The abstract meditation resulting from the serenity of the mento-emotional energy comes about by friendliness, compassion, cheerfulness and non-responsiveness to happiness, distress, virtue and vice;
Michael BelovedAnd some alternate methods are given in some following verses. This is just one such method listed:
प्रच्छदयनश्चवधारणाभ्याां वा प्राणस्य॥३४॥
pracchardana vidhāraṇābhyāṁ vā prāṇasya
pracchardana – exhalation; vidhāraṇābhyāṁ – by inhalation; vā – or; prāṇasya – of the vital energy.or by regulating the exhalation and inhalation of the vital energy.
or by regulating the inhalation and exhalation of the vital energy;
Mohanakrishnan RWell none knows what the original writer intended! The wordings to me seem to suggest that "maitri" (friendship), "Karuna" etc are CAUSES of "harmonization" rather the results thereof! It can well be the other way around and perhaps Patanjali "implied" it! "Abstract meditation" may be one of the many methods to master these drivers of personal harmonization. IMO that is what "ashtanga" (8 part) of Ashtanga Yoga is about. Beings swerve from this rightful path because of LIMITATIONS BOTH MENTAL AND PHYSICAL. Patanjali gives his own prescription to transcend such limitations. Yoga may not be the panacea for all mental and physical ills and methods may exist beyond the eightfold path. But IMO Yoga is the first documented attempt to harmonize the perspectives at different levels of existence.
Michael BelovedThe other methods listed for attaining bhāvanātaḥ cittaprasādanam (abstract meditation resulting from the serenity of the mento-emotional energy) were listed as:
Chapter 1 Verse 35 Or fusion and steadiness of the mind is produced by the operation of the mento-emotional energy towards an object which is different to but similar to a normal thing; Verse 36 or by sorrowless and spiritually-luminous states; Verse 37 or by fixing the mento-emotional energy on someone who is without craving; Verse 38 or by taking recourse to dream or dreamless sleep. Verse 39 Or it can be achieved from the effortless linkage of the mind to a higher concentration force which was dearly desired.
Michelle EdwardsI spent 15 years in chronic neck pain after a diving accident when I was a teenager. All through doing my yoga postures and meditation I continued to have this neck pain. It was all I thought about. I learned from that to distance 'myself' from my body. I had to or go nuts! Then, 19 years into my practices- poof! It was gone. It comes and goes a bit now, but not to the same intensity. Living with pain when you're young taught me a lot. I never did have that youthful, pain-free part of life. Now that I'm older and went through that, I'm changed.
Mohanakrishnan RTaking the mind away from the source of pain or anxiety is also a valid Yogic method. This is practiced in other systems also like auto suggestion, hypnotism, faith healing etc. Meditation is prescribed as a method to achieve the "detachment" Mr.Edwards is speaking about. But there can be other methods to achieve the same purpose. Unlike the religious scriptures Yoga Sutra does not claim that it offers the one and only method that is valid and all the other methods are false. Performing Asanas and Pranayamas without the participation of the mind as elaborated in subsequent Yoga literature which explain the Asanas, Pranayama and meditation techniques in detail, reduces the effect of Yoga substantially. . Many of these subsequent books have a Tantric or Buddhist origin like Goraksha Samhita, Shiva Samhita, Hatha Yoga Pradipika.
Susan HirstThanks for an interesting read/discussion. I'm 57 and much more fit and healthy than I was in younger years mainly because besides teaching Yoga and Singing/piano which helps keep my mind strong, I started teaching fitness classes just 3 years ago and recently was asked to cover a class of Muscle Conditioning besides my other regular cardio classes and I really noticed how much lighter but stronger I feel in my body. Muscle/body strengthening with weights seems to be an important thing that we can do in a very meditative mindful way as a part of our well being practice. I feel incredibly optimistic about staying well in years to come and believe fitness is an important compliment to yoga practice.
Michael BelovedSusan, It is interesting how when doing asana postures and/or pranayama breath infusion, that there can be progress made even in joint loosening when the body is over 50 (over the hill?). At 65, I am still improving certain asana postures even though I notice that in others who do not practice the joints are tightening up and crusting with arthritis and other related illnesses. Diet is important: That we keep improving the diet, keep reducing the food greed. Stamping down on innate laziness is important: That we keep fighting off the ongoing tendency to let the body age without continuing the practice because some postures cause stretching and curving pains. Having a constructive focus like singing/piano in your case, and writing books in mine, is vital as well, otherwise the likelihood is that the devil will make the idle mind his workshop.
Michael Beloved Just for the record, the key term is bhāvanātaḥ. I translated the verse as follows:
मैत्रीकरुणामुश्चदतोपेक्षाणाां सुखदुःखपुण्यापुण्यश्चवषयाणाां भावनातश्चित्तप्रसादनम्॥३३॥
maitrī karuṇā muditā upekṣānāṁ
sukha duḥkha puṇya apuṇya
viṣayāṇāṁ bhāvanātaḥ cittaprasādanam
maitrī – friendliness; karuṇā – compassion; muditā – joyfulness, cheerfulness; upekṣaṇam – indifference, neutrality, non-responsiveness; sukha – happiness; duḥkha – distress; puṇya – virtue; apuṇya – vice; viṣayāṇāṁ – relating to attractive objects; bhāvanātaḥ – abstract meditation; citta – mento-emotional energy; prasādanam – serenity.
The abstract meditation resulting from the serenity of the mento-emotional energy comes about by friendliness, compassion, cheerfulness and non-responsiveness to happiness, distress, virtue and vice;
Michael Beloved And some alternate methods are given in some following verses. This is just one such method listed:
प्रच्छदयनश्चवधारणाभ्याां वा प्राणस्य॥३४॥
pracchardana vidhāraṇābhyāṁ vā prāṇasya
pracchardana – exhalation; vidhāraṇābhyāṁ – by inhalation; vā – or; prāṇasya – of the vital energy.or by regulating the exhalation and inhalation of the vital energy.
or by regulating the inhalation and exhalation of the vital energy;
Mohanakrishnan R Well none knows what the original writer intended! The wordings to me seem to suggest that "maitri" (friendship), "Karuna" etc are CAUSES of "harmonization" rather the results thereof! It can well be the other way around and perhaps Patanjali "implied" it! "Abstract meditation" may be one of the many methods to master these drivers of personal harmonization. IMO that is what "ashtanga" (8 part) of Ashtanga Yoga is about. Beings swerve from this rightful path because of LIMITATIONS BOTH MENTAL AND PHYSICAL. Patanjali gives his own prescription to transcend such limitations. Yoga may not be the panacea for all mental and physical ills and methods may exist beyond the eightfold path. But IMO Yoga is the first documented attempt to harmonize the perspectives at different levels of existence.
Michael Beloved The other methods listed for attaining bhāvanātaḥ cittaprasādanam (abstract meditation resulting from the serenity of the mento-emotional energy) were listed as:
Chapter 1
Verse 35
Or fusion and steadiness of the mind is produced by the operation of the mento-emotional energy towards an object which is different to but similar to a normal thing;
Verse 36
or by sorrowless and spiritually-luminous states;
Verse 37
or by fixing the mento-emotional energy on someone who is without craving;
Verse 38
or by taking recourse to dream or dreamless sleep.
Verse 39
Or it can be achieved from the effortless linkage of the mind to a higher concentration force which was dearly desired.
Michelle Edwards I spent 15 years in chronic neck pain after a diving accident when I was a teenager. All through doing my yoga postures and meditation I continued to have this neck pain. It was all I thought about. I learned from that to distance 'myself' from my body. I had to or go nuts! Then, 19 years into my practices- poof! It was gone. It comes and goes a bit now, but not to the same intensity. Living with pain when you're young taught me a lot. I never did have that youthful, pain-free part of life. Now that I'm older and went through that, I'm changed.
Mohanakrishnan R Taking the mind away from the source of pain or anxiety is also a valid Yogic method. This is practiced in other systems also like auto suggestion, hypnotism, faith healing etc. Meditation is prescribed as a method to achieve the "detachment" Mr.Edwards is speaking about. But there can be other methods to achieve the same purpose. Unlike the religious scriptures Yoga Sutra does not claim that it offers the one and only method that is valid and all the other methods are false. Performing Asanas and Pranayamas without the participation of the mind as elaborated in subsequent Yoga literature which explain the Asanas, Pranayama and meditation techniques in detail, reduces the effect of Yoga substantially. . Many of these subsequent books have a Tantric or Buddhist origin like Goraksha Samhita, Shiva Samhita, Hatha Yoga Pradipika.
Susan Hirst Thanks for an interesting read/discussion. I'm 57 and much more fit and healthy than I was in younger years mainly because besides teaching Yoga and Singing/piano which helps keep my mind strong, I started teaching fitness classes just 3 years ago and recently was asked to cover a class of Muscle Conditioning besides my other regular cardio classes and I really noticed how
much lighter but stronger I feel in my body. Muscle/body strengthening with
weights seems to be an important thing that we can do in a very meditative
mindful way as a part of our well being practice. I feel incredibly optimistic
about staying well in years to come and believe fitness is an important compliment to yoga practice.
Michael Beloved Susan,
It is interesting how when doing asana postures and/or pranayama breath infusion, that there can be progress made even in joint loosening when the body is over 50 (over the hill?). At 65, I am still improving certain asana postures even though I notice that in others who do not practice the joints are tightening up and crusting with arthritis and other related illnesses. Diet is important: That we keep improving the diet, keep reducing the food greed. Stamping down on innate laziness is important: That we keep fighting off the ongoing tendency to let the body age without continuing the practice because some postures cause stretching and curving pains.
Having a constructive focus like singing/piano in your case, and writing books in mine, is vital as well, otherwise the likelihood is that the devil will make the idle mind his workshop.