Practices in Integral Yoga

by Larry Seidlitz

Introduction

One of the most common complaints about the Integral Yoga is that there is no clear set of practices to follow. Sri Aurobindo’s main text on the Yoga, The Synthesis of Yoga, focuses more on the principles underlying the Yoga than on specific practices or techniques. While some concrete practices are suggested, these are scattered among its complex explanations of spiritual psychology and philosophy. Because the path of Integral Yoga differs for different people, and even differs for the same person at different stages in their development, The Synthesis of Yoga focuses on the general principles which can be expressed in different forms. To some extent, this relative lack of description of specific practices is made up for in Sri Aurobindo’s Letters on Yoga, the collection of his correspondence with various disciples. Here we can find more specific guidance, but the collected letters run to more than 1700 pages, and pertain to many different subjects as well. The Mother also has provided guidance in practicing the yoga in her talks and writings, however, these also tend to be scattered among the thousands of pages of her collected works on various issues. While it would be inconsistent with the Integral Yoga to prescribe a specific set of practices that are applicable to everyone following the path, it may be useful to provide a relatively simple set of practices that people, especially beginners, may like to use or choose from according to their possibilities and preferences. Even experienced practitioners may benefit from reviewing and reinvigorating their practices with these guidelines. That is the aim and aspiration of this paper.

Another reason why laying out a set of practices may be useful is that this Yoga which aims at the transformation of our human nature is extremely difficult, and confusion about how to proceed on the path may compound the difficulty. Human nature provides great resistance to its change and transformation, and behind this resistance are powerful cosmic forces antagonistic to the aims of the Yoga. Especially strong and relevant here is the pure inertia inherent in the physical consciousness that resists against any and all efforts toward spiritual growth and change. A strong, concentrated effort and discipline is needed to break this resistance and to set our feet firmly on the path and moving, however gradually, towards its high aims.

Thus, it is important to develop a regular, concentrated practice, in whatever form is suitable to the person and circumstances. This will help ensure that the aim and practice of the Yoga may be kept in view, and that a steady progress on its long process of transformation may be made. It is sufficient if the beginning steps are small, if they can also be made regular and persistent. Even small steps will gradually increase the focus and energy available to make bigger steps and lead to an increase in the frequency and intensity of our Yogic practice. Because interruptions in practice may nevertheless occur, despite our best efforts to avoid them, it is important not to get discouraged, but simply to try to get back into the rhythm of concentrated practice as soon as possible.

Meditation and concentration

A simple but effective starting point is to clear out a place and time for concentrated sadhana. We should create a space in our home where we can sit quietly to concentrate on our spiritual practice. This does not need to be a large space, perhaps simply the corner of a room where we can sit quietly on a cushion or chair with a small table nearby. If you feel comfortable with it, place a photo of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother there. If you like, prepare a place to burn incense or light a candle. It is preferable to keep the place set up at all times, so we can go there to meditate whenever we feel moved to, but it is sufficient if we can utilize the place at a certain time or times specifically set aside for concentration.

Preferably, that would be everyday, but this depends on our inner condition and predilection for concentration. Even just once or twice a week may be sufficient as a starting point. Whatever frequency we choose, we should try never to miss. If we must miss, we should make up the time as soon as possible afterwards. It is best to choose a particular time of the day or night for the concentration, but if we have difficulty conforming to an exact time, we should try to go at approximately the same time. This can be at whatever time seems most convenient and appropriate. There is a tradition in yoga that very early morning is the best time for meditation and concentration, but it is perhaps more important that it is done at a time that is convenient and we are less likely to miss. This punctuality, once it gets established, is helpful to our practice because our physical nature, once it gets into a routine, likes to stay with the routine.

During this period of time aside, we can engage in one or more types of activities, such as reading spiritual books, prayer and devotion, repetition of a mantra, meditation, and concentration. The amount of time set aside can vary depending on our inner condition and predilection, but I suggest a minimum of 15 minutes, and preferably 30 minutes to an hour. The time can be gradually increased when we feel moved to do so, and it will not hurt to spend longer than the usual time if we feel like it. While 30 minutes may seem quite long for meditation or concentration for someone not accustomed to it, I suggest using the first part of the time for reading of spiritual books. Reading any of the books by Sri Aurobindo or the Mother helps to put the consciousness into contact with their spiritual Presence, and this is one of the primary aims of our spiritual practice. We can choose any of the books that we are drawn to and read a little—for example, for 15 minutes—at the beginning of each period of concentration with the aspiration to come into closer touch with their consciousness. After reading, our consciousness will be better prepared for meditation or concentration.

There are quite a number of different ways of meditating and concentrating, and we can choose whichever we feel most inclined to at the time. One way is to simply pray, to quite simply and sincerely inwardly talk to Sri Aurobindo or the Mother, to the inner Divine, or to our highest Self, as we feel inclined to. We can ask for their protection and help, whether generally or for more specific aims. It is especially valuable to ask for their guidance and assistance in aims related to our spiritual development. Just as reading puts our consciousness into relation with Sri Aurobindo’s and the Mother’s spiritual Presence, prayer does the same, perhaps in an even more intimate way.

In addition to this more personal and spontaneous method of prayer, there are also a number of specific prayers and mantras that have been given by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother that we can say or repeat. Several of the most popular ones, which have been repeated countless times by many disciples and imbued with their aspirations, are as follows:

flower

Concentration

Om Sri Aurobindo, Mira
Open my mind, my heart, my life,
To your light, your love, your power,
In all things may I see the Divine.

Make of us the hero warriors we aspire to become. May we fight successfully the great battle of the future that is to be born against the past that seeks to endure; so that the new things may manifest and we be ready to receive them. 

Om namo bhagavatè

Sri Aurobindo Saranam

Om Anandamayi Chaitanyamayi Satyamayi Parame

Ma Ma Ma …

Om Om Om …

When our mind is relatively more active, repeating a mantra is often easier than trying to quiet and control the restless thoughts. The mind then becomes concentrated on a simple activity, and the random thoughts quiet down naturally. Focusing the mind on such an activity is an easier way to the quiet the mind than struggling with it to stop thinking. Moreover, the use of a mantra has the advantage that both its significance and vibrations are expressive of the Divine, and thus it helps to orient our consciousness towards the Divine.

It should also be added that the repetition of a mantra is a good way to progressively expand the practice of yoga into the normal activities of life. There are often moments during the day when the mind is free to concentrate on a mantra while physically we are doing some simple, routine activity—for example, when walking some distance, when driving, when waiting in line, when exercising, when cooking, when cleaning the house. These times can be ‘won back for the Divine’ simply by using them to repeat a mantra. It may be further mentioned that repeating a mantra constantly—particularly a short, simple one such as ‘ma, ma, ma, …’—throughout the day during one’s normal activities, has been advocated as a simple and powerful approach to the sadhana of the Integral Yoga. The rationale is that always repeating the Mother’s name makes her constant Presence with us conscious and therefore effective. The Mother herself for a time repeated a mantra constantly during her later years, and spoke about its power and effectiveness.

During the period set aside for concentrated practice, another form that this can take is simply thinking about, or contemplating a particular subject or topic related to the yoga. For example, at the start of the day, we can contemplate our planned activities, and consider how they may be done in a way to further our spiritual growth—for example, by making an offering of them to the Divine rather than thinking of personal reward, and by doing them as harmoniously and perfectly as possible, without ego or selfishness. At the end of the day, we can contemplate our activities we have done during the day and how well they conformed to our spiritual ideals, and where and how they fell short. We can consider what were the factors that may have led us away from acting up to our highest standards, and how that might be prevented in the future. This method can be a powerful help in changing the nature. Another approach to contemplation, which Sri Aurobindo once suggested, is to meditate on the idea of “God in all, all in God, and all as God” (Letters on Yoga, p. 722), because it is the highest idea that embraces all other truths. In this form of meditation, then, we allow the mind to think about the particular idea that is the subject of the meditation.

A different method of concentration is to find the witness poise of consciousness that silently observes our own thoughts occur but does not become involved in them. That is, it does not lose its poise and forget itself and become identified with the thought activity. We can start by quietly listening to all the sounds around, even our own breath. As the quietness deepens, we may begin to hear our thoughts. If we can find in ourselves this poise of the consciousness and take our station there, observing our thoughts but not initiating them, it can be very useful to practice this witnessing of the thought activity. This poise of the mind is called the mental purusha, and if we learn to station our consciousness in it, we can begin to open up to the universal purusha, the Self, the silent consciousness which similarly stands back from and observes the universal movement of nature, prakriti, but is uninvolved in its movement. This latter experience, once it becomes constant, is one of the fundamental realizations of the Integral Yoga, and is an important step towards mastery and transformation of the nature. Similarly, identifying with the mental purusha and observing our thought activity is a helpful step towards gaining control over our thoughts. By standing back from the thoughts, the thought activity tends to quiet down automatically. By quietly exerting the will for the thoughts to cease from this poise of the consciousness, the thoughts tend to do so readily.

Another method that has been suggested is to concentrate the consciousness at the place of the heart center at the middle of the chest. This is the seat of the psychic being and its consciousness, the soul personality. Its character is more of intuitive feeling than mental thought. One method of concentration at this place is to feel our aspiration to the Divine rising from this point in the chest upwards as in a flame. This may be felt as a yearning, an intense will, or as an ardent self-giving to unite with the Divine above. It may also be felt as a pure love and surrender of ourselves into the hands of the Divine. It may also be felt as a rising of deep gratitude to the Divine for his presence and action in our life. All of these feelings are characteristic of the psychic being, and an important aim of the Integral Yoga is to bring out these psychic feelings and make them dominant in the consciousness. It is also possible to accompany these movements of the psychic consciousness with the repetition of a mantra, in which case it should be felt as being repeated by the consciousness in the heart rather than in the head.
We can choose any of these methods for concentration as we feel moved to at the time. The two methods mentioned last—that of standing back from the thought activity in the mental purusha, and that of centering the consciousness in the heart center and its aspiration towards the Divine—are two of the most powerful and direct methods for attaining two primary realizations of the Integral Yoga, that of the Self above, and that of the Psychic Being, respectively. Both realizations are necessary in the Yoga, and it is useful to keep them in mind as important objectives in our spiritual practice.

Organization and purification of the physical life

Of course, the Integral Yoga is not something to be practiced 30 or 60 minutes during a day or a week; the aim must be to make it continuous throughout the day and night, even during sleep. But we should recognize that at the beginning it is not continuous. So it is necessary to build inroads into our daily life and bring the sadhana there. Generally, the ordinary life is made up largely of various physical tasks and concerns. The aim in this yoga is not to renounce the physical life, but to bring the spirit of sadhana into all its activities.

One way to do this is to develop a new sense of order and care with respect to our physical surroundings. We can begin by organizing and cleaning the physical environment in which we live. If we wish to bring the Divine Presence into ourselves and into our homes, then we should make and keep the temple clean. So a good place to start is to clean our own home, and this means not simply a superficial cleaning but a thorough and meticulous one done in the spirit of making it fit for the Divine. Once we accomplish this, we will surely feel a greater light and harmony surrounding us, and we may take it as our duty to maintain this order and spiritual atmosphere. Similarly, we should keep our bodies and clothes clean and neat. After all, we are attempting to live a divine life.
Beyond this, we must bring a growing sense of recognition of the Divine in our care and treatment of physical things. Material things are not to be treated roughly, disdainfully, selfishly, unconsciously, as if they had no intrinsic value apart from what they give to us. We must begin to view each thing as a form of the Divine, with its own unique place and function in the economy of the universe, and treat it with respect. This is not to say that all things must be treated in exactly the same way as if there were no differences among them, but it does mean that we should begin to look at things more deeply, not simply for what they can provide to us, but for what they are in themselves. We tend to think of material objects as if they had no consciousness and therefore of very limited value. But we must begin to see and feel that the Divine is behind and in all things; that each thing is a front or face of the Divine, and that the full Divine is consciously behind and in it. This is the yogic way of looking at nature and at the world, and it can bring with it a new appreciation and a growing delight in all of our contacts.

Practically this means that we should treat all material things carefully and respectfully, as forms of the Divine. Moreover, each thing has its place and function, and as each of us is the guardian or trustee of various material things, it is our duty to see that they are kept clean, in order, in their places, and used for their specific purposes. At a certain time, like all things, particular things may have outlived their usefulness, and may need to be discarded. Or certain things—for example, debris, dirt, or insects—may accumulate where they do not belong and should be removed or destroyed. Common sense should prevail. At the same time, such practical necessities need not interfere with our growing perception of the Presence behind and in all things.

We must bring a growing sense of recognition of the Divine
in our care and treatment of physical things.

Naturally, what has been said about the Divine Presence in material things applies also to living plants, animals, and human beings with whom we come into contact. And as these manifest a greater consciousness than material things, and are more sensitive to rough or inappropriate treatment, it is more incumbent upon us to treat them with care and respect. While it is not appropriate to treat every person or living thing the same, or to mistake the inner Divine Presence for outer consciousness and perfection, we should certainly have and maintain a respect and goodwill for all beings, whatever the apparent limitations or defects of their outer nature. We should recognize that they, like us, are evolving divine beings, traveling on the path to a divine efflorescence. Whereas like us they may be imperfect in the expression of their inner divine qualities, and may still be unconscious of the Divine within them, this does not in itself erase their inherent value or essential divinity. Instead of feeling either superior or inferior to others based on outer appearances or on superficial differences, we should feel ourselves as fellow beings on the long evolutionary path to the divine consciousness. With this attitude, we may more readily learn from others and they from us and all assist each other on the way to the Divine.
One of the necessities of physical life is eating. Since we embrace the physical life in this Yoga, we can utilize the act of eating to assist us in our progress. A cardinal aim of Yoga is to eliminate desire from our lives, because desire ties us down to the ordinary consciousness of the ego which perceives itself as a being separated from others and the world, a consciousness which stands in the way of the realization of our true divine being. Eating provides a daily exercise in overcoming desire. Certainly, people differ in the extent to which they eat out of desire—for some, life revolves around the desire for food, for others, it is hardly a noticeable concern. But whatever its relative importance in our life, eating should be done as an activity aimed at maintaining the body, not for the satisfaction of desire or the pleasurable sensation of good taste. Therefore, food should be taken in the right amount and of the right type for the health of the body; it should not be taken solely out of consideration for taste or the pleasure of eating. While it is not forbidden to enjoy the taste of food, or to prepare food that is tasty, this should not be a dominant concern. On the other side, while it is important to eat healthy foods, it is not necessary to become so preoccupied with the nutritional value of food that it takes a central concern in our life. Generally, eating should take a relatively minor importance in the overall life; we should concentrate on the Divine and on our sadhana and spiritual growth, not on food. A useful exercise to instill this attitude is to take a few seconds before eating to consciously offer our food to the Divine, with a concentration on the idea that the energy in the food is a form of the divine force ingested to support the maintenance and growth of the divine consciousness in our lives.

In addition to eating, another important activity for the maintenance and fitness of the body is exercise. Because the Integral Yoga aims at the perfection and transformation of the life and body as well as of the development of the higher spiritual consciousness, exercise takes on a special importance. The body is naturally the base of the physical consciousness, and the physical consciousness is especially subject to tamas, the principle of inertia. Therefore, physical exercise is a direct way to counteract the tendency towards inertia in the consciousness, and can be a substantial help to sadhana. The specific form that our exercise takes is less important than its regularity. A daily walk, a weekly run, regular cycling, regular sports activities such as tennis or basketball, practice of martial arts or hatha yoga, exercises such stretching, push-ups and sit-ups, weight lifting, gymnastics, track and field events, and other activities are all ways to keep the body strong and fit. Naturally, more intensive and frequent exercises may have a greater impact on the body, but at the same time we should keep physical exercise in balance with other activities and priorities of life. Like eating, it should be done moderately for the maintenance of the body, not simply for the pleasure of the activity. Like with eating, it is useful to instill this attitude by making a conscious offering of the activity each time before starting.

Because most of us spend about a third of our lives sleeping, it is very helpful to utilize this time for sadhana. According to yogic knowledge, the inner consciousness leaves the body during sleep and moves in the inner planes of the consciousness. Normally upon waking, all memory of these activities of the inner consciousness is erased, though they may nevertheless exert an influence upon our waking state. If we gain a better control of where our consciousness goes during our sleep, into which of the lower or higher worlds, and what it does there, it is helpful for our inner progress. Naturally, it is preferable for sadhana if the inner consciousness goes into the higher levels of consciousness during sleep rather than sinking down into the subconscient or roaming through the lower vital consciousness.

As an aid in this, the Mother has suggested systematically relaxing all the muscles and nerves in our body before going to sleep. Similarly, we should relax and quiet the mind’s thought activity. She has recommended repeating a mantra before going to sleep, which is usually helpful in quieting the mind. While repeating the mantra, she advises to concentrate in an offering of our whole being to the Divine. From this state, we may pass into a kind of trance, and from that, into sleep. Regardless of whether we go into a trance, she suggests that this is the most favorable way to enter into sleep from the yogic point of view, and facilitates our passage into the higher planes of consciousness during sleep.
I would like to add here a related practice that is a useful preparation for sleep: reading Savitri for a short time. Reading Savitri is very much like repeating a mantra, and has a similar effect upon the consciousness. There is also something special about reading it aloud to recommend it as a practice. By reading just three pages consistently night after night, we not only sleep better, but deepen our understanding of the Yoga, and deepen our inner connection with the Divine. The previously mentioned practice of relaxing the body and quieting the mind can usefully be preceded by this practice of reading Savitri.

Reading Savitri is very much like repeating a
mantra, and has a similar effect upon the consciousness.

Upon awakening, the connection with the inner consciousness is usually broken as we abruptly enter into the waking state. Therefore, to retain this connection and as a help in remembering our inner activities during the night, the Mother recommends remaining very still, quietly recalling the consciousness which went out. She suggests gently pulling at the consciousness which has gone out, without haste, in a state of attention and concentration. Then the last dream may gradually come back into our awareness, and we then gradually try to recover its memory as completely as possible. Once that dream is recalled, we can then continue to slowly pull the previous dream into awareness. The dreams may come first as a vague impression, but if we persist, an indistinct memory, or a fragmentary memory may come, and eventually, a more distinct memory.
Another approach that may be helpful for remembering dreams is to make a strong mental formation before going to sleep to wake up after a dream, with the intention to write it down at that time. While writing down the dream, the details tend to rise in the memory. Using this method, it is possible to progress from rarely remembering a dream to remembering several dreams per night. Over time, we are likely to experience and remember many interesting, symbolic dreams, which give new insights into our nightly inner activities as well as our waking life.

Practices in Integral Yoga Continued