practice, we see that what we previously thought of as being the individual mind, is merely a dim reflection of that great all encompassing universal mind which encompasses all things. In fact nothing exists separate from THAT. The intelligent light of consciousness shines through the eyes of the beholder, but how many can turn back to see this light of consciousness. Those who have done so have used conscious awareness to reveal its Source and then when they see "the so called world" they see all as the light of God everywhere as All Our Relations. For such the doors of perception have become cleansed and transformed. So within, also without when experienced through the heart.
Jnanadeva in the "Jnaneswari" (6-38) speaking of the Supreme Self says: "You are the source of both prakriti and purusha and also beyond both. You are the eternal Spirit and there is no one prior to you. You are the very spring and support of life and in you alone are contained the eternal knowledge of the three times and manifest in unlimited form."
Here Jnaneshwar reveals what Patanjali will reveal later that Purusa and Prakrti are in Reality, One, but not the same. See III.35, III. 49 and Pada 4 for much more on this profound uncontrived unity.
Similarly see also Sutra I.41
Swami Venkatesananda says in his translation of II.20:
The truth concerning the seer (experiencer) is that there is only the ever-pure act of seeing (experiencing). Yet, there arises a polarization on account of which a concept (which then becomes the subject or the experiencer) seems to experience (the reaction of the senses to the externalized world – all such externalization being the result of the polarization and the consequent apparent movement in the subject). An apparently independent entity called experience therefore becomes the object.
Swami Venkatesananda's Commentary: Having thus explained the nature of the object, Patanjali goes on to what I feel is probably at the very heart of the Yoga Sutras – the question, “Who is the drastta,’ the see-er, in this?” The object was very clear and so we took that first. The second thing that seems to be extremely clear and evident is ‘I see you’. The next question is “Who is the ‘I’ that sees you?”
“Drasta drsimatrah” – it is the seeing or experiencing alone that is. That experiencing itself, by wishing to become aware of its own experience, creates a polarity. There are two beautiful expressions in the Yoga Vasistha which occur again and again: “What is cosmic consciousness, what is God and whit is anything?” and “Between this and that is consciousness, between that and this is the experiencing or experience.” In that pure experiencing there is neither polarization nor division. The eyes see one vision, one universe,; that sight is pure, with no division in it.
If sight is realized to be the sole seer of all sight, in that sight there is no evil, it is absolutely pure – suddho ‘pi. All experiences – as pure experiencing – are pure, unpolluted, untainted. The seer is pure, the action is pure, the sensory action is absolutely pure. So the see-er is pure sight or the act of seeing without a subject-object division, and therefore without any motivation. Therefore in pure experiencing there is neither pain nor pleasure, sin nor virtue. Drasta drsimatra, sight or seeing itself is the only truth.
All experience is pure experiencing in its intensity. Naturally, there is no division between the experiencer as the subject and the experience as the object. One can only think of one universal experience as an example – sleep. One who is in deep sleep does not say “I am asleep,” nor does he even know, think or feel, “I am sleeping.” There is a total homogeneous pure experience. The experiencer is inextricably and essentially non-different from this pure experiencing. (Sleep is brought in merely as an illustration of the existence of such pure experience, not to suggest that sleep is therefore a feature of enlightenment). In sleep all your good and bad qualities, wonderful quality and super-wonderful qualities are also lying asleep, and when they wake up there is a lot of trouble!
What you call the seer is nothing but the action or event of seeing. Seeing happens. Seeing is there, awareness is there. In meditation, pure awareness alone is there. When the eyes are open and see something, only seeing is there. Speaking happens – it is not I speak to you. Hearing happens – not I hear you. It is only pain – pain as something without a sword, without a concept, and without a description. It is not called pain because you are not looking for pleasure.
In this way everything can happen without creating any problem in life. Such a life is a supreme blessing. All the virtues that are described in the scriptures are naturally formed in that person. But the virtues do not have a goal, a motivation.: he's not kind ‘because he is going to heaven’.
Such a life is free from motivation and therefore free from despair, fear and hope. When you have no goal, you have destination. All roads you take are right.
From "The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali with Commentary", by Swami Venkatesananda.
II. 21. tad-artha eva drsyaya-atma
Though in Reality the "apparent" separate existence of subject and object is merely the result of the observer's false identification with fragmentary existence. In "Reality" the true purpose (artha) of that which is seen (drsyaya) exists for the revelation of the universal all pervading "Self" -- self realization (drsyaya-atma) through self awareness.
Commentary: Albert Einstein said:
"A human being is part of the whole called by us 'Universe', a part limited in time and space. We experience ourselves, our thoughts and feelings as something separate from the rest... This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from the prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if mankind is to survive."
This is the natural continuation of the previous sutra. This is the way we destroy samyoga (false identification based on conditioned consciousness). All the glue that binds the mind to habitual patterns of entanglement, all our fears and banal desires eventually must be surrendered. So we can inquire, what is it that we see when you look out from the Heart -- centered in our core energy in sacred indigenous space? Is it All Our Relations? When we see from witness consciousness (purusa) in pure awareness the conditioned egoic self dissolves. Everything and being is revealed as parts of that omnipresent whole as ever-presence.
Also see Sutra I.41 and II.17 commentary (on samyoga).
When the seer attributes an isolated independent or separate true existence to "self' and to phenomena, this is the estranged dualistic state of alienation. Buddhists call that the error of eternalism (ascribing permanence to some thing as an independent entity which in reality is interdependent, changing, and morphing at each moment. When our eyes open it is revealed that what really is happening is an organic evolutionary magical flow -- a radiant display occurring throughout creation where attachment or aversion to any independent "thing" as well as to any independent "object" is impossible. That is non-dual realization afforded to the yogi via practice such as dhyana. One learns to rest/abide in this all pervading self luminous non-dual holographic Great Integrity as one's true nature (swarupa) where the all pervading formless and empty purusa penetrates all of prakrti completely and is thus revealed to the yogi through her myriad displays. Other wise what dualists describe as purusa consciousness as an isolation from prakrti is merely dvesa and alienation -- am alien nation, where a separate "self' is ascribed to "self" as the observer and a separate independent reality is falsely ascribed to isolated phenomena. That is not a universal omniscient consciousness but rather a lack of conscious awareness. Here the yogis describe an integrated state where undifferentiated consciousness and differentiated consciousness are not at odds, but integrated into a larger whole, the latter temporarily housing the former, giving it form and revealing it in non-dual realization, rather than concealing it.
II. 22. krtartham prati nastam apy anastam tad-anya-sadharanatvat
This fragmentary state although completely destroyed (nasta) as such by the seer, who has realized integration (krtartham), will none-the-less appear to others as "real" (anastam) because of sharing a commonality (sadharanatvat) with those whose consciousness lacks insight, and hence, are dominated by conventional wisdom. This common conventional reality composed of common constituent parts are common to both views [hence a common ground for communication is facilitated].
Commentary: The yogi goes beyond consensus or conventional reality. Yet, this awareness is, at the same time, all inclusive in that it includes relative phenomena as a mutually interdependent and ever changing movement. Pure consciousness is not dependent upon the phenomena itself, which is ever changing, but at the same time can not know itself without form of some sort.
Hence a common ground for everyone to communicate is nature, albeit our understanding of it may vary widely. The yogi's realization takes place in the mind, but yet that universal mind which is realized is all pervasive (it is no longer a personal mind (manas or buddhi) but transpersonal and non-dual..
The same "objects" exist as-they-are or appear not to exist, in both views; i.e., whether abides in samadhi which is non-dual integration or ordinary fragmented existence blinded in avidya, which is based on I/it separateness/dualism. Phenomena as-it-truly-is (interdependent) doesn't change according to Patanjali, rather it is known/seen differently. The territory remains the same, but the view changes. Reality is now revealed where before it was obstructed. Now territory and view coincide. That's true for the yogi, but for the ordinary person the world (or reality) is as it was, unchanged. Hence a distinction is made that for a fully realized yogi, all suffering and delusion has been removed, but that does not hold true for the reality of the non-realized yogi. Hence in that sense suffering and delusion still exist for others until they too awaken.
In non-dual realization the world of cause and effect has no pull or reality for them, but for others what appears illusory to the awakened continues to appear real for those lost in duality of a separate "I" and a separate "it".
In the latter state the objects are perceived as separate, but in the integrated state these are not perceived as separate objects, but are known in a deep and penetrating universal, and relative way, both. This is the realization of the interdependence of all created things (a deep realization) seeing how phenomena and evolution is all connected all the way back to source-- to . beginningless time, yet at the same time seeing that source here and now revealed in and by creation as part of that integrated whole. Hence in this integrated view relative phenomena reveals the ultimate/eternal, while previously it hid/obscured it. The fault was not in phenomena (existence) but in our way of ignorantly viewing "it" in fragmented seeing.
Although the world is on fire, at the same time the material (relative world) does not by itself change according to how we perceive it, rather it remains the same independent of our view, except that our consciousness (way of seeing is altered). Thus the only thing that changes is the vantage point of the viewer and in that sense then only, does the entire world change (as the viewer is part of the whole). In a similar but *different* thread of thought (and here I am now not specifically addressing this sutra or Patanjali but as an aside) when we change our thoughts, a wave is generated on the planet and all of humanity to an extent, just as we are a wave in that great ocean of humanity, all of humanity changes also.
So II.22 is not a crucial sutra when compared to the importance of II.21 and II.23. It is generally a reference to some who mistakenly believe that what is real and true is all made up by the mind only -- from the side of one's own mind and that all else is an illusion. That is the position of some “mind only schools” lost in asmita who inarticulately have stated that since “I am enlightened and beyond suffering, then there is no suffering in the world for me, then there is no suffering in the world (for others). Suffering no longer exists. In short, it is an egocentric imputation of samyoga which states that the entire world, and all who are inside it, is an illusion or doesn't exist so therefore suffering doesn't exist. This delusional thinking is actually not so uncommon in egocentric people who believe that "things" depend on our own personal truth and there is no validity to any objective truth or universal reality. Of course that view is entirely nihilistic and cynical as it is based on separation (ego/observer apart from, but part of, the whole process). That is how human beings trick themselves out of being part of evolution and estranged from primordial awareness and wisdom.
Despite how absurd that imputation/conception is, many people believe it. It is their way to escape suffering, pain, trauma - " the world". This samyoga is what Patanjali is addressing, such is the error of absolutism; i.e., of taking what is a personal experience that appears to be true on the surface or true in a specific conditional instance, and then erroneously extending it to an absolute/universal situation (as an absolutism). Again that is the confusion of samyoga, where the small self projects and imputes its image born from limitation upon the screen of life, rather than allowing the true nature of mind (swarupa) be projected in as a simultaneous synchronicity coming from inner/outer alignment and congruency. Most obviously Patanjali is stating that this is another imputation of asmita-raga or samyoga ( a false identification), rather a delusion and error to avoid. He is not saying that non-dual universal absolute truth does not exist in swarupa, but rather what is on an individual's projector screen that is specific and is not the absolute and is not true for others while not denying that such a truth is actually believed to be real by the small mind/ego. Even what is on an enlightened being's mind is not necessarily on "other" sentient being's minds until they too awake up (albeit that would be nice). Although all of us have the capability of influencing "other beings" positively, we are not able to be very effective unless we hook up with Infinite Mind -- residing in Infinite/Universal non-dual mind, then we can really share the love especially with others who have also reside there and speak the language -- who have opened up their conscious connections to that universal space, thus having realized to a greater extent their innermost evolutionary seed potential.
As an aside again (and this is not from Patanjali but rather an offshoot) we can agree that to a small degree the rest of the “world" *does* change when some one wakes up (say the Buddha), in so far that they are also participating in the world and the world doe bear witness. So a wave is also formed on the planet (big or small), but it is usually imperceptible. All sentient beings don’t automatically wake up or take on the same visage of the Buddha (at least there is no precedence for that).
Such "things" can only be known from the transpersonal, transconceptual, and transcognitive side -- from non-dual realization/integration. The world of so called things or "objects" is in constant flux – it is constantly changing, but it doers’t normally change very much when one person wakes up. So if we start to entertain the possibility of a mass awakening when everyone woke up at the same time -- all at once, then wow... but that’s not the discussion here in II.22. It however can be another very large subject, but is only tangentially relevant to II.22. I think it was Buddha who said, "first wake up and then you can help others to wake up"? It is this possibility which can be explored more.
To clarify, we can view "phenomena", sense objects, or "things" as temporal, as ever changing, on fire, morphing, as an action of evolution, creation, or nature. We can conclude that this is prakrti or the activity of prakrti's evolutes (the gunas). But the point is that such is in flux, not permanent or eternal -- not solid or substantial, rather it is insubstantial and unreliable unless we see it-as-it-is (from swarupa) as being animated by an underlying intelligent energy field -- under the guidance of an all pervading eternal intrinsic seed source wisdom which is indeed the real deal which underlies prakrti when we reside in clear vision seeing "things" as it is. holographically.That is how we are going to wake up, by the way, in the hologram all together. That is where WE already are, but we haven't made the connections fully. Ignorance due to false identification (samyoga) and ego is holding us imprisoned, but we are breaking free. That is the revolution of the evolutionary mind turning.
In meditation we practice to establish and strengthen our connection to this great Integrity -- Infinite Mind and its well springs of inspiration. Here we encounter and experience this unity consciousness whose eternal unblemished source is unchanging, and which after contact is made, we can then better extend in All Our Relations. But in the disparity of ordinary dualistic "ego" based experiences (based on separate self), this non-dual "reality" may not be reflected or reinforced normally by our neighbors, peers, social institutions, or associates, rather it often remains submerged and hidden. The general mass consciousness and energy of conventional "reality" within any given society will most often amplify their own self image that is placed in the projector and is reflected on the projected screen by the pure light of undifferentiated awareness. That projection thus can be from the small self (ego) projecting collective guilt, fears, kleshas. pain, and vrttis -- prejudices, bias, spins, provincialism, vanity, pride, ignorance, hatreds, nationalism, racism, religionism, and sorrow, which tend to subjugate and suffocate those with weak minds, enfeebled intention, low aspiration, poor in enthusiasm and spiritual zeal, and disempowered inner confidence or faith in their essential nature; or it can liberate, inspire, bring people together in awareness, functional joyful creativity, harmony, peace, and healing love when the image in the projector is changed as pure swarupa -- (swarupa-sunyam).
The practitioner who has achieved inner strength and connection -- the wise, will not be drawn in to false identifications of asmita-raga or asmita-dvesa (samyoga), instead being able to wed firmly with their intrinsic core/heart "transpersonal "self" and being guided by that, while recognizing the wealth of forces that are available in the moment. Wise beings having made this connection open and stable are hence wisely able to utilize past past positive experiences and karma to one's own spiritual advantage and for the weal of all beings, i.e., to empower clarity, self realization, liberation, ahimsa, compassion, and love. This is a gradual process of waking up -- of harmonizing, alignment, balance, and union. The wise balances the cit-prana in All Our Relations so that All Our Relations bring us more deeply into love -- love begets love. Transpersonal non-dual wisdom self liberates spontaneously.
Compare this with the very similar sutra at IV.16. Please also see Sutra II.54 for a discussion of asamprayoge which is using pratyhara as the decoupling means from samyoga.
II. 23. sva-svami-saktyoh svarupa-upalabdhi-hetuh samyogah
Samyoga (false identification) is the result attributing self ownership (sva-svami) to the ability (saktyoh) to recognize (upalabdhi) the cause (hetu) of our own true nature (swarupa). Instead of attributing this power to the universal purusa which resides in all beings and things, the egoic prideful delusional powers attributes it to a separate individual self (asmita) in the ego's vain attempt to own or possess it.
samyoga: A conflation, equivocation, and/or confusion of an imputed separate self with the object of its confusion. The addiction of an egoic fixation or entanglement of identification in general, hence a false identification. This includes the gooey mechanisms of self-cherishing, narcissism, and ego-centricity which entangle the ego in its samsaric prison (citta-vrtta). A false identification, delusion, or corrupt conjoining of one thing as another thing by the mind. A specific kind of citta-vrtti where a self created bondage to subject/object duality occurs. The confusion of sameness where one thing is equivocated as being the same as something else, rather than compared in terms of its wholistic mutuality (in terms of the whole). It is the error of over-generalization taking the specific phenomena or event to be the whole, or extrapolating the whole to be the same as the specific such as in stereotyping, monism, etc. The classical statement, "it is all the same" is typical of the predicament of samyoga, where there is failure to recognize differentiated reality. It is the honing of viveka that reveals the undifferentiated love-wisdom inherent in All Our Relations. Through heightened viveka this light shines forth as an ever-present magical display in the interconnected life of a realized yogi. When resistance to change appears in our practice, it is most often the result of samyoga. The remedy is to apply viveka more skillfully.
sva (swa): self; one's own
svami (Swami): master, owner.
saktyoh: power
svarupa (swarupa): true nature of self; literally abiding in its own true form.
upalabdhi: to recognize, find, to obtain, hence apprehension or recognition.
hetu: cause of.
samyogah: A conflation or equivocation. A limited self identification with an object. The state and/or mechanism of narcissistic false identification where delusion and addictive entanglements hold us back in old body/mind patterns. Bondage to subject/object duality; confusion of an imputed separate self with the object of its confusion. A false identification or conjoining of one thing as another thing by the mind. The confusion of sameness where one thing is equivocated as being the same as something else, rather than compared in terms of its wholistic mutuality (in terms of the whole). It is an over-generalization where a blurring of the difference between two things or objects by marginalizing one or both. It can also be the similar error of over-generalization which takes the specific phenomena or event to be the whole, or extrapolating the whole to be the same as the specific such as in stereotyping, monism, etc. Samyoga is very limited and daze-like state where the ego desperately tries to hold on to a self created order, through occupying itself in a specific type of citta-vrtti where diversity is denied, avoided, or ignored. An avoidance of and/or failure to recognize the inseparability of differentiated and undifferentiated reality, where ever-newness reflects the living love of ever-presence -- where ever-newness is the unbroken and continuous expression of ever-presence.
Commentary: Please see Sutra II.17-18 and II.35 (asamprayoge as disentanglement).
Samyoga is a misappropriation or co-option of the ego sense (asmita-klesha) which obscures our own true nature and power. It is thus a powerful perversion/corruptive force which astanga yoga is designed to disrupt, break apart, and destroy. Samyoga is the state of conditioned fixation of asmita-klesha where the egoic sense of ownership becomes stuck in a static and chromic projections of I/it (subject object) duality. Here the mindset has become severely boxed in by narcissistic processes of self centeredness, self involvement, and egocentricity so that the mind and realm of beingness has become fixated, self limited and closed minded. Eventually, through effective practice, a yogi realizes that narcissism, as obsessive self-love or self-cherishing, is a self cheat. As an attachment to one's prideful egoic delusional selfhood, one loses the entire universe. As a false egoic identity, it is based on separation and limitation. Narcissism, which may in its extreme, propound that we are all the same, also can lead to xenophobia.
This sutra hence`addresses the ordinary mind's false fixation (samyoga) within a fragmented and corrupt dualistic assumption which assumes the existence of a separate self and separate objects (phenomena), reinforces a state of irreconcilable estrangement and alienation between the component parts of the whole and a a separate owner who apprehends the object which is stringently adhered to, Then realization is resisted because such a tenacious belief prevents the recognition of the true non-dual nature of the object as-it-is, as part of an integrative whole. Samyoga being based on the false assumption of dualistic thinking, the "self" is defined in a state of bondage and uncertainty dependent upon temporal existence. That creates a bondage to limited identifications (separateness and estrangement), fear, and aloneness. It is the failure of discernment (viveka) which is called samyoga.
In order to reverse that mental tendency then, when one recognizes (upalabdhi) within the transpersonal non-dual context where the operations (saktyoh) of consciousness is directed through communion with the universal all pervading realization as its unitive cause (hetu) behind what was formerly "imagined" to be two apparently separate activities (a seer and the seen), then the true nature of self (swarupa) is revealed through the underlying power of shakti.. Then "who" perceives "what" becomes clarified in the self clarifying intelligent power of the seeing process itself. The distinction of the true owner (sva-svami) as comprehender and our true self nature (svarupa-upalabdhi) as the object apprehended become viewed as the sacred non-dual activity of the union of shakti and siva -- of prakrti and purusa -- which by itself bestows the power of self mastery (sva-svami-saktyoh) which self liberates.
In fact the universe is alive with consciousness. That consciousness is within ourselves and within all beings and things, yet it appears to the ordinary dualistic mind that it is their own personal limited self awareness which bestows meaning. Such a limited way of seeing is delusional. That exists because alienated life is governed by the severe limitations imposed by dualistic thought through past conditioning. We mistakenly become fixated upon an external or internal object of perception and define ourself as the separate object that is perceiving that object. Thus we become locked into a limited, frozen, dualistic, and materialistic world of the senses through false identification (sam yoga based on duality). This fixation (samyoga) is part and parcel of the false identification of asmita. However our true nature (swarupa) is truly rich, unbounded, and unlimited by such limited projections of identity (and hence things)..
Thus a valid yoga practice is to consistently disengage and interrupt the old self limiting fixation processes and habits belonging to avidya (ignorance) and asmita (the ownership self or asmita). Then when that tendency is eliminated we find the universal spirit as our true natural Self (swarupa) at all times -- in All Our Relations. This is reality as the unity of Purusa and Prakrti. As we let go of our false fixations (samyoga) as they come up, then viveka, vairagya, isvara pranidhana, tapas, swadhyaya, all occur simultaneously and spontaneously as one practice --as a result (sometimes called grace). Vision (vidya) then becomes more constant while avidya is attenuated in that special place when the seer is able to know the cause (hetu) of seeing. That is masterful (swami). Instead of identifying within the confines of a subject/object duality (a separate self seeing an object) in limited union (samyoga), we recognize the unbounded union of the True Self (Purusa) and Prakrti (as united with Purusha) as our own true self nature (swarupa). When we view the world from the Heart (Hridayam), then all is beauty -- open self luminous all pervading space (transpersonal sacred grace if you will) -- but no words will suffice. This sutra comes closest than any other (except for the sutras on isvara pranidhana and brahmacarya) as an affirmation of transpersonal boundless grace. This primordial transpersonal consciousness which is the true nature of our own mind, does not come from ego ownership It can not be owned, grasped, or known by the ego nor by any separate/independent self.
True yogic power or self empowerment (sva-svami-saktyoh) results by the mastery (swami) of resolving the apparent polarities and dualities of everyday life as-it-is (swa) into its causal (hetu) true self nature (swarupa) by recognizing the Eternal Cause, Source, and Origin of All Intelligence including the intelligent power (saktyoh) behind cognition in all our everyday relationships and experiences -- in All Our Relations. Just as the spark resides in the raging fire, it is often obliterated by the superficiality in specificity or isolation of the appearance of the fire. But if we see the fire as it is, then such superficial specifics vanish. Resting in THAT unity consciousness which is devoid of the illusion of the dualistic and contrived separation of the seer, the seen, and the cause of the process of seeing is brought about by synchronization with our true core essential nature recognizing that the one who comprehends and the object that is apprehended belong to the Universal university where Self is beholding and revealing Self simultaneously. This non-dual world is where the lila of siva/shakti plays.
HERE our experience and our perception of our experience become synchronized, empowered, and enlivened -- HERE there is no longer friction between experiential or subject "reality' and the way the mind interprets events rather both are united in the unitive state of authentic yoga. This is both uplifting and empowering.
It is a truism that when we reside inside our transpersonal; non-dual universal core/heart energy the "vicissitudes of life" do not bother us, but when we are "out of synch" then even a seemingly small trifle may cause upset, pain, and anxiety. Although many people have experienced this, few know how to reliably get back into synch -- into the flow. Fewer still are those who can continuously reside in the deepest courses of creative flow -- in nirbija samadhi empowered by the perfect eternal embrace of siva/shakti.
Ultimately, nirbija samadhi is the remedy; however, at the stage where avidya clouds basic awareness, the sharpening of viveka (the sword of discriminating wisdom), which is the prescription of Patanjali as the Jungle doctor.
See also Sutra I.41 and II.17
II. 24 tasya hetur avidya
The fundamental cause (hetur) of that [the conflation of samyoga] is ignorance (avidya).
Commentary: Ignorance as the prime klesha is said to be the cause of duhkha (dissatisfaction or misery). Klesha, karma, citta-vrtti are causes while duhkha is a result. So one naturally asks what is the cause of ignorance. The question can not be answered without asking the more primary question, what is ignorance if not the lack o recognition (the absence of vidya or pure vision). So what is pure vision (vidya) and how can it be realized is then the next necessary inquiry. Along these same lines see II.17-18.
To be certain, in yoga, by ignorance, we do not mean lack of knowledge in the common Western sense of lacking book knowledge or the accumulation or gathering of facts, more or less. Rather, avidya (ignorance) is the lack of spiritual knowledge or pure vision. It is precisely intellectual and conceptual logic, knowledge as facts, and beliefs which constitute the citta-vrtta which Patanjali requires that we surrender to the altar of spiritual transcognitive and self-less knowledge (vidya). See Sutras I.-5-12). Attachment to the former type of knowledge thus is a severe handicap or obscuration. It is a constituent of the cause of avidya and samyoga.
In Buddhism, this is the called the four noble truths, where samsaric conditions which causes suffering or duhkha are recognized as being associated with kleshas, the primary one being ignorance (avidya). Without this recognition of the kleshas and their results, there can not be progress. Hence this is the first "wake up" by a yogi on the path to liberation. Hence it is called a noble truth. Then the aspiring yogi desiring liberation recognizes the causes of afflictions (kleshas) how they come and go (vrtti) and enters the path of waking up. The practice most frequently offered being dhyana, meditation. Finally through practice, one wakes up, free from past karma, liberated from personal suffering (kaivalya or nirvana), one works for the liberation of all beings as one's transpersonal non-dual celebratory awakening and liberation.
Eckhart Tolle has said:
"What really matters is not what function you fulfill in this world, but whether you identify with your function to such an extent that it takes you over and becomes a role that you play. When you play roles you are unconscious. When you catch yourself playing a role, that recognition creates a space between you and the role". Common roles people play include working woman, stay-at-home mom, macho male, female seductress, nonconformist artist, cultured intellectual, world traveler, etc. You also assign roles to others and then treat them accordingly. (How you speak to the janitor may be different from how you speak to the chairman of the company.) What roles do you play at work, home, or in the world? List some of them here. What roles do you assign to others? List them, too. . . see if you can create a space of awareness between you and the roles you most identify with."
When we define "self" or "the seer" in terms of "the seen", then we are victims of subject/object duality delimiting a separate observer as self who does the seeing. That indeed is a limited and biased way of perceiving where the fluctuating patterns of the citta-vrtti define "self" and other. That is samyoga, granted it appears to the observer that they are separate from the observed, in fact it is the observed which defines and imprisons that observer.
Humans have created institutions of learning, religion, culture, or as some have said. institutions of ignorance, destruction, and violence depending. Institutionalized ignorance which is insidious, is passed on as transgenerational violence to the vulnerable child at a very early age while the child has not yet developed word or conceptual skills. Thus words or concepts rarely can be used to access these samskaric memories. The young child, seeking security, approval, acceptance, and love more often than not is forced to accept and obey such early neuro-psycho-physiological programming. It becomes absorbed unconsciously as "self". As such it is a samyoga, an artificially contrived, a limited program, and imprisoned identity that filters and colors "reality" unless the program is shut down. Instead of a blank screen after the artificial program is shut down, a natural and glorious process expands to infinity naturally and effortlessly.
Myriads of Perversions, Psychopathies, and False Identifications
The list of man's myriad ways that he has become fragmented and corrupted from his true self are endless. All can not be itemized, however all share the commonality of a split of conscious recognition and respect from the innate evolutionary power (shakti/shiva). Psychoanalysis is excellent in delimiting these aberrations. We. will look at Erich Fromm's observation of programming and role playing in early childhood which molds the personality (ego) in later life. It should not be ignored.
Writing about Erich Fromm, C. George Boeree, is quoted:
"I should add here that freedom is in fact a complex idea, and that Fromm is talking about "true" personal freedom, rather than just political freedom (often called liberty): Most of us, whether they are free or not, tend to like the idea of political freedom, because it means that we can do what we want. A good example is the sexual sadist (or masochist) who has a psychological problem that drives his behavior. He is not free in the personal sense, but he will welcome the politically free society that says that what consenting adults do among themselves is not the state's business! Another example involves most of us today: We may well fight for freedom (of the political sort), and yet when we have it, we tend to be conformist and often rather irresponsible. We have the vote, but we fail to use it! Fromm is very much for political freedom -- but he is especially eager that we make use of that freedom and take the responsibility that goes with it.
Families
Which of the escapes from freedom you tend to use has a great deal to do with what kind of family you grew up in. Fromm outlines two kinds of unproductive families.
1. Symbiotic families. Symbiosis is the relationship two organisms have who cannot live without each other. In a symbiotic family, some members of the family are "swallowed up" by other members, so that they do not fully develop personalities of their own. The more obvious example is the case where the parent "swallows" the child, so that the child's personality is merely a reflection of the parent's wishes. In many traditional societies, this is the case with many children, especially girls.
The other example is the case where the child "swallows" the parent. In this case, the child dominates or manipulates the parent, who exists essentially to serve the child. If this sounds odd, let me assure you it is common, especially in traditional societies, especially in the relationship between a boy and his mother. Within the context of the particular culture, it is even necessary: How else does a boy learn the art of authority he will need to survive as an adult?
In reality, nearly everyone in a traditional society learns both how to dominate and how to be submissive, since nearly everyone has someone above them and below them in the social hierarchy. Obviously, the authoritarian escape from freedom is built-in to such a society. But note that, for all that it may offend our modern standards of equality, this is the way people lived for thousands of years. It is a very stable social system, it allows for a great deal of love and friendship, and billions of people live in it still.
2. Withdrawing families. In fact, the main alternative is most notable for its cool indifference, if not cold hatefulness. Although withdrawal as a family style has always been around, it has come to dominate some societies only in the last few hundred years, that is, since the bourgeoisie -- the merchant class -- arrive on the scene in force.
The "cold" version is the older of the two, found in northern Europe and parts of Asia, and wherever merchants are a formidable class. Parents are very demanding of their children, who are expected to live up to high, well-defined standards. Punishment is not a matter of a slap upside the head in full anger and in the middle of dinner; it is instead a formal affair, a full-fledged ritual, possibly involving cutting switches and meeting in the woodshed. Punishment is cold-blooded, done "for your own good." Alternatively, a culture may use guilt and withdrawal of affection as punishment. Either way, children in these cultures become rather strongly driven to succeed in whatever their culture defines as success.
This puritanical style of family encourages the destructive escape from freedom, which is internalized until circumstances (such as war) allow its release. I might add that this kind of family more immediately encourages perfectionism -- living by the rules -- which is also a way of avoiding freedom that Fromm does not discuss. When the rules are more important than people, destructiveness is inevitable.
The second withdrawing kind of family is the modern family, found in the most advanced parts of the world, most notably the USA. Changes in attitudes about child rearing have lead many people to shudder at the use of physical punishment and guilt in raising children. The newer idea is to raise your children as your equals. A father should be a boy's best buddy; a mother should be a daughter's soul mate. But, in the process of controlling their emotions, the parents become coolly indifferent. They are, in fact, no longer really parents, just cohabitants with their children. The children, now without any real adult guidance, turn to their peers and to the media for their values. This is the modern, shallow, television family!
The escape from freedom is particularly obvious here: It is automaton conformity. Although this is still very much a minority family in the world (except, of course, on TV!), this is the one Fromm worries about the most. It seems to portent the future.
What makes up a good, healthy, productive family? Fromm suggests it is a family where parents take the responsibility to teach their children reason in an atmosphere of love. Growing up in this sort of family, children learn to acknowledge their freedom and to take responsibility for themselves, and ultimately for society as a whole.
The social unconscious
But our families mostly just reflect our society and culture. Fromm emphasizes that we soak up our society with our mother's milk. It is so close to us that we usually forget that our society is just one of an infinite number of ways of dealing with the issues of life. We often think that our way of doing things is the only way, the natural way. We have learned so well that it has all become unconscious -- the social unconscious, to be precise. So, many times we believe that we are acting according to our own free will, but we are only following orders we are so used to we no longer notice them.
Fromm believes that our social unconscious is best understood by examining our economic systems. In fact, he defines, and even names, five personality types, which he calls orientations, in economic terms! If you like, you can take a personality test made up of lists of adjectives Fromm used to describe his orientations.
1. The receptive orientation. These are people who expect to get what they need. if they don't get it immediately, they wait for it. They believe that all goods and satisfactions come from outside themselves. This type is most common among peasant populations. It is also found in cultures that have particularly abundant natural resources, so that one need not work hard for one's sustenance (although nature may also suddenly withdraw its bounty!). it is also found at the very bottom of any society: Slaves, serfs, welfare families, migrant workers... all are at the mercy of others.
This orientation is associated with symbiotic families, especially where children are "swallowed" by parents, and with the masochistic (passive) form of authoritarianism. It is similar to Freud's oral passive, Adler's leaning-getting, and Horney's compliant personality. In its extreme form, it can be characterized by adjectives such as submissive and wishful. In a more moderate form, adjectives such as accepting and optimistic are more descriptive.
2. The exploitative orientation. These people expect to have to take what they need. In fact, things increase in value to the extent that they are taken from others: Wealth is preferably stolen, ideas plagiarized, love achieved by coercion. This type is prevalent among history's aristocracies, and in the upper classes of colonial empires. Think of the English in India for example: Their position was based entirely on their power to take from the indigenous population. Among their characteristic qualities is the ability to be comfortable ordering others around! We can also see it in pastoral barbarians and populations who rely on raiding (such as the Vikings).
The exploitative orientation is associated with the "swallowing" side of the symbiotic family, and with the masochistic style of authoritarianism. They are Freud's oral aggressive, Adler's ruling-dominant, and Horney's aggressive types. In extremes, they are aggressive, conceited, and seducing. Mixed with healthier qualities, they are assertive, proud, captivating.
3. The hoarding orientation. hoarding people expect to keep. They see the world as possessions and potential possessions. Even loved ones are things to possess, to keep, or to buy. Fromm, drawing on Karl Marx, relates this type to the bourgeoisie, the merchant middle class, as well as richer peasants and crafts people. He associates it particularly with the Protestant work ethic and such groups as our own Puritans.
Hoarding is associated with the cold form of withdrawing family, and with destructiveness. I might add that there is a clear connection with perfectionism as well. Freud would call it the anal retentive type, Adler (to some extent) the avoiding type, and Horney (a little more clearly) the withdrawing type. In its pure form, it means you are stubborn, stingy, and unimaginative. If you are a milder version of hoarding, you might be steadfast, economical, and practical.
4. The marketing orientation. The marketing orientation expects to sell. Success is a matter of how well I can sell myself, package myself, advertise myself. My family, my schooling, my jobs, my clothes -- all are an advertisement, and must be "right." Even love is thought of as a transaction. Only the marketing orientation thinks up the marriage contract, wherein we agree that I shall provide such and such, and you in return shall provide this and that. If one of us fails to hold up our end of the arrangement, the marriage is null and void -- no hard feelings (perhaps we can still be best of friends!) This, according to Fromm, is the orientation of the modern industrial society. This is our orientation!
This modern type comes out of the cool withdrawing family, and tend to use automaton conformity as its escape from freedom. Adler and Horney don't have an equivalent, but Freud might: This is at least half of the vague phallic personality, the type that lives life as flirtation. In extreme, the marketing person is opportunistic, childish, tactless. Less extreme, and he or she is purposeful, youthful, social. Notice today's values as expressed to us by our mass media: Fashion, fitness, eternal youth, adventure, daring, novelty, sexuality... these are the concerns of the "yuppie," and his or her less-wealthy admirers. The surface is everything! Let's go bungee-jumping!
5. The productive orientation. There is a healthy personality as well, which Fromm occasionally refers to as the person without a mask. This is the person who, without disavowing his or her biological and social nature, nevertheless does not shirk away from freedom and responsibility. This person comes out of a family that loves without overwhelming the individual, that prefers reason to rules, and freedom to conformity.
The society that gives rise to the productive type (on more than a chance basis) doesn't exist yet, according to Fromm. He does, of course, have some ideas about what it will be like. He calls it humanistic communitarian socialism. That's quite a mouthful, and made up of words that aren't exactly popular in the USA, but let me explain: Humanistic means oriented towards human beings, and not towards some higher entity -- not the all-powerful State nor someone's conception of God. Communitarian means composed of small communities (Gemeinschaften, in German), as opposed to big government or corporations. Socialism means everyone is responsible for the welfare of everyone else. Thus understood, it's hard to argue with Fromm's idealism!
Fromm says that the first four orientations (which others might call neurotic) are living in the having mode. They focus on consuming, obtaining, possessing.... They are defined by what they have. Fromm says that "I have it" tends to become "it has me," and we become driven by our possessions!
The productive orientation , on the other hand, lives in the being mode. What you are is defined by your actions in this world. You live without a mask, experiencing life, relating to people, being yourself.
He says that most people, being so used to the having mode, use the word have to describe their problems: "Doctor, I have a problem: I have insomnia. Although I have a beautiful home, wonderful children, and a happy marriage, I have many worries." He is looking to the therapist to remove the bad things, and let him keep the good ones, a little like asking a surgeon to take out your gall bladder. What you should be saying is more like "I am troubled. I am happily married, yet I cannot sleep...." By saying you have a problem, you are avoiding facing the fact that you are the problem -- i.e. you avoid, once again, taking responsibility for your life. . .
Human Needs
Erich Fromm, like many others, believed that we have needs that go far beyond the basic, physiological ones that some people, like Freud and many behaviorists, think explain all of our behavior. He calls these human needs, in contrast to the more basic animal needs. And he suggests that the human needs can be expressed in one simple statement: The human being needs to find an answer to his existence.
Fromm says that helping us to answer this question is perhaps the major purpose of culture. In a way, he says, all cultures are like religions, trying to explain the meaning of life. Some, of course, do so better than others.
A more negative way of expressing this need is to say that we need to avoid insanity, and he defines neurosis as an effort to satisfy the need for answers that doesn't work for us. He says that every neurosis is a sort of private religion, one we turn to when our culture no longer satisfies.
He lists five human needs:
1. Relatedness
As human beings, we are aware of our separateness from each other, and seek to overcome it. Fromm calls this our need for relatedness, and views it as love in the broadest sense. Love, he says, "is union with somebody, or something, outside oneself, under the condition of retaining the separateness and integrity of one's own self." (p 37 of The Sane Society). It allows us to transcend our separateness without denying us our uniqueness.
The need is so powerful that sometimes we seek it in unhealthy ways. For example, some seek to eliminate their isolation by submitting themselves to another person, to a group, or to their conception of a God. Others look to eliminate their isolation by dominating others. Either way, these are not satisfying: Your separateness is not overcome.
Another way some attempt to overcome this need is by denying it. The opposite of relatedness is what Fromm calls narcissism. Narcissism -- the love of self -- is natural in infants, in that they don't perceive themselves as separate from the world and others to begin with. But in adults, it is a source of pathology. Like the schizophrenic, the narcissist has only one reality: the world of his own thoughts, feelings, and needs. His world becomes what he wants it to be, and he loses contact with reality.
2. Creativity
Fromm believes that we all desire to overcome, to transcend, another fact of our being: Our sense of being passive creatures. We want to be creators. There are many ways to be creative: We give birth, we plant seeds, we make pots, we paint pictures, we write books, we love each other. Creativity is, in fact, an expression of love
Unfortunately, some don't find an avenue for creativity. Frustrated, they attempt to transcend their passivity by becoming destroyers instead. Destroying puts me "above" the things -- or people -- I destroy. It makes me feel powerful. We can hate as well as love. But in the end, it fails to bring us that sense of transcendence we need.
3. Rootedness
We also need roots. We need to feel at home in the universe, even though, as human beings, we are somewhat alienated from the natural world.
The simplest version is to maintain our ties to our mothers. But to grow up means we have to leave the warmth of our mothers' love. To stay would be what Fromm calls a kind of psychological incest. In order to manage in the difficult world of adulthood, we need to find new, broarder roots. We need to discover our brotherhood (and sisterhood) with humanity.
This, too has its pathological side: For example, the schizophrenic tries to retreat into a womb-like existence, one where, you might say, the umbilical cord has never been cut. There is also the neurotic who is afraid to leave his home, even to get the mail. And there's the fanatic who sees his tribe, his country, his church... as the only good one, the only real one. Everyone else is a dangerous outsider, to be avoided or even destroyed.
4. A sense of identity
"Man may be defined as the animal that can say 'I.'" (p 62 of The Sane Society) Fromm believes that we need to have a sense of identity, of individuality, in order to stay sane.
This need is so powerful that we are sometimes driven to find it, for example by doing anything for signs of status, or by trying desperately to conform. We sometimes will even give up our lives in order to remain a part of our group. But this is only pretend identity, an identity we take from others, instead of one we develop ourselves, and it fails to satisfy our need.
5. A frame of orientation
Finally, we need to understand the world and our place in it. Again, our society -- and especially the religious aspects of our culture -- often attempts to provide us with this understanding. Things like our myths, our philosophies, and our sciences provide us with structure.
Fromm says this is really two needs: First, we need a frame of orientation -- almost anything will do. Even a bad one is better than none! And so people are generally quite gullible. We want to believe, sometimes even desperately. If we don't have an explanation handy, we will make one up, via rationalization.
The second aspect is that we want to have a good frame of orientation, one that is useful, accurate. This is where reason comes in. It is nice that our parents and others provide us with explanations for the world and our lives, but if they don't hold up, what good are they? A frame of orientation needs to be rational.
Fromm adds one more thing: He says we don't just want a cold philosophy or material science. We want a frame of orientation that provides us with meaning. We want understanding, but we want a warm, human understanding."
There are many different environments that shape and program our personalities and hence our lives. This programming where a specific role model/identity is encouraged or forced upon the individual also occurs past early childhood into adulthood. For example, if one is raised in a military family, where the father, mother or both are combat veterans, the grandfather is a career officer, the uncle works in the defense department, and one's older peers are planning to join the military, one becomes conditioned to the military bias, its values, needs, bias, and justifications. Rather than questioning the validity of such a role/identity one is pressured to conform to it. One is sent to military school and signs up unquestionably, while dissent or doubt is quickly quashed. The more insecurity, self doubt, unconscious guilt, and exploitive and manipulative people that inhabit one's social environment, the more insistent will be the pressure to conform.
In such societies children are stripped of their innate power, critical and creative thought abilities, and innate curiosity at an early age. "Don't question our authority, just obey what I say" is the mantra. If one obeys, then one is awarded the carrot. If one disobeys, then one is punished. Better yet if they can be made into enthusiastic and willing slaves.
This conflict between the innate evolutionary/creative spark embodied within each being and the desire for society to exploit and manipulate beings to their selfish purpose lies at the root of most l psycho/social conflict. Such conflict can manifest in adolescent rebellion, depression, neuroses, schizoid behavior, hypocrisy, aggressiveness, as well as chronic whining, apathy depression, complacency, and escapism. Herein also lies the cause for equivocation, pretension, chronic deceit, and the death wish. There, a lifetime full of confusion, dichotomy, ambiguity, deceit, and irony awaits. It is not a contradiction at all that many of the most politically powerful men in history were severely disempowered spiritually. They associated with and sought the power that they lacked in their A"will/desire for power". Similarly those who remain addicted to those in authority and power (the status quo authoritarian personalities) seek power through association; i.e., they feel nourished and secure by secondarily gleaning power through psychological transference and projection mechanisms.
Be it a death cult, a religious cult, hedonist cult, an economic cult, nationalistic, racial, political, xenophobic, chauvinistic, or consumer cult the individual will be assaulted by institutionalized forces within their countries, provinces, societies, religions, schools, business, communities, families, and institutions by those who desire obedience or conformity to their needs or persuasion. hence the need for institutions that teach critical thought, self awareness, self empowerment, knowing the nature of one's own mind, and which reflect the beauty of and exist in harmony with the evolutionary/creative power. Then the true purpose of life will be both realized and expressed together in fulfillment
II. 25 tad-abhavat samyoga abhavo hanam tad drseh kaivalyam
Unconditional and unbounded liberation (kaivalya) occurs when false identifications (samyoga) are absent (abhavat). thus a disengagement (hanam) from attachment associations which are false/ersatz identifications (samyoga) with apparently separate objects which are seen (drseh) then disappear (abhava) or dissolve.
samyogah: A conflation or equivocation. A limited self identification with an object. The state and/or mechanism of narcissistic false identification where delusion and addictive entanglements hold us back in old body/mind patterns. A specific kind of citta-vrtti where a self created bondage to subject/object duality occurs; confusion of an imputed separate self with the object of its confusion. A false identification or conjoining of one thing as another thing by the mind. The confusion of sameness where one thing is equivocated as being the same as something else, rather than compared in terms of its wholistic mutuality (in terms of the whole). It is an over-generalization where a blurring of the difference between two things or objects by marginalizing one or both. It can also be the similar error of over-generalization which takes the specific phenomena or event to be the whole, or extrapolating the whole to be the same as the specific such as in stereotyping, monism, etc. Samyoga is very limited and daze-like state where the ego desperately tries to hold on to a self-created order, through occupying itself in a specific type of citta-vrtti where diversity is denied, avoided, or ignored. An avoidance of and/or failure to recognize the inseparability of differentiated and undifferentiated reality, where ever-newness reflects the living love of ever-presence -- where ever-newness is the unbroken and continuous expression of ever-presence. When resistance to change appears in our practice, it is most often the result of samyoga. The remedy is to apply viveka more skillfully.
kaivalya: Sublime dissolution of the ego. Unconditional, natural, spontaneous, and unbounded freedom, where the mental elusion of "self/ego" dissolves into the unlimited transpersonal non-dual all pervading omnipresent omniscient living reality after absorption. Absorption occurs when something is taken "into" a medium and as a result disappears "from" something as a consequence. Absorb involves dissolution or diffusion usually into a larger medium. For example, dhyana (meditation) is the process of the absorption of the modalities of dualistic consciousness into universal all encompassing primordial consciousness. Here the ego-sense or dualistic sense of self is dissolved/absorbed. When that process of union/yoga is complete, it is known as samadhi which is unconditional sublime non-dual liberation. Paradoxically, the disintegration/dissolution of the ego, brings about the greater union/integration with the ultimate truth behind all phenomena. In a similar way, kaivalyam denotes the dissolution of the citta-vrtta.
bhava: presence,
abhava: disappearance, dissolution, lack of presence, absence.
hanam: escape, detachment, disengagement, abandonment. denial, avoidance, nullification
drseh: from the seen; the vector or ability of seeing.
Commentary: When the individual mind is afflicted by egoic ignorance, then one continues to fracture and corrupt experiences, making it disjointed, fragmented, limited, ersatz, and neurotic (until our grasping unto it is finally relinquished). Thus avidya-klesha is the first cause of all the kleshas. When it's burdensome veil is lifted the truth discloses that the nature of liberation is *not* further isolation, separation, independence, fragmentation, and disparate disintegration apart from everything else. Rather sublime liberation is not found in egoic isolation, but in its dissolution, which brings forth unimpaired direct communion, inter-connection, integration, and union that an authentic and functional yoga practice evokes, until ultimate samadhi is realized (freedom from separation and obstruction which is kaivalyam). Asmita-raga is the ersatz false identification of ego ignorance called samyoga. It's attachments are difficult to break. When it is broken all limitations are lifted and hence the field of consciousness is expanded to omniscience.
This sutra is important in understanding Pada 4 (Kaivalyam), as it is here that Sri Patanjali defines what he means by "kaivalyam" (as dissolution of the individual delusional self/ego) into the vast ocean of transpersonal consciousness. This also is in harmony with Patanjali's definition of samadhi in III.3 as swarupa- sunyam). Kaivalyam is *not*, as the reductionist philosophers interpret, an isolation or aloneness.
Here, we connect and identify with, and are informed by, our intrinsic heart/core connection -- the pure universal intrinsic HeartMind consciousness (purusa) which abides innately within all beings and things non-dually. We peer from that universal holographic core center, while perceiving self and other interdependently (non-dually). As this unborn universal seed is within all beings and nature, as our true nature, it is revealed and illumined both within and without -- beyond the dualistic fabrications of I/it existence entirely. As such it guides all our activities of body, speech, and mind in All Our Relations. As such, the absolute union of pure undifferentiated unborn seed consciousness and differentiated consciousness are united in the Long Body -- the Great Integrity -- it-is-as-it-is resting in its true universal nature (swarupa) empty of an independent self, dissolving (hana) all prejudice, taint, and limited dualistic views (drseh). When the universal eye is opened, it naturally sees itself universally. To the rishi, nowhere is it absent, but to a deluded person it is obscured.
Ignorance (avidya) of the authentic process of true non-dual recognition is the cause of suffering, which is really the process of ignoring our true nature, which is the cause (hetur) our fixations. distractions, and false identifications in reaction to apparently separate objects within a fragmented or corrupt context (our experiences of separation, duality, or polarization of apparently disparate objects and a separate independent (seer) that acts as the witness/perceiver). The false identification of the seer with what is seen is called samyoga. That is rooted in dualistic thought where one grasps onto a disparate object, situation, or condition and places oneself within that contextual relationship. That is the same thing as identification with the citta-vrtti and having these conditions that define the self. This is a very limited state of being that ignores the universal intrinsic seed source (purusa) and its all pervasive nature. All relationships all can be limiting and imprisoning, as long as they are based on ego attachment (asmita as a separate independent self) experiencing a limited condition/situation. There is only one relationship which is liberating, wholistic, and complete -- that where there is no separate self and so separate independent objects, rather phenomena are seen as interdependent -- flowing they co-arise subject to cause and effect, but empty of any essential nature except a formless native self luminous seed emptiness itself (purusa consciousness). That is what is meant by native peoples as All Our Relations. It is transpersonal recognizing the common base of life -- grounded in the transpersonal heart/core (hridayam) and thus being informed by such.
Kaivalya (unconditional and natural liberation) occurs when the karma is entirely burned up and hence there is nothing holding the ego (asmita) to the wheel of cyclic existence (samsara). Suffering is thus unconditionally liberated. To call this isolation even from samsara is limiting kaivalyam as dvesa (aversion) or seascape hanam). Kaivalya is not limited or tainted by any dvesa-klesha, nor by any desire raga-klesha) to escape (hanam), nor any condition whatsoever. being free from karma and conditions) it is natural and unconditioned -- is at once uncreated, eternal, birthless, unborn and formless yet simultaneously unceasing all pervasive and penetrating all form. It is due to the total absence (abhava) of limited ego associations and identifications (samyoga).
To sum up, the ordinary man is bound by ignorance (avidya) which reinforces separation as well as false identification with objects owned; i.e., asmita. false identification, and the rest of the kleshas. From this confusion, which is duality, then false identifications become the norm; and we do not realize whence commonly consciousness has become seduced, fixated, possessed, fascinated, possessed, obsessed, extracted to, distracted, objectified, and imprisoned to limited identifications. Various practices such as viveka, vairagya, and meditation (dhyana) then lend themselves (tad-abhavat) to enabling us to extract and liberate ourselves from these apparent attachments and diversions to appearances which are seen (drseh). Thus abandonment (hanah) of limited false identifications and fixations (samyogah) occur more naturally. Then ignorance is destroyed (abhavat), thus unconditional liberation (kaivalyam) from that which is seen (drseh) eventually occurs naturally. What follows from this natural liberation (kaivalyam) is the natural abandonment of ignorance, fixations, and dualistic false identification ceases. In the following sutras Sri Patanjali offers viveka khyatir (discriminatory wisdom) as a prime remedy for samyoga, avidya, and all the other obscurations. It's sharp sword is honed through the practice of astanga yoga.
Through the realization of nirbija samadhi (ultimate union and integration) comes kaivalya, absolute liberation. Kaivalyam is not a freedom from "any thing" but rather freedom from separation itself; i.e., All Our Relations. HERE there are no limitations because one is merged with boundless Self in the Heart of Hearts. HERE the veil of ignorance (avidya) has been lifted and the vrtti have become annihilated revealing the natural self abiding self" (swarupa) -- the goal of yoga. Without the removal (hanam) of ignorance (avidya) the false dualistic identifications and fixations (samyogah) could not be removed, and hence the highest synchronization of authentic yoga could not exist (abhavat). All false and limited identifications and ignorance are removed in kaivalyam. See Kaivalyam Pada especially Sutra 34 for more.
II. 26. viveka-khyatir aviplava hanopayah
The skillful means of disengaging (hanopayah) from these traps of egoic confusion and bondage (samyoga) is effected by the continuous application (aviplava) of profound integrated mutuality which illumines the interdependence of the whole of creation as well as the creative process (viveka-khyatir).
viveka: relative awareness within an integrative context. The skillful means to extend the innate wisdom (prajna) as applied into the world of ever changing diverse forms (phenomena) as a comparative process taking into account the mutuality of multiplicity (the relative nature of all phenomena). The acknowledgement of All Our Relations and identifying as a non-dual integrative and intimate part of it. In it's heightened form, NOW awareness, open awareness, naked awareness, profound primordial presence. Unerring, unbiased and unconstructed observation is the first component part of viveka, but then that awareness is extended and expressed through the container (the human being). So at first it is the distinction between kleshic (obscured) awareness where the innate prajna (innate wisdom) is hindered, then as that awareness deepens there obscurations are lifted. What is left is light or clarity (khyati).
Differentiated awareness where all beings and things are recognized as mutual interdependent components of a greater whole (not separate); the awareness that discerns, recognizes, or acknowledges the one in the many, and the many in context with the one. Self luminous discriminating wisdom. The union of cit (pure consciousness) with differentiated reality (pure sat). A finer and more refined subtle differentiation is found by expanding integrative awareness, not through further reduction and isolation. By refined, it is meant enriched, as in an increased awareness of the subtle inter-relationships between all things and beings which is our innate birthright revealing the inherent beauty and abundance and brilliance od the intelligent evolutionary power. When relative reality is viewed in terms of the Integral Whologram as revealing all things and beings from beginningless time -- when primordial consciousness and evolutionary primordial energy are recognized as being inseparable, then the fullness of life becomes pregnant with meaning. (See glossary for more).
khyati: Clarity; wisdom: realization; illumination, a realized state of spiritual knowledge.
hana: freedom from, removal; elimination, escape, disengagement. liberation from a condition..
aviplava: unbroken; continuous; ever present
upaya: skillful means or method
Commentary: So the recognition of our inter-dependence as a continuous recognition of the whole (true wholiness) in All Our Relations will do the trick -- will eliminate the ego's tendency toward false identification, confusion, and any further complications of ignorance. Viveka in its heightened form is the sharp sword that cuts through samyoga and all obstructions/obscurations. It brings clarity, and with it, liberation from ignorance; i.e., wisdom in motion.
The skillful means that effects this liberation from the kleshas (hanopayah) is the realization that all experiences of infinite diversity are continuous unbroken and interdependent -- not separate from Source. That unbroken awareness when experienced is called viveka-khyater. Similarly stated, the skillful means (upaya) that removes (hano) ignorance, egoic fixations, and false identifications is the continuous, uninterrupted, constant, and unbroken (aviplava) application of differentiated wisdom which discloses the true integrative nature of relative reality (viveka-khyatir) -- being able to know the parts of the whole in relative integral context, thus affording ourselves the opportunity to apply the skillful remediation process (hano-upayah) in All Our Relations (as differentiated consciousness as applied to interdependent co-arising revealing the underlying self luminous all pervading absolute reality) -- a pre-existing natural inherent harmony and unity (as yoga) which was heretofore obscured but is now removed (hano).
In short, viveka in its elementary form is simple awareness of a thing or object, but that awareness as such is normally limited comparing one limited thing to another limited thing in comparison. Eventually however objects are KNOWN through a heightened realization (khyater) where things and objects are compared to the entire universe, evolution, and primordial source consciousness wherein they are known devoid of bias or any other limitation. Sharpening this heightened knowledge is both the instrumental/skillful means and the result of astanga yoga as we will see in the next few sutras. As we have seen, samyoga is the sleepy state of bland sameness, blocked creative energy, and indifference which inures us to ignorance (the blockage of creative pure vision). Samyoga is broken up via viveka which is an innate power brought forward into fruition via astanga yoga.
An unwavering (aviplava) self revealing luminosity of discriminatory awareness (viveka-khyatir) is the skillful means (upayah) which nullifies or removes (hana) ignorance (avidya). Yet another way of saying this is that effective practices, such as meditation, is achieved when ignorance is reduced or removed through the skillful, continuous, and automatic application of viveka-khyatir. In viveka-khyatir we notice, observe, and become aware of the arising of the fixation/false identification with its resultant veiling of consciousness, and we then are able to remove or nullify it (hanopayah). Then we let go of that fixation (vairagya) easing ourselves into the more expansive consciousness that knows no bounds -- Eternal Presence. In fact such fixations lose their hold entirely and will not even arise when viveka-khyatir becomes constant and unbroken (aviplava) through skillful means (upaya). Viveka and vairagya are skillful means (upaya) which eliminate (hana) avidya (ignorance).
Despite the standard samkhya philosophical rendering of "viveka" we must assert that yoga and samkhya are not the same thing. Rather we define viveka-khyatir within the integrative yogic context, not within the standard samkhya dualistic proclivity. Viveka-khyatir is a heightened stage of self realization/wisdom where the innate wisdom (prajna) has become extended/flooded, thus gaining superintendence over the sense organs and one's entire embodied experience. Even the most minute discernment or differentiation of the world of form (phenomena) is experienced from a state of unitary awareness in its completeness and wholeness. This is the heightened quality of discriminative wisdom or spiritual discernment where all "things" are seen in relationship as interdependent living systems as integral parts of the overall integrity of "being" and "consciousness", not as separate fragmented parts viewed apart from the whole. The ability to make the most subtle distinctions without losing the overall integrity of relationships. The one is seen in the many (infinite differentiation), while the many is experienced as one. This includes any object of attention such as the body as a whole, its organs, insides, neuro-physiology, and thought forms as well as the created universe and all forms of energy (seen or not seen) via the senses; i.e., the world of form appears as a magical mandala in pure vision -- the holographic multiverse.
Prajna and viveka-khyater thus are not separate nor opposed wisdoms, rather prajna as innate intuitive wisdom has only become extended permeating the entire way of being and relating. This outer integration of prajna (which was heretofore always present but undifferentiated as pure light and inner wisdom) is now integrated with differentiated awareness. Viveka-khyatir is NOT intellectual discrimination or analysis done by the intellect (buddhi). But how is viveka-khyater realized? We will see in sutra II. 27 and 28 below. We learn how to reveal consciousness hidden in nature in nature albeit in a latent stage via the eight limbs of yoga, such as in yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyhara, etc. For example in asana practice we learn about the many elements of the body and breath in relationship to everything else. In astanga yoga we learn about how all the limbs of yoga are inter-related to the body of yoga. But foremost we learn how to do this is in meditation practice (dhyana). Then we can more easily apply this wisdom to everyday life in All Our Relations. The more we apply it in daily life, the easier it is accessible in meditation. A positive feedback loop is activated and nurtured.
Viveka is a key process in our meditation. At first we apply awareness to our process of awareness itself so that when the mind apprehends or becomes fixated upon an apparently separate object, we are aware that the contents of our mind's dualistic tendency when it has become occupied (pratyaya). Through viveka as basic awareness, we recognize/notice that the mind has become hijacked or otherwise so occupied/possessed. Secondly we are then able to disengage this form of possession (via vairagya) and return awareness back (pratyhara) into its original source (CIT) which has no bounds. That is the basic use of viveka, but there is more.
Again viveka is not to be confused with the intellectual or analytical reductionist processes of samkhya or vedanta, but rather applied in meditation practice (raj yoga) one becomes aware when the mind has wandered over time more easily and with less effort (through a more consistent constant application and familiarity with the process of self awareness). Thus one knows where the mind is (viveka) and wandering and fluctuations of the mental processes eventually ceases, while self correcting positive mental patterns devoid of such tendencies are established.. Here Patanjali uses the word, khyater, (clarity of illuminating wisdom) along with the word, viveka, indicating that this is not just the application of discriminatory discernment alone. Rather a particular way of seeing through viveka-khyatir has been gleaned through practice and has become potenized. Viveka-khyatir, as the pure awareness of pure awareness as displayed through the mandala of form -- as the clear lucidity that discloses, first grows inside as an opening to the intelligent Universal Source of Consciousness itself (ascribed to purusha), but which evidences everywhere. It is the cit shining through more brightly -- the realization of our True Self our own true self nature (swarupa) which abides within as our highest potential. In this higher vision (khyati) of viveka, cit is brought together and merges with differentiated reality (all and everything that we can see, hear, taste, feel, smell, perceive, or imagine. That is done within the framework of astanga yoga. It is nothing other than the union of pure consciousness (cit) and sat (beingness) eventually resulting in Satchitananda..
So let us be clear that although we can ascribe names to "what" this illuminating wisdom (viveka khyater) illuminates, the light of that light (the param purusha) is the illuminating primal seed source which is shining through, and to which yoga practice is designed to reconnect us with as an unbroken continuity because every manifestation/form is an unbroken emanation from Beginningless Source. Beginningless Source never goes away --it is always present. It is only because our minds have become fragmented from that continuity or Great Integrity, that we need to practice yoga in the first place.
See commentary on viveka in Sutra II.15 above, Sutra II. 28 below, and in Pada Four: Kaivalyam, Sutras IV. 8, 15, 21, 26, 27, 29.
The normal intellect (buddhi) is assigned to the ego. As such it is under the control of individual will, it is capable of performing many intellectual, conceptual, and cognitive tasks, but that "intelligent" use is limited and specific, and not always functional (upaya). That is one aspect of buddhi (the inflect). But really buddhi comes from Mahat (universal intelligence) which is transpersonal. This is not viveka-khyateh and not what astanga yoga is designed to do.
Buddhi is a dim reflection of mahat. In turn Mahat comes from purusa/Maheshvara, hence the seed source of buddhi or intellect is the all pervading ever accessible omnipresent Siva (Maheshvara). The point being that ordinary analytical thought (often called discriminatory awareness) under the direction of the ego and will, is not what is being referred to here as viveka-khyater. Albeit some intellectuals are confused as to this, viveka-khyater is the profound spiritual discriminatory awareness that allows the nondual seeker to discern purusa within prakrti -- to see the effulgent self in all, to recognize our true nature, and self liberate realizing the true nature of universal unconditioned natural mind, kaivalya. It is the power (saktyoh) of pure differentiated consciousness wedded to pure undifferentiated absolute consciousness (purusa).
Patanjali is saying that samyoga is a limited false identification (asmita-raga) where the observer grasps onto objects and identifies with the objects (not unlike in I.5 when “At other times one identifies with the citta-vrtti”. Both asmita-raga (as attachment and identification with views), and asmita-dvesa (repulsion and disassociation from phenomena (alienation) cause serious vrtti.
Here Patanjali prescribes the practice of viveka, of which promotes prajna (intrinsic wisdom) by both removing the two extremes of false identification (the confusion of samyoga where asmita-raga dominates) and the confusion dominated by asmita-dvesa which produces nihilism, dissociation, isolation, and alienation. In non-dual realization (swarupa-sunyam samadhi) there is in reality no separate object or observer, and hence no separate object of differentiation, yet "things" apparently exist.
Viveka-khyater is nothing else than differentiated awareness which illumines that profound mutuality—the way we view the universe in an integrated/interdependent wholistic context. Without it we can not discern/see Maheshvara within Shakti – Brahman within maya, purusa within prakrti, nirvana within samsara, etc. To borrow from Tantra either Shakti clothes and veils Siva or she reveals him!
To reiterate, viveka is *not* merely buddhi (intellect) which is under the control of the ego and will. Patanjali does not mean ordinary dualistic analytical reductionism by "viveka", rather *spiritual discernment* of the intrinsic pure seed consciousness (isvara) within nature (prakrti) -- bringing *everything* home HERE and NOW as differentiated consciousness. Viveka is the recognition that all phenomena are interconnected and not disparate. The discriminative wisdom that allows the yogi to discern how things are interdependent is what is called viveka which leads to yoga. When the universe is seen as fragmented, disparate, and not related the observer lives in a no man's wasteland of confusion and ignorance, lacking integrative context or integrity. Abiding i that integrity consciously is what yogis call, yoga.
Then Patanjali says quite straightforwardly in I.28 that the purpose of astanga yoga is to go beyond strengthening viveka-khyater; i.e., that astanga yoga is an awareness practice that develops insight to an ultimate degree, culminating in samadhi; but more so, that astanga yoga merges cit-shakti (cit-prana). It is as though the world of things as well as the body appears as if asleep at first, then through pure awareness itself things become alive -- they become imbued with an all encompassing reflectivity -- revealing the both the many and the one together - the mystery of the hologram revealed. Where Pada I emphasized vairagya (which is fundamentally passive and internal), here Pada two emphasizes viveka (active and extended); while for the hatha yogi both come together energetically in the sushumna or upaya nadi – middle way or central channel. It is through that profound integration and mutuality between pure consciousness or cit (siva) and pure beingness or sat (shakti) that the evolutionary energy is connected to its primordial source within the conscious awakened human being in Sat-Cit-Ananda. In Reality, siva and shakti -- undifferentiated and differentiated realities, the absolute and relative truths are married and inseparable disclosing a profound mutuality which extends to and from all "beings" and "things".
"It's as if the consciousness were no longer in the same position with respect to things, so they appear totally different. The ordinary human consciousness, even the broadest, always occupies the center position, and things exist in relation to that center: in the human consciousness, you are in one point, and everything exists in relation to that point of consciousness. But now, the point is no longer there! So things exist in themselves.... My consciousness is within things; it isn't something that 'receives'."
The Mother, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, 17 November 1971)
For example for the hatha yogi, while engaging in asana and pranayama practice, the nadis (energy channels) carry not only life energy (prana), but also psychic energy (cit). Not only life energy and psychic energy, but also Prana from infinite source. The avarana's (coverings) of these passageways are uncovered, purified, opened, and strengthened so that more psychic-energy and consciousness will flow through into embodiment. It is in this way that the world of form (phenomenal reality) is heightened) and truly revealed to be holographic in nature- full of light, timeless wisdom, and NOW awareness. This relationship between viveka-khyater and prajna (intrinsic wisdom) becomes clear in II.27
Although Patanjali's advice is to be taken at first within the context for the practice of meditation, we can apply it (viveka-khyatir aviplava hanopayah) in All Our Relations as it leads to All Our Relations
II. 27. tasya saptadha pranta-bhumih prajna
Thus the yogi spreads (pranta) this transconceptual differentiated wisdom (viveka) as a continuous seamless integration of innate wisdom-light (prajna) [into all our relationships] via seven interfacing fields of practice or stages [samadhi being the eighth] (saptadha pranta-bhumih).
or
Thus wisdom (prajna) is sharpened and developed through the application of vivid awareness (viveka) that reveals seven (saptadha) open doorways (pranta) consisting of interconnected mutually synergistic and co-creative stages (bhumis).
pranta: An intermediate or transitional state; a portal or bridge between two or more things. To bring forward toward its eventual fruition or completeness; pushing the envelope; working your edges; interfacing. Pranta implies going beyond the existing frontier or breaking a known boundary. Literally breaking/moving forward; discovering a new .edge. border, ledge, or boundary etc. Relating to the process of moving into new territory. As such in yoga as a wholistic practice, pranta connotes the breaking of old boundaries and introduces the idea that all the practices are interconnected, lead to, and are integral with, the common integration, samadhi. In fact, the eight limbs of astanga yoga are seamless; i.e., they are interconnected by seven open doorways, interactive, and mutually supportive.
prajna: intrinsic, innate, inherent, or intuitive wisdom: underestimated or inner wisdom. It is non-dual wisdom (prajna) as natural light which links all the limbs as pranta (gateless portals or open doorways) each to the other seamlessly.
saptadha: sevenfold
bhumi: field, stage. dimension, plane, interspace, platform; level, ground, basis, strata, or gate.
Commentary: Here viveka-khyateh is both brought forward and fructified through this practice, while at the same time it is the instrumental means, which provides success in the practice (which is completed in samadhi).Viveka, thus is characterized as the spreading forth of prajna in seven stages culminating in samadhi. Viveka-khyatir (see previous sutra) at its zenith reveals its inherent integration with prajna (intrinsic undifferentiated wisdom) -- the union of absolute and relative truths. That transconceptual integration is the fruit that is developed via astanga yoga practice. In turn that wisdom (viveka-khyatir) is itself brought to bear on astanga yoga practice as it itself is developed thus forming a mutually accelerating synergy where all yoga practices reflect back this profound interdependent mutuality. Sutra 27 is a continuation of sutras 24 - 26 and naturally lead us to sutra 28..
Underlying all things is an intrinsic all pervading formless luminous wisdom or clarity (prajna) whose edges (pranta) are sharpened and pierced in seven (sapta) stages (bhumis), eventually becoming edgeless and open-ended. The development of this self luminous wisdom is self revealing to those who have sought spiritual discernment. The limbs or components of astanga yoga are in yoga, while "saptadha pranta-bhumih" connotes the breaking of old boundaries, which are broken down into eight practices, each one having its own completion in relation to the others.
In fact, the eight limbs of astanga yoga are seamless; i.e., they are interconnected by seven open doorways (pranta) which are normally seen as closed because of avidya (ignorance). Here the wise yogi extends prajna into these practices, which open up what was previously blocked. imprisoned or bounded. Each branch is a perfection and completion of prajna staring with yam/niyam. Samadhi is complete and perfect in itself. It is self-contained and nascent in all the other seven. These seven stages develop, sharpen, and fully utilize viveka-khyater to its highest point through practicing it (sharpening it) as it perfects each yogic limbs permeating it with prajna. Similarly, through wise practice bringing awareness into previously dissociated areas of life, which had previously been experienced as an or fragmented extrinsic existence, an alive integration is awakened. In short, we bring awareness and life into every aspect of life as practice via the wise application of astanga yoga eventually leading to total seamless integration in samadhi. Hence samadhi is the culmination of the seven pranta bhumis (interspaces), where there is no further interspace that can be postulated to exist outside of that.
Patanjali is approaching the practice of eight limbed (astanga) yoga in seven mutually synergistic co-creative methods and approaches. As wisdom (prajna) dawns, so does ignorance fall away. There are seven transition stages that lead to samadhi. As ignorance falls away, wisdom dawns. Through practice we see that wisdom supports more wisdom -- that elements of all the limbs are found in each other, i.e., that they all reflect the overall tree which is yoga.
We will find that each stage is mutually synergistic, each able to mutually access, support, and amplify each other, while always keeping in mind that they in reality form an interactive dynamic whole being capable of both accessing the evolutionary Source of Consciousness and Beingness as well as being its natural expression. The seven boundaries to travail and open up are:
From Samadhi there is no further stage or boundary to travail. In a similar sense each of the seven pranta bhumis interspace with each other, hence:
Yam integrates with niyam, asana, pranayama, pratyhara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi.
Niyam interspaces with yam, asana, pranayama, pratyhara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi.
Asana interfaces with yam, niyam, pranayama,dharana, dhyana, and samadhi.
Pranayama interfaces with yam, niyam, asana, pratyhara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi
Pratyhara interspaces with yam, niyam, asana, pranayama, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi.
Dharana... Dhyana... and Samadhi interfaces with the other seven. These interfaces are going on all the time (continuously) in functional astanga yoga.
Here in II.27, Patanjali has just finished his discussion of ignorance (avidya), kleshas, karma, and false identifications. Kriya yoga, pratiprasava, dhyana, and viveka-khyatir were mentioned as remediations, but until now, Patanjali has not addressed how to develop viveka-khyater (differentiated consciousness or the truth of relativity) which is an awareness which potentially exists inherently in all things and beings.
So in order to accomplish just that Patanjali suggests astanga yoga. We begin the discussion of this major auxiliary sadhana generally labeled as astanga (eight limb) yoga here. Indeed astanga yoga greatly strengthens and enriches differentiated awareness while integrating that as recognizing purusa (undifferentiated consciousness) residing within the heart of all differentiated phenomena (so called co-arisen interdependent phenomena devoid of any independent or separate "self". In fact we will see how through astanga yoga, viveka-khyater eventually leads the yogi to samadhi, which is the realization that extrinsic and intrinsic awareness have the same base, that they are both parts of a great inseparable all encompassing seamless continuity of peerless Integrity. But of course at first the yogi starts from a a corrupted state of awareness -- a separation due to disconnection where the pathways of wisdom (prajna) are blocked by delusion (avidya).
Tantrics may say that the reference to the seven phases is a mystical reference to correspond to the development of the seven chakras. In short the channels or nadis interconnecting the natural flow of energy between the chakras are blocked by the kleshas and hence the opens up these artificially created boundaries. Others who take Vyasa and the samkhya dualistic philosophical tradition as authority will analyze this sutra in traditional philosophical and academic methods of gradation, each level of jnana (knowledge) removing another layer of ignorance, while disclosing an underlying expansive view (vidya) ending in absolute liberation or kaivalyam. Although it is true that astanga yoga brings forth prajna, however such a philosophical analysis of Sutra II.27 is out of place in this context of astanga yoga, which is the instrumental cause for samadhi, rather through tools of intellectual analysis or conceptual fabrication (vikalpa) which is not a tool that Patanjali ever would suggest.
Since the preceding subject has been viveka as applied to the process of differentiated awareness (a rich multiplicit all encompassing awareness within the context of an overall integrated awareness), while the succeeding sutra begins the introduction to the practice (anusthana) of astanga yoga as a path of purification (suddhi), which also removes the blockages obscuring viveka-khyater and sharpens it to a highly polished degree, it seems conclusive that Patanjali is clearly stating the interconnectedness and mutual interdependence pathways between each limb. For example asana has seven pathways to the other seven limbs, pranayama also has seven pathways to the other seven limbs, and so forth like that.
This is the purpose of astanga yoga -- to cut through ignorance and blockages and thus propitiate samadhi. Through the practice which has seven stages (samadhi has no further extension as it is complete in itself) each acts asana open doorway both reflecting the light (prajna) from the innate wisdom and leading the practitioner towards it. In a wise astanga yoga practice a previous area of awareness which has become obscured, ignored, numbed out, gray, blocked, or unrecognized, now becomes vibrant, alive, conscious, opened up, connected and made brilliant/shining -- illumined. Through astanga yoga the yogi allows for the basic luminous and seamless loving space (which is the dharmadhatu) to experience all phenomena which in its ultimate sense is entirely transconceptual and can only be fully experienced in samadhi beyond labeling and duality whose source is primordial wisdom. That is what wise practice reveals and as this revelation increases so does the process of astanga yoga until ultimate natural uncontrived liberation. .
Swami Venkatesananda says:
"This awareness is keen, intense and operative even in the field of the first seven of the eight states or limbs of yoga-practice whose description follows: this practice should therefore not be a mechanical, unintelligent, dull routine."
II. 28. yoga-anga-anusthanad asuddhi-ksye jnana-diptir a viveka-khyateh
Through the practice (anusthana) of these limbs of yoga (yoga-angam) the obstructions and impurities (asuddhi) which occlude the self effulgent vision of truth (jnana-diptir) are destroyed (ksaye) to the extent (a) that one simultaneously develops and utilizes interconnected awareness (viveka-khyatir) to extend to all things and beings without limit.
angam: limbs or components.
anusthana: doing, practicing, undertaking.
asuddhi: impurities
ksye: destruction or elimination
jnana: knowledge
diptir: radiance, splendor, or light
a: up to; leading toward; as far as.
viveka: mutual awareness of, waking up to relationship. The realization of the unity of relative truth (where all things and events are known as inter-connected and continuous from beginingless time). At first the act of noticing or observing "something", then this awareness is extended to it in relationship to everything else including its origin observing its interconnectedness or mutuality. Relative awareness, differentiated awareness or discriminatory wisdom in the asamprajnata (non-dual, transcognitive, and transpersonal) sense.
khyateh: Realized: understood, seen, illumined. Clarity.
Commentary: The practice of astanga yoga brings forth (anusthana) the destruction and purification of the blockages (asuddhi-ksye) of the natural free flow of interconnected awareness and energy -- it opens up the pathways and nadis (psychic nerves). This sutra is a seamless continuation of Sutras 24-27. Yoga culminates in samadhi.
"Yoga is samadhi"
Swami Rama
Here viveka-khyateh is both the means, not in its most pure form leads destroys ignorance -- the means to mukti (kaivalyam). As one practices it as a means, that means becomes highly sharpened and polished through practice. The practice of astanga yoga both potentiates viveka khyater and in turn viveka-khyater potentiates astanga yoga, as they act as mutual synergist. In one sense it may seem clear that Patanjali is presenting astanga yoga as a method to develop awareness -- (viveka-khyater) as an awareness practice which awakens and extends our highest wisdom (prajna) and potential into life and our experiences. Likewise Patanjali is also saying that viveka-khyatir really is an awareness tool that furthers the goal of astanga yoga, which is samadhi. One thing is certain; i.e., that viveka-khyatir is not fructified via conceptual elaborations or intellectual study, but rather through practice (astanga yoga) according to Sri Patanjali.
Jnana-diptir, means light of knowledge or the knowledge bearing light. Hence the practitioner of ashtanga yoga becomes a holder of light-- its container. The yogi learns how to contain and then express that light.
Asuddhi-ksaye is to destroy the impurities and obstructions that occlude the jnana-diptir which viveka-khyater discloses. As the obstructions decrease through practice of astanga yoga, the light increases. The process, method and practice (anusthana) is clearly practicing the seven prerequisite component limbs of yoga which leads to the penultimate culmination of union, samadhi. It is through astanga yoga that tha occlusions and blockages of consciousness and prana are purified and removed so that consciousness can irrigate and be recognized in All Our Relations .
As a key method in astanga yoga, viveka-khyateh is a revealing awareness which deals with what appears at first as extrinsic objects that appear to possess concrete form (simple differentiated awareness), but as the yoga practice develops so too does this extrinsic awareness which further opens the door to realizing how the mind projects these labels upon the so called "extrinsic world" and hence illuminating the true non-dual nature of our own mind as an extension of primordial consciousness -- the extension of consciousness into life, the body, existence and the universe or better its recognition as the way it-is-as samadhi in as swarupa-sunyam (see III.3), then we understand that light of wisdom which is both simultaneously inside and outside as all pervading.
Viveka-khyateh leads to the realization of all things in relationship as they truly are within an intimate experiential context with the whole -- as a coherent holographic components -- as the unity of relative truth and absolute truth. In yoga, viveka-khyateh is to be applied to that integrative continuous realization of samadhi (the crown of astanga yoga) both as practice and as All Our Relations. Hence astanga yoga leads naturally to samadhi.
A wise practice exercises viveka-khyater and at the same time viveka-khyater potentiates a wise practice, hence they act as mutual synergists. As such in beginning yoga practice we invoke "mindfulness", breath awareness, self study, ahimsa, energy awareness, awareness of the contents of the mind, while later the mature practice self liberates in naked awareness -- Now consciousness, revealing the true nature of mind and existence as one harmonious whole -- in Sat-Chit-Ananda - Pure Being, Pure Consciousness, and Unequalled Great Bliss.
Here we are rediscovering the inherent intrinsic wisdom light in differentiated reality by acknowledging and extending that light (prajna) inside the human vehicle into the extrinsic relative world of form via astanga yoga. By "re"discovering,`it is assumed that this is our true unconditioned state of primordial consciousness before negative programming knowing itself. The practice is to illumine and act in mutual harmony with that same universal light which exists inside our own bodies and within all of creation. Hence astanga merely wakes us up from forgetfulness -- clearing away the clouds (vrtti, klesa, samskaras). Hence yoga is an awareness process which begets even more awareness, both amplifying our understanding of existence and our own mind/mental states at the same time, until NOW awareness shines through in All Our Relations.
The movement being toward revealing that mutuality between purusa and prakrti -- between consciousness and being -- between Cit and Sat -- between the mind and the body -- between spirit and nature at each and every turn. Thus at each stage in the process, samadhi is increasingly approximated, aligned with, and attuned toward, communed with and integrated. In this higher vision (khyati) of viveka, cit is brought together and merges with differentiated reality. here cit (pure consciousness) and sat (pure beingness) are brought together as a mutuality a unity. In reality or truth they are not separate. They only appear separate because of the delusion of being separate entities (egos). This awareness grows with the reactionary of astanga yoga. Each limb/component of astanga yoga work together as a mutually synergistic whole.
Practice: For example in any conscious posture as well as in ha-tha yoga practice, there is union between conscious awareness and the various parts (limbs) of the body in terms of both an internal ecology within the body and the body's stance with gravity, the earth, and the universe (nature). Here body, breath, nature, and mind merge as an integrated integrity or whole. A mutual relationship is realized between the yam/niyams (ahimsa), the breath (pranayama), pratyhara, dharana, and dhyana, and samadhi through that one limb alone. The same goes for the practice of the other limbs such as but especially pratyhara dharana (visualization and mudras), pratyhara, pranayama, dhyana -- a unitive relationship is eventually revealed between consciousness and beingness (Cit and Sat) in satchitananda in All Our Relations including the yams/niyams.
For example in an asana practice one will be able to place their awareness at first on the body, the breath, specific movements, and their internal activators as well as antagonists. This brings the practitioner in synch with the nervous system and focuses the attention so that a synergistic alignment between body, breath, mind, emotions, and the internal energy all can come together as a frictionless unit thus accomplishing asana, pranayama, pratyhara, and dharana together. When the awareness of the intelligence behind the life energy (prana-shakti) becomes revealed then one can allow that intelligence not only to move the body but also reveal her ultimate partner siva, who is after all the consummate instructor of yoga. Such is one example where astanga yoga asana practice can be utilized with viveka. Hence the hatha yogi learns how to open to that light and contain it and evolutionary energy more continuously. Then the yogi can manifest/express it the more he/she acts as its fit container and vehicle on all levels and dimensions including the earth plane.
As understood in samkhya philosophy viveka is often defined within a limited way as a discriminating awareness or the discernment process that uses comparison and/or reductionist methods as an analytical process within a dualistic context, where an object is analyzed in isolation from the whole; i.e., separated and made distinct. Taken to its extreme that process results in an incomplete and fragmented comparison (already described) lacking integrity and universal context. Such an analytical and mechanistic approach is merely the result of the action of the intellect (buddhi), albeit the power of the intellect emanates from mahat and prakrti. In that sense, that awareness, is a severely limited definition of viveka. That is not the same integrative yogic wisdom which is defined by Patanjali and is experienced in astanga yoga as a yogic wisdom. The famous saying, neti-neti, of the jnani yogi, is not a statement of exclusivity, but rather total integration. Only in the very beginning processes of discriminatory awareness, is it useful to recognize samyoga (false identifications), asmita (egoic mindsets), conditioning, negative mental habits, modifications of mind-field (citta-vrtta), and other kleshic activities (hindrances and obstructions).
Rather in the yogic sense, viveka, is an integrative wisdom where phenomena and objects are acknowledged and compared in relationship to everything else (sarva vivekinah) -- within the sacred framework of a profound interdependent mutuality where there is no separate independent "thingness" that can stand independent or isolated from the whole in reality. Thus in astanga yoga, viveka is not to be confused with merely an intellectual, analytical, reductionist, or comparative process of the intellect (buddhi), rather its true nature has to acknowledged. Basic awareness is a first step leading to viveka as that application of pure awareness that notices, watches, and observes form. objects, movement, phenomena, and mind in terms of the functioning of the mind. Viveka, as distinct from the individual mentational processes of the intellect ( buddhi) is a transconceptual open inquiry that observes what is happening with the citta-vrtti without imposing any further philosophical frameworks, reference points, words, values, comparative analysis, conceptual frameworks, or judgment. In the mountain yogi tradition phenomena (all things) are understood in context as-it-is -- in terms of the whole, and as such, the eight limbs are approached in this light. In asana practice, this approach opens up dead and numbed out spots in the body/mind. It awakens the body, breath, mind, energy, and wisdom bodies. In pranamaya practice this brings about the mutuality between the breath, the energy body, the physical body, the emotions, mental states, belief system, and reality (the natural unconditioned unitive breath of jnana prana or kevala kumbhaka. Similarly for all the limbs where consciousness meets form -- where cit and sat merge as in cit-sakti. Where there is a lack of consciousness, there is a lack of energy. Where there is an absence or suppression of energy, there is the absence or suppression of consciousness.
This presentation is thus a living systems approach where apparently independent "things" or parts are known in a profound relationship, versus isolation. Things are known correctly (as-it-is) by understanding also how the mind perceives "things", hence the correction of relativity is applied offsetting bias and narrow mindedness.
For example how is it that you, the reader, know the created world of things and beings? First one apprehends sense objects, through the sense organs, then it is "interpreted. If the interpretation is colored by pramana or any other of the citta-vrtti, then one will come up with a distorted picture - a misapprehension. How could you analyze the object accurately without some outside information? Like you could taste it, smell it squeeze it, observe its various qualities, compare it with other objects, take it apart, and so forth, but your knowledge of the object would remain limited and biased, be it a shooting star or finger if perceived in thee manners. However if you placed your sense organs in alignment with its intrinsic beginningless seed source origin so that the all pervasive transpersonal inner light inside recognizes itself inside all beings and things, then the manifold diversity of the many is seen as-it-is within the timeless universality of the one. All things not being the same, but being themselves are truly known and experienced simultaneously as they truly are as you experience who you truly are. This is then the process of first going to Universal Source and coming from Universal Source (origin) of both self and all objects and thus knowing things in such a relationship.
So here viveka-khyateh is a extended wisdom (extended from intrinsic natural wisdom or prajna)- a heightened form of viveka which is differentiated consciousness put into service to help us realize Self in terms of everything else - as a samadhi where intrinsic undifferentiated reality and extrinsic differentiated wisdom merge as one --where purusa and prakrti are integrated as one larger wholistic mutuality of consciousness and being (siva/shakti) so that in every action, word, and thought we walk the path of beauty and harmony forever. This power is strengthened through practicing astanga yoga. Eventually we realize that undifferentiated awareness and differentiated awareness conjoin as sarva-jnanam.
In Raj yoga (the Yoga of Patanjali) the word, thus viveka is brought to sublime subtilization where all intellectual activity (vikalpa) is stilled -- all citta vrtti dissolved. Dhyana is not an intellectual inquiry utilizing anumana (inference) or conceptual speculations (vikalpa), but rather it is naked awareness. an attentive mindfulness, and an NOW awareness which is repeatedly visited, applied, and ripened in astanga yoga and especially meditation (dhyana) practice (sadhana). Thus in the yoga context, viveka is developed to a very sharp point through abhyasa (consistent or repeated practice over time) combined with vairagya (non-attachment to the point of a-vrtti-virodha) so that the normal dualistic mental processes (citta-vrtti) does not become stirred up, further distracted, stray, become fixated, or dissipated upon objects of thought or phenomena, but rather ceases.
As an example let us look at how this works in asana practice (the third limb). Rather than take a movement apart into its constituent parts, let us see it in terms on how the movement is integrated with all its parts taken as a fluid whole, with the breath, the emotions, the energy, the marmas, nadis, chakras, subtle body, and wisdom body. In a body posture, there will be observed a pre-existing locked in tightness or rigidity due to an energetic pattern, conditioning process, or imprint (samskara) or vasana having been locked in place. This way old karmic patterns are also burned up as new evolutionary circuits are energized.
When we bring conscious awareness into a specific area of the body (for example by calling in conscious breathing or pranayama as an aid as well as visualization) this awareness of the part connects with the brain, the awareness of witness consciousness (purusa) connects with prakrti (nature), the body part is transformed from being foggy, gray, dead, disconnected, and numb to being alive, conscious, energized and connected. This is the result of brining cit (or awareness) into the area and with it the cit-shakti, the cit-prana, and/or prana shakti which energizes the region and brings back into harmony with the rest of the system. Here we apply the awareness (viveka) into an area and listen for responses (signals) in awareness. we are thus informed by the awareness response, as much as the awareness informs the process in the beginning. Hence the practice becomes a play of light, consciousness, life energy, consciousness, and nature which brings conscious union/integration or yoga between self and nature, consciousness and being, undifferentiated consciousness with differentiated consciousness, ultimate realty with relative reality, crown (sahasrara) and root (muladhara).
Likewise in simple pranayama (the fourth limb) as we place awareness of each nuance of the breath, its relationship with the ribs, diaphragm, nervous system, neuro-physiology, emotions, air, and nature become more finely refined and interconnected. This differentiated awareness helps us eventually connect up with the Great Continuum.
In dhyana, which is the seventh limb immediately preceding samadhi, it is not unusual to experience that after applying viveka (awareness) to the wanderings of the citta-vrtti (monkey mind) alongside with vairagya, that the habit of following the monkey mind in its multiple wayward discursions and dissipations becomes entirely disrupted. Buddha defeated Mara in his meditation under the Bodhi Tree. Then the meditator releases all constructed thought patterns, imputations of the mind, and its vectors via spontaneous vairagya. Thus these recurring patterns of the citta-vrtti having ceased for increasingly longer periods of time, eventually the requisite space for primordial consciousness arises naturally and becomes more continuously present. Through viveka, one recognizes -- is aware -- that the mind has wandered or has become dull. This affords the opportunity for the meditator to refocus on the meditation again in pure NOW awareness -- for the beginner that simply means watching and observing in pure naked awareness bringing the monkey mind back to the space of unitive wholeness should it wander.
Thus through consistent dhyana practice one learns to abide in the light of pure NOW awareness more continuously and consistently. Viveka matures in profound spiritual realization - viveka-khyateh, which is itself a means to the final completion (kaivalya). A synergistic and profound balance and harmony between vairagya and viveka is attained and eventually more sattvic patterns are activated giving rise to a recognition of new more expansive horizons -- a greater all inclusive and intrinsic awareness which existed underneath the winds and agitations of "normal" coarse discursive mentations (citta-vrtti), but was occluded by it self arises.
Through the following eight limbed (astanga) practice this process of awakening is greatly enhanced as yoga is integrated in All Our Relations.
Through practice we start knowing more directly about non-dual "Self" and the process of conscious awakening itself. Such a practice (astanga yoga) in itself is self revealing. In authentic yoga, thus the fruit is known experientially, i.e., the practice itself produces the spiritual experience which is the fruit, rather than in some other systems the approach is rather through gathering external knowledge "about" the experience and then attempting to mimic that, but that way the authentic experience itself most often remains elusive and enigmatic.
Here through authentic yogic practice (sadhana) the impurities and afflictions that occlude the vision of truth are destroyed allowing the immanent and intrinsic self effulgent awareness to shine forth from within in mutual recognition and affirmation. WE become brighter as the world becomes luminous/illumined --as we abide in transpersonal Self.
See Sutras II. 15 and II.26 for more on viveka.
II. 29. yama-niyama-asana-pranayama-pratyhara-dharana-dhyana-samadhayo'stav-angani
The eight limbs (asta angani) of yoga are yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyhara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi. [They work as mutual synergists together in order to create a beneficial momentous whole.]
Commentary: The eight (asta) limbs (angas) are mutually synergistic to each other forming a natural spontaneous expression when customized to the sadhak's constitution, karma, conditions, or circumstances. Through the practice of astanga yoga the components are revealed to reflect an overall wholistic integrated relationship. As each component becomes mutually aligned and attuned to each to the other an effective practice (sadhana) unfolds which self illumines and liberates the path. The eight limbs and how they interact will be detailed below.
II. 30. Ahimsa-satya-asteya-brahmacarya-aparigraha yamah
Non-violence (ahimsa), truthfulness (satya), integrity (asteya), continuous dedication to creator/creation (brahmacharya), and nonattachment (aparigraha) effect this great vow and commitment to awaken (yama).
Commentary: Simply put yama means death, or putting the end to an activity, Niyama means the end of death, or rebirth. This is generally taken that yams are more basic than the niyams, the niyams are more proactive (positive) – they are built upon the base of yam, then niyam is going further beyond yam. The end or death which is referred to here, is the cessation of ignorance (avidya) or suffering (duhkha). When the yams and niyams are perfected, then the falling back into states of suffering is eliminated.
Certainly yam and niyam are not moral code in the Western religious sense where if one obeys certain laws one will be rewarded and if they disobey they will be punished. So for a moralist or a follower of EXTERNAL discipline such as a book, bible, scripture, external authority or authority figure (agama or sruti) they follow external dictates and have faith in these belief systems. Such is the antithesis of yoga. Yoga is not based on external laws coming from an external authority (as Patanjali has clearly said in I.7 and I, 49), rather functional yoga connects us directly to our intrinsic wisdom (prajna) and thus the yams having helped lead us there, we require no other direction other than from this innate (internal) light. Rather than to obey external dictates, Patanjali says that isvara is the intrinsic seed consciousness found within. Patanjali teaches to find that inside and then one KNOWS what to do and why. Hence yoga is self empowering -- which is quite the opposite of external morals. In that sense when we act from that heart/core awareness with full integrity and wisdom such transcends far beyond following moral dictates obtained through external sources of authority. In the former all our activities and thoughts come together as a spontaneous expression of that realization.
That is one result of yoga -- it's a process of reversing the wheel of samsaric existence first on a personal basis, then once liberated. on a transpersonal plane for the benefit of all beings. The yams take both situations (samsaric and liberated (nirvanic) into consideration at the same time. So with the yams niyams as well as asana, pranayama, pratyhara, dharana, and dhyana we practice to achieve that natural expression/proficiency. That is authentic sadhana according to Sri Patanjali being as we are in Sadhana Pada.
Yams are often mistranslated into English as restraints or moral codes such as activities that are forbidden or are sinful, thus conjuring up fear of punishment, negative motivation, or elements of repression. Although a common interpretation, this is not the efficient way of practicing yama. Rather than as a restraint, negative, restriction, or limitation, the yams are the unbounded natural unleashing of Divine will and moral courage -- the true law as a celebration of Boundless Self.
As we shall see "yama is" the a great vow (mahavrata) to attain enlightenment (samadhi) -- when we realize our true nature swarupa-sunyam). It is like a gate to the hell realms that has been closed, or the holes on a leaky vessel which have become stopped, so that the vessel is capable of holding its nectar. It is like sealing a bottle of magical perfume so that its essence no longer is diffused or lost.
At first, the novice yogi begins by eliminating activities which are distractive toward that aim. One puts an end (yama) to such dissipative or dissuasive tendencies, eventually avidya is destroyed -- direct insight shines through increasingly. Here Sri Patanjali identifies the chief five yamas (activities to cease) which lead to disparate fragmentation (disintegration/corruption), while functional yoga leads to harmony and integration. Hence the yams form the basis for the great binding together that is astanga yoga. We will see in the next few sutras that yams are designed to reverse or remediate dissipative tendencies. They create open free space and energy when the momentum of the wheel of samsara is slowed down or ceases to turn. This relates to "punya" (meritorious action) as found in Sutra II.14. Punya does not mean good or meritorious per se, but rather punya is action that reverses unfortunate karma and hence the wheel of samsara is disrupted. We will see the same idea expressed by pratipaksa-bhavanam in Sutras II.33-35 below. The yams thus like all the component limbs of astanga yoga are designed to liberate the practitioner from the wheel of life and death (samsara).
My teachers said that there were to be found an inner meaning and an outer meaning, a gross, subtle, and secret meaning involving body, speech, and mind to all the yam and niyam. For example with ahimsa it is not just refraining from hurting others, but also not hurting oneself. It is not just refraining from harm, but removing harm. That is effected in speech, action, and in thought reflecting an integrative transpersonal truth.
Similarly with satya; satya is not just refraining from telling lies to others, but more so the inner meaning is to stop lying to oneself (to end self deceit and delusional game playing ). That is the heightened form of satya, as a yam, to stop lying to oneself and others as a reflection of an integrative truth -- as a method to become allied with THAT. Some of this can be very subtle, but the outer and inner meanings of the yams and niyams have universal application.
Yamas are the elimination of activities that hinder our progress in yoga as well as the taking up of positive activities. Hence the yams act as a seal of dissipations and energy leaks. This empowers the rest of our practice in many ways. If they are wisely considered and given up while their opposite qualities are nourished, then our progress will flow more smoothly and quickly.
Chief among these yamas is ahimsa (non-violence). Ahimsa is . the removal of violence from our own life as well as others where we learn to honor the life force in our self as well as recognizing and respecting that in others (taken in the transpersonal non-dual sense in which the two are really one). The second yama is satya (truthfulness) being the removal of the veils of deceit and falsehood from our lives including that of self deceit. Then follows asteya as honesty, non-stealing, non-exploitation of others, and integrity in All Our Relations. Then brahmacharya (continuity, centeredness, wedded-ness, or one pointedness to the all inclusive weave of "Source" which is a harmony and union in true Integrity while not allowing oneself to be distracted from the spiritual goal. Lastly aparigraha, which is non-possessiveness, non-greed, non-envy, non-attachment, letting go, non-false identification penetrating throughout the mind in meditation as well as in All Our Relations as the simplification of our life so that we are better able to focus on the spiritual goal latent in every moment).
"Yamas and niyamas all have their root in ahimsa (not harming living beings); their aim is to perfect this love that we ought to have for all creatures..." From the "Yogasutra-bhashya" 2.30, by Vyasa, the oldest commentary on Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, trsl. by J. Varenne, "Yoga in the Hindu Tradition", Univ. of Chicago Press, 1976This is more than subtle. Since everybody on the planet has caused some harm to other living things in some form, the spiritual truth that ahimsa points to is simply move in that direction -- to more deeply commune and inter-connect with the practices of non-violence, not harming others or self, and actually removing harm to others (healing) and self especially in the transpersonal sense where "the other" and the self are one in our daily actions so that balance and continuity in our authentic yoga practice is accelerated and realized. Thus bringing ahimsa into our lives is a healing action for "Self" as others, bringing less harm and abuse into our own lives, while promoting healing and well beingness.
Yama is commonly mis-translated as being similar to external Western moral dictums, proscriptions, codes, standards, and laws, such as if you break such written or externalized rules, one then becomes punished. Conversely follow these rules and one is rewarded and goes to heaven. Such are goal oriented rules which reflect a system of future reward and punishment.
But there this is not what Patanjali means by the word, yama. No where does Patanjali hint upon Divine retribution, vengeance, or punishment. Rather yam/niyam are the first two limbs of ashtanga yoga and as such are practices that lead to samadhi. As such they are offered up as guidelines or suggestions in a "take it or leave it" attitude where one may practice any of the limbs be they yama, niyama, asana, or pranayama, or ahimsa, or dharana, or any other sadhana. Patanjali is stating clearly that all of the limbs taken together for the mutually synergistic practice of ashtanga yoga which is designed to lead one to samadhi. Patanjali had already stated in Pada One that yoga eventually leads to the activation of the inner seed bearing wisdom (rtambhara), and is not even close to a process of placating an externalized God or authoritative system nor conforming to external dictums.
The main difference between Western moral systems on one hand and yama/niyama on the other hand is that for the average Westerner, God wrote a list (external book) of commandments, which if not followed lead to sin; while the yogis comprised a list of practices which if practiced in a coordinated manner lead synergistically to the ability to see and read the inner law which ultimately leads to liberation. Thus the road to salvation for the yogi is not found in some old external books or words, it is not found in obeying rules per se, nor is it found in conformity and obsequiousness at all; but rather yam/niyam are indicators of that state of Divine union. They are only tools (as opposed to absolute imperatives) which develop increased sensitivity, awareness, inner wisdom, and which activates one's inherent creative power.
The laws of the universe can only be distantly approximated by written words let alone rules, as such they are not the logos itself. just as there is a huge difference between a map and the territory. The laws of the universe can not be written down in words, but rather they must be realized in our intimate participation. then as that Divine union (yoga) is integrated they are then naturally realized and manifested in our daily life -- within our very heart as our Heart identity -- in All Our Relations
It is rather a serious distraction to follow anything external to one's true Self or heart. Belief in external rules or ideologies are what the vrtti of pramana are composed of and as such they lead toward kleshas, not the least are aversion, pride, and prejudice. They are an obstruction put between us and the divine. That curtain must also be melted and annihilated.
Thus from a yogic perspective, yam/niyam are not ends or goals in themselves, nor are they rules nor proscriptions in the Western sense, but merely remedial processes designed to help move us into realization of the inner eternal law (Sanatana Dharma) of the Heart -- the authentic goal of yoga. This constitutes the true nature of the Great Vow (Mahavrata)
The following yam/niyam are discussed in greater length elsewhere, but briefly a few points may serve clarity. Yam and niyam work synergistically. As indicators of the Divine union of the aligned primordial man (called Adam Kadmon in the Kabala) or Jivamuktan, they all are pointers pointing to the same "reality" -- they are corollaries to the same grand underlying Great Integrity of All Our Relations which are revealed through effective yogic practice. As a two way street they become naturally expressed as the result of tasting or abiding within non-dual unity consciousness, and similarly when they are practiced with purity they also lead us to that realization. As such they can act as guides. They are practiced with body, speech, and more importantly with mind and intention, and they contain both gross and subtle levels -- both inner (antar) and outer practices.
They are powerful in identifying and remediating wayward tendencies and activities of the body, speech, and thought. For example using this scheme, Brahmacharya practiced in thought, regardless of the external activity, is far more powerful and beneficial than gross Brahmacharya practiced physically, but without Brahmacharya of mind. This way they are not restraints in the ordinary sense of the word, because there becomes no "bad" tendency to restrain. This is not to say that it is beneficial to act upon random compulsions, the afflictions of the mind (kleshas), out of bad habits or tendencies (samskaras and vasana), neurotic tendencies, lust, greed, selfishness, ignorance, aversion, and the like; but rather it is far better to remediate the Heart/Mind of these wayward tendencies for example through realizing the fruit which underlies the synergistic application and practice of all the limbs of yoga.
If we consider the word, yama, it can be defined as the end, as yama is the god of death. From the Yoga Sutras we learn that the death of one is actually an affirmation and birth of another. Although uncommon, one may break down the word, yama, in an unconventional way; an meaning that which moves, while ma represents the mother principle -- nature's/creation's nurturing principle. Thus in this analysis yama means to bring forth and nurture into fruition by moving with the nurturing principle. Naturally when one activity ends, then there is energy freed to go into another direction. Death in one sense is an illusion, while really things morph and change; i.e., there is rebirth and constant change. Only if "things" could be frozen in time, would "death" exist, but we learn that time as well as death then, is an illusion.
Thus in this way (like all the other limbs) yama does not have to be seen as a negative, a restraint, or even a willful practice; but rather as a natural surrender, as natural LOVE shining forth -- thus as a positive affirmation. In this sense then ahimsa does not mean to restrain violence, but rather to remove violence and suffering as well as it's remnants (such as samskaras). As such it is a healing affirmation that not only removes suffering but brings forth happiness. Ahimsa brings forth healing, kindness, gentleness, and love not only into our own lives and that of "others" but into/from the profound realization of our True Self -- of the unconditional happiness that comes from the realization of the unconditional/natural truth. So only in the larger sense the yams are more than a counteractant to an opposite tendency, but rather they herald in and affirm the underlying unity of All Our Relations.
Satya thus does not mean to restrain deceit as much as to bring forth Truth; i.e., to remove falsehood, confusion, illusion, delusion, and ignorance. It is not so concerned with "telling the truth" externally as much as it is in its inner (antar) esoteric meaning of removing the ingrained samskaras which support self deceit and conceit. Thus satya when practiced with the body, speech, and mind in All Our Relations becomes a profound transformational practice.
Brahmacharya is to reveal, acknowledge, and act in accordance with the eternal inner eternal teacher in All Our Relations. In All Our Relations we are wedded to Brahma and Brahma in All Our Relations. Brahmacharya is practiced thus not as a restraint of the body, but within the integration of the body, speech, and mind as an affirmation of a creative way of life in harmony with the laws of creation (Brahma).
Asteya and aparigraha are not only to eliminate exploitation, contradiction, deceit, self dishonesty, greed, attachment, and selfishness, but to act to promote integrity, honesty, generosity, trust, abundance, fulfillment, and gratefulness, contentment, and clarity in All Our Relations -- body, speech, and especially with an integrated HeartMind.
The Great Vow: Be Good! Remediating the Blockage and Repression of Divine Will and Moral Courage
II. 31. Jati-desa-kala-samaya-anavacchinnah sarva-bhauma maha-vratam
[Applying these yams] on all occasions and situations (sarva bhaumah), to all (sarva) and in all, regardless of birth, species, (jati) as an all encompassing bond in all conjunctions (samaya), at all times (kala), in all places and realms (desa), and without limitations or exceptions (anavacchinah) will turn the tide effecting closure of and sealing off the great gate of death and dissolution (mahavrata). [Thus sealing this gate, the base of yoga is secured].
sarva: all
Sarva-bhauma: Universal culture. All dimensions. Universal and limitless world systems. All pervading to be applied to all things, beings, and events. Beyond limit as to culture, place, or time.
kala: time
jati: birth
maha: great
vratam: behavior, commitment, bond, practice, aspiration, binding, seal, gate, aspiration, or intention
mahavrata: The great aspiration, vow or seal of the gate. Originally vratam refers to one's behavior, practice, intent, bond, commitment, dedication, or aspiration, but more recently in the dualistic Kali Yuga, it has become associated with a religious vow, determination, or commitment. Mahavratam refers to the yams in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras as the supportive base, where the dissipative leaks and psycho-energetic distractions have become sealed and rested, downfalls are remediated, and the attack of noxious influences are sealed against (as the yams are perfected). This is a state of being, not an act of will-power or self-restraint. It reflects the experiential state where egoic obscurations have become liberated.
anavaccheda: unlimited. infinite. unbound, boundless, unbroken
samaya: commitment, seal, conjunction, connection, or protective seal. Especially in tantra, samaya concerns the more inner and subtle practices, especially sustaining the connection with the teachings/teachers. Although the body, speech, and mind are united in one intent, it is the mental and energetic areas which are considered more causal and capable of being worked on directly. Since most beginners are still engaged in the coarse mental worlds, then the samaya is first gross and later becomes refined and more subtle. For example, one can first start off by removing harmful actions of the body by inhibiting meat eating, restraining harming others physically, opposing war, etc., and then over time (kala) the mental framework will occur where the desire to harm is completely replaced by the compassionate desire to remove harm and suffering. Strengthening the intent seals the situation so it will not deteriorate. Inner intent is most powerful and causal, but more efficacious than that is the actual opening up of the channels (connection points) in All Our Relations .
Commentary: Mahavratam is the facilitation of the Great Binding together, the completion and sealing of the great sacred hoop/circle, the acknowledgement of the harmonious non-dual and transpersonal unity that binds all beings and things together, that WE truly are in Reality (should we chose reality over falsehood). Human beings naturally want to embody love, ahimsa, compassion, truth, divine will, but because of negative conditioning (such as vasana, samskara, karma, klesha) the mindfield (citta-vrtti) has become fragmented and perverted. Instead as a negation, this great vow is an affirmation or aspiration of great intent. It sets the stage, foundation, and basis for psycho energetic alignment and success in yoga. Mahavrata is a unifying/integrating force. Hence the base of the eight limbed (astanga) tree is sealed, providing support for the rest of the practices through the mahavratam (great seal). In another sense the yam/niyams provide the support at the base of the tree, thus insuring success for all other limbs. Thus in that way, yama supports the practice of astanga yoga eventually resulting in samadhi.
The yam/niyams reveal the powerful path o that closes the gate of suffering and samsaric rebirth, by opening up the pre-existing disrupted connection with primordial true nature of Self (swarupa-sunyam). The yam/niyam have the power to end the sorrow of cyclic existence when embraced in this context. When this divine pulsation coming from Primordial Ceaseless Self is blocked or repressed, then all sorts of maladies follow. The yam/niyams are derived from Santana Dharma, natural law. Acting upon the yams is the embodiment of moral courage -- righteous action. It can not be successfully imitated, memorized, or imitated, rather it forms the basis of the true law as in karma yoga, and as surrender, dedication, devotion, and love as in bhakti yoga. Similarly, in raj yoga (astanga yoga) it forms the basis for success, sealing any distractive or dissipative leaks which may be capable of leading the yogin astray.
The yams form the seat of astanga yoga thus providing a firm base for the other limbs. Here the outgoing gate of distraction and dissipation is sealed and closed -- the wheel of cyclic existence (samsara) which causes suffering (which is the realm of the god, yama,) is reversed. This closely corresponds to the hatha yoga bandha activities which are applied to specific gates affecting the granthis (psychic knots) corresponding to the various lokas (spiritual realms). There the outflowings are reversed. So it is with the yams, they reverse the ways of suffering and karma and act as the base for success in hatha yoga. This great vow is thus the vow to become liberated from samsara and ascend to samadhi where all will be revealed. Without the yams, there is no success in yoga. See Sutras 33-34 below.
Here, the gate to the hell realms (guarded by the god Yama) has been closed. The leaks of a ship at sea has become stopped. The holes of a vase have become fixed. The nectar no longer leaks out and dissipates. The fruits of astanga yoga do not degrade. The ambrosia of the medicine bottle holding magical perfume, no longer is diffused or lost. The yogi no longer becomes distracted, dissipated, or defiled. The yams and niyams are the containers of the essence of the expression of yoga in body, mind, and speech.
Hence it is especially important to emphasize that the yamas and niyams are NOT moral codes in the Western sense, but are both practices and natural HeartMind expressions. They are not to be confused with conforming to manmade codes, obeying belief systems or their dictates, mechanical willful abeyance, nor conforming to book-knowledge, scripture, legal or religious codes as a means to amass personal merit and gain, spiritual credit, or achieve a distant far off "other worldly" goal in future time. It does not mean conformity to "conventional wisdom", peer pressure, political correctness, external standards, or mores, but rather true moral courage, which comes from our essential/heart-core nature; i.e., the willingness and ability to live a life of integrity in harmony with natural universal law by honoring the universal life force in All Our Relations. Natural universal law (Sanatana Dharma) is continuous and unbroken as-it-is. It must be acknowledged, honored, and respected, but many human beings living in a degenerate age and consumerist culture have lost sight of it. When mental falsehood, deception, delusion, and obscuration are removed then moral courage will be naturally be expressed again. Thus, true morale and creative enthusiasm will necessarily result.
Therefore, it is not a coincidence that the first yam, is ahimsa. Ahimsa is the basis of the yams and niyams, because it is the human being's most fundamental momentum. In the context of pure virtue (uncontrived natural and unconditioned bodhicitta), to be good means not to harm others or oneself. For those who have become desensitized and through negative programming the removal of the obscurations (kleshas) may be gradual, while requiring effort to understand and apply; but after practice with the other limbs of yoga as mutual synergists, this happens naturally and spontaneously as an innate manifestation of that great aforesaid inherent wisdom. By acting in alignment with our true nature (virtually) an alignment with the inner/outer teacher is established -- the seed essence of the psycho-physical body is aligned with the cosmic primordial seed. This relationship becomes developed naturally through authentic yoga practice.
Thus at the essence nature of the yams, the essence of all the other yoga practices can be found. Their essence can be applied in all other yoga practices as well and at all times (kala), places (desa), levels (bhaumah) or circumstances through maintaining inner conviction (samaya) regardless of status or birth. (jati). Their meaning is revealed in all authentic spiritual practices. They are multi-layered having inner and outer, subtle and coarse, mental and physical meanings and connotations which are revealed through practice (versus analytical reasoning, speculation, rationalizing, or discursive thought). Their essence is universal and inter-dimensional (sarvabhauma) and includes no limitations (annavacchinnah) of time (kala), place (desa), or level (jati), rather it integrates us in every dimension of being (samaya). Taking up such a powerful all inclusive practice in All Our Relations completes the great circle and makes us whole -- it celebrates the Great Binding Together (maha-vratam).
Maha-vratam also indicates that the practice of the yams eliminate the outflow and distractions of the cit-prana, freedom from distraction and nescience, and focus one-pointed concentration upon integrity and vidya. Maha-vratam seals the gate of creating more bad karma (acting on nescience) - it seals all leaks and possible downfalls. Thus maha-vratam also refers to our awakening to the deathless universal consciousness which is eternally omni-present.
Thus the yams seal the outward leading gates of death and rebirth, which lead one into states of ignorance and suffering. As stated above, when we seal an energy leak in one direction, when we are freed from the knee jerk activity of neurotic dualistic behavior, then there is energy freed to go into another direction. Death only exists as an illusion -- in terms of fragmentation, while in the larger scope of REALITY, things morph and change; i.e., there is rebirth and constant change. Since it is an illusion to think that things by themselves can be frozen in space and time, then "death" as a thing also is non-existent. Again time as well as death then, is an illusion, caused by the rigid tendency of objectivity to artificially freeze and lock the frames of life as if life was like a movie screen where the projector became frozen.
The yam, Brahmacharya, easily breaks down etymologically as, "the evolutionary life force is the teacher" or commonly the "evolutionary generative/regenerative fatherly force teaches". By recognizing that in all our relations brings forth virya, as we honor and respect it in all our relations. There is no mention of ordinary sex or its repression in the Yoga Sutras, none; albeit every situation/doorway within the hologram (of samadhi) is unique (sexual relations such as in coitus is neither ruled out nor required). Rather the important thing is that Brahmacharya requires our complete attention.
In order to understand the Sanskrit word, Brahmacharya, one has to first understand who/what is meant by Brahma. What do you think? Is Brahma a specific aspect of the trimurti (Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva) and if so does Brahma represent the creative/evolutionary force? If not, who/what is Brahma? I think the yogin has to undertake an inquiry into Brahma and come up with an answer that makes sense to oneself experientially. Thus understanding the relationships between Brahma (the force of evolution) and virya (strength and courage) is a key that unlocks this sutra. It is clear that Brahma creates life and in that way is its essential sustainer, while paying attention to the evolutionary life force as a teacher and/or remaining connected (as like a chariot) brings one strength and courage (virya). If one loses this connection, the chariot breaks away from the horse and virya fades.
This is where complete attention to integrity (asteya) comes into the picture as the sutra that immediately precedes this sutra on Brahmacharya. This is essential for experiencing union and knowledge beyond linear systems of time. Appropriately, in the Sutra immediately following Brahmacharya (II.39), Swami Venkatesananda translates the Sutra on Aparigraha as:
"When the inner light of intelligence illumines the state of mind that has firmly rejected all greed and there is contentment with what life brings unsolicited, there arises knowledge of the mysteries of life and its why and how."
In the sense of being the force associated with creation, in that limited sense, Brahma has often been associated with the Vedic god, Prajapati (the primal father-God or creator whose consort is Gayatri. It is in that sense that Brahma may be interpreted as having something to do with pro-creation, and or the union pf siva/shakti, but Patanjali never speaks about that directly.
Let us not forget that the Yoga Sutras were written many hundreds of years before the establishment of the Swami order. There were no Swamis in Patanjali's day and the present day monkish/sannyasin vows did not exist. Hence, sannyasin vows did not exist in yoga during Patanjali's day, nor was yoga a religious institution. I bring these historical facts up, simply to provide context as to what Patanjali was referring to as Brahmacharya and what modern day institutions may interpret him as saying. Certainly, there is much reading-in going on. I have made an effort NOT to read-in value systems that were created far after the Yoga Sutras were written nor am I reading-in non-yogic value systems, both of which tend to co-opt or hijack Patanjali's profound and subtle meanings.
Again, all the limbs that are outlined in the Yoga Sutras, including all the yams/niyams, reflect a singular experience of union/oneness on all levels. The practices help us connect to this timeless holographic matrix. WE are Thee, when the connection is kept open!
Yams and niyams are practices which are based on the Divine indicators of samadhi -- of the perfect yogic synergistic alignment of body, mind, evolutionary force, cosmos, and source. Thus they act as guideposts and dharanas of contemplation. They aid in cleaning out the karmic residues and dysfunctional mental habits, as well as bringing us into a sympathetic/empathic vibratory resonance with samadhi (swarupa-sunyam). They wash the bloodied hands of the bad blood and karma already spilled, as well as that which would be spilled and wasted in the future. Thus yam/niyam not only seal the gate of distracted and dissipated consciousness and energy (chit-prana), but move also activate the innate light of the inner wisdom activating our dormant evolutionary potential, the kundalini -- they help us see the universal Love in All Our Relations. They set us straight, refresh, and empower us as if standing under a pristine waterfall on a scorching hot day. If we are not in that refreshed situation of ecstatic spirited love, then we can be certain that a vrtti or a klesha is operational blocking or distorting our innate clear vision. Be certain that the yams/niyams simultaneously point toward and reflect unrequited and pure love in All Our Relations. Pure love!
Here the yam/niyams point to the one non-dual truth of All Our Relations where there is no separate self, no separate object, no ego delusion (asmita), no ignorance, rather just Eternal Self reincarnating/manifesting in infinite forms. Practicing the yams puts an end to the downward spiral of pain filled (duhkha) cyclic existence (samsara), coarseness, ignorance, violence, etc. In our translation we use the word, sanatana dharma, literally as the eternal law, "Reality" as-it-is without artificial contrivation or relative bias contaminated by dualistic subject/object limitations -- not as a statement of any one religion, doctrine, ideology, philosophy, or moral system.
II. 32. sauca-samtosa-tapah-svadhyaya-isvara-pranidhanani niyamah
Niyama consist of saucha (purity), santosha (contentment and peacefulness), tapas (spiritual passion and fire), swadhyaya (self study and mastery), and isvara pranidhana (surrender and dedicated devotion to the all pervading universal seed source residing in all beings).
Commentary: Thus the niyams are not merely counteractants, but more so actions to bring forward from the bound and stable base of yama. They have a strong remedial and positive effect. For example in the yams truth counteracts deceit, asteya remediates thievery, etc., but the niyams more directly reflect the underlying causal principles behind samadhi and yoga, and thus act to ripen and fructify the yams, just as the yams aid in the maturation of the niyams.
Niyam as the end of death, is rebirth. "Ni" (as in niyam), means that which is inherent or underneath. As such the niyams clarify, complement, and expand upon the yams. What is underneath the yams, is the niyams. What is revealed is yoga. The niyamas thus are even more proactive actions which Patanjali encourages us to practice in order to accelerate one's success in yoga. Again yam and niyam are both two way streets. For example, ahimsa and satya promote saucha and swadhyaya; asteya and aparigraha lead to santosha and tapas; brahmacharya leads to isvara pranidhana; while the reverse is also true; i.e., that the practice of the niyams leads to the maturing realization of the yams. The niyams also have inner and outer meanings, coarse and subtle and can be applied to the body, speech, and mind.
II. 33. vitarka-badhane pratipaksa-bhavanam
Bondage (badhane) due to coarse low vibratory qualities of fragmented awareness (vitarka) become reversed and remediated through the application and cultivation of their opposites (pratipaksa-bhavanam).
Commentary:Pratipaksa-bhavanam is a practice which counteracts/remedies negative situations by implementing the opposite attitude or intention (bhavanam) Vitarka (coarse consciousness such as inference, logic, epistemological reasoning, and analytical thought patterns) cease and are bound (badhane) through cultivating (bhavanam) the practice of reversing and returning them back to their source (pratipaksa). The yams and niyams are one way to effect pratipaksa and thus remediate vitarka. Thus when consciousness is agitated, unwholesome, discontinuous, and corrupted by the coarseness produced by ordinary discursive cognitive faculties of fragmented materialistic thought patterns (vitarka), they can be annulled through the remediation processes of the yams and niyams (effectual pratipaksa) which annuls, and reverses the coarse citta-vrtti, hence producing a balanced and quiet mind-field. Pratipaksa can be applied to any citta-vrtti, for example in pramana-vrtti, it can be questioning or reevaluating the basis of all dearly held beliefs and attachments by contemplating upon the possibility of their opposite meanings (pratipaksa-bhavanam). So in that sense the niyams act in this positive sense of being a remedial transformational activity (pratipaksa) for any citta-vrtti or klesha.
On a more refined level, the yams/niyams then point to the nirvicara (beyond even the most subtle mental contamination produced by the confusion of a separate subject/object relationship) reflecting the eternal presence of the intrinsic wholesome Great Integrity in the sacred place of All Our Relations. Here the niyams all point to the completion and extension of the non-dual transpersonal Great Binding (Maha-vratam) or Great Integrity which underlies, supports, and culminates as Yoga. It is usually dhyana (meditation) however which excels in eliminating the most subtle thought patterns into nirvicara, nirvikalpa, and asamprajnata, hence producing samadhi.
It is not only the five yams and five niyams which are effective methods of such remediation, but also there are many variations of that theme that can be implemented in All Our Relations that are effective (annavacchinnah) when that intent to achieve enlightenment to reverse the wheel of bondage (samsara) has become firmly established through functional practice. This cultivation of the great intent) bhavanam is a natural consequence of the great vow (Mahavrata) -- the recognition of our highest seed potential -- the intrinsic wisdom coming into visibility -- becoming revealed in All Our Relations.
II. 34. vitarka himsadayah krta-karita-anumodita lobha-krodha-moha-purvaka mrdu-madhya-adhimatra duhkha-ajnana-ananta-phala iti pratipaksa-bhavanam
Thus the strong tendencies toward coarseness and harm (vitarka) can be reversed through these effective remedial applications (pratipaksa bhavanam) which by balancing out the coarse (vitarka) corruptive influences accompanied by (purvaka) violence (himsadayah), lobha (greed), krodha (anger), and moha (delusion) no matter if they are weak (mrdu), medium (madhya), or adhimatra (intense) but also thus acts to destroy them. As such pratipaksa-bhavanam acts to counter harmful latent potentials that can lead to endless (ananta) future suffering (duhkha) and ignorance (ajnana).
Commentary: Again pratipaksa-bhavanam is a practice which counteracts/remedies negative situations by implementing the opposite attitude or intention (bhavanam). This is what the word, pratistha, connotes (a term that is found in each yama). These are some of the specific harmful actions, negative karma, and kleshas that can be remediated by the application of contemplating their reverse actions (such as the yams and niyams). All those existing and potential negative feedback loops can be effectively reversed, balanced out, and nullified (pratpaksa-bhavanam). Actions of body, speech, or mind based on coarse thoughts which in turn are based on separateness (vitarka) result in himsha (violence, greed (lobha), krodha (anger), and moha (delusion) lead to suffering (duhkha). They come from pain and ignorance and lead to even more pain and ignorance unless they are remediated by the wise (through the balancing out these negative states through the application of yam/niyam). Such remediation is not simply effected by blind parroting of the yams and niyams but rather by reflecting upon the unifying principle and intent that underlies them all (the Great Integrity which yoga affords us). Also every coarse thought as well as activity can be analyzed by contemplating the application of its opposite.
Coarse breath, coarse speech, coarse physical actions, and coarse mental thoughts are all inter-related. Acting upon them only brings more suffering and ignorance. All the yoga practices help us move from vitarka to nirvitarka and from vicara to nirvicara until our vibrations and awareness are raised and we are moved only by love. So if we are negatively affected by the citta-vrtti or kleshas, ramping up the integration of niyams in our daily life and practices is itself a powerful remediator. Here the breath and energy is transformed from coarse and superficial, to deep, strong, subtle, and balanced. The subtle energy body is thus consciously established in this way. This has a profound affect in mental, emotional, energetic, and physical patterns, behavior, and conduct, as the bodymind interacts in alignment with creation co-creatively firmly grounded in this integrity.
The Innate and Natural Integrity of Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, and the rest of the branches of Astanga Yoga
Ahimsa, satya, and asteya form an essential unity, while all the limbs of astanga yoga are integral parts of a profound transpersonal realization. Even a beginning yogi realizes that everything depends upon their ability to align with the momentum of truth (satya), so that it is embraced at each moment – at every turn of fate, so to speak. Thus, one avoids falling into confusion, while embracing the light, while reflecting it, allowing no compromise. Putting falsehood to rest by repudiating guile and removing harm (himsa) is where satyagraha lives. That appears as an expression of timeless and boundless compassionate love, in each and every action as asteya – as the union of ahimsa, satya, and asteya in action. That integrity evidences no contradictions, hypocrisy, dichotomies, ironies, nor fabricated complexities. For a yogi, this happens NOW (in ever-presence), but for ordinary people, they are in for a pleasant surprise on their path of practice.
Passivity or avoidance in the face of harm (himsa), allows harm to exist through omission. Complacency, apathy, fatalism, and slavery are relative in degree. They are all due to indifference/desensitization, which stems from a misguided defense mechanism, the fear of feeling pain or discomfort. Albeit, zombism may be trendy, but by definition it is the opposite of an empowered and wise expression of a connected heart (compassion and wisdom).
When such disconnected people sit back in the midst of himsa unopposed, that reluctance is their decision, but it is colored by inhibition of the heart which is already doing the intimidated passive observer harm. Such numbness and lack of compassionate response-ability (apathy) will always stand opposed to a natural, compassionate, and spontaneous ahimsic response, if we define respecting and honoring the life force (prana) as something that we actually feel with a sense of integrity in body, mind, and breath. Further repression of this momentum creates dis-ease. Compassionate activity seems to be a wise natural expression in all cases, while a yogi can not even imagine an alignment other than that. That natural response is extremely simple, as it is not conceptually fabricated, ideated, nor ideologically based. Some feel moved and others feel nothing. When "the nothings" rule, living beings are in trouble. There the zombies rule.
Natural expression or compassionate activity - it happens by itself. I would certainly not advocate being a zombie. The sum total of causative factors - this sum total being ultimately the entire created Universe, mother nature, or Ma, however you would describe "It" in non-dual terms where we are co-creating/co-evolving together, already is determining our activities as it presents conditions. Only when we are free of our own personal karma, can we affect a new direction. This requires waking up as self-liberation.
Otherwise, to imagine we are somehow in charge of events is to imagine we are separate (egos). By itself, this view can be dry and sterile, if there is also an inclination to renounce the world as an illusion or distraction. Such a reification of the world and a separate independent self is hopelessly dualistic. It is a mental fabrication where boundless space and the all pervading mind is absent.
Thus surrendering to nature as the creative force is not enough in itself, as we risk riding the evolutionary waves and winds of past collective karma, without accepting our co-creative role. Then the creative intelligence and energy behind creativity is animated and embodied, the creative principle behind it is activated inside of us as well, and then through an aligned intention, we change not only our own vibrations and subtle body, but that matrix interacts with the whole interdependently to complete its higher evolutionary purpose as a supreme union. The entire matrix is affected.
We may state that the physical universe exists, but it may not exist in the way that "ordinary egoic mindsets normally perceive it. For example, phenomena are not static or solid, rather they are moving energy fields interacting intelligently within a larger interdependent matrix. The normal egoic perception of "the universe" does not change the universe itself, but rather only our perception of it. If one argues that one's mind is part of the universe, then in that small way, one may say that a small part of the universe (your mind) has changed. For example, if someone perceives water as earth, it wouldn't really matter much unless one attempts to walk on the water. Then, they might drown. Regardless, the universe is constantly changing/moving; i.e., it is temporal. So much for thoughts in themselves. Of course, behavior follows thoughts and/or emotions; so, in that sense, ignorant thoughts will indirectly negatively influence conduct and eventually the influence the so-called physical world to an extent. Some beings on the planet earth are moving and changing things, consciously to some extent and/or unconsciously. We can see this on a relative or analogue scale devoid of absolutes. Positive thoughts and emotions also influence the subtle, biopsychic, and physical bodies and can create positive actions (good karma, merit, or punya). The yogi, however, aims at being free from any predisposition or karmic seed trace. This is not done by withdrawal or dissociation, but through alignment, union, and integration; e.g., astanga yoga.
So to sum up, both the universe and the way that we perceive the universe may limit and/or expand our abilities to act creatively. Normally it is within these two extremes that we can choose and make conscious decisions and act. Therefore any statement, that the sum total of causative factors, this sum total being ultimately the Universe, already determines our activities is not necessarily true. These are simply conditions, which may or may not limit one's ability to act. A liberated being (jivanmukti) or wise yogi who has burned up their own karma having gained liberation (moksha) not only has a choice, but rather has the obligation to act co-creatively. To be clear and avoid semantic confusion, this is not an assertion of an independent egoic action in a vacuum, but rather interdependent alignment and clear insight taking into consideration the interconnection between the mind, subtle body, physical body, nature/creation, and the universal timeless intelligent creative principle behind it.
It would be constructive to continue to address unconditioned (karmically free) liberation of a realized yogi (jivanmukti), until activities are addressed that co-create positive, compassionate, and ahimsic change, so called yogic practice (sadhana) and the power of aligning intent (sankalpa) with the universal timeless creative principle (isvara). In short, yogis can burn away their past karma through positive actions (punya) generating what is called merit. That consciously creates a better future by opening up new or free space. Then the yogi with such ahimsic/compassionate intent so aligned, takes that realization some steps further, while addressing liberation from both personal karma and the liberation of all beings (collective karma).
In modern western therapy, the brain is considered to be neuroplastic, which means it changes according to emotional situations, and most importantly for a yogi, these emotional and mental situations can be affected through conscious intent. The nervous system changes and it is capable of intentional change once self discipline becomes invoked. Another essential factor is to not be seduced into fantasy or delusional thinking, so that is where the unity of ahimsa, satya, and asteya merge together as a unified force.
To imagine that we are somehow in charge of events is to imagine an independent separate being truly exists, which is a dualistic delusion. Rather the process is simply one of clearing past karma, mental and psychic obstructions, opening the subtle body in relationship, and aligning with the natural world as-it-is consciously, as an allied co-evolutionary compassionate ahimsic force.
If some one conceptualizes an alien god, that may act upon one's behalf, one at the same time creates a barrier and distance between themselves and their god. In that tragic way they can never be a direct instrument for primordial love and light, but maybe a devotee or slave.
It is very important to have a sense that we participate as co-evolutionary partners in respecting and honoring the life/evolutionary force innate in all living beings and things. If humans refuse to participate in their own co-evolutionary process, then they will not evolve/survive as a species.
Although the ordinary man has lost sight of the fact that human beings are part of a very large and old intelligent evolutionary process – are kin of one large family, humans have to rejoin the great family today. It is their evolutionary destiny and purpose. Ignoring that part, is exactly where the dualist I/it separation, tension, and conflict occurs; i.e., many human beings have been conditioned to think of themselves as separate, independent, and apart from that process due to the imposition/importation of alien and distant god philosophies. Those who dogmatically cling to these externalized systems as fundamentalist true believers in external codifications have given up their power to an almighty god. Such provides compensatory but restive solace. They have given up their response-ability and power habitually for thousands of years, until the human being has institutionalized ignorance, suffering, and sin. The larger tragedy is that many feel a need to advocate this type of slavery upon others in order to justify/defend their pre-existing passivity. Indeed it is an unfortunate quirk that when confronted with facts that conflict with such dogmatic beliefs, these adherents will aggressively defend their world view (and egoic identity) even more stridently, as if their very life depended upon it. We will find that when we talk of mentation and behavior, we can not avoid entering into the social and hence. political arena.
Politically, such serves the status quo elitists and their cronies (who are fed some of the spoils from their slave master's table). This brainwashed psychology has long been identified as psychological transference by insecure, confused, and disempowered people to their authoritative family, church, and/or state (read external authority) seeking for an external order/structure to compensate for their spiritual Diaspora.
Such blind belief promises to let people off the hook as in, "I didn't know, or god has his own reasons, or "god did it, but I had nothing to do with it". Fatalism, divine decree, destiny, or divine providence as an ideology or as a belief in divine will is nothing more than a delusional cop-out that de-legitimates and demeans the highest creative potential as well as democracy. Hence, any small freedoms that man has secured for himself and his posterity are thwarted. The Western almighty god faith has infected "Western Yoga" as well, whereas in the Yoga Sutras for example, practice (sadhana) is advocated in its stead. Ishvara pranidhana is surrender and alignment to the *innate* principle in all of creation. This is our supramental inheritance, for which human beings must take respons-ability.` According to the great saints, practice does not lead to escapism and denial of life, but rather to fulfilling man's purpose as his destiny by understanding why he is here and how he got here, in the first place. Putting that together as in embodying it (in body, speech, and mind) where the human being acts as a co-evolutionary agent is yoga, according to Sri Aurobindo and others.
In this context, wisdom/awareness plays a large part in the sense that, if we do not know where we are, how we got here, what the choices are, what the possibilities are, or their causes, then one continues to act and think habitually and unconsciously, again, not recognizing that they even have a choice.
As one's sadhana progresses, the sadhak naturally finds the innate integrity as natural connections between ahimsa, satya, asteya, brahmacharya, aparigraha, saucha, santosha, swadhyaya, tapas, isvara pranidhana, karuna, maitri, mudita, and upeksa.
"As a mother would risk her life to protect her child, her only child, even so should one cultivate a limitless heart with regard to all beings. So with a boundless heart should one cherish all living beings; radiating kindness over the entire world."
~the Buddha, Sutta Nipata I, 8
We will see how all the yam/niyam are inter-related with each other, how they all are mutual synergists with the other limbs, how they may be applied, and how they complete the great circle within the integrative Heart of yoga residing in the middle of middles -- in the Great Heart Center -- the Hridayam. The yam/niyams reflect this Great non-dual Truth and also bring the sincere aspirant closer to it through aligning with these in daily practice -- in deeds, in words, and in thought.
Paramahansa Yogananda's commentary to the Bhagavad Gita , (SRF, Los Angles, 1999 ) says in chapter VI. 37-38s:
"Arjuna said:
(37) O Krishna! What happens to a person unsuccessful in yoga -- one who has devotedly tried to meditate, but has been unable to control himself because his mind kept running away during yoga practice?
(38) Doesn't the yogi perish like a sundered cloud if he finds not the way to Brahman (Spirit) -- being thus unsheltered in Him and steeped in delusion, sidetracked from both paths (the one of God-union and the one of right activities)?
(39) Please remove forever my doubts, O Krishna! for none save Thee may banish my uncertainties
The devotee who performs meritorious actions develops divine memory and good karma that propel him to seek liberation in this life or the beyond. The memory of the divine bliss of yoga practice lies lodged in his subconscious mind. If he is not able to find full liberation in one life, in his next incarnation the hidden memory of his past experiences of yoga sprouts forth in spiritual inclinations."
Now Patanjali describes the five yams in detail in sutras 35-39. We will see that the word, pratistha, is used in each sutra on the yams to correspond to pratipaksa-bhavanam. Hence the yams are primarily remedial, leading the practitioner from coarse bondage (vitarka-badhane) and duhkha (suffering) to liberation and happiness. For example, reverence for all life (ahimsa counteracts himsa (harm and violence) and so forth.
II. 35. ahimsa-pratisthayam tat-samnidhau vaira-tyagah
RESPECT AND REVERENCE FOR LIFE; Standing in the Doorway of Healing Love
Thus by establishing a firm alignment, stance, and embodiment with ahimsa (non-violence), then that presence (samnidhau) will abandon (tyagah) harm, hostility, hatred, contentiousness, conflict, animosity and disease (vaira). Thus future seeds of ahimsa are planted in Now presence.
himsa: harmfulness, abuse, exploitation.
ahimsa: removing or leaving harm behind
pratishayam: to stand firm as the remedy. To turn back or to manifest the opposite. Placing the mind, energy, and intention in a steady non-conflicting state; firmly established; free from disturbing influences; unshakeable; to stand strong,
tat: thus
vaira: hostility or animosity
samnidhau: presence. nearness, close proximity.
tyagah: leaving behind; to abandon.
Commentary: The translation is positive. Pratisthayam means to stand strong against the exposure (samnidhau) to hostilities (vaira) and hence act as a counteractant toward becoming overwhelmed, becoming engulfed, or collapsing into animosity and hostility (vaira-tyagah). Thus by standing in the power of ahimsa, ahimsa is amplified and overflows. Animosity and harm (vaira) is remediated. Ahimsa is not passivity. For example, if a boulder is rolling down a hill toward one and/or one's children, it is not ahimsa to remain passive, while doing nothing, but rather divert the boulder's path or warn the family and carry them out of harm's way. Ahimsa can be applied everyday and is more so an attitude toward life, the world, and other beings. Himsa means harm. As such it is best not to translate ahimsa as, non-violence; rather it is better in the broader sense translated as non-harm or the removal of harm.
The point again is to reflect upon the intent lying behind ahimsa, which is not only to remove harm, but rather more so to affirm well being, happiness, and santosha. Ahimsa is considered the primary yama in which all the others can be derived. As one develops in their yoga practice, the obscurations are loosened and fall way. In that process a broader transpersonal and non-dual reality will be revealed naturally, and in so doing ahimsa will be expressed spontaneously and naturally as a compassionate aspect of our natural unfabricated primordial connection. There are countless ways to derive this connection. One way is that by removing harm, violence, pain, and suffering to "self" we commune more deeply with that which heals -- the healing force. Hence, when we commune more deeply with the life force (prana) we become more deeply connected with the cosmic Prana and its intelligent agent (cit-shakti). We bring this into our lives and to All Our Relations. We will see that this is the purport of Pada IV.
To cultivate ahimsa in relationship to our interaction with others, we see that this brings in more ahimsic energy into our own very life, while accentuating it. It is a matter of sensitivity training, as a nondual process of becoming in touch with the life force (shakti) within ourselves and within all beings. All the limbs are involved in this compassionate nondual process After practice, we become aware that in order to bring ahimsa into our lives more, it has to be unconditional, i.e., it becomes a wholehearted, unfettered, automatic, and spontaneous transpersonal affirmation as we become more certain of what we want and who we truly are. Through the practice of ahimsa -- through our direct experience of it, we increasingly start to see the underlying transpersonal nature of ahimsa and where it is coming from -- its healing Integral Source. When we merge with that innate Great Integrity, then the healing spontaneously abides and manifests from the inside out in All Our Relations.
Obviously, then ahimsa is not just physical, but is in our thoughts and speech as well. It becomes the foundation of our stance and position as human beings. Physically we refrain from hurting others physically as well as animals, plants, and the entire Gaia- sphere. We refrain from hurting the environment which is habitat to self and others. We refrain from harming the future habitat as well and that of our grandchildren's children. Every action thus considers and consults both those yet born up until at least the Seventh Generation as well as the elders, who have come before us and have lit the way for us. Our political, social, ecological, and consumer actions also reflect this ahimsa attitude if we have integrity (as such these are not simply rules that we parrot, but a way of living spirit). Ahimsa is not an abstract concept, but a cherished value that integrates to our bone. The yogi is encouraged to enter into an internal inquiry (swadhyaya) on the topic. For example, where does ahimsa fit regarding our use of food grown with pesticides, our consumption of electricity from nuclear power plants, our consumption of non-biodegradable products, etc. harm our ecology, others, future ecological systems that support life, and /or ourselves; or conversely can we help create a less harmful world, less war, less violence, more peace, more abundance, and more happiness? It is more powerful to know that just attempting to eliminate himsa physically, although helpful is not causal by itself'; rather it must be eliminated at its root. We recognize that firstly, the awareness of the presence of harm (himsa) must be recognized in order to abandon it. That requires an awareness of what is not harm, ahimsa. That awareness is completed through yoga. What all encompassing non-dual "Reality" does ahimsa in its transpersonal sense reflect?
Refraining from harming others in speech is also valuable, so we refrain in belittling and condemning others -- refrain from gossip and innuendo, refrain from using words as weapons -- to hurt, punish, exploit, condemn, or manipulate others. But it is in the ahimsa of the HeartMind that ahimsa works its most causal magic. Here we no longer hate others, harbor anger nor ill will toward others, no longer desire to punish nor condemn others, no longer disparage or judge others, no longer harbor envy, rivalry, nor competition, pride nor one-up-man ship. When ahimsa of the HeartMind is realized, saucha and santosha are also realized -- suffering, samskara, karma, and its tendencies have become completely remediated,
The power of ahimsa in thought and attitude toward All Our Relations is one of the most powerful of all healers. Just to think of any one as being ill, limited, or incomplete will tend to limit their universal soul potential within them an injustice. So it is wise and less harmful to see the buddha nature potential in all beings and address one's correspondence by affirming THAT truth in All Our Relations. This connects ahimsa with satya in satyagraha (see the discussion under satya).
So we go beyond simple ahimsa by no longer creating more harm or suffering through body, speech, or mind, but actually take the next natural step, i.e., of removing harm and suffering (and its seeds) by healing, both self and others, and in the transpersonal sense "others as Self". We see that the Source of ahimsa is unrequited Love and we eventually become convinced to wholeheartedly embrace THAT Source fully in All Our Relations.
Vajra Anger: Ferocious Unselfish Compassionate Enlightened Compassionate Activity: Fierce Compassion
Ahimsa is thus not a passive withdrawal or refraining from doing harm, but rather it can be an active engagement in protecting against harm and preventing it. It can also be very passionate (compassionate) and ferocious. Just like a mother bear who naturally licks her cubs wounds, feeds them, teaches, and protects them, so too vajra fierceness is consciously expressed . If they become threatened, the mother out of selfless love protects them out of transpersonal compassion even if it means sacrificing her own life while fighting off a predator actively, consciously, and ferociously. A practical example is one of witnessing a dog attacking a child. Instead of watching in horror passively, a compassionate and fearless observer will attempt to break up the fight even risking being attacked by the dogs. Out of a sense of ahimsa and compassion, one is moved to actively restrain the dogs forcibly in order to still the harm to the child. This unselfish compassionate expression is only an approximation of the true force and power of non-dual vajra-anger devoid of any object whatsoever.
Similarly, when we act skillfully and proactively out of vast love and vast non-dual awareness to protect and engender life, to remove harm, and/or to prevent it devoid of any selfish motives, but for the weal of the world, that also is ahimsa. It is bodhicitta (love and compassion) in action. Ahimsa together with satya, form the basis of the satyagraha movement, where truth leads to the balm of justice alleviating much suffering. A sense of justice comes from vast compassion, equanimity, sympathetic joy, loving kindness, and the desire to remove the causes of suffering through wise and conscious heartfelt action. Falsehood (asatya), as well as exploitive institutions, on the other hand leads to thievery, expropriation, alienation, deceit, ignorance, abuse, and harm (himsa). The wise satyagrahi should provide a face-saving "way out" for an opponent if one is to champion truth, equanimity, and harmlessness, while avoiding pride and resentment. Here ahimsa combines with satya, where the goal is to discover a wider vista of truth and justice, not to achieve victory over an opponent. Ahimsa is the expression and embodiment of love in thought and action. Ahimsa as it reflects love -- our true nature is thus true virtue. Actions outside of that integrity (which ignores it) is corruption (sin).
Thus, vajra anger is not ordinary selfish anger based on egoic constructs of separation (a conceptualized individual self); rather it is not selfish at all. It be labeled as fierce and vast compassion. It is FIERCE, because it is unstoppable and irrepressible -- timeless and transpersonal. It is NOT justified by ethics, logic, morals, or intellectual thought constructs; rather it is a natural feeling impetus that spontaneously arises from non-dual realization. It is not unconscious and it should not at all be confused with ordinary anger, fear, hatred, attachment, jealousy, or samsaric kleshas. Rather, vajra anger is compassionate, non-dual, objectless, unfocused on any "thing". It is rooted in a transpersonal realization, just as vajra pride is rooted in the pain-free body (free from samsaric gravitation); yet, there may be layers of vajra anger to discern. The emanation of Vajra anger emanates from a very pure realization and can only be completely understood by those who have realized the transcendental vajra light body (vajrakaya), where egoic propensities and attachments have been entirely cleared. Vajra anger counteracts passive compassion, slothfulness, and fear; and it surpasses compassionate activity, which is very passionate, active, conscious, wise, equanimous, natural, and sometimes ferocious, albeit it is often mistaken for ordinary anger by those small minded people who habitually confuse attachment with compassionate love. Vajra anger is the natural active wise expression of abiding in the unity of love and wisdom and acting from that space with vajra confidence that is inspired by vajra confidence in vajra love. It is natural, determined, unstoppable, immoveable and steadfast in its uncompromisingly fervent compassionate activity. Although this natural expression of Vajra anger is widely misunderstood by those who live in narrow egoic confines -- who are selfish and fragmented, it should not be repressed or feared once recognized.
An example may be useful. First one has selfless compassion, donates to charity in order to help children or others. One shows loving kindness to others. One works for peace in order to prevent avoidable slaughter and maiming. One works for freedom movements and justice, so that people are no longer exploited or abused. One practices all the yams and niyams -- all the paramitas (six or ten) in the true spirit of true ahimsa and compassion without compromise, fear, or inhibition. But such activity may not be very effective even though such activities are not based on dualistic/selfish need. Still more effectiveness is called upon depending on one's ability. Thus a more active, bold, and creative approach may be called for in order to be effective, especially if the yogi possesses remnants of fear or has selfish attachments. Thus, vajra anger can be applied as a breakthrough approach. In its essential nature, it is objectless; i.e., it is not focused upon any one person, phenomena, or condition; but rather it is applied to all phenomena at all times unconditionally.
It harnesses the energy of pure anger devoid of hatred or clinging. Vajra anger conquers all fear and attachment. Such is its power. Vajra anger occurs in vajra space. Here, there is no isolated reference point, no solid ground except in the vajra-like aspect of the ever-changing boundless and unlimited dimensions of samadhi-time/samadhi-space. The true self is empty of self. That formless self is universal and omnipresent. It is known everywhere as imperishable, and hence, vajralike, yet carefully discerned as embedded in differentiated consciousness as undifferentiated consciousness. It is self effulgent as-it-is -- but being all pervading it is very subtle -- rarefied to the extreme. There is no place where it is not, hence it is impenetrable, all pervading, adamantine, and timeless. The primordial undifferentiated consciousness (pure objectless/formless awareness or light) is eternally/constantly NOW and HERE and always has been/will be, in NOW awareness NOW. That Adamantine vajra NOW is all we ever have. From that infinitely vast vajra-space, objectless pure vajra anger arises spontaneously arises as an unstoppable aspect of mahakaruna (great courageous strong compassion
Vajra anger has many aspects as it develops. Rarely would a beginner manifest its full power. For example, in its inner aspect it is the willingness to confront one's inner demons of the shadow/twilight world. It is the inner jihad of the martyrs or as in the Bhagavadgita the metaphor of Arjuna's fight on the spiritual battleground that questions blind belief. In the Durga Devi Mahatmya it is Durga's battle against the forces of the ego. Durga being the embodiment of fierce compassion. Durga is the warrior aspect of the Divine Mother, where light (awareness) conquers darkness (egoic ignorance or Mahishasura). In its nondual pure vajra-like aspect, it is the pure unstoppable energy, momentum, and power waged against all hindrances, fetters, obscurations (kleshas), and maras. It is the vajra-essence of the vajra fierce deities.
The result of this spiritual victory of light over darkness eventually is reflected in All Our Relations. One defeats the forces of delusion that lead to suffering and anguish (ego) with that same light; the sword of Durga, and her general, Kali Ma, cutting deeply, swiftly, and painlessly to the core.
What does one do when one's mother, family, kin, or ecosystem becomes threatened? On a superficial dualistic level, *vajra-like* anger protects sentient beings wisely, by opposing its destruction proactively. The general process looks something like this. We are here to express light and love, while abiding in it. If such is natural, spontaneous, and irrepressible, then it self-arises from vajra space. On the other hand passivity, complacency, apathy, and sloth lacks compassion and bogs us down, hampering spiritual progress/awakening. Such habitual passivity is fostered by fear, pride, hatred, ignorance, and attachment; thus all of that inhibits compassionate expression. We go to the infinite well-spring of love for guidance and strength, but then fail to express it in daily life, then we become self-adversarial acting as our own worse enemy and oppressor. This occurs often in repressed and materialistic cultures, where spontaneity and natural expression conflict with social and religious ideology. Hence needless internal tension is created. It is never healthy, wise, nor holistic to block its natural expression. For the spiritual warrior, the invocation of fierce and magical energy is required to protect life and/or act courageously. Sometimes we are called into a situation to show up -- to back up our lofty philosophy. But that can conjure up egoic pride. Vajra anger is not based on ideology, religious identification, or conceptual modeling. On an intellectual plane, it's easy to claim ahimsa, but do we have the strength, courage, concentration, dedication, and harmonious will-power to fully go outright for our deepest expressions of vajra love (mahakaruna)?
On the other hand, when non-dual realization is deep and steadfast, mahakaruna shows up with the strength and wisdom combined to meet all circumstances without time/place limitations, independent of phenomena, and free from thought constructs. The mahakaruna simply arises in effective activity spontaneously, unfocused, objectless, and unconditionally. This is how ahimsa works as well.
Are we completely willing to steadfastly remove harm and abuse, prevent it *effortlessly*? Normally if action requires effort or truthful expression in a social or cultural milieu of dissension, then it could conjure fear, censorious thought, caution, or restraint. Are we willing to sacrifice our status, social security, attachments, and material conveniences to walk our talk -- to be honest to ourselves, to express our deepest feelings? Many people will then disappear into "avoidance" and escapism. They may become inhibited and repress their feelings, because of selfish attachment and/or fear. Such people are merely philosophers, superficially claiming agreement to ahimsa or compassion intellectually, but who are not really ready to live by or with it. When pressed such "spiritual" people in name may defend their lack of moral fortitude through defensive statements such as, "why be attached" or otherwise become indifferent. Although previously, such conflicted personalities might have good heartedly been willing to write a check, donate a little excess time or food, sign a petition, etc; however, when their compassion, love, kindness, generosity, and ahimsa is tested against forces of greed, selfishness, pride, attachment, fear, jealousy, exploitation, abuse, hatred, war, and lust, they run away like frightened children, taking refuge in a selfish cocoon, in cynicism, delusion, or in nihilism, perhaps deluding themselves that any such expressions of transpersonal love is merely temporal, and hence spiritually worthless. There are many excuses, hence for those who have excused themselves, even the very idea of ahimsa may be painful to them, as it reflects badly upon their egoic sense of self.
For example, one actively practices generosity to a family member, who was a victim of an auto accident, because of one's genuine concern for their welfare, not because it conforms to a moral code of conduct. One acts not simply to exonerate oneself for lack of moral courage, by superficial token activity, or by blaming the victim by imputing such misfortune was the result of the victim's own past karma, hence absolving oneself. Instead of disowning the heart connection to other human beings, while deluding oneself that suffering does not exist, and deluding oneself that everyone who suffers deserves it, one instead gives what they can, because of genuine compassion -- true ahimsa, while working continuously and proactively to prevent harm to others. Such a continuity works for the good of all concerned. So, in this example, the family pitches in to take care of this auto accident victim helping to put them back on their feet, when a circumstance arises which threatens that compassionate healing process. It could be a mugger looking for an easy victim, a rapist hiding in the bushes, an unparked empty auto out of control going down the hill, a mad dog, or any other threat to the well being, health, or safety of a particular family member or any other sentient mother being. At any point one may simply give up; however, effective action may be taken if one is fully committed to fierce compassion -- vajra anger by residing in the heart essence -- vajra body.
Therefore, instead of simply venting one's frustration in ordinary anger, one acts decisively, onepointedly spontaneously, and naturally to prevent harm. As such that is authentic ahimsa, not simply following a written dictate. Because some compassionate activities require fierce strength, the yogi practices vajra anger as fierce compassion by cultivating the heat of fierce compassion which destroys all fear, inhibition, and obstructions. This energy is used in myriad unselfish ways. Hence with fierce or wrathful manifestations of compassionate activity the deities (see vajra pride) involved will be pictured as being surrounded by a protective circle of healing fire. May we never lose it. Such practices take us to advanced hatha, tantra, kundalini, bhakti, and karma yoga, where the true yogi is consumed by this fire. (See Vibhuti Pada).
In this earthly realm at this time, people who are connected to love, compassion, kindness, equanimity, sympathetic joy, and ahimsa live full and rewarding lives. Instead of being inhibited or retreating into selfish withdrawal, they are vitally engaged in myriad activities and conspiracies with all good- hearted people. Liberation movements and Justice movements are extensions of ahimsa, which by itself is an extension of boundless love or karuna (I.33) which is an expression that is instructed directly from our core/heart essential nature. This type of ahimsa is fearless, honest, and undaunted as it follows the highest order (isvara), being the result of isvara pranidhana. Gandhi got it right when he placed ahimsa together with satyagraha as inseparable parts of a greater integrity and completeness. It is a natural spontaneous expression, which separates a true yogi from an arm chair or pretentious one.
"The most dangerous type of lie, is the omission"
George Orwell
"I never give them hell. I just tell the truth and they think it's hell."~ Harry Truman
Vajra anger is thus better termed vajra fierceness, strength, or fearless vajra activity, as it represents a force and momentum toward the removal of harm (ahimsa) and untruth (asatya), as an integral activity (asteya). It is not based on dualistic philosophical values such as good and evil, nor is it based on absolutist dualistic values of the existence of an absolute good or absolute evil. Rather vajra anger is completely selfless, objectless, and non-dual, being based on the integrity of light and love, of absolute undifferentiated reality and relative differentiated reality, of an all pervading inter-penetrating integrated wholesomeness of luminous essence/emptiness and its qualities and nature. which is reflected in action prompted by the agency of deep penetrative awareness. It is thus a natural compassionate expression of transpersonal and non-dual love (bodhicitta). This occurs in the realm of the Rainbow Warrior. It is unstoppable, immoveable, and in essence the same as vajra love in as an applied activity.
The Will Toward Non-Dual Objectless Compassion (Mahakaruna)
Vajra-anger coming from the recognition of vajra-space is rather rare, but can be invoked. Even a beginning yogi realizes that everything depends upon their ability to align with the unbroken momentum of truth (satya) and ahimsa, so that it is embraced at each moment – at every turn of fate, so to speak. Here this energy becomes more continuously available for the yogi as well as others. Thus, one avoids falling into confusion, while embracing the light, while reflecting it, allowing no compromise, expressing it and not blocking/inhibiting it. Putting falsehood to rest by repudiating guile and removing harm (himsa) is where satyagraha lives. That appears as an expression of timeless and boundless compassionate love (mahakaruna), in each and every action as asteya – as the union of ahimsa, satya, and asteya in action. This happens NOW (in ever-presence) for the dedicated and devoted yogi.
Passivity or avoidance in the face of harm (himsa), allows more harm to continue through omission. Complacency, apathy, fatalism, and slavery are relative in degree. They are all due to indifference/desensitization. Albeit, zombism may be trendy, but by definition it is the opposite of an empowered expression of a connected heart. When people sit back in the midst of himsa unopposed, that is of course their decision, but such numbness and lack of compassionate response-ability (apathy) will always stand opposed to a natural, compassionate, and spontaneous ahimsic response, if we define respecting and honoring the life force (prana) as something that we actually feel with a sense of integrity in body, mind, and breath. Further repression of this momentum creates dis-ease. Compassionate activity seems to be a wise natural expression in all cases. That response is extremely simple, as it is not conceptually fabricated, ideated, nor ideologically based. Some feel moved and others feel nothing. When "the nothings" rule, living beings are in trouble. Mahakaruna emanates from a deep non-dual awareness, it is objectless, unfocused upon any independent object, and unconditional, just as vajra-anger. The difference here is that Mahakaruna is a softer, less fierce, and gentler manifest ion.
In most religions and indigenous systems, which uphold life-positive values and integrity, there can be found a similar merger between reality, truth, veracity, virtue, compassion, integrity, and upholding the protection of all sentient beings as part of one's natural dharmic duty. Otherwise one is considered corrupted or perverse. Ahimsa embodies this same honest basic intent as a natural direct connection with isvara in our daily lives. Protect all life as sacred is the call. End abuse, exploitation, and suffering. Protect your brother, sister, mother/father fellow beings, grandchildren, and habitat. Hence, justice and compassion are joined together in the greater integrity with fierce compassion.
"Buddhism is explicit about compassion, for example, although I think that the Jewish and therefore Christian traditions are more explicit about justice—but justice is a part of compassion. The Western prophets bring a kind of moral outrage, what I call a holy impatience, whereas the East brings serenity and an emphasis on patience. I think there's a time for both, but I think we are in a time now of holy impatience."
Matthew Fox, "Holy Impatience", an interview with Matthew Fox by Sarah Ruth van Gelder in the Winter 2006 Issue of "Yes!"
In, short, action taken to protect others from harm is decidedly compassionate; while actions to protect the ego creates harm to "self" in the sense of holding back one's evolution of consciousness, one's transpersonal and non-dual self-realization. It promotes one's own suffering, as well as contributing to the suffering of others. If one were to be successful in ahimsa, one must carefully discern between selfish and nondual activity. This can be tricky, because it is too easy to justify harm toward others for a greater good or idealistic cause. Therefore, if one is to enter into the realm of proactive ahimsa or protection, one needs satya (the next yama), which destroys self-deceit, delusion, and ignorance. Many wars are fought on the premise of protection, security, self-interest, defensive/aggressive motifs, the higher good, and even "pre-emptive strikes for the "better" good, like the infamous war against war. That is neither wise, compassionate, nor ahimsic. One is always responsible for their actions according to the laws of karma. Even though it may appear at first to be safer to remain passive, it is safer to follow one's heart- the heart that moves us to remove harm. Although trying to figure out "right action" conceptually may appear complex and challenging, love is the most simple and accessible motive force in the universe if we allow it to inspire our actions.
Further, positive role models are lacking for parents in the West. Too often, protecting the family becomes a justification for more accumulation of material things, greed, parigraha, pride, status, competitive vocational skills, wage prostitution, policies touting strong defense/militaristic policies, more prisons and police, and a strong centralized police-state type government. Similarly excuses and rationalizations that promote and justify religious wars, pogroms, witch hunts, intolerance, nationalism, racism, chauvinism, and xenophobia are likewise epic. Of course, a yogi recognizes that these sentiments are based on fear, desire/attachment, greed, ignorance, pride, and asmita (the kleshas), rather than upon realization of our transpersonal interdependent nature, which is the recognition of the true nature of mind and manifests as the unity of wisdom and compassion. Until human beings realize the inherent wisdom in ahimsa, proactive ahimsic activity will be problematic; yet ultimately, it is a very natural human response. It is not contrived or mechanical, but a spontaneous AND conscious reflection of our true nature. Don't forget that. Do not block its expression, for if one does, then one blocks their own spiritual evolution.
Ahimsa does not foster mental abuse
Himsa (harm) does not simply occur on a physical level, like being hit in the head physically and personally. It occurs as mental/emotional trauma or harm as well. For example, when a mother witnesses her children starve to death, go hungry and be malnourished, to become ill, to be cold, to be exploited, and to die due to preventable or manmade conditions, artificial scarcity, economic policies, war, economic boycotts, competition, punishment, penal systems, and so forth. Likewise, it is mentally painful to witness one's sister viciously raped or killed or life support systems cruelly destroyed and wasted. As our sensitivity increases we see the pain and suffering in others more clearly in proportion to acknowledging man's inherent creative potential. Naturally we become engaged in acknowledging, honoring, and liberating life, creativity, and evolution naturally as our sacred duty, so that loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, equanimity, social justice, and ahimsa become a unified activity that guides our every movement -- that gives us strength, inspiration, and momentum.
To be certain it is harmful to maintain or support harmful systems and policies that produce suffering, sickness, environmental toxicity, poisonous foods foods, toxic air, impure water, dangerous drugs, unhealthy working conditions, over work, and a myriad of associated destructive activities acts of human beings. An engaged ahimsa removes harm. To be free from this kind of harm one has to discern the truth and consequences of one's actions while ceasing to contribute to these secondary causes of harm. The consequences of harmful actions do not always show up in one generation. So as an integrated part of our authentic yogic practice, one can understand that we have many opportunities in every day life to practice ahimsa. It is especially relevant to engage in self-inquiry (swadhyaya), as to "the ahimsic consequences of our actions upon future generations, the children of our children's, up until at least the seventh generation, as well as to the transpersonal life force in All Our Relations."
Environmental Protection, Ecology, Removing Toxins from the Environment, and Protecting Habitat as Ahimsa in Action
For a yogi, it appears incredible to witness many so-called Yoga teachers, who advise their students to not become involved in habitat protection, toxin reduction, environmental protection, and climate change issues, where they have a harmful affect upon other beings, now and/or in the future. Such an indifferent attitude no doubt stems from a deadened and escapist interpretation of vairagyabhyam, and yoga as general, as being an isolation or withdrawal from life -- as some kind of egoic-self improvement trip. Compassionate or spiritual love, should not be confused with carnal egoic love (such as in raga). A correct interpretation of vairagya and the primary yam, ahimsa, squarely contradicts the cop-out proposed by isolationists, whose dualistic goal is to escape “the world”.
If a yogi performs a basic inquiry in swadhyaya as to the co-creation of a human being, habitat, and the environment, the yogi will find that human life reflects a transpersonal co-creative and co-emergent intelligent force, which requires a healthy habitat for support. This human inquiry leads one to a direct relationship with the power of creation (Mother Nature), the evolutionary energy, and eventually to beginningless time. When we know ourselves within that great integral expanse, then we can at the same time recognize our kinship with all beings.
In short, if some activity has the potential to cause harm, it is that harmful activity that should be abandoned, not other beings, their habitat, or the environment. Thus, this precautionary principle should be reflected upon in All Our Relations. Harming others (consciously or not) destroys the gains accomplished by yoga practice. The yogin considers one's actions wisely in that light; while progress in yoga progresses in wisdom and compassion until ahimsa becomes entirely reflexive.
It is a myopic egoic error to impute that "environmentalists" are motivated by anything less than this vast heart-felt wisdom and resultant compassionate love. If an egoic mindset imputes that an environmentalist is simply a tree hugger, who loves tree, such aspersions are simplistic delusional projections from a lack of knowing one's true nature --ignorance (avidya), pride (asmita), attachment (raga), and aversion (dvesa).
Like all the afflictions (kleshas), himsa occurs because of man's conditioned state of ignorance (unawareness) of his connection to the life force (prana). prana-shakti, cit-shakti, or siva-shakti. Much of mankind's dysfunctional activities arise symptomatically because of this ignorance. Such an attitude creates an agricultural system whose goal is to kill pests, rather than to build up the strength of the plants and soil. It dominates a medical system whose medicines are designed to kill unseen enemies, instead of building up the body's psycho-energetic reserves. It creates war, and justifies it as peace. It creates a department of justice, which is merely a punitive system, instead at looking at the causes of crime and himsa. Its educational institutions and work-places are based on reward (raga), punishment (dvesa), or competition (jealousy), rather than the spark of positive motivation, joyful exploration, and love. Himsa is built upon the egoic mindset (asmita-klesha), which is a very limited awareness (avidya). Himsa will not be eliminated until the citta-vrtti cease. That will require a shift in consciousness, which yoga is designed to afford.
Life arises from total inactivity (shiva or nascence) and begins as sacred movement, animation, and activity (shakti or aliveness). That evolutionary life-force does not cease at the physical death of the body, as it precedes space and time. We are referring to that life, which is unceasing, transpersonal, continuous, self-intelligent, primordial, and all pervading. That evolutionary life-force is empty of an individuality or ego. It has never been separate from anything else as living spirit/sacred presence. That life precedes birth and succeeds death. It is ever-present since beginningless time. If human beings lived their lives in harmony with that greater transpersonal and interdependent non-dual context, their life would be more infused with this light, truth, peace, happiness, and love. Functional yoga practice reveals it.
Although Siva/Sakti (yab/yum) are married, their vibration is known in different ways seemingly expanding and contracting. Shiva is not shakti, and shakti is not shiva. However, as human beings on planet earth ahimsa will lead one to Siva unfailingly, just as awareness of the life-force, prana, leads us to kundalini, then to shakti, and cit-shakti, and cit, while magnifying the light. The final heightened stage of yoga is one step beyond the complete merger of undifferentiated consciousness (cit or clear light) with differentiated consciousness (gunanam), which may be also termed the union of boundless space with essence, the unity of emptiness and essence, the unity of absolute rest and inactivity with infinite power, shiva/shakti, empty essence, the unification of all pervasive space with the essential essence or bija point, the unity of dharmadhatu with dharmata, the unification of macrocosm and the microcosm, the inseparable integration of all three bodies (kayas) of the buddha, etc. The realized yogi goes beyond that process of communion, merging, or union into an active co-evolutionary expressive supramental state as self arisen activity. That occurs in nondual realization beyond conceptual limitations.
After one experiences the cit-essence residing in the heart of all things and beings (as the Hiranyagarbha or Tathagatagarbha buddha essence), which is all inclusive (including one's own essence or true nature of mind), then one becomes capable of supramental activity/behavior – conscious co-creative and co-evolutionary activity. That yogi naturally and spontaneously reflects it. Here, one no longer simply surrenders (isvara pranidhana) to the evolutionary force and evolutionary intelligent creative principle, which underlies creation as siva/shakti, acting as its devotee, slave or minister; but rather having realized that ongoing unity inside oneself, then one self-activates it as a co-creative/co-evolutionary active and dynamic force that operates free from karmic restraints. This is a jivamukti (liberated yogi), who has realized kaivalyam. In that way, the true purpose (artha) of yoga is completed. Since these words are designed for human beings, then instead of negating or ignoring life, embodiment, creation, and evolution, the yogi acknowledges evolutionary processes to meet its origin, and follows its trajectory back to the everpresent. Thus it is said that when the true nature of mind is realized, when the third eye is opened, then the true nature of nature is realized as well. This is the non-dual union of yab/yum, relative and absolute truths, vast space and karuna (compassion), void and form, openness and aliveness, clarity and light.
This is described in the last sutra of the yoga sutras where cit (as the intelligent principle behind pure awareness) is merged with sat (as direct experience), as an empowered (sakti) co-evolutionary movement or force. May that force be with you always, as you are with it.
In this context, gnosis/awareness plays a large part in the sense that, if we do not know where we are, how we got here, what are their causes, what the choices are, what the possibilities are, then one continues to act and think habitually and unconsciously stagnating in old mental patterns, not recognizing that they even have a choice.
The Ecological Self
Here are words from Arne Naess’ ground-breaking talk introducing the concept of the ecological self.
“For at least 2500 years, humankind has struggled with basic questions about who we are, what we are heading for, what kind of reality we are part of. Two thousand five hundred years is a short period in the lifetime of a species, and still less in the lifetime of the Earth, on whose surface we belong as mobile parts.
What I am going to say more or less in my own way, may roughly be condensed into the following six points:
1. We underestimate ourselves. I emphasize "self". We tend to confuse it with the narrow ego.
2. Human nature is such that with sufficient all-sided maturity we cannot avoid “identifying” ourselves with all living beings, beautiful or ugly, big or small, sentient or not. I will elucidate my concept of identifying later.
3. Traditionally the maturity of the self develops through three stages–from ego to social self, and from social self to metaphysical self. In this conception of the process nature–our home, our immediate environment, where we belong as children–is largely ignored. I therefore tentatively introduce the concept of an ecological self. We may be in, of and for nature from our very beginning. Society and human relations are important, but our self is richer in its constitutive relations. These relations are not only relations we have with humans and the human community, but with the larger community of all living beings.
4. The joy and meaning of life is enhanced through increased self-realization, through the fulfillment of each being’s potential. Whatever the differences between beings, increased self-realization implies broadening and deepening of the self.
5. Because of an inescapable process of identification with others, with growing maturity, the self is widened and deepened. We “see ourself in others”. Self-realization is hindered if the self-realization of others, with whom we identify, is hindered. Love of ourself will labor to overcome this obstacle by assisting in the self-realization of others according to the formula 'live and let live.' Thus, all that can be achieved by altruism–the dutiful, moral consideration of others– can be achieved–and much more–through widening and deepening ourself. Following Immanuel Kant’s critique, we then act beautifully but neither morally nor immorally.
6. The challenge of today is to save the planet from further devastation which violates both the enlightened self-interest of humans and nonhumans, and decreases the potential of joyful existence for all...
I have another important reason for inviting people to think in terms of deepening and widening their selves, starting with narrow ego gratification as the crudest, but inescapable starting point. It has to do with the notion usually placed as the opposite of egoism, namely the notion of altruism. The Latin term ego has as its opposite the alter. Altruism implies that ego sacrifices its interest in favour of the other, the alter. The motivation is primarily that of duty; it is said that we ought to love others as strongly as we love ourself.
What humankind is capable of loving from mere duty or more generally from moral exhortation is, unfortunately, very limited. From the Renaissance to the Second World War about four hundred cruel wars have been fought by Christian nations, usually for the flimsiest of reasons. It seems to me that in the future more emphasis has to be given to the conditions which naturally widen and deepen our self. With a sufficiently wide and deep sense of self, ego and alter as opposites are eliminated stage by stage as the distinctions are transcended.
Early in life, the social self is sufficiently developed so that we do not prefer to eat a big cake alone. We share the cake with our family and friends. We identify with these people sufficiently to see our joy in their joy, and to see our disappointment in theirs. Now is the time to share with all life on our maltreated earth by deepening our identification with all life-forms, with the ecosystems, and with Gaia, this fabulous old planet of ours.”
~ From “Self Realization: An Ecological Approach to Being in the World,” Thinking Life A Mountain, with John Seed, Joanna Macy & Pat Fleming, New Society, 1988
Racism, Anti-Semitism, Religious and Nationalistic War, Fear and Hatred of the Stranger (the other), and fear of Change
Although seemingly not rational, hatred of "the other" in the form of suspicion, fear, distrust, and violence directed toward those who are different from one's own egoic identification has plagued mankind for millennia. Such takes the form of pogroms, genocide, beatings, persecution, exploitation (slavery), religious and nationalistic war, forced segregation, prejudice, and similar variants of himsa. That fear of "the other" stems from the many frailties inherent in the egoic mindset. These mechanisms have been described in the above commentaries on pramana, duhkha, and the kleshas. Generally, "the other" or "change" represents a reality or world view that is different than the citta-vrtti of the egoic observer. Instead of being interpreted as different or new; it is mis-interpreted as a challenge or thereat to the ego's own values, world view, "reality", and hence, self (as the ego identifies with the mindfield). Strangeness or weirdness can be an opportunity to learn and expand one's awareness; while failure to do just that is part of the constricted mindset that resists change and evolution.
For those suffering from those afflictions, hatred, anger, or persecution toward an innocent "other", allows the insecure ego to shift blame, responsibility, self-hatred, self-anger, or other feelings due to a lack of self-worth and self-confidence from oneself onto a scapegoat figure -- a symbolic whipping boy, which automatically makes the ego good and right; as it simultaneously makes the "other" bad and wrong. In that context, the hero is one who is encouraged to perpetuate harm to the other. In doing so, the egoic identity is simultaneously absolved, and is able to vent his/her pent up anger/hatred if only temporarily.
The removal of harm and the application of himsa comes from a state of non-dual and transpersonal realization, which is the boon of authentic yoga practice. Ahimsa is not a theoretical or moral code to be obeyed, but rather a spontaneous heart-felt reflection of shiva/shakti.
As the yogi's sadhana progresses, the sadhak naturally opens to the innate integrity within all beings and things, as natural connections between ahimsa, satya, asteya, brahmacharya, aparigraha, saucha, santosha, swadhyaya, tapas, isvara pranidhana, karuna, maitri, mudita, and upeksa reveal themselves. The following bears repeating.
"As a mother would risk her life to protect her child, her only child, even so should one cultivate a limitless heart with regard to all beings. So with a boundless heart should one cherish all living beings; radiating kindness over the entire world."
~the Buddha, Sutta Nipata I, 8
For more on himsa, see the sutras above that address asmita (egoic mindsets), raga (personal desire), dvesa (fear and hatred), abhinivesa (fear of death and its many deviations), fear of change, pain (duhkha), and fear of the stranger.
II. 36. satya-pratisthayam kriya-phalasrayatvam
RESPECTING TRUTH
Likewise by establishing a firm footing upon truthfulness and non-deceit (satya), then obscurations, falsehood, self deceit, and illusions are lifted and removed and we become more firmly allied with truth and the self disclosing forces of revelation that lift the veil of ignorance that causes repeated suffering and abuse.
Commentary: Cultivating satya has many levels of body, mind, and speech as well. Here we not only want to speak the truth, but also attend satsang where the truth is eternally being spoken (in the true sanatana dharma) all the time. Our malaise is caused by our bondage (even grasping) onto ignorance, confusion, and delusion -- onto skew and bias. Truth destroys this falsehood and reveals Reality as-it-is. Here boundless awareness opens up. When so afflicted in avidya (ignorance) we benefit from association with fellow truth seekers (sangha) who help to reveal and magnify the truth. We benefit from living our truth and being authentic with others INCREASINGLY as a practice in All Our Relations. Satya destroys self deceit, ego delusion, and the masks of false identification (asmita and avidya). Sat implies openness, honesty, and fairness, as well as truth.
Satya thus is not applied only to telling the truth to others, and not only in telling the truth to ourselves, but rather as an affirmation of truth, openness, and clarity -- as the embrace of the dynamic of clarity and pure awareness. Thus through satya we abandon our alliance with falsity, deceit, self deceit, and illusion altogether. We also embrace expressing our truth in All Our Relations by not going along with other people's delusions, self deceit, prejudice, bias, confusion, and false beliefs. In this way even silence in the face of lies may perpetuate falsity, where speaking one's truth may stop others from being duped, misled, demeaned, cheated, exploited, or abused. Thus there is a close affinity here with asteya as well as ahimsa.
The ability to see the truth (satya) in all things will destroy avidya (ignorance) -- it will destroy all our connections with false identifications, illusions, delusions, self deceit, and ego delusion which our consciousness has become imprisoned, but on the larger level our expression of satya allows All Our Relations to come through us naturally -- as our true Self. Thus as an internal practice satya is part and parcel of the process where the Grand Integrity of the profound Reality becomes revealed (falsehood is destroyed by truth -- ignorance is removed through reality). Realizing the truth of this Integrity is the essence of the practice of satya. Daily materialistic life as found in the West often denies the true natural Self and Reality as-it-is, but the practice of satya reaffirms it in the ground of Sat -- true beingness. Thus the practice of satya can be very deep in integrating the unitive state of Satchitananda which is our true nature.
Satya is practiced with the whole being -- body, speech, and mind so here in the broader non-dual sense satya practiced inwardly is expressed outwardly (the duality of inner and outer become integrated in the non-dual realization of the satya of satya -- the truth of truth. We commune with SAT which destroys mara, maya, ajnana, and avidya.
Similarly the communion with Sat is most pleasing to the lord of yogis, Siva, who brings an end to all falsehood and attachments by bringing forth pure stainless consciousness. Durga Ma is that greatest of all warriors who slays falsehood with truth, so that no darkness can withstand her light. Sat is that sacred and very basic ground of subjective beingness where we experience Reality as-it-is in Sacred presence. When that that experience of Sat is merged with unalloyed Consciousness (Citta), then the unity of SatChitAnanda -- Pure Unalloyed Existence and Pure Absolute Consciousness are merged as Pure Bliss (Ananda). When satya is one pointed and unwavering liberation is very close at hand.
Satya in action is the activity that brings forward the truth, not only by opposing falsehood, lies, deceit, dumbing down others, and propaganda, but more so, to tell one's truth honestly, to be the embodiment of who we are-as-we-are, to reflect the sublime truth, to let the heart shine forth. Satyagraha thus effectively applied expresses itself so as to stop the circle of deceit, by breaking the silence Socially and politically satya is the fore-runner of satyagraha -- living and moving from our center of truth in All Our Relations
"With satya combined with ahimsa , you can bring the world to your feet. Satyagraha in its essence is nothing but the introduction of truth and gentleness in the political, i.e., the national life.
Satyagraha is utter self-effacement, greatest humiliation, greatest patience and brightest faith. It is its own reward.
Satyagraha is a relentless search for truth and a determination to reach truth.
It is a force that works silently and apparently slowly. In reality, there is no force in the world that is so direct or so swift in working.
Satyagraha literally means insistence on truth. This insistence arms the votary with matchless power. This power or force is connoted by the word satyagraha . Satyagraha , to be genuine, may be offered against parents, against one's wife or one's children, against rulers, against fellow-citizens, even against the whole world.
Such a universal force necessarily makes no distinction between kinsmen and strangers, young and old, man and woman, friend and foe. The force to be so applied can never be physical. There is in it no room for violence. The only force of universal application can, therefore, be that of ahimsa or love. In other words, it is soul-force."
(From a letter, 25.1.1920) Mahatma Gandhi
II. 37. asteya-pratisthayam sarva-ratnopasthanam
RESPECTING INTEGRITY: Honesty
Residing firmly in the mind-space of Great Integrity (asteya-pratisthayam) one's presence approximates precious gems.
Commentary: Integrity brings us in close proximity to sacred presence. When the sun is shining, we may take the sun for granted when walking along a narrow path whose downside is perilous, but when a moonless night arises and the stars are overcast, then the light would be welcomed as a most precious jewel. The union of inner integrity and outer implicate order of the universe (Sanatana dharma) is realized as sacred and precious primordial presence. Ultimately inner integrity leads us to that Great integrity. Great Integrity is not possible without inner honesty because honesty destroys deceit and delusion. Realization of great truth, knowledge, integrity, honesty and union are impossible when delusion still obscures the human mind. Hence all efforts must be made to exorcise delusion (maras). This self and integrity honesty brings us to sacred presence to recombine with the Great Integrity -- primordial mother/father Samantabhadra/samantabhadri (Shiva/Shakti). It is the result of that disconnection that we seek precious jewels outside in the external dualistic modalities of "I" and "it".
Having firmly communed and practiced integrity, non-exploitation of others, and honesty (asteya), then one no longer becomes easily distracted, dissuaded, or corrupted from one's core energy (yoga) which is seen as far more a precious possession than mere material gems or ornaments. Hence evenness and balance establishes itself where before there existed agitations and disruption. Having learned to cultivate this place of abundance and well being inside oneself, one feels no need to exploit situations. manipulate others, to steal, hoard, be envious, or misappropriate and is thus content (santosha) to leave things as they are in one sense and in another transpersonal non-dual proactive sense to establish abundance, to serve the Self, to eliminate exploitation. abuse, and greed as a natural consequence of the more advanced proactive sense.
Upasthanam means presence. Ratna means jeweled or gemlike. Sarva means all. Like the other yams, asteya is a two way street. Contemplating asteya, placing our mind and intent in it (pratisthayam), residing in it. and implementing it establishes harmony sublime contentment like being surrounded by precious jewels. Such a sense of wholesome peacefulness leads us toward greater integration into Unity consciousness; while similarly the more we are spiritually connected, the more asteya is a natural expression of Infinite Love, the less we need from others or from nature. The opposite of asteya is to ripoff or take from -- nature or any other being (steya). Hence the opposite of steya is really generosity.
Steya means to steal, expropriation, thievery -- to take what is not ours. Thus asteya is most often translated as honesty and non-stealing, and hence the easy connection with aparigraha (which includes non-covetousness as well as non-possessiveness), satya (truthfulness), and ahimsa (non-violence), but if we look deeper asteya is where we do not need to take anything in the first place (aparigraha). So asteya is in one sense creating abundance through generosity. Asteya thus is the realization and expression of abundance, fulfillment, and santosha, where there is no need to take from others, possess objects, or exploit "others" in the first place, rather . Saucha (purification) and tapas (spiritual passion) are similarly very closely related to asteya as resting one's mind in perfect integrity. Hence the interchangeability between the yams ad niyams.
Practically speaking, inclusive under the practice of asteya, one would have to include the elimination of cheating, exploitation, manipulation, heavy handedness, fraud, or victimization of the "other" to one's comparative advantage. Any type of misrepresentation, expropriation such as fraud, cheating another, lying, misleading, or even demeaning another sentient being is not only asatya, but is asteya because it serves to demean and steal away from some one else their richness of life (mental or physical). Thus the act of expropriating self or others from their indigenous spiritual connection in the eternal now is asteya. Om a subtle level taking away or demeaning another's sense of dignity, sense of well being, or feeling of interconnectedness and wholeness is asteya. That is when by any activity of body, speech, or mind where we further create this spiritual alienation/expropriation, rend, separation, or fragmentation it acts to reinforce and rigidify a spiritual and psychic ripoff (asteya). Any action that takes away from other sentient beings as well as future generations such as expropriation of natural resources or denying another being access to food, water, or a healthy habitat are severe forms of steya.
On the other hand when we are "connected', in union, residing in natural abundance, ahimsa, satya, aparigraha, santosha, and the like we naturally act by reflecting and transmitting asteya by contributing to a sense of abundance and integrity in All Our Relations.
Asteya goes far deeper than a gross material sense, when we ask ourselves what theft is on a spiritual, emotional, and psychological sense. Many people feel cheated, ripped off, abused, and exploited and guess right most people are. Any ignorance is a limitation and hence a sense of incompleteness sets. In order to compensate for this incompleteness man through his ignorance (avidya) often delves deeper into the kleshas seeking compensatory neurotic substitutes in increased cravings (raga), security (dvesa), anger, jealousy, greed, status (asmita), and the other myriad kleshas built around that basic split/rend from the natural unconditioned harmony and unity of body and mind, Nature and Spirit, Shakti/Shiva - from embodiment (Sat) and Source (Cit), from root and crown -- from Natural Unconditioned Universal Mind.
In one sense human beings most often expropriate more from mother nature than he gives back, such as from natural resources say from trees, the earth, the air, water ... from All Our Relations because of the frozen mind-set of his conditioned ignorance of imagining one is apart from nature rather than being a part of nature. In the sacred sense all is borrowed, but ignorant and aloof human beings act apart as an arrogant "owner". That attitude of asmita thus is remediated by asteya, just as asteya disappears when we realize who we truly are (in swarupa) and we are at peace, content, and reside in deep Sat -- our depth in truth and being. This is when practicing asteya brings about the mindset which resembles Great Jewels and wealth. One is truly naturally happy and content.
The "normal" modern man is too often caught up in competition and rivalry in the dualistic and paranoid process of coarse neurotic materialistic accumulation/consumerism by by attempting to grab onto ersatz external objects of gratification or consuming/owning "things" with the hope of an ultimate satisfaction or sense of fulfillment/completion, well being, security, a sense of meaning, and self worth (all of which are lacking in the egoic mindset). Especially in the modern materialistic and nihilistic milieu the afflictions (kleshas) of attraction, jealousy, hatred (dvesa), greed, lust (raga), hoarding, possessiveness (parigraha), consumerism, acquisitiveness, lying (asatya), misrepresentation (steya), exploitation, and ignorance (avidya) can be very strong, because in such a corrupt/perverse society it is a symbol of success. The more estranged human society is from their true essential transpersonal self (swarupa-sunyam), the more corrupt and perverted it will act. All such manifestations of steya manifests out of scarcity consciousness and fear -- the ego; where asteya is based on a natural transpersonal love -- All Our Relations -- which has become habitually abandoned and blocked. Creating abundance, satisfaction, happiness, and providing for the welfare others (generosity) is a powerful antidote. It will also keep us on track with "Self". Practicing asteya as honesty and integrity in body, speech, and mind will help counteract any such tendencies. It will eventually reveal the Great Integrity -- the state where we see the beauty and meaning of the Integrity in all life -- in All Our Relations.
Asteya as an external practice is not only being honest to others, but not exploiting them, not cheating them, not competing with them, not taking from others, but rather as always giving -- as attempting to restore their connection with eternal love and peace. For this to have a greater positive effect in our yogic practice, asteya must be extended not only to people but to all beings and things - to All Our Relations. It is not necessary that one extends "things", objects, or even temporal comfort as much as that the spiritual bhava is reinforced generating passionately the attitude and intention of desiring to provide for the other's wants and suffering -- for other's happiness. This activity of asteya can be an approximation, an alignment with, the presentation and revelation of the path to lasting happiness and love- where satya, saucha, ahimsa, aparigraha, isvara pranidhana, tapas, and especially santosha all meet and are revealed. Asteya is accomplished when the thievery of fragmented existence, the corrupting forces of separation, the ego, of self deceit, conceit, ignorance, cunning, and trickery have ceased.
Asteya has an inner aspect where we are honest with oneself, we honor the integrity of our inherent intelligence, rooting out the very tendency towards self dishonesty and self adversity. It is the insidious habituated alliance with self deception, conceit, self deceit, arrogance, and delusion (called ego) which must be defeated which is revealed in meditation in order to win mukti (liberation). HERE we do not cheat others of the Reality of the Heart, nor do we cheat ourselves of being HERE ALL WAYS. Abiding in the Heart everything shines forth generously as precious jewels (sarva-ratna-upasthanam). In practice that is where we place our HeartMind in asteya.
Steya thus on a mental level represents our fragmented state of spiritual self alienation -- lack of integrity -- the primal split off/rip off from non-dual Self -- while it is the spiritual hero/heroine as sadhak who reestablishes the lost spiritual integrity, fullness. and wholesomeness -- who reestablishes connection/union in yoga. Steya is based on asmita-avidya, the dualistic false assumption that there is a separate self/possessor and a separate object to possess, which is in contrast to the non-dual state of completion, where there is nothing lacking or which needs to be included.
Steya as a variant of dishonesty (asatya) and a corruption (versus honesty and integrity) is thus, the opposite of satya (communion with truth). With satya we reveal the truth and do not kowtow to falsehood, therefore we do not augment self deceit, dishonesty, nor even other people's illusions/delusion. In asteya we do neither create more scarcity and fear, but rather we remind people of Shakti's abundance and love. This way we do not spirit nor demean life. As such in this way we contribute to stealing away from others the unbounded limitless richness of Reality as-it-is. Steya is very closely related to the kleshas, while the wise practice of asteya greatly attenuates their hold.
On increasingly subtle, social, and ecological interactive levels we cheat "others" and cheapen life by not honoring and acknowledging Spirit and Nature in All Our Relations. Thus as demean creation/creator we demean ourselves -- we steal from others and future generations. Like ahimsa we can evaluate the implications of our social actions, political actions, ecological actions, and consumer actions as how they may affect others, our habitat, and that of future generations. In other words how we commune with abundance and happiness in All Our Relations, without taking, expropriating, exploiting, or destroying, will directly impact upon our progress in realizing our true self nature. Vice versa, when we have realized the authentic unlimited Self, then our actions will spontaneously manifest and appropriate asteya -- we will manifest the cessation of corruption, dishonesty, exploitation, and expropriation. We also cheat ourselves, in the sense that steya distracts us from seeking true and lasting happiness and fulfillment by taking our rightful place within the timeless Great Integrity.
Contemplating asteya in all our relationships can help many to remediate the energy dissipation from their yoga practice. For example how much do we take under consideration actions which may deprive others in a spiritual sense of a feeling of well beingness? How often do we take into consideration our actions as it may steal from future generations, from future eco-systems, rivers, and habitat? Are we habitually allowing ourselves to abandon our Heart and Core Center in our daily actions, and is such activity wise or helpful?
On an even deeper level of beingness whose gate we all pass through on our way to All Our Relations, we realize that the entire physical world has been given to us by Ma as Yama. Everything we "think" that we have or own has been temporarily loaned to us, has come from a form of expropriation, from some where else (from creation). Possession itself is known as a self limitation. Only from the Great Non-Dual Self which is empty of selfness, which embraces All Our Relations does "All" belong to "us" as "we" belong to It. Only within that context are we free in ultimate and eternal love, abundance, happiness contentment, and trust.
Further, asteya comes into play in meditation where the wandering mind expropriates our attention. It is the thief in the night which sucks out our attention and energy. So here we place the mind and intention with the Great integrity -- interconnected and who;e. Thus asteya is also similar to the practice of pratyhara where we draw back our energy and awareness to the Hearth of Spirit within -- where our previously disparate inner spiritual wasteland, desolation, desertification, and disintegration becomes turned around -- so inspired (with spirit) we become vehicles for not only our own renewal, regeneration, and inspiration but serve like a highly polished reflective jewel for that in others.
Asteya as Integrity and Integrity as Embodied Universal Conscience
In an earlier commentary there conscience was discussed in terms of impositions from authoritarian external dictates, peer pressure, accepted religious mores, or other similar artificial means. Only lip service was given toward the idea of an innate universal conscience that accompanies the innate universal all-pervasive consciousness (cit). In short, this results in a profound frictionless integrity of body, mind, speech, breath, energy, and universal spirit acting in sublime synchronicity. There is then no need to follow external rules, as the universal heart is obeyed within one's own heart consciousness in All Our Relations. That is the heightened form of asteya, as love in action.
II. 38. brahmacarya-pratisthayam virya-labah
RESPECT FOR CREATION
Having become steady in resting one's awareness continuously (pratisthayam) as being joined with the creative evolutionary force without end, (Brahmacharya), then strength, vigor, and vitality are themselves strengthened (virya-labah).
Brahmacharya: From Brahma, the creator/progenitor and acharya (teacher) or charya (chariot, vehicle, or active principle). The word, carya, can be translated as activity, therefore the activity of creation or creative activity, or evolution. Hence, to link with Brahma as the mentor/director of the chariot --as the teacher (acharya). Charya also thus means to link or wed as in marriage. Thus one links with Brahma (the creative force) as in a sacred marriage -- the creator of life and its creative activity are joined. Thus Brahmacharya means to harmonize, join, unite and attune to the generative, generational, evolutionary, creative, and evolutionary forces of the universe and to be instructed thenceforth as an inseparable process. None other than living a life of integrity and continence with the primal creative evolutionary/force. Hence the creative and procreative forces are joined in harmony with virya (vigor and strength) as the effect. (See: virya and I.20) Also this can mean being wed to, receiving instruction, or walking in attunement with Brahman -- marriage or union with Brahman.
virya: strength, vigor, creative energy, power, strength, potency, heroic energy.
labah: Obtained or gained, ascertained, apprehended. gotten. A gain with the prevention of loss.
virya-labah: The preservation of strength and its enhancement/gain.
Commentary: Through joining together with our creative source, the yogi gains strength and co-creative power. This power is non-dual, is not independent from the evolutionary/creative power, but is established through recognizing our natural co-evolutionary non-dual relationship. "Who are we as human beings" is the inquiry. "How did we get here"?
Having firmly established the continuity with one's intrinsic seed core energy, not being able to dissuade nor corrupt one's attention or desire to that which is empty and devoid of value (brahmacarya-pratisthayam), one's vigor and strength is stabilized, preserved, and reinforced (virya-labah). As such Brahmacarya is best translated as an integrity. It is action, thought, and speech based on that basic incorruptible Great Integrative state of All Our Relations, where awareness is in constant remembrance of and we act from the Heart of Hearts (hridayam).
Historical Context Regarding the Word, Brahmacharya
This is perhaps one of the most widely mistranslated sutras because of the intellectual/left brain dominance in academia that assume a life negative, body negative, nature negative, intuitive-negative, instinct-negative, and hence, an"other" worldly religious view. An alien belief system, tradition, and institutions thus follow, as "instinct" and intuition are seen as the largest threat to egoic logic. Within this mentally fabricated framework, the stronger and more powerful the instinctual/intuitive urge, the greater the perceived threat to one's egoic logic. If, for example, we consider the samkhya assumption of isolation or separation from the human condition to be ultimate liberation, then we must conclude that this avoidance/escapist direction of the samkhya interpretation would determine that intuition, instinct, evolutionary intelligence, and life itself as a problem to eliminate. Therefore, nowhere else in the Yoga Sutras will this anti-life attitude regarding the interpretation of Brahmacharya requires challenging., disturbing as it may be to one's neat fabricated logical paradigm. Although it would be very easy to memorize and adopt the classical samkhya (Vyasa's) interpretation, while simply repeating it in a nuanced way, we will acknowledge that interpretation, but will dismiss it, proposing a radically different interpretation. This interpretation could be analyzed as simply food for thought, as simply as a tantric possibility, and/or as what Patanjali actually intended. The following will explore all three as one. The basic assumption is that we find brahma (as an inherent creative and evolutionary life-force) within the human being, within, life, nature, the universe, every cell and atom, in all beings and things as the true nature of nature, not from running away from it, objectifying from it, or protecting the egoic intellect from it.
Brahmacharya, does NOT have the connotation of "moderation" per se. It does not have any connotation of harmfulness (himsa) or abstinence any more than the other yamas. The word, Brahmacharya, structurally has no direct correlation with sexuality per se. It cannot be translated as sexual abstinence or the refraining from sexual misconduct, which is its most common "mis-translation". Rather this anti-sexual connotation is the unfortunate legacy of the aforementioned academic institutionalization of a life negative, nature negative, and body negative self-appointed "authoritative" tradition. Indeed integrity goes far beyond any gross conception of sexual continence, restraint, or repression. However, brahmacharya is a self-discipline, a practice as are the other branches of yoga. Hence, it is a practice to free oneself from distraction. Here is the key, then. Any phenomena, event, or form that is viewed as an object that is not known as being immersed and drenched in Brahma, where brahma's great seal is absent, is a distraction. It is an illusion. Whenever Brahma is ignored/negated our primordial connection is broken, and hence neurotic substitutes become more seductive and/or our fear of life becomes heightened, depending upon our current egoic delusion.
True Brahmacharya (as will be discussed later) has been made to become demeaned and superficially reduced to mean mere sexual abstinence. It has meant sexual repression. This has occurred for many reasons, but mainly because of Brahma's immense power as a threat to egoic dominance. This is very threatening to an ego dominated human immersed in an egoic/materialistic society and paradigm. This results in the collaboration of the ego with the intellect to harden this misunderstanding/confusion about the meaning of the word, continence. One-pointed devotion does not mean that one does not perform natural functions such as eating, sleeping, defecation, coughing, sneezing, engaging in sexual intercourse, etc; rather, it means that one constantly has brahma in mind and does not dissipate one's creative vital power and strength into neurotic compensatory addictions such as attempting to find pleasure in drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, using narcotics, or engaging in sensual hedonistic pleasures for pleasure's sake. Indeed virya is a common term, which is not limited to a sexual interpretation. Since sexual desire can be a severe distraction for the youth, brahmacharya has too often become limited to the observance of sexual continence; but the idea here is much larger than sexual repression. Rather it means the practice of resting the bodymind in steady continuous communion with the all pervading Brahma continuously and at all times allowing for this essential power/strength of brahma to fill every vibratory space of the bodymind and energy body without any blockages. Thus, Brahmacharya unsuccessfully applied brings about distracted sexual thoughts, desires, or activities as does thoughts as well as thoughts of fulfillment through gluttony or greed. Therefore, repression brings about the exact opposite of true brahmacharya. Without knowing what to do at puberty this desire is the engine of neurotic desire, fear, and guilt breeding an anti-nature, anti-body, and anti-life tragic comedy. This is extremely cogent to Westerners as well, because of some Christian doctrines that everyone is born in original sin because of sex between the mother and father; hence sexual desires are sinful, but necessary for procreation only. This is very negative attitude toward oneself, the body, procreation, evolution, and natural function breeds the further conclusion that life on planet earth is rightfully hell. Human evolution and survival depends on the opposite conclusion.
For the untrained (neurotic) human, sexual contact and discharge normally brings about relief of blocked and tense pathways temporarily, which is healthier than the neuroses of repression which redirects and perverts the procreative force; however discharge will not create power and strength (virya). Hence an authentic brahmacharya discipline is required. Through sexual repression and fear of pleasurable feelings, disconnecting young people from their pleasurable feelings at an early age is a well known technique for disempowerment, guilt, and control; and hence, the myth of self-adversarial sexual and anti-pleasure paradigms rooted in such a pathological context have become exploited by the oppressor class in attempts to manipulate and control negative emotions by distracting humans to serve neurotic systems that promise ersatz rewards. Here, a severe perversion is enacted in the form of neurotic consumer gratification, accumulation or ownership of objects, the search for external symbols of success (such as status or privilege over others), selfishness, attachment disorders, paranoia, and a multitude of anti-social/sociopathic disorders. All of which would not be in alignment of Patanjali's spiritual purport of this sutra.
Brahmacharya is the Way Home Here and Now -- It is a Discipline of Being Fulfilled in the Body with Primordial Presence
Because the profound meaning of this sutra has become widely demeaned to mean something to do with sexual misconduct, it deserves special treatment as to the background of the Sanskrit terms used. The word, brahmacharya, can be derived from the two words, Brahma and acharya or charya.
Brahma: The creator god of the Cosmos -- the great progenitor.
The first god principle of the Hindu Trinity (trimurt).. Brahma is
self-born The God of creation/generation. Hence the source of the
generative force. Father of the eleven Prajapatis, the fathers of
man(see Prajapati). Brahma has gradually become displaced in
importance in India by Vishnu and Shiva, which may explain the
degradation of the term, Brahmacharya, to mean sexual celibacy,
while originally it meant being joined to (charya) Brahma. This is
an indicator that the act of creation and evolutionary activities
have become denigrated in later day Hinduism.
Brahmacharya: From Brahma, the creator/progenitor and acharya
(teacher) or charya (chariot, vehicle, or activity). Hence to link with Brahma as the
mentor/director of the chariot --as the teacher (acharya). Charya
also thus means to link or wed as in marriage. Thus one links with
Brahma (the creative force) in marriage -- the creator of life.
Thus Brahmacharya means to harmonize, join, unite and attune to the
generative, generational, evolutionary, and creative forces of the
universe and to be instructed thenceforth. None other than living a
life of integrity and continence with the primal creative
evolutionary/force. Hence the creative and procreative forces are
joined in harmony with virya (vigor and strength) as the effect.
(See: virya and I.20) Also this can mean being wed to, receiving
instruction, or walking in attunement with Brahman -- marriage or
union with Brahman.
Brahma is God as the creator or progenitor aspect, while "acharya" is teacher, and while "charya" means "to be wedded to" or "moving with". Thus one could say brahmacharya means being wedded to Brahma or Beginningless Source (as Brahma). Similarly one can say that brahmacharya is moving in harmony or attunement with the power of creation and procreation. Brahma as source is not the same as the Western creator God that made man and the universe and went away or who reserves for himself omnipotence. Rather Brahma symbolically represents the act of creation -- its intelligent spark and dynamic. It's an event which can be traced back from time and space, back to its beginning and thus from there into primal unborn formless beginningless (isvara), and back again to the present evolutionary embodiment -- the intrinsic integrity of siva/shakti. Indeed many Indian schools of thought identity parambrahma as Siva/Shakti or Mahesvara.
Thus one person could say that it means "to remain connected to Source" or to remain continuous and integral with it, hence the connotation of continence as continuous flow, may be implied as in being always married to Brahman (the one true Self both manifest and unmanifest) without distraction. In that marriage no distractions or corruptions can occur since by definition one is describing this integrity. How could any desire, greed, hatred, anger, jealousy, abuse, or harm occur in authentic Brahmacharya? Impossible, but the "ignorant reality" (called avidya) the normal man's non-integrative and corrupt dualistic state still does not see nor honor this natural integrity, thus his view requires adjustment or remediation through authentic yogic practice. Such a practice is brahmacarya which may be translated here as dancing (moving) with god.
Some take this sutra to mean Brahman-charya as walking with Brahman, who in Vedanta is the non-dual Reality without a second. Technically this may incorrect, but it seems that (for reasons given in this commentary) Patanjali is referring to Brahma -- the father spark that is specifically responsible for creation/existence of the universe -- the force behind evolution. However it can be accepted without contradiction that Brahma is an aspect of Brahman, broken down as the first aspect of the trimurt). Similarly, Shankaracharya in Vedanta, identifies parabrahman with isvara, which makes surrendering to isvara (in isvara pranidhana) the same as being guided by Parambrahman.
The great sage of the last century, Ramana Maharshi, said:
“Brahmacarya is ‘Living in Brahman’. It has no connection with celibacy as commonly understood. A real brahmacari, that is one who lives in Brahman, finds bliss in Brahman which is the same as the (true) Self. Why then should you look for other sources of happiness? In fact, the emergence from (leaving behind or forgetting) the Self has been the cause of all misery.”
Similarly, if one continuously looks toward Brahm as the teacher in All Our Relations; i.e., one is continuously focused on Brahma. Brahm's teachings are always available in this state of mind. Indeed both definitions can be easily integrated as the focusing of the mind, the energy, the body, and breath upon the Creative Source of Life -- Creator/Creation. In this sense Brahmacharya is continence, but not in the sense of sexual, urinary, fecal, or other such very limited ideas of retention and control over the bodily functions, but rather continence in the more subtle sense -- a continence of the more causal energy and mental bodies of the sukshma sharira belonging to the pranamaya, manomaya, and vijnanamaya koshas. This type of communion that is called brahmacharya is far deeper than the dualistic limitations of faith, loyalty, devotion, or belief, but rather address the direct experience and practice of merging as one into the creative life stream -- to honor THAT as one's everpresent teacher. This occurs naturally when the practice of yoga becomes continuous in All Our Relations, but for most of us who have only too briefly tasted that unity consciousness, then such is a practice to seek out, to explore, and embrace.
So in this practice of Brahmacharya one must honor and entertain the potential possibility that the generative and intelligent creative/procreative transgenerational force is present here in our very life today, as a teacher. Then we can find the door to Brahma is opened. Finding Brahma we can more easily find Brahman (the true non-dual and complete imperishable Self manifesting as Brahma/Vishnu/Siva).
Acharya, as the teacher that we are seeking out and learning from -- focusing on the eternal teacher all the time and in All Our Relations then leads us to the true, universal, all inclusive, and authentic Self. Brahman reveals herself to her devotees -- true seekers. All we have to do is to look for her. seek her, and be at one with her in all our activities -- as All Our Relations. When we reside here, there is self empowerment -- the cit-prana is not drained outward, but rather it is directed toward inward flow activating the evolutionary/creative and procreative forces and thus virya (strength and self empowerment) builds.
The accomplishment of the energetic matrix of authentic brahmacharya then naturally manifests in activities that are integrated with Brahman; but the normal man lacks vision (is lost in avidya), so the natural and spontaneous expression of brahmacharya is lacking. As in reverse engineering brahmacharya can be effectively cultivated once we understand its basic purpose and dynamics. The point is that eating, walking, drinking, evacuating, talking, social intercourse, sexual union and other such activities all can be accomplished in continuity with authentic brahmacharya, all of which can involve a spiritual intent and attitude (sankalpa shakti) more than the elimination or repression of specific natural bodily functions. In authentic yoga one does not use force, violence, or repressive means to guide one's activities, but rather wisdom and love. However if these same activities are approached through dualistic ignorance (avidya), desire (raga), aversion (dvesa), and the other kleshas then our spiritual power and strength will become dissipated. According to this sutra authentic brahmacharya generates virya (increases spiritual vigor).
Another way of saying this is that acharya is the teacher, which we continuously can "learn to learn" from at each sacred moment, always staying open, never turning away from the everpresent and self existing omnipresent teacher within. This is sometimes called asking for guidance. As such brahmacarya very closely aligns and adjuncts with the practice of isvara pranidhana. Thus in reality anyway one looks at it, Brahmacharya is the affirmation of the sacredness of life -- Sacred Presence -- Eternally HERE and Now.
"Those who follow the path of service, who have completely purified themselves and conquered their senses and self-will, see the Self in all creatures and are untouched by any action they perform.
Those who know this truth, whose consciousness is unified, think always, 'I am not the doer.' While seeing or hearing, touching or smelling, eating, moving about, or sleeping; breathing or speaking, letting go or holding o, even opening or closing the eyes, they understand that these are only the movements of the senses among sense objects.
Those who surrender to Brahman all selfish attachments are like the leaf of a lotus floating clean and dry on water. Sin cannot touch them. Renouncing their selfish attachments, those who follow the path of service, work with body. senses, and mind for the sake of self-purification.
Those who consciousness is unified, abandon all attachment to the results of action and attain supreme peace. But those whose desires are fragmented, who are selfishly attached to the results of their work, are bound in everything they do.
Those who renounce attachment in all their deeds live content in the 'city of nine gates", the body, as its master. They are not driven to act, nor do they involve others in action"
Bhagavad Gita, 5. 7-16, trsl. by Eknath Easwaran, Tomales, CA 1985.
In this way we can see that this yama of brahmacharya practice is the counterpart of the niyama of isvara pranidhana, the surrender to the Self -- to our highest divinity -- to the Great Binding or Integrity. It is also closely aligned with tapas. pratyhara, bandha, and swadhyaya practices (see commentary to sutra 1).
Thus it seems that the practice of Brahmacharya in this sense is to remain wedded to Brahma in integrity in All Our Relations and activities, while at the same time increasing our innate power, spiritual vigor, courage, and strength which has become heretofore repressed/supressed.Here I must reject the chauvinistic claim that virya refers to some male endocrine substance which women do not possess. We also wish to be absolutely clear that it is a mistake to take the word, virya, as used in Ayurveda as a male endocrine substance. Rather Patanjali means here by virya as spiritual strength, empowerment, and spiritual zeal. This is made clear in
Sutra I.20 "Shradda-virya-smrti-samadhi-prajna-purvaka itaresham".
Swami Veda Bharati in his comprehensive book on the Yoga Sutras discusses this above subject by analyzing what Vyasa said about virya.
"We have not translated virya to mean a male hormonal fluid, nor brahma-charya to be the preservation there of.... virya which represents in the common mind only a certain male fluid, the preservation of which is thought to be continence or brahma-charya. If that were the meaning of the word, how would we explain the brahma-charya, of ancient brahma-vadinis, the lady sages and teachers? What do they preserve? Does any lexicon show virya to mean a female fluid also? That is not the case. On the other hand if virya is male property, how do we explain the use of the word virya vali (fem. endowed with virya) and such other express ions.>
A synonym of virya, the word, retas, is also used in the context of female personages.
'All the three daughters of Mena and Himalya were endowed with the ascetic bodies, possessing the powers of yoga; the divine ladies with great and high auspicious characteristics, all gifted with a stable youthfulness. All of them were teachers of Brahman: all urdhva-retas, they whose virya flows upwards.'
Vayu Purana III.72. 14-15
If the words, virya and retas mean seminal fluid, how would the term urdva-retas apply to female ascetics as above? Obviously the words, have a wider meaning."
From "the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Volume Two, by Swami Veda Bharati, Motilal Benarsidass, Delhi , 2001.
Earlier in Swami Veda Bharati book he comments on what Patanjali means by virya in sutra I.13:
"Stillness or stability (sthiti) means the mind-field (citta) flowing pacifically when it is without vrttis. The endeavor tending towards this purpose is virility or exertion. Practice is the observance of the means thereto, with the will to achieve its fulfillment...
The endeavor is directed towards sthiti [a balanced stillness] and is explained by Vyasa by offering two synonyms:
virya: virility, vigour, strength, energy, potency, the qualities of a hero
utsaha: enthusiasm, perseverance, fortitude, firmness, exertion, vigorous pursuit.
Obviously an endeavour should be undertaken with these heroic qualities turned inwards and their intense concentration directed at the effort to bring the mind to stillness."
from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali with the exposition of Vyasa, Volume I, Pandit Usharbudh Arya (Swami Veda Bharati), Himalayan Intl., Honesdale, PA, 1988.
Here Swami Veda Bharati, honored as a Maha Mandaleshwari, takes virya as having an unexcelled capacity (samarthya-vishesha or nir-atishaya samarthya which can be approximately compared with shakti's pure potentiality. In a tantric sense, urdhva-retas (upward flow of the sexual energy) is always associated with the activation of kundalini shakti (when the ordinary dualistic pranic flows have become extraordinarily harmonized and trans-substantialized). In this sense the proto-tantric elements in the Yoga Sutras can be made clear.
Buddhists use virya as a paramita (perfection) leading to wisdom, often specifically meaning "right effort", vigor and strength as applied to sadhana, in the same way as Patanjali does elsewhere in the Yoga Sutras (again see Sutra 1.20). In such practices there is no limited sexual meaning to virya paramita as it is meant to be practiced by both females as well as males, which again points away from a mere gross sexual or physiological bias. I think it is also valuable to look into the historical context of Patanjali's time in order to obtain a meaningful interpretation in such terms, since the popularity of Buddhism and its similarity to yoga in that era and clime is well established. In other words, the ingrown academic institutionalized interpretation of brahmacarya meaning sexual restraint is both limited and coarse displaying an anti-female, anti nature, and anti-sexual bias. Authentic brahmacarya goes far beyond this coarse and limited view, which the student of yoga is encouraged to explore.
Going further even the idea of being devoted to Brahma would introduce a dualistic corruption or separation from Brahman -- the Large Self. Here we are taking another step from Brahma as creator/progenitor to Brahman which is not entirely equivalent, but the bridge is easily made after we realize that Brahman is the Universal Self. This "reminding" of our true self -- of our unitive state of wholeness -- both to "remind" others as well as our selves constitutes the practice of Brahmacarya. Reminding each other (as well as our own small self) of the fullness and divine riches of Universal Eternal Self, then not only is the practice of Brahmacarya, but also completes santosha, asteya, satya, ahimsa, isvara pranidhana, swadhyaya, tapas, and aparigraha because we no longer continue to cheat, demean, or obfuscate other people's true identity; we no longer through our own actions obstruct the reality of others's completion by validating nor reinforcing the falsity, the suffering, and other countless distractions/dissipations of avidya (ignorance). Thus our own communion is made more continuous, while simultaneously residues of old negative karma, vasana, and samskaras are more quickly and thoroughly remediated. This is the true meaning of Brahmacarya, but to practice it in the world, we must realize it inside as well. Both practicing it as integrity in the world as well as in our minds and hearts, its benefits will become empowered and fructified and eventually become spontaneous and natural.
In this way, one may simply practice brahmacarya by evaluating all one's activities in this light, that is , while asking does this or that action which I am contemplating or engaged upon draw me out of my marriage with the eternal teacher/teachings -- my core feeling of integrity and wholeness, or on the other hand, does "this" or "that" activity draw me closer to that deep full intimate heart felt relationship with Brahman? Then the authentic practitioner evaluates how one may increase that marriage with Brahma more continuously in All Our Relations. Those activities which increase this sacred relationship, while simultaneously providing an increased sense of self empowerment, spiritual strength, vigor, and courage (virya) is indeed authentic Brahmacarya.
What are some practical applications of Brahmacharya? Most obviously, the practice of Brahmacharya is to place one's mind and intention fully in union with creation, creativity, the evolutionary force in All Our Relations, and thus into primordial presence here and now. So whenever one feels out of harmony or dispossessed from this relationship, one can realign in integrity with Brahma? There exist many ways, the most accessible is to simply remember to pause more often, while entertaining the possibility. The more common answer is to make one's daily physical and psychic environment more consciously in harmony with the evolutionary energy -- with the furtherance of life. That is devotion and propagation to Brahma. Try to feel and know brahma in all beings and things. This is where a daily asana and pranayama practice can greatly aid, as well as all the other limbs of astanga yoga. When one is so connected, their vital energy, vigor, vivaciousness, and strength are very much present and strengthened. Conversely, when one is distracted/disconnected from the creative power, creation, and the evolutionary life force where t is blocked, repressed, and/or ignored, then, our mental and physical vigor and vitality are severely diminished. When neurotic desires are heightened one can be sure that one's vital energy has become dammed up, blocked, misdirected, and perverted.
For example, can we eliminate those activities and things in our lives that do not honor creation and creativity and at the same time renew our alignment with the creator, creation, birth, generation, the forces of renewal and regeneration -- including being in harmony with the generative process. Be creative at all times and in all situations and never disrespect the evolutionary energy inside or out. Such is as simple as changing our mindsets toward mother nature and how we deal with her. Is it an abusive dysfunctional relationship or do we honor the creative force on the earth? How do we respect and honor other life forms, animals, trees, plants, as well as our own body? Do we see that they are all the result of the same creative spark -- that we are united in Brahma, and hence have the same father -- Prajapati? That we are all kin -- part of the greater community of All Our Relations. If outer circumstances do not allow this free expression, then attempt to change the outer condition. However, internally we can always honor brahmacharya just like ahimsa honors the evolutionary life force within.
Would bringing nature home "inside" help us more? Would honoring wilderness serve as an adjunctive aide? Is not coming to terms with brahma inside, facilitate our recognition of brahma outside? Perhaps cultivating relationships with other people or living things, who honor and reflect the creative impulse (the qualities of Brahma) and serve to empower our spiritual strength and inspire us on the path would also be furthering. There is much to do to remind ourselves, as we are reminding others of that great Integrity, which the yam of brahmacarya reflects. When this connection with the great father is split and rended then neurotic displacements, dissociations, distractions, and myriad inhibitions, are the result.
Revisiting the Samkhya Error
Now how did this plain and profound sutra become so distorted by the status-quo orthodox tradition? This corruption of what Patanjali said, was done by those who had a negative embodiment self-image, negative nature image, negative earth image, a life negative, body negative and consequently sex negative dualistic bias, prejudice, and fear. In an overly simplistic manner, in their wish to disengage from suffering and pain, they attempted to dissociate from life and nature, by throwing out the baby with the bath water. They simplistically concluded that life and existence was problematical (and hence the body). Hence it was either an illusion, non-existent, a curse, or evil -- something to either overcome, escape from, or ignore. They did not trust nature nor the body because they were dualistic in mind; i.., they did not see the continuity of creator in creation -- Brahman as intrinsic seed source of the universe. They were dualistic in mind because they had not integrated Sat with Chit (nature with spirit or being with consciousness, or shakti with siva), but rather feared it choosing a false ersatz security in isolation/alienation from the generative/creative evolutionary seed source (Brahma) as the father of all fathers. Thus a polarization of mind from body became institutionalized and they built upon this institution over millenniums rigidifying their beliefs of separation in hopes of dominion over life and nature -- over wilderness and their own true nature until such became a self serving tradition (although in fact such only served man's pride, aversion, and ignorance - being servants to their kleshas).
Specifically, the source of this stubborn institutionalized misinterpretation stems from the first well known and "authoritative" commentator on the Yoga Sutras, who "interpreted" Brahmacharya to mean sexual continence. That "interpretation" stuck within the confines of the institutionalized authoritative status-quo and anti-nature academic tradition which attempted to co-opt/expropriate the Yoga Sutras. Again we point out that Patanjali did not use the word "sex" or "continence" in this sutra at all, but it is only through a nature phobic "interpretation", that the word, brahmacarya, has become not only synonymous with abstaining from sex, but also as renouncing the world in these overly objectified and heavily abstracted circles. In those perverted realms, duality is reinforced by artificially placing "reality" and sacredness "other" than on this planet, within this very body, within creation, evolutionary, creative processes, and the divine creatrix. It is indeed the denial of Brahma as creator not only of the body, the earth, and the universe, but also the denial and demeaning of our own co-creative pro-creative function in nature (as if procreation was something not spiritual). Rather spiritual empowerment (virya), spiritual strength, vigor, endurance, and enthusiasm comes from the embrace of Brahma in this very body, not through aversion (dvesa) of the body and nature. What brahmacarya should be associated with is the affirmative practice of conscious engagement with Brahma in daily life and finding spiritual vigor and strength in such.
In short, the institutionalized "authoritative" interpretation of most of the yams and niyams in general is a corruption of an anti-life and nature negative prejudice. The original words have been perverted, slanted, and corrupted to mean the opposite in many cases. Brahmacharya simply means being wedded, integrated, and in harmony with the creative/generative force (Brahma), honoring it in everyday life, reflecting your relationship with the great progenitor/creator, Brahma, and so acting knowing one's true nature. Acting interconnected in harmony, spontaneously, and vitally (versus mechanically, conceptually, or in contradiction) with affirming life and the evolutionary power, rather than destroying and repressing life and the creative/evolutionary impulse. In a similar sense this yama, brahmacharya, is the everyday practice of being focused on Brahma and the cit-prana (where Brahma is the source of prana), remaining centered to one's core of goodness not allowing oneself to become upset, distracted, dissuaded, or caught up in citta vrtti (neurotic activities).
This is not to say that the confusion that is presented to our unprepared youth as manifested in sexual lust and propensities in not problematical in a society which does not honor nature or natural function -- in a society that tends rather to exploit and manipulate such deprivation/depravity. Thus because of sexual repression and the disconnection of human beings who believe that they have not evolved as an integral part of nature, a definite conflict has arisen between human being's view of "self' and the body, and the actual evolutionary fact of embodiment. A spirit filled life is what is intended, not ignorance or denial of life.
In that milieu of chronic denial and split, many unwholesome and neurotic desires arise,a nd as such there arise exploitive become industries to capitalize upon such neurotic tendencies. The military is one, consumerism another, whoredom is a third. In the case of sexual repression, guilt, or simply the disconnect from natural sexual expression as "good" behavior, that conditioned artificial belief system reinforces more ideas of alienation from our feelings; i.e., feeling pleasure in the body such as sexual pleasure becomes a sinful. Ergo a "good" or obedient human being disconnects from their feelings at an early age. Such a disconnect from our innate feelings naturally leads to manipulation of our neurotic needs by the exploiter classes in adulthood. It implants the negative idea that one's body and feelings are unclean, evil, bad, or sinful and hence one no longer places trust in one's own deep feelings rather one is taught how to overcome their feelings. This seems to be more obvious to men than to women, although women generally notice that men are out of touch with their feelings, men's sexual feelings because they have become repressed. perverted, demeaned, and neurotic appear threatening to many women in fear of being sexually exploited by men. This institutionalized problem is not at all hopeless, but the solution is not to be found within the institutionalized forces which are supported by this repression which is none other than the disruption/discontinuity of connection with Brahma. hence the obvious solution is true Brahmacharya in All Our Relations. Sexual relations as an end in itself or for pleasure, is itself a result of this disconnect -- it is a perversion. Rather sexual relations within the scope of creation/evolution is an act of communion and integration where the male energy (siva) integrates and harmonizes with the female (shakti) as an integral part of an ancient evolutionary creative transpersonal process -- as a participant in this sacred union in conjunction with siva/shakti, the participants become empowered, energized, invigorated, and strengthened (virya is realized). The opposite is engaging in sexual self gratification to release dammed up sexual energy which has become stuck at the swadisthana chakra and is not allowed to move (without discharge). The discharge may give temporary relief and it may relieve neurotic tendencies, but ultimately it is dissipating -- it does not strengthen virya or serve to invigorate.
It is not only dissipating physical activities but also dissipating thoughts, dreams, and daydreams that are asking to be redirected once our awareness is turned to discern virya in All Our Relations. Granted "sexual continence" has become the favored definition of Brahmacharya by the anti-nature and anti-body dualistic traditions, but it is only the lowest denominator for those who have already become seduced into coarse and dissipating behavior. Sexual behavior like any other behavior obviously is taken care of by the practice of ahimsa, satya, asteya, and aparigraha already, so here we will focus on the aspect of virya. Simple sexual restraint for the most part can be even worse than sexual indulgence if it causes neurotic sublimation (such as consumerism) or fantasies which will sap our virya even more and likely to cause increased himsa as well. The energy is merely redirected into ersatz consumerism and fancy, and then dissipated that way; or it is dammed up and repressed causing mental/ emotional and/or physical blockages which also can cause dissipation and restraint of vital energy (again the opposite of empowerment and virya). The point is that virya is an important adjunct for spiritual practice if we awaken as to what augments it and what dissipates it (See I.20).
So by turning/tuning the attention to linking with brahma as the ever-present evolutionary life force energy -- the creative urge, then we can become like a flower that is naturally moving toward the sun, always bathing in its light and power, while always being moved by that innate wisdom. Thus, Brahma is always accessible as our ally, but ordinarily that innate knowledge is suppressed, ignored, obscured and/or feared through negative conditioning.
So, what are some other practical applications of brahmacharya as a spiritual practice? One of course is to focus on virya (your innate vigor and seed energy). Rather than dissipate it, we can evaluate all our activities of body, speech, and mind in regard to virya, learning not to dissipate it. First, of course, we have to learn about virya, how to recognize it, acknowledge it, honor, and respect it in ourselves and in others. This is similar to getting to know ahimsa in terms of prana (the life force) and honoring that in self and others. This is the same theme as found in tapas, pranayama, pratyhara, dharana, bandha, asana, etc. In the following sutras and padas Patanjali tells us how to use asana, pranayama, chakra visualization, pratyhara, dharana, and samyama in order to inform us of virya and prana. There exist many effective advanced practices where the vital energy is augmented and the internal seed-drops (bindu), which is related to virya are consciously practiced. Any such detailed descriptions here is outside the scope of this commentary on II.38. Any activity that dissipates or blocks the flow of prana-shakti, and inhibits/represses our strength and vigor is the opposite of Brahmacharya. Key is to keep the pathways open and the energy flowing.
For example, over-eating, being exposed to toxins, lack of internal or mental cleanliness, over work, over exertion, sleep deprivation, worry, negative thinking, lack of fresh air, poor breathing habits, poor posture, stressful conditions, tension, contraction, negative people, fear, anger, and such can deplete our energy and strength, while disrupting and distorting the bodymind structure. Here, one is advised to practice brahmacharya. Another simple practice is taking a long walk in nature daily, along river banks, forests, or mountain trails, while connecting in sacred resonance with the creator behind all.
Negative attitudes to social and physical conditions can also negatively deplete our strength, just as much as dissipating and distracting thoughts (viksepa). Just so when we are wedded to Brahma our actions become sattvic (balanced and pure) --we honor the evolutionary/creative force in the physical, ecological, and social spheres up until many generations in the future -- honoring the three times (past, existential present, and future) in this very timeless moment. As Brahma breathes in and out the universe, the pulsation (spanda) from source to the present, from primordial awareness to form/embodiment, from cit to sat, from siva to shakti and back again is fully experienced.
Yes, on one hand we can use neurotic/compensatory sexual desire as an example of a substitute and temporary gratification. As it can be a large distraction to many, it must be acknowledged as a symptom of a larger lack or split. But it would be unwise to limit brahmacharya merely refers exclusively to *sexual* dissipation/distraction. No, that is far too simplistic. Rather than simplistically ignoring sexual perversions, addictions, fascinations, or taboos, the procreative or generative forces should be acknowledged as-it-is in terms of the evolutionary force.
It is an error to throw out the baby with the bath-water, by avoiding the subject of procreation as simply bad and hence procreation and human life becomes negated or seen in a dim light. It is a cheap shot and a spiritual by-pass, which should not be ignored. This attitude is institutionalized in most religious institutions which deny the living god and god of life Brahma or else relegate to Brahma a distant role other than in the present. In the West this is institutionalized in the church doctrine of original sin which states that all are born in sin, and life is hell. Salvation and goodness is in the after-life (death). Such a negative anti-life attitude feeds self-hatred, necrophilia, and a host of other pathologies, which have been previously mentioned.
A Tantric Introduction to Brahmacharya
Ignorance of Brahma simply creates more tension and armoring around it, often to a pathological point of dissociation from the body and life, nihilism, or necrophilia. Indeed much compulsive, violent, and harmful speech that derides, curses, and condemns others are most often due to one's own fear, defensive armoring, tension, and conflict around sexual tensions and fears that have become deeply repressed, denied, buried, and ignored and hence there arises much anger as a result. Because the generative urge in many youth is more powerful than hunger, thirst, the need to sleep, and, in some, to breathing; thus it is more productive to apply this basic idea of Brahmacharya in the opposite direction of traditional repressive institutionalized authority --into a positive conclusion regarding the procreative urge in general, not as an ersatz act of neurotic self gratification, but rather as a spiritual practice in a tantric/agamic sense -- as a fearless diving into, discovering, and more deeply communing with the Source of our potency and strength (virya-labah) through the bodily pro-creative/generative pathway. Indeed, brahmacharya, so applied, on a physical, energetic, mental, and spiritual level in All Our Relations is a great aid in overcoming avidya as it directly impacts upon our neurology, generative life impulse, energy body, attachments, dissuasions, programmed prejudice, abhinivesa (fear of death), self image, identification, view, and insecurities in general.
Here, instead of impregnating our youth with fear, armoring, guilt, and tension around the sexual function, the tantric approach is keep the energy flowing in the water chakra (swadhistana) neither by discharging it nor stopping it, but rather by keeping the flow open and unblocked, by strengthening the pranic circuits to prevent overload and short circuiting, by binding/interconnecting it to the other chakras through pranayama, pratyhara, and samyama. As a gate, bandhas, fill in the leaking holes where cit-prana can dissipate. such energy then is redirected to empower the evolutionary circuits (kundalini). Brahmacarya thus teaches balance and harmony in all our relationships entreating us to find the virya (strength and courage) in such. Being wedded and intimately united to Brahma as the force of renewal, generation, creative force, and regeneration is a healing space and integrity both combined. This could be labeled as a blessing or grace, but be sure it does not come from a separate source, rather as truth it is the potential manifesting from All Our Relations as such it is a living teaching or it is a blessing passed on from True Self to True Self, not from ego. Such practice will be in consonance both with the maha-vratam and nirvitarka goals of the yam/niyam as put forth by the sage Patanjali which affirms our inseparableness --our integrity and continence in all of eternity. Detailed hatha yoga, tantric, kundalini, or laya yoga approaches to this activity, although perhaps somewhat problematic in many anti-nature monastic settings, can be found in other literature as well as in Pada III. The main point is to seek out Brahma in All Our Relations in body, speech and mind and then act in accordance/continuity/integrity.
In the non-dual tantric sense, sexual activity is a potent practice where both partners can increase their communion with Brahma, by transmuting the potential of being carried away and distracted by the physical pleasure of transpersonal experience, but rather approaching this as an opportunity to integrate physical passion and divine passion into a spiritual and divine partnership, where physical, energetic, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual union of the individual becomes an act of renouncing short term sexual pleasure as discharge, but rather as the generation of ojas and virya as tapas -- charging the flow through the nadis rather than the armoring. blockage, or constriction around them for mutual liberation and spiritual evolution -- as an act of devotion or surrender to the seed source (isvara pranidhana) parabrahman in the union of siva/shakti, as worship, where the fire (tapas) is fed by the inner ghee (neuro-physiological liquor) on the altar of Brahma. In such practices the inner fire is not dissipated, but rather used alchemically to fire and the inner but latent evolutionary circuitry. This practice empowers and creates inner strength and non-dual balanced stability.
In this sense there exists no greater, more powerful, and more direct method to worship Brahma than through the intelligent union of shiva/shakti in all aspects of our life. Through tapas, inner heat is generated and conserved, great bliss is experienced as the biopsychic blockages are melted. Through this union, dormant circuits and latent glandular substances are strengthened, activated, balanced, and harmonized. To be certain, there are many kinds of tantric practices. This one in particular must always be performed within the non-dual context of the sacred mandala, where all beings are buddhas, bodhisattvas, yogis, and/or deities (aspects reflecting their connection with the enlightened mind). It is always practiced as a spiritual sadhana in the context of the inner light body, energy body, or pain free body, after careful preparation, purification, and strengthening practices have become stabilized. It may or may not necessarily include a physical partner. Devoid of this intelligent wholistic context, approaching this powerful creative force directly will have a very high probability of failing. Failure however is not to be feared, as Brahma is an unfailing teacher as long as one has learned to consult him. The authentic singular purpose of the practice must be kept in mind at all times.
This, of course, is not the institutionalized orthodox view on brahmacharya; but it is put forth sincerely as a modern non-dual tantric interpretation in light of the fact that Brahma is the Hindu idea that most closely resembles the force of creation and generation (and hence the pro-creative and generative powers are also associated) -- the grammatical roots of this word (and my own yoga practice) convince me that a deeper honoring of the creative, vibrant, and vital living force that underlies all of creation -- sacred and profound is being called forth to be considered and heard. Indeed, genuine tantra practiced not as a temporary sensual pleasure or release of dammed up energy, but as an activity that does not distract, dissuade, nor dissipates one's consciousness, vital energies, or fluids, but rather feeds the eternal omnipresent flame -- as an entering into the non-dual transpersonal integration, which is our true nature, removing obstacles, generating spiritual passion and vigor, as a simultaneous act of tapas, aparigraha, isvara pranidhana, and brahmacharya appears to be more in harmony with the rest of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras than the institutionalized anti-sexual interpretation
In this sutra, Patanjali says that by effective practice of brahmacharya increased spiritual momentum, energy, empowerment, strength and courage is encouraged/generated (virya). Thus one could read that sexual activity, like any other activity, without practicing authentic brahmacharya, is of course a distraction, and thus dissipative and weakening. According to tantra, the remediation of lust and distracting influences through the conscious application of brahmacarya on a physical or energetic level is to be applied at all times. Then to some extent Brahmacarya can be linked to the energetics of the hatha yoga practice of vajroli mudra (especially to its inner (internal correspondence) application where there is natural upward flow (urdvaretas) which is activated by the compounding of blood and hormonal juices (ojas) with cit-prana. urdvaretas can be achieved through practice or naturally and spontaneously through good past karma (grace) by one who is spiritually ripe (by a true devoted seeker).
In Summary
"The process of offering is Brahman; that which is offered is Brahman. Brahman offers the sacrifice in the fire of Brahman. Brahman is attained by those who see Brahman in every action"
Bhagavad Gita, 4.24, trsl. by Eknath Easwaran, Tomales, CA 1985.
Brahmacharya thus, is catalyzed by tapas and implied in isvara pranidhana, swadhyaya, asteya, santosha, ahimsa, satya, saucha, and aparigraha. By a similar extension it implies equanimity, karuna, compassion, ahimsa, satya, saucha (as purity of the heart), and jivamukti. All the yam/niyam form a great circle (maha-vratam) and refine our cit-prana from gross to subtle engendering (nirvitarka). So authentic brahmacharya practiced not only in bodily actions and speech, but more causally in the HeartMind where we are always focused on Brahma and Brahman.
"To contemplate on God in this world is the highest Sadhana, and this automatically implies love towards all beings. You cannot see God in all and yet not love all people. These are contraries. You see God in all and love all equally. It is implied, and you need not mention it separately, and this also implies service to all. To recognize one's own self in others and to work for the fulfillment of this in life is a part of our sadhana. Love all, serve all, because God is in all."
Swami Krishnananda
Swami Venkatesananda says of Brahmacharya:
"Brahmacharya literally means when the whole inner consciousness flows constantly toward truth, towards what is, towards God, Brahman. That is difficult! And so some holy ones restricted the meaning. They asked; 'What is it that distracts a person's attention most?' The opposite sex [polarity]. so they interpreted brahmacharya to mean continence, chastity. This is no doubt one of the constituents of brahmacharya, but brahmacharya means much more than that. Brahmacharya is also part of the search for truth. It means that the mind is always moving in the infinite (Brahman), towards the infinite, constantly looking for Brahman. That itself again is meditation.
When the question, 'what is truth, what is this?' is burning in one's heart, it is then that both truthfulness and brahmacharya are possible. It is said that the yogi who is devoted to truth becomes completely silent; every time he wants to say something, there is the thought, 'How do I know this is true?' This happens also with brahmacharya in the sense of chastity. When your mind, heart, and whole being are constantly absorbed in this search for truth, towards enlightenment, then craving does not arise and continence happens [spontaneously]. On the other hand, suppressing all these emotions is dangerous, because it is violence, it is untruth, and there is no brahmacharya there."
"The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali with Commentary by Swami Venkatesananda" pp 198 -199, The Divine Life Society, U.P., India , 1998
In the modern materialistic world, in general, we observe that the forces of alienation, fragmentation, disparity, and corruption have become normal and dominant. Because most people become inured to the widespread dichotomy of false identification (falsely identifying with the dualistic mind, as a separate ego, or body) this "apparent" dichotomy as an institutionalized estrangement from non-dual Self has become a peer promoted epidemic. Of course, the physical body dies, but this body is the result of billions of years of intelligent evolution from beginningless Source -- which brings up the subject of the Long Body, the Param Purusa, or Brahman. Form bodies come and go, but Brahma doesn't change. Brahma inhales in and exhales out the universe creating the kalpas and yugas. Intimately knowing that, one knows true self-nature. However, it is short sighted false identifications (avidya) with a temporal and limited "self", that creates desire, even more distraction, and attaches itself upon countless affliction, suffering, and pain (duhkha). This small self (ego) can never be sustained, and will most definitely perish. Yoga, however tells us that this small self is also a result of a limited mindset -- it is illusory. The suffering can be removed.
The answer to the inquiry, who am "i" is disclosed in the authentic practices of yoga such as in vairagya, dhyana, tapas, swadhyaya, isvara pranidhana, ahimsa, brahmacarya, or other such practices, which removes the veil obscuring the implicate truth of who/where/what we are "in the greater yogic context". We cannot know who we are unless we know where we came from also (Brahma). Without that practice and realization of Brahmacharya we have a limited, fragmented, or distorted idea of "self" (being lost in fragmented existence where awareness is obstructed (avidya).
All "things" are on fire, they change, die, come into being, and realign as creation ceaselessly evolves; but in yoga we learn that we are not just this physical body. The imperishable is recognized in the here and now as primordial awareness. The body being a temporary vehicle for embodiment of love and light on the planet only when one connects with the living creative force. That is, no ego, no body, no "thing" exists as separate/independent. Rather, it is the result of limited thinking to presuppose an I/IT dualistic split. When we open through yoga to connect up with who we really are (and this usually takes years of deconditioning) we start to see who/what we really are in the context of transpersonal and non-dual awareness and beingness --as Satchitananda. Here, the crown (sahasrara) and the earth (muladhara) --light and form, empty openness and bliss, sprit and nature -- shiva and shakti, male and female, intersect, conjoin, and are married without contradiction.. They are both co-activated simultaneously and the sacred temple is restored. This comes not as a result of theory or philosophy, not as negation or avoidance, not from denial; but as a result of genuine integrative yoga practice which has removed all the obstructions of our innate creative potential. When that potential becomes liberated en masse, then a new beginning of learning and creativity will be established in the aligned behavior of the evolved biopsychic human being.
This is why Patanjali emphasizes that authentic practice remediates old energy patterns, tendencies, karma, klesha, and samskara. A major obscuration of consciousness and impediment to pure being (klesha) is asmita-klesha, the false or fragmented self-identification as a separate self, the ego, and pride; while Brahmacharya is one such practice out of hundreds designed to loosen that fixation while restoring our place within that greater Implicate Integrity.
The body, the trees, ocean, animals, Mother earth, stars, rivers, ecosystems, all of timeless creation -- All Our Relations- all came from Beginningless Source, and that Source is thus contained inside all -- we reflect it and at the same time we are its expression. The separation is entirely mind fabricated. It is a result of an illusory state of mind. Since this "we" or "i" does not exist outside of the whole in Reality -- "we" all together become a tangible and deeply felt co-creative experience when we eventually awaken.
As we increasingly surrender/offer up the veiled cocoon of ignorance upon the altar of our practice, the more is revealed of this transpersonal eternal beginningless Source in/as All Our Relations. Our practice approximates it, attunes with it aligns with it, or at other times we rest in deep gratitude and santosha -- at one with Brahm.
Not that Brahm can be adequately defined because in yoga we are aiming for a direct experience. Within the broader scope of an experiential practice, we can take time out with frequent pauses each and every day from being caught up in neurotic habits, daily agendas, and schedules, and then invite THAT sacred presence "in", not just for guidance or expression, but as an intimate embrace like a long lost friend -- like a vital fluid coursing through our veins invigorating, purifying, healing, and supporting our embodiment. The more rich and full this expression becomes -- the more creatively empowered this expression becomes -- the happier and more fulfilled we become -- the more we enter into and embody the True Self.
So to reiterate upon a very much misunderstood sutra. There is nothing directly about sex per se, in this sutra, unless we consider that procreation is a subset of the creative/evolutionary force. Although a novice practitioner of yoga may not know with certainty what was on Patanjali's mind, one may ascertain the meaning of words be they German, Sanskrit or English if they are used to clarify, rather than to obfuscate or create ambiguity. Patanjali says what he means and does not beat around the "bush". In this respect one notices that the term chosen by Sri Patanjali is Brahma-charya, but most likely not Brahman-charya (as the concept of Brahman became popularized in Vedanta hundreds of years after Patanjali.
Even if one were to be extremely liberal in the definition brahmacarya as continence, as in self-discipline or restraint, its meaning would be obviated,. Why not restraint in alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, violence, harm, lying, or murder, one should critically ask. Why only moderation in sexual intercourse? Patanjali is also not saying anything about sexual moderation, per se.. Moderation, if not total abstinence, is best when confronting any samsaric situation, not just sexual enticement or proclivities. Certainly it is best to confront our mental demons whenever they are provoked through ascertaining their cause remediating such. We should notice when we are interacting compulsively or neurotically, coming from a emotional place of deprivation and repression. Brahmacarya is the opposite of celibacy, as one is married to brahma or at least aspires to that union..
Most people can easily ascertain the intellectual definition of Brahma as the creator god of the universe who also created the universe, including Prajapati, the progenitor of human beings. There is very little controversy. Charya alludes to a chariot, to become connected, yoked to, or married with, hence riding with brahma, walking with brahma, or being wedded with brahma all connote a similar relationship with the evolutionary/creative seed force (brahma). The other possible word definition would be brahma-acharya, which might be translated that brahma is the teacher (acharya); i.e., we are being instructed by brahma awareness. In either case, (acharya or charya) the meaning is basically the same, which is being intimately connected and attuned to the universal seed source behind creation/evolution. There seems to be no way to twist or bias this basic disambiguation in any other functional way.
As a practice then, we can attempt a continuous and steadfast intention of self-inquiry without distraction. It is overly simple to negate Brahma, co-creative expressions, our place as human beings in the process of evolution, and existence. That is the general sociopathic reaction to a human community and common ground intention by stepping outside the evolutionary current of evolution and into extinction, as most anti-nature and anti-life religions espouse, because of their inability to deal effectively with nature. Another name for that is institutionalizing a spiritual bypass, so that authentic awareness is obviated as one becomes dependent upon clergy, priests, and authority figures to navigate the "other world" -- to explain to us the mysteries by keeping it hidden. So, a fundamental practice is to ask and answer, "Who are we, as human beings in relationship to evolutionary energy, both inside and outside (non-dually)". That is the inquiry. "How did we get here and where are we located in terms of primordial essence -- the everpresent essence of mind"?
Being in touch with Brahma, thus gives one a vital connection, a sense of aliveness and vivacity, a sense of strength and vigor, both mentally and physically. Brahma bestows strength, vitality and vigor, both simple and straight forward. Only through cultural conditioning or unnatural institutionalization processes can human beings become disconnected and blocked from the evolutionary flow, creation/evolution. Such negative conditioning is not natural, but rather the opposite. In most situations it is an artifice of an unnatural society, culture, or paradigm at odds with natural evolutionary intelligence. So Patanjali says find strength and vigor in nature, in evolution, source awareness, now presence, and be with THAT in all our relationships. Rest the awareness/attention here, and one will find strength, vigor, and vitality. How simple and straight-forward.
When we are disconnected from Brahma then there many problems arise. When a society is habitually out of synch with creation and evolution then serious problems arise. This should not sound unfamiliar in our time of mass extinction, destruction of habitat, and ecocide, unless we are in great denial. The conclusion thus is simple; this interpretation of brahmacarya is far more in alignment with ahimsa (the primary yama), than the samkhya.
Patanjali's teachings are simple and profound, as they are
relevant. I do not think we need to demean these profound teachings
by limiting such by reading in an anti-nature prejudice, which asserts that he is directly addressing
sexual intercourse in this sutra. Such an interpretation occurs only
within anti-nature, anti-body, anti-life cults, whose overly simplistic solution to life's
problems is death, avoidance, and escapism, negation and repression,
renunciation and condemnation, or neurotic escapism in ersatz
gratification, where an attachment is made in the negative or opposite attainment; all of which is *not* what Sri Patanjali is stating
in Sutra II.38. Rather, as a practice, Patanjali is saying to
harness, join, and become instructed by Brahma -- the universal seed source behind
all creation, both internal and external, to acknowledge, honor, and respect Brahma in all one's
relations at all times and places (sarva-bhaumah) and anavacchinah
(see II.31) and I.20.
TAT TVAM ASI
II. 39. aparigraha-sthairye janma-kathamta-sambodhah
CONTENTMENT and GENEROSITY: Own Nothing and Be Owned by Nothing.
When one has become well established (sthairye) in non-possessiveness (aparigraha), then the spacious conditions for openness of the Heartmind is established awakening true insight of the causes of existence, how things appear, how they cease, and how spiritual progress continues to flow. (janma-kathamta-sambodhah).
or another working translation
Aparigraha is the practice of choice in order to release past fixations and stagnating tied up energy, while creating new open space and awakening insight by taking a position standing completely free from and releasing attachments, associations, and/or fixations upon objects of mind and/or body.
graham: grasping, holding onto, clinging, obsessing, possessing tightly, being possessed by a form or object.
pari: all around. all encompassing. completely surrounding or engulfing.
apari: to stand away from. To stand aback. Freedom from. To go beyond.
aparigraha: To live a life free from attachment (such as in realizing vairagya); the release of grasping/holding onto form: to let go of attachments to objects. Hence non-needing; non-craving, non-clinging, unclenching, non-gloming, non-hoarding; non-possessing, the absence of greed, covetousness. possession, or grasping. The activity of freedom by releasing attachments and needs, thus creating open space for awakening. To abide free from grasping and attachment.To be beyond grasping. Literally non-grasping. Non-greed, non-covetousness, non-miserliness, and non-clutter of both the mind (mental objects or objects of thought) and physical objects. The attitude of enough, completeness, sufficiency or fulfillment unconditionally (that is, not being a result of an indulgence being satiated – a pleasure achieved at the prompting of desire. As a heightened state, a abiding in the sphere of non-dual unconditional happiness at peace with one’s present situation without any desire for more; non-accumulation, non-craving. Generosity and gratitude are the antidotes for grasping. Aparigraha thus is a characteristic of being fully present here and now, thus it is spontaneously unforced, natural, and effortless. See also santosha for comparison
janma: referring to that which is born or arises into existence and therefore dies. The origin, life, birth – phenomena as arisen existence -- of the living
stairye: steadiness; firmly established; fixed, fixated
sambodhah: awakened insight. The awakening of the light of intuitive wisdom
kathamta: the what and how of events and things.
Swami Venkatesananda says:
"When the inner light of intelligence illumines the state of mind that has firmly rejected all greed and there is contentment with what life brings unsolicited, there arises knowledge of the mysteries of life and its why and how."
Commentary: By being firmly established (sthairye) in simplifying ones's life of non-essential objects, thus releasing the tendency to grasp at more things, e.g., like the release of attachments to frivolous and distracting non-essential desires and by no longer being occupied in the activities of grasping for new personal possessions, nor appropriating, consuming, or hoarding objects out of neurotic false identifications (greedily hoarding because of feelings of an inner emptiness or lack, nor to covet and be attached to that which is transitory and ever changing, and seeing greener fields always on yonder horizons (aparigraha), then the requisite space and openness is created that enables the practitioner to see ones's true condition (janma-kathamta sambodhah) despite past neurotic patterns.
Quite simply our view (clear vision) is often cluttered and obscured by objects of thought which we have grasped upon. These objects of thought cloud, clutter, and cover the pure vision underneath, just as if we piled clean clothes over the dirty laundry, we can not find it. When we unclutter our lives and especially the mind becomes uncluttered, then a purification of sorts occurs and the deeper core wisdom eventually shines forth and becomes uncovered.
Parigraha paralyzes us and holds us rigid/trapped, engulfed, used up, and possessed. This awakening insight into the nature of things (janma-kathamta sambodhah) from the emanating from previously unrecognized karmic winds as it has manifested in the past (janma) to solidify "conditions", then will serve to replenish our innate power to support us in the future by eliminating further bondage and suffering that is inherent in and clinging to the conditions, craving, or fears of the past, the present, or the future which has yet to come. Aparigraha thus is a very large practice in freeing up space and energy, and making spiritual change.
It should be emphasized again that by aparigraha, Patanjali does *not* mean self abnegation, sacrifice, or imposing upon oneself external rules via will power. Rather AHIMSA still reigns. One pays heed to the body's need for health, food, water, shelter, and essentials in order to be a fit vehicle for practice. One takes care of one's basic essential needs. One does NOT act in a self adversarial way, torture, war against, or harm oneself. That is not aparigraha.
As our insight into how spiritual progress arises (janma-kathamta sambodhah) through freeing up space and time -- loosening our attachments and obsessions, then true integrity is achieved and past karmic proclivities are completed or burned up. Via authentic aparigraha we merge into greater ecstatic openness and contentment in the Eternal Now. As such aparigraha is the practice of creating unobstructed and unfabricated natural space -- openness to organic and natural flow.
Aparigraha means non-greed, non-covetousness, non-possessiveness, non-excess, and literally, not grasping -- not clinging. So on a positive side it means unlimited freedom. It is achieved in many ways. It is aligning with the process (kathamta) of uncluttering and purifying both the mind and our environment -- in All Our Relations -- that creates the requisite space for the awakening of the true self (atmabodhi).
Sthairye means to be firm, steadfast, still and easeful in the practice of aparigraha. One reading of this sutra thus is when we become firm, still, and unmovable in not needing, when that state is easy and still, then the how (kathamta) of our past existence -- how we got HERE (janma-kathamta) is awakened (sambodhah). HERE we remain centered in the eternal present. HERE our life comes together through aparigraha and we are able to become reborn free from the winds of past karma, and it is HERE (in turiya) that all dimensions come together and become whole. As such one ask what then is the difference between santosha (II. 42) and aparigraha? The result is the same, but santosha emphasizes cultivating peace and calm in order to be content with all there is - in All Our Relations, while aparigraha emphasizes openness of space and awakened insight (sambodhah).
Indeed understanding how "things" arise and our relationship to things/phenomena is a rather a very large insight. While letting go of attachment brings freedom (vasikara, vitrsnasya, vaitrsnyam, virama-pratyaya, and vita-raga) I.12-19, 37)
Another similar reading is that when how and why of life (janma-kathamta) is revealed through kathamta sambodhah, then through this profound self awakening, a strong natural ease of non-craving and release (aparigraha) is naturally expressed in our activities. HERE we approach All Our Relations without grasping or attachment to results. We will discuss these ideas later, but first it may be valuable to see how aparigraha operates in daily life. Generally it is the antidote for greed, possessiveness, excess. clutter, excess, desire/fear, imbalance, or attachment in general. Its implementation frees up energy and clears the mind. Such makes the vessel of the yogi more fit for meditation (dhyana). Mental clutter obscures the inner light. It is the same as grasping onto ob ejects of thought. Thus vairagya as a non-dual practice once rightly understood (I.18) and applied in simple silent sitting emptiness meditation (dhyana) leads immediately to samadhi.
The most apparent instances of parigraha (grasping, clinging, or clenching) can be normally remediated by cultivating abundance, generosity, gratefulness, santosha (unconditional contentment), vairagya (non-attachment), and the like. How can anything be possessed without first artificially establishing a false identification with separation, alienation, and fragmentation -- identifying with the ego (asmita) in the first place? "Who" is it that grasps? After all it is our spiritual self alienation (estrangement/rend from Self) which has caused the circumstances for craving and desire in the first place. The false identification of "thinking" that own a body also doesn't help (called parigraha of possessing the body). The physical body being temporary, this ignorance of who and what incarnates is thus part and parcel of the process where janma-kathamta-sambodhah creates aparigraha-sthairye (peaceful abiding in a spacious state of mind). Knowing who we truly are as the imperishable Self certainly would help, but that is putting the cart before the horse. Aparigraha is thus a practice that supports all our spiritual practices and evolution. Aparigraha thus as a practice in daily life can create more time and energy for sadhana -- supporting our spiritual progress as we clear out or mental propensities toward neurotic desires and attachments. On a more subtle/mental level as thoughts of greed, consumerism, and possessiveness come up we can let them go more often realizing that they will not lead to any lasting happiness. Simplifying our life, actually adds to it tremendously. In fact the less we need, the more content and happy we are. Sometimes all we need to do is entertain aparigraha as the solution --as the symbiotic catalyst for santosha and hence unconditional happiness (anuttamah-sukha).
Indeed we can see that the more we crave and need, the more neurotic we most likely are. "Things" such as consumer items, status, title, privilege, and possessions are most often ersatz replacements for our deepest heart connection which we have become estranged from via negative conditioning and instructional ignorance. Things are hence mere compensatory neurotic replacements which we will tire of as they are not the "real thang". Temporarily they may provide a feeling of self gratification and pleasure (ananda) but it is not the lasting unconditional happiness (anuttamah-sukha) that is found in santosha or samadhi.
Thus the true sadhu owns nothing and is possessed by nothing, and thus as a natural benefit does not fear being ripped off, attacked, nor become defensive. He/she does not obsess or identify with such objects nor needs them, but rather his/her mind is free - liberated and unconditionally happy. That is sambodhah. As such he/she is a vita-raga -- free from desire. For such a one, this aids the liberation process helping one to free the mind of false identifications and attachment... nay it is the liberation process for the wise and fortunate ones. Such does not happen via an act of will power or being self adversarial, rather it arises spontaneously from skilful yogic practice.
In a similar and everyday sense aparigraha means simplifying and un complicating our life style. Move in that direction and it will pay off. That frees up our attention, energy, and time. The average neurotic consumes external objects as a substitute for an inner emptiness -- a lack of meaningful and fulfilling life. We should all know that ersatz compensatory consumerism will not provide lasting happiness or santosha. The more unhappy we are, the more we crave. The more unhappy and the more we crave the more we are vulnerable to advertisers to consume something that will make us happy or satisfied. But wisdom gleaned from practice discloses that no lasting happiness (santosha) will be found through consuming compensatory vanity items that we do not need. Over consumption can harm ourselves, the environment, and other beings (himsa). It can also steal (steya) from future generations and create bad karma. So in our daily activities we should be very careful and aware as to the origins and processes involved in (janma-kathamta sambodhah) what we eat, consume, and possess. It should be obvious by now that certainly ahimsa, satya, asteya, brahmacarya, aparigraha, saucha, santosha, tapas, and swadhyaya are intimately connected to the process of samadhi which is surrendering to our highest potential "self" (isvara pranidhana). Certainly parigraha is the opposite of santosha (contentment) and happiness. In these ways the yams/niyams are inter-connected. Most certainly this leads to pratyhara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi. Make no mistake about it.
Similarly what frees up our mind and physical grasping onto objects (covetousness) then creates abundance. For example on a physical level, by letting go of that which we no longer need, then these things become available to others. Consumerism as a neurotic force such as greed or hoarding is the driving force that rapes the land, creates scarcity, and widespread disruption and destruction. Since behavior and action follows thought which are in turn governed by our values and intelligence (emotional or otherwise), human beings act according to these attitudes in the social and ecological sphere. Hence just as parigraha (greed) in the form of wanton consumerism, it creates ecological imbalance, disaster, and suffering to other beings and habitat. Hence ahimsa, asteya, aparigraha, brahmacharya, and santosha are very intimately related.
What makes far more sense in order to eventually become free from the dysfunctional cycle of craving, consummation/gratification, temporary pleasure, more craving, more consumerism, and more temporary pleasure and so forth. In that cycle the consumer confuses desire and craving on one hand with the anticipation of its consummation/gratification (pleasure), hence big eyes, big desire, viagra, and greed becomes mistakenly equated with a happy life. But in reality it is a vicious circle of craving and greed which winds up in personal exhaustion (which is associated with satiation), but which brings no lasting happiness or meaningful fulfillment. Consumerism taken as a goal in itself imprisons our life and clogs the spiritual arteries. Since what we consume is part of a living system of which have its own laws of sustainability, unbridled wild consumerism eventually becomes unsustainable in itself. To contribute to the demise of natural systems or to create scarcity for others is an act of himsa and thus one becomes a participant in the generation of negative karma. Without practicing aparigraha one not only risks himsa and sacrifices santosha, but also asteya is compromised because unbridled consumerism is a form of stealing from others as well as future generations. The practice of aparigraha has numerous positive benefits that clears up our karma (by janma-kathamta sambodhah), and frees our energy and time.
It is often observed that the more one owns the more one worries about maintaining, keeping their possessions, and/or fears losing such. In that way they are possessed or owned by the very objects that they "think" they own. Especially in a materialistic society where the symbols of success often are associated with the quantity of material wealth, true happiness and unbridled greed require to be disambiguated. Indeed greed and avarice are sure signs of a severe spiritual disconnect where the ego requires more and more thing sin order to compensate for their spiritual alienation -- their feeling of being alone, estranged, or apart from the whole. But no such kind of ersatz possessions will fill that inner void. This kind of parigraha occupies, engulfs, and obfuscates the mind and hence reinforces the false sense of separate "self" (ego) or delusion (avidya). Ownership (asmita) is one of the five major afflictions (kleshas). It breeds dvesa fear (dvesa) of loss.
So the practice of aparigraha not only clarifies the mind, but also there is a mental aspect to the practice-- a more subtle mental/psychic aspect of the practice of aparigraha is disclosed to mean to free the mind itself from its graspings, false associations, attachment, and similar wandering unto objects of thought, phenomena, or thought forms in general. Thus in meditation (dhyana) there exists a more subtle practice of aparigraha which is more precisely, vairagya; which is nothing other than releasing hold of the citta-vrtti and hence false identifications. What is left is open space so that the now awareness comes through. Great spaciousness is a result of janma-kathamta sambodhah. It is wise to do so -- to un clutter and unfetter the mind and hence release dualistic attachments to objects that the monkey mind tends to move toward -- hence liberation from bondage -- infinite space filled with self luminous compassion and living love. In the mind space where there is no separate self, then there is no object that possess it.
Many people are holding on tightly/clenching because of fear/insecurity. At the root of that fear is avidya (ignorance) -- a grasping onto a life raft bobbing in a sea of confusion without the lighthouse in sight. Separation anxiety would be a good modern term for this. For most people the rend of dualistic separation has become rigidified through rends of trauma, samskara, vasana, rigidified limited beliefs, mental/emotional fixations, distorted attitudes, stubborn mind sets, behavior which affect our life style, vindictiveness, as well as psycho-neuromuscular and physiological components, then aparigraha becomes a powerful practice which remediates the above tensions. One may not immediately see how powerful aparigraha is as a practice. In the above situations a sense of personal loss of something or someone occurs in one's thought process. This sense of loss stems from a previous sense of attachment or grasping onto the person or thing that no longer is present. This sense of loss stemming from false identification, attachment, and grasping (parigraha) can cause all sorts of further afflictions and negative karma if not seen for what it is in truth and dropped (released). For example grief over a past event of perceived loss can be remediated through aparigraha. Often, revenge is due to parigraha. One seeks to "get even" for an apparent loss, a previous perceived injustice, a ripoff, a cheat, or even a lack of self esteem and self worth. Revenge is energy and thought that has been misdirected seeking discharge in folly, dissipation, afflictive emotions, and bad karma. Awareness of the emotional vulnerability of one's situation of false identification would often be sufficient to entertain the possibility of aparigraha, which in turn affirms the larger sense of Self (Brahman). In the same way many other kleshas can be cleared in this way when given the chance, with a far more spiritually empowering outcome.
In other words aparigraha, like the other yam/niyam, acts as a two way street. We can simplify our life, let go of frivolous possessions, reduce our greed, become more generous, give up stubbornly held beliefs, change our clinging to familiar mindsets, etc., on one hand in order to make progress toward samadhi. On the other hand the graspings onto the very concepts that reinforce scarcity, need, neuroses, and separation are weakened through authentic sadhana. Then HERE aparigraha eventually becomes naturally expressed -- manifesting spontaneously and naturally.
Once some insight is gained (through swadhyaya, sadhana, janma-kathamta-sambodhah, etc), then one no longer is subject to suffer from the apparition that possessing any temporal object will produce lasting happiness, because we have realized that happiness is a state of mind. The illusion that is produced by the erroneous judgment that an object is "good", desirable, or even is capable of being possessed *asmita) is absent as we progressively wake up. Once we have realized that it is a distorted mindset which has generated the ersatz need, carving, and unhappiness (as well as the decision to be unhappy) in the first place, then we are able to understand the spiritual malaise in which the existence of parigraha is born (janma) in the first place. Then from HERE aparigraha occurs naturally and spontaneously.
On a gross physical level people too often pursue more than they need, obsess unceasingly after compensatory objects of attraction, and are never happy or content, because of this false identification which reinforces an inner spiritual lack -- the absence the sacred. Thus this is a result of a contrived, conditioned, and artificial process of spiritual alienation, but not the experience of our true nature or natural Self. Most fear and physical illness including obesity is due to parigraha. The freedom from this physical addiction is essentially spiritual. Suffering from the affliction that says that even more sublimation (which is a compensation for a spiritual alienation) is better is a vicious cycle; i.e., one new car is not enough so get two new cars; four new shoes are not enough so we get five new shoes; yet lasting happiness never comes this way because it is always neurotically driven. Such objects are only symbols but not the real thing which we desire and thus ordinary people live in in an apparitional shadow world driven by their own inner demons.
The Remedy of GENEROSITY: the joy of giving.
Another remedy for graha is generosity. Generosity purifies the heart and counteracts greed, miserliness, attachment, and costiveness. It is one of the most effective ways of clearing out old tenacious egocentric patterns
Authentic aparigraha comes about naturally through self realization (kathamta-sambodhah)-- realizing the innate happiness and abundance in All Our Relations -- through a deep transpersonal and timeless gratefulness that unconditional (non-dependent) happiness naturally provides. HERE seeing clearly, one simply acknowledges the preexisting pain of grasping and no longer desires it -- rather we let it go.
So to begin with simple activities that are helpful toward realizing this end may include simplifying one's life, changing life styles, identifying and discarding the superfluous and burdensome, removing clutter, giving away things that are not necessary, not refraining from obsessing about theft nor loss, living a more naked and open life, meditating on physical death, the transitory nature of all things, the nature of unconditional happiness, and the like. Fear lies at the root of greed and covetousness, so it is cultivating love, happiness, contentment, generosity, and gratefulness which is useful. Again from Swami Venkatesananda:
"When the inner light of intelligence illumines the state of mind that has firmly rejected greed and there is contentment with what life brings unsolicited, there arises knowledge of the mysteries of life and its why and how."
Sw. Venkatesananda, "The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali"
On a mental level, one can be obsessed by spiritual materialism in constant pursuit of superficial artifacts or symbols of spiritual attainment such as malas, asanas, teachers, robes, statutes, mantras, incense, texts, teachings, etc. This too is a disease that is best surrendered at the foot of All Our Relations. Thus removing the physical attachments the mind gets clear. As the mind gets clear, it becomes that the true source of happiness and liberation comes from an open unattached mind, not from grasping onto (or being grasped by material objects. When the mind is clear, then a sense of fulfillment and peace (santosha) naturally arises.
What if all was perfect right now? Contemplation on the nature of the pre-existing Great Completion and Perfection of Eternal Presence in All Our Relations offers a most potent remedy. On the more subtle, mental, and energetic levels, aparigraha is the non-grasping unto thought objects which occur in meditation (or out of meditation for the jivamuktan). Here the dualistic limitations of pratyaksha are remediated. One no longer separates out limited self identifications (neither of separate "selves" or own "self", but rather the rich and deep innate continuity (which is yoga) shows forth in each "apparent" object holographically, cutting through superficial appearances and displaying its non-substantial nature in and by itself while at the same time revealing the innate presence and great Integrity of All Our Relations. Thus aparigraha comes naturally to those who have realized the truth of their own natural existence (swarupa) devoid of superficial appearance, artifact, conceptual construct, symbolic representation, and free from other kleshas or vrttis -- beyond even the most subtle taint of a separate dualistic object. Here one is complete in the unlimited fullness of Reality and needs nothing else.
Hence aparigraha reflects the boundless mind -- the truth of samadhi. We give ourselves a gift of giving. We experience love by loving. We give ourselves that gift by giving. Such becomes a natural and spontaneous expression of our true self (svarupa-sunye).
Aparigraha like the other yam/niyam, also has an esoteric aspect. It also works in two directions. One way is that when a certain amount of the veil of illusion (avidya) has been lifted, we are then able to see (vidya) the past karmic propensities, vasana, samskaric triggers, neurotic patterns, and related compulsive mechanisms of cravings, graspings, attachment, and fear that we have been previously unconsciously obsessed with for years. One day we wake up and an old habit is suddenly "seen" which gives us the opportunity to no longer feed it. Or maybe we realize that an old vasana (habitual mechanism or knee jerk reactive circuit) is gone and as a result we feel liberated, relieved, and grateful. Certainly new energy becomes available because an old dysfunctional compulsive circuit is no longer draining us. That way we cease "chasing our tails" in one way or another through direct insight (wisdom). We thus understand the tragic bondage of our past and in such cases the past becomes seen as a series of incarnations leading up to the present experience. many years but didn't "see" it until that moment. Then when I saw it, I was able to let it go (gratefully). Whew!
This is not very different from when someone points out in asana practice that we my be habitually and unconsciously "holding/clenching" at the jaw, gut, shoulders, etc., Then through such discernment, we can start unwinding and letting go. Aparigraha , vairagya, and isvara pranidhana are thus closely related. Then new evolutionary energy comes into the previously dormant circuitry. This is the birth of a new incarnation -- a new "self" becomes energized and embodied. Maybe this is not exactly aparigraha (as it is usually applied to daily life situations in regards to letting go of mental/emotional fixations, beliefs, attitudes, rigid and limited mind sets, and behavior which affect our life style), but certainly there exists a is a psycho-neuro-physiological component of aparigraha which affects us even at the cellular and energy body level.
After seeing these old patterns, vasanas, and samskaras that we have been grasping/clenching at during this life drop away a sense of spaciousness and openness arises. Then through the power and freedom which consciousness provides, then thought patterns that previously tended to attach to objects or the I-it world of ego are able to be released in the body, the mind, in our behavior -- in All Our Relations. Old programming is dislodged and a sacred space for authentic movement is affirmed. Then one may be able to see further into their past lives (past the false gross material identifications of separateness) perceiving that such were merely new incarnations of the same lesson -- the same karmic lesson launched in ignorance having formed a mental/psychic energetic pattern which had not previously been resolved, but having now completed its journey in the culmination of integrated consciousness and realization.
So just as insight facilitates the natural expression of aparigraha, likewise, from the other end, looking at the possibility of implementing aparigraha in everyday life and then applying it, will provide synergistic progress in establishing the eventual of realization of nirbija samadhi.
The practice of aparigraha as non-grasping, non-greed, and non-attachment is not just an attitude, but can be practiced as an intent as well as an expression. It has ramifications on all walks of life. If one plane is rigidified, then tension in the other planes will ensue. For example, some people understand aparigraha on an intellectual level, but they have yet to get rid of bad habits or fears on the physical level such as simplification of one's lifestyle on the gross material plane. Whenever there is tension in our lives, it is wise to look toward aparigraha for a remedy. We often surround ourselves with the objects of predictability often concretizing our own rigidified limited prisons (mental, physical, and spiritual). This of course is self limiting but without insight such activities are the norm. As an antidote embracing life style changes that move us in the opposite direction (from the illusion of safety in predictability) are often very synergistic toward remediating rigidity and tension and bringing in new vigor, energy, and creative change. A new world and a new life (incarnation) can be given birth to. As such it is a form of aparigraha (non-hoarding) and non-grasping.
If we never take a chance, never risk anything, then we can get stuck, and stagnant, and become really unhappy. then we can blame the unhappiness on "things", i.e., " we don't have this or we don't that, or, if only we had this or that, etc" If we look around many people are unfortunately so driven. This makes them worried, rigid, security oriented, fearful, and dysfunctionally even more greedy and grasping onto more symbols of success, status, privilege, money, appearances, and further neurotic false identification. Is that life or death?
Aparigraha is also to be practiced with body, speech, and mind. It is not merely coveting physical things, but also egoic associations and attachments. For example accumulating mantras, initiations, malas, thankas, famous religious friends, fame, symbols of self worth, diplomas, or other ego ornaments need to be surrendered. Mental associations in meditation must be released. All associations of ego ownership (asmita) has to be abandoned freely. This is easily done when the light of freedom has been tasted -- when that virtue shines through in glory, beauty, and bliss..
Having become conditioned to spiritual self alienation, conditioned beings become hung up thinking that they need certain things in life, but these "things" (which are really compensations for being with it in the now) most often act as anchors or chains, weighing us down, preventing us from drifting with the tides of our intuition, and inner guidance.Such activities rooted in parigraha make things worse -- they create more suffering. These life situations that we become involved in (and that aparigraha can free us from) create big-time tension, stress, depression, anxiety, etc. When we can let go of some of this stuff, like freeing a calendar up, or saying no to certain obligations so we have more time for ourselves, shifts happen. We can then more clearly see the space in front of us, for we have looked at our past incarnations and have found it stifling.
Practice:
In practice we have found repeatedly that when we are able to let go of attachment to results, expectation or acclimatization to any thing or object, when we freely associate things and vents without attachment, fear, or antipathy, then a shift occurs. A breath of fresh air enters and we are refreshed. A door is opened and we are reborn and renewed. So when we find things/situations stagnant or pressing, it is a good opportunity to take inventory of what we are clinging unto and surrender it to isvara -- to our highest evolutionary potential. Doors will open up and freedom will be experienced. Since this potential is like a seed, the seed must be activated by moisture, good soil, warmth, air, and consciousness. etc. That is, first we have to bring some awareness and energy into the situation and then it will come alive by itself as it abides innately deep within.
To bring success, aparigraha must be approached fearlessly in All Our Relations. Thus the practices and realization of santosha, tapas, isvara pranidhana, brahmacharya, etc., are very closely aligned with the realization and practice of aparigraha.
Aparigraha finishes Patanjali's discourse on the practice of the five yams, which are all mutually synergistic, being rooted in ahimsa and the clear realization in which the establishment of vairagya is founded. It is fitting that purification (saucha) follows aparigraha. When grasping onto mental objects ceases, a purification of the obscurations occurs, revealing the essential innate light and vision which heretofore was covered. The previously hidden and dormant innate light within our "self" as well as within all beings becomes liberated and revealed.
Now Patanjali describes the five niyams in detail in sutras 40-45
II. 40. saucha svanga-jugupsa parair asamsargah
PURIFICATION
Through the practice of physical purity (saucha) upon ones own organs (svanga), attachments to toxins, poisons, and corruptive forces naturally disappear and are repelled (jugupsa) as well as non-contact (asamsargah) with the impurities found in others (parair).
Once we reach a certain degree of purity in body, speech, and mind, there will be a natural disinclination toward poisons and toxins as well as toxins and poisons coming from others. Jugupsa refers not only to the expulsion of poisons but also to our ability to expel poisons and hence protect the body. Thus the immune system is reinforced and enhanced -- an immunity is formed as to physical and mental toxins from the environment, animals, and other people. When the sphere of purity is established, the yogi is no longer negatively affected by the toxic minds, toxic energy, or physical toxins of others. Such poisons are spontaneously and immediately repelled and expunged.
The physical human body is the sacred temple and vehicle of spirit on the earth. Either we allow for the evolutionary energy to penetrate and come through or we continue to obstruct/repress it. Such impediments and obstructions dam up and subsume the free and spontaneous expression of spirit. Such repression creates a deep inner conflict between the desire of spirit and the life force to merge in harmony. Such inner disharmony and conflict manifests as increased outward conflict, confusion (avidya), egoic conflicts (asmita), aversion (dvesa), neurotic needs (raga), himsa (violence), grief, and destruction.
The existence of physical toxins irritate the nerves and desensitize the mind from subtle bodily and sense awareness both inside the physical body, nature, and in the greater body of All Our Relations. That aversion causes further dissociation and adds to dvesa. Hence body purification leads toward an increased sensitivity to the life force in all and which stands behind all. Increased awareness and sensitivity to the life force and its source (prana and Prana Shakti) reveals the presence of primordial awareness in All Our Relations. The simple removal of physical toxins thus helps open the nadis and hence the pranic pathways that feed the activation of the dormant evolutionary force within the human body which are allowed to become activated. The less toxins in the blood, nerves, brain, organs, glands, and molecules of the body, the more prana and freely flowing the evolutionary and creative energy and consciousness will become. For example hatha yoga kriyas such as the shat karmas are designed to speed up this purification process in preparation for the activation of dormant evolutionary systems (our highest creative potential). Indeed in authentic hatha yoga the yams, niyams asana, pranayama, pratyhara, dharana, and dhyana all purify the body, energy channels (nadis) and mind opening up the channels for direct and continuous connection with the beginningless source. The main problem is that the body/mind is not purified and the nadis and mind not strong enough to hold the full force of that which awaits the human being as their natural destiny and birth right. Thus spiritually merely becomes a conceptual mentation -- a mere fabrication of thought and dualistic objectification ,while spirit is not allowed to fully manifest on the planet, due to that insensitivity/ignorance conditioned by the presence of toxins (both mental and physical)..
II. 41. sattvasuddhi-saumanasyaikagryendriya-jayatma-darsana-yogyatvani ca
And (ca) [through internal and external purity (saucha)] both of the body, psychic atmosphere, and by removing the occlusions of consciousness, there is achieved a pure and balanced state (sattva-suddhi) whose visage appears as cheerfulness (saumanasya), ability to focus with one-pointedness of mind (ekagrya) with a enhanced freedom from conflict between the sense organs and sense of self (indriya-jayatma), which enhances the yogic ability (yogyatvani) of direct yogic vision (darsana).
Commentary: Purity (saucha) is one of the niyams (See the preceding sutra). It can be interpreted many ways, but clearly Patanjali is saying here that the passageways between the mind and the body become harmonized and purified, on all levels -- mental, energetic, and physical purity will be onepointedly achieved allowing for more light to shine through in our life stream. Here both both the mind and the senses are sharpened allowing for increased clarity and pure vision (darshan). Some yogis take sutra II.41 to mean keeping the inside of the body clean (annamaya kosha) and healthy, the nadis open (pranamaya kosha) and energy unobstructed, the mind empty and pure (manomaya kosha), activating transconceptual and acognitive gnosis (vijnanamaya kosha), thus accessing direct yogic vision. While the body is affected by being less burdened, more balanced, open, and light; then naturally there is more energy available for more refined evolutionary and creative function. The mind is cheerful, focused and clear, the sense organs sharp and heightened, the channels that interconnect these components of the body.mind are opened, strengthened, activated, and aligned. One thus becomes attuned to pure vision and HERE one is no longer attracted by corruptive influences because one has established, awakened, and is happily rooted within an intelligent self empowering, inherent and self regulating innate energetic network which having been activated is now self liberating.
Another inner application of saucha is keeping the mental thoughts (manamaya kosha) free from kleshas, samskaras, and vrttis. Yet another application of saucha may be applied to our belief systems whether or not they may be tainted, and thus be a source of taint, impurity, and affliction to our consciousness (until purified). In this sense transformation and rebirth is an action of purification. This is what is indicated by sattva- suddhi -- balanced and pure. Sattva is the basic innate goodness and purity which is brought forward as pure beingness (Sat) when the channels (nadis) are cleansed, aligned, balanced, and activated.
Sattva is said to be the most pure aspect of prakrti (creation). Experienced when tamas and rajas are completely balanced; Rajas is said to flow in the pingala and tamas in the ida nadis. Harmony and natural goodness results. When sattva is established the energy flows in the sushumna nadi. Sattva thus is the essential balanced and pure energy most perfectly reflecting the purity and balanced harmony when the inner most self is united in experience. Thus sattva is associated with the "True Self" as in pure beingness (Sat). The unitive state of pure beingness (SAT) which is united with pure uncontaminated (Cit), and all pervading love/bliss (Ananda). The essential point is that sattva is the natural uncorrupted quality of innate purity, goodness, and beingness.
Hence the samsaric mindset is associated with the obstructions, poisons, and taints of impure vision (avidya). Such exists because of kleshic taints which pattern the citta-vrtti poisoning the mind and being. In the state of sattva, this samsaric skew has ben cancelled out and annulled (nirodha). Mind and body, spirit and nature, male and female are synergistically synchronized by the yogi creating the purifying elixir. This is the yogic meaning of sattva - experiencing the true undiluted nature of Mind and existence simultaneously. When samsara's tradition (avidya, etc) is broken asunder, the pure vision (vidya) reigns. There exists an implicate tradition/creatrix which reflects all the dimensions, physical and energetic, before time, in the past, and in the future -- both potential and kinetic. Opening up to that pure and vast nature comes from purity as we reflect that in All Our Relations. From purity of the innate satva we extend all the way to the limitless. Sattva brings us release from the limitations of the suffering mind. It activates our natural creative evolutionary power. When that is activated we are naturally full of good cheer, balanced, and reflect light as a pure channel..
Yet another result of saucha affects our motivations and actions. But since actions follow thought and consciousness (or lack thereof) it seems that the purification of consciousness is the most causal to this process. That is reliably best accomplished through simple silent sitting emptiness meditation. Then pure vision (vidya)dawns by itself, once the samsaric mind has become purified.
So on a physical level, not poisoning the body or burdening it with afflictions that it can not digest, assimilate, or eliminate easily will unburden not only the digestive system, but the elimination and immune systems thus creating more available energy for the process of evolutionary circuitry and higher consciousness to unfold. In one sense poor food habits (and inability to digest, assimilate, and eliminate food) is an energy drain and sedation of the kundalini, taking energy away from the "other" super-psychic activities or spiritual projects unless we were already very open in this direction and were not negatively affected by dietary choices. In Ayurveda ama, or the accumulation of toxins is a chief cause of disease. In hatha yoga we practice cleansing the internal system of the body with the Shat Karmas (hatha yoga kriyas). Also therapies are designed to keep the marmas (energy entry points on the body) open as well as the nadis (psychic nerves). In Chinese medicine opening up the energy channels and acupuncture points is foundational to therapy.
As a natural extension saucha means not to pollute other beings/things, the environment, not to poison other people's minds, not to poison our own minds, not to throw our garbage away, not to confuse others, to be honest, and live in integrity; i.e., to spread the truth by removing the mental pollution of hypocrisy and lies which pollute the minds of men. Saucha is thus a call to true virtue, to express and clarify the truth. In these ways all the yams and niyams are part of the same process of realizing Self as the boundless HeartMind -- Great Compassion.
So by jayatma-darsana-yogyatvani, Patanjali indicates that proficiency in saucha (as yogyatvani) produces victory of (jaya-atma) of the yogic vision (darsana) over the forces which would pollute it, which is none other than the ability to receive Darshan from the sages of the three times who have mastered the self (atma) by realizing the unity of Atman and Brahman (that there is no separate self apart from the whole)..
The key however is the development of our innate wisdom, instinct, or intuition to throw out the lies, and thus to be able to be open minded -- to know.
In terms of diet when the innate wisdom is opened by clearing out the toxins, we are more sensitive. Through clear observation we know which of the food options are best for our own unique constellation of body/mind at the moment because the energetic pathways between body and mind have become cleared. We thus achieve synergistic balance, well being, and synchronicity and are able to consult with that reality more reliably. This is where the rest of the yoga practice acts synergistically with diet and with the overall integrity of the yogic process. Here also is where the hatha yoga kriyas or sat karmas (external cleansing activities) can also be understood as part of the overall process of opening up the temple as clear and strong channel for the light and integration -- as a help by first reducing gross and chronic irritation to the nervous system by pollutants, thus creating more openness as well as peacefulness (santosha). Again this is adjunctive to the allied processes of aparigraha, tapas, pranayama, pratyhara. concentration (dharana) , meditation (dhyana), and isvara pranidhana.
On an energetic level we are purifying the energy body -- free some psychic signatures due to past samskaras and karma. On a mental level, meditation is the best practice of saucha i.e., purification of the mind and the removal of the obscurations of consciousness. As we study the yam/niyams we will see the mutually synergistic inter-relationships between ahimsa, satya, asteya, brahmacharya, aparigraha, saucha, santosha, tapas, swadhyaya, and isvara pranidhana disclosing the underlying all inclusive integrative wholistic principle.
II. 42. santosad anuttamah sukha-labhah
PEACE and COMPLETION: Peaceful Abiding- The Release of stress, strife and tension allows for natural sublime happiness.
A heart, at peace within itself (santosha), brings forth an sublime unsurpassed boundless joy
santosha: a peaceful heart, the pacified field where the citta-vrtti have become stilled, the quiet rested heart space, joy-filled countenance, complete and opened heart space; a sense of wholeness and completion, fulfillment, joyful satisfaction, serenity, and contentment. A heightened sense of ease and hence easiness.
anuttamah: unsurpassed; sublime, complete, boundless.
sukha: joy
labdah: derived or obtained from, gotten
Commentary:
A peaceful heart at rest within itself leads to unsurpassed sublime happiness. This is not merely a statement of passivity or a dead passionless peace, but one which is derived from the reconciliation of the opposites, of internal conflict and confusion, of hatred, delusion, greed, fear, and jealousy, where dualism and self-contradictions have been resolved.
By abiding in a deep heart-felt connection aligned with the heart of hearts, the heartmind essence of creativity, a peaceful heart is won. While being at peace with one's essential self in the present moment (santosha), then communion with a boundless joy (sukha) shines forth, grows, and flows as a natural co=arising result.
peaceful content brings forth joy.
a deep ease of the heart follows
unbounded joy is possible
when the citta-vrtti have been pacified
our fears assuaged and put to rest
No stress, but unbounded joy results.
Santosha means genuine peace of mind -- the absence of striving, tension, or stress. Santosha reflects spiritual contentment and abiding in great peace. It is a natural expression of the deepest samadhi (a profound state of integration and completeness). Ultimately this completeness and great satisfaction is unconditional (not depending upon a separate object of gratification or attainment). As we make progress in functional yoga, this alignment manifests increasingly, showing up as the natural expression of santosha in daily life the more we open our mind to its true nature.
From the pacification of the circular nature of the citta-vrtti, comes forth a peaceful HeartMind which begets Joy (sukha). Without a pacified citta-vrtti, no true joy is possible. Santosha is beyond the disturbances of raga (attraction) and dvesa (repulsion) and thus it transcends craving and suffering (duhkha), yet it does not portend passivity or dullness at all. Indeed the expression of santosha can be very active and powerful. Santosha and true happiness are interconnected.
As a practice it points to this samadhi. It points to unconditional happiness, which accompanies kaivalyam (unconditional liberation). Santosha is NOT a dualistic contentment due to self gratification of asmita-raga or any such relief from temporal sensual passions or false and neurotic identifications. Santosha is not the result of numbness, drugs, sedation, repression, nor indifference. When it is said that it is passionate; yes it reflects a great passion for peace and happiness for all beings.
As a beginning practice then we first look toward the possibility of feeling at peace with others, the world, our community, nature, and at peace with our own heart. When we are craving, disturbed, feeling pained, fearful, angry, or not present, we are not reflecting santosha, and hence, not reflecting samadhi. So in the beginning this is a simple practice of self inquiry that anyone can do (as such it is swadhyaya, tapas, and aparigraha combined as santosha). We ask, whether or not we are at peace or not. We ask, whether or not, do we really want/need this or that, what thoughts and conditions make me unhappy or disturbed? How can I be in a state of great peace and happiness all the time? Does my happiness really depend on having this or that? What do we really need to feel complete, whole, or satisfied? Is happiness rather a state of mind and as such then what is it dependent upon if any "thing"? How can we calm the heart and come to peace with All Our Relations?
Repeatedly bringing our attention back to the possibility of unconditional happiness, integrity, and joy in each moment sets the stage for true joy (sukha) and absolute freedom (samadhi/kaivalyam). The yogi becomes the earthly vehicle for that in All Our Relations. Sukha thus turns into unsurpassed joy (anuttamah-sukha-labhah) because we realize that lasting happiness is natural and unconditioned-- it is inseparable from the natural and unconditioned liberation of all. It is the result of realizing the true universal unbiased nature of mind. Hence santosha is another niyam which leads all the way (as isvara pranidhana) to samadhi if we let it. All the yams/niyams are bound together as one. as the natural expression of All Our Relations
Normally the practice of santosha becomes a reference point/indicator to find and place one's attention as continuously as possible -- as soon as we feel discontent or uncomfortable, we can start the inquiry again. Hence perhaps a better translation of the word, santosha is peacefulness and quietude where the mind is undisturbed and happy. Santosha practice as a peace practice however is not a passivity or an avoidance reaction, but should be seen as an active practice, resting one's mind and body actively into peace. Santosha is both bringing peace into one's life, becoming that peace, and abiding deeply in it, embodying it, and also then actively transmitting/expressing it. Santosha is the activity of the peace keeper and peace giver. Santosha thus serves both as a precondition for happiness and as one of its results. No true happiness is possible without peace. Thus we bring peace and integrity with us wherever we go and express that in body, speech, and mind as well in the social spheres as our authentic polity. Being true to our deepest feelings for peace and fulfillment, ahimsa, satya, asteya, aparigraha, brahmacarya, saucha, tapas, swadhyaya, isvara pranidhana, and santosha all come together in the Great Peace and Completion which brings universal unparalleled happiness and joy to All Our Relations. This is the expression of the Great Integrity who we truly are in swarupa- samadhi as a transpersonal and non-dual (asamprajnata) realization.
In daily life santosha becomes a new non-conflicting and stress free way of wellness and thriving which becomes natural. It feels foreign only to those who have already become severely dissuaded/conditioned. With awareness, when santosha is disrupted, absent, or made discontinuous, we become aware of it's absence, and then we naturally apply the balancing and centering remedy of santosha. We cultivate the completeness in All Our Relations. Hence santosha is disclosed and perfects viveka-khyater, while viveka khyater perfects santosha. As we learn to rest in great peace, we formulate the recipe for great joy. Old stressful habits and conflicts dissolve. They are replace by santosha and unsurpassed happiness.
In dhyana (meditation) the practitioner checks in to one's state of heart-mind, whether or not it is disturbed or happy. This is mindfulness. One lets go of any discomfort of the mind or the body, finding that still resting spot of deep peace and completion. This may have to be repeated many times, until one settles into deep peaceful abiding, or samatha/shine' meditation abiding in unconditional bliss.
Here in this type of meditative absorption one opens toward becoming much more than simply comfortable or content in the present, but rather allowing the mind to rest in its natural unconditional state, then recognizing that unsurpassable happiness can ripple through and fill us. Santosha is creating space for that and hence the pacification of the kleshas and disturbing citta-vrtti are one positive result. When the unresolved inner demons of confusion (avidya) and dualism become pacified, the shadow world is brought into light and those phantoms no longer haunt us. They are no longer projected out unto the world and require acting out. Inner peace breeds peaceful activities and hence we honor peace in All Our Relations.
Like the other niyams santosha first manifests inside and then through action is perpetuated in our interaction in All Our Relations, Peaceful and happy people build peaceful and happy societies. The reverse is true, haunted and paranoid people full of conflict and craving build hells realms. Collective hell beings (pain bodies) create hell. Similarly war, conflict, adversity, and the other disturbing external conditions such as strife and scarcity negatively affect the minds and bodies of human beings. What is necessary is to break this vicious samsaric cycle by generating peace, being peace, practicing astanga yoga, and waking up.
On an everyday level, santosha as contentment, fulfillment, completion, and peace manifest and effect abundance (not scarcity), happiness (not discontent), peace (not conflict), clarity (not hypocrisy), and in a deeper sense especially deep gratitude and appreciation for the wonder of it all, for the wise know that if we are deeply grateful, how can we be left unfulfilled or lacking? By gratitude, one does not need to be grateful to anyone person or event, but rather it is the deep heart felt sense of unconditional gratitude in All Our Relations which when catalyzed, heals the rend, just as peace pacifies the vrtti.
Santosha is serenity, but not apathy. passivity, or complacency. It is comfort, but not obedience nor submission; it is reconciliation, not dullness nor limpidness; acknowledgment, not indifference nor aloofness.
Conversely a yogi who is content eating berries in the
mountains, meditating all day. laughs easily and is not wanting,
who is not ambitious may be labeled as lazy versus content and
complete, by a culture who values work and striving. In some
cultures contentment is not a positive value, but rather a sin –
like in some takes of the Protestant work ethic.
Santosha however is also active – like the bringing forth and
maintaining peace. Like blessed unrest if our heart is peaceful and
honors peace then it will bring this forth actively.
If our HeartMind is not at peace, then our external activities/behavior will be hostile, but if the HeartMind rests in deep peace, loves, honors, and respects peace then one’s behavior will reflect that value with integrity, they will work for peace – they will be an active embodiment of peace. In that sense actively bringing forth peace is the embodiment of santosha, especially if it brings forth joy and fulfillment. Santosha can be the result from a meaningful and rewarding job or simply compassion in action (such as the contentment and joy Mother Theresa or Albert Schweitzer received by doing their life work. Such santosha is like the bliss that comes from finding and doing our life work as a blessing. It’s the result of connecting up with our essential intrinsic true nature – isvara in swarupa. It is thus taken for granted that buddha nature permeates every being as innate wisdom-- as the ultimate true nature of mind or bodhi-mind. This inner faith thus reflects the essence of innate awareness/wisdom. It is faith in our native intrinsic wisdom, which when it blossoms forth is self revealing, self liberating, and joy filled. See the commentary in I.21.
Satisfying “others”, external ersatz systems of “order”, or social and religious mores, but not doing our own life work, not finding our dharma, or personal code, not following our bliss/bless, not satisfying one’s own deepest dreams, doing our dharma and true meaning in life, repressing our deepest feelings is self betrayal – Such inhibition only brings internal conflict, discord, anxiety, and unrest. It will never bring forth peace or contentment, but rather more conflict and neurotic craving. Internal conflict is acted out as external conflict and strife. Inner discord and self adversity is acted out pathologically
Santosha: The Ease of the Heart By Swami Shraddhananda
"Contentment is a requirement for peace of mind, yet we live in a culture that fosters discontentment. We are bombarded by advertisements that make us feel inadequate and promote a continual grasping for material wealth and sensual experience. We are taught to seek superficial gratification with no regard for future consequences for ourselves or the world. We become attached to things and people to avoid our personal discomfort. We are led to believe that satisfaction of our cravings, as well as our egos, will bring happiness. To the contrary, ignorance, egoism, attachment, aversion and clinging to the sensual are actually obstacles to our contentment and our prospects for liberation. These five obstacles (called kleshas in the yoga texts) are the causes of all suffering. No wonder people can be so short-tempered and grouchy!So, what is contentment, and how do we incorporate it as an “observance” in our lives? Contentment is serenity, but not complacency. It is comfort, but not submission; reconciliation, not apathy; acknowledgment, not aloofness. Contentment is a mental decision, a moral choice, a practiced observance, a step into the reality of the cosmos. Contentment/santosha is the natural state of our humanness and our divinity and allows for our creativity and love to emerge. It is knowing our place in the universe at every moment. It is unity with the largest, most abiding, reality.
Too often we think too small. Some people believe they must close their eyes to the suffering of others in order to maintain their own contentment. They confuse indifference with detachment, passivity with peacefulness, and isolation with equanimity. But hiding one's head in the sand will not guarantee contentment. There is an old saying from India: ‘You can wake up a sleeping person but you cannot awaken someone who is pretending to sleep.’ "
Santosha is a major player in our daily earthly situations. According to Patanjali all the yams/niyams can help move us shift deeper toward the experience of samadhi, when we embrace them as part of a life of integrity.
In early Buddhism, the Arhat ideal (nirvana as peace) is for the most part viewed as a withdrawal/escape or renunciation from samsara – peace as escape from “the world” or suffering is a fear based copout according to peace keepers, who hold the vision of peace for future generations. This error of the Arhant conflates an emotionally upset reaction or perception of "the world of existence" with that of reality. It is an error to attempt to negate life or run away from life situations. Rather they offer us opportunities to learn about our mental afflictions, pain, fears, and attachments. The bodhisattva however does not suffer from that conflation between their view (mentation or how one views) from what is actually viewed in reality. Empirical data from and apparent configurations of the bhutas or gunas, are simply that, neither upsetting, pleasurable, nor threatening by themselves. Hence there is no disparity between the map and the territory. When there is no internal preference of good or bad, ugly or beautiful, or classified systems based on confusion, then inner peace results and is reflected in our actions.
Thus, there is this embodiment and earthly integration phase of
bodhisattva where we identify a bit with all beings as kin –
connected with compassion. That "reality' seems to be best not
avoided unless we discredit our responsibility to future
generations. Simply to negate the “world” and embodiment as
an illusion, evil, problematic, or non-existent appears to
contribute to the problem (if one considers war and conflict a
problem) that afflicts the world today. The “all is perfect"
stance most often leads to social apathy, passivity, and status quo
(no change), while the opposite stance might be called stewardship,
compassion, or blessed unrest bringing lasting peace
forward.
Santosha is not False Security which comes from Obedience to External Authority. Laws, Structure, or Predictability: It is not Numbness of the Heart. Pabulum, or Pain Relief.
So true santosha is not withdrawal, escape, aversion, nihilism, and
cynicism (lost vision and disempowerment), but rather the latter is
the result of an error of perception. Because many have become
fragmented, estranged, lost and alienated abiding in “a
world” which is located within an armored shell, they habitually
become afraid to come out. Cynical people have by definition lost
their vision in the goodness of life, ideals, community values, and
altruistic values.. They are compromised people who have dug in and
become entrenched in fear or numbness from the heart, like a
turtle into a self protecting shell, but the truth is that it is
that fear which is what is killing them. This milieu negatively
infects the human condition and the planet.
Cynics don’t want to hear this, because they feel that they can not do anything about the world – that man is helpless. This is how they have falsely made peace with their conscience. That creates frustration and emotional conflict and pain. Rather, than as self-justifying egos feeling badly about their self-image, they will justify their inaction advocating that such is “human nature”; and hence, impute that anyone else who acts in an altruistic manner is wrong, simply because the egoic identity feels threatened. Hence, the altruistic are attacked, demeaned, ridiculed, scoffed, scorned, murdered, demonized, and destroyed. When our fantasies about ourselves are challenged by evidence that contradicts it, then that creates an uncomfortable ambiguity – the opposite of santosha. In turn ambiguity because of an inner conflict, fosters anxiety, angst, discontent, psychological pain and further aversion (fear, anger, and hatred for example). A threat to our self image and world view is thus misunderstood as a threat to “self”. Being adverse to stress and discomfort we attempt to eradicate the stress by attacking the stimulation, rather than our own dysfunctional reactive/compulsive mechanisms These fears are often used by demagogues to unify people against an imaginary outside evil in order to manipulate people’s emotions toward supporting imperialistic or rapacious wars
However, if one changes their vision (belief system) from cynicism to one that is capable of entertaining new “possibilities" and openness; i.e., to “get a life” and grow up, then they would stop fearing change as a threat to their entrenched belief systems about self –as threats to self. This is the magic step where people learn to grow and expand by embracing change and opening their heart/mind. That is the step of evolution of consciousness .where the old ego dies and through the stroke of Kali’s sword. Such people think things out for themselves using their innate wisdom in critical thought processes, weeding out the dysfunctional lies and pabulum that have been spoon fed to them. Even though one person does not know peace, it is an error to conclude that such is impossible. That potential realization should not be viewed as a failure, but rather as a recognition of the light.
Then, after having cleared out the inner demons, ambiguities, inner conflicts, shadow world strife, wars, fantasies, schizoid tendencies, confusion, and self deceit they can reconnect to intrinsic and inherent meaning/order as true self worth (swarupa), realigning with life affirming (ahimsa) values, asteya (integrity), and santosha (peaceful abiding).as a peace holder. Then they act in integrity – in accordance with that vision with true self confidence spontaneously in tune with their true nature. This is the inner meaning found in the Bhagavadgita, the Chandi, and other ancient wisdom stories.
So in regards to deeply cynical and paranoid people, true fulfillment and santosha can be seeded when presented as a "possibility" of a better future because joy can not be obtained without being at peace within. Once one has acknowledged their inner desolation, then that wasteland can be watered and cultivated and brought back into fecundity.
Being at peace *within* manifests consequences in our behavior, as one acts in integrity as a peace keeper. Thus, it is inherently social and political. It is applied to the whole. So, at first one must be able to entertain the possibility of such an attitudinal change -- an awakening . Awakening can be an interesting proposition that promises authentic joy in the end. Like some people when seeing a threat to the ego, will freeze stiff and react defensively/aggressively reflexively. Others may be less reactive, and rather act after conscious reflection – after some sense of knowing the workings of their own mind via self study, mindfulness, or yoga practice and thus, be capable of acting effectively.
Apathy, cynicism, laziness, indifference, hopelessness, and numbing of the heart are just selfish reactions – a withdrawal. That’s like the deep freeze (fear reaction of the reactive mind). Hence it is a psychological disease which is a result of a belief system about “self” and others (a citta-vrtti). Instead of the withdrawal of the small self into the alienated and paranoiac shell (an even smaller self), the functional response is simple – to expand and embrace courageously into life and connect without fear, not further withdraw, escape, protect, armor, defend, or insulate one's self further. The yogi pacifies and stills the citta-vrtti, chills the agitations of the heart, finds contentment within, and then acts from that calm center and open hearted clarity. We can call that heart or spunk or active santosha – bringing peace forward in All Our Relations. . .
On one hand, those who identify with the belief system of extreme cynicism, nihilism, and paranoia, which propagate deceit for comparative advantage, and who believe in that, then impulsively feel compelled to defend that their alliance through a shared belief system. They become *comfortable* in propaganda, which upholds that. But that is not santosha, but rather being comfortable with familiarity and predictability, like a prisoner becomes comfortable with the predictability of everyday prison life, whereas when they are eventually released into the wild, everyday life may easily appear chaotic and overwhelming. Thus, they crave the predictability of limits, boundaries, safe structures, and prisons once again, and rules to follow that explain life for them, all in all being a poor substitute for inner order, meaning, and integrity .
In that way many people self perpetuate their own slavery, which represents symptoms of a spiritual disease, and like an alcoholic or drug addict they will defend/justify themselves if not glorify their actions, so too will those who are addicted to war, adversity, rivalry, competition, or strife. They believe that it is necessary and justifiable and no other possibility can exist. They have opted out for salvation and have thus become victims of institutionalized ignorance process that keeps themselves and others boxed in tightly fighting for self-advantage within a “fixed” and crooked rule book designed to keep their victims in line and controlled. Craving or adherence to tight and predictable laws and structures is always a poor and inadequate substitute for internal coherence and integrity. It is not satisfying nor fulfilling.
The alternative way is living a life of integrity and freedom. One needs vision and practice which santosha is one of many. Samadhi is a vision that if not focused upon one-pointedly will not be realized. If we are living our vision, we have a meaningful and passionate/compassionate life with no room for issues of “self esteem or self worth”. Some are following their bliss in blessed unrest. They have a life and are embodying it! They feel life and live/act in alignment with their deeper sensitivities. In short they are empowered and their natural sense of self confidence and meaning come from that integrity, Unfortunately others may feel their life as a threat, because it may remind them that there is an alternative which does not support their need for self justification and propaganda. This is santosha, which leads to ultimate happiness and unconditional freedom.
Resilient open minds and open-hearted people are self empowered, turned on, vivacious, and spunky. They naturally do not need predictable and structured precision future prisons (external authoritarian structures) to replace the old one. That is because they are heart directed, inner directed, connected, and sensitive to life – living in a state of meaningful and fulfilling blessed unrest. They are not driven by conflict, nor do they seek or promote it.
Since most people have become negatively programmed to disconnect from their heart-felt sensitivity, innate order and meaning -- from their innate vision -- they have become trained to look for external meaning and order outside themselves in manmade “isms’ that promise them what they lack/need; thus, they have become addicted to being rewarded for their obedience, conformity, and loyalty, while upholding the order and paradigms that promise to feed and clothe them. While conforming/bending to that “reality” and identification, they have become severely compromised, and hence reinforce their alienation/separation and fragmentation neurotically and impulsively from the greater whole.
These people need vision and that it is helpful to them to know about a plan in the future which they can fit in, survive, and thrive, rather than to scare them out of their shells into what they perceive as chaos. That is an excellent strategy and true santosha brings this forward to met those who are ready.
There is a lesson in the connection between cynicism, scarcity consciousness, paranoia, withdrawal, nihilism, indifference, and the closing of the heart. For example, if people chronically become disconnected/separated from their common vision – from their sense of community with all beings and things, from unity consciousness, etc., they will feel a great lack or hollowness that will call to be filled neurotically. as in compensatory gratification. They will also feel ripped-off and angry and unfulfilled. Then distrust, fear, paranoia, competition, and strife is sure to become amplified and thus external behavior based on that primary rend/rift of the heart can too easily manifest in forms of anger, racial hatred, bigotry, nationalism, chauvinism, police states and big armies which promise safe haven to those androids who serve the heartless system in an attempt to gain a sense of security and predictability to substitute for true santosha.
A good part of functional yoga then aims at opening up the flood gates of the heart – opening to compassion and wisdom to the joy (sukha) that is available to us all through a heart which has reached peace – who has removed its callousness and hardness.
There is so much to be grateful for when we truly "re-member" -- the Great Binding (maha-vratam) -- the Great Integrity and Completion -- the Great Natural Perfection -- that direct connection with all mothers and fathers, the earth, stars and sun -- the rain and winds, the trees and birds, the DNA and the eternal Source -- all our elders and All Our Relations. As such gratitude is a bridge from separation to Integration -- to All Our Relations. It is the completion of ahimsa, aparigraha and asteya. It is the end to disconsolateness.
Duhkha being conflict, dissatisfaction, pain, and suffering of samsaric dualistic existence is a mental state of craving, incompleteness, or unsatisfactoriness. Then, santosha becomes the natural result or symptom of having removed the suffering of the kleshas whose root is ignorance (avidya), thus effecting an experience of a great sense of peace and completion -- of samadhi/nirvana. Hence, santosha becomes spontaneous and natural when we feel deeply connected with our natural uncontrived and unconditioned true nature -- having become aligned with our natural true and rightful open place (swarupa-sunyam). Likewise, by practicing santosha we are affirming and moving toward that profound and sacred direction, the joy which knows no sorrow. We are its messengers -- the light bearers once we realize our true nature -- who we are in samadhi - in swarupa-sunya (III.3).
Santosha is practiced as peace and happiness -- as love. We commune with peace and abundance and give it forth -- manifesting it. We bring it those who are anxious and afraid. When greed, lust, conflict, war, trickery, competition, rivalry, himsa (violence), pain, thievery, deceit, corruption, falsity, and ignorance are defeated -- when invincible Durga is victorious, then santosha reigns supreme! In every day experiences we can attempt to mindfully assess our past tendencies toward and allegiances with grief, war, conflict, anger, hatred, jealousy, hurt, pain, and fear and recognize such as opportunities to surrender them unto the altar of peace and lasting happiness. As we give that to the universe, we give it to ourselves. Great Perfection, Great Integrity, and unbounded joy awaits us at every moment .
In objectless meditation free from subject/object duality the restlessness of the mind, the mental agitations, internal conflicts, desires, aversion, contempt, defensiveness (in short the kleshic propensities) eventually cease (nirodha), a still peaceful empty space is welcomed bringing about the great open space and peaceful freedom of the boundless and complete universal mind, whose nature emanates sublime satisfaction and peace. Great peace of mind, effects peace in All Our Relations.
Practice: There are many practices to activate natural and spontaneous santosha as already mentioned above. One not mentioned previously is a technique often called yoga nidra, which involves progressive relaxation of the body, the opening of the nadis (channels) and strotas, and the opening of the chakras through release of internal tension. This learned at first through the scanning the coarse physical body. Then merging the awareness to the internal energy/pranic flows through the strotas and nadis and chakras. The yogi may choose various sequences and configurations. The most accessible and perhaps powerful in the chakra at the heart center. Purifying it with pure awareness, relaxing any tension or stress, while calming and resting it so that warm peaceful sensation is generated allows for easy recall during daily activities. This gives the modern yogi the ability to monitor and control ones own stress levels, as well as to bring peace and calmness forward into the life of others, thus avoiding angst and needless pain acting as an ambassador of peace.
Gathering Fuel and Turning up the Fire
II. 43. kayendriya-siddhir asuddhi-ksayat tapasah
SPIRITUAL PASSION through Creating Sacred Space by taking a step back and pausing for the moment
Through the purifying burning fire of tapas all the organs and senses of the bodymind (kayendriya) are perfected (kayendriya-siddhir) by the destruction (ksayat) of all impurities (asuddhi).
Commentary: The functioning of the sense organs, the bodily functions, as well as the evolutionary circuitries (sixth sense) are perfected by repeated applications of tapas (the generation of spiritual fire or passion), which will also burn up and destroy all residue impurities creating a radiant light body. Tapas builds heat and is thus the heat that purifies and fires the vehicle coarse vehicle of the body and refines it, so that it is capable of being a loving/living evolutionary container, manifestation, temple, and emanation for pure Spirit and consciousness. The heat or spiritual fuel/fire is obtained by eliminating distractions. The energy that had once been invested in viksepa is now reclaimed, cashed in, and recycled. This vasana and past karmic propensities no longer govern thought or behavior.
Now the question might arise, what is this tapas and how is it
applied? Where Brahmacharya is the most widely mistranslated yama,
tapas is the most widely mistranslated niyama. It is mistranslated
habitually by the same alienated, academic, authoritarian,
anti-nature, anti-world, and anti-body (read alien) institutionalized
traditionalists and egoic control freaks, and for the same reasons; i.e.,
they fear the natural and spontaneous. They find security in negation and control.
Tapas however is not simply a restraint, but may involve renunciation. The renunciation is of course not to be implemented as an ends, but as conscious dynamic where an old pattern of though, speech or action is recognized as an impulse, paused, and analyzed. This invites in the open innocent space required for grace to enter. Thus, tapas leads to the ultimate realization of samadhi by freeing us from past vasana, karmic winds, and samskaric residues creating, as it were, breathing room (space) and harvesting of the dynamic pattern that is recycled interiority for purification (asuddhi).
Superficially viewed from the outside by non-yogis, authentic tapas may be misinterpreted as a sacrifice or negation, but for a mature yogi it is a spontaneous joyful affirmation. Here the sense organs, phenomena, the perceiver (mind), the "self", and the evolutionary force are not isolated, fragmented, nor egoic, but rather they function interdependently as integrated parts of a greater whole. When the impurities of the body-mind are destroyed , then the natural radiance of Sri shines forth in all her incomparable splendor. Like all the other sadhanas, perfection in tapas grows with practice.
Although the roots of the Sanskrit word, tapas, has nothing to do with austerity, self abnegation, penance, or sacrifice, that mistranslation has stuck because pre-existing contextual assumptions. This institutionalized bias cast in traditional religious precedence has become dominant in the general milieu of unthinking parroting, which one finds rampant in traditional translations. As an unfortunate result there exists some cults who pride themselves on how much harm they can inflict upon the body (as a low or debased "self"), how much pain they can withstand, how much suffering they can endure, etc., thus mistakenly hoping to "overcome" samsara this way -- mistaking this to be control over maya, while attaining freedom from suffering, which will lead them to samadhi. However simply inflicting wounds upon the body, does not win wisdom, liberation, nor the fruits of yoga. Authentic spiritual realization can not shine through being lost in dvesa (aversion). Indeed there exists an element of renunciation in the activity of tapas at first, and with that an awareness of what can and should be let go; but it is not simply a renunciation as a blind goal or condition in itself, but rather as an acknowledgement, recognition, and affirmation of our spiritual evolutionary process, then as part of a larger process to turn up the heat in a stagnant practice -- engaging more deeply into the sacred dance and prayer. Whenever our spiritual passion/enthusiasm dwindles, it is wise to evaluate our present condition and then to wisely eliminate any activities of body, mind or speech which are no longer serving our spiritual purpose.
The Sanskrit root of the word, tapas, means heat, connoting fire, spiritual passion, zeal, or fiery enthusiasm. Tapas is naturally the result of abhyasa-vairagyabhyam. It is allied with yogic practices such as isvara pranidhana, swadhyaya, pratyhara, pranayama, asana, dharana, and so forth applied in a consistent and sustained manner (abhyasa) without attachment to results (vairagya). One's cit-prana (energy and attention) are no longer bound up with neurotic superficialities through a process of simultaneous recognition and pause. That energy is then redirected inside after the habitual/karmic dynamic is suspended/renounced.
Tapas is eminently practical. It's both effective experientially and makes sense logically. It always intersects with swadhyaya. In the practice of tapas, one is not engaging in dissipating activities that suck one's energy, but rather the energy is conserved (a revolutionary concept in a gas guzzling society). If we have no left over energy, then we can not direct it very well of course. So tapas is more concerned in what we do not do, e.g., not wasting our attention (cit) and energy (prana) i.e., the cit-prana, than in what we do (like in positive sadhana). Tapas is like energy mining and its effectiveness relies not on will power as much as it does on awareness. We have a choice at each moment whether or not to to undertake an activity. Such wise conscious choices make up tha basis of tapas. WHen the sense organs are directed by swadhyaya and isvara (as in isvara pranidhana) tapas is entirely succeeded.
Tapas is the specific practice, that allows the practicing yogi to disengage upon neurotic activities, then one will have more energy left over to engage in spiritual practice (sadhana). This implementation makes perfect sense, although ordinary externalized, overly objectified, or materialistic mindsets will spin, wandering yonder and hinter because the citta-vrtta has not been stabilized. Rather they become victims of habitually fixated mental habits that cling onto mental formulations (duality) either coarse (physical) or subtle (mental). That is why Shankaracharya said that even beyond fasting or silence (mouna), the highest tapas is meditation (dhyana) -- the stilling of the mind -- the space of silence where listening becomes self-perfected.
Patanjali very clearly said earlier in Pada II.2 above, that tapas attenuates the kleshas and provides the fuel for samadhi by making the vehicle (the temple of embodiment) light and radiant -- free from dross. Without a working conscious knowledge of such dynamic operations, success in yoga (samadhi) is not possible.
The trick of course is know how to ramp up the heat/fire in one's practice (what to let go and what to cultivate). Eventually one finds oneself seated in a blazing circle of infinite fires (infinite source) without being burned. What is burned are the karmic/samskaric impurities (ashuddhi). This leads back to the original yogic quest. i.e., inquiring as to what works for the individual sadhak. If we follow the prana (shakti), thus avoiding the tendency for the logical mind to delimit the possibilities. That is why yoga practice is so valuable. The point that this is supposed to change and evolve as we evolve alongside in partnerships with the evolutionary energy as teacher. Other wise we do not learn any lessons. Freeing our mind-body-energy systems from dissipating distractions leading toward fragmentation and dissolution, thus reclaiming and reorganizing them through pranayama, pratyhara, dharana, and dhyana practices is the correct application of tapas.
The authentic practice of tapas is effected by ceasing/renouncing or pausing any activity that is neurotic, habitual, material, impulsive, superficial, or otherwise ties up the cit-prana, thus, freeing up the previously committed compulsive impulse/vector that is normally committed/bound to a previously specific endeavor, habit, or energy pattern. When that energy is no longer expended, immediately the sadhak experiences liberation. That particular energy that is thus liberated is then automatically recycled and applied into its natural evolutionary activity (feeding the fires of divine passion and providing tremendous strength). Thus, tapas has two parts, only the first part contains the energy of renunciation (giving up a distraction, old habit, neurotic tendency, compulsive, or corruptive activity); while the second part is experienced as an amplification/affirmation that fires up, speeds up, quickens, and accelerates the integrative spiritual function.
At first this previously trapped energy when first liberated may just appear to "sit there", We can just be and breathe with it, as it may appear strange or new. Then as it builds up, it is recognized as energy. In tummo or specific prana vidya practices of laya yoga the cit-prana can be directed and used as fuel for the sacred fire (and is thus associated with agni or the fire ceremony). As such, the kundalini yogis say that tapas feeds lady kundalini or conversely kundalini attracts and directs the cit-prana.
Like the other yam/niyams they can be of the body, speech, and mind -- coarse and refined (subtle) -- outer and inner (antar). The physical practice of tapas is often associated with fasting from neurotic eating or fasting from superfluous talk (mouna) as both activities can consume an unnecessary and wasteful amount of time and energy as well as contain many habitual patterns, programs, and propensities (samskaras and vasanas). However it is meditation that is considered to be the highest form of tapas. Tapas is also strongly associated with the other limbs, especially pratyhara. Tapas can also be associated with various tantric and laya yoga practices as well as all planes of and situations in everyday life -- in All Our Relations.
On a physical level (annamaya kosha), tapas is associated with the hatha yoga bandhas. On an energetic level (pranamaya kosha) tapas is associated with pratyhara, and on the mental levels (manamaya kosha) it is associated with meditation. For more on tapas see the discussion above in Pada II - Sutra I and in "Tapas as a Spiritual Practice".
Notice that tapas, swadhyaya (the next niyam), and isvara pranidhana (the second following niyam) were discussed in the beginning of Sadhana Pada as the three synergistic activities that constitute Kriya Yoga.
II. 44. swadhyaya ista-devata-samprayogah
SELF STUDY,
INTROSPECTION, SELF AWARENESS, and GRACE
Through self study (swadhyaya) knowledge of our true self is disclosed completing the yoga that reveals our true sacred nature (innate divinity or ishta devata which resides inside all beings).
swa: self, own
swadhyaya: The practice of self study: self analysis; self inquiry: study of self and the instrument of study, the mind. As such applied in the present situation, it is mindfulness/observing, noticing, insight, mindfulness, and the process of deepening and perfecting as now-awareness.
ista: inner, innate, or intimate
devata: divinity, isvara, seed source, buddha nature, deity.
Ishta-devata; Inner deity (ultimately isvara). Originally one's own innate divine or spiritual nature which resides in all of creation. Inherent Buddha nature/potential or intrinsic seed for self awakening (bodhicitta). One's inherent connection to the all inclusive Universal Ocean or Great Integrity or One Thing (ek tattva). Similarly and more commonly ishta-deva has become to mean to bhaktis as devotion to one's chosen favorite deity (or one that has been chosen by one's guru) as an approximation or personification of the ultimate reality. Hence it is sometimes referred as one's "personal" deity which is an oxymoron according to raj yoga, because isvara is universal and untainted as well as omnipresent, hence it is transpersonal, intimate, and holographic, but not merely personal in the sense of a "separate self".
samprayogah: the association of self with an object. Identity or union. Samyoga is false identification. Asamprayoge is disentanglement from false entanglement (samyoga --see II.54). Samprayogah here, is identification with the ishta-devata -- the inner divinity versus a separate "self" or body). -
Commentary: Swadhyaya is thus the activity of inner listening, self study, and insight by allowing the inner wisdom and innate teacher space for its natural expression in All Our Relations.
All activities have the potential of connecting us up with Source, wherein yoga is completed in union (ista-devata-samprayogah). Thus we can apply swadhyaya as a separate practice like as insight meditation (dhyana), in our asana practice by allowing the natural self expression, in chanting by finding our authentic voice, in our pranayama practice as in kevala pranayama, in conscious sleep. as well as daily life experiences, if we learn how to observe ourselves in constant witness consciousness (purusa).
Swadhyaya can be a profound and pivotal yogic process carried out all the time. It too has an inner aspect such as the realization of the purity and unity of "self'" in meditation (undifferentiated aspect of consciousness) as well as the co-evolutionary aspect of all created objects (the divine creatix or differentiated aspect of beingness) which is completed in functional meditation practice which is the final component that leads to samadhi. Samadhi is none-other than samprayogah (union) of Brahman and Atman, Siva with Shakti, or purusa with prakrti in their uncontrived natural state when the citta-vrtti has become silenced Their union (samprayoga) thus is an affirmation of a self existing third entity (samadhi). Hence samadhi is not just any union (samprayoga), -- it is certainly not samyoga (false identification of course, but a universal all encompassing supreme completion (nirbija samadhi) devoid of separate self (swarupa-sunyam as in III.3).
Here there exist different levels of swadhyaya to discern. As viveka-khyater is sharpened and increases through practice, our practice itself becomes strengthened. In turn our practice of swadhyaya synergistically increases, then viveka, then heightened practice as mutual accelerators... eventually freedom, (mukti) becomes strengthened.
At first there arises the intent to study "self" existence, reality, identity, and eventually the mind. Eventually one inquires as to the true nature of the mind. From that realization one recognizes the true nature of phenomena. At first this inquiry is born while the mind is still afflicted by the fragmented context of confusion and suffering. Then, through this aspiration practice is begun. This is where the implementation of basic mindfulness or self awareness as in basic meditation and mindful conscious activities starts the process of the synergistic acceleration of consciousness expansion and its evolution. There, the awareness of the inner (ista) deity (isvara) or intrinsic seed consciousness (buddha nature) is kept in mind and recognized increasingly. In this sense isvara pranidhana is ista-devata-samprayoga (swadhyaya). In the beginning that is where some people use mantra or yantra to focus the mind on this intent (the ista-devata). Regardless, the final union (samprayogah) is the eventual revelation of isvara (the intrinsic seed source) as expressed in non-dual clear light recognition in All Our Relations. Swadhyaya, as do all the yams/niyams) leads to samadhi (swarupa-sunyam).
Basically swadhyaya means self-study, but as swadhyaya practice matures it becomes a profound practice (samprayogah), which as we will see, dislodges the false identifications of samyoga (asmita-raga) leading all the way to samadhi (as swarupa-sunyam, the formless mind-essence or selfless-self). In this larger sense it means study of the non-dual "Self" or Brahman, which is accomplished in samadhi (swarupa-sunyam). As such, it is wedded to the practice of brahmacharya, just as brahmacharya is wedded to satya, asteya, aparigraha, tapas, isvara pranidhana, and ahimsa. Swadhyaya does not mean the study of books, scriptures, or holy texts, although that has become the most common interpretation. Such may be of provisional support at first; but also it may become misleading. Rather, swadhyaya must be driven by no less by a radical and fierce no holds barred inquiry into the nature of mind and the true nature of phenomena. Although external books and teachers may be of some value, this value exists only to the extent that it points the sadhak to the indwelling spirit within self and within all, revealing one's own true nondual nature. If external supports or teachings/teachers lead to an inner alignment with the momentum of the universal creative spirit emanating from the universal core/heart (the hridayam) resonating simultaneously in all our hearts, only then can the external teaching be considered non-dual, non-distracting, non-corruptive and of benefit.
In modern ashrams daily time is set aside time for the study of inspired or revealed teachings, discourses of sages, and realized yogis. Because in these modern times, where the average student has already greatly suffered from over-objectification, it is wise to keep all such practices in synergistic balance, by setting aside time for authentic self-contemplation.
"Certainly the yogi will be right
to digest the contents of the scriptures thoroughly
on condition that he later goes beyond this stage
and throws away all books,
as one throws away the chaff
to find the grain"Amritabindu Upanishad, I.18-20, trsl. By J. Varenne, "Yoga and the Hindu Tradition, Univ. of Chicago, 1976.
The common man is not interested in how his mind works, how it colors his life, who he is, and how to seek the truth. Rather, the common man doesn't know who he is and doesn't care. He is lost in an ersatz symbolic world of consumer fetishes, which he identifies as his possessions, status, identity, or position. He seeks out compensatory self gratification, union, and meaning in externals, in objects which he attempts to possess and identify with on one hand, or escape, avoid, and flee from on the other. Often his position among his peers as vanity is a driving factor. The inner world of the mind and body is thus often left as an unsolved riddle, something impenetrable and mysterious.
Some may identify with bodily prowess in order to work and feel better or as a vehicle to obtain these ersatz objects. Some people become interested in their genitals so as to feel more pleasure. Such expend much effort in improving the body and mind in order to touch or master the external world better. Care of the eyes, ears, and health in general is thus relegated to such external functionality, but knowledge of the true nature of mind, rarely becomes a subject of inquiry. That is not to imply that health is not beneficial, it is. Rather, this is to suggest that surpassing the superficial extrinsic fascination (as a neurotic compensation for a fundamental spiritual self-alienation) of the physical world without knowing the true nature of mind places the cart before the horse. Thus, the ordinary man's interest in the inner workings of the instrument of perception, cognition, consciousness, and self rarely penetrates the surface.
In yoga, for example taking up asana practice is seen as the first step in getting in touch with the vital life force (prana) and the subtle inner body/mind mechanisms which are more causal toward affecting stress or wellness, tension or release, disease or health., etc. Going deeper the mind/body relationship is uncovered, the nature of the life energy is revealed, the meaning and true nature of the mind, creation, and existence is disclosed.
This all requires attention, direction, concentration of effort, dedication, devotion -- in short the self discipline focusing on the innate sacred aspect of "self" (ishta devata) called swadhyaya. In this way swadhyaya is grace, because it is a focus on the ever present innate deity which in its most pure form, is isvara, Isvara pranidhana is also bhakti yoga, as surrender to our innate highest seed potential or buddha nature. Hence, flow or "the shift" happens through all these practices which are actually a surrender practice shifting from selfish and egoic wilfulness to universal synchronicity -- transpersonal and universal service.
This will allow divine intention (bhava) and our inner most transpersonal potential (grace) to actualize. This is what authentic yoga is about -- how to ramp the practice up so that these deeper relationship with All Our Relations is revealed and as such the neurotic self gratifications, over indulgences, consumerism, and symbolic fascinations of man cease.
The false self and the hurdles of swadhyaya
Here meditation becomes the daily opportunity for man to look inside and to see how his mind works, rather than to chronically and neurotically avoid, escape, and run away from it in his many masks of arrogance, aloofness, delusions, lies, and other insecurities and false self limiting identifications which is summed up by the word, ego.
The fear of looking inside to see how we work and who we truly are is created by the denial of the ego -- the desire of the ego to maintain its own delusion and rule -- its own life so to speak. After one has become conditioned and accustomed to the many masks of the ego, the ego reasoning says, "if the ego dies, then 'I' die". Thus any truth that discloses this delusion (which lies at the heart of neuroses) is seen as a threat to ego identification and dominance -- as a threat to "self" or at least as "pain" and is blocked out, numbed, armored against, avoided, or dissociated from in terms of dvesa (antipathy). This perceived threat is a mental projection based on mental impairment (klesha) which are reflexive and compulsive and dealt with by the ego mechanisms of pride, arrogance, aloofness, hatred, scorn, condemnation of the messenger, demonization, marginalization, ridicule, and even violence desiring the destruction of the threat. If that doesn't work b the ego can invoke similar mechanisms of dismissiveness, aloofness, arrogance, indifference, or dissociation. It doesn't require a genius to see the dysfunctional non-productive consequences of such reactionary avoidance/dissociative thinking to our environmental, social, and economic systems as behavior consequences from dysfunctional mindsets. Once man has freed himself from such inner conflict and confusion -- once the human gets in touch with who they are in terms of creation/creativity and reestablishes a healthy relationship with All Our Relations then his social institutions and "works" will reflect the universal all pervading boundless will -- man then comes home to his true Self.
Here truth (satya) is the threat to falsehood and delusion (avidya), so the solution is easy -- man must wake up to his true authentic self (swarupa). This is done through swadhyaya of which meditation is the best purveyor. One essential step is to throw away the mask. But the catch is that man must first has to establish some meaningful security with true self -- with All Our Relations in order to make this leap. This is what yoga practice can provide when presented in this light.
So functional yoga practice in this regard gets man to trust the innate intelligence inside -- in his body and as a an intimate part of the earth, the universe and creation. One here relearns to trust their instinct and intuition -- the inner wisdom and innate teacher starts to shine forth eventually revealing itself in All Our Relations.
Swadhyaya in Relationship to Jnana YogaVarious teachers and teachings are considered to be accurate, authentic, or useful in that they reflect the truth. However this can be very tricky. In Christianity it is the bible. In Taoism, it is Lao Tzu. In Islam it is Mohammed. In Buddhism it is Buddha. In Hinduism it is the Vedas and Upanishads. In Tantricism, it is the tantras. In Judaism the Torah, Talmud, Mishnah, and Kabbalah, and , in Yoga it is Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, etc. All these may be consulted and more.
Modern philosophers, psychologists, scientists, and religious thinkers offer even more thoughts be they Eckhart Tolle, Ram Dass, Ramana, Vivekananda, Swami Rama, Paramahansa Yogananda, Swami Kripalu, the Upanishads, Vedas, Sutras, Vedanta, and so forth can work well because they present a fairly accurate view/facsimile of "what-is-as-it-is" as naked undistorted awareness, yet the view is not always the reality – the map not the territory of course.
Jnana Yoga as a philosophy may be good for creating an overall functional context to begin our exploration of the many possibilities of yoga, but we cannot find "S"elf in exteriorization alone, rather it provides an overview. There is a great risk of conforming to another role and losing memory and hence losing "self" authenticity. Again there exist many types of jnana yoga. One extreme focuses its efforts on understanding the key to the universe and "Self" via understanding ancient sacred texts which are said to b the infallible words of God should they be interpreted correctly. Another school of Jnana Yoga on the other hand is a method of inquiry led by a teacher. Even if the student is led to self inquiry as in contemplation or reflection utilizing analytical thought and conceptual thinking, this internal self inquiry still would contradict Patanjali's method which is essentially transconceptual (nirvikalpa) and beyond words.
Still what is labeled "jnana yoga" is often confused with swadhyaya. There exist many variegated kinds of jnana yoga which act as effective somewhat means of self inquiry (swadhyaya) in effect, as there are many aspects of what are labeled swadhyaya, but in reality are none other than book study, memorization, and armchair philosophy that their crucial differences and results can easily become blurred. It should be clear that in I.9 Patanjali recognizes even "right knowledge" (pramana-vrtti) as a citta-vrtti. So to be certain we can not find ourselves in a book or external teaching, and not through words or conceptualization processes; yet if the teacher/teaching is exceptional so that it helps us to reach that step- less step, to understand the true nature of our mind, then call it what you like. It doesn't matter.
In general however we can say that the hatha and raj yogi's path (as taught by Patanjali, Goraknath, and the mountain yogi tradition) differs from traditional jnana yoga in that external books and dependence upon teachers/teachings is not at all advocated or emphasized. Rather the emphasis is on practice and its empirical results.
Here we are pointing out to the beginning yogi *not* to further ignore, abandon, or repress their intuition and instinct (innate wisdom and authority) while mistakenly assuming or conforming to an external character role, a set of rules, or identity which is spelled out mechanically in a philosophic treatise, religion, ideology, moral code, rules, or book, but rather become "S"elf directed – directed by the innate (SWA) teacher after looking within and connecting with their inner wisdom. To the extent that a book or outer teacher/teaching (oral tradition) or other learning experiences invoke such an inner transformative process of self awakening then that is excellent also. As long as the yogi is not confused as to where the eternal teacher (Sat Guru) is located and the purpose of the yogic inquiry (swarupa-sunyam) as samadhi, then there is no chance for dissuasion or foolery. The ishta deva, here mentioned in this sutra, stripped of its clothing, is none other than isvara, the universal teacher. in naked awareness.
If a teacher/teaching provides at first a coherent context or useful direction (inside) in which to consciously identify/find ourselves, our lives, roles, conditioning, situations, and problems; and then practical suggestions on how to work with them consciously, then the "external" teaching does not subvert the student solely into external authoritarian systems, rather it points the way home which is BOTH within and outside – universal and non-dual – omnipresent and holographic.
So normally at first we identify/recognize our situation (be it from direct insight (best) or by books and external teachers/teachings. That recognition/identification part is excellent, but does not guarantee that we can actually integrate and implement it (especially so if it is achieved by just reading about it or listening to a discourse about it. If we try to find ourselves in scripture or authoritative books/systems (often called jnana yoga) it is too easy to conform to a dry and rigid role again, which can submerge/repress our creative authenticity. Very often the more highfalutin' and idealistic beliefs, roles/identities, thought constructs of world system are the least viable and authentic, yet they often seduce the intellect and/or appeal to our sense of guilt.
We can "read" a lot and actually get it "right" intellectually,
but still our life doesn't change. Psychoanalysis is like that. The
old habits (vasana) and kleshas are still there devoid of effective
psycho-"therapy". Thus the main thing is the application and
practice. This is where most arm chair philosophers are very weak,
remaining mostly words and concepts appealing to the intellect.
However asana. bandha, tratak, breath work, pranayama, pratyhara,
dharana, mantra, meditation (dhyana) and the other branches of
astanga yoga (including the yam/niyams) will be very more effective
in repatterning the citta-vrtti, eventually absolving self from
"other" – from dualistic habits of the body/mind..
.
Human beings too often become caught up in inauthentic role playing
as an identity not being able to see outside that box. That occurs
at an early age. At the same time that "identity/box" is very self
limiting and imprisons us in a rigid set of possibilities. Our true
nature however is truly an unlimited set of creative potentiality
which too often remains latent and repressed. That is why Patanjali
makes it clear that the inner teacher –ishta devata is the
guide.
The example of the mother
In order to be practical we can discern between function and role. For example a mother may have a functional contract to acknowledge and act responsibly (and functionally) toward "others" (her children). One does not have to give up these contracts and go to the mountain caves or wandering in the desert, especially in modern life where there are no safety structures that support either the "ascetic" spiritual wanderer (sadhu) or the family.
Within the specific function of a mother, one can lighten up consciously quite a bit by seeing that contract or role in perspective. Like we are not just mothers, that's just a temporary role that we have assumed. IT SHOULD NOT BE OUR SOLE ROLE. Even being the best mother in the world, means perspective – you are a human being within a world system of previous human beings, grandmothers, grandfathers, etc. There exist also the Big Mother Nature (shakti) where small individual mothers would never exist in the first place without nature and creation. In short mothers do not exist in a vacuum. It does no good bringing up a child who is going to die or be maimed by an oncoming freight train, war, pestilence, global warming ecocide, example. In short in order to be a "good" mother, we exist first always within the context of a universal cosmic citizen, then a global citizen, then a mother. What we do, how we think, and who we are and represent affects the children by their observation. They "get it" through osmosis, not only by our expectations and contracts of reward and punishment set out for them. Children know on a very direct and basic level who we are and how we feel.
So the awareness of one playing the role of the mother and at the same time acting as a surrogate for the universal mother (shakti) means that of a wider and timeless compassionate archetype (if you will). Acting as the open heart portal to that vast reality means much more toward human growth and creative empowerment than simply acting out a mechanical role of what is expected of you by anyone else or within society's limited role projections. One becomes an open doorway to the infinite if one can abide there by allowing for that possibility more often, until it becomes natural and spontaneous (sahaj) again.
One intrinsically knows already that mother deep inside, but to bring that universal presence into our daily life is essential for the kids to taste it also. In short, it is not the sacrificial/martyr Jewish mother trip (I sacrifice for my kids an family) that is useful in the long run – that serves you or the kids, but rather it is knowing and defining "self" outside of roles – bringing in our vast, collective, and powerful true nature into your life and the life of our children, not just playing the sole role of a mother in a vacuum.
This doesn't have to be framed as an either/or situation. Being deeply present in any role succeeds the role—you are much lighter in the role because of the living and peaceful nourishing presence perspective, consciousness, and love. This can be done ALL the time, but it takes practice, swadhyaya as self awareness – mindfulness.
To sum up, swadhyaya or self study has an innate motivator which assumes that the truth (dharma) can be known – our true nature realized. It is essential to activate this inner urge to know on a transconceptual non-dual level – to commune with creativity/creation – our true "S"elf. Again as Patanjali says here, the inner teacher –ishta devata is the guide. Although suppressed/repressed through negative programming, we can release its fetters via authentic yoga.
What is required is not a blind belief, but the willingness and courage to surrender our cynicism, close-mindedness, beliefs, nihilism, delusions, ignorance . We must stop jiving ourselves that it's all a game, a trick of the mind, that we can make up any mask that our delusionary state desires, that it is all an illusion and that the truth doesn't exist. All that is simply ignorance, denial, and self deceit and sabotages the authentic process. Delusion is the opposite of waking up to "S"elf. Waking up to "S"elf is not a game or better role to play as in one upmanship. It is beyond all roles, games, and masquerades.
As above being a good mother/wife is not at all in opposition to being here now and shining the larger light into our collective situation -- in all our relations. In fact it makes the role work better. It is rather a great help/aid in seeing the universal "Self" in all our roles, providing space to view the kleshas, attachments, programs, and hang-ups and then allowing that light and space to permeate the relationship. As long as we do not believe in the game, but rather believe in what-is, then there is no delusion, no attachment, and no self suffering.
That creates the space for the larger breath to breathe through you as you play the role of the mother/wife, etc. So that way as the old programming comes up, one is not so involved compulsively or unconsciously, but rather we acknowledge/recognize it because we have a wider berth to see it from, and hence can let it go until the habit relaxes no longer being fed.
Like asana practice allows us to let the prana flow, to relax the tensions and obstructions at the nadis, so too does pranayama, so too does "being a conscious mother", driving a car, or talking, walking, sitting standing.... Indeed we open up the space to "let it shine"
As our children, friends, and others observe us opening up wide and coming from that spacious place, they will get more interested in that, or not. As we dive deeper into "S"elf and let that love shine, then more people will recognize the light even if they or you can not articulate it or even speak about it. It is simply more present in any case in our smile, light, gaze, or sight. Living in that way, we have less need for artifice, status, role playing, clothes, power, or other compensatory symbolic things to identify with.
If we say that is all an illusion, then we hold back that opening—transformation – the process of waking up. Reality/truth exists but we don't normally want to take a look at it as it may contradict the masquerade we are attached to – our contrived story about self and the world, so we often do not recognize it/avoiding it as it may appear painful or a threat to the ego. Only if we live in delusion (which is ignorance) does it all appear as an illusion. That is because one wears a matrix/veil over their eyes (a filtered bias called citta-vrtti). If it were all an illusion then it would not matter what we did, and ho we interacted with others. That's where severe dissociated disorders occur, but it is never-the-less merely a heightened form of cynicism and/or nihilism.
Such conclusions; i.e., that the truth doesn't exist; it's all an illusion; nothing matters really; etc.) are counterproductive to our well being and self awareness. Take a good look at it as a compensatory mechanism or as an escapist statement of avoidance and denial – for some granted desperate overwhelm and confusion. Because of a perceived lack, the ego decides to compensate takes a compensatory pleasure in neurotic self gratification which is at best temporary and a waste of time, but which is a habit (with certain costs) that needs to be broken eventually. Such role playing has to be given up/surrendered (as in the practice of isvara pranidhana).
Self-awareness as the open doorway to freedom
So to be clear, swadhyaya is self study as in self awareness -- watching one's mind, now awareness. It is NOT book study. We do not find our essential self in books. That's the problem. Self study has been perverted and short circuited by ideology and dogmatists. Do not believe for a second that Sri Patanjali was suggesting that people study scripture and find themselves in ideology. That's a rather common but very large error. Perhaps at the bottom of religion lies living spirit, but mostly in a very dilute form.
Instead of memorizing rules or models of living found in scripture, ideology, and books, the opposite is necessary, i.e., critical thought is key. Critical thought is applied in true swadhyaya in daily life. It is sharpened by vipassana meditation where we watch our though patterns meander (citta-vrtti).
For example with awareness we may see ourselves become angry, defensive, greedy, possessive, thinking of the future, disparaging another, disgusted or uptight. It is awareness that allows us to first realize our afflicted conditioned situation (kleshic consciousness) or insight meditation. Without the willingness to apply this awareness to self at each and every moment then we become lost in the kleshas, citta vrtti, and samsaric existence. awareness. By implementing swadhyaya here and now, then the old habits are recognized and dropped (just like vipassana meditation) and we abide increasingly in the natural state. If we tried to use "Swadhyaya as defined as a model/ideal role defined for us by the scripture, we would simply be dropping one conditioned state for a better ego/guise. It would not be natural but contrived and artificial..
Because of our dumbed down education and institutional systems which told us that we have to conform to external authoritative "standards" and get the "right answers" in order to be good and valuable robots for the state (authority), we have been conditioned not to question these external control mechanisms, thus critical thought is not an option. One simply believes what is expected of them, When two or more conflicting views are presented instead of applying insight, the confused person either sits on the fence or attempts to confusing with higher external "authorities". In either case the inner teacher is habitually ignored.
Especially when some one is confronted with a challenge or contradiction to their ideology and belief system, there is a tendency to feel challenged and attacked, hence the messenger is attacked; i.e., Jesus, Pythagoras, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, etc.
When this is done as a knee jerk compulsion it is simply old negative karma and samsara at work. When it is done consciously by hollow greedy, fearful, and corrupt soulless men, the it is called by other names. The main thing these people require is that the slaves and robots continue to support them, Waking up the slaves has always been taboo in tightly controlled societies.
Only when we are present in NOW awareness can we see things as they are, undistorted. That now is now always -- eternally..
So swadhyaya as witness consciousness is a 24/7 operation, but it is in unsupported silent sitting meditation (dhyana) that self knowledge is most clearly brought forward. Meditation thus is a key practice as it allows the practitioner to recognize the workings of one's conditioned mind and then eventually to set ourselves free from ego's neurotic machinations of externalization and false identification. Thus meditation reverses the extrinsic spin toward self gratification in extrinsic things and objects. One eventually sees that neurotic mental habit as an escape from presence-- a neurotic substitute for pure beingness -- presence with sacred presence -- for being HERE. In this increasing clarity of mind and lucidity the meditator eventually learns to trust his/her own nw ability to distinguish kleshic (afflicted) thought patterns from presence. to know by him/herself without external authority or validation. This attunement with creation/creator creates great self confidence and sparks the creative impulse. Only here can true freedom (kaivalya) be experienced and spoken about. Before practice and direct experience it is merely an intellectual concept.
The inner, more causal and refined meaning of swadhyaya is realized through concerted practice and especially its full blessings fructified in samadhi where the true nature of the universal timeless Self is realized -- not being found in any book, words, concepts, beliefs, nor human language.
See commentary for kriya yoga (tapas, swadhyaya, and isvara pranidhana) in Pada II. Sutra I. It is fitting that "S"elf study (swadhyaya) is followed by the sutra on surrender/devotion to one's highest "S"elf (isvara).
DEDICATION, DEVOTION, and SURRENDER IN LOVE and LIGHT
II. 45. samadhi-siddhir isvara-pranidhanat
Samadhi is perfected (siddhir) through letting go the limited matrix of a separate self, while surrendering (pranidhanat) to isvara (the all inclusive aspectless and unconditioned great universal integrity, which is the underlying motive power behind the principle of the innate universal Infinite Mind or mind-essence).
Commentary: This is an affirmation that we must let go of the limited matrixes of prejudice, preconceived, predilections, and attachments to present beliefs in order to move into the fertile/organic territory of Reality (which knows no such artificial bounds or impositions). Here we surrender to the highest self which is found as our highest innate potential -- Buddha nature. It is selfless doership.
Isvara pranidhana means the surrender to the highest Self - our highest potential or seed source which simultaneously exists in the inherent unity of the three worlds (beginningless source, never ending future, and the eternal present). A potential or seed must be activated. In this case the activator is cit-shakti or cit-prana, the energy of awareness. In pada I we see that Patanjali identifies the most pure purusa, isvara, and swarupa as part of the same process. As a practice isvara pranidhana is closely related to Brahmacharya (see above), but specifically invokes the energy of self surrender to Self (purusa) which is latent in all of nature, but is itself unborn, formless, and unborn. In the Western context, isvara affirms the stance of: "Thy will be done, HERE as in heaven". Hence one embodies that intrinsic seed source -- becomes an embodiment of the unborn and formless latency of cit -- intrinsic seed consciousness of the enlightened mind (the bodhicitta).
It must be noted that the word, isvara, is a generic term for "that which is beyond form, attribute, or symbolic representation, i.e., the highest but formless Self which defies description and where words such as Brahman can not penetrate. It is thus a placeholder for the formless timeless transcognitive. Isvara pranidhana as a practice invokes and affirms sacred timeless primordial presence.
Thus, all the yam/niyams will eventually be seen as being interconnected (especially by the principles of ahimsa and vairagya). Especially as swadhyaya leads tapas, tapas and swadhyaya, lead to isvara pranidhana. One pauses to consult the inner omnipresent teacher and follows that signal. As self-realization gradually is amplified in the yogi, (the practice being self disclosing), the practice will become very natural and spontaneous as the inner love and wisdom is awakened and manifests from the inside out. Through the practices of the yam/niyams a mutual synergy will gradually be established leading the practitioner naturally to the underlying principle and motive power of yoga which lies behind these practices and supports the Heart. Moving toward isvara is also the bhava of divine intention -- it is the "good mind" seeking out the highest good in All Our Relations. As such it involves the generation of the mind of lasting happiness and enlightenment for all beings, the bodhi-citta which is the seed consciousness for enlightenment.
It might be strange to equate absolute bodhicitta or buddhanature with isvara, but all are formless, nascent, and potential -- like a seed awaiting to be expressed. The union of the seed with its expression, thus invokes the image of a farmer cultivating his field, bringing forth results as in the ultimate fruition -- samadhi. They manifest as self-less action of body, mind and/or speech.
From I Am That, page 1, by Baba Muktananda
Man goes to great trouble to acquire knowledge of the material world. He learns all branches of mundane science. He explores the earth, and even travels to the moon. Yet he never tries to find out what exists within himself. Because he is unaware of the enormous power which lies hidden within him, he looks for support in the outer world. Because he doesn't know the boundless happiness which lies inside his heart, he looks for satisfaction in mundane activities and pleasures. Because he doesn't experience the inner love, he looks for love from others.
The truth is that the inner Self of every human being is supremely great. Everything is contained in the Self. The creative power of this entire universe lives inside everyone of us. The divine Principle which creates and sustains this world pulsates within us in the form of supremely blissful light. It scintillates in the heart, and shines through all our senses. If, instead of pursuing knowledge of the outer world, we were to pursue inner knowledge, we would discover that effulgence very soon.
The incorporation of these yam/niyams into our daily lives will serve as guideposts to show us where we go astray and where we can better connect up more completely and continuously with Source. These guidelines of ahimsa, truthfulness, integrity, non-possessiveness, continuity, purity, peacefulness, divine passion, self study, and surrender can also be expediently applied to our daily asana practice to accelerate its highest accomplishment as well.
Vairagya (non-attachment or letting go) which was introduced in Pada I and the practice of isvara pranidhana form two sides of one coin. They are mutually synergistic and incorporate the fruition of sankalpa shakti which facilitates success in the path of yoga. The physical or speech practices of isvara pranidhana such as ceremonial or devotional practices devoid of realization (as found in ritual, chanting. prayers, ceremony) remain superficial and can not succeed without realizing the HeartMind practice -- surrender to the imperishable Universal Eternal Self in All Our Relations.
All the niyams have the inherent power of accomplishing yoga, while isvara pranidhana is perhaps the most powerful. In a second it can destroy willfulness, asmita, all the other kleshas -- all ignorance as well. It has the power of sublime and most pure radiance (grace) and provides infallible guidance once we make firm contact. . It contains the most ancient teaching: "Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven".
Guru Yoga
There is a practice in the East called guru yoga. It is similar to surrendering to Jesus in Christianity or to the will of Allah in Islam, etc. It is greatly misunderstood, and thus subject to abuse. One assumes that their teacher has obtained samadhi and operates on the universal plane, is somewhat omniscient, all wise, and beneficent. In traditions that depend upon lineages that stem all the way back to the founder, the source, the creator, the teacher thus must be considered to be a transmitter of Source/divine creativity. The student then places all trust in the teacher and the teacher thus teaches the student on that level. Although such practices as guru yoga may be common, it is not something that Patanjali teaches in the Yoga Sutras. There is no mention of student/teacher relationships, except in a distant way regarding isvara, where isvara is the teacher of even the most ancient teacher.
It must be made clear that one cannot nor should not surrender to some one, an egoic entity, or thing that cannot be trusted and is not pure. Without fundamental trust in something, then isvara pranidhana cannot work. Here Patanjali is not addressing obedience as trust, but rather at the minimum something reliable wherein we can rest, abide, and go toward. That can be simply be our affirmation and invocation of our innate higher potential -- that which is around the corner. Even if we have difficult issues of trust, we can surrender at least to this. Constant strife, chronic self defense, hyper vigilance, and stress creates while fighting for separate "self" is tiring sapping our strength. It requires putting out too much energy, while surrender as a direct connection with our innate seed source as the universal seed source within all bathes us in non-dual recognition and meaning. Such signals regeneration -- renewing the Self. In THAT the conflict, tension, stress, and war is over. The common man does not know how to rest in trust or surrender. so they often need a segue like surrender to a good teacher, priest, church, religion, ceremony, ritual, and so forth. That can be a trap however, but isvara pranidhana as All Our Relations is implicate, innate, omnipresent, eternal, and universally available. Never think that the ego or the body alone is the doer or the observer. Rather allow for the innate timeless teacher to inform you and lead the way.
Practice: Take some time out and listen, look with full awareness for isvara, innate buddhanature, bodhicitta within you. Although formless we can become aware of it transconceptually. Then make the assumption that this seed consciousness, potential, buddhanature, isvara, or bodhicitta lies nascent waiting to be recognized and activated within all beings. Then go out with people, animals, or other living beings and look for it in them as well as within yourself. Recognize the Self within the Self. the heart within the heart. Some will recognize it and smile back, and others will not. When they do, it will also amplify your own inner devotion to isvara. Don't fake it, just look for it by being open to the possibility. Try to do this is all your relationships and situations.
Also see the discussion of isvara in Pada II Sutra 1 (above) and Pada I. Sutras 23-27, and the closely related practice of brahmacharya (Pada II. Sutra 38)
Here ends the discussion of yama and niyama, while the discussion of asana and pranayama begins.
The Three Sutras on Asana: The Container and Expression of the Light
II. 46. sthira-sukham asanam
Posture (asana) should be supportive, grounded (sthira), and joyful (sukham).
Commentary: This sutra can also be interpreted that as we sit in meditation we ground with the earth joyfully -- in unwavering joyousness. The ground supports us, while providing the base of stability. This relationship can be our always obtainable joyful base (seat) on or off the meditation cushion or asana blanket/mat. Asana should be balanced, self supporting, and hold itself up by itself (self supporting). Our stance and position in life (asana) should support us raising us up joyfully.
"Posture should be grounded in joy and support happiness. Yoga postures are based upon the evocation of happiness"
The word. sthira, assumes a solid base, groundedness, stability, and support, which is symbolically associated with the earth element/chakra. Stability also assumes balance. Various Sanskrit definitions for sthira include: Grounded, stable, firm, solid, still, unwavering, steady, supportive, firmly established. Sukha means happiness or joy although body negative or anti-nature traditions tend to translate sukha as "easeful" or "comfortable". Here, Patanjali states clearly that our positions should never cause pain, rather they are a cause for joy and happiness. As we move we feel the prana flowing and that creates joy naturally.
Or
Our base should reflect steady joyfulness; rest and reside in steady joyous stream.
In a more active way, "Conscious posture is the ever accessible practice that invokes joy (sukha) and strength (sthira). Asana is the practice that moves the practitioner into a continuity of steady happiness". Asana is establishing the base where one's stance in the world supports true happiness.
Many commentators assume that Patanjali is likely referring to seated meditation postures used for dharana and/or dhyana; but it also can be taken, in general, that all our positions should bring in joy, strength, balance, and unwavering grounded presence. The body is the earthly vehicle for the expression of the intelligent and loving evolutionary energy. The body forms the base (the seat).
Since asana also often is translated as "seat", it also indicates that our resting place (wherever the MindBody is seated/resides) should be joyful and grounded, as the seat of joy and strength or seat for spirit and its expression. The light shines forth as natural beauty (lavanya) and strength (bala) which really comes from the kaya-sampat (see III.46).
This sutra indicates that while sitting in asana for meditation one should remain strong and straight (sthira) and joyful (sukham); i.e., not droop, collapse, or become distraught. This should be clear that effort, stress, strain, rigidity, being pained or uncomfortable is not asana as defined by Patanjali. When the physical body aligns with the cosmos and its creative intelligent process, light, bliss, strength, and balance naturally (sahaj) result. In the next sutra Patanjali defines asana further as being effortless (prayatna-saithilya).
That is the short and to the point translation, but today with so much attention placed upon hatha yoga asana practice more commentary may be helpful. Foremost and most simply, let us consider asana our always accessible resting base/foundation or position, which bestows the qualities of steady joy, balance, and groundedness. Secondly, we remain centered in this base while meditating, moving, or reclining. Thirdly, this joyful base should be balanced and hold itself up by itself, as in being inherently self-supporting in All Our Relations, wherein hatha yoga asana practice is included. Through this kind of repetitive asana practice a new tendency of embodied presence is effected.
Here, deep contemplation upon the idea behind the word, sthira, is called for. Stability and strength assumes balance. This joyful stable and strong base (sthira) depends on two opposing forces being balanced out perfectly, so that all torque, vectors, or force are in perfect balance -- where imbalances are annulled, and all resistance is eliminated. Here All Our Relations should be self supporting, raising us up joyfully as we move into that joyful self supporting synergistic alignment, which is authentic asana. Thus, asana should support joy, while joy supports the asana. Asana provide then a firm ground for joyful experiences as well.
According to Patanjali, you can't take the joy or groundedness out of asana and still call it asana, by his definition. Despite the controversy about hatha yoga being hard work requiring much effort (as interpreted by pleasure fearing nihilists), let us be certain that Sri Patanjali did not at all indicate that asana should be merely comfortable, but rather that it should connect us up with creative source of joy. The Sanskrit word, sukha, really means joy or happiness, but some may translate it as pleasure. Austere religious people, who are disinclined to mix religion and enjoyment or any connection with embodied presence will continue to translate the word, sukham, as merely being comfortable. In other words, according to Patanjali, you can't take the natural joy out of asana and still call it asana, by his definition. Really I think Patanjali was on to something very profound.
Here and in the next two sutras on asana, the idea of no effort, but rather of receiving support through balance, synchronicity, and release is presented. Strength and ease are both present. The qualities of engagement are complemented with letting go, but Patanjali says that this let go is not a droop or sag, but should have the quality of strength and stability (sthira). Thus our seat (asana) in the muladhara provides the stable foundation for spiritual uplifting -- we must take care of the root in order to feed the crown, an important non-dual both/and teaching rather than an either/or fear oriented affirmation.
Energetically for the yogi, this is accomplished by keeping the nadis open and balanced and the prana flowing, while maintaining that conscious connection with the earth chakra. Balance is achieved in yoga when the crown chakra (sahasrara) and earth chakra (muladhara) are synergistically synchronized and aligned. This occurs in the central non-dual channel or nadi called sushumna. In successful asana practice, this balance and natural tonality are firmly established and as such it provides a stable foundation or base for success in meditation. The foundation or root chakra is the one we sit on, the muladhara chakra. This is where the prana is balanced and brought into a mutual synchronicity awakening the dormant evolutionary energy (kundalini) and circuitry (chakras). This happens naturally when we allow for the intelligent evolutionary energy to lead.
Asana, meaning seat, foundation, or base; it becomes the way sit and touch the earth in meditation and it is this connection between body and consciousness, earth and sky, nature and spirit, ida and pingala, root and crown, which must be made continuous. Here Patanjali means by the word, asana, on a coarse level the way the body sits for meditation, as well on a more subtle level as our stance or perspective in life, our attitude (free from slant, bias, prejudice, or vrtti). When this bias or vrtti are remediated and balanced out, then the asana so re-aligned and activated becomes the universal ground of pure beingness -- ultimate being. It is this ultimate asana of universal being which brings in universal and ultimate consciousness free from any bias, limitation, or vrtti.
For example in meditation, we place the body in a strong, stable, and energetic connection with the earth first. That forms the grounding pole for spirit to animate, enliven, empower, inspire, and strengthen us. This earth connection at the muladhara chakra which when activated and harmonized unifies the female/male energies, forming as such a ground rod for the sky energy to be conducted but at the same time a link from the earth in which to touch the sky. In reality this flow is not linear - one way up or down -- but non-dual both up and down and neither up and down. It is not within the realm of three dimensional definitions. Here the ida/pingala and thus the kundalini flows through the central column of sushumna linking earth with sky, mula with sahasrara, nature with spirit, dissolving all tension and polar opposites. Then we align the spine around the base energy and connect with the upper chakras. For some, they go into "flow" directly and effortlessly.
It is valuable to know that hatha yoga bandhas are not a physical contractions; but rather an energetic redirection that allows for flow, while preventing energy from being dissipated outward or energy from being inhibited entirely. As such mulabandha (root gate) is a specific bandha, which forms the energy valve in the earth chakra; so that front and back, left and right, top and bottom are unified; so that the energy is supported and flows in this life supporting vital center. In mulabandha the energy between pubic bone and the tail bone are linked (bound together) to form a connection and uplifting energetic which supports the pelvis providing a stable and joyous base for the spine and the rest of the body. Energy hence is prevented from being dissipated, but rather is utilized to support the body, neurology, breath, brain, and deeper holographic trans-dimensional energetic alignment available at the more subtle levels, deeper pulsations of existence, and higher vibratory frequencies of consciousness. This supports the asana and allows us to sit upright in meditation joyously for long periods of time without dissipation or discomfort. Here our connection with the earth must be made continuous in meditation throughout the sit so that heaven and earth remain balanced and connected through direct uninterrupted communion.
It is a misinterpretation of Patanjali to suppose that this word, asana, applies only to the hatha yoga definition of asana, such as found in the multitude postures used hatha yoga asana practices. There is no direct evidence that Patanjali practiced hatha yoga asana, but he was doubtlessly familiar with its practice. Whether we apply this to raj yoga (meditation) practice, dharana, or movement, the principles seem to be valuable all the same. For more on the differences between hatha yoga and raj yoga see Sri Pungaliya's scrupulous essay.
To be forewarned, sthira does not indicate controlled, tense, tight, contracted, contracted, frozen, or rigid, but connotes strength, steadiness, continuity, easeful, still (as in non-agitated) but not dead, supported and strong with spirit, self sustaining and self supporting, empowered, and as such connotes strength, activation, animation, energization, alertness, instilled presence, endowment, uplift, endurance, and inspired -- instilled with prana (with the continuous flow of the chit-prana or chit-shakti) as in an alert and alive embodiment. It is the opposite of a sagged out, numbed out, droopy, slack, drained, blocked, imbalanced, dead, or fragmented and distracted inattentive state.
Sthira does not mean tight or rigid, but rather it implies an easy continuous flow, a peaceful non-agitated stillness and restful position, resilience, endurance, and a steady continuity connoting the successful resolution of any unbalancing or disturbing forces eventually producing a natural adamantine (indestructible) steadiness in meditation reflecting the eventual stillness of the citta-vrtti. In graduated stages of asana a great natural peace, ease, and stillness of both body and mind gradually arises in movement naturally. One feels as if the postures happen by themselves. After consistent self-practice (abhyasa), the inner most radiance, beauty, wisdom, and self luminous grace (the result of the positive karma generated) arises spontaneously, and fills the yogi with nectar. Eventually this joyous state becomes continuous and steady, always accessible, within reach, always at hand -- it endures and becomes a pathway of a joyful living presence.
If we investigate the very nature of the living body in any position, we will see that we can not control or hold it still. Even a dead body is moving and decomposing. Not only do we want the body to move with pulmonary respiration such as the chest and diaphragm, but we also want the heart to continue to pump, the lymph flow, the peristalsis to continue, the cell mitosis, the millions of glandular and cellular functions all to flow and support the body while we are in asana. At the same time the earth is moving, mountains are moving, the planet rotates and spins around its axis and circles the sun. The entire solar system is moving in the Milky way, and all the galaxies ate moving around the core/heart center. So we do not want to expend unnecessary energy in a futile attempt to resist this natural movement, rather what we do want to do is to move the spine in synergistic alignment with the core/heart of the universe -- with the central pillar of stillness which by itself does not move, but from which all is in flux.
When we practice we will notice that sometimes it takes some movement in order to move into this balance and synchronicity. Nay, it always requires a movement when we move from duality into unity -- there occurs a shift. To hold the body and energy static would to be to hold back this shift. Therefore, one who meditates should not get tight, rigid, or contracted; rather Patanjali says it should be joyful. Why is that so, because the nadis remain open, the chit-prana is balanced and harmonized -- the wavering of the mind (cit-vrtti) are stilled and quieted (nirodha). Thus in the correct application of this sutra, sthira and sukha are allowed to manifest in asana also brings on great peace effortless and joy without droop.
It is important enough to repeat that sthira is not rigidity, tightness, hardness, or holding still. The body can never be held still -- it is impossible and to try is to cause tension and conflict which we must learn to release. The blood, lymph, and prana must flow, the heart must beat, the craniosacral fluid, peristalsis, cell mitosis -- all must be allowed to continue. However it is possible in yoga is to reach that center where we witness the flow of the Great River -- all that is on fire, all that is temporary, all the dynamic relative world of creation as moving -- being in flux. That innate stillness of infinite mind that self exists deep within at our core center -- the axis mundi -- the tree at the center of the world -- the hridayam. Thus when consciousness and beingness are merged in sthira sukham asanam, stillness is achieved yet the body although aligned with spirit/creator, being part of the created world is allowed to move with the variegated ebb and flows of life and creation.
Thus we are challenged at each moment to find a happy spot, be joyful, find that alignment with Satchitananda and abide there, move from there, love from there, etc. That is asana. So of course we abandon tenseness and rigidity by moving out of those tight places to that more expansive state of consciousness and being in Sat Chit Ananda, at all times that we can re-member.. This type of seat feels like "home". It is a continuous and happy alignment between the apparently opposite poles of pure consciousness (spirit) and pure beingness (nature), which are the crown and earth chakras found in the body through which these two polar energies are united and flow. It is the opposite of being "uptight", tense, rigid, contracted, and blocked.
Thus it is futile to try to arrange the body into a fixed, motionless, lifeless, and rigid position (rigor mortis), but rather allow it to move, align, synchronize and attune its body/mind and energy channels between the highest heaven and the center of the earth. Then when the fundamental principle and source of consciousness (spirit) is harmonized and merges with creation through your own embodiment, then the body becomes steadfast in that union spontaneously -- then the body can go into suspended animation.
Further one may just as well take the word, asana, as seat, and then extend that definition as to what is the seat of spirit -- the sacred temple -- the abode of love?
"The body is my temple and asanas are my prayers."
BKS Iyengar
Regardless wherever we travel, and in every situation is more than useful to find sthira and sukha (supporting joy). This, like all the other limbs, are to be extended in other practices for example as well as In All Our Relations.
II. 47. prayatna-saithilya-ananta-samapattibhyam
Posture should be relaxed, effortless, and tension free aligned with infinite unity (the Infinite Mind).
Commentary: This profound state of balance and synchronicity (samapattibhyam) is accomplished through progressive and continuous relaxation (prayatna-saithilya) by aligning within the great self existing, self supporting, and self animating (ananta) endless Intelligent Flow that always awaits the true seeker as the Great Continuum (Infinite Mind).
Saithilya means being loose, not tight, not tense, nor rigid, but relaxed; while prayatna means a persevering effort -- the application of a sustained or continuous endeavor over time. Prayatna-saithilya then becomes the application of relaxation -- undertaking the practice of entering into a deep stress free spacious place -- moving into stillness, quietude, and tension free relaxation. Here Patanjali is clearly stating that in asana one must make an effort to relax effort; i.e., a vector must be activated to dissolve pre-existing rigidity, hardness, and tensions in order to move into a deeper balanced alignment -- a synergistic self sustaining state aligned with the Great Integrity or Infinite Mind (ananta-samapattibhyam), whose flux becomes the space where the yogi relaxes into. The yogi allows himself to be moved by that.
Ananta-samapattibhyam means aligning or synchronizing (samapattibhyam) with Unlimited Space, the endless or Infinite Mind -- The Great All Inclusive Integrity (ananta). another name for ananta is Vishnu's serpent, where Vishnu reclined upon. Vishnu symbolizes the force of supreme balance and mediation that sustains the world. Here the symbolism should be clear to a practitioner who has experienced it.
This is not a dead relaxation or collapse, but rather a synergistic energization. Rather, the effort (yatnah) of relaxation (saithilya) of effort and striving (prayatna) cancels out any residue of pre-existing conflict or tension. All the expenditures of energy, self effort, and any other energy sucks become removed as we move into the greater energy matrix of ananta-samapattibhyam), which was catalyzed via prayatna-saithilya. Hence asana becomes a vehicle that bestows the greater shower and blessings of a perfectly balanced physical and mental attitude, which is in a harmonious alignment with the universal core/heart that brings the practitioner into alignment with that in synergistic synchronicity/flow.
True asana (versus an ordinary position lacking balance and integrity), thus moves us into an infinite (ananta) unity (samapattibhyam). In meditation as well as in any body/mind position (mental or physical), we have to avoid this stasis of tension/tightness where energy is vectored in one direction or the other requiring resistance in either the body or the mind to move so that the energy is made continuous and unblocked. Other wise, it will be dissipated in the reactive contraction of the body, muscle spasms, mental or physical tensions. If the bodymind's energy channels become tightened or contracted, thus we can remember to release that tension and psychic energy obstructions/blockages. If not we risk becoming drained by it. In a parallel way, the mind also may tend to contract itself, and mental tensions spill over, thus one must make an effort to release the contracted spin of the energy through awareness of alignment, which is a principle of the interconnected mandala of body, speech (energy), and mind. Otherwise our mental and physical tensions will suck energy and attention (viveka) away from the meditation process of union if we allow it, because of our lack of awareness (ignorance).
One result of functional meditation is to de-stress, relax, and abide in the great peace that samadhi brings -- to connect up with the transpersonal imperishable infinite mind. The only effort we have to do is to show up sit or similarly we make an effort to be less than effortless. Another result of an expedient meditation is that we leave more connected and energized -- more integrated and feeling vitally whole.
Practically when we sit we can become aware of the body if it tends to harden, contract, tense up, and go into spasm after awhile so that we have to soon we feel pain and feel the need to get up and stretch, but we can learn how to keep the energy and consciousness flowing through the channel of the body/mind continuously through effective asana so that any stagnant energy can be shifted -- so that the energy connection stays open and softens (yet does not droop).
In this way, we are relaxing effort, individual will power, egoic control, while letting go of tension and hardness, and mental rigidities/fixations as well. Here we are relaxing into the Great will, the sustainer, sustained and supported by Vishnu's serpent. Here we are allowing the mind, the energy, and the body to abide and be animated in continuous and harmonious flow. Staying in that balance is synergistic to balancing the energies discussed in the previous sutras. Thus when we sit we can apply the techniques that Patanjali recommends like pure thoughts and intents (yam/niyam), correct asana, pranayama, pratyhara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi all at once. Here, correct asana involves samapattibhyam, which is a subtle and intimate balancing act, a harmonization, an integration into the holistic world of All Our Relations. This is the perfect position.
To sum up, samapattibhyam means coming into balance and harmony and aligning. Here it means aligning with Infinite Source. Ananta means birthless, deathless, endless, limitless, or infinite. Ananta being the Great Serpent that Vishnu rests upon, it is apropos to any discussion of asana. Asana could thus be looked at as relaxing all effort and connecting up with infinite source like Vishnu relies/relaxes upon Ananta. This relaxation of effort and synchronistic alignment with continuous flow comes up in asana with conscious practice. Albeit these are more subtle (sukshma sharira) aspects of asana, they are also more causal and thus affect the practice more powerfully.
In this manner, a kundalini or tantric interpretation has also been provided. Then as a fortuitous consequence, sutra 49, when combined with sutra 48, could be translated as: "through the withdrawing of effort in asana while contemplating the never ending continuum of our true nature, then the bipolar afflictions of duality vanish and the asana forms a balanced (samapattibhyam) and self supporting (ananta) energetic creatix." Here kundalini, represented as a coiled serpent, located at the muladhara\, which is the seat or root (asana meaning seat) is able to become activated through this synchronicity and harmonization of any tension in the psychic nervous system (nadis). Then that juice flows through the sushumna activating the highest chakras and manifesting in union (sahasrara and muladhara are united/synchronized by the flow of the kundalini (serpent power) in the central nerve.
"I have the feeling that only the body is capable of understanding the creation, what we call the creation: the why and the how of it, both.
The Mother, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, 18 October 1969.
II. 48. tato dvandvanabhighatah
Asana resolves opposition.
Commentary: This way the polarities (dvandva) support each other (creating ascension in the central channel-- holding the spine erect by itself). Here lightness is achieved and gross heaviness and coarseness is replaced with increasingly more subtle qualities of effortlessness until the never-ending absolute is touched.
A literal translation is: "From asana practice, which rests in steady joy and relaxed synchronicity (tato), one becomes invulnerable or immune from the assaults (anabhighatah) of duality (dvandva).
This is another characteristic of asana as being capable of providing the grounds for a steady joyful and balanced synchronicity, where embodied presence can express itself. Stress, tension, and conflict are thus resolved. That joy, which is the result of the union of shiva/shakti, cit and sat, spirit and nature, consciousness and beingness, crown (heaven) and root (earth) is also accessed and expressed in authentic hatha yoga asana and pranayama practices, as well as silent sitting meditation, and in every movement we undertake, It is an active balancing, harmonizing, and integrating activity orchestrated by the interplay of primordial consciousness and its expression in the evolutionary energy, which lies far beyond the limitations of conceptual mentation (nirvikalpa). This superconscious energy rearranges the preexisting dissipated, de- energized, and weakened corrupted nadis and neurophysiology, and then reorganizes and animates it in harmony with primordial consciousness and evolutionary energy, with the end result of that same consciousness and energy is able to become expressed through the newly awakened and transubstantiated revitalized human vehicle.
"Now the body has the experience, and it's much more real. The intellectual attitude puts something unreal over our perception of things... whereas the body feels it in itself, it becomes it. Instead of the experience being scaled down to the measure of the individual, the individual widens to the measure of the experience."
The Mother, Sri Aurobindo Ashram 25 July 1970.
Anabhighatah means free from conflict, stress, angst, anxiety attacks, or assault. This sutra refers to the energetics that state that when the left and right -- the "HA" (sun) and "THA: (moon) or rajas and tamas (pairs of opposites) are balanced in sattva, then all tensions, conflicts and imbalances are dissolved/relaxed, then the energy is changed to sattva as we reside in and become informed from our core/heart.
Dvandva refers to the pairs of opposites or extremes, like tamas or rajas, yin or yang, female or male, shakti or shiva. samsara or nirvana, let or right, moon or sun, earth or sky, etc. In short imbalance or dualistic existence which contain conflict, irony, dichotomy, confusion, ambiguity, and unresolved restlessness. Many people become inured to a state of imbalance, restlessness, and conflict, and working against something as it is a predictable and familiar "reality". Hence they tend to perpetuate duality, stress, conflict, and paranoia, and competition as "reality". It becomes part of their belief system, (pramana-vrtti). Hence approaching asana in the former way, will dislodge those rigid vrtti (belief systems). Hence authentic and functional asana as defined by Patanjali is a remediation tool without utilizing concepts (nirvikalpa) or dualism (being asamprajnata). In short, in one approach, all one has to do is a functional asana practice as an energy practice to enhance viveka-khyater (the heightened awareness) of the energy body and hence its synergistic synchronicity (ananta-samapattibhyam) occurs effortlessly and naturally. Likewise using a heightened sense of awareness (viveka-khyater) the innate intelligent sensitivity inside the body is revealed and activated. Previous deadened numb spots are revealed and hence its intrinsic luminosity is activated as our awareness of differentiated reality is heightened and recognized.
If we were to apply this to what a successful asana practice would look like, there would be a mutually uplifting self supporting synergistic balance which is realized where the apparent conflicting dualistic energies are harnessed and synchronized effortlessly acting as harmonious team or whole so that the position becomes effortless, self supporting, self sustaining, and self animating. How are the poles of opposition balanced; how are imbalances resolved; how is tension, conflict, stress and strife relaxed? Obviously this imbalance or polar tendency to swing to or fro is due to not being aligned. Here we are not speaking merely of aligning the bones and joints, but also the energy centers, the breath, spirit, mind, and wisdom -- our overall position mental, spiritual, energetic, and physical with the created world, the force of creation, and timeless spirit. here one may say that the central theme of this sutra is alignment and for this to happen we will also suggest strongly that the five koshas are to aligned here as well.
Not being swayed to or fro the energy is balanced and in terms of kundalini it is thus collected in the central column and rises up effortlessly in the sushumna nadi so that profound balance, lightness, levitation and timelessness (ananta) is realized. So on a subtle and more causal level Patanjali is addressing internal processes here. Although Patanjali did not practice or advocate hatha, kundalini, laya, kriya, or tantra yoga explicitly, which developed after his time, it is evident that he experienced these energetic transformations and was able to lay a foundation for its future development by articulating it utilizing existing philosophical terminology. Dvandva clearly means the pair of opposites and as such the idea of balancing ida/pingala or siva/shakti becomes invoked. Here polarity does not distort nor assault (anabhihatas) the practitioner, rather they are utilized, balanced, harnessed, and used for support. Succinctly state II.46-48 can read as a whole: Posture thus are effortless, tension free, grounded, balanced, joyful. The align us in synergistic harmony with all there is, while all internal conflicts and dualities are put to rest. Posture is a the seat for this alchemy to occur, bringing these characteristics into life.
No matter what technique is employed, here internally the left and right, ida/pingala, apana/prana, tha and ha, muladhara and sahasrara, heaven and earth -- all constituent energies become balanced, aligned, attuned, and synchronous. Here the physical body, mind, nervous system, psychic channels, energy body, etc., all are placed in non-dual synchronicity acting as a support to sustaining samadhi. This also can be extended to all other yogic practices such as hatha yoga -- in All Our Relations.
"The education of the physical consciousness (not the body's global consciousness, but the consciousness of the cells) consists in teaching them [reeducation], first, that there is a choice:... to choose the divine Presence, the divine Consciousness, the divine Power (all this without words).... It is a choice of every second between Nature's old laws, together with some mental influence and the whole life such as it is organized—a choice between that [the old dualistic conditioned and fragmented way of viewing nature and self], the rule of that, and the rule of the supreme Consciousness.... And it's every second of the day (it's infinitely interesting), with practical examples—for instance, the nerves: If a nerve obeys this or that law of [the fragmented view of] nature, together with the [fragmented] mental conclusions and all that—all that [fragmented] machinery—then the pain starts up; but if it obeys the influence of the supreme Consciousness, then a curious thing happens: it isn't like something getting "cured"; rather, it's as if it disappeared as a sort of unreality."
The Mother, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, 26 June 1968.
The Five Sutras on Pranayama: II.49- II.53
II. 49. tasmin sati svasa-prasvasayor gati-vicchedah pranayamah
From the awareness gained from the practice of asana (tasmin) having been established (sati), one proceeds (gati) in lengthening and extending the life force (prana-ayama) by observing and analyzing the sequencing (vicchedah) of the inspiration (svasa) and exhalation (prasvasayor) and the spaces between them.
Tasmin: from the preceding, hence
sati; established - set
gati: proceeding to
svasa: inhalation/inspiration
prasvasayor: exhalation/expiration
svasa-prasvasayor: the process of respiration
Viccheda: analyzing the sequences,. Cutting up; breaking apart, analyzing, reducing, reordering, braking; analyzing by interruption into isolated component parts.
Prana: Energy. In the body, the life force energy. In nature prana-shakti. "Pra" is from the beginning, from that which precedes all. "Na" is its direction/guidance. In natural yoga, the assumption is that prana-shakti has an innate intelligent direction, but most humans are not listening; i.e., their connective channels are occluded. Hence pranayama practice opens these nadis up.
Ayama means to extend or lengthen.
Pranayama: To become aware of and subtly work with the prana: to extend/lengthen (ayama) and open the breath and prana (life force), thus the covering of the light is dissolved. There exist many explanations of this. One is Prana is is derived from "Pra" is the first unit of life, while "na" means to direct. Ayama means to expand or extend. Hence Pranayama is to extend the awareness of the life force, to acknowledge it, understand it, and commune with it as well as to extend it in your own body and in All Our Relations. In The Yoga Sutras that is first done by breath awareness and breath exercises. Then on a more subtle layer, the energy behind the breath is understood. Then the condition of the mind and consciousness is realized. Then the unity of primordial consciousness and the innate evolutionary power, sat and cit, siva and shakti, spirit and nature, are realized. That is samadhi via pranayama, which is the goal of astanga yoga.
.Commentary: [After establishing a firm grounded foundation or seat for spirit, balance,calm, and the special free form synchronicity that arises from balancing out dualistic forces in asana] then (tasmin) the foundation for the next stage is established (sati) which is the extension and lengthening of the life force (pranayama) by breaking down and analyzing (vicchedah) the procession (gati) of the individual aspects of the dynamic motions and energetic processions underlying inspiration (svasa) and expiration (prasvasayor) [as these dynamics operate and flow through the body/mind matrix].
A more succinct translation is that from success in asana there (tasmin) is established a firm foundation (sati) to observe and analyze (vicchedah) the processes (gati) of inhalation (svasa) and exhalation (prasvasayor) in order to effect the flow of prana more extensively (in the body/mind). But what must be emphasized here is that "prana" means energy, not breath. The observation of the breath is a first coarse preliminary method to get us more in touch with the more subtle energy and wholistic neurological processes underlying the breathing process. In short pranayama is to proceed from this steady joyful self supporting non-dual awareness base afforded to us by conscious asana practice. "Pra" means that which precedes, while "na" means direction/guidance. The breath is the barometer of the body, the mind, and energy systems which connect them with primordial consciousness (prana-shakti), but it is not identical with prana. Having said that. Patanjali is indeed advocating first the investigation and practice of breathing in order to eventually achieve union (samadhi) -- the goal of yoga.
So to proceed after establishing asana as the steady, joyful, and balanced seat of Infinite or Boundless Mind, now then in pranayama the yogi learns how to extend and spread spirit as cit-prana (consciousness and prana combined) throughout the body, the breath, energy channels, and Mind in a multidimensional transpersonal way -- All Our Relations. Here shakti as prana shakti activates the dormant centers in the true devotee.
Simply and concisely this sutra describes a yogic practice called pranayama where one starts off by first practicing asana as described immediately previously, then after the requisite amount of refined subtle awareness is achieved placing one's attention upon the inhalation and exhalation of the breath in order to extend and refine (ayama) the prana one's mind and breath becomes increasingly subtle. Here Patanjali is explicit that pranayama is an awareness/observation practice, not a mechanical willful practice. There are many avenues to explore in observing the breath. What at first is mere mechanical and coarse awareness of the breathing process begins to become increasingly more subtle and intricate with practice.
We will thus break this key sutra down into its component parts and then reconstruct it. First the reader should know that the most common mistranslation of this sutra usually reads: "pranayama is the control or regulation of the inhalation, exhalation, and retention of breath". That mis-translation reflects two common errors:
The first is more common -- the misinterpretation of the word, prana, as breath, which would make the translation redundant as well as misleading. Rather prana refers to energy. Secondly we shall translate "ayama" as the lengthening, extension, spreading, thinning, refinement, or expansion of that energy, where "ayama" is translated as lengthening, expansion, thinning, rarefaction, or extension. Or one can break the word, yama, down differently as in "ya" (to bring forth) and ma (to nurture). On the other hand the definition of yama as control or regulation, reflects a isolated school of hatha yoga which believed that liberation could be attained through forcefulness and control of the body, breath, and mind versus cessation/dissolution. Granted the more common orthodox tradition will translate this as breath regulation or control. The word, control, thus reflects another assumption made by repressed and over objectified left brain will power dominant top down intellectuals and ideologically based religionists, just as these very same dualists tend to translate "nirodha" as control, tapas as self abnegation, swadhyaya as scriptural study, or brahmacarya as sexual restraint where there exists no objective or experiential basis for these willful biases.
Secondly no word meaning retention, control, or suppression of the breath (kumbhaka) is present in this sutra unless one translates yama as active restraint (see sutra 54 for more). Vicchedah means making to break or cut apart, not control, restraint, or stoppage. It is conjoined to the Sanskrit word, gati, which refers to the procession of the breathing processes. Thus we learn to expand and refine the prana by observing and breaking apart the movements of the breath as it occurs in inspiration and expiration as well as the spaces in between, so that it is no longer controlled by the unconscious winds of karma or unconscious habits/tendencies, but rather it comes into the light of consciousness -- vicchedah being an act of conscious awareness not individual control over the breathing. In this way our energy and mind changes simultaneously, as well as our karma. This will be made even more clear in in next sutra (II.50) where Patanjali introduces the very pertinent technique of paridrsto which means to behold or to overview.
Patanjali is mainly telling us that pranayama can be approached at first as the process (gati) of becoming aware of our energy by breaking it down into its component processes starting from the gross external components and observing the profound linkages between mind and energy inherent in the breathing process -- how the energy enters our body/mind, how it leaves it, and how it becomes discontinuous or inhibited. How the mind affects the breath and energy, and how the breath affects the mind. Finally how to become aware of the energy body and work primarily and consciously with that as mediator.
Through this break down (vicchedah) of these energetics (utilizing the breath as its coarse tangible representative), then we obtain awareness of how the energy is extended, refined, and made more subtle so that we open up the nadis (the container of the prana) which activates the body's higher circuitries and potential (the manifestation of brahman in this very body as the Jivamukti). With this awareness we can sit in asana longer and more comfortably so that the meditation is energized without dissipation to activate its highest potential (in an accomplished samadhi). This awareness (of the cit-prana) is at first coarsely perceived through asana and/or breath awareness, but through practice the energetic pathways eventually become opened and within our scope of heightened awareness, allowing the practitioner to redirect and harmonize it for spiritual evolution and personal well being.
Prana (with a capital "P" permeates all of the Universe without it nothing moves, but also prana with a small "p" denotes the vital energy (prana) as it is incorporated and permeates the physical body. It is strongly associated with the breath as the animating principle -- as the sustainer -- linking creation with Infinite Unborn Source. When the cosmic matrix is meshed and synchronized with the human matrix, then Spirit's gifts become potenized in the now.
Indeed breathing is the most primal activity of human life, performing a bridge between the unconscious (autonomic) and conscious (central) nervous systems. In hatha. kundalini, and tantra yoga pranayama is not just a powerful awareness tool, but a focused practice capable of balancing and synchronizing not only the autonomic and central nervous systems, but also the afferent and efferent nervous systems and the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems as all polarities can be accessed through the breath. Similarly, hatha yoga tells us that by becoming aware of and accessing the breath consciously in these ways we can also access directly into our psychoneurology trans conceptually (nirvikalpa), then the biopsychic pathways, nadis, matrices, energy cysts, and cellular and energetic imprints which help hold the samskaras in place can be accessed, activated, cleared, and harmonized. Pranayama is an effective and powerful tool in breaking breaking up past karma, kleshas, vasana, and vrtti, as well as to activate our transpersonal non-dual inheritance.
Thus the various pranayama exercises of exploring the energetic processes of inhalation, exhalation, lengthening, refining, and the cessation of breathing within hatha yoga are given to us in order to achieve this awareness, observe this process, and thus eventually achieve liberation (from karma and vrtti). The goal is not the control of the breath, but rather it is the awareness of the subtle and more causal intelligent primal operations of prana shakti or kundalini shakti who further instructs, so that the breath moves us -- that we are profoundly moved by it.
In many practices of hatha yoga , laya yoga, and prana vidya, the interruption of the normal flow of the breath are given in order to both provide awareness and communion, but also to disrupt old mental patterns (vrttis) and karma harnessing the previous dormant or energy to activate dormant evolutionary circuitry. A salient point is that pranayama practice became increasingly refined by medieval hatha yoga which succeeded Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, but which borrowed strongly upon the Yoga Sutras as its base. Vicchedah as described by Patanjali became much more refined. It is through these pranayama practices that the sadhak has the opportunity to investigate the action of these many types of breathing patterns upon our energy fields and thus become more aware and integrated with the intelligence behind primal Prana.
"Normal" subconscious habitual breathing is thus called karmic breathing, while pranayama practice not only breaks up (vicchedah) old karma, but burns it up establishing the practitioner in a karma free zone. Here various pranayama practices using the breath can be used for healing, but pranayama here as presented by Patanjali is meant to propel the practitioner beyond their past conditioning and karma altogether. Just simple breath awareness helps us to free the dissipations of monkey mind (vikalpa) and concentrates the cit-prana, but pranayama practices in hatha and tantra yoga go deeper and work faster combining, pranayama, pratyhara, dharana, mudra, and asana as one integrated practice that is used to jump start dhyana (meditation) and samadhi. Pranayama as described by Patanjali (as raj yoga) is often confused with the more elaborate pranayama as described in hatha, kundalini, and tantra yoga, but they are not contradictory.
Here in this sutra, Patanjali is not directly addressing those variegated and sometimes forceful pranayama techniques as found in some schools of hatha yoga, rather he is addressing observation of the breath and the refinement of the prana in the context of meditation (at least at first).
Only in the next sutra he goes into methodology, albeit there are those who translate vicchedah as the cutting off the breath which this translator takes as a control freak's bias. Again vicchedah is the conscious analysis of the breath which admittedly hatha yoga pranayama practice can indeed enhance. In simple meditation we can simply notice the changing qualities of breath according to how the mind becomes distracted or focused. We bring our awareness to the breath and refine and extend it if it has become coarse or restricted. After practice this relationship between the empty and quiet mind and the breath becomes understood and a doorway opens into the operations of the cit-prana and the operations of the mind. Then eventually the origin of mind, the Infinite Mind, or simply the Natural Unconditioned Mind is revealed through at first the very simple method learning how to observe the breath and how it changes. Then one learns how to balance and direct the cit-prana, the mind, and the breath all at once effecting flow toward samadhi.
It should be noticed that Patanjali has already mentioned in Sutras I.31 and I.34 the power of the breath by giving some elementary breathing exercises which clear the mind and affect our energetic patterns. Here this practiced is extended.
In more advanced pranayama practice, as taught in hatha yoga, one (out of many) simple practice is called sushumna breath where the inhalation (prana) energy with the exhalation (apana) energy are equally balanced both in duration and intensity, generating a spiritual synergy (in the central column called sushumna) of supreme effortless (sunya). Here the individual will and Universal Will have merged. Pranayama brings us into awareness of the polar opposites, the expansion and the contraction of the divine pulsation of siva/shakti (spanda), the movement of spirit as it inspires, and eternal dance of love through the expiratory medium of the living temple. This is a powerful but subtle pranayama method to jump start an align a sitting meditation (dhyana) session.
II. 50. bahyabhyantara-stambha-vrttir desakala-samkhyabhih paridrsto dirgha-suksmah
Through over-viewing (paridrasta) and analyzing (samkhyabhih) the rapidity, the place or location (desa) and the duration or length (kala) of the inhalation (abhyantara) and exhalation (bahya) of the breathing operations (vrtti) in relationship to its still points (stambha) and/or its spinning/movements (vrttir) the energy is extended (dirgha) and becomes more refined and subtle (suksmah).
A similar reading is:
That through over-viewing (paridrsto) the oscillations between the spinning patterns (vrttir) of the inward and outward characteristics of the breathing process and its tidal operations of stillness (stamba) in regard to duration (kala), location (desa), and the number of repetitions (samkhyabhih), as to its degree of subtleness (suksmah) and extended refinement (dirgha-suksmah) while the breath spins internally, externally, or comes into stillness (stamba) [pranayama is practiced].
Commentary: Here Patanjali goes into more subtle detail, extending the previous sutra. The yogi views in intricate detail without will-power the natural flow of as the breathing operations. This is the gold for pranayama practitioners and even meditators to look at. Becoming sensitive to, familiar with, and beholding (paridrasta) the breath acting as a gateway to the source of prana allows for an energetic shift in awareness that energizes the psychic pathways, which in turn allows overall access to the purification of our deepest internal body/mind circuits, psycho-neuro-physiology, and bio-psychic energetic processes, as well as allow us to harmonize and align with the infinite non-dual Source of Prana. As the subtle process between the breath and energy (prana) becomes revealed and refined, the citta (mind stuff) also becomes refined and thus the citta-vrtti are attenuated. As the subtle awareness becomes extended, the breath becomes increasingly more subtle and rarefied until it such becomes beyond even the most subtle. The yogi says to himself, now I will sit in pranayama concentrating on the subtle intricacies of the breathing operations, but not manipulating them. Eventually an awareness of its subtle workings dawn as a completely natural and intelligent wonder (sahaj). If we keep in mind that prana is an intelligent life force and its interactions with the body is intelligent, then the yogi's focus upon that overall process extends the yogi's awareness, while synchronicity of the cit-prana occurs.
Some say that Patanjali is referring to the operation of three types of breathing: inhalation (abhyantara), exhalation (bahya) and retention (stamba) of breath. Others say that he is referring to the hatha yoga techniques of internal retention, external retention, and sahaj kumbhaka, referring to the flow of prana in the pingala, the ida, and the sushumna nadis respectively. These are all pranayama practices. However, since retention of the breath in Sanskrit is kumbhaka, not stamba, we will assume here he means stillness as the energy increasingly becomes extended, refined, thinned, balanced, and more subtle. As it appears to approach a limitless length and duration, an apparent stasis may occur without any application of force. Here the breath and prana become more subtle and refined leading up to the increased possibility of sahaja (natural) kumbhaka (kevala kumbhaka) or setting its stage where such occurs spontaneously in meditation. Remember in pranayama we are talking about energy, while its coarse manifestation in the breath allows us to get a handle on the process.
A point that experienced practitioners have realized and share, but which beginners also may benefit from by taking it to heart, is that the techniques of sahita (technical) pranayama exists not as an end in itself to master, but as tools to explore the many variegated possibilities of the the operations of the breath and prana. Such establishes a heightened differentiated awareness (viveka) and increased sensitivity which brings attention to these subtle, but profound relationships between the mind, body, energy systems, and breath as a wholistic living system. This allows for conscious transformation and increased subtle harmonization of the prana and the cit (collectively the cit-prana or cit-shakti), so that such intelligently is allowed to move into the central column (sushumna) naturally and instruct us.
As such when the pranas stop flowing in ida and pingala (left and right) nadis as apana and prana or tamas and rajas, respectively, then its automatically and naturally is drawn up into the sushumna nadi and sattva is realized. Thus the techniques (sahita) reveal the subtle actions of prana to our consciousness so that we can merge, re-connect, or reintegrate with our unconditioned natural true self (swarupa). When this latter happens it is accompanied by sahaj kumbhaka and is thus called called sahaj (natural) pranayama (as distinguished to sahita pranayama). So to avoid confusion, yes the techniques such as given in sahita pranayama is a prerequisite for the completion which is accomplished in sahaja which brings great joy. That is why we practice everyday.
"In the state of samadhi, initially the breathing becomes very slow. This is characteristic of sabija samadhi, where there is concentration of mind. Since the mind exists in this stage of samadhi, the yogi can watch the movements of the breath. But later on, in the state of nirbija samadhi, the mind itself dissolves. In such a state, in the absence of mind, how can one make observations about the breathing process? However, judging from the specific characteristics of the physical and mental states after coming out of nirbija samadhi, one can say that the breath does cease.
Lastly, one important clarification that should be made is that the cessation of breath in samadhi is due to the purity of the bodily passages, facilitating the dissolution of both mind and prana. But in nidra and murcha, it is rather impurities in the bodily passages which cause the prana to be obstructed, resulting in the stoppage of breath"Swami Kripalu
Let it be said that pranayama in hatha, kriya, kundalini, and tantra yoga is a profound practice which can also be quite elaborate. In swara yoga, which pranayama is a subdivision, and to a great degree in hatha and tantra yoga, there exists an emphasis placed on the location of the breath, its distance from the nose and lungs, its characteristic strength/amplitude or force, duration, the characteristics of its spinning and swirling motion in the nose and lungs, its rapidity, thinness, smoothness, evenness between nostrils, etc. Swara yoga is considered to be the master science which pranayama is derived and it appears that Patanjali was well aware of this. Many books and oral teachings have pranayama and swara yoga as subjects, but here we will focus on the raj yoga aspects (in meditation) which we will assume is the point of Patanjali's meaning.
In the sitting meditation of Raj Yoga, the first and essential stage is awareness or observation (paridrasta) where we do not try to change the breath, but simply notice and become aware of what is happening with the characteristics of breath, how it changes with the thoughts (vrtti), and come back to a smooth, subtle, and long breathing. Sometimes the mind will come into stillness and there one may notice that the breath also has become very long and subtle or even appear to be still as well. When the mind wanders we can thus bring the attention back to the breath noticing all the characteristics of the breath and their relationship to the wandering or steadiness of the energy and mind (the cit-prana or cit-shakti). In this way the breath, the prana, and the mindstuff (citta) become refined and more subtle eventually entering into an unwavering non-agitated stillpoint (stamba) .
When sitting we can notice to advantage where the breath is concentrated, how the breath stops, becomes ragged, becomes deep, long, short, interrupted, flows freely, fluctuates (vrttir), wavers, becomes coarse or subtle, rapid or slow, imbalanced/balanced, and so forth related to mental, emotional, and physical correspondences which we become aware of, acknowledge, and observe (paridrsto). We observe it according to many characteristics moving from the gross and coarse into the most subtle -- moving into the energetics of the breath and self awareness of the internal energetics that are both inside and outside so that we can align and harmonize this very body now with the cosmic soul (param purusha) in the yantra of bliss (anandamaya kosha or causal body). Thus we move from the coarse body (sthula sharira) found in the annamaya kosha (or nirmanakaya) to the causal body (karana sharira) which is found in the anandamaya kosha or dharmakaya) through the working the energy or subtle body (sukshma sharira) found in the pranamaya kosha or the sambhogakaya). Thus through breath awareness, then energy awareness, then pre awareness, we move from the coarse, to the subtle, to beyond even the most subtle (nirvicara), and thus learn how to commune with and stay in our core energy because of the simple truth that the breath will reflect what is in the body/mind. The breathing thus is more so a gateway furnished through awareness provided by the activation of the energy body (suksmah sharira) found in the pranamaya kosha) to the causal body (karana sharira) or dharmakaya to unconditional formless Source.
In a more subtle sense then Patanjali is saying that a subtle extenuation and refinement (dirgha-suksma) of the breath also effects a corresponding pranayama (as an extenuation and refinement of the prana) and hence the mind. Certainly neuro-psycho-physiology and Psycho-neuroimmunology (PNI) indicate that when the breath is long, thin, and subtle the system is operating at a reduced level of stress, well being, and health.
In simple sitting meditation (dhyana) in the beginning we at first simply just come back to the breath with out analyzing it if the mind has wandered. In pranayama practice proper we focus on the energy behind the breath as a concentration exercise (dharana) and hence pranayama can be considered a dharana as well as pratyhara (see sutra 54). Through subtle awareness we learn how the breath eventually kindles the inner light which destroys the veil of ignorance (see sutra 52).
In hatha and tantra yoga we augment this self awareness through various conscious breathing processes which variously regulate the length of the inhalations and exhalations, rate, intensity, degree of subtlety, and location of the prana through exploring the multitude positions of the breath in relation to location, time, or other qualities and quantities for various permutations and durations of time -- through becoming aware of the subtleness of the breath, and through myriad and varied combinations of the above.
Eventually we find that this awareness exercise allows us to break up old previously unconscious karmic patterns of breathing, breaking up old dysfunctional body/mind patterns, while allowing us to more continuously align with prana's infinite Source through the prana-shakti siddhi. In beginning hatha yoga we learn how to balance the ida and pingala energies through experimenting with the breath in each nostril while exploring the mores subtle energetics governing these gross movements. Direct conscious access to the psycho-neurophysiology is established, its circuits become opened, activated, and harmonized through pranayama. Through consistent expedient pranayama practice and meditation these connections of the breath, prana, mind, subtle body (suksmah), and causal body (karana sharira) become revealed. Here the past conditioning, programming, habits, and karma is destroyed and hence the sadhak is made fit for meditation. In hatha yoga through various exercises we learn where to concentrate the force of the breath and the flows of the energy in order to accomplish transformation of the body/mind.
Pranayama practice should proceed first as an awareness practice. Only after establishing that awareness and sensitivity first, then experiments can be undertaken and gauged in that light. Such must be slow, natural, and not forced. It should not be rushed nor mechanical, because it is very powerful to work with the causal energies within. Without sensitivity and awareness, suffering will result. Emphasis must be put on opening the nadis and balancing the energy. Thus it is best to avoid pranayama unless one has already become sensitive to and has learned to recognize. respect, and honor the body/mind energy. If this awareness of prana is not reached through a breath oriented kinesthetic asana practice, then an experienced, wise, and accomplished selfless teacher is the only other alternative worth pursuing. When the nadis are open and balanced, then karmic breath is destroyed -- past karma becomes vanquished also.
Pranayama siddhi also can come about naturally through contacting our innate wisdom (prajna) without formal practice (the prana-shakti permeates our entire being). Thus it is debatable whether or not Patanjali was recommending meditators to do a formal practice pranayama as an external discipline like as found in hatha yoga, or rather he was describing the processes in which the breath changes in meditation and the methods that can be used to bring about synergy. Certainly swara yoga and other tantric practices are an advanced and elaborate extension of pranayama which focus on the most subtle aspects of the breath, its location, and types of swirling motions throughout the day, according to various seasons, astronomical alignments, etc. Swara yoga as an elaborate science will not be discussed here.
In general it is well worth repeating that prana means energy, and ayama means to extend; so that through pranayama one extends the Infinite Source of energy throughout the body so that every cell in the body is unified with cosmic source -- so that the nadis are open, balanced, and aligned. Thus in meditation we can consciously keep the nadis open and the breath energetic, deep, balanced, and nourishing. If this is not discontinuous then the body will never become tight, tired, painful, or droop.
Reference here where Patanjali first suggests that we utilize the breath as a basic remediator and balancer of our psychic biopsychic energy in I.31 and I.34.
II. 51. bahy-abhyantara-visaya-aksepi caturtah
Then the fourth (caturtah) phase (visaya) of successful pranayama, occurs when the prana is withdrawn and ceases to move (aksepi) either internally (abhyantara) or outwardly (bahya).
Commentary: Concisely we can say that when the breath and prana become so lengthened, refined, rarefied, and subtle the prana then changes from most subtle to beyond even the most subtle (nirvicara). Here too then the prana ceases to flow in the dualistic pathways of ida and pingala, but rather withdraws into the central nadi (sushumna) as kundalini. In nirvicara samadhi the dualistic winds that drive the distractive thought processes (citta-vrtti) cease (nirodha). This is the gateway to nirvicara samadhi or turiya (the fourth). Here the prana and mind (cit-prana or cit-shakti) no longer moves dualistically (outside or inside). Rather the prana moves through the central channel (sushumna or sunya nadi) which is the authentic middle path beyond any extreme. This latter yogic explanation may seem mystical to many, but it is entirely experiential. Here heaven and earth, crown and root, sahasrara and muladhara chakras, pingala and ida, frontal cortex and limbic systems, CNS and autonomic nervous systems, sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, sun and moon, are joined, balanced, and activated so that the evolutionary energy (kundalini) is flowing through the yogi's channels without threat of being over-loaded or shut-down. The middle/central way is opened limitlessly to its maximum evolutionary/co-creative potential.
In the previous sutras we see that on a gross level through observing the energy during the conditions (visaya) where the breath is moving inward, outward, or is steady (stamba) and not moving constitutes the three gross previous stages of pranayama (all of which have specific corresponding psycho-neurological energetics and biopsychic qualities not delineated here). But in this sutra Patanjali is saying that there exists a fourth (caturtah) stage where the breath exists in a zero-point space (visaya-aksepi) regardless if it is at the end of the exhalation before the inhalation begins, at the end of the inhalation before the exhalation begins, or somewhere in the middle.
In fact Patanjali is saying that visaya-aksepi occurs separately from the previous three methods when the fourth and final dominion (visaya) of pranayama is achieved. Thus not necessarily during inhalation, during exhalation, at the end of the inhalation before the inhalation is withdrawn, nor at the end of the exhalation before the exhalation is withdrawn, but at some other time (caturtah) or rather at anytime in-between through the heightened focused awareness of the energetic quality existing in these spaces -- at this fourth moment, a profound transformation occurs -- the fourth or turiya is revealed.
Such can happen spontaneously in meditation and thus occurring in the realm of natural and effortless (sahaj or kevala kumbhaka) suspension or (visaya-aksepi) of breath, or rather more importantly on the more subtle level the effortless suspension of dualistic energetic motions (ida/pingala) without effort. Here Patanjali is not talking about breath retention in the ordinary sense, but rather visaya-aksepi as condition where the energy (prana) is withdrawn from the dualistic energetic processes of outward and inward tendencies and effortlessly by itself moves into the integrative non-dual state in the central channel (which the hatha yogis call sahaj kumbhaka). Here the energy no longer flows dualistically in/out. left or right, or up and down. This sutra describes the perfectly balanced non-dual harmonized prana. It no longer moves in ida or pingala, in or out, up or down, left or right, rather it has become consumed and has entered the madhya nadi.
Notice that Patanjali does not mention the word, retention, here either; nor does he indicate that this process of pranayama has anything to do with active control or willful force (often associated with ordinary hatha yoga kumbhaka practice). Rather, it must be pointed out that the word, aksepi, means casting aside or withdrawing from (withdrawing being actively passive). It just happens by itself or as a result of cessation of effort (aksepi). Here prana as energy (as well as the cit-prana) ceases to spin inwardly (in the ida) as well as ceases to spin extrinsically (in the pingala). Here the ida and pingala are the two nadis or channels for intrinsic and extrinsic energy flows in the energetic and psychic bodies. So if the energy is withdrawn (aksepi), where does it go? It goes nowhere, rather it is transformed and transformed. Prana plus apana equals not prana again, but when it is delicately synchronized, one enters beyond three dimensional linearity or time and space, into the non-dual fourth dimension, turiya. Here in the fourth stage, Patanjali says the energy is withdrawn from normal dualistic polar functions. It is extended, lengthened, smoothed out, thinned, refined and made extremely subtle, withdrawn, and ceases as such. Rather this is taken to mean in Hatha, Kundalini, Laya, and Tantric interpretations that the cit-prana is withdrawn from duality into the central non-dual channel (sushumna or sattva). Eventually learn to work with the energy, not the breath. Esoterically, when the kundalini is activated the yogi can move into the fourth realm which is also designated as turiya.
This is the fourth (caturtah) practice of prana awareness (at first brought to awareness through energy observation), where the dualistic patterns of prana stop (as "in" and "out"), but rather through their balance and synchronization at zero point, then the non-dual energy is experienced directly as it is now allowed to enter the central nadi (sushumna) as kundalini shakti.
Patanjali points out that we can observe and utilize four types of energetic processes, i.e., the energetic process behind the inhalation, the exhalation, the disruption of either the inhalation or the exhalation, and fourthly the deepening awareness at the energetic space which occurs at the beginning of exhalation or inhalation processes which is neither an inhalation nor an exhalation, where an effortless natural suspension of the breath occurs which in turn leads us to the siddhi of balancing, harmonizing, and synchronizing the polar aspects of prana (energy) leading it into sattva -- the non-dual (sushumna).
On the gross level we can at first utilize breath techniques that allows us to deepen our awareness of the diverse activities of prana. As we advance in more subtle awareness, we see pranayama simply as energy awareness techniques. This awareness allows for intelligent conscious transformation and eventual innate self liberation. Only at their culmination do we see these techniques as reflecting natural law where the macrocosm and microcosm become aligned, attuned, and harmonized. Hence the innate intuitive awareness (prajna) is activated and no further practice is needed.
On a practical level we can simply state that at these increasingly more subtle and effortless "zero points" of breath, the prana and apana running through the ida and pingala can be observed to meet. Thus it is here that they lend themselves most easily to reveal themselves and facilitate their self synchronization at prayag. Since breathing in and out happens all the time, there is no need to "hold" the breath, but rather we have to hold our attention (cit-prana) to the process. We are educating the conscious mind and aligning it with the energy body, while working with the cit-prana directly. When we hold the attention, then the effortless and natural maha kumbhaka, sahaj kumbhaka, kevala kumbhaka, or what the Buddhists call the jnana kumbhaka (the effortless holding of the energy) occurs naturally -- as the jnana prana is spontaneously experienced as-it-is by the natural mind. Thus at this phase the effort in pranayama practice is eventually totally relaxed as the maha kumbhaka breathes us.
One practice in hatha, kundalini, and kriya yoga the sadhak listens to the mantra (deep energetic messages) of the breath. Frequently hatha yoga uses the hamsa and soham ajapa mantras to help effect this profound awareness. In more elaborate schools of hatha yoga the internal stoppage of the breath after inhalation (puraka) called antar kumbhaka or puraka kumbhaka, and the energetic quality behind holding the breath out after exhalation (rechaka) called bahir kumbhaka or rechaka kumbhaka are also explored revealing further subtleties until the maha kumbhaka is achieved which is a stillness of the prana and apana (dualistic flows) and the arising of the kundalini which has now been directed to the door of the central nadi (sushumna) whose gates have welcomed it and drawn it home!.
We have to realize that pranayama is an ever increasingly subtle process where on no longer is dealing with the breath, but rather the breath reveals the energy. Then one's awareness shifts to the prana dealing with that directly. Here prana no longer runs in the dualistic circuitry of ida/pingala, but rather no longer flows at all. Rather these two pranic currents combine as one, activating the flow of kundalini in the sushumna nadi (also called the madhya-nadi).When the prana ceases to flow through ida and pingala, it is because the energy has become synergistically synchronized into kundalini which flows in the central column (sushumna) destroying the covering of ordinary dualistic thought and awakening the sadhak into an ever-new awareness beginningless time.
"The mind functions through prana, It is from prana that
everything proceeds".
CHANDOGYA UPANISHAD
No thing nor the mind can move without energy, force, a vector, or direction. So in practice it is safest to never force pranayama but use it to investigate the nadis and the awareness of prana as it flows in the nadis. Through that intimate knowledge, self knowledge will dawn, knowledge of the Source of prana is known , and from all that liberation follows. Thus when the prana is perfectly balanced, so is the mind. Here the vrtti are balanced out and remediated. This perfectly balanced mind (in perfect sattva) is coaxed into manifesting into its highest evolutionary potential (as kundalini) where then it spontaneously co-arises. Once brought to the gate through the maha kumbhaka, then the energy flows effortlessly as an expression of jnana prana beyond karma and death.
Here much regarding pranayama that has been left unexplained. It is presented here without elaborations on the swaras, sahaj kumbhaka, kevala kumbhaka, the jnana prana, and other such esoteric terms which are part of the oral tradition. Pranayama as a hatha, kriya, or tantric yoga practice is very powerful and should be learned from an adept, however if practiced as an awareness exercise as described above no harm will entail.
It is fitting here that Patanjali tells us that pranayama uncovers the hidden inner light, and that the energy know brought into sattva (balance) is thus fructified via pratyhara and dharana. This is classic tantric, hatha, and kundalini yoga.
II. 52. tatah ksiyate prakasa-avaranam
From that (tatah) [successful practice of pranayama] the obscurations and coverings that the veil (avaranam) the inner light (prakasa) are dissolved (ksiyate).
Commentary: Eventually liberation is gained through conscious awareness or the result of positive actions (punyah). HERE the yogi communes with the infinite Source of prana, and thus, simultaneously, the heretofore suppressed inner light which has been covered (avarana) by the veil of ignorance is released into spontaneous self effulgence. Here the cit-prana is no longer dissipated and extracted outward, but rather the practitioner is firmly wedded to the path -- the pathways are opened and energized. As a result of pranayama practice, the heretofore obscured or latent potential of inner light is disclosed as the embodiment of the kundalini. Through the activation of our innate creative evolutionary power (kundalini) the dormant circuitry including the chakras (wheels of light) are activated. From here, the innate power and intelligence of the life force (prana) as it flows throughout our embodiment is acknowledged, starts to take over, and instruct.
“Kabîr says, "O Sadhu! God is the breath of all breath."
As translated by Stephen Mitchell in The Enlightened Heart (1993)
Kabir says: Student, tell me, what is God? He is the breath inside the breath
As translated by Robert Bly, in "The Kabir Book -- Forty-Four of the Ecstatic Poems of Kabir"
Patanjali is clarifying pranayama as beyond breath, but rather as light work. It is clear as day, but the philosophers completely miss this. The coverings, kinks, and blockages of the channels. marmas, nadis, filaments, and energy light pathways of the yogi must be opened. Pranayama thus is the process of working with the energy (prana) nadis (channels), and inner alchemy (bindu) directly. It is kept hidden from the ignorant because without direct pure perception damage can be wrought. It's secrets are self-revealing as vidya (pure perception) replaces avidya (confusion).
Practice: Contemplate the inner channels of light as flexible filaments of light whose configurations may be presently aligned or distorted. Bring your awareness inside in order to sense these filaments of living light, transmitters and conveyers of the life force and evolutionary energy and attempt to extend (ayama) them to the macrocosm as inseparably interconnected/interdependent within the non-dual sphere of microcosm/macrocosm. Keep these channels open and extended as prana-ayama.
II. 53. dharanasu ca yogyata manasah
and (ca) the ordinary mind (manas) [and nadis] thus become purified and functionally prepared and capable (yogyata) for successful concentration (dharana) practice.
Commentary: As the mind rides the waves of prana, so too does prana become altered by our thoughts. When the awareness and the energy is united as one coherent agency -- when we are conscious that where we place our awareness, we also place our energy, then we then are able to focus our energy in special ways to effect specific purposes (utilizing dharana, cit-prana, and prana vidya). Pranayama clears and purifies the obstructions/blockages in the nadis as well as the neurophysiology,a nd then strengthens thee as effective channels of the evolutionary force. Focus on pranayama is a precondition for successful dharana.
Here, Patanjali is beginning to link pranayama, pratyhara, and dharana as one integrated mutually synergistic practice; but that will be explicated later. In one sense, pranayama itself is a dharana (concentration) practice, an awareness practice focusing on the universal prana and its intelligent source by aligning the energy body and physical body with that. All are awareness practices that demand attention, more or less. Success is not merely dependent upon focus, per se, but more so on the object of focus, intent. Through conscious attention upon the innate evolutionary energy (cit-sakti) we connect with siva (creative source).
Absorbed in the Breath by Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo - The Four Jhanas (Jhana means to be absorbed or focused in a single object, as when we deal with the breath).
THE FIRST JHANA has five factors: (a) Directed thought: Think of the breath until you can recognize it clearly without getting distracted. (b) Singleness of object: Keep the mind with the breath. Don’t let it stray after other objects. Watch over your thoughts so that they deal only with the breath until the breath becomes comfortable. (The mind becomes one, at rest with the breath.) (c) Evaluation: Let this comfortable breath sensation spread and coordinate with the other breath sensations in the body. Let these breath sensations spread until they all flow together. Once the body has been soothed by the breath, feelings of pain will grow calm. The body will be filled with good breath energy. These three qualities must be brought to bear on the same stream of breathing for the first jhana to arise. This stream of breathing can then take you all the way to the fourth jhana. Directed thought, singleness of object, and evaluation act as the causes. When the causes are ripe, results will appear. (d) Rapture: a compelling sense of fullness and refreshment for body and mind, going straight to the heart, independent of all else. (e) Pleasure: physical ease arising from the body’s being still and unperturbed; mental contentment arising from the mind’s being at ease on its own, unperturbed, serene, and exultant. Rapture and pleasure are the results. The factors of the first jhana thus come down to two sorts: causes and results.
As rapture and pleasure grow stronger, the breath becomes more subtle. The longer you stay focused, the more powerful the results become. This enables you to set directed thought and evaluation (the preliminary ground-clearing) aside, and—relying completely on a single factor, singleness of object—you enter the second jhana.
THE SECOND JHANA has three factors: rapture, pleasure, and singleness of object. Rapture and pleasure become stronger in the second jhana because they rely on a single cause, singleness of object, which looks after the work from here on in: focusing on the breath so that it becomes more and more refined, keeping steady and still with a sense of refreshment and ease for both body and mind. The mind is even more stable and intent than before. As you continue focusing, rapture and pleasure grow stronger and begin to pulsate. Continue focusing on the breath, moving the mind deeper to a more subtle level to escape the motions of rapture and pleasure, and you enter the third jhana.
THE THIRD JHANA has two factors: pleasure and singleness of object. The body is quiet, motionless, and solitary. No feelings of pain arise to disturb it. The mind is solitary and still. The breath is refined, free flowing, and broad. A radiance—white, like cotton wool—pervades the entire body, stilling all feelings of physical and mental discomfort. The breath fills the body. Mindfulness fills the body.
Focus on in: The mind is bright and powerful, the body is light. Feelings of pleasure are still. Your sense of the body feels steady and even, with no slips or gaps in your awareness, so you can let go of your sense of pleasure. Singleness of object, the cause, has the strength to focus more heavily down, taking you to the fourth jhana.
THE FOURTH JHANA has two factors: equanimity and singleness of object, or mindfulness—solid, stable, and sure. The breath property is absolutely quiet and still, free of ripples and gaps, like an ocean free of currents or waves. The mind, neutral and still, lets go of all preoccupations with past and future. The present is neutral and still. This is true singleness of object, focused on the unperturbed stillness of the breath. All aspects of the breath energy in the body connect so that you can breathe through every pore. You don’t have to breathe through the nostrils because the in-and-out breath and the other aspects of the breath in the body form a single, unified whole—even and full. Mindfulness and alertness converge into one, giving rise to great energy that can dispel all inner darkness.
From Keeping the Breath in Mind, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Dharana is like a bandha as it binds the consciousness toward its foci. Concentration of the mind to the breathing process discloses the underlying prana and evolutionary intelligence behind it. Such attention discloses the relationships between emotional states if mind, pranayama, asana, and the energy body as an interactive morphic field. Eventually dharana does more than simply focus our energy, mental state, emotions, and stops the dissipation and distraction of cit-prana, but moreover it merges/integrates body, consciousness, breath, and life with the primordial evolutionary continuum (cit-shakti). Through paying attention (dharana) asana, bandha, mudra, pranayama, and pratyhara are integrated as a singular integral process.
Through dharana (the yogic practices that utilize concentration of the mind, visualization, and focusing techniques), the mind becomes stabilized and prepared for dhyana (meditation). After one is able to feel, recognize, and work with the cit-prana consciously and hence intelligently, then the mental energy and attention no longer is able to wander far and be dissipated/distracted. Through this attainment one is empowered to balance one's prana and thus easily focus one's energy and mind successfully. Pranayama will purify and open the psychic channels (nadis) for prana to flow through the previously dormant circuitries or chakras (wheels of light), thus the dharanas utilizing the chakras can be performed and/or the mind can be focused toward meditation much more successfully. In hatha, kundalini, tantra, and laya yoga this refers to the practices of mudras, dharanas, mantras, visualization, yantra, or prana vidya. In fact asana, bandha, pranayama, visualizations (dharana) form the basis of the advanced hatha yoga mudra practice. Contemplation is also included as a specialized type of dharana because the mind concentrates on a specific mental theme -- an object of contemplation.
Asana, Pranayama, and Pratyahara Naturally are Facilitated by Dharana
In fact, hatha yoga asana, bandha, and pranayama are a form of dharana (concentration), when it is based on focusing upon the source of prana-shakti. Successful pranayama and dharana also includes pratyhara (as is defined in the next sutra). A mature practitioner knows that pranayama, pratyhara, and dharana mutually combine as one practice. Eventually Prana Shakti becomes the self instructing guide throughout All Our Relations -- acting as the breath that breathes us.
Bandhas bound/bind back the dissipative energy and as such they are the embodied aspect of pratyhara (restraining the dissipating outward flow of prana while bringing it back from the periphery toward the center in order to achieve union (in the center). The fifth limb in ashtanga yoga, pratyhara in turn acts similarly as a powerful vehicle for tapas (increasing the spiritual fire) and is its energetic counterpoint as our energy is no longer dissipated nor distracted into dualistic externalizations. As such pratyhara is the general operating principle while the specific bandhas work at specific energy circuits. The activation of the bandhas which will be shown later, not only effect the body and the energy, but thus also the mind and spiritual centers because the mind rides on the horse of wind (prana).
The practice of pratyhara thus reverses the outward flow of mind into the illusory world of the sense objects where objects appear dualistically as separate from self, i.e., the world of I and it. Because the mind cannot move without prana, bandhas are utilized to efficiently and quickly reverse the outward flow while activating inner flow and has the ability to quickly establish the objectless meditative state and inner supportive energy flows necessary to create synchrony with and enter into turiya or samadhi.
Bandhas are the internal energy (pranic) valves of the channels (nadis), which thus when the bandhas are activated allow the life energy and its intelligence to flow through the energy centers governing, activating, purifying, and healing the dormant evolutionary potential of spirit, while embodied. The rigidity of a chronic spiritual disconnect can be disrupted through the intelligent use of bandha, pranayama, dharana, and pratyhara quickly providing the pathway for body, energy, and spiritual reconnection. Although commonly called locks, bandhas act as such only in so far that they prevent the outward flow (dissipation/distraction) of the energy. A better translation would be valves because they direct the internal energy flow to irrigate the nadis and activate the energy body. Used in synergistic conjunction with asana, pranayama, visualization, mudra, and meditation practice they act as a powerful adjunctive aid to yogic practice (sadhana).
Bandhas by binding the external dissipating flow of the intelligent life energy while honoring the prana (life energy), binds the outflowing of mental wanderings of attention (or the ordinary discursive mind). This is not a repression of the mind nor the vital energy, but rather the activation of the vital non-dissipative energy which reactivates repressed instinct, rekindles the intuition and inner wisdom, activates the dormant circuitries and evolutionary wisdom centers of the natural spontaneous all encompassing and non-distractive transpersonal non-dual mind. In one sense, the ordinary mind rides upon the wind of the energy vectors (and is thus considered distracted and dissipated because it has been brought outside of its core/heart center and into a dualistic objectified and sterile materialistic world. Yet at the same time, this ordinary mind can be trained to direct the energy, focus and concentrate it through pratyhara, pranayama, dharana, and meditation of which the bandhas are the physical representation. Thus it is a two way street where the energy moves, so does the mind and likewise where the mind and attention moves so does the energy. Here the practice of bandha with pranayama over a period of time is very effective in revealing these subtle interrelationships and thus from this wisdom allowing us to attain conscious freedom from such vrttis (disturbances) of consciousness (citta). This is why it is emphasized that bandha practice as well as pranayama practice should never be reduced to a mechanical science, but rather as an awareness art -- a further exploration of swadhyaya and consciousness answering the question: "who am I, what is life, what is reality, what is consciousness?"
All aligned, inner and outer -- and bound together in one ecstatic prayer dance. The body and mind is part of the Great Yantra -- they complete it. Here the inner constellations align up, they mesh with the outer constellations. One day exquisite balance -- synchronicity -- is achieved, neither inner nor outer -- rather non-dual -- The energy residing in the central channel (sushumna) - weightless -- burdenless devoid of sorrow -- Rainbow hued Mandala -- Rainbow body vision! Oh Greatest Bandha beyond the bliss -- Oh Paramananda Bandha -- The front and the back, left and right, top/bottom -- All Directions/Noh Directions -- at the Cross Roads of Love -- at the Hridayam -- the Great Binding of Hearts within the HEART! All Our Relations ! All Life is inexorably bound together! Ho! It is Sacred!
In classical hatha Yoga we train the mind by visualizing the nadis, and thus are able to open the internal pathways linking what at first are presented as the inner and outer gateways. Later we recognize THAT which is both inside and universal (macrocosmic/microcosmic) simultaneously, co-merging at at the heart-center (hridayam) via successful yogic sadhana.
Pratyhara: High level supersensory feeling, seeing, hearing, smelling, and taste
II. 54. sva-visaya-asamprayoge cittasya-svarupa-anukara ive indriyanam pratyharah
Ascribed ownership of an assumed separate self becomes disentangled (sva-visaya-asamprayoge) from the colorings and false identifications made by the mindfield (cittasya) when the true nature of self (svarupa) is reflected back (anukara) even through the vehicle of the sense organs (ivendriyanam) when they are recognized as residing in their untouched natural true form (swarupa). Then phenomena are recognized as that self-same self -- awareness knowing awareness as-it-is in naked self liberation. This is called returning to true natural form through pratyhara -- residing in one's essential self-nature (swarupa).
Anukara: imitation or resemblance; like a projection of an image upon a screen. A projection in likeness but not the real thing; a symbolic representation or image. like a projection of an image upon a screen or a shadow upon the earth. Like a mirage. Phantom like. Like a clear crystal, when the light is removed, the light appears to settle back, coalesce, or dissolve back inside the crystal.Commentary: Ultimately pratyhara is the process of returning a distracted attention/mindset back to the mind-essence or essential own nature. In this case, it defeats the tendency where the sense organs and objects externalize our attention and energy (cit-prana). A simple analogy is that pratyhara is like turning off the TV set, then your sense organs, mind, and energy are no longer being sucked into the TV program. That energy is then allowed to return back (pratya) to its original/natural innate primordial original presence. The outward suck of one's attention toward external objects (through the dualistic seduction of objectification and reification processes) ceases. Instead of having our attention involved with sense organs of sound and sight (hearing and seeing) being sucked into the world of TV, the screen not only goes blank, but then awareness, attention, and energetic activation is brought back to the present, to the body, to aliveness, to prana, to the evolutionary energy, and to innate ever-present awareness itself.
Similarly this is like taking time out to stretch the nadis. Maybe one takes a pause/break while stretching, taking a deep breath, letting go of a task or attachment, while resting awareness upon the essential energy (pranayama) like taking inventory of the bodymind dynamics in movement or at rest. Maybe one practice asana, pranayama, pratyhara, concentration (dharana), and meditation (dhyana) by releasing the tendency toward the objectification processes, while simply relaxing in and connecting up transconceptually with the natural, true unconditional, and uncontrived nature of our mind. That is asana, pranayama, and pratyhara combined. If you understand that and can employ it, then you are ready for success in pratyhara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi (the last limbs of astanga yoga).
For those dominated by the constant exterior draw of the samsaric mind (where the citta-vrtti are dominant), the sense organs and mind remain mostly under control of external events. There one easily becomes victim of seemingly "isolated events" and triggered by circumstances. Through practicing pratyhara, the practitioner places the sense organs under the direction of the transpersonal, non-dual, and transconceptual functions of the true nature of mind. Instead of energy and attention being dissipated and distracted into so-called external phenomena, the energy and attention are directed by our inter dimensional nondual self-less trans-identity.
A crucial caveat is that pratyhara should not be applied superficially, as negation, self abnegation, escape, indifference, avoidance, or repression. Rather it is a transformative process where the energy and attention (cit-prana) is shifted from one place (a perverted over-objectified fragmentation) to a coherent integrity/integrated state. Less than half of the process could be described as a withdrawal or renunciation from subject/object duality. The better half is an affirmation of the whole. Thus, pratyhara is very much related to effective tapas and hence tummo/kundalini practice. When the third eye opens the true nature of nature is recognized all at once.
There can be distinguished phases of pratyhara.. Because the mind and energy (cit-prana) are usually distracted into what is perceived as a fragmented world of separate appearing sense objects, the first step of pratyhara is to withdraw our energy and attention from such an externalization, while bringing awareness first inside back into the body, the breath, the prana, and mind itself, as an experiential presence. In the externalization state the citta-vrtta dominate, while one does not know how to extradite themselves from their mental prison, albeit reinforced by the wrong perception of sense data. Let us be clear, this predicament is not due to any fault of the sense organs themselves; rather the causal factor is the mental misperception and miscategorization of the sense data. As the mind opens, the true nature of phenomena become revealed in a non-dual way. The sense organs and sense data become vehicles for evolutionary change. The sense data thus is filed naturally within the non-dual context of the whologram, not as separate, isolated, or fragmented piles/aggregates (skandhas) of unrelated data.
Since the beginner may have very little inner awareness at first, a simple practice is to consciously bring increased awareness to the body sensations, the spine, the breath, the energy system (chakras, nadis, prana, and bindu), and then to our mental processes themselves eventually. There are thus many astanga yoga techniques that establish this awareness (such as asana, pranayama, dharana, etc). In short in all these practices pratyhara is to be applied as a communion with our essential nature, essential energy, awareness, and inherent transconceptual wisdom. Later, more mature stages ripen naturally after such initial practices which awaken inner transconceptual awareness of the prana and mind (cit-prana) which is first realized through withdrawal from the gross and apparently solid fixation upon what has been imputed as the externalized world. In the advanced stages the cit-prana is also then recognized as arising from a non-dual omnipresent source existing simultaneously inside and out, as the manifestation of the intelligent universal innate evolutionary power. In short once the evolutionary creative power is recognized inside, it is capable of recognizing itself in all of nature (all beings and things), as a single eye or unified integral vision.
The Four Phases of Pratyhara: Initiation, Maturing, Completion, and Primordial Integration
Pratyhara is the biopsychic, energetic, and mental procedure wherein yogis take back their mental, energetic, and biological forces from obsessions with the externalized/objectified (I/it) world of dualistic seduction. Through pratyhara one abandons involvement in the dualistic world of craving, fear, desire, greed, anger, jealousy, egotism, arrogance, and the kleshas in general redirects/draws back this aberrant energetic vector into opening up the yogi's sacred vessel/temple. Once opened and unlocked, then the natural all pervasive energy and wisdom, which is found non-dually and all inclusively (including both inside and out) magically co-arises (non-dually). Thus initiation occurs when the energy is no longer being dissipated, distracted, or sucked out. The innate aliveness and creativity are thus kindled. Maturation or cultivation occurs after the the outward energy flow is reversed, and then utilized to activate the evolutionary circuits through dharana. Please also see neuroplasticity. Completion/integration occurs after the dormant circuits have become opened, connected, activated, and energized so that the yogi's co-creative co-evolutionary dynamics operates consciously, effortlessly, and spontaneously in All Our Relations.
Similarly put, there are thus four steps to pratyhara
Abandonment/non-attachment: First step is to abandon the obsessive assumption that salvation or fulfillment will be achieved through external involvement. One thus reclaims and recycles this pre-existing outward going vector/tendency toward inner development, body/mind (mindfulness) awareness while sharpening the sword of pure discriminatory wisdom (viveka).
Opening up and unraveling the knots: The second step occurs by recycling or recruiting the previously mentioned outward energy drain toward inner processes such as purifying and clearing the inner pathways/channels (nadis), unraveling the knots at the chakras, melting the cold and static "stuckness", feeding the fire for advanced yogic practices, and developing awareness of the process of awareness. Here passion (tapas), strength (virya), natural enthusiasm, and inspiration for the spiritual quest are rekindled and renewed. This phase requires activation and thus often is facilitated by the simultaneous activation combining asana, bandha, pranayama, bandha, nadis, visualizations such as are found in hatha yoga mudras, kundalini yoga, or tummo yoga.
Natural Pratyhara: After the channels, pathway, chakras, and vessel is opened, purified, and relaxed, the sacred vessel returns to its natural (unconditioned state). Here "flow" occurs effortlessly, spontaneously, and naturally. Love and wisdom are recognized and expressed inconceivably, while one participates consciously in the process of natural grace. This instantaneous and spontaneous natural process that involves pratyhara can occur effortlessly and in an instant, but usually requires many years of practices, which involve vairagya, abandonment, and redirection of the pre-existing conditioned energetic matrix.
Pure Awareness Pratyhara
Here the yogi simply learns to withdraw the mind from dualistic tendencies, pulling it back to its core/center when it wanders. When this becomes natural and spontaneous, the other energetics of body, speech, and mind will realign naturally. Distracting energy and consciousness (cit-prana) will no longer be leaked externally, corrupted, distorted, or disrupted. Consciousness resides all at once as the complete integration of the microcosm/macrocosm.
The Need for Pratyhara: Reclaiming Our Life and Natural Integrity
Normally through negative conditioning dualistic consciousness has become biased and modified (citta-vrtti) by time and place. That is to say that the field of the mind becomes attached to its objects. Pratyhara overcomes such bias, so that which is known through the sense organs augments what is known in true gnosis (swarupa). The senses are then informed and directed by true self knowledge in order to help effect love and wisdom, rather than acting as instruments of distraction and fragmentation. Thus the ordinary conditioned mind (manas) is constantly drawn out into the dualistic I/it field of the sense objects. However when pratyhara comes into effect the sense organs and hence the sense world becomes under the direction of the intelligence behind the evolutionary power.
In practicing pratyhara one experiences phenomena non-dually, as one's experience is informed by swarupa versus sva-visaya. Pratyhara (as the process of turning normal subject/object dualistic awareness back to the true self) makes possible the disentanglement (asamprayoge). Hence a distinction between mere symbolic projections (anukara) of the obscured mindfield (cittasya) and the true reflection of the true self (swarupa), which is reflected back at "self" by what is perceived as phenomena by the sense organs (indriyanam). In short, it is an error of samprayoga to conclude that phenomena is an undifferentiated sameness saying that "it's all the same). No, that must be decoupled asamprayoge) in order to recognize the one nature that permeates and interconnects all.
As the yogi no longer identifies with the modifications of the mindfield (citta-vrtti), because inner/outer dualistic forces have been overcome. Thus the seer (swarupa) is liberated from false identifications (samyoga) -- no longer identifying with the play of appearances, guise of separate objects/phenomena (pratyaya), or past dualistic programming (samprajnata). through the guise of the modifications of sva-visaya (as separate objects having independent existence). The yogi reclaims his mind and energy in through the realization of interdependence (not sameness) as a non-dual recollection, where differentiated/relative reality and undifferentiated formless reality are known by their indivisible unity. Thus pratyhara sets the stage for successful dharana (one pointed concentration) where inner and outer "realities" are dispelled. Eventually awareness is brought all the way back to non-dual primordial awareness and abides there. abiding in primordial naked presence, the yogi naturally reflects and expresses it in all relations.
The semblance or likeness (anukara) to the self which was previously conditioned and distorted (sva-visaye) by the modifications of the mindfield, now reflects back the true nature of self as one's true experience. Here there is accomplished a redirection back to intrinsic heart/core energy, which was previously predisposed toward outward dissipation and distraction (outward flow) of energy and consciousness -- being a distraction into fragmented "reality" or thinking, that was leaked in dualistic perception through the doors of the senses.
Thus pratyhara is at first a decoupling process of the senses having been previously captured and limited by sense objects, through disentangling the semblance of one's condition, lost as it were in false self identification processes (cittasya), That is the common definition, but samkhya stops there defining pratyhara as only a withdrawal. Yes, one withdraws from confusion, citta-vrtti, asmita, samyoga, and practices vairagya. One completely dis-identifies with the citta-vrtti so that the yogi is untouched by it by this process of recollection or gathering. Here the inner fire is rekindled. Resting there for a time, the yogi gains peace, grace, clarity of the mind, wisdom, or true knowledge (gnosis) realizing the non-dual self residing in the body mind. Recognizing that non-dual self inside, the yogi recognizes the non-dual Self in all -- call it the space of dharma, Brahman, Maheshvara, or the fructification of isvara.
As one proceeds in the first stages of pratyhara practice, the previously dualistic extroverted energetic dynamics where one's consciousness and energy were preoccupied with fragmented objects, then become redirected back into the intelligent process of this insight by the yogi-- into the true nature of self (swarupa). That is often at first accomplished through the use of pranayama, bandha, mudra, tratak, dharana, mantra, yantra, visualization, dharana, etc. This reclaimed energy and attention serves to further purify, activate, and harmonize the nervous body, system, nadis, and mind. The yogi shifts attention and energy away from the dualistic involvements and graspings where the senses are merely perceiving images and reflections that have become conditioned by the obscurations of the mindfield and which further seduces it -- which appears to be one's condition or reality but is not. That attention and energy is thus first reversed through entering into infinite space, and then it is reclaimed as descending peace, grace. light, wisdom, and love. Quickened by this heightened vibration the yogi is able to observe that same grace manifesting in all beings and things. So the second stage of pratyhara completes the wave-like pulsation in its descent where the yogi's senses are now directed by shakti, bhakti, kundalini, selfless service, and transpersonal non-dual gnosis acting in frictionless harmony without attachment.
To reiterate, a correctly applied, pratyhara occurs when the senses cease conjunction with what appears superficially as objects in a dualistic/separate realm. Then, consciousness and energy become assimilated back into the central nadis (realm of the middle way) where the true nature of the mind in its own unmodified form (swarupa) is recognized as in self recognizing self, self knowing self, light acknowledging light, or self recognition/self-realization, which primordially and intrinsically has always existed non-dually before any modifications of the mindfield (citta-vrtta) had ever occurred and as-it-is NOW, in NOW Awareness, in thusness.
This true nature of mind is recognized simultaneously both inside and out, as true self nature inside recognizing true self nature outside in all beings and things -- recognizing and experiencing that the animal, vegetable and mineral kingdoms all have the same unborn source ultimately. It is neither exclusively outside nor exclusively inside. Abiding in NOW awareness, the so-called sense world does not disappear, nor do the sense organs cease operating; rather a shift of perception occurs from dualistic perception (samprajnata) to transcognitive (asamprajnata) and transpersonal awareness. This is a heightened form of differentiated consciousness or viveka-khyater. In this way, so-called phenomena are not perceived as previously thought (dualistically or objectively); because they are known as being empty of separate self (sva-visaya). That misperception is now displaced by universal transpersonal and non-dual and formless true self knowledge (swarupa- sunya).
Through pratyhara the matrix of apparent dualistic separateness between the object that is viewed, the viewer, and the process of viewing is laid aside and disengaged from (asamprayoge), thus allowing the heretofore static and dissipated energy to gather inside, cook, and heat the internal juices which activate true self knowledge so that the mindfield (cittasya) no longer conditions (visaya) the appearances (anukara) of the world of sense objects (ivendriyanam). Hence liberation from sensory false identification (anukara) with appearances or misperception is facilitated, thus allowing ascension into the creatix of the heart -- our true self nature (swarupa) is then known as-it-is.
What is often not understood is that pratyhara is not simply a withdrawal from the world of the senses but merely a first stage in the process, albeit necessary. One must realize para-vairagya eventually (see I.18) for mukti to occur. Just going numb to the senses or dissociating from the world by itself will not bring ultimate realization, rather it will merely bring about escape from pain temporarily. Here, the hatha yogi recycles the pre-existing outward going, externalized, and dissipating dualistic energy in conjunction with pranayama, mudra, mantra, yantra, and dharana. Pratyhara is often translated as interiorization because it catalyzes the process of inner gnosis (insight) drawing attention back to the instrument of knowing, the mind, and eventually drawing the attention back to the mind-essence and nature of mind, and further to all pervading primordial original space.
"Project your attention into external fields of space, and, attentively watching the nature of your mind, see if it moves. When you are convinced by observation that the mind does not move, retract your attention and concentrate upon the mind within, and look carefully for the projector of diffused thought.. When you have decided that there is no entity responsible for thought patterns, look carefully for the the colour and shape of the mind. When you arrive at the emptiness that has no colour or shape,look for the centre or circumference. Certain that middle and margin are the same, search for an inside or outside. Finding no distinction between the inside and outside, you arrive at Gnosis/Jnana, which is vast as the sky."
~ Shabkar (Tsokdruk Rangdrol), "Flight of the Garuda", translated by Keith Dowman
Fine Incidental Points
It is valuable to state that this process is difficult to describe as it is not merely an introspective process or withdrawal. Rather in non-dual practice and especially in pratyhara inward and outward meet/conjoin. Words fail us here, but as in other yoga practices, practice will produce the experience.
In successful pratyhara practice there is a heightening of differentiated/relational awareness, where swarupa-sunyam (one's own true self nature) is discerned in All Our Relations, where previously it appeared as a projection of Self (the projection not being independent from the light bulb, film, and screen). Here the unity of (atman united with Brahman is experienced, not as a mechanism of false identification (asmita-avidya) which is found in samyoga. Hence asamprayoge is the remedy for samyoga (false identification) decoupling one's colored projections (citta-vrtti) upon the a dualistic landscape where atman and brahman appeared as separate. Asamprayoge brings us back into swarupa, which is not the association of of self (sva) with separate objects (sva- visaya), but the non-dual coupling of self with Brahman which is seen as our essential true nature simultaneously both inside and out.
Pratyhara (the fifth component of astanga yoga) is most often mistranslated as the "control" of the senses or isolation and withdrawal. Thus it is often associated with repression. aversion, nihilism, escape, negation, or taken to the extreme catatonic withdrawal. Ultimately pratyhara is NOT a withdrawal from nature or the relative world in favor of an isolated catatonia. Rather pratyhara activates a very heightened form of differentiated consciousness (viveka-khyater) which is known experientially, never through ordinary intellect (buddhi).
The point is that pratyhara is a powerful and effective remediation process is to reverse the preexisting exteriorization (over objectification) process wherein man's consciousness has become grossly abstract, fragmented, and overly externalized in a state of chronic avidya -- where samyoga and asmita-raga- asmita, and asmita-dvesa have obscured one's innate Now Awareness. It is especially powerful immediately prior to meditation (dhyana) in order to clear the mind.
Pratyhara is utilized to defeat dualistic habitual tendencies. In the dualistic milieu, phenomena appear different from what they truly are as-it-is. In short one's true knowledge of what superficially "appears" as nature, objects, phenomena, existence, or the objective sense world has become modified, biased, colored, distorted, demeaned, cheapened, and fragmented so that it most often takes on the form that the mind-field has projected to it (imputed). The average man's mindfield has become overly objectified (lost in the apparent separate objects of the sense world which is interpreted by the citta-vrtti). Thus the cit-prana has been drawn out, perverted, fragmentized, and devitalized. In pratyhara we reclaim our essential energy, empowerment, and innate wisdom.
The key word here is anukara, which means imitation or resemblance. So normally in dualistic perception, phenomena appear as a colored reflection (of the citta-vrtti) -- modified consciousness has modified our ability for true non-dual unmodified perception. the inner demons of the subconscious shadow world (unresolved kleshas, confusion, and conflicts) are then projected outward upon the world where they appear to operate and dictate our affairs, but when this distorted projection is withdrawn, the inner gnosis is activated in swarupa. What is withdrawn is not sense awareness, but rather the false association (samyoga) of the sense awareness is taken back into the light of swarupa and perceived from that. The correct translation of indriyanam is the energetic dynamics of the senses, not the sense organs. Such energetics are decoupled from a the dualistic objective world (samprajnata) and are now seen through the eyes of the true nature of self (swarupa) being reflected back upon itself. Then through dharana it is made to ascend to the highest samadhi. Hence pranayama, pratyahara, and dharana form an effective team in redirecting this energy (pratyhara) and unveiling reality (swarupa) through effecting true gnosis.
On a physical and energetic level in pratyhara we reclaim that distracted and dissipated outward flux (pravrtti or vyutthana) cit-prana and pull it back into our energy core to fuel the inner alchemical transformative fire. to reclaim this energy and bring it back to nourish the inner fires and cook the soup. That is the energy of inner visualization such as chakra work, self healing, deep relaxation, bhuta-shuddhi (tattva-shuddhi), kundalini, tummo, and all those other good things. Through dharana we move it into the sushumna and chakras after pranasya has been accomplished. Thus mastery of pratyhara is also at the same time freedom from coarse (vitarka) tendency of the dualistic mind toward fixation upon objects. It is thus a natural mastery of the cit-prana where the cit-prana self liberates through the action of cit-shakti and prana-shakti. The cit-prana no longer is distracted and dissipated into the gross external world dominated by the six senses -- into the illusory world of I-It abstraction and over objectification.
So the first phase is to give the mind a breather-- some space. Let go! Let go of everything! Really that is all that is necessary if the yogi can let go completely in para-vairagya. Increase the open spaciousness to a boundless empty presence. Then grace will descend and dawn.
In a mechanistic sense, pratyhara means turning back of the distracted cit-prana toward its Source (returning to Primordial Unborn Beginningless Source and recognizing that same Source in all). The senses (indriyanam) thus cease their dualistic fixation with separate objects (visaya-asamprayoge) and are then directed by a heightened and deeper awareness and sense of self (swarupa). Then the (cittasya) mindfield no longer colors "phenomena"; rather purusa (true nature of mind) is reflected back upon itself (redirected) like a mirror (anukara), thus the self is reflected back to authentic self-nature in its true appearance, when such is uncovered. With increased sensitively the yogi becomes ever more finely attuned to the subtle morphic co-creative resonance of extrinsic and intrinsic awareness as consisting of one taste. One acts in harmony with All Our Relations. Finely and intimately integrated, the yogi acts as an active integrator.
So we have seen how asana, and pranayama as an awareness practice leads naturally to the fifth preparatory limb which is pratyhara or the withdrawal of our consciousness from the inanimate, frozen, dead, externalized, fixated, and inorganic object orientated "I-it" world by waking up to the realm of non-dual consciousness. Here we cease to be entranced, fascinated, attracted, drawn into, hypnotized, or enchanted by the ordinary alienated world of the sense objects as being separate from ourselves. Here we take our attention and energy and withdraw it from outside distraction and dissolution Here we give up the superficial "reality" of conceptual thought, wandering thought and attention on transience, our ego identity based on separateness -- our limited, arrogant, ignorant, fabricated, conceptual and artificial intellectually based world. Here we go beyond the ego, delusion, limited manmade beliefs, concepts, and views -- the limitations of duality, fragmentation, corruptive thought and the process of mentation completely by moving our biopsychic energetics and attention inward and upward toward that reality which is both within and outside and all inclusive.
Through pratyhara we recognize that all of nature is within us
and that likewise we are in all of nature. This reality is known in
the spiritual heart. We draw our attention inward and upward toward
the divine intelligence behind nature (rather than downward and
outward in lust, fear, and separation). Here all dissipative
energetics are stopped while the inner circuits are energized and
the focus of our concentration and meditation is catalyzed.
Using classical hatha yoga techniques the yogi can visualize the Pingala and Ida nadis (right and left nerves) becoming purified, emptied and the prana becoming harmonized eventually being integrated and drawn together at the muladhara (root chakra located at the base of the spine) and directed into one flowing upward coursing into the sushumna nadi resolving all duality, polarity, tension, and separation. Here Siva and Shakti, Ha and Tha, male and female, heaven and earth, spirit and form, consciousness and nature, and the like are known to be inter-connected in the greater one within the spiritual body. Here we move toward the great harmony -- the great integrity -- beyond polarity. Therefore, we can see now that all these prior limbs are building up momentum -- they are mutually synergistic and leading us on to one pointedness of mind - dharana, dhyana (meditation), and samadhi.
In the beginning, pratyhara is the practice of withdrawing the mind's attention and energy (cit-prana) from distraction and dissolution (through the nine gates of the body). It is a means of redirecting the externally flowing cit-prana to activate the core energy and eventually one's dormant evolutionary energy, the kundalini. Thus pratyhara is an essential element which links pranayama and dharana in the practice of the advanced mudras, yantras, mandalas, and dharanas of prana vidya which is the normal domain of hatha, kundalini, tantra, and laya yoga. Basic pratyhara stabilizes the cit-prana thus enabling one for successful dharana and meditation. With practice pratyhara occurs spontaneously and naturally.
"Things", objects, form, and nature are still perceived but no longer superficially in terms of the senses and the intellect, but from the empowered HeartMind where they are known in mutual relationship. A shift occurs in pratyhara wherein what is outside and what is inside forms a unitary whole. This is not confusion of samyoga where the object and the observer are confused as one, but rather it is where all things and beings are seen in the self effulgent light that pervades and permeates both the created universe and the formless eternal (clear transparent light).
Practice
Practice pratyhara with the eyes open or closed and one will experience this unity where natural radiance is naturally displayed. To begin, practice pratyhara with pranayama, bandha, asana, and dharana (as a hatha yoga mudra) and this conscious shift will become maturated quickly. Done before dhyana (meditation), it will support meditation and the depth of the meditation hence will be strengthened. The easiest way is to first experience pratyhara as a simple standing or sitting practice. First visualize the back body, pillar of light or sushumna running along the spinal column. BEcome aware of ones breathing, while elongating the spine. Remove attention to the "external world of sensory awareness, and focus in on the spine, the light body, posture, and breathing. Bring the energy into the area below the navel on an inhale while feeling movement occurring there. Gently allow the energy in the navel to compress toward the spine in a wavelike motion. This last movement will require practice. Exhale completely and fully and repeat.
Eventually the practitioner becomes aware of the inner energy by practicing inner (antar) tratak, breath awareness, pranayama, bandhas (manipulating the energy through the inner gateways), chakra visualization, yoga nidra, and similar internal practices. After practice one has now established a new direction or tendency for consciousness. light, and energy to travel. A new sensitivity and awareness has been achieved. One has created some results of withdrawing one's attention and energy from the external world of the senses (sense objects) like "things" or what appears as ordinary phenomena. That is the first stage of experiencing pratyhara. After practice this awareness afforded by pratyhara will extend to all Our Relations. It is always close at hand to the yogi.
Secondly, when we practice this non-dual shift daily (even in our asana and pranayama practices) we start to go deeper, moving from the coarse to the more subtle, like unpeeling the onion skin). Even here the inner awareness of the organs, the meridians, the nadis, marmas, breath, nervous system and even the mind are recognized as objects too, albeit less gross/coarse than external sense objects. Then this too becomes refined as to intelligently becoming more aware and FEELING the more subtle energy and the all inclusive intelligence which lies behind this intelligent energy and which is independent of the senses – It is tha intelligence behind "normal" intelligence itself. Eventually the body, the energy body, and the mind starts listening more continuously and more in synch to this innate intelligence. .. all of which comes from practice. If we start shutting down or feeling overwhelmed when this energetic feeling starts to arise, then that is a very powerful lesson. Just being present with that and the breath by breathing into THAT in a titrated manner, giving yourself just the right amount of prana that you can easily assimilate can become tha central focus of your practice.
For example, if a practitioner should go to a modern yoga class today and the instructor said: "listen within to your inner promptings -- innate intelligence, intuition, inner wisdom, and move from there. How many people are prepared to listen to that – deep within? That's tha larger part of pratyhara in asana as a practice with an experiential result. At first maybe it's just listening to the characteristics of our breath or feeling inside, or simple energy awareness. But then that intelligence behind the life energy starts being recognized and acknowledged more in All Our Relations – a shift occurs. That's what we can say that pratyhara affords us.
Most modern yoga teachers do not teach asana integrated with pranayama, pratyhara, and dharana yet; but never-the-less it is possible and will eventually be standard practice. For example, yoga master, Erich Schiffmann, always encourages students to: "FEEL INSIDE" and "Do as you are prompted to do". That certainly applies to asana practice, not that everyone does it. Asana practice takes into consideration all the elements as well as the energy or light body. It is really an awareness practice, hence it is the mind that abides in suchness that is invoked. The mind is no longer drawn out externally to what appears as objects or phenomena. By freeing one's mind from such attachments in remains stable, secure, steady, and observant. That is pratyhara of the mind that yoga practice affords.
Swami Krishnananda comments on Sutra II.54 in, "The Study and Practice of Yoga: An Exposition of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali", The Divine Life Society Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh, India .
"There are two changes that take place in this action of the senses in their abstraction from the objects. Firstly, they are disconnected from contact with the object due to the withdrawal of the consciousness which is animating the senses. Secondly, which is more important, the senses turn back to the mind and assume the character of the mind. ‘Cittasya svarupanukarah’means ‘the senses accompanying the mind in its essential nature’. They become almost one with the mind. In the usual activity of the senses, they are not one with the mind. They drag the mind out from its own chambers and then compel it to contemplate an external object, in which case the mind is something like a slave of the senses; the master has himself come under the subjection of the servants. But in pratyahara, this is not what is happening. The master is recognised—and his worth is known. The senses return. They do not return of their own accord. If the gas in the engine is completely removed, the vehicle will not move. The gas is the motive force, and that motive force is the consciousness that is attending upon the activity of the senses. If the supply of energy behind the movement of a vehicle is withdrawn, the vehicle cannot move. And, as long as the supply is there, the vehicle cannot be stopped. The vehicle may be said to be the senses which are running towards some objective. They cannot be stopped in their activities unless the energy is withdrawn. That energy is the consciousness."
That is the energetic and physical explanation, but going deeper, accomplishing pratyhara as an awareness technique also completes the practice of vairagya (non-attachment), viveka-khyater, and tapas, thus remediating any residual "I-it" dualistic thinking (samyogah). Asmita-raga can not exist within the energetic modality of successful pratyhara. Pratyahara also completes tapas, but does not replace it as a practice. Normal consciousness is fragmented in the dualistic world of I-It separateness, i.e., there appears to be separate objects (sense objects) and a separate "i" (small self) who is perceiving them. Pratyhara takes our attention and energy away from this type of dualistic corruption and dissolution -- away from the dualistic fragmentation -- and brings it back within -- reuniting with original self awareness. Here in All Our Relations energy and attention are harnessed for dharana (concentration) and (dhyana) meditation.
But on even a deeper mental level, pratyhara is the true self revealing the true self everywhere at all times beyond any concept of the phenomenal world, dualism, or world of form. Again the key is svarupa-anukara, where in true vision (vidya) our true condition (sva-visaya), is the true self being projected back upon the self. It is self looking at self, or love loving love. true self looks at its reflection in all "things" and sees itself being reflected back. One acknowledges self in self -- in namaste. Within the seamless all inclusive great integrity which appears as if it were an infinite differentiated reality or a merely extrinsic "reality", an all pervasive non-dual cit (pure consciousness) resides as the essence true self (swarupa-sunyam) -- limitless, empty of separate existence, spacious, self luminous, formless, and unborn -- our natural potential buddha nature.
Here pratyhara becomes an effortless uncontrived naked awareness which is self liberating. Here the sense organs are not under the domination of the separate self (jiva), but rather are instructed by swarupa-- the true nature of one's own mind. Here the body/mind is in harmony, balance, and integration. The senses are in harmony with cit-shakti -- the intelligent power underlying all of existence, non-existence, form and formlessness -- nature and consciousness where primordial awareness is seamless and self revealing. HERE harmony becomes self evident and spontaneously manifests through the finely attuned vehicle of the yogi who has become entirely integrated with Siva.
To the utterly at-one with Siva
There's no dawn,
no new moon,
no noonday,
nor equinoxes,
nor sunsets,
nor full moons;
his front yard
is the true Benares,
O Ramanatha!
I'm the one who has the body,
You're the one who holds the breath.
You know the secret of my body,
I know the secret of your breath.
That's why your body
is in mine
You know
and I know, Ramanatha,
the miracle
of your breath
in my body.
God of my clan,
I'll not place my feet
but where your foot
have stood before;
I've no feet of my own
How can the immoralists
of this world know
the miracle, the oneness
of your feet
and mine,
Ramanatha?
Bodied,
one will hunger
Bodied
one will die.
O you, don't you rib
and taunt me
again
for having a body:
body thyself for once
like me and see
what happens,
O Ramanatha.
When, to the hungerless figure,
you serve waters of no thirst,
whisper the sense-less word
in the heart,
and call without a name,
who is it that echoes O!
in answer,
O Ramanatha,
is it you
or is it me?"From the Vacanas of Dasimayya, translated from the Dravidian (Kannada) by A.K. Ramanujan in "Speaking of Siva", London: Penguin, 1973
II. 55. tatah parama vasyate 'ndriyanam
Thus (tatah) the need to surpass the senses (vasyatendriyanam) is completely overcome (parama) [effective practice has surpassed itself and self liberates].
tatah: thus, from that, then it follows, therefore.
parama: beyond limitation, the supreme, most sublime; the unsurpassed. transcendental, liberated, or ultimate
vasyata: victory over; freedom from: mastery of, to surpass, overcome, or transcend.
indriyanam: the energetic dynamics associated with the operation of the sense organs
Commentary: Through successful pratyhara the sensual world is no longer problematic when the attention and energy (cit-prana) resides at its center free of attachment, fear, nd confusion. Through success in pratyhara, the yogi, reclaims one's essential energy (mind-essence) through contacting one's own true inner that resides within and within all beings and things simultaneously.
There is no fear, aversion, tension, conflict, nor separation between the sense world and the spiritual world, as this dualistic tug of war has been entirely surpassed. HERE the information coming from the senses are no longer interpreted and limited by the intellect (vikalpa-vrtti), pramana-vrtti, smrti-vrtti, or any other of the citta-vrtti, but rather "things" are seen as they are directly as they are in naked open non-dual transpersonal awareness. Objects or phenomena are no longer understood as being solid, permanent, and self existing as separate independent things, but rather the sense organs are now under the control of the innate wisdom mind. In short the entire body/mind is in synch with the higher self-less Mind. That includes the sense organs, the neurophysiology, old mental habits, and associated chakras which have now become opened, purified, and integrated. Thus successful pratyhara brings the practitioner into the non-dual sphere where there is no longer any conflict between "outer" phenomena and inner gnosis, rather as the inner eye opens the all inclusive non-dual wonder residing within all creation is revealed naturally. Then, there is no longer a need to overcome the sense organs or sensory world.
Classically, it is said that cit-prana can leak out through the nine gates of the body. The nine gates are the two eye, two nostrils, two ears, mouth, rectum, and genitals. Thus, some interpreters have proposed to block these leaks through numerous techniques in order to quell or stop this outward dissipation. Similarly, others have proposed to redirect this flow inward, thus preserving, cultivating, and augmenting the innate evolutionary energy. However, it is a fundamental dualistic error to conceive of the sense objects as exterior (in the objectification or reification of fragmented phenomena and an independent observer). Indeed blocking, gating, or redirecting energy requires energy in itself, while what is truly being accomplished in pratyhara is the return to one's true natural and open state. In this state the sense organs are not restricted but fully open. They operate in harmony beyond subject/object duality. Once the inner eye as been opened and the evolutionary energy is moving in the middle way, a natural synergistic interconnection naturally occurs requiring no further intervention. Here all apparent aggregates or skandhas as the appearances of fragmented or isolated phenomena o longer hold true. Everything is seen as part of everything else in All Our Relations.
When the energy and awareness (cit-prana or cit-shakti) has become free from the dualistic distraction of the sense objects and has been reestablished in service to the innate intelligence behind the evolutionary power, then not only is one's consciousness and energy (cit-shakti) unified and concentrated but a protective spiritual power protects the entire body. That is not physical power, but spiritual power. A transformational shift of the body-mind complex has taken place.
When pratyhara is successful, the cit-prana or cit-shakti becomes easily accessible. Hence, focused clarity becomes continuous. After pranayama and pratyhara, success in dharana (the next limb after pratyhara) is now possible. There is no dharana without pratyhara. Thus one experiences a huge jump start in meditation, but ultimately first through pratyhara, true self nature is known inside and out. Again by "indriyanam" it is meant the energetic dynamics behind sense perception. Thus one's past programming becomes released (de conditioned) and retrained. It is now under the direction of swarupa (the true nature of mind) should we utilize self awareness and thus consciousness is no longer dissipated or distracted into an alienated world of separate self (swa-visaya). Thus the senses are brought to its highest (parama) purpose as a willing servant of truth. Victory to that truth alone (one-pointedly)! That is why we say that this nw harmony that includes this supersensory nervous system supercedes what was known as the dualistic and egoistic sensory mechanisms of a separate "it" and me. When one is accomplished in pratyhara, the entire body/mind including the sense organs are in harmony with the non-dual Primordial Cit or Source of Consciousness (the universal purusa is disclosed in all beings and things). HERE Shiva/shakti are inseparable -- undifferentiated and differentiated consciousness married and complete each other.
Although at first, techniques that close the nine gates may be helpful in producing inner experiences, all such dualistic efforts have to be abandoned eventually. Likewise, the three gates of body, speech, and mind remain open, not inhibited when one resides in the natural state. The mind (or crown chakra) refers to the Primordial Buddha. The speech refers to the throat chakra or Sambhogakaya (pain free energy body of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas). The body refers to the Nirmanakaya, or the emanation body of the Buddha in human form. Their inseparable union is the state of full realization a living buddha.
Normally we make assumptions that our sensory input are not distorted by the conditioned mind (citta-vrtti) and emotions (kleshas), where what we call our "view" reflects what-is; but a yoga practitioner will recognize the difference between "normal" dualistic views still suffering from conditioned mind patterns, bias, tilt, and spin (citta-vrtti) on one hand, and on the other hand, naked awareness, where the sense data are not tilted or biased. These pictures substitute and blur our view. When we let go of the picture, reality dawns.
On a practical basis pratyhara practice using pranayama bandha, mudra, dharana, and visualizations will prepare the earthly vehicle for ultimate self-realization. The senses become refined beyond even the most subtle awareness. Gradually daily life also becomes less dissipating and distracting. Dualistic tendencies are reversed and dissolved as are past negative karmic propensities and modified thought forms (citta-vrtti).
In the chakra system, asana, pranayama, pratyhara, and dharana act together as the guiding energetic vector (through, balance, generation, cultivation, conjoining, heating, and drawing up, and directing the energy) that facilitates the meeting of consciousness and beingness at prayag (the conjoining of the rivers). That becomes gradually established as one's unconditioned resting place, in which we no longer observe the sense objects in the world as individually arising or existing separately, but rather experience that they exist inside the purified heart (being accessible within) -- as are all created things interconnected, non-dual, and inseparable. After recognizing our own innate true nature inside, we naturally recognize that same evolutionary energy flowing through the deeper coursings through all of time and space -- which is all and everywhere.
Swami Venkatesananda says:
"With such an abundance of energy it follows that there is complete mastery (in the sense of ever-vigilant understanding) over the senses, as all psychological conflicts and confused movements of thought and energy cease, and the senses function intelligently without disorder and disharmony, inhibitions and excitation."
Pratyhara can be broken up in phases. One developmental stage occurs when the yogi is simply noticing (viveka) that one's energy and attention has been captured by sense objects (extrinsic) world of phenomena, and then letting go (vairagya) of that fascination and returning to our natural state. This second phase (vairagya) is greatly helped by focusing (dharana) the energy (prana) to internal processes such as the breath, nadis (psychic nerves), chakras, and inner seeing. That focuses and unites both the mind and the energy and hence directs the pranayama via dharana. One may say that this is a withdrawal of the mind and energy from nature, but really it serves to open the channels to greater non-dual awareness of all and everything. Pratyhara is thus a dynamic process of reunification and self empowerment which opens the eye of true knowledge (gnosis). It is a powerful practice which can dissolve the extrinsic spinning of the cit-prana and turn it back inside where cit-shakti and prana shakti unite -- where the coloring of the mind field ceases, and hence all projections of the citta-vrtti including false associations and false identifications (anukara) also cease.
Simply stated, pratyhara is the conscious energetic process utilized to go inside -- to listen in naked awareness signaled by innate gut feelings, intuition and mindfulness where recognition of tensions, kleshas, citta-vrtti, are then able to be consciously released hence the mind is able to rest in alert stillness -- in spacious self luminous clear light. as such pratyhara leads us forward to successful dharana and dhyana.
Thus on a profound level and far more effortless, pratyhara is the redirection of our conscious understanding of the way that the senses normally perceive phenomena (material objects as well as the physical body) as being separate objects "out there" (dictated by the imaginary ego). Rather the objects are also understood as residing inside in a microcosmic/macrocosmic integrity. Now in a profoundly non-dual pratyhara practice, the sense dynamics serve and are directed by swarupa sunyam (the true nature of mind, which is omnipresent awareness) that is parama (unsurpassable). This state of para-vairagya can also happen spontaneously at any time. It happens all the time to the vita-ragas and maha-videhas.
Understanding II.55 depends on understanding II.54. First a decoupling (asamprayoge) from the tendency of the mind to glom onto fragmented sense objects, seeing that attachment as merely a projection (anukara) of the citta-vrtti based on asmita (ego), rather than as a reflection of swarupa (the true nature of mind) which is none other than Atman which is intimately at one with Brahman. Then pratyhara is accomplished and surpasses itself -- no further practice is needed.
At the base level what is normally perceived as *phenomena* by the senses are interpreted by the ego afflictions (avidya) as separate individual things. They are not ordinarily seen as manifestations from Source or even alive with intrinsic self nature which is their true self nature (swarupa). Hence that kind of perception of "phenomena" is considered illusory (colored severely by the citta-vrtti) being based on false assumptions (asmita and avidya).
This projection screen analogy can be observed in daily life. For example some one is projecting their world view, their biased "reality" and "dramas" due to their inner kleshas. conflicts, confusions, and citta-vrtti. Like some one may have anger for example. When that "angry" kleshic samskara is triggered by an outside stimuli, one may imagine that the anger is coming from outside their own mind and reacts according to that projection often in recurring patterns and vicious circles. However by applying pratyhara, one eventually learns to place their mind at the service of swarupa (universal or Infinite Mind -- the unified atman/brahman) more continuously, then these type of dramas eventually cease coming up. That is pratyhara (the sense organs still function efficiently) but their information/meaning is no longer filtered by the ego, but rather revealed in terms of a very large transpersonal light. As we get to know the true nature of self, we get to know it in All Our Relations. The true self self is unlimited and everywhere while abiding in samadhi -- in svarupa-sunyam (see III.3) .
In short we can start with simple mindfulness and through that practice expand the innate awareness – placing it under the service of the transpersonal non-dual self (the param-purusa). Then as that awareness becomes more continuous it naturally expands and serves us for healing and spiritual evolution.
WITNESSING GENERATES INTROVERSION
In the normal wakeful state, a person is stimulated by external surroundings through objects makes it the slave of the senses. As a result, it suffers dualities like pleasure and pain, joy and sorrow, heat and cold, etc.
his sense organs. He does everything in accordance with such stimulation and is always mentally involved. This makes his mind extroverted, and it continues to be attracted by sense objects. The mind’s indulgence in sense On the other hand, a seeker who just remains a witness to all the spontaneous activities which occur during meditation does not give heed to external stimulation. He receives all his stimulation from the atman within, through the aid of prana energy He remains mentally detached from the physical manifestations undergone during meditation and observes them as a witness. This state of witnessing with neutrality lends introversion to the mind. The state of introversion in turn helps the seeker to withdraw his mind from sense objects. This process is called pratyahara, the fifth embodiment of the eight-fold path of yoga.
INTROVERSION IS THE ENTRY TO PRATYAHARA
The sense organs remain extroverted because of an extroverted state of mind and they remain introverted due to the introversion of the mind. A seeker begins his spiritual journey by making the sense organs introvert. In order to do so, he lifts the control of prana, which usually acts as a middle link between the mind and the sense organs. This, in fact, is the release of prana energy from the control of the mind (pranotthana). Once prana is given this freedom to control the sense organs, it gradually makes them introvert. Thus there is no other way to seek entry in the stage of pratyahara (withdrawal of the mind from the senses) except through pranotthana or the release of prana.
THERE IS NO ENTRY INTO MEDITATION WITHOUT PRATYAHARA
The release of prana leads the seeker to pratyahara, the gateway to meditation or yoga. Once the seeker enters into the stage of pratyahara, the rest of the components of yoga, asana, pranayama, dharana, dhyana and samadhi, are unfolded automatically in due course. That is why pratyahara is considered to be the point of entry into meditation or yoga. Of course, the practice of pratyahara or of indriya nigraha (control of the sense organs) is not easy and does not come quickly. One has to strive hard for many years to master that stage and attain complete control over the senses. It is only after achieving mastery over the sense organs that one can hope to practice manonigraha (control of the mind), which is achieved through dharana, dhyana, and samadhi. These latter three are also known as samyama (restraint)
Ordinarily, people think meditation means only manonigraha (control of the mind). They are not wrong in such an understanding. But if they think that indriya nigraha (control of the sense organs) is not necessary for attaining the stage of manonigraha, they are certainly making a mistake. The mind is not so simple and sane as to be easily absorbed into any single object or thought that is desired by the seeker. It remains involved in sense objects through the sense organs. So until it is weaned away from these, it can never be brought under control and made steady. Therefore, experienced yogis found out that first of all a seeker must practice indriya nigraha leaving aside manonigraha. Only through the practice of indriya nigraha can the mind be weaned away from the senses and only after this can one be fit to practice manonigraha.
Thus indriya nigraha is the basis of all yogic practice, also own as hatha yoga. Manonigraha is the latter phase of yogic practice and is also known as raja yoga. These are, therefore, the two natural divisions of yogic practice.
Swami Kripaluananda from the "Science of Meditation", Chapter 7
Placing the body and the senses under the rule of higher consciousness is thus not at all just a withdrawal from an exteriorization process, nor is it merely an interiorization process as much as a rhythmic pulsatory process with an intelligent life of its own. As we let this reintegration process occur (through conscious yogic practices) eventually the introversion resonates with that evolutionary intelligence which resides in all of nature as All Our Relations. Then it is neither just outer, just inner, but more than both-- it's all around. We glimpse that state of Being (Sat) once in awhile when we walk the beauty path - at some times more than others, and then notice what brings this experience forward and which do not.
It's helpful to point out that when Sw. Kripalu says that the senses are now in control of the mind, he does not mean willfully, rather it is in control of the universal principle behind all of consciousness where the senses, the body, the energy body, mental functions, and awareness merge and become in synch as siva/shakti hence in samadhi they are no longer disparate or fragmented processes. At the end it is allowed to happen naturally and spontaneously – the practitioner allows for it as in isvara pranidhana - at the same time as a wise practice in NOW awareness.
So to sum up there are many techniques to practice and master pratyhara as a further end toward realizing samadhi. Yam, niyam, asana, bandha, antar tratak, pranayama, mudra, dharana, and dhyana all work well with pratyhara in order to facilitate samadhi. Of special note is pranayama, bandha, antar tratak, chakra visualization, mantra, yantra, and similar tantric practices. If one's karma is ripe, then one may also find a teacher who can help activate this inner and upward flow of pratyhara which in turn facilitates the evolutionary energy (kundalini-shakti). That activation process is often called shakti-pat.
The practice of pratyhara involves reclaiming our innate consciousness (cit) and energy (prana) potential from its prior stage of being outwardly programmed where consciousness has become extracted into "external phenomena" and dissipated. Pratyhara then brings the cit-prana back "home" to activate our previously dormant and heretofore dissipated/dissuaded evolutionary energy eventually allowing the entire body (including the senses and nervous system), the energy body and mental functions to become a united agent of creation/evolution. Energetic and mental leaks are prevented, as distracted thought patterns cease wandering. As a practice pranayama, bandhas, mudra, pratyhara, and dharana are elements of laya, kundalini, and/or hatha yoga, but in the end this occurs spontaneously and naturally (non-mechanically (not willfully) in those who are blessed or graced. As such practice is like setting the stage -- clearing the table so that the real meal can be served. Pratyhara is very useful in everyday life, as well as being essential to successful meditation.
In nada, sabda, or hatha yoga, it is a deep listening to that motive function or "urge" to move. What a blessing to let it flow and become directed by the Prime Director. Deep inner listening and sensitivity is more than half of the process of awakening the seeker.
Pratyhara can also happen spontaneously. There is a parallel between the classic five or six senses (the ordinary mental processes being the sixth sense in Buddhism) when the sense of "feeling" (vedana) is no longer limited to the tactile sense of touch nor to ordinary emotions. So when we say F E E E L I N G our way into a special wisdom "space", we mean intuitively and transconceptual (nirvikalpa). We also do *not* mean the sense of touch like feeling for a key in the pocket or receiving a massage. We also do not mean feelings like hatred, jealousy, pride, or any of the afflictive emotions (kleshas). So what is this FEELING -- if not a deep heart felt sense! That is isvara pranidhana—Isvara calling and the yogi responding without hesitation. It's the experiential subjective aspect of transconceptual, intuitive, and transcendental wisdom. See III.36 for more on supersensory feeling (vedana). Mental pratyahara can be performed at any tine and place. It is not an isolation nor an attitude of indifference to phenomena; rather it connects us to our core/heart energy when the mind or energy wander outwardly. When we are connected to our own core center, we are also connected to that same core/heart that resides in everyone else. That core/heart primordial awareness is a universal energy, allowing us to connect with all on a deep/core level.
"The real knowledge is free. It's encoded in your DNA. All you need is within you. Great teachers have said that from the beginning. Find your heart, and you will find your way."
~ Carlos Barrios, Mayan elder and Ajq'ij
The tragedy is too many human beings have become
programmed to not feel, to fear feeling because there is mental
pain, shame, guilt, censure, or other "bad' connotations associated
(anusayi) with it.. They try to overcome their feelings and thus
feel protected, isolated, pure, or" good". They try to become
insensitive, numbed out, and escape from transconceptual wisdom of
the prana-shakti – to kundalini shakti, the intelligent
evolutionary life force, and hence their innate creative power
remains disowned and disjointed -- their inner wisdom and authority
denied and ignored. They then grasp onto ersatz intellectual
understandings, objectifications, and beliefs based on this
isolated fragmentation/corruption of primordial consciousness which
is beyond a mere intellectual understanding.
"Now the body feels it is within things or within people or within an action. There are no more limits.... Before, each thing was separate, divided, unconnected with others, and very superficial.... It doesn't feel like that anymore. It mainly gives a feeling of intimacy, that is to say, there is no distance, no difference, no 'something which sees' and 'something which is seen'.... And it always gives the impression of something without conflicts, without shocks, without complications, as if it were no longer possible to bump into anything."
The Mother, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, 18 July 1962 and 31 August
1963.
So a yoga class is a great opportunity to get in touch with our
deeper heart felt sense which resides in the cave of the heart.
That is pratyhara where the senses are marching to a special drum
beat free of obscurations – with wide open nadis and free flow
energy. Regardless of the intellect (leave it at the door) we can
experience this sacred space experientially in yoga, in class,
while walking, sleeping, on the meditation cushion, at work, at any
moment! NOW. It's in each breath for sure!
In pratyhara practice don't get stuck at the primary level of simple extraction from the exteriorization (objectification) process, but realize that at the same time one is bringing the energy and ware ness to the very process of awareness and consciousness itself one is reuniting with isvara -- the seed heart/root potential and activating that. Realize that isvara is inherent inside all beings and things. Hence the awareness becomes both interior and holotropic at the same time. Acknowledge and celebrate and express THAT with the breath, the senses, speech and mind.
Thus the evolutionary creative energy (kundalini-shakti) is activated because the inner and outer energies (the intrinsic and extrinsic having formed an inseparable whole) have become united and perfectly balanced in sattva -- balanced, harmonized, and synchronized. At first pratyhara aids in harnessing and activating the inner alchemical fire that feeds successful dharana (concentration) and meditation (dhyana) which ultimately allows the evolutionary power to guide us to the source of primordial consciousness d disclosing our true self nature in samadhi. Some say that pratyhara is simply a refined aspect of pranayama, but as with all the limbs, it is capable of taking one all the way. Pratyhara thus allows us to become free from being sucked up into the turmoil of the sense world, its objects, phenomena and dualism in general, allowing us to see, taste, hear, smell, and feel through the light of our higher Self. Yet the mind can still wander without perfecting dharana, dhyana, and samadhi. Pratyhara like asana and pranayama, is thus is one more step on that sacred pilgrimage to Self -- to primordial awareness.
Now it is fitting that Patanjali starts his description of the last three limbs of astanga yoga following his description of pratyhara. As such it is said that pratyhara is fructified by dharana, dhyana, and samadhi -- the zenith of the kundalini experience, which is a major focus of Pada III. In particular please see III.36. Also in this`regard I.18, III. 14, III.35, III.49, and III.55
End of Chapter II -- The Sadhana Pada of Patanjali ends completing discussion of the fifth limb (pratyhara) of astanga yoga, while Pada III begins with the sixth limb, concentration or dharana, followed by dhyana (the seventh limb), and then samadhi (the eighth).
Chapter III. Vibhuti Pada: The Proficiencies or Adeptness (through the Process of Samyama)
Vibhuti chapter places much emphasis on the combined effort of the sixth (dharana), seventh (dhyana), and eighth (samadhi) limbs of ashtanga yoga, which when applied all at once, is called the three fold process of samyama. That in turn, leads to various perfections, abilities, masteries, and of supra-personal states of awareness variously called siddhis. In Vibhuti Pada also the application of the three major parinama (transformations) are described as precursors to samyama as well are many other practices and characteristic states of spiritual attainment.
Table of Contents: The Yoga Sutras As It Is
An Introduction to the Yoga Sutras (ndex Page)
Sanskrit to English Annotated Glossary
Plain Language Short Translation
Sri Pungaliya on Patanjali and Jnaneshwar
The Samkhya Interpretation of Brahmacharya: Alien Gods and Anti-Nature Cults
The Integration of Spirit and Mater in the Yoga Sutras (Professor Ian Whicher)
A Review of Ian Whicher's. The Integrity of the Yoga Darsana: A Reconsideration of Classical Yoga by Georg Feuerstein
Sri Pungaliya on Patanjali and Jnaneshwar
Yoga Sutras Made Accessible: Extracted from the morass of over intellectualization