{"id":99,"date":"2012-11-26T12:24:17","date_gmt":"2012-11-26T12:24:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.meredithwwatts.com\/yogablog\/?p=99"},"modified":"2012-11-26T12:24:17","modified_gmt":"2012-11-26T12:24:17","slug":"reflective-asana-pranayama-the-asana-sutras","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.meredithwwatts.com\/yogablog\/reflective-asana-pranayama-the-asana-sutras\/","title":{"rendered":"Reflective Asana & Pranayama: The Asana Sutras"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Reflective Asana and Pranayama<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Sutras of Practice & Asana<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

[Note: See accompanying post on bibliography <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

for full references to works cited]<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Five Practice Sutras from Chapter I, Samadhi Pada<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

All the sutras are about yoga practice, but certain sutras are particularly accessible and clear in their intention.\u00a0 In the first chapter (Samadhi Pada<\/em>), sutras I.2, I.12-14, and I.20 provide an outline of steady, concentrated, continued practice as the basis for progressing in yoga.\u00a0 They presented here with an implicit aspplication to asana practice, but they originally appear in the sutras in a more general way to define all yoga practices (including meditation).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0I.2\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 yogaha citta vritti nirodahah<\/em> \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Yoga restrains the fluctuations of the mind.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

I.12\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 abhyasa vairagyabhyam tan-nirodhah<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Practice and detachment are the means to still the movements of consciousness <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 [fluctuations of the mind]. [LOYS]<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sutra I.12 can be understood as a combination of practice and austerity, including the discipline of tapas.\u00a0 More generally vairagya <\/em>, translated above as \u201cdetachment,\u201d can also be understood as \u201cequanimity\u201d — avoiding the turbulence of attachment and \u00a0anger.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I.13\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 tatra sthitau yatnah abhyasah<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Practice is the steadfast effort to still these fluctuations [LOYS]<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

I.14\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 sa tu dirghakala nairantarya satkara asevitah drdhabhumih<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Long, uninterrupted, alert practice is the firm foundation for restraining <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the\u00a0fluctuations <\/em>[LOYS]<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0I.20\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 sraddha virya smrti samaghiprajna purvakah itaresam<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Practice must be pursued with trust, confidence, vigor, keen memory and power or <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 absorption to break [this] spiritual complacency<\/em> [LOYS]<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Asana Sutras (Chapter II, Sadhana Pada)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The sutras above provide a view of yoga and how it should be practiced. \u00a0 These principles are elaborated or presented in a somewhat different context in Chapter II (Sadhana Pada<\/em>) which is devoted to the yoga of practice (kriya yoga<\/em>).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Chapter II (Sadhana Pada<\/em>) lays out the foundations of kriya yoga<\/em>.\u00a0 The practice asanas<\/em> conclude with pranayama<\/em> and the transition to pratyahara<\/em> (withdrawal of the senses).\u00a0 Pratyahara<\/em> serves as the transition to the meditation limbs and spiritual accomplishments of yoga, which are developed in Chapters III and IV.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0The four sutras that explicitly mention asana (II. 29, 46, 47 & 48) are these:<\/span><\/p>\n

II. 29 Enumerates eight limbs of yoga, of which asana and pranayama are the third and fourth: <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Yama, niyama asana pranayama pratyahara dharana dhyana samadhayah astau <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 angani<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Moral injunctions (yama)(, fixed observances (niyama), posture (asana), regulation of breath (pranayama), internalization of the senses towards their source (pratyahara), concentration (dharana), meditation (dhyana)m and absorption of consciousness in the self (samadhi), are the eight constituents of yoga.\u00a0 <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>II. 47\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 prayatna saithilya ananta samapattigbhyam<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPerfection in an asana is achieved when the effort to perform it becomes <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 effortless and the infinite being within is reached\u201d<\/em> [LOYS].<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

This sounds daunting in the early stages of practice, or in later stages when more challenging poses are developed, but there is a clear distinction between the effort (\u201cdonkey work\u201d) at early stages of practice and the repose and centering that is possible in the developed posture. \u00a0This later stage is the relaxed embodiment of the posture in \u201cPerfection in asana is reached \u2026 when effort ceases\u2026\u201d [LOYS, p. 151]<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Bryant\u2019s translation is similar: [Such posture should be attained] by the relaxation of effort and by absorption in the infinite<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

He goes on to say that \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAsana becomes perfect when all effort or strain, prayatna<\/em>, ceases and the body no longer trembles\u2026and when the citta<\/em> is absorbed in the infinite, ananta<\/em>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe essential idea is that by the practice of asana, the body should be so relaxed that the yogi ceases to be conscious it at all, and the mind can thus be directed toward meditation without any bodily distraction of disturbance [Bryant 287-8<\/strong>].<\/span><\/p>\n

Bryant return to the version of asana as a \u201cstable and comfortable\u201d pose for meditation, but Mr. Iyengar defines this process of perfecting physical postures so that the physical practice itself asana<\/em> itself can become a form of meditation. This is described in Mr. Iyengar\u2019s commentary on the final asana sutra below:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0II.48\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 tatah dvandvah anabhighatah<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 ‘From then on, the sadhaka [practitioner] is undisturbed by dualities.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Mr. Iyengar\u2019s commentary:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe effect of asana is to put an end to the dualities or differentiation between the body and mind, the mind and soul\u2026When the body, mind and souls unite in a perfect posture, the sadhaka<\/em> is in a state of beatitude\u2026\u201d [LOYS, p. 151].<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201c\u2026the mind, which is at the root of dualistic perception, loses its identity and ceases to disturb him.\u00a0 Unity is achieved between body and mind and mind and soul.\u00a0 There is no longer joy or sorrow, heat or cold, honor or dishonor, pain or pleasure.\u00a0 This is perfection in action and free in consciousness\u201d [LOYS, p. 152].<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Beginning of the Pranayama Sutras\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The asana sutras in Sadhana Pada<\/em> are following by the pranayama<\/em> sutras , beginning with sutra II.49. Pranayama<\/em> is to begin when asana has been developed to the point where there is repose in the posture and the practitioner has developed the capacities of concentration and equanimity.\u00a0 This corresponds to the development of the 4th<\/sup> limb of classic yoga, undertaken after progress has been made in asana (the 3rd<\/sup> limb).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This sutra begins with the definition of pranayama:<\/span><\/p>\n

II.49.\u00a0\u00a0 Tasmin sati svasa prasvasayoh gativicchedah pranayama<\/em>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPranayama is the regulation of the incoming and outgoing flow of breath with retention.\u00a0 It is to be practiced only after perfection in asana is attained.\u201d <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

This is a simple functional definition of pranayama according to its components: puraka <\/em>(inhalation), rechaka<\/em> (exhalation), and kumbhaka<\/em> (retention).\u00a0 Later, kumbhaka<\/em> is further into bahya kumbhaka<\/em> (retention\/pause after inhalation), and antara kumbhaka<\/em> (retention after exhalation).\u00a0 Mr. Iyengar\u2019s commentary begins pp. 152-155 [LOYS].<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

[The pranayama sutras are discussed in greater detail in a separate post]<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 Reflective Asana and Pranayama Sutras of Practice & Asana [Note: See accompanying post on bibliography for full references to works cited] Five Practice Sutras from Chapter I, Samadhi Pada All the sutras are about yoga practice, but certain sutras … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-99","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.meredithwwatts.com\/yogablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.meredithwwatts.com\/yogablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.meredithwwatts.com\/yogablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.meredithwwatts.com\/yogablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.meredithwwatts.com\/yogablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=99"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.meredithwwatts.com\/yogablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":101,"href":"https:\/\/www.meredithwwatts.com\/yogablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99\/revisions\/101"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.meredithwwatts.com\/yogablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=99"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.meredithwwatts.com\/yogablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=99"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.meredithwwatts.com\/yogablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=99"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}