ASHTANGA YOGA

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA IN HIS BOOK 'RAJA YOGA' MAINLY
DEALS WITH ASHTANGA YOGA & PATHANJALI'S YOGA 
SUTRAS.
SRI RANGA MAHAGURU THE SAINT WITH DIVINE WISDOM,
NAMED HIS MUTT 'ASHTANGA YOGA VIJNANA MANDIRA'

SO WE CAN KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF 'ASHTANGA YOGA' 
"Ashtanga Yoga method is Patanjali Yoga" 
Ashtanga means eight limbs.
The definition of yoga is "the controlling of the mind" 
[citta vrtti nirodhah] 

History of Ashtanga Yoga Ashtanga yoga is a system of yoga recorded by the sage  Vamana Rishi in the Yoga Korunta, an ancient manuscript  "said to contain lists of many different groupings of asanas,  as well as highly original teachings on vinyasa, drishti,  bandhas, mudras, and philosophy" Yoga has its roots about 5000 years BC as described in Vedic Philosophy and Tantras. Patanjali , great sage composed this path into a Darshan(Philosophy) in his Book Patanjal Yoga Sutra. In which he has formulated Yoga as a Eight Limbs or Eight Fold path.

Eight Limbs of Ashtanga Yoga 1. Yama (Principles or moral code) - Ahimsa - A principle of non-violence - Satya - A principle of Truthfulness - Asteya - A principle of non stealing - Brahmacharya - Continence / Celibacy - Aparigraha - A principle of non-hoarding or non possessiveness 2. Niyama (Personal Disciplines) - Shoucha - Purity - Santosha - Contentment - Tapa - Endurance - Swadhyaya - Self study - Eshwara Pranidhana - Dedication 3. Asana - (Yoga Postures / positions) A stable and comfortable posture which helps attain mental equilibrium. 4. Pranayama - (Yoga Breathing) Extension and control of breath. 5. Pratyahara - (Withdrawal of Senses) A mental preparation to increase the power of mind . 6. Dharana - (Concentration on Object) Concentration of mind on one object and its field. 7. Dhyana - (Meditation) With drawing mind from all external objects and Focusing it on one point and meditating on it. 8. Samadhi - (Thoughtless State) State of Super bliss, joy and merging individual consciousness in to universal consciousness. Union between Jivatman and Paramatman. Union of Shiva and Shakti in Sahasrar Chakra  (the top of the head). Realizing the Brahman (pure consciousness) or Realization of God is the ultimate achievement of Human Birth. 1. Yama (Principles or moral code) 1.1.Ahimsa - A principle of non-violence Ahimsa means not to kill anyone. Killing generates pain; hence ahimsa  can mean not to cause pain to anyone. Yoga demands ahimsa in totality. That means, himsa does not mean only killing or hitting anyone. That is a limited meaning of the word or only physical aspect. To hurt someone mentally is also a himsa. That is oral himsa. Yoga also states further that even thinking ill of someone is also a himsa,which is a mental himsa. Hence, ahimsa covers all aspects such as physical, oral, mental. This indicates the greatness of the depth of the science of yoga. Patanjal Yoga aphorism states the results of following such ahimsa : Ahimsa pratishthayam tatsannidhou vairatyagah || P Y S 2-35 One, who observes ahimsa, succeeds in eliminating feelings of enmity.  If ahimsa is followed for a long time, not only the sadhaka, but even his surroundings are affected and enmity is eliminated in the minds of all who come in contact with him. Thus, ahimsa is not only elimination of physical, mental, oral hurt, but also wiping out the feelings of enmity. The surroundings of such a sadhaka are also changed effectively. 1.2.Satya - A principle of Truthfulness Satya should also be considered in depth. It does not only cover speaking the truth. Proper understanding of the talk and the mind is the truth. Here, proper means exactly what is seen, understood or heard, the same thing should be followed by our tendency to talk and also by the mind. When we try to explain something to others, the conversation if it generates doubts or if it is not understood correctly by others, or if it is of no use to others, then that is not truth, even if it is true. Also, God has created our tongue for the benefit of all and not for destruction. So the truth, which results in the destruction of someone or something, is also not the truth. Mahabharata has analysed and classified the truth as under: Silence is greater than the speech, true speech is greater than the silence, speech as per one's dharma is greater than it and the true speech according to dharma and which is pleasurable and useful to others is the greatest. Patanjali Rishi has stated the results of the truth as under : Satyapratishthayam kriyaphalashrayatvam || P Y S 2-36 With constant following of the truth and the commensurate behaviour, one gets vachasiddhi. That means without performing any religious rites, the results of the karma accrue to him and to others due to his speech and blessings. 1.3.Asteya - A principle of non stealing Steya means theft. Asteya means not stealing anything. However, asteya has a comprehensive meaning and is not limited to not stealing something from the other and keeping it in possession. It means not keeping anything with self, which does not belong to the self. This is an effect of the actual physical process of theft. But even if a thought of the theft peeps into the mind, it can affect the mental and thereby the physical health. If the electronic impulses generated through the brain are measured with the help of a machine, it is observed that there are wide changes while being in such a state. Hence, yoga states that one should not even imagine the theft. The following aphorism states the effects : Asteyapratishthayam sarvratnopasthanam || P Y S 2.37 A sadhaka is endowed with all jewels (virtues) when he practises asteya. 1.4.Brahmacharya - Continence / Celibacy Yoga sadhaka should follow continence, but this does not mean that he should renounce family life and become a monk; such an action is not expected in Yoga science. When a sadhaka progresses on the path of Yoga, on his own he feels that he should renounce the worldly activities and he will be free from all desires and hence can easily study dhyana and dharana. However, all of us need not follow this path. So we need not stretch the meaning of continence to this level. Controlled enjoyment of desires, staying within the limit of dharma and science can be termed as continence. If we understand this meaning and behave accordingly, we will be able to progress in Yoga. Patanjali Rishi has stated the following aphorism : Brahmacharya pratishthayam viryalabhah || P Y S 2.38 One who observes continence, gets illuminated and acquires various siddhis. 1.5.Aparigraha - A principle of non-hoarding or non possessiveness Aparigrah means not hoarding anything. Storing things, which are not required by us, is known as parigrah. For example: If we are thirsty, we can quench the thirst after drinking a glass of water. Even if one brings a pot full of water, the thirst gets quenched with a glass only. But this gives rise to other problems.We should enjoy only what is necessary and that too in a controlled manner. Not to store or hoard the things is aparigrah.We should enjoy only what is necessary and that too in a controlled manner. Not to store or hoard the things is aparigrah. Yoga sadhaka should try to follow aparigraha with efforts. The results are described as follows : Aparigrahsthiarye janmakathantasambodhah || P Y S 2.39 One who learns and follows aparigraha in entirety gets the knowledge of past, present and future. He also knows about his past birth. After describing the five niyam in this way, Patanjali has stated the following aphorism : Jatideshkalsamayanavachinnah sarvabhouma mahavatrah | P Y S 2.31 Yogi should religiously follow the five yamas. When the yamas are to be followed, it is stated in this aphorism that they are to be followed irrespective of caste, country, period, time etc. Yoga states that these yamas should be followed by all castes, all over the country in any place and at whatever period and time. Hathapradeepika in their text have stated ten yamas.  Ahimsa Satyamsteyam brahmacharyam kshama dhrutih || Dayarjavam mitaharh shoucham chaiva yama dash || H P Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya, Kshama, Dhruti, Daya, Arjav, Mitahar and Shoucha. We have already reviewed Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya and Brahmacharya. Shoucha is included in Niyama, so we will consider the rest of the Yamas. (1.6.)Kshama (Pardon) - Kshama is a big virtue. Common people err quite a few times, which hurts or proves troublesome for others. Then the others react by getting angry. Again the reaction is met with another reaction. In this process, the calmness of the body and the mind gets lost. Hence, the yoga sadhaka should not resist or react against the improper attitude of another or some mistake committed by another. Resistance leads to further disputes and the results are to be faced by everyone. Kshama from the point of view of sadhaka is not reacting or not resisting. Because of this sadhaka does not have to face the disturbances, which arise out of such resistance. Also, when there is mental as well as physical preparation for not reacting, the effect of the blow also gets reduced and the mind turns calm. Generally, when the people realise the magnitude of the mental preparation, they also stay away from affecting any blows on the sadhaka. (1.7.)Dhruti (Courage) - Dhruti means courage. It is essential for performing or achieving anything. If there is no courage, great things cannot be achieved. In human life, there are several incidences where one gets attacked by many emotions. We have to fight such feelings. Many lose courage while doing so and fall prey to these feelings. They repent afterwards. So while leading the life, whenever such incidents occur, one should have the courage to face the emotions and gain victory over them. By turning away from such emotions does not solve any problems, but increases them. (1.8.)Daya (Pity) - While kshama is a reaction on any action, daya is not a reaction but an action itself. To assist someone with sympathy is daya. Like ahimsa, daya is also physical, oral and mental. To help someone with bodily actions or by giving money is physical action. To console someone by sympathising with kind words is oral daya. And to think kindly in mind about the poor and wishing them all the best in life is mental daya. Daya not only leads to peace of the body as well as the mind, but also gives mental satisfaction. (1.9.)Aarjav (Humbleness) - To behave humbly with everyone after casting aside the ego is aarjav. Casting aside of one's ego is important. Many problems in our day-to-day life arise out of ego. When there is no ego, there are no problems and one does not have to search for their solutions. When the ego is forsaken, the heart, tongue and mind turn soft and simple. That is known as aarjav. It is expected that sadhaka should be humble and modest. Due to this humble attitude, sadhaka goes nearer to the God. (1.10.)Mitahar (Restricted Diet) - The body needs food, but many times we tend to consume more than necessary. Sometimes, just because it tastes good to the tongue, sometimes due to the wish in the mind, or sometimes just out of habit. Yoga sadhaka should make it a point to avoid such excess consumption. The intake of such excess food affects the body in a harmful manner. The physical health is also affected and the mental health too is lost. One should take the necessary diet at proper times. This is known as mitahar. 2. Niyama (Personal Disciplines)- The rules to be followed by a sadhaka in case of self are given by way of Niyama. The following are the five Niyama : Shoucha santosh tapah swadhya eshwarpranidhanani niyamh | P Y S 2.32 We will consider each one separately. 2.1.Shoucha (Purity)- This means the purity. Like ahimsa, this purity is also physical, oral and mental. Physical purity is again divided into two parts, outer and inner. Yoga has considered all types of purity and given directions as to how to achieve it. However, Patanjal Yoga does not give detailed description of this. For oral purity, yoga has given the message that one should not talk too much. Unnecessary use of the tongue is to be avoided and following the yam should purify the tongue. Yoga has accepted the inseparable relation of the body and the mind. Hence, each and every yogic process affects the body as well as the mind. Also, for purifying the mind, there is a process known as Trataka. We will consider it in detail afterwards. The following aphorism states the result of the shoucha : Shouchatswangjugupsa parairsansargh | P Y S 2.40 After purity is achieved by this process, sadhaka loses the feeling of the importance of the body and does not wish to interact with the other bodies. When the sadhaka starts purifying the body, he feels that the body is full of impurities and he feels disgusted about it. When such feelings arise, he tries to avoid even the touch of the other and engages himself in his own mental bliss. Patanjali has stated in another aphorism that : Satvashuddhisoumansyekagredriyajayatmadarshan yogyatwani cha | P Y S 2.41 From the purification process, satvashuddhi, mental happiness, calm mind, victory over the organs, and the plan to view the self (atma) are achieved. 2.2.Santosha - Contentment Contentment is also an important virtue. When we observe the never-ending efforts of all creatures in their day-to-day lives, and think of the purpose behind it, we realise that all these efforts are to gain mental contentment and peace. We try to derive the contentment from outside matters. However, none is aware of the fact that the contentment does not depend upon these outside matters. It is a state of mind. It is not a reaction of the mind on any incident. Hence, it can be controlled irrespective of the incidents. Yoga with the use of this word intends the hidden meaning that one should learn to be happy in what one gets. This attitude will reduce pain and suffering in life. However, there should be mental preparation for this. When this tendency to feel contented is adopted by the mind, the perpetual happiness is not far behind. In fact the root of happiness lies in this tendency of the mind. And the root cause of suffering is in Trishna (thirst). This trishna has been defined in one Sanskrit shloka as under : Asha nam manushyanamkachitdashwaryashrunkhala | Yaya baddha pradhavanti muktastishathatipanguvat || Hope is such a chain that when tied with it, the creature starts running and when released from it, the creature stands peacefully. Running behind the hope will lead to only pain and suffering. Patanjali has given the following aphorism while describing the results of the contentment : Santoshdanuttamsukhlabhah | P Y S 2.42 One who constantly learns to be contented, all his thirst gets weakened and the satva is heightened. He gets the maximum happiness and feels that pleasures from heavens or even the place of the God Indra is also nothing as compared to his own bliss. 2.3.Tapa - Endurance Tapa means to bear some trouble with a good intention. Even if there is some physical or mental trouble, one should not discontinue his actions, but should continue them. This is known as Tapa. While studying Yoga or practising some yogic process, there may be some physical trouble. One should bear it happily and should pursue his studies. This is tapa. Patanjali has stated the results of the tapa in the following aphorism : Kayendriya siddhir ashuddhi kshaya tapas | P Y S 2.43 Ashuddhi is adharma. It is a tamas guna. It is impurity, which veils the siddhis such as Anima. The daily practice and study of tapa , after its completion, removes all such impurities. When ashuddhi or impurities are removed, then siddhis such as Anima, Mahima, Lachima etc are obtained. 2.4.Swadhyaya - Self study Ishwar gita while describing swadhyaya has stated that japa is swadhyaya. It includes both shrawan and manan (listening and contemplation). Japa is of two types, oral and mental. Again oral japa is of two types, audible - with loud chanting which can be heard by the others and inaudible - whispers which cannot be heard by others. Mental japa is also of two types - without dhyana and with dhyana. In all these japas, japa without dhyana is considered as the best. In daily life of commoners, swadhyaya can be said to mean revision of what is taught. The results of swadhyaya are as under : Swadhyayad ishta devta samprayogah | P Y S 2.44 While doing japa of a particular mantra, when an anushtan is completed, the goddess for whom the japa is made becomes pleased with the sadhaka  2.5.Eshwara Pranidhana - Dedication  It means while believing in the existence of God and having faith in his greatness, completely devoting oneself to Him without any expectations in return. There is some divine strength at the root of this universe, which is beyond our imagination. To identify the divine strength and to surrender one completely to it is ishwarpranidhana. There are nine types of devotions for God : Shrawanam Kirtanam Vishnoh smaranat padsevanam | Archanam Vandanam dasyam sakhyam atmanivedanam || At times, even after our persistent efforts, we are unable to succeed. At such a time, if we have compassion of the God, the problem gets solved. Samadhi siddhir ishwarpranidhanat | P Y S 2.45 With Ishwarpranidhana, the siddhi of samadhi can be obtained. here are five niyama in Patanjal Yoga. However, Hathapradeepika states ten niyama. Tapahsantosh aastikyaam danamishwar poojanam | Siddhanta vakya shravanam hrimatich japo hutam || Niyama dash samprokta yogashastra vishardai || H P The ten Niyama are Tapa, Santosh, Aastikya, Dana, Ishwarapuja, Siddhanta- Vakya shravan, Lajja, Mati, Japa and Homa. We have considered Tapa, Santosha, Ishwarapuja and Japa. We will consider the remaining six. (2.6.)Aastikya(Belief in existence of GOD) The firm belief in the existence of God is Aastikya. Everything in this unlimited universe makes us realise the existence of God. But the need of the today is to understand this realisation. The sloping tops of the hills, the giant trees seemingly point to the God. The sounds of the flowing rivers from the mountains to the sea, the falling waterfalls, the thunderous sound of the clouds in the rainy season all try to convey the existence of God with their noise. The perfect order of this unlimited universe and the regulated motions of the tiniest atoms, molecules, all these movements remind us of his existence. He has created the provision of feeding the fetus in the womb and He has also created the provision of milk for the newborn baby. To deny His existence is a way of showing one's ignorance. He is all pervading. To perceive His all pervasiveness and existence is Aastikya. (2.7.)Dana(Charity) Dana means to donate a thing owned by self to others on our own and with love and respect. To donate something, which is not needed, or donate some food item or article to others is dan on a common level. To donate leftovers to a beggar is not a great dan. Of course, it is good to give them away instead of throwing them away. But to part with something needed by us is the excellent dan. While having food, to give some of our own portion to the guest is good dana. But to donate something without satisfying own need first is the ultimate dan. If a guest appears while we are having food, to feed him to the fullest extent possible without having food ourselves is the best dana. If we assure others of no harm, then that dana covers all sorts of virtues and that dana is incomparable. (2.8.)Siddhanta vakya Shravan (Listening to the ultimate truth) - The body and this world is impermanent and ephemeral, God is eternal and indestructible. This is known as siddhanta vakya . To understand the deep meaning of this sentence is siddhantavakya shravan. With shravanabhakti (constant listening) this is possible. (2.9.)Mati(Intelligence)- To acquire the state of desirelessness, not to seek worldly pleasures and to set aside the wavering traits of the mind, to face the criticism of the world with courage and to be imaginationless - this state of intelligence is known as mati. Such a stage can be acquired with the study of aparigraha. (2.10.)Lajja (Shame) - It is expected that sadhaka should not be ashamed of the good things and should be ashamed of the bad things. Many times, due to the shame felt about good things, action is not generated. Even when there is a will, due to the shame, certain actions are not done. Hence, one must not be ashamed of good things. While studying yogic processes, there are many such incidents. The body moves in abnormal manner or some of the processes are not usual. If sadhaka is ashamed of these things, the studies will end then and there. Also, if it is not possible for us to do a certain process, but if some one else, younger than us in age can perform it, we need not be ashamed. Such a shame can stop the studies. One should continue the studies without feeling ashamed, so that the progress is made (2.11.)Homa(Sacrifice)- In yoga, spiritual sacrifice is expected. For the advanced studies in Yoga, sacrifice of sensory perceptions into the sense organs and sacrifice of sense organs into the mind (antakaran) is expected. With swadhyay of yoga this can be achieved. Then there is sacrifice of 'ego', attachment to wife,children, home etc.,thought 'I am not the body', pollution(vikaras) of mind. 3. Asana - (Yoga Postures / positions) Asana is yoga pose or posture or position of the body. Patanjali in ashtanga yoga defines asanas as Steady and Comfortable pose. Meditative asanas - Some asanas are specially for practice of meditation, they provide a firm support to the posture and help maintain the body posture for longer time. These yoga poses regulate the blood flow to the legs and make available more blood in the pelvic region and lower abdominal region. These positions allow the mind to be peaceful and focused. Yogasana like Padmasana (Lotus pose), Siddhasana (Perfect pose), Swastikasana( Auspicious pose) Vajrasan (thunderbolt pose), Samasana (balance pose) etc are called as meditative asanas. The purpose of this asana is to stabilize the body for advanced practices of Pranayama and Meditation.  4. Pranayama - (Yoga Breathing) "Pranayama is control of Breath". "Prana" is Breath or vital energy in the body. On subtle levels prana represents the pranic energy responsible for life or life force, and "ayama" means control. So Pranayama is "Control of Breath". One can control the rhythms of pranic energy with pranayama and achieve healthy body and mind. YOGA is not possible without PRANAYAMA ! Patanjali in his text of Yoga Sutras mentioned pranayama as means of attaining higher states of awareness, he mentions the holding of breath as important practice of reaching Samadhi. Hatha Yoga also talks about 8 types of pranayama which will make the body and mind healthy. Five types of prana are responsible for various pranic activities in the body, they are Prana, Apana, Vyan, Udana & Samana. Out of these Prana and Apana are most important. Prana is upward flowing and Apana is downward flowing. Practice of Pranayama achieves the balance in the activities of these pranas, which results in healthy body and mind. Types Of Pranayama Quiet Breathing , Deep Breathing , Fast Breathing Nadi Shuddhi Pranayama or Anuloma - Viloma (Alternate nostril breathing - I) Anuloma - Viloma (Alternate Nostril Breathing - II) Suryan Bhedan Pranayama (Right Nostril Breathing) Ujjayi Pranayama Bhramari Pranayama Pranayama from Hatha Yoga (Surya Bhedan, Bhasrika, Ujjayi, Shitali, Sitkari, Bhramari, Murchha & Plavini Pranayama) Pranayama - A Science of Breathing  Breath and Prana Breathing is a vital process which starts at the time of birth and stops at the death. The important Oxygen is provided to all the parts, organs and cells of the body. The maximum time a person can survive without oxygen is about 4 minutes. All the metabolic processes require oxygen. Oxygen is life, a vital force. This vital energy is called Prana. What is Pranayama? The process of controlling the Prana is called Pranayama. So pranayama is the science related to vital force supplying energy and controlling the body mind complex. There are Ten forms of prana which are controlled by Pranayama,they are- 1)Prana 2)Apana 3)Samana 4)Vyana 5)Udana 6)Kurma 7)Krikila 8)Naga 9)Dhananjaya 10)Deva Datta. Breathing is the process of taking in this vital energy and removing the waste products out of our body and mind. Generally breathing includes inhalation and exhalation but pranayama includes retention of breath (known as 'Kumbhaka' in Sanskrit) as well. This is a very important process. The air can be retained in the lungs or out of the lungs. The ancient texts say that retention of air, increases the level of prana (energy) in the body, also it regulates the flow of pranic energy through out the body. So pranayama helps remove all the ailments and also can stop the aging process of the body. In the first stage of Pranayama perspiration occurs,in the second stage body shakes, in the third stage body lavitates(floats in air).Practice of  Pranayama should be made everyday,especially till the third stage is reached.By Pranayama digestive power increases,internal purification takes takesplace and brings joy.    Mind and breath The mind, consisting of thoughts and emotions is closely related to the breath. When the mind is calm and relaxed, the breathing is smooth and slow. If you are stressed breathing is fast & shallow but mostly through chest. When one gets angry, the breathing becomes fast and forceful, in depressed states sighing, when in pain gasping, in anxiety shallow and rapid. In this way, the mental and emotional states affect breathing. Rhythmic Breathing is Pranayama All the processes and organs like heart, brain, digestive organs, endocrine glands in the body have rhythms. Also the breathing has specific rhythms. Pranayama is Rhythmic breathing, bringing the breath in natural rhythm by controlling the process of inhalation, exhalation and retention. Physiology of Yogic breathing In process of breathing, one uses diaphragm, intercostals muscles in the chest. The diaphragmatic breathing is called vertical breathing and is considered a more efficient way to inhale air than inhaling while expanding the chest which is called horizontal breathing... In pranayama, one should utilize the diaphragm efficiently to get more oxygen without making more efforts. The diaphragm is attached to the organs like heart and lings, also the liver, spleen, pancreas and stomach from the bottom side. Efficient movement of the diaphragm makes the functioning of these organs more efficient. In Patanjali's "Ashtanga Yoga", Pranayama appears at the fourth stage. This means unless one observes Yama-Niyama and does Asanas well, he cannot reach this fourth stage. Even the Asanas discussed here are presented in their preliminary form. Therefore, for doing Pranayama, it is not enough to have done the Asanas as mentioned here. Even after learning these Asanas and having practiced them, one needs some preparation before actually taking up Pranayama. And an attempt is made to discuss that preparation. Actual Pranayama means the holding up of the process of exhaling and inhaling. And it is not possible to discuss or guide this serious aspect of Yogabhyasa in preliminary discussion. Therefore, as the preliminary exercises are discussed and which are to be done before the actual beginning of the Asanas: similarly, for Pranayama too, the preliminary exercises of breathing are designed and only this part is going to be discussed here. Before examining the exercises of breathing it is necessary to understand the process of breathing. The breathing process chiefly involves two activities, viz., inhaling and exhaling. Of these the former is called "Puraka" and the latter "Rechaka"' in Yogashastra. These two activities continue non-stop right from the birth to the death of a person. The state when these two activities are made to halt is given the name "Kumbhaka" in Yoga Studies. The halt after inhaling, i.e., Puraka is called "Abhyantara Kumbhaka" and after exhaling, i.e. rechaka. It is called "Bahya Kumbhaka". Two more types of Kumbhaka are mentioned. But instead of talking of them in detail, let us turn to the process of breathing. According to the speed of breathing, it is divided into three parts: The smooth breathing that continues naturally without any effort (Quiet Breathing) The protracted breathing which is caused by deliberate slowing down of the breathing (Deep Breathing) The quick breathing which is caused by deliberate increase in the speed of breathing (Fast Breathing) What Scriptures say-- Yogakundaly Upanishad : There are two causes that make the mind wander around 1)Vasanas-desires that are produced by the latent impressions of feeling  2)Breathing If one is controlled the other automatically gets controlled. Of these two,breath should be controlled first. Shandilyopanishad: When the nadis are purified by nadishodhana pranayama the prana enters Sushumna with a force and the mind  becomes calm. 5. Pratyahara - (Withdrawal of Senses) Pratyahara is the fifth stage of the eight fold path as described by Patanjali. It is translated to mean? withdrawal of the senses.? Withdrawing the senses - our connection with the external world and beginning to give our full attention to our internal world. How do you do that? It sounds quite simple, but in practice it's like asking a hungry child to not eat the delicious sweets sitting directly in front of them. Not an easy task! There are several stages of Pratyahara. The first stage of Pratyahara is developing awareness of the outer world; before we can withdraw our senses we have to be aware of them. Developing awareness of the world around us starts to bring a little stillness into our lives. So often while we are completing a task our mind is running a million miles an hour and we are thinking about what we have to do next. We miss the moment. Having outer awareness allows us to live in the moment. It forces us to! How can we truly listen to the birds singing without being present in that moment? If we are thinking about what we need to do next week we won't hear them. The noise and chaos in the city, cars hooting, people walking by, flashing lights and all sorts of smells. Experience it. Its incredible how much sensory experience there is - and how little we notice because our minds our so busy thinking about nothing in particular. If we can teach our minds to experience the outer world we will begin to develop stillness because our mind won't be running madly into the future or swimming in the past - it will be holding on to what is happening in this moment. Once the mind is focused externally it is much easier to ask our busy mind to focus internally. The Swami compared the mind to a little, energetic puppy - once you take it for a walk outside and it gets a chance to smell everything, look around, listen to the neighbors dog - it's a lot easier when the puppy comes home to ask them to sit quietly. Pratyahara is a very beneficial practice and a crucial step in reaching a meditative state. And the best thing about Pratyahara is that we can practice the first stage, developing awareness of what we are experiencing around us - everywhere and at anytime. 6. Dharana - (Concentration on Object) While describing the eight aspects (angas) of Ashtang Yoga, Patanjali has stated Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi as the last three aspects. It is also stated by him that all the three aspects are collectively termed as " Sanyam" (Control). This implies that all the three aspects should be considered together. We should also bear in mind while studying that Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi are progressively advanced stages of concentration. The highest stage of mental concentration described by the modern psychologists is more or less similar to the description of Dharana i.e. the primary stage of concentration as described by Patanjali. This indicates the thoughtfulness of Patanjali while describing the three stages. Another characteristic of these three stages is that there is no dividing line in between these stages. When certain progress is made in the studies of Dharana, Dhyana stage is automatically entered into and with the progress in Dharana stage, Sadhaka automatically enters in the Samadhi stage. The three stages mingle into each other as easily as three colours are mixed into each other on the canvass of an artist. During this syllabus we will not study all the three stages. We will consider only the first stage Dharana. We had studied this topic generally during the Yoga Pravesh syllabus. Now we will study Dharana as an independent process. Deshbandhas chittasya dharana | P Y S 3-1 Patanjali has stated this definition of Dharana. The natural meaning of this sutra is "Deshbandh of chitta is Dharana". Chitta ie, the mind is extremely wavering; to engage it in a particular area is Dharana. The mind will be free within the periphery of this area, but it should not cross the boundary. This exercise is known as Dharana. To understand this definition an example can be cited : A farmer owns a calf. The calf wants to roam around in different directions. To control the calf from such wandering in different directions, it is not possible to tie it up to a particular point. So the farmer ties a cord of certain length to its neck and then ties the other end of the cord to a hook in the ground. The calf can freely move in the circle, the radius being the length of the cord, but it cannot go out of that circle. Thus the farmer has a control on the calf and also the calf is not at a disadvantage either, as it gains a controlled freedom. This attitude and the idea is important. The mind, which is just like the calf wants to roam around everywhere. It is not possible to engage it at a particular point or location. Hence, Patanjali states the preliminary process of Dharana, a primary step in the lengthy process of controlling the mind. The restriction put on the mind is known as "Alamban". With the help of the "Alamban", the mind is fixed and engaged in a particular area. The restriction can be anything. We will see the restriction or "Alamban" of Om. We have earlier studied the japa of Om, so we can move further in the same direction. The study of Dharana is the study of concentration of mind. Hence, certain preliminary preparations are necessary. We get various perceptions, through the five sensory organs. The mind usually runs behind such sensory perceptions. To stabilise the mind, attention has to be paid as to how these perceptions can be reduced. The surroundings should be pleasurable to the mind and not troublesome. There should not be any external disturbances. The general chaos, other sounds, strong breeze, different smells, extremely bright light are various disturbances that should be avoided. When these are removed, the causes, which seek the attention of the mind, get reduced. Then one should sit on a comfortable seat in a pose conducive to Dhyana such as Padmasan, Swatikasan or Siddhasan. One should have the practice of sitting firmly, yet comfortably in a particular pose for a longer duration. Otherwise, the mind will get diverted towards the signals from various muscles. The pose should be "samkay shirogreevam" and the eyes should be fixed on the picture of Om in the front. The picture should be at the eye level and placed under sufficient light. Whenever the eyes try to avert itself beyond the picture, an effort should be made to lock it on the picture again. The mind generally follows the eyesight, so fixing of the gaze will result in locking the mind too. Start the Japa of Om with calm attitude. The way with which the sound of Om is emitted through the mouth should be gradual and effective. The vocal cords or the lungs should not feel strained while doing the japa. (the ideal method of the pronunciation should be learnt from the experts). As the tongue is engaged in the japa of Om, the mind will follow the tongue and will restrict its movement towards Om. The japa is automatically heard by the ears and as such again felt by the mind. Thus, the mind will be firmly kept onto the Om. Out of five sensory organs, the eyes, the tongue and the ears are concentrating on only one subject of Om, so the mind, which runs after the sensory perceptions, will also be firmly engaged on Om. Here, Om is an "alamban" and the dimension covered by Om is the restricted area in which the mind can move (deshbandh). After some period, stop the japa, close the eyes and try to concentrate the mind on the memories of Om sensed through the gaze, the tongue and the ears. This experience transcends the sensory organs and the engagement of mind in this is the real dharana. While practising this, the mind may sway beyond the experience towards other things. This discontinues the dharana. Then the mind has to be brought again into the experience. There will be several disturbances; however with practice, they get reduced. The concentration without any disturbances is dharana. In that stage, there is no other experience than the "Alamban". It is a soothing, pleasurable stage giving intense satisfaction and peace of mind. When Dharana is practised for half an hour or so, the stage is experienced only for a few minutes, the other moments spent in controlling the wandering mind. However, with continuous practice, the duration of the pleasurable stage increases and the sadhaka becomes prepared to enter into the next stage. With further practice, the area of the "alamban" or its limits is to be reduced. With the reduction of the area, the dharana will be more effective and the sadhaka will get nearer to the next stage of dhyana. One can select any other alamban other than the dhyana. This "Alamban" should be the subject of gaze, tongue and the ears like Om. "Alamban", which can be the subject of these sensory perceptions, is better. If the "Alamban" is subject of only one sensory organ, then the other organs will choose their own subjects and try to pull the mind towards them. This will make mind unsteady further. All this should be considered while choosing the subject of the "alamban". Patanjali has suggested that Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi should be considered together and not independently. Hence, while enumerating the results, the results of dharana are not stated separately, but the result of all the three are given together. However, he has clarified that the effects will depend on the "Alamban" too, with the examples of different "Alamban".  However, we can experience the effect of Dharana from the practical angle. Dharana is the stage of high concentration of the mind. The modern psychologists have described the highest stage of concentration of the human mind, which is similar to that in dharana. It means that the highest level indicated by the psychologists is the first step of concentration of mind as viewed by Patanjali. Dhyana and Samadhi are stages after this. Dharana affects and reduces the occupied mind. Hence, the disadvantages of such occupied mind also get reduced. The mind is kept firm at one place instead of letting it wander here and there. This reduces strain on the mind. The mental strength increases. With such habitual concentration, the work is done effectively and efficiently. The daily practice of dharana reduces the wavering attitude of mind and a different kind of peace can be observed throughout the day. 7. Dhyana - (Meditation) We are going to discuss about Meditation based on "Pantajali Yoga Sutra (Ashtanga Yoga)". In his sutras the "Sage Patanjali" has explained 8 limbs of yoga (Ashtanga Yoga). Those are :- Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, and Dhyan Samadhi. The initial four stage are the basic stages which help the person to attain "Sthiram" (stability of mind) which is the prior necessity for practicing the further stages of meditation. According to him meditation (Dhyan) means - "Full concentration of the mind focused on one of those experiences" In simple terms the spontaneous concentration of the mind on the object is Meditation. Now let us see in detail what exactly he means to say about Dhyan(meditation), We all know that our mind is fickle, like a butterfly, which always flies from here and there and does not wait at one place for long. But the speed of our mind is far more than the butterfly or it may be greater than the speed of light. Mind can recollect past experiences, keeps thinking about the future and experiences the present with all its might and we do not have any control over our minds journey. 'Dhyan'(meditation) is the study of deep concentration, calmness and tranquility of the mind. It is the study of attaining complete control over ones mind. Meditation takes the consciousness beyond conscious, sub conscious & unconscious states to super consciousness. How do we achieve that? In the fundamental stages of meditation one has to decide some target upon which one can concentrate. He has to concentrate with the help of his sensors like ' Eyes, Nose, Ears, Mouth and Touch' that means he can Look at the target whichever he wants He can recite a small mantra with the help of mouth And he can listen to the mantra with his ears Further more he is not permitted to think anything else, except the target. What is a target? A target would be anything, which ones mind would like to concentrate upon. It would be anything, which will give tranquility and serenity to ones mind. For instance it would be a photograph of ones deity. In this case the photo frame is the target . In the fundamental stage one can look at the frame, the picture of the deity, the background of the picture. Think about all the above factors, recite or hear a mantra of that deity, but one has to see to it that ones mind does not run away beyond the target decided. One can develop his capacity of sitting in this stage from 5-10 minutes to any amount of time. But once the mind thinks of some other factors your meditation comes to an end . This stage is truly a very fundamental stage and needs a lot of practice because we are never used to control our minds. Once you have achieved this for specific period of time you can try for the 'Dhyan'. To explain with Omkar as the target, we have been looking at it, reciting and listening the mantra, our mind stays (appeases) upon it for a specific amount of time. Now further we close our eyes and recollect the picture of the OM. At the same time we are reciting or listening to the omkar. Then again with closed eyes we are only hearing the reciting of the mantra on the cassette without reciting by our mouth. Further our minds only recollects the experiences taken by our eyes, ears and mouth. The actual Dhyan stage has only one dimension, now we concentrate on only a part of our target and in the next samadhi stage the person experiencing the target tends to be nobody. Only the experience remains. At this stage the minds target as a number of dimensions. The mind thinks of all the factors, which it has experienced in the initial stages. Meaning, Properties & Functions of Mind It is very difficult to understand the nature of the mind because it has no physical existence. It is very subtle as well as hidden. But the existence of the mind can't be denied, as many of our problems physical, mental and psychological are the outcome of our mental condition. Mind exists in the body but it is distinct from the body and organs. Mind is also distinct from the spiritual self, 'the Knower' as he just observes the mind and its functions. The Knower perceives the external objects through sense organs but with the help of the mind. Perception of any event is not possible without the presence of mind. So in every event of perception there is an external object, an organ of perception (ears, eyes, nose tongue or skin) and there is mind and the 'Knower' or 'self'. All these are connected very closely, inseparable but still distinct from each other. The mind can multiply or divide the strength of the Body. The person can't work if he is mentally not prepared for the work but a person can work with extra energy if he has mentally decided to work. The mind has tremendous speed. It can travel from one point to another point at infinite distance within fraction of a second. The mind interconnects the 'Self' with the physical body. The mind controls the physical organs through Brain, Autonomous Nervous System, and Endocrine Gland System. We can summarise seven functions of the mind as follows. Consciousness, Thoughts, Emotions, Perceptions, Memory, Intelligence and Judgment. The Condition Of Mind You have already seen that Mind has no physical existence. Existence of the mind can't be denied. The nature of the mind is to move from one point to another continuously. The mind has tremendous speed. It is clear from the points that the mind is very unstable. Mind doesn't remain stable at any particular point or any object. It keeps moving all the time. Mind runs after the objects it likes but runs away from the objects that it dislikes. Controlling The Mind You have already studied that the mind is essential in the process of acquiring knowledge. For example when you are listening to a speaker in lecture, you learn through your ears. But if your mind is not concentrating on the lecture then you won't understand anything there. As the mind is unstable, you cannot concentrate on lecture. So to learn what the speaker is telling, you must establish control over your mind and force it to listen to the lecture. Then only you'll be able to acquire knowledge. Hence you have to control movements of mind and make it stable whenever you want, as per your requirements. But this is the most difficult part because of unstable nature of mind. This process of making mind stable is called concentration. This is true for any function of mind. If you want to remember a particular event, you will have to concentrate your mind till you remember that event. It is clear from the above discussion that it is essential to control the mind. Only then, one can get what he wants. But controlling mind is the most difficult task. Efforts are being continuously made to find out the ways and means to establish control over mind. Meditation is one of the very effective ways to control the mind. This control can't be achieved in short period. Meditation is a systematically designed technique to achieve this step by step Different Links To Access Mind Body Movements And Mind - We make body movements intentionally or automatically. The automatic movement doesn't need presence of the mind. The intentional movements need the attention of mind similarly if you control the body movements you can automatically access the mind. You can't control the movements for long so the scope is limited with this technique. Sense Organs And Mind - We get the knowledge of the external world through our five sense organs (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin). The presence of mind is essential for this perception. The senses are attracted towards their objects of desire and they involve mind in the process. The sense organs can be controlled to some extent. So mind can be accessed through the control of the sense organs. Breathing Process And Mind - Breathing is a continuous and very important process. The observation of this process helps to establish the fact that breathing and mind has a definite connection between them. When the mind is under tension or under emotional pressure, the breathing rate increases and when the mind is calm and quiet, rate of breathing decreases. It is interesting to know that to some extent we can easily control our breathing with will. So we can easily control our mind to some extent. The 'Self' And Mind - The 'Self' or 'Atman' (Soul) is the owner of human beings and hence the owner of the mind as well. If one recognizes the 'Self' in its true nature, he will be able to control and order the mind. It may seem very simple but is the most difficult task in one's life. Techniques To Control The Mind Body Movements - Yoga has prescribed number of Asanas, the body postures to be practiced and attained in a particular way. These movements are special and needs the concentration of mind. After attaining the posture it is maintained for longer period and the whole body is relaxed completely in the posture. In this process the mind is initially engaged in body movements, then in relaxation and gets freedom from body and then it is directed towards the endless thoughts. The mind control is established during the process. Sense Organs - An interesting object is selected and the concentration of sense organs is directed towards this object. The mind, being connected to the sense organs is pulled towards the object. Intentional and continuous practice of this technique slowly establishes control over the mind. Slowly the span of the object is reduced to minimum to increase the control over the mind. Breathing - Breathing is under the control of the metabolism & emotions. Metabolism is reduced to minimum level with the help of steady and relaxed posture of Asana. The emotions are also reduced with the Asana posture. This results in a very low rate of respiration with little quantity of air in inhalation and exhalation. The mind is directed towards the breathing. As the breathing becomes slow, the mind also becomes calm and quite. The 'Self' Control - After proper realization of the 'Self' (Soul) it becomes strong enough that it can directly control the mind. This technique is the advance one and very difficult to follow for beginner. All the above techniques contribute to the system of meditation. There are a large number of meditation systems developed and many have used these systems to their advantage. We will learn Easy Meditation Technique, which is suitable to beginners. Easy Meditation Technique Pre-requisites - This practice is to be done with empty stomach (3 hours after the meals and 1hour after drinking any soft drink.) You have to wear loose clothes or loosen your clothes (belt / tie).Remove the shoes, wristwatch etc. This can be practiced for any length of time with minimum 10 minutes so you should keep at least 10 minutes for this practice. The sitting arrangement must be comfortable. Avoid the disturbances like phone,bells or even excess light or any other disturbing reason. Preposition - Sit comfortably on easy chair or sofa. Straighten the legs but don't stretch them. Keep your hands on chair or on your knees loosely. Keep your fingers relaxed. Close your eyes gently. Relax the body. Procedure - Relax every muscles from toes to the top, one by one and slowly. Relaxation of muscles creates a feeling of pleasure in your mind and body. As the muscles are relaxed the breathing becomes slower and slower. Now focus your Mind on the breathing. Do not control the breathing but witness it. As the body is relaxing the breathing becomes slow. As the breathing becomes slow, the Mind becomes calm and quite. As the Mind becomes calm and quite, the body relaxes further, which further reduces the breathing rate and so on. After pre planned time elapses, be aware of your breathing, body parts, make the slow movements and slowly open your eyes and come to preposition. 8. Samadhi - (Thoughtless State) State of Super bliss, joy and merging individual consciousness in to universal  consciousness. Union between Jivatman and Paramatman. Union of Shiva and  Shakti in Sahasrar Chakra (the top of the head). Realizing the Bramhan (pure  consciousness) or Realization of God is the ultimate achievement of Human Birth. Since ages human creed has always tried to explore the cause of the life and how to make it happy. The ancient philosophy of Yoga, develop ed by various sages and yogis, has successfully established some key aspects related to the whole shebang. Quite a lot theories put forth and experimental results obtained by the modern scientific community are in well agreement with the above mentioned aspects. What follows is an attempt to explore such correlations. Ishavasya Upanishad starts with the mystic syllables of peace : OM POORNAMADAH POORNAMIDAM POORNAAT POORNAMUDACHYATE; POORNASYA POORNAMAADAAYA POORNAMEVA AVASHISHYATE. Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih Meaning : This is full. From full, the full is taken, the full has come. If full is removed from full, the full alone remains. Om peace, peace, peace.  ("Poorna" = Complete or Full.) This explains one of the key principles of physics, Conservation of Energy. The word POORNA is nothing but the ultimate principle or the energy source of creation. The word Yog has been derived from a Sanskrit word 'Yuj', means union. The union of life energy of an individual with the Poorna. According to Sage Patanjali the Samadhi has three different categories Savikalpa, Asamprajnyata and Nirvikalpa or Sanjeevan. Savikalpa is an interface of trans meditation and higher awareness state, Asamprajnyata. In Savikalpa one can experience Vitarka (Guessing), Vichara (Thought), Anand (Bliss) and Asmita (Self awareness). Results obtained by various researchers on effects of meditation on human brain can be explained on the basis of Savikalpa. In one of the experiments Buddhist monks, at a significantly higher state of meditation, were asked to impose thoughts related to compassion and in-situ medical imaging was performed. It was found that the left hemisphere was much prominent. This proves that at the interface stage thinking, self-awareness and guessing were active.  Another study showed that at the further higher state of meditation, different lobes of brain slowed down and the thalamus stopped signals from reaching to the lobes. This maybe considered as a step forward to the Asamprajnyata from Savikalpa. According to sage Patanjali Asamprajnyata is a higher awareness state with absence of gross awareness. The Nirvikalpa or Sanjivan Samadhi is well explained by the greatest yogi, Dhnyaneshwar. In his treatise, Bhavarthadeepika or Dhnyaneshwari, Dhnyaneshwar has emphatically talked about relation between higher awareness and light or pure energy in the form. Yoga is often considered as a journey from body to mind and from mind to soul or spirit or life energy. In other words Yoga is a journey from gross material energy to more refined form of the energy.