Patanjali Yoga Sutra - III - 2

A continuous flow

Tatra Pratyaya Ekatanata Dhyanam||

Once the mind is sufficiently settled in a point of concentration, which is dharana, there follows a stage when the thoughts begin to flow uninterruptedly into one field of consciousness, just as an estuary merges into the ocean. This is called Dhyanam.

(Quiet flows the lamp on the Ganga at Triveni Ghat, Rishikesh. Text and Pix. Swahilya Shambhavi.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II -

Putting the mind in place!

Desha Bandhaha Chittasya Dharanam||

Dharana means concentration. The concentration of the mind on a point, an image, person, place or object holds the mind in a place towards which it is directed. It binds it to the space on which it concentrates, instead of following its own natural way of flitting about here and there into a million memory routes of the past and the anxiety routes of the future. Dharana is a tool to put the mind in its place i.e. the present moment! - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II - 55

When all the senses merge in

Tatah Paramavashyata Indriyanam|

By the practise of Pratyahara or the process of turning the sense organs and the energy that goes out with it, inward, the senses come under the control of the supreme presence within. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 54

Turning inwards

Swavishaya Asamprayoge Chittasya Swarupanukarah Iva Indriyanam|

The organs of action and the senses are always on an outward mode. They travel outside, splitting the energy of the mind into a myriad names and forms, divesting it of its innate power. By conscious practice of Pratyahara, the senses begin to withdraw themselves from the world outside and even the thoughts within. This allows the mind to rest in its totality, helping it to realise the dynamics of energy which is the source. Once realised whichever direction the source looks at through the senses, there are the qualities of abundance, peace, harmony, prosperity and realisation. - Swahilya Shambhavi. (swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II - 53

Pranayama leads to better concentration

Dharanaasu Cha Yogyata Manasaha|

With the regular practice of Pranayama or regulating the flow of vital energy, through regulating the flow of breath, the covering over the inner light is removed and life appears more clearly now. You begin to see which is the right path to move forward and focus your attention on that growth with absolute concentration. The mind becomes fit for concentration or dharana. - Swahilya Shambhavi

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II - 52

Destroys the veil covering light

Tatah ksheeyate Prakashavaranam|

Regular practice of Pranayama thins out the veil of chitta vrittis or mental impurities caused by desire, anger, delusion, greed, arrogance and jealousy. These thoughts born out of avidya or ignorance of the supreme truth within, hides the light like a screen. Regulation of the flow of Prana helps to attenuate this covering. - Swahilya Shambhavi. (In Pic: Shaktipeetam.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra II - 51

When the breath becomes still

Bahya Abhyanthara Vishaya Aakshepi Chaturthaha|

This is the fourth type of Pranayama where the outgoing breath is not holding on to any thought or object outside and the incoming breath is not holding on to any ideas inside. The flow of the breath in and out hence becomes very smooth and takes the mind to a transcendental state of existence. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II - 50

Watching the breath within and without

Bahyaabhyantara stambhavrittirdesha kala sankhyabhihi paridrishto deergha sukshmaha|

Sri Patanjali speaks about the process of Pranayama here. He says, pranayama is the process of observing the breath as it travels in from out and out from within and stays still and moves too as it is directed to a particular place in the body for a regulated period of time (counts). It is also long, deep and subtle. Practice of Pranayama increases the prana. This Prana in turn energises the mind and increases awareness. In a heightened state of awareness, the mind becomes subtle and the intellect sharp, emotions stable and the body health.

- Text and Pix: Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II - 49

When the breath in meets the breath out

Tasmin Sati Shwasa Prashwasayoho Gativicchedaha Pranayamaha|

Once established in the right yogic posture of asana, the focus can now be shifted to the Prana or life force. The Sutras begin with Yama and Niyama which purify and move on to steadying the physical body with asana and a focus on the inhalation and exhalation of the breath.

Breath is like a container for Prana which is subtle life energy. By regulating the inhalation and exhalation, Prana is regulated.

This Sutra speaks of stopping the flow of Prana or rather making it so quiet and steady that there is no inhalation and exhalation. There is a state of fullness and stillness of the breath. This reflects in a stillness in the state of mind too.

(Participants at a yoga event in Chennai's Jiva Park, organised by the Bharatiya Yog Sansthan on Gandhi Jayanthi. - Pix. Swahilya Shambhavi.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 48

Transcending the primordial disease

Tato Dwandwa Anabhigataha|

Perfection and practice of Asana turns the mind inward to the presence of one truth. When the mind is turned outward, there is duality or dwandwa - day-night, heat-cold, high-low, rich-poor, happy and sad. But when the mind is turned inward - there is only the seer of every action, word and thought. This seer is the same in everyone. Practice of a steady and comfortable posture helps you to transcend duality. Duality is the Adi Vyadhi or the primordial disease of the sense of separatedness from the rest of the Universe. - Swahilya Shambhavi (Pic. Teachers at Vasantham Home for Special Children doing the Surya Namaskar.)