Perhaps one of the two most famous aphorisms of Patanjali’s
Yoga Sutras is the second one: Yogas
chitta vritti nirodha. This stanza is not easy to translate as succinctly
as it is written in Sanskrit. Sanskrit contains meanings, overtones, and levels
of reality that make the language rich with wisdom and ripe for interpretation.
Even reciting the stanza can, to one who is receptive and sensitive, convey
ineffable wisdom and heart-opening joy.
The most common translation we use around Ananda is “Yoga is
the neutralization of vortices of feeling.” Unfortunately this tells us little,
unless we investigate and ponder more deeply. I have spent my life of spiritual
introspection pondering the layers of meaning of this one stanza. In this
series of articles, however, I will view this rich stanza from the more
practical level of the practice of meditation as more commonly experienced.
Put, therefore, more simply, Patanjali is essentially
remarking upon what is needed to achieve the state of unitive consciousness
that might be termed “Superconsciousness,” oneness, samadhi, or enlightenment.
I do not wish to define or distinguish these terms and so, for the more limited
purpose of this blog series, let me interpret this stanza loosely and thusly:
The state of “yoga” (an experience of peaceful, meditative
awareness) arises as one relaxes the body, calms the feelings, and clears the
mind of restless thoughts. On a deeper level and involving more directly our
consciousness, we might also say that a state of meditation is achieved when we
dissolve the ceaseless ebb and flow of tension, emotions, and thoughts which
are result of our psychic reaction to memories or other mental images or
thoughts which appear to us during meditation.
Tension in the body is a kind of kinetic e-motion; disturbed
feelings arising from anger, fear, anxiety, or desire thwart our efforts to
achieve inner peace during meditation; lastly, the flow of random thoughts arising
from the subconscious mind during meditation obscure the clarity of our
intuitive, inner awareness. Thoughts can have their source (or be affected by) in
physical tension (or vica versa) or in our disturbed feelings.
Patanjali is, one might say, simply stating the necessary
precondition to higher consciousness: we must dissolve the energy-laden
commitments to identifying with our body, to investing in our emotional
reactions (likes and dislikes, past, present, or potential), and to the habit
of ceaseless thoughts. Later in the sutras he explores specific obstacles to
higher consciousness and specific forms of concentration designed to transcend
these obstacles.
We, as meditators, can use this stanza to remind ourselves
to use the techniques of meditation and apply them to body, feelings, and mind
in a scientific and effective way to clear the motions and movements of body,
emotions, and thoughts that we might “sit” or commune inwardly with inner
peace.
For the body it is good to use yoga postures, or stretching
exercises (e.g., Yogananda’s Energization Exercises), to release tension and
fatigue. For the nervous system, brain, heart, and lungs, breath control
exercises can decarbonizes the bloodstream and oxygenate the brain and all the
cells; equalizing inhalation with exhalation can bring the body into stasis or
relative stability so as to release the energy drag upon our mind and
concentration. For the mind, concentration using mantra, or breath, or
devotional aspiration can achieve a laser-like focus in the upper psychic
centers (forehead) to cauterize or hold at bay the ceaseless stream of random
thoughts.
While this blog series is not intended to teach meditation a
simple and illustrative suggestion might begin with tensing the whole body
(while seated) as you inhale, and relaxing the whole body as you exhale. Do
this several times. Then do three to five rounds of simple, deep, diaphragmatic
breathing with equal measures of inhalation, retention of breath, and
exhalation. (While holding the breath visualize “holding” the breath in the
heart; as you exhale let all nervousness or negativity melt away.) Then sit and
observe the flow of breath as if it were gradually clearing your mind of all
restless thoughts until the mind was clear and open to the clear blue sky above
and in all directions. After this, simply sit in the inner silence, communing
with the feeling of peace and serenity.
In addition, we must remind ourselves that the purpose of
meditation is to go beyond meditation techniques and practices and enter the
state of inner silence, mindfulness, inner peace, or inner communion: just BE!
We are so addicted to DOING and PRACTICING that when at last the time comes in
our meditation routine to simply BE we sometimes find that we are not ready; we
may be unwilling to let go of the ego-controller. But without first intending
to achieve inner silence and then having at least a taste of it in each
meditation, we will not experience the promise implied by the second stanza of
the Yoga Sutras. “Yoga-peace comes from calming and dissolving the ego-active tendencies
of the body, heart and mind.”
Blessings,
Nayaswami Hriman
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