Philosophy III Presenter Chandrika Gibson The Yoga Space
Philosophy III Presenter: Chandrika Gibson The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
Learning objectives Demonstrate familiarity with yoga sutras Describe the key themes of the Bhagavad Gita Define tantra and it’s paths Reflect on the concept of dharma Define karma Integrate yoga philosophy into yoga teaching The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
Learning activities Lectures Discussion – do you see your life as having a predestined path, or is it open to your creation/choices? Small group activity – summarise a sutra relevant to modern yoga practitioners Practicums – instruct a dharana practice The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
Assessment In class participation Successful completion in class activity Ability to work in a group Teaching skills The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
Dharma Social order divinely sustained. Humans are responsible for observing the rules of dharma, which results in Brahmins performing their rituals which nourish the Gods, whose task it is to maintain the world by protecting it from demons. Every person has a part to play, and each part is held to be necessary in some way to the ultimate end, the preservation & perfection of a habitable world for humanity The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
Moksha Contrasted with moksha, one’s eternal destiny, a release from all limitations & restrictions Q: How do we limit and restrict ourselves in the duality we live in? The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
Solution…Reconciliations Four stages of life: (student, householder, forest dweller, renunciate) The Bhagavad Gita suggests different paths (Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga) No attachment to the fruits of actions. The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
Yoga, Nonduality & Duality Yoga is dualistic Separate prakriti from purusha Essentially, both seek liberation & moksha The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
Techniques For Shankara, no technique guarantees Moksha is experienced due to GRACE The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
Epic & Classical Period Indo Aryans ceased being nomadic and settled especially in the planes of North India. Mahabharata & Ramayana were written reflecting somewhat politics at the time (eg; royal rivalries) Both somewhat explore the tension between religion which upholds the world order but also aimed at isolating a person from society in order to achieve liberation. Law Books (Eg; Laws of Manu) The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
Epics Mahabharata The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016. Ramayana
Ramayana Rama is the hero of the story. His wife Sita is abducted and he seeks to rescue her. The epic is concerned with human existence and the concept of dharma Depicts the duties of relationships, portraying ideal characters like the ideal father, ideal servant, the ideal brother, the ideal wife and the ideal king. The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
Birth of Rama, his childhood and marriage to Sita. The preparations for Rama's coronation and his exile into the forest. The forest life of Rama and the kidnapping of Sita by the demon king Ravana The meeting of Hanuman with Rama, the destruction of the vanara king Vali and the coronation of his younger brother Sugriva to the throne of the kingdom The the heroism of Hanuman, his flight to Lanka and meeting with Sita. The battle between Rama's and Ravana's armies. The birth of Lava and Kusha to Sita, their coronation to the throne of Ayodhya, and Rama's final departure from the world. [ The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
The Medieval Period Rise of Devotional Movements and correspsonding temple constructions Systemization of Indian Philosophy into 6 schools dominated by Advaita Vedanta Nyaya - school of logic Vaisheshika - atomist school Samkhya - school of enumeration Yoga of Patanjali Purva Mimamsa - tradition of Vedic exegesis Rise of Tantrism The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
Nyaya Accepted four valid means (pramaṇa) of obtaining valid knowledge (prama) 1) perception (pratyakṣa), 2) inference (anumāna), 3)comparison (upamāna), 4) verbal testimony (śabda). The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016. Invalid Knowledge: 1)memory (smṛti), 2)doubt (saṁśaya), 3)error (viparyaya), 4) hypothetical reasoning (tarka).
Vaisheshika Atomist school Closely associated with the Hindu school of logic, Nyaya (perception & inference) Vaisheshika espouses a form of atomism and postulates that all objects in the physical universe are reducible to a finite number of atoms. Originally proposed by the sage Kanada (or Kanabhuk, literally, atom-eater) around the 2 nd century BC The early vaiśeṣika epistemology considered only pratyaksha perception - and anumāna – inference - as the pramaṇas (means of valid knowledge). The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
Samkhya, also Sankhya, Sāṃkhya, or Sāṅkhya One of the six schools of classical Indian Philosophy Sage Kapila is traditionally considered as the founder of the Samkhya school, although no historical verification is possible. It is regarded as one of the oldest philosophical systems in India. The major text of this Vedic school is the extant Samkhya Karika circa 200 CE. This text (in karika 70) identifies Samkhya as a Tantra Its philosophy was one of the main influences both on the rise of the Tantras as a body of literature There are no purely Samkhya schools existing today in Hinduism, its. Copyright influence is felt in the Yoga and Vedanta schools. Thebut Yoga Space © 2016.
Mimamsa Means investigation Primary enquiry is into the nature of dharma based on the Vedas. The nature of dharma isn't accessible to reason or observation, and must be inferred from the authority of the revelation contained in the Vedas, which are considered eternal, authorless and infallible. Textual exegesis. Critiqued by Shankara The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
Advaita Vedanta is considered as the most influential subschool of the Vedanta (literally, end or the goal of the Vedas) school of Hindu Philosophy Advaita (literally, nonduality) is a monistic system of thought. "Advaita" refers to the identity of the Self and the Whole The key source texts for all schools of Vedānta are the Prasthanatrayi These are the canonical texts consisting of the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita and the Brahma Sutras. First consolidator of the principles was Adi Shankara Importance of a Guru The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
Advaita Vedanta Three levels of truth 1) The transcendental or the Pāramārthika level in which Brahman is the only reality and nothing else; 2) The pragmatic or the Vyāvahārika level in which both Jiva (living creatures or individual souls) and Iswara are true; here, the material world is also true, and, 3) The apparent or the Prāthibhāsika level in which material world reality is actually false, like illusion of a snake over a rope or a dream. The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
Yoga Sutras Patanjali may have lived around 500 – 200 BC but historical existence is debated. Referred to as a svayambhu, an evolved soul, perhaps a reincarnation of a rishi. Sutra means thread, these are 196 pithy aphorisms to be explored. Begins with code of conduct and ends with a vision of human potential – the eight limbs we know as Ashtanga yoga. The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
What Do the Yoga Sutras say? BKS Iyengar wrote the text Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali in 1993. TKV Desikachar wrote The Heart of Yoga in 1995 which includes a translation of the Yoga Sutras There are many other translations and interpretations. The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
4 Pada in Yoga Sutras Samadhi Pada – defines yoga, goals and obstacles Sadhana Pada – describes qualities and techniques needed to change mind from distraction to attention Vibhuti Pada – the power the mind can develop through yoga is described and pitfalls on the path warned against Kaivalya Pada –using mind as servant, dhyana (meditation) The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
Sutras to Know 1. 1 atha yoganusasanam Here begins the authoritative instruction on yoga 1. 2 yogascittavrttinirodhah Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
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Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: Ethical Foundations Yama Ahimsa (������ ): non-violence Satya (���� ): benevolent truth, absence of falsehood Asteya (������ ): non-stealing Brahmacharya (����� ): spiritual advancement by education and training. Some traditions associate Brahmacharya with celibacy. Aparigraha (���� ): non-appropriation, absence of avarice. The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
Niyama Sauca = cleanliness or purity Santosha = contentment Tapas = fervour, discipline in sadhana Svadhyaya = study of scriptures/self Ishvara pranidhana = surrender to the cosmos/creator The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
Asana What is the purpose of asana? The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
Pranayama Yoga Sutras say that asana should be perfected before practicing pranayama. How does this apply in your practice? The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
Pratyahara Through the practices of yama, niyama, asana and pranayama the body and its energy may be mastered. Pratyahara withdraws the senses and allows exploration of the mind. Forms the foundation for dharana, dhyana and samadhi The Yoga Space Copyright © 2016.
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