Yoga Sutra Reflections Session 57: Samyamah

Integrating Ancient Wisdom in Modern Life: Beauty Of Totality

1. Samyamah is the greatest synthesis of human consciousness, the synthesis of three: dharana, dhyana, samadhi. These three together are called Samyamah, self-control.
2. Self-control means being total in your act. Being total means your physical, mental, intellect, pranic and spiritual energy everything is focused in your act. By being total you will enter into existence, into nirvana. When you are total, the self disappears, that is the beauty of totality.
3. If Self-control becomes one’s lifestyle then at the moment of death one can focus on death in totality and death will be alive, deathlessness. One will realise Life is not the process of death but death is the process of life.
4. But if dust of attachment remains at the moment of death then self-control energy will move in attachment and will not allow to experience deathlessness. But in the next life you will be able to retrieve all your practise of Self-control easily and continue practise.
5. Practise of Self-control one’s inner wisdom will be illuminated. Now Inner wisdom will become the guiding force. It will destroy ignorance and reveal Truth, Self-realisation, to lead us towards Kaivalya.
6. Self-control needs ashtanga marg for practising. If one finds it’s very long and arduous then by surrendering everything to Supreme Consciousness and in gratitude as representative, start living. But it is not that easy as the primary requirement is to surrender Ego. With Ego if we try to surrender then it is not surrendering at all but strengthening Ego.
7. First five limbs of Ashtanga Marg are external and it doesn’t conflict with any religious philosophy. But the last three limbs are internal and its interiority may conflict with one’s practise of religion. So many choose to practise Yoga Sutra up to the first five limbs only.
8. Patanjali says the final three limbs must as it gives you perspective and significance to the first five limbs. It gives them a higher objective, meaning and true purpose to life. Life has no meaning unless you create meaning.
9. Practise of all the eight limbs with Self-control, Samyamah, is Sabeej Samadhi. With the final three limbs also is Sabeej Samadhi but it prepares us to take the jump for Nirbeej Samadhi. As with final three limbs your practise becomes so deep that Samadhi happens on its own, Sahaj Samadhi. At this stage all the seeds of ignorance are destroyed. Sahaj means dropping even Samadhi and Self-control. Practise will be so deep with self-knowledge that there will be no effort required anymore.