Basis of Health and Self-Realisation

                        --Mahabir Singh Kharb, Sonipat

Yoga is the practical path of realisation of the theoretical philosophy. Both Sankhya and Yoga philosophers maintain that liberation can be attained only by knowledge. But knowledge can be acquired by the suppression of the physical and mental modifications and gradual control over body, senses, mind, intellect and resolves so that the pure self may be realised. The realisation of the pure self requires the cognition that the self is beyond the body, mind, intellect and sacraments, etc. The realisation of this truth is the self-realisation.

The path of yoga is based on sound psychological foundations. The most important element in the psychology of yoga is chitta. Chitta is the first modification of prakriti in which there is the predominance of Sattva over Rajas and Tamas Gunas. It is material by nature, but due to the closest contact with the self it is enlightened by its light. It assumes the form of anything in whose contact it comes. Due to the modification of the Chitta according to Yoga Sutra, though there is no modification in the self, but due to reflection of the changing Chitta Vritis, there is an appearance of change in it, just as the moon reflecting in the river seems to be moving. So, as knowledge is not attained, the soul sees itself in these modifications of the Chitta and gets rid of attachment and aversion in the worldly pleasures and sufferings. This attachment and aversion is the bondage. The only way to get rid of this bondage is the control of the modifications of the Chitta.

 This control is the result of yoga. In the words of Patanjali, ‘Yoga is the cessation of the modifications of the Chitta’. There are several causes of disturbance in the Chitta such as, disease, inactivity, doubt, carelessness, attachment with the objects, false knowledge, non-attainment of the sage of Samadhi, absence of concentration etc. Due to the disturbances in the Chitta – chagrin and physical disturbances follow.

To get rid of pains and agonies, the mind (chitta) must be controlled and concentrated. The yoga philosophy has prescribed the following eight sadhanas (points) for this purpose.

YAMA:

1.      Yama is the control of the body, speech and mind. The yamas are five which are as follows:

(a)    Non-violence (Ahimsa) – Ahimsa is the absolute absence of any form of injury to any living being.

(b)   Truth (Satya) – Truth is to be exact in mind and speech, i.e., to speak things as they are and to remember exactly as seen, heard and imagined.

(c)    Non-stealing (Asteya) – Asteya means not taking or stealing another’s property and not to have a desire for it.

(d)   Celibacy (Brahmcharya) – Celibacy is the control of the attachment in the enjoyment of the senses specially those of sex.

(e)    Non-covetousness (Aparigrah) – It requires not to accept any unnecessary thing or collect it.

   All the above-mentioned yamas are necessary for the concentration of the chitta.

2.      Niyama – Another important step in yoga is Niyama or following the rules of good conduct. These Niyamas are five, which are as follows.

(a)    Cleanliness (Saucha) – It includes external cleaning through bath and pure diet etc., as well as internal cleaning through sympathy, friendliness, happiness, and detachment.

(b)   Contentment (Santosh) – It means satisfaction in whatever is attained by sufficient and suitable efforts.

(c)    Penance (Tapa) – It includes the practice of tolerance of the cold and heat. It requires various types of hard practices.

(d)   Reading of religious scriptures (Swadhaya) – Reading of the religious scriptures is very much useful in the spiritual advancement. Hence, it is a necessary principle of good conduct in yoga.

(e)    Surrender to God – The fifth niyama in yoga is to remember God and to surrender oneself to Him. This helps the aspirant in the practice of yoga.

(3). Asana –The third step in the advancement of yoga is Asana or sitting posture. Asana helps in the concentration and the control of the mind. Yoga has prescribed various types of postures e.g. Padma, Veera, Seersa, Bhadra, Garuda, Mayura, etc.

These postures are very much helpful in the control of mind as well as of vital elements in the body. They also help in removing the suffering due to cold and heat. As a matter of fact, posture is the control of the body. It also keeps the body free from disease and makes it strong. By it one can control the different external as well as internal organs of the body.

(4). Praanayama – The forth state in the practice of the yoga is pranayama or the control of the breath. This pre-supposes the control of the body through control of the breath as the aspirant controls the inhaling and exhaling of the breath. It helps in the concentration of Chitta. There are three main steps in pranayama.

(a)    Inhaling – This first step in the pranayama is to take in as much air as possible.

(b)   Retaining of the Breath – After the maximum amount of the air is taken, the second stage in pranayama is to retain it for half of the time taken in inhaling.

(c)    Exhaling – In the third stage of pranayama, the amount of air is exhaled in the same time as taken in inhaling.

The time taken in these three stages of pranayama is gradually increased so that in due course, the aspirant can control the breath, thus, helping in the concentration of the chitta.

(5). Pratyahara – The fifth stage in the path of yoga is pratyahara. The introversion of the different sense organs by restraining them from their object is known as pratyahara. By practice in this the mind of the aspirant is not disturbed by a worldly object even while he lives in the world. This requires very strong determination and repression of the senses.

The above- mentioned five stages are known as external means. The remaining three stages are known as internal means. As a matter of fact, the first five stages are merely preparatory to the latter three stages, which are directly concerned with yoga.

6. Dharna (Concentration) – The sixth stage in the path of yoga is Dharana. Dharna is the concentration of the chitta on some object. This object can be external like the image of some god, etc. It can also be internal as the part in between the eyebrows, the lotus of the heart. This is the beginning in the stage of samadhi (absorption).

7. Dhyana (Meditation) – This is the seventh stage in the process of yoga. When the knowledge of a creation object of concentration is continued in a process, it is known as dhyana. This requires continuous meditation on the object of concentration. By it one has clear knowledge of the object. In Dhyana, in the beginning the aspirant knows only the different parts or forms of the object and gradually he realises the whole of it. Thus by Dhyana the aspirant has the real knowledge of the object.

8. Samadhi (Absorption) – It is the most important stage. This is the culmination and the goal to which all other above mentioned stages are preparatory steps. When the process of concentration and this object becomes one and identical, this stage of absolute identity is known as samadhi. In this stage, there is no separate cognition of the subject or the process of concentration and the chitta attains the form of the object. Thus, in this stage the subject and the object as well as the process of concentration become Om.