by Advaita Mihai Stoian

An Integral Yoga System as a Holistic structure

We owe to the great Sage Patanjali a workable Yoga system that became the blueprint of most of the Yoga practiced today. Patanjalis amazing wisdom comes not only from the knowledge he is teaching but mostly from his ability to collect and assess and later present the science of union in YOGA SUTRAS. This system popularly known by the term ASHTANGA YOGA or the Yoga of Eight Limbs is the most integrated, comprehensive and even holistic view of Yoga that we have transmitted today from the ancient cultures.

Unfortunately today one can find a lot of ASHTANGA YOGA places that are only teaching asanas, little pranayama and little concentration. With other words from the eight limbs of the integral sistem of Yoga described by Patanjali, only three or maximum four are integrated into the commercial spirituality that we can find today.

Dating Patanjali as an author and the YOGA SUTRA as a literary work is difficult, and many eminent authorities have placed Patanjali as early as one thousand years B.C. Others have put him in the sixth century in this Christian era. He is one of the three colossal spirits that have opened not a new religion or a tradition but have given to the human spirit the idea of using methods and the spirit of doing it.

Charaka brought to light the science of life, Ayurveda. Panini brought the science of language and structure, Sanskrit grammar. And Patanjali revealed the science of transformation, Yoga.

One cannot be far from truth on noticing the mysterious presence of the Trinity coming through these three ancient sages. Three ancient Sanskrit sources make a similar quote; Charaka purified the body with Ayurveda; Panini purified our tongue (language) with his grammar; while Patanjali purified the mind with his Yoga.

The YOGA SUTRA is the most elaborate ancient work one can find on Yoga. It is not the kind of yoga-for-dummies work with which we are used today. Being written in the code of initiates this genuine yoga bible, as it was named by some authors, select only the genuine practitioners in order to deliver the secrets of personal development and spiritual betterment. A serious practitioner of Yoga will find here in the SUTRA a concise, condensed and succinct presentation of Yoga.

This concision is essential if one want to transmit not only a bunch of rigid indications for practice but the whole spirit that should animate the practitioner in order to get successful. For it is the spirit of Yoga and the whole preparation of the exercises that are truly unlocking the whole complex of occult resonances and bring forward its amazing effectiveness. Stripped off its attitude and morality Yoga becomes a psychosomatic gymnastic that have limited effects.

The Great Sage Patanjali gave therefore an example of mastership of the word, doing with the words what God is doing with the entire creation: giving strong guidelines that are unmistakable and in the same time leaving room for experimentation of the aspirant so that the guidelines are only lessons. The Great Teacher is discreetly watching from the Heavens while the aspirants are completing generations after generations their practice, perfecting it in their own understanding and under the loving guidance of their Masters. This is the Yoga Sutra that I have met and practiced from, under the guidance of a Great Master.

Read more here:
Yoga Sutras of PATANJALI: THE ROOT of INTEGRAL YOGA