Ai, a tricky question to answer indeed. Because when we look around us in the modern world of yoga there are so many different styles to choose from. So many juxtaposed ideas and opinions of what is good for you and what you need to be doing. Ok, if anybody tells you to do anything else but creating greater awareness in what you do and find time to do your practice they are full of hogybogy. So give it some time, practice for a few years, read a few books and seek out people who seem to embody an essence of something that is real rather than fanciful pretence.
Seeking out the legends and authorities is also a good thing and one can hardly go wrong from heeding to their advice. I’ll therefore continue and publish some short extracts of what the legendary T. Krishnamacharya has to say about yoga in his book “Yoga Makarandam”, published in 1935 by the Mahåråja of Mysore.
So to continue on from last week, after informing us that a genuine understanding of yoga will never reveal itself within us if we are continually seeking ways of profit, Krishnamacharya goes on to explain what yoga is. Previous to this little extract he has informed the reader that nidrå (sleep) is something everybody needs regardless of age, gender, status, education etc. We all need a certain amount of it for the re-balancing of the body/mind and recharging of our whole system. People may need yoga of a different degree as well, but despite all the benefits of improved health, greater strength and well being, Krishnamacharya main argument is that the practice of yoga is for greater stability of mind. Here is how he answers some of his critics who doubt if the practice of yoga is useful or not:
“What is yoga? Yoga is restraining all the external functions of the mind[1] and gaining stability. What is the benefit of stability of mind? We are aware of the benefit of stability of mind from our discussion of nidra. While sleeping the stability of mind depends upon the tamo-guna (inertia), but through the practice of yoga, the stability of mind is attained through sattva-guna (brilliance), which naturally leaves a different effect on the mind. This is the only difference between the stability of mind attained from entering the state of nidra and practicing yoga. The stability of mind, depending upon sattva-guna is superior to the stability of mind attained through tamo-guna. It needs neither further proof nor explanation.
Through the practice of you will get stability of mind and thereby you will have good health, physical strength, not to mention superior ananda (joy), which is thousand times greater than the joy you get from sleeping. Thus this state is called yoga nidra (yogic sleep), which is far greater than normal nidra (sleep). The excess of tamo-guna, and fatigue of the body overpowers the mind and settled it into sleep. This is mere nidra.
If all the functional activities of the mind cease and the mind is predominant with sattva-guna the mind becomes stable. Without stability of mind, we cannot maintain our livelihood. Until the stability of mind is attained, in our normal life, isn’t that a waste of time. Can any profit be gained from that? If this is so, why should we practice yoga? This is some of the questions thrown upon me.”
Ok, that is all for now folks. Get back to your work, duties, family and other responsibilities and focus on what really matter. Can you find some centered clarity of mind in it all or are other aspects mainly driving your attention? Whatever it may be. Great week to you all and will post something more from KM in a few days about the importance of effort if we truly want to taste the superior Joy that may come from a good yoga practice. OM it is. A.
[1] KM uses the classical definition by Patanjali I YS 1:2