Abhyasa and Vairagya. Is There a Third Way? Some Words about Samskaras and Tantra So here I am again on board the plane, on my way home, reflecting upon Yoga Sutra… The method of keeping control over one’s states (abhyasa) and the method of disengaging with them (vairagya) are the two interrelated and complementary branches… Continue reading Abhyasa and Vairagya. Is There a Third Way?
Month: February 2013
Abhyasa and Vairagya in Verses
R. Kipling. Letter to the Son If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you; If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too: If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or, being lied about,… Continue reading Abhyasa and Vairagya in Verses
Abhyasa and Vairagya. Two Fundamental Approaches in Yoga
I am writing this article on board the plane on my way to India where I shall visit Kumbh Mela. I am here without my favourite and probably unique library, yet it’s been already for three weeks that I’ve been nourishing the article about abhyasa and vairagya in my mind. So I shall rely on… Continue reading Abhyasa and Vairagya. Two Fundamental Approaches in Yoga
Sutra 1.6. Pramana: the Methods of “Valid” Cognition. Gnoseology and Ajna Development in Yoga
As we have said earlier, Patanjali has singled out pramana, or “valid”, “true” knowledge, as the first vritti. However it strikes the eye here that, unlike with all other vrittis, when speaking about pramana the Yoga Sutras author has not only provided its definition but has also listed the main concepts of traditional Indian gnoseology.… Continue reading Sutra 1.6. Pramana: the Methods of “Valid” Cognition. Gnoseology and Ajna Development in Yoga
Vrittis: Nidra and Smriti
Let us proceed to discussing the two latter Vrittis mentioned by Patanjali: smriti and nidra. In one of the previous sections of our forum we have already considered and slammed the traditional interpretation of these two words as memory and sleep. I shall remind here that in order to preserve the text consistency in terms… Continue reading Vrittis: Nidra and Smriti