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Yoga And Meditation
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Yogaschittavrittinirodhaha || (Patanjali Yoga)
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Yoga is the control of thought waves in the mind |
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According to Patanjali, the mind is made up of three components, Manas, Buddhi and Ahankaara. Manas records the impressions gathered by senses. Buddhi classifies these impressions and reacts accordingly. Ahankaara is the ego sense which claims these impressions for its own. |
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The Ashtanga Yoga |
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Yama |
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Niyamaasana |
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Praanayaama
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Pratyaahaara |
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Dhaarana |
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Dhyaana |
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Samaadhayoastavangaani || |
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The Eight Limbs Of Yoga Are |
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Yama |
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(the various forms of abs tension from evil doing) |
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Ahimsaa-Satyaasteya- |
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Brmhacharyaaparinigrahaa-Yamaaha || |
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Yama is abstention from harming others, from false hood, from theft, from incontinence, and from greed.
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Niyama |
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(the various observances) |
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Shoucha-Santhosha-Tapaha
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Swaadhyaayeshwarapranidhanani Niyamaaha ||
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The niyamaas are purity, contentment, mortification, study and devotion to God |
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Aasana |
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(posture) |
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Sthitirsukhamaasanam|| |
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Aasana is to be seated in a position which is firm but relaxed. |
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Praanayaama |
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(control of breath) |
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Tasmin Sathi |
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Shwaasaprashwaasayorgathivichedaha |
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praanayaama || |
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After mastering posture, one must practice control of the praana (breath) by stopping the motions of inhalation and exhalation |
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Pratyahara |
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(withdrawl of mind from sense objects) |
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Swavishayaasamprayoge |
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chittaswaroopaanukaara ivendriyaanaam |
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pratyaahaaraha|| |
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When the mind is withdrawn from sense objects, the sense organs also withdraw themselves from their respective objects and thus are said to imitate the mind. this is known as pratyahara |
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Dharana |
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(concentration) |
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Deshabandhashchitthasya dhaaranaa|| |
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Dharana is holding the mind within a center of spiritual consciousness in the body, or fixing it on some divine form, either within the body or outside it. |
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Dhyaana |
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(meditation) |
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tatra pratyaikatanataa dhyaanam|| |
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Dhyaana is an unbroken flow of thought toward the object of concentration. |
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Samaadhi |
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(absorption in aatman) |
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Tadevaarthamaatranirbhaasam |
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swaroopashoonyamiva samaadhihi|| |
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When in meditation the true nature of the object shines forth, not distorted by the mind of the perceiver, that is absorption. |
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Meditation
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Naasthi buddhirayukthasya na chaayukthasya bhaavanaa | |
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Na chaabhaavayathaha shaanthirashaanthasya khuthaha sukham || (Bhagavad Gita)
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In Bhagavad Gita it has been said that "A man of uncontrolled mind has no spiritual comprehension. He has no capacity for meditation either. For the unmeditative there is no peace. And where is happiness for one without peace of mind?" |
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The Art Of Meditation |
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(Swami Vivekananda)
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The greatest help to spiritual life is meditation .In meditation we divest ourselves of all material conditions and feel our divine nature. We do not depend upon any external help in meditation.
The greatest thing is meditation. It is the nearest approach to spiritual life -the mind meditating . It is the one moment in our daily life that we are not material-the Soul thinking of itself ,free from all matter-this marvelous touch of Soul.
Do not spend your energy in talking but meditate in silence; and do not let the rush of outside world disturb you. When your mind is in the highest state, you are unconscious of it. Accumulate power in silence and become a dynamo of spirituality.
This constant thought of Dhyana is as oil that pours in one unbroken line from vessel to vessel; dhyana rolls the mind in thought day and night and so helps us to attain to liberation
Within there is a lion-the eternally pure, illumined and ever free Atman; and directly one realizes HIM through meditation and concentration, this world of Maya vanishes.
The flow of this continuous control of the mind becomes steady when practiced day after day and the mind obtains the faculty of constant concentration.
How are we to know that the mind has become concentrated? Because the idea of time will vanish. The more time passes unnoticed the more concentrated we are. In common life we see that when we are interested in a book we do not note the time at all; and when we leave the book, we are often surprised to find how many hours have passed. |
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