Heart of Yoga, by TKV Desikachar
Chapter 8 - The Things That Darken the Heart
[A summary of the key points]
[This seems to me to be one of the most important chapters, although it also refers
back to what was said in Chapter 1. It moves away from what people in the west see
as yoga - the postures and (maybe for some of the better-informed) the breathing
practices - and begins to examine the philosophy that underlies the practice. I will
begin by quoting selections from the first paragraph.]
"There are many definitions of yoga, and I have already mentioned some of them:
• yoga as the movement from one point to another, higher one
• yoga as the bringing together, the unifying of two things
• yoga as action with undivided, uninterrupted attention
These definitions of yoga have one thing in common: the idea that something changes.
. . . One of the basic reasons many people take up yoga is to change something about
themselves: to be able to think more clearly, to feel better, and to be able to act
better today than they did yesterday in all areas of life. In these endeavours yoga
can be of great help, and it requires no prerequisites that must be fulfilled before
we set out on this path. . . . Everyone can begin, and the point at which we start
is very personal and individual, depending on where we are at the time."
And why do we start yoga? As Desikachar says, it is because we have the feeling that
we don't always do the best for ourselves or others. We realise that we lack clarity
of perception - that is, we are clouded by the veil of avidya. The real purpose of
yoga is to reduce avidya so that understanding can gradually develop. When we see
the truth, and reach a higher than normal level of understanding, we have a sense
of quiet contentment deep inside ourselves. The centre of this contentment is the
purusha, something deep inside us that is not subject to change, and which can really
see the true nature of things.
The way to make progress towards this goal is through kriya yoga [defined in Yoga
Sutra 2.1]. Essentially, this is inner cleansing, finding out who we really are,
and paying attention to the spirit in which we act.
In this chapter Desikachar has much to say about avidya, its offshoots and what we
should do about them.
Essentially, the advice is always to be alert and thoughtful, as avidya can creep
up on us at any time. "We are required to be constantly active until the seeds of
avidya are burned and cannot germinate any more."
One way of working to reduce avidya is through dhyana - which in this context Desikachar
defines as "a quiet, alert consideration, a meditation." If you are thoughtful about
what you do, you are less likely to act in ways you may later regret.
Desikachar also has quite a bit to say about duhkha, a term which he suggests is
best translated as "a feeling of being restricted" - it's a feeling, not a physical
pain. Essentially, the point is that every action that stems from avidya leads to
some kind of duhkha. He gives several examples of causes of duhkha, and adds a section
explaining the connection between duhkha and the operation of the guna. His final
advice - very sensible advice, too - is to continue with yoga practice; this helps
us to become more aware; becoming aware of duhkha and its causes also makes it possible
to get free of it.
