Yoga Sutras and the World of the Human Mind
111 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 5 years ago - ★★★★★ - 13 ratingsSwami Tattwamayananda’s exposition of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras was given at the Vedanta Society of Northern California, San Francisco (founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1900) from October 10, 2014 to December 21, 2018 in a series of 111 lectures. These lectures include a mixture of philosophy both Eastern and Western, history, psychology, comparative theology, mysticism, classical parables, and simple everyday examples.
Patanjali was a great Indian sage who wrote major treatises on Ayurveda, Sanskrit grammar and Yoga. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali contain 195 sutras organized into four chapters. It gives a complete analysis of the mental system, how to transcend mental conflicts by linking the mind to a transcendental spiritual reality and how to become established in our true nature.
The classes are given from the viewpoint of Vedanta, one of the oldest philosophies of the world, which constitute the universal spiritual essence of the Vedas, the foundational scriptures of Hinduism. During the exposition, the Swami has drawn extensively from authentic Sanskrit commentaries and interpretative works like ‘Yoga-Bhasya’ of Vyasa, ‘Tattwa-Vaisharadi” of Vachaspati Mishra, ‘Yoga-Varttika’ of Vijnana Bhikshu, ‘Raja-Martanda’ of Bhoja Raja, ‘Yoga-Sudhakara’ of Sadashivendra Saraswati, with occasional references from ‘Yoga-Maniprabha’ of Ramananda Yati, ‘Patanjala-Yogashastra-Vivarana’ of Sri Shankara, and interpretations of Yoga-aphorisms by Swami Vivekananda and Swami Hariharananda Aranya.
“By the Vedas no books are meant. They mean the accumulated treasury of spiritual laws discovered by different persons in different times.” “The moral, ethical, and spiritual relations between soul and soul and between individual spirits and the Father of all spirits, were there before their discovery, and would remain even if we forgot them." (Paper on Hinduism, Swami Vivekananda, World's Parliament of Religions 1893)
According to this series of classes, the Yoga system of Patanjali reaches its ultimate fulfillment in the conclusions of Vedanta, that there is one all-pervading, immanent, eternal spiritual reality, which is our own true nature.
In the original text of Patanjali the order is 1. Samadhipada 2. Sadhanapada 3. Vibhutipada 4. Kaivalyapada. But in this exposition of the Yoga-sutra the speaker has followed a different order, which seems to be more logical from the standpoint of actual Yoga-sadhana, i.e., 1. Sadhanapada 2. Vibhutipada 3. Samadhipada 4. Kaivalyapada. To help beginners in the study of Yoga philosophy, the basic definitions from the first few aphorisms of Samadhipada are explained at the beginning.
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Episodes
61 – Regulating Relations With All to See God Everywhere | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 23, 2019 01:15 - 55 minutes - 25.3 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The lecture begins with a review of Prarabdha, Sanchita, and Agami Karma. The mind becomes steady when the spiritual idea, the God idea comes automatically. Then, life and death are both spiritual experiences. The four qualities – friendliness, compassion, admiration, and indifference- towards the happy, unhappy, virtuous, and negative help us to regulate all external relations. They are essential for achieving Chitta Prasada, clarity of mind needed for ...
60 – Prarabdha Karma: The Karma Responsible For This Life | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 23, 2019 01:15 - 59 minutes - 54.6 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. By analyzing your own samskaras you get an idea of your previous lives. This is part of the Kamra Vritti Chakram, wheel of actions and tendencies. We get an intuition. Samyama on the distinction between external form and perception allows a yogi to disappear from sight. Swami Vivekananda could memorize a book in one reading due to his concentration. Karma is the residue of an action. There are different kinds of Karma, which are working themselves out,...
59 – Yogic Intuition: Going Beyond Reason in Spiritual Life | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 22, 2019 05:56 - 1 hour - 27.5 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Instinctive concentration does not lead to the freedom of Yogic intuition. At the higher level fo creative work and in mysticism, a faculty of higher intuition develops. It goes beyond reason but it does not contradict reason. You analyze the scriptures with reason, but it doesn’t give the full picture without intuitive understanding. At the highest level, you become one with what you contemplate. By Samyama, we can separate sound, meaning, and our react...
58 – A Yogi Can Cognize the Whole World | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 22, 2019 05:55 - 56 minutes - 25.8 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Patanjali systematically classifies the mental powers that come with mental purity, concentration, Samyama. By Samyama on changes in Dharma, Lakshana, and Avastha, past, present and future become generally clear. Samyama on sound, meaning, and knowledge disentangles the three, allowing understanding of animal sounds. The same Samyama on behavior patterns of people around, allow detection of Samskaras and past lives. Verses: III.16, III.17, III.18
57 – Krishna’s Smile: Intuitive Understanding of Past, Present, Future | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 22, 2019 05:55 - 1 hour - 27.8 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Yogic powers are nothing supernatural, they are a natural consequence of mental purity and concentration. That’s why Swami Trigunatitanandaji felt quite certain that Jesus Christ was a yogi and a painting installed on the altar with Christ in a Yoga posture. The thirteenth sutra mentions changes in Dharma, Form, Lakshana, time, and Avastha, state. By taking the position of witness and becoming detached we can gain insight, through Samyama, into the past, ...
56 – All Past Impressions Washed Off | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 22, 2019 05:54 - 1 hour - 28.8 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Swami describes once again the lake of accumulated samskaras, impressions, and memories, which constitute our character. The practice of Yamas and Niyamas can take us out of the trap of these accumulated tendencies. Even if we cannot, we can surrender ourselves to God. Then we can move towards the positive, naturally, the negative go away. If you are a Buddhist, you don’t need to be concerned about this option that Patanjali points out. Their goal of Ni...
55 – Where Do Our Invisible Mental Blocks Come From? | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 22, 2019 05:54 - 58 minutes - 26.7 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The lecture begins with a review of the great contributions of the Indian sage Patanjali. The three Klesas, distractions are Raga, obsessive attachment, Dvesa, obsessive hatred, and Abhinvesa, fear. Their root is Avidya and Asmita, Ignorance and Identification with experiences. It seems simple to identify with our transcendental dimension and therefore end all difficulties but in reality, an endless cycle of Karma, Vritti, Samskara, Vasana from past lives...
54 – Reaching Freedom: Facing all Temptations with Indifference | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 22, 2019 05:53 - 1 hour - 31.4 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Nirodha-Parinama is the highest level of mental transformation. Sankhya philosophy’s explanation of the creation of the world is reviewed. Transformation also takes place at the level of our mind. At the highest level, we have perfect awareness with the ability to choose to focus on things with freedom. By this power, all of our Samskaras and obstacles get conquered. With the practice of Yamas and Niyamas, these conflicts will be much reduced. Still, e...
53 – Effortlessness is the Sign of Freedom | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 21, 2019 19:57 - 53 minutes - 24.6 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The practice of Yamas and Niyamas determines whether concentration leads to freedom or to slavery. In Samadhi-Parinama, one great meditative Vritti is able to counter the multifarious vrittis to a great extent. It is a blissful, effortless thought current which is natural to the mental system. At the stage of Ekagrata-Parinama, we reach Samprajnata Samadhi and mental conflicts are settled. The rest of the lecture discusses the fundamental philosophical qu...
52 – The Emergence of a Secondary Personality | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 21, 2019 19:57 - 1 hour - 30.4 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The four fundamental values of Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha are discussed. Yoga sutras teach the method for treating the disease of Sarvarthata, mind chasing after every kind of thing by indirectly purifying the mental system through the practice of Yamas and Niyamas. Ekagrata, one-pointedness, allows us to learn from our experiences. In spiritual life, we actually develop a secondary personality, which witnesses the first personality and slowly develo...
51 – Problem of Fragmentation of Mind | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 21, 2019 05:53 - 58 minutes - 26.8 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The lecture begins with a review of the contributions of the Indian Sage Patanjali. Then, the stages of mental concentration are reviewed. In the context of Vibhuti Pada, it is a transition from Sarvarthata, many-pointedness, to Ekagra, one-pointedness, and finally to Nirodha, transcendence. The distinction between deep sleep and Nirodha is a question of being aware of your experience. Verses: III.11, III.12, III.9
50 – Prajna: Attaining the Light of Pure Awareness | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 20, 2019 23:36 - 57 minutes - 26.2 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Shankaracharya’s enormous accomplishments stemmed in part from his single-pointed focus. In Ashtanga Yoga, we get disciplined in Yamas and Niyamas, moral excellence, then at the physical level you are able to exert tremendous energy without strain, and Samyama gives mental equilibrium. As a result, we develop a new perspective, which is not based on practical benefit. We gain Prajna, a clear stream of thought which is not obstructed. It is knowledge esta...
49 – Yearning For Freedom and Spiritual Transformation | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 20, 2019 23:35 - 58 minutes - 26.8 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Higher concentration can intensify evil tendencies. Our real level of evolution can be judged by the natural characteristics of the mind. Yamas and Niyamas prepare us for spontaneous effortlessness. The stages of Samyama correspond to different stages of effort, with Samadhi being effortless. The desire for transcendence, Mumukshutvam or love for a higher ideal naturally brings Yamas and Niyamas. Verses: III.4, I.23
48 – A Genius’s Natural Concentration Versus a Yogi’s Free Concentration | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 20, 2019 23:34 - 1 hour - 29 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. A genius has a natural concentration in one area of specialization. A yogi has control over his concentration. He can concentrate on any topic he chooses. With both, there is effortlessness, but a Yogi has complete alertness and control of his will. A yogi has freedom. In ordinary natural concentration, there is slavery to the object of concentration. The difference comes from the foundation of Yamas, Niyamas, and Vairagya. Dharana and Dhyana can trans...
47 – The Language of Samadhi is Silence | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 20, 2019 23:25 - 55 minutes - 25.4 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The importance of Yamas as an ethical foundation and Niyamas as a way of conserving energy is reviewed. Without them, the practice of advanced Asanas and Pranayamas can be dangerous. Pratyahara is reviewed and Swami expands on the notion that the mental power to restrain the senses must be greater than the restlessness of the body energy. The topic of Samadhi is defined as the transcendental dimension of Dhyana, meditation. There, the subject, object, an...
46 – Fixing the Mind on One Point | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 20, 2019 23:24 - 57 minutes - 26.2 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The distinction between Dharana, attempting to fix the mind on one thought, and Dhyana, the continuous uninterrupted fixing of the mind on one point is made. Dharana is also called Manana, continuous contemplation around a single idea or sutra in the context of Vedanta practice. The levels of Mantra practice are reviewed in this context. At the highest level of concentration, subject, object, and the process of knowing merge. A review of Sankhya philosop...
45 – The Mind Becomes Your Inner Guide | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 20, 2019 05:31 - 1 hour - 28.8 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Turning the mind inward and away from the senses forces us to confront our tendencies and impressions. These have been accumulated from innumerable life cycles. When we are able to be fully established in Pratyahara, the mind then becomes our spiritual guide. In ordinary contemplation, we provide a counterfocus for the mind. In Dharana, the mind is held at a point such as the lotus of the heart. Shankara gives a practical suggestion for beginners. Medi...
44 – Pratyahara: Turning the Mind Inward | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 20, 2019 05:31 - 1 hour - 32.9 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Pranayama practiced with Yamas, Niyamas, and detachment lead to concentration. Otherwise, it leads to excitement and restlessness. Pratyahara is the ability to withdraw the mind from the senses. When that happens, we are no longer enslaved by the senses. Instead, our mind flows in the opposite direction. One result is we have the ability to concentrate because sense distractions cannot take our mind away. With this kind of concentration on ideas and t...
43 – Stages of Pranayama: Harmonization of Breath and Energy | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 20, 2019 02:20 - 1 hour - 27.6 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. With the perfection of Yamas, Niyamas, and Asanas one becomes qualified to practice pranayama, breath control. Four stages of pranayama are discussed. An example from the life of Sri Ramakrishna of the highest stage of Pranayama is given. It can be very dangerous to practice such techniques without a teacher and requisite Yamas and Niyamas. Verses: II.49, II.50, II.51
42 – Deep Contemplation: Perfect Study and Effortless Posture | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 20, 2019 02:13 - 1 hour - 29.5 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Self-study, Svadhyaya, can be interpreted as mantra repetition, Japa. The four stages of mantra experience from the gross verbal level to the highest experience are explained. Perfect surrender to God yields the highest perfection in Samadhi, concentration. At this stage of studying the sutras, we start to gain a deeper understanding of the previous sutras. Asana, posture, becomes steady and effortless when the mind concentrates steadily on a transcenden...
41 – Niyamas: Utilization of Mental Energy | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 20, 2019 01:58 - 58 minutes - 26.6 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The Chittam, mental reservoir, accumulates tendencies and impressions from all of our previous life cycles. It is like a lake with many layers. A great spiritual seeker who has become completely pure will be able to see to the bottom of the lake - the eternal present. Aparigraha, total independence cleans up the lower layers of the lake. Becoming indebted to others robs us of spirituality. Saucha, external purity leads to detachment from physicality. I...
40 – The Natural Consequences of Perfection in Yamas | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 20, 2019 01:33 - 1 hour - 30.7 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Nonviolence can be practiced at three different levels. At the highest level of all ethical disciplines, they become a natural characteristic. The words of a person perfected in truthfulness, Satya, have great potency. When a person has perfected lack of theft, Asteya, all jewels come to him. In order to progress, these temptations must be renounced by connecting to a higher ideal. A person established in continence, Brahmacharya, gains higher powers. ...
39 – Ahimsa or Nonviolence: Direct and Indirect | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 20, 2019 01:32 - 1 hour - 29.1 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Posture becomes steady when we keep one transcendental thought, which is beyond body consciousness. Even indirect approval of evil creates mental obstacles in meditation. Each discipline has three stages of practice: beginning, practicing and perfected. The special example of Ahimsa is discussed. Vyasa explains that you will get back what you have given. This thought will protect you from temptation. Verses: II.33, II.34
38 – Countering the 27 Types of Mental Pollution | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 20, 2019 01:32 - 57 minutes - 26.2 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The Yamas, ethical disciplines, form the basis of spiritual culture. The Niyamas, practices of purity and concentration, generate energy. Niyamas without Yamas can be dangerous. A spiritual seeker becomes aware of his Vitarkas, negative thought currents. By holding to a high spiritual ideal, we automatically counter all negative thought currents. The 27 types of negative thought currents are discussed and we are reminded of the great danger of being te...
37 – Yamas Form Foundation, Niyamas Generate Positive Energy | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 20, 2019 00:25 - 1 hour - 30.6 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The obstacles we face in spiritual life are signposts. They tell us what we need to do to progress. Asana, posture, should be steady and pleasant. A real teacher will tell you the dangers of practicing complicated Pranayama, breathing exercises. The Yamas are discussed. Satya, truthfulness, should be spoken of but in a pleasant way. All five Yamas, Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya, Aparigraha, nonviolence, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence, and...
36 – Seven Stages of Spiritual Discernment, Ashtanga Yoga as the Method | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 19, 2019 19:40 - 1 hour - 28.5 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The lecture begins with a review of the goal of yoga, the power of Kriya-Yoga, selfless action, self-study, and self-surrender, the Kleshas, obstacles that we encounter, and how the Yoga Sutras teach us the tricks of the mind to allow us to get out of the bondage of our obsessions. The cause of suffering is the mistaken identification with material nature and the method of liberation is discerning insight, Viveka-Khati, Prajna, or complete awareness. The s...
35 – Spiritual Awakening: Viveka-Khyati | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 19, 2019 19:39 - 54 minutes - 25.1 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. When a person reaches the stage of Parinama Duhkha, a divine discontentment, then spiritual discernment liberates from the ignorance of our true nature. In Vedanta, we say that each soul is potentially divine. The goal is to manifest the divinity within by controlling nature, both external and internal. This can be done through Karma-Yoga, selfless action, Bhakti-Yoga, love of God in everything and everybody, or Raja-Yoga, psychic control as described in ...
34 – Spiritual Sleep: Avidya | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 19, 2019 19:39 - 59 minutes - 27.4 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Nirodha does not mean the destruction of human sensitivity but developing a higher spiritual sense. A great spiritual teacher’s lack of Samyoga allows him to filter out the negative but without being insensitive. The Yogi is able to control his reactions to experiences. He can handle all five Kleshas, distractions. These Kleshas are accumulated from previous actions. They form a conspiracy against you doing what you intellectually know will be good for ...
33 – World is a Gymnasium, You Don’t Live in a Gymnasium | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 19, 2019 19:38 - 1 hour - 27.7 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Yoga and Vedanta do not remove problems, they help us to confront them from a different perspective. The world is your gymnasium. You don’t live in a gymnasium but you use it. By Samyoga, the identification with the world, we are led step by step to transcending the world. It is not nature that is a problem, it is our ignorance about our relationship to nature and our true nature that creates a problem. Sometimes the world gives us blows to help us to e...
32 – The Whole Universe is a Vehicle for Our Realization of Freedom | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 19, 2019 06:56 - 1 hour - 31.3 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Self-awareness of our knowledge allows it to become practically useful and to become wisdom. Freedom is a state of inner completeness beyond the desire for any further freedom. The Sankhya theory of creation enumerates the categories of material and mental nature. This whole world is an instrument that helps us to realize our true nature. This nature is explained in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad as a dialogue between Janaka and Yajnavaklya. It is Atma-Jyoti...
31 – The Nature of Awareness and Self-Awareness | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 19, 2019 06:55 - 59 minutes - 27.3 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The seer can be found in the waking, dreaming, and deep sleep states. This is analyzed in the Mandukya Upanishad. In Vedanta, that which is changing is not absolutely real. The seen objects change, but the seer does not change. The process of knowing in Yoga and Vedanta has to be divided into the knowledge of an object and knowing that you know the object. In Vedanta, these two processes come together. When we get an intuitive knowledge of the self-awa...
30 – Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas Gunas | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 19, 2019 06:55 - 1 hour - 30.1 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The witness is aware but not a participant. This idea is common to both Buddhism and Vedanta. In the Bhagavad Gita, it is explained that you should be able to see inaction in action. You should see that your senses and mind are engaged in action but that Atman itself is not involved in action. The three gunas – sattva, rajas, tamas – are explained and the process by which we develop more sattva guna is also explained. Verse: II.18
29 – The Mind is a Magnet: The Power of a High Ideal | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 19, 2019 06:54 - 53 minutes - 24.4 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The lecture begins with the story of how Indra disguised himself as a pig and enjoyed life with a she-pig and children. The other angels came and pierced the body of the pig and he laughed and immediately understood his situation. In the same way, when higher Duhkha comes, there can be a quantum leap in our perspective. We get identified with our body and mind. Vyasa says mind functions as a magnet attracting objects according to its nature. When we pur...
28 – Try to Worry About Something Higher | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 19, 2019 06:49 - 57 minutes - 26.2 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Culture begins when we start looking for something higher. That is Parinama Duhkha and it is the prerequisite for yoga. We can indeed acquire a new perspective. Life and death are a continuous process of spiritual growth over many lifecycles. The classical example of Jada Bharata, the King who was reborn as a deer and then as a man who had this Duhkha. The cause of this Duhkha is the identification between the seer and the seen. A dog will enjoy a piec...
27 – Raja-Rishi: Both a King and a Sage | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 19, 2019 02:13 - 1 hour - 31.6 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Duhkha is not a negative philosophy of life, it takes a realistic and complete view. Sankhya philosophy explains the evolutes of material nature both mental and physical. Our difficulty is that we identify with these and forget our transcendental dimension, Atman. We can eradicate suffering by having a comprehensive perspective toward the reality of our life. We break the identification between the seer and the seen. Such a person does not become inacti...
26 – The Greatest Bliss is Desirelessness | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 18, 2019 19:57 - 1 hour - 31.6 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The lecture begins with the second topic of Sadhanapada: Duhkha-Caturvyuha. It goes into detail about the nature of suffering. By evolving a higher sense of suffering, we evolve spiritually. At first, we suffer from Samsara-Duhkha, the results of our evil tendencies accumulated from previous lives, and Tapa-Duhkha, the constant fluctuation of the mental system. Parinama Duhkha is the sense that even while surrounded by wealth, friends, and happy situatio...
25 – Review: The World of Human Mind | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 18, 2019 19:40 - 1 hour - 28.4 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The lecture begins with a review of the structure of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. The sutras teach us how to befriend the mind and achieve a state of perfect mental poise. The psychological obsessions of Raga, Dvesa, and Abhinivesa are reviewed. The five stages of concentration are also reviewed. The sum total of all these mental tendencies you have accumulated by action is called your Karmashaya. The Samskaras can come from this life or the previous life...
24 – The Sensitive Eye of the Yogi | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 17, 2019 05:55 - 1 hour - 34.2 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Viveka means the ability to understand what is real and worthwhile. The first kind of Duhkha, suffering, described in the fifteenth sutra is Parinama Duhkha. It is the understanding that happy and unhappy experiences are changeable. Yudhishthira says in the Mahabharata that the greatest wonder is that every day we see people dying, but we think we will be immortal. This Duhkha is possible only for Yogis and people with spiritual insight. Tapa Duhkha is ...
23 - Avoiding Future Suffering by Identifying the Source of Suffering | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 17, 2019 05:55 - 1 hour - 29.9 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. In Sadhana, the first step is selfless action, Kriya Yoga. The second part of the Sadhanapada discusses the quadrangle of Dukha, suffering. Suffering comes from constant slavery to changeable sensory experiences. Ultimately, the awakening of Viveka-khyati, discerning wisdom, removes the root of this suffering. The ethical disciplines of Yama and Niyama lead us away from pampering the senses. The sixteenth sutra mentions how we are able to avoid future s...
22 - Every Day You Can Start a New Life | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 17, 2019 05:54 - 1 hour - 32.5 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Through selfless action, Kriya Yoga, we begin the process of weakening our obstacles. Through meditation, we nullify their external manifestations. Through Pratiprasava, counter-evolution, we find the subtle causes of our obstacles. Yoga gives solutions and methods for changing your destiny by evolving your Karmashaya, your accumulated tendencies constituting your character. A simple story is narrated to drive the point home. Spiritualizing all of our s...
21 - Why Do We Behave the Way We Behave? | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 17, 2019 05:00 - 58 minutes - 26.9 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Patanjali explains the reason why we behave the way we behave through the concept of Karmashaya. It is the sum total of all the residual effects of all positive and negative actions we have performed in this life or in previous lives. According to Mimamsa philosophy, these residual effects also have a cosmic dimension in determining the circumstances we may encounter in the world. Yoga teaches that knowing this, we can change our destiny. The practical a...
20 – Countering Negativity | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 17, 2019 04:51 - 1 hour - 28.1 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The lecture begins by pointing out the trap of Raga, Dvesa, and Abhinivesa that we are in. In order to counter this self-defeating negativity, Patanjali recommends Pratiprasava, counter-evolution. When we are able to track the cause of our hatred, obsessive attachment, or fear back to experiences in this life or previous lives, immediately we start becoming free from it. For spiritual seekers, surrender to our inmost transcendental nature by opening the h...
19 – Transcending Fear and Obsessions | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 17, 2019 04:50 - 1 hour - 28 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The lecture begins with a review of the three common types of Kleshas: Raga, obsessive attachment, Dvesa, obsessive hatred, and Abhinivesa, fear. Through the tracks of Vrittis and Samskaras, we travel back to memories of fear, hatred, or attachment. Real happiness comes when we reach transcendental joy or blissfulness. This link to transcendental joy is illustrated in the Katha Upanishad by the three boons Nachiketa asks of Yama. He evolves from asking f...
18 – Who am I? | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 17, 2019 04:50 - 1 hour - 29.1 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The lecture begins by explaining Asmita, the apparent identity of the seer and the seen. This allows Raga, obsessive attachment to enslave us. At the same time, Dvesa, obsessive hatred comes to enslave us. Swami gives the famous imagery of a chariot from the Katha-Upanisad to explain the power of controlling the senses and linking the mind to Atman, our transcendental nature. Lastly, Abhinivesa, the fear of death can also be countered by the knowledge of...
17 – Our Misinterpretation of What We Are | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 17, 2019 04:35 - 1 hour - 30.8 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The lecture begins with explaining Yoga philosophy and Vedanta philosophy’s approaches to defining our fundamental misunderstanding that we are a psychophysical mechanism. We take the unreal to be the real. In Yoga, this is a cognitive error, but in Vedanta, this is taken as a fundamental category for the explanation of reality. Then the power of genuine surrender to God is illustrated by the example of a bohemian turned into a saint through contact with ...
16 – Attaining Inner Contentment and Clarity of Mind | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 17, 2019 04:35 - 1 hour - 28.9 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The lecture begins by reminding us of the importance of the doctrine of reincarnation. The four external relations of Maitri, Karuna, Mudhita, Upeksha are once again recommended to counter the psychological obstacles of spiritual life. Citta Prasada, inner contentment, is the goal. It is to be obtained through Pratyak Cetana, awakening to our transcendental nature. The method is Japa, repetition of a holy name, with concentration on the meaning. Four lev...
15 – Your Best Friend is Happy When You Are Happy | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 17, 2019 04:20 - 1 hour - 29.1 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Ignorance, Avidya, is discussed from the viewpoint of Yogacara Buddhist philosophy, Yoga Philosophy, and Vedanta. In Vedanta, there is no evil, there is only error. The solution to the obstacles that we face when we take to spiritual life is sticking to one ideal of practice, Abhyasa, and dispassion, Vairagya. Four fundamental relations regulate external contact. Maitri is being friendly with those who are happy when you make progress in spiritual life. ...
14 – Becoming Aware of Your Obstacles | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 17, 2019 04:15 - 59 minutes - 27.2 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The root distraction, Klesa, is Avidya, ignorance of our true nature. The Vedantic idea that Avidya consists of concealment of truth and then a projection of a false superimposition is explained as the root of all Klesas. When you start your spiritual life, you start swimming against the natural current so psychological obstacles start being felt. The main ones are disease, conflicts, doubts, carelessness, laziness, inability to renounce old pleasure seek...
13 – Neutralizing Obsessive Distractions | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 17, 2019 04:14 - 53 minutes - 24.7 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The three aspects of Kriya yoga -Tapah, self-control, Svadhyaya, self-study, and Ishvara-pranidhana, self-surrender – are reviewed. Then, the distractions, Klesas, of obsessive attachment, Raga, obsessive hatred, Dvesa, and fear, Abhinivesa are explained. Attempting to practice the disciplines of Kriya yoga neutralize Klesas. As a result, an inner filtering mechanism develops to counter our negative tendencies. Verses: II.1, II.2, II.3
12 – Using Actions to Turn away from the Senses | Patanjali Yoga Sutras | Swami Tattwamayananda
February 16, 2019 19:58 - 1 hour - 27.8 MBLecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Vairagya, dispassion, means saying no to sense pleasures and the instinctive tendencies of the mind. Four stages of Vairagya are described. The real meaning of Nirodha is not a wishing away of negative realities but putting an end to false identification. Tapah, self-control, Svadhyaya, self-study, and Ishvara-pranidhana, self-surrender constitute Kriya yoga. Tapah is not a military discipline, which brings the mind down to the level of the body. Svadhy...