YOGA SUTRA IN A NUTSHELL CHAPTERS 1&2

Hi there everyone,

today, as promised, I am writing about the Yoga Sutras.
Some of you have asked questions about them and so I decided to give you an overview of what they are all about. There are many great books and commentaries but the three that I know and learned to love are by G.Feuerstein, BKS Iyengar and Swami Satchidananda. If what you are reading intrigues you and you want to read more, I recommend you get either of those three (the easiest to read and most accessable to anyone I believe is Swami Satchidananda's translation & commentary but that's just my own opinion.. )
I will go through some, but not all Sutras in a nutshell just to give you an idea of what it's all about.
So I hope you will get something out of this, please feel free to comment on the actual blog post here!

An indian Sage named Patanjali, who lived some time between 200 and 500BC and who became known for his teachings and written documents about medicine, grammar and Yoga, wrote down the text that later would become symbolic for a whole era of Yoga (classical Yoga).
The sanskrit word "sutra" means thread and is comprised of 196 short aphorisms strung together like beads on a thread and divided into four chapters, that sum up the teachings of Yoga as described in
the Vedas. (For more about the history of yoga please read my previous blog post here.

THE YOGA SUTRAS OF PATANJALI
CHAPTER ONE
SAMADHI PADA

In chapter 1 of the Yoga Sutras, the Samadhi Pada, Patanjali defines the meaning of Yoga and explains the workings of the agitated mind as opposed to the pure state of Samadhi. The sanskrit word “Samadhi” directly translated means something like “above level” or "above virtuous” and refers to the complete state of bliss one experiences after succeeding in meditation. It is a complete “absorption” or “contemplation” on the object of meditation that leads to a dissolving of any agitations of the mind, including our Ego and lets us experience our pure conscious being. It is the deepest state of meditation and the ultimate goal of the practice of Yoga in the classical sense.

He opens with the first Sutra
1.1 ATHA YOGANUSASANAM
(Now begins the exposition of Yoga).

and then defines what Yoga is:

1.2 YOGAS CITTA VRITTI NIRODHAH
(Yoga is the restriction or cessation of the fluctuations of the mind.)

Each moment our mind is in different states of consiousness. The mind constantly moves from state to state, from thought to thought, from emotion to emotion.
This causes our inner vision to be blurred, we can’t see through this thick veil of incessant movement of the mind and can’t recognise our own true nature.

1.3 TADA DRASTUH SVARUPE VASTHANAM
(Then, the seer, or the self, can abide in it’s own true nature. )

But when we manage to still the mind, to clear our thoughts and emotions continuously, the veil disappears. Like a dirty lake, full of currents, waves, mud, seaweed, etc, we can’t see the ground but when the waters become still, the mud settles to the bottom and the water eventually becomes clear. Then we can see all the way to the ground. In the same way, when our mind settles, we begin to see through it and into our true nature.

1.4. VRTTI SARUPYAM ITARATRA
(At other times, the self appears to identify with the forms of the mental modifications.)

If the waters of the lake stays agitated, all we can see is the seaweed, the mud, etc. If our mind stays agitated, all we can see is the nearest or most prominent thoughts, feelings, etc. And without knowing our true nature, we believe that whatever we see in front of us our self and wrongly identify with it.

The following Sutras are a discription of the different kinds of mental fluctuations or modifications.
Then Patanjali tells us what we should do to achieve this goal of Yoga:

1.12 ABHYASA VAIRAGHYABHYAM TANNIRODHAH
(The restriction of these fluctuations can be achieved through practice and dispassion/non attachment.)

Patanjali tells us that by practice he means the continuous, firmly grounded and uninterrupted effort toward steadiness of mind.
By non attachment, he means the liberation from all cravings.

Both is needed for a successful Yoga practice, no matter where in our practice we are.
Daily practice is important to create a steady habit and to maintain a daily practice we need to be able to withstand temptations of our own mind, which might tell us that it would be much more satisfying to stay in bed or have a big breakfast instead of practicing Yoga. But with steady, slowly increasing effort we can create a new habit that will leave a new imprint in our mind. We will associate our practice with the joy and happiness that it brings into our life and we will eventually begin to crave this more than any instant gratification.
And further down the road, eventually, when we have practiced continuously for a long time, even those cravings will leave us and we will experience the bliss that comes from true freedom of all dependencies, needs, wants or cravings.

1.21 TIVRASAMVEGANAMASANNAH
(To the keen and intent practicioner Samadhi comes very quickly.)

1.22 MRDU MADHYADHIMATRATVAT TATO’PI VISESAH
(The time necessary for success further depends on whether the practice is mild, medium or intense.)

Let’s not forget that so far, Patanjali only speaks of the practice of the mind. Physical posture has not been mentioned yet (this will happen in chapter 2).
The practice patanjali suggests is the practice of contemplation on either the true self (Purusha - our soul) or the supreme consciousness (Isvara - the ultimate consciousness).

1.23 ISVARAPRANIDHANADVA
(Samadhi can also be attained by the complete devotion to Isvara.)

In indian philosophy, every living thing is an expression of a transcendental consciousness (purusha) which in reality is the same in all of us. All of us are essentially the same purusha. And together we make up a bigger form of purusha. All living things are interactive systems, held together by smaller systems and holding together a bigger system, like the earth, the universe, etc. The ultimate Purusha, the final system, the pure consciousness or supreme soul is called Isvara. By meditation and devoting our actions to this highest purusha we surrender our own purusha to a higher good. We acknowledge that we are part of something greater, that we are all one.
In our everyday life this can mean to practice to always see the bigger picture and let our action be guided by the higher good.
For those who are religiously minded, the practice of devotion to god has the same effect. Yoga in itself is an atheistic practice but it encourages the practice of all religions as long as they are felt in a true sense of our being rather than following a dogma in order for them to be of benefit and to help achieve this pure state of mind.

Patanjali explains also that Isvara is the concept that is free of all afflictions caused by any fluctuations, actions or fruits of actions. It is pure consciousness, unaffected by karma.

1.27 TASYA VACAKAH PRANAVAH
(The symbol for Isvara is the syllable OM.)

As a method for contemplation on the absolute consciousness, Patanjali suggests the repetition of the seed mantra OM, which carries the sound vibration of Isvara and therefor helps us to connect with it.

In the next sutras, Patanjali warns us of a variety of distractions that commonly disturb our efforts and how to counteract them.

1.32 TAT PRATISEDHARTHAMEKATATTVABHYASAH
(In order to counteract these distractions, the Yogi should take up the practice of concentration on a single principle.)
And further:

1.33 MAITRI KARUNA MUDITOPEKSANAM SUKHA DUHKHA PUNYAPUNYA VISAYANAM BHAVANATAS CITTA PRASADANAM
(By cultivating an attitude of friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous and disregard toward the wicked, mind can retain its undisturbed calmness.)

This is one of my favorite sutras, as this advice alone really can lead to a happy and fulfilled life for everyone if we make a serious effort of it.

In the following Sutras, Patanjali gives further suggestions on what objects to contemplate for the practice of meditation, keeping in mind that the mind takes on the quality of the object one chooses for contemplation. For example if I choose to meditate on the image of a clear crystal, my mind will steadily become more and more clear like the crystal I am absorbing into my mind.
These objects may become more and more subtle, until they are undefinable and not needed anymore. Then we can truly contemplate on the pure self, the soul, the purusha and have reached the highest form of Samadhi.

1.48 RTAMBHARA TATRA PRAJNA
(This is rtambhara prajna, or the absolute true consciousness.)

In this state of consciousness we have access to all our potential. We can access all the knowledge that is within ourself and therefor have a deep understanding of everything.

1.50 TAJJAH SAMSKARAH ANYASAMSKARA PRATIBANDHI
A new life begins with this truth bearing light. Previous subliminal impressions are left behind and new ones are prevented.

These subliminal impressions refer to the deep seated, unconscious, karmic seeds that are planted in each of us with each action we take, be it good or bad or neutral.
A person who has reached rtambhara prajna has left behind all these seeds and is planting no more, which means that the cycle of karma is over and true freedom from consequences and actions has been reached.

CHAPTER 2

SADHANA PADA

After instructing us on the practice of Meditation and describing to us the state of Samadhi, Patanjali gets into some more detail about what actions to take to reach this goal. The practice (sadhana) of Yoga, or Kriya Yoga (the practice of Yoga or Yoga in action) begins with the following advice:

2.1 TAPAH SVADHYAYESVARAPRANIDHANANI KRIYA YOGA
(Self discipline/motivation - Tapah, self study - svadhyaya and surrender/devotion to the ultimate consciousness - isvaraprahidhana are the practices of Yoga.)

These are the key qualities we need for a successful practice.
Self discipline comes from being motivated, having the desire to practice. (Tapah) At times we may be tempted to give in to excuses. Then we are required to take a good look at ourself and learn about our own patterns and issues. (Svadhyaya) To overcome them we need to trust in the process, have faith in ourselves and surrender to the higher good. Surrendering to a higher force means not to follow the wishes of our own Ego but follow a divine inspiration (Isvarapranidhana).

To cultivate these attitudes will help us to minimize or remove any obstacles that might stand in the way of our success.

Patanjali describes these obstacles:

2.3 AVIDYASMITA RAGA DVESABHINIVESAH KLESAH
(The five obstacles are Ignorance - avidya, Egoism - asmita, Attachments - raga, Aversions - dvesa and Fear (of death)- abhinivesah) 

Of these five obstacles, Patanjali describes Ignorance as the seed of all the others. Because we mistake the ever changing outer conditions and expressions of life as permanent, we mistake our Ego to be our true self, we cling on to what we perceive as desirable and feel aversion toward what we perceive as uncomfortable. This leads to further confusion and keeps us from truly experiencing life in it’s deepest form. Ultimately it leads to a deep seated fear of the unknown, of death.

But these feelings can be rooted out by starving them of attention. This is practiced in meditation.

Patanjali also tells us about the consequences of allowing these obstacles to pervade:

2.12 KLESA MULAH KARMASAYODRSTADRSTA JANMA VEDANIYAH
(All our actions and their consequences have their roots in these obstacles. They will bring experiences in the present or future lives.)

The sanskrit word Karma refers to both Action and the Consequence or result of an action.
Patanjali introduces us to the concept of subliminal impressions, caused by the 5 obstacles (Kleshas), which are like deep imprints into our psyche and like seeds, will lay there until the right conditions make them grow and mature. The fruit of these actions will be experienced sooner or later and can influence our life span, the circumstances of our birth (in a next life) and any experiences within a life, now or in a later life.
Just like the seed of an apple can only grow into one particular kind of tree - an apple tree - the seeds sown by our attitudes and actions can only grow into the same kind of consequence (Karma) - the soil in this analogy being our subconscious mind which records and stores all our actions and will later attract experiences accordingly. So happiness causing actions will grow into joyful experiences, pain causing actions will result in painful experiences and so on. This is the concept of merit and demerit.

Patanjali then points out that once we recognise the impermanence of nature we become aware of the fact that even the most pleasurable experiences eventually bring with them the grief of loss and that the only way to avoid this or any other kind of pain or suffering (dukha) is to stop identifying with impermanent aspects of nature (like our body or the contents of our mind) or grasping on to things that are never going stay with us forever and completely detach or disassociate with them. (not to be confused with indifference - we are just loosing our fear, not our love. Lessening the five obstacles will in fact enhance qualities like love, compassion and freedom - as the natural state of our self is unconditioned love, bliss and happiness.)
He then describes in a little more detail the qualities of nature and the purpose of our physical existence:

2.18 PRAKASA KRIYA STHITI SILAM BHUTENDRIYATMAKAM BHOGAPAVARGARTHAM
(Nature has three qualities (gunas) - brightness/illumination (Sattva), Activity (rajas) and inertia (tamas) and is embodied in the elements (fire, water, earth, air, space) and the sense organs and serves the purpose of experience of our own consciousness (purusha) through the sensual quality of nature (prakriti) but also of our own liberation from this dependency.)

This is quite a big statement - he basically tells us the meaning of life. We are here to experience  ourselves and once we do, we remember our true nature and don’t need the identification with any aspect of prakriti anymore. Just like in our everyday life, we experience ourself through the mirror of relationships, so does our soul experience itself through the mirror of our senses.
Once we have learned our true nature and are able to identify with it without the need of a mirror, we are free.
The reason why we need the sensual experience of nature is that we are ignorant of our own permanent, all knowing nature. Our goal (in Yoga) is to come back to this eternal knowledge and experience of ourself. We do this by removing ignorance as the root cause of other obstacles of the mind.

Then Patanjali tells us with great clarity what concrete steps we should take in order to achieve this goal. The following Sutra is probably the most famous of them all as it describes the 8 limbs of Yoga which all classical forms of Yoga are based on (Ashtau - eight, angani - limbs/components. In short Ashtanga Yoga, the eight limbed path of Yoga).

2.29
YAMA NIYAMA ASANA PRANAYAMA PRATYAHARA DHARANA DHYANA SAMADHAYAH
(Practices of restraint (how to act in harmony with your surroundings - Yama), Practices of observances (how to act in harmony with yourself -Niyama), Physical Postures (Asana), Breath control (Pranayama), sense-withdrawal (relaxation & inward focus of the senses - Pratyahara), concentration (Dharana), meditation (Dhyana) and the bliss of complete absorbtion in the self (Samadhi).)

2.30
AHIMSA SATYA ASTEYA BRAHMACHARYA APARIGRAHA YAMA
(The Yamas (practices of restraint) are
Non-harming (Ahimsa), truthfulness (Satya), non-stealing (asteya), continence (brahmacharya - preserving one’s energy, particularly sexual energy) and non-greed (aparigraha).)

These should be observed at all times, in this order of importance, no matter of any circumstances of your life.

2.32
SAUCA SAMTOSA TAPAS SVADHYAYA ISVARAPRANIDHANANI NIYAMAH
(The Niyamas (practices of observance) are purity/cleanliness (Sauca), contentment (Samtosa), discipline/austerity/zeal for practice (Tapas), self-study (Svadhyaya), and the surrender to the absolute consciousness/the highest goal (isvarapranidhana).)

Patanjali also tells us that negativity is only overcome by positivity and further explains the 8 limbs and the consequences of their practice. About physical postures (asana) he advises us:

2.46 STHIRA SUKHAMASANAM
(Physical postures should be steady/stable/strong and comfortable/balanced/relaxed.)

In our physical posture practice we are bringing the Gunas into balance.
We need to find a balance between dynamic effort (rajas), strong, grounded stability (tamas) and expansion, lightness and ease (sattva).

2.47 PRAYATNA SAITHILYA ANANTA SAMAPATTIBHYAM
(Perfection in Asana (physical posture practice) is achieved when the effort to perform it becomes effortless and the infinite being within is reached.)

When we begin to relax our bodies and minds in a posture, when we stop trying too hard in trying to compete with ourselves but instead become fully conscious and feel the balance of all our qualities, the mind can become still and undisturbed and we begin to experience the timeless consciousness of our inner self.

2.49 TASMIN SATI SVASAPRASVASAYORGATIVICCHEDAH PRANAYAMAH
(When the posture is achieved, the movement of inhalation and exhalation should be controlled. This is pranayama.)

Correctly practiced pranayama will relax the nervous system and lead to the senses becoming relaxed and detached from outer temptations (pratyahara). They turn inwards and the mind becomes focused and ready for concentration and mediation practice.

These inner practices of Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi and the consequences of their practices are then described in the next Chapter, Vibhuti Pada.

So far, in Sadhana Pada, Patanjali described the yoga of action (Kriya Yoga), what we can actively do in our lives to achieve the ultimate goal.
In the next chapter he describes the inner, more passive practices (samyama yoga) and tells us - and warns us - about our minds potential.

However this will be for another day!
I hope you enjoyed this so far and I really hope it may inspire you to read one of the many amazing books written about the Sutras.

If you would like to comment please go to my original blog post here. - your input is much appreciated! 

And here again are my suggestions for further reading:

Georg Feuerstein's translations & comentaries

BKS Iyengar's translations & commentaries

Swami Satchidananda's translations & commentaries

A BRIEF HISTORY OF YOGA

Yoga is practiced by a lot of people these days, all with different - and very valid - reasons why they begin their first class. Some want to get more flexible or strong, some want to improve their general health, some have asthma, old injuries, postural problems, mental health problems, even drop a dress size, etc. And Yoga can help them all in some way, if practiced regularly, intelligently and with awareness. But for whatever reason anyone begins their Yoga journey, soon enough they find that it works on many levels, that there is much more to it. Students sometimes ask: "Is Yoga a spiritual practice? Is it for the mind or for the body? What is the difference between this or that Yoga" I think it helps to understand the background and history of Yoga a bit better, to know where it comes from and how it developed. So I am writing down a little bit of the history and background of Yoga as I understand it in a short and simplified version. 
I hope this will be of some use to you. 
Please feel free to comment.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF YOGA

Origins

Even though most experts agree that the evidence of Yoga practice can be found as early as about 5000 years ago (some think even much earlier), the actual origins of Yoga are unknown. They go back a long time, possibly longer than we can imagine... 
Some even believe that it was passed on from the Satya Yuga, the golden age of humanity, where humans were  peaceful and pleasant, never sick, grew to an enormous size and lived to 100 000 years. They did not kill, fight or even mine or plough the earth, as the earth provided freely and the weather was always nice and humans were aware of their divine origin. 
According to Hindu cosmology, over the Aeons this awareness began to diminish and problems occurred. During the second Aeon, Treta Yuga, divine awareness and with it Dharma was forgotten by a third and so people began to be divided by languages, class and culture and wars began to happen. Agriculture and mining introduced the concept of greed. Even land was divided by the sea.
During the third Age, Dwapara Yuga, Dharma was diminished by half. Fighting and disease increased, spiritual blindness began to take a hold of people. Lifespan is only a couple of hundred years. Jealousy and fear become more predominant and religious differences lead to wars. 
The fourth and final age of the cycle is Kali Yuga, the age of darkness, where Dharma and awareness are reduced to only a small percentage present in the people of this age. Slavery, lying, killing and stealing become the norm. This is the age we live in now. 
But remnants from knowledge and awareness of the people from the previous ages have been preserved by oral transmission (often in form of chanting) for a long long time. When the ability to retain this oral knowledge also diminished, some great and wise sages began to, over time, write it down. 

Vedas

These scriptures are known as the Vedas (Veda = Knowledge) and are the oldest existing scriptures today.
But this knowledge was written down in bits and pieces, according to whatever the direct experience of the seer at the time was (much of this knowledge was gained through direct experience, in meditation or other states of hightened awareness) or as it was passed on orally, and didn’t necessarily follow a “logical” thread as we would understand now. So, to better access the knowledge they were categorised. 
First they were divided into four sets of texts:
The Rigveda, which is the oldest of them (written about 1500 BC), is a collection of ten books of hymns and verses about deities, mythologies ad rituals.
The Samaveda contains chants and songs, Yajurveda contains detailed descriptions of rituals and is one of the base scriptures of Hinduism and the Atharveda, with it’s incantations and metaphysical descriptions, also a later addition to the hindu texts. 
Based on the Vedas, indian philosophy was then split into 6 different viewpoints (darshana):

Darshanas

Nyaya, founded by Gautama Rishi, focuses on “correct knowledge” and how to find it. It explores the rules and laws of the universe based on logic and methodology.
Vaiseshika, the practical “partner” school of Nyaya, applies this logic and explores the natural world It contains one of the earliest descriptions of atoms.
Sankhya (also called Samkhya), founded by Kapila, is a dualistic metaphysical philosophy, describing the universe as born from two dualistic forces (Purusha, or consciousness and Prakriti, or nature). It is atheistic, not theistic and it’s system of elements and gunas (constitutions of nature) forms the basis for eastern medicine (ayurveda). 
Yoga is the practical path to liberation based on Sankhya (and also Vedanta) philosophy. 
It provides very practical guidelines to increasing consciousness and preparing body and mind for the event of enlightenment.
Mimansa (sister school to Vedanta and later integrated into it) concerns itself with the reflecting on the knowledge contained in the vedas and how to implement it in life (Dharma).
Finally, Vedanta (meaning “the end of the Vedas”) summarizes the teachings of the Vedas, contains reflections and commentaries (Upanishads), the Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita. 


So, to sum it up, Yoga is one of 6 schools of thought of indian philosophy and has been practiced in various forms for a long time (about 5000 years or more) with the aim to connect to our true self . The word Yoga comes from sanskrit Yuj - to yolk and is mostly translated as "to unite" or "to connect". This aim, to become completely aware and realize our own true divinity is still the same but practices have changed a lot since these early days. 

Forms of Yoga
Yoga in it’s traditional form concerns itself with practical ways on how to achieve self realization. Taking into account the differences in people’s personalities, it is divided again into four main branches:

Karma Yoga (Karma = Action) for those of an active constitution. Using our actions to serve the higher good with constant awareness, elevates us to a state of higher consciousness.

Bhakti Yoga, for the emotionally inclined, this is a path of love and devotion, usually using religious deities to connect to higher states of consciousness. 

Jnana Yoga - the path of Knowledge, for those who are intellectually minded. Studying the scriptures to evolve our mind to higher states of consciousness. 

Raja Yoga, the royal path, uses forms of meditation to connect to our true self and realize our own true nature. 

Classical Yoga
Raja Yoga also is often called classical Yoga (as it follows the teachings from the classical period of indian philosophy), or Ashtanga Yoga (the eight limbed path of Yoga).
In this period, a sage called Patanjali wrote down 196 short aphorisms, divided into 4 chapters (The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali) describing the path of yoga according to older scriptures. In it, he gives a concise description of Yoga and how to practice it.

Styles of Yoga

Out of Raja Yoga developed several other styles of Yoga, focusing on aspects of the path to enlightenment, like preparing the body, working with internal energies, etc, like Hatha Yoga, Kriya Yoga, Tantra Yoga, Kundalini Yoga. 

Hatha (Ha=Sun, Ta=Moon) is the “forceful” Yoga which uses physical postures, pranayama and cleansing techniques to prepare our bodies for prolonged meditation.
It’s main text is the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, which was written sometime in the 15th century and describes physical practices like Asanas (postures), Pranayama (breathing techniques) Bhandas (Energy locks), Mudras (Hand gestures) and Shatkarmas (cleansing practices). It is noteable that the Hatha Yoga Pradipika mainly describes seated postures with only a few additional asanas, so it was still very different to the kind of practice we do today in the West. 

Given the aim of Hatha Yoga (and all other forms of Yoga) - to achieve enlightenment - it was practiced mainly by those who really devoted their lives to this goal. They lived in forests and in mountain caves and performed their daily practices as a means to support their long hours of meditation. 
As ascetic they lived “off the grid” of society, often with long dreadlocks and very simple clothing.

Modern Yoga

This image did not appeal to the British when they began their occupation of Indian in 1773 and they did their best to ban it’s practice and raise a negative image of Yogis. This worked well (supported by wealthier indians) for a while. Yogis were shunned and wandering Yogis were banned in the cities. 
However near the end of the 18th century the British introduced a new policy in which they encouraged the celebration of indian traditions. This in turn encouraged Indian intellectuals to give some traditions - including Hatha Yoga - a make over. 
Inspired by western practices like gymnastics and body building, postures were added and combined with more traditional methods and so a new era of Yoga was born. 

In 1893 an indian monk -  Swami Vivekananda - came to the US and presented Yoga demonstrations to the public, which was probably the first time big western audiences have seen and heard about Hatha Yoga.
In the early part of the 1900’s two teachers in particular raised the profile of Hatha Yoga in India and became probably the two most influential Yoga teachers in the world today:

Swami Sivananda 
He later wrote almost 300 books
on yoga and related subjects
and founded the divine life society.
His teachings form the basis of 
Bihar school of Yoga. 

Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya
​

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Krishnamacharya (born in 1888) was a brahmin who had studied all six darshanas and was well respected. He learned Yoga from his father and some other teachers until in 1919 he sought out a Yogi called Ramamohana Brahmachari who lived in the himalayan mountains. He spent 7 years with him, intensively studying Yoga Asanas, Pranayama and the Yoga Sutras as well as the Yoga Kuruntha, (a book on that has  not been found yet but is said to describe the Vinyasa way of posture practice).
As it was custom, at the end of the 7 years, when he finished his studies, his teacher had the right to ask him anything he wanted in return and Krishnamacharya was obliged to give it to him. What Ramamohana Brahmachari had asked of him was that he was to raise a family and become a yoga teacher to spread yoga to the world.

So Krishnamacharia eventually married, moved to Mysore and taught Yoga to the Maharaja’s family. As the Maharaja was so impressed with Krishnamacharyas skills, (he felt he had healed him of several conditions) he provided him with premises for a Yoga Shala (Yoga Centre).

Four of his students during that time were later to become the most influential teachers of Yoga in the western world:
Indra Devi, Desikachar (Krishnamacharyas son), Iyengar and Pattabhi Jois.

Indra Devi

Her real name was Eugenie Peterson, she was originally from Russia but lived in Berlin as a dancer and actress. She traveled to India for acting and dance reasons. Her family was aquainted with the Maharaja of Mysore and it was only because of pressure from the Maharaja that Krishnamacharya reluctantly accepted her as a student (being a western woman was not in her favor in the traditions of that time). 
Later on she taught in China, the US and in Mexico, spreading Yoga in particular among actresses and celebrities, significantly raising the profile of Yoga in the west. 

TKV Desikachar
As Krishnamacharyas son, he studied with him for all his life. Watching his father teaching Yoga in different ways to different people, according to their needs, and seeing the results, he stresses the therapeutic effects of Yoga and teaches, as his father did, a Yoga that can be adapted to each individuals needs. 

B.K.S. Iyengar

Iyengar was Krishnamacharyas brother in law. When he was very young he had many health problems, struggled with a lot of illnesses and was generally of a very weak constitution. When he was 15, Krishnamacharya invited him to Mysore to learn Yoga to improve on his health. His health did begin to improve but Iyengar struggled a lot with achieving difficult postures and also seemed to have a difficult relationship with his very strict teacher. Later on he also injured his spine in an accident, making asana practice even harder. His determination to achieve success lead him to spend a lot of time in analysing each posture and finding new ways on how to master them. He used props like bricks, straps, chairs and blocks and was eventually encouraged by Krishnamacharya to teach in his methods to the public. His method became very popular and known as Iyengar Yoga.

Pattabhi Jois

Pattabhi Jois was attracted to Yoga practice from a very early age, when as a child he watched one of Krishnamacharyas Yoga demonstrations. He began to practice daily in secret (as his family were not supportive of Yoga practice) from the age of 12. Eventually he ran away from home to Mysore where he studied sanskrit and yoga. 
He studied with Krishnamacharya for a long time and became one of his assistant teachers. 
In 1948 he opened the Ashtanga Yoga Research 791tttto learn about Yoga. Later he wrote a book about Yoga which had Pattabhi Jois’s address in it. After the book became known, more westerners began to travel to India to learn Yoga from him and brought it to Europe and America. 
His method of teaching is (according to Jois) almost identical to the way he was taught by Krishnamacharya, with only few adaptations. It became known world wide as Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga (or in short referred to as Ashtanga Yoga). 

​
That's all for today... 
If you feel like finding out more about this vast subject, there are some very interesting books I could recommend for you:

"The Heart of Yoga" by Desikachar 
"Light on Life" by Iyengar (one of my favorite ever yoga books)
"The Bhagavad Gita" translated by Eknath Easwaran (another favorite)
"Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali" by Iyengar (there are many translations of the Sutras. I have read 3 and this was my favorite).
"Light on Yoga" by Iyengar (on Yoga posture & practice)
"Yoga Mala" by Pattabhi Jois (a description of the original Ashtanga Yoga Primary series)
"Guruji: A portrait of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois" by Guy Donahaye (a selection of interview with Jois's different students. I found it very interesting to read)
"Health, Healong and Beyond" by Krishnamacharya
"Wholeness or Transcendence?" by Georg Feuerstein
"The Yoga Tradition" by Georg Feuerstein
"The Hatha Yoga Pradipika" by Swami Muktibodhananda 

There are many more books so please feel free to add to this list in your comments.

CHAKRAS AND ENDOCRINE GLANDS

CHAKRAS AND ENDOCRINE GLANDS

So, it's time for another blog post. 
It's been too long.
This one is a little bit of a cheat, as it is mostly an old piece written during my teacher training but I've changed it a little bit and wanted to post it here as it coincides with what we are talking about in our wednesday night class. 
So I hope you find it interesting - it's a little bit long so I suggest you make yourself a cup of tea & get comfy! :-) 

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YOGA & THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM


In the Yogic belief system (as in modern science and almost every other philosophical system), everything consists of energy. Energy within a certain range of vibration results in what we know as matter and can be perceived by our physical senses. Just like on an optical scale, higher or lower vibrations cannot be perceived with our senses but are nevertheless there.

The more subtle forms of our physical bodies have been explored by many yogis (or other spiritual masters) throughout time, with interesting results that not only compare to each other but also, as it becomes more and more clear, with modern science.

As we know from the system of the koshas, the energy vibration of our physical bodies extends into higher subtler vibrations of a vital energy body, an emotional energy body, a mental energy body, a spiritual energy body, etc. This concept also relates to each of the body organs, cells and glands of the body - everything in nature is expressed on many levels.

Chakras (chakra = wheel in sanskrit), as described in the yogic texts, are a concentration of energy, each at a point where the nadis (energy channels) cross each other, resulting in a charged reaction which produces a strong vortex of energy. There are thousands of chakras and their energies are all intertwined and communicate with each other, causing a reaction in other chakras and in the physical body as well as in the subtler energy bodies. However we are mainly focusing on seven main chakras, resulting from the crossing or interaction of three main Nadis (Ida, Pingala and Shushumna Nadi).

The physiological system that seems to correspond most directly with the chakras is the endocrine system.

The endocrine system is a system of internal glands that are releasing messenger molecules into the blood stream (as opposed to an exocrine gland which releases a substance to the outside, eg. sweat glands). Those molecules communicate with other glands and the nervous system and are known as hormones.  There are many glands, as there are many chakras, but in biology, just like in yoga, the focus is on seven main glands, or groups of glands.

Just like the nervous system, the endocrine system is a messenger system of communication, but while the nervous system sends out messages fast and directly towards the receiver, resulting in a quick, but short lived response (eg telling my muscles to contract), the endocrine system sends messages all over the body through the blood stream, until receptors on cells pick them up, making communication slower, but longer lasting. (“e-mail vs facebook”). 

THE GLANDS

1. The home central of this messaging service is the Hypothalamus. 

The HYPOTHALAMUS is an almond sized portion of the brain, situated above the brain stem. It’s function is to connect the nervous system to the endocrine system. 

It does so with the help of the PITUITARY GLAND, a downward extension of the hypothalamus.

For example:

When a lactating mother hears her baby cry, the auditory nerve impulses send messages to the hypothalamus, which in turn tells the pituitary gland to release some hormones to tell the mammary glands to start milk production. 

The same is true for most hormonal responses and for this reason, the PITUITARY GLAND is referred to as the master gland - it takes orders from the hypothalamus and makes hormones that tell other glands what to do. 

It really consists of two separate glands fused together, like two sacks hanging from the hypothalamus: The posterior (= behind) and the anterior (= in front) pituitary. 

The POSTERIOR PITUITARY excretes 2 hormones that were made in the hypothalamus: 

Oxytocin stimulates the contraction of the uterus, lactation, bonding between humans, feelings of trust, love and orgasm, and that's why it is basically referred to as the love molecule. It is released every time you hug or touch someone, look into someones eyes or even think fondly about someone.

It also helps to heal wounds and to relieve pain. It is an antidepressant, makes us more trusting and generous. It even protects us from obesity by regulating hunger. When large amounts of oxytocin are released, our appetite decreases - like when we are newly in love  or breastfeeding our baby. :-) 

The other hormone released by the posterior pituitary is Antidiuretic hormone, telling the kidney to retain water, so we stay hydrated.

The ANTERIOR PITUITARY produces and secretes many hormones. One of them is Growth Hormone (GH). The tallest man in history was over 8 foot at the time of his death. He was found out to have a tumor pressing on the pituitary gland, causing it to release excess amounts of GH. GH is also considered a very potent anti aging hormone. It’s production slows down after the age of 40.
In other words, the pituitary gland is the gland that receives messages from above, and sends them down into our other glands. It’s communications mainly have to do with love, growth, healing, birth and trust, which, on a more subtle level, are the functions and messages of Sahasrara Chakra - the crown chakra, or 1000 petaled lotus. 
(the number of petals on the symbolic lotus images for each chakra, refers to the number of nadis extending out from that Chakra). 
Sahasrara Chakra is all about our connection to the Cosmos - it teaches us that we are all one, coming from the same source that is reached through universal, unconditional love.

Because it is the master gland, an improper function of the pituitary gland can have an effect on all other systems of the body. 

Great yoga asanas to stimulate the pituitary gland are vigorous flows like sun salutations, that stimulate circulation, and inversions like wide legged forward bend, shoulder stand, headstand, etc (except for people with pituitary tumors..) and fish pose.

Alternate nostril breathing and particularly the humming bee breath (in a higher tone) have a positive effect on the pituitary glands.

Sound vibration (chanting mantras) are “massaging” the gland and are balancing it. Meditation also stimulates the release of anti aging hormone GH.

The PINEAL GLAND, also situated in the brain (very near the centre, right in between the two hemispheres) is a pinecone shaped gland about the size of a grape when fully enlarged, but more commonly the size of a pea. It has the highest amount of blood flow among all the glands, although it calcifies and deteriorates with age, mostly due to environmental influences (for example added flouride..). It releases melatonin (a derivative of the happy hormone serotonin), triggered by sensory nerve messages from the eyes - the less light enters the eye, the more melatonin is released, which causes the brain to switch to a state of relaxation, sleep and dream. Recent discoveries show that it plays a crucial role in protecting the brain from oxidative stress and neurodegeneration. Relaxation techniques and especially meditation increase melatonin production. It is really interesting to note that the pineal gland really has a similar structure to the eye and even contains rods and cones which is why it is referred to as the third eye. It produces images from your mind - your dreams and imaginations. An interesting hormone involved in visually creating these dreams and imaginations is only recently being studied. It’s name is DMT (Dimethyltryptamine) and is released mostly during REM sleep (the phases of sleep where most dreams occur), at birth and death or near death experiences. Shamans of South America often work with plants containing potent amounts of DMT (the most well known brew is probably Ayahuasca) to create visions and communicate with otherworldly beings.
    The pineal gland is fully formed and becomes visible on the 49th day after conception.   
    This is also the day where the sex is determined. Coincidentally it is on the 49th day (according to the Tibetan book of the Dead) that the soul enters the body and according to some forms of buddhism, the soul takes 49 days to be reincarnated.

 To sum it all up, the pineal gland has to do with our visions, our conscious and subconscious mind, dreams, intuitions, spiritual (or otherworldly) communications and it protects our brain (our mind space).

The corresponding Chakra, Ajna Chakra (pronounced "Agya", meaning "command"), is the chakra of our mind, our intuition, wisdom, our divine inspiration. 
It is our third eye, seeing images from other dimensions, dreams, visions, etc. 

To clear calcifications out of the pineal gland, avoid flouride, food additives (processed food) and too much sugar.

All inverted asanas (including forward bends) are great for stimulating and the pineal gland.

Any imaginative visualisation, Yoga Nidra and meditation also stimulates the pineal gland. Sound vibration that “massage’ the pineal gland work very well, especially if they are in a higher note.

The THYROID GLAND releases thyroid hormone which regulates metabolism, muscle function, blood pressure. It regulates protein production, calcification processes (also calcification of other glands, like the pituitary) and sensitivity of the body towards the effects of other hormones. It is one of the largest glands and is shaped like a butterfly, with it’s wings spread across our throat, just below your larynx. The larynx (voice box) makes up it’s cartilage and the levels of thyroid hormones also have an effect on the voice. An underproduction of thyroid hormone can lead to a deepening of the voice. The opposite is also the case - and the vibration of the voice can influence the thyroid hormone production. For example, the production of thyroxine (the hormone that regulates metabolism) can be increased by mechanically stimulating the thyroid gland. This stimulation can be achieved through the vibration of the larynx while using your voice (speaking, singing or chanting). Even Hyperthyroidism (a hyperactive thyroid, speeding up cell metabolism to an unhealthy rate) or hypothyroidism (an under active thyroid, lowering cell metabolism to an unhealthy rate), could be balanced by chanting or singing (for lasting effects however, the cause of the imbalance has to be rooted out). Or maybe simply using your voice more, finding your voice. Studies that looked at emotional abnormalities and thyroid disorders found correlations between hyperthyroidism and stress, anxiety, anger, overactivity and tension and between hypothyroidism and loss of memory, depression, loss of motivation, slowing of mental processes, intellectual deterioration and psychosis.  Vocally expressing those emotions showed to have a balancing influence on the thyroid.

All of the Thyroids functions have to do with the processes of digestion, metabolism (detoxification and processing), voice, vocal expression and communication.

Speaking, Singing and chanting massages the thyroid with vibration and have a strengthening effect.

Shoulder stand (Sarvangasana) is a particularly good asana as well as plough pose (Halasana) and fish pose (Matsyasana).

The Chakra of communication and expression (of truth and the true self) is Vishuddi Chakra (Purification Chakra). It is seated at the throat centre and influences our ability to express our own self, especially through our voice. Vibrations from voice influence the whole being, filtered through this chakra. 

The THYMUS GLAND is closely related to the immune system. It is all about protecting the body. It’s hormone thymosin plays an important role in the production and development of white blood cells. It basically matures and trains t-cells to attack and kill intruding pathogens. Extracts are also derived from the thymus gland with the aim to increase immunity. In humans however, after puberty, the thymus gland (as the pineal gland) begins to deteriorate and is believed to be slowly replaced by fat cells. However newer findings show that the gland has the ability to shrink or enlarge itself within a few hours, mostly due to stress and emotional causes so there is reason to believe that the shrinking of the gland in a human adult after death (the shrinkage had been discovered during dissections of a human body) is a result of the stress of death rather than proof for a deactivation in all adults.  During those studies it has become clear that emotions have a big impact on the function and size of the thymus gland. Negative emotions and feelings like fear, envy, hate, anger, depression and jealousy seem to influence the shrinking of the thymus gland, while happy feelings of love, trust, faith, etc seem to enlarge it. The thymus gland also is in part responsible for growth in embryos. Studies have shown that administering thymus extracts to rats has increased their growth rate significantly. Studies are also being carried out to find ways to reactivate the thymus gland in order to treat HIV patients.
So the Thymus gland is all about growth and protection and is most active in children. An active thymus gland in adults can prevent us from diseases, intruders and degenerations, keeping our systems healthy, uncorrupted and in balance. Direct physical stimulation can have a positive effect, which techniques like EFT (emotional freedom technique) and singing or chanting, causing a vibrational “massage” to the thyroid gland, try to utilize. And of course it is already known how deeply emotions can effect our immune system. We all have had the experience of being run down and coming down with a flu just after a time of emotional stress. 
Chest opening asanas like camel pose (Ustrasana), wheel pose (Urdhva Dhanurasana), wild thing (Camatkarasana) and pranayama techniques like kapalabhati and Bhramari have a stimulating effect on the thymus gland.

Situated in the centre of the chest is Anahata (= "Unstruck") Chakra.
It all about unconditional love, protection, non violence and harmony with our surroundings. 

The PANCREAS is a gland located behind the stomach and connected to the Duodenum (small intestine). It regulates the balance of glucose (sugar) in the blood. When blood glucose levels rise, beta cells in the pancreas secret a hormone called insulin which then stimulates all sorts of body cells to absorb more glucose for storage. Liver & muscle cells store glucose (after it’s been converted into a storable form) as glycogen, and fat cells store it as fat. When needed, glucose is converted into the bodies source of energy (ATP) to power our cells. When glucose levels fall or more energy is needed than usually (like during a strenuous yoga session), alpha cells in the pancreas release glucagon, which causes the liver to convert stored glycogen back into glucose to release it back into the blood stream. It’s a bit like preserving apples for storage, only that our body has the ability to convert the Jam back into fresh apples when needed. :-)
In case of constant high glucose levels, insulin is secreted so much that the receiving body cells become insensitive to it and don’t react sufficiently any more, causing diabetes. Insulin also has another function - it binds itself to transcription factor proteins, which in  turn bind themselves to  DNA sequences to help this particular sequence to express itself successfully (for example in the expression of a genetic code to determine hair color). The pancreas also releases enzymes that are needed for digestion through exocrine glands, making this gland both endocrine and exocrine. 
So altogether this gland deals with our supplies of energy (power), it’s storage and use, digestion & metabolism  (processing) and the expression of our genes (personality/self expression). Asanas that work the abdominal area strengthen and stimulate the pancreas, like  boat pose (Navasana), High and low plank pose (Chaturanga Dandasana), Camel (Ustrasana), plough pose (Halasana) and spinal twist or abdominal stretch. Kapalabhati pranayama or bhastrika breath are great ways to stimulate the pancreas. 


Chants in a slightly lower tone can affect the pancreas through vibration.
The subtle counterpart of this gland is Manipura (= City of Jewels) Chakra, which, when fully functioning, enables us to process emotions, express our personality with self confidence and access our own sources of power and energy. 

The GONADS or sex glands (ovaries & testes), containing gametes (ovum and sperm), which are haploid cells, meaning that they have just one set of chromosomes instead of two, like any other nuclear cell. This is why they seek each other out, in order to combine to make a new and complete diploid cell, which can grow into a new body, containing a complete set of DNA. The male gametes are mobile and active, while the female ones (ovaries) are passive. This is the case in most species, even in plants, where the male pollen travel to get to the female parts of the plants. Because sperm cells are also more plentiful than egg cells, and out of millions of sperm cells, usually only one gets inside the egg. Latest studies have shown that it is by no means at random which sperm enters the egg, but that there is a mechanism inside the egg cell that allows it to choose the sperm it wants to let in, which it then “swallows”. 

This is also the reason why, in nature, males usually have to make the bigger effort to impress a female, as she is the one who chooses the right kind of male... Whether the offspring will be male or female is only determined about 50 days after fertilization.
French embryologist Alfred Jost had done some experimenting in the 1940s. He performed surgery on bunny embryos and removed all developing gonads. The bunnies who had this surgery all turned out female. This means that the “default setting” for gender in mammals seems to be female. Just a thought... ;-)
Apart from Gametes, the Gonads also produce hormones. The Testes and ovaries release estrogen, progesterone and testosterone in different proportions (Testes release mainly testosterone and ovaries mainly estrogen and progesterone, however they are all released in both men and women) Estrogen promotes the development of female characteristic and regulates the menstrual cycle, and progesterone is involved in the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and the development of the embryo.

Testosterone is a male sex hormone and is involved in the development of some secondary male characteristics (like muscles & body hair, etc.). Estrogen is also needed for the production of Serotonin, a neurotransmitter that causes us feelings of happiness, and well being, making us carefree and playful - all attributes necessary to get us to want to mate with a partner. During menstruation estrogen levels drop quickly, therefor also serotonin drops.  In short, the gonads have to do with sex and with feelings of happiness and playfulness, male and female attributes, their attraction to each other, and how life is created (ultimate creativity).
 Balancing Asanas as well as gentle flows (moon salutation), khandarasana (bridge pose), shoulder stand (sarvangasana) and cat pose are great postures for the gonads. 
Practicing Bhastrika and Nadi shodhana and chanting in a lower vibration help too. 

The ADRENAL GLANDS sit on top of the kidneys. An adrenal gland is a roughly triangular shape (adrenal cortex) with a core (medulla) in the centre. Cued by messaging hormones from the hypothalamus & pituitary gland as a response to stress and strong emotions, it releases different hormones: Aldosterone (for water retention in the kidneys, to prevent dehydration), Cortisol (to release more glucose into the blood for a quick energy fix), an extra supply of sex hormones (to increase sex drive & therefore chances of reproduction) and epinephrine (formerly known as adrenaline, enabling us for a fight or flight response - increasing blood flow, raising heart rate, decreasing digestion, sense of pain, etc..). Stress comes in all forms - emotional, mental and physical and physiological stress (ie too much sugar or alcohol, etc.), all have the same effect on the adrenal glands. The adrenal gland reacts to all of it as if our life is potentially endangered

 A constant amount of stress can cause the adrenal glands to become fatigued. Adrenal fatigue is a very common illness of our days, with symptoms of tiredness, low energy, low immunity, mental illness, etc.. According to some studies, one of the biggest stress factor having an effect on adrenal health is loneliness. The security of a community/family is vital for our survival so the body responds by activating survival mechanisms of fear and releasing cortisol into the blood stream. It has been found that cortisol levels are very high in infants with a particularly traumatic birth. 
Those levels often tend to stay high until the early teens or longer, setting the child up to “expect” difficulties. Also babies who are reared with low levels of touch and interaction have significantly higher levels of cortisol than babies that are carried around much, are talked to, are breastfed and receive a lot of interaction and assurance. Babies that are not comforted when crying or not fed when hungry also develop high levels of cortisol. As an adult, these levels often remain high, increasing the risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke. 
But newer studies even point to a connection between ancestral stress stored and passed on in our DNA, for example in children and grandchildren of Concentration Camp survivors. 
A connection to the hypothalamus and pituitary gland (called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis) creates a reaction to high levels of cortisol by reducing amounts of oxitocin released. This leads to less trust and bonding ability, often a long lasting result. Depression also is a direct result of low levels of oxytocin. 

The function of the adrenals can be summed up to be that of pure survival including reproduction and community, especially the community we need for survival - our family at the time of birth and infancy. While the pituitary gland supports birth, love, trust and bonding, the adrenal glands are there to prevent death by raising strong emotions like  fear to motivate us to move away from threat and danger.
To balance the adrenal glands, avoid strenuous postures and instead, practice postures like sukkhasana, (easy pose) shavasana (corpse pose) and other relaxing postures, 
Yoga Nidra, meditation and chanting in low, calming tones. Steady rhythms, drumming, walking barefoot, routine and comforting familiarity creates a safe feeling, which calms the adrenal glands. Avoid sugar and heavy foods.
Muladhara (= root support) chakra is the chakra associated most strongly with the adrenals. It connects us to the physical plane, our physical body and our ancestral blood line. A fully functioning muladhara chakra makes us feel safe in our family/community, rooted on this earth and gives us a stable base. 

That's all for today... there is so much more to say about Chakras .. maybe another post for another day.
But if you are interested to find out more, these are 2 of the books I personally enjoyed most about Chakras:
Caroline Myss "Anatomy of the Spirit"
Stephen Sturgess "The Book of Chakras & Subtle Bodies"
Also please keep in mind that the connection between chakras and glands is a more modern one, it does not appear in any of the ancient texts and can vary a little bit, especially the adrenal connection, as there is not actually a gland at the same location of Muladhara. 
The vibration level of Chakras is usually depicted through their colors.
This also comes in variations. 
The old version of Chakra colors are different from the newer, more commonly used rainbow colors (I believe it was taken from a similar south american system and popularised as it seemed to make more sense to most western people). However, keeping in mind that these are all abstract concepts trying to explain a very subtle anatomy, I believe the best way is to actually sit and meditate and develop a feeling for your own subtle energies. 

So feel free to ask questions, comment or correct me if you think I got something wrong... 
Thanks for taking the time to read this rather long post! :-)