Explore the Yoga Sutras

The best way to understand the yoga sutras of Patanjali is by reflecting on their meaning and applying them in your yoga practice and daily life.

Can the Yoga Sutras be applied?
One word Yoga Sutra summary: Presence
What is Yoga? Definition from the Yoga Sutra
The essence of yoga: Who am I?
Yoga Sutra summary infographic

Chapter One: Integration (samadhi)

1.1 And now, yoga practice
1.2 Yoga: Regulating my ways of being
1.3 As a result,embodied presence
1.4 Misidentification
1.5 Know your tendencies
1.6 Knowledge, misperception, imagination, sleep and memory
1.7 Knowledge: Direct experience, inference and valid testimony
1.8 Error results from inaccurate perception
1.9 Imagination: Mental activity without experience
1.10 Dreamless deep sleep: Mind is empty of content
1.11 Memory: Retained experiences
1.12 Practice and Release
1.13 Practice: Deliberate intention
1.14 Firmly rooted practice
1.15 Releasing attachments
1.16 Awareness of Truth
1.17 Progression to deep integration
1.18 Integration beyond higher wisdom
1.19 Beyond subtle integration
1.20 Progression to wisdom
1.21 & 1.22 Commitment an intensity
1.23 Surrender the illusion of control
1.24 Unaffected by afflictions, actions or effects
1.25 Unsurpassed seed of omniscience
1.26 Unconditioned by time and unequaled teacher
1.27 & 1.28 Supreme Being, OM, Chanting and Meditation
1.29 Awareness turns inward and disturbances are removed
1.30 Distractions and Obstacles
1.31 Symptoms of the distractions and obstacles
1.32 Single pointed focus
1.33 Friendliness, Compassion, Inspiration & Equanimity
1.34 Focus on exhalations and retentions
1.35 Focus on subtle sense perceptions
1.36 Cultivating the inner light
1.37 Focus on serenity beyond desire
1.38 Insight from dreams
1.39 Focus on anything uplifting
1.40 Insight from smallest to largest
1.41 Pure as crystal
1.42 Integration with reasoning
1.43 Integration beyond conceptualization
1.44 Subtle levels of integration
1.45 Undifferentiated substratum of existence
1.46 Integration states with seed (sabija)
1.47 Purifying integration
1.48 & 1.49 Dwelling in absolute true wisdom
1.50 Impressions of absolute true wisdom
1.51 Supreme integration
Summary of Chapter 1 of the Yoga Sutra: Integration (samadhi)

Chapter Two: Practice (sadhana)

2.1 Yogic action: Enthusiasm, intelligence and humility
2.2 Less afflictions and greater integration
2.3 & 2.4 The five afflictions and their states
2.5 Confusing permanent and impermanent
2.6 Self-centeredness
2.7 & 2.8 Desire and Aversion
2.9 Clinging to life
2.10 Dissolving subtle afflictions
2.11 Meditation counteracts active afflictions
2.12, 2.13 & 2.14 Karma
2.15 Suffering
2.16 Avoiding suffering
2.17 The cause of suffering
2.18 Experiences leading to liberation
2.19 States of manifestation
2.20 Witness
2.21 Experiences for benefit of the Seer
2.22 The world is real
2.23 Differentiate permanent from impermanent
2.24 Identifying with experiences is confusion (avidya)
2.25 Freedom by removing confusion
2.26 Uninterrupted discriminative awareness
2.27 Liberation unfolds in seven stages
2.28 Effects of practicing the eight limbs of yoga
2.29 The eight limbs of yoga
2.30 & 2.31 The Yamas, wise ways for removing strain – Love (ahimsa)
2.30 Yamas: Integrity (satya)
2.30 Yamas: Fairness and Generosity (asteya)
2.30 Yamas: Curiosity and reverence for life (brahmacharya)
2.30 Yamas: Abundance and simplicity (aparigraha)
2.32 The Niyamas, wise ways to remove struggle – Clarity (shaucha)
2.32 Niyamas: Contenment (samtosha)
2.32 Niyamas: Enthusiasm (tapas)
2.32 Niyamas: Wisdom (svadhyaya)
2.32 Niyamas: Humility (ishvara pranidhana)
2.33 Turning things around (pratipaksha bhavana)
2.34 Abstaining from negativity and violence
2.30-2.34 Guidelines for reducing strain and struggle
2.35 Results of love and compassion (ahimsa)
2.36 Results of integrity (satya)
2.37 Results of fairness and generosity (asteya)
2.38 Results of reverence for life (brahmacharya)
2.39 Results of freedom from cravings (aparigraha)
2.40 Effects of clarity I (shaucha)
2.41 Effects of clarity II (shaucha)
2.42 Effects of contentment (santosha)
2.43 Effects of enthusiasm (tapas)
2.44 Effects of wisdom (svadhyaya)
2.45 Effects of humility (ishvara pranidhana)
2.46 Steady and joyful posture
2.47 Releasing struggle and endless integration
2.48 Beyond dualities
2.49 Pranayama: Breath regulation
2.50 Systematic long and subtle breathing
2.51 Breath beyond regulation
2.52 Brighter inner light
2.53 Mind fit for concentration
2.54 Pratyahara, inner sensitivity
2.55 Senses under control
Summary of Chapter 2 of the Yoga Sutra

Chapter Three: Magnificence (vibhuti)

Introduction
3.1 Concentration – dharana
3.2 Meditation – dhyana
3.3 Samadhi – integration
3.4 Meditative integration – samyama
3.5 Direct insight into higher wisdom
3.6 Step by step
3.7 & 3.8 Levels of awareness
3.9 Towards inner silence
3.10 Inner Silence Expands
3.11 Transformation toward integration
3.12 Transformation of unification
3.13 Changes in properties, characteristics and states
3.14 Essence and characteristics
3.15 Perception of changes
3.16 Knowing past and future
3.17 Samyama for Deep communication
3.18 Samyama on impressions (samskaras)
3.19 & 3.20 Samyama on gestures and actions
3.21 & 3.22 Samyama and invisibility
3.23 Samyama and Karma
3.24 Samyama on friendliness
3.25 Samyama and strength
3.26 Samyama on inner light
3.27 Samyama on the sun
3.28 Samyama on the moon
3.29 Samyama on the polestar
3.30 Samyama on the navel
3.31 Samyama on the pit of the throat
3.32 Samyama on the Tortoise Channel
3.33 Samyama on the light in the crown of the head
3.34 Intuitive insight
3.35 Samyama on the heart
3.36 Samyama on difference essence and existence
3.37 Extraordinary intuition and sensitivity
3.38 Caution
3.39 Entering somebody else’s body
3.40 Lightness and levitation
3.41 Radiance
3.42 Divine hearing
3.43 Traveling through space
3.44 The great disembodiment
3.45 Mastery over elements
3.46 Powers, Perfection and Immunity
3.47 Body perfections
3.48 Mastery of the senses
3.49 Mastery of nature
3.50 Supremacy and omniscience
3.51 Releasing attainments
3.52 Resurgence of undesirable consequences
3.53 Wisdom born of discernment
3.54 Essential difference of identical objects
3.55 Freedom from conditioned existence
3.56 Impeccable purity leading to freedom
Summary of Chapter Three of the Yoga Sutra: Magnificence (vibhuti)

Chapter Four: Emancipation (kaivalya)

4.1 Sources of optimal efficiency
4.2 Being is nature flowing
4.3 Life flows according to its potential
4.4 Created minds from sense of self
4.5 Single underlying awareness
4.6 Mind doesn’t generate impressions (samskaras)
4.7 Karma of three kinds
4.8 Manifestation of impressions (samskaras)
4.9 Unique configuration of impressions (samskaras)
4.10 Impressions and desire
4.11 Causes, support and removal of impressions
4.12 Past and future exist in the present
4.13 Characteristics change due to primordial tendencies
4.14 Each unique object is real
4.15 Objects exist independent of being perceived
4.16 Object does not depend on being perceived
4.17 Ways of being influence perception
4.18 Consciousness permeates everything that exists
4.19 Individual consciousness is neither independent nor autonomous
4.20 Pure awareness and world of experience can’t be apprehended simultaneously
4.21 One part of individual consciousness can’t observe itself
4.22 Your fundamental nature is embodied consciousness
4.23 Free awareness reflects Consciousness clearly
4.24 Individual awareness reflects Consciousness without distortion
4.25 The individual self dissolves
4.26 Gravitating toward liberation
4.27 & 4.28 Latent impressions and their removal
4.29 & 4.30 The greatest harmony
4.31 Endless wisdom arises
4.32 Gunas in balance and inactivity
4.33 The illusion of time ceases
4.34 The power of presence
Summary of Chapter Four: Kaivalya (Emancipation)

Weaving the thread of the Yoga Sutra in daily life

Y.O.G.A. S.I.M.P.L.E.
Presence
Improvising and experimenting
Attitude and curiosity
Who do you think you are?
What is my true nature?
What is the most important moment of your life?
Essential question
Returning to your nature
Best friend or worst enemy?
Pause and relax
What do I know?
Learning to learn
Are you a follower?

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