Niroda-huh!?

The Yogic experience in the West is at best, a practice of relaxation techniques: stretches known as asanas; breath work, called pranayama; and meditation, less commonly known by dharana and dhyana. While there’s no debate about the positive effects, there is confusion about the primary focus of yoga and its relationship to self-transformation. The purpose of Classical yoga is Self-realization, by which purification of the mind is required to liberate the spiritual Self from the material nature.  This lofty concept has been associated with Classical Yoga and the teachings of Pantanjali’s Yoga Sutras. In more recent times, Western psychology has also been a proponent of self-actualization and individualization. The process of Self-realization involves the challenge of not only purifying the mind but confronting the innate ignorance of human nature to liberate the spirit from its muddled identification with the body-mind.

The first dilemma is in understanding what kind of experience a concept like Self-realization is supposed to capture and how to explain the seeming paradox of liberation from what is seen to who is seeing. Although, in some ways the approach of explanation is reductionist and potentially challenges the philosophy of liberation and purification, it is necessary to learn the vernacular in order to recognize how and what stands in the way of this pursuit. That is to say, that an experience of this nature cannot always be defined in concepts and prescriptions. However, in order to explore these concepts further, an examination of yogic literature will be used; in particular, Georg Feurstein’s The Deeper Dimension of Yoga and Yoga Sutras of Pantanjali, also translated by Barbara Stoller Miller. The Sutras are known to be an ancient composition of aphorisms on the metaphysics and practices of yoga. 

In Feurstein’s book, The Deeper Dimension of Yoga, he argues that Self-realization is a course of action that is taken to countermand the production of subliminal activators (samskaras) and delimit their influence and suffering on the mind. Ultimately, we are pure consciousness, unperturbed by states of happiness or sadness. When we become aware of our true nature, there is a feeling of pure bliss and liberation from suffering.

To begin, an identification of material and spiritual must be discerned. Feurstein translates sutra II.17 illustrating the tension between the two: “The correlation between the seer [i.e. the Self] and the seen [i.e. Nature] is the cause [of that which is] to be overcome.” Harold Coward succinctly states in his “Yoga and Psychology” that “the yoga system is ultimately a duality of pure consciousness (purusa) and nonintelligent matter (praktri). In this apparent split, Self- realization seems to be contingent upon the unification of material and spiritual.  The split between the two is a common motif shared by almost every culture and religion. Pantanjali sees this duality as being a primary source of suffering; however, the irony is that although yoga means yoking or unification, it follows that to understand who the Self is from what it is not, disunion or separating out is actually necessary. 

Purusa, the “cosmic person,” is an ancient teaching that believes that all of life is a reflection of cosmic energy, and that people are the self-consciousness universe, containing both nature and spirit. In the yogic system Purusa is defined in Sutra IV.18 as the superior. The sutra’s translation by Feurstein is as follows: “The fluctuations of consciousness are always known by their superior, because of the immutability of the Self.” The fluctuations of consciousness are a part of nonintelligent matter. Thus, the Self is the observer, witnessing this nonintelligent matter, becoming bound to a nature less superior than its own. Thus, it must ultimately become realized. This realization must break free from the binds of karma and other afflictive states. These afflictive states will be discussed in more detail later. As simple as it sounds, the driving force for Self-realization is the return to what already is. The confusion arises when we are fooled into identifying with the imposter.

Praktri is the physical body and mind, that which is seen by the observer. Praktri is composed of three distinct qualities called gunas. As described simply by Stoller Miller: sattva – lucidity, pure, clear quality; raja – passion, quality of energy and motivation; tamas – dark inertia which weighs down the two others. Feurstein’s interpretation of what he considers the behavioral modes of praktri, are: sattva – being-ness; raja – dynamism; and tama – inertia. The constituents of praktri are the devices by which one engages in the world. Feurstein argues that the gunas dual purpose is both enjoyment and emancipation. He goes on to interpret the last sutra as saying that upon Self- realization the gunas are no longer of use to the Self. The Self does not need to understand, theorize, or attach to anything in order to be defined; however, praktri clings to these as a way of creating a reality. Contradicting Pantanjali, Feurstein is less inclined to believe that we transcend the gunas once and for all but rather that the distribution of them leans in favor of sattva. Sattva reflects the light of spirit allowing the transcendental Self to emerge. It is on this threshold that pure awareness of the Self is possible.

Now that a better understanding of what Self-awareness involves and the disillusioned state from which one is becoming liberated has been discussed, we will move our attention to the problem of suffering and the minds influence. The afflictive states, known as Klesa’s will also be used to explain the primary source for this suffering, and the obstacles they present in the form of samskaras. Furthermore, it will be noted how karma plays a major role in impeding the goal of Self-realization. 

First, a proper understanding of the mind’s construct according to yoga will be analyzed. Pantanjali’s first sutra offers a definition to the nature of his yoga: “yogas citta vritti nirodha” – Feurstein translates this to mean “Yoga is the restriction of the fluctuation of consciousness.” He goes on to say that “citta is suffused with countless subliminal-activators which combine into traits (vasanas) and which are responsible for the occurrences of the fluctuations.” Stoller on the other hand says, “yoga is the cessation of the turnings of thought.” It becomes hinted that consciousness plays an important role in the process of Self-realization, and is insinuated by both commentators, that there is more to the mind then thoughts. To elaborate on this without going into a full discourse of consciousness, a brief description, by Fuerstein, of the faculties of understanding: citta – consciousness; mana – lower mind, an incessant stream of information; buddhi – higher mind, reflective of consciousness; and ahamkara – ego. It is sufficient to note here, that each of these layers have a specific capacity in process of Self- realization; however, for the scope of this paper, the reference to the abovementioned will only be in relevant context.

The next concept pertinent to understanding citta vritti or in other words, what’s responsible for the fluctuations of consciousness, are the klesa’s. Anindita Balselv writes about klesa’s in his article: The Notion of Klesa and its Bearing on the Yoga Analysis of Mind. Balselv defines kleasa’s, which he also refers to as dukkha (suffering), as afflictions of the mind, instinctual drives, principle motivations of action. There are five klesas responsible for how people feel, think, and act. The first, out of which Balselv says the rest emerge, is: avidya – ignorance. Feurstein comments on this stating that avidya is the most important blockage. It is the basic spiritual blindness that causes people to distort reality and feel separated from everything else. He goes on to argue that Self-realization is the end of all suffering and that suffering is merely a function of avidya. The following four klesa’s are: raja – desire; dvesa – aversion; abhinivesa – fear of death; and asmita – egoism all manifest in subsequent feelings and actions as well. Because klesa’s are instinctual drives – a cause - their effect results in a trace, also called a samskara.

Samskaras are an unconscious characteristic of the mind. They are thought to be subliminal-activators, seed thoughts that engender a corresponding disposition to act. Samskara’s are the residue of old thoughts, both conscious and not – from this lifetime and before. In a practical sense, they can be seen as self-generating; what you think about – you create. These dispositions are also believed to combine on the basis of similarity to create fertile ground for future action. On this note, another concept not yet mentioned but intimately tied to samskaras, is karma. Karma is the action preformed as a result of the samskara. Repetitious action produces a habit- pattern (vasana) resulting in karma that is also stored in memory traces from previous and past lives. In some ways, samskara is synonymous with karma because as a subtle trace - samskara materializes into a thought, so does the accumulation of karma. The quandary in this is that every experience creates a samskara which results in karma and effects our future mental perceptions. 

 Coward quotes Pantanjali as defining yoga as the removal or destruction of all karmic samskaras from previous lives until a completely clear and discriminating mind is achieved. He goes on to say that these are the obstacles to true knowledge of reality. How then can a person purify their mind of these samskaras, wipe away their karma, and become Self-realized if they’re stuck in a feed-back loop of self-destructive fluctuations? Even more frustrating is discerning where these afflictive thoughts come from. 

To summarize, Citta vritti or modifications of the mind, as Balselv calls them, begin at the level of klesa’s; in turn, leading to samskaras, vasana, and karma. All of which obscure the endeavor of Self- realization. As mentioned before, to realize the Self, action needs to be consciously performed. Yet, in order to practice this cessation, (as Stoller Miller calls it) or a restriction, (as Fuerstein refers to it) nirodha is needed.  Pantanjali’s panacea for the modifications of the mind and a path toward realization of the Self begins with the practice of the Eight Limbs and in particular require nirodha. Nirodha is strengthened through the first 7 limbs to bring about the state of ecstasy (Samadhi) which is the necessary ingredient for awakening the transcendental Self.

The eight limbs, also referred to as Kriya-yoga by Feurstein, who argues that these sacred acts or practices are what make up the spiritual life and attenuate the causes of suffering, as understood by Pantanjali. The eight limbs are broken into moral (yamas) and self- restraints (niyamas) which offer a guideline for the student to conduct their actions in the world. Some of these include: non-violence, non-attachment, truth, contentment, austerity, and self-study. It can be noted that these precepts can also be chosen in response to the impulse urges of the klesas. For example, the feelings of desire (raja) can be counteracted upon by the yama: aparigraha – non-grasping. The following six limbs of yoga prepare the person further for the ecstatic experience of samahdi but as duly noted by Fuerstein, the process of Self-realization is a dedicated one. 

Asana, the most commonly known and practiced in the West, was first practiced as preparation for the following limbs. Asana means seated: the position taken for mediation. It is also the practice of disciplining the body in order to clear the mind. Next, pranayama another popular practice in the West and in the field of relaxation is used to control the life force. Prana, a sacred energy known to animate the body is controlled through techniques also in order for the following practices. Pratyahara, sense withdrawal and probably the first step in disuniting with the body. Followed by dharana and dhyana, both, intense concentration and mediation to further the split between the subject and object. If a shift from the external world is reached then the inner architecture can be said to collapse all together into a state of samahdi. Pantanjali believes it is at this state that a radical distinction can be made between pursa and prakrti. The separating out of the two is what allows for the realization of the eternal Self. 

It becomes more apparent that the pursuit of Self-realization entails a lot more than attending some classes, reading a few books, contorting our bodies and breathing deeply. The process of Self-realization requires the utmost dedication to a goal that is not instant. The faith and surrender involved in this noble endeavor stem first from a person’s ability to refrain from identifying with the mental modifications of the mind – nirodha. Without nirodha, Citta vrriti is the endless spinning on the wheel of karma.