Yoga

Traditional series of yoga stretches, poses, and holds to improve functional movement/mobility

Specialised in Classical Yoga which facilitates mind silence by developing your yoga disciplines

Whether young, old or too old, sick or lean, those one who discards laziness — get success when you practice the discipline of yoga

Pushtam sumadhuram snigdham

Gavyumdhatupraposhanam

Manobhilashitam yoghyam yogi bhojanamacharet

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika

by Yogi Svatrarama

Yama

Internal Locus of Control

trust, integrity, loyalty, truth.

Yamas develop Human Connection

1. Ahimsa — Share, do no harm

2. Satya — Truth telling, tell the truth

3. Asteya — Sincerity — do not steal

4. Bramacharya — Own it, own your responsibilities

5. Aparigraha — Know Yourself, sense of self

Niyama

Internal Locus of Control

trust, integrity, loyalty, truth.

Yamas develop Wellbeing

1. Saucha — Clean your words and your space

2. Santosha — Follow the Line and accept the consequences

3. Tapas — learn new habits, discard old ones

4. Swadhaya — Develop your skills for worthwhile purpose

5. Ishvarapranidhana — Be the change you wish to see in the world

Chapter 1 Samadhi Pada — Sutras 1-4

yoga sutra summary

  • Sutra 1 Chapter 1

    The Discipline of Yoga

    Atha Yoganusasanam

    and, now the Discipline of Yoga

  • Sutra 2 Chapter 1

    Speak from your heart without thought

    Yogacittavrittinirodha

    Yoga is the state of being in which the ideational choice-making movement of the mind slows down and comes to a stop.

  • Sutra 3 Chapter 1

    Strive to be your authentic self always

    Tada drastuh svrupevasthanam

    Then [when when the movement of the mind comes to a stop] the seer gets established in his existential identity.

  • Sutra 4 Chapter 1

    Let noise not disturb your solution seeking

    Vrttisarupyamitaratra

    In all other states of being, identification with the ideational choice-making movement reigns-supreme.

Shtiti

[mind steady]

Steady mind is found in between two vritti

(mindless noisy thoughts/annoyances).

Abhyasa

Your peak mediation experience

in a session will expire, it takes practices

to lift it, train it to stay steady.

Vairagya

is the perception you achieve when

your words and experiences don’t colour your

present experience

Vasikara Varagya

is establishment of steady,

quietness of mind

where your meditations transform your mind

to not grow tired and press forward 

to see possibility and only possibility.

Ch1 Sutra 34 to 39. Meditation without attachment. Push beyond minds through dharna (concentration/focus)

  • Sutra 34 Chapter 1

    Square\Rectangle Breath

    Pracchardan-vidharanabhvamva pranasya

    Holding the breath after inhalation and again exhalation brings citta-vritti-nirodhaha (the thoughts in the head to sleep)

  • Sutra 35 Chapter 1

    Obsession / Concentration as mediation

    Visayavati va pravrittirutpanna-manasah shtitinibandhini

    Mediate on an object that you associate with that arises intense interest

  • Sutra 36 Chapter 1

    Transformative Meditation

    Visoka va jyotisma

    Meditate on your transformation (that is void of grief and has a quality of illumination).

  • Sutra 37 Chapter 1

    Meditation with indifference

    Vitaragavisayam va cittam

    Meditate while being uncoloured or unaffected by an object

  • Sutra 38 Chapter 1

    Delta — Deep Sleep Meditation

    Svapna-nidra-jnanalambanamva

    Take a breath and dive into mediation that was born in sleep/dream or knowledge gained in sleep

  • Sutra 39 Chapter 1

    Visulisation

    Yathabhimata-dhyanadva

    Meditate on a subject that naturally interests you

The Tensions — Chapter 2 Sadhana Pada — Sutras 3-9

  • Sutra 3 Chapter 2

    Avidyasmitaragadvesabhinivesah panca Klesa

    The Five Tensions stem from non-awareness. First Tension is distance/distraction/distortion. Second Tension is oppression (avoidance)/repression (gaslighting), supression (swallowing). Third Tension is seer vs seen as distinct entities. Fourth Tension is Slumbering in the Past of pleasure (sutra 7) or slumbering in pain (sutra 8). Fifth Tension is defining oneself through self preservation.

  • Sutra 4 Chapter 2

    Avidya ksetramuttaresam prasupta-tanuviccinnodaranam

    Non-awareness (KLESA) is where the Tensions are born and express themselves via the hidden/unconsciousness; trivialities; unnecessary fragmentation and broad but thin knowledge causing discontect (lose sight of the bigger picture)

  • Sutra 5 Chapter 2

    Anityasuchidukhanatmasu nityasuchisukhatmakhatmakhyatiravidya

    Sutra 5 Chapter 2 is Assumption; confusing transience with permanence, confusing impure with pure, and confuses pain with pleasure

  • Sutra 6 Chapter 2

    Drkdarsanasktyorekamatevasmita

    To assume seer and seen energy are one and the same which in itself is a tension called Asmita “I-ness/egocentricity”.

  • Sutra 7 Chapter 2

    Slumbering in pleasures of the past (excess recall of a pleasurable past)

    Sukhanusayi Ragah

    Under the influence of a lingering memory of pleasurable past experiences is tension called Raga

  • Sutra 8 Chapter 2

    Slumbering in Pain from the past

    Dukkhanusavi Dvesah

    Under the influence of a lingering memory of pain from the past experience is a tension called Dvesah

  • Sutra 9 Chapter 2

    Savarasavahi viduso-pi

    Abhinivesa body bound self preservation interests both behaviourally and physically. Sutra 9 begins the journey of emptying all tensions discussed between Sutra 3-8.

  • Sutra 10 Chapter 2

    Counter-creativity removes klesa (unawareness that brings tensions)

  • Sutra 11 Chapter 2

    Meditation through contemplation can sift/sort concepts born of Klesa (non-awareness causing the tensions).

Asana

There are over 2000 Yoga Poses. However in the original theory you will be pleased to hear that physical development is founded in steadiness of practice with simultaneous ease in the mind and body. Asana, the physical postures are only is 0.15% of the Yoga Sutras, in that of the 196 Sutras written by Patanjali, only three Sutras discuss Physical Asana. These Sutras are from Chapter 2 of the Sadhana Pada Sutras 46-48 as outlined below

Asana — Chapter 2 Sadhana Pada — Sutras 46-48

  • Sutra 46 Chapter 2

    Sthira-sukham asanam

    Asana is steadiness and ease

  • Sutra 47 Chapter 2

    prayatna-saithiya-anata-samapattibhyam

    Steadiness and ease in postures comes from relaxed effort and restful balance

  • Sutra 48 Chapter 2

    tato dvandva-anabhighatah

    Observe internal conflict like it were a tennis match — until it resolves.

Pranayam

Breathing Exercise

Breath in: PARUKA

Internal breath pause: ANTAR KAMBHAKA

Breath out: RECHAKA

External breath pause: BAHIR KAMBHAKA

To some this may be referred to as the square breath exercise. More to this, this technique provides the gateway to learning and understanding pranayam as part of your daily yoga practice. Generally, the Rechaka out breath can equal to your Paruka in breath. though this will develop across time as you learn how to maintain silent mind focus and gently listening to and developing your physique.

Make the Paruka inhale slow and quiet to improve the comfort within your body when you Antar Kambhaka abstain breathing in or out for a short period of time. During Paruka, we want to obtain full control of your lungs.

“Na veshadharanam siddheh karanam na cha tatkatha
Kriyaiva karanam siddeh satametanna samsayah

Pitthani kumbhakaschitra divyani karani cha
Sarvanyapi hathabhyase rajayogaphalavadhi

Asanas (postures), various Kumbhakas and other divine means, all should be practiced in the practice of Hatha Yoga, until the fruit — Raja Yoga — is obtained.

What it means is that enabling yourself to feel comfortable in your body (Hatha Yoga) and factual and learning how to overcome and do it better (Raja Yoga) will provide you with freedom

Here begins our journey”
— The Hatha Yoga Pradapika (p.49) by Yogi Svatmarama translated by Pancham Sinh