RELS315 TEST 2

• The goal of yoga according to patanjali is to quiet the mind, not focused on poses

• Samadhi (close to enlightenment) NOT THE SAME AS MOKSHA

  • Deep absorption but body is still there unlike moksha

  • Step to moksha

• Yogas citta-vrtti (yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind

Structure of the yoga sutras

• Samadhi Pada: focus on attaining enlightenment (samadhi)

• Sadhana Pada: Practice and ethical discipline (8 limbs of ashtanga yoga)

• Vibhuti Pada: Results, including special powers (siddhis)

• Kaivalya Pada: Liberation from material attachments (moksha)

Chapter One: Samadhi Pada

• Focuses on attaining samadhi, the union with the divine

• Stilling the mind (purpose of yoga)

• Yoga is a lifelong discipline for self transformation

• Patanjali → dvaita (dualism) Purusha (pure consciousness) and Prakruti (the material world) // and atman and brahman are different 

• Kaivalya → Path of liberation 

• Purusa → consciousness

• Prakruti → matter (material world)

• Dukkha → suffering 

• Ishvara → a supreme being 

• Ishvara Pranidhana → devotion to God  (optional)

8 limbs of yoga (Ashtanga yoga) → form the foundation of classical yoga // guide to living a meaningful and purposeful life, leading to spiritual enlightenment 

• 1) YAMA (ethical restraints) – moral disciplines for interacting with others

  • 1) Ahimsa (non-violence) → not eating animals, killing ants, not picking fruit from trees, etc.

  • 2) Satya (truthfulness) → no white lies, truth no matter what

  • 3) Asteya (Non-stealing) → don't steal honey from bees, don't steal money

  • 4) Brahmacharya (Moderation or celibacy) → dont have sex, sex is okay with one person 

  • 5) Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness) → Dont own anything, walk around with open hands 

• 2) NIYAMA (personal observances) → self-discipline and spiritual practices

  • Shaucha (purity)

  • Santosh (contentment)

  • Tapas (self-discipline, fire and heat)

  • Swadhyaya (Self-study and study of scriptures)

  • Ishvarapranidhana (Surrender to the divine)

• 3) ASANA 

  • Yoga postures to cultivate discipline, balance and physical well-being

  • Pantajali → asana (sitting for meditation)

• 4) PRANAYAMA 

  • Techniques for regulating the breath to enhance life energy (prana)

  • Helps cam the mind and prepare for meditation 

• 5) PRATYAHARA

  • Withdrawal of the senses

  • Detaches from eternal distractions (sounds, smells)

  • Allows deeper self-awareness and focus

• 6) DHARANA

  • Concentration 

  • Training the mind to focus of a single object, mantram or concept 

  • Develops mental discipline and prepares for medication  

• 7) DHYANA

  • Mediation 

  • A state of uninterrupted concentration and contemplation 

  • Leads to self-awareness 

  • Leads to 8) “THE TASTE”

    • Samadhi: a taste of the union with the divine or pure consciousness

    • A state of deep spiritual realization and bliss 

Siddhis: extraordinary powers/supernatural abilities

• Describes siddhis primarily in Vibhuti Pada (chapter 3) of the Yoga Sutras

  • Arise through:

    • Samadhi (intense concentration)

    • Dharana (concentration)

    • Dhyana (meditation)

    • Samadhi (absorption)

Types of Siddhis 

• Anima – the ability to becomes as small as an atom 

• Mahima – the ability to become infinitely large

• Laghima – the ability to become weightless

• Garima – the ability to become extremely heavy 

• Prapti – The ability to fulfill any desire

• Isitva – lordship over nature

• Vasitva – control over the elements and beings 

Types of Siddhis (mind and knowledge)

• Sruta – Divine hearing (ability to hear distant or hidden sounds)

• Divya drsti – Divine sight (ability to see distant or hidden objects)

• Telepathy – Understanding the thoughts of others

• Clairvoyance – Knowing the past and future of oneself or others

• Purva-janma-jnana – Knowledge of past lives (recollection of previous incarnations)

Types of Siddhis (powers over nature and time)

• Bhuta-jaya – control over the elements (ability to influence earth, water, fire, air, and ether

• Indriya-jaya – complete control over ones sensory perceptions

• Akasa-gamana – levitation (the ability to float/fly)

Types of Siddhis (Healing and longevity powers)

• Freedom from hunger and thirst – the ability to sustain oneself without food or water

• Immunity to disease – control over ones health and bodily functions

• Kala-jaya – slowing or stopping aging (mastery over the effects of time)

Traditional view on Siddhis

• Raja Yoga view siddhis as distractions 

• Ego → Ahamkara

• Illusion → Maya

Sources of Siddhas

1. Birth 

2. Herbs (aushadhi)

3. Mantras

4. Austerities (tapas) – intense discipline and self-mortification 

5. Samadhi – deepest level of medication 

Citta Vrittis → quitting mental disturbances 

Drashta → true self 

5 Mind Fluctuations (vrittis)

1. Pramana (correct knowledge) – perception based on valid sources like direct experiences (pratyaksha), inference (anumana) and scripture/testimony (agama)

   1. Aklishta (non-afflicting)

2. Viparyaya (Misconception) – incorrect knowledge or misunderstanding → leading to delusion 

   1. Klishta (afflicting)

3. Vikalp (Imagination or verbal Delusion) – Constructs of the mind that have no basis in reality but exist through words and ideas

4. Nidra (Deep Sleep) – A mental state in which there is an absence of cognition but still a subtle mental process

5. Smrti (memory) – the retention and recollection of past experiences

Practice and detachment: ABHYASA AND VAIRAGYA

• Abhyasa: Continuous practice for mental stability and control 

• Vairagya: Detachment to let go of desires and fears

• Abhaya + Vairagya = NIRODH (mastery of the mind) 

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Understanding the philosophy and practice of yoga

• Hath and lyengar

• Unites body, mind and spirit → harmony and balance 

Hath: “Ha” Sun (Masculine energy), “Tha” Moon (feminine energy)

Key beliefs of Hatha/Nath - “lord” or “protector”

• Body as a temple 

• Kundalini Awakening – aimed to awaken Kundalini energy (dormant spiritual force)

• Inner Alchemy – transmuting bodily energies 

• Non-Dualism (Adaita) – viewed Shiva (pure consciousness) and Shakti (energy) as one

• Siddas (Mystical powers) – sought supernatural abilities  

Practices:

• Hatha Yoga – includes physical postures (asanas), breath control (pranayama) and energy seals (bandhas & mandras)

• Pranayama (Breath Control)

• Meditation (Dhyana & Samadhi) – reach higher states of consciousness

• Mantra & tantra

• Celibacy and renunciation – Brahmacharya (celibacy)

• Alchemy & Ayurveda – Experimented with herbal medicines, mercury alchemy and rejuvenation techniques

Krishnamacharya

• An indian yoga teacher, ayurvedic healer, and scholar of sanskrit and vedic traditions 

  • Widely known as the “father of modern yoga” for reviving and popularizing yoga in the 20th century 

  • Blended traditional yoga with gymnastics and Indian wrestling influences 

Core theories: 

• Viniyoga: Must be adopted to the individual

• Yoga should be personalized – not a “one-size fits all” approach → Every person has different needs based on: age, health, lifestyle

• Pranayama before physical poses → breath controls the mind and body)

• Asana (pose) is a tool for the mind → postures should be practiced with mindfulness, breath awareness, and internal focus 

  • Mental stillness (Chitta Vritti Nirodha), not just physical flexibility 

• Yoga is a holistic science

  • Not just exercise, but a lifestyle that balances:

    • Physical health (postures)

    • Mental clarity (meditation)

    • Spiritual wisdom (vedanta and devotion)

    • Diet and heath (Ayuverda)

• Bandhas (energy locks) and Drishti (gaze control)

  • Bandhas – internal “locks” that control energy flow 

    • Mula Bandha (root lock) sex, Uddiyana Bandha (abdominal lock)

  • Drishti – focusing the eyes on a single point to enhance concentration 

• Bhakti (devotion) and Mantra

  • Encouraged chanting mantras to connect with deeper states of consciousness

Lyengar vs Ashtanga Yoga (asana)

• Iyengar → poses are held longer to develop deep awareness and precision 

• Ashtanga → dynamic postures train discipline and concentration