Exploring Yoga Philosophy and Spirituality Through the Yoga Sutras
By Dennis Bluthardt, Namaste Studios
Yoga is not just a form of exercise. It is an ancient Indian practice with many spiritual and philosophical implications related to it, as most people know it today. Based on the Yoga Sutras, Yoga is a collection of verses written by the sage Patanjali. But the Yoga Sutras are about more than just stretching. With the word “Yoga” itself (meaning “union”), Patanjali is referring to the ultimate form of union possible, the union of Atman and Brahma (the self and the universe). Just like the Buddha with his Eightfold Path, Patanjali devised a step plan for realizing the oneness of the universe and the oneness of the self and the universe.
Why does this matter? Why does unionized consciousness matter for the cultivation of patience? If you have already realized said form of consciousness, it doesn’t (and neither does patience)! But if you have not, it certainly can help you on your way, for what could be more unifying than the realization that we are all one: the self and the universe, humans and all beings–all the same. All that I would like to say is that I have taken away from the translation of Sri Swami Satchidanda, one of my favorite spiritual teachers, but for you to gain a little more context (and not have to keep switching tabs if you please–linked above), I will give you a bit more insight.
The eight prerequisites for the realization of Yoga are as follows. Sorry, prerequisites make them sound a little more technical than they are, for these are very “earthy” steps, all things that a human being should be, and many things that the current state of the world in the 21st century seems to run directly perpendicular to, are what it takes to be one. These are the eight (somewhat rephrased a bit):
- Yama: What you should not do.
- Niyama: What you should do.
- Asana: Postures of the body.
- Pranayama: Control of the breath.
- Pratyahara: Control of the senses–restraint.
- Dharana: Concentration–intense focus.
- Dhyana: Meditation–unbroken stream of focus.
- Samadhi: Absolute, undifferentiated state of being.
So, putting that to one side and keeping it in mind as the goal, let’s look at what sorts of things will (and how they interact with one another) get us there. Yoga underpins patience because what did I list at the heart of Patanjali’s eight? They are morality and observance. The ability to control oneself, or rather, the ability to self-regulate, is essential for all those who are moral. In conjunction, maximizing their potential is a significant reason why some have the incredible ability to self-regulate a desire to be good people and be successful.
Understanding Yoga Philosophy
Yoga philosophy refers to a rich tapestry of teachings that span much farther and more profoundly than the asana poses most associated with yoga practice. It is thought of as insight into how one should approach a healthy life, with mind and body intertwined and the soul universally. This philosophy is a framework for those with whom the vibe is aligned, as an excellent way to approach and manage a happy, healthy, and accomplished life.
These are some of the essential “pieces” to the larger yoga philosophy puzzling. Don’t we all love a good mystery like that? Unity, mindfulness, and self-awareness comprise our biggest priorities within each of these (in some instances related and overlapping) guiding principles of life. In this case, unity means a mentality that everyone is one, love, compassion, and, above all, a “no harm” attitude. It is no wonder everyone returns the yoga baddie’s messages. Mindfulness of the present is the recipe for the most remarkable interaction with the wildlife of life, and it calls for a better response to any wild scenarios to occur in one’s daily life as well. Self-awareness is the way to know your behavior when it is right or wrong, and at times, to trust one’s person when it is safest; thus, it is an essential staple for personal growth.
Note that no mention of one’s fingers touching one’s toes. The physical practice of most people is only a tiny piece of the larger pie. So, the same thing applies to the other portions of one’s mind, such as the life landscape. The landscape of life here is exclusive to many, but in some instances, it is related to these other principles and points of interest to traverse (and there’s nothing better than a good-made journey). It’s most likely an accumulative total of learning in general and setting out the journey/task of life, as well overall. “Health” only indicates the helping of one’s body.
The Yoga Sutras: A Guide to Spiritual Growth
Composed around the second century BCE, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are among the first scriptures to genuinely explore the philosophy and practice of the sacred path of Yoga. As such, they are more than just a manual on which asanas or postures to do in yoga practice; they are also about the different ways you can approach and understand your spiritual nature.
When Patanjali wrote the Yoga Sutras, the philosophy of Yoga was in constant development. As such, the Yoga Sutras are a convergence of many different schools of mystic thought, culminating into one beautiful and enlightening work of spiritual scripture.
You can learn much from the Yoga Sutras, from slowing down and meditating to practicing the Eight Limbs of Yoga. They are certainly one of the first yoga texts I would recommend to others. Moreover, the Yamas, or the moral and ethical principles of Yoga, mentioned in the Eight Limbs, are practices that many of us should engage with and contemplate, especially given how divisive the world has become recently.
The Intersection of Yoga Philosophy and Spirituality
The philosophy of Yoga can add profound depth to your understanding of the spiritual, mainly relating to the idea that we are one. That’s you. That’s me. That’s the guy on the subway, your annoying coworker, the less annoying coworker, and that lady on the news this morning. We all return to universal consciousness and our sparks of endless existence.
Enter spirituality.
The things you learn in Yoga, Ahimsa, and Satya, as well as non-violence and truthfulness, build themselves up and extend. You learn to take care of yourself and how those feelings of taking better care also enrich the lives of others. Better in Yoga equals better [more compassion, understanding] in life. Simply put, we organically begin to lead with the heart rather than the hormonal activity of the heart, known as the ego.
Meditation is a different story. Try not to silence the mind as part of the meditative transition into stillness. Instead, meditation is an opportunity for the world of busyness to calm and inspire reflection and connection to the higher self. Do this often [more], and that connection will show you who you are, here and now, instead of succumbing to past waves of emotion stirred up by old patterns and/or being too focused on the “will be.”
Revel in the unity, karma, dharma, and all those “enlightenment” words, just some things that resonate with you only as part of the spiritual practice, anatomy, and chakra work included! The color of your shirt, changing over time, adds a little bonus to teachers and practicing students.
Mindfulness, or victorious living, becomes more about being present and seeing things for their worth, enjoying the ordinary rather than chasing momentary pleasure. Cherish the food you eat, the walk you just took home, and the ones you love because they are there. Remove the emotional noise and learn who you are from the inside out! Create a practice that comes from the heart. Listen to yourself. You are enough! Yes, we all have tendencies to be in a state of fluctuating mood stability, but we are all capable of reaching a higher level of consciousness. The path of Yoga is more resonant with religious practice in that it has little to do with gymnastics and everything to do with living life by cultivating a deeper relationship with yourself.
The Relevance of Yoga Sutras in Modern Life
The Yoga Sutras, the ancient text of yoga philosophy credited to the sage Patanjali, give wisdom to the challenges of modern life ranging from general stress, overwhelm, and anxiety to feelings of disconnection. Running through all the threads of these sutras is the explanation of the fabric of mind, the fluctuations of mind we all experience. The essential tools to work with your mind are mindfulness and meditation, which (when practiced consistently) provide a personal antidote to (almost) all the universal struggles of the human condition. A concept defined in these pages is Sankhya, translated to enumeration, or the vital process of genuinely seeing (and therefore understanding) what and how we think and feel rather than responding with reflexive emotion to a given situation or life event. This discernment allows us to gain (actual) perspective, which can help manage anxiety.
At the most basic level, these sutras invite you to remember the power of (enforced) self-awareness and the subsequent discernment it can help you develop. As anyone who has dealt with severe anxiety understands, you can’t change the fact you’ve fallen into a vast hole you were so blind to that you neither realized it was in front of nor all around you. By learning to dial down your overactive senses, your awareness of how your own thought processes work to manage your feelings, which can take a long time to adopt as your default outlook, can help you build emotional balance that affects coping mechanisms and anxiety.
A second thread that runs through the Sutras is that of our interconnectedness (another theme that, after 200 years of industry, development, and the digital age that separates us, is for sure a sign of the times too many). The concept is that of the combination Sutra, which defines all the world and everything in it (including you) as an interconnection of energies, each so interdependent and symbiotic that all live/humans are one environmentally, empathetically, and societally. This philosophy encourages opposition to separatism, which, say, the ego likes, and it speaks in favor of the union, which naturally limits some parts of humanity no one can argue, such as greed, selfishness, and ethnoreligious demarcation. At the surface level, it all sounds like a bit of peace and love, I grant you. But when considering the empirical concept of the active practice of making the suffering of others your own, how can that cause any harm to others or fail to enhance one’s own life? Should one not prioritize respect/disrespect, face/national pride, etc., over the moral requirement to allow each other to develop the broader world in which we all share genuinely and must live forever?
The Yoga Sutras, written by the sage Patanjali, are a key text in yoga philosophy and spirituality. They are a guidebook to ethical living, meditation, and self-discipline, meaning they are a user manual to becoming a spirit! His eightfold path promotes the idea that balance in life will help you. This basic construction rings true for both one’s mental and physical well-being.
An introductory study of Patanjali’s work and his eight limbs of Yoga will inform your journey. The recitation of the Sutras from lecture to lecture and the questions of the nature of the mind he alludes to throughout his verses help guide your next New Age tarot deck.
What in your life suggests that you be more mindful or something more so directed towards peace? As a student, I heard this often: You read this Sutra and study Yoga (and yourself) because it is a “how-to” for your soul. Have you experienced something at the same time? For example, if you have trust issues, read a Sutra about the non-attachment you learned of, along with the Yamas & Niyamas, which indicate serving and studying your soul. You could make a note to get a hold of the ego part of you affecting this, speak with a challenging person, and go about your journey. Contemplate your own life to what you wish to become, too!
The eight-limbed system helps the projections of our chakras in humans’ social lives. Thus, ethical living, “non-attachment,” and “Svadhyaya” indicate that you will become what you are studying. The eight-limbed approach is more tailored to the principal teaching of peace.
The hopeful energy of your last class and the feeling that you are sailing throughout this world will encourage you to act in specific ways. (Hopefully.) Reflect on how you acted in particular ways before signing on to inspire others, for example, and think of a way that practice helped.