The Historical Development of Samkhya Philosophy
The study of Samkhya philosophy is important because its metaphysics are pervasive in Indian philosophy. Yoga philosophy in particular is closely related to Samkhya. Therefore understanding Indian philosophy in general and Yoga philosophy in particular requires an understanding of Samkhya philosophy. This article presents an overview of the historical development of the Samkhya philosophy.
Samkhya is one of the oldest and most influential of the six Indian darsanas. According to traditional Indian accounts, the legendary sage Kapila was the first to organize Samkhya thought in a systematic way. According to the Samkhya-Karika, the teaching originated with Kapila, it was passed by him to Asuri, from Asuri to Panchasikha, and through tradition of disciples to Krishna. Beyond that, a few teachers are known.
Four Interpretations
In the history of western studies of Samkhya philosophy, there have been four interpretations of its historical development:
1. Dr. Zimmer, in his Philosophies of India, expressed the view that Samkhya is pre-Vedic and non-Aryan in origin. He based his view on observations of similarities between Samkhya philosophy and that of the Jains, which he considered to be remote, aboriginal, and non-Vedic, and also on his observation that Kapila, the traditional founder of Samkhya, falls outside the traditional assembly of…
Sowing Seeds Along The Path
Q: You said in your talks that “practice” along the spiritual path is for preparing your inner space for transformation. How should one prepare the space exactly?
A: Attention is required to sow the seeds, but you cannot pull the flowers out of them. Effort is just for the sake of preparing the ground, but the season, and the blossoms in the season, are beyond your control. Though these are forces beyond you, when the inner space is prepared with all of the ingredients in place, the blossoming of enlightenment is certain without a doubt.
There are many ways to prepare the mind for seeing into a dimension beyond mind, for nirvikalpa samadhi. That is why it has always been said that the paths are many, but they all eventually come to the same realization of the one Brahman. What is important is not so much what path you tread, but that whatever path you tread, you go all the way until the path is killed. Like anything else in life, if we want to create a suitable atmosphere for growth, a certain one-pointedness and commitment is needed, one`s energies cannot simply be scattered here and there. When we talk about “paths” we are just talking about different possibilities for inner transformation and the discovery of one’s Buddhahood. Of course, even if you had a million lifetimes, you would not be able to explore all the possibilities. What is important is to engage in one path – but with absolute intensity, be total with your whole body, heart, and mind. When I say intensity in action, I should clarify what I mean…
Life and Breath
On the beach, close to the surf, the waves can be heard as they crash upon the shore and slowly creep up the sand as the sound slowly fades until it reaches a point where the momentum of the movement is lost. Then there is what seems to be a moment of calmness before it makes the tranquil trickling sound as it retreats back towards the source from where it came. And then again… and again… IF you find a quiet calm space, close your eyes and visualize this process, you will see that your breath is not that different from the dance of the ocean.
I’m very fond of pranayama and even know a couple of yogis who have a breathing practice that is as diligent as my asana practice. The topic of breath sounds seemingly extremely simple since it’s an autonomous act and it’s easy to forget about the dynamics of it. As a yoga practitioner, you will find benefit in developing an acute perception of your breath on and off the mat. We’re often reminded as students to check in with our breath at the beginning of class. We may be led through some light three part breathing exercises to get our attention turned inward instead of being focused on the events that preceded our “me time” on our mats. Also, occasionally throughout the duration of a yoga class, we’re reminded to breathe. Some instructors even insist on one breath one move and invite you to take a child’s pose if you need to get your breath to slow down.
So what’s the point here? Why the controlled breathing?
Why does one need breath perception in yoga? Breath perception is…
The Meaning of the Gayatri Mantra
A mantra is the holy name of God. According to Hinduism any person who chants the holy name of God or Goddess is bound to develop a pure mind in the course of time. The power of chanting a mantra is accepted by many religious leaders too. There is a strong belief that a man who chants the name of God or mantra can see God too.
The word ‘mantra’ can be derived as ‘mananaat traayate iti mantrah’. ‘Manana’ means ‘reflecting on something’ and hence the inner meaning goes as ‘reflecting upon which a person is protected from the perils of life such as bondage and attachment’. Hence a mantra though a word in composition should not be underestimated in its power. Although several mantras are composed of a single word, their power is great to bring enormous benefits both in terms of spiritual and material fronts.
Hinduism believes that regular chanting of a mantra regulates…
Yoga For Osteoporosis
Osteoperosis is a bone density disease. Osteoperosis leads to abnormally porous bones that are compressible like a sponge. This disorder affects the skeleton, causing the bones to weaken and suffer from frequent fractures (small breaks). Osteopenia is the name of the condition that causes slightly less density in the bone which makes someone prone to Osteoperosis. Although x-rays can reveal the presence of osteoperosis, by the time they are usually taken, at least 30% of the bone has already been lost. Treatments of this disease usually come in the form of hormone therapy and vitamin D and calcium supplements, but yoga is a wonderful preventative measure to take in order to have strong bones with the proper density.
Normal bone is composed of protein, collagen and calcium. These give bones their strength and create bone density. All three of these compounds are regulated hormonally, and through the prana or life force coursing through the body. In yogic terms, our bodies are just vibrating energy, so any ailment is due to problems with energetic flow. This ancient practice can reduce tension, strengthen and stretch the muscles, tendons and connective tissues, balance and rejuvenate the circulation, and since many asana (poses) in yoga are weight bearing, they stimulate bone building by creating osteoblasts that create new bone. Further, yoga can promote the reduction of…
Meditation As Described in the Bhagavad Gita
The purpose of meditation is described in the Bhagavad Gita in the 13th chapter. It says:
Dhyanenatmani pasyanti kecidatmanamaatmana XIII 24
Yogis behold or perceive the Self in the self by the self by means of meditation. This means that the Yogis develop a power by the self by means of which they can perceive the Self in the self (of others too). This is the meaning of the assertion ‘aatmaanam atmani aatmana pasyanti’ in the verse mentioned above. Many commentators have interpreted the assertion made by the Gita differently. The idea mentioned in the assertion implies that the knower of the Self becomes the very Self. This is the highest truth embodied in the Upanishads. The Bhagavad Gita has described the abstract truths given in the Upanishads in a more detailed manner.
The Gita says that meditation requires more attention on the part of the Yogi. In fact it needs a prolonged effort on the part of the practitioner. This is possibly because of the fact that it comes after dharana in the list of the eight parts of Yoga called as the Ashtanga Yoga of Patanjali. Hence dhyana or medication requires an extra effort on the part of the practitioner in trying to strengthen his concentration.
The methodology involved in meditation is described in the 6th chapter called…
The Concept of Kaivalya in Yoga
The word Kaivalya means emancipation or liberation. It is otherwise called as Moksha in Sanskrit. Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras discussed the concept of Kaivalya in a very elaborate manner in the last chapter called the Kaivalya Pada. This chapter has a total of 34 aphorisms or sutras that describe the phenomenon of Kaivalya or emancipation. Patanjali says that the ultimate goal of man is to attain Kaivalya from the cycle of modifications from one species or genus into another. He accepts the concept of Jatyantara Parinama which says that man continues to be born again and again depending upon the changing circumstances. Sometimes he gets modified into other species or genus too. The word ‘species’ is meant by the word ‘Jati’.
Material substances get filled in the body of the human being at the time of the birth. Hence the modification into another species is by the filling in of material substance. Patanjali says that the primary goal of man is to aim for liberation or Kaivalya through Samadhi. To attain Kaivalya he should…
How to Use Desire in Yoga
Desire is unavoidable, but what and how we desire can make a big difference in our spiritual development. There is a state aspire to in yogic practice called nirivikalpa samadhi. It is described as a “pure, undifferentiated consciousness” which “contains no phenomenal impressions whatever, no seeds of desire and attachment.” Until that time, we can aspire to reach the state of Brahman, or God. The phrase, “Ask and it shall be given,” comes to mind. Christ promised the same thing that Patanjali did. If we long for something with great intensity, we usually organize our thoughts and then our actions around making that a reality. The word tivra means intensely. When we want something intensely, we become single minded. This singlemindedness is the key to manifestation.
How many mistakes did Thomas Edison make before perfecting the light bulb into a practical invention? Contrary to popular belief, he didn’t ‘invent’ the lightbulb, but rather he improved upon a 50-year-old idea. His single-mindedness allowed him to take the ideas of Humphrey Davy, an Englishman, and turn them into something none of us can imagine living without today. It took Edison one and a half years of work to improve upon the original idea to come up with a working light bulb. And although must of us focus on one aspect of his achievement, that of discovering the right kind of filament, he actually had to invent a total of seven system elements that were critical to the practical application of electric lights as an alternative to…
The Anatomy of Yogic Breathing
Many of my yoga students ask me how to breath like a yogi. I often tell them it is the secret to longevity and a clear mind. The author of Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Svatmarama states that “When the breath wanders the mind also is unsteady. But when the breath is calmed the mind too will be still, and the yogi achieves long life. Therefore, one should learn to control the breath.” Long life is not the only reason a yogi practices pranayama, although the physical benefits are great. Breathing is an important part of our entire mental, physical and spiritual dynamic. By learning about breathing from an anatomical perspective, we can understand more fully why a yogi achieves long life and the balancing of these aspects of the self.
We can commence this anatomical study by looking at the main organs for breathing: the lungs. The lungs are principally responsible for transporting oxygen from the atmosphere into the bloodstream and then to release carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere, again through the bloodstream. In a normal breath, the average person can hold approximately six litres of air in the lungs. Those born at sea level develop slightly less lung capacity than those born in higher altitudes. Air enters the lungs through pathways called the bronchi and branchioles, and it is here that the exchange of gas begins. There is a collection of millions of specialized cells, which form…
What Happens When We Stretch?
What exactly happens when we stretch? We all know something gives. The longer we reach for our toes, the easier it is to grasp them.
What we’ve learned through science is that it isn’t just one thing. Stretching is actually pretty dang complicated.
First the Anatomy
Each muscle fiber is wrapped up in fascia, a material a little like the plastic wrap you could see surrounding a leftover chicken leg in the fridge. Each individual muscle fiber wrapped up in its fascia is then collected into a group with another coating of fascia holding the group together. Then several of those groups of muscle fibers are bundled together in one big group of muscle surrounded by a bigger, thicker layer of fascia.
As the muscle nears a bone, it thins and becomes tapered. The fascia covering each fiber as well as that surrounding the groups of fibers continues and becomes a tendon that forms the connection of muscle to bone. Scientists call this entire structure the muscle-tendon complex. It’s considered one unit because muscle and connective tissue (fascia and tendons) are so intimately connected and intertwined that studying only one or the other is difficult. Having said that, they’ve been able to tease out what is happening to each of them when we stretch.
The Muscle Component
Stretching muscle causes a reflex mechanism in the…