This is the eighth in a series of posts intended to shed light on Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the authoritative text on classical Indian yoga, or meditation.
So far Patanjali has told us:
- that yoga is about attaining enlightenment*;
- the key to success is never giving up;
- along the way we’ll encounter five progressively deeper states of awareness;
- success requires faith, determination and constant effort;
- there’s a shortcut: devout service in the name of the Divine**; and
- how to recognize and overcome obstacles.
The instant we realize the nature our own consciousness, we know – with the same certainty that we know the sun will rise again – that “God” exists. [There’s no scientific explanation for something that doesn’t conform to the laws of physics, that isn’t affected by time and space.] In that moment our lives change. While we’re still human and probably still can’t levitate or walk thru walls, our fears, anxieties and worries subside – replaced by faith, contentment, peace, acceptance, belonging – and yes, love.
Btw – realizing the existence of God can’t be undone. From that moment on, the awareness affects everything we do. In our own ways, based on our unique constitution and aptitude, we devote ourselves to trying to reduce the suffering of others.
In the next several sutras or aphorisms, Patanjali tells us how to begin cultivating a clear mind (a sort of pre-preparation for meditation):
Chapter 1, aphorisms 33- 41 loosely [omitting the Sanskrit to highlight the flow from one sutra to the next]:
1.33 a clear mind is cultivated by friendliness, compassion, goodwill and neutrality
1.34 a clear mind is cultivated by a) controlling your breathing
1.35 b) paying attention to your otherwise subconscious sense perception and processing
1.36 c) contemplating Consciousness
1.37 d) contemplating a great teacher
1.38 e) contemplating (day) dreams
1.39 f) contemplating something you find uplifting
1.40 practice concentrating on everything from the infinitely small to the infinitely large
1.41 [and] eventually you’ll understand the common elemental nature (the union, or “yoga”) of all things – and the distinction between things and Consciousness
Obviously, what Patanjali is describing (the path to enlightenment) is not a weekend project; rather, it’s a discipline, a way of life that takes years to develop. The good news is that the benefits (increased clarity and peace of mind, decreased stress and anxiety, deepened sense of intuition, connection, and belonging) are immediate and cumulative.
For info about private lessons or workshops in self-discovery and peace of mind see the ‘Contact Us’ page of this site.
God bless, Skip
*Herein, “enlightenment” refers to realizing the essentially Divine nature of our own consciousness (aka our soul or spirit).
**Patanjali says that since the result is the same (we end up serving others in the name of the Divine) we can save ourselves a ton of time and effort and cut straight to the chase and devote ourselves now to helping others (the “fake it ‘til we make it” approach). Either way, we eventually find faith in the existence of the Divine and experience a lasting sense of fulfillment, bliss and gratitude.
#patanjali #consciousness #meditation
