Prayatna Saithilya (Discovering Easy & the Infinite) • Yoga Fundamentals

Our focus and energy in asana follow is often on the physique’s alignment and engagement within the pose. Whereas you will need to make a superb, sturdy and secure form with the physique, overemphasizing the bodily engagement can restrict your development in yoga. In Yoga Sutra 2.47, Patanjali asks us to loosen up our effort and exertion to permit our consideration to merge with the infinite. This permits us to search out an inside calm that can assist us progress additional into the poses. This isn’t a simple job, however we now have gathered some ideas and recommendation that can assist you soften the trouble and develop your consciousness throughout meditation or hatha yoga.

Patanjali’s aphorisms on asana

Patanjali’s yoga sutras, thought-about one of many foundational texts on yoga, solely discusses the bodily posture twice. In sutra 2.46 we be taught {that a} yoga posture ought to have a steadiness between sthira—stillness and stability, and sukham—ease, consolation, and openness. The next aphorism, prayatna shaithilya ananta samapattibhyam, discusses the perfection of asana, easy effort, and merging with the infinite.

We frequently get caught up within the effort of achieving the proper formed pose. Patanjali asks us to let go our effort and exertion to permit our consideration develop past our our bodies to unite with the infinite. This isn’t a simple job, particularly for novices. It takes follow to search out this state of easy effort, so don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t occur immediately.

What does Prayatna Shaithilya Ananta Samapattibhyam imply?

In Yoga Sutra 2.47, “prayatna shaithilya ananta samapattibhyam,” is translated as “Perfection in an asana is attained by the relief of effort and the full absorption of consciousness on the infinite.” The word-for-word translation of this sutra is:

Prayatna = effort, rigidity, exertion

Shaithilya = letting go of, enjoyable, loosen

Ananta = infinite, boundless, everlasting, infinite, important nature

Samapattibhyam = uniting with, specializing in, fusing, coming collectively, merging, focusing consideration on

There are a number of other ways Sutra 2.47 has been translated over the centuries. Studying completely different translations, interpretations and commentaries on a sutra can present a greater understanding than counting on a single supply. Listed below are a couple of of the preferred translations:

• “Perfection in an asana is achieved when the effortful effort to carry out it turns into easy, and the infinite being inside is reached.” — BKS Iyengar.
• “By lessening the pure tendency for restlessness and by meditating on the infinite, posture is mastered.” — Sri Swami Satchidananda
• “By loosening of effort and by meditation on the serpent ananta, asana is mastered.” — Swami Satyananda Saraswati
• “Because the physique yields all efforts and holdings, the infinite inside is revealed.” — Nischala Pleasure Devi
• “Posture turns into agency and relaxed via management of the pure tendencies of the physique, and thru meditation on the infinite.” — Swami Prabhavananda
• “By slight effort and meditating on the limitless (posture turns into agency and nice).” — Swami Vivekananda

Tips on how to obtain Prayatna Saithilya

The phrase prayatna means “effort, exertion or drive.” The phrase saithilya means “letting go of.” Subsequently prayatna saithilya is outlined as “the letting go of the necessity to do with drive or effort.” It’s a state of energetic and centered work with out rigidity or any pointless effort.

With the intention to attain this state in asana, one should first perceive how you can soften your want, loosen up additional effort, and settle for what you can’t change. Domesticate this softening and non–efforting by discovering the area inside the engagement of the form, and accepting your physique and the pose as it’s. Work in direction of letting go of making an attempt to make one thing occur, and as an alternative permitting what’s to unfold naturally. That is true whether or not we’re doing a ahead fold, downward canine, or some other yogic follow. In every case, we’re studying to just accept the follow and our physique as it’s, reasonably than forcing ourselves to attempt to change it.

It’s simple to get caught up in ideas like “I ought to be capable to do that”, “I’m not ok”, or “This isn’t working”. These ideas create pointless rigidity and stress in our our bodies, and stop us from progressing within the follow. By releasing these destructive ideas, we free our minds to concentrate on the current second to search out the right amount of effort within the asana.

We should additionally put effort into creating a superb, secure and aligned form with our physique on our yoga mats. After we follow good alignment, appropriate kind and correct effort, we’re cultivating mindfulness, self-awareness and focus. We’re additionally strengthening our muscle tissue, rising flexibility and bettering our total well being.

In Gentle on Life, B.Ok.S. Iyengar describes prayatna saithilya as the very best state one can obtain within the posture. “In asana, we are attempting to broach the mass of our gross physique, to interrupt up the molecules and divide them into atoms that can permit our imaginative and prescient to penetrate inside… Initially we have to exert ourselves extra as resistance is bigger. Of the 2 features of asana, exertion of our physique and penetration of our thoughts, the latter is ultimately extra vital. Penetration of our minds is our objective, however to start with to set issues in movement, there is no such thing as a substitute for sweat. When effort turns into easy, asana is at its highest degree.”

It takes time, endurance and compassion to discover ways to let go of the necessity to push your self. Chances are you’ll end up getting pissed off for those who don’t really feel such as you’re making progress. Don’t fear! It’s regular to have moments of frustration. You possibly can counteract destructive emotions with pondering optimistic ideas, affirmations and intentions. Incorporating kindness, compassion, endurance and acceptance into our follow will assist us domesticate a extra relaxed angle in direction of our our bodies and poses. As we be taught to let go of our expectations and wishes, we naturally domesticate extra easy effort.

Tips on how to expertise Ananta Samapattibhyam

The phrase “prayatna” means “the final word fact” or “the infinite oneness”. The phrase “samapattibhyam” means “related” or “united”. It refers back to the state of being related to the infinite or our highest self. That is achieved by abiding in our true nature, surrendering to the divine will and permitting spirit to information our actions.

After we are in a state of prayatna samapattibhyam, we’re absolutely current within the second and are open to no matter unfolds earlier than us. We aren’t resisting or pushing in opposition to something. We’re merely being. Letting go into the infinite is an act of surrendering management over your life. You hand over your ego and change into a part of one thing larger than your self.

To attain this state of ananta samapattibhyam requires that we first launch our attachment to outcomes. Our want to achieve mastery over the asanas should dissolve. We should cease making an attempt to show ourselves each on and off our yoga mats. We should let go of our worry of failure and embrace the unknown. We should belief the universe to point out us the trail.

As we let go of our attachments, we start to see issues in another way. We come to grasp that we aren’t separate from the world round us. We aren’t separate from the individuals who encompass us. We’re transferring in direction of the final word objective of yoga– to change into united with the final word fact and the infinite oneness.

Tips on how to follow Ananta Samapattibhyam

The follow of ananta samapattibhyam requires us to develop our consciousness from the bodily to the refined energies of the physique and universe. This may be practiced throughout seated meditation or throughout a protracted posture maintain. There are 4 major steps to follow and expertise ananta samapattabhyam.

1. Step one is to develop your consciousness from the physique to the breath. Focus in your inhale and exhale. Discover the place you are feeling the air coming into and leaving your nostrils. Really feel the sensations in your nostril, mouth, throat and chest. Observe the rise and fall of your stomach. As you breathe deeply, you join with the air and area round you. Use your breath to really feel your self resting, softening, widening and deepening gently and comfortably into Yoga.
2. Subsequent, concentrate on the thoughts. Discover the situation and high quality of your ideas. Observe your ideas with out judgment, watching them float away like clouds within the sky. Don’t attempt to change them. Simply observe and watch them as separate entities. Consciously permit your ideas to melt and dissolve. Expertise your Ideas as short-term phenomena—allow them to circulate via you want waves on the ocean. As your ideas dissolve develop your focus and consciousness past your thoughts, physique and breath.
3. Hold increasing your consciousness farther, to your spirit or soul, the supply of witness consciousness. As you develop past the bodily realm, discover your physique changing into lighter, softer and extra peaceable. Enable your consciousness to witness all that’s taking place directly—in your physique and throughout you. Enable your self to expertise the fact of now.
4. Lastly, think about that you’re nothing greater than pure power and pure consciousness. Really feel the power coursing via your complete physique. Really feel it flowing out of your head and down your backbone. Really feel it pulsating via all seven chakras and Really feel it transferring via your palms and ft. Let your complete physique be full of this sense of bliss. Let go of all attachment to the bodily physique and Think about that you’re the supply of all existence. Enable your consciousness to change into united with the infinite oneness.

Conclusion

Easy effort is the important thing to awaken the religious features of the follow of yoga. You should utilize these strategies in your yoga poses as simply instruments to assist us transcend the bodily realm and join with increased states of consciousness. Easy effort permits you to give up into the method, join with the infinite and results in larger self-awareness and in the end to true freedom.