Sates of consciousness
- It follows the same order of states of consciousness as mentioned in Upanishad and samkya
- Wakefulness, dream, and the deep state are the first three states, normal for every human being
- The fourth or the super consciousness state or samadhi state is the privilege of ‘yogic’ only
- Yoga’s description is completely based on this state
- It deals with all the different types of supernatural powers (siddhis) that accompany the devotee during the preliminary stage of his concentration and meditation.
- The supernatural or superhuman powers are discussed in detail in the book called Yoga-Sutra
Factors of Personality
- Yoga accepts the samkhya account of human personality and the factors thereof.
- Human personality is a conjunction of spirit and matter, Purusa and Prakriti, the seer and the seen, or the self and the non-self
- The interaction between Purusa and Prakriti brings forth Mahat, from springs Ahankara
- According to Samkhya, Ego is bifurcated into the eleven senses on one hand, and five Tanmantras and five gross elements on the other.
- According to Yoga, the Tanmantras and elements spring forth directly from Mahat- The great one.
- Samkhya calls the entire integral organ Antahkarana, which includes the ten senses, Manas, ego, Bhuddhi.
- Yoga designates the same by Citta
- Citta- Karna and Karya
- Hence, the personality comprises Purusa, the Chitta, and the gross physical body.
- Citta stores up latent Vasanas and Sanskaras
Citta in Yoga
- Citta in Yoga is Mahat of samkhya
- Citta has a number of characteristics
- It differs from Purusa to Purusa (person). Consciousness of Purusa is reflected in chitta, and only then is knowledge produced
- Chitta that is always connected with Purusa and remains constant is called Karana Chitta.
- While its modified form which expands and contracts and assumes different forms from birth to birth is called Karya Chitta
Five types of Cittas
Cittas has various degrees of perfection
Vyasa mention 5 kinds
1)Wandering (Kaipta)– Type moves from one passion to another and lacks concentration
2)Forgetful (Mudha)– Type is overpowered by Tamas and loses its wits
3)The occasionally steady (Viksipta)- distracts type is unstable
The above all types represents the ordinary people, who cittas are imperfect
4)One-Pointed (ekagra)- has favorable condition for attaining samadhi
5)Restrained (niruddha)- Final type is the best of all, whose mind is restrained, and who attains liberation or kaivalyam
Samskara in Yoga
- The word samskara derived from the sanskrit, sam (complete or joined together), kara (action, cause or doing). It is also known as mental impression, habit pattern or recollection.
- Samskara are impressions or imprints formed from previous life experiences. These are often of as seeds planted inour subconscious minds, waiting until we need them to grow into our conscious thoughts and behaviours.
Karmasaya in Yoga
- The potential result of karma that resides in the mind
- Karmasaya is technical word that has been used in the yoga philosophy
- When a particular karma either good or bad is performed, its unseen result ‘lie’ in the mind in a subtle form until its get a suitable opportunity is manifested.
Functions of mind
1) Five fold mental activity
Patanjali states that the activities of 5
- Correct understanding
- Misconception
- Fancy
- Sleep
- Memory
These are constantly only in man,but he has no real master on it.
2) Modification of thinking principle
Yoga teaches 3 methods of modification of thinking principle
- Modification
- Study
- Resignation to God
Modification- overcoming demand of body. Eg; sort of relaxation
Study- collecting information, acquiring knowledge
Resignation to God- helps in looseing the tension in physical and mental relaxation and relief from insecurity
3) Auto-suggestion
- The suggestion is the nature of presentation negative for positive and positive for negative
- Replacing the exact opposite of the negative thoughts process can take place here.
4) Mental distraction
- Patanjali describes a number of conditions that cause the mind to be distracted.
- Nine distractions are- Disease, languor, doubt, carelessness, laziness, world-mindedness, delusion, non-achievement of a stage, and instability
- When the mind is get distracted there occurs mental pain, despair, nervousness,, and hard breathing
- To avoid these distractions one should make the mind steady with the attitude of friendliness, compassion, gladness, indifference towards happiness, misery, virtue, and vice
- Concentrating on higher principle
5) Redirection and sublimation
- Sublimation- transformation in the nature or quality of energy
- It represents the inner movement of energy through which the energy is refined or transformed into superior form of energy with elevated frequency
- Redirection- encourage another point of view to help an individual consider actions and behaviour
Inner Being
It is not the psychic being which you feel, gives you intuition of the things to be or warns you against the result of certain actions.
It consist of
- Inner mind
- Inner vital
- Subtle physical
Outer Being
- Discovering the outer body wellness
- It is the means of expression
- It helps to express true inner personality of light