270. Forget Love, jump to Ahimsa!?
My Daily Thread
we're continuing our journey through the Sādhana Pāda, the second chapter of Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras. Let's remember where we’ve just been: in Sūtra 2.28, Patañjali says that through the consistent practice of yoga, particularly the eight limbs, the impurities dwindle and then—then!—“the light of discriminative wisdom arises.” YS 2.28 "Yogāṅgānuṣṭhānād aśuddhi-kṣaye jñāna-dīptiḥ āviveka-khyāteḥ" By the practice of the limbs of yoga, the impurities are destroyed and the light of wisdom arises, leading to discriminative discernment (viveka-khyāti). Then...
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269. The eight limbs, moving to mediation.
My Daily Thread
Jumping right in, friends—today we’re working with Yoga Sūtra 2.29, where Patañjali gives us what is often considered the classic blueprint of yoga: the eight limbs of Aṣṭāṅga Yoga. Yama-niyamāsana-prāṇāyāma-pratyāhāra-dhāraṇā-dhyāna-samādhayo’ṣṭāvaṅgāni “Yama, niyama, āsana, prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra, dhāraṇā, dhyāna, and samādhi are the eight limbs of yoga.” These eight limbs aren’t just philosophical fluff—they’re the framework, the structure, the entire arc of yoga as a path of inner transformation. Now, in North America and much...
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268. Jñāna dīptiḥ. Let your light shine!
My Daily Thread
Dear followers of this thread, now begins the light of jñāna dīptiḥ, the illumination of wisdom. Jeff first went to India seeking the fiery discipline of Aṣṭāṅga Yoga as taught by Śrī K. Pattabhi Jois. He was drawn by the strength, the sweat, and the challenge. But what he ultimately discovered was a different kind of Aṣṭāṅga Yoga—the classical eight-limbed path described by Patañjali. And that deeper path, the one we’re now exploring, is why many of us are truly here, as Aṣṭāṅgīs, in the whole meaning of the word. So today, we arrive at Yoga Sūtra...
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267. Cultivating clarity, a practice for freedom.
My Daily Thread
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266. Practice is the path...
My Daily Thread
This is the sutra that kept Jeff returning to India, year after year, to dive deeper into Aṣṭāṅga Yoga. It was Patañjali’s words here that affirmed the path and ignited the faith to continue. There was something more than just movement—it was a promise that transformation comes through practice. yogāṅgānuṣṭhānād aśuddhi-kṣaye jñāna-dīptiḥ āviveka-khyāteḥ Through the sustained practice of the limbs of yoga, the impurities are destroyed, and the light of knowledge shines, leading to discriminative discernment. This sutra, YS 2.28, is incredibly special because...
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265. Let the light of discriminative wisdom dawn ..
My Daily Thread
Today’s on My Daily Thread our verse brings us to a powerful turning point in our journey through the Sādhana Pāda. The snippet of wisdom comes from Yoga Sūtra 2.28, and it holds a special place in my heart. So far, we’ve explored how the path of yoga helps us cultivate clarity and viveka-khyāti—discriminative wisdom—to see through confusion and recognize our true Self. That Self is described so beautifully in YS 1.3: tadā draṣṭuḥ svarūpe ’vasthānam Then the seer abides in their own true nature. And when we truly glimpse this reality—even for a moment—it...
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264. Unshakable!
My Daily Thread
We continue our journey through the Sādhana Pāda of Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras. Last time, we studied Yoga Sūtra 2.26, which introduced us to the idea of viveka-khyāti—the unshakable discriminative wisdom that leads to freedom (kaivalya). This unwavering clarity, cultivated through dedicated practice, is the goal toward which all of yoga’s tools and disciplines are aimed. As we reflected previously, one of the powerful questions we can ask ourselves in daily life is: "Is this my true Self, my deepest intuition, or am I reacting from the chirping of my citta-vṛttis—the...
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263. Wisdom time! Is this true?
My Daily Thread
As we continue our deep dive into the Sādhana Pāda of the Yoga Sūtras, we return to Yoga Sūtra 2.27: tasya saptadhā prāntabhūmiḥ prajñā “For one with unwavering discriminative insight (viveka-khyāti), the highest wisdom (prajñā) unfolds in seven stages.” For someone who has developed steady clarity—viveka, discriminative wisdom—prajñā, insight, begins to unfold. But Patañjali doesn’t just say wisdom appears fully formed. Instead, he tells us it happens gradually, in seven stages (saptadhā prānta-bhūmiḥ), moving toward the farthest limit or edge of...
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262. The ground of wisdom... trying to be a wise guy?
My Daily Thread
We continue our journey through the Sādhana Pāda of Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras. Last time, we studied Yoga Sūtra 2.26, which introduced us to the idea of viveka-khyāti—the unshakable discriminative wisdom that leads to freedom (kaivalya). This unwavering clarity, cultivated through dedicated practice, is the goal toward which all of yoga’s tools and disciplines are aimed. As we reflected previously, one of the powerful questions we can ask ourselves in daily life is: "Is this my true Self, my deepest intuition, or am I reacting from the chirping of my citta-vṛttis—the restless...
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261. Jeff chirping, A little review ...
My Daily Thread
Let’s do a little review to ground ourselves in the essential foundation of yoga philosophy. The entire project of yoga is based on Yoga Sūtra 1.2: yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ Translation: Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind. In other words, yoga is the channeling, calming, or complete stoppage of all the citta vṛttis—the endless ripples and disturbances in the mind. These vṛttis include all the chirping thoughts, the conditioning from culture, the familial imprints we unconsciously carry, and every pattern that stands between us and clear, direct perception of...
info_outlinewe're continuing our journey through the Sādhana Pāda, the second chapter of Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras.
Let's remember where we’ve just been: in Sūtra 2.28, Patañjali says that through the consistent practice of yoga, particularly the eight limbs, the impurities dwindle and then—then!—“the light of discriminative wisdom arises.”
YS 2.28
"Yogāṅgānuṣṭhānād aśuddhi-kṣaye jñāna-dīptiḥ āviveka-khyāteḥ"
By the practice of the limbs of yoga, the impurities are destroyed and the light of wisdom arises, leading to discriminative discernment (viveka-khyāti).
Then in Sūtra 2.29, Patañjali begins detailing the aṣṭāṅga yoga—the eight-limbed path.
Now we move into Sūtra 2.30, where the first of the eight limbs, the yamas, are introduced. These are ethical guidelines that help us live in harmony with others.
YS 2.30
"Ahiṃsā satya asteya brahmacarya aparigrahāḥ yamāḥ"
Non-harming, truthfulness, non-stealing, celibacy or right use of energy, and non-possessiveness—these are the yamas.
Let’s pause and take in the first one: ahiṃsā—non-harming.
This is the cornerstone of the entire yogic path. Ahiṃsā means living kindly and compassionately, not causing harm through our thoughts, words, or actions.
The world needs this now more than ever.
Jeff remembers a teaching from his teacher, Śrī O.P. Tiwari-ji, on ahiṃsā vs. love in relationships. In our modern world, the word “love” gets used so often that it can become watered down. But what if we prioritized ahiṃsā instead?
Instead of saying, “I will always love you,” we could say, “I will always strive to never harm you.”
Let our actions—not just our words—be the true demonstration of love.
This principle is relevant not just in our most intimate relationships, but also in the small, everyday moments—like when we’re driving around others, interacting with strangers, or engaging in difficult conversations.
The yamas are the yogi's guide to right relationship with the world.
So as we head into the weekend, let’s carry ahiṃsā with us—not just as a concept, but as a way of being.
Om. Peace. Out.