Choose a particular relationship to cultivate with 
God as father, mother, beloved or friend, as the 
creator, preserver or destroyer of the universe, 
whatever is closest to one's heart. 2. Choose a particular form to worship like Shiva, 
Krishna, Buddha, Christ, Kali, Tara, Kwan Yin, 
or the Madonna, whatever is most inspiring. Such 
a form may be an image of God, male or female, 
or that of a great teacher or avatar. The figure of 
a great guru or teacher can also be used. 3. Take the Divine name or mantra of the form of 
Divinity to repeat like Om, Ram, Namah Shiv- 
aya, Hare Krishna and so on. 4. Do daily rituals, offerings and prayers to this cho- 
sen Deity. Meditate on the Deity as your true Self. Rituals 
Rituals are important for consecrating our healing 
practices. They are major healing practices in themselves 
and part of the spiritual therapy of Ayurveda. They put us 
in the proper frame of mind to receive the energies of our 
deeper consciousness. Rituals are the basis of most devo- 
tional practices, which should, however, go beyond them 
to meditation. Rituals are important in psychological treatment 
because they bring the body and senses of the patient into 
the healing process. They serve to provide positive impres- 
sions to nourish and heal the mind. Very helpful are fire 
rituals71 in which psychological negativity is offered into 
the Divine fire for purification. Standard Hindu puja or 
devotional worship consists of offerings for all the five 
senses: a fragrant oil like sandalwood for earth, liquid food Spiritual Therapies 251 A 
for water, a ghee lamp for fire, incense for air and a flower 
for ether. It is a well-organized ritual for purifying the 
body and mind. Rituals are the most basic devotional prac- 
tices. We should offer them to God in whatever form we 
choose to worship. They set the stage for all other prac- 
tices. Prayer and Mantra 
Prayers are supplications to the Deity for help, love or 
guidance. We should learn to communicate with God, 
who, after all, is our own inner Self. We should develop a 
line of communication not only with God but with all cre- 
ation, honoring the Divine consciousness inherent in all 
that exists. We can pray to the Divine and ask for help in 
dealing with our psychological or physical problems. God 
never refuses any sincere request, though he does not 
respond to mere ego desires. The Deity also possesses a name or mantra. The name 
is the most important factor in devotional worship. We 
should resort to repeating the Divine Name whenever our 
minds become agitated or upset. If we make the Divine 
Name our constant companion, nothing can really disturb 
us in life. We should constantly keep the Name in our 
minds and repeat it whenever we can. Yet we should call 
on the Divine without ulterior motives. God or Truth 
exists not for our personal benefit but for the good of all, 
in which our own highest good resides as well. As a first step, we should meditate upon the form of the 
Deity but we should also strive to see that form every- 
where. We should learn to see it in others, in the world of 
Nature, and in ourselves. We should begin to talk to this 
form and seek its guidance. We should also try to under- 
stand the form and what it means on an inner level. Ayurveda and the Mind 
Along with the form of the deities in the Hindu and 
Buddhist traditions, an energy pattern, yantra or mandala, 
like Sri Yantra (note illustration), is depicted. One can 
meditate upon these yantras. Also various symbols can be 
used. Deities and Psychology 
Modem psychology tends to look upon the worship of 
deities as primitive or psychologically naive, but it is actu- 
ally the product of a profound spiritual psychology. Deities 
can energize the great archetypes and cosmic forces within 
our own psyche, which alone have power over the deeper 
levels of our consciousness, both instinctual and intuitive. Yogic deities are personifications of the great forces of 
consciousness which have both psychological and cosmic 
counterparts. The use of wrathful deities can help us over- 
come anger and negative emotions, whether our own or 
those of others. The use of benefic or peaceful deities can 
help calm our minds, promote contentment and awaken 
our deeper spiritual and creative powers. Hinduism employs various deities who represent the 
different powers of the cosmic mind. For dealing with psy- 
chological disorders in general, the main deity in Ayurve- 
da is Lord Shiva, who is the personification of the Supreme 
Divinity (Mahadeva). Shiva means peace and his worship 
grants peace of mind. Shiva has the power to control all the 
negative forces in the mind and mles over all the elemen- 
tal forces and shadows from the past that can disturb us. He can neutralize all negativity. We can worship him 
through repeating his mantra: 
Om Nam ah Shivaya! Om, Reverence to Shiva! Spiritual Therapies 
We can simply repeat the name Shiva over and over 
again. Or we can simply repeat his seed mantra SHAM, 
which is the root sound of peace. For dealing with anger, we can propitiate Lord Shiva in 
his form as Rudra, who controls Divine wrath. For dealing 
with fear, we can worship the Goddess Kali who delivers 
us from time and death, which is what we fear the most. For dealing with attachment, we can meditate upon the 
Goddess Lakshmi, who holds all beneficence as the fruit of 
devotion. For love and joy we can propitiate Lord Krishna, 
who is the embodiment of Divine love and bliss. To devel- 
op fearlessness, we can honor Lord Rama, who represents 
Divine fearlessness. Ganesha, the elephant-faced God, grants powers of 
steady intelligence, calm thinking and right judgment. He helps develop our intelligence (Buddhi) in the proper 
way. Hanuman, the monkey God and devotee of Rama, 
grants us the power of the higher life-force (Prana) that 
elevates the mind and increases our devotion. All the 
deities of Hinduism have their psychological usage. These 
are only a few examples to provide an idea of their psycho- 
logical application.72 
Buddhism, particularly Tibetan Buddhism, has similar 
deities called Bodhisattvas. '3 The deities of many other 
ancient religions, like the ancient Greek, Egyptian and 
Babylonian, were used in a similar manner. For example, 
the Greek Apollo, like the Vedic Sun God, was wor- 
shipped to develop powers of intelligence, creativity and 
enlightenment. This is a complex subject in its own right 
and its importance should not be underestimated. Ayurveda and the Mind 
Formless Devotion 
Some people are not attracted to any form to worship 
and prefer to worship the Divine as formless. One way to 
do this is to use a relationship with the God as father, 
mother, beloved or lord but without any form for it. While 
devotion may not require form, it is impossible without a 
relationship with the Divine. It also usually requires the 
use of various Divine names or mantras. Another way to develop formless devotion is to revere 
Divine qualities like truth, love, peace, and contentment. These can be meditated upon or turned into Divine names. Whatever qualities in life we honor, those we create in our- 
selves. Generally it is best to combine both form-oriented and 
formless devotion together because the two are comple- 
mentary. To see the formless in form is the highest way, 
which is to see God in Nature and in humanity. Those who 
are devoted to God in a particular form must learn to see 
that Divinity in all forms. Those who are devoted to the 
formless Divine must also see the world in God. Developing Compassion 
Most of our personal problems disappear if we consider 
the greater problems of the world. Actually, none of us has 
any personal problems. We have only our own personal 
form of the human problem, which is ultimately the prob- 
lem of the separate self. There are various practices we can 
do to develop compassion. Do daily prayers or chants for world peace and the 
alleviation of suffering for all creatures, such as: 
"May all beings be happy. May all beings be peace- 
ful. May all beings be free of disease. May no crea- 
ture suffer any pain." Spiritual Therapies 
Be engaged in or contribute to some service venture, 
which may be educational, healing, political, or eco- 
logical. Devotion and the Mind 
Highly intellectual people often do not like devotion, 
which they look upon as a form of emotional weakness. However, devotion is the very sap that vitalizes the mind. If we are not devoted to anything, then the mind will be 
dry, empty and self-destructive. Even if we are very wise or 
intelligent, devotion is essential. To use a metaphor, the 
mind is like a wick, knowledge is the flame, but devotion 
is the oil that feeds the wick. Without devotion, knowl- 
edge, even spiritual knowledge, will simply bum up the 
mind. Self-knowledge 
Tme psychology, or knowledge of the psyche, means to 
know one's Self. But who are we? Are we merely this body, 
this mind, the creature of this particular birth? Is knowing 
ourselves knowing the particularities of our body chem- 
istry, the pattern of our memories, our social conditioning, 
or something yet deeper? All psychology is an attempt to know who we really 
are, but different systems of psychology have very different 
conceptions of the self. Most accept the validity of the ego 
— the I-am-the-body identity of this particular birth — 
as our tme Self. Ayurveda looks far beyond this to our 
identity in changeless awareness that transcends both body 
and mind. Self-knowledge means understanding the full extent of 
our being. This is not only the physical self but the men- 
tal self and the individual soul which persists from birth to Ayurveda and the Mind 
birth. True Self-knowledge means coming into contact 
with our soul's purpose in incarnation. What is our soul 
seeking to accomplish in this life to help it along its jour- 
ney toward Divinity? Self-knowledge implies cosmic knowledge. We func- 
tion through the great forces of Nature, which are also 
powers of our own deeper awareness. To know ourselves is 
to know the universe, not as a physical phenomenon but as 
a play of consciousness. All that we see, from beautiful 
mountains to criminal deeds, is an aspect of ourselves. Unless we understand these within ourselves, then we 
must remain ignorant of who we really are. Self-knowledge is the highest form of knowledge. It is 
the basis of all other forms of knowledge. It is the one 
thing through which everything else is known. To discov- 
er it we must take the mind back to its origin and reedu- 
cate it to see the world not as an external reality but as an 
internal revelation. The outer world exists for inner expe- 
rience and Self-knowledge. When we approach anything 
in Nature directly, with a clear mind, we find that on the 
deepest level it is intrinsically one with our own con- 
sciousness. We see ourselves in Nature and Nature in our- 
selves. This is the revelation of our greater Self. Developing Self-Knowledge 
To develop Self-knowledge we must learn to observe 
ourselves, which requires meditation. We must not accept 
the conditioned ego idea of who we are but dive deep into 
the mind and see how we are connected to all existence. We must trace our sense of self, the I-am, back to its ori- 
gin in the spiritual heart. We must learn who we are, not 
merely what our name or job is, but the nature of our 
awareness freed from all external conditioning factors. Spiritual Therapies 
Thought always consists of two parts: the "I" and what 
it is identified with, such as "I am this" or "this is mine." The subject, or "I," is connected or identified with an 
object. All our problems come from the object portion, 
which is bound by time and space. We have a problem 
with being this or that, or getting this or that, but we do 
not have a problem in being. Being is not difficult for any- 
one. It is the given, the Self-existent. It is in the being 
something or another where problems arise.74 
To return to the pure "I am" is the root of all peace and 
happiness. Psychology should help us understand the 
outer layers of our being, our physical, vital and mental 
urges, not to trap us within them, but to harmonize them 
so that our deeper being can come forth and function 
through them. Self-knowledge requires a calm and balanced (Sattvic) 
mind. If we are suffering from psychological disturbances, 
it is generally easier to develop devotion first, or to deal 
with the more accessible outer aspects of our lives, like 
changing our food or impressions. It is unrealistic to tell 
someone who is undergoing a severe emotional crisis sim- 
ply to meditate, be detached or contact the higher Self. They need something more practical, while steering them 
gradually in the direction of meditation is important. For 
this reason, Self-knowledge belongs more properly to the 
spiritual path than to psychological treatment. However, 
Self-knowledge is the only way to ultimately go beyond all 
suffering, which comes from not knowing who we really 
are. 16. The Eightfold Method of Yoga I 
Outer Practices: 
Dharmic Living, Asana and 
Pranayama 
The Greater System of Yoga 
All life is Yoga, which means unification. We are all 
striving according to our understanding to become one 
with the real, the good, and the source of happiness. All 
individual life aims consciously or unconsciously at reinte- 
gration with the Cosmic Life. We are all striving to expand 
our frontiers and increase our connections in order to find 
wholeness and peace. Yoga is not a new path to follow but 
a way to become conscious of the original impetus of life. Yoga is the movement and evolution of Life itself. All psychological problems arise ultimately from a mis- 
application of the energy of consciousness. Instead of unit- 
ing with the eternal inner reality in which is lasting joy, 
we attach ourselves to transient external objects whose 
fluctuations bring pain. The practice of Yoga, or inner 
integration, reverses all psychological problems by merg- 
ing the mind back into its immutable source of pure con- 
sciousness, in which resides perfect peace. For this reason, 
Yoga is an integral and important part of Ayurveda, the 
science of life, particularly for treating psychological dis- 
orders.75 
The Yoga Sutras16 the main classical text on Yoga, Ayurveda and the Mind 
defines Yoga as "the calming of the operations of con- 
sciousness." Again, the term for consciousness or mind is 
Chitta, referring to all conscious and unconscious thought 
potentials. Calming means eliminating all the negative 
conditionings lodged in the mind and heart. To achieve 
complete calm requires control of the different functions of 
consciousness through intelligence, mind, and ego, along 
with detachment from the vital force and physical body. This is a deeper and more profound definition than the 
common idea of Yoga today, which maybe little more than 
exercise or stress relief. The rules for yogic development, 
which can treat psychological imbalances as well, are: 
1) Consciousness (Chitta) must be calmed and emp- 
tied. 2) Intelligence (Buddhi) must be reoriented and 
sharpened. 3) Mind (Manas) and senses must be controlled and 
internalized. 4) The (Ahamkara) ego must be dissolved. 5) The vital-force (Prana) must be balanced and 
strengthened. 6) The body must be purified. These different processes go together; without one the 
others cannot succeed. We have discussed these factors in 
different chapters of the book. In this chapter we will sum- 
marize and deepen them. 1. Calming our Deeper Consciousness 
Our deeper consciousness holds the various emotional 
traumas and pains that disturb us, most of which remain 
hidden or repressed. These disturbances must be calmed The Eightfold Method of Yoga I 26! and released. Peace must be brought to the core of the 
mind. This requires emptying the mind of its contents, its 
deep-seated habits, tendencies and attachments, surrender- 
ing fear, anger and desire on all levels. However, the mind 
is naturally calm and pure. We need only allow the mind 
to return to its natural state, which is to keep it free from 
disturbing external influences. 2. Reorienting and sharpening our intelligence 
Intelligence must be redirected from its orientation to 
the outer sensory world and focused on the inner world of 
consciousness. We must learn to discriminate the eternal 
from the transient, the real from the unreal, our true Self 
from the mass of ego appearances. This requires perceiving 
the three gunas, holding to Sattva and discarding Rajas 
and Tamas. It is a key to emptying out consciousness as 
well. Only through the reorientation of intelligence can we 
direct our awareness beyond the contents of consciousness, 
which are all bound by time. 3. Controlling the mind 
We must control our mind and senses and no longer be 
pulled outwardly by them to seek fulfillment externally. This requires the cultivation of self-control, character and 
will-power. As long as the mind brings external impres- 
sions into consciousness, consciousness cannot empty itself 
out. Similarly, as long as we are looking outward through 
the mind, we cannot redirect our intelligence within. 4. Dissolving the ego 
The root of all expansion of consciousness lies in dis- 
solving the ego or sense of separate self, which is limiting A262 Ayurveda and the Mind 
and isolated. The separate self creates an internal empti- 
ness that we seek to fill with external involvement. It caus- 
es wrong judgments through which we create pain and 
suffering. As long as we are caught up in the ego, we will 
not be able to control our minds, our intelligence will 
remain externalized, and our inner consciousness will 
remain in turmoil. This requires self-abnegation, surren- 
der to God, and the awakening of our inner self and soul 
sense. 5. Balancing and Strengthening the Vital-Force 
Our Prana or life-energy becomes bound by the attach- 
ments and involvement that disturb us. To free the mind, 
this Prana must be released as well. Our vital force (Prana) 
must be freed from its fixation on external objects, which 
fragments and disperses it. Otherwise our minds must be 
drawn outward and our energy of attention lost. Without 
the proper vitality we cannot do anything, and certainly 
cannot control the mind and senses. This requires con- 
necting with wholesome inner and outer sources of vitali- 
ty through mind, senses, breath and body. 6. Purifying the Body 
The body must be cleansed of toxins and excesses of the 
biological humors of Vata, Pitta and Kapha. A toxic or 
weak body will pull down the mind and weaken the vital 
force. The body is the repository of our actions and holds 
their long-term effects. We cannot ignore its role in work- 
ing with the mind or our deeper consciousness. The Eightfold Method of Yoga I 263 
Eight Limbs of Yoga: Ashtanga Yoga 
Classical Yoga provides an eightfold approach (Ashtan- 
ga) to achieve its aim of reintegration. These eight "limbs" 
are not simply steps or stages, though they do follow a cer- 
tain sequence. They are like the limbs of the body or parts 
of a house. Each has its proper role, though not all are 
equally important. We will examine the eight limbs of 
Yoga as psychological treatments and show how the vari- 
ous therapies discussed in the book relate to them. The Eight Limbs of Yoga 
1. Yama — Rules of Social Conduct 
2. Niyama — Rules of Personal Conduct 
3. Asana — Physical Postures: Right Orientation 
of the Physical Body 
4. Pranayama — Breath Control: Right Use of 
the Vital Force 
5. Pratyahara — Control of the Mind and Senses 
6. Dharana — Concentration: Control of Atten- 
tion 
7. Dhyana — Meditation: Right Reflection 
8. Samadhi — Absorption: Right Union 
The first two steps (Yama and Niyama) make up the 
ethical foundation of human life, the principles of social 
and personal conduct. Without these we will not have the 
right foundation for wholesome growth. They constitute 
the basic rules of "Dhanna" or right living. The first five steps (Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama 
and Pratyahara) are called "outer aids" in the YOGA 
SUTRAS. They harmonize the outer aspects of our nature: Ayurveda and the Mind 
behavior, body, breath, senses and mind. The last three 
steps (Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi) are called "inner 
aids." They are the central part of Yoga as embodied in the 
process of meditation. Together they are called Samyama 
or concentration, the ability to become one with the 
objects of our awareness. However Pratyahara can be 
included with the inner aids and we will do so in this 
book. The Dharmic Foundation of Human Life 
According to the Vedic sages, life must be based upon 
Dhanna for us to achieve anything real or lasting. Dhanna 
is the natural law at work behind this conscious universe. Dhanna includes our social Dhanna, or social responsibil- 
ities, and our individual Dhanna, our personal responsi- 
bilities. Discovering our own Dhanna means learning 
what is appropriate for us individually according to our 
role in society, stage of life and spiritual development.77 
Dhanna is the foundation necessary for Yoga to proceed in 
a genuine way. Yama — the First Limb of Yoga 
Many people in the West consider that Yoga is a per- 
sonal thing or even a self-preoccupation. Actually, Yoga in 
the true sense requires a high sense of social responsibility 
and ethical behavior defined by the five Yamas or rules of 
social conduct. The Yamas are the five main attitudes nec- 
essary to establish a right relationship with the external 
world. 1) non-violence (ahimsa) 
2) truthfulness (satya) 
3) control of sexual energy (brahmacharya) The Eightfold Method of Yoga I 265 
4) non-stealing (asteya) 
5) non-possessiveness (aparigraha) 
The first and most important of the Yamas is non-vio- 
lence: not wishing harm to any creature in thought, word 
or deed. Non-violence is the most important attitude for 
bringing about a right relationship with the world and 
preventing negative energies from entering into us. Vio- 
lence is the greatest distorting factor in life. Wishing harm 
to others is the prime cause of mental unrest because it 
introduces an energy of violence in the mind where it must 
breed distortion and result in wrong action. Truthfulness keeps us in harmony with the forces of 
truth in the world around us, and removes us from the 
influences of falsehood and illusion. It gives mental peace 
and equipoise and allows us to discover what is real. Truth- 
fulness means doing what we say and saying what we do. Lying, deceit, dissimulation and dishonesty distort the 
mind and lead us to wrong judgment. Non-violence and 
truthfulness must go together. Truthfulness should not be 
harsh or violent. Non-violence should not be apart from 
truth or it is merely appeasement or placation. We should 
speak the truth but in a way that is as pleasant as possible. Sex is the most powerful energy that connects us with 
the world and is the main source of misconduct in life. Without controlling our sexual urge, we must run into 
sorrow and conflict. Control of sexual energy, the most 
powerful of vital forces, removes us from unnecessary emo- 
tional entanglements and builds up the internal power 
necessary to bring the mind to a higher level of awareness. Mental imbalances always involve some distortion of sexu- 
al energy, which is the root energy of the senses and mind. Uncontrolled or misdirected sexual energy distorts our Ayurveda and the Mind 
physical and mental functions. It leads to tremendous loss 
of energy as well as deep-seated entanglements. Non-stealing means not taking what rightfully belongs 
to others. This includes not only the property of others but 
their work or any credit due them. It establishes our right 
relationship with other people and keeps us free from envy 
and jealousy. Non-stealing is not just a simple matter of 
avoiding theft, it requires honesty about who we are and 
what we have done and not taking anything that is not 
rightfully ours. Whatever we have taken from others 
breeds deception that warps the mind and inhibits real 
understanding. Non-possessiveness means not being possessive of 
external things, even that which we may acquire rightful- 
ly. It requires not feeling that we own things, but consid- 
ering that we are custodians of resources that belong to 
everyone. This principle stands for material simplicity and 
not craving material comforts. Non-possessiveness gives us 
freedom from the world. It is a particularly important 
observance for the modem affluent world, where we have 
so many possessions and such a seeking of affluence and 
prosperity. What we think we own actually owns us. Non-possessiveness does not mean that we necessarily 
have to give away all our possessions, but it does mean that 
we should not accumulate unnecessary things. Having too 
many things creates many worries, for which the only solu- 
tion may be to give them up. There are many negative psy- 
chological consequences of having too many possessions. These include suspicion and attachment, which make the 
mind heavy and self-protective. Non-stealing and non-possessiveness go together. The 
wrong possessions, whether material or mental, like grav- 
ity, hold us down and bind us to the objects involved. The Eightfold Method of Yoga I 267 A 
Unless we change our material environment and our men- 
tal attitude toward it, we may not be able to change the 
mind. We must purify our external environment in order 
to interiorize the mind. Too many or inappropriate posses- 
sions create a negative psychic force that prevents our con- 
sciousness from expanding. Through such yogic obser- 
vances, we will no longer create a limiting material 
environment around our consciousness. If we do not have an honest, truthful and detached rela- 
tionship with the world and with other people, we cannot 
have harmony of body or mind. Wrong social conduct is 
the basis of most psychological and many physical diseases. Right social conduct is an important tool for treating all 
disease. Before we look within to treat the mind or devel- 
op our consciousness, we must create the foundation of a 
right relationship with the world around us, not only in 
our thoughts but in our actions. Niyama — the Second Limb of Yoga 
The Yogic rules of personal conduct refer to our daily 
life-style practices. These are the main disciplines or regi- 
mens that we must follow in order to evolve in conscious- 
ness. The five Niyamas are: 
1) contentment (santosha) 
2) purity (shaucha) 
3) study of spiritual teachings (svadhyaya) 
4) self-discipline (tapas) 
5) surrender to God (Ishvara pranidhana) 
Contentment comes first. This means finding happi- 
ness inside ourselves rather than in outer involvement. As 
long as we are discontented and distracted, we will not Ayurveda and the Mind 
have the peace and consistency to look within. Yoga is not 
a movement of the disturbed mind seeking entertainment, 
but a movement of the calm mind seeking inner truth.78 
We should cultivate contentment by cultivating inner 
sources of creativity and awareness. This is another key to 
mental peace. Purity and cleanliness are the most basic practices that 
we must follow in life. We should cleanse the body 
through proper vegetarian diet and right exercise, and 
cleanse the mind through proper impressions, emotions 
and thoughts. Lack of cleanliness on a psychological level 
causes as many mental problems as not cleaning the body 
causes physical problems. Such mental impurities include 
worry, gossip, disturbed imagination and jealousy. Study of spiritual teachings means examining teachings 
that help us understand who we are and the nature of the 
universe in which we live. For this we need a genuinely 
spiritual or enlightened teaching based upon the works of 
Self-realized sages. Spiritual teachings introduce higher 
thoughts into the mind and teach us a language through 
which we can understand our own higher consciousness. Self-study includes the repetition of mantras that help us 
move into our deeper mind. It is not an intellectual study 
but requires contemplation of what we examine. We must 
study great spiritual truths in our own life and character 
and see how we create our destiny. Self-discipline is necessary to accomplish anything sig- 
nificant, whether in the creative arts, sports, business or 
spiritual practice. We must learn to coordinate and direct 
our actions in a meaningful manner toward a higher goal 
or ideal. This means we must be willing to sacrifice what 
is not useful to our goal, like superficial involvement and 
distractions. Self-discipline is necessary to control the The Eightfold Method of Yoga I 269 
mind. Yoga, like all great endeavors, requires effort and 
dedication or we cannot go far in it. Lastly we should never forget to honor the greater pow- 
ers of the universe. We must acknowledge and surrender 
inwardly to the intelligence that guides this vast cosmos, 
apart from which we could not even breathe. This is to 
honor God, the universal life, and the friends and teachers 
who guide and help us. As long as we are open to such help 
and guidance, we cannot suffer from the loneliness and 
alienation that causes so many human problems. If our lifestyle does not reflect such truth principles, we 
are also likely to be prone to psychological unrest. Howev- 
er, these disciplines must be cultivated on a daily basis 
over time. Their results do not manifest overnight. We 
must build a careful foundation of right conduct in order 
to have stability in our life and mind. Right social and per- 
sonal conduct supports the proper functioning of all 
aspects of our consciousness. It aids particularly in the 
right orientation of intelligence, but also helps control the 
mind and senses and purify the body. Without this 
Dhannic foundation, what we build in life is not likely to 
endure. The Outer Disciplines of Yoga 
On this Dhannic foundation we can then begin the 
outer practices of Yoga. These consist of reorienting the 
body and the life-force according to yogic principles. It 
consists of two parts, Asana and Pranayama, the third and 
fourth limbs of Yoga. Asana — the Third Limb of Yoga 
Asana consists of the performance of physical postures 
that release physical stress and tension. The right postures Ayurveda and the Mind 
increase the vital force, which gets blocked by wrong pos- 
ture, and calms the mind, which is stressed by wrong pos- 
ture. Asanas also help balance the biological humors that 
accumulate in different parts of the body. They can target 
certain organs or weak spots in the body and through 
improved circulation promote healing in these areas. Asana in the broader sense includes all right exercise, 
including more active modalities, like running or hiking. The body needs a certain amount of exercise for its proper 
function. Lack of, excessive or wrong physical activity can 
aggravate or cause psychological problems. Any psycho- 
logical adjustments usually require that we change how we 
exercise or move our bodies. Asana in the more specific sense refers to sitting pos- 
tures for meditation, which are the main Asanas men- 
tioned in yogic texts. For any real self-examination, we 
must be able to sit still and comfortable with an erect 
spine. This allows the ascending flow of energy through 
which the mind can empty itself out and open up the 
deeper layers of consciousness. Specific Asanas, including non-sitting postures, can 
also aid in bringing up repressed thoughts and facilitate 
their release, if the mind is prepared to deal with them. Asana practice can aid in releasing psychological tension 
through releasing the physical and pranic blocks sustain- 
ing it. There is much information on Asanas in various 
Yoga books. We will not go into it here. Pranayama — the Fourth Limb of Yoga 
Pranayama is usually called "control of the breath" — 
calming the disturbed pattern of breathing which agitates 
the mind and senses. It includes all ways of energizing the 
vital force through the body, senses and mind. It is not The Eightfold Method of Yoga I 
suppressing the breath, which will only cause us to die, 
but development and expansion of the energy of the life- 
force beyond its ordinary limitations. Pranayama is an 
important Ayurvedic method for promoting healing on all 
levels. Put in simple terms, Prana is our energy, particularly 
that deriving from the breath. If we do not have sufficient 
energy, we cannot do anything in life, even if we know 
what we should do. If the brain does not receive proper 
oxygen, we do not have the mental energy to grow and to 
change. We lose control of our lives and become the vic- 
tims of our conditioning. Old patterns from the past dom- 
inate the mind and keep us caught in their memories and 
attachments. We are unable to respond creatively to the 
present. Ultimately, the brain grows old and atrophies, the 
ultimate result of which is senility. Pranayama provides this needed energy for both body 
and the mind. It gives power to our thoughts and inten- 
tions so we can accomplish what we really seek. On a psy- 
chological level, it gives the energy to probe into the 
unconscious and release the emotional and vital (Pranic) 
energy tied up in it. When our brain cells are flooded with 
additional Prana, we easily develop the insight to face our 
psychological problems and find creative ways of going 
beyond them. On a deeper level Pranayama provides us 
with the energy necessary for real meditation. Without 
sufficient Prana, meditation may only consist of spinning 
in our thoughts or dwelling in a blank state of mind, in 
which our consciousness is not really changing at all. There are various types of Pranayama, most of which 
consist of deepening and extending the breath until it 
leads to a condition of energized relaxation. When the 
breath is at peace, the life-force is calmed and the senses. Ayurveda and the Mind 
emotions and mind are put to rest. The disturbed move- 
ments of our vital urges cease to trouble us with their 
desires and fears. Mind and breath are linked together like a bird with 
two wings. Thought moves with the breath and breath, in 
its movement, generates thought. We cannot breathe 
without thinking or think without breathing. For this rea- 
son, breath can be used as a rope to tie down the mind. If 
we concentrate on the breath, the mind becomes internal- 
ized. It is withdrawn from the senses and its external ori- 
entation on the outer world and made to turn inward. In 
this way Pranayama is one of the best means of Pratyahara 
or withdrawal from sensory distractions. Awareness of the breath, however, is not an end-in- 
itself. It is a door to the deeper levels of the mind. As the 
mind focuses on the breath, the deeper layers of conscious- 
ness gradually open, releasing the subconscious and all 
that is hidden within. As the mind draws more energy 
through Pranayama, deeper thoughts come up, including 
emotional issues which we will have to deal with through 
meditation or their energy will disturb us and prevent us 
from going deeper. So'ham Pranayama 
So'ham is the natural sound of the breath. The sound of 
the air coming into the nostrils produces an "ess"-sound. The sound of air pushed out the nostrils produces an "h"- 
sound. Observe this for yourself. The Sanskrit root "sa" 
means to sit, exist, hold and therefore to inhale. The root 
"ha" means to leave, abandon, negate and therefore to 
exhale. Sa means He or the Supreme Spirit. Ham means 
aham or "I am." So'ham is the natural sound of the breath 
proclaiming "I am He" or "I am the Self of all Beings." The Eightfold Method of Yoga I 
This sound leads us beyond the mind to our inmost nature 
as pure awareness. So'ham Pranayama is easy and natural. One does not try 
to manipulate or control the breath but merely lets it 
deepen of its own accord, following the sound current back 
to the core of awareness. Some Yoga groups use Hamsa — using ham for inhala- 
tion and sa for exhalation — instead of So'ham. This is 
another version of the same approach, with the sounds 
reversed. So'ham works to energize the breath as it increas- 
es its normal flow. On the other hand, Hamsa works to 
still the breath as it counters its normal flow. So'ham is 
better to strengthen the breath, Hamsa to calm it. The Nadis 
The subtle body, like the physical, consists of various 
channel-systems called nadis, which literally mean 
streams. Seventy-two thousand nadis exist. Of these, four- 
teen are significant, and three are important for all yogic 
practices. Sushumna: Most important and central of the nadis is 
the Sushumna, which corresponds to the central spinal 
canal in the physical body. It controls all the functions of 
the chakras that are strung like lotuses upon it. The 
chakras, in turn, rule over mind-body functions in their 
ordinary function. In their awakened or opened condition, 
they bring about the unfoldment of higher states of con- 
sciousness and superconsciousness. The Sushumna is called 
Chitta-Nadi in yogic literature, 79 the channel of the Chit- 
ta or deeper consciousness. It is the energy flow of the 
entire mental field itself, the stream of consciousness. Bringing our Prana and attention into the Sushumna is 
the key to calming the mind. Sushumna has the nature of Ayurveda and the Mind 
ether and is balanced in terms of the biological humors 
and Pranas. The Kundalini, or Prana Shakti, which is fire 
(Tejas) predominant, activates it. Placing the united ener- 
gy of the breath, senses and mind into the Sushumna 
arouses the Kundalini. This requires tremendous concen- 
tration and detachment in order to so gather our energies. It should never be attempted willfully or forcefully but as 
part of a process of deepening inner peace and equanimity. Kundalini is the force for developing higher levels of con- 
sciousness. To deal with it properly requires the proper 
foundation of Yamas and Niyamas first. Ida and Pingala: Left and right of the Sushumna run 
two major nadis, whose movements intertwine like a series 
of figure eights put one on top of the other as in a 
caduceus. These start at the base of the spine and move 
from side to side, chakra to chakra. The left nadi ends at 
the left nostril, the right nadi at the right nostril. These 
two nadis govern all the other main nadis and are respon- 
sible for the left brain/right brain predominance. The left 
or lunar nadi dominates right brain activity that is feeling- 
oriented. The right or solar nadi dominates left brain 
activity that is rationally-oriented. The Ida is the left or lunar nadi that has the energy of 
the Moon. It is white in color, feminine, has a watery 
(Kapha) nature, is cool, wet and soothing. Ida literally 
means food, refreshment, and inspiration. It operates more 
during the night and promotes sleep and dreams. Physi- 
cally, the Ida sustains the tissues of the body that are water 
(Kapha) predominant. Psychologically, it promotes emo- 
tion, sensation and imagination — the functions of the 
outer mind. The Pingala, which means red, is the right or solar nadi 
and has the energy of the Sun. It is masculine, has a fiery The Eightfold Method of Yoga I 
(Pitta) nature, is hot, dry and stimulating. It operates more 
during the day and promotes wakefulness and activity. Physically, the Pingala governs digestion and circulation. Psychologically, it promotes reason, perception, analysis 
and discrimination — functions of intelligence (Buddhi). These two channels, in an opposite way, relate to the 
right and left hemispheres of the brain. People who are 
dominated by the right hemisphere have the feeling and 
intuitive potential of the Ida, the left lunar nadi. People 
who are dominated by the left hemisphere have the ratio- 
nal and critical potential of the Pingala, the right lunar 
nadi. The breath flows primarily in one of these two chan- 
nels, alternating every few hours according to factors of 
time, environment, age and constitution. We can deter- 
mine the physical and psychological condition of a person 
through observing the nostril in operation at any given 
time. When the right breath prevails, the masculine, fiery, 
aggressive or rational side of our nature predominates. When the left breath prevails, the feminine, watery, recep- 
tive and feeling side of our nature has ascendancy. When 
the Prana or life-force is balanced and the energy in the 
solar and lunar nadis equalized, the mind is brought to a 
peaceful state of heightened awareness. Just like the channels of circulation in the physical 
body, the nadis can be disturbed by wrong flow of energy 
through them. Excess flow through the solar nadi brings 
about hyperactivity of mind and body. Psychologically it 
causes excess clarity, anger, critical disposition, and manip- 
ulativeness (Tejas derangement). Physically it causes 
insomnia, dizziness, fever, and hot sensations in the head 
(Pitta derangement). Excess flow through the lunar nadi brings about emo- Ayurveda and the Mind 
tional vulnerability, disturbed imagination, and domina- 
tion by astral forces. Physically it causes excessive sleep 
and dreams, congestion and unusual weight gain (Kapha 
derangement). The flow in the nadis is disturbed by negative emo- 
tions, egoism, poor intake of impressions, and poor mental 
digestion. Physical factors include wrong diet, particular- 
ly too heavy or greasy foods like meat, cheese, sugar or oils, 
lack of exercise, shallow breathing and excess sex. Sup- 
pression of emotion is the main factor for blocking them. Drugs or forceful exercise, breathing or meditation prac- 
tices are additional aggravating factors. Such things create 
toxins that hinder or block the flow of energy in these sub- 
tle channels. Alternative Nostril Breathing 
An important key to mental and physical health is to 
keep the nadis clear and maintain a balanced flow between 
the Ida and Pingala. It also helps balance Prana, Tejas and 
Ojas and treats the mind and emotions. Meditation, 
mantra, the right intake of impressions, physical remedial 
measures like Asana, bodywork, herbs and diet help clear 
the nadis. Pranayama, however, is the main method, par- 
ticularly alternate nostril breathing, which is called nadi 
shodhana or "cleansing of the nadis." Since the left nostril is lunar or Kapha predominant, 
promoting the breath through it increases our bodily tis- 
sues, Ojas and gives nourishment to the outer mind 
(Manas). Left nostril breathing counters fever, insomnia, 
anxiety, anger, hyperactivity, and hypersensitivity. Cooling 
or lunar Pranayama is best for Pitta constitutions and their 
problems of excessive heat and agitation. Since the right nostril is solar or Pitta predominant, The Eightfold Method of Yoga I 277 
promoting the breath through it increases Tejas, courage 
and motivation, and Buddhi (intelligence). Right nostril 
breathing counters poor digestion, poor circulation, lack of 
motivation, depression, laziness, and paralysis. It is good 
for Kapha problems of excessive weight and attachment. Increasing the breath equally through both nostrils 
calms Vata, increases Prana and harmonizes our deeper 
consciousness (Chitta). It counters Vata conditions of fear, 
anxiety, indecisiveness, and confusion, but in order for it to 
be effective we should practice it along with a rich, nutri- 
tive diet and proper intake of oils and fluids. Pranayama 
aids in the conversion of food and water, which helps Vata 
constitution put on more weight and nourish the nervous 
system, but it must be combined with proper food and 
water to do this. 17. The Eightfold Method of Yoga II 
Inner Practices: 
Meditation, Samadhi and the 
Transformation of Consciousness 
e are all seeking unqualified happiness and 
W enduring peace in life. Only this can bring 
fulfillment to our minds and hearts. Yet 
whatever we achieve in the outer world is never 
however good our relationship, career success or intellec- 
tual attainments may be. We are ever seeking something 
greater, something pure, perfect or sacred, not touched by 
the fluctuations and imperfections of time and circum- 
stance. Yoga teaches us how to realize this. We will exam- 
ine this inner secret of Yoga in this chapter. The inner practices of Yoga consist of the four higher 
levels of yogic practice: Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and 
Samadhi — withdrawal from the senses, concentration, 
meditation and absorption. On this level we are working 
directly with the mind itself, down to its deepest core level 
in the heart. This is only possible from the foundation of 
the earlier stages of Yoga, an ethical lifestyle (Yama and 
Niyama), control of the body (Asana) and control of the 
breath and vital force (Pranayama). Through this founda- 
tion we can gain access to those mysterious comers of the 
heart in which both our sorrow and joy are hidden and can 
be understood. Ayurveda and the Mind 
Pratyahara — the Fifth Limb of Yoga 
Pratyahara is perhaps the least understood aspect of 
Yoga and yet the most important for any psychological 
treatment. It is often translated as "withdrawal from the 
senses." More accurately it means "withdrawal from dis- 
traction," which means detaching the mind from the 
impulses deriving from the senses. Distraction is our vul- 
nerability to external stimulation, our capacity to be con- 
ditioned by environmental forces. Each sense organ has its own urges, its built-in pro- 
gramming. Each is like an unruly child demanding our 
attention and seeking gratification. Each sense organ col- 
ors the mind and tries to impose its likes and dislikes. The 
eye-consciousness urges us to seek pleasurable and avoid 
painful visual sensations. The vital force or Prana in the 
eye drives us to promote actions that provide visual sensa- 
tions. The ego operating through the eye tries to keep our 
attention in the eye and make visual sensations the most 
important part of our self-identity. It is the same with 
other sense and motor organs. The motor organs, particularly the speech and repro- 
ductive organs, are harder to control than the sense organs. The motor organs have a greater vital force and more 
urgency to their expression. They have a more active 
nature that demands more attention. Yet the motor organs 
only express what comes into them through the sense 
organs. We can also control the motor organs through con- 
trol of the sense organs. Without the proper control of the senses, the mind 
becomes fragmented in five directions. Sensory fluctua- 
tions, which can be very major, keep the mind off balance 
and can lead to psychological problems and loss of self- 
control. As long as we are dominated by the senses, our The Eightfold Method of Yoga II 281 
sense of gravity lies outside ourselves and we have no inter- 
nal stability or strength of character. We become a creature 
of the moment and react to whatever happens around us. Pratyahara is control of the senses, which includes right 
management of impressions. It means keeping our mind 
aloof from the senses and in control of their input. It is not 
suppression of the senses but their right application, which 
is as instruments of perception rather than as the judges of 
what we perceive. According to Ayurveda, all diseases arise 
from wrong use of the senses, which may be excessive, 
deficient, or improper. How we use our senses determines 
the kind of energy we take in from the external world, 
from food to emotion. Pratyahara includes all the sensory 
techniques of Ayurveda, particularly those we have dis- 
cussed under right use of impressions, color and mantra 
therapy. The techniques of Pratyahara are primarily of two 
types: shutting off the senses, like closing the eyes or ears, 
or using the senses with attention rather than distraction. Closing the sensory openings is a practice like fasting for 
the body. Fasting from impressions allows the digestive 
capacity of the mind to renew itself, just as fasting from 
food allows the body to cleanse itself by digesting toxins. It also allows inner impressions to be cognized, like the 
inner sounds and lights. This can be done simply by clos- 
ing the eyes or staying in a dark and quiet place. Pratyahara can also be practiced during sensory percep- 
tion. This occurs when we witness sensory impressions, 
when we dwell in pure perception rather than react with 
likes and dislikes. It requires that we cease to project 
names and definitions onto our impressions and see senso- 
ry objects for what they are, which is a play of sensory 
energy. One way to do this is not to focus upon objects Ayurveda and the Mind 
themselves but upon the sensory impressions — the 
sounds and colors that make them up. Another way is to 
look at the space between objects rather than at the objects 
themselves. Perhaps most significant is to meditate with 
one's eyes open while directing one's attention within.80 
Pratyahara can employ internal objects for directing 
our attention away from external objects. Most important 
in this regard are mantra and visualization that direct 
inward the energy of the senses, which is essentially sound 
and light. In this way we creatively use the energy of the 
senses on an inner level. This also helps open up inner sen- 
sory sources, the inner light and sound. Pratyahara follows from Pranayama. In Pranayama we 
gather our breath and Prana. In Pratyahara we take this 
concentrated Prana and withdraw it from the field of the 
senses into the field of consciousness. We can visualize 
withdrawing our Prana stage by stage from our limbs, 
organs and mind, resting it within the heart. Pratyahara is assisted by creating a special environment 
that provides different and better impressions. It may 
involve retreat in a secluded place, like in a mountain 
cabin, where the person is removed from ordinary distrac- 
tions. It may involve setting up an altar or healing space in 
the home, which similarly removes us from ordinary 
impressions and develops those of a higher nature. Such a 
sacred space helps insulate us from vulnerability to exter- 
nal influences. Pratyahara methods are particularly impor- 
tant for individuals who are hypersensitive, impression- 
able, and easily influenced. Pratyahara is the main method for strengthening the 
mental immune system and its capacity to ward off nega- 
tive impressions, emotions and thoughts. Pratyahara is 
perhaps the most important aspect of Yoga for psycholog- The Eightfold Method of Yoga II 283 
ical disorders because it restores the proper relationship 
between the mind and the external world. It cuts off the 
reception of negative influences from the outside and 
opens up the reception of positive influences from within. It seals the mental field from negative energies so that 
healing can occur. Most of the sensory therapies of 
Ayurveda fall mainly in this category, such as we discussed 
in the right intake of impressions and the use of mantra, 
sound and color. Dharana — the Sixth Limb of Yoga 
Dharana is concentration or right attention, which is 
the ability to give all our mental energy to the object 
under examination. The quality of our attention in life 
determines our state of mind. Attention is the central pil- 
lar that upholds our mind and character and gives power 
to all we do. The problem is we throw our attention away on the 
external world, seeking approval or enjoyment. We are not 
taught to control our attention but, rather, to make our- 
selves vulnerable to social conditioning through sex, 
advertising and entertainment. Most psychological prob- 
lems arise from lack of attention, in which we let some 
outside force, or some subconscious influence, rule us. We 
let others tell us who we are, what to do or even what to 
think. Dharana techniques consist of different methods to 
make the mind one-pointed, including concentration on 
particular objects. Some of these methods are the same as 
Pratyahara. In Pratyahara the goal is negative, to withdraw 
from sensory distraction, in which case the nature of the 
object itself is not important. In Dharana the goal is posi- 
tive, to become focused on the particular object, in which Ayurveda and the Mind 
the nature of the object can be crucial. Hence Pratyahara 
leads to Dharana. Pratyahara gathers the energy of the 
mind; Dharana focuses it. Simple Dharana methods involve gazing at various 
objects like a ghee lamp, candle, statue or picture, or some 
object in nature like the sky, the ocean, a tree, mountain or 
stream. Internal Dharana methods involve focusing on 
inner lights and sounds, or visualizations of deities, 
mantras and yantras. Dharana can be done on the ele- 
ments, the chakras or the gunas. A formless Dharana can 
be done on various cosmic truths, like focusing the mind 
on the impennanence of all things or upon the unity of all 
existence. In psychological treatment, such attention-developing 
techniques can be taught to patients to aid in mind con- 
trol and the development of memory. These include sim- 
ple things, like concentrating on a single object or train- 
ing the memory to hold a particular thought. Even 
mathematics or learning a language can be used in this 
way. They help train the mind to function objectively and 
remove it from the emotional subjectivity that clouds its 
function. Dharana is the way in which the mind (Manas) is con- 
trolled and the inner intelligence (Buddhi) is awakened. The focused mind has the ability to establish goals, values 
and principles. It leads us to truth. Regaining control of 
the mind and being able to direct it at will is the key to all 
success. Pratyahara and Dharana Techniques 
The following are a few practical techniques in Pratya- 
hara and Dharana. The Eightfold Method of Yoga II 
Meditation upon the Five Elements 
Ether Element: The Sky 
Find an open area where you can have a clear and unob- 
structed view of the sky. Lie down on your back and gaze 
into the sky for at least twenty minutes, being careful not 
to look near the sun. Meditate upon your mind as being 
like the sky. When you return to your ordinary perception, 
you will find your mental field cleansed and renewed. You can practice the same method at night, preferably 
a moonless night in an area where there is no interference 
from city lights. You can start right after sunset and grad- 
ually watch the stars come out. This takes about two 
hours. Or you can wait until the sky is dark and gaze at the 
stars continually for about twenty minutes. This will cool 
and calm the mind and open up higher perceptual and 
intuitive faculties. This meditation is best done on the 
ether or throat chakra and aids in its unfoldment. Air Element: Clouds 
Find an open area where you can have a clear and unob- 
structed view of the sky, avoiding looking at the sun. Choose a day that is partly cloudy, where you can watch 
both white and dark clouds in their formation and move- 
ment. Meditate upon your thoughts and feelings as being 
like the movement of the clouds in the infinite space of 
awareness. Again, take at least twenty minutes. This med- 
itation is best done on the air or heart chakra and aids in 
its unfoldment. Fire Element: A Candle, Ghee Lamp or Fire 
Set up a candle or ghee lamp on an altar or special spot Ayurveda and the Mind 
in a quiet room. Gaze at the flame for fifteen minutes. Try 
not to blink. Let tears come to your eyes if necessary. Let 
your mind merge into the flame. See the outer light as 
your inner light. In the case of a fire, gaze into the fire and offer your 
negative thoughts and feelings for purification. Let the fire 
purify them and expand them into a positive energy of love 
and joy for the entire universe. This meditation is best 
done on the fire or navel chakra and aids in its unfoldment. Water Element: The Ocean, a Lake or a Stream 
Find a place where you have a good view of the water. Sit comfortably and gaze at the water. Let your mind clear 
itself out and merge into the water, letting the mind's 
movements be like the movement of the waves or the flow 
of the stream. Do this for at least twenty minutes. It is best 
done on a clear day when the transparency of the water can 
be seen. Feel your mind as cool and refreshed, and your 
heart open and vibrant. This meditation is best done on 
the water or sex chakra and aids in its unfoldment. Earth Element: A Mountain 
Go to the top of a mountain or hill, preferably where 
you have a view of other hills or mountains. Sit and focus 
your mind on the lower slopes of the mountains and on the 
distant mountains and valleys. Feel the earth within you. Feel as grounded and stable as a mountain, and as open to 
the sky. Feel one with Nature and above all the petty prob- 
lems of humanity. Do this for at least twenty minutes. This meditation is best done on the earth or root chakra 
and aids in its unfoldment. The Eightfold Method of Yoga II 
Other Meditation Techniques 
Particular Colors 
Gaze on or visualize particular colors, like dark blue, 
saffron orange, gold or white. This can be combined with 
mantras or deities. Examine the section under color thera- 
py for more information. Picture of a Great Teacher or Deity 
Meditate upon the picture or statue of a deity or great 
teacher, trying to contact its spirit and link up with its 
grace and wisdom. Let the figure communicate to you 
through the picture. Memorize the teaching given and see 
how it applies to you. It is important to put the mind in a 
silent or receptive state. Imagination should not be 
encouraged. Mantras 
All that has been taught about mantra is useful here. Take one mantra and concentrate the mind upon it. Repeat 
it first audibly for five minutes, then mutter it softly for 
ten minutes. Then repeat it mentally for twenty minutes. Do this morning and evening for one month and see how 
it improves your mental powers. Geometric Devices, Yantras and Mandalas 
Focus on a yantra, like Sri Yantra. Visualize it in your 
mind and memorize it. See the vibration of the mantra 
OM within it. Do it for at least a month like a mantra. Ayurveda and the Mind 
Inner Sounds 
When you close your ears you can hear various inner 
sounds. Some are physiologically produced, while others 
spring from deeper levels of consciousness. One can con- 
centrate on these sounds and the vibrations that come 
through them. Sounds occur like the ocean, a drum, a flute 
or other musical instrument. Listen to these sounds and try 
to connect with the higher forces and energies coming 
through them. Inner Light 
A light can be seen in the region of the third eye. It 
may be faint at first, whitish or golden, or like a mass of 
molten metal. Concentrate on this, not as an external 
object but as a connection to the Divine within. Let this 
ball of light as the power of cosmic consciousness come to 
you and sink with pressure into your heart. Affirmations 
Affirmations involve withdrawing the mind from its 
ordinary thoughts and concentrating upon a particular 
goal. However, we should affirm the inner truth of our 
being, not try to empower our ego or desire nature. We 
should affirm the fullness of our inner nature, not the 
desires of our outer nature. For Pratyahara there are special affirmations like: "In 
my nature as pure awareness I am inherently free of the 
need for external objects and enjoyments." For psycholog- 
ical problems, a good affirmation is: "In my true Self I am 
above the mind and its problems. Let them come or go. They cannot affect me." For Dharana there are other affirmations like: "In my 
true Self I am in control of my mind and can concentrate The Eightfold Method of Yoga II 289 
it on whatever I need to understand." Affirmations can also 
be a form of Pranayama, in which the life-force is 
increased, such as: "I am in contact with the cosmic life- 
force, which nourishes me and provides energy for all that 
I need to do." Dhyana — the Seventh Limb of Yoga 
Dhyana is meditation in the true sense, which is the 
ability to sustain long-term attention on the object of our 
examination. Dharana sets our attention on a particular 
object; Dhyana holds it there. Sustained Dharana in time 
becomes Dhyana. Generally Dharana must be continued 
for at least one hour for true Dhyana to occur. Once the mind is able to focus on an object, it auto- 
matically receives knowledge of that object. Whatever we 
give our attention to will gradually unfold its meaning for 
us. Dwelling on that knowledge is meditation. Meditation 
is not simply wishful thinking, nor is it merely sitting try- 
ing to control one's thoughts (which is at best an attempt 
to meditate). Meditation occurs through sustained atten- 
tion. Meditation may be practiced with or without form; the 
former prepares us for the latter. Meditation with form 
employs the same techniques as Pratyahara and Dharana, 
holding the mind on a particular object, but sustained over 
a longer period. Any object that draws the mind can be 
used: a form in nature, a deity, a guru, a yantra or a mantra. Formless states of Dhyana involve meditation on truth 
principles, like "all is the Self," or meditation on the Void 
which transcends all objectivity. Meditation can be passive or active. Passive meditation 
involves the mind reflecting on an object, form or idea. It 
creates a witnessing consciousness in which we can choice- Ayurveda and the Mind 
lessly observe all the movements of the mind. It provide 
space in which our inner consciousness (Chitta) can open 
up. One simply abides in the state of the Seer. Active Dhyana consists of various forms of inquiry 
through which we look into the truth of things, using the 
concentrated mind as the instrument. Self-inquiry, such as 
explained in the section on Self-knowledge, is the most 
important active method of Dhyana. Active Dhyana acti- 
vates the inner intelligence (Buddhi). Generally, active 
methods of meditation are stronger than passive methods, 
but both go together. It is easy for the mind to fall into a 
blank state or get caught at a certain level with passive 
meditation. Inquiry keeps the mind going deeper. Active 
and passive meditation can be combined, as when one 
alternates inquiry with some passive contemplation. When the mind tires of one it should be directed to the 
other. If the mind tires of both, it should be held to a 
mantra or go back to Pranayama. The highest states of meditation involve going beyond 
all thought. This occurs when consciousness is emptied of 
its contents through the understanding of their nature and 
development. True meditation (Dhyana) cannot be 
achieved by a restless or emotionally disturbed mind. It 
requires properly developed concentration, which itself 
rests on control of the body, senses, vital force and mind. These depend upon a predominance of Sattva guna in our 
entire nature. For this reason, we must first purify our life 
and mind. Otherwise, to simply try to not think is to put 
ourselves in a blank state, in which our consciousness is 
not transformed but merely put to sleep. We should not 
rest content in any state of mind but seek to go to the root 
of who we are. Much of what is called meditation today is more prop- The Eightfold Method of Yoga II 291 
erly Pratyahara (like visualization) or Dharana (concentra- 
tion techniques). Such meditation is useful for calming the 
mind in psychological derangement. The stress-relieving 
effect of meditation has been researched and validated in 
recent years. Stress is an accumulation of tension in the 
mind. Meditation, expanding the mental field, relieves it. Such basic forms of meditation like mantra or concentra- 
tion exercises are useful in psychological problems because 
anyone can do them. The higher forms of meditation are 
only possible for those who have already gone beyond ordi- 
nary human problems and attachments, which is not easy 
in this hectic modem world. Meditation on Death and the Deathless Self 
One of the best meditations is to meditate upon death. This is not something morbid; it is simply facing the ulti- 
mate reality of our lives. It is very healing to all our psy- 
chological problems that revolve around our transient per- 
sonal problems. Sit or lie down comfortably. Imagine that your body is 
dying. Withdraw your attention from your body, senses 
and mind and place it in your heart. Imagine that you are 
a small flame in the heart of this great city of the body. Offer all your thoughts and feelings into that immortal 
flame. Realize that flame as the Tme Self, the I-am-that-I- 
am. Let everything else go. Bathe, purify and transform 
yourself in that pure light of awareness. See all the uni- 
verse, all time and space within it. Samadhi — the Eighth Limb of Yoga: 81 
Samadhi is the last and highest limb of Yoga. It is the 
central aspect of yogic practice. In fact. Yoga is defined in 
the Yoga Sutras primarily as Samadhi.82 Samadhi is the Ayurveda and the Mind 
capacity of consciousness to become one with its object of 
perception, through which the nature of ultimate Reality 
is known. It can perhaps be best translated as "absorption."
_OceanofPDF.com_Ayurveda_and_the_mind_-_Dr_David_Frawley.txt
Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        Choose a particular relationship to cultivate with 
God as father, mother, beloved or friend, as the 
creator, preserver or destroyer of the universe, 
whatever is closest to one's heart. 2. Choose a particular form to worship like Shiva, 
Krishna, Buddha, Christ, Kali, Tara, Kwan Yin, 
or the Madonna, whatever is most inspiring. Such 
a form may be an image of God, male or female, 
or that of a great teacher or avatar. The figure of 
a great guru or teacher can also be used. 3. Take the Divine name or mantra of the form of 
Divinity to repeat like Om, Ram, Namah Shiv- 
aya, Hare Krishna and so on. 4. Do daily rituals, offerings and prayers to this cho- 
sen Deity. Meditate on the Deity as your true Self. Rituals 
Rituals are important for consecrating our healing 
practices. They are major healing practices in themselves 
and part of the spiritual therapy of Ayurveda. They put us 
in the proper frame of mind to receive the energies of our 
deeper consciousness. Rituals are the basis of most devo- 
tional practices, which should, however, go beyond them 
to meditation. Rituals are important in psychological treatment 
because they bring the body and senses of the patient into 
the healing process. They serve to provide positive impres- 
sions to nourish and heal the mind. Very helpful are fire 
rituals71 in which psychological negativity is offered into 
the Divine fire for purification. Standard Hindu puja or 
devotional worship consists of offerings for all the five 
senses: a fragrant oil like sandalwood for earth, liquid food Spiritual Therapies 251 A 
for water, a ghee lamp for fire, incense for air and a flower 
for ether. It is a well-organized ritual for purifying the 
body and mind. Rituals are the most basic devotional prac- 
tices. We should offer them to God in whatever form we 
choose to worship. They set the stage for all other prac- 
tices. Prayer and Mantra 
Prayers are supplications to the Deity for help, love or 
guidance. We should learn to communicate with God, 
who, after all, is our own inner Self. We should develop a 
line of communication not only with God but with all cre- 
ation, honoring the Divine consciousness inherent in all 
that exists. We can pray to the Divine and ask for help in 
dealing with our psychological or physical problems. God 
never refuses any sincere request, though he does not 
respond to mere ego desires. The Deity also possesses a name or mantra. The name 
is the most important factor in devotional worship. We 
should resort to repeating the Divine Name whenever our 
minds become agitated or upset. If we make the Divine 
Name our constant companion, nothing can really disturb 
us in life. We should constantly keep the Name in our 
minds and repeat it whenever we can. Yet we should call 
on the Divine without ulterior motives. God or Truth 
exists not for our personal benefit but for the good of all, 
in which our own highest good resides as well. As a first step, we should meditate upon the form of the 
Deity but we should also strive to see that form every- 
where. We should learn to see it in others, in the world of 
Nature, and in ourselves. We should begin to talk to this 
form and seek its guidance. We should also try to under- 
stand the form and what it means on an inner level. Ayurveda and the Mind 
Along with the form of the deities in the Hindu and 
Buddhist traditions, an energy pattern, yantra or mandala, 
like Sri Yantra (note illustration), is depicted. One can 
meditate upon these yantras. Also various symbols can be 
used. Deities and Psychology 
Modem psychology tends to look upon the worship of 
deities as primitive or psychologically naive, but it is actu- 
ally the product of a profound spiritual psychology. Deities 
can energize the great archetypes and cosmic forces within 
our own psyche, which alone have power over the deeper 
levels of our consciousness, both instinctual and intuitive. Yogic deities are personifications of the great forces of 
consciousness which have both psychological and cosmic 
counterparts. The use of wrathful deities can help us over- 
come anger and negative emotions, whether our own or 
those of others. The use of benefic or peaceful deities can 
help calm our minds, promote contentment and awaken 
our deeper spiritual and creative powers. Hinduism employs various deities who represent the 
different powers of the cosmic mind. For dealing with psy- 
chological disorders in general, the main deity in Ayurve- 
da is Lord Shiva, who is the personification of the Supreme 
Divinity (Mahadeva). Shiva means peace and his worship 
grants peace of mind. Shiva has the power to control all the 
negative forces in the mind and mles over all the elemen- 
tal forces and shadows from the past that can disturb us. He can neutralize all negativity. We can worship him 
through repeating his mantra: 
Om Nam ah Shivaya. Om, Reverence to Shiva. Spiritual Therapies 
We can simply repeat the name Shiva over and over 
again. Or we can simply repeat his seed mantra SHAM, 
which is the root sound of peace. For dealing with anger, we can propitiate Lord Shiva in 
his form as Rudra, who controls Divine wrath. For dealing 
with fear, we can worship the Goddess Kali who delivers 
us from time and death, which is what we fear the most. For dealing with attachment, we can meditate upon the 
Goddess Lakshmi, who holds all beneficence as the fruit of 
devotion. For love and joy we can propitiate Lord Krishna, 
who is the embodiment of Divine love and bliss. To devel- 
op fearlessness, we can honor Lord Rama, who represents 
Divine fearlessness. Ganesha, the elephant-faced God, grants powers of 
steady intelligence, calm thinking and right judgment. He helps develop our intelligence (Buddhi) in the proper 
way. Hanuman, the monkey God and devotee of Rama, 
grants us the power of the higher life-force (Prana) that 
elevates the mind and increases our devotion. All the 
deities of Hinduism have their psychological usage. These 
are only a few examples to provide an idea of their psycho- 
logical application. 72 
Buddhism, particularly Tibetan Buddhism, has similar 
deities called Bodhisattvas. '3 The deities of many other 
ancient religions, like the ancient Greek, Egyptian and 
Babylonian, were used in a similar manner. For example, 
the Greek Apollo, like the Vedic Sun God, was wor- 
shipped to develop powers of intelligence, creativity and 
enlightenment. This is a complex subject in its own right 
and its importance should not be underestimated. Ayurveda and the Mind 
Formless Devotion 
Some people are not attracted to any form to worship 
and prefer to worship the Divine as formless. One way to 
do this is to use a relationship with the God as father, 
mother, beloved or lord but without any form for it. While 
devotion may not require form, it is impossible without a 
relationship with the Divine. It also usually requires the 
use of various Divine names or mantras. Another way to develop formless devotion is to revere 
Divine qualities like truth, love, peace, and contentment. These can be meditated upon or turned into Divine names. Whatever qualities in life we honor, those we create in our- 
selves. Generally it is best to combine both form-oriented and 
formless devotion together because the two are comple- 
mentary. To see the formless in form is the highest way, 
which is to see God in Nature and in humanity. Those who 
are devoted to God in a particular form must learn to see 
that Divinity in all forms. Those who are devoted to the 
formless Divine must also see the world in God. Developing Compassion 
Most of our personal problems disappear if we consider 
the greater problems of the world. Actually, none of us has 
any personal problems. We have only our own personal 
form of the human problem, which is ultimately the prob- 
lem of the separate self. There are various practices we can 
do to develop compassion. Do daily prayers or chants for world peace and the 
alleviation of suffering for all creatures, such as: 
"May all beings be happy. May all beings be peace- 
ful. May all beings be free of disease. May no crea- 
ture suffer any pain. " Spiritual Therapies 
Be engaged in or contribute to some service venture, 
which may be educational, healing, political, or eco- 
logical. Devotion and the Mind 
Highly intellectual people often do not like devotion, 
which they look upon as a form of emotional weakness. However, devotion is the very sap that vitalizes the mind. If we are not devoted to anything, then the mind will be 
dry, empty and self-destructive. Even if we are very wise or 
intelligent, devotion is essential. To use a metaphor, the 
mind is like a wick, knowledge is the flame, but devotion 
is the oil that feeds the wick. Without devotion, knowl- 
edge, even spiritual knowledge, will simply bum up the 
mind. Self-knowledge 
Tme psychology, or knowledge of the psyche, means to 
know one's Self. But who are we. Are we merely this body, 
this mind, the creature of this particular birth. Is knowing 
ourselves knowing the particularities of our body chem- 
istry, the pattern of our memories, our social conditioning, 
or something yet deeper. All psychology is an attempt to know who we really 
are, but different systems of psychology have very different 
conceptions of the self. Most accept the validity of the ego 
— the I-am-the-body identity of this particular birth — 
as our tme Self. Ayurveda looks far beyond this to our 
identity in changeless awareness that transcends both body 
and mind. Self-knowledge means understanding the full extent of 
our being. This is not only the physical self but the men- 
tal self and the individual soul which persists from birth to Ayurveda and the Mind 
birth. True Self-knowledge means coming into contact 
with our soul's purpose in incarnation. What is our soul 
seeking to accomplish in this life to help it along its jour- 
ney toward Divinity. Self-knowledge implies cosmic knowledge. We func- 
tion through the great forces of Nature, which are also 
powers of our own deeper awareness. To know ourselves is 
to know the universe, not as a physical phenomenon but as 
a play of consciousness. All that we see, from beautiful 
mountains to criminal deeds, is an aspect of ourselves. Unless we understand these within ourselves, then we 
must remain ignorant of who we really are. Self-knowledge is the highest form of knowledge. It is 
the basis of all other forms of knowledge. It is the one 
thing through which everything else is known. To discov- 
er it we must take the mind back to its origin and reedu- 
cate it to see the world not as an external reality but as an 
internal revelation. The outer world exists for inner expe- 
rience and Self-knowledge. When we approach anything 
in Nature directly, with a clear mind, we find that on the 
deepest level it is intrinsically one with our own con- 
sciousness. We see ourselves in Nature and Nature in our- 
selves. This is the revelation of our greater Self. Developing Self-Knowledge 
To develop Self-knowledge we must learn to observe 
ourselves, which requires meditation. We must not accept 
the conditioned ego idea of who we are but dive deep into 
the mind and see how we are connected to all existence. We must trace our sense of self, the I-am, back to its ori- 
gin in the spiritual heart. We must learn who we are, not 
merely what our name or job is, but the nature of our 
awareness freed from all external conditioning factors. Spiritual Therapies 
Thought always consists of two parts: the "I" and what 
it is identified with, such as "I am this" or "this is mine. " The subject, or "I," is connected or identified with an 
object. All our problems come from the object portion, 
which is bound by time and space. We have a problem 
with being this or that, or getting this or that, but we do 
not have a problem in being. Being is not difficult for any- 
one. It is the given, the Self-existent. It is in the being 
something or another where problems arise. 74 
To return to the pure "I am" is the root of all peace and 
happiness. Psychology should help us understand the 
outer layers of our being, our physical, vital and mental 
urges, not to trap us within them, but to harmonize them 
so that our deeper being can come forth and function 
through them. Self-knowledge requires a calm and balanced (Sattvic) 
mind. If we are suffering from psychological disturbances, 
it is generally easier to develop devotion first, or to deal 
with the more accessible outer aspects of our lives, like 
changing our food or impressions. It is unrealistic to tell 
someone who is undergoing a severe emotional crisis sim- 
ply to meditate, be detached or contact the higher Self. They need something more practical, while steering them 
gradually in the direction of meditation is important. For 
this reason, Self-knowledge belongs more properly to the 
spiritual path than to psychological treatment. However, 
Self-knowledge is the only way to ultimately go beyond all 
suffering, which comes from not knowing who we really 
are. 16. The Eightfold Method of Yoga I 
Outer Practices: 
Dharmic Living, Asana and 
Pranayama 
The Greater System of Yoga 
All life is Yoga, which means unification. We are all 
striving according to our understanding to become one 
with the real, the good, and the source of happiness. All 
individual life aims consciously or unconsciously at reinte- 
gration with the Cosmic Life. We are all striving to expand 
our frontiers and increase our connections in order to find 
wholeness and peace. Yoga is not a new path to follow but 
a way to become conscious of the original impetus of life. Yoga is the movement and evolution of Life itself. All psychological problems arise ultimately from a mis- 
application of the energy of consciousness. Instead of unit- 
ing with the eternal inner reality in which is lasting joy, 
we attach ourselves to transient external objects whose 
fluctuations bring pain. The practice of Yoga, or inner 
integration, reverses all psychological problems by merg- 
ing the mind back into its immutable source of pure con- 
sciousness, in which resides perfect peace. For this reason, 
Yoga is an integral and important part of Ayurveda, the 
science of life, particularly for treating psychological dis- 
orders. 75 
The Yoga Sutras16 the main classical text on Yoga, Ayurveda and the Mind 
defines Yoga as "the calming of the operations of con- 
sciousness. " Again, the term for consciousness or mind is 
Chitta, referring to all conscious and unconscious thought 
potentials. Calming means eliminating all the negative 
conditionings lodged in the mind and heart. To achieve 
complete calm requires control of the different functions of 
consciousness through intelligence, mind, and ego, along 
with detachment from the vital force and physical body. This is a deeper and more profound definition than the 
common idea of Yoga today, which maybe little more than 
exercise or stress relief. The rules for yogic development, 
which can treat psychological imbalances as well, are: 
1) Consciousness (Chitta) must be calmed and emp- 
tied. 2) Intelligence (Buddhi) must be reoriented and 
sharpened. 3) Mind (Manas) and senses must be controlled and 
internalized. 4) The (Ahamkara) ego must be dissolved. 5) The vital-force (Prana) must be balanced and 
strengthened. 6) The body must be purified. These different processes go together; without one the 
others cannot succeed. We have discussed these factors in 
different chapters of the book. In this chapter we will sum- 
marize and deepen them. 1. Calming our Deeper Consciousness 
Our deeper consciousness holds the various emotional 
traumas and pains that disturb us, most of which remain 
hidden or repressed. These disturbances must be calmed The Eightfold Method of Yoga I 26. and released. Peace must be brought to the core of the 
mind. This requires emptying the mind of its contents, its 
deep-seated habits, tendencies and attachments, surrender- 
ing fear, anger and desire on all levels. However, the mind 
is naturally calm and pure. We need only allow the mind 
to return to its natural state, which is to keep it free from 
disturbing external influences.
Choose a particular form to worship, such as Shiva or Krishna.
What is the first step in cultivating a relationship with God?
Rituals are important for consecrating our healing practices and put us in the proper frame of mind to receive the energies of our deeper consciousness.
What is the importance of rituals in Ayurveda and devotional practices?
The name is the most important factor in devotional worship, and it is recommended to repeat the name whenever one's mind becomes agitated or upset.
What is the significance of the divine name or mantra in devotional worship?
To know oneself as the ultimate reality, not just as the physical or mental self, and to understand the nature of the universe.
What is the primary goal of self-knowledge in Ayurveda and the Mind?
Rituals bring the body and senses into the healing process, providing positive impressions to nourish and heal the mind.
What is the role of rituals in psychological treatment?