Patanjali

<p>THE YOGA OF PATANJALI (as discussed by Julian Johnson in "The Path of the Masters"</p>

<p>

The &nbsp;following &nbsp;is &nbsp;the &nbsp;system &nbsp;of yoga &nbsp;according &nbsp;to the Patanjali interpretation of the Vedas. &nbsp;It is &nbsp;no &nbsp;part of the Masters' system, but since it is so well-known to students of the occult in all oriental countries, &nbsp;we wish to &nbsp;give &nbsp;it here &nbsp;simply &nbsp;as &nbsp;a study. &nbsp;But we &nbsp;must warn all students &nbsp;not &nbsp;to &nbsp;attempt &nbsp;to &nbsp;use it, &nbsp;except &nbsp;under &nbsp;the directions &nbsp;of &nbsp;a &nbsp;true &nbsp;yogi. &nbsp;It &nbsp;has &nbsp;its &nbsp;dangers. &nbsp;It &nbsp;is given &nbsp;in &nbsp;eight &nbsp;stages, &nbsp;as &nbsp;follows:—</p>

<p>

I. &nbsp;Tama.—Restraint. &nbsp;The non-killing of animals or &nbsp;men; &nbsp;and &nbsp;truthfulness, &nbsp;honesty, &nbsp;continence, &nbsp;non-acceptance of gifts, but giving freely to all who need.</p>

<p>

II. &nbsp;Niyama.—Internal &nbsp;and &nbsp;external &nbsp;purification, study &nbsp;worship.</p>

<p>

III. &nbsp;Asana.—Sitting in the proper &nbsp;posture, &nbsp;body erect and the mind in perfect poise.</p>

<p>

IV. &nbsp;Pranayatna.—Controlling the Prana, the vital force. &nbsp;This &nbsp;is &nbsp;generally done &nbsp;by the &nbsp;old &nbsp;yogis &nbsp;mostly by &nbsp;controlling &nbsp;the &nbsp;breath, &nbsp;together &nbsp;with &nbsp;the &nbsp;exercise of the will. &nbsp;The result of the perfect practice of Prana-yama is Udghata, the awakening of the Kundalini. &nbsp;This point &nbsp;has &nbsp;been &nbsp;much &nbsp;emphasized &nbsp;by &nbsp;the &nbsp;yogis. &nbsp;The Masters say only a &nbsp;little &nbsp;about it, &nbsp;except &nbsp;to &nbsp;warn &nbsp;stu-dents against dabbling with &nbsp;forces which &nbsp;they have &nbsp;not mastered. &nbsp;Pranayama is not a part of the system of the Saints &nbsp;and &nbsp;is &nbsp;not &nbsp;recommended &nbsp;by &nbsp;them. &nbsp;All &nbsp;of its beneficial &nbsp;results &nbsp;the &nbsp;Masters &nbsp;gain &nbsp;in &nbsp;another &nbsp;way, &nbsp;as will be shown later in this book. &nbsp;Kumbhaka is attained by &nbsp;restraining &nbsp;the &nbsp;Prana &nbsp;through &nbsp;concentration &nbsp;on internal &nbsp;and &nbsp;external &nbsp;objects. &nbsp;This &nbsp;is &nbsp;supposed &nbsp;to remove &nbsp;all &nbsp;coverings &nbsp;of the &nbsp;Chitta, &nbsp;and &nbsp;give &nbsp;the &nbsp;one-pointed &nbsp;sight.</p>

<p>

V. &nbsp;Dharma.—Perfect &nbsp;concentration &nbsp;of mind, &nbsp;by drawing &nbsp;it &nbsp;to &nbsp;one &nbsp;point, &nbsp;and &nbsp;then &nbsp;holding &nbsp;it &nbsp;there, keeping the mind one pointed. &nbsp;This is &nbsp;much &nbsp;empha-sized &nbsp;by the &nbsp;Masters.</p>

<p>

VI. &nbsp;Pratyahara.—Withdrawing &nbsp;the attention en-tirely from all external objects of sense—then going into the &nbsp;inner &nbsp;world. &nbsp;This &nbsp;means, &nbsp;in &nbsp;the &nbsp;language &nbsp;of the Masters, "Closing the nine doors." &nbsp;It is like going into a &nbsp;room &nbsp;and &nbsp;then &nbsp;shutting all &nbsp;the doors &nbsp;and &nbsp;windows so &nbsp;as &nbsp;to &nbsp;avoid &nbsp;disturbances &nbsp;from &nbsp;without. &nbsp;Mind &nbsp;be-comes calm &nbsp;after it is withdrawn from the sense-world. It is then ready for the next step.</p>

<p>

VII. &nbsp;Dhyana.—Holding the mind in fixed contem-plation &nbsp;upon &nbsp;one &nbsp;object. &nbsp;This &nbsp;may &nbsp;be &nbsp;the &nbsp;Master or any &nbsp;other &nbsp;object. &nbsp;But &nbsp;in &nbsp;the &nbsp;system &nbsp;of the &nbsp;Saints, &nbsp;it is &nbsp;the &nbsp;Master &nbsp;only.</p>

<p>

VIII. &nbsp;Samadhi.—Going &nbsp;beyond &nbsp;the &nbsp;sense-world and &nbsp;entering &nbsp;the &nbsp;region &nbsp;of inner &nbsp;reality, &nbsp;that &nbsp;is, &nbsp;some super-physical plane of consciousness. &nbsp;The body being now senseless, the mind and spirit rise to a state of super-consciousness. &nbsp;Satnyam is an exalted stage of samadhi wherein &nbsp;the &nbsp;consciousness &nbsp;is &nbsp;only &nbsp;aware &nbsp;of &nbsp;the &nbsp;inner meanings of things. &nbsp;It is at this point that the student penetrates &nbsp;into &nbsp;the &nbsp;hidden &nbsp;mysteries &nbsp;of &nbsp;the &nbsp;universe. The whole world then is clear as crystal, and all know-ledge stands &nbsp;naked before him. &nbsp;This is pure samyam. But &nbsp;there &nbsp;is &nbsp;a &nbsp;state &nbsp;of consciousness &nbsp;even &nbsp;above &nbsp;that. It is called Nirvikalpa, that changeless state of mind when the mind rises above all time changes, and itself changes no more, possessing all. &nbsp;</p>

<p>

This is as far as yoga can go with &nbsp;the &nbsp;Vedantists. &nbsp;But &nbsp;on &nbsp;the &nbsp;Path &nbsp;of the &nbsp;Masters the student rises above nirvikalpa into that state where mind itself is dropped as of no further use, and the pure soul, unfettered by any instrument, knows all things by direct perception. &nbsp;But this is a state entered when the soul &nbsp;passes &nbsp;above &nbsp;and &nbsp;beyond &nbsp;all &nbsp;materiality, &nbsp;even beyond &nbsp;the &nbsp;cosmic &nbsp;mind &nbsp;itself.</p>

<p>

&nbsp;</p>