Supremacy of Yoga
11:05 AM Posted In Introduction to Yoga Edit This
Like the supremacy of modern science, Yoga also in the field of consciousness holds supremacy which tries to bring social harmony by understanding that one reality exists in all. Yogis through the tool of yoga, unfold the mystery of this universe and thus acquire knowledge to its minuteness.
Through the sound practice of Yoga, one can attain a disease free body as well as keen intellect.
Yogasikha Upanishad mentions that this body is the abode of Siva, hence, a yogi considers the body as a temple and keeps it healthy for further development of consciousness.
Yogakalpadrum states that knowledge can be attained from Yoga and it is the supreme penance. This state which is attainable through yoga cannot be attained through severe austerity, prayer and performance of sacrifice, therefore, one should practise yoga only with a view to get rid of the duality which binds and one to this world and causes restlessness leading to psychosomatic problems. Yoga arrests this restlessness and brings tranquillity.
When Consciousness delimits itself in knowledge and form, it gives rise to the drama of the world. The prologue is formed by the veiling of Its essential nature. In the prologue, it undergoes the process of involution to the extent of assuming the form of matter. This process is called the arc of descent. At the acme of this descent begins the process of evolution resulting eventually in the emergence of the principles of life and mind, leading to ignorance and bondage. Ignorance of the true nature of consciousness is the factor of limitation on account of which the knowledge becomes shorn of wholeness. It is of two types, one in considering the real self as the not-self and the other in taking not-self as the real self. Conditioning of consciousness to limitations of individuality is bondage. The limitation is threefold, caused first by self-concealment, the second by the space-time continuum and the third by ideation.
Loss of plenitude results in the loss of freedom on the part of the individual. Thus, there is the loss of consciousness of one’s freedom and freedom of one’s consciousness. The second one lies in the division of consciousness into the subject and the object staring face to face at each other. The network of the duality of subject and object created thus, proves entangling for consciousness. The third is the factor of action on account of which the individual consciousness suffers the consequence of its actions both evil and good. The threefold trap of limitation, dichotomisation and causal efficacy results in oblivion of one’s true nature. Thus, the individual remains confined just to the modes of his psychic apparatus while his desires make him entangled in the pleasures of sense objects. Put under this confinement, he loses much in his power of discernment and is reduced to limited doership. The objects of senses become fascinating to him due to utter limitation brought to the range of his consciousness. He becomes emotionally charged by the desire for particular things and comes to develop organs of action and sense so as to enjoy those objects by way of their utilisation, no matter, even just cognitively. These vibrations and reflexes conceal the experient’s real nature resulting in his indulgence in ignorance. Ignorance lies not in the object but in the subject and that also due to limitation in its self-dynamism. For the sake of recovery of one’s true nature, Yoga has devised methods depending on the degree of loss.
Yoga aims at right discernment and constant mindfulness so that one acquires one’s true nature. This is aided through mindful practice of pranayama which culminates into pratyahara, dhyana and finally into samadhi.
When a yogi practises asanas, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, through constant awareness, he penetrates the annamaya, pranamaya, manomaya and anandamaya kosas -- physical, vital, mental, supremely conscious and blessed.
Asana is a great help in the penetration of the physical. This, however, needs to be duly accompanied by meditation instead of being allowed to remain barely physical. Pranasandhana is meant specifically for the penetration and transcendence of the vital. So does pratyahara in regard to the mental. The vijnanamaya, on the other hand, is penetrated through reflective awareness of the witnessing consciousness. It opens the gate of the citadel of consciousness and bliss, anandamaya which culminates into all-inclusive consciousness.
The state of all-comprehending blessedness is the bhuman as unfolded by Sanatkumara to the divine sage Narada. It is the same as the golden sheath bathed in light as envisioned by seer Narayana. Irrespective of dynamism of the mind, the yoga of yogins moves with inseparated spirit.
This works brings out in detail various traditions and synthesises them. He clearly enunciates how practice of asanas removes diseases and brings stability, health to the body and as has been rightly said Jabaladarshnopanishad that one, who has established control over the asanas, conquers the three worlds.
Pranayama enhances and balances the pranas, once they have been regulated, the mind comes under its control, since prana is the first to originate from consciousness and finally merges into consciousness itself. The real pranayama is that when the yogin becomes mindful of the subtle vibrations created by the prana and with its aid attains to the real nature of prana. This has been clearly enunciated in Netra Tantra, Chapter 8, 12-13.
Through the sound practice of Yoga, one can attain a disease free body as well as keen intellect.
Yogasikha Upanishad mentions that this body is the abode of Siva, hence, a yogi considers the body as a temple and keeps it healthy for further development of consciousness.
Yogakalpadrum states that knowledge can be attained from Yoga and it is the supreme penance. This state which is attainable through yoga cannot be attained through severe austerity, prayer and performance of sacrifice, therefore, one should practise yoga only with a view to get rid of the duality which binds and one to this world and causes restlessness leading to psychosomatic problems. Yoga arrests this restlessness and brings tranquillity.
When Consciousness delimits itself in knowledge and form, it gives rise to the drama of the world. The prologue is formed by the veiling of Its essential nature. In the prologue, it undergoes the process of involution to the extent of assuming the form of matter. This process is called the arc of descent. At the acme of this descent begins the process of evolution resulting eventually in the emergence of the principles of life and mind, leading to ignorance and bondage. Ignorance of the true nature of consciousness is the factor of limitation on account of which the knowledge becomes shorn of wholeness. It is of two types, one in considering the real self as the not-self and the other in taking not-self as the real self. Conditioning of consciousness to limitations of individuality is bondage. The limitation is threefold, caused first by self-concealment, the second by the space-time continuum and the third by ideation.
Loss of plenitude results in the loss of freedom on the part of the individual. Thus, there is the loss of consciousness of one’s freedom and freedom of one’s consciousness. The second one lies in the division of consciousness into the subject and the object staring face to face at each other. The network of the duality of subject and object created thus, proves entangling for consciousness. The third is the factor of action on account of which the individual consciousness suffers the consequence of its actions both evil and good. The threefold trap of limitation, dichotomisation and causal efficacy results in oblivion of one’s true nature. Thus, the individual remains confined just to the modes of his psychic apparatus while his desires make him entangled in the pleasures of sense objects. Put under this confinement, he loses much in his power of discernment and is reduced to limited doership. The objects of senses become fascinating to him due to utter limitation brought to the range of his consciousness. He becomes emotionally charged by the desire for particular things and comes to develop organs of action and sense so as to enjoy those objects by way of their utilisation, no matter, even just cognitively. These vibrations and reflexes conceal the experient’s real nature resulting in his indulgence in ignorance. Ignorance lies not in the object but in the subject and that also due to limitation in its self-dynamism. For the sake of recovery of one’s true nature, Yoga has devised methods depending on the degree of loss.
Yoga aims at right discernment and constant mindfulness so that one acquires one’s true nature. This is aided through mindful practice of pranayama which culminates into pratyahara, dhyana and finally into samadhi.
When a yogi practises asanas, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, through constant awareness, he penetrates the annamaya, pranamaya, manomaya and anandamaya kosas -- physical, vital, mental, supremely conscious and blessed.
Asana is a great help in the penetration of the physical. This, however, needs to be duly accompanied by meditation instead of being allowed to remain barely physical. Pranasandhana is meant specifically for the penetration and transcendence of the vital. So does pratyahara in regard to the mental. The vijnanamaya, on the other hand, is penetrated through reflective awareness of the witnessing consciousness. It opens the gate of the citadel of consciousness and bliss, anandamaya which culminates into all-inclusive consciousness.
The state of all-comprehending blessedness is the bhuman as unfolded by Sanatkumara to the divine sage Narada. It is the same as the golden sheath bathed in light as envisioned by seer Narayana. Irrespective of dynamism of the mind, the yoga of yogins moves with inseparated spirit.
This works brings out in detail various traditions and synthesises them. He clearly enunciates how practice of asanas removes diseases and brings stability, health to the body and as has been rightly said Jabaladarshnopanishad that one, who has established control over the asanas, conquers the three worlds.
Pranayama enhances and balances the pranas, once they have been regulated, the mind comes under its control, since prana is the first to originate from consciousness and finally merges into consciousness itself. The real pranayama is that when the yogin becomes mindful of the subtle vibrations created by the prana and with its aid attains to the real nature of prana. This has been clearly enunciated in Netra Tantra, Chapter 8, 12-13.
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