8 fold Path of the Yoga Sutras and The

8 Steps of Selftransformation
I wrote this article to show you how the 8-fold path of the Yogasutras (Also know as 8 rungs of
Yoga Sutras)and the 8 steps of Self-transformation written by Swami Rama in his book The
Path of Fire and Light 2, beautifully complement each other. When you initially read these two
outlines of practice it may appear as if they are two different paths, and you have to choose
one or the other. But my hope is that after reading this article youll see that they can both be
implemented in your practice.

ON THIS PAGE:
8-fold
Path
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8) SAMADHI

27

of

Yoga

Sutras
YAMAS
NIYAMAS
ASANA
PRANAYAMA
PRATYAHARA
DHARANA
DHYANA

8 Steps of Self-transformation
1)
REGULAR
PRACTICE
2)
INTERNAL
DIALOGUE
3)
POSTURE
4)
BREATH
5)
DETERMINATION
6)
LETTING
GO
7)
INTROSPECTION
8) WITNESSING

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YOGA SUTRAS AND ITS 8-FOLD PATH

The Yoga Sutras contains an 8-fold process; by applying this process to the movements within
Prakriti the kleshas are gradually removed, thus increasing the level of non-attachment. This
process makes the function of buddhi sharper, more sattvic, so it can then be applied to the
more subtler levels within Prakriti. The goal of the Yoga Sutras is to be able to set aside
(nirodhah) all movements in the mind-field, which happens when one becomes non-attached
to all the vittis within Prakriti. This includes the gunasthe most fundamental building blocks
of Prakritiand also sattvic buddhi itself; then the Seer will rest in its true nature and this is
called

Yoga.

What
Here

is
are

the
the

8-fold

names

of

path?
the

steps:

Yamas, Niyamas, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi. The last three
together
Rungs

are

called
or

Samyama.
limbs

It is said that these steps are like rungs on a ladder; one step at a time is taken in sequential
order. But these 8 steps have also been called limbs, viewing them in this way, they all work
together and each gets stronger by practicing them all. This last comment is mostly related, to
the Yamas and Niyamas of the 8-fold path, as you will see that these 10 commitments will
evolve, strengthen and deepen throughout your practice.

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1) YAMAS
The Yamas are commitments toward the apparent external manifestation and how you relate to
it. It starts with ahimsa. Practicing ahimsa is gradually moving your whole being, internally and
externally, to a stance of complete non-violence toward yourself and your surroundings.
Practicing being mindful of others and to not hurt them or push against them. This does not
mean that you allow other people to use you or to walk all over you, because you do not want
to hurt them. In other words, it doesnt mean that by allowing others to live their life, in the
sense of not pushing, you allow yourself to get hurt in this process, this is not ahimsa. In
ahimsa there is a balance between selflessness and taking care of yourself, between
supporting others in their processes and being mindful of your own. This balance between

ahimsa toward yourself and the external world will establish itself over time. This means you
will progressively be able to not hurt others or push against others, while being gentle to
yourself. Also when you practice this 8-fold path, you will increasingly enjoy a stance of nonattachment, in which less of your desires need to be fulfilled and selfless service naturally
happens. Sometimes ahimsa means that you lovingly guide, correct, or interfere with
someones behavior in a way that may appear as himsa, as pushing or harming, but it is done
in the spirit of ahimsa (you have a stance of non-violence in your heart). This is just like a
mother who can lovingly but sometimes strongly interfere with the child, to assure its safety
and growth. Ahimsa is a way of living that can be felt in the heart and establishes a relationship
between you and the manifestation around you, and how you interact with it.
Gradually, this relationship is expanded by applying the practice of living in Truth (satya) and
living in non-stealing (asteya). Practicing, these three Yamas in your life will have an influence
on the degree you are able to be in constant awareness of Brahman (brahmacharya). Seeing
everything in and around you as Brahman, you will naturally gain a stance of nonpossessiveness (aparigraha) toward the manifestation around you and all the aspects of
yourself. Thus all five Yamas are commitments to improve your relationships with others, who
are all appearing as manifestations within Brahman. That is why Brahmacharya is also in this
list; when you go through life and its relationships you remember and walk in Brahman
consciousness. Then how can you hurt another? Or lie to another? Or steal from another? Or
possess anything? It is all Brahman

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2) NIYAMAS
When your relationships in the external worlds are in balance, you can then dive into the inner
world, hence the Niyamas come after the Yamas. The Niyamas are five commitments related
to you; they will intensify your inner process. It starts with purity (shaucha); which is the result
that naturally comes when you are reasonably grounded in all the Yamas, and can be practiced
along with the Yamas. For example, your body will become more balanced and pure when you
practice ahimsa related to food by not eating food that hurts the body, or by not having
thoughts in the mind-field that are harmful and thus impure. Shaucha is practiced both mentally
and physically. Purity (shaucha) is the starting point for where all the other internal practices
take

off.

As you become more and more pure, contentment will arise, which is the second niyama;
santosha. One may think that contentment is one of outcomes of the practice of meditation, but
you will see as you go through the rest of the 8-fold path that contentment is mentioned far
before meditation is mentioned, meditation is rung number 7. From this platform of
contentment you can really start to do the deeper practices. When we use a metaphor of a
lake, shaucha has made the water clearer and santosha can be seen can be as the diving
board from where one can dive deep into the inner world, to one day reach the bottom of the
lake; Pure Consciousness. Within this purifying process of shaucha and resting in the
contentment of santosha you will see that the senses are the biggest distraction. The senses
constantly pull you upward to the surface of the lake to indulge themselves in the
manifestation. They constantly crave sensory impressions and want to express themselves.
Thus,

the

next

commitment

is

related

to

the

senses,

and

is

called

tapas.

Whenever a desire awakens it has a power of wanting; depending on the degree of

attachment, this power can be strong or weak. When this desire is mindfully not being fulfilled
by ignoring it, it will create resistance. Have you ever stopped doing something, for example,
stopped drinking coffee in the morning which has been a habit for the past 20 years? The first
few days you will encounter the power that this desire, this habit, contains, but you do not give
into it. Yet the desire for coffee persists and seems to resist your efforts to ignore it. To
withstand this resistance, to maintain your conviction, to not indulge into this active desire
because of the commitment to purify yourself is tapas; training of the senses. This process is
experienced as going through the fire since it feels like you are burning off the attachments of
the desires. This fiery process is the purification of the senses themselves. By which you will
learn to control the senses, because you will control what to do and what not to do.
This fiery process will allow you to direct the senses to more subtle levels of yourself. It also
calms the senses so that when you hear the teachings you can comprehend them better. With
a pure mind and calm senses you can really study and inquire into the nature of the Self, using
the sacred texts to guide you in this process. This is called Svadhyaya. And then ooh, how
wonderful when you start to comprehend these teachings, when the nature of the Self is
embraced in understanding, a process of surrendering into the creative source can happen,
which

is

the

last

Niyama,

called

Ishvara

pranidhana.

You may think this is a complete process in itself, which in a sense it is! Actually if you are able

to accomplish of any one of these Yamas and Niyamas completely, it will lead you all the way
to Self-realization. There is incredible depth in each one of them standing on its own, but there
is beauty in their order and therefore we gradually practice them all together.

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3) ASANA
The 10 commitments are done while you are moving around in the manifestation, but can also
be practiced while you are settling in for this third step of the 8-fold path. Asana is a steady,
stable,

and

still

meditation

posture

that

is

at

the

same

time

comfortable.

What if you were able to be in a stance of non-harming when you sit in your meditation asana?
Holding on to tension could be viewed as a way of harming yourself, which is not ahimsa, so
let go of all the tension. If you would be honest, truthful, practicing satya, you would not hide
any discomfort from your conscious mind-field, or lie to yourself; is your posture truly stable
and steady? Another suggestion for asana is to make the body still, without motion. If you are
still moving while you sit for meditation you are stealing your own time (asteya). Being aware of
Brahman (brahmacharya) will help you remember that the body is not who you are; thus you
need to go beyond it, which can happen if you make it still, steady and comfortable. So, do not
possess the body (aparigraha) it is not who you are. Purifying the body will help release the
tension. Contentment supports the process of being okay with just sitting still for a while. Also
control of the senses (tapas) supports the meditation asana; for example, you want to be able
to control the karmendriya of motion, so that you can sit still. Svadhyaya and Ishvara
pranidhana have an effect on your meditation posture, because they will lead you beyond the
body. Conclusion- all the 10 commitments together will lead to sthira sukham asanam; a
stable,

steady,

and

comfortable

meditation

posture.

Unfortunately, because the majority of the yoga practitioners think that yoga is purely a
physical practice for the body there is a general misconception on this third rung. They think
that this rung means doing yoga asanas only; and that these asanas are mentioned in the
Yoga Sutras. But asana here is only related to your meditation posture. You could say that all
the other asanas are part of shaucha, purifying the body by doing yogasanas. Then it is also
worth mentioning that if you purify the body in a different way (say by walking, swimming,
Pilates, or joints and glands practices) you do not necessarily need to do yogasanas. It all

depends on your preference of what you like to do to purify your body so that it can sit
comfortably,

stable,

Question:
Answer:

how
according

can
to

steady
I

the

attain

Yoga

Sutras;

and
good

practice

the

still.

meditation

posture?

yamas

niyamas.

and

The cluster of Yoga Sutras that talks about asana (2.46-2.48) gives us two suggestions to get
to sthira sukham asanam; a stable, steady, and comfortable meditation posture. Namely:
1)
2)

relaxing
and

allowing

or
attention

to

loosening
merge

with

of

endlessness,

or

effort,
the

infinite.

The first one speaks for itself, as we already talked about it, that of letting go of the tension and
becoming still, by reducing effort. The second one is fun to experiment with. Expand your
awareness from the edges of your body forwards, backwards, side ways, up and down as far
as mind can stretch, all the way until infinity. You will find out for yourself if this instruction of the
Yoga Sutras works to get a stable, steady, comfortable posture!

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4) PRANAYAMA
After the body is put in its position, the breath needs to be regulated. The Yoga Sutras give the
instructions how to do this; by slowing, decelerating, or braking the force behind the inhalation
and exhalation, and by regulating the movement of inhalation and exhalation, this is called
breath control and expansion of prana (2.49). Also, it mentions that inhalation, exhalation and
the transitions between them are regulated in place, time, and number, with the breath
becoming slow and subtle (2.50). What is right place of breathing? The diaphragm! You can
focus the attention on the breath, either at the diaphragm, up and down sushumna, or the
bridge of the nostrils. Controlling the breath in its time and number means that you gradually
slow down the breath, making it smooth, quiet, without pauses and in a ratio of two-to-one.
According

to

the

Yoga

Sutras,

this

will

lead

to

an

expansion

of

prana.

Breath is only the vehicle for prana, but by first regulating the breath you will get access to the
flow of prana. You can feel this when the breath becomes so slow that you are barely aware
of your breath but you still feel something flowing or you feel a presence of energy. When you
dive into this feeling you leave the breath behind; you dive beyond the breath. You are now in

the field of prana itself, where you are not aware of the movements that happen on the surface;
which are the waves of inhalation, exhalation and the transitions between them. This can only
occur when sushumna is awakened. To open sushumna nadi, prana needs to be regulated
enough so that it leaves pingala or ida (the right and left channels) and is willing to flow in
sushumna nadi; which happens when you make the breath slower and slower, in a ratio of twoto-one. This is what is meant when the Yoga Sutras talk about the fourth pranayama; where
you dive beyond the movements of the breath into the depth of prana itself. Now you will be
able

to

direct

your

attention

toward

chosen

object.

Yoga Sutra 2.52 tells us that by practicing this fourth pranayama the veil of karmasheya thins,
or even vanishes. This means that by calming the breath, which is the means through which
you can start to regulate prana, the veil between the conscious and unconscious mind thins.
This thinning of the veil will increase the access you have to all the movements behind the veil
and everything that is stored in the deep unconscious.

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5) PRATYAHARA
Number 5 on the list, pratyahara, happens automatically when you start to regulate prana, it is
a result of number 4. It is mentioned in the Yoga Sutras that when number 4pranayama, is
done well, number 6, concentration, occurs. It doesnt mention number 5, pratyahara, because
pratyahara is the result of pranayama and therefore not a separate step to be taken. It doesnt
include an action, but happens on its own when pranayama is done correctly. Pratayahara
means the withdrawal of the senses. During step number 4 one first regulates the breath and
then prana itself. All of the sensory experiences that are not used in this training will naturally
fall away during this process of moving toward concentration. When you feel the breath at the
bridge of the nostrils, the only sense you need for this concentration is the jnanendriya of
touch, all the other 9 senses (hearing, seeing, tasting, smelling, speaking, grasping, moving,
procreating, and eliminating) will fall away if concentration truly becomes one-pointed.
Normally the mind shifts incredibly quickly between all the senses, but when you direct your
attention, you are asking the mind to only use this one sense, then the others are not being
used and recede back into chitta. Thus, regulating the breath will lead you to a state of
concentration

as

it

leads

the

mind

and

the

senses

inward.

There is not much mentioned on pratyahara; the process that occurs naturally when mind
becomes concentrated on an object; which is practiced here related to breath as being the first
object of concentration.

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6+7+8) SAMYAMA (DHARANA, DHYANA, SAMADHI)

So far, the body is made still with the help of the Yamas and Niyamas, the prana is regulated
and flows in sushumna channel, which all results in a concentrated mind that is willing to dive
inward. Thus number 6, concentration or dharana, is already explained. From this point the
concentration

can

be

directed

to

anything

within

Prakriti.

The Yoga Sutras give many options to which you can direct your attention, but the general
instruction is given to direct samyama to ever more subtle levels of our being (3.6). The
process of samyama starts with concentration (dharana). Let us pick an example: after you
have opened sushumna the object of earth can be chosen (3.45). If you direct your attention
toward to the element of earth, you first practice sustaining that attention, for it will be
interrupted many times. When attention is not interrupted and every thought is related to earth,
this concentration has become meditation (dhyana, step number 7). Eventually you will be so
engrossed in directing your attention to earth only, that observer, observed and the process of
observing will collapse into one and only earth will be experienced. Previously, the process of
observer, observed, and observing are three separate parts within the process of concentration
and meditation. With sustained meditation these three collapse into one, only the observed
(object of meditation) remains. This is called samadhi (step number 8). In this example it is
samadhi

on

earth,

or

playfully

said;

earth-samadhi.

Concentration (dharana), meditation (dhyana), and samadhi together is called samyama. This
process of samyama will remove the kleshas, colorings around earth, and it will become clear
that the element earth has nothing to do with who we really are. The result is non-attachment
toward the element earth. The Yoga Sutras also mention that certain powers will come from
this process of samyama on earth. But it also tells us in sutra 3.38 that these could be seen as
attainments or obstacles. These powers are obstacles when your goal of practice is to move
beyond Prakriti to experience Purusha standing on its own. When your is goal is to gain
powers, your attachments to Prakriti will only increase, it keeps you involved with Prakriti en
doesnt

bring

you

beyond

it.

Thus, this process of samyama is applied to the different vrittis within Prakriti solely to remove
theirkleshas. This will increase the level of non-attachment to all the vrittis. Then, applying the
process of samyama to different aspects within Prakriti becomes a process of elimination; not
this, not this, not this. This makes buddhi sharper. A sattvic buddhi can lead us to the higher
knowledge of the discrimination between the seer and the seen. Eventually even
the gunas will

be

set

aside.

What

is

left

is

the

Seer

standing

on

its

own.

The process of the 8-fold path is a tool and therefore not the end, because it will lead you or
prepare you for the moment where you are able to let go of all vrittis by a process
called nirodhah, and as a result Yoga happens.

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8 STEPS OF SELF-TRANSFORMATION BY SWAMI RAMA

Swami Rama gives us 8 steps to Self-transformation in his book Path of Fire and Light volume
2. This process is not the same process as described by the Yoga Sutras. It contains different
steps that are not mentioned in the Yoga Sutras. Are these two different paths? Do we have to
choose between the two? Or do they complement each other? If so How? Let us find out!
The

steps

are:

1.

Regular

practice

2.

Internal

dialogue

3.

Posture

4.

Breath

5.

Determination

6.

Letting

go

7.

Introspection

8.

Witnessing

Let us remember that the process described in the 8-fold path of the Yoga Sutras is a tool for
our development. Because it is a tool, it needs to be applied! We will now go through the 8
steps of Self-transformation (by Swami Rama) to see how this tool can be applied, and how
the 8-fold path complements the 8 steps of Self-transformation.

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1) REGULAR PRACTICE
It starts with a regular practice. To want to know yourself starts by showing up for that journey,
so regular practice is the most important thing to begin with! Regularity creates a consciously
built habit and when this habit get stronger and deeper it will start to help you. Because if you
show up every day at the same time at the same place, you will eventually go automatically to
that place at the time every day. Or at least going to that place at that time is not a struggle,
because all other desires know that this time and place is for practice. After a long time of
doing the same thing the constant negotiation disappears; the whole mind knows nothing can
convince you to fulfill another desire than to do your practice.

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2) INTERNAL DIALOGUE
Once you show up for practice, willing to dive deep within, with the intent to have the direct
experience of the Center of Consciousness, Brahman, or Tripura, you do not immediately start
with meditation. Internal dialogue is done first, so that your mind becomes a friend. With this
relationship you can uncover and discover many things about yourself that otherwise stay
hidden in the unconscious mind. You can also find out how the mind functions and can solve
many
Yamas

problems
&

and

questions

Niyamas

by
and

practicing

internal

Internal

dialogue.
Dialogue

Practicing internal dialogue can be used to increase your awareness toward the Yamas and
Niyamas. You can literally ask your mind how to practice the Yamas and Niyamas. You can ask
the mind to use the Yamas and Niyamas to balance and refine your actions, thoughts and
sadhana. For example, you can ask your mind to show you in which areas you are
unconsciously doing himsa (violence) to yourself or others. Allow the mind to give you
suggestions how to move toward to ahimsa (non-violence). You can ask the mind to make you
aware of little lies you tell to yourself or others (related to satya), or where you are stealing
(related to asteya). Ask your mind to be less involved with the world and to be more absorbed
in Brahman (brahmacharya). You can explain to your mind that you cannot really possess
anything. Thus, you can ask the mind to release the grasping it does toward the manifestation

(aparigraha). Ask how you can purify yourself (shaucha), or why there is not always a state of
contentment (santosha). Ask which desires are not useful, and explain to the mind that the fire
that comes from this purification is something we have to go through (tapas). Svadhyaya can
be practiced by asking your mind to show you everything that is happening in the mind-field
and allow the mind and inner wisdom to explain the teachings to you. Finally, you tell the mind,
explain to the mind, that truth is beyond the mind itself so that the mind becomes comfortable
with this idea and is willing to surrender itself into the creative source (Ishvara pranidhana).

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3) POSTURE
The third step is to develop a meditation posture that has the qualities of being stable, steady
and comfortable. I did not write this article to make absolute statements, but just to show you
where there may be parallels. If you keep this in mind, you can easily see that this step is
similar to step 3 in the 8 rungs of the Yoga Sutras.

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4) BREATH
This step is again similar to the fourth step in the 8-fold path of the Yoga Sutras. Remember
that the Yoga Sutras tells us that this step thins the veil between conscious and unconscious.
This thinning is needed for the last 3 steps of this Self-transformation outline. To be able to do
the last three steps determination is needed, which is mentioned next.

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5) DETERMINATION
After you have shown up on time for your practice, you have spoken with the mind in an
internal dialogue and you have prepared the body and breath, is it now very important to make
a firm determination to be completely undisturbed, uninvolved, and undistracted by whatever
comes up into the mind-field. This stance of determination is a mental posture, a mental asana.
You put the mind in this posture of determination. You need determination to be able to deal
with

the

thoughts

coming

forward

from

the

mind-field.

Samyama

on

body

You could say that you first did samyama on the body, by directing your attention to the body.
The body is the object of meditation, it is kept still and attention is directed to body only. The
body is a vritti in Prakriti too. By directing your attention to it your attachment to the body will
decrease. You will gain non-attachment to the body, so that you can let any awareness,
sensation, or identification related to the body go nirodhah. In your practice you want to be
able to dive beyond body, so that you can dive into the next step; the breath. If you see the
body as a vritti within Prakriti, it will need to go through the same process of samyama, as the
element earth, as described above. Maybe not all the way up to samadhi on body, but enough
of the process of samyama to reduce the kleshas, so that we can dive beyond body.
Samyama

on

breath

The same counts for the breath; the breath is the second object to which you direct your
attention. You first make it still, smooth and very slow in a ration of two-to-one, so that you can
direct your one-pointed attention toward the flow of breath. This can be seen as doing
samyama on breath. This process will remove the kleshas and increase your non-attachment
to breath itself. If you are able to observe the breath, means that you are the observer. The
observer is you and the observed is the breath, so you are different or separate from the
breath. Realizing that you are not the breath makes it possible that your awareness and
identification related to the breath can go nirodhah. (note; the body and breath will still exist,
you will not literally stop breathing or drop your body, but your awareness has gone beyond
body

and

breath,

Samyama

as

if

body

and

breath

are

now

on

external).
mind

What is subtler then body and breath? The mind! Focusing on mind itself is more
overwhelming, busy, intense, or pick your word, than focusing on the body and breath. This is
why determination is mentioned in step number 5 and not before step number 3 and 4. Now,
you really need a firm determination as we are now going to meditate on mind itself.

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6) LETTING GO
Letting go means that you allow the mind to move however it wants to move by allowing all
the thoughts to come forward. This process is the preparation to be able to do samyama on the

stream of thoughts. Where your attention is directed not to a particular object/thought, but to
the whole stream of thoughts itself. Eventually in step 8 we become the witness of the stream
of thoughts, where the mind is moving in its own speed, uninterrupted by the veil of the
unconscious mind. This means that eventually there are no active thoughts hidden behind the
veil of the unconscious mind. Everything happens in the conscious mind-field. Another way of
saying the same thing is that the veil between the conscious and unconscious mind field is
temporary

gone.

To move toward this step we fist have to invite the unconscious to come forward. We have to
become comfortable with the thoughts popping in and out of the conscious mind field. We do
this by cultivating a stance of being undisturbed, unaffected, and uninvolved. When we are in
this stance is doesnt matter what comes forward, we are not dragged into the stream of
thoughts. We are able to remain the observer of the stream of thoughts. When we get better at
being in this stance (which happens with determination) more and more thoughts will come
forward and the experience is that the stream quickens. By allowing the stream of thoughts to
quicken,

we

move

into

the

direction

of

step

number

8.

Thus, step number 6 focuses on allowing the thoughts to come forward, becoming comfortable
with the thoughts entering and leaving the conscious mind without doing anything with them.
While you do not identify with them, not pushing them away (talk about ahimsa!), not analyzing
them and not even ignoring them (as this too is an action and you need to make contact with
something to then ignore it). You literally dont do anything with them. just being.
The allowing of thoughts to come forward and allowing them to go decreases the coloring of
the samskaras. Whenever a thought moves into the conscious mind field and is left alone, and
nothing is done to or with it, it will fall back into chitta. Because you have not identified with it,
it loses part or all of its coloring, and it becomes more or completely neutral. This will have the
effect that it will cause less disturbance, or not disturb you at all in your practice, as only
colored

samskaras

will

disturb

you

on

your

way

inward.

There is another way to un-color thoughts called introspection.

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7) INTROSPECTION

When you are able to let the thoughts come and go on their own, you may add step number 7.
This step is an extra step, which can help you in uncoloring the kleshas of the vrittis that move
through

the

conscious

mind-field

as

described

in

step

number

6.

Technically, if you would cycle through a heavily colored thought many times, eventually all
coloring will be removed, and number 7 is not really needed. But to quicken the process step
number 7 is added. If, and only if you are able to allow a certain thought to come up by itself
and again goes away by itself, again comes up by itself and again goes away by itself, comes
and goes, comes and goes, and so forth, then you may apply step number 7 to it. Which
means to push the pause button whenever it pops up into the conscious mind-field again.
Here is how it works: a big part of the practice is to allow the mind to flow in its own speed. In
the beginning most of the movements of the mind are hidden behind the curtain of
unawareness, in the unconscious mind-field. Gradually you allow the curtain to open and the
movement is noticeable within the conscious mind-field. Thus, samyama can be applied to the
stream of thought itself. But, if you notice a heavily colored thought and you are able to let it go
on its own, again and again, then you may also stop the stream of thoughts and focus only on
that particular thought. So, literally, you stop the stream of thoughts by pushing the pause
button, so that only this thought is visible. Then you do samyama on this thought to remove the
coloring. When you are done with this thought you push the play button and the stream of
thoughts continues to flow. Now, you again focus on the stream of thoughts, not on any
particular thought. This is how step 6 and 7 can work together to un-color the thoughts.
Yoga

Sutras

and

samyama

on

the

stream

of

thoughts

The third chapter of the Yoga Sutras gives us many examples to which you can apply
samyama. It also shows us the effects or powers that come from samyama on that particular
vritti (movements) within Prakriti. It also mentions that these powers can be seen as
attainments

or

as

obstacles

(3.38).

Our goal is to go beyond Prakriti. To go beyond the mind-field and all its movements. Any
movement in the mind-field can thus be seen as an obstacle. This means that the attainments
could create more obstacles. If we would identify ourselves with the attainments these powers
become ours. They will be colored with mine. They will remove ourselves from knowing I
am Pure Consciousness and thus need to be uncolored. Eventually these powers will have to
go nirodhah too!

Thus, let us remember that the tool of samyama in this process offered by Swami Rama is
applied first to the body, then to the breath, then to the stream of thoughts itself. Only when
needed it is applied to a particular vritti by pausing the stream of thoughts (step number 7,
introspection). Our practice is not to do samyama on all the options mentioned in the Yoga
Sutras with the sole purpose to gain their powers. Everything we do is done to reduce the
coloring. Not to attain special abilities. Yet, some of the options mentioned in the Yoga Sutras
will naturally be encountered. For example, there comes a point in practice where you will see
how much you are attached to the elements itself. Doing samyama on the elements is
extremely useful (3.45-3.47). Through this process you will gain insight about the elements and
gain some strength through it. These are signs of progress, but do not allow the ego
(ahamkara)

to

color

it

with

mine!

Almost at the end of the third chapter this sutra is mentioned: By samyama over the moments
and their succession, there comes the higher knowledge that is born from discrimination
(3.53). This can be seen as a parallel to the three-fold process of letting go + introspecting +
witnessing (step 6+7+8). Swami Rama highlights the path of the Yoga Sutras by offering us the
8 steps of Self-transformation. The Yoga Sutras continue: This higher knowledge is intuitive
and transcendent, and is born of discrimination; it includes all objects within its field, all
conditions related to those objects, and is beyond any succession (3.55). With the attainment
of equality between the purest aspect of sattvicbuddhi and the pure consciousness of
purusha,

there

comes

absolute

liberation,

and

that

is

the

end

(3.56).

You will see that in the next step (number 8) called witnessing the awareness of the Witness
comes forward. This happens when you allow the thoughts to flow in their own speed, by doing
samyama on the stream of thoughts. This could be seen as samyama on the moments and
their succession. This effect of the Witness coming forward could be seen as the higher
knowledge mentioned in 3.53; it is vidya, knowledge of the true nature of existence. Again I do
not want to make absolute statements, but just show you where there are parallels between
the Yoga Sutras and the 8 Steps of Self-transformation that may be exactly the same or similar
to

one

another.

Moments and succession: Experience usually comes like a movie. It only

appears to be an unfolding process, whereas it is actually independent
events. It is like the movie film being many independent frames, all of which

coexist on the same reel. However, when you look at those frames
sequentially, there is the appearance of a uniform and unfolding event or
process.
Beyond moments and succession: When samyama (3.4-3.6) is done on
the moments and the process of succession, the higher knowledge of what
is really going on is revealed. One comes to see the nature of movie
production of the mind and virtually the whole of the creation process. This
opens the door to the realization of the Truth (1.3).
~ Swami Jnaneshvara commentary on Yoga Sutra 3.53

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8) WITNESSING
When you are able to let the stream of thoughts flow at its own speed, something beautiful
happens; you are able to meditate on almost the mind itself. Now, the observed is the whole
mind itself flowing at its natural speed, and not merely a part of it. You have allowed the mind
to flow uninterruptedly with no interference. This will lead you to a stance of non-attachment
toward the thinking process itself. Who is the one that is able to witness the thinking process?
This is done from almost beyond mind, from the most subtlest within the mind. Being so subtle
leads to the awareness of the Witness, the Seer, or Atman. Step number 8 will eventually lead
you to beyond the mind, as it will become clear that you are not the mind. You increasingly
realize

deeply

that

you

truly

are

the

Seer,

and

mind

can

slowly

fall

away.

Here meditation ends and contemplation takes over, or this is the moment where meditation
and contemplation merge. There is nothing to meditate on in the sense of an object. All that
remains is allowed to merge into the source out of which all objects emerge. This is done by
contemplating

on

the

Witness,

Atman,

the

Center

of

Consciousness

or Tripura.

Playfully, you could say that Tripura will become the last object of meditation in which you
surrender the little that is left of you into Tripura, into that Pure Consciousness that appears
to play as the three cities of waking, dreaming, and deep sleep. This is meditating on the
formless. This is contemplating on the formless. This is being in awe of the formless. With the
grace of Tripura, Pure Consciousness itself, a total surrender can happen into Tripura.

Hence, the 8-fold path of Yoga Sutras is a big part within the 8-Step practice Swami Rama has
given us, in which the proces of samyama is used. You use the process of directing our
attention. When it intensifies or is sustained it flows from concentration into meditation into
samadhi. You apply it to subtler levels of your being: namely, body, breath and the mind itself
(thinking process). But, eventually, even the process of samyama has to be let go of, for
meditation on the stream of thoughts will bring you to a stance of witnessing. In this stance you
can contemplate on the Witness and surrender into it. This will lead you to the realization You
are That (tat tvam asi), you are That Pure Consciousness. This is called Self-realization. You
are Brahman. You are TripurasundariAUM