Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras

This Autumn we will be using the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali as our theme and taking snippets of wisdom from it as the basis of each class. 

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras were written in Sanskrit around the 3rd Century BCE. There are 196 sutras divided into 4 chapters known as 'pada' - this translates as 'at the foot of' -  the way that Yoga was originally taught, at the foot of a master.

The goal of Yoga is self-realisation and the sutras describe how this can be achieved.

Chapter 1 identifies what the thought processes are and the need to control both the mind and the ego. 

The first four sutras of Patanjali outline the key purpose of Yoga, and the remainder of the sutras provide a practical manual that guides the student to becoming aware of their deeper self.

1.1 Atha yoga-anushasanam
Atha means “now’  - the sutras begin with this word, it is now we start, not sometime in the future, in our lives right now
Yoga-anushasanam – is the instruction of Yoga
Now begins the instruction of Yoga – it is a very direct statement – we need to start practicing now

1.2 Yogas citta vritti nirodah
This is Patanjali’s goal of Yoga. To break this down:

- Yoga means union, to join
- Citta relates to the sum total of the mind
- Vritti refers to the thoughts that continually come into the mind
- Nirodah means stopping, restraining

This verse simply states the purpose of Yoga is that to achieve union of the Self, it is necessary to control the thought waves in the mind.

1.3 Then the Seer (Self) abides in its own nature
When the mind is quiet, as in 1.2, we become who we really are.

1.4 Otherwise the Seer (Self) identifies with our thoughts
When the mind is not quiet, there are still thought waves (vrittis) and our self identifies with these thoughts and we become what we think we are. The real self is then hidden behind these thoughts.

You may say, how is this relevant to my life? 

In a world that constantly bombards us with words, sounds and images from multiple source all of the time, it is difficult to disengage from the constant stimulus and find out who we really are. Following the message of the Yoga Sutras, teaches us how to block out the things we do not need and do not serve us, and allow stillness to enter our lives where we can see who we truly are.

Come along and see for yourself!

Om Shanti
Dawn
🙏