Yoga is practised by millions of people all over the world. It is recommended by health professionals and it is backed by a number of scientific studies which prove its health benefits.
Nowadays yoga is predominantly presented as a form of fitness. It is part of the health and wellbeing industry, as a way to improve both your body and mental performance.
However, is this the yoga as it was originally conceived? And if not, what is really Yoga?
Yoga is a very ancient spiritual discipline. It was born in India thousands of years ago as a path to achieve enlightenment. Body postures (asanas) and breathing exercises (Pranayama) were a preparation for meditation (dhyan) which was meant to lead to the highest state of consciousness (samadhi). In order to practise Yoga today, there is no need to be in search of enlightenment and you can still hugely benefit from it. However, it is fascinating to discover what yoga is, in its original form.
Arguably the most important figure in the yoga tradition is Pantajali. He is known for compiling the Yoga Sutras, a collection of aphorisms (or words of wisdom), which constitutes the foundation of classical yoga and it is one of the most important text in Hindu tradition. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras are like a yoga guidebook, a text which has served as the bedrock for generations of yoga teachers and yoga traditions down the centuries.
This classical text fell into oblivion but the contemporary Indian mystic Osho, commented on it in 1976, thus contributing to revive this ancient tradition and uncover its original message. Osho’s comments have been collected in a series of books called Yoga: the Alpha and the Omega, a staggering 10 volumes packed with wisdom. Interestingly, many modern yoga Master Trainers, study Osho’s commentary to understand yoga.
Osho’s comments are remarkable as they are able to translate the ancient and forgotten wisdom of yoga into modern language, digestible for the contemporary mind. Approaching Patnjali’s quotes directly would be arduous. Via the lens of Osho’s intelligence, it is possible to make sense of this timeless body of knowledge.
So let’s dive into some surprising key concepts presented by Osho commenting Pantanjali.
Yoga is Cessation of the Mind
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras define yoga as “cessation of the mind”. There are so many different definitions of yoga but this is certainly the most radical. Osho says that yoga in its purest essence is mastery of the mind. In this perspective yoga’s focus shifts from body postures to consciousness. Hence yoga is not about forcing the body in a particular position or performing great body movements. It might be possible to have the most incredible body posture but if the mind goes on functioning, that is not yoga, the whole point is missed.
Osho presents Patanjali’s yoga as a discipline concerned with consciousness; as a way to master the mind and achieve a state of no-mind.
Yoga is a Discipline, Not a Therapy
This is an important distinction. Many health professionals and even yoga teachers refer to yoga as a therapy. However, Osho says that a therapy is needed for people with a particular condition; whereas a discipline is for everyone, regardless of your health. In fact, a discipline like yoga can really help only healthy people. Therapy is like patching up – fixing an individual to make him/her function in society. This is not the main purpose of Pantanjali’s yoga. Of course yoga can help you find emotional balance and face life challenges with more strength and confidence. But yoga, intended as a spiritual discipline, is for those who are seeking something beyond this reality; for those who have experienced the futility of mundane life and are looking at ways how to transcend it.
Unity of Body and Mind
According to Osho, one of the greatest discovery of Patanjali is that mind and body are a single entity: bodymind. Mind is the subtle part of the body, and the body is the gross part of the mind. Whatever happens in the body influences the mind and vice-versa.
By deeply understanding the interconnection between body and mind, yoga acts simultaneously on both levels. After thousands of years, modern science has come to the same conclusion when talking about psychosomatic approach to the human being.
Patanjali is a Scientist
Osho says that Patanjali’s approach to yoga is scientific, logical, mathematical. Patanjali presents the path of yoga as a scientific method, a step by step guide, that leads to Enlightenment like a mathematic equation. It is not the work of a poet, it is not art or religion, rather a comprehensive system for total transformation based on practice. It is an absolutely logical, systematic and pragmatic pathway towards self-realisation.
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are not for the masses
Osho says that the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are pure, meaning that they have not been manipulated or interpolated. The reason is that this text was not intended for the masses, unlike the Gita, the Bible or the Buddhist texts. It is more like a scientific treatise, devised only for experts, for a closed circle, for selected few. In fact, Osho notices, no religion has come out of it, no organisation, no ‘church’.
So yoga has become a hugely popular practice nowadays and for all the good reasons. And even if you approach yoga as a form of physical activity, you will benefit from it. However, if you are looking into something more like a spiritual discipline, then the Yoga Sutras of Pantanjali might be for you. And if you find them hard to digest, then go for Osho’s commentary.
Francesco Gatti
fragatti@hotmail.com
Swaram has practised meditation for over 20 years and is a certified Osho Active Meditation facilitator. He holds a MA in Philosophy, a Diploma in Gestalt-Counselling, and he is a qualified journalist, a qualified school teacher and an independent blogger.
He teaches Osho Active Meditation in London. His website is www.loveosho.co.uk.
