Contemplation Yoga Sutras

Patanjali Yoga Sutras point us to the highest goal: that one day we will be able to attain the highest samadhi - the state of total liberation.

The highest samadhi is not meant to be kept for the near future or the afterlife. It is meant to be lived in the present world.

Nowadays, Yoga is often seen as the practice of stretching and stress-alleviation. While the science of Yoga calls for these types of practices, they are merely a fragment of what the science has to offer.

Essentially, Yoga relates to the science of the mind. The physical practice had been invented to facilitate the real practice of Yoga.

Traditionally, the word Yoga refers to Raja Yoga - mental science.

The primary text of Raja Yoga is called the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and it contains almost 200 sutras (threads of meaning) upon which the teacher expands by adding his “beads” of experience.

The sutras are divided into four distinct sections:

The Portion on Contemplation

“Samadhi Pada” provides the theory of Yoga and describes the most advanced stages of “samadhi” or contemplation.

The Portion on Practice

“Sadhana Pada” describes how one should overcome obstacles and explains the benefits of the traditional eight limbs of Raja Yoga.

The Portion on Accomplishments

“Vibhutti Pada” discusses the final three inner steps of Raja Yoga, as well as the powers and accomplishments that come to the faithful practitioner.

The Portion on Absoluteness

“Kaivalya Pada” discusses Yoga from a cosmic standpoint.

The point of Raja Yoga is to enable a full metamorphosis of the individual who practices it sincerely.

The point is to turn the physical, mental, and emotional person into a harmonized and illuminated being.