The Evolution of Yoga through time.
Many
individual and collective experiences have been woven into the rich
tapestry of Yoga. Throughout time, these experiences have shaped the
way yoga is integrated and practised. Since the time of the Vedas, the
goal of yoga seems to have remained, transcending the illusory belief
regarding the self, to unite with the ultimate reality; the Self,
Purusha, or Brahman. The paths to this goal, however, have evolved and
diversified. Now, practitioners can look to the yogic texts to
understand the system of yoga, but yoga is an experiential practise, so
practitioners are encouraged to creatively express themselves within
this system. As a teacher, I hope to encourage others to be as curious
about yoga’s evolution as their own.
Originally, the yogic path
looked a little different. During the time of the Upanisads, which were
the first yogic writings, the practise of yoga was one based on a
physical, emotional and spiritual intimacy between a student and a
teacher. This intimacy was only possible when the student renounced the
external trappings of life, and devoted themselves to their guru and
their practice. This level of commitment was culturally acceptable at
the time, and there were frameworks and traditions in place to support
both the student and guru.
Whilst there is no single philosophy
of the Upanisads (Olivelle, 1996), its spiritual insights espouse an
investigation into man’s inner life. This is something that appeals to
me, both personally and professionally. I believe the cultivation of
mindfulness around our personal processes can reduce our attachments to
behaviours, patterns, and external elements, which we often identify
ourselves with. This ‘turning inwards’ also respects and encourages the
individual’s capacity to find answers within and potentially connect
with one’s higher self.
The ”parts are spokes projecting from the
Self, who is the hub of the wheel. The Self is the goal of knowledge…”
(Prasna Upanisad) (Prabhavananda & Manchester, 1948). This
transcending the illusion to ultimately realise the truth of the Self
is then the goal of yoga. “The face of truth is hidden by thy golden
orb, O sun. That do thou remove, in order that I who am devoted to
truth may behold its glory” (Isha Upanisad), (Prabhavananda &
Manchester, 1948).
During the period of the Upanisads, the
practise of yoga emphasised the use of the mind to transcend the mind.
Whilst the term Jnana Yoga did not come into being until the Bhagavad
Gita, the practise of yoga at this time emphasised a clear distinction
between knowledge and wisdom (Mehta, 1970). In particular, utilising
this wisdom to still the senses, the mind and the intellect in order to
“reach the highest state” (Taken from Katha Upanisad) (Prabhavananda
& Manchester, 1948).
The philosophy of the Upanisads has
been described as both “universal and timeless” (Mehta, 1970), but for
me it’s emphasis on Jnana Yoga, and it’s consideration of the physical
body as a hindrance (Katha Upanisad) (Prabhavananda & Manchester,
1948) limits Yoga’s accessibility. The Bhagavad Gita, on the other
hand, which came into existence around 550 BCE, acknowledges other
paths to achieving the goal of yoga (Worthington, 1982). In doing so,
it creates an active yoga for everyday life and subsequently, a
practise accessible to the majority.
The dialogue between
Krisna and Arjuna explored the paths of Karma, Bhakti and Jnana yoga.
These paths may be pursued separately, however “he who applies himself
well to one of these paths achieves the results of both” (or perhaps
all) (Prabhupada, 1984). Unable to commit personally to any one path
over the other, I prefer to attempt to use the three paths together;
Karma yoga to perform duty without attachment and act according to my
Dharma for the “welfare of the world” (Wood, 1959), Jnana yoga to
discern my duty, and Bhakti yoga to cultivate love and faith towards
all individuals equally, and offer all outcomes of my actions to the
divine (Wood, 1959) – (of course this works better in theory than it
does in practise). The benefit of this framework for me, and I can only
assume that it is so and was so for others, is that Yoga can move into
one’s daily life:
In simple (or as is more often the case,
complex) interactions with others, embracing the perspective that “one
who performs his duty without association with the modes of material
nature, without false ego, with great determination and enthusiasm, and
without wavering in success or failure is said to be a worker in the
mode of goodness” (18.26; Prabhupada, 1984) is very liberating. This
liberation comes from the sense that one must let go of the perceived
control of the outcome, and simply embrace acting from one’s highest
self with honest intentions. So often in relationship, we say or do
something that is not received as we intended. There is nothing we can
do about how it is received. At a personal level it has become about
letting go of my own expectations, practising acceptance that things
often don’t occur as planned, and recognising that all I can do is be
supportive and open to explore the other person’s experience. Similarly
it works in reverse, I may receive something in a way that wasn’t
intended, and so I try to take things less personally. When I am
completely caught up in manas, my capacity to do this is somewhat
marred! During these challenging times I am learning to turn to my
breath; which moves me away from my mind, creates space from my
reactions and emotions, and brings me back to the moment. It has been
the aphorisms in Patanjali’s yoga sutras that have led me towards this
wisdom. Whilst the Upanisads described the goal of yoga, and the
Bhagavad Gita illustrated different paths to the state of yoga, it
wasn’t until the Yoga Sutra’s that light was shed on the nature and
functioning of the human mind (Worthington, 1982).
Patanjali
collated the thoughts of his time to create the Yoga Sutras. Unlike the
Upanisad’s and the Bhagavad Gita, the Yoga Sutras are informed by a
dualist philosophy, which states that matter and spirit are separate
entities. Patanjali advises indirect (yama, niyama, asana, pranayama
& pratyahara) and direct (dharana, dhyana & Samadhi) tools to
still the “movements in the consciousness (mind)” (1.2; Iyengar, 1993)
so the “seer dwells in his own true splendour” (1.3; Iyengar, 1993).
I
am still struggling to find a connection with much of the Yoga Sutras,
but ultimately what it has provided me with is a map of yoga; the path
and the goal. The Yoga Sutras build on the strength of the foundation
provided in the Upanisads and the Bhagavad Gita, and extend further by
providing the tools for one’s practice. Like the Upanisads, the
emphasis is on looking inward to find the truth of the Self. For me,
the appeal of the Yoga Sutra’s, is much like that of the Bhagavad Gita,
it encourages the use of these tools to learn to control our mental
attitudes and emotional reactions to live within, rather than withdraw
from “our” internal and external world.
Much of Patanjali’s
focus is on meditation and Samadhi. I find meditation very difficult. I
am still learning to sustain my concentration. So, much of what
Patanjali writes remains beyond my experience. Fortunately, the shift
that came later with the Tantric and Hatha Yoga traditions seemed to
balance the emphasis on the subtle body with that of the physical body.
Tantric traditions seemed to advocate being of the world rather than
separate from it (Judith, 2003), and Hatha Yoga traditions extended
this by an emphasis on utilising the physical body as an instrument for
perfection and realisation (Sri Aurobindo). The student, through asana
and pranayama, can prepare their body for spiritual practices.
The magic of Yoga is that there is no one or correct way to look at it, or the texts.
Written by: Rachael Freeland
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