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by Jayaram V
He who can withdraw his senses completely from the sense objects the way a tortoise withdraws its limbs , his intelligence is firmly established.
(Bhagavad gita 2.58)
Yoga means union. Yoga aims to bring this union through the integration of
various components of the body and mind into one harmonious whole and in the next stage through the union of the individual self with the Higher Self. Yoga unites a disorganized body and mind into one performing whole leading to the opening of energy channels and flowering of his consciousness. This union is achieved through the eight limbs of Yoga called ashtanga yoga. These eight steps are : yama (absentations), niyama (observances), asana (postures), pranayama (control of breath), pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses) , dharana (concentration of mind),
dhyana (meditation) and samadhi (transcendental state). Yama consists of observation of five rules: ahimsa (non violence), satya (truth), asteya (non stealing), brahmacharya (celibacy) and aparigraha (disowning of possessions). Niyama also consists of observation of five rules: saucha (purity), santosha (contentment), tapas (austeirty), svadhyaya (self study) and isvara-pranidhana (divine worship). Asana consists of practicing different yogic postures for disciplining the body and making it as a fit instrument of the divine. Pranayama is about breath control. The in breathing is called Puraka, the out breathing is called rechaka and the
stopping of breathing is called kumbhaka. In yoga the practitioner consciously practices the breathing in and breathing out in different patterns, till he achieves complete mastery over his breathing is able to do kumbhaka for prolonged periods of time. In India there are people who can bury themselves underground for months without any oxygen supply and still remain alive. They are able to do this because of their complete mastery of pranayama. Pratyahara means withdrawal of the senses from their sense objects through a process of detachment and turning the attention inward into oneself. This is to prepare the mind for the next three steps, which are together called samyama. Dharana is fixing the
mind on a specific point or object for a prolonged period of time. The mind is by nature fickle. It need to be controlled for meaningful spiritual life. By means of dharana we hold the mind to a particular stream of thought and learn to control its movements. This is a very important step in yoga, because control of mind is essential for further progress on the path. Dhayna is to be able to direct the flow of thought to a specific subject without getting distracted. Samadhi is the transcendental state achieved at the end of all yogic practices. There are different levels of Samadhi, depending upon the degree of duality or awareness of duality experienced. It is believed that successful practice of yoga
results in gaining supernormal powers called siddhis. But we are strongly advised not to fall into their trap. Siddhis are powerful forces of prakriti and they are very much a part of the grand arsenal of illusion. They actually lead one to greater illusion and cause ones downfall from the heights of spiritualism. The aspirants are therefore advised not to display their siddhis and not to use them for their selfish purposes.
Suggested Further Reading
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