Dr Paul Bramadat - "Yogalands."
My Daily Thread
In this special episode we are happy to have Dr. Paul Bramadat back to chat about his book Yogalands. Paul Bramadat received his BA in religious studies from the University of Winnipeg (1990), his MA in religion and culture from McGill University (1993) and his PhD in religious studies from McMaster University (1998). He taught in the Religious Studies Department at the University of Winnipeg from 1998 until 2008. In addition to directing the CSRS since 2008, Paul holds teaching appointments in the Department of History and the Religious Studies Program at the University of Victoria. Enjoy.
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285. Liar Liar ...
My Daily Thread
Today we’re taking another pass at satya, the second yama from Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. The sutra we’re focusing on is YS 2.36: satya-pratiṣṭhāyāṁ kriyā-phala-āśrayatvam—when one is firmly established in truth, their actions bear fruit. This is a powerful idea. It suggests that when we are rooted in truth, what we say comes to life. Something here touches on the modern idea of manifestation but is grounded in yogic ethics—truth as a force, not just a concept. But Satya isn’t just “don’t lie.” That’s only the surface level. The deeper understanding is about...
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284. Established in Truth!
My Daily Thread
YS 2.36 says: satya-pratiṣṭhāyām kriyā-phala-āśrayatvam — “When one is firmly established in truthfulness, then their words become so powerful that the result of action rests upon them.” We’re back in the section of the Yoga Sutras that deals with pratiṣṭhā, being deeply and firmly established in a state of being. This time, the quality is satya, truthfulness. Patanjali says that when truth becomes our natural state—when we’re rooted in it, consistent with it—then even our words start to carry the power of truth. It’s not that we control outcomes like magic. But...
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283. A mercy that starts inside...
My Daily Thread
Yoga Sūtra 2.35 – ahiṁsā pratiṣṭhāyām tat-sannidhau vaira-tyāgaḥ When one is firmly established in non-violence, all hostility ceases in their presence. Today, we return to ahiṁsā pratiṣṭhām—being established in non-violence—as taught in Yoga Sūtra 2.35. We’ve already explored how the yamas and niyamas are not just rules, but deeply personal practices—moral and ethical disciplines that offer a framework for living. Simple? Yes. But easy? Not always. They are practices for managing our lives skillfully, for creating relationships rooted in integrity, peace, and...
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282. Ahimsa and our modern Matriarchs.
My Daily Thread
Yoga Sūtra 2.35 – ahiṁsā pratiṣṭhāyām tat-sannidhau vaira-tyāgaḥ When one is firmly established in non-violence, then all hostility ceases in their presence. Today, we reflect again on ahiṁsā pratiṣṭhām—being firmly established in non-harming. Patanjali teaches that this is not a casual virtue but a transformative power: when someone has deeply integrated non-violence into their being, conflict and aggression fall away in their presence. We see examples of this principle embodied in historical figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Fred Rogers,...
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281. A Non-violent default setting ...
My Daily Thread
Today, we return to our study of aṣṭāṅga yoga, the eight-limbed path outlined by Patañjali. As a reminder, the eight limbs are: Yama – ethical restraints Niyama – personal observances Āsana – posture Prāṇāyāma – breath regulation Pratyāhāra – withdrawal of the senses Dhāraṇā – concentration Dhyāna – meditation Samādhi – absorption or union The first four limbs are external practices—disciplines that we can actively cultivate through behavior and intention. The final four, the internal limbs, arise naturally from the consistent and...
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280. Desire to anger, huh?
My Daily Thread
Today we continue our deep dive into Yoga Sūtra 2.34, staying with the powerful teaching of pratipakṣa bhāvanam—the deliberate cultivation of opposite, positive thoughts to replace those that are harmful or negative. This is no abstract philosophy; it's a daily practice for those on the yogic path. We begin by revisiting YS 2.33: "vitarkāḥ hiṃsādayaḥ kṛta-kārita-anumoditāḥ lobha-krodha-moha-pūrvakāḥ mṛdu-madhya-adhimātrāḥ duḥkha-ajñāna-ananta-phalāḥ iti pratipakṣa-bhāvanam" Negative thoughts such as violence, whether done by oneself, instigated in...
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279. Desire to disillusionment...
My Daily Thread
Today, we continue our deep dive into Yoga Sūtra 2.34, staying with the powerful teaching of pratipakṣa bhāvanam—the deliberate cultivation of opposite, positive thoughts to replace harmful or negative ones. This is no abstract philosophy; it's a daily practice for those on the yogic path. We begin by revisiting YS 2.33: "vitarkāḥ hiṃsādayaḥ kṛta-kārita-anumoditāḥ lobha-krodha-moha-pūrvakāḥ mṛdu-madhya-adhimātrāḥ duḥkha-ajñāna-ananta-phalāḥ iti pratipakṣa-bhāvanam" Negative thoughts, such as violence, whether done by oneself, instigated in...
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278. Don't be a greedy thief!
My Daily Thread
We continue our journey with Yoga Sūtra 2.33, and now deepen into the next verse — 2.34. If 2.33 gave us the prescription — pratipakṣa-bhāvanam — then 2.34 shows us the diagnosis, the depth of the problem. Let’s start by recalling the previous sutra: vitarka-bādhane pratipakṣa-bhāvanam वितर्कबाधने प्रतिपक्षभावनम्॥२.३३॥ “When disturbed by negative thoughts, cultivate their opposites.” Vitarka refers to thoughts that are harmful, unwholesome, or negative — especially those rooted in violence, attachment, or...
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277. "Stop it!" Bob Newhart, and thought replacement therapy.
My Daily Thread
We continue our exploration through the Sādhana Pāda, arriving again at Yoga Sūtra 2.33 — a powerful and practical teaching that has everything to do with the life we’re living today. vitarka-bādhane pratipakṣa-bhāvanam वितर्कबाधने प्रतिपक्षभावनम्॥२.३३॥ “When disturbed by negative thoughts, cultivate the opposite.” It’s deceptively simple yet deeply profound. This teaching lives not in theory but in everyday experience. It’s all too easy to be swept up in negative thoughts or drawn into negative...
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.