Yoga is often perceived as synonymous with a combination of
asanas (bodily postures) and praṇayama (breathing exercises),
along with the inclusion of meditation.
Yoga literally means to yoke, from the Sanskrit root ‘yuj’, which
means to join and refers to experiencing oneness with the
supreme consciousness.
The Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies Volume XII, Yoga:
India’s Philosophy of Meditation (Larson and Bhattacharya, 2016),
defines yoga in two ways. First, yoga means all those techniques
people practice to find release from their existential suffering and
achieve consciousness. Second, yoga refers to a specific school
of Indian philosophy given by Patanjali in his text Yogasutra.
The three major Yogic paths or the trimarga of bhakti, jnana, and
karma yoga, is a standard method to categorise these multiple
styles and systems.
Bhakti yoga: The yogic path of ‘bhakti’ focuses on the cultivation
of emotions around the Divine and supposedly results in bliss
when one achieves oneness with one’s preferred form of God. In
the process, one lets go of ego and desire based lifestyle. This
path may seem to be familiar and probably most accessible.
Thus, one may note a large number of bhakti saints revered in
different parts of the country.
Jnana yoga: The Jnanayoga path is that of cognitive realisation of
the oneness of consciousness, which may later be experienced
first-hand and experientially. Here again, one may drop one’s
biases and note the reality as it is, thus removing many sources of
pain and suffering.
,Karma yoga: This path, most famously described in the Bhagavad
Gita, is associated with the proper use of one’s volition or
willpower. This path’s core is working without desires (nishkama
karma) and not being attached to specific outcomes, thereby
finding inner freedom. One does work with one’s utmost
capacities, skillfully, and with an attitude of fulfilling one’s duties
for the larger good of the world. Even when one engages in one’s
regular affairs, this path too can lead to ultimate freedom, as
discussed in other yogic paths.
PATANJALI’S YOGA
0ne way to understand yoga is to follow Patanjali’s Yogasutra.
The text Yogasutra as codified by Patanjali is a millennia old text
from India, and evidence from archaeology, various other texts,
and oral tradition indicate that this yogic system is probably more
than 5000 years old. It describes yoga philosophy, steps and
outcomes, and has many ancient and modern commentaries
written on it.
Patanjali Yogasutra begins by providing a definition of yoga as the
process of silencing the mind, by stopping the waves of mental
activities known as Chitta-vrittis which include things like
misconceptions, future imaginations, and memory of past.
The mind of a yogi, which is a calm and silent mind can be
achieved through: (a) constant practice (Abhyasa),
(b) and detachment (Vairagya).
, Certain other helpful psychological aids are also mentioned:
(i) Faith (Shraddha),
(ii) Courage and strength (Virya),
(iii) Memory and learning (Smriti), and
(iv) Wisdom associated with higher states
(Samadhi Prajna).
The role of motivation and effort has further been emphasised.
Klesha model of suffering
One of the important models on psychological causes of suffering
as presented by Patanjali is the following five core afflictions
(Klesha):
a) Avidya - which is the primary ignorance of our true Self, and it
is described to be an error where one believes the non-eternal to
be everlasting, the impure as pure, misunderstands suffering as
happiness, and non-self to be the Self.
b) Asmita - it is developed next when one misunderstands the
mind to be our true Self.
c) Raga - it is the attachment to pleasure.
d) Dwesha - it is the aversion to pain.
e) Abhinivesha - the desire for living and fear of death is the fifth
affliction.
asanas (bodily postures) and praṇayama (breathing exercises),
along with the inclusion of meditation.
Yoga literally means to yoke, from the Sanskrit root ‘yuj’, which
means to join and refers to experiencing oneness with the
supreme consciousness.
The Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies Volume XII, Yoga:
India’s Philosophy of Meditation (Larson and Bhattacharya, 2016),
defines yoga in two ways. First, yoga means all those techniques
people practice to find release from their existential suffering and
achieve consciousness. Second, yoga refers to a specific school
of Indian philosophy given by Patanjali in his text Yogasutra.
The three major Yogic paths or the trimarga of bhakti, jnana, and
karma yoga, is a standard method to categorise these multiple
styles and systems.
Bhakti yoga: The yogic path of ‘bhakti’ focuses on the cultivation
of emotions around the Divine and supposedly results in bliss
when one achieves oneness with one’s preferred form of God. In
the process, one lets go of ego and desire based lifestyle. This
path may seem to be familiar and probably most accessible.
Thus, one may note a large number of bhakti saints revered in
different parts of the country.
Jnana yoga: The Jnanayoga path is that of cognitive realisation of
the oneness of consciousness, which may later be experienced
first-hand and experientially. Here again, one may drop one’s
biases and note the reality as it is, thus removing many sources of
pain and suffering.
,Karma yoga: This path, most famously described in the Bhagavad
Gita, is associated with the proper use of one’s volition or
willpower. This path’s core is working without desires (nishkama
karma) and not being attached to specific outcomes, thereby
finding inner freedom. One does work with one’s utmost
capacities, skillfully, and with an attitude of fulfilling one’s duties
for the larger good of the world. Even when one engages in one’s
regular affairs, this path too can lead to ultimate freedom, as
discussed in other yogic paths.
PATANJALI’S YOGA
0ne way to understand yoga is to follow Patanjali’s Yogasutra.
The text Yogasutra as codified by Patanjali is a millennia old text
from India, and evidence from archaeology, various other texts,
and oral tradition indicate that this yogic system is probably more
than 5000 years old. It describes yoga philosophy, steps and
outcomes, and has many ancient and modern commentaries
written on it.
Patanjali Yogasutra begins by providing a definition of yoga as the
process of silencing the mind, by stopping the waves of mental
activities known as Chitta-vrittis which include things like
misconceptions, future imaginations, and memory of past.
The mind of a yogi, which is a calm and silent mind can be
achieved through: (a) constant practice (Abhyasa),
(b) and detachment (Vairagya).
, Certain other helpful psychological aids are also mentioned:
(i) Faith (Shraddha),
(ii) Courage and strength (Virya),
(iii) Memory and learning (Smriti), and
(iv) Wisdom associated with higher states
(Samadhi Prajna).
The role of motivation and effort has further been emphasised.
Klesha model of suffering
One of the important models on psychological causes of suffering
as presented by Patanjali is the following five core afflictions
(Klesha):
a) Avidya - which is the primary ignorance of our true Self, and it
is described to be an error where one believes the non-eternal to
be everlasting, the impure as pure, misunderstands suffering as
happiness, and non-self to be the Self.
b) Asmita - it is developed next when one misunderstands the
mind to be our true Self.
c) Raga - it is the attachment to pleasure.
d) Dwesha - it is the aversion to pain.
e) Abhinivesha - the desire for living and fear of death is the fifth
affliction.
