CYF Newsletter Spring 2013

The meaning of ‘yoga’ as ‘unity’ by Jane Bennett

Before starting this yoga teacher training course I had only a limited
understanding of the meaning of the word ‘yoga’. I was aware that ‘yoga’
could be translated to mean ‘unity’ and I also knew that this meant the
practise of unifying the body, breath and mind when practising asanas.
Through my yoga practise I had experienced this unity of body, breath and
mind and, having suffered from ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for quite some
years, had noted the physical and psychological health benefits of practising
this unity. Since reading about the philosophy of yoga, I have come to discover
that the meaning of ‘yoga’ as ‘unity’ goes much deeper than my original
understanding. The theme of ‘unity’ appears in the ancient yoga books and
scriptures again and again and I have come to discover that ‘unity’ is deeply
embedded in the philosophy of yoga.

Yoga is much more than just an exercise class for toning the body and relaxing
after a stressful day at work, it’s a spiritual philosophy and teaches us a way in
which to live our lives, a way to change our thought patterns, as well as a way
to live in peace and joyfulness. The word yoga comes from the root ‘yui’, to
yoke or bind together. Also, the Upanishads, a book containing the earliest
records of yoga practise, are known in Sanskrit as “Advaita Vedanta”, which
can be broken down and translated to mean “union or unity”. Within the three
main yoga philosophy texts, there appear to be three themes of union, which I
will explain in this essay.

Unity in life
Yoga isn’t a religion, rather a philosophy, a way of living and a way of
answering questions such as “Why am I here?”, “What’s the meaning of life?”
and “What happens when I die?”. The ancient yoga scriptures explain that
there is a unity in life and that we must live life in full awareness of this unity.
Eknath Easwaran explains this as follows: “The ideal of the Upanishads is to live
in the world in full awareness of life’s unity.”i Whilst translating the Bhagavad
Gita he says: “… all things are interconnected because at its deepest level
creation is indivisible. This oneness bestows a basic balance on the whole of
nature such that any disturbance in one place has to send ripples everywhere,
as a perfect bubble, touched lightly in one place, trembles all over until balance
is restored.”ii My favourite explanation of this concept is Sri Swami
Satchidananda’s because it uses scientific language that I’m more used to. He
says that “Using the scientists’ language, there is nothing but energy
everywhere. And according to the Yogic scientists like Patanjali – and even

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many modern scientists – behind the different forms of energy is one
unchanging consciousness or spirit, or Self.”iii

So yoga teaches us that we are all essentially the same, being made up of the
same energy, we all came from the same source and everything on this planet
is connected. Unity in life is an important point to understand and take on
board before considering some of the other meanings of ‘yoga’ as ‘unity’.

Unity in diversity
The Upanishads go on to explain that there is also unity in diversity. This seems
confusing having established that all things on this planet are the same, or
come from the same source. In fact we can only really appreciate unity by
noticing diversity: “He is this boy, he is that girl, he is this man, he is that
woman, and he is this old man, too, tottering on his staff. His face is
everywhere.”iv Eknath Easwaran goes on to explain that: “Unity is the centre –
in Upanishadic terms, ‘in the cave of the heart’ – of conscious beings, while
diversity flourishes on the surface of life.”v My interpretation of this is that by
understanding that we are all essentially the same, we can appreciate
diversity, but when we don’t have this basic understanding, we fear diversity
and see it as a threat. The Bhagavad Gita explains that: “In a word, the mind
looks at unity and sees diversity.”vi It is only through controlling the mind and
appreciating unity that the mind can appreciate diversity.

Unity in meditation
Meditation is the way in which we can learn to appreciate unity in life and
unity in diversity. We meditate in order to connect with our individual self and
therefore to understand that we are all essentially the same. In his
introduction to the Bhagavad Gita, Eknath Easwaran says: “In the climax of
meditation, the sages discovered unity: the same indivisible reality without and
within.”vii He then goes on to say: “In the unitive experience, every trace of
separateness disappears; life is a seamless whole.”viii

Before starting this course I had read a few books on yoga and so I understood
that the purpose of practising the yoga asanas that we are taught in a class is
to be able to meditate. I think that most people who have taken a few yoga
classes aren’t aware of this. The goal of yoga is to still the mind and meditate
and once this has been practised and achieved we experience peace and joy:
“The goal of evolution is to return to unity: that is, to still the mind. Then the
soul rests in pure, unitary consciousness, which is a state of permanent joy.”ix
Without meditation, i.e. without stilling the mind, the different levels of the
mind, e.g. the ego, the intellect or the desiring part of the mind, are controlling
us. When this is happening we see nothing but differences in the world. Sri

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Swami Satchidananda explains in his translation of the Sutras: “The entire
outside world is based on your thoughts and mental attitude. The entire world
is your own projection. Your values may change within a fraction of a second.
Today you may not even want to see the one who was your sweet honey
yesterday. If we remember that we won’t put so much stress on outward
things.”x Eknath Easwaran explains it like this: “The world of the senses is real,
but it must be known for what it is: unity appearing as multiplicity.”xi By stilling
the mind through meditation we aren’t being controlled by the different levels
of our mind and we can appreciate our true self. In turn this means that we can
appreciate the world exactly as it is and realise that everything in the world has
come from the same energy and, rather than being different from us, is the
same. Tara Fraser explains this in her book, Yoga For You: “Yoga is the union of
the individual self with the universal consciousness.”xii

Conclusion
In our modern day society, where people are constantly stressing and striving,
yoga can become the answer to the question of how to create peace and
happiness. Understanding that ‘yoga’ means ‘unity’ helps us to understand
that we are all in this together and that we are all the same. This leads to
connections and community rather than isolation and fear. Yoga helps us to
monitor our minds and prevent unhelpful thoughts and feeling affecting us and
thus helps us to create peace, joy and unity.

i Easwaren, E. (2007). The Upanishads, Introduced and translated by. Canada: Nilgiri Press. pg.
44
ii Easwaren, E. (2007). The Bhagavad Gita, Introduced and translated by. Canada: Nilgiri Press.
Pg 32
iii Satchdananda, SS. (2008). The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Translation and commentary by.
Yogaville, USA: Integral Yoga Publications. Pg 8
iv Easwaren, E. (2007). The Upanishads, Introduced and translated by. Canada: Nilgiri Press. Pg
327
v Easwaren, E. (2007). The Upanishads, Introduced and translated by. Canada: Nilgiri Press. Pg
328
vi Easwaren, E. (2007). The Bhagavad Gita, Introduced and translated by. Canada: Nilgiri Press.
Pg 29
vii Easwaren, E. (2007). The Bhagavad Gita, Introduced and translated by. Canada: Nilgiri Press.
Pg 26
viii Easwaren, E. (2007). The Bhagavad Gita, Introduced and translated by. Canada: Nilgiri Press.
Pg 27
ix Easwaren, E. (2007). The Bhagavad Gita, Introduced and translated by. Canada: Nilgiri Press.
Pg 47
x Satchdananda, SS. (2008). The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Translation and commentary by.
Yogaville, USA: Integral Yoga Publications. Pg 8
xi Easwaren, E. (2007). The Bhagavad Gita, Introduced and translated by. Canada: Nilgiri Press.
Pg 29
xii Fraser, T. (2008). Yoga for You. London: Watkins Publishing. Pg 14

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Living Vibrations: There are an infinite number of living vibrations
throughout time and space, that pattern and form the world around us, giving
each its own unique template. Galaxies, stars are all patterned and formed by
a divine orchestra of sound. It is this music which is so loved by the creator.
We are all aware of the sounds that reach the ears as vibrations; compress and
decompress the atmosphere around us. Far more subtle are the vibratory
patterns that shape and form the cosmos. These sounds as perceived by the
mystic at the level of hearing are received as an eternal and unifying humming,
designated as the Pranava the eternal word and name of God ‘OM’.

This living mantra and composite of all sounds lives in the heart and soul of
every man. It represents the All Powerful the Omnipotent, the ever present,
the Omnipresent and Divine Wisdom the Omniscient.

Prior to creation, God (the Absolute Good), had nothing from which to create,
only himself, therefore all those things that we attribute to ourselves, exist
potentially in God, and if we were essentially different, communication would
be impossible.

‘OM’, the most ancient name of God, when intoned with feeling and
awareness of its hidden potential, can restore harmony and help us to become
the best that we can be. Our own spiritual name is interwoven with the name
of God and we are emanations of the one divine name. To discover our
spiritual name we have to step back from the turbulence of the modern day
world, become very still and feel for the name and letters that make up the
name.

We all resonate and are held in being by an internal vibration and this makes
us unique. There are many instruments in an orchestra and notes in a musical
scale and if we always stressed the same notes, life would be boring. Hence
from the totality of sound that is possible we have our own unique
arrangement.

The consonants that make up a word give it structure and character and when
standing alone, each has its own character, feeling and personality. When
meditating on individual letters and phonetically voicing each one, it will be
found that we have an affinity with some and dislike others. The letters we
like, we keep and then introduce the vowels to give the name life and
meaning. The vowels represent free spirit as there is no closure of the mouth
when voicing them; although felt at different levels in the human psyche. The

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name is then sacred to you and central to your spiritual life, around which you
build your body of light and truth.

The Mandukya Upanishad begins with the words: ‘OM. This eternal word is
all: what was, what is and what shall be, and what beyond is in eternity. All is
OM.’

The mantra OM acts as a sounding board with the power to reveal and
transform; Om traverses every level from the transcendent or Universal to the
level where it appears as visible sound and is heard as the mantra OM. What is
referred to as a middle sound, is the variety of sounds which are subtle
components of the whole. Gross or basic sound is the level of ordinary speech.

All these levels are realistic parts of existence; we have our mystics, artists and
those who are down to earth. The yogi working to establish awareness of each
level enlarges his boundaries of perception and refines his awareness of all
levels. His increased sensitivity can actually be a problem in what is
occasionally a brutal world. The transition from being in the world and yet not
of it, and able to cope with everything that is thrown at you, takes time and
effort.

The mantra OM can be likened to a seed bed of infinite possibilities of a

seamless garment interwoven with the sound vibrations of universal language.
It is only the refined levels of perception of the yogi that makes possible
awareness of the tonal differences that lie hidden within the mantra OM.

The mantra OM traditionally rises from the heart-centred stillness of the

anahata chakra, and from which comes the expression ‘the sound of one hand
clapping’, as it is at this point of inception, there is nothing other than the will
of God, or the word that orders creation.

This divine sound which precedes and terminates many mantras is often
repeated mechanically, without the feeling or devotion that should be
accorded this eternal word. When intoning this divine sound, it is to be
preceded by a feeling of anticipation and reverence, as it has the potential to
rebalance and harmonise a dysfunctional body.

There are many levels at which dysfunction can occur, whether due to
erroneous ideas or mental stress, as this affects the way we feel, as no thought
is devoid of emotion. Prolonged mental and emotional stress will also affect
the biochemistry of the body to the detriment of our health, emotionally and

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physically. To re-harmonise and improve the sense of well being, intone the
mantra three times at the level of the Will, the Heart and the Head.

The mantra has the power to harmonise at every level and it is in the space
between that we become aware of work that needs to be done. The mantra is
like a tuning fork that points the way to the level of adjustment needed. For
example, if there is a lack of confidence, it will be sensed when voicing the
mantra. Then with ‘confidence’ as the aim, voice the mantra, absorbing
‘confidence’ with each intonation.

Both sound and silence are of equal importance when intoning the mantra
OM, as the silence allows for absorption and assimilation of the revealed
significances that surface during practice. The relationship between OM and
silence is expressed in two passages taken from the Maitri Upanishad:-

(6.22). There are two ways of contemplation of Brahman: in sound and in

silence. By sound we go to silence. The sound of Brahman is OM. With OM we
go to the End: the silence of Brahman. The End is immortality, union and
peace. Even as a spider reaches the liberty of space by means of its own
thread, the man of contemplation by means of OM reaches freedom.

(6.23). The sound of Brahman is OM. At the end of OM there is silence. It is

the silence of joy. It is the end of the journey where fear and sorrow are no
more: steady, motionless, never-falling, everlasting, immortal. It is called the
omnipresent Vishnu. In order to reach the highest, consider in adoration the
sound and silence of Brahman. For it has been said:

God is sound and silence. His name is OM. Attain therefore contemplation-
contemplation in silence on Him.

It is at the centre and heart of our being, that the silent OM (at the level of
human hearing), resounds throughout time and space. It is never not with us
and in moments of stress and hyper-activity we can find the wisdom that lies
tranquil at the centre of the stormy winds of life. Gordon Smith, Founder Member.

“Between stimulus and response there is a space.

In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

Victor Frankl

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