For most people, the word "yoga" brings to mind the image of someone twisted in the shape of a pretzel or some similar yoga pose. For the most part, yoga is associated with ‘asana’ (physical postures). In many of the fitness centers and gyms where ‘yoga’ is taught, it is the physical aspect that is emphasized. However, when we take a closer look at the deeper meaning of yoga we find that yoga involves much more than just physical stretching postures. In the classical text called the Yoga Sutras, the author, Patanjali, has provided the complete philosophy and methodology for the practice of yoga. In the first four sutras of chapter 1, Patanjali has given us a very clear and concise definition of yoga which serves as the foundation for the rest of his exposition on yoga. In this article, I will be discussing these four sutras in some detail. When we develop an understanding of the basic definition, we can start viewing our own yoga practice with a different perspective.

To listen to an audio rendition of each sutra, please click on the small blue button at the beginning of the sutra.

Sutra 1.1

अथ योगानुशासनम्॥१॥

Atha yogAnushAsanaM

Here now is the exposition/discipline of Yoga (1.1)

The word "atha" (here, now) is commonly used at the beginning of all ancient texts in Sanskrit. It signifies the following:

• It establishes the authority of the teacher as one who is uniquely qualified to impart this knowledge
• It qualifies the student as one who is deserving to receive the knowledge. This, in most cases, is based on the fact that the student has already spent a long time (several years, perhaps) with this teacher and has gained all the knowledge necessary as preparation for this special knowledge about yoga.
• It is also used as an auspicious commencement of the subject at hand

The word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit root word "yuj" which, depending upon the context, can have one of two different meanings. One meaning is ‘samadhi’  which is defined as total absorption leading to a fully controlled state of the mind. The other meaning is  ‘union’. According to Vyasa,  the most authoritative commentator on the sutras, the word yoga means ‘samadhi’ in the current context. In many other systems of philosophy, Vedanta for example, yoga means ‘union’ where it implies the union of the individual self and the supreme consciousness called Brahman.

The word "anushasanam" means exposition or discipline. In essence, then, Patanjali is telling his ‘chosen’  set of students to get ready to receive the knowledge on the subject of "yoga".

Sutra I.2

योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः॥२॥

yogashchittavRuttinirodhaH

Yoga is the control (nirodhaH) of the modifications (vrittis) of the mind-field (chitta) (1.2)

The word ‘chitta’ is usually translated as "mind field" or "mind-stuff" and is regarded as a composite of the following:

‘Manas’ (cognitive mind)

This is the part of the ‘chitta’ which is connected with the external world through the five senses. So, it receives input through the senses and creates a composite ‘image’ of what is received. ‘Manas’ is also responsible for all the emotions, desires, likes and dislikes, ambitions etc.

‘Buddhi’ (intellect)

This is the discriminative component of ‘chitta’ which has the ability to make decisions based on the input received from the ‘manas’ and has the ability to discriminate between the pairs of opposites, like good and bad, hot and cold etc.

‘Chitta’ (memory)

This part of ‘chitta’ is the storehouse of all past memories, past impressions (called ‘samskaras’), hidden desires (called ‘vasana’), past karmas and the fruits thereof.

‘Ahamkara’ (ego)

Ego is the ‘template’ for the individual personality and is responsible for the identification with the body, mind and intellect. This is the part of ‘chitta’ which makes one think, "I am the father/ mother" or "I am good/bad", "handsome/ugly" etc. In the yoga sutras, the word "asmita" is also used in some places to indicate "ahamkara".

In the normal functioning of the mind, it receives input from the five senses (or pulls it from the memory) and feeds it to the ‘intellect’. The intellect, in consultation with the ego, digs deep into the memory and pulls out all the necessary past impressions and makes the appropriate decision. This decision goes back to the mind which can either store it back in the memory or direct the appropriate motor action through the organs of action. 

‘Vrittis’ are the fluctuations or modifications in the mind that are constantly going on as new information is being received by the mind, either through the senses or pulled from the memory. Subsequently, Patanjali describes five types of vrittis (but we need not go into them here). When the mind takes on the same form as the object of perception, it is called a ‘vritti’.

As per this sutra, yoga is defined as the ability to control all these fluctuations (vrittis) that are constantly happening in the mind and bring the mind to a perfectly stable, controlled state.

Sutra I.3

तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपेऽवस्थानम्॥३॥
tadA drashtuH svarUpe&vasthAnaM

Then the seer rests in its own true nature (1.3)

The word ‘tada’ (then) refers to the fully stabilized state of the mind described in the previous sutra.

The word ‘drashtuh’  means a ‘seer’ or an ‘observer’ and needs a little more explanation. In the ‘Samkhya’ philosophy, two entities have been defined – ‘Purusha’ and ‘Prakriti’. Purusha is usually translated as ‘soul’, ‘atma’, ‘self’ etc. In its purest form, Purusha is ever-pure, ever-free, unblemished, untouched, without regard to time, space or association with matter. Prakriti is the material aspect of this creation which is inert in itself and needs the reflection of consciousness from Purusha for its functioning. It includes not only the external side of the material world, but also our body, mind, intellect complex. Even thgough Purusha is ever-pure, it appears to be ‘colored’ by its identification with the body/mind complex. In this ‘impure’ state, it loses its true identity.

The sutra states that when the mind has been made steady in ‘yoga’, then the ‘seer’ or the Purusha can get established in its own true nature (svarupa) which is complete non-identification with any of the material entities – mind/body/intellect.  This state has been defined as ‘kaivalya’ by Patanjalil which means complete non-identification.

Sutra 1.4

वृत्तिसारूप्यमितरत्र॥४॥
vRuttisArUpyamitaratra

Otherwise, one remains identified with the modifications of the mind-field (1.4)

"itaratra" means ‘otherwise’, ‘or else’. ‘vritti-sarupyam’ implies identification with the vrittis or modifications of the mind-field. The sutra states that when the mind has not been brought into a state of steadiness (in yoga), then the purusha gets identified (through the faculty of the mind) with the fluctuations happening in the mind.

We can look upon this sutra as a form of warning from Patanjali, "hey guys, either learn how to control your mind and remain ever peaceful and joyful, or allow the mind to control you and remain forever in a state of suffering." So, Patanjali is giving us a choice between us controlling the mind or letting it control us. He is also making us fully aware of the consequences in each of the two cases. Even though the choice may seem obvious to us, it is still a hard choice to make because our ego continues to force us to maintain that identification with the mind/body complex.

In summary, in these four sutras in Chapter 1 of the yoga sutras, Patanjali has given us not just the basic definition of yoga, but has shown us a path to choose if we want to become peaceful and full of inner joy all the time.

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As many of you are aware, the next 21-day yoga challenge program will begin on June 6. Based on the very positive and encouraging response from those who participated in the 21-day program n April, I plan to hold similar programs approximately every two months in the near future. At the present time, all fifteen spots for the June program have been filled. However, if you would like to join one of the future programs, or would like more information, please contact me.

It is really heartening to see that the participants are making such a deep commitment to attend the yoga class for 21 days at a stretch. Many of the participants have told me that to wake up that early to start the class at 6 AM is in itself a big challenge for them. In addition to attending for these 21 days, I am also recommending that they continue to practice on their own for 21 additional days after this session is over. According to many experts, it takes 21 days of regular practice to start realizing the benefits of any new change in your life and further 21 days to finally convert the practice into a habit. Once it becomes a habit, it is easy to see how this can become a lifestyle instead of an effort or a chore. To see some of the anticipated benefits, please visit my original blog post on the first 21-day program here.

I would truly welcome your feedback and comments. The program participants may like to use the comments section below to discuss any questions, thoughts or experiences that they have before, during or after the session.

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If you attend a yoga class, it is very likely that the teacher starts the class by reciting the sound of OM three times. Most teachers like to chant OM at the end of the class as wll. That’s how I start and end the classes tha I teach. So, the natural question that comes up is, "why chant OM and what is the significance of this sound?". Here is a brief explanation of the meaning and significance of OM.

OM is considered to be the ‘primordial sound’. Even before the material creation came into existence there was only the natural humming energy which resembled the sound of OM. Today, we know that one form of energy can be converted to another form – electricity to sound, electricity to heat, heat to electricity etc. According to the famous equation by Einstein – E=mc2, all matter is nothing but waves of energy. So, when the ‘powers that be’ decided to create this material universe, they were able to use the ever-present humming sound vibration of OM to manifest this creation. This same vibration continues to exist all around us and even inside us. The inner sound is given the name "antar-naada" (the inner sound) which can be heard when we can tune in to our pure inner self.

The OM mantra has been mentioned in many of the ancient texts related to yoga. In many of the Upanishads, it is revered as representing everything that is manifest and yet has its roots in the unmanifest. The Mandukya Upanishad (MU), in particular, is fully devoted to the discussion of OM. In the Upanishads, OM is mentioned as being the same as Brahman (the supreme consciousness).

Meaning of OM

The Sanskrit word OM (also written as AUM) is a composite of three letters "A" (? - like the first sound in ‘aware’ , "U" (? -as in ‘foot’ and "M" (?? - as the last sound in ‘mum’). According to MU, the three letters A, U and M represent the waking, dream and deep sleep states. The silence between successive repetitions of the mantra represents the fourth state called ‘turiya’ (literally the ‘fourth’ in Sanskrit), a state that transcends these three states. These three states correspond to the conscious, sub-conscious and unconscious states of the mind. A few other commonly mentioned interpretations of the letters A, U and M are given below:

• A = tamas (darkness, inertia, ignorance)
• U = rajas (passion, activity, dynamism)
• M = Sattva (purity, truth, light)

The silence between the two AUM sounds represents the pure consciousness, a state which transcends the three gunas (called ‘trigunaatit’ – beyond gunas)

• sutra 1.27: "The word expressive of Ishvara is the mystic sound OM (pranava)"
• sutra 1.28: "To repeat it with reflection upon its meaning is an aid."
• sutra 1.29: "From this practice all the obstacles disappear and simultaneously dawns knowledge of the inner Self."
• sutra 1.30: "Disease, dullness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, sensuality, false perception, failure to reach firm ground and slipping from ground gained – these distractions of the mind-stuff are the obstacles."
• sutra 1.31: "Accompaniments to the mental distractions include distress, despair, trembling of the body, and disturbed breathing."

As we can see from these sutras by Patanjali, chanting of OM can make us free from obstacles (defined in sutra 1.30) and provide us a glimpse of the inner self.

Even though chanting of OM as a mantra by itself is advocated in the above sutras, it is common to use OM in conjunction with other mantras. In some cases, it is added at the beginning of a shloka ; for example – "OM namo shivaya, OM bhur, bhuvah, svaha" etc. In other cases it is also added at the end of a phrase – e.g., Hari OM. Most of the mantras in the vedas also start with OM. In the spiritual tradition, those who wish to meditate on a regular basis get a personal mantra from their spiritual teacher. This personal mantra may or may not include OM as a part of the mantra.

How to chant OM

As Patanjali states in sutra 1.28, OM should be chanted keeping its meaning and significance in mind. Since OM is the representative sound and symbol for Ishvara, it is important to keep the essence of Ishvara (sutra 1.24) in mind while chanting OM. The technique for chanting OM is given below:

Sit in a comfortable cross-legged seated posture with the spine upright, head, neck and spine in a vertical (if comfortable) alignment. Close the eyes and take a deep inhalation. While exhaling start uttering the OM sound. Begin by feeling the vibration of the "O" sound building up in the navel area and traveling upward. As you continue the chant, feel the vibration moving upward toward the base of the throat. When the vibration reaches the throat area, convert the sound to a deep humming sound of "M". Continue to feel the vibration moving upward until it reaches the crown of the head (called Sahasrara Chakra). You may repeat this process two or more times. At the end of the final chant, continue to sit still and feel the vibration of the OM sound permeating the whole body – every single cell of the body.

Benefits of chanting OM

The continued recitation of OM (called Udgita Pranayama) fills one with peace, calmness, tranquility and serenity. When we recite it with the understanding that OM is nothing but a representation of Ishvara, it brings us closer to our true nature, our own pure self. As mentioned above, OM is the primordial sound and this entire creation is a manifestation of this mystic sound. It represents the cosmic prana (the vital energy) and the air we breathe. Meditating on these thoughts can bring us closer to other human beings and lift the veil of separateness.

Do you chant the sound of OM in your yoga practice? If so, do you chant OM by itself or in association with other mantras? I would love to get your feedback on this article and also would like to know about your own meditation practice. Please leave me a comment below.

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Recently I received this link from a friend of mine about an article in NYT describing research on creativity conducted at the University of New Mexico. The research utilized f-MRI technology to study and "measure" creativity under different conditions. On reading the article I noticed striking parallel between the findings of this research and yoga philosophy as given in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. In order to point out the similarities to the author of the article, Patricia Cohen, I have written her the following letter:

Dear Patricia,

I read with great interest you article titled, "Charting Creativity". It is great to see this emerging research in the field of brain and creativity.

I am a student of yoga and I found it really interesting that the findings related to creativity in your article find a close parallel with the philosophy of yoga as given by Sage Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras. Patanjali provides an 8-fold path called Ashtanga Yoga (eight limbs of yoga) as a means to attain perfect stillness of the mind. These 8 limbs are: Yama (social restraints), Niyama (personal commitments), Asana (physical postures), Pranayama (breathing techniques), Pratyahara (sense withdrawal), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), Samadhi (total absorption). I am giving below some excerpts from your article and how they relate so closely with the yoga philosophy.

Excerpt from the article – " The brains of those who got a flash of creative insight, by contrast, prepared by automatically shutting down activity in the visual cortex for an instant � the equivalent of closing your eyes to block out distractions so that you can concentrate better. In this case, Dr. Kounios said that the brain was �cutting out other sensory input and boosting the signal-to-noise ratio� to retrieve the answer from the subconscious."

My response - "cutting out other sensory input" � is the same as the yoga concept of pratyahara (the fifth limb of yoga). In pratyahara, the mind is shut off from any influence by the five senses. A couple of popular techniques to achieve this state of mind are – yoga nidra (yogic deep relaxation) and breath awareness while breathing deeply.

Excerpt from the article - �creativity not only involves coming up with something new, but also with shutting down the brain�s habitual response, or letting go of conventional solutions.�

My response -� the concept of memory and ‘samskaras’ or past impressions appears frequently in the yoga sutras. Our ego likes to feed on these samskaras and drive the mind crazy in the process. These control our brain’s habitual responses which lead to conventional responses (as mentioned in your article). So, with the practice of yoga one is able to keep the samaskaras under check (keep the ego at bay).

Excerpt from the article - �That�s why creative connections often occur when people are most peaceful � relaxing under a tree, like Isaac Newton, or in a dream state, like Coleridge when he thought up �Kubla Khan.�

My response - Attaining a state of peace and tranquility of the mind is the prime objective of yoga practice. In Yoga Sutras, the last three limbs of concentration, meditation and total absorption are provided as means of achieving stillness of the mind. When the mind becomes still, the intuitive wisdom shines through since we are not driven by the ego (habitual responses) any more. In that state we are able to "see" things clearly as they are, not as our ego projects them to be. In sutras (chapter 2) 2.26 and 2.27, Patanjali states that by practicing the 8 limbs of yoga one can achieve discriminative knowledge which leads to the highest state of intuitive wisdom. Once we are in that state, our creativity will find its highest level of expression.  

I would love to receive any comments or feedback that you might have.

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As we know, pranayama (breathing techniques) and meditation are two of the key ingredients of an integrated yoga routine. Patanjali, in his Yoga Sutras, has given us these 8 "tools", called the eight limbs of yoga (Ashtanga Yoga) to achieve stillness of the mind – yamas, niyamas, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhi. Many of the yoga practitioners tend to limit their practice to only the 3rd limb, asana, the physical postures. Even though the practice of asana will make the body more flexible and stronger, by practicing only asanas we are limiting ourselves to a small subset of the benefits that yoga can provide. If we want to achieve the full complement of benefits of yoga, we need to avail of all the "tools" that are given to us.

In an effort to encourage the students to include pranayama and meditation as part of their daily yoga routine, I will be offering a 7-day session as follows:

When: May 23-29, 2010

Time: 6:15 – 7:30 AM

Location: my home-based yoga studio

Schedule: light stretching and Sun Salutation (15 minutes), Pranayama (25 min), Relaxation (5 min), Yoga philosophy (10 min), meditation (20 min).

Commitment: For the program to be successful I strongly urge you to make a firm commitment to follow this schedule and attend every day

Fee: $30

During these sessions, we will cover the techniques and benefits of many different types of pranayama that are given in the yoga literature. For meditation, we will go through a few guided meditation routines. .

Strongly recommended

In addition to committing to the routine as outlined above, I also recommend that you commit to the following for the duration of the program (not mandatory but strongly recommended):

• ‘sattvic’, light, nutritious, VEGETARIAN food
• No alcohol, drugs, tobacco or any other item of similar nature
• A personal commitment to continue the practice after the program is over

Please contact me if you have any questions or would like to attend.

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Meditation is the seventh of the eight limbs of yoga (Ashtanga Yoga) as given by sage Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras. The eight limbs of yoga are:

1. Yama (social restraints)
2. Niyama (personal commitments)
3. Asana (physical postures)
4. Pranayama (breathing techniques)
5. Pratyahara (sense withdrawal)
6. Dharana (concentration)
7. Dhyana (meditation)
8. Samadhi (total absorption)

Yamas and Niyamas provide a moral and ethical base for the sadhaka (spiritual seeker – a yoga student).Asana, as defined by Patanjali, refers to a comfortable but firm seated posture in which the yogi can stay in perfect stillness for the duration of meditation. The yoga that is most commonly practiced today is what is called Hatha Yoga (HY). The basic guidelines for HY, as a physical culture, were given to us (around 1000 AD), by Swatmarama who wrote the Hatha Yoga Pradeepika (HYP). HYP is a complete treatise on the philosophy and practice of HY and includes discussion on asana, pranayama, mudra and bandhas. The goal of HY is to finally make progress toward Patanjali’s Raja Yoga (another name for Patanajali’s Ashtanga Yoga or the eight limbs of yoga). Pranayama involves manipulating the breath in a variety of ways. Breath is a gross manifestation of ‘prana’, the cosmic life energy which is the source of all life forms. In Pratyahara, we develop the ability to disengage the mind from the influence of the five senses. These five limbs – yama, niyama, asana, pranayama and pratyahara – are termed as the external limbs of yoga. The remaining three limbs – dharana, dhyana, and samadhi – are termed as ‘internal limbs’ and are generally presented together as each succeeding limb is an extension of the previous one.

In the practice of Dharana, some part of the body is usually picked to stay focused on. The most common points of focus suggested are the spot between the two eyebrows (‘third eye’ or ‘Ajna chakra’), the tip of the nose, or any one of the chakras. For the technique given below, we will pick the third eye as the focal point.

For meditation, a sound vibration called ‘mantra’ is usually used as the object of meditation. Usually a mantra is given by a guru to a disciple after the student has spent some time together with the teacher. The guru can then give a mantra that matches the aptitude and the energy pattern of the student. For your meditation, you can pick any sound as your mantra – a word or even a short phrase that you associate with peace, tranquility or any positive quality that you cherish. Once you pick a mantra you must stay with the same mantra for your meditation every day.

The normal guideline for the duration of meditation is at least 20 minutes each in the morning and evening.

In the meditation technique given below, we will use awareness of the body, breath and mind to help the mind stay focused on the object of meditation. So, here is the technique -

1. Sit in a posture that feels comfortable, with the spine upright. Remember, Patanjali defines ‘asana’ as ‘firm and comfortable’. You need to make sure that you can remain in your sitting posture in a relaxed and comfortable position for the duration of meditation. If necessary, put a cushion under you. If you can’t sit on the floor, you may sit in a chair, keeping the spine straight. Close the eyes.
2. Become aware of the body. Feel the weight of the body on the floor. Squeeze the fists tight and then relax the hands, arms and shoulders.Relax the facial muscles.
3. Mentally recite the sound of OM three times.
4. Bring your awareness to the breathing and take three deep breaths. Then just observe the flow of breath at the tip of the nose for a few breaths.
5. Bring your awareness to the central spot between the two eyebrows (called the ‘Ajna’ chakra or the third eye). Become aware of the space that extends in front beyond that spot (called ‘chidakasha’ or the space of consciousness).
6. At this point begin to recite your mantra mentally. We will endeavor to maintain focus on the mantra. However, the nature of the mind being what it is, it is going to start wandering around after a very short time. The key in meditation is not to fight with the mind but try to become friendly with it. So, accepting the fact that it is the nature of the mind to wander around, try simply to become a witness to the thoughts that come up.
7. If, during the mental recitation of the mantra, you find that you are beginning to drift away with the thoughts, it is time to gently tell the mind to get back to the mantra. At this point, go back to step 2 and repeat the subsequent steps and finally once again try to get absorbed in chanting the mantra. This way, whenever you feel that you are getting carried away with your thought process, you can gently guide your mind back to recitation of the mantra through a repetition of the above steps.
8. Continue the meditation for at least 20 minutes. After some practice, you will be able to extend the duration of meditation to up to 30 minutes or even longer.
9. To close your meditation session, repeat the sound of OM three times.

I certainly hope that you will find these guidelines helpful in establishing your own meditation practice. I would love to receive your feedback and comments.

I have also recorded the above instructions in an mp3 audio file. You can use the audio instructions for a guided meditation session. If you would like to receive the audio recording of the above instructions, please contact me.

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Here is an excerpt from an email that I recently received from a friend of mine.

“The last couple of months have been unusually busy (though not necessarily fruitful) for me at work. Days seemed to be packed with demands. The to-do list would often seem longer at the end of a long work day than it had at the beginning. Problems and worries abounded. When I opened my eyes in the morning, my first thoughts were of the to-do list. I suspect that many people struggle with similar situations and the sensation of being terrorized by their to-do list. The list may be work related, but it may also involve taking care of children or parents, regular chores and even things that we impose on our selves like going to a yoga class. We begin to live our whole lives in a hurry, trying desperately to get it all done. Even if we can find a day off, we continue to feel hurried, walking quickly, cleaning the kitchen quickly, brushing our teeth quickly. The habit energy carries on. Perhaps there is a subtle realization that we are not really living in the present moment, that this is not working; but we don’t know how to stop, how to get off the tread mill, or even how to find some peace and happiness in the work that we are doing.”

In his email, my friend suggested that in one of my blog posts I address the issue of the ever-expanding “to-do” lists that most of us are faced with. In today’s ultra-competitive and highly demanding work environment, most of us feel overwhelmed by “too much to do in too little time”. Recent lay-offs have forced people to take on multiple responsibilities with one person carrying out the work that was previously done by two or more people. With increased amounts of time spent at work, it becomes a challenge to balance work and family life. It is easy to see how stress builds up under these circumstances resulting in problems at all levels – physical, physiological, mental and emotional.

I would like to share with you some thoughts on how best we can manage our time effectively using techniques influenced by yogic principles:

1. When we set goals, we need to keep the value of “satya” (truthfulness – one of the five yamas) in mind and only strive for achievable, realistic goals. By being truthful to ourselves and to others, we can stay stress-free.
2. We need to recognize that by striving to ‘over-achieve’, we are actually hurting ourselves, both physically and emotionally. By keeping the value of “ahimsa” (non-injury – one of the five yamas) in mind, we can prevent physical injury and emotional stress.
3. I think the most important of the yogic principles in managing time is “ishvara pranidhana” (surrender to Ishvara – one of the five niyamas). Ishvara Pranidhana involves surrendering the ego (ahamkaara) to a superior principle. By doing that we can continue to do our work (ticking items off the to-do list) without getting attached to any expected outcome of our work. We then develop a sense of relaxed detachment (vairagya) to the results of our actions and yet continue to perform the work to our utmost ability. In the Bhagavad Gita there is a famous shloka (Chapter 2, shloka 47)(“Karmanye va Adhikaraste’ Ma Pphaleshu Kadhachana.” – You have the right to action only, and not to its fruits). What this shloka implies is that we can only put our best effort in every action that we do, but are not the architects of the outcome. The outcome, which is controlled by a multitude of factors, is essentially inherent in the level of effort that we put in. By worrying about the outcome, we are actually depleting our energy which can otherwise be utilized to accomplish more actions.
4. Prioritizing the to-do list is very important. After the completion of each task, we may need to re-prioritize our list. However, it is important to tackle always the top item in the list at any time.
5. When confronted with a large to-do list, we tend to ‘multi-task’ – taking on more than one activity at the same time. We need to remember that the mind functions in a linear fashion only, even though it may appear to be otherwise. At any given time, there can be only one thought (called ‘pratyaya’ in yoga) in the mind. Similarly, to tackle our to-do list effectively, we need to linearize the actions so that only the most important action is the point of focus at that time. If distracted by other thoughts/activities, we are taking away our energy from the task on hand.
6. I found this website which I have found helpful in keeping the most important task in view. It presents an empty, clean page where you can add your to-do list. Once you are done with adding items to the list, it displays only the top item in bold letters. It is a strange site that has no links and no mention of the author etc. – just a clean empty page that constantly reminds us of the task at hand!
7. Practicing meditation on a regular basis can bring about clarity of thinking and a oneness of purpose. In Patanjali’s yoga sutra, meditation is the seventh of the eight limbs of yoga, and along with concentration (dharana) and samadhi, it has been used effectively by the yoga practitioners to attain a single-pointedness of the mind. This single-pointedness will help us stay focused on the task at hand and not get distracted by other thoughts/events.
8. When confronted with a common distraction like a phone call, a tweet or an email, there is a tendency to give up the current task and get engaged with the distraction. At that point, it is best to add any actionable item dictated by the temporary distraction to the to-do list and continue with the current task.
9. A regular yoga practice will help revitalize, energize and relax you. With renewed rejuvenation and a stress-free mind, you will be able to stay focused on the present task.
10. Just as we always make time for mundane but essential activities like brushing the teeth, paying bills, take out garbage, eat meals etc., we need to ‘make time’ for our top priority tasks.

I would love to hear from you as to whether and how you are able to manage your time effectively.

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1. Is Yoga a Spiritual Science? On one of the yoga groups on LinkedIn (Yoga...

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On one of the yoga groups on LinkedIn (Yoga Instructors and Practitioners), one question that is being discussed currently is, “If yoga is a spiritual science, what happens when you take the spiritual out of it?”. Lots of different views have been expressed. I have also been contributing to the discussion by presenting my best understanding of the subject basen on Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. I am giving here my thoughts as I have presented in that discussion group.

In the question stated above, there is a tacit assumption that yoga IS a spiritual science. That begs the question – what does it mean to be spiritual? Let me defer that question for the time being and focus on what Patanjali says about yoga. He defines yoga (sutra 1.2) as “yogash-chitta-vritti-nirodhah” or “controlling the fluctuations of the mind is yoga”. As we can see from this definition of yoga, there is no indication that yoga can be considered ‘spiritual’ since only the mind-field is being talked about. The next sutra (sutra 1.3) states, “in that case (when the mind is controlled) the ‘seer’ (drashta) gets established in his own true nature”. In this sutra, we notice that there is mention of the word "seer" or "observer". The “Seer” in this context is nothing but ‘purusha’ of Sankhya or in common language one can translate it as ‘soul’, ‘atma’ or the "spirit". When we talk of yoga at this level, indeed it becomes a spiritual science since now we are talking of our true nature being the ‘soul’ or ‘purusha’.

Next, let us look at the question, "what happens when you take the spiritual out of it?". To answer this question we need to understand why people turn to yoga in the first place. In my own experience as a yoga teacher, I notice that many people begin the yoga practice purely for physical wellness. They are either not interested in or not aware of the deeper benefits of yoga available to the practitioner. Some people may even be averse to any discussion of spirituality in a yoga class. For such people, it may be advisable to keep the discussion of yoga to sutra 1.2 where we are only talking about controlling the mind. Even if we were to talk about sutra 1.3, the word ‘seer’ may be translated as just your own true nature, the position of perfect peace and stillness within yourself. In majority of the cases, students slowly begin to understand the deeper aspects of yoga and one day may feel comfortable talking about yoga as a spiritual science.

There is another statement that appears in a subsequent post on the discussion group, “Yoga is a union of body, mind and spirit, as per its definition – yuj – as is described in the Sutras”. Here are my thoughts on this statement.

As we know, yoga is derived from the root word ‘yuj. According to the dictionary of root words, ‘yuj’ has the following meanings:

• (gana 1P) to control, unite
• (gana 4A) to concentrate as in ‘samadhi’
• (gana 7U) to unite, yoke
• (gana 10U) to control

( FYI – in Sanskrit all root words have been grouped into ten categories called ganas).

So the question is which of these meanings of ‘yoga’ or ‘yuj’ is applicable in the sutras. Sage Vyasa, who is considered to be the original and most authentic commentator of the sutras, in his commentary on sutra 1.1, states, “yogah samadhi” – that means yoga is nothing but samadhi. At no place in his commentary he translates yoga as union or yoking. The goals of yoga emphasized in the sutras are attainment of "samadhi" (complete mind control) and “kaivalyam” (sutra 4.34) which can be translated as ‘independence’ or ‘absorption’. Here we are talking about the realization that our true nature (termed Purusha in yoga) or the true self is different from the mind-body complex. In fact, sutra 2.17 clearly states that our mis-identification with the mind-body-intellect complex is the cause of all suffering which can and need to be avoided. To eliminate this suffering (kleshas) we need to attain the state of ‘kaivalyam’, NOT union.

The commonly understood meaning of yoga as union comes more from a Vedantic point of view. In this view, the individual soul (atma) is identical with the supreme consciousness (paramatma or Brahman). This view is outside the purview of Patanjali’s yoga sutras as he does not talk about "Brahman". Patanjali’s main focus is the realm of the mind/ego and the main goal is to cleanse the mind of all impurities so the fluctuations can be controlled (sutra 1.2 -yogash-chitta-vritti-nirodhah). This is called the state of samadhi or yoga. So, to reiterate, the word ‘yoga’, in the context of yoga sutras, does NOT mean union of any kind. It is simply the state of samadhi which will ultimately lead to "kaivalyam". Incidentally, it is interesting to note that the word ‘yoga’ appears only in these four sutras – 1.1, 1.2, 2.1 and 2.28.

I think it is important to understand what yoga really means as described in Patanjali’s yoga sutras. When we practice yoga, we need to keep its deep meaning in mind. Whether to term it spiritual or not will depend upon our level of understanding and objectives of our yoga practice.

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Several months ago I received an email from the programs coordinator at Yogaville that they were looking for volunteers to staff many of their upcoming workshops. I thought this would be a great opportunity to spend a weekend at my yoga "alma mater" and also attend the workshop. So, I sent in my preference for a couple of them and ended up staffing the "Mindfulness Yoga" workshop during the Oct 23-25 weekend. The workshop was taught by Rev. Frank Jude Boccio who is a certified yoga teacher as well as a fully ordained interfaith minister; he is also ordained as a Dharmacharya, a dharma teacher in the Buddhist tradition.

The main focus of the workshop was to discuss the Four Brahmaviharas (divine abodes or abodes of Brahma) of the Buddhist tradition and how to apply them in life in general and to the yoga-asana practice in particular. The Brahmaviharas, also known as the four immeasurables, are: friendliness (maitri), compassion (karuna), joy (mudita) and equanimity (upeksha). Students of the yoga philosophy of Patanjali will immediately recognize these as the four attitudes, mentioned in Sutra 1.33 of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, which can be applied in different situations to achieve tranquility of the mind (chitta prasadanam).

During the workshop, we studied each of these four attitudes in some detail and applied these to our asana and meditation practice. During the meditation practice we became mindful of the meaning and significance of each of these four values. With that mindfulness, we repeated in our mind statements like, "may I be peaceful", "may I be happy", "may I be free from suffering" etc and applied them to the following categories of people:

• ourselves – e.g., "may I be happy" etc
• to a benefactor; someone who has been very good/kind to us
• a beloved friend – including family members as well
• a neutral person – someone we have no strong feelings for one way or the other
• a difficult person – someone with whom we have experienced conflict and have feelings of anger, hatred etc
• groups of beings like animals, those in prison or hospitals etc
• all beings everywhere

We also went through several sessions of asana practice. During this practice, we became mindful of the chnages taking place at the body, breath and mind levles. At the physical level, one becomes aware of the part(s) of the body impacted with the stretch. In fact, the deeper the sense of such awareness, one minimizes the chance of injury from the yoga practice. At the level of the breath one becomes fully aware of the changes in the quality of breathing during asanas- whether it is shallow, deep, hurried or disturbed. At the level of the mind one becomes aware of the thoughts, feelings or emotions that come up during the practice.

In one of the asana sessions, we practiced "Yin Yoga" wherein we held each pose for more than three minutes. When you hold the pose for that long with total mindfulness, the connective tissues begin to loosen up and your natural levels of flexibility and ease in each pose are improved over time.

I would like to point the differences in the interpretation of these four values between the one presented above (based on Buddha’s teachings) and the one by Patanajali in his Yoga Sutras. The sutra (Chapter 1, Sutra 33 ) reads, "By cultivating attitudes of friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and disregard toward the wicked, the mind-stuff retains its undisturbed calmness" (translation by Swami Satchidananda). As you can see here, Patanjali has divided people that one interacts with into four different categories depending upon their primay nature – happy, unhappy, virtuous and wicked. For each of these groups of people, Patanjali has prescribed one of the four attitudes mentioned in the sutra. In the Buddhist tradition, these four Brahma Viharas are mentioned as universal values that should be applied toward all beings to achieve supreme happiness.

On a Google search, I found this very nice article titled, “Four Sublime States”, which discusses the four Brahma Viharas in some detail.

Overall, I really enjoyed the workshop and just being at Yogaville was a source of joy. If you have never been to Yogaville, I strongly recommend making a weekend trip there to enjoy the weekend programs they offer, excellent vegetarian food and just the superb natural setting of the ashram.

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