Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 30/31

Obstacles on the path
and their symptoms

Vyadhi-Styana-Samsyhaya-Pramada-Aalasya-Avirati-
Bhrantidarshana-Alabdha Bhumikatwa Anavasthitathwani
Chitta Vikshepaha Te Antaraya ha
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Dukha Daurmanasya Angamejayathwa Shwasaprashwasaha
Vikshepa Saha Bhuvaha

There are nine obstacles on the path of the unity of the divided individual mind with the one undivided consciousness. The nine impediments can happen to block the success of any work that we undertake - in this context - Yoga or union. In fact, success in anything is ultimately a union with the goal - success for an athelete is union with the gold medal, success for a writer is union with his or her published work and likewise, success in Yoga is realising permanently the one consciousness.

The nine impediments are Vyadhi - disease, styana - sluggishness, a sudden drop in interest towards pursuing a goal or target, Pramada - the "I know it all," or "Been there done that," attitude which stalls the way for further experience, Aalasya - a lazy and nonchalant posture, Avirati - an extraordinary interest in pursuing the pleasures of the sense organs, be it in food, sex, music, reading or interacting with people that is pleasurable to the five senses of sight, smell, taste, hearing and touch - rather getting lost in them, Bhrantidarshana - hallucinations, illusions or seeing and hearing what is not there. For instance, seeing a white shirt in a dark room and thinking it is a ghost is Bhranti Darshana, or being out of tune with the reality.

Alabdha Bhumikathwa is the inability to sustain the moments of truth reached through contemplation - a frequent fall from the glimpse of the one pervading consciousness to the world of dualities, Anavasthitathwani - an inability to remain in one state of mind for long and being in an agitated frame of thought. Chitta Vikshepa is a scattered mind - one part of the mind wants an ice cream, another part wants to run to a bookshop, another to a movie and yet another part to the disco - pieces of mind, rather than peace of mind!

The presence of these nine obstacles will be revealed by either one or all four of the symptoms enumerated in the next Sutra. Patanjali lists them as Dukha - sorrow or sadness, Daurmanasya - a depressed state of mind or a negative shut down mode of the mind commonly referred to as a bad mood, Angamejayathwa or restlessness of the body, fidgeting, unsettled running around and Shwasaprashwasaha - Irregular and often shallow breathing. These four are signs of a scattered state of mind.

(Picture: Sage Patanjali who is rather filling my consciousness these days, author of the Yoga Sutras) - Swahilya Shambhavi (swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)
The New Indian Express - Fitness, The New Indian Express - Satori

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 27-29

The name of God

Tasya Vachakah Pranavaha
Tajjapah Tadartha Bhavanam
Tatah Pratyakchetanadhigamopyantarayabhavascha
Everything that is known has a name. You talk of a world and it is called the earth. It is represented b a map. The letter Om, is written in Sanskrit, is a map to describe God. Patanjali says that the word t describe God is Om. It is considered as the root sound of all the letters and words. It is considered as the essence of speech and sound. The sound of thunder, the sound of a crashing wave, the sound of a flowing river, the sound of a revving engine or a concorde jet, the sound of the air inside a sea shell - all vibrate with Om.
Om is a combination of three letters A (as in aunt) - creation, U (as in pooh) - preservation and the nasal M (as in hmm...) - destruction. Many call the word God as Generator, Operator and Destroyer which is synonymous with Creator, Preserver and Destroyer that Om stands for.
Om or Aum may be a gift of the Sanskrit language of ancient India, but Aum is present in words of blessing such as Amen or Ameen.
Setting aside the philosophy of the sound Om - Patanjali says that repeated chanting of the Mantra (a sound tool), Om, feeling the essence of the consciousness that ir represents all along the chanting, is a technique to turn the wavering mind to one's own essence by making it one-pointed.
This removes the several obstacles to the realisation of one's being. The obstacles to such a realisation are listed out in the subsequent Sutras.
At Ukhimath in the Himalayas recently, I came across a Brahmachari by name Sudhir, who was particular that I sat down and chanted 'Om' along with him in the evenings. He explained that the house of the mind is always littered with thoughts. Om is the broom with which one can sweep away those thoughts and experience pure consciousness.
What I write here is almost always born out of a direct experience. Some with these Sutras too. As I began to study and write them, I was seized by some unnameable indolence (an obstacle enumerated in the next Sutra). It was a kind of laziness that made me push aside my books and pen and just lie down exhausted. I experimented with the chanting of Om loudly and later silently to remove this obstacle. And soon, I find myself writing and completing this post with a picture that has just been taken too! It is a sound that has the energy to work in our lives.
- Swahilya Shambhavi (swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 25/26

The seed of creation

Tatra Niratishayam Sarvagnyabeejam

Sa esha purvesham Api Guruh Kalena Anavacchedath

There are more qualities of God described here. In him resides the seed that is unparalleled that knows all. The seed here refers to the source or origin of all creation. In the tiniest seed lies the blueprint of the most massive oak, elm or banyan tree. Even humans, animals, plants and other creatures are products of the tiniest and invisible essence in a seed.

The biggest buildings and bridges were the outcome of the contemplation that happened in the invisible realms of the architects' mind. this whole universe that we experience through our senses spring out of the seed called God. It is pure consciousness that knows and is aware of everything.

This consciousness is the teacher, Guru of the most ancient teachers. It has always existed without a break, not bound by any time. It always exists - this Master. - Swahilya Shambhavi

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(swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)