A Mindful Yoga Approach to Weight Loss

The Spiritual path – is simply the journey of living our lives. Everyone is on a spiritual path; most just don’t know it.


- Marianne Williamson

I sometimes get a little overzealous in reminding people that yoga is a spiritual discipline. When I am asked about subjects such as weight loss, I often tell people that they need to seek elsewhere. If the extent of your interest in yoga is physical, there are other forms of exercise, dietary disciplines or psychological interventions. Yoga is about realizing our true nature as beings of consciousness. It is about the union of the individual soul, jivatman, with the universal soul, Paramatman. However, I’ve been rethinking my position.

You don’t have to have a lofty spiritual goal to practice yoga. You certainly don’t have to subscribe to a belief system. However, you need to be aware that the yoga path may awaken a deeper awareness within you. It will challenge your habitual ways of thinking about yourself. Some yoga teachers have tried to take the spiritual elements out of their yoga classes. Some have dispensed with Om chanting for instance. The popular emphasis seems to be on the physical postures, the asanas of hatha yoga. Traditionally, however, these are preparatory practices for the deeper levels if inner yoga. Asanas are meant to take us beyond the body. Meditation takes us beyond the mind.

A Mindful Yoga approach to weight loss incorporates all aspects of our beings: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. Just as psychological symptoms, life threatening disease, or other life crises can open us to a deeper perspective on our lives, a weight problem might be an invitation to look more deeply into whom we are and the meaning of our lives.

Then again maybe not . . . It’s up to you whether you are willing to inquire more deeply into yourself. First of all yoga will teach you that you are not your body. The body is the material vehicle through which the conscious soul experiences this life. It is a temporary flawed expression of your innate timeless perfection. As such it is also perfect. Mindfulness begins with a loving acceptance of what is. If you hate your body and you identify with your body then this is where you start: by going deeper and finding the compassionate awareness of your soul.

The next thing that yoga will teach you is that you are not your emotions. You are not the victim of your emotions either. Through the practice of mindful awareness you become aware of emotions as energy which moves through you. You don’t have to react to negative emotions like anger and resentment, guilt and shame. You can simply let them be present in your awareness. This is where we move deeper into the inner witnessing awareness. I wish I could tell you that this is easy. I can tell you that it gets better with practice.

Yoga will also teach you that you are not your thoughts. Just as we are aware of bodily sensations and the world of the five senses, of emotional energy which we might express or suppress, we are also aware of thoughts as they pass through our minds. Although it might be easy to understand that we are not bodies – we tend to say “I have a body.” It is harder to not identify with our emotions – we tend to say “I am angry.” It is harder still not to identify with our habitual thought patterns.

When you say something like, “I am too fat.” Who are you referring to? The “real you” is not too fat, not too skinny but just right. The real you is “loving awareness,” to quote Ram Das. Be as you truly are. Recognize yourself as the pure awareness beyond this seeming space-time matrix. Then if you still feel the need to work on your weight:

1. Become more physically active. Do dynamic hatha yoga practices as prescribed in Asana, Pranayama, Mudra, Bandha. Take walks, run if you are able. Dance! Do “laughter yoga!”

2. Become more aware of your eating habits. Pay attention to your energy levels. What foods make you feel truly nourished, truly healthy and attuned to your inner being? Fast one meal per week and pay attention to your thoughts and emotions. Forget fast food. Limit sweets.

3. Focus yourself mentally on spiritual goals, on meaning and purpose in your life, on God or Enlightenment. Practice meditation on a daily basis.  Specifically the practice of Yoga Nidra with a carefully formulated sankalpa will be helpful.  (Refer to my earlier post Yoga Nidra and the Importance of Relaxation

for more information.)

The Significance of Dreams and Dream Consciousness

The first step in dream practice is quite simple:
One must recognize the great potential the dream holds for
the spiritual journey.
- Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche

Every night we sleep and dream. Many people report not remembering dreams but sleep research tells us that we all dream whether we remember or not. There are different theories regarding the reason and purpose for dream activity. However, it is generally agreed that we process information through dreams. We take in an immense amount of information through our senses daily, a great deal of which we are unaware of on a conscious level. Dreams seem to be a way for our brain/minds to organize, prioritize and “file” this information. We also process emotions in our dreams. Recurrent dreams or nightmares seem to present us with emotional material that remains unresolved within our psyches. Emotionally charged dreams are easier to remember when we wake up.

Freud famously referred to dreams as “the royal road to the unconscious.” He recognized that dreams represent the working of an autonomous process within the psyche which is generally unknown to the conscious ego. Within Freudian theory this unconscious process revolves around our more primitive drives of sex and aggression, suppressed by our super-egos which are the psychic products of civilized culture. In “Civilization and It’s Discontents,” he writes, “It is impossible to overlook the extent to which civilization is built upon a renunciation of instinct.” So, psychoanalysis was developed as a way of helping neurotic individuals come to terms with their primitive drives within the context of civilized society.

Some dreams, however, seem to convey a significance which is not simply primitive and instinctual. As Jung recognized, they also represent an inner process of healing and spiritual development. For Jung dream symbols represented a deeper process of moving towards wholeness, self-realization or individuation. It is not just primitive instincts that we need to integrate consciously to heal but also spiritual potentials. Thus, dreams help us to find meaning and purpose in life. Other psychologists have gone on to develop their unique way of working with dreams as well.

The yogic understanding of dreams is similar in some respects to the psychoanalytic. The Mundakya Upanishad, for example, tells us that dreams are based on “memory and desire.” Memory and desire make up the karmic traces within our minds. According to yogic theory, all of our actions and experiences are based on the activation of these karmic “seeds.” In waking life we experience this fruition of karma as our life experience. In dreams we become aware of karma in a potential form. If we pay attention to dreams we can be more aware of the inner karmic process that informs our lives. We can perhaps mitigate the negative tendencies as well, but this takes a great deal of awareness and discernment. If we pay no attention to our dreams, than we miss out completely.

The yoga means of working with dreams, however, is distinct from psychoanalysis. While the yoga aspirant might analyze the contents of the dream, she is more interested in the exploration of the dream consciousness itself. The events of dream experience can be predictive, they can convey information not available to our normal waking consciousness or they can be utilized as a means of waking up to the deeper reality which is beyond both waking and dreaming. From the yogic perspective both dreams and waking life are the projections of our psychological, karmic tendencies. These are not just based on the biographical material of a single lifetime but contain seed memories from multiple past lives as well.

The Tibetan yoga tradition contains a dream yoga practice which is deeply profound and also difficult to practice. Meditation practice is essential for preparing the mind to enter into the dream state both with lucidity and stability. While Westerners who have discovered the practice of lucid dreaming might use it to experience the power of flight, or maybe to have fantasy sexual encounters, the spiritual way of working with dreams is to develop an awareness of the mind’s projections. Ultimately, this will help us when we die and enter the bardo or intermediate state between death and rebirth.



Recommended Reading:

The Upanishads (Classic of Indian Spirituality)

The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep

The Freud Reader

Man and His Symbols

Sleep, Dreams and Self-realization

The world does not exist in sleep and forms a projection of your mind in the waking state. It is therefore an idea and nothing else.
- Ramana Maharshi


Every twenty-four hours we cycle through three basic states of consciousness. We experience the waking state primarily during the day and at night we experience the dream state and the state of deep dreamless sleep. It is generally assumed that we spend a third of our lives sleeping. Some people resent this thinking of all the wasted time when they could be doing something productive. Others of us wouldn’t mind a little extra time to sleep and dream. In any case, sleep and dreams are necessary for our physical and psychological health.

Sleep research differentiates these three states as waking, REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and NREM sleep. REM sleep is associated with intensive dream activity. Although there are sometimes dreams in NREM sleep, it is generally a deeper state of rest in which there is sparse mental activity. As Jayne Gackenbach, Ph.D. writes in The Emerging Mind, “In brief, the function of REM sleep is information processing, and the function of NREM sleep is body maintenance.” Depth psychologists know that dreams reveal unconscious drives and motivations. While the ego dominates waking consciousness, it gives way to a deeper connection with the unconscious mind in dreams and sleep. In sleep states we are connected, not just with the personal unconscious but possibly with the transpersonal or collective unconscious as well.

There are of course other states of consciousness generally described as altered states. These include peak experiences, religious experiences, drug states and meditative states among others. Psychiatrist John E. Nelson, M.D., in Healing the Split, suggests that we can understand psychosis as an altered state of consciousness as well. There is perhaps a thin line between madness and mystical exaltation. A principal difference might be that while psychosis comes unbidden, perhaps as the result of extreme stress or of a genetic predisposition, mystical experiences generally come through the practice of disciplines designed to cultivate them, such as yoga. Of course, there also seems to be some overlap between mystical experience, psychosis and psychedelic or “entheogenic” drug experiences.

Yoga and Vedanta pose the question though, “Who is it that ultimately experiences the varied states of consciousness?” In other words we seek to find the basic substratum from which various states arise. In the Yoga Sutras this basic substratum is referred to as drashta, the “seer” or inner witness. The inner witness is the basic condition by which all states are states of “consciousness.” There is ultimately an aware being present and consistent throughout all changing states. In the Upanishads this inner being is referred to as atman, which is often translated as the “Self.” The Self or atman is our deeper authentic being rather than our ego-personalities which are primarily a feature of our waking state of consciousness.

Because it is other than the ego, this substratum of awareness is referred to as “not-self” in Buddhist terms. Through the doctrine of anatta, or not-self, Buddha took pains to remind us that we cannot associate this deeper awareness with our individual ego identities. It is an expansive, all inclusive awareness which cannot be identified as any limited construct, idea or concept. It is important to remember as we engage in the practice of yoga that while the ego itself is associated with the idea of “I, me and mine,” our deeper being is unconcerned with these limited attributes.

Yoga suggests that one way to experience our inner being is to enter consciously into dreams and deep sleep. The Mandukya Upanishad gives us a succinct overview of this approach. The Mandukya is one of twelve “major” Upanishads which are some of the earliest written texts of the Yoga tradition. They represent the teachings of the earliest masters of this mystical yoga; spiritual pioneers who explored consciousness to the point of Self-realization (or “not-self” realization.) One of my favorite English translations and commentaries is The Upanishads by Eknath Easwaran.

The central message of the Upanishads is that the atman, our inner being or awareness, is essentially inseparable from Brahman, the Universal Being or Consciousness. The Mandukya Upanishad tells us that it “lies beyond past, present and future.” Our innermost being is beyond space and time. It is eternal, immortal, omniscient and omnipresent. Our limited body-minds are the product of limited expression of this greater being. Long before Einstein theorized that space and time are actually aspects of a four-dimensional continuum, the sages of the Upanishads understood that space and time are actually limiting constructs or categories originating in a timeless, hyperspatial being of Consciousness. A potential new paradigm is currently arising from the discoveries of relativity and quantum mechanics which supports this ancient view. As physicist Peter Russell writes in From Science to God, “While the old meta-paradigm saw conscious as rising from space and time, the new meta-paradigm sees space and time rising from Consciousness.”

According to the Upanishad, sleep and dreams are essential to understanding how this process occurs. It occurs through the involvement or association of consciousness with the three states of waking, dreaming and deep sleep. In the waking state consciousness is turned outward, or perhaps more accurately “projected outward.” In the waking state we are aware of the world of the five senses and either unaware or only vaguely aware of our inner being. In the dreaming state we are aware of mental patterns composed of memory and desire. In deep sleep dreams and desires fade into a state of deep peace and inner unity. In deep sleep there is no desire, no hatred and no suffering. The only problem is that we are not aware! The Mandukya Upanishad tells us that if we could only become aware within the state of deep dreamless sleep it would, “open the door to abiding joy.”

Within and beyond these three states is the inner witness. It is experienced in and of itself as non-dual consciousness in a fourth state of consciousness, called turiya, which is known only to mystic-yogis. Turiya is actually comprised of a continuity of awareness through the three states and represents an awakening to the deeper Self present within and beyond them. As the Upanishad states per Easwaran’s translation:

                                  The fourth is the superconscious state called
                                  Turiya, neither inward nor outward,
                                  Beyond the senses and the intellect,
                                  In which there is none other than the Lord.
                                  He is the supreme goal of life.
                                  He is infinite peace and love. Realize him!

While we are normally preoccupied with the world of the waking state and therapists are often intrigued by dreams, Yoga tells us that it is actually in the deepest state of dreamless sleep that we discover the reality of our beings – if only we would awaken.

Developing the Inner Witness

Whatever thoughts that come to your mind, let them do so.
With closed eyes remain a witness of the various thoughts coming
into your mind and do not try to consciously control the thought process.
Do not be disturbed . . .

- Swami Satyananda Saraswati
http://www.yogavision.net/

In its deepest sense, yoga is a science of consciousness. Its aim is to help us develop our consciousness, raising it from the mundane to the sublime. Meditation is central to this process and is generally considered to be essential to spiritual evolution. Meditation, however, can take many forms. The practice of hatha yoga postures, for example, is a way of meditating if practiced with a present-centered, mindful awareness. Sacred dance, music, art, work, life in general . . . can all be forms of meditation. The key is the quality and intensity of awareness which we bring to each moment. Sitting meditation, of course, is very helpful for developing awareness.

When I first began studying yoga with Swami Niranjan, he emphasized this “inner” aspect of yoga practice. Whether meditating, practicing asanas and pranayama, cleaning, or even eating meals it was important to be present, to be aware and to watch the flow of thoughts continually going through our minds. This was very hard at first. Often, I just wanted to let go and go with the flow of thoughts, fantasies, memories, etc. instead of trying to be aware of them. We often prefer to go through life on auto-pilot while lost in thoughts, dreams or fantasies. It takes consistent practice to develop this inner witnessing awareness, often referred to as “the inner witness.”

There are basically two types of meditative discipline. One involves focused concentration whether on the breath, mantra, visualization or maybe a physical object like a candle flame. Concentration means intentionally shutting out distracting thoughts and is a way of making the mind calm and focused. The second type of meditation practice involves opening up awareness, accepting thoughts and feelings as they arise. The trick is to remain apart from them in some sense. As Swami Satyananda instructs us above, we don’t try to control the process but we don’t let it control us either. Both types of meditation are important. The first helps us to develop focused attention and intention. The second helps us to become aware of the subconscious processes going on within us. As Dr. Rishi Vivekananda writes in Practical Yoga Psychology, “Yoga helps us to develop the ‘witness position’ – the ability to stand back and get a new view of events, situations and even our own thought patterns. Then we can question the real truth of all of our valued opinions and decide if we should keep them or not.”

The inner witnessing awareness enables us to step outside of our egos. It is the first step in moving from ego-identification to awakening as an aspect of the universal consciousness. Deepak Chopra refers to the ego as the “local mind.” In The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire, he writes, “The local mind is personal and individual to each of us. It holds our ego, the self-defined “I” that wanders through the world a slave to our conditioned habits. By its very nature the local mind separates us from the rest of creation. It puts up thick, artificial boundaries that many of us feel compelled to defend, even when this means cutting ourselves off from the deeper meanings and joyous connections that come from feeling part of the universal.” It may not seem like it at first, but the inner witness is actually the presence of the universal consciousness within us.

Chopra refers to this as the “nonlocal mind.” “Nonlocal mind, on the other hand, is pure soul or spirit, known as universal consciousness. Operating outside the boundaries of normal space and time, it is the great organizing and unifying force in the universe, infinite in scope and duration. By its nature, nonlocal mind connects all things because it is all things.” When we are fixated within our egos we can barely glimpse the possibilities of our nonlocal mind. As we continue to develop the witnessing quality of awareness we can gradually transcend the narrow confines of our ego-identities. I say “gradually", because many of us get frightened at the possible “loss of identity.” So it is best to take it step by step. However, our true nature, true self, is unbounded consciousness, eternally blissful and absolutely free.

Yoga allows us to enter into a series of higher developmental stages which transcend ego development as generally known to psychology. In The Eye of the Spirit, Ken Wilber writes about the possibility of “subject permanence,” a concept developed by Charles Alexander based on his research into the developmental stages of consciousness through meditation. Subject permanence is a higher developmental stage which can be compared to “object permanence,” as identified by Piaget. Just as object permanence represents an important stage of cognitive development in the infant, subject permanence represents an important stage of mature consciousness development. Writes Wilber:

“This ‘subject permanence’ is a constant state of witnessing carried unbroken through waking, dream, and deep sleep states, a constancy which . . . is prerequisite and mandatory to full realization of nondual Suchness (and a constancy which is unmistakable, self-referential, postrepresentational, nondual, self-validating, self-existing, and self-liberating.)”

Yoga, of course, begins where we are. It begins with a compassionate awareness and acceptance of the limited, neurotic, conditioned, alienated aspect of ourselves. The inner witness is necessarily non-judgmental, compassionate and often quite humorous. It is the not the cold detachment which is actually a defensive retreat from our more difficult thoughts and feelings. It is an awareness which can liberate us from our “mind-forged manacles,” to quote William Blake. It is the Divine Presence within us.

Quantum Yoga?

The universe is self-aware through us. – Amit Goswami


Is it possible to understand the deeper teachings of the Yoga tradition through the discoveries of quantum physics? Remember that Yoga is about revealing the true nature of consciousness. The physical disciplines, or postures, are really a preparatory stage for deeper self-investigation. Quantum physics, while ostensibly about investigating the minutest aspects of “matter,” has revealed that consciousness is an integral feature of the equation. “Consciousness,” writes physicist Amit Goswami in The Self-Aware Universe, “is the agency that collapses the wave of a quantum object, which exists in potentia, making it an imminent particle in the world of manifestation.”  Consciousness, it seems is ultimately responsible for the material world.

From the perspective of Yoga, the world is a product of the interaction between consciousness and energy. We might say, between basic awareness and the quantum field. While physics is most interested in investigating the underlying energy, Yoga practitioners are interested in investigating consciousness itself. Science, per se, cannot truly investigate consciousness. It is not something that is measurable, observable, or quantifiable. It cannot be objectified because it ever the subjective aspect of experience. However, without a subject there can be no objective reality. As Robert Lanza, MD, writes in Biocentrism: How Life and Consciousness are the Keys to Understanding the True Nature of the Universe, “Some may imagine there are two worlds, one “out there” and a separate one being cognized inside the skull. But the “two worlds” model is a myth. Nothing is perceived accept the perceptions themselves, and nothing exists outside of consciousness.”

Yoga psychology teaches that the biggest obstacle we face in realizing the true nature of consciousness is ego-identification. Rather than the psychoanalytic ego, here we are talking about our most basic sense of identification with our individual physical beings and our internal thought processes. Remember that the physical body, as an object, comes about as result of the collapse of the quantum wave due to consciousness. The true “self” of consciousness is non-physical, nonlocal, non-temporal. Because we fixate on the objective world we forget that we are not ourselves objects within that world. Desire, aversion and fear help to keep us fixated. The goal of yoga is to awaken to ourselves as interconnected and immortal beings of consciousness.

Awakening is a process, however. Yoga provides a step-by-step path towards spiritual realization. Patanjali outlined eight stages on this path in his Yoga Sutras. It culminates in the practices of meditation. Meditation is a means of releasing both the cognitive and emotional bonds that keep us attached to a falsely limited identity. In Meditations from the Tantras, Swami Satyananda Saraswati gives us a number of approaches to meditation practice. Ultimately meditation is not just practice but the awakening of a new consciousness, a new mind and a new reality. As Swamiji states,

“One normally sees oneself as a small, insignificant part of the universe, as a small cog in a large wheel, a small particle in unending space and time. One often feels completely isolated and often alienated from other parts of existence. One feels, alone and very mortal. One never even suspects that one can overcome this situation. Most people merely shrug their shoulders and fatalistically accept their fate. Meditation changes all this. One realizes through meditation that one is a necessary, intimate and important part of the universe. One starts to relate deeply to everything that exists. They are no longer separate entities. You are That.” (p. 48)

The discoveries of quantum physics have taken us beyond the mechanistic, materialist paradigm of the 19th century - although many people still adhere to it. We now know that instead of living in a blind mechanical universe in which our consciousness is a meaningless epiphenomenon, we live in a universe in which consciousness is a central feature. Thus quantum physics has opened the door to an understanding and validation of age-old Yogic teachings. Still, it is up to us to adopt the practice relevant to our level of psychological and spiritual development in order to realize our true nature.

What Is Mindful Yoga?

Awareness is the beginning of yoga.
- Paramhansa Niranjan Ananda Saraswati

     “Mindfulness” or “mindful awareness” is a term commonly related to Buddhist meditation practices. It is actually a very simple concept. It means having an open awareness of body and mind. It is present centered, prejudgmental and nonconceptual. In other words, it is about being aware of “what is” before we begin to impose an overlay of thought about it. It sounds simple but it is often difficult to practice. We tend to leap into thoughts, into memories or concerns about the future. We analyze and compare our present experience with what we have learned, either through experience or from books, tv, social media, or some other source. We worry about the future and fixate on the past. People who come to meditation classes often complain, “I just can’t turn my thoughts off.” In reality, it is nearly impossible for any of us to actually turn thoughts off. However, we can start to become aware of our thought processes. We can start to present with our thoughts without being controlled by them.

      My training is actually more related to the Vedantic tradition which is very closely related to Buddhism. My primary teacher, Swami Niranjan, constantly coached us in developing a present-centered awareness. Despite our cultural infatuation with the physical performance of “yoga,” it is more truly understood as a discipline of awareness. It is about becoming aware. If we are practicing “postures” without opening to this deeper awareness, we are not really practicing yoga. We are just “exercising.” Yoga is a discipline for transcending our limited attachment to our mental constructs and neurotic emotions. It is about becoming aware of our authentic Self. Hatha yoga is a wonderful means of achieving a state of relaxation and healing many physical problems. It is even a way of looking more attractive! However, there is a deeper purpose. The physical yoga practices were originally developed to help us prepare for meditation. In fact, if practiced with full awareness, they are a form of meditation.

     The whole point of a yoga “workout” is to let go of tension, anxiety, preoccupations, etc. and to be present. At the end of a yoga class we always practice relaxation and inner awareness. The physical practices help us to go deeper within ourselves to become aware of and let go of unconscious conditioning. It is a means of liberating ourselves. Our deeper, authentic Self shines forth when we are able to relax both body and mind. It takes repeated practice, but eventually we will become established in that authentic being. Of course, we can’t leave the practice of awareness behind when we finish our “practice.” The real point is to wake up within our lives, to be open and present to each moment whether we are at work, having coffee, taking a walk or resting on the couch.

Some Resources

The Mindful Brain: Reflection and Attunement in the Cultivation of Well-Being

Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha/2008 Fourth Revised Edition

Yoga Darshan

Body-Mind-Spirit Yoga

I find it frustrating at times when I talk to people about yoga. (I know yogis are not “supposed” to get frustrated.) It is common for people to immediately equate yoga with the physical postures of hatha yoga and to miss its wider scope and meaning. There are actually many definitions for yoga representing different facets, perspectives and levels of understanding. One of the most central understandings, though, comes from the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali. Rishi Patanjali states “Yoga means bringing the mind into complete stillness so that consciousness rests in its own nature.” When the mind becomes quiet one is able to go beyond, or perhaps beneath, names and forms, inner dialogue, imagination, cultural conditioning, etc. to experience one’s own essential being. Yoga is a methodology for answering the question “who am I?” Now, there are various “answers” to this question. Whether we identify ourselves with our name and life circumstances, or with our strengths and vulnerabilities, etc., or whether we identify with some concept of “cosmic consciousness;” they are all equally beside the point. We can only know ourselves truly when we go beyond all mental constructs to experience ourselves as pure being. In the terminology of yoga, this is known as Samadhi. However, Samadhi represents the culmination stages of the yoga path. There are steps and stages leading up to it.
Body Yoga

The physical postures or asanas of hatha yoga, as well as the breath practices, pranayama and internal cleansing practices known as shatkriyas are actually preliminaries to the interior practices of meditation. They are a good place to start but not the place to finish. In our current cultural climate it is easy for people to be fixated on their physical beings. Hatha yoga practices help relieve stress, improve circulation, hormonal balance and more. And yes, they do help to reduce weight and improve one’s appearance. They can also be very helpful in physical competitions. However, if we don’t go beyond these meanings and motivations we have not glimpsed the possibility of spiritual awakening. As Marshall Govindam writes in his commentary on the Yoga Sutra, “When divorced from its purpose, postures (asanas) serve the values of contemporary culture: looking good, competition and individualism.” From the yogic perspective these physical practices help to balance the energies of body and mind so that true meditation becomes more possible.

Emotional Yoga

Emotional, or actually devotional, yoga is known as bhakti yoga. It is a process of letting go of ordinary emotional attachments and bonding with a greater conscious being often referred to as God. Borrowing from the 12-step program we could also call it “surrender to a higher power.” People often argue about which “form” of “God” is the best or the “right” one. This is the unfortunate, divisive power of the world’s religions. In yoga the particular symbolic form used in meditation and visualization is known as “Ishta Devata.” The Ishta Devata is a personal preference. It is a way of relating to something which is beyond name and form. A powerful practice of devotional yoga is to chant the name of the Ishta Devata while visualizing the form. However, if we get too attached to the form we might risk becoming religious fanatics. Devotion however is a powerful energy for taking one beyond ordinary mental constructs including one’s “ego.” Ultimately, according to Swami Satyananda, bhakti cannot be taught. It must awaken within us as we develop love and faith on the yogic path. As Neem Karoli Baba is quoted, “The best form in which to worship God is every form.”

Wisdom Yoga

The path of wisdom is known as jñana yoga (pronounced “gyan”). Jñana is the path of deep inquiry: into truth, reality and the nature of one’s true self-being. It is sometimes referred to as the philosophical path. In fact philosophy literally means “the love of wisdom.” The Greek word for wisdom or higher level of knowledge is gnosis which is etymologically related to the Sanskrit term jñana. Ultimately, jñana transcends ordinary rational or logical thought. It starts with reasoning and analysis but it goes beyond. In fact, it represents a realization that reasoning and analysis are limited by what we can conceptualize and symbolize. Hermann Hesse, in 1943, wrote a wonderful novel called “The Glass Bead Game.” The Glass Bead Game: (Magister Ludi) A NovelIt is a depiction of an intellectual elite who are trapped within the limits of their own intellectual “game.” This realization is where true jñana starts. However, it is a path which demands a high degree of intellectual rigor. It is not an easy path meant for the intellectually lazy. In my opinion, one of the greatest contemporary “jñanis” is Ken Wilber. Dive into “A Brief History of Everything” A Brief History of Everythingif you are so inclined. 

The Yoga of Action

Eastern thought in general is often criticized as being too passive. Karma yoga is an antidote to this alleged passivity. Karma yoga might be summarized as enlightened activity in the world. It means bringing awareness, sensitivity, compassion, wisdom and love into the activities of daily life. It is often translated as “selfless service.” However, it might be better understood as doing one’s best within each moment without regard for future rewards. It really means being mindful in all of our activities; being present and being aware. Ordinarily we perform work in expectation of a paycheck of one sort or another. It is perfectly okay and even necessary to be paid for one’s work. On the job, however, it is important to be focused, aware, dedicated and present. Accidents at work happen when people are distracted, daydreaming, or otherwise unengaged. True karma yoga might mean going above and beyond the work of one’s occupation. In the yoga tradition it means spending some time and energy helping at the ashram, it could also mean doing volunteer work or even cleaning up at home without expecting any special recognition.

Mind Yoga

Meditation, or dhyana, is central to all of yoga practice. It is a systematic way of turning inward, not to withdraw from life, but to examine and transform the instrument with which we relate to life known as the mind. A huge percentage of the “outer world” (some would argue 100%) is actually a projection of our own psyches. What we see as “out there” is actually “in here.” Meditation helps us to recognize and reduce the ways in which we distort, deny, dramatize, dream and/or desecrate the reality of ourselves and our experience. It is central in the process of waking up to who we truly are. Meditation is more than a practice. Practice is a way of cultivating an evolved state of consciousness. It is a way of developing our higher potentials, our “Buddha Nature.” Ultimately, it is an awakened state of consciousness. There has been a great amount of research into the effects of meditation practice. To name a few: it helps relieve stress, helps one to influence others positively and contributes to psychological and spiritual development. As Jack Kornfeld, Ph. D., puts it, “it catalyses and accelerates psychological development.”

Yoga is centered on this process of awakening through meditation. In my estimation it is essential for our survival and growth as a species and as integral aspects of our planet. Change involves politics, technology, social movements, etc. but more essential is inner change. If we have not truly cultivated peace within ourselves, for example, we will not see peace in our world. It is like looking into the mirror and trying to clean one’s face by wiping the mirror. Yoga is an ancient science of awakening and it recommends that we practice asanas and pranayama, devotion, inquiry, selfless activity and meditation as an integral means of waking up and of healing ourselves and our world. Yoga is about evolving our collective consciousness.