It is said that desiring to teach yoga to the world, he (pat) fell from heaven (anjali) into the open palms of a woman/earthly world, hence the name Patanjali. Yoga tradition is much older than the Yoga Sutras. The philosophic tradition is related to the Samkhya school.
There are references in ancient Vedic works of the Mahabharata, Bhagavad Gita and Yogatattva Upanishad. The Yoga Sutras codifies the royal/Raja or best yoga practices, presenting them as an eight-limbed system (ashta/eight -anga/limbs). Each sutra requires the reader to think deeply for themselves and develop a personal understanding of the practice.
Taking materials about yoga philosophy from ancient traditions; Practicing yoga is much more than the postures. Our thoughts, actions, decisions, interactions with others, our daily routines, our surroundings, everything can reflect the extent of our Yoga practice. The Yoga Sutras form the theoretical and philosophical basis of Raja Yoga, and are considered to be the most organized and complete definition of that discipline.
The division into the Eight Limbs (Ashtanga) of Yoga is reminiscent of Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path; inclusion of Brahmaviharas (Yoga Sutra 1:33) also shows Buddhism's influence on parts of the Sutras. The Sutras not only provide yoga with a thorough and consistent philosophical basis, they also clarify many important esoteric concepts which are common to all traditions of Indian thought, such as karma. Patanjali divided his Yoga Sutras into 4 chapters or books (Sanskrit pada), containing in all 196 aphorisms, divided as follows:
Samadhi Pada (51 sutras): Samadhi refers to a blissful state where the yogi is absorbed into the One. The author describes yoga and then the nature and the means to attaining samādhi. This chapter contains the famous definitional verse: "Yogaś citta-vritti-nirodhaḥ" ("Yoga is the restraint of mental modifications").
Sadhana Pada (55 sutras): Sadhana is the Sanskrit word for "practice" or "discipline". Here the author outlines two forms of Yoga: Kriya Yoga (Action Yoga) and Ashtanga Yoga (Eightfold or Eightlimbed Yoga). Kriya yoga, sometimes called Karma Yoga, is also expounded in Chapter 3 of the Bhagavad Gita, where Arjuna is encouraged by Krishna to act without attachment to the results or fruit of action and activity. It is the yoga of selfless action and service.
Vibhuti Pada (56 sutras): Vibhuti is the Sanskrit word for "power" or "manifestation". Supra-normal powers (siddhi) are acquired by the practice of yoga. The temptation of these powers should be avoided and the attention should be fixed only on liberation.
Kaivalya Pada (34 sutras): Kaivalya literally means "isolation", but as used in the Sutras stands for emancipation, liberation and used interchangeably with moksha (liberation), which is the goal of Yoga. The Kaivalya Pada describes the nature of liberation and the reality of the transcendental self.
The eight limbs (ashtanga) of Raja Yoga
The eight "limbs" or steps prescribed in the second pada of the Yoga Sutras are: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. Patanjali Yoga Sutras (3rd chapter);
देशबन्धश्चित्तस्य धारणा ॥१॥
Dharana is holding the mind on to some particular object. Dharana (concentration) is when the mind holds on to some object, either in the body, or outside the body, and keeps itself in that state.
तत्र प्रत्ययैकतानता ध्यानम् ॥२॥
An unbroken flow of knowledge in that object is Dhyana. The mind tries to think of one object, to hold itself to one particular spot, as the top of the head, the heart, etc., and if the mind succeeds in receiving the sensations only through that part of the body, and through no other part, that would be Dharana, and when the mind succeeds in keeping itself in that state for some time, it is called Dhyana (mediation).
तदेवार्थमात्रनिर्भासं स्वरूपशून्यमिव समाधिः ॥३॥
When that, giving up all forms, reflects only the meaning, it is Samadhi. That comes when in meditation the form or the external part is given up. Suppose I were meditating on a book, and that I have gradually succeeded in concentrating the mind on it, and perceiving only the internal sensations, the meaning, unexpressed in any form — that state of Dhyana is called Samadhi.
त्रयमेकत्र संयमः ॥४॥
(These) three (when practiced) in regard to one object is Samyama. When a man can direct his mind to any particular object and fix it there, and then keep it there for a long time, separating the object from the internal part, this is Samyama; or Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi, one following the other, and making one. The form of the thing has vanished, and only its meaning remains in the mind.
तज्जयात् प्रज्ञाऽऽलोकः ॥५॥
By the conquest of that comes light of knowledge. When one has succeeded in making this Samyama, all powers come under his control. This is the great instrument of the Yogi. The objects of knowledge are infinite, and they are divided into the gross, grosser, grossest and the fine, finer, finest and so on. This Samyama should be first applied to gross things, and when you begin to get knowledge of this gross, slowly, by stages, it should be brought to finer things.
तस्य भूमिषु विनियोगः ॥६॥
That should be employed in stages. This is a note of warning not to attempt to go too fast. Ancient texts such as the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and Yoga Sutras focus very little on physical yoga postures (asana practice), and in fact, when Maharishi Patanjali speaks of ‘asana’ he is not at all referring to headstand or warrior or downward; he’s talking about the position you choose to sit in while meditating your asana 'seat'.
There is one approach which sees the 8 limbs as steps, and it can lead us to believe that until we follow and master the Yamas and Niyamas, we can not practice other limbs and get benefit out of their practice. The second chapter of the sutras is generally considered the one most focused on “practice” of the yogic philosophy and lifestyle; there Maharishi Patanjali details the eight limbs of yoga - known as ashtanga yoga.
The five Yamas (social ethics) and five Niyamas (personal observances) are two of these eight limbs. Ahimsa (nonviolence), satya (truthfulness), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (abstinence), aparigraha (non-accumulation) constitute the five yamas, whereas soucha (internal and external cleanliness), santosha (being happy and content), tapas (penance), swadhyaya (self-study) and ishvarapranidhana (surrender to the higher power) constitute the 5 niyamas.
The Yamas primarily focus on our actions when in community with others, while the Niyamas focus more generally on our relationship with our physical and psychological selves. For the majority of modern yogis, it may seem that the yamas and niyamas are two of the hardest of the eight limbs of yoga to blend into our daily routines and into our lifestyles.
The yamas and niyamas are not commandments from on high to follow because we’re afraid of what will happen if we don’t follow them. On the contrary, I see them as practical ways to live life so we can access inner peace, bliss and love in our day-to-day life, not just momentarily but 24/7. Maybe that is what we can call self-realization or enlightenment.
The practice of the Yamas and Niyamas definitely inspires us to remember that yoga is a way of life not just something we do for 90 minutes three times a week on a rectangular yoga mat. In fact, if they are interwoven in every fabric of our life, every moment becomes sadhana (spiritual practice). They add the necessary juice to our practice. Without them, the rest of the eight limbs may become empty, mechanical and boring techniques.
Yamas and Niyamas as the ‘golden keys to unlock the spiritual gates’, as they transform each action into one that originates from a deeper and more ‘connected’ place within ourselves. This understanding, that these eight aspects of yoga are not steps but limbs that grow simultaneously, removes all self doubts and gives us so much space, freedom and enthusiasm to practice yoga as a whole with a full heart.
Yoga anga anushtanat ashuddhi kshaye jnanadi Apthiraviveka khyatehe’’ (Sutra II - 28)
By the sustained practice of the eight limbs of yoga, the impurities are destroyed and the light of wisdom, discrimination shines forth. Human consciousness is like a seed. A seed has the possibility of a tree, of the leaves, of a branch, of fruits, of flowers, of multiplication; so also the human mind. A seed needs a proper ground, proper conditions, sunlight, water, proper soil for it to sprout and blossom.
Similarly human consciousness and human mind. Either the seed can be dormant for years, keeping its possibility within itself, or it starts blossoming, sprouting. The sprouting of the seed of human consciousness is viveka - discrimination. Freedom comes with viveka - discrimination. To the extent you practice Yamas and Niyamas, you will go deeper into your practice and purpose of yoga. There is no need to doubt or analyze yourself too much. Just the intention to practice Yamas and Niyamas is good enough.
Just sow the seeds, keep nurturing them with your practice and relax. The seeds will sprout. The Yamas and Niyamas of the yoga sutras can sometimes feel like sky-high ideals that may take time (a lifetime or even more!) to cultivate and establish. We may be tempted to ignore or overlook them. But paying attention to them is very necessary. In our world of glamor and instant gratification it can seem more desirable and important to learn and perfect triangle pose than to practice kindness and compassion (ahimsa) in every moment.
The many versions display a wide variation, particularly in translation. The text has not been submitted in its entirety to any rigorous textual analysis, and the contextual meaning of many of the Sanskrit words and phrases remains a matter of some dispute. From that state of being, we move closer towards wholeness, connectedness and unity, and start to not just ‘do’ yoga, but live and breathe ‘yoga’ in each and every moment.
We tend to believe that doing a headstand will be more fulfilling and beneficial than only taking what we need from our planet’s natural resources (aparigraha). It can seem far easier to meditate for 20 minutes a day than to practice contentment (santosha) breath by breath. The ultimate purpose of practicing the Yamas and Niyamas is to experience real discipline and freedom in our life.
Yoga means the realization in direct experience of the preexisting union between the individual consciousness and the universal consciousness. There are different ways of expressing this, including that Atman is one with Brahman, Jivatman is one with Paramatman, or Shiva and Shakti are one and the same. Each of these ways of saying it come from a different viewing point, while they are not essentially different points of view. They all point in the same general direction of union or Yoga.It has become common to say that this union is merely the union of the physical body and the mind.
Learning to integrate the full “on and off the mat” practice including observing the five Yamas and Niyamas, yoga’s guide on social and personal ethics in your daily life can transform you and your yoga practice. Only by such inclusive and integrated yoga practice can the ultimate goal of this ancient system be realized: bringing our bodies, minds and spirits into harmony to make us free from the bondage and miseries of life.
While all the stretching, twisting, balancing is very beneficial, and certainly makes our body healthier and more vibrant, but it is just one limb of Yoga. This allows both teachers and practitioners to dodge the true meaning of Yoga so as to present it as being something other than a spiritual path such as only physical health or fitness. It also allows people to avoid any sense of conflict with limited religious views that have no place for such high direct experience.
Sankalpa should be used every time before we begin our Yoga practice. The practice of Sankalpa in Yoga allows us to spend a little time contemplating and trying to tune into what we really want in life. It is a fundamental practice because it provides a foundation for everything else. The problem is that we are so tense that our past is tense, our present is tense and our future is tense.
Yoga teaches us that focus on the present. Ignore the insecurities of the future. If something is going to happen in the future why are you worried now? Perfect your present. If you practice Yoga (which includes Yoga Nidra and Meditation) it would guide you towards a steady calm body mind and then Sankalpa will have more force and be able to penetrate more deeply than when the mind is dissipated.
Sankalpa is an important stage of Yoga Nidra in which the mind can receive your Sankalpa. It is a determination to become something or to do something in your life. Sankalpa is made twice in Yoga Nidra in the beginning and at the end. When we make resolve in the beginning of the practice,it is like sowing a seed and the resolve at the end of the practice is like irrigating it.
The aim of Yoga Nidra depends mostly on the practitioner. One can develop the memory, increase knowledge, do astral travelling, transform your nature and eliminate many vicious habits of thinking and living. If you know what you wish to achieve in life, Sankalpa can be the creator of your destiny. Sankalpa is not making a wish every New Year’s Day. It is taking a step forward and once you take a step forward, stepping back has no meaning. Remember that the more positive, optimistic and Sattvic you are, the more strength you will gain and the further you will go.
The powerful Sanskrit word Sankalpa means resolve. It is a chosen resolution made during the practice of Yoga Nidra. It is a process of training the mind to develop trust and faith in yourself & provide a direction for your whole life if you use it wisely. Its effect is to awaken the willpower within by uniting the conscious awareness with the unconscious forces lying dormant. It takes the form of a short phrase or sentence, clearly and concisely expressed, using the same wording each time, to bring about a positive change in one’s life.
The purpose of Sankalpa is to influence and transform the whole life pattern, not only the body but also the mind, the emotions and the spiritual forces. These forces are normally dissipated by inner conflicts or confusion or by various external demands and responsibilities of life. Sankalpa is a tool to focus the energy, the Prana- the life force, so that it becomes like a laser beam. Though the Sankalpa is one but to recognize the deepest quality of Sankalpa, we may have to go through some of the stages along the way like stepping-stones across a river, each step within reach of the previous one. It can be described into four stages:
(I) The reforming of bad habits,
(II) Improving the quality of life and living,
(III) Creating a real change within our personality,
(IV) Realizing what we are trying to achieve in this life.
The choice of the kind of Sankalpa we make is very important and should always aim to bring out the best within us. We should first deliberate to find out what level we are at and what changes can be attempted to begin our way over. It means recognizing, reducing and eliminating some negative quality that we know is holding us back. If that negative quality can be successfully managed and dealt with, then we are in a position to recognize a positive change we can make which would improve the quality of our life.
Find a Sankalpa which is short and sweet, only a few words. It need not be influenced by words alone. It should be visualized symbolically as an image, felt as a sensation. It should bring up with it a feeling of complete surrender and faith towards God. Consider well before making your Sankalpa. Once you do find your Sankalpa then meditate on it, read it each day or journal on it. Don’t change it, until it comes true.
The phrasing of the Sankalpa can be either in the present or the future tense, whatever works for you. For example, when I make a Sankalpa and use the future tense, what this means to me is that I will do something, I will do it using all my willpower and I will complete it. There is no doubt in my mind of this. That is what the word will implies here – I will do it. The word will refers to the future tense as well as to willpower.
Sankalpa should only be made when one understands its real purpose and meaning. In the beginning most people do not know what Sankalpa is or which Sankalpa they should make. Therefore they should wait until their understanding develops. To come to this state, begin with something very basic: changing the habits, changing the limitations that inhibit your growth. Try to understand yourself, observe yourself, find the blocks, and overcome one thing at a time. Don’t have an abstract idea or an unattainable concept without prior training.
The power of the Sankalpa arises when we tune into our desires, into what we really want to achieve & to get away from the confusion, doubt and conflict. As seed has tremendous power, but only if it is sown in fertile ground, looked after and tended daily, with the inner certainty that the seed will produce its fruit in its own time. In the same way, you have the mind and you have an idea. If you prepare your mind and then sow the seed in the bed of your mind and if the mind is clear, then the Sankalpa grows very well and becomes willpower.
Attachment to the idea that someone, something or some hoped for event
will change things is looking outside ourselves for this change. Your practice is the bridge between who you are
and who you want to be.
Awareness and consciousness on God enables God flow through us. Awareness and consciousness on our problems or troubles enables that as what we reflect. As we become aware of our innate radiant essence and reflect it, even if we don't talk about it, people recognize it in our smile and actions.
Authored by Dr Anadi Sahoo
