Summary of Philosophy Class from June 11th 2015
What is philosophy?
Philosophy literally means the love of wisdom.
What are citta vrittis?
These are fluctuations which occur in the mind and often involve the emotions too. In yoga practice we are told that the reason we practice is to stop the fluctuations or citta vrittis.
There are five types of citta vrittis according to the sage Patanjali.
The first is pramana or right vision.
The second is viparyaya or mistaken view. This is what happens when you see reality not as it truly is.
The third is vikalpa or imagination which is based on our interpretations of spoken words without any basis in actual facts.
The fourth is nidra or sleep where the mind is not working. In meditation the mind is conscious and peaceful and this is very different to sleep.
The fifth is Smrti or memory. Distorted memories lead to troublesome thought processes. These block us from experiencing deep meditation.
There are five types of citta vrittis according to the sage Patanjali.
The first is pramana or right vision.
The second is viparyaya or mistaken view. This is what happens when you see reality not as it truly is.
The third is vikalpa or imagination which is based on our interpretations of spoken words without any basis in actual facts.
The fourth is nidra or sleep where the mind is not working. In meditation the mind is conscious and peaceful and this is very different to sleep.
The fifth is Smrti or memory. Distorted memories lead to troublesome thought processes. These block us from experiencing deep meditation.
Which meditation practice is the correct one?
The one that feels right for you. There are many different meditation techniques and each one is suited for different stages of our development. It is good to pursue the one that feels correct for yourself.
What are the eight limbs of yoga?
Yoga is made up of eight limbs - not just asana or posture practice.
The first is yama. These are ethical disciplines such as ahimsa (non-violence, satya (truth) and aparigraha (non-coveting).
The second is niyama. This is self discipline or self purification. Included in niyama is saucha (purity), santosha (contentment), tapas (austerity) and svadhyaya or self study.
The third is asana or posture. The original postures talked about in yoga historically were seated postures used to hold meditation for long periods of time.
The fourth is pranayama or breath control.
The fifth is pratyahara. This is the withdrawal of the senses from the senses and the external world.
The sixth is dharana or concentration. When the mind is in a state of dharana it is stilled.
The seventh is dhyana or meditation. When the flow of concentration is uninterrupted, the yogi reaches a state of dhyana.
The eighth is samadhi. This is the highest state of meditation and the ultimate goal of yoga practice. In samadhi one attains yoga or union.
The third is asana or posture. The original postures talked about in yoga historically were seated postures used to hold meditation for long periods of time.
The fourth is pranayama or breath control.
The fifth is pratyahara. This is the withdrawal of the senses from the senses and the external world.
The sixth is dharana or concentration. When the mind is in a state of dharana it is stilled.
The seventh is dhyana or meditation. When the flow of concentration is uninterrupted, the yogi reaches a state of dhyana.
The eighth is samadhi. This is the highest state of meditation and the ultimate goal of yoga practice. In samadhi one attains yoga or union.
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