Yoga has grown rapidly in popularity and spread all over the world in the last few decades. Yet, most practitioners have difficulty in explaining clearly what yoga is. The message of yoga, relevant to all, has been validated by rational enquiry, reflection and personal effort by many sages over several centuries, and recorded for those to come later, in the Yogasutras of Patanjali and the commentaries on it. The message is relevant to all. The Yogasutras and the commentaries on it represent the selfless effort of many practitioners over centuries to guide those who would follow later in time. The Yogasutras is neither sectarian nor dogmatic. It deals only in psychology and personal transformation. However, it is an authoritative presentation and avoids ambiguity and vagueness. The message stands questioning and can be validated by practice and personal experience.
The stated goal of the ancient science of yoga is complete and permanent freedom from all unhappiness. This goal is achieved when we are able to remain established in a particular state of mind. The word yoga is used to refer to this state of mind—the goal—and the path to reach there. That is, the word yoga is used to refer to both the goal and the means.
Arresting fluctuations
What sort of a state of mind is yoga? The Yogasutras (I.2) define yoga as “arresting the fluctuations of the mind.” That is, yoga is a state of mind where we are entirely free of all involuntary thought and emotion. It is to be without the constant flux of thoughts and emotions that usually run through our minds.
Why would we want to be in this state of mind? The most desirable life goals are attained only in this state of silence within — complete freedom from unhappiness of any nature, undisturbed tranquillity, and unbounded fulfilment. The endless search for pleasure in our lives is but an expression of a deeper search for fulfilment. When we have had our fill, pleasures lose power to attract us. It is only a lack of tranquillity that manifests itself as anxiety, anger and other negative emotions. When we are tranquil, we are free of all resistance and negativity. The classical eight-limbed yoga of Patanjali (II ch, 28th sutra) is the only certain and universal path to tranquillity and fulfilment.
Another way to present the science of yoga is that there exists in us consciousness beyond the flux of thoughts and emotions in our mind. That consciousness within us is the essence of our being, our natural state. It is an unchanging, impartial witness to the changes in our minds all our lives. When the mind is silent, the clear awareness of our consciousness remains unsullied by thought and emotion and remains as it is. At other times, we are no longer the conscious presence beyond our mind; instead we appear to be one with our mind and what is in it.
This mix up of our fluctuating mind and consciousness causes us to lose the experience of our true nature that lies beyond it. This is the source of all unhappiness.
Note that this is not a state where we are unable to think. In contrast, only at that time do we have the ability to use the mind to think clearly and effectively on whatever we choose to, without interruption or agitation, because our attention is no longer continually diverted by the incessant background chatter of the mind.
The same message can be expressed in various ways. Many great people from different cultures have done so over the passage of time. Specifically, it can be validly expressed in terms of many fundamental aspects of human existence: ego, fear or desire, for example. It is important to note this to avoid the confusion that these are fundamentally different paths. The Yogasutras of Patanjali are a clear, structured and rational presentation of this message covering all aspects of it. If you understand the Yogasutras, you will have understood how all the others are but the same message presented from different points of view.
A.G. Mohan and Dr. Ganesh Mohan are yoga practitioners and authors of several books
