God in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: Ishwara as the True Guru
These three sutras reveal both the nature of God and His relationship with the spiritual seeker. Human teachers may instruct, encourage, and guide us, but the eternal Guru is God Himself, present within the heart of every being.
What Happens to the Yogi in Samadhi?
In this commentary on Yoga Sutras 1:40–1:46, Swami Nirmalananda Giri explains the progressive refinements of samadhi described by Patanjali: the yogi’s expanding range of awareness, the near-stilling of the mind, and the distinction between samadhi “with seed” and the higher states that lie beyond it.
7 Ways to Purify the Mind, Part 1
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are not merely philosophical aphorisms; they are a practical manual for transforming the mind. In these sutras, Patanjali gives several direct methods for clarifying the chitta—the mind-substance—so that meditation becomes steady and inner perception becomes possible.
The Four Qualities Necessary for Samadhi
Patanjali gives a precise and practical answer in Yoga Sutra 1.20: four essential qualities must be cultivated—shraddha (faith), virya (energy), smriti (spiritual memory), and samadhi-prajna (wisdom born of direct experience).
When a Vritti (Mental Ripple) Cannot Arise
The nirodha Patanjali is presenting to us is a permanent condition of the chitta in which it has been so transformed or transmuted that the arising of vrittis is impossible.
Samadhi by “Giving the Life to God”: Ishwara Pranidhana
Yoga Sutra 1:23: “Or by total giving of the life to God.” This could legitimately be rendered: “Or by total merging of the life with/into God.” This is NOT a mere: “Here, O Lord, take my life; I give it to you.” Find out more.