According to the Yoga Sutras the ultimate goal in yoga is to reach a state called samadhi. So, the question is, What is samadhi? To find the answer all we have to do is pick up a copy of the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali, read it, and find out. But it's not that easy because the original Yoga Sutras is written in Sanskrit. If you can't read Sanskrit, like me, then the next best thing is to find a translation.
I personally know three people who are experts at translating Sanskrit into English and who have written books on the Yoga Sutras. They are Michael Beloved, TKV Desikachar, and Mukunda Stiles.
The last verse (34) of the last chapter (IV) of the Yoga Sutras basically sums up what samadhi is. Let's take a look at these three people's translations of that final section.
Separation of the spirit from the mento-emotional energy (kaivalyam) occurs when there is neutrality in respect to the influence of material nature, when the yogi's psyche becomes devoid of the general aims of a human being. Thus at last, the spirit is established in its own form as the force empowering the mento-emotional energy. Michael Beloved
When the highest purpose of life is achieved, the three basic qualities do not excite responses in the mind. That is freedom. In other words, the Perceiver is no longer coloured by the mind. TKV Desikachar
Absolute freedom results when the primal natural forces, having no further purpose to serve, become re-absorbed to the source of all, or when the power of pure consciousness becomes established in its own essential nature. Mukunda Stiles
You might ask, "How can three experts in Sanskrit translate the same verse differently?" Because a translation from one language to another, especially Sanskrit, is never exact. Even in the simplest situations it can be only an approximation. This is because different translators will, most likely, differ in cultural heritage. Therefore their translations of Sanskrit to English, in this case, will only approximate the original form. Also, many key words may have several unrelated interpretations. It's not easy translating exactly what the original writer intended.
However, by taking a closer look at these three translations we can see that there are similarities. They all mention the mind ("mento-emotional" - "consciousness"- "psyche") and they express the importance of becoming free from it ("at last its own form" - "no longer coloured by the mind" -"becomes established in its own essential nature").
In essence what all of these translations are saying is, total freedom is achieved only when you are free from the mind. All problems stem from the thinking mind and you are not free until you (the spirit - the true Self) are separate from it.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Bhagavad Gita vs Yoga Sutras
The Bhagavad Gita and the Yoga Sutras are often referred to as the bibles of yoga, but there is a distinct difference between them. The Bhagavad Gita (BG) and the Yoga Sutras (YS) part from one another quite distinctly when it comes to violence.
In the BG Lord Krishna tells warrior Arjuna not to despair over killing his friends and relatives on the battlefield because the mortal body is not permanent. He explains to Arjuna that there never was a time when you and I or anybody else did not exist. He goes on to say that there never was a time in the past nor in the future when all of us cease to exist. No one can destroy what is everlasting. Although the bodies of the warriors may be destroyed, the true Self remains and is immortal. He encourages Arjuna to carry on the fight.
In the YS Patanjali describes the yamas (five conditions of behavior). One of these conditions is non-violence. To be a true yogi one of the most imortant characteristics is to have an unconditional positive regard for everyone and everything. Ahimsa (non-violence) is the first and foremost of the five yamas. When this art of love and compassion is mastered one attains the power of peacefulness. Ahimsa is said to be one of the most important threads for reaching samadhi.
So, how can you kill someone and still have compassion? In the BG Lord Krishna explains to Arjuna, "If you fail to wage this war of sacred duty, you will abandon your own duty and fame only to gain evil." Krishna is telling Arjuna that as an honorable warrior you must kill your enemy, but it must be with compassion. You cannot kill your enemy with hate because you will end up with hate (evil) within yourself. It is a double-edged sword.
So, killing the enemy is a duty of the warrior but it must be done with compassion or else the warrior will suffer immense psychological problems. The question, therefore, is how do you kill someone with compassion? This is where yoga comes in. Patanjali explains it in the Yoga Sutras. You have to develop compassion for everyone and everything through practice of the Sutras. When you have practiced the yamas, niyamas, asanas, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, and dhyana successfully you will reach samadhi.
Samadhi is "complete clarity of mind concerning all things at all times" (Sutra IV.29). With this complete clarity you will see your enemy not as someone you hate but as someone who is the true Self who will live on after death of his body. This clarity opens consciousness into complete and absolute love for all things no matter what. All things are one with the true Self therefore it is impossible to kill or eliminate anything. Everything is present right now.
In the BG Lord Krishna tells warrior Arjuna not to despair over killing his friends and relatives on the battlefield because the mortal body is not permanent. He explains to Arjuna that there never was a time when you and I or anybody else did not exist. He goes on to say that there never was a time in the past nor in the future when all of us cease to exist. No one can destroy what is everlasting. Although the bodies of the warriors may be destroyed, the true Self remains and is immortal. He encourages Arjuna to carry on the fight.
In the YS Patanjali describes the yamas (five conditions of behavior). One of these conditions is non-violence. To be a true yogi one of the most imortant characteristics is to have an unconditional positive regard for everyone and everything. Ahimsa (non-violence) is the first and foremost of the five yamas. When this art of love and compassion is mastered one attains the power of peacefulness. Ahimsa is said to be one of the most important threads for reaching samadhi.
So, how can you kill someone and still have compassion? In the BG Lord Krishna explains to Arjuna, "If you fail to wage this war of sacred duty, you will abandon your own duty and fame only to gain evil." Krishna is telling Arjuna that as an honorable warrior you must kill your enemy, but it must be with compassion. You cannot kill your enemy with hate because you will end up with hate (evil) within yourself. It is a double-edged sword.
So, killing the enemy is a duty of the warrior but it must be done with compassion or else the warrior will suffer immense psychological problems. The question, therefore, is how do you kill someone with compassion? This is where yoga comes in. Patanjali explains it in the Yoga Sutras. You have to develop compassion for everyone and everything through practice of the Sutras. When you have practiced the yamas, niyamas, asanas, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, and dhyana successfully you will reach samadhi.
Samadhi is "complete clarity of mind concerning all things at all times" (Sutra IV.29). With this complete clarity you will see your enemy not as someone you hate but as someone who is the true Self who will live on after death of his body. This clarity opens consciousness into complete and absolute love for all things no matter what. All things are one with the true Self therefore it is impossible to kill or eliminate anything. Everything is present right now.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
What is it Like to Exist in Pure Consciousness?
Living in a body and existing for a lifetime bound up in stress and anxiety is not a great way to spend time on earth. Seeing one's self as isolated, separate and different from every being and every molecule causes problems both physically and mentally. It has everything to do with energy.
When you are isolated and apart from the the world, energy is concentrated in and around you. But when you are one with the universe, energy flows freely everywhere. The difference is your point of view and where energy is located. For example, think of something you don't like about yourself such as, "I'm too fat", "I'm too ugly", or "I feel anxious all the time." Put yourself in that frame of reference and picture yourself as that image. You can feel negative energy surrounding you. It's as if you are in a sphere of negative energy.
Now, step out of that image and view it from a distance. Watch the energy and observe how it moves in front of you. You can actually feel yourself getting lighter and freer. That's because you are no longer bound up in the capsule of negative energy. This is a small sample of what it's like to be free, no longer confined by the body and the mind.
To go further into this freedom requires stilling the mind so you can sit back and observe yourself and the material world much like you just did with the package of negative energy. The age old art of meditation is the tool for stilling the mind. All you have to do is sit quietly, breathe naturally, and allow thoughts to come and go at will. Don't try to stop thoughts and don't try to control them. Just be the observer of the thoughts and let them pass through the mind like wisps of wind. Think nothing of them.
When I wake up in the mornings I take a few minutes to just lie there and observe thoughts. "That was a good night's sleep. I feel rested and ready to get up. Hungry. Breakfast. Get up!" But I don't get up immediately. I observe my thoughts and let them ramble on. For a few minutes they will quiet down and then they will start up again telling me it's time to get up and do something. It is very relaxing and entertaining to just lie there and observe how thoughts come and go like sporadic waves of energy fluttering by. The observer is watching the thoughts and I am aware of the observer. The objective is to take this state of consciousness with me for the rest of the day.
I have been a SCUBA diver for a number of years and when I am in the water, breathing air from the tank, I am weightless and feel as free as a bird flying over the terrain of the ocean bottom. There are no sounds except for my exhaust bubbles passing by my ears on their way toward the surface. This is a lot like pure consciousness. I sink gently and quietly, deeper and deeper into the sea within. There is no pressure imposed by desires, power, or profit. Most of all, there is no ego.
Like the ocean, pure consciousness is a silent world as far as the senses are concerned. When I am in pure consciousness, awareness is acutely dialed to receive the slightest change in frequency of emotions, feelings, and movements in my mind and body. But I am none of those things. I am aware. I am aware of being more alert and awake than when I am on the surface with thoughts. This sixth sense is finely tuned to the infinite being that is one with all. I am free from the hold that desires, worries, and the like have on me. This is what it is like to exist in pure consciousness.
"You are watching the content now, aren't you? If not, how do you know
about the content? You are already beyond consciousness! Again, you
are the one who knows consciousness comes and goes, so you must be in
a position to watch it. The awareness you are watches all things come and
go, but you do not come and go. Isn't that obvious right now?"
-Arcanum-
When you are isolated and apart from the the world, energy is concentrated in and around you. But when you are one with the universe, energy flows freely everywhere. The difference is your point of view and where energy is located. For example, think of something you don't like about yourself such as, "I'm too fat", "I'm too ugly", or "I feel anxious all the time." Put yourself in that frame of reference and picture yourself as that image. You can feel negative energy surrounding you. It's as if you are in a sphere of negative energy.
Now, step out of that image and view it from a distance. Watch the energy and observe how it moves in front of you. You can actually feel yourself getting lighter and freer. That's because you are no longer bound up in the capsule of negative energy. This is a small sample of what it's like to be free, no longer confined by the body and the mind.
To go further into this freedom requires stilling the mind so you can sit back and observe yourself and the material world much like you just did with the package of negative energy. The age old art of meditation is the tool for stilling the mind. All you have to do is sit quietly, breathe naturally, and allow thoughts to come and go at will. Don't try to stop thoughts and don't try to control them. Just be the observer of the thoughts and let them pass through the mind like wisps of wind. Think nothing of them.
When I wake up in the mornings I take a few minutes to just lie there and observe thoughts. "That was a good night's sleep. I feel rested and ready to get up. Hungry. Breakfast. Get up!" But I don't get up immediately. I observe my thoughts and let them ramble on. For a few minutes they will quiet down and then they will start up again telling me it's time to get up and do something. It is very relaxing and entertaining to just lie there and observe how thoughts come and go like sporadic waves of energy fluttering by. The observer is watching the thoughts and I am aware of the observer. The objective is to take this state of consciousness with me for the rest of the day.
I have been a SCUBA diver for a number of years and when I am in the water, breathing air from the tank, I am weightless and feel as free as a bird flying over the terrain of the ocean bottom. There are no sounds except for my exhaust bubbles passing by my ears on their way toward the surface. This is a lot like pure consciousness. I sink gently and quietly, deeper and deeper into the sea within. There is no pressure imposed by desires, power, or profit. Most of all, there is no ego.
Like the ocean, pure consciousness is a silent world as far as the senses are concerned. When I am in pure consciousness, awareness is acutely dialed to receive the slightest change in frequency of emotions, feelings, and movements in my mind and body. But I am none of those things. I am aware. I am aware of being more alert and awake than when I am on the surface with thoughts. This sixth sense is finely tuned to the infinite being that is one with all. I am free from the hold that desires, worries, and the like have on me. This is what it is like to exist in pure consciousness.
"You are watching the content now, aren't you? If not, how do you know
about the content? You are already beyond consciousness! Again, you
are the one who knows consciousness comes and goes, so you must be in
a position to watch it. The awareness you are watches all things come and
go, but you do not come and go. Isn't that obvious right now?"
-Arcanum-
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Beyond the Observer
Ask someone, "Who are you?"- What makes you you?" - "Who are you really deep down?" The answer is usually expressed as a combination of their past (what they have done and where they have been), their thoughts of the future (desires, dreads, fears, aspirations, and hopes), and what they are presently doing. It is difficult for them to see beyond these concepts of their self.
Going beyond the concept of the self is a mind expanding journey few people have experienced, yet it is one anyone can take. As you know, the objective world consists of things made of matter. Awareness of this matter requires our senses of taste, smell, touch, sight, and hearing. But there is another sense that we often forget we have, and that is the sense of consciousness. By using consciousness you can transcend your self and awaken to the true nature of what you truly are - beyond that of the observer.
You have a house but you are not your house. You have legs but you are not your legs. You have thoughts but you are not your thoughts. You have emotions and feelings but you are not those emotions and feelings. You cannot be the things you have. So, where are you and what are you? You are everywhere and you are everything. You don't realize this because your consciousness has been locked up in the self. You cannot discover your true essence until you let go of your irresistible desire to hold onto all the false projections that surround you. When you become free from the self you will unleash pure consciousness.
In truth, you do not have anything because you are everything and everything is you. Until you realize this you will continue to be locked up a slave to the material world. You can realize the truth by knowing you are not the material world and you are not the observer of the material world. You know you are not the material world because it is seen by the observer and you know you are not the observer because you are aware of the observer. You are pure consciousness.
It is an illusion that you are a body, with thoughts, a past, and a future. It is an illusion that you were born and you will die. The truth is, you exist eternally and pervade the entire universe. You will not understand this truth until you find it out for yourself.
"When you give yourself to practice through and through,
which means through and beyond feelings and thoughts,
little by little you begin to allow something great to surface,
something without beginning or end."
Jakusho Kwong
In the next post we will take a closer look at existing in pure consciousness.
Going beyond the concept of the self is a mind expanding journey few people have experienced, yet it is one anyone can take. As you know, the objective world consists of things made of matter. Awareness of this matter requires our senses of taste, smell, touch, sight, and hearing. But there is another sense that we often forget we have, and that is the sense of consciousness. By using consciousness you can transcend your self and awaken to the true nature of what you truly are - beyond that of the observer.
You have a house but you are not your house. You have legs but you are not your legs. You have thoughts but you are not your thoughts. You have emotions and feelings but you are not those emotions and feelings. You cannot be the things you have. So, where are you and what are you? You are everywhere and you are everything. You don't realize this because your consciousness has been locked up in the self. You cannot discover your true essence until you let go of your irresistible desire to hold onto all the false projections that surround you. When you become free from the self you will unleash pure consciousness.
In truth, you do not have anything because you are everything and everything is you. Until you realize this you will continue to be locked up a slave to the material world. You can realize the truth by knowing you are not the material world and you are not the observer of the material world. You know you are not the material world because it is seen by the observer and you know you are not the observer because you are aware of the observer. You are pure consciousness.
It is an illusion that you are a body, with thoughts, a past, and a future. It is an illusion that you were born and you will die. The truth is, you exist eternally and pervade the entire universe. You will not understand this truth until you find it out for yourself.
which means through and beyond feelings and thoughts,
little by little you begin to allow something great to surface,
something without beginning or end."
Jakusho Kwong
In the next post we will take a closer look at existing in pure consciousness.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Who is Me?
I ask myself, "Who is me?" If I can observe my thoughts I must not be my thoughts. If I can observe my feelings I must not my feelings. Who is the "I" that is doing the observing? Anything that I can observe I cannot be. When I observe my house and my car I know I am definitely not them. When I look at my arm it is not me. But it is my arm and it is my house and it is my car. But they are not me. They are mine, but not me.
Tell me the difference between you and your thoughts. Tell me the difference between you and your body. Do you know the difference? Tell me if you know.
Anything that you know cannot be you. Can you observe your emotions, thoughts and memories from an objective distance. "You" is the one doing the observing? It is the observing Self, something beyond body and mind that never changes, regardless of thoughts, emotions, experiences, or senses.
What is the difference between you and the observer? If you can be aware of doing the observing, you must not be the observer. You must be something more than the observer. What is that something that is more? It must be you.
In the next post we will delve deeper into what that "something" is.
Tell me the difference between you and your thoughts. Tell me the difference between you and your body. Do you know the difference? Tell me if you know.
Anything that you know cannot be you. Can you observe your emotions, thoughts and memories from an objective distance. "You" is the one doing the observing? It is the observing Self, something beyond body and mind that never changes, regardless of thoughts, emotions, experiences, or senses.
What is the difference between you and the observer? If you can be aware of doing the observing, you must not be the observer. You must be something more than the observer. What is that something that is more? It must be you.
In the next post we will delve deeper into what that "something" is.
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