More studying

Only 2 days until the exam! So much to know. Want to learn it with me? I thought so.

The 7 Bhumikas: Stages of Wisdom

This is how yogis measure the progress of the spiritual aspirant. This is the path of jnana yoga.

1. Subecha - longing for truth

This is the preparatory or training phase, before an aspirant actually becomes a jnana yogi. The aspirant has to work on the 4 means to liberation (sadhana chatushtaya) to establish their fitness (adhikara) for jnana yoga:

a) Viveka - discrimination between the permanent vs impermanent, the self vs non-self, the real vs the apparent

b) Vairagya - Proof of viveka. This is dispassion and non-attachment. Practices include dosha drishti (seeing defects in desired objects) and mithya drishti (seeing impermanence of desired objects)

c) Sat Sampat - These are the 6 noble virtues that relate to mind control: Sama (control of desires), Dama (control of the senses), Uparati (renunciation), Titiksha (endurance of suffering due to pairs of opposites), Sraddha (faith in the teacher, teachings, and oneself) and Samadhana (one-pointedness of mind)

2. Vicharana - Right Enquiry

This is the practice after the disciple attains adhikara and is initiated into the path of Jnana Yoga. The guru proclaims Tat Twam Asi, "that thou art". Until self-realization is attained, the disciple practices 3 things:

a) Sravana - listening to the guru

b) Manana - reflecting on the teachings

c) Nididhyasana - deep meditation on the reflections on the teachings

3. Tanumanasana - thinning out the mind

Abandoning the many, meditating on the one.

4. Sattvapati - attainment of sattva

This is the last stage of dual consicousness. This is also when special "powers" manifest to "distract" the jana yogi.

5. Asahmshakti - transcending all powers of creation

6. Padharthabhavani - Brahman is all

7. Turya - indescribable 

This is going to be hard to remember. Actually all these conceptual things with sanskrit names will be hard. 7 of this, 4 of that, 8 of another thing... All this will be tough. 

The 8 Limbs of Raja Yoga

Raja yoga is the royal yoga, or the path of systematic analysis. It is called ashtanga in sanskrit, because ashtanga means 8 limbs. Its doesn't mean that we get to practice the more athletic form of asana that goes by the same name. Oh how I miss the ashtanga vinyasa flow-style yoga. The 8 limbs are:

1) Yamas - restraints

2) Niyamas - observances

3) Asana - postures

4) Pranayama - control of vital energy through breathing

5) Pratyahara - withdrawal of the senses

6) Dharana - concentration

7) Dhynana - meditation

8) Samadhi - super conscious state

Raja yoga is based on the teachings in the yoga sutras of patanjali. Sub-categories of Raja yoga include Hatha Yoga and Kundalini Yoga. All have the same goal: Chitta Vritti Nirodha: Control of the thought waves within the mind stuff.

Hatha Yoga

Hatha Yoga is control of the mind through control of prana. Pranayama breathing exercises are very important. They control and purify prana, or the universal, all-pervading vital force. The 5 major prana vayus are:

1) prana

2) apana

3) samana

4) udana

5) vyana

These prana vayus flow through the energy channels, or nadis. There are 72,000 nadis.  The  3 most important are: sushumna (in the centre), ida (on the left), and pingala (on the right). Hatha yoga is the union of the sun and moon energies of prana and apana. Ha means sun energy and flows through the pingala nadi, and tha is the moon energy and flows through the ida.

Goodnight! More tomorrow!