Patanjali, Shiva & the Wisdom of Yoga

A deep understanding of yoga is illustrated by the few lines in the prayer below.

This brief ode is from the preface of renowned 20th centuary yoga pioneer B.K.S. Iyengar’s seminal book Light on Yoga (published 1967).

In a deft stroke he honours almost the entire yoga system via thanking Patanjali for his vital contribution to clarify the yoga with his Sutras. He then proceeds to make it very clear where Hatha Yoga (the whole yoga) comes from and where it aims at: yoga is from Divine Inspiration that flowed through Shiva who instructed the art of yoga so that man can attain union with the Godhead. Raja yoga is the highest yoga, which in Sanskrit texts refers to the goal of yoga as samadhi, meditative consciousness where the mind becomes still, totally aware of the present moment. It is not a method or “style’.

Should one be that way inclined this suggests a deeper meaning this may suggest there is more, a greater yoga that goes beyond yoga, that of union with the godhead.

Yoga is as simple as that. What becomes complicated are the practices outlined in the rest of the Mr Iyengar’s (and most yoga books) where the practice of asana and other practices easily dominate the hidden meaning of yoga. This is often where the greater plot is lost, the practioner dazzled by the techniques, mistakes its practice for the light of yoga, or zealously accumulates knowledge to attain what is really a metaphysical, philosophically liberated state of being. It is easy to even forget why yoga is practiced in the first place – to overcome the lust of power or siddhis (special abilities), not to be delayed or derailed by them.

Similarly countless prospective students are put of by the massive amount of techniques the indeed appears an unsurmountable task for most except the most arduous.

Sage advice by Patanjali

Return, again and again to the wisdom the sage.
Return again and again to the light that inspired Patanjali.
Return again and again to the light beyond yoga:
give praise to Shiva, and OM to the Godhead.

ॐ
OM Blessings
In Music & Yoga, Cape Town
Johann

Related Chakra Blogs

●  God & the Timeless Truth of the Bhagavad Gita
●  OM-NIPOTENCE Chant & Divine Essence

PS:
I just found this related commentary on a blog post by someone names “A modern spiritualist”:
https://www.quora.com/If-Shiva-is-God-then-why-is-Krishna-considered-as-the-Godhead-What-is-difference-between-a-Godhead-and-a-godThere is no difference between Krishna and Shiva.
When Krishna meditates that state is called Shiva and When Shiva takes action that action is Krishna
If people want to separate the two they can read scriptures and hymns and passages.
But in reality they are one.
You can keep on hunting for terms God, Godhead, demi god and what not God.
But do you think it would really matter to Divinity?
Already there are problems in addressing Divinity as Hindu’s Bhagwan, Muslim’s Allah, Christian’s God… why complicate it further?
Best is close your eyes and meditate … You will find no difference between you and God.
Then GOD and GODHEAD will all vanish.