Hurdles in the path of yoga

Mon, 03/01/2010

Yoga enables us to unite the ‘jivanatma’ (divided individual soul) with the ‘parmatma’ (ultimate eternal, undivided consciousness). This union is the chief purpose of human life and in our endeavor to achieve this we are faced with innumerable obstacles.

Maharshi Patanjali has recognized nine obstacles on the path of this unity. The nine impediments can happen to block the success of any work that we undertake. In fact, success in anything is ultimately a union with the goal - success for an athelete is union with the gold medal, success for a writer is union with his or her published work. Likewise, success in Yoga is realising permanently the one consciousness.

One should familiarize oneself with such hindrances and try to overcome them so as to ensure progress.

These hurdles Patanjali enumerates through Sanskrit in his Yoga Sutra. The first aphorism of the first Pada (part), introduces Yoga as:

अथ योगानुशासनम् ।

Atha Yoga anushaasanam | 1.1
That means the anushasan (description) of Yoga is stated henceforth.

योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः ।

Yogash chitta vritti nirodhah | 1.2
This Yoga is achieved by the control and cessation of the modifications of the mind.

The thoughts, feelings and emotions arising in the mind are vrittis (nature), which should be controlled. This is called Yoga. The broader perspective is expected and the word chitta here means individual consciousness, which covers all states conscious, sub conscious and unconscious.

While trying to control the vrittis (thoughts, emotions, feelings), certain disturbances are created which stop or divert the growth. These are described as under:

व्याधि स्त्यान संशय प्रमादालस्याविरति भ्रान्तिदर्शनालब्धभूमिकत्वानवस्थितत्वानि
चित्तविक्षेपास्तेऽन्तरायाः ।

Vyadhi styaana samshaya pramaad aalasya avirati bhraanti darshana alabdha bhoomikatva anavasthi tatvaani chitta vikshepaas te antaraayaah | 1.30

Diseases, languor, doubt, carelessness, laziness, worldly-mindedness, delusion, non-achievement of a stage, and instability are the nine obstacles that cause distraction of the mind.

We experience the hindrances even in daily practice of Yoga.
We will consider them one by one.
 

Vyadhi (Disease):

Can be physical or mental. Presence of even slightest form of diseases puts great hurdles in the path of Yoga. The main reason behind such diseases is the imbalance in the seven dhatus in the body. These are the controlling doshas - kapha, vata, pitta, (generically - cough, bile and wind) the five sensory organs, the five organs of action and the mind. When a disease is present in a body, the body uses all its strength to fight the disease. Mind also assists the body in combat and hence cannot be inclined towards Yoga.

When the balance is restored, the diseases vanish. Many procedures in Yoga are useful for retaining the balance.
 

Styana (sluggishness of the mind):

Styana means the laziness of the chitta/mind, languor that causes disinclination towards performing ones kartavya (duty). Despite having a desire to train Yoga, a practitioner finds himself unable to concentrate on the practice. Inability of the practitioners mind thinks more about the adversities than concentrating on Yoga. There is a mental and logical refrain towards karma or action and hence is a tendency not to do anything.
 

Samshay (Doubt):

Disbelief in the competence of a discipline (Yoga) or doubting ones capability, or even just a sudden drop in interest towards pursuing the goal, is doubt. When there is a doubt in the mind whether it will be possible to undertake something and succeed in it, or whether something is worth it, it serves as an important hindrance against starting the thing.

"Samshayatma Vinashyati" - that doubt leads to destruction.

If we have doubts in our mind, it leads to destruction of the self-confidence, which in turn leads to inadequate mental strength behind the efforts. This leads to inaction and no achievement.
 

Pramad (Procrastination):

Even when there is belief that studies of Yoga guarantee favourable returns and hence the desired results, but still no action is undertaken to pursue the study, this is pramad, a hindrance in the progress. It is the "I know it all," or "Been there done that," attitude which stalls the way for further experience .

Neglecting duties which lead us towards the goal of Yoga, not making efforts to practice Yoga or putting it off to take it up on some fine day or at some fine moment keeps the practitioner from starting the practice of Yoga
 

Alasya (Laziness):

The body and the mind is turned towards inaction, i.e. laziness, inertia of mind-body due to dominance of the tamasic or negative element. An imbalance in the three major elements- Vaata (wind), Pitha (bile) and Kapha (cough) results in lethargy. Lethargy in turn disinclines the practitioner from the practice of Yoga.

Even if all the abovementioned hindrances are removed, if there is laziness, there will be no karma or action and no progress. For progress in Yoga, the necessary procedures are to be repeated again and again. Laziness makes this impossible and progress is stopped. Mental strength and the firmness are essential to remove laziness.
 

Avirati (Worldly-mindedness):

Rati means to enjoy/indulge. Avirati means lack of control over ones sense organs to sensory distractions, an over-indulgence in comforts. An extraordinary interest in pursuing the pleasures of the sense organs, be it in food, sex, music, reading or interacting with people that is pleasurable to the five senses of sight, smell, taste, hearing and touch - rather getting lost in them. There is a lack of vairagya or dispassion, as a result of the contact of sense organs with their objects. If someone tries to practice Yoga surrounded by scores of comforts, he is prone to be drawn by them. Such a temptation for comforts has always been a main hurdle in the path of Yoga. It prevents the conscience of the practitioner from introspecting. Even if, with great efforts, he manages to achieve some introspection, comforts stimulate him and make him seek comforts. Even perfection achieved through Yoga is not totally immune from the attraction of comforts. As far as possible, a practitioner of Yoga must exercise control.
 

Bhrantidarshan (Hallucinations):

Sometimes, a practitioner comes to believe in some kind of prejudiced thought, a false notion about the practice of Yoga and its outcome and is not ready to change it even when he faces the truth. Such a kind of belief always tends to disincline the practitioner from the path of Yoga.

While studying Yoga, sadhaka experiences various things. However, wrong interpretation of such experiences leads the sadhaka to the wrong path, stopping his progress. During the study of dhyana, certain sounds are heard or some scenes are visualized. Sadhaka may think that this is awakening of the Kundalini shakti. However, these experiences are not of awakening Kundalini Shakti. To believe such a thing is misinterpretation. Many such hallucinations may be experienced. If they are not interpreted by the sadhaka thoughtfully with the help from his guru, they may lead him onto the wrong path.
 

Alabdha-bhoomikatva (Non achievement of a stage):

This is simply non-attainment of the yogic accomplishments, despite sadhana, which leads to the discouragement of the sadhaka, which may lead to its stoppage. This attitude is alabdhabhoomikatva. So in spite of other conducive elements, the study is stopped. Sometimes this hindrance also happens due to faulty or non-guided sadhana . More than often, despite continuous practice, a practitioner fails to attain reconciliation. Such failure causes dissatisfaction in the mind of the practitioner. A dissatisfied practitioner can never be able
to introspect.
 

Anavasthitattva (Instability):

Even after achieving a particular stage, inability to remain firmly in that stage is anavasthitattva. In all the Yoga procedures, from the physical procedures to the mental procedures, it is essential to remain firmly in a particular stage for some time after achievment. The faith of the sadhaka and the intensity of the practice determine this. If it is not possible to stay firmly in the stage, doubts arise about the sadhana, which disturb the Yoga studies and may stop them altogether too. Special efforts should be made to stay in the stages firmly. The unwavering faith of the sadhaka can easily remove this hindrance.

Occasionally, a practitioner finds himself amazing on the attainment of perfection through continuous practice of Yoga. Such a condition also leads to an unstable mind of the practitioner. Such a practitioner is not able to concentrate further on his efforts to practice Yoga and achieve more perfection

All these hindrances (antaray) cause disturbances in the mind (vikshepa of chitta) and cause certain effects. Patanjali has stated such effects in the following sutra:

दुःखदौर्मनस्याङ्गमेजयत्वश्वासप्रश्वासा विक्षेपसहभुवः ।

Dukkha daurmanasyaa angmejaytva shwaas prashwaasa vikshepa sahabhuvah | 1.31

(Mental) pain, despair, nervousness and hard breathing are the symptoms of a distracted condition of mind.

The presence of these nine obstacles will be revealed by either one or all four of the symptoms enumerated in this Sutra. Patanjali lists them as

Dukha - sorrow or sadness. The first experience or the result is pain. The pain may be physical or mental. There are three types of dukh - adhyatmik dukh sets in due to pain in the body or mind arising out of kama, krodha and vyadhi or desire, anger and diseases; adhibhowtik dukh arises due to pain caused by human beings, animals, birds, mosquitoes and other creatures; adhi-daiwik dukh is caused by divine phenomena like rain, cold, fire, strong winds, earthquake and lightning.

Daurmanasya - pain caused by non-fulfilment of desires, a depressed state of mind or a negative shut down mode of the mind commonly referred to as a bad mood. If it is not possible to overcome the hindrances in following the path of Yoga or if it is not possible to achieve the target, it causes disappointment. The disappointment is termed as Dourmanasya.

Angamejayathwa - restlessness of the body, fidgeting, unsettled running around. Due to the hindrances, at times control over the organs cannot be gained and the body does not cooperate in the studies of Yoga. This is aangmejaytva.

Shwasaprashwasaha - irregular and often shallow breathing. The other three result in loss of control over breathing too and stops the progress.

To remove the hindrances and their accompanying results Patanjali has given the guidance in the following aphorism:

तत्प्रतिषेधार्थम् एकतत्त्वाभ्यासः

Tat pratishedhaartham eka tattva abhyaasah | 1.32
For removing these obstacles there (should be) constant practice of one truth or principle.

To prevent or deal with these nine obstacles and their four consequences, Maharishi Patanjali recommends Ektattvabhyas (concentration) to make the mind one-pointed, training it how to focus on a single principle or object.

Through abhyasa (practice) and vairagya sadhakas can overcome these hurdles. In abhyasa, Patanjali’s ashtang Yoga path can be connected to yogic lifestyle from the base. These eight steps of Yoga indicate a logical pathway that leads to the attainment of physical, ethical, emotional, and psycho-spiritual health. Yoga does not seek to change the individual; rather, it allows the natural state of total health and integration in each of us to become a reality.

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