From the Mat: Patanjali's Pearls

 

Wisdom.

It's often presented as precious pearls, each one distinct and beautiful on its own but even more breathtaking when strung together with others.  

Having just completed a Sutra Studies session, I'm drawn to contemplate the one who gave us the sutras, Patanjali, and his pearls of wisdom. 

So who is this Patanjali person and what exactly are the sutras? I'm glad you asked! 

Patanjali was a sage who lived long ago in India. His Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is a collection of 195 Sanskrit aphorisms, or sutras, that some consider a yogic guidebook.

What do these ancient pearls have to offer to modern-day yoga practitioners? Again, glad you asked! 

Patanjali invites us to journey toward self-realization. 

He gives us the keys to unlock the door leading to the light within.

How does he do this?

He tells us about the kleshas, the causes of suffering. We are invited to forgo the things that bring suffering, and redirect the mind toward a positive, peaceful state of equanimity.

He tells us about the two wings of the bird that keep us aloft—abhyasa (perseverance) and vairagya (detachment). Continued effort toward stilling the fluctuations of the mind and conscious detachment from the egoic callings of the world around us will provide stability conducive to success on the yogic path.

He offers the 8 limbs including the yamas and niyamas—the constructs that tell us how to deal with the world around us, and how to deal with and conduct ourselves. The remaining limbs, asana (physical practice), pranayama (moving energy through breathwork), pratyahara (turning the senses inward), dharana (training the mind to meditate), dhyana (meditation), and samadhi (union with the divine) provide many methods for anyone looking to practice yoga the opportunity to participate. 

He tells us we need to be friendly toward the joyful, compassionate toward the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and remain uninvolved with the wicked.  

In the 27th verse of the first chapter of the book he gives us the sound Om, the universal vibration that joins us all together.

He tells us that the goal of yoga is to quiet the mind. When the mind is settled, we find our own essential state—unrestricted consciousness.

He gives us all these tools, all this knowledge to successfully find our way on the yogic journey. 

The big question is: What are we to do with it?

Even after so many centuries, everything is relevant and applicable to the current day-to-day. It’s up to us to use the material to find meaning, add dimension, and elevate our experience in this lifetime. 

Whether we do it or not? That’s up to us.