Yoga Articles

Yoga Sutra ii.7 “sukha anusayi ragah”

“Pleasure leads to desire and emotional attachment” I look forward to my afternoon cup of tea.  It is not so much which tea, sometimes I have coffee.  I usually have a snack as well.  I hold the hot cup in my hand, smell the aroma, close my eyes and feel

Yoga Sutra ii.21 “tadarthah eva drsyasya atma”

“Nature and intelligence exist solely to serve the seer’s true purpose, emancipation.” The “seer” atman, or atma in sanskrit, is an individual’s soul.  The purpose of the soul is achieve complete freedom.  The mind and the ego hold the body and soul captive.  A prisoner of emotion, circumstance and ignorance. 

yoga sutra 1.39 yathabhimata dhyanat va

“Or, by meditating on any desired object conducive to steadiness of consciousness, auspicious and spiritually uplifting” The sutra explains a method of calming the mind and overcoming obstacles using an object that is “desirable” or pleasing.  By meditating on something that is pleasing the internal state is calmed in addition

Yoga sutra 1.35 visyavati va pravrttih utpanna manasah sthiti nibandhani

“Or, by contemplating an object that helps to maintain steadiness of mind and consciousness.” The sutra gives another method for steadying the mind to overcome or prevent obstacles to yoga practice. During asana practice the dristi point gives us a place to settle our eyes and our mind for a

Yoga Sutra 1.34 pracchardana vidharanabhyam va pranasya

“…by maintaining the pensive state felt at the time of soft and steady exhalation and during passive retention after exhalation.” The sutra refers to a method of breath control which also relaxes the mind allowing for control of the mind, which keeps it from fluctuating. I have experienced this serene

Yoga Sutra 1.4 Vrtti sarupyam itaratra

“At other times, the seer identifies with the fluctuating consciousness.” My interpretation of this sutra is a person’s perception of events, life, etc becomes their reality. An example is reading a sad story or book and feeling melancholy afterwards or even depressed. I think the sutra is relating to events

TAPAS (HEAT) – TRANSFORMING SPIRIT FROM MATTER

Tapas, defined as the “concentration of the spiritual willforce”, means to burn.  It refers to the heat created from intense discipline, and is one of the Niyamas from the second limb of Patanjali’s eight-limbed tree of yoga. Physical Tapas – Likened to heating up base metal to refine gold from

MARICHI

In total there are eight Variations of Marichyasana in the sequences of Ashtanga Yoga: the first four in the First Series, the others in the Fourth Series.  This lateral twisting posture is named after the sage Marichi. Rishi Marichi is the son of Brahma, the cosmic creator, and also one

Meanings are Man-Made by Paalu

As we search for meanings, soon we become meaningless.  We go on doing things on the spur of the moment unable to see that life needs more awareness, more intelligence. There is no meaning in looking for meaning in everything that we do, perform or speak.  What is the meaning

Archives