Yoga Sutra Reflections Session 35: Pratiprasava – Dhyan

Integrating Ancient Wisdom in Modern Life: Bring Every Effect to the Cause

1. There are four stages to overcoming the influence of kleshas (Spiritual Ignorance): dormant, attenuated, separated and active.
2. Science says work on cause and effect will follow. This is for the objective world. But when we start working on ourselves to reunite with Supreme Consciousness again – Religion says work on effect and cause will appear. Process of reunion with self, Supreme Consciousness is called Pratiprasava. 
3. Pratiprasava is a very, very significant process. It is the process of reabsorbing back to the cause, bringing effect back to the cause; the process of involution. Patanjali is not teaching ordinary morality. Patanjali is teaching the very root of all religion, the very science of religion. He says, ‘Bring every effect to the cause. And the cause is always un-alertness, unawareness, Avidya. Become aware, and everything disappears.
4. If we want to finish spiritual ignorance there are three steps – Create Active tendencies subtle, weak by Kriya Yoga. Weak and subtle tendencies are made dormant with Dhyana Yoga. Dormant tendencies are attenuated with Nir-Bija Samadhi.
5. Whenever we get any feeling we either express and suppress it both creates conflict either with others or with self. By Kriya Yoga you can hold expression and suppression. This is called austerity, self-discipline. As you are not expressed or suppressed then how to deal with feeling? Countering the feelings by dilution, generalisation and distortion with Swadhyaya you can address the feeling, you can direct the feeling. For addressing the feeling one needs to observe the thought behind the action called Prati-Paksh. Prati Paksha is the process of observing, naming and titling the feelings – Raga/Attachment, Dvesha/Aversion and Abhinivesah/Fear of death, Clinging to life, can bring awareness of thought behind the action.
6. Attachment is held temporary, permanently. You feel aversion to whatsoever you dislike. Fear of death and cling to life is because we feel we are separate individuals. Becoming aware of temporary, own dislike and separation from self will help to transcend Attachment, Aversion and Fear. If still you are not able to deal then surrender to the universe and leave his deeds to him.
7. Dhyana Yoga will help to finish these weak and subtle tendencies and convert to seed form. Now thought and feeling are not there but the seed is there, dormant.
8. The seeds burnt, attenuated in the fire of knowledge do not germinate and the impression of spiritual ignorance ends, called Nir-Bija Samadhi. With this seeker reunite with Supreme Consciousness again.