AIR ELEMENT-STAGE 4 of the 8-Fold Path of Patanjali

And now we come to the middle step on the eight-fold Path of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga. We are half-way, as it were, to the goal of life: cosmic consciousness (Oneness, or samadhi). The elemental aspect of step 4 is AIR. The Sanskrit name of the fourth stage is PRANAYAMA. So let’s do some exploratory digging:

Pranayama. This term is comprised of two basic Sanskrit terms: prana, and, yama. Prana refers to the intelligent energy which activates and underlies everything in creation. In the practice of yoga it is associated with the breath and its many qualities and manifestions such as movement (in, out, up and down, restrained, expelled) or qualities (warm, cool, energizing, calming, oxygenating, detoxifying and so on). The physical breath is prana’s most visible, most material manifestation. Hence if a person is breathing we say “He is alive.” If he’s not breathing, we say “He is dead.” In the deeper or more advanced practices of yoga (meditation), prana refers less to the physical breath and much, much more to the astral (or subtle) energy which moves in the central astral spine known as the sushumna.

Prana has many other manifestations on the subtle astral realm such as light (seen in the forehead in meditation), as sound (heard inside the right ear and expressed in human vocalization as AUM), bliss, calmness, love, peace, vitality, and wisdom.

Yama we have seen in the first article as the term for the first stage of the 8-Fold Path. It means, simply “control.” Control here is more than the “grit-your-teeth-I-am –in-control.” Rather it means that one has an inner awareness of the realities of consciousness that gives one access, realization, and power over their innate qualities.

Now before we go to the qualities of the AIR element, we have some more work to do. No single blog article can do this stage justice. Pranayama also describes the basic thrust of many, if not most, yoga practices. We have breathing techniques which are described by this term. For example, the alternative breathing technique, sometimes referred to as nadi shodamam is a pranayama.

We have the advanced meditation technique of kriya yoga, popularized by Paramhansa Yogananda in his “Autobiography of a Yogi,” and it, too, is a pranayama. The term “pranayama” refers (like the term “yoga” itself) to BOTH the practices and the goal of the practices. A deep lesson is thus implied for while we seek the goal (of union), the goal is already there, just behind our seeking!

The fourth stage of the 8-Fold Path also is characterized by the heart’s quality of feeling. The most central feeling of our nature is love. Here, at the half-way point to cosmic consciousness, the feeling aspect of consciousness, known as chitta¸ must make a decision (from moment to moment, day to day). Should our feeling descend the subtle spine and go out through the lower chakras to identify with and seek fulfillment through the senses and the world of sense objects? Or, do we ascend the upward path that dissolves our ego-body-identified consciousness and expands toward Infinity? Do we love because we feel more joy in loving than in judging? This upward feeling of love moves toward Love itself, which is to say, more practically speaking, towards devotion to God, one of His aspects, deities, or through the guru.

And now, at last, the element of AIR. I confess that in relation to the importance of both pranayama (practices) and devotion to God, the aspects of AIR seem less vital or relevant to me than in the three chakras which precede this one. Still I offer some thoughts in our contemplation and meditation upon the AIR element.

Air is vital to life. Its relationship to pranayama (seen now as breathing techniques) is obvious. This chakra controls the vital functions of heart, lungs and the strength and mobility of arms and hands. Through our arms (and hands) we grasp the world, we hug our loved ones. But air gives to us (physically) our very life. If we think of air as encircling the earth in a blanket of life-sustaining oxygen, we see air as the very basis, however invisible it is to us, of our life. And what is life, without feeling? Without love? Surely life has no meaning without love?

An eagle soaring high above the earth sees the earth in a perspective unlike that of earth-bound mortals. This eagle sees all life in its interdependence, seeing both its diversity and its unity. Thus air gives life and the eagle of life appreciates, respects, and loves all, as parts of a greater whole. This eagle, if truly wise, looks upward to the heavens to the Giver of Life, to the source of Love itself. For we do not invent love, nor yet the impulse to seek and express it. It is an inextricable aspect of life itself and cannot be separated. Life, love, breath have a relationship that cannot be merely understood, but only experienced.

The more we live in the pure AIR of love that is without attachment or condition, the greater satisfaction we can experience. For love with attachment is bound to suffer. Rarely is true love found in the earth-bound, desire driven egos of humans. Death itself, if not betrayal or disillusionment, robs us of the object of our love. It is Love, Life, and Air (as a symbol of the others) that silently draws us onto Itself.

For those of us in our practice of meditation who employ pranayamas, we would do well to bring to the table of our practice the quality of devotion and feeling, lest our will-direct breathing techniques become dry and mechanical. Even hatha yoga can be performed as an act of devotion. Love life, love each breath, as the invisible manifestion of Spirit in human form. Worship, then, if you will, if you dare, on the altar of Spirit, in the temple of silence, in the flow of the Breath of Life.

Blessings,

Nayaswami Hriman

8-Fold Path - 3rd Stage - FIRE!

The third stage of Patanjali's 8-Fold Path towards enlightenment is called, simply, ASANA. (Patanjali is the rishi in ancient India who wrote the "bible" of the yogic path in what is known as the Yoga Sutras, or Aphorisms.) Most readers know this word in the context of yoga postures, known generally (in the plural form) as ASANAS, or postures.

Since only a superficial interpretation of the 8-Fold Path would imagine Patanjali was suggesting that to achieve enlightenment one must practice yoga postures, what wisdom is being offered to us here? For one (and I mean that literally), ASANA is singular, not plural. So right away we know that this isn't about yoga postures. But it IS linked to right posture, at least as a symbol.

But here Patanjali, in the great tradition of hoary sages down through ages, throws out a red herring (actually, as I understand it, he didn't eat herring. Perhaps if he had encountered a red herring, he would have thrown it out. Well, no sense speculating.) Indeed, one of the almost tongue-in-cheek aspects of these bearded sages is the use of words that have not just multiple meanings but meanings that might throw you off the scent unless you have a wise teacher or developed intuition!  (Omar Khayyam, in the Sufi tradition, used images of wine and romance to disguise his true wisdom.)

To be consistent with my prior two articles, let us find the key by examining the third stage from the point of view of its elemental quality: FIRE. If we think literally of fire (as in "How do you combine earth and water to produce fire?"), we might miss subtler points. Think, instead, of the fire at the center of the earth. In this molten chamber, the molten (liquid-water) meets the earth in high temperatures. As the stomach converts both beverage and meal into energy at the center of our being, the third stage, ASANA, is aligned with the third chakra, opposite the navel. FIRE then refers to the otherwise unseen, INNER energy that vitalizes all atoms and molecules, whether of earth or water (meaning anything in liquid form). (Did I mention in the previous two articles that the first stage, YAMA (earth), has its energy center (vortex or chakra) at the base of the spine? And, that NIYAMA, the second stage (water), is opposite the sex organs?)

Fire in the belly in relationship to the word ASANA (posture) hints at the straight posture of the meditator. It is this inner fire of energy which is reflected in the straight spine and conveys alertness, energy, vitality, and the drive and self-initiative of one who stands tall and walks and talks straight.

Whereas with the first two stages of our path toward enlightenment we are struggling with overcoming the hynosis of matter attraction, ego affirmation or protection (YAMA), and with establishing good habits and becoming self-sufficient (NIYAMA), the inner path of Self-realization through meditation could be said to begin in earnest at the third stage, ASANA. Paramhansa Yogananda taught that there exists at the manipur chakra (opposite the navel) a subtle passageway known as the brahmanadi which is the doorway to our soul consciousness. This article is too brief to explore this vast and technical subject more than superficially, but suffice to say the deeper meaning of the inner fire is that we go within, seeking ot unite with the prana (Life Force) within ourselves as the object of our aspirations.

When the intelligence and energy of ASANA spills one-sidedly out into the world of the senses we exhibit anger, ruthlessness or controlling and abusive tendencies. It is the destructive aspect of fire. The straight spine with a vengeance, so to speak, creating hell on earth for everyone around you. But turned within, this is the fire and energy of prana. It can serve as a lantern to guide our path upward in the labyrinth of the inner path and spine. It offers us zeal and strength, self-control and yields the fruits of health and vitality.

On the level of daily life, it has been well documented, even if anecdotally, that a straight spine adds years of healthy, zestful living to one's life. One with correct posture tends to think straight and act with honor and virtue. It represents that stage of maturity where values, mores, and good habits have been internalized and made our own. No longer is our behavior the product only of outward influences, reward and punishment.

Let's not forget that the practice of yoga postures can contribute to both a straight spine and the deeper aspects of vitality and self-awareness suggested by the third stage of the 8-Fold Path. Whereas the aspect of self-control exhibited by the power of YAMA is in relation to the objects of senses, the Self-control of the FIRE element relates to our determination and enthusiasm for Self-realization through meditation. ASANA is the power to control the body in order to be still (and "know that I AM GOD").

There is also a creative aspect to fire. The reproductive creativity of the WATER element (sacral center or swadhistan chakra whose intelligence guides the reproductive organs) is in relationship or in response to the world around us (especially people and circumstances). The creativity of the FIRE element comes from within. It manifests new ideas and new projects without necessarily any obvious outward influences or compulsions. It is just this kind of inner drive that is the necessary foundation for one who meditates. No one can meditate for you. Meditation is creative because it opens us to the world of endless possibilities and inspirations.

Very few people have good posture. You will find how good posture will help your digestion and convey that sense of vitality and righteousness that can help both your meditation and your life. There are yoga postures that can help ignite the fire in the belly. In chakra meditations there are "bandhas" (locks) used at the navel (manipur chakra) center that can stimulate the life-giving, uplifting intelligence prana of the third chakra whose awakening is the third stage of the 8-Fold Path: ASANA.

See you next week, with PRANAYAMA! 

Nayaswami Hriman