( Albatross )

Fundamentals of Yoga

12 Wall-Posters on the Yoga

‛The truth which claims to be universal requires to be continually re-created. It cannot be something already possessed that only needs to be re-transmitted. In every generation, it has to be renewed. Otherwise it tends to become dogma which soothes us and induces complacency but does not encourage the supreme personal adventure. Tradition should be a principle not of conservatism but of growth and regeneration. We cannot keep the rays of the sun while we put out the sun itself. Petrified tradition is a disease from which societies seldom recover. By the free use of reason and experience we appropriate truth and keep tradition in a continuous process of evolution. If it is to have a hold on people’s minds, it must recon with the vast reorientation of thought that has taken place.‛ *

* Sarvepelli Radhakrishnan

12 Lay-outs on the Yoga

Fundamentals of Yoga

* "The Brahma Sutra: The Philosophy of Spiritual Life", 1960, Georg Allen & Unwin Ltd., second impr. 1971, p. 8.

Sundbyberg, Sweden; Updated: 21 June 2014, 13:05 PM, GMT +01:00 issuu.com/albatross

Line drawings – Magnus Malmsten

Logos – Nina Aidas

AAAP 59 B:B3 – Issuu 5

Juri Aidas

Revise

d editi

on

21 June 2

014 “The Future is Bright!”

T he philosophy of yoga,

the vision of yoga, the

darśana that is yoga, consists

of a wholity of eight aspects:

Attitude,

Behaviour,

Posture,

Breath,

Withdrawal,

Focusing,

Meditation,

The Deep.

These categories, considered

together in terms of yogic

practice as such, provide an

objectivity whereby to under-

stand this wholity of yoga. In

the unfolding of the grand

‘vision’ of yoga one finds a

theoretical framework and a

therefrom derived methodo-

logy to act as a guide for the

ultimate journey towards still-

ness, quietude, serenity, to-

wards the peace of a deep

wakeful rest, towards an equili-

brium of the mind and likewise

of the body structure. With the

tool of yoga one brings together

these utmost extremes of life:

dynamic activity and deep rest.

By the practice of yoga a tuning

up of the whole body / mind

system occurs and then, later,

the whole momentum of this

harmony, set in motion, shall

spread far and wide like ripples

on still waters.

Fundamentals of Yoga

Juri Aidas

This collection on the yoga is, in all gratitude, dedicated to

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

whose clear and inspired reasoning on the mechanism of yoga has guided me in my own efforts to create myself a further understanding

of the ‘deep’ field and the subtleties thereof in yoga.

JAI GURU DEV

The idea of a schemata, a graphic, a ‗Tree of Life‟, put to use as a metaphoric with which to categorize the interactive dynamic of the eight aspects of yoga in the way I do herein is wholly of mine own construct, as far as I know; also, the responsibility for the use whereto I have put the ideas of others as to the subject of yoga is thus mine alone and no shadow of whatever miscomprehension as per me on the yoga shall fall upon the luminaries whose teachings I have put to use in my own way and in my own particular manner.

Likewise the conceptualization of yoga as a paradigmatic on the dynamics of rest and activity is of mine own construance and I have not seen it worded in this way anywhere else, yet:

‘The Paradigm of Yoga: Rest & Activity‟.

These platforms provide a framework for an understanding of the structurality and flow of yogic methodology that one attunes to in the actual effortless practice of yoga; the un-derstanding of yogic ‗dive‘ and ‗rise‘, rest and activity, as the practitioner of yoga interacts with the inner and the outer extremes of life, encountering in turn the deep wakeful rest offered by the yoga and the demanding activities of day to day life. The dynamic of yogic process may thus be con-strued as an „algorhythmy‟ (a word I made up to allude to the idea of an algorithmic process, a process that keeps returning to its roots, carrying the proceed of its last cycle, for to complete the next instance of process, over and over again).

Out of all this grew my characterization of the utter depths of the inner, viewed in a first person subjective perspective, as “ The Deep”, classically termed samadhi, deep restful alert-ness, which may be alluded to but not ever fully characte-rized as it, in it‘s quietude, stands quite beyond the ideational spheres of conceptual grasping; the still surface touched ripples.

Enjoy

Juri

TAT TWAM ASI

THAT THOU ART

Fundamentals of Yoga 12 Lay-outs on The Yoga

by

Juri Aidas Albatross

( Long Distance Navigator )

Line Drawings

Magnus Malmsten

Flower Power

Roses there are,

Being where you are,

For dear partners,

For the sunshine years,

Of memories,

Of wonder,

For the tender ones,

For undying love,

For the heart.

So I yearn again my love.

Lilies galore,

Everywhere they fall,

For companions,

For halcyon days

Of play,

Havin’ fun all day,

For the gentle,

For anyone who cares,

For everyone,

And for all of what it be worth.

O! Asters overflow!

I say, “It’s a show!”.

Yeah, the tide will turn

As earth and sky,

As wind unseen;

The years, O Muse,

Never fade,

Never go away,

No, no!

As long as I, as I hear true love on the way.

And Daffodils I know

Abound in Summers glow,

Stuff everywhere.

Oh! Enough’s enough,

But how could that be enough?

Yeah, the river flows,

Amongst the flowers of a thousand shows,

In meadows, in forests,

And being with you,

You, you tune up the Wild Mountain Thyme. Flower Power © Juri Aidas, 13 Januari 2008 http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_2029498

Note 1:

The materials in this poster-book on the algorhytmy of yoga I have culled from my somewhat larger, more amorphous volume “The Nature of Yoga” (ref. on p. 6). The texts and lay-outs used have been slightly amended, augmented, and at times maybe impulsi-vely rewritten and re-layouted (with da „bright‟ brush).

Note 2:

Well, the way I, at times herein, phrase my English might give cause to a lifted eyebrow or two as I do have a slight tendency to veer off in my thinkings into a free flowing, more fanciful, say, and, at times, unstructured format (perchance even arty), not really staying with a formal, stringently hard-held presentation of things I hold relevant as to the yoga. Now and then as I write I also put a deliberate effort into making play, for the fun of it, with grammar unto the point where I myself at times get confused as to context and structure (and then, of course, I have to back-track a bit and rewrite), and, frankly, in my proof-reading I may not have caught all weirdly intricate inconsistencies that I could, and may probably have caused within the pages of this compilation of texts on the yoga.

The consternation I now and then feel as to the variables in my handling of written language may all be due to the fact that I am of two languages to begin with, Estonian and Swedish (and that in quite a chequered way over my early years). Then having become anglicized later in in life I now-a-days really do most of my reading and writing and performing (Songs of Another Albatross) in English. Of all these three languages English has become the one I, for all practical reasons, use the most, and handle, well, best.

Publications & Productions by Another Albatross

•

“The Tree of Life: A Metaphor for the Philosophy of Yoga”

An A3 size poster that features the materials of this present collection of 12 A4 posters in one take:

http://issuu.com/albatross/docs/overview-thetreeoflife-poster-albatross-a3

“The Nature of Yoga”

A Powerpoint slide show on the fundamental aspects of yoga:

In English:

http://sdrv.ms/Yujj6Q

In Swedish:

http://sdrv.ms/RxaxxS

“The Paradigm of Yoga: Rest & Activity”

A discussion on the metaphoric, heuristic tool, "The Tree of Life", (included is an hariolatory section on Single Cells and Phonemes):

http://issuu.com/albatross/docs/paradigm-of-yoga

“Yoga and The Natural World”

(Work in progress!)

A look at and an analysis of the mechanism of yoga as derived from its paradigm: rest & activity. This is a collection of some of my writings on the subject

(included are a few hariolatory pieces on nature as viewed by the sciences):

http://issuu.com/albatross/docs/yoga-and-the-natural-world

“The Algorhythmies of Another Albatross”

Blog on The Yoga and the ideas of an another albatross:

http://another-albatross.blogspot.se/

“Long Distance Navigator”

Songs of Another Albatross

A collection of streamable folk/rock compositions:

http://www.reverbnation.com/anotheralbatross

“A Poetical Extravaganza”

Songs, some odd poems, hariolations, and a few paintings (includes notation for most of the songs at ReverbNation):

http://issuu.com/albatross/docs/a-poetical-extravaganza

An Another Albatross Publication

2014

12 Wall-Posters on The Yoga; AAAP 59 B:B3 – Issuu 5

http://issuu.com/albatross/docs/12-yoga-posters-juri-aidas-albatross

First Issuu edition: AAAP 59 – Issuu 1, 3 April 2013

Last update: 21 June 2014

Contact mail: yoga.cat@live.com

As links do have a tendency to become obsolete over time I would recommend looking to my ‘Algorhytmies’ blog (see link above) for updated info on the productions of an another albatross.

I mean business!

Yoga Cat

With this little collection, with these 12 lay-outs on yoga I aim to

present a theistically neutral approach to the darśana of yoga, the vision

of yoga, sans all and any mysticism as to the philosophy of The Deep.

My intention is to clarify the interrelated and interconnected dyna-

mics as per the eight aspects of yoga when these are viewed in context.

I also delve somewhat upon the methodology of the recursive algorhyth-

mic process of yoga, all in an easy-going and hopefully entertaining manner

... in this attempt to derive the methodology of yogic algorhythmy from

an understanding of the strong dynamic ‟tween root and crown of the

metaphoric construct „The Tree of Life‟, with which to represent the

eight aspects of yoga. In short, the mechanism of recursive algorhythmy

may be discerned from the functionalities embedded in the metaphoric.

The result of yoga is found both in deep inner serenity and in the

joyful and creative expressions of ones life. – Says Yoga Cat!

Copyrights © 2014

Conceptualization of The Tree of Life – Juri Aidas (Albatross of The Brights)

‘Algorhythmy’ as per Yogic method – Juri Aidas

Derivation of The Heuristic – Juri Aidas

Bright Light – Juri Aidas Oil Painting

Symbol & Sun/Note composite – Juri Aidas

Flower Pover – Juri Aidas A Song, 13 January 2008

http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_2029498

Yoga Cat Appropriated ‘Business Cat’ http://memegenerator.net/

Flying / The Walk / Yogis / The Dive / Into The Deep / Reclining Yogi / Sentinel Graphics – Magnus Malmsten

India Ink on paper

The Mandala – Artist Unknown ( Possibly painted in Dharamsala, India, 1975. )

Purchased in 1981, New Delhi, India by Juri Aidas.

Four States of Consciousness diagram – Kanellakos/Lucas ( Also included is the Domash derivation )

Three Categories of Meditation – ( abstract ) – Frederick Travis

Mohenjo-daro seal – Islamabad Museum, Pakistan

Sun/Moon Logo & Pikeboros – Nina Aidas Coloured pencils on paper

Frontispiece Quote – Sarvepelli Radhakrishnan

Quote on Vedic background – Georg Feuerstein

Aom signs Collection of The Matavasis of Kauai's Hindu Monastery

http://www.himalayanacademy.com

Smiley – The Brights Forum http://www.the-brights.net/forums/

The Brights http://www.the-brights.net/

4

An Another Albatross Publication

AAAP 59

( A few of the originators below need yet to be approached for confirmation of use. ) ( This publication does not represent a commercial venture, it is more of a referenced personal statement. )

Contents

SYMBOL & QUOTE Front cover

FLYING, THE WALK, YOGI, SMILE, ANEMONE, THE DIVE, YOGIS,

HERON & BIRDIE, LIGHT Line Drawings Cover, 6, 10, 14, 39, 41, 43, 44 & 51

FLOWER POWER A Song 3

Intro YOGA CAT – SAYS 5

PATANJALI, THE YOGA SUTRA & VEDIC BACKGROUND 8 – 9

TOOLS FOR THINKING Three Metaphors 9 – 10

• Page

I INTO THE DEEP Line Drawing 15

II THE FRAMEWORK 17

III DEFINITION OF YOGA 19

IV THE TREE OF LIFE Derivation of the Tree – p. 22 21

V THE SEQUENCE 23

VI EIGHT ASPECTS 25

VII THE ALGORHYTHMY Mantra / Wheel of Transcendence – p. 28 27

VIII TWO DYNAMICS, THREE CATEGORIES & FOUR STATES 29

IX THE HEURISTIC 31

X MANDALA Thangka / Scroll painting 33

XI YOGA AND WELL-BEING Line Drawing 35

XII SENTINEL Line Drawing 37

•

THE WALK OF LIFE On ‘Algorhythmy’ in general – p. 39, 40 41

YOGA – THE PRACTICE Effortlessness – Not Training 42 – 43

PROCESS AS TO MEDITATION IN YOGA 44 – 46

THE PERFECTIONS, A.K.A. THE SIDHIS 48 – 49

Coda WHO IS YOGA CAT? Finis – p. 51; Tinker – p. 52 50

BRIGHT LIGHT Oil Painting Back cover

7

-

M AHARISHI PATANJALI, of whom not much is know, is his-

torically placed somewhere in the span of years from 300

B.C. to around 200 A.D. It is Patanjali to whom the authorship of

the text of the Yoga-Sutra is attributed, the first systematized

treatment of yoga.

The Yoga-Sutra is a short and concise delineation of the

philosophy of yoga and the whole thing is presented in but 4

minimal chapters comprising 196 verses, sutras, short mnemonic*

threads of contextually bound key words. Tradition favours the

earlier date to Patanjalis work but modern inquiry based on

linguistic study of the Yoga-Sutra, as discussed by e.g. Georg

Feuerstein**, places Patanjali closer to the later date.

The Yoga-Sutra, though being a short work, is regarded as the

historically first, yet still lasting, still relevant, central text on yoga.

The Yoga-Sutra delineates the philosophy of yoga and the stages

of yogic practice. Patanjali, in that work, offered the ideas of yoga

a surprisingly stable and lasting format, particularly his structure

of eight aspects to yoga, the subject of discussion (presented

metaphorically with graphics and layouts) within these pages.

Here below I have freely put together a short note on Patanjali,

paraphrasing slightly from texts on Patanjali by Georg Feuerstein.

Not much is known of Patanjali, but for his studies to have

propagated, he must have had students. For to undertake the

task of defining Yoga he must at least, in our minds, have been

merited, must have been endowed with great insight and

scholarly status, and must surely have had the reputation of

being an influential teacher of his time. A few other Patanjali’s

are known to history: the grammarian Patanjali, who is also the

author of different medical texts, and we find reference to a

Patanjali in southern India, but really, almost nothing is known

of Maharishi Patanjali. His ageless work, the Yoga-Sutra,

upholds a concise vision of Yoga, the Daršana of Yoga; its

expression is the philosophy of Yoga. The first mention of

Patanjali as author of the Yoga-Sutra we find in Vâscapati

Misras commentary of this text in the 9th century A.D.

* Greek mnēmonikos, from mnēmōn, mnēmon-, mindful.

PATANJALI & THE YOGA SUTRA – OF CA. 2000 YEARS AGO –

8

INTRODUCTION

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

** “The Yoga-Sutra of Patanjali: A new translation and commentary”, 1979, p, 3. -

9

Pikeboros

VEDIC BACKGROUND – OF CA. 4600 YEARS AGO –

T he roots of yoga may be traced back to the

flowering Vedic culture of ca. 2500–1700 B.C.

The first glimpse of yoga to be seen in the history of

mankind glimmers subtly suggestive among archeo-

logical artefacts from the land of the Indus valley,

from 2500 years before the Yoga-Sutra; a fascinating

vista to reach us, still well & hale, a remnant of a

culture called Harappa,* localized to numerous sites

around the area of the alluvial Indus valley where

Mohenjo-daro lay (a district of what nowadays is

known as Pakistan) by the Saraswati river, a river of

once abundant flow, rich and greatly sustaining.

In these areas many seals of hard clay have been

found. A few examples: the Steatite-seal (of steatite-

clay) upon which the figure of, perchance, a „Shaman‟, seated in something of a conceivable similarity to

traditional yogic posture; secondly, the Pasupati-seal

(which I, in this little book, use for purposes of my

owne hariolatory construance, and, yes, somewhat

freely so) of likewise yogic indicativeness.

Yoga offers an

easily obtained

deep, restful

wakefulness of

mind and body.

Yoga proceeds

by two steps:

Rest / Activity

Yoga implies

union.

TIMESPACE

* See more on the Indus Valley Civilization at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_Valley_Civilization

-

http://www.yogagalaxy.com/history-of-yoga http://www.yogajournal.com/history/vedas1.html

Steatite seal Mohenjo-daro / Pasupati

Established in Yoga,

Perform Action. “Yoga stah kuru karmani”

Bhagavad-Gita, 2:48.

Yoga

is the Settling

of the Mind

into Silence. “Yogaś-chitta-vritti-nirodahah”

Yoga-Sutra, 1:2.

Mohenjo-daro seal – Pasupati: Material: tan steatite; Dimensions: 2.65 x 2.7 cm, 0.83 to 0.86 thickness; Mohenjo-daro, DK 12050; Islamabad Museum, NMP 50.296; Mackay 1938: 335, pl

A GREAT TREE

10

Eight Aspects of Yoga

T HE EIGHT ASPECTS OF YOGA can be studied by use

of the tool of metaphor yet discernment is necessary.

In discussing the metaphor of a great tree in the represen-

tation of a philosophy and theory of yoga it will here not

be used in the traditional manner, as it would in a discus-

sion of schools of yoga (see overleaf, p. 10).

It will here be used in such a way as to display the struc-

ture of Yoga as an algorhythmie*, and as a manual on the

dynamic of the traverse ‟tween the outer and the inner.

•

On the next page the discussion of the three metaphors

that, in my view, are basic to yoga, is treated in but a

cursory overarching way (more on the metaphors in the

pages ahead). The patterns of thinking these similes allow

for I have pondered and wondered on and also made an

attempt at unraveling in my musings as to the yoga. I find

that taken together they present an overview of the varia-

bles of yoga and in that they offer up a firm ground for

the ideas presented in the following pages of wall-posters,

12 of them, on some of the main themes in the philosophy

of yoga, the darsana of yoga, the beautiful vision of yoga.

* Algorhythmy ~ The dynamic of yogic process as one mentally

and physically proceeds from activity unto deep rest, back an’ forth,

back an’ forth; an effortless spiralling into The Deep according to the

mechanism of yoga.

1. (as per page 7, opp.) It was pointed out by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi,

back in 1958, that Patanjalis sequence of eight steps to characterize

the different elements of yoga (portrayed as a sequence, in its

simplest form a stairway rather than a ladder, grounded at one end

and of a steep traverse) may in the context of yoga actually be

approached from either end (the metaphoric of a stairway does not

allow for but the ladder does) and that the use of the practice of

meditation, as in yogic process, in a very simple, elegant, effortless

and almost self-evident fashion is a key element to the traverse by

the systemic body/mind complex away from the concreteness of

activities in the outer and into, onto, as falling towards the silent,

serene depths of an harmonized and balanced state of being (as

cognized in practice by the practitioner of yoga); in the direct

approach to The Deep, the samadhi of yoga, the deeper result is

brought about by the effortless effort of practicing a little meditation

now & then (at least), preferably on a regular basis.

TOOLS FOR THINKING GUIDES TO THE PRACTICE & THE UNDERSTANDING OF YOGA

I. Attitude &

II. Behaviour (the Ethics & Morals

of yoga as pertaining to the actual practice

of yogic methodology),

III. Posture,

IV. Breath,

V. Withdrawal (Retraction of the Senses;

as with the turtle when it draws its limbs

into its shell),

VI. Focusing,

VII. Meditation

and

VIII. The Deep (aka., the ground of

Dynamic Bliss,

restful alertness,

inner equilibrium).

11

http://issuu.com/albatross/

A ladder / stair

Sequence

1 2 3 1

?

A Grand Piano / Table

Interconnectivity

2

1 2 3

A Tree of Life

Dynamic

3

1 2 3

THREE METAPHORS

ATHA! NOW! A first metaphor: the ladder (or a

stairway), construed with eight steps to represent

the eight aspects of yoga. This image is used to

give an expression to the idea of progression via

different steps to be taken in the study and

practice of the wholeness of the vision of yoga, the

Yoga-Daršana. This is quite an excellent ladder, it

displays the dynamic vector of yoga, the traverse

of the transversal ‟tween outer and inner depths.

Slight difficulties to interpretation, though, arise

mainly because of the nature of the list-form

presentation in itself, sequentiality as such is what

creates the problem. The full journey across these

steps, the aspects of yoga, may give the impression

of being a rather steep one, to take a long time and

effort, and the ladder as a whole thus seems quite

formidable to ascend, and, of course, the middle

and top rungs demand that the lower rungs have

been mastered, thus creating prerequisites for yoga.

But still, the image of a ladder can be approached

from either end1 (see note p. 6) (but not so with the

image of a stairway), and though deeply relevant

this image does not say anything about the

recursive algorythmic methdology of yoga as such.

The second metaphor, that of an object with

limbs, a table, or a grand piano (and why not?),

offers up all the starting points we‟d want. In this

model yoga may be approached and effectuated

via any one aspect (pull one leg and all the others

follow), yet, strangely, the whole structure is

somewhat loose, drifting free. Where to? Whither?

What goes where? – and so on. But still, buried

within this model we find a deep sense of indi-

viduality, of freedom – of movement, action. This

second view of yoga, even though being limited,

still tangles with the philosophical implications as

to our „sense of connectedness‟, and to the „how‟

of our inner sense of wonder, the epistemology

thereof; that „why‟ is revealed by practice.

Moving on now to the third metaphor, that of

a tree, „A Tree of Yoga‟, 'The Tree of Life'. This

metaphor of root, trunk, limbs or branches, and a

crown applied to yoga reveals the inner dynamic

of „algorhythmy‟ in the metaphoric nerve from

root to crown that traverses the transversal ‟tween

stillness and activity, the inner and outer of life, so

to say. This image, that of a tree, might also

confuse as it is generally very much tied up with

the historical evolution of a great variety schools

and traditions of yoga – and using it for another

purpose as that of the philosophy of yoga, distinct

as that may be, might just add to the general

bedlam of confusion regarding the philosophy of

yoga (not the least being the almost exclusive use

of the word „yoga‟ for merely the fourth aspect of

the sequence, asâna, yoga pertaining to the body).

Yet this metaphor of a tree does manage to allude

to the dynamic processuality of yogic recursive

algorhythmy, it envelops the wholity of yoga and

roots the methodic and it's inner and outer effects

in the consciousness of the practitioner. In short,

this metaphor of a tree is a functional metaphor.

Tools – Not Truths!

Q i e eee & l #

Back in Time

Yoga may be pictured as a major

branch of a gigantic tree whose roots

are anchored deep in the Neolithic

age, with the highest branch of its

canopy still growing in our era. The

base of its stem is formed by the

Vedic culture, as we know it from the

surviving four hymnodies: the Rig-

Veda, Yajur-Veda, Sâma-Veda, and

Atharva-Veda. Careful study of these

works reveals that the seers (rishi)

who composed them were steeped in

Yoga, which they still call tapas, often

rendered as “ascetism” (from the

verbal root tap “to glow”). Their Yoga

was entirely a solar Yoga, with the

Sun being the focus of their spiritual

aspirations. Much later, in the

Bhagavad-Gita (4.1) the Sun is

remembered as the original teacher

of Yoga.

...

Shortly after the time of the

Upanishads of the middle period [...]

the trunk of our figurative tree split

in three. The thick middle trunk

continued the Vedic tradition leading

to what came to be called Hinduism;

the second trunk evolved the small

but ramifying tradition of Jainism;

and the third trunk unfolded the

complex tradition of Buddhism. *

•

* Georg Feuerstein,

The Deeper Dimension of Yoga,

2003, p. 39.

To the side here I have

appended a quote from the

works of Georg Feuerstein,

excellent scholar of the yoga.

This quote offers an example

of how the metaphor of a

tree may be applied in a

context of different

branchings as to overall

structure in the growth of the

yoga-darśana, the vision of

yoga. This distinguishes the

format of use here, in the

quote, from the more specific

format I have chosen as

metaphor to show the

inherent dynamic of the eight

aspects of yoga in context and

in that to allude to the grand

algorhythmy of life revealed

by the yoga-darśana.

Here Mr. Feuerstein discusses

the Vedic roots of yoga.

Fundamentals of Yoga 12 Lay-outs on The Yoga

14

INTO THE DEEP

India Ink on Paper

Magnus Malmsten

Yoga is the Settling of the Mind into Silence. Yoga Sutra: 1.2

http://www.magnusmalmsten.se/ http://issuu.com/albatross/ I

16

Yoga is one of the six systems of Indian philosophy.

… the fourth, its main concern therein being personal experience

via the practical application of method.

The philosophy of Yoga has its roots in Vedic culture,

of ca. 2500–1700 BC,

and gets its first exposé by Patanjali in the Yoga-Sūtra,

of ca. 200 BC–100 AD.

Yoga offers the experience of a deep quiet,

in terms of both mind & body.

Yoga, as method, is process.

Its different methods thereby synergistically lead to a deep,

wakeful, refreshing rest.

Yoga relies on the spontaneity of the mind

as it journeys to rest & cognizes a „deep‟ quiet when opportunity is given.

In Yoga an inner recursive algorhythmy is revealed.

The practitioner of Yoga, by rhythmic continuity over time,

establishes an inner sense of ease in the subjective experience of

an effortless gravitating towards rest followed by a flowing into activity:

rest and activity, rest and activity.

The application of Yoga stabilises mind & body.

This engenders dynamic activity.

The wholity of Yoga is, by metaphor, a Tree of Life.

“The Tree of Life”: a recursive heuristic metaphor

with which to grasp the wholity of the philosophy of yoga.

The Paradigm of Yoga:

Rest & Activity

THE FRAMEWORK

http://issuu.com/albatross/ Juri Aidas II

18

The full reach of yogic ‘algorhythmy’ does tend towards ease and effortlessness in the practice of recursive yogic methodology. ‘Algorhythmic’ methodology thus falls in the ‘allowing’ category of approach to the yoga.

It is interesting to notice that the

more recent translations in

this list (those from

the latter half of the 1970s and onward,

with a little overlap)

mostly fall in the

‘allowing’ category rather

than the ‘restrictive’.

Allowing versus Restrictive

Yoga is the restriction of the fluctuations of mind-stuff

Allowing interpretations

Thomas Egenes

Yoga is the complete settling of the activity of the mind. (“Maharishi Patanjali Yoga-Sûtra”, 2011; p. 11.)

Chip Hartranft

Yoga is to still the patterning of consciousness. (“The Yoga-Sûtra of Patanjali – A New Translation with Commentary”, 2003, p. 2.)

Alistair Schearer *

* Yoga is the settling of the mind into silence. (“The Yoga-Sûtra of Patanjali – Effortless Being”, 1982; ed. 2002, p. 107.)

Barbara Stoler Miller

Yoga is the cessation of the turnings of thought. (“Yoga Discipline of Freedom – The Yoga Sutra Attributed to Patanjali”, 1995, p. 29.)

B.K.S. Iyengar

Yoga is the cessation of movements in the consciousness. (“Light on the Yoga Sûtras of Patañjali”, 1993, p. 50.)

P. Y. Deshpande

Yoga is that state of being in which the ideational choice-making movement of the mind slows down and comes to a stop.

(“The Authentic Yoga – Patanjali‟s Yoga Sutras”, 1978, p. 19.)

Restrictive interpretations

Trevor Leggett:

Yoga is inhibition of the mental processes. (“Šankara on the Yoga-Sutras”, Volume 1, 1981, p. 14.)

Georg Feuerstein

Yoga is the restriction of the fluctuations of consciousness. (“The Yoga-Sûtra of Patanjali – A New Translation and Commentary”, 1979, p. 26.)

I.K. Taimini

Yoga is the inhibition of the modifications of the mind. (“The Science of Yoga”, 1961; ed. 1975, p. 6.)

Swami Hariharânanda Aranya

Yoga is the suppression of the modifications of the mind. (“Yoga Philosophy of Patanjali”, 1963, p. 7.)

Alice A. Bailey

This Union (or Yoga) is achieved through the subjugation of the psychic nature and the restraint of the chitta (or mind).

(The Light of The Soul”, 1927; ed. 1975, p. 9.) James Haughton Woods

Yoga is the restriction of the fluctuations of mind-stuff. (“The Yoga-System of Patanjali - Or the Ancient Hindu Doctrine of Concentration of Mind”, 1927, p. xx.)

DEFINITION OF YOGA – THE SETTLING OF MIND INTO SILENCE –

http://issuu.com/albatross/

Yogaś-chitta-vritti-nirodahah

Method in a context – the mind – its expressions – quietening

Yoga is the settling of the mind into

In translations, interpretations from the Sanskrit, the definition of Yoga has attracted perspectives to cover the range of two opposites.

1. Allowing 2. Restrictive

Juri Aidas

Patanjali, Yoga Sutra: 1,2

III

Yoga is the restriction of the fluctuations of mind-stuff

14

Three Metaphors

On the Eight Aspects of Yoga A ladder / stair

Sequence

A Tree of Life

Dynamic

20

A Grand Piano / Table

Interconnectivity

– AN HEURISTIC, RECURSIVE METAPHOR OF THE “YOGA DARŠANA” – THE PHILOSOPHY AND VISION OF YOGA

M u d ra s ?

îsh v a r a p r a n id h â n a

ta p a s

sh a u c h a c o n ten tm en t

r e f in em en t

su r r en d e r to th e L o rd

p u r if ic a t io n

s im p l ic ity

sa n to sh a

sw â d h y â y a

to u c h

ta s te

sm e ll

s ig h t h e a r in g

b ra h m a c h a ry a

t ru th fu ln e s s

a s t e y a n o n - a t ta ch m en t

n o n -v io le n c e

in te g r ity

c h a s t ity

a p a r ig r a h a

sa ty a a h im sa

in w a rd s

o u tw a rd s

in w a rd s

tw is t , ro ll ,

tu rn , e tc .

a n d o th e r s a s th e co b ra

f . e x . p a d m a â s a n a

o r h a la a s a n a

.

m a s s a g e ,

s t r e tc h , b en d ,

o r su n g re e t in g , e tc .

.

f lo w

su sp en d ed

ry th m in

o u t

S a m â d h i

D y n a m ic B l is s

D h â ra n â F o c u s in g

R e tra c t in g o f th e S e n se s

P ra ty â h â ra

 sa n a

P o s tu re

P râ n â y â m a

T h e B re a th in g

N iy a m a

M o ra ls , T h e L a w s o f L ife Y a m a

E th ic s , T h e R u le s fo r L iv in g

D h y â n a

M e d ita t io n

S a t , C h it , A n a n d a

E x is te n c e , In te l lig e n ce , B lis s

N irb î ja S a m â d h i

S a m â d h i w ith o u t o b je c t

S a m â d h i w ith o b je c t

P ra k r it i

M a n ife s t

U n m a n ife s t

P u ru sh a

T ra n sc e n d e n t

V irtu a l S e lf - re fe re n t ia l F ie ld

sense of wonder

restraint

stimularatory

stability balance

stamina

endurance

Meditation Dhyâna

Focusing Dhâranâ

Breath Prânâyâma

Absorption Pratyâhâra

Posture Âsana / The Body

Attitude Yama, The Rules for Living

The Deep Samâdhi, Restful Alerness

Behaviour Niyama, The Laws of Life

Withdrawal of the senses

Morals *

Ethics *

An Hariolation on the Interconnectivities of the Eight Aspects of Yoga as an Aid to the Understanding of the Grounds of Knowledge of The Deep.

http://issuu.com/albatross/

THE TREE OF LIFE

“Yoga is the settling of the mind into silence.”

“Established in yoga, perform action.”

Juri Aidas * As pertaining to the actual practice of yogic methodology as such.

Yama and Niyama are not to be viewed as ideological determinants.

Yoga Sutra; 1,2

Bhagavad Gita; 2,48

Sat, Chit, Ananda Existence, Intelligence, Bliss

Transcendent Virtual Self-Referential Field

Beyond Perplexitie Beyond any concept of the beyond!

IV

Derivation of the structure of The Tree of Life from The Ladder

22

T he categories of Yoga (and the subcategories implied therein) presented in the schemata of the metaphor of ‚The Tree of Life‛

and in the traditional listings all refer to the process of Yoga as such and are not to be ideologically transferred to any other domain, their qualities will rather become infused into our life and into our living depending on what application gives and what circumstance brings.

Simplicity, Contentment, Purification, Refinement, Sense of Wonder

Transversal Divide of Inner/Outer,

Abstrusness/Abstraction Field.

Transcendence ( 1 . )

1 . Transcend – to go beyond.

Increase of Self-referential Potential

(Retraction of the Senses / Contemplation)

Absorption Natural Tendency of the Mind Attention drawn by an Inwards Attraction.

... followed by A Gradual Increase of Abstraction /Abstruseness ... and an Absorption of the Mind Ensues.

Non-violence, Truthfulness, Integrity, Restraint, Non-attachment

(With object.)

Dhâranâ Dhyâna Samâdhi

–

Attitude

Behaviour

Posture

Breath

Withdrawal

Meditation

The Deep

(‘Meditation’ termed technically, or say, methodological dynamic

Meditative Process

Subject / Object Perplexity Treshold.

by Sanyama. (Yoga Sûtra, Ch. 3. )

Sanyama (Coherence )

Inner Event Horizon.

(The Transcendent) ( 1 . ) Sat – Chit – Ananda.

Existence – Intelligence – Bliss Transcended ( 1 . )

(Without object.)

Activation of the senses

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Algorythmy

( beyond activity )

Activity

Rest

( That which one can’t quite put ones finger on! )

( Nature )

Ethics (as pertaining to Yoga)

Morals (as pertaining to Yoga)

The Body / Balance /Stability

Flow

Recursivity

Th

e D

eep

Focusing Effortless Ignition

Quietude The potentiality for Dynamic Bliss

– Yama

(Centering / Concentration)

– Niyama

– Asana

– Pranayama

– Pratyahara

– Dharana

– Dhyana

– Samadhi

Juri Aidas

Established in Yoga Perform Action.

Nirbija Samadhi

Manifest – Prakriti

Unmanifest – Purusha

From the Transcendent ( 1 . )

Samprajnata

–

1 . For a discussion on ‟transcendence‟ see ”The Nature of Yoga” by Juri Aidas. http://issuu.com/albatross.

2. Yoga Sûtra – Patanjali

Sany

ama

The Beyond

THE SEQUENCE

Structures in Yoga – List form ... as per Patanjali..

Yoga Sutra; 2:29 -

3. The concept of „Unmanifest‟ I simply regard as that upon which one ones finger cannot put, that which is beyond. Excitation of deep rest causes a rebound into activity.

(3.)

( 2 . )

Transcending ( 1 . )

V http://issuu.com/albatross/ V

V

V

Subjectively characterized as

24

P. Y. Deshpande (“The Authentic Yoga – Patanjali‟s Yoga Sutras”, 1979B, p. 98.)

Deshpande strangely enough does not translate the concepts of the eight aspects of yoga, thus the Sanskrit listing (in the box header, p. 25), but his commentary on the Yoga Sutra is immensely perceptive (thus I give it a mention here).

1.

2.

3.

5.

6.

7.

8.

4.

A JEWEL OF EIGHT FACETS – 12 APPROXIMATIONS TO YOGA IN TRANSLATION –

9.

10.

11.

YAMA • NIYAMA • ASANA • PRANAYAMA • PRATYAHARA • DHARANA • DHYANA • SAMÂDHI

Thomas Egenes Observance, Rule, Posture, Regulation of Breathing, Retirement, Steadiness,

Meditation and Transcendental Consciousness. * (“Maharishi Patanjali Yoga-Sûtra”, 2011; p. 56.)

Chip Hartranft External Discipline, Internal Discipline, Posture, Breath Regulation,

Withdrawal of the Senses, Concentration, Meditative absorption and Integration. (“The Yoga-Sûtra of Patanjali – A New Translation with Commentary”, 2003, p. 30.)

Barbara Stoler Miller Moral Principles, Observances, Posture, Breath control, Withdrawal of the

Senses,Concentration, Meditation and Pure Contemplation. (“Yoga Discipline of Freedom – The Yoga Sutra Attributed to Patanjali”, 1995, p. 52.)

Trevor Leggett: Restraints, Observances, Posture, Restraint of Vital Currents, Dissociation,

Concentration, Meditation and Samâdhi. (“Šankara on the Yoga-Sutras”, Volume 2, 1983, p. 110.)

Alistair Schearer The Laws of Life, The Rules for Living, Posture, Breathing exercises,

Retirement of the Senses, Focusing of Attention, Meditation and The Settled Mind.

(“The Yoga-Sûtra of Patanjali – Effortless Being”, 1982, p. XX.)

Georg Feuerstein Restraint, Observance, Posture, Breath-control, Sense-withdraval,

Concentration, Meditative absorption and Enstasy. (“The Yoga-Sûtra of Patanjali – A New Translation and Commentary”, 1979, p. 80.)

Enstasy is a construct from „Enhanced Ecstasy‟. (Feuerstein 1979, p. ix, 76.)

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Observance, Rules of Life, Posture, Breathing exercises, Retirement of the Senses,

Steadiness of Mind, Meditation and The State of Transcendental Consciousness.

(“The Bhagavad-Gita – A New Translation and Commentary”, 1967, p. ?.) Swami Hariharânanda Aranya

Restraint, Observance, Posture, Regulation of breath, Withholding of senses, Fixity, Meditation and Perfect Concentration.

(“Yoga Philosophy of Patanjali”, 1963, p. 232.)

I.K. Taimini Self-Restraints, Fixed Observances, Posture, Regulation of breath, Abstraction,

Concentration, Contemplation and Trance. (“The Science of Yoga”, 1961, p. ?.)

James Haughton Woods ( Note to self: Reheck this ref. ) Abstentions, Observances, Postures, Regulations-of-the-breath, Withdrawal-of-

the-senses, Fixed-attention, Contemplation and Concentration. (“The Yoga-System of Patanjali - Or the Ancient Hindu Doctrine of Concentration of Mind”, 1927, p. ?.)

Alice A. Bailey Commandments, Rules, Posture, Right Control of Life-force, Abstraction, Attention,

Meditation and Contemplation. (“The Light of the Soul – The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali”, 1927, 11 Impr. 1978, p. 180.)

Juri Aidas Attitude & Behaviour (the Ethics & Morals of yoga), Posture, Breath, Withdrawal,

Focusing, Meditation and The Deep (aka., ground of bliss, inner equilibrium).

http://issuu.com/albatross/ Juri Aidas

Patanjali, Yoga-Sūtra: 2,29.

VI

12.

* The book links refer to the latest edition respectively of the Yoga-Sutras; page numberings refer to the editions used here.

26

METHODOLOGY MEDITATION – DHYANA

Process of Transcendence

The wheel of Karma Tuned by Yoga

Turns all action to Dharma

Karma: Principle of Action and Reaction. Yoga: Tuning process of Mind and Body; Recursive Evolutionary Algorythm. Dharma: Action in accord with Natural Law

M u d ra s ?

îsh v a r a p r a n id h â n a

ta p a s

sh a u c h a c o n ten tm en t

r e f in em en t

su r r en d e r to th e L o rd

p u r if ic a t io n

s im p l ic ity

sa n to sh a

sw â d h y â y a

to u c h

ta s te

sm e ll

s ig h t h e a r in g

b ra h m a c h a ry a

t ru th fu ln e s s

a s t e y a n o n - a t ta ch m en t

n o n -v io le n c e

in te g r ity

c h a s t ity

a p a r ig r a h a

sa ty a a h im sa

in w a rd s

o u tw a rd s

in w a rd s

tw is t , ro ll ,

tu rn , e tc .

a n d o th e r s a s th e co b ra

f . e x . p a d m a â s a n a

o r h a la a s a n a

.

m a s s a g e ,

s t r e tc h , b en d ,

o r su n g re e t in g , e tc .

.

f lo w

su sp en d ed

ry th m in

o u t

S a m â d h i

D y n a m ic B l is s

D h â ra n â F o c u s in g

R e tra c t in g o f th e S e n se s

P ra ty â h â ra

 sa n a

P o s tu re

P râ n â y â m a

T h e B re a th in g

N iy a m a

M o ra ls , T h e L a w s o f L ife Y a m a

E th ic s , T h e R u le s fo r L iv in g

D h y â n a

M e d ita t io n

S a t , C h it , A n a n d a

E x is te n c e , In te l lig e n ce , B lis s

N irb î ja S a m â d h i

S a m â d h i w ith o u t o b je c t

S a m â d h i w ith o b je c t

P ra k r it i

M a n ife s t

U n m a n ife s t

P u ru sh a

T ra n sc e n d e n t

V irtu a l S e lf - re fe re n t ia l F ie ld

sense of wonder

Samadhi Dynamic Bliss

3.

Process of Thinking Accelleration

Inherent Karmic causation –

Mental Activity Feedback loop Fluctuating Transcendence

And by the way as the motive in meditation is rest:

Release & Creativity

Action generates Reaction – this is Karma, attenuated by Yoga action flows

according to Natural Law, Dharma.

Thoughts are activities of the mind and define the ‟Self‟‟

in ‟Centres of Narrative Gravity‟.**

U tfö r h a n d lin g ,

e ta b le ra d i y o g a .

Established in Yoga, perform action.

Juri Aidas

Body at Rest

Mind at Rest

Thoughts

Samadhi Sat, Chit, Ananda

Existence, Intelligence, Bliss

Transcendent Beyond Perplexitie

The use of a mantra in the process of meditation fragments the inherent active cause that motivates the thinking process as such. Using a mantra, on the level of thinking is to start up a recursive algorhythmic process; thoughts fade away and as also occasionally the mantra is forgotten what remains is a restful state of stillness, calm, serenity and bliss.

For a mantra not to be conditioned by meanings (and thus become a vessel of contemplation within the process of meditation) it must be obtained by personal instruction, preferably from a trusted source. A mantra is not supposed to have any meaning or be the name of anything. It must be possible to forget a mantra while using it in the meditative process: therefore it is used in a natural manner, no effort is applied, more like ‟letting go‟ than ‟picking up‟, no dull repetition.

When awareness, during meditation, in Yoga, comes to recognize that thoughts and activities occupy it a mantra is added to the process of thinking, as just any thought among other thoughts, this stimulates the mind, counters dullness, as thinking is distracted and mind

The process of thinking is autonomous and engenders thought as pearl on a string. In meditation there‟s no point in putting a lid on top, it is difficult to force a stop to thinking. Instead a technique to distract thought is brought into play, this results in a state of no activity at all.

1.

A mantra, used on the level of thought stimulates awareness and alerteness, and also acts as a distractive impulse on the process of thinking, fragmenting and diverting it. Thinking relaxes, unfinished thoughts fade away, as does the mantra now and then.

2.

As the process of thinking becomes distracted, on account of the use of a mantra subtly breaking the flow of thoughts, thinking stops seeking a goal in action. When this occurs the mind (vitalized by this dhyana) attains a state of restful alerteness and relaxes its subjective hold on the persona, it becomes calm, the ego dissolves. This causes the body to relax and rest as no impetus to activity remains.

Two processes surface as mind and body relax: the pure creative process itself opens up and a release of latent physical and mental debris occurs, activity flares.

When bound residues of activity are released this release causes further activity, tangling pure creative thought. The process of meditation defuses both flows.

4.

Mantra Sound, word; used only

as a mental impulse.

The mantra is kept private, so that meaning and con-notations do not to accrue to it and thus condition it (giving rise and drive to new trains of thought). This enables us to occasio-nally forget it (gone).

Restful Alerteness

Activity

* Hariolatory musings.

** As propounded by the Science of Heterophenomenology (phenomenology of another, not oneself).

Feedback loop Fluctuating Transcendence

Plattform of Sanyama (coherence). Expression of Ritambhara (inner truth).

Gea

ring

up Settling d

own

restraint

Withdrawal of the Senses

The Deep

„NOTHING‟ IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.

(Though at times it does.)

http://issuu.com/albatross/

THE ALGORHYTHMY OF INNER RECURSIVE PROCESS IN YOGA

Thinking Mantra

Thoughts

Mantra

Gone

Thoughts /

VII

* *

*

See, p. 45 for a more detailed run through of this „process‟ of transcendence.

M A

Wheel of Transcendence

28

Vanishing Point Matrix

The Mantra is a tool to distract the flow of thinking and this, in effect,

makes thinking cease its momentum. (More on this on page 43.)

Mantra: a word,

a sound (with no

inherent meaning);

is only used as a mental

impulse.

•

―The word ‗mantra‘

stems from the Sanskrit

verbal root „man‟

meaning

“to think, ponder”.

The suffix ‗tra‘ indicates

instrumentality.‖*

* “The Spiritual Heritage of Ancient India”, 2001, p. 189, by Feuerstein, Kak och Frawley.

∆ “From a lecture by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in Majorca, Vinter 1971/72,

Actual wording paraphrased here, and ... ‘The Deep‟ added into the mix.

TRAVERSE TO THE DEEP – ELEVATOR –

A—O—M

( The very Basic Mantra° )

A: The mouth opens into

the full resonance of an ‗A‘.

O: Next the Mouth rounds

that resonance to an ‗O‘

and flows with it.

M: Then the mouth closes

into an ‗M‘ and the final

hum resonates awareness

into

the silent depths of

The Deep.∆

The AOM-sound

offers up a

universal mantra,

a full complete

sound of strong

resonatory power.

AOM will create a

strong inwards

directed vector in

the subject to flow

awareness towards

The Deep.

A sudden flow

may give rise to a

sudden loosening

of inner balance if

the outer structure

has not been

prepared. ...

... A personal mantra of no connotative power is thus to

be preferred as the yogic path is attempted.

° See: the “Māndūkyopanishad” ·· ·

"OM" is the most sacred syllable in Hinduism."OM" is a Sanskrit word, which is said to be the original primordial creative sound from which the universe and all of creation first manifested. It is the root syllable (mula mantra), the cosmic vibration that hold together the atoms of the world and heavens. While pronounced “OM”, certain Sanskrit scholars state that it is written as “AUM”. Swami Sivananda Radha says, “The cosmic sound AUM, or its condensed form, OM, is the origin of all other sound. OM is everything. It is the name of God.”

Edward Hinz Facebook, 19 April 2014

Below is a meta-physical and theistic angle on the idea of the universality ”OM” sound/word.

TWO DYNAMICS, FOUR STATES & THREE CATEGORIES – REST & ACTIVITY, CONSCIOUSNESS & MEDITATION –

Physiological correlates to the idea of a fourth basic state of consciousnes are suggested in this research paper by Frederick Travis, see chapter 10, in this collection of papers (via NeuroscienceLibrary):

States of Consciousness Beyond Waking, Dreaming and Sleeping:

Perspectives from Research on Meditation Experiences *

Abstract *

T hree categories of meditation practices have been proposed: focused attention meditations,

which involve voluntary and sustained attention on a chosen object; open monitoring

meditations, which involve non-reactive monitoring of moment-to-moment content of

experience; and automatic self-transcending meditations, which are designed to transcend their

own activity. While focused attention and open monitoring meditations explore the nature of

individual cognitive, affective, and perceptual processes and experiences, automatic self-

transcending meditations explore the state when conscious processing and experiences are

transcended, a state called pure consciousness.”

The Algorythmy of yogic meditation belongs in the automatic self-transcending category.

Data from the research support the description of pure consciousness as a fourth state of consciousness with unique phenomenological and physiological correlates.

* Frederic Travis, chapter 10, p. 223. (See overleaf for written link.)

http://issuu.com/albatross/

Above is a Kanellakos/Lucas device (here presented slightly reworded yet following the structure in the paper by Lawrence Domash in „Collected Papers‟ [link below]). This is an illustrative graphic coordina-ted around the extremes of the two parameters of „Physiological Activity‟ and „Conscious Awareness‟ as to relationships among the four basic states of consciousness. (See overleaf for the original illustration.)

Scientific Research on the Transcendental Meditation Program: Collected papers, Vol. 1, p. 656. Maharishi European Research University, 1976. For up-to-date research see: http://www.mumpress.com/scientific-research.html

”

Yes No

Conscious Awareness

Physio

logic

al Activity

Low

H

igh

Waking State

Dreaming State

Transcendental Consciousness

Deep Sleep

Awareness versus activity in the four major states of consciousness.

VIII

Yoga Cat ... ponders:

30

The original Kannellakos/Lucas schemata on fundamental states of consciousness.

The Psychobiology of Transcendental Meditation: A Literature Review, Demetri P. Kannelakos / Jerome S. Lucas, 1974, p. xi.

ISBN:0-8053-5205-8

This book reviews scientific research in the field of meditation, especially Transcendental Meditation, work that was available up to January 1974.

The references below refer to the paper just mentioned on different characterizations as to processes in meditation practices.

States of Consciousness Beyond Waking, Dreaming and Sleeping: Perspectives from Research on Meditation Experiences

A collection of papers edited by Dean Cvetkovic & Irena Cosic; includes the paper by Frederic Travis. (Page, 223.)

http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-642-18047-7_10#page-1

A Pdf of the book is available via Neuroscience Library

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Neuroscience-LibraryBiblioth%C3%A8que-des-Neurosciences/203745536347153

ISBN 978-3-642-18046-0; Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2011.

On the „algorhythmic‟ stance in „meditation‟.

As for me and the way I view things I do think that any approach to yogic practice that involves the „algorhythmic‟ stance to the full, that harnesses the „algorhythmic‟ process most effectively, ought to fall into the type of categori-zation described as „automatic self-transcending‟ (at least as goes for meditative practice [discussed in the paper where-from the abstract is quoted herein on the former page]). But the „algorhythmic‟ characteristic may also, of course, be applied dynamically to all the other aspects of yoga, thus bringing the structurality of „transcendence‟ into all the fields of yoga.

Prototype

THE HEURISTIC *

http://issuu.com/albatross/

* Heuristic: A speculative formulation serving as a guide in the investigation or solution of a problem.

From the Greek: heuriskein, to find.

Juri Aidas IX

Heuristically speaking ...

The ancient

symbolism of an

eightfold branching

structure springing from

its roots in the human

consciousness, as seen in

the Mohenjo-daro seal,

may be regarded as

an early prototype

of the metaphor of

The Tree of Life *

which finds its

expression in the

philosophy and practice

of the yogic stance,

by the effective

application of the yogic

paradigm of

rest and activity.

Applied

algorhythmy

of yogic

method

brings the

dynamic of

deep wakeful

rest into the

field of activity

to thus stabilize

its ever

rising

and

falling

and

rising

and

falling

flows.

32

Who knows the truth? Who here will pronounce it / Whence this birth, whence this creation? The Gods appeared afterward, with the creation of this. / Who then knows whence it arose?

Rig Veda X. 129.6 – ca. 3-rd millennium B.C. – R. T. H. Griffith

Mandala Unknown artist , 1975, Dharamsala, 56 x 67 cm.

http://issuu.com/albatross/

X

Markings found on back of Mandala.

The Mandala on the other side of this page was

purchased by me over the counter, so to say, in

New Delhi, India in 1981. I was attending a yoga

course and one day as I had a few hours to spare I

went out on town and had walked into a smallish

art store, well it had two floors, city-center along

the Connaught Circus. and I took my time looking

around. The shop was specialized in iconic works

of both Indian and Tibetan culture. There were a

lot of Mandalas of different kinds about but I was

obviously looking for something else, so I dared

pose the question, in the hope that the manager

would kindly concede to share some treasure or

two. Well, I did, in utmost diplomatic fashion, ask

if there might not be some more alluring works

abouts and if thus please to show me a selection.

I had already told him that I was an attendeé at a

local yoga course and ... so, well, having looked me

over for a few moments he turned around and

opened a cupboard and took out the mandala

which I have reproduced. I did end up buying the

beaut off the nice manager for an, I guess,

agreeable price for both. When we had us a little

talk after the deal he told me that the painting

in question was painted by a Tibetan monk from

Dharamsala, India, possibly in 1975. The info from

the back of the painting is reproduced here below.

Juri Aidas

34

YOGA CLOSES IN WITH THE DEEP – AND ENHANCES ALL EXISTENCE, INTELLIGENCE, AND BLISS –

Yoga creates well-being.

Our inner nature attracts the relaxed mind.

The Nature of the Mind: Existence, Intelligence & Joy.

As perceived from a nominally phenomenological middle ground.

•

The yogic dive into The Deep comes about naturally, spontaneously and effortlessly.

http://issuu.com/albatross/

The recursive algorhythmy of Yogic process offers cognition as such the opportunity to meld with The Deep of inner quiet with no disturbance effected on the surface transversal thereof, i. e. the identity generating cognitive „mind‟ (of blissful qualia). Thus by going beyond even the outer one strengthens the shell of existential well-being that surrounds the innermost, the serene inner depth.

RECLINING YOGI Magnus Malmsten – India Ink on Paper

Juri Aidas XI

36

SENTINEL

India Ink on Paper

Magnus Malmsten

Established in Yoga Perform Action. Bhagavad-Gita: 2.48

http://www.magnusmalmsten.se/ http://issuu.com/albatross/ XII

38

T he word „algorhythmy‟, as derived from the methodic of experience provided by deep yoga,

is supposed to reflect the idea of a skillfully applied tool for to establish an elegantly honed

rhythmic continuity to the processes of interaction between rest and activity, the two cornerstones

to life, to cause a qualitative enhancement of those natural dynamics, to bring forth their essence,

to unite them. My wish, in all this, is to present a rational conceptual ground stable enough to

explain the subtle process of recursivity embedded in the method of yoga, a process for to put

„gain‟ into natures great pendulum swings between the two extremes: rest and activity.

Algorhythmy

Algorhythmy

39

Pikeboros

A s one practices the „algorhythmy‟ of the yoga of meditation a mantra is used for to slightly‟ distract‟ the natural flow of

thinking. what happens is that as the mantra is used effortlessly (which means it is not concentrated upon but only, like, added to the thought flow) it distracts whatever thinking‟s we do from their goals, the momentum of thought fades. Thinking falls away as the yoga (yoga, because meditation is one of the eight aspects of yoga) is practiced and so also does the meditation technique; that leaves the mind in a non-active, restful state yet awake. The slight impulse that is generated as a mantra is used is the stimulus that, in the final end, is what keeps cognition alert even though no ideational activity is taking place. So, it is a wakeful alertness one experiences in deep meditation during the process of yoga. This is refreshing to both mind and body – and, of course, anxieties fall away. Body and mind become coordinated which gives rise to a more natural flow of action. Yoga is not navelgazing, it rather brings about a restful state and prepares the practitioner for activity.

The essence of Yoga is its effortlessness. Yoga is a recursive process though if analyzed intellectually (a recursive algorhythmy it is). Yet no analysis is necessary for practice as such, but after a while of practice curiosity does set in, "What is this good thing that is happening to me?”, “Why does it work?", “What am I doing?”. Yoga practitioners do ask about these things. So, explanations are being provided and all the teacher would ask is that these structural and dynamic tools for a furthering of an „understanding‟ of the mechanism and relevance of the method of yoga, yes, all the teacher would ask is that these „regular tools‟ be put aside during practice, during the process as such of establishing a state of restful alertness in the individual. The Maharishi often said that understanding and experience go hand in hand. Maharishis commentary to the Indian classic “The Bhagavad-Gita” is well worth the read. In the practice of the seventh aspect of yoga, meditation (in my parlance the eight aspects of yoga are: attitude, behaviour, posture, breath, withdrawal, focusing, meditation and „The Deep‟, something ineffable [uncon-ceptulizable]'), in the practice of meditation we utilize what The Maharishi dubbed 'the natural tendency of the mind'. This 'tendency' is the natural flow of the mind to seek out that which is a pleasure, a delight, a wonder (O, that Sense of Wonder), the tran-quil, the serene, the rejuvenating, and in terms of the „inner‟, a good feeling. If, when one is in the flow of meditation, thoughts are al-lowed to not interfere, to not be brought to their conclusions, their rhythms ebbed (they come and go), their breath as if suspended into a single note, not focused upon, not egged on, not brought to action, slightly distracted, well then the mind takes the deep dive, the ego holds back, the impulse to express all and everything settles, cognition becomes still:

"Yoga is the settling of the mind into silence."

40

ELEVATOR

Juri Aidas

29 April 2010

ALGORHYTHMY – THE WALK OF LIFE –

1. In my view yoga represents a qualitative interaction between

rest and activity.

2. Yoga defines a paradigm: rest & activity.

3. (One could say, in short, that a paradigm defines the

consensual view on states and things.)

4. Yoga, as method, establishes a rhythm, effortlessly, naturally

in the relationship of rest and activity.

5. This rhythm suffuses all nature’s rhythms.

6. When Yoga is applied as method I call this algorhythmy.

7. Here ’algorhythm’ is viewed as analogous to algorithm,

implying a process that is repeated.

8. Continuity in a process of interaction of rest and activity,

algorhythmy, creates and channels a dynamic unto all.

9. I gather resources when I rest and when I act a relevance

to what I do is revealed.

10. In terms of rest and activity algorhythmy is a dynamic.

11. It is a process that links the extremes of life, that is, rest

and activity.

12. (In this the process of algorhythmy is recursive, it returns

unto its root.)

13. When rest and activity meld together a balance between

them is created.

14. Yoga effectively enhances the interaction between rest

and activity.

15. In rest is the ground of all activity, in activity resides a

potential for rest.

16. The performer of an algorhythmy lands on both feet and

bounds easily across mountains.

41

Juri Aidas

YOGA – THE PRACTICE:

A COMPLETE YOGA SESSION concerns itself with all

of its eight aspects:

I. Attitude – a willingness to learn, practice

and discuss the subject.

II. Behaviour – as regards the practice itself,

not as an ideological determinant.

III. Posture – the body. The physical yoga is

termed ‗hatha-yoga‘ wherein one practices postures,

asanas; these make the body supple and smooth, but they

do not ‗train‘ strength, there's no weight-lifting going on

in this, one but checks the functionality of the body and

establishes a balance to movement and, yes, posture.

IV. Breath – breathing. Breath should flow

naturally; it goes out, it goes in, and in the extremes of

that flow it rests, it turns around by itself (trust the

autonomy of the physical system to take care of that).

Also, when one is stressed it's harder to breathe, breath

becomes irregular, it jerks back an' forth, jumps hither

and thither and destabilizes the system even more; in the

yoga one goes for the natural flow of it which means

allowing the inbreath and the outbreath to find their still

fulcrums where the flow turns around naturally ... there's

really no need to count seconds this, seconds that (seconds

of what?), one takes conscious control of the breathing for

a little while and guides it into a natural flow, this will

calm the mind somewhat and set the stage for the next

aspect of the recursive algorhythmy of the yogic process.

V. Withdrawal – or say ‘absorption‟. In this the

mind starts its settling down and leaves the objects of

the senses to their fates, to their causal reverberations,

which will fade as the yogic process deepens ... a simile

for this is a turtle that withdraws its limbs (where'd they

go?), this state of absorption is recognized in the almost

universal experience of being engrossed in a book and

someone speaks and we do not take note but yet a

moment later we may be somewhat bewildered and

befuddled as to what was said; in the recognition of that

initial absortption, or withdrawal, the yogic process

induces a spark of activity, a slight, effortless focusing.

As said ...

42

Yoga is the settling of the mind into silence.

Established in Yoga, Perform Action.

All the aspects of yoga do have their different schools and approaches with different emphases, yet their roots are the same though – Vedic.

Certain movements

in Hatha-yoga are simple,

others are somewhat

more complicated,

specialized.

It is our approach to the

methods of Yoga

that decides if what we

practice is Yoga or not.

VI. Focusing – this dynamic, the introduction

of a mantra (see p. 44), very subtly alerts the mind as it

drifts; an unhurried effortless slight attention; a spark

that algorhythmically applied over time will distract the

minds ideational choice-making movements and lead it

to the non-participation in any further activity, the mind

will start to settle down; and that is meditation.

VII. Meditation – as the mantra fades a natural in-

wards falling occurs, away from the field of activity, into

The Deep. The induced alertness remains as the mantra fades.

VIII. The Deep – inner quiet (at times conceptu-

alized as pure consciousness, but I won't an' I shan't

stick my finger into that nest of epistemological labeling-

diversity, so, for unitys sake I but term it 'The Deep').

Therein, in The Deep one rests deeply, yet with conscio-

usness retained alertness remains. In this one does not

'do' anything, that's why one cannot put ones finger on

that utmost of subjective experiences (though it has it's

physical correlates). To, figuratively, put ones finger into

the inner experience would be an activity and thus

contradict the experience. We but close in on that depth

and just as we may sense the sea even before we see it

we head towards it effortlessly drawn by a growing deep

serenity and restful peace to engulf us as we dive.*

PREPARATION – NOT TRAINING

Screw-of-some-kind’a-position

Enough is enough. Don’t overdo it.

Another-kind’a-screw-position

Individual adjustments should be allowed for.

Lotus-position

Not to be forced. Beware the meniscus.

If specific circumstances, or any complications, are at hand: consult professional competence before any program is attempted.

At pregnancy, for example, one does not roll around in just any fashion, and acute or chronic troubles need attention.

43

Not Training

The purpose of the physical

Yoga is the creastion of

suppleness and stability of

the body and in that to

support the final plunge

into The Deep via the

algorhythmic process of

meditation, dhyana.

* See page 46 for an explanation on how in yogic practice one most effectively surfaces out again from the depths of The Deep.

Magnus Malmsten: ‘Yogis’ – India Ink on Paper

And now a look at meditation in the technical sense of process, in the

philosophy as well as in the practical application of yoga. The characteristic

of the idea of meditation as looked upon from a yogic perspectve differs

some from the generally held everyday meaning of meditation as inner

contem-plative thought. In yoga the practice of meditation rounds off the

dive into The Deep that has been going on all the while as the yogi attunes

oneself, prepares oneself for the deep dive. The preparatory stages of yogic

practice all flow seamlessly into the vortex of ongoing inner entaglement

that confronts the mind as everything goes quiet, as one finally sits down

for the completory stages of the wholity of yogic progress and finally

touches down (without really touching the still surface yet a merge occurs).

MEDITATION AS PROCESS

44

HERON

India Ink on Paper

Magnus Malmsten

O n page 27, poster VII herein, is a

schemata, „The Algorhythmy of Inner

Recursive Process in Yoga‟. This is a graphic

rendering of the yogic process of meditation,

„dhyana‟. Upon the platform of subjective

inner cognizing of our inherent thinking

process [of multiple narrative gravities that

generate macroscopic ‗self‘-nodes of per-

sona and personality, these emerge as if

archetypical and then they gyrate about ]

a natural meditative process, dhyana, is intro-

duced. Unto the spontaneous process of

thinking another process is added: an

effortless minim of activity, a slight active

impulse in the form of a word of no

meaning or connotation. A word like that is

named „mantra‟ and is effortlessly introduced

to the cognitory works by a gentle handling

of the mental thougt of that word-sound.

The undirected impulse of a mantra into

the cognitory flow seemingly distracts the

thinking process from its momentum and in

that it subdues our desire for conceptual

closure, for completing any thought that

may arise, a defusing of the contextual

arrow occurs, a fragmentation of intent

comes about – and yet, the inner spark of

awareness is upheld by „dhyana‟, the subtle

turn ‗a the mind of this effortless practice.

Thoughts Flow.

The process of thinking is autonomous

and engenders multitudes of thought as if

they were beautiful pearl on a string.

In meditation (in ones application of the

meditative process) there‘s just no point in

putting a lid on top of thinking, it is difficult

to force a stop, a total halt, to thinking (if

not actually impossible at the surface level).

Instead a technique to effortlessly distract

thought is brought into play; this results in a

state of no activity at all. In the final end

both thinking and process are left alone and

both mind and body come to be at ease.

Effortlessly – approach & attitude!

It is quite natural to cognize thinking, as

it goes on most of the time, but usually a

circumstance, a ponder, of what to do with

the thoughts arises; in yoga one does not

have to do anything with them.

When awareness, during meditation, in

yoga, comes to recognize that thoughts and

activities occupy it a mantra is effortlessly

added to the process of thinking, as if it were

just any thought among other thoughts.

The subtle activity (not its content – of

which it has none) of this impulse slightly

engages the mind, thereby mental dullness is

countered as the process of thinking is

distracted and our mind comes to deep rest.

Flow and the Distraction – yet the

Deepening Process Continues.

A mantra, used on the level of thought

stimulates awareness and alertness (by the

act of its use), and this effortless use also

acts, as said, as a distractive impulse on the

process of thinking, fragmenting and thus

diverting it; the ideational momentum of the

thinking mind dissolves.

Thinking relaxes; unfinished thoughts

fade away, as will the mantra now and then.

When both are gone only awareness remains.

Cognition is Upheld Along a

Sublimity-gradient.

As the process of thinking becomes

distracted, non-intent based, on account of

the use of a mantra subtly breaking the flow

of thoughts, thinking stops seeking a goal in

action and leaves no more footprints in the

mind.

As the meditative process continues

occasionally the mantra also is forgotten, and

as thinking about anything whatever may be

long gone, the mind is settled. There is a

sense of graduality to the whole flow of

MEDITATION IN YOGA

45

meditation as process, cognitively non-

bound thoughts leave a supple afterglow of

smooth ideational progress; yet even those

creative sprouts are allowed, by the effort-

less nature of our approach, to retract into

dormancy, and if the body is stable in its

meditative posture the whole system relaxes.

In meditation nothing is supposed to

happen, and as nothing happens – we rest.

Mind & Body are Companions.

When this deep settling occurs the mind

(vitalized by the meditative process) attains

a state of restful alertness and relaxes its

subjective hold on the persona, it becomes

calm, the ego dissolves. This causes the

body to relax and rest as no impetus to

activity remains.

Yes. Occasionally the mantra is forgotten.

If nothing else then happens (or does ‗not

happen‘, so to say) then there you are, in

deep quiet, and its accompanying serene

calm does, in time, infuse every nook and

cranny of our existential frame.

Deep, Alert Rest.

Deeper than deep sleep

Restful alertness. The cornerstone of the

whole idea of yogic relevance. Allowal of a

deep invigorating rest is a preparation for

dynamic activity – is good in itself.

Thoughts (and whatnot) Come an’ Go.

Two processes surface as mind and body

relax: the pure creative process itself opens

up and a release of latent physical and

mental debris occurs, some activity flares.

When bound residues of activity are

released this release causes further activity,

tangling pure creative thought. The process

of meditation defuses both flows.

The Cycle Proceeds: Rest/Activity.

The use of a mantra, on the level of

thinking starts up a recursive ‗algorhythmic‘

process in the mind; thoughts fade away and

as also occasionally the mantra is forgotten

what remains (on empirical grounds) is a

restful state of stillness, calm, a deep seren-

ity, full of bliss.

The use of a mantra in the process of

meditation fragments the inherent active

cause (whatever that may be) that motivates

the thinking process as such.

The meditative process is self-referential

and is available across the whole vista of

conscious experience as represented by the

span-range of the meditative process and

the systemic bliss it generates, thus it has a

recursive nature that is channelled into

algorhythmies by the yogic process.

No Assigned Content.

A mantra is not supposed to have any

meaning or be the name of anything. It

must be possible to forget a mantra while

using it in the meditative process: therefore

it is used in a natural manner, no effort is

applied. The mantra is kept private, so that

meaning and connotations do not to accrue

to it and thus condition it (giving rise and

drive to new trains of thought), enabling us

in this to occasionally forget it. Thus it is

used in a natural way, without effort,

effortlessly, more in the way of ‗a letting go

of‘ than of ‗the picking up of something‘; in

this process of meditation, dhyana, one does

not apply monotonous or tiring repetition,

just an easy adding of the mantra into the

thought-flow, and thats it.

A Mantra. From Where?

For a mantra not to become conditioned

by meanings (and in this thus become a

vessel of contemplation and activity within

the process of meditation) it ought to be

obtained by personal instruction, preferably

from a trusted source.

46

MEDITATION AS PROCESS

In a way any word would do as every-

thing we think loses its connotations after a

while if it is not incorporated in some

semantic syntax. I‘d say it be easier not to

pick some word that might have an for us

unwanted resonance of inherent meaning,

and as one would be wont to use that

impulse of a word/sound over time some-

thing unique from a trusted source would

be preferable. Well, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

himself in his very first public lecture said

that any word will do – then he says the

word ‗mike‘, says it quieter, and quieter,

while tapping his microphone softly, soft-

lier and soflier, and then very very softly.

If one would ever, say after a long lapse

of daily yogic practice, have forgotten the

mantra handed over personally, in private, by

a trusted teacher, one can always come back

and ask again. In the beginning stages of

learning the practical method of meditation

people occasionally forget their mantra but

then, well, I just tell them again.

What Does a Mantra Look Like?

As we generally think in terms of word and

phrase a short mantra, word-sound, would

be preferable in the beginning stages of

meditative practice, dhyana, as the mind then

is full of expectation and very prone to go

into analytic mode, the short word would

distract and scatter the oncoming thought

molecules quite effectively as they bump

into eachother. Later, I‘d say, it‘d be wise to

lengthen the mantra, the thought-impulse as,

the natural rhythm of thinking comprises

words, a phrase or two and also all the

feelings that go along, we get qualia and

whatever, thus the bumping along and the

distracting of outwards-directed flow is

more effectively managed with a slightly

longer mantra.

Basically, though, an impulse to distract

the thinking process ought not be a compli-

47

MEDITATION IN YOGA

cated affair. Word, verse, meaning all grow

out of multiple mental patterns and appear

in the minds aren, it is not possible to shut

that process off except by a li‘l trick, one

but distracts thought from its momentum.

Thus a mantra is not supposed to become

a part of language per se as in a semantic and

syntactical sense. To use a word in action is

to name something, a thing, a process, an

abstraction, anything that happens. The

spoken word aligns itself with whatever

narrative surge that comes along and

becomes a part of that, thus when it is

connected with on the level of thinking it

will have accrued a mountain of reference,

this is just the opposite of what is necessary

for a process of algorythmy to connect with

the still centre of no intent.

A Mantra is, Almost, a Silent Word.

Yes, one does repeat a mantra, but,

there‘s an algorythmy of method to that to

consider. The process itself is more like now

an‘ then adding the mantra into the roiling,

mixed meleé of ideationality and then, now

an‘ then to notice, at times, the languishing

of the more directed impulses of cognitive

thinking, or even of the more free flowing

inner dynamic thought-spirals – as one

releases one‘s hold on these events and as

the mantra in itself flickers, somewhat

vaguely even, in and out ‘tween the

narrative gravities of the minds eye, then, in

those moments when nothing happens and

yet cognitivity remains, like a still flame in a

windless room*, then we are absorbed into

the transcendent of inner, in itself upheld by

the real life dynamic of the darsana of yoga,

the vision and philosophy of yoga – then

deep inner peace is at hand.

... That is what this little book is really all

about.

ON CHAPTER THREE OF THE YOGA-SUTRA

N ow, for to finalize all these musings

and meanderings on the yoga I find it

necessary to add a few words on the third

chapter of the Yoga-Sutra. This chapter,

titled Vibhuti-Pada, is variously translated as:

―Chapter on Special Abilities‖ (Egenes),

The Extraordinary Powers‖ (Hartranft),

―Expansion‖ (Shearer), ―Perfect Discipline

and Extraordinary Powers‖ (Stoler-Miller),

―The Supernormal Powers‖ (Feuerstein), to

name a few.

As is obvious some of the wordings here

above bring with them strong allusions to

the occult and in terms of yoga this is quite

unfortunate as the algorhythmic approach

of yoga is theistically neutral and does not

require the supernatural in any way.

This third chapter of the Yoga-Sutra lists

many extraordinary abilities such as floating

in the air, becoming invisible, gaining the

utmost strength, knowing the motion of the

universe, etc. To me this is but a fancy way

of speaking of the potentialities of nature as

viewed from the inner field, so to say, seen

as the minds innate striving to overcome the

limits of natures laws, it stands as a projec-

tion of potentiality and its eventual

fulfilment of (as in, e.g., to actually under-

stand aerodynamics and thus being able to

put that understanding to use in sailing the

airwaves). You know, from the point of

view of the mind alone there is nothing else,

in the deep field there is no manifestation.

When manifestation and dynamic come

about they are examples of that force that

holds even the mind in its sway though the

mind may soar those limits in fancy and

fantasy (that actually, at times, have their

counterparts in the free form structural

thinking that goes on in the creative

process, as in art & science – yes sometimes

the deep dreams give rise to practical

application as with the understanding of

organic chemistry when August Kekulé,

1865, realized the ring-structure of the

carbon molecules of life; Kekulé said that

he had discovered the ring shape of the

benzene molecule after having a reverie or

day-dream of a snake seizing its own tail,

the mythological Ouroboros [thus ‘Pike-

boros]‘). What I wish to emphasize is the

fact that our potential for creativity is vast

indeed and that inner understandings have

their causal dynamic manifestations. One

dynamic resonates with the other, inner

with outer. What we experience within may

be realizable in some way though in all that

it is the limits of natural law that restrict

fantasy to reality; flying is possible though

we need wings and an engine (bicycle

powered flight was recently accomplished).

In the sidhi-program part of yogic prac-

tice (which, in a way, is optional as the basic

mechanism of yogic application has already

been taken care of in the actual yogic

practice of meditation, as in the dive into

The Deep, the process of transcending,

going beyond activity. Once stillness is

established for both mind and body and

when there‘s been enough of deep rest ones

attention begins turning outwards and that

is when the process of the applying the

sidhis performing of the perfections, comes

into play and enhances the dynamic of

coming out from The Deep.

The importance of the sidhis is easy too

miss as all focus so far has been on establi-

shing the connection to, or say, the energi-

zing factor in the yoga, of proximity with

The Deep, that is, an establihing of the

settled mind. As one comes out of The

Deep, having been carried to close proxi-

mity with that after transcendence in the

meditation process, one will gradually

experience more and more of the world as

the main motive in ones life slips back into

dynamic outer-directed focus; one starts

listening, notices the play of light on the

48

THE PERFECTIONS, A.K.A THE SIDHIS

eyelids, moves a muscle or two, an arm,

rolls ones head, stretches a leg a little

perchance, and so forth – and as per the

intructions on the yogic process of medita-

tion one breaks the inner silence gradually,

allowing for a few moments of pause before

again gradually engaging in the activities of

the world; there has been a spontaneous

flow of attention from the inner towards the

outer and whatever catches the attention in

those precious moments may influence the

further direction the mind takes, therefore

some buffer-zone needs to be created for

the most effective way and means of tran-

sporting oneself from the utmost proximity

of The Deep, or even from within its

deepest depths towards and into the machi-

nations of the world, towards the existential

demands, towards the utter extreme of lifes

hold on us. Inner impulses, mediated via the

sidhis, easily find their natural course (and no

need for any ontology of the mystic, one

but treats the sidhis as one has treated the

mantra, but sequentially with longer dura-

tion ‘tween each and but a few repeats).

As one drifts back from the inner

towards surface activity, ideational choice-

making will matter and can now, via the

sidhis, be put to use in ones going about with

the inner to outer traverse in an algorhyth-

mic manner. As just noted a recurring pul-

sation of a spectrum of impulses is set in

motion, an ideational momentum of mome-

nt to moment activation of the broadspec-

trum pattern of activity contained in the

sequence of perfections Patanjali offers up

with the sutras, in the short mnemnonic

verses of this 3rd chapter of the Yoga-Sutra.

If the sutras are considered as a spectrum

of impulses that in an algorhythmic way

gradually alert us to our surroundings and

the needs present and prevalent there then

there ought ti exist a methodic to the

utilization of them. As Maharishi Mahesh

taught one applies the sutras one by one, a

couple of times each, with a slight time lag

‘tween them, one just stretches the pause a

bit, maybe even up to ten seconds (but

there‘s no need mark time); one is at this

moment, in the habit of transcending off of

the mantra that has been applyied during

the invard dive of meditation and will just as

easily slip off the sutra and return back to

The Deep, in ever and ever videning rings

of the algorhythmic dynamic as one prepa-

res onself for the demands of life and living.

So, there finally comes about the

phenomena that one is ready as if to fly into

activity, so to say (on the mental level this is

literal [as in comic books when then chara-

cters do not touch the ground as the action

happens]). One climbs up towards activity

riding the sutras and one has dived deep

from the height of the fancy of interpola-

tion offered up by the connotative power of

slipping in an ideational word into the thou-

ght flow to generate momentum for itself.

In the final end as one applies the sutra

of distinction ‘tween akasha, void-space, and

the body and spicing that up with the

lightness of a feathered fiber from the

opened sheath it came from, then one really

does feel ‗springy‘ and light, almost as if one

could fly off ones perch (or whatever one

rests upon), almost bouncing with eager-

ness, soaring out into activity.

Dah! One last pointer. The whole yogic

session, even in this outgoing phase I‘m

discussing, is based on algorhythmic dyna-

mics, one rests, then one is active, rest &

and activity, rest & and activity, on and on.

Thus, to end the yogic session, just as one is

ready to burst into activity one stops for a

few minutes, lies down (if possible), and just

flows in the relaxed moment.

Then, time to act.

49

Who is Yoga Cat?

Yoga Cat / (Another) Albatross / Juri Aidas

I have had the pleasure of teaching yoga since 1971

when Maharishi Mahesh Yogi accepted me as a teacher

of the Transcendental Meditation methodic that offers

up a deep restful alertness and the sense of wonder to the

preactitioner. Later, particularly in 1975-76 and at other

courses, I had the opportunity to hear the great yogi

discuss the yoga-sutra of Patanjali in greater detail.

At my teacher training course in Majorca in the

Winter of 1970/71 I did ask Maharishi whether a tree

metaphor would be of use in the analyzing of the

mechanisms of yoga (this was during a discussion of the

sequence of the eight aspects and the turning around of

the ladder metaphor of yoga – thus making the deep

field, samadhi, easily accessible even for the beginner of

the practice of yoga). At that time though as an answer

to my question Maharishi sidelined this one gracefully

by alluding to possibile confusion with the same-same

metaphor as applied to schools of yoga. That is a possi-

bility, true, but I had at that time not yet formed the idea

of seeing „the deep‟, samadhi, at the root of the resulting

tree metaphor and finding meditative process, dhyana, at

the crown of the tree. In this metaphor it is obvious that

all the aspects of yoga are interconnected and of great

assistance to the student of yoga as practice progresses.

The recursive algorhythmie of process in yoga, I have

later realized, is a basic for all the dynamics of develo-

pment, as become apparent as one advances with ones

understanding and application of yoga.

Understanding and Experience travel hand in hand, they go together in „algorhythmies‟ of rest and activity.

50

-

Coda

Finis

In the year of 2005 Maharishi Mahesh Yogi decon-

structed and then reconstructed his movement to teach the

Transcendental Meditation programme (TM). This was

accomplished by revoking the old arrangement for all

teachers and then have all teachers attend a re-certifying

course. Well I do understand that wings an‟ things do have

to be modernized now an‟ then, yet for me personally

though the cost of that required course and also my

general circumstances at the time were not auspicious for

my participating in the venture. Then in 2008 the

Maharishi passed away (R.I.P.). These two things taken

together have effectively freed me from the policies of the

TM-movement, a fact that now allows me to take the

liberty to angle my meme-work more freely. Nowadays,

with 42 years as a practicing teacher of the „algorhythmy‟

of yoga in my back-pack teaching meditation and yoga in

general to a varied audience I do feel I have relevant expe-

rience to share and that I do have something to say on the

subject. I thus regard these hariolatory writings of mine on

the philosophy of yoga as being continuations and mo-

dernizings of some of the concepts and themes of yoga.

It is my sincere hope that these musings of mine on

yogic philosophy may be of use to my students over the

yeares, and also to anyone else interested in the subject.

Juri Aidas

51

Who is Magnus Malmsten, the graphics artist?

Magnus is a very good friend of mine, he is a long-time teacher of the yoga and is also an accredited artist of The Royal Academy of Arts of Stockholm, Sweden.

http://www.magnusmalmsten.se/

Tinker

―Ah, Relaxed I Am! .

Thus I Am!”

T his Yoga Cat, of many

names and colours, the

authour of this short work, this

tiny speckled collation of ideas

on the yoga, has been at it for

ages now, it seems. I started up

with the yoga in 1969 and by

1971 I was already teaching it.

I was fortunate to teach often

and quite regularly in the hey-

day of the movement organized

by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi for

to teach the full extent of yoga.

The ‘algorhythmy’ (I’d say); as

Maharishis methodology of

Transcendental Meditation as a

vector for entering the deep

field of yoga may, in my view,

clearly be thought of as an

‘algorhythmy’.

That era, 3rd quarter of the

20th century, was, as goes for

the ideas on yoga propounded

by the Maharishi, characterized

by an enormous influx of stu-

dents as his organization grew

(many, like me, took up the

yoga as consequence of The

Beatles friendship with the

Maharisi and their great influ-

ence in popularizing the ideas

of The Maharishi) and in those

days I, as said, had the privilege

to teach. I still do but nowa-

days mostly by endeavouring

to create conceptual forms and

graphic structures with which

to convey the main principles

of the philosophy of yoga, the

vision of yoga, the darśana that

is yoga.

Juri Aidas

AN ANOTHER ALBATROSS PRODUCTION

JURI AIDAS

http://issuu.com/albatross/

Bright Light

Juri Aidas: Oil on Canvas, 41 x 41 cm.

ATHA! – NOW!

AAAP 59 B:B3 – Issuu 5 20 June 2014

Fundamentals of Yoga 12 Lay-outs on the Yoga

Fronticepiece quote, “The Future is Bright!”, last words, attributed to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.