How to live the yoga aphorisms of Patanjali in everyday life 

Maharishi Patanjali summarized the teachings necessary for God-realization about 400 years before Christ, according to some, and much earlier according to others. This teaching is completely universal, independent of any religion and has become known as the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. There is no seeker of God who can avoid following these precepts if he/she really wants to achieve his/her goal.
Nevertheless, the 21st century presents serious challenges for seekers of God. who wish to pursue the practice of sutras alongside their daily work and family chores. The self-discovery training and yoga school of the EYA-N spiritual educational system aim to contribute to this. The self-knowledge training, a simple method of mind control that can be implemented by everyone. The method, depending on one's dedication, will lead to results, that will bring within reach what may now seem a distant goal to many people, the pursuit of sutras, in a few years with daily practice. The EYA-N spiritual self-knowledge training can do this because it has been developed with the knowledge of Patanjali's yoga system.

When western people hear of yoga, they think of either physical exercises, meditation or mantras. Yoga, on the other hand, is the science of affirming and realizing true faith in God; furthermore, the absolute reality that can be known regarding the Over-Self and creation, which is addressed to every human being and every religion, to those who seek inner knowledge.

Absolute reality depends on the level and state of our consciousness. Therefore, no one can claim to know the absolute reality. Yoga, therefore, is a never-ending journey to the knowledge of absolute reality, which has stages, different degrees. The eightfold path does not present alternatives—whereby one might reach God by realizing any single stage—but rather a system in which the levels build upon one another, and each subsequent stage inherently encompasses the practice of the preceding one.

The eight-step road

1. Yama (external moral rules)

"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven." (Matthew 6.1).

Yama consists of observing the moral rules advocated by all religions—not for the sake of the outside world, but arising from an inner impulse. It is striving for honesty, integrity, non-violence. As Jesus declared, "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, ..." (Matthew 7.12). Compassion, love for all beings, is already expressed in the Moses principle: "...love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19.18), which Jesus also emphasized (Matthew 22.39). Yama is the recognition and experience of the fact that we are essentially substantial with each other, that we are all creatures of God and in this sense, we are brothers and sisters.

The proper management of material and other assets is most evident in Jesus' parable of the talents. Who are not attached to their material goods, who regard those as given for service, and who use and benefit them properly, for those it is valid: "...For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance." whereas for those who do not use their creative power, it is valid: "...Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him." (Matthew 25.29). It is clear from this that poverty in Christianity is not a virtue, but a condition for which one's own self is responsible. The creation and proper management of material wealth is as much a skill to be learned as any other.

EYA-N yoga course teaches you to live and create in harmony with the laws of the Universe, in this sense it leads to living through of yama in the highest level.

2. Niyama (inner value system)

"Be perfect, therefore as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5.48).

Niyama means personal virtue and self-discipline, striving for purity of body, mind and spirit. What is yama towards the world (macrocosm) the same is niyama inward (towards the microcosm), that is, inner work on ourselves, which can be done in many ways. One way is to study the scriptures with the aim to know ourselves from the religious stories and learn from it, another, much quicker method is the self-knowledge training. Either way is chosen, it is necessary for the yogi to analyze himself/herself, to be aware of the driving forces of his/her actions and to perfect the weak points of his/her personality. It is also necessary to surrender oneself completely to God, in the full awareness that this surrender is to identify with one's own inner divine essence, i.e., to live one's Over-Self.

Self-observation and self-analysis are the essence of EYA-N yoga courses. It does not present people empty moral rules or petrified dogmas, but reveals their own living inner values to them, helping them to live those through. It therefore dissolves the resistances and tensions that arise from the apparent disharmony between the inner and outer worlds.

3. Asana (postures)

"The disciple meditates in a lotus position.
Master: – Why are you sitting? – the disciple stood up.
Master: – Why are you standing? – the disciple laid down.
Master: – Why are you laying?
Then the disciple is enlightened." (zen koan from Rhasoda)

Asana means posture. One of the biggest misconceptions in Western societies about this is that yoga and the practice of asanas are considered the same. Asanas are very important for maintaining a healthy body and mind, which is essential for practicing the next levels of yoga. But asanas alone are not sufficient for God-realization and are only the third step in the eight-step system.

Disease and under-functioning of our organs is mainly due to lack of vital energy. Asanas promote and facilitate the flow of life energy to different parts of the organs. Only a healthy body and mind can handle the tensions and neural, emotional strain that can arise in the deep meditations of the next stages. The asanas make you aware of the tensions, as pain occurs where the body is tense, but they do not make you aware of the cause. Therefore, for the Western man, where the way of life is incomparably tenser than in Eastern cultures, the practice of asanas alone does not lead to satisfactory results. In fact, all postures are asanas, the point is not the "posture of the body" but the state of consciousness in which the posture is performed.

The EYA-N yoga course helps us, as it provides an independent method of the practice of asanas, to release fears stored up in the nervous system which are not consciously recognized. The EYA-N spiritual self-knowledge training also proves helpful here, as it employs a method—independent of the practice of asanas—to release fears that have been stored unconsciously in the nervous system.

4. Pranayama (regulation of breathing)

"– Master, when will I reach God? – The disciple kept asking, but the master never answered. Once, when they are bathing in the river, the master pushed the disciple's head under the water so that he almost drowned.
– Why did you do that, master?
– If you grasp for God like you grasped for air, you will reach Him." (Zen story)

Ordinary breathing exercises are not the same as pranayama. Prana is the omnipresent, cosmic life energy of God. The conscious regulation of the absorption, release and distribution of life energy through breathing is pranayama. Pranayama cleanses the physical and etheric body and as a result, the life energy will flow freely in the energy conduits (nadis). Yogis have recognized that cosmic consciousness is closely related to the mastery of the breath. The mind can be controlled by proper inhalation and exhalation. The goal of pranayama is to achieve pratyhara.

EYA-N yoga course provides a very effective pranayama for sublimation of sub-pranas and purification of the energy body.

5. Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses)

"Three monks were arguing in the courtyard. The one said:
- The flag is moving.
The other said:
- The wind is moving.
The next said:
- The mind is moving.
The master remained motionless." (zen koan modified by Rhasoda)

The external material world is a collective created reality in which the mind perceives that the flag or the wind is moving. By quieting the movement of the mind, there is the realization that everything that happens in the external world, like a computer game, is the running of a mind program.

Pratyahara is the withdrawal of consciousness from the external physical world and its separation from the five senses. The senses act as telephone lines between the mind and the physical body, relaying the stimuli of the external world. Then consciousness spends time at the level of the mind. Through regular practice of turning the mind inwards, calm and inner peace is achieved. Consciousness is removed from the distractions of the five senses that keep it in illusion and which is mediated by the mind, and turns towards higher inner states. This higher state of consciousness is buddhi (intelligence). In this state, consciousness looks down upon the mind and perceives that all perception is the play of the mind and the senses, which came into being as a result of the projection of life energy.

Regularly performing the exercises of the EYA-N yoga courses leads to a level of awareness where the student realizes that the running of all mind programs is his/her choice and that it is up to him/her to stop, replace or abandon these mind programs. Inner peace and tranquility are not only experienced during practice, but increasingly in the midst of doing everyday tasks.

 6. Dharana (concentration)

"- Master, how do I start meditation?
- Pick up a pebble. Look at it for a long time. When it opens its eyes, put it down.
- Is this meditation?
- No. This is the way to it."
(Tamás Halmai - zen koan modified by Rhasoda)

In the mind there are countless, wandering thoughts. These thoughts have a creative power, constantly creating the future and hindering the experience of the present moment. Dharana is a constant concentration on a single thought, which can be an object, an image, a pure thought or idea, the name of God, the sound of Aum etc. The Vedic scripture recommends concentration on the transcendental form of the Lord: "...One should therefore concentrate on the transcendental form of the Lord as long as one can fix the mind on Him through meditation." (Srímad Bhagavatam 2.2.11.) The object of concentration can also be a mantra. The point is that no other thought should appear in the mind during the activity. For example, for Krishna conscious devotees, when only the Hare Krishna mantra is present in the mind, this state is called 'japa without offenses'. Then the mind creates a single thought, the meaning of the mantra. So, it is a mistake to think that they are not following Patanjali's principles. Similarly, in Buddhism, when the prayer mill is used, this is also done.

When there is only one thought present in the mind, that state is also known as the single-mindedness, where concentration is focused on a single thought. This also allows for the realization of conscious death. One who at the moment of death can attain at least the state of concentrating on one thought symbolizing God, his/her consciousness retains this state. "Whatever sate of being one remembers when he quits his body, … that state he will attain without fail." (Bhagavad Gita 8.6.) If one remembers a human being-state, he is reborn; if he dies in God consciousness, his consciousness is linked to a God form he has determined.

EYA-N yoga courses teach you to focus on a single thought. When a single thought is present in the mind, and the mind is guided by the soul instead of the programs of the mind, the resulting thought gains tremendous power and is created in the material world. The disciple can create what is most necessary for his/her progress, from the creation of material and other wealth to God-realization, according to his/her own level and current goals.

7. dhyana (meditation)

"All meditation and mysticism merely mean to realize Narayana. The purpose of all penances is to attain Him, the cultivation of transcendental knowledge is to glimpse Him, and the ultimate liberation is to attain His realm." (Srímad Bhagavatam 2.5.15.)

In the state of dharana, awareness is fixed on a single thought or object. If during practice the yogi lets go of this single thought, meditation develops. Then the yogi consciously remains in a state of thoughtlessness for a long time. In a state of meditation, the yogi forgets his body, shuts off his senses, his mind, is unaware of space, of time. The breathing is barely perceptibly slow; the heartbeat is barely perceptible. But the yogi is still aware of the existence of the ego (self). This is the state of ahankar.

It can be seen how far is the meditation, in this interpretation, from the state of what is called meditation in Western culture. Meditation is also different from the state of consciously stopping thoughts and meditation is not the same as the state between sleep and wakefulness.

In meditation, the withdrawal of energy that has been put out into the senses and the astral-mental body and the fixation of consciousness takes place. Consciousness is concentrated in either the soul (Atman) or the intelligence (buddhi) center. The soul center is located within the spinal column at the level of the heart chakra (Anahat). In deep meditation, the yogi can hear a variety of Anahat sounds, indicating the success of the meditation. The center of intelligence is located in the head, just below the Sahashrar, in the groove between the two hemispheres of the brain. By fixing the consciousness at this point, the Aum sound can be heard first in the body and then throughout the universe, and other realizations of God can be accessed.

Regular practice of the EYA-n yoga course’s exercises will help to achieve this state and the ability to distinguish between the two types of centers and their functions will be learned.

8. Samadhi (Union)

"Having attained this transcendental level, there is no longer any need for mind control, contemplation or meditation as practiced by jnanis and yogis. One gives up such processes, just as the king of heaven Indra no longer bothers to dig a well." (Srímad Bhagavatam 2.7.47.)

The essence of samadhi is the surrender of ego (ahankar). In this state, the sense of duality, of separation from God, ceases. Samadhi is achieved when the meditator, the process of meditation and the object of meditation become one.

Two types of samadhi are known. From sambikalpa samadhi (contemplation with fluctuations) the yogi still returns to a state of mind with fluctuations. In sambikalpa samadhi, several types of experiences can be lived through, depending on which center the yogi focuses on. If the attention is fixed on the soul center (Atman center), either impersonal or personal God realization can occur. In this case, the yogi experiences that his/her consciousness is expanded and he/she is one with the God aspect he/she is experiencing, i.e. his/her individual consciousness is dissolved in a collective (impersonal) (Paramatma, Over-Self) or personal (Narayana) field of consciousness. In Christianity, many saints experienced this realization by experiencing union with Jesus as the personal aspect of Paramatma.

Fixing consciousness on the buddhi center under the Sahasrara is also the first experience of dissolution and expansion of individual consciousness. As the buddhi expands, it grows beyond the Sahasrar and leads to other experiences depending on the developed awareness of the yogi. One experience may be that the yogi experiences oneness with the life energy field around him/her. He feels that this energy pervades and animates everything and he/she is no different. Another experience is that the yogi is in union with the law (dharma). He/she sees the law at work and perceives that it is through him/her that this happens. Another is the experience of identification with the Primordial Light, or pure Light. These are impersonal forms of realization. In addition to experiencing impersonal layers, personal God realization is also available (Shiva-Shakti, Krishna, etc.). Then a particular form of God appears to yogi in samadhi and he/she identifies himself/herself as a part of Him (as a single cell of a vast organism).

The nirvikalpa samadhi is immersion without fluctuations. It occurs when the interconnection between the two centers (Atman, buddhi) is established, i.e. the mind (ego) is completely eliminated. Then in samadhi the soul spark (Atman) rises to buddhi and abides there. The highest state that can be experienced in the physical body is that the soul spark does not leave the buddhi even when the yogi is not meditating, i.e. the yogi is constantly in the samadhi state of nirvikalpa even in the midst of his/her daily activities.

If one follows a path or master strictly, he/she will experience only and solely that what have experienced those who have gone before him/her; for if peach trees grow along a path, the one who walks along it cannot know that another path is lined with pine trees. True, there is less risk of getting lost and less responsibility, but the knowledge of God remains limited. From what has been described, it is clear that not all seekers in samadhi experience the same thing, but it depends on the path chosen and the development of the buddhi body. If one has been on many different paths in different lifetimes, it is possible that in a given lifetime one may experience all of them and choose which state of consciousness one wishes to spend time in after leaving, and even have the opportunity to enter the different planes of realization, as it were connecting them. There exist states of God-realization higher than those mentioned here, during these the Atman departs the physical body.

The EYA-N yoga course is a practical and easy-to-implement tool for regulating and dissolving the mind, which, depending on the individual's commitment, can take the yogi up to the state of samadhi.
If, however, one does not yet aim at these heights, one can achieve inner peace, happiness, silence, self-acceptance and harmonious integration into the material world.