When I read the Yoga Sutras, I was struck that they are about working with the direct experience of the mind. Even while the end goal is the complete stoppage of the mind, we can't get near that goal without direct experience and using the tools that he lays out. So, it demands practice, just like the modern practice of yoga does. I agree that we are not practicing Patanjali's yoga, but we can respectfully borrow the practical aspects and apply them to our modern yoga practices. For me, the Yoga Sutras shine as a guide to meditation and concentration, aspirational ethical living, and a source of very practical vocabulary for anyone with the goal of a less scattered and distracted mind. But in the end, practice becomes the greatest teacher, and this is where I think his yoga and the "yoga" we do now converge. One more thing.. as good as his prescriptions are, with the demands of modern daily life, being a parent, or trying to help other people who are in need, I sometimes find that I need more, so I turn to the Buddhist methods of expanding awareness and compassion in daily life. I feel like it's working for me, but squaring the mix-and-match approach with avoiding the type of appropriation you talk about can feel...tenuous at times. But we carry on! With that, let me say I thank you for talking through these issues so openly and humbly here.
thanks for this very clear and thoughtful comment. I didn’t mention it here, but Buddhism in my mind does indeed offer more practical solutions most of the time than yoga - working WITH in terms of mind training as opposed to negation - which is not discordant with Patanjali at all - aa we know he had a number of very Buddhist flavoured sutras about generating positive mind states . Thanks for your interaction Gregory.
Thank you Adam for these talks. I’m always thinking about how to integrate my yoga practice with my Buddhist practice. I’m new to yoga and your talks are helpful.
Excellent, Adam, as always. You've clearly wrestled with these questions in the same way I have! This video really helped me organise my own thinking on it all - so thanks!
glad to hear someone else has also wrestled with these issues! glad you could follow - this was clearly unscripted - so pleased it has been of interest to a few 😊🙏
I don't know. Sometimes I think that the understanding I'm practicing without proper concentraction is a step towards the goal of concentration. Maybe it's a matter of bhakti. All we need is bhakti? Thank you Adam!
@@marcorustignoli6524 Yes, the whole point of awareness as a technique is to notice our lack thereof. One cannot be aware of being aware- only the lack of it. The same thing pertains to Petanjal's yamas and Niyamas in fact.
When I read the Yoga Sutras, I was struck that they are about working with the direct experience of the mind. Even while the end goal is the complete stoppage of the mind, we can't get near that goal without direct experience and using the tools that he lays out. So, it demands practice, just like the modern practice of yoga does.
I agree that we are not practicing Patanjali's yoga, but we can respectfully borrow the practical aspects and apply them to our modern yoga practices. For me, the Yoga Sutras shine as a guide to meditation and concentration, aspirational ethical living, and a source of very practical vocabulary for anyone with the goal of a less scattered and distracted mind. But in the end, practice becomes the greatest teacher, and this is where I think his yoga and the "yoga" we do now converge.
One more thing.. as good as his prescriptions are, with the demands of modern daily life, being a parent, or trying to help other people who are in need, I sometimes find that I need more, so I turn to the Buddhist methods of expanding awareness and compassion in daily life. I feel like it's working for me, but squaring the mix-and-match approach with avoiding the type of appropriation you talk about can feel...tenuous at times. But we carry on!
With that, let me say I thank you for talking through these issues so openly and humbly here.
thanks for this very clear and thoughtful comment. I didn’t mention it here, but Buddhism in my mind does indeed offer more practical solutions most of the time than yoga - working WITH in terms of mind training as opposed to negation - which is not discordant with Patanjali at all - aa we know he had a number of very Buddhist flavoured sutras about generating positive mind states . Thanks for your interaction Gregory.
Thank you Adam for these talks. I’m always thinking about how to integrate my yoga practice with my Buddhist practice. I’m new to yoga and your talks are helpful.
great to hear! I think the two are a good fit - who wants worldly transcendence and the separation of the I, really? thanks for listening.
Excellent, Adam, as always. You've clearly wrestled with these questions in the same way I have! This video really helped me organise my own thinking on it all - so thanks!
glad to hear someone else has also wrestled with these issues! glad you could follow - this was clearly unscripted - so pleased it has been of interest to a few 😊🙏
very interesting!
enjoying these talks Adam!
thanks! 🙏😊
If somebody make handstands or dog facedown without concentration and without ujjayi, is that yoga?
no. yoga is about the intention to generate greater awareness . Which is broad but nevertheless non-negotiable…
I don't know. Sometimes I think that the understanding I'm practicing without proper concentraction is a step towards the goal of concentration. Maybe it's a matter of bhakti. All we need is bhakti? Thank you Adam!
@@marcorustignoli6524 Yes, the whole point of awareness as a technique is to notice our lack thereof. One cannot be aware of being aware- only the lack of it. The same thing pertains to Petanjal's yamas and Niyamas in fact.
No, not all. Real yoga is all about the Hindu religion, taught by Hindus.