Eight Lessons on the Yoga by Albatross

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Preliminary work! Not complete!

Eight Lessons on the Yoga

Juri Aidas Based on the metaphoric of

The Tree of Life as a representation of the

Eight Aspects of Yoga This work, as for now, contains a general overview of The Yoga. Further details of eight lessons will follow â&#x20AC;&#x2022; as time allows. Updated: 15 February 2016; 11:25 AM First draft: 14 August 2014

Work in progress! ( Not even properly proofread yet. )

Three parts of the Eight Lessons are now slightly readable. For now this main outline should cover a basic structure of teaching capable of providing anyone interested of a wholistic understanding of the yoga, both as to its practical and theoretical dimensions.

Established in Yoga

Perform Action.

Issuu 7 â&#x20AC;&#x2022; AAAP 61:2.2

An Another Albatross Publication

ow, herein I propose to present a structure of eight lessons on the yoga. My intention is to embrace, enlighten and further all the wonder of the deep philosophy of yoga, the great vision that reveals the yoga, the great darĹ&#x203A;ana that is yoga. These lessons shall be constructed around the framework of the wholity of the eight aspects of yoga, thus teaching the full breadth of yoga as to both its practical and philosophical ways. One by one, following the sequence set out in the Yoga SĹŤtra*, all the aspects of yoga will be considered, especially in the light of what all the other aspects can bring in support to the category under consideration. In the practice of yoga the different characteristics of the different aspects of yoga all go together in an interdependently supportive fashion. The yogic view holds yoga to be a philosophy of successful melding of the inner and the outer. The yoga uncovers (Continued on rear inside dust jacket flap.)

* The Yoga SĹŤtra of Patanjali is historically looked upon as being the first written account of the philosophy of yoga in the format of a well organized, systematic, perceptive delineation of the methodology of yoga, its practice, and its deeper purpose. 2

Eight Lessons on the Yoga

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In all gratitude: To the Great Tradition of Masters. To the Great Guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi; To the Great Master, Maharishi Patanjali; To all Contemporary Teachers of The Yoga; To all from whom I have learned. To all the Students of Yoga who have inspired me to learn even more. You have my heartfelt appreciation.

Jai Guru Dev

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Work in progress! ( To be completed ... as time allows. )

Copyright © Juri Aidas, 2016 Tree of Life graphic, layout & design: Juri Aidas Sun / Note logo (clipart composite): Juri Aidas Sun / Moon logo: Nina Aidas Quote, p. 55: Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Birds, Yogis, Anemones ― Line drawings: Magnus Malmsten Photo, page 83: Copyright © David Sands (Used with permission.) Cats: sources unknown Flowers, b/w Daffodils: Clipart Dear reader, As far as possible I have tried to follow up on sources until I’ve finally arrived at web pages saying ”source unknown.” I may have missed a source, or two, though. Thus I would put great value on feedback on copyrights and such things. Do feel free to use the mail address, below, to inform me. Also, if you’d find the inclination and the time I’d enjoy your spontaneous opinion on the contents of this work. A few elements herein have been lifted from earlier works of mine yet those passages have been amended and in parts slightly rewritten (the text on page 23 is rewritten; and the graphs on pages 29, & 95-99, have been revised). The line drawings by Magnus I use repeatedly in all my works, as I do think they fit the purposes. I’d suggest a read of, particularly, the companion volume to this book from where the revised sections were taken. It might prove to be a helpful complement in detailing the dynamics of yoga even more. See: ”Fundamentals of Yoga: 12 lay-outs” Or click the Issuu web-link here below as I have a few more texts on the yoga over there. www.issuu.com/albatross yoga.cat@live.com

Issuu 7 ― AAAP 61:2.2

An Another Albatross Publication Updated: 15 Feb 2016, 11:25 AM, GMT +01:00

Eight Lessons on the Yoga

Juri Aidas

Ingress

MY STANCE HE COMMON ON THE PROJECTION YOGA is that that, thetorationality my mind,ofseems reason to and preoccupy direct personal the experience general public go hand as tointhe hand. nature I hold of yoga that the is that metaphysical yoga is held attrito have a lot butions andtootherworldly do with butambulations physical fitness that, and overthat time,some have of encrusted the deeper the revelations shell of thewe philosophy find as tooftheyoga eight areaspects really secondary of yoga are to looked the actual upon theory in a kindtheofyogic of cursory methodic way, tinged as wellwith as tootherworldly the process passions. of yoga asYet, such in as many, the some practice yogic at times isconfusing, pursued; As presentations to my opinion on the Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d say yoga that that these I have attributions, encountered are quite some irrelevant, things do theyremain are focus in the deflectors background to successful and oftentimes and long certain lasting insight is overlooked accomplishment in theasvery being wide of reach a lesser of the importance; domain oforthe these yogic subtler idea elements and its application. of yoga are just bundled into some mythical spiritual domain or other. All the aspects of yoga are connected and interact dynamically: they bring about deep, wakeful, satisfying rest and are all represented in every instance of the practice of yoga.

Out of The Blue, Into The Deep.* * Alluding to the famous song by Neil Young: Out of The Blue, Into the Black.



Contents 11

Ingress

Preface

Yoga Cat – Says! •

Three Metaphors

The Tree of Life

The graphic

Eight Aspects of Yoga

34 37

The Outer Aspects The Inner Aspects

Eight Lessons on the Yoga

Attitude Behaviour Body Breath

complete complete To do To do

Absorption Focusing Meditation The Deep

To do To do complete To do

Expansion ― The Perfections

Just a start

Schools of Yoga

Only begun

Summary

Only begun

56 63 64 65 66 67

3/8 complete

•

Who is Yoga Cat?

Incomplete

Literature & Links

Incomplete

Micellaneous The Heuristic; Inner Recursivity; The Sequence

 13

Preface

HIS WORK SHALL,

in the final end, present eight detailed lessons on the yoga comprising a discussion on practical instruction as well as commentary to the effect of creating an understanding of the methodology of yoga and its relevance for the practitioner. My intention is for the lessons to comprehensively cover the whole field of yoga and thus prepare any seriosly interested student for a long and enjoyable journey on the path of yoga. My hope is that this journey will be successful for the student, from the very first start of practice unto its grand finale in achievement of a happy and accomplished life, full of joy and accrued skills. But, of course, there are vagaries of nature to contend with in life as our existential voyage runs its course and thus whatever will be, will be. That is to say: the methodology of yoga is quite simple and easy to grasp yet what may prove to be a deeper hurdle is the fact that yogic practice must ultimately integrate with all other routines, demands and odd disruptions of our lives ― and that is not always an easy thing to achieve. The reason for my somewhat preamature presenting of this outline, “Eight Lessons on the Yoga”, has to do with the fact that I wish to present a little picture of the tree of yoga in bloom, that I thought up, and that, by extension, caused me to take a start on this presentation. The flowers on the tree of yoga all share the same expression and the image of flowers may be used to fill out the naked, branching graph of a tree construed to represent the eight aspects of yoga: the great tree of yoga, the Tree of Life. In this meeting of metaphorics I find a tool to connect the different aspects of yoga and their dynamics as to the idea of, so to say, ‘algorhythmy’ in yoga: the back and forth pull of nature between rest and activity. This back and forth pull is enhanced by the application of said yogic ‘algorhythmy’ as that pull is thereby accentuated in both its inwards and outwards flows. Diving into this flow makes for a progressively and qualitatively more satisfying and relevant attenuation of our well-being and thus brings a deeper depth to our grasp of the panorama of life and our ability to handle life’s strange oddities. I have given quite some thought for a long time now on how to teach a full course on the subject of yoga. In the past I have taught on all the different aspects of yoga, and of course doing that I always tried to cast a deeper light on the wholistic approch of yoga, its comprehensive nature,

which I put special emphasis on. Yet this teaching has all been taking place in the contexts of different focuses. Sometimes I have taught the meditation, at times the postural approaches, the yoga asanas, and the breathing techniques, sometimes the philosophics, on structures, on wider implications, et al. Now, just the other day, being asked to give a course on the yoga, quite suddenly the metaphoric that I have constructed to represent the wholity of yoga, depicting the interplay of all of its eight aspects, the “Tree of Life”, suddenly bloomed (see page 27 herein). I envisioned a sequence of eight lessons where every flower of knowledge on every separate branch on the great tree of yoga shares its fundamental qualities with the dynamic of every other branch on this metaphoric tree. As I proceed with the course I shall document my experience of my teaching process and therefore I now publish this little document in its early stages as “Work in Progress”. I hope that my presumed eventual reader will find the present overview of interest and find themselves encouraged to pursue these lines of thinking as well as be inspired to pursue the yogic way in life. When I first began writing this text here on the eight aspects of yoga and embraced the idea to format the whole project as eight lessons, the seed of which was that idea of flowers blooming on the tree of yoga, the “Tree of Life”, I thought that the kind of ideationally elusive ‘same-ness’ as to the nature of these flowers is drawn from an abstract source and that our awareness of that source may become aligned thereto and thus beget a similar responsiveness as per our physioloy, thereby allowing us to gain a sensitivity as to the very make up of our subjective perception of the material concreteness of our physiology, and of our world. Well, when I first began writing this text on lessons my intention was to write but a little pamphlet, of some 20, 30 pages and present but a short synopsis of main points for each one of the eight lessons. In actuality I have developed certain lines of thought more deeply, and, vielleicht, more philosophically, than the type of course I shall purpose to present in an actual delivery of such a course. The individual platform of the student has to be considered. What starting point to the practice of yoga would suit the individual and at what speed may the course be held, on what level of abstraction, how much talk and theory, and how much time to spend applying actual yogic practice? (Learning about the practice, though, might, tongue in cheek, also be considered a part of the practice; theory and practice do go hand in hand, as said). This text, as one linguistically communicates on the level of words, does contain much

more theoretical material than necessary for any individual to gain accomplishments in yogic practice, which may come about rather quickly (thus the snake’s-hands, the discursive sidetracks I allow myself, they are there in the hope that they may fill out the background that connects different ideas of yogic thinking, to offer up a broad perspective on the yoga). Any relevant and sensible attempt at yogic practice ought to induce at least a sense of well-being ― in a sense, one could dive in anywhere; as the old metaphor goes, “Pull one leg of a table and all the others will come along.” The more abstract ideas to both process and understanding in the field of yoga lie within the powers of yogic thinking to formulate at the least a sensible discusson on the entangled nature of its elements. As one studies yoga one picks up one thing here and one thing there and then one day all those things come together, as bits and pieces fall in place. I would therefore but shortly wish to clarify a few considerations and carefully align my dive into the nitty gritty of the subject of the yoga. I started out herein by just writing down a few thoughts on each one of the eight aspects, but then, of course, I realized that the concepts introduced would really need a bit of background. I thus added a section on differences in various metaphorics on the structure of yoga, specifically on its three main metaphors: a ladder, a table and a tree. The last one of those, the tree, is of my own construct and as this metaphoric, in my view, specifically offers up a graphic view of the interplay of dynamics as to the eight aspects of yoga it becomes the backbone of the structure for these lessons, the power-engine of this discussion. The incentive in me driving this presentation appeared to me suddenly one day as I was playing around with some clipart of flowers, just for the fun. I thought, to myself, “Where can I insert this flower pic? Ah! On the Tree of Life of course.” So I arranged flowers onto every branch of this ”Tree of Life”. The very next day I was asked to give a course on the yoga and as I was contemplating on how to structure a relevant course I connected with the sense of wholity that the flowering tree of yoga displayed, every aspect of yoga being connected with every other aspect would bring a certain ‘same-ness’ of characteristic to every detail of yoga, every part of the yogic process would be infused with the same connective and motivating nature represented by the seeming ‘same-ness’ as to the nature of all the flowers – no matter how one views yoga, whatever school of yoga one adheres to, one ought to find a glimpse of an essence of this interplay even though being expressed in different scholastic formats.

A kind of ‘same-ness’ is the common factor, the wholity of the deep experience, the balances of posture, unhindered breath, inner flow, et al., would regin, and mark that ‘same-ness’. Thus every aspect of yoga, visualized and emphasized in different ways by subtle differences in teaching by different schools of yoga, bears the same fruit, and the flowering of this or that shool, might also be represented with flowers in an expanded metaphoric. Every branch gets its own big flower. The flowers are different yet partake of the same essence, the fresh breeze that flows out of the clarty of inner depths awakened by the full power of the tool of yoga. A ‘same-ness’ unveils the deeper harmonies submerged in life’s deeper depths and from there they are brought into action by the power of a direct enhancement of the ‘algorhythmic’ flow of our lives by the application of yoga. As just said, a deeper explanation of the metaphoric of a great tree of interconnected yogic elements is unveiled if the original metaphoric, the naked graph of the eight aspects of yoga seen as a great tree, is expanded with blooming flowers to mark the similitude as to whatever gain the yogic way brings by way of method, results which are nourished by all of the eight aspects of yoga. This is the wiew from the perspective of the wholity of yoga. The common projection that, to my mind, seems to preoccupy the general public as to the nature of yoga is that yoga is held to have a lot to do with but physical fitness. I also find that some of the deeper revelations as to the eight aspects of yoga are often looked upon in a kind of cursory way, tinged with otherworldly passion. Yet, in many, and some at times confusing, presentations on the yoga that I have encountered some important things do remain in the background and oftentimes certain insight is overlooked as being of lesser importance; or it happens that these subtler elements of yoga are just bundled into some mythical spiritual domain or other. All the aspects of yoga are connected and interact dynamically: they bring about deep, wakeful, satisfying rest and are all represented in every instance of the practice of yoga. From here on now I shall endeavour, as well as it in my powers to do so, to present a coherent and all embracing perspective on the yoga. Yet as always with the yoga the individual dynamic plays out as one comes to actual practice of the yoga and many intricacies, perplexities and consternations that arise out of individual contexts must be dealt with on a personal level, that is, personal guidance and demonstration is necessary for the most effective teaching of yoga. The quest to find a well renowned, competent teacher is a must for the more serious student of yoga.

INTO THE DEEP India Ink on Paper

Yoga Cat ― Says! THE EIGHT LESSONS ON THE YOGA presented herein follow the basic sequential outline of the eight aspects of yoga as expressed by the great Maharishi Patanjali in his short and consice treatsie on the philosophy and - , dealing with its methodic and its dynamic. practice of yoga, the Yoga Sutra The structure of teaching would consist of eight session and would devote each one of these respectively to one of the aspects in the sequence of Patanjalis’: attitude, behaviour, posture, the breath, absorption, focusing, meditation and The Deep.

The eight aspects of yoga are all dynamically connected and thus each lesson would necessarily view yoga both from the perspective of the idea represented by the specific aspect under study, and paralleling that one would in the same lesson also have to consider the quality of impact that all the other aspects of yoga would bring to the particular aspect under consideration, as these are all practiced in the framework of yoga, I shall start out by defining a metaphor for the wholity of yoga. Now. Let’s have a look at the metaphorics of Yoga. 21

GUIDES TO THE PRACTICE & UNDERSTANDING OF YOGA

Three Metaphors TOOLS FOR THINKING ― TOOLS, NOT TRUTHS!

can be studied by use of the tool of metaphor which allows for a comprehensive and wholistic view to be grasped as a single idea. The two metaphors traditionally ascribed to the yoga, a staircase (ladder) and a table (grand piano) I mention here below but shortly as the main focus of this treatment on the yoga shall put its main focus on the the revealatory power of a third metaphor a Tree, which will here be used in such a way as to display the structure of Yoga as an algorhythmy1, and also as a manual on the dynamic of the traverse between the demands of the outer world and the depths of the inner. HE EIGHT ASPECTS OF YOGA

There are three metaphors that, in my view, are basic to yoga. The patterns of thinking these similes allow for, taken together, present an overview of the variables of yoga and in that they offer up a firm ground for the ideas presented in the following pages the main themes in the philosophy of yoga, the darsana of yoga, the vision of yoga in all its beauty. # & Q ie l eee

11 1 A ladder / stair Sequence

2 2 2 A Grand Piano / Table Interconnectivity

33 3 A Tree of Life Dynamic

Three Metaphors of Yoga First metaphor: A ladder (or a stairway), construed with eight rungs or steps to represent the eight aspects of yoga. This image is, in general, used to give an expression to the idea of progression via different steps to be taken in the study and practice of the wholeness of the vision of yoga, the Yoga-Daršana. This is 1. Algorhythmy: The dynamic of yogic process as one mentally and physically proceeds from activity unto deep rest, back an’ forth, back an’ forth; an effortless spiralling into The Deep according to the mechanism of yoga. 23

quite an excellent ladder, it displays the dynamic vector of yoga, the traverse of the transversal between outer and inner depths. Slight difficulties, though, to the interpretation of this metaphor arises mainly because of the nature of the listform presentation in itself: sequentiality as such is what creates the problem. The vision of life’s great journey upon and across these steps, the aspects of yoga, may give the impression of being a rather steep one, is seens as demanding and requiring a long time and much effort to complete, and the ladder as a whole thus may seem quite formidable to ascend, and, of course, the middle and top rungs demand that the lower rungs have been mastered, thus creating prerequisites for yoga. But still, the image of a ladder (as contrasted with a staircase) can be approached from either end2 (a ladder may be swung end over end, a stairway is more permanently built), and though deeply relevant this image does not say anything about the recursive algorythmic methdology of yoga as such. That is, we cannot really get more than an inkling from this metaphoric of a ladder as to what really is going on in yogic practice, but even this takes us a long way into the ways of yogic practice. An abundance of different scools of yoga have sprung up from the fertile ground of discussion and understanding of the eight main characteristics of yoga and their relevance to practice of yoga as such. • Second metaphor: An object with limbs. A table, or a grand piano (and why not?), offers up all the starting points we’d want. In this model yoga may be approached and effectuated via any one aspect ― pull one leg and all the others follow, any one of the eight aspects of yoga may serve as a starting point in ones entering the field of yogic relevance. Yet, strangely, the whole structure is somewhat loose, drifting free. Where to? Whither? What goes where? ― and so on. But still, buried within this model we find a deep sense of individuality, of freedom ― of stability even though there’s movement, action. This second view of yoga, even though being limited, at least manages to tangle with the philo2. It was pointed out by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, that Patanjalis sequence of eight steps to characterize the different elements of yoga portrayed as a sequence (in its simplest form it is a stairway, grounded at one end and of a steep traverse, rather than a ladder) and may in the context of yoga actually be approached from either end (the metaphoric of a stairway does not allow for this but the ladder does) and that the use of the practice of meditation, as in yogic process, in a very simple, elegant, effortless and almost selfevident fashion is a key element to the traverse by the systemic body/mind complex away from the concreteness of activities in the outer and into, onto, as falling towards the silent, serene depths of an harmonized and balanced state of being (as cognized in practice by the practitioner of yoga); in the direct approach to The Deep, the samadhi of yoga, the deeper result is brought about by the effortless effort of practicing a little meditation now & then (at least), preferably on a regular basis.

sophical implications as to our ‘sense of connectedness’ to both inner and outer, and to the ‘how’ of our inner sense of wonder, to the epistemology thereof and the ‘why’ to those deeper questions on something as abstract as the subjective is revealed by practice ― in some regular manner, as per the recommendations found in the yogic approach, amongst others the idea of continuity over time to the practice of yoga. • Third metaphor: A tree. ‘A Tree of Yoga’. 'A Tree of Life'. This metaphor of root, trunk, limbs or branches, and a crown applied to yoga reveals the inner dynamic of ‘algorhythmy’ in the metaphoric nerve from root to crown that traverses the transversal ’tween stillness and activity, the inner and outer of life, so to say. This image, that of a tree, might also confuse as it is generally very much tied up with the historical evolution of a great variety schools and traditions of yoga – and using it for another purpose as that of the philosophy of yoga, distinct as that may be, might just add to the general bedlam of confusion regarding the philosophy of yoga (not the least being the almost exclusive use of the word ‘yoga’ for merely the fourth aspect of the sequence, asâna, yoga pertaining to the body). Yet this metaphor of a tree does manage to allude to the dynamic processuality of yogic recursive algorhythmy, it envelops the wholity of yoga and roots the methodic and it's inner and outer effects in the consciousness of the practitioner. In short, this metaphor of a tree is a functional metaphor.

The Tree of Life

A FUNCTIONAL METAPHOR TO REVEAL THE ALGORHYTHIC MECHANISM OF YOGA.

of practices and understandings utilizing the eight aspects of yoga which ultimately and effortlessly bring our body/mind structure into a state of natural balance and harmony. In the subjective sense this achievement brings a deep sense of joy, serenity and peace to our inner life ― an experience which finds no other course of expression but to radiate outwards. With some regularity applied to actual practice of yogic methodology by an individual we find that objectively our physiology relaxes as the mind settles, this phenomena creates the opportunity for deep inner algorhythmic3 feedback mechanisms to (as the practice yoga is performed) hugely deepen the inner sense of joy and blissfulness that our yogic practice has already brought about. OGA MAY BE CONSIDERED AS A SYSTEM

The structure of yogic methodology and the underlying philosophy to guide anyone with the interest to attempt yogic practice may elegantly be defined in terms of the deep dynamic between rest and activity. The handling, in practical terms, of said dynamic is defined by the eight aspects of yoga.4 A good way to come to grips with yoga as it is studied and practiced, a good approach, I’d think, might be found in regarding the aspects of yoga as a basic structure and then attempt to make sense of them one at a time, to devote our attention momentarily more focusedly on what one particular aspect would represent in terms of the wholity of yoga. This is important. Yoga is a structure where all the eight aspects are interdependent and any aspect may be used as a starting point. An important tool that enables a visualizing of the interconnectivity of the eight aspects in but one glace is the metaphoric of a tree with root, branches and crown (root, crown and six branches: eight aspects). Put to use this metaphor gathers the vast potentiality of the philosophy of yoga into one manageable 3. Algorhythmy is a term indicative of a process (viewed analogously as to the concept of an ‘algorithm’, a structured process that uses the result of its own mechanism as a seed for the next instance of application) that gently and effortlessly returns the practitioner to the deepening stance within yogic methodology. 4. This distinguishing of eight distinct characteristics to the practice of yoga (and in a certain sense to the outcomes in life brought about by the regularity of practice, not withstanding life’s vagaries) is historically attributed to Maharishi Patanjali. (Maharishi, great seer, is a title and Patanjali, anjali, the gesture of up folded hands, as something fell [by legend as from heaven], pat, into those hands, is the name.) Nothing is really known about Patanjali, yet Patanjali must have been a master teacher with a following for his/her work to survive intact to our present age. Stemming from Vedic cultural tradition and attributed to Maharishi Patanjali is the classic synthesis of yoga, The Yoga Sūtra. This is a short work of 4 chapters comprising 192 strophes all in all delineating the dynamic and promise of yoga. The Yoga Sūtra is by tradition and contemporary linguistic analysis placed in the era of ca. 300 B.C. – 200 A.D. (For more on this see endnotes.)

bundle. As yoga brings about a better appreciation of life and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opportunities it may not be too farfetched to refer to this metaphor of a tree as a tree of life. The rough diagram presented here shall be the connecting device between the different lessons and thus allow us to discern the interplay of the characteristics of every aspect of yoga within all the other aspects. This graphic attempts a representation of the wholity of yogic philosophy. As we proceed and deepen our understanding of yoga and the yogic way we shall see this tree blossom and bloom. At any point in the study of yoga one may learn something about all the aspects of yoga. What follows, in the next section, is an overview of the aspects. This shall form the substance of eight lessons, each one of which shall respectively integrate with the main points of what the other aspects represent and offer.

A Flowering of the Tree of Life The flowers seem different but they all partake of the same essence, the essence of the tree, the flow of sap, the power of life. The algorhythmy of yoga is revealed by an understanding of its back â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;n forth methodic. 28

T HE T REE OF L IFE – AN HEURISTIC, RECURSIVE METAPHOR OF THE “YOGA DARŠANA” – THE PHILOSOPHY AND VISION OF YOGA

Meditation Dhyâna Meditation Dhyâna inwards

Focusing Dhâranâ Dhâranâ Focusing

Withdrawal of the senses

Absorption Pratyâhâra

inwards

Retracting of the Senses Pratyâhâra

outwards sight

Breath Prânâyâma

touch

Prânâyâma The Breathing

Morals *

Morals, of Life The The LawsLaws of Life shaucha simplicity

taste

tapas purification

Posture

balance massage, stretch, bend, stamina

f. ex. padma âsana stability Ethics * and others as the cobra twist, roll, endurance Attitude or hala asana turn, etc. . stimularatory Yama, or sun greeting, etc.

suspended

santosha contentment

Âsana

Âsana The Body

rythm flow

Behaviour Niyama Niyama,

Posture

smell

out

hearing

Yama

swâdhyâya refinement

îshvarapranidhâna sense oftowonder surrender the Lord

Mudras?

aparigraha non-attachment

TheThe Rules forfor Living Ethics, Rules Living satya ahimsa truthfulness non-violence asteya integrity

brahmacharya restraint chastity

Prakriti Samâdhi Nirbîja Samâdhi Samâdhi without object

Manifest

with object

The Deep Samâdhi

Purusha

Dynamic Bliss Samâdhi

Unmanifest

Restful Alerness Sat, Chit, Ananda

Sat,Intelligence, Chit, Ananda Existence, Bliss

Existence, Intelligence, Bliss

As pertaining to the actual practice of yogic methodology as such. Yama and Niyama are not to be viewed as ideological determinants.

Transcendent Transcendent Virtual Self-referential Virtual Self-ReferentialField Field Beyond Perplexity Beyond any concept of the beyond!

Juri Aidas

An Hariolation on the Interconnectivities of the Eight Aspects of Yoga as an Aid to the Understanding of the Grounds of Knowledge of The Deep.

“Yoga is the settling of the mind into silence.” “Established in yoga, 29 perform action.” http://issuu.com/albatross/

Yoga Sutra; 1,2 Bhagavad Gita; 2,48

(This lay-out originated in the collection ”The Fundamentals of Yoga”; poster #

IV.)

Eight Aspects of Yoga

ON THE INTERNAL INTERACTIVE DYNAMICS OF THE ASPECTS.

is defined by eight categorizations, the eight aspects of yoga. These are: attitude, behaviour, posture, breath, absorption, focusing, meditation & The Deep. The dynamics of each one of these aspects resonates with all the others, is nourished by the others, and likewise nourishes all the other aspects. Yet it would be good to take a deeper look at what the main perspective on yoga consists of in each one of these eight aspects respectively. They are often alluded to with their original Sanskrit terms and it might be helpful, in the long run, to be familiar with those (in italics herein, wherever they occur) as one digs deeper and deeper into the rationale for the philosophy of yoga and in that, eventually, be able to pick up on the inner glow of the smoothness of the Sanskrit concepts, and their power of clarification. HE FINE DETAIL OF THE PHILOSOPHY OF YOGA

The paradigm of yoga: rest & activity An overarching theme to bear in mind as this discussion on yoga proceeds is the ultimate dynamic of the yogic process. It is based on the great span of rest and activity! The pendulum swing of life’s rhythms from one extreme to the other, from a great immersion in day to day obligations, demands and ambitions we return to, preferably, a great immersion into deep rest. In deep sleep we rest yet we lose awareness. In the yogic stillness of mind and body we also rest but awareness remains and may occasionally experience itself as subjectively unbound to any content that might flash by in its field of being. These are two different modes of rest (although they complement each other). Sleep brings strength to a tired out body and quietude brings clarity to the mind. Thus to live a full life we ought to partake of that great pendulum swing to the utmost, we go from great activity to deep rest and then we act ― and the more effective the rest the more potentially possible the great ambition to act with skill and precision. Thus the algorhythmy of this great swing between rest and activity becomes the main fulcrum, although of an abstract nature, for the application of yoga; we weave the practice into the structure of our life. This is fundamental. It is as if we in the methodic of yogic algorhythmy may sense a stable basis for a deeper understanding of what yogic methodology implies. That fulcrum represents a paradigmatic. There is a paradigm to yoga: rest & activity. We act in life’s myriad scenarios and we also draw back and refresh ourselves in the utter stillness of The Deep.

The most basic point of yoga, its central tenet, it’s definition, one could say, is stated by Patanjali, in the second stanza of the first chapter in the yoga sutra: “Yoga is the settling of the mind into silence.” 5 In that statement a bottom line is found, a base. The first step of yogic methodology. Yoga is all about stilling the mind, establishing quiescence. The settling of the mind is the focus as there is an implied naturalness in the concept of ‘settling’, it’s alludes to an internal dynamic mode of mental flow that gradually relieves the ideational engine that drives thinking and conceptualization, this natural flow towards deep stillness is made stronger and is supported by our physiological capacity to uphold that state of serenity and harmony of quiescence. Yet life also demands action ― survival demands action. A corollary to that statement is found in the Bhagavad Gita 6 (2:48), a small part of a great epic poem of Indian cultural tradition, the Mahabharata. In essence the Bhagavad Gita may be looked upon as a philosophical treatment of the integration of yogic stillness into activity. There is a phrase: “Established in yoga perform action.” Here we have it. The most basic ideas of yoga talk of rest and activity ― and how to bring about a good balance to that dynamic in a meaningful sense of relevance to the on-goings of one’s own life. Lets have a look at the yogic perspective on this dynamic. Yogic practice is about bringing about a deep state of restful alertness so as to support effectiveness and skill in action ― and some of that action can seed a feedback reaction of the algorhythmic kind: when recognized we find that the recursivity implied in an algorhythmic process may be turned into a methodic that gently and effortlessly turns the mind towards stillness and quietude. The details of this effortless algorhythmy slowly reveal themselves as we take a more detailed look at the different elements of yogic process. Here below (next page) is a very quick and very generally held run-through. In the section following that the eight points of yoga will be formulated in terms of eight lessons and there these concepts will be discussed in a way, from the platform of the wholity of yoga, that relates more to 5. Translation by Alistair Shearer. “The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali”, 2002. 6. For a broad outline of yogic philosophy see “On The Bhagavad Gita: a New Translation and Commentary: Chapters 1—6” by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi; 1967.

practical considerations. Yoga is an experiential philosophy, its full benefits accrue and accumulate over time as the practice becomes natural, effortless and sustained, i.e. practiced in some regular fashion. Bear in mind though that these concepts interact with each other. We may grasp any one of these ‘flowers of yoga’ and actually within them find all the others, all connected and nourishing the great tree of yoga, “The Tree of Life”. The eight aspects may be regarded in two groups of four, those that relate to the more outwardly aspects of yogic practice and those that relate more to the inner aspects of practice (it is important to emphasize that the aspects relate to the actual practice as such of the yoga and they should not be looked upon as ideological determinants of action). Here below I generalize their dynamic some, mostly to allow for a birds-eye view on them, to allow us get a bit familiar with the general ideas they represent (relating to the practice as such). These aspects have been studied and analyzed a great deal since Patanjali systematized them and further study of the subcategories Patanjali assigns them I shall touch upon in the section on the eight lessons as such. Before diving head over heels into an outline of the main ideas of the eight aspects of yoga let me point out one important consideration as to the concern of yogic philosophy.

The categories of Yoga (and the subcategories implied therein) presented in the schemata of the metaphor of “The Tree of Life” and in the traditional listings all refer to the process of Yoga as such and are not to be ideologically transferred to any other domain, their qualities will rather become infused into our life and into our living depending on what application gives and what circumstance brings. Now, firstly, in the sequence of Patanjali, we have the four outer aspects to get a general grasp of in the sense that some understanding will actually support yogic practice as such. In the words of Maharishi Mahesh, “Knowledge and experience go hand in hand.”

The Outer Limbs of Yoga Attitude - Behaviour - Posture - Breath 1.

Attitude. Yama. The first aspect of yoga concerns the deeper ethics of what yoga claims to offer. In a deeper sense this aspect represents the different ways we may view ourselves as we get on with the actual practice itself, and specifically within the actual setting and performing of yoga. What’s the stance in all this? It is the ethicality we apply to ourelves as we discern and differentiate between the reasons we have decided to act upon towards the choices we make in life so as to make yogic practice possible. So the question can be stated. Why do take upon ourselves to prioritize some of our dearly cherished time towards the practice of yoga? What would be a reasonable way to go about it?

Behaviour. Niyama. The second aspect of yoga is all about the moralities we apply to ourselves as we actually perform yogic practice as such. In this discussion on yoga everything is really more about the practice, doing the practice, making use of the mechanism, than it is about our outwards intentionality in life. The philosophy that guides yogic practice is about how to handle the process of yoga as it practices are applied in the specific setting of actually, sayin’ it again, doing the practice. Yogic philosophy concerns the practice. It is a philosophy to distinguish the quirks and turns roiling within the inner dynamic of the inner restful alertness that is revealed by continuity of practice. This second aspect of yoga relates to the behaviour’s we adopt towards and within the practice as such. In what way does our approach to the executing of yogic practice matter? How do we behave as the practice as such is performed? Have we understood the methodology of effortlessness in yoga?

Posture. Asana. Here is the third aspect of yoga, which concerns the stability of the physical structure, the body, as the practitioner engages in the wholity of yogic process. To live a good life a relatively healthy body is required and that implies that some ways of living, exercise and behaviour, the attitude one brings to the choices one makes as to these things, influence the yogic practice for better or worse (excessive debauchery won’t do no good for a good meditation next morning, I’d say). On the other hand, a balanced lifestyle sees no need to neglect enjoyments, one

but takes care to have a good relationship to them. By making use of asana, posture, to ground a good balance for the body such that the balance and stability created allows the body, and the mind to respond better to the deep relaxation effects brought about by the yogic methodology of quieting down the whole physical and mental structure ― with the practice of asana we provide a good support for the drawing closer (in a subjective sense) to ‘The Deep’. A state of union of the body/mind dynamic that is experientially concretized via the conduit of continued application of the yogic approach on a regular basis. It is important to understand that the practice of asana is not to be approached in the ways we approach training. There are superficial similarities, of course, yet In training one makes an effort ― but yoga requires no effort. One but bends and stretches a bit and makes sure to be relaxed at the point of balance in the progression of the moving around of one’s body, one finds one’s states of equilibrium, yet the whole attitude that is brought to the practice is one that recognizes the subtle movement of the mind towards the state of restful alertness of The Deep. In yoga we do not force the mind neither do we strain the heart.7 4.

Breath. Pranayama. Ah, the flow itself. Here is a perfect example of a fundamental flow, from the deep depths of the objective inner, determined by the concreteness of the body’s rhythms, pulling the whole subjective structure along with it. The connector is breath, our breathing, the biological rhythm that mostly is involuntary. Going somewhat deeper there’s the rhythm of the heart which is quite autonomic and must also be considered in the context of flow and rhythm. What one would strive for, as goes for the application of the understanding of this flow in terms of actual practice of yoga, is the striving to find that natural rhythm of breath which is conducive for to elicit forth and support the deep stillness of mind and body that comes about as the yogic process is applied, its methodology of a gradual recurring settling of the activities of the mind/body complex set into practice. That recurring recursivity of a process to scale away activity layer by layer in an effortless fashion I call ‛algorhythmy’ (as per analogy to the mathematical concept of an 7. B.K. Iyengar regarded much of the yoga that has become popular in the west as "nothing more than physical exercise". Unlike western keep-fit exercises, he insisted, yoga must not put any strain on the heart.

algorithm, a recursive process that uses its output for seed in a loop where it repeats another instance of process over and over until a limit of some kind manifests). Applied to the phenomenon of breath the pranayama, the practices for regulating the breath, allows for us to consciously lower the effort required for breath to flow until it harmonizes with the process of reduction of the heart rate as the physiology relaxes due to the yogic approach. The end result of yoga, within the process of practicing of yoga, is deep wakeful rest, free from distractions of physiology or mental expression. Thus the methodic of pranayama is a subtle link between the objective and subjective spheres of life and by handling that, in the smoothest manner possible, one paves the way for an unfolding of the deeper dimensions of yoga. These four perspectives, attitude, behaviour, the body and the breath just considered are quite easy to relate to by objective means, thus they are called the outer limbs of yoga (the four lower limbs in the metaphoric of the Tree of Life). With the following four, as per the sequence of Patanjali, we get into somewhat more abstract territory, as from hereon we deal more with our understanding of the subjective mechanisms of the cognitive parameters that define the way we see and perceive the world and ourselves within it. Yet even on this more abstract playing field there are things we all agree on. One thing that comes to mind is that we seemingly agree that we all have a capacity to think, to focus our minds, to sense with our five senses, we all lose our conscious awareness in deep sleep, we dream (sometimes very hyper real stuff) and we have something we deem to be waking consciousness, a platform from whereupon we may muse about even more abstract orderings such as ego and intellect and feelings, the deeper elements that in some sense shape and form our personas and personalities. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s now take a look at what is revealed if we cast a glance at these more subjective states of our being, our inner world, through the lens of actual application of the yogic wholity, i.e. what does the methodic of yoga, its algorhythmic dynamic, reveal about our inner states as we traverse the great divide between activity and deep wakeful rest?

The Inner Limbs of Yoga Absorption - Focusing - Meditation - The Deep 5.

Absorption. Pratyahara. As the tortoise may draw its limbs, tail and head into its shell likewise the senses may withdraw from their objects. You may recognize the quite common experience of reading and becoming totally absorbed, all up to the point when you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even register the fact that someone might have spoken to you â&#x20AC;&#x2022; and then left you to your own devices, for the while being. Only afterwards when you emerge from your reverie do you realize that you were spoken to. This is a perfect example of pratyahara, withdrawal of the senses, a spontaneous retraction of the senses. In the sense of being the fifth aspect of yoga the application of pratyahara, withdrawal, is the fact that, as is recommended, one finds a somewhat secluded place to do ones yogic practice. One would need to withdraw somewhere where no unnecessary disturbance may intrude; one would bring the yogic attitude of yama as well as one would bring the behavioural aspects, niyamas, that emerge when we relate to the effortless activity of performing yogic practice; one would also bring the effects of having smoothed and harmonized the bodily functions by asana, the balancing of ones posture with some recommended physical movements (basically to get the blood flowing properly and to establish some sense of suppleness in the body by a slight twisting and turning of joints, a bit if stretching and rolling around â&#x20AC;&#x2022; and, importantly, a set of bodily movements fitted on an individual basis as we all differ somewhat somatically). We also harmonize the cognitive flow, as we see that reflected and enhanced via unhurried breathing by the practice of pranayama, the methodic that allows for conscious breath to become autonomous. Absorption, withdrawal, pratyahara, expands the ideas of yama and niyama unto the inner platform, and feeds back into those categories, as they are studied, with an experiential understanding of the benefit expected in ones yogic practice as the account of our inner cognitive states brought about by yogic progresses becomes clearer and in that unveils more of the depths alluded to in the early stages in the study of yoga.

Focusing. Darhana. As we now consider the more abstract, inner categories of yoga, focusing is the element that brings us back slightly from

whatever reverie we may have fallen into as the dynamic of absorption, yama, took hold. In yogic practice one would, for a complete session; firstly have established a relevant attitude towards the practice; then taken the preparatory steps of finding a secluded spot, amongst other consideration, where to actually put the yogic methodology into practice, this would be one of the behaviours, niyamas, that one applies to ones own ambition as to the yoga; next the practice of posture, asana, comes into play with its effortless stretches and bends and thereby sets the stage for a comfortable sitting of a kind that supports an upholding the vitality of the body ― this phase, asana, in the yogic practice is followed up with and finally concludes with the handling of breath, pranayama, so as to harmonize that flow, to bring about an effortlessness to the flow. From this point on, as one closes ones eyes, absorption, pratyahara, will set in, and if recursive effortlessness is seen as the yogic approach one would gently, by a slight focusing, dharana, bring reflective awareness to the conscious mind and in that allow for two possible things to come about. One of these things would be the possibility of applying the yogic recursive algorhythmy, as per the next stage of the yogic dynamic, meditation, dhyana, thus allowing for a conscious deepening of the conscious awareness as such and a lessening of the impulse to act until a basic state of restful awareness is reached, wakefulness with no ideational act attached to it within the silent dynamic of The Deep, samadhi. Ad, as just mentioned, this aspect, focusing, dharana, may also be put to effect for to elegantly bring the mind back out into the field of activity. Patanjali discusses this in depth in chapter three of the yoga sutra. I shall return to this theme in the concluding remarks later herein (when we have covered the necessary ground of understanding to make it possible to bring about the deep stilling of the mind, the settling of the mind into silence). One ought to adopt a somewhat scrutinizing approach to the nomenclature as goes for the sixth aspect of yoga. I have deemed it necessary to use the word ‘focusing’ instead of the traditionally used word ‘concentration’ as the practice of yoga is not supposed involve an effort as the yoga is performed. Whether we put our mind to the outer aspects of yoga or whether we direct the algorhythmic methodic of yoga towards the inner structure the idea of effort becomes redundant, espe-

cially if the grounding of our attitude, yama, towards the yoga has been successful. Thus ‘concentration’ is too strong a word for yogic ‘focusing’. The focusing is applied to method distinctly as we go on to discuss the element of ‘meditation’ in yoga. 7.

Meditation. Dhyana. In this the seventh aspect of yoga, here metaphorically looked upon as the crown of the tree of yoga, that Tree of Life, in this aspect we find a subjective gateway to The Deep, the quiet, the deep inner peace. Sustained by the balances and harmonies established by the progressive nature of the algorhythmic yogic method, as these already have established the prerequisites for a complete settling of the wakeful mind ― the effortlessness one brings in attitude and behaviour, the way this is conducted via body and breath, via the naturalness of the slight withdrawal and the effortless lifting within ourselves by the bringing of a slightly more conscious awareness to the foreground out of the general, indistinct, background awareness, the inherent wakefulness, the inherent alertness of the conscious being. All these dynamics have by the time one arrives at melded into a strong, almost autonomous support for the inner dive of awareness into the deep subjective depths of our inner world, and then beyond even that, straight out into The Deep (more on that right below). This is the still, quiet, utmost point in the yogic flow from activity to deep wakeful rest. The process of meditation represents a natural dive into inner quiet if all base conditions have been met, for example, sitting comfortably, head free (feel free to lean if drowsiness sets in, yet after a little while one but leans back into a somewhat alert stance and not overdoing that either, one sits naturally, not as an iron rod). Meditation is the dive. An algorhythmic cognitive process applied, as the dive inwards proceeds into more and more subjective landscapes, represents the yogic methodic as applied to the dynamic of this natural, subjective, almost falling inwards dynamic, and which alsohas been paved for with the wholistic approach to yoga that considers all the eight aspects in the context of its methodic. Meditation thus has two meanings, one is the natural inwards flow of the mind as it is drawn into inner depths, the second is the use of the word ’meditation’ to indicate a process that accentuates the natural inward flow of the mind by adding an algorhythmy to it ― this means that the process of slipping from activity into deep rest is made more effec-

tive by allowing the mind to be distracted from eventual inner drives towards activity by deflecting them at subtler and subtler levels, with less and less effort, effortlessly. The thinking process and life’s need for expression through conscious acts and projected feelings are strong drivers for activity and the natural flow inwards, as per the essence of the concept ’meditation’ is easily interrupted by our ambitions, wishes and desires. All these distractions are countered by the effortless addition, in algorhythmic mode, of another distraction, though of nil meaning, content or connotative impetus, a mantra. (What is a mantra?8 And how does one understand the use of a mantra? This will be outlined in more detail in the eight lessons as such.) For now looking at the more common senses of the word ‘meditation’ we find that one perspective implies a natural flow toward deep wakeful rest (as that is a need in life as well as the outwards skills we have) and then ‘meditation’ may be looked at from a processual perspective, as in the yogic methodology wherein ‘meditation’ is the methodic to connect the objective and the subjective on deeper and deeper levels of settling from activity into rest by both mind and body, a process popularly known by the general concept of transcendence, to go beyond, and in the case of yoga to go beyond means to gradually leave the field of activity ― and what is left after all activity is gone? Well, what else but deep rest. If wakefuleness remains (at times deep, deep rest brings sleep, especially if we are exhausted) when we enter this deep state in the yogic process then we have the inner experience of The Deep, samadhi. 8.

The Deep. Samadhi. “The ecstasy of solitude” might offer an interesting way to frame the concept of this state of The Deep in words, though we talk about something quite intangible as we express our understanding of this subjectively ultimate state represented by the idea I have termed The Deep. The eight aspect of yoga, samadhi. Though the deep samadhi is really attributeless, like a still lake, if we touch its surface it ripples and the stillness is gone, there is really nothing direct we can say about this stat except indirectly, being The traditional qualities attributed to this state are: existence, intelligence and bliss. Sat, Chit, Ananda. Well, even in 8. Mantra: a word, a sound (with no inherent meaning); it is only used as a mental impulse. “The word ‘mantra’ stems from the Sanskrit verbal root ‘man’ meaning “to think, ponder”. The suffix ‘tra’ indicates instrumentality.” Quote from “The Spiritual Heritage of Ancient India”, by Feuerstein, Kak och Frawley, 2001, p. 189.

deep stillness we find that we continue to exist, we feel bursts of creative inspiration in that, and the experiencing of these depths brings gladness and joy to the heart, so to say. By the yogic process of algorhythmy applied to all the aspects we see how the dynamic of yogic process develops by an application of this methodology: by the tuning of the body with asana practice, postures we have verified the body’s ability to sustain its autonomous processes both in the more active phases of yogic process, by bringing coordination to the physiology of deeper and deeper strata of the mental field, the mind. The pranayama practice takes us even deeper into the relaxed subjective of the subtle experience. Then the algorhythmies of the inner aspects of yoga lead us via the processes of withdrawal, pratyahara, focusing, dharana, and the meditative aspect, dhyana, towards a merging with the depths of the inner as we bob in and out of The Deep, experiencing the quiet, the peace, the solitude. Having become familiar with this state we begin to understand its place in the dynamics of our lives and thus we learn to trust our inner self and allow ourselves deeper and deeper dives into this almost undefineable state of The Deep. Samadhi, The Deep, represents the essence of yoga. Here we find the energizer of this whole tree of yoga, a tree of life. The joy, and good feeling generated by its effluence is reflected from each and every other aspect, from every branch of the yogic tree of life ― with the subtle light of the algorhythmic dynamic. Samadhi can be metaphorically recognized in the structurality of this tree of life, this tree of yoga; samadhi is what binds it all together. This abstract silent subjectivity of wakefulness represents the great trunk of yoga with crown, branches, roots and all rooted in its own quietude, The Deep, and in that it represents the ultimate basis of the expression of the yogic algorhythmy which defines the expressed nature of the influence of samadhi, as when we feel arising the need and desire to break off from whatever outward dynamics we are engaged in, as our situation in life’s circumstances allows, and take our time, for a little while, in the depths of the deep embrace of life’s inner immensity. When the depth of the potential of samadhi to balance and harmonize life’s extremes is realized and is integrated into our life, preferably on a regular basis, then

the thorns and vagaries of the influences of life’s existential limits may yet be attenuated and turned to our favour. In all this I have attempted to convey a perspective on the yoga as such, its structure, its dynamic, and its result, and I have made forays into the linguistics and the nomenclature that goes with the yoga darsana, the vision of yoga. Over all the years I have taught the yoga I have found that the specific mechanism in the yogic process to be somewhat elusive to linguistic expression and thus I found myself in need of a word to cover the yogic dynamic, thus ‛algorhythmy’. I have tried to be innovative and not overtly use the traditional Sanskrit jargon, except where indicated (some of the base concepts of the yoga are very uniquely worded in Sanskrit and they recur all the time in any discussion of yoga it’s handy to recognize them), and I have tried to find words to be able to analyze the yogic concept of transcendence in more detail, for to get a more comprehensive understanding of the internal dynamic of this process, a more technical treatment, so to say. I have also scrutinized the elements that have to come together for the yogic methodic to bring its promised effects, trying to name them more specifically. This has been an ongoing process for me over the last decade and in this text you will find the latest distillation of mine linguistic acrobatics. I do hope, though, that the labels I have given, or say applied, to the different characteristics, the different elements, to the eight aspects of the yoga shall make sense, especially in view of the overall perspective of the wholity of the yogic dynamic, both in theory and practice. In the yoga all things come together. They unite. Thus ‛yoga’ implies a deep union, as well as great balance, perceived harmony, a virtual flow, sort of, perchance in an hariolatory fashion like as if an algorhythmic supraflow ‘tween inner and outer. Yoga integrates all qualities in terms of The Deep: utter wakeful subjective and objective stillness and the therefrom ensuing peace.

Here’s a nice quote from out of the depths of the vast (and one would really not go much wrong if one used the euphemism ‛gigantic’ instead) treasure of inspirational Vedic lore, endowed with deep philosophical thought. “The light of self-knowledge alone illumines all experience. It shines by its own light. This inner light appears to be outside and to illumine external objects.” ( Yogavasishta )

Eight Lessons on the Yoga

A STRUCTURE TO COVER THE WHOLE FIELD OF YOGA IN THEORY & PRACTICE

would, as things go, of course be offered to a general audience before the actual start of a more systematized and thorough treatment of both practice and understanding of yoga. Some of the ideas I present here below would therefore be recognizable to the interested student. The purpose of yoga, the paradigmatic of rest and activity encountered in life’s dynamics, the metaphoric of the Tree of Life to represent the eight aspects of yoga, the idea of methodic as an applied algorhythmy derived from the first two things mentioned, paradigm and metaphor, a little on the formal schools of yoga (of which there seemingly are an abundance) and on what unites them, a mention of the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, some thoughts on the traditions and the Vedic culture wherefrom yoga has sprung and found expression as a processual methodology for the bringing of life’s ultimates, of both subjective and objective characteristics, into balance and harmony. Thus some of the following should be recognizable for any interested party that has attended that overview and introduction to this course on the yoga. FIRST INTRODUCTION TO THIS COURSE ON YOGA

• I shall now take a deeper look on the possible structuring of a course in yoga in terms of what all the eight aspects contribute practically and philosophically when they are applied one by one to a format of eight lessons. In that format the stance held would be on the interaction and interdependence of all the aspects, as viewed from the perspective of the particular one chosen to be the main focus for that lesson. What would these lessons contain and what would be the practical parameters of these lessons? And mind, in the actual teaching sessions as such the language that would be used, the level of the abstractness versus the concreteness of instruction, must necessarily be kept on the level of the needs and prerequisite of the participating students. Eight sessions. Once a week? Two hours per session? With a break in the middle? This would require a window of ca. three hours for each lesson. (Of course, for those who wish, a few extra lessons could be added on here and there for some of the more time-consuming aspects of the practical side of actual practice of yoga. Depending on how deep the interest of the students fares such practicalities would be considered from individual to individual.) A course like the one I’m outlining here, though, is about deeper comprehension of the yogic algorhythmy,

about the wholity of yoga. A greater span of regular practice than eight sessions over two months would inevitably clear things up as experience accumulates, but for someone who’d like to get a basic grasp of the philosophy of yoga along with the general practicalities of the yoga a course like this would at least attempt to be inclusive, i.e. After eight lessons (with, maybe, a slight add-on) ought to do the trick of setting the student on a relevant track for the successful outcome of their new perspectives on what yoga is all about. In all this it would of course be up to the students themselves to create the opportunities required for successful practice in their lives; one does need to withdraw a little ― if I intend to establish a deep and satisfying stillness within I wouldn’t wish to do so in the middle of a bustling marketplace, I’d probably find myself obstructing someone’s passageway, nah, better go somewhere quieter. The enabling of regular yogic practice in ones daily life is the primary and main motif of these lessons and the many different circumstances that usually arise as one attempts to incorporate the yogic way in ones life do need to be discussed. So how would I construct the eight lessons? The first two sessions on attitude and behaviour, the ethics and morals of yoga, would, as to the practicing as such of the yoga, necessarily be held on a slightly more verbal level, meaning more talk on the thoughts and ideas of yoga as such, so to say, than later lessons need provide; the idea being that as the course proceeds one learns more and more of the practical side of yoga until one is ready to do the wholistic experience. Lessons three and four would cover the more physical, more tangible aspects of yogic practice. The postures, asanas, and the breathing techniques, the pranayamas. The discussion would revolve around what the effects of a good posture and harmonized breathing bring to the deeper more subjective, more intangible, aspects in the sequence of the wholistic understanding of yoga. The getting acquainted with a set of postures, that one reaches by balanced and unstrained movements and the little tricks one can do with breathing might require more time to teach than but one session can afford to provide; thus the course branches. For those students who want to learn a whole comprehensive structure of movements some extra lessons could be provided. The same for the breathing techniques. Yet the stance of the course would not need be restricted for those students who primarily are interested in the wholity of yoga and the general ideas of asana and pranayama can be communicated within the frame of two lessons ― which frees the student up to get on with the inner limbs of yoga. 46

When we arrive at lessons five and six we get into more abstract territory. The withdrawal required for yogic practice finds its counterpart on the inner level in the fact that we literally manage to turn off our sensory equipment from within when we become mentally absorbed, but that only comes about when there is a good balance to the dynamics of the physiological system that allows for the good feeling of a relaxed vitality to stream our veins and which becomes the basis for the minds newfound attraction to deeper, more subtle, strata of the inner life. The same goes for the methods of breathing that bring our breath unto an inspiring naturalness which thus allows for the stillness we close up to draw us even deeper into the depths of the deep field of life. Finally we come to the concluding two lessons on meditation and The Deep and on the deep interaction between these aspects of the great metaphoric tree of yoga that we find at this very abstract level of yogic practice and theorizing represented by the ideas that accrue to the yogic philosophy on this level. In meditation, dhyana, viewed as process, we have both a practice and a methodology to guide us as we come to grips with the implications of these guides in our gradual traverse of the field of activity unto its most subtle states in the subjectivities of the mind as our outwards engagements fall off and we subjectively fall into The Deep, into the samadhi of wakeful alertness, a state where we are alert but do not do anything and where nothing is supposed to happen, i.e. no intentional act from our side is expected or required in the depths of this inner state.

On The Inner Limbs of Yoga The first group of four lessons.

First Lesson ― Attitude, Yama 1.

As an introduction to this course, within the format of the lessons, I will of course discuss the purpose of yoga, the great integrated wholity of its philosophy and methodology. In this first point here I shall expand the discussion of those background ideas somewhat. The focus I wish to create is achieved, I hope, by the stating of the idea of yoga as a paradigm, a paradigmatic. “The paradigm of yoga: Rest & Activity”. In this we see a great pendulum swing of psyche and physiology between activity as such, in all its varied multiplicity, with all of its great demands and efforts, and the contrast on the other hand of a deep quieting dive inwards into quiet, stillness, serenity, and peace. From this background and with the use of another tool, a metaphoric, I will proceed by identifying a mechanism hidden within said metaphoric that has the powers to accomplish the bringing about of a smooth flow to our lives between the extremes of life we all must flow through, by existential demand, and as pointed out via the yogic paradigm of rest and activity not to consider the qualities of the deeper inner strata would actually not allow us to flow back out into activity from deeper, sharper, and clearer state of mind along with a relaxed yet vitalized somatic power to go as for our physiology. The mechanism I allude to I have termed ‛algorhythmy’. This term represents an approach that in a processual way (almost as if it were an algorithm: a process that repeats itself according to a set sequence which picks up its own result to seed the next instance of processing) incorporates the subjective sense of a slight paradoxical nature, which might lead to a certain perplexity accruing to what an act of conceptualization implies, our thought might even turn into their absurd opposites (as the linguistic tools we have at hand to express ourselves on the nature of the inner subjective states have a tendency to

easily slip out of our grasp), and that is exactly the dynamic that characterizes the yogic process which is represented by the term ‛algorhythmy’. To explain this further I shall allude to the utility of a metaphoric, as said, with which to grasp the wholity of yoga and I will then proceed by introducing the great metaphoric of yoga as a Tree of Life, with root, crown, and branches, flowers and all.. In doing so, in bringing forth utility of both algorhythmic process and understanding as to successful yogic practice I wish to confer the wider perspective of its philosophy, its practical reach, its power to harmonize life, and its wholity of approach ― the secrets revealed if we regard the aspects one by one from within the wholistic frame are numerous, yet they all converge on one and only one thing the furthering of well being and peace in life. This the first session on the yoga shall in more detail discuss some specific behaviours that are conducive to yogic practice and in that follow the line of discussion held by Patanjali as five main characteristics are pointed to as to the first aspect of yoga, attitude, yama, These will be analyzed. At this point here I shall add an important emphasis: when we discuss the qualities of yama and niyama, the first two aspects of yoga, as well as when we discuss any one of the eight aspects of yoga I must make the point that these qualities all refer to the process of yogic practice as such, that is, the qualities of the any one of the aspects all relate to the actual performance of the yogic practices and the study thereof. The qualities are not to be held as ethical or moral determinants to guide our behaviour in life’s multifarious circumstances or be put to use in determining the ideologies we must necessarily embrace as we partake of the culture and cultures surrounding us. Yoga is the philosophy of experience, particularly the experience of the deep inner states so as to bring their subtle and dynamic powers into play as we go about our businesses in life. While discussing the eight aspects of yoga as represented by a great tree, with its roots in the deep depths of our inner selves I shall now briefly touch on the different particular characteristics of the first aspect of the great tree of life. 2.

We start out with this first aspect of yoga, attitude, yama, and we see that on the first branch in the graphic of the Tree of Yoga Patanjali sketches out the presence of five sub-categories for this first aspect of yoga: truth-

fulness, satya; non-violence, ahimsa; non-covetousness, asteya; restraint, brahmacharya; non-attachment, aparigraha. The ordering of these subaspects, aspects of yama, so to say, is not of the utmost importance in any way and in many cases, as one studies the literature, one finds differences in wording and emphasis. What we need to understand as a background for the yogic practice itself is the general gist of what these concepts imply for successful practice, wherefrom desired results proceed ― thus it is the idea contained via the categorization that we must focus on identifying as the benefit these ideas brings to the practice as such (whatever they, these concepts, mean in day to day life is not the focus in this treatment of the yoga). Some of these qualities are also quite controversial in their ordinary formulation so let’s take them one by one. •

‛Truthfulness’, satya: Now the rationalé for actual undertaking of the yogic way is reflected upon. It is good to have a sensible view on the ‘why?’ of giving up some of ones own precious time for something full of promises. What truth is there in the claims of the yoga teacher. Now, if one takes the view that what one wishes to obtain may be reasonably founded, deep rest, a freshening of the awareness, a feeling of lightness to the psyche and the body ― all actually quatifiable effects of deep meditation, yoga postures, breathing techniques, mental stance, et al. If those results can be vouched for by someone of trustworthiness well, then one is on the right track in ones approach to and study of yoga, in all its overarching and encompassing dimensionality. Within the practice of yoga, as one approaches the deeper strata of subjective experience, thinking and feeling do of course happen and as one in that setting has no one but oneself to answer to, or be requred something from, there is no jury, no judge but oneself. Should one happen to hold unto and be enhanced with a theistic persuasion as to ones nature then remember but that in the yogic stillness not even God would intrude, as, it could be argued, God will respect your privacy in your reveries as you proceed with the yogic momentum into the utter deep depths of The Deep, the inner platform of stillness and quiet and you remain there, for a while, an untimeable time, as long as the support for that deep experience is there ― and then of course enen God would not be so rude as to disturb that utter harmony of being provided in depts of our being.)

Truthfulness applied to the yogic stance in life first of all refers to our approach to ourelves. Are we all we would like to be, or some of it at least? Does that carry over well unto others? Well that would be the second consideration to regard. As one proceeds outwards into activity with the yogic dynamic, the pendulum swing between utter stillness and dynamic, meaningful activity, ones actions will have an influence. As to the yogic philosophy this dynamic can be enhanced. The sidhis, the perfections, as stated in the third chapter of the Yoga Sutra, offer a certain guide to the student of yoga as the practice develops within the student. Yet what is most important is if the practice of yoga actually brings about the deep restful state of wakeful awareness that it is supposed to do. Therefore the primary consideration as to the sub-aspects of the branches of the yoga tree must also first be looked upon in the light of the inwards traverse of yogic algorhythmy. What are the inner considerations during the act of performing the yoga. For one. We are not required to do anything as the purpose of yoga is to deliver deep rest, a settled mind, we but enhance the inward dive with our understanding of the algorhythmy involved and let go. Whatever strange memories or feelings that may arise out of some of the murkier areas of our inwards habitat are really irrelevant as we are really engaged in a natural dive away from various engagements. The thoughts and feelings we have as we dive of course colour the purer manifestations of the inner clear and unhindered experience of the innermost qualites of our persona as such, when its needs and desires are at rest. Therefore one can just as well be truthful to oneself in the meditative setting as noone will be there to judge. At times this kind of acceptance within leads to new stuctures of understanding of the reasons for the predicaments we have become entangled with in life and that now flare off their reverberations and reflections wihthin our psyche and our physiology. â&#x20AC;˘

â&#x20AC;&#x203A;Non-violence, ahimsa: Here the approach taken with truthfulness also applies. As well as one ought to be a master of ahimsa and instinctively grasp the unneccessaryness of violence so that that glow will radiate and ease ones way in fearsome places is a given. To wiish harm to another being seems strange to me. If nothing works as to the demeanor of an offender well then harsher law steps in, the law of the land and not the laws of the abstract. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s real-politik. Being of the yogic persuasion I

find that it is my wish to propagate the meme of ahimsa so that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deeper meaning as an excellent tool of inner opening up comes forth, and some day even influence the worldly constituentities with a yogic understanding of the value of opening up the qualities of The Deep to the range and perspective of the constitutive vision. In the sense of the inner journey towards The Deep the sensibility is of course that whatever supports the meditative setting would be beneficial of our attention. Why hurt oneself with overindulgence (and its consequences), excessive desire, destructive passion, etc.? Why blame oneself for faults, mishaps, confusions of avoidance and evasiveness when one is in the setting of yogic practice. One practices an element of the withdraval, pratyahara, by the way, as one goes off to find a somewhat secluded place to do ones yogic practice, a withdrawal, and then it continues all the way into The Deep, at best. It is this inwards approach of ahimsa, in the yogic setting, that offers us an attitude, yama, to not make ourselves the victims of our circumstances or our own misguided judgements and therefrom resulting acts. Thus we retain a certain sense of detatchment from the sense of guilt, or whatever, that might disturb the inwards plunge of the yogi. Ahimsa is a tool to allow ourselves a life beyond troubles and misdirected deeds. In the yogic setting when actually doing the practice we do not have to atone or deny any wrongdoing as the background baggage of responsibilities we all carry around in life â&#x20AC;&#x2022; though we will be aware, from time to time, that these knots and unresolved threads exist in our lives, and in that we might find solutions, maybe we see connections as to our behaviours in the past in new light, being able to shine a light, so to say, on those gross happenstances embedded in our memoriums from below, out of the perspective of The Deep â&#x20AC;&#x2022; and might be we even find a motive to act upon, after the yoga, for to resolve some of those dark clouds of our ways. One goes with the flow in yoga. At times the darker truths of our acts come in the way but as we are free of any demand to act when we have put ourselves in the yogic setting, for a short time we may step aside from the, at times, madly, spinning whell of the relationship of cause and effect. It is when we act outwards in a dynamic and motivated way, on a structure based on a deep sense of connectedness to our inner (and analogously a sharing of tha with the rest of our species, and everything sentient) values

as revealed to be of universal characteristic ― everybody wants peace, it is when we act in a manner consistent with those we find at close proximity to The Deep, the values of kindness, compassion and, of course, joy, acting with those drives brings empathy as well as intelligence to our outwards projections and can make for a fruitful and happy life. • ‛Integrity’, asteya. This characteristic of our attitude, yama, towards the yoga may be looked upon as the attempt to “stay with the practice”, an approach that involves a realizing of what the minimal prerequisites to the successful practice of yoga are and then to adhere to these over time. That is the integrity of actually doing the yoga. See to find a secluded place to practice the yoga, unwind the body from surface tensions and make sure that the breath flows free, sit relevantly straight and allow your head to roll free and come to rest at the top of your shoulders, close your eyes and take the inwards plunge ― later one ends the yogic session by a gradual return to the ouwards flow of ones acts. That’s all. If the process of yogic practice is kept up over time, if there is a continuity to practice, with a relevant and sensible approach, then surely the student will make progress. The concept ‛integrity’ has quite some harmonics that resonate intimately with concepts of the domain of philosophical inquiry into the ideas of etics. In our outwards-directedness, when we act in some way, we must face consequences and take on responsibilities and duties, and, of course we have to live up to whatever act we decide to undertake. We have to concede to the fact that the acts of others muct be considered to be of value and we must be able to relate to that in some supportive way, and, again, live up to that. Our integrity does represent our character, our person, and bettering that persona, the one that is us, the individual that is we, the you, the I; bettering, balancing, harmonizing the inner, the subjective and simultaneously also the physiology that is the actual framework for the subjective, is what the yogic algorhytmy of methodic allows for. Yoga, as process, not viewed as ideology, would have to consider the approach taken when one, for a little while, frees oneself from the demands of the outer, when one takes relevant steps that allow for an opening up towards the qualities alluded to in discussing the magnitude of the influence of The Deep, as viewed in the yogic context. The great beneficiality of the experience of the deep restful alertness that yogic practice brings about is brought back to the world in a very effortless manner by the newfound deep resource, the experience

of the yogi, the inner natural harmony that has been made accessible ― all this now flows unhindered as the natural algorhythmy of the yogic process starts its outwards plunge into activity. The harmony we bring is the harmony we effect. • ‛Restraint, brahmacharya. Now, this sub-aspect of yama, attitude, is quite controversial in many ways. I have chosen to cenvey the idea of brahmacharya as ‛restraint’. Celibacy is one quite extreme and widely held interpretetation. The difficulty with this sub-aspect is that it actually relates to a basic function evolution represented by the progenerative drive that arises from nature. In the inner directed meditative phase of the yogic approach one naturally withdraws from outer directed activity so as not to be disturbed in the quietude that will spread through mind and body as we are drawn towards a closer proximity to our inner subjective event horizon as the algorhythmic yogic process progresses towards our merging with The Deep, an establishing of stability as to the inner platform, a stability, an inner balance which then allows for a more concerted effort as to our ambitions as we come back out unto the mutabilities of the outer world and find action to be an existential necessity. As we pass deep into our subjectivites when we engage and allow ourselves the deep rest yogic meditation provides a peculiar thing arises. We become aware of the erotic needs of our biology. In other words, we may suddenly find that our subjectivity is rampaging around one fantasy after another with thereby ensuing exitations of the body. This is where restrain becomes a supportive factor in our traverse, by stages, from outer activity unto the utter stillnes of The Deep. This is the moment to not engage in the erotic activites alluringly suggested by subjective phantasizing. This is the moment to withdraw, from even those inner urgings by apllying restraint; the restraint as such is actually accomplished by the inherent mechanism of the yogic methodology as per the methodic of the meditative pocess itself (this I discuss more fully herein in lesson seven on meditation). It is the very mechanism of the process of meditation that in itself distracts the mind from engaging in the more overt demands of our physiology, namely the bodily exitations. Thus the idea brahmacharya viewed in yogic terms applies to the meditative process, and by extension to the wholity of yogic practicea. It is not a prerequisite for success in life in any other terms. Some people are deeply

drawn to the contemplative and to otherworldly visions of relevance meaning to their lives, but that is the exeption. The larger part of humanity propagates through the sexuality laid upon us by nature and in that sphere we have us children, and somehow nature has made that into a potentially pleasurable experience for us all. But as said, some of us are drawn to ideal over and above the indiviudal fulfillment of desire and work utterly for the comon good. In that great respect is due. For all of us who engage in the way of the householder, as versus the recluse, we must navigate the shoals and whirpools of demand and responsibility that we have created for ourelves in the originating the dynamic effects that result in family life. The importance of not turning the yogic idea of brahmacharya into an ideology of abstinence is made quite clear by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the preface to his excellent and ground-breaking translation and commentary on the Bhagavad-Gita, 1967, p. 15. The discussion concerns the impact of the teachings of Adi Shankara (of abouts the 8 century BC.) on Indian culture. Adi Shankara was one of the most revered Hindu philosophers and theologians from India who consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta (non-duality). â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was the perfection his presentation that caused Shankaraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s teaching to be accepted as the core of Vedic wisdom and placed it at the centre of Indian culture. It became so inseparable from the Indian way of life that when, in course of time, this teaching lost its universal character and came to be interpreted as for the recluse order alone, the whole basis of Indian culture also began to be considered in terms of the recluse way of life, founded on renounciation and detachment. When this detached view of life became accepted as the basis of Vedic wisdom, the wholeness of life and fulfilment was lost. This error of of understanding has dominated Indian culture for centuries and has turned the principle of life upside down. Life on the basis of detachment ! This is a complete distortion of Indian philosophy. It has not only destroyed the path to realization but has led seekers of Truth continually astray. Indeed it has left them without the possibility of ever finding the goal.â&#x20AC;?

Maharishi Mahesh in this offers us a total refutation of the idea that renunciation alone is the one and only path to living a full life. It is the

regular return unto The Deep, samadhi, that consolidates the wholity of our experience of life and brings to that a stable and lasting foundation. The eroticism inherent in all living things is a powerful driver of desire, and desire breeds more desire. This may cause a conflict for the novice to yoga who in the meditative phase of the practice is sure to now and then feel strong erotic desire, with concomitant physiological effects, which bring awareness out from the subtler strata our mind is experiencing as it draws unto proximity with The Deep and may throw it out into full blown fantasy and cause us to break of the precious moment of practice of yoga. Thus a methodic to yoga becomes of paramount importance for a successful unhindered inner dive as this in itself distracts the erotic momentum. • 3.

‛Non-attachment’, aparigraha.

To round off this first lesson, which has discussed the

( ... to be continued. )

Second Lesson ― Behaviour, Niyama 1.

This the second session on the yoga shall in more detail discuss some specific behaviours that are conducive, that more directly pertain to yogic practice and in that I shall follow the line of discussion held by Patanjali and put my focus on the five main characteristics that are pointed to as to the second aspect of yoga, behaviour, niyama. These will be analyzed. At this point within this structure of lessons I shall, I must, add an important emphasis: when we discuss the qualities of yama, as well as when we discuss any one of the eight aspects of yoga I must make the point that these qualities all refer to the process of yogic practice as such, that is, the qualities of the aspects all relate to the actual performance of the yogic

practices and the study thereof.. The qualities are not to be held as ethical or moral determinants to guide our behaviour in life’s multifarious circumstances or be put to use in determining the ideologies we must necessarily embrace as we partake of the culture and cultures surrounding us. Yoga is the philosophy of experience, particularly the experience of the deep inner states so as to bring their subtle and dynamic powers into play as we go about our businesses in life. Bear in mind, as pointed out in the first lesson, that,in my view on these things, the aspects of yoga relate to the actual practice and are not to be regarded as ideological determi-nants on the ethics of life and living (although the yogic way of life does bring about an outflow of positive and ethical features to whatever we do in life). 2.

Let’s now take a look at the sub-qualities characterized by Patanjali that relate to second aspect of yoga. On the great tree of yoga, on its second branch, Patanjali offers us five main distinctions, sub-categories, relevant to yogic practice: simplicity, shaucha; contentment, santosha; purification, tapas; refinement, swadhyaya; sense of wonder, ishvarapranidhana. • ‛Simplicity’, shaucha. This is the first characteristic of niyama. When performing the practices of yoga we don’t have to make much ado about it, we do not need a multitude of ritual to perform the yogic practice. Keep it easy and simple. One looks for a somewhat quiet and secluded spot and gets at it. The ‛behaviours’, niyamas, have been gotten hold of, like not being to full of food, say, one keeps things balanced, one keeps clean, one puts away superficial desires, and so on (the full perspective from the point of view of niyama will be dealt with more comprehensively in lesson two). • ‛Contentment’, santosha. Secondly, yoga is powered and driven by what may be termed ‛The Natural Tendency of the Mind’. This is the drive we find in ourselves to be drawn to that which pleases us, to pleasure in a sense. Well, in the yoga one finds oneself drawn into deeper and deeper subjective states of ‛feeling good’, so to say. Subjectively the mind relaxes its hold on the outer world, its identification with this and that, and instead finds worlds of inner pleasure and bliss. Simultaneously our body and our breating process have been tuned and harmonized, balanced, and in that the natural biological processes do not interfere with our capacity to up-

hold subtler and subtler, more abstract, so to say, cognitive states. Finally in the later stages of yogic practice a superficiality of even these deep subjective states is revealed are they left to their own devices as our consciousness dives into the depths of The Deep, the eight aspect of yoga, for real. • ‛‛Purification’, tapas, In a practical sense the time we spend in actual yogic practise would be well advised to make the most of it, keeping clean is one thing, like with the breathing techniques, they clean out the airways. It is nice to feel fresh as one does the yoga, and why not (though one should take care of not being overmuch ritualistic about things, that would require another crumb of whatever precious time we have for the yoga). The lesson here is to make oneself aware of but a few basic requirements for the yoga, and then take it from there. In the deep quiet and serenitude that develops for the yogi, as the practice continues, there are deep fragrances of inner joy and bliss to partake of and the steps we take, the purifications we do do encourage the yogic process. ‛Tapas’ also carries the meaning of ‛heat’, i. e. the inner heat generated by successful practice of yoga. Extreme yogic practice may even generate heat enough to warm the body. Anecdotally one hears of yogis having competitions wher one is required to dry a wet blanket wrapped around ones shoulders.9 The idea of tapas is rooted deep in Vedic literature and in a way offers the reader an image of an inner sun to paralell the actual one up there in the great firmament of the sky.10 Out of that blue appeared life (as if once in a blue moon), nourished by our beautiful sun that sustains all of life; out of that blue we dive inwards into the inner depths of the intangible depts of The Deep by the application of the algorhythmy of yogic method. This algorhythmy we see in the stance of e.g. yama, attitude: there should be an ease to the performance of yoga, no strain, no rush to accomplish things ― were basically talking about those things that support whatever does not interfere with our practice of yoga. This algorhythmy of the yogic metodd is also to be found in all the oter aspects of th wholity of yoga. In the sequence of lessons from here onward I’ll return over and over to more examplify a more detailed understanding of how this 9.

The sun as a symbol for the yogic approach thus harkens back to Vedic culture of ca 2500 B.C. to 1700A.D. And the first mention of tapas’ is found in the great texts of the Vedas.

10.

I’ll have to look up up the reference. It is in one of my yoga books. I think it was a trustworthy source. I shall have to check, as time allows.

algorhythmy works as we dive deep and occasionally confront inner interference ― one learns to slightly interfere with the interference and thus to distract the momentum of that interference and allow for a return to the deep state: this is general dynamic of the process of ‛algorhythmy’, an inwards dive skillfully relieved of the outwards momentum of the minds contents. More on this later. • ‛Refinement’, swadhyaya: is another distinguishing thought in line with the kind of attitude required by a practitioner of the yoga. This sub-aspect on the branch of yama of the yogic tree comes along as a natural as one has takes the idea of ‛purification’ at face value. Refinement helps the purification along, and vice versa, it’s a double dynamic. As the medhodic of yoga is put into actual practice and the whole perspective of the eight aspects is applied, in a progressual manner, one comes to follow a sensible arc of application of the yogic methodology, one but follows a rationally relevant line of approach towards the different elements of practice so as to make full use of the interplay of all their characteristics. This ought to become much clearer, and, in a sense, quite obvious as we come to discuss those other qualities as to the practice of yoga further on in this sequence of lessons and by that get a deeper glint at the ubiquity of yogic algorhythmy and the relevance of this way of discussing the approach implied by its power of effortless melding of idea and application in yogic practice. • ‛Sense of wonder’, ishvarapranidhana. Meeting this idea brings us one of the major stumbling blocks to any discussion of the yoga, mostly because we now enter quite an abstract and philosophical domain. Mostly there will be a theological sidetrack attached to the idea of ‛Sense of Wonder’ that one ought to be somewhat vary of as a mass of speculative imagery that might arise as a theological interpretation is right around the corner, so to say, presenting us with an intense allure aimed at the emotional level of our psyche. A standard interpretation for ‛ishvarapranidhana’, is God, yet I have translated, or say interpreted, this as ‛Sense of Wonder’. The usual interpretation ‛God’ lies, for to pick the nits a bit, dangerously close to absolutism as in ‛Surrender to ‛God’. Ishvara traditionally means God, yet I’d say a that any expression representing an exclusivity, as with the concept ‛God’ but connotes, at bottom, a construct, a something. ‛Sense of Wonder’ on the other

hand, in my view, represents the awe I feel in nature and samewise the also that increasing sense of bliss as my mind and body settle into The Deep. The quotes here below indicate some different approaches taken by a few of the translators and interpreters as for the expression Ishvara found in strofe 1:23 in Patanjsli’s Yoga Sutra: “Devotion to the Supreme Ruler”: Swami Vivekananda, 19xx; “Intense Devotion to Ishvara (son of God)”: Alice A. Bailey, 1927. “Self-surrender to God”: I. K. Taimni, 1961. “Reverential God-awareness”: P. Y. Deshpande, 1978; “Devotion to the Lord”: Georg Feuerstein, 1979. “Surrender to the almighty Lord”: Alistair Shearer, 1982; “Total Surrender to God”: B. K. S. Iyengat, 1993; “Dedication to the Lord of Yoga”: Barbara Stoller-Miller, 1996; “Devotion to God”: Thomas Egenes, 2010. The very one-sided and overwhelming focus on the otherworldly as displayed by the above examples are, I’d say, cultural as to their nature. They are sprung from a generalized apprehension of exenstiality that intrudes and in that carries an enhanced propensity for our conceptualizings to quite literally engage in a picturing and anthrophomorphizing of anything that carries a characte-ristic of an inwards nature, a sense of subtlety, maybe even of paradoxality, which the ‛concept’ of The Deep invariably carries ― by the simplicity act of noting that an expression is precisely a concept (albeit coloured by emotion and feeling) ― , There are however other possibilites of interpretation. The attempts by the two scribes here below present wordings that might light up a few other angles of approach to the concept of ishvara: “Alliance”, Swami Hariharananda Aranya”: 1963; “Profound Meditation”: Bangali Baba, 1976. Alliance with the inner, as if the ‛alliance’ itself is bearing the qualities of that with which the alliance is both represented and made; and then the other one, ‛profound meditation’, which glorifies the reflection of The Deep in the process of ‛meditation’ itself, dhyana. It is in the experience of the process of yoga itself, though, that we find out the deeper sense of this

concept of Ishvara as it relates to the practice of yoga as such. As the different aspects gear into harmony dyring practice what we find is that at a certain level of inwardness, in a subjective sense, what we find is that the process of diving unto deeper and subtler levels of thought, and feeling, and experiencing the being of oneself, has become self-sustaining. It is as if the inner wheels of existence have begun running smoothly, in a free flow (almost as if a supraflow) that further dampens unnecessary exitations of mind and body and allows for a wakeful settling into The Deep. This free flow has a name in the philosophy of yoga: ‛rithambara’. A field of ‛truth’, so to say, one is in the ‛zone’, one could say (the way musicians say they feel when they are in the groove and feel a sense of surety, a sense of not being able to play a wrong note, it’s all a seamless whole, the intent, the act and the result tat is enjoyed). This is said to be an inspirational thing. This ‛sense of wonder’, to so say, in action. Is in many ways almost analogous to the feel of a free inner flow that encourages and furthers the dive into The Deep, the state of the settled mind. This field of rithambara may be categorized as of the nature of Ishvara, filled with a sense of wonder. Thus I feel my own interpretation this concept as “Sense of Wonder” to be right along the lines of the main paradigm of yoga, rest and activity, and the recognition that the free flow of balances in this dynamic create harmony and self-sustaining flows of good feeling that, in a sense, are blissful and encourage an even deeper inwards dive as the natural tendency of the mind to flow in the direction of increasing blissfulness excerts its subtle pull on the conscious awareness. “Sense of Wonder”: Juri Aidas, 2003. The differences in interpretation makes it difficult to unentangle this very abstract concept of Ishvara from accrued ideas of faith, or say belief, or dogma (whether of the rational or of the irrational variety) in something that is linguistically almost impossible to explain without undue recourse to the paradoxical. I have settled for ‛Sense of Wonder’ as I think that that covers the affectations projected from those enamoured of the supernatural and for the hard headed rationalist. There is almost as if a poetical element to this idea of Ishvara that in itself, like music, attracts the mind with its implication of eternities as the music of all our activites fades into the great peace and stillness of The Deep. As to that one could even

say, ‛mission accomplished’. The sense that the great resonant arc of the dynamic between engrossing activity and deep wakeful alertness may be traversed and tha the inner goal of yoga has been established is actuated by this idea of Ishvara, ‛Sense of Wonder’. From all this on the very subtle concept of Ishvara it is not too farfetced, in a way, to imply that it is the very closeness to this inner dynamic of a free unhindered cognitive flow, on a personal level, that is beneficial and excerts as if a pull on awareness to settle down and enjoy the inner blissful fields, and as those field, at the level of rithambara, are alluring in their ever ongoing sprouting of pearls of inner insight and feelings of connectedness, the ‛alliance’ (to allude to S. H. Aranya, say) ― it would not be too farfetched, as said, to imply that this very closeness, especially when one is in the inner states as in te yoga, that makes it so easy for us to anthropomorphize the concept of Ishvara onto a theistic platform and in that turn a simple fundamental methodic into something of an ideological determinant, the expressions and demands thereof depending on what myths we project on our ‛creation’ of a personification, whether inner or outer, of this subtle concept. In tems of the practice of yoga itself it is really an irrelevant act to try to unearth ideational explanatory streams of thought as the dive into The Deep proceeds, as one passes even beyond the field of rithambara, beyond Ishvara, as one goes even beyond the beyond, so to say. Thought settles down as the yogic algothythmy is practiced, enhancing and effectuating the dive into The Deep, and in this settling down one would not unneccessarily wish to generate multitudes of trains of thought but one would wish tight the opposite to take place, the stilling of the momentun of thinking, which ultimately leads us out into activity, and the utter absorption of any activity by our subjective closeness to the qualities of tranqulity and peace of the inner deep. On the other hand. As one comes out into activity again from the deep depths of the inner deep one ought to be full of the refreshing quality of that experience and thus in a natural, unforced and undogmatic way turn this inspiration into relevant action with a purpose. As the philosophy of yoga allows the practitioner to naturally unfold ones worldly ambitions as if spontaneously all the way from the The Deep via the inner field of rihambara, the domain of Ishvara, and have those ambitions act upon the

various circumstances that characterize our lives. To radiate and spread our inner joy and happiness to the world at large. To come out from a deep meditation, as one opens ones eyes, a sensitivity is found as to what one perceives, the subtle balances and harmonizations of the mind/body system brought about by the yogic practice allow us to perceive the world in a fresh light, free of fatigue. To open ones eyes to the wonders of the vistas of nature in sky, sea, land and life after a yogic session is at times quite incredible in the way this experience makes sense of our â&#x20AC;&#x153;sense of wonder.â&#x20AC;? 3.

Later on in this study we shall delve into an expansion as to the philosophy of yoga and in that distinguish the inner inwards dive from the momentum inherent in our existential make up that brings us out into activity again. ( ... to be continued. From here on I do have some work to do ... )

Third Lesson â&#x20AC;&#x2022; Posture, Asana 1.

As we come upon the third session on the yoga what immediately comes to mind is the great popularity of asana, posture, and the way this aspect of the yogic wholity has been embraced by the many. Yoga is often viewed as being solely a method of training by massages, stretching and bending, et al. And certainly the practice of yogic posture does have a beneficial effect on the Up to now we have covered quite an amount of theoretical thoughts on the yoga but that will serve well for to ground the practice of posture, asana, in a deeper perspective and context.

2. ( ... to be written. )

Fourth Lesson â&#x20AC;&#x2022; Breath, Pranayama 1.

In this the fourth session on the yoga we round off the first group of the quite essential and basic ideas that characterize the outwards aspects of yoga. Gradually we shall find that we really need to say less and less about the methodology and the need for a recourse to wordy explanations fades as well as the need for further explanation of the philosophy of yoga.

2. 3. ( ... to be written. )

On The Outer Limbs of Yoga The second group of four lessons.

Fifth Lesson â&#x20AC;&#x2022; Withdrawal, Pratyahara ( ... to be written. )

Sixth Lesson â&#x20AC;&#x2022; Focusing, Dharana ( ... to be written. )

Seventh Lesson ― Meditation, Dhyana

THE PROCESS! *

n page 97 herein I present a schemata, ‘The Algorhythmy of Inner Recursive Process in Yoga’. (Yoga poster VII.) In this graphic rendering the yogic process of meditation, ‘dhyana’, is revealed. Upon the platform of subjective inner cognizing of our inherent thinking process a natural meditative process, dhyana, is introduced. Unto the spontaneous process of thinking another process is added: an effortless minim of activity, a slight active impulse in the form of a word of no meaning or connotation. A word like that is named ‘mantra’ and is effortlessly introduced to the cognitory works by a gentle handling of the mental thougt of that wordsound. The undirected impulse of a mantra into the cognitory flow seemingly distracts the thinking process from its momentum and in that it subdues our desire for conceptual closure, for completing any thought that may arise, a defusing of the contextual arrow occurs, a fragmentation of intent comes about – and yet, the inner spark of awareness is upheld by ‘dhyana’, the subtle turn ‘a the mind of this effortless practice. Thoughts Flow. The process of thinking is autonomous and engenders multitudes of thought as if they were beautiful pearl on a string. In meditation (in ones application of the meditative process) there’s just no point in putting a lid on top of thinking, it is difficult to force a stop, a total halt, to thinking (if not actually impossible at the surface level). Instead a technique to effortlessly distract thought is brought into play;

main text of this section has in part been nicked, snatched, drawn from my illustrated * (The ”Fundamentals of Yoga” document and then it has been slightly reworked . 67

this results in a state of no activity at all. In the final end both thinking and process are left alone and both mind and body come to be at ease. Effortlessly – approach & attitude! It is quite natural to cognize thinking, as it goes on most of the time, but usually a circumstance, a ponder, of what to do with the thoughts arises; in yoga one does not have to do anything with them. When awareness, during meditation, in yoga, comes to recognize that thoughts and activities occupy it a mantra is effortlessly added to the process of thinking, as if it were just any thought among other thoughts. The subtle activity (not its content – of which it has none) of this impulse slightly engages the mind, thereby mental dullness is countered as the process of thinking is distracted and our mind comes to deep rest. Flow and the Distraction – yet the Deepening Process Continues. A mantra, used on the level of thought stimulates awareness and alertness (by the act of its use), and this effortless use also acts, as said, as a distractive impulse on the process of thinking, fragmenting and thus diverting it; the ideational momentum of the thinking mind dissolves. Thinking relaxes; unfinished thoughts fade away, as will the mantra now and then. When both are gone only awareness remains. Cognition is Upheld Along a Sublimity-gradient. As the process of thinking becomes distracted, non-intent based, on account of the use of a mantra subtly breaking the flow of thoughts, thinking stops seeking a goal in action and leaves no more footprints in the mind. As the meditative process continues occasionally the mantra also is forgotten, and as thinking about anything whatever may be long gone, the mind is settled. There is a sense of graduality to the whole flow of meditation as process, cognitively non-bound thoughts leave a supple afterglow of smooth ideational progress; yet even those creative sprouts are allowed, by the effort-less nature of our approach, to retract into dormancy, and if the body is stable in its meditative posture the whole system relaxes. In meditation nothing is supposed to happen, and as nothing happens – we rest.

Mind & Body are Companions. When this deep settling occurs the mind (vitalized by the meditative process) attains a state of restful alertness and relaxes its subjective hold on the persona, it becomes calm, the ego dissolves. This causes the body to relax and rest as no impetus to activity remains. Yes. Occasionally the mantra is forgotten. If nothing else then happens (or does ‘not happen’, so to say) then there you are, in deep quiet, and its accompanying serene calm does, in time, infuse every nook and cranny of our existential frame. Deep, Alert Rest. Deeper than deep sleep Restful alertness. The cornerstone of the whole idea of yogic relevance. Allowal of a deep invigorating rest is a preparation for dynamic activity – is good in itself. Thoughts, Feelings (and whatnot) Come an’ Go. Two processes surface as mind and body relax: the pure creative process itself opens up and a release of latent physical and mental debris occurs, some activity flares. When bound residues of activity are released this release causes further activity, tangling pure creative thought. The process of meditation defuses both flows. The Cycle Proceeds: Rest/Activity. The use of a mantra, on the level of thinking starts up a recursive ‘algorhythmic’ process in the mind; thoughts fade away and as also occasionally the mantra is forgotten what remains (on empirical grounds) is a restful state of stillness, calm, a deep seren-ity, full of bliss. The use of a mantra in the process of meditation fragments the inherent active cause (whatever that may be) that motivates the thinking process as such. The meditative process is self-referential and is available across the whole vista of conscious experience as represented by the span-range of the meditative process and the systemic bliss it generates, thus it has a recursive nature that is channelled into algorhythmies by the yogic process.

No Assigned Content. A mantra is not supposed to have any meaning or be the name of anything. It must be possible to forget a mantra while using it in the meditative process: therefore it is used in a natural manner, no effort is applied. The mantra is kept private, so that meaning and connotations do not to accrue to it and thus condition it (giving rise and drive to new trains of thought), enabling us in this to occasionally forget it. Thus it is used in a natural way, without effort, effortlessly, more in the way of ‘a letting go of ’ than of ‘the picking up of something’; in this process of meditation, dhyana, one does not apply monotonous or tiring repetition, just an easy adding of the mantra into the thought-flow, and thats it. A Mantra. From Where? For a mantra not to become conditioned by meanings (and in this thus become a vessel of contemplation and activity within the process of meditation) it ought to be obtained by personal instruction, preferably from a trusted source. In a way any word would do as every-thing we think loses its connotations after a while if it is not incorporated in some semantic syntax. I’d say it be easier not to pick some word that might have an for us unwanted resonance of inherent meaning, and as one would be wont to use that impulse of a word/sound over time some-thing unique from a trusted source would be preferable. Well, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi himself in his very first public lecture said that any word will do – then he says the word ‘mike’, says it quieter, and quieter, while tapping his microphone softly, soft -lier and soflier, and then very very softly. If one would ever, say after a long lapse of daily yogic practice, have forgotten the mantra handed over personally, in private, by a trusted teacher, one can always come back and ask again. In the beginning stages of learning the practical method of meditation people occasionally forget their mantra but then, well, I just tell them again. What Does a Mantra Look Like? As we generally think in terms of word and phrase a short mantra, wordsound, would be preferable in the beginning stages of meditative practice, dhyana, as the mind then is full of expectation and very prone to go into analytic mode, the short word would distract and scatter the oncoming thought molecules quite effectively as they bump into eachother. Later, I’d

say, it’d be wise to lengthen the mantra, the thought-impulse as, the natural rhythm of thinking comprises words, a phrase or two and also all the feelings that go along, we get qualia and whatever, thus the bumping along and the distracting of outwards-directed flow is more effectively managed with a slightly longer mantra. Basically, though, an impulse to distract the thinking process ought not be a compli-cated affair. Word, verse, meaning all grow out of multiple mental patterns and appear in the minds aren, it is not possible to shut that process off except by a li’l trick, one but distracts thought from its momentum. Thus a mantra is not supposed to become a part of language per se as in a semantic and syntactical sense. To use a word in action is to name something, a thing, a process, an abstraction, anything that happens. The spoken word aligns itself with whatever narrative surge that comes along and becomes a part of that, thus when it is connected with on the level of thinking it will have accrued a mountain of reference, this is just the opposite of what is necessary for a process of algorythmy to connect with the still centre of no intent. A Mantra is, Almost, a Silent Word. Yes, one does repeat a mantra, but, there’s an algorythmy of method to that to consider. The process itself is more like now an’ then adding the mantra into the roiling, mixed meleé of ideationality and then, now an’ then to notice, at times, the languishing of the more directed impulses of cognitive thinking, or even of the more free flowing inner dynamic thought -spirals – as one releases one’s hold on these events and as the mantra in itself flickers, somewhat vaguely even, in and out ’tween the narrative gravities of the minds eye, then, in those moments when nothing happens and yet cognitivity remains, like a still flame in a windless room*, then we are absorbed into the transcendent of inner, in itself upheld by the real life dynamic of the darsana of yoga, the vision and philosophy of yoga – then deep inner peace is at hand. ... That is what this little book is really all about.

Eight Lesson â&#x20AC;&#x2022; The Deep, Samadhi 1. ( ... to be written. )

Expansion ― The Perfections

ON THE QUALITIES OF THE OUTWARDS MOMENTUM VERSUS THE INWARDS DITO.

THE SIDHIS!

‘SIDHIS’. THE PERFECTIONS. This part of the yogic philosophy discusses the deeper power of the yogic experience, the abilities of mind and body that sprout and come forth as blooming flowers on all the branches and subbranches of the great yogic tree of life as our practice of yoga evolves. Patanjali discusses this in his discussion of the sidhis, the perfections, in the third chapter of the Yoga Sutra. This third chapter outlines a sequence of sutras, the short mnemonic devices whereof the yoga sutra is constructed, for easy reference by memory. In the third chapter (which the many different interpreters give this title their own individual treatment, the chapter is titled ‛The Perfections’, or ‛Expansion, or ‛Powers’, or ‛Special Abilities’, or ‛The Extraordinary Powers’.) HE

To further grasp the potential of yogic practice as it develops in the practitioner as that potential becomes expressed in life through ones understanding of the practice and by insights from the guidance’s of the philosophy of yoga. Let’s cast a glance at the ground we have covered. What has been the main vector of approach in all this so far. So far I have reflected on the process of ‛subjectively’ diving into deeper and deeper states of wakeful rest and the driver for our ability to go there. I allude here to the main dynamic of yoga, the natural tendency of the mind. This characteristic of the living mind represents the naturalness of our cognitive experiences to be attracted by that which is pleasing. Deep wakeful rest is, by ones own experience of it, an ultimate contender for this status. The deep serenity of harmonious rest of body and the peaceful tranquility of mind that the inner field of The Deep offers the practitioner of yoga is verified by the successful traverse from activity to rest in as skilful a manner as possible. This is what gives body to the argument for methodology in the practice of harmonizing inner states, as per the yoga, and the process as such may be characterized as an ’algorhythmy’, (as has been our analysis in considering the processual aspects of the conscious inner dive). What comes after the success of yogic dive is, of course, activity. This is the paradigmatic of yoga applied to all life: rest and activity. Yet, consider this, when having established quality of The Deep within ourselves (though our expressions of that unboundedness are bounded by the limits of language) our metabolism,

oyr physiological ticking (as in clocks) is at a very still level, and our mind is in a state of deep inner stillness, deep peace. Now! This is important. One should be very careful not to get back into activity from a deep state in an abrupt manner. What’s the point of stressing up the whole system immediately after deep peace and thus creating large contrasts in oneself and the environment one inhabits? A too quick change may create undue strain and may actually introduce new disharmonies as the contrasts intensify. One ought to return slowly from the meditative phase of the practice; in the asana practice one rests after having performed the postural practices (and remember, no strain on the heart; neither within the yogic process and neither in the out-flowing from the platform of stillness ― in training on the other hand one does put effort into ones movement, that a process quite opposite to what one practices in the yoga); the pranayama, the breathing techniques lead to a naturalness to breath, a smooth flow, and in the deep states this is almost as if it were a superfluidity, an unhindered and sustained still and harmonious flow of the breath, creating deep contrasts on this level could bring about strange effects, strange disturbances in the somatic flow. With the wholity of yogic approach the same determinant applies. A certain skill is required, a certain understanding, a distinct approach ― in other words, take your time. This skill of bringing the deep harmonizing results of yoga to the fore, into day to day activity has its prelude in what we do after having established the inner platform of The Deep: an application of the sidhis. Well, what are the sidhis, or perfections, and what does the idea of ‘expansion’ imply for the algorhythmy of the yogic process when we consider the sidhis, what is this expansion in terms of the wholity of yoga that I have attempted, so far, to cover in the discussion of the eight aspects of yoga? What mechanisms of yogic process are activated by the application of the sidhis as the practice of yoga proceeds, when the dive into The Deep is complete and we have arrived towards the end of the yogic session? As I have alluded: it’s not over yet. The sidhis are practices that help guide the mind, and body, back into activity in a dynamic fashion, enabling us to bring, as things progress, more and more of the inner platform of existence, intelligence and well-being into our outer life in increasing amounts from day to day. This is the expansion of yoga ― generated from within its own wholistic structure and algorhythmic dynamic. ( ... to be continued. )

Schools of Yoga

THE MANY MANIFESTATIONS OF YOGIC UNDERSTANDING

AJAYOGA,

KRIYAYOGA, GYANAYOGA, KRIYA-YOGA. These are four main directions within the philosophy of yoga and they stem and spring forth from the many different approaches to yoga defined by the necessities and characteristics of the individual drawn to yogic practice. I shall expand on these four main categories of the yogic schools but for the moment (in this prematurely published document) I shall tangentially make but a categorization of the many differences of motivation in students of the yoga, cast a glance at the different preconditions we all carry existentially that condition us in different ways in whatever ways the quest towards a deeper partaking of liberation, relief, inner peace. We all proceed on different paths searching out the serenity embedded in life’s chaotic, to actualize the reach of the inner depths that at times we touch upon existentially. ( ... to be continued. ) (though that’d concept would put the whole in a more vague domain, anyway, it is the beneficial effects of study and practice that are sought for in the life of a yogi). or say, in some sense,

There are three types of seekers - the one who wants to know (curious, , jigyaasu), he one who wants to experience (thirsty, pipasu), and the one who wants to go beyond both (seeking liberation, mumukshu). e.g. if there is a glass of water on a table, one person wants to know everything about water, its chemistry, physics, geography, environmental importance and what not. but he has not much interest in drinking the water. yet another may not know much, but wants to drink the water, for s/he has experienced thirst and wants to quench it. but yet another may want to go beyond thirst, for its keeps coming back. One story: “Yayati was one such king. due to him transgressing the lines of right conduct he was cursed to be old much earlier, and had not

fulfilled his desires. So he asked his sons to loan him their youth, and one of them agreed. but even after thousand years, Yayati was not able to satisfy his desires, at the end of which he returned the youth to his son, and took renunciation. he said, "desire does not stop by succumbing to them, fire does not stop by putting more fuel into it, and all the wealth and resources of the world are not enough for even one addicted to pleasure. Desire does not get old even with old age, only the body gets old." You are the knower, not the known. you are the seer, not the seen. Realize your true self, and get beyond the consumption identity. Edward Hinz Facebook. 18 September 2014. at 21:17 PM.

Summary

NOW? WHAT WAS THIS YOGA THINGY ALL ABOUT? IT’S REALLY ALL ABOUT THE PARADIGMATIC.

oga contains many perspectives, many ways of application, it accrues multi-dimensional characteristics over the course of time yet somehow at heart it is but a simple balanced response to the needs of the system at large as one considers the integrative power-potential of deep inner rest.

( ... Continued from overleaf. )

Who is Yoga Cat ?

AND WHAT IS THE MAIN POINT THIS YOGA CAT WISHES TO CONVEY?

CAT! ALBATROSS! (Another Albatross) WELL! − Many years ago I, Juri Aidas, learned the methodic of yogic meditation as then taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the teaching whereof is now systematized in his Transcendental Meditation program. A few years later, back in 1970, it was my privilege to attended one of the Maharishis teacher training courses, which was a full three months in two instances. That course, at least, provided me with tools to teach the meditation technique, Transcendental Meditation, TM in short. When the Maharishi started out in 1958 this methodic was called Deep Meditation, then that mutated and paired off with the more abstract concept (yet of more specific technical content) of ‛transcendence’ and we had Transcendental Meditation. I was privileged in those days to participate in a string of courses held by the Maharishi personally over that decade of the 1970’s, and all the while between courses I would spend my time teaching the Maharishis methodic as to meditation as such, leading to a trancendence for the subjective mind wherein thoghts fade away and the mind finally rests in a state of wakeful awareness. In about 1975 the Maharishi unveiled his deep insights as to the philosophy of yoga as described by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutra by extensive discussion of its contents. Bit by bit thus I realized the place of meditation in this wholistic view of the capabilities of the yogic philosopy as it is applied and understood by a practitioner. All the while while holding courses and attending courses I had been teaching the additional stuffs of posture, asana, and the breathing techniqes of the yoga, pranayama ― and then everything came into focus. I was not but a teacher of meditation but actually a teacher of the yoga as a whole. One of my first deeper experiences, with philosophical overtones, after having first learned the meditation technique of Transcendental Meditation was, actually in a dream (a day or two just after I had started with this yoga I had a few wivid dreams), in this dream I was in some room and was directed through a little trap door into quite another world, of rolling green hills and blue skies. On the centermost, as from my perspective I saw a great tree in the act of flowering and blooming, and from every branch, and from the crown of this magnificent tree a veritable cornucopia of innovation streamed forth. Strings and things, OGA

objects and whatnot, concepts, ideas, murmurs, all of this, literally (in the dream of course) streamed forth very vividly. A shining reflection of the world of possibilities was displayed in a halo of effulgence to cast its shimmer upon the the canopy of the sky and the wondrous tree itself. That was the first seed I perceived as to the metaphoric of a Tree of Life capable of, in a wholistic way, to cover the whole field of yoga. The next time this subject of a tree to represent the ideas of yoga occurred was at the final leg of my teacher traing course with the Maharishi. That was the first European teacher training course, held in Mallorca, with not all to many participant, ca 200 people plus staff, I guess, so that was quite an intimate setting with the Maharishi. At a similar course the next year after the attendance grew with a whole magnitude, to ca. 2000. (I attended at this one also, but now in the position of having actually taught this methodic of meditation, as per the Maharishi, at a number of occasions.) Now, at that first Mallorca course, at one point during a lecture on the eight aspects of yoga I asked the Maharishi whether it’d be possible to regard the sequence of the eight aspects of yoga of Patanjalis’ in some way metaphorically as a tree? That made Maharishi think for a moment but I gather that this idea was a new one to the Maharishi (maybe he hadn’t thought of that, or maybe he had and had put that thought aside? What do I know? And I had yet to define, even to myself, the details of this vision of mine of root, branches and crown to a tree of yoga ― but how then to place the aspects?). Well, the Maharishi took to a tangent and expressed a few thoughta on how such a construct might become confused with schools of yoga, as a branching structure very well might be put to such use. Thus that didn’t take me any further, but I learned a lot on the yoga. In 1975 and 1976 I heard the Maharishi, at two courses of two months apiece, discuss the ideas of Patanjely with now a sustained focus on the subject. This was the point in the evolution of the Maharishi’s organizatin to teach Transcendental Meditation where he gradually introduced the sidhi program ― which is an extension, an add on, to the basic methodology of the inwards process of meditation, but now with the purpose of, in the final end, at the end of yogic practice, of bringing the subject back into the field of activity, in a smooth and harmonious way which utilizes the established proximity to the deep for to perfect (sidhi means perfection) the delivery of ones inner potential into the outer. That the rise from the subjective deeper state of wakeful stillness into an outer one full of activity is smoothed by the process of applying the sidhi program

of the Maharishi to the spectrum of ones yoga practice. Having at earlier times discouraged the, somewhat metaphysical, contents of a lot of the extant literature on Indian philosophy Maharishi now had begun to slightly encourage his teachers to the reading of the source literature. Arriving home after these, well, I’d say, considering the magnitude of their content on the Yoga Sutra, I’d say that I had attended a course on just that, ”The Ideas of Patanjali”, say, for an apt title for these courses. • I had to redifine myself as a teacher of the yoga rather than but a teacher of the TM-program, and anyway having by then 35 yeats of experience in the teaching of the meditation and ... ( ... to be continued. )

Literature & Links

THE CYBER IS REALLY FULL OF INTERESTING INFO ON ANYTHING.

The Yoga Sutra Here below are a few short notese on the approaches taken by some different translators and commentators in their treatment of the content of the Yoga Sutra. Alistair Shearer Barbara Stoller Miller P. Y. Deshpande Chip Hartranft George Feuerstein Thomas Egenes Swami Hariharananda Aranya • The Bhagavad Gita As for the Bhagavad Gita I haven’t read all that many of them but they do represent a difference as to their handling of the intricacies of the text. Here follow a few words on some of these. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi The Bhagavad Gita, Chapters 1-6: A New Translation and Commentary A dissertation by, Anders Lindh, on the above mentioned commentary to the Bhagavad Gita by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was recently published. I haven’t read it yet but as I admit to a certain fondness for the approach taken to the Gita by Maharishi Mahesh I will certainly give it a go over. Swami Sarvepelli Radhakrishnan Barbara Stoller Miller ( ... to be continued. )

Micellaneous

ALL THE ODDS AND ENDS I HAD NO IDEA, AT FIRST, TO MENTION.

Notes and fragments to be made sense of.

To provide a student of yoga with the necessary tools to a deep understanding of yogic methodology I present a few introductory notes on a proposed eight lesson structure for teaching the full breadth of yoga. Also included are a few perspectives on the main specifics as to the eight aspects of yoga. A more comprehensive run through of eight lessons may be expected here, as time allows.

The Footnotes expanded 1. Algorhythmy: The dynamic of yogic process as one mentally and physically proceeds from activity unto deep rest, back an’ forth, back an’ forth; an effortless spiralling into The Deep according to the mechanism of yoga. 2. It was pointed out by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, back in 1958, that Patanjalis sequence of eight steps to characterize the different elements of yoga portrayed as a sequence (in its simplest form it is a stairway, grounded at one end and of a steep traverse, rather than a ladder) and may in the context of yoga actually be approached from either end (the metaphoric of a stairway does not allow for this but the ladder does) and that the use of the practice of meditation, as in yogic process, in a very simple, elegant, effortless and almost self-evident fashion is a key element to the traverse by the systemic body/mind complex away from the concreteness of activities in the outer and into, onto, as falling towards the silent, serene depths of an harmonized and balanced state of being (as cognized in practice by the practitioner of yoga); in the direct approach to The Deep, the samadhi of yoga, the deeper result is brought about by the effortless effort of practicing a little meditation now & then (at least), preferably on a regular basis. 3. Algorhythmy is a term indicative of a process (viewed analogously as to the concept of an ‘algorithm’,a structured process that uses the result of its own mechanism as a seed for the next instance of application) that gently and effortlessly returns the practitioner to the deepening stance within yogic methodology. 4. This distinguishing of eight distinct characteristics to the practice of yoga (and in a certain sense to the outcomes in life brought about by the regularity of practice, not withstanding life’s vagaries) is historically attributed to Maharishi Patanjali. (Maharishi, great seer, is a title and Patanjali, anjali, the gesture of upfolded hands, as something fell [by legend as from heaven], pat, into those hands, is the name.) Nothing is really known about Patanjali, yet Patanjali must have been a master teacher with a following for his/her work to survive intact to our present age. Stemming from Vedic cultural tradition and attributed to Maharishi Patanjali is the classic synthesis of yoga, The Yoga Sūtra. This is a short work of 4 chapters comprising 192 strophes all in all delineating the dynamic and promise of yoga. The Yoga Sūtra is by tradition and contemporary linguistic analysis placed in the era of ca. 300 B.C. – 200 A.D. (For more on this see endnotes.) 5. Translation by Alistair Shearer. “The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali”, 2002. 6. For a broad outline of yogic philosophy see “On The Bhagavad-Gita: a New Translation and Commentary: Chapters 1—6” by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi; 1967. Quote the whole verse here!

7. B.K. Iyengar regarded much of the yoga that has become popular in the west as "nothing more than physical exercise". Unlike western keep-fit exercises, he insisted, yoga must not put any strain on the heart. B. K. Iyengar always insisted that yoga is a spiritual discipline, describing it as "the quest of the soul for the spark of divinity within us". He used to tell his pupils to "be aware that the current of spiritual awareness has to flow in each movement and in each action". As to its wider benefits, he maintained: "Before peace between the nations we have to find peace inside that small nation which is our own being". He regarded much of the yoga that became popular in the west as "nothing more than physical exercise". Unlike western keepfit exercises, he insisted, yoga must not put any strain on the heart. http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/aug/20/bks-iyengar The book “Light on Yoga” by Iyengar, sets out instructions for more than 200 asanas or postures. 8. Mantra: a word, a sound (with no inherent meaning); it is only used as a mental impulse. “The word ‘mantra’ stems from the Sanskrit verbal root ‘man’ meaning “to think, ponder”. The suffix ‘tra’ indicates instrumentality.” Quote from “The Spiritual Heritage of Ancient India”, by Feuerstein, Kak och Frawley, 2001, p. 189. 9. The sun as a symbol for the yogic approach thus harkens back to Vedic culture of ca 2500 B.C. to 1700A.D. And the first mention of tapas’ is found in the great texts of the Vedas. 10.

I’ll have to look up up the reference. It is in one of my yoga books. I think it was a trustworthy source. I shall have to check, as time allows.

( ... to be continued. )

THE HEURISTIC * (* From the Greek: heuriskein, to find.)

Heuristically speaking. The ancient symbolism of an eightfold branching structure springing from its roots as if in the human consciousness, as might be guessed at from the Mohenjo-daro seal This idea may be regarded as

an early prototype of the metaphor of The Tree of Life * which finds its expression in the philosophy and practice of the yogic stance, by the effective application of the yogic paradigm of rest and activity. Applied algorhythmy of yogic method brings the dynamic of deep wakeful rest into the field of activity to thus stabilizes its ever rising and falling and rising and falling

Derivation of the metaphoric of the Tree of Life.

* Heuristic: A speculative formulation serving as a guide in the investigation or solution of a problem. 95 This lay-out originated in the collection â&#x20AC;?The Fundamentals of Yogaâ&#x20AC;?; poster #

IX. ( http://issuu.com/ )

THE ALGORHYTHMY OF INNER RECURSIVE PROCESS IN YOGA The wheel of Karma *

* Karma: Principle of Action and Reaction.

METHODOLOGY

Yoga:

Tuning process of Mind and Body; Recursive Evolutionary Algorythm. Dharma: Action in accord with Natural Law

MEDITATION – DHYANA

Tuned by Yoga

Action generates Reaction – this is Karma, * attenuated by Yoga action flows according to Natural Law, Dharma. 2.

The process of thinking is autonomous and engenders thought as pearl on a string. In meditation there’s no point in putting a lid on top, it is difficult to force a stop to thinking. Instead a technique to distract thought is brought into play, this results

A mantra, used on the level of thought stimulates awareness and alerteness, and also acts as a distractive impulse on the process of thinking, fragmenting and diverting it. Thinking relaxes, unfinished thoughts fade away, as does the mantra

Process of Thinking Accelleration

Thoughts /

Thoughts Meditation

inwards

Pratyâhâra Withdrawal Retractingofofthe theSenses Senses

Gearing up

outwards sight

smell

The Breathing

taste

out

Posture

Mental Activity

massage, stretch, bend,

suspended

Niyama shaucha simplicity

Âsana

rythm flow

Morals, The Laws of Life

hearing touch

Prânâyâma

(Though at times it does.)

twist, roll, turn, etc.

santosha contentment tapas purification

or hala asana

. or sun greeting, etc.

Mudras?

aparigraha non-attachment

îshvarapranidhâna sense oftowonder surrender the Lord

asteya integrity

Samâdhi Nirbîja Samâdhi Samâdhi without object

Mind at Rest

Activity

Two processes surface as mind and body relax: the pure creative process itself opens up and a release of latent physical and mental debris occurs, activity flares. When bound residues of activity are released this release causes further activity, For a mantra not to be conditioned by meanings (and thus become a vessel of contemplation within the process of meditation) it must be obtained by personal instruction, preferably from a trusted source.

Manifest

with object

* Hariolatory musings.

Fluctuating Transcendence

Purusha

Samâdhi Samadhi

Unmanifest

Dynamic Bliss

Bliss Sat,Dynamic Chit, Ananda Existence, Intelligence, Bliss

Transcendent

Virtual Self-referential Field

Release & Creativity Restful Alerteness

Samadhi Sat, Chit, Ananda

Transcendent The Deep

A mantra is not supposed to have any meaning or be the name of anything. It must be possible to forget a mantra while using it in the meditative process: therefore

** As propounded by the Science of Heterophenomenology (phenomenology of another, not oneself).

meditation, in Yoga, comes to recognize that thoughts and activities occupy it a mantra is added to the process of thinking, as just any thought among other thoughts, this stimulates the mind, counters dullness, as thinking is

Feedback loop

Prakriti

Plattform of Sanyama (coherence).

Established in Yoga, Utför handling, etablerad i yoga. 97

VII

Yama

Ethics, The Rules for Living satya ahimsa truthfulness non-violence

brahmacharya restraint chastity

Fluctuating Transcendence

f. ex. padma âsana and others as the cobra

swâdhyâya refinement

Feedback loop

Inherent Karmic causation –

Thoughts Mantra Gone

inwards

Dhâranâ Focusing

Sound, word; used only

Thinking When awareness, during Mantra

Dhyâna

Settling down

The mantra is kept private, so that meaning and connotations do not to accrue to it and thus condition it (giving rise and drive to new trains of thought). This enables us to occasioAnd by the way as the motive in meditation is rest: ‘NOTHING’ IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.

Mantra

Body at Rest

As the process of thinking becomes distracted, on account of the use of a mantra subtly breaking the flow of thoughts, thinking stops seeking a goal in action. When this occurs the mind (vitalized by this dhyana) attains a state of restful alerteness and relaxes its subjective hold on the persona, it becomes calm, the ego dissolves. This causes the body to relax and rest as no The use of a mantra in the process of meditation fragments the inherent active cause that motivates the thinking process as such. Using a mantra, on the level of thinking is to start up a recursive algorhythmic process; thoughts fade away and as also occasionally the mantra is forgotten what remains is a restful state

Juri Aidas

See, p. 67 for a more detailed run through of this ‘process’ of transcendence. http://issuu.com/albatross/



THE SEQUENCE - 2:29 Yoga Sutra;

Structures in Yoga – List form 1.

... as per Patanjali.. –

Attitude

Ethics (as pertaining to Yoga)

Behaviour

Morals (as pertaining to Yoga)

Yama

Simplicity, Contentment, Purification, Refinement, Sense of Wonder

–

Niyama

Non-violence, Truthfulness, Integrity, Restraint, Non-attachment 3.

Posture

The Body / Balance /Stability

–

Breath

Flow

– Pranayama

Absorption

Natural Tendency of the Mind

Withdrawal

(Retraction of the Senses / Contemplation)

Focusing

Abstraction /Abstruseness ... and an Absorption of the Mind

Meditation

–

Effortless Ignition

Algorythmy

Meditative Process

Recursivity

The Deep

Transcend – to go beyond. ( beyond activity )

( Nature )

(3.)

Sanyama

( That which one can’t quite put ones finger

Nirbija

–

The concept of ‘Unmanifest’ I simply regard as that upon which one ones finger cannot put, that which is beyond. Excitation of deep rest causes a rebound into activity.

Transcended (1. )

Dhâranâ Dhyâna

Sanyama (Coherence )

1. For a discussion on ’transcendence’ see ”The Nature of Yoga” by Juri Aidas. http://issuu.com/albatross.

Established in

Yoga

Perform Action.

(Without object.)

Activation of the senses From the Transcendent (1 . ) (2. ) by Sanyama. (Yoga Sûtra, Ch. 3. )

Juri Aidas 3.

Manifest – Prakriti

http://issuu.com/albatross/

V V



Increase of Self-referential Potential

Transcendence (1 . )

Subject / Object Perplexity Treshold. Inner Event Horizon.

Activity

Samprajnata (With object.) – Samadhi

The potentiality for

Subjectively characterized as Sat – Chit – Ananda. Existence – Intelligence – Bliss

– Dhyana

Transcending

Quietude

(The Transcendent) (1 . ) The Beyond

Dharana

(‘Meditation’ termed technically, or say, methodological dynamic (1 . )

Transversal Divide of Inner/Outer, 8.

– Pratyahara

... followed by A Gradual Increase of

(Centering / Concentration) 7.

Asana

I. Attitude & II. Behaviour (the Ethics & Morals of yoga as pertaining to the actual practice of yogic methodology), III. Posture, IV. Breath, V. Absorption (Retraction of the Senses; as with the turtle when it draws its limbs into its shell), VI. Focusing, VII. Meditation and VIII. The Deep (aka., the ground of Dynamic Bliss, restful alertness, inner equilibrium). Eight Aspects of Yoga

100

101

102

( Continued from front inside dust jacket flap.)

a grand vision to represent a wholity, and not but a bag of many widely ranging practices or methodologies, therefore it would be relevant to say that its central tenet, an establishing of deep wakeful rest to be followed by the activities of the day, provides the practtioner of yoga with all the supportive and necessary insight there’d ever be need of as the yogic paradigm develops − a journey to bring the deeper depths of the inner to life’s fore. With the yoga it’s simple, first one tunes the instument and learns how to handle it; later in action one learns how to actually play the song. Juri

he categories of Yoga (and the subcategories implied therein) presented in the schemata of the metaphor of “The Tree of Life” and in the traditional listings all refer to the process of Yoga as such and are not to be ideologically transferred to any other domain, their qualities will rather become infused into our life and into our living depending on what application gives and what circumstance brings.

103

St ...

ill

he re

ab it

Eight Lessons on the Yoga Juri Aidas

Dynamic

Recursive

Algorhythmy

Eight Aspects of Yoga

The Tree of Life

An Another Albatross Publication

Preliminary work!

Issuu 7 ― AAAP 61:2.2

Not complete!

104

pa t he chy

an ’t

Yoga is the settling of the mind into silence. Established in Yoga, Perform Action.

re .