The Yoga Sutras Flashcards
The four chapters of The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
- Samadhi Pada (Portion on Contemplation)
- Sadhana Pada (Portion on Practice)
- Vibhuti Pada (Portion on Accomplishments)
- Kaivalya Pada (Portion on Absoluteness)
Right knowledge
One of the 5 types of chitta vritti. Truth derived from witnessing, interference, or a trusted source. Examples include:
- Witnessing — If you see a fire, you can conclude that the fire is actually present because you are witnessing it with your eyes.
- Inference — If you’re walking through a forest and see smoke rising up over a hill, you can infer that there’s a fire somewhere beyond the hill.
- Trusted source — If someone that you trust, such as a spiritual teacher, tells you there’s a fire on the other side of the hill, you can believe that the fire exists because of your faith in the source.
The five types of chitta vritti
- Right knowledge
- Perception
- Verbalization
- Sleep
- Memory
chitta vritti
mental fluctuations of the mind
samskaras
mental impressions or patterns that lead to suffering, caused by chitta vritti
Perception
One of the 5 types of chitta vritti
Perspective that involves making judgements based on previous experience. Shaped by society and others’ opinions and experiences. Cannot be truth because it is based on constructs and filtering reality.
Verbalization
One of the 5 types of chitta vritti
Stories created around perceptions in order to justify them. Not truth.
Sleep
One of the 5 types of chitta vritti
The misconception that nothing exists due to the absence of perceived thought
Memory
One of the 5 types of chitta vritti
Derived from the other 4 chitta vrittis. Adds layers to the mental impressions we create.
Yoga
The union of spirit and experience, which is always present
The key to living a life free of suffering (2 parts)
- Recognize mental fluctuations (chitta vritti) as they arise in your mind
- Use metacognition (svadhyaya) to look at these thoughts objectively, without attraction or aversion
The 8 mental obstacles
- dis-ease
- dullness
- carelessness
- laziness
- sensuality
- false perception
- failure to reach solid ground
- slipping from the ground
(also physical symptoms)
6 ways to focus our awareness on one thing
- Controlled inhalation and exhalation
- Concentration on subtle sense perception
- Concentration on the supreme source of consciousness within
- Concentration on an enlightened master
- Concentration on a samadhi experience
- Meditating on anything that elevates your being
Kleshas (5 types)
Obstacles to our practice that come in the form of veils of illusion
- Avidya (ignorance, the source of the other 4 kleshas)
- Asmita (egoism and separateness)
- Raga (attachment)
- Dvesa (aversion)
- Abhinivesa (the belief that our experience is permanent, AKA fear of death)
dukka
suffering of the mind
