Samkhya yoga Flashcards
Who invented the form of yoga we are familiar with today?
Patanjali, he combined the philosophy of samkhya and the ascetic practices of physical postures and mental techniques.
What is proto yoga?
Spiritual attainment through the control of prana, which is achieved by meditation and the use of specific postures.
What does Samkhya say about nature?
Prakriti/nature is composed of three Gunas, Sattvas, Rajas and Tamas.
What is self control?
Yama- not doing bad things in you relationships with others and god.
What is the next stage?
Niyama- doing good things like following religious teachings and reading the holy texts.
What are asanas?
Postures designed to ease the flow of prana around the body.
What is breath control?
Pranayama, conscious awareness of breathing.
What is the withdrawal of senses?
Pratyahara- inward concentration.
What is dharana?
Concentrating the mind upon a single object of thought.
What follows dharana?
Dhyana- mediation without an object.
What is the ultimate goal?
Samhadi, to be beyond all consciousness.
What is the point of patanjali’s system of yoga?
To disengage purusha from Prakriti so that at Samhadi there is only purusha which may then be liberated.
How is liberation seen in Patanjali’s system?
Kevalatva- isolated bliss, no union with anything.
Where does the word yoga come from?
The Sanskrit root ‘yuj’ to yolk or combine.
What is the underlying idea of yoga?
The combination of micro and macrocosmic spiritual realities will lead to liberation from samsara.
