Accessories to Yoga, and Graha�s

[yajvan]

Hari Om
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Namaste ,
When we look to Patanjali muni for guidance to yoga, we come across the astanga or eightfold yoga reviewed in the Yoga-sutra’s. If we know these eight, what are the Jyotish-graha counterparts to them? That is, the influence from the graha’s that may support or retard these accomplishments…Here’s the list of 8.

§ Yama – restraint and/or controlling the senses – the physical elements of the body is a function Mercury (Buddha), and the earth element (solid) = Bhumi (or prthvi tattva).
§ Niyama – observance and following regulative principles - this is owned by Venus (Sukra) and the tattva of apah, or water (fluid); the finest fluid in humans is ojas, that stimulates higher states of consciousness, and Venus influences here. Water in the ved is the symbolism for consciousness.
§ Asana – postures; these stimulate balance, yet also kindle kundalini sakti. This kindling belongs to tajas tattva (fire), some say agni – and is owned by Mangala ( Mars);
§ Pranayam – one’s control of the breath – some say ordering the breath. Prana is much more then air, and is the vital force; This air , is Vayu tattva, and Sani ( Saturn) is the owner of this. We think of air, yet it is the gaseous state that has undefined boundaries. Note that pranayam is more then the alternation of one nostril to the next. It’s the pause in between (kumbhaka), that is a balance point; neither inward (puraka) nor outward breadth (rechaka). This is called stambha vrtti pranayama, the suspension of movement. Perhaps someone with greater knowledge can comment on this in depth – that of gatyabhava, or the suspension of movement.
§ Pratyahara – there are a few views on this. Some call this avoiding outside distractions. It has everything to do with the senses and the contact with their corresponding objects (smell, taste, sight, touch, hearing) or restraint of the sense organs. The senses follow the mind. The mind is then influenced and is ‘contained’ by the expansion of consciousness, (just the opposite of tight control). This expansion comes from melding all this diversity into one fullness. This expansion is the quality of kham (akasha tattva) and is owned by Brihaspiti, Jupiter, the Guru. There is no distraction when there is only the SELF, what is there to distract? As Patanjali muni says ‘this brings supreme control of the sense organs’.
§ Dharana – this is the fixity of the mind one a single object or a particular point in space. One thinks of control of the mind, but it is the contentment of the mind to remained fixed. There is the combination of pratyahara based dharana, where consciousness only is fixed on the object and not the senses. This fixity is the power of mind… who owns mind? Chandra or Moon and the tattva is manah.
§ Dhyana – is the continuous flow of the same object or knowledge that one is fixed (Dharana) on i.e. meditation. Being fixed without the intrusion of another thought or idea. Who assists and allows this to occur is Buddhi tattva or the intelligence, owned by in this case by the Lagna ( pronounced lug-na) and is the ascendant in ones chart. In your chart the Ascendant is your creation. Who owns this? Brahma the creator. This is why the 1st house (bhava) is of great import to us all.
§ Samadhi - Patanjali muni says ‘ when the object of meditation ( dhyana + dharana) only shines forth in the mind , as if devoid of the thought of the agent even ( that is with prartahara in place), then that state is called Samadhi’… that is , the obliteration of all reflective thought, this is the pure consciousness state. Now, who can own this? Who can possibly have this level of purity? Surya, the sun. There is nothing that is false in this state. The annihilation of ego has taken place. The Sun is the Natural Atmakaraka of SELF. In Samadhi one is full in ones SELF. It is with this, one comes to Brahma-siddhi.

One can see from the above that the tripod of life is the Sun, Moon and Lagna. From there one advances their spiritual pursuits. What is for further consideration, and discussion, when we bring the 3 together ( Samadhi + Dharana+ Dhyana) we get samyama. It is by this mastering of Samyama we acquire the most profound prajana.


Pranams,