Re: Prana control in order to obtain siddhis
Originally Posted by
Arjuna
Interesting enough, in the earliest Upanishadic texts Prana is the name for Brahman (from myself i would add, for a Brahman as Spanda, Activity). This is confirmed by Brahma-sutra.
This ultimate Prana none can control, as it is impossible to control Shakti, the creative side of the Absolute Godhead.
Prana is same as Kundalini, who also certainly cannot be controlled and mechanically "awakened."
But in a course of time sublime concepts get profaned. "Prana control in order to obtain siddhis" is nothing but an examply of such tendency.
In Patanjali's ashtanga pranayama comes (as well as asana) only as a prerequisite for dhyana, meditaton. This yoga never had a body-circus developed by later teachers such as B.K.S. Iyengar and alike.
The sourse of variety of techniques (together with an idea of achieving siddhis) was so called hath-yoga, which was a by-product of Natha religion. It was developed not before 12 century c.e., and consequently was more and more elaborated. In this process most of inner and esoteric practices of Nathas were forgotten. And even the basic doctrine shifted from samyoga to viyoga!
Modern teachers of so called yoga mix elements of these two systems with their own inventions and developments. Perhaps the main line in their teaching is commercial one, and second to it — ayurvedic (thus, yoga as such is out of range).
What is B.K.S Iyengar's basic philosophy? The name is suggestive of being a Srivaishnavite, and I am wondering what the final goal of his Yoga is. Patanjali's Yoga is dualistic per se, while those of Shakta and Shaiva systems are advaitic. The six limbed Yoga followed by Srivaishnavites of the past, was Vishishtadvaitic and Vaishnavaite in scope.
Guard your Dharma, Burn the Myth, Promote the Truth, Crush the superstition.
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