Feelings from the past remain eternally potent ravagers,
especially pervasive within the illusion of our present and
with it a tendency to recreate an old shape from our past,
whilst we are believing it to be a new shape for our future.
– Reflections on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Four verse 27
We look at the world through the eyes of
our needs and expectations.
– Commentary around Yoga Sūtra Chapter Four verse 17
One of the aims in Yoga is to yoke to
the more discerning aspects of the psyche,
rather than to the more distracting aspects of the psyche.
– Commentary around Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 14
Yoga is about recognising change and
recognising that which recognises change.
– Commentary around Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 16
“Fear and Insecurity feed on the leftovers
from the meals of past experiences.”
– Commentary around Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 9
A postscript to yesterdays post around the three Niyama
within Kriyā Yoga on the uses of the terms ‘self’ or ‘Self’ within
the legs in the tripod supporting our efforts at nurturing a state of Yoga.
“Activities that nurture a state of Yoga involve
self-discipline, Self-inquiry and Self-awareness.”
The first leg supporting the tripod refers to Citta
as the self in terms of nurturing self-discipline.
“Tapas is to discipline our eating habits.”
– T Krishnamacharya
The second leg supporting the tripod refers to Cit
as the Self in terms of nurturing Self-inquiry.
“Svādhyāya is an inquiry into one’s true nature.”
– T Krishnamacharya
The final leg supporting the tripod refers to Cit
as the Self in terms of nurturing Self-awareness.
Activities that nurture a state of Yoga involve
self-discipline, Self-inquiry and Self-awareness.
– Reflections around Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 1
Some define their experience of life by seeking Duḥkha,
some by seeking Sukha.
The Yoga Practitioner sees both as Avidyā
and defines their experience of life by seeking
what lies beyond duality through unwavering Viveka.
– Reflections around Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 26
Awareness is a quality not a quantity.
Commentary on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Four verse 34
Prāṇāyāma is a key to the door of Dhāraṇā.
Commentary on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 53
TKV Desikachar did not teach different people different things.
Nor did he just teach the same thing to different people.
He taught different people the same thing in different ways.
The same could be said of T Krishnamacharya’s teaching.
Hence the context of the phrase the viniyoga of Yoga.
If you remove the past from the present what is left?
– Reflection on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 43
Better to be clear about being confused,
rather than being confused about being clear.
Commentary on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 24
Freedom of or in movement is obviously an asset and of course a useful pursuit in the world of homo-sedens that abounds these days. However movement according to the principles inherent in Haṭha Yoga has a further role other than mere freedom of movement as an end in itself. Thus in Haṭha Yoga the role of freedom in movement, albeit embedded with useful anatomical insights, is not the priority that appears to dominate the forms of Āsana utilised within many popular Yoga classes.
Of course freedom in movement is obviously a support in allowing us to apply the principles of Haṭha Āsana practice, but it is not the end in itself it seems to have become under the guise of calling it all Yoga. For example it can help with facilitating an exploration of the energetic processes that ultimately define, guide and differentiate Haṭha Yoga from movement forms such as exercise, fitness, dance, etc.
Yet these days it increasingly seems to be that, on the journey towards the deeper purpose inherent in Haṭha Yoga and its relationship to Rāja Yoga, we are more and more being sidetracked by the goals within the myriad of movement forms that proliferate or even ‘pose’ as Āsana practice today.
Viparyaya is seeing what we want to see.
or not seeing what we need to see.
Commentary on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 8
The Yoga Sūtra is about reflecting on that which reflects,
in order to reflect from that which is the source of attention,
rather than from that which is the scene of inattention.
– Reflections on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verse 49
The paradox of being in a state of distraction
is that we are actually in a state of focus.
Its just that we are focused on being turned outwards,
as in the tendency of being scattered,
as in Vyutthāna Saṃskāra,
rather than being focused on being turned inwards,
as in the tendency of being contained,
as in Nirodha Saṃskāra.
Both Saṃskāra are acquired tendencies
and thus we can cultivate a choice within our oscillations.
– Commenting on Yoga Sūtra Chapter 3 verse 9
The Yoga Sūtra is also very helpful in guiding us around
the notion of surrendering to that which we don’t know,
through that which we do know.
– Commentary on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 23
Yoga is about
remaining true to the Self
within the wiles of Myself.
– Reflections on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 21
It feels as if ‘Modern Postural Yoga’
is increasingly concerned with the
Movement of the Silhouette rather
than the Stillness of the Source.
Yoga is the experience of stillness,
within the fluctuations of mind,
rather than the experience of stillness,
of the fluctuations of mind.
– Commentary on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verses 2-3
Yoga is about looking inwards,
at what we fear most.
Rather than looking outwards,
at what we desire most.
– Reflections on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 9
