Kumbhaka The Retention of the Breath
Kumbhaka The Retention of the Breath Retention—A Key to Inner Transformation Kumbhaka means “pot-like” and refers to retention, one of the phases of pranayama (conscious control and extension of breath). Retention is a condition without inhalation or exhalation that is associated with the act of increased awareness and the opening of the being toward subtle…
Karma Yoga The Yoga of Conscious Action
Karma Yoga The Yoga of Conscious Action Karma Yoga Is the Path of Service and Selfless Action This “yoga of [conscious and detached] action” teaches the value of not being egotistically attached to the outcome of our actions. The results are consecrated to a larger purpose—to the Divine, the Spiritual Heart, the Absolute (as it…
Jnana Yoga The Yoga of Wisdom
Jnana Yoga The Yoga of Wisdom Jnana Yoga—Experiencing Direct Knowledge Jnana Yoga, the “yoga of direct knowledge,” is the yoga of wisdom, of inquiry into the Real Self—the path of the sage. This form of yoga dates back as far as the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita. It is often mistakenly considered the yoga of…
The Four States of Consciousness
The Four States of Consciousness The Four States of Consciousness—Beyond the Waking State Mandukya Upanishad is the source of the Hindu revelations about the Four States of Consciousness and defines these states as waking, dreaming, deep sleep, and turya (the fourth state, which is the state of enlightenment). The great yogi Shankaracharya said that this…
Yama Five Yogic Guidelines for Interacting with the Outer World
Yama Five Yogic Guidelinesfor Interacting with the Outer World Yama means “control” or “restraint” and is the first stage of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga (the eightfold path). The yama are five guidelines for interaction with the “external” world. Their practice is considered essential for success on the yogic path. The Five Yama Are: Ahimsa (non-harming) Satya…
Vayus The Five Vital Airs
Vayus The Five Vital Airs Vayus—Gatekeepers to the Infinite In Sanskrit, vayu means “Air,” “breath,” or “wind.” According to the yogic tradition, in pranamaya kosha (the etheric body) prana divides into five vayus (principal breaths or vital airs) according to its movement and direction. In the Chandogya Upanishad (2:13:6), the vayus are referred to as…
The Five States of Mind
The Five States of Mind In the Yoga Bhashya (the most authoritative commentary on the Yoga Sutras) the great sage Vyasa offered the following classification of the Five States of Mind: Kshipta, completely distracted Mudha, dull, lethargic Vikshipta, not fully concentrated, distracted Ekagra, concentrated, one-pointed Nirodha, the state in which the mind is mastered and…
Niyama Five Yogic Guidelines for Interacting with the Inner World
Niyama Five Yogic Guidelines for Interacting with the Inner World Niyama means “discipline” or “[moral] restraint” and is the second stage of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga (the eightfold path). The niyama are five guidelines for interaction with the “inner” world. Their practice is considered essential for success on the yogic path. The Five Niyama Are: Saucha…
Kleshas The 5 Fundamental Causes of Suffering
Kleshas The 5 Fundamental Causes of Suffering In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali explains the kleshas, the five fundamental causes of human suffering. He identifies them as: Avidya, ignorance Asmita, “I am-ness,” the limitation of the ego consciousness, or the ego sense Raga, attachment Dvesha, hatred Abhinivesha, fear of death or the instinct to protect the…
Pancha Kosha The Five Bodies
Pancha Kosha The Five Bodies “Throw away the shell and take the kernel; do not be one of those who ignore the features, but tear away the veil!” –Abd al-Karim al-Jill All major spiritual traditions sanction the belief that the physical body is not the only vehicle in which consciousness can express itself or in…