Review of the Four Paths

Let a person lift himself by himself;
Let him not degrade himself;
For his own Self is his (best) friend,
His own self is his (worst) enemy.

— Gita 6-5

CHAPTER SIX

Review of Integral Yoga

In the practice of Integral Yoga, it is helpful to keep in view this profound analogy:

You are looking into a mirror that you are holding. The mind symbolizes the “mirror” that should reflect the Divine Self. However, the image reflected is “distorted,” because the mind has three defects. Firstly, it is “tarnished” with gross impurities such as anger, greed, hate, etc. requiring severe scrubbing and scraping. Secondly, because the hand is trembling, the reflection is unsteady and constantly “scattered,” not focused on any one point. In other words, it is distracted. Thirdly, a thin veil of ignorance is spread over the mirror of the mind, distorting the image of the Self, so what you see is an “illusion,” not the Reality. Integral Yoga removes these three defects of the mind.

The gross impurities such as anger, hate, greed, etc. are removed through Karma Yoga. Engage yourself in useful activity and find ways for being serviceable to humanity. Never allow inertia to develop in your life or stay in a state of despondency or confusion. Rather, harmonize yourself in such a way that whenever your mind is dejected, depressed or uninspired, you have a productive outlet for your energy. By doing so, your mind gradually becomes free of stress. Right action allows you to evolve, while remaining inactive causes dullness and stagnation and one gets bogged down by egoistic complexes.

Distraction, the second malady of the mind, is removed by two methods—Devotion, the theme of Bhakti Yoga (cultivating Love of God), and Concentration and Meditation, the theme of Raja Yoga. Every day, discipline yourself to spend some time, preferably early in the morning and before bedtime, to sit quietly and surrender your mind and ego to the Divine Self.

Remember God through whatever religion you follow. The mind is very sensitive and receptive at these two times during the day. Therefore, whatever you repeatedly impress upon your mind at these times creates a deep impression in the unconscious. Bhakti, or devotion, is a powerful tool for bringing Divine Grace into your life. “Mukti Bhakti ki Daasi hai”—“Liberation is the maid-servant of Devotion,” as the popular Indian saying goes.

The second method for overcoming distraction is the daily practice of Meditation. Any type of concentration or meditation technique enjoined in the Raja Yoga system, along with its various disciplines, helps tremendously in focusing the mind and calming its restlessness.

Ignorance, the third defect of the mind, is destroyed by the practice of Jnana Yoga or enquiry into “Who am I?” Philosophically analyze yourself and try to understand, “What is the purpose of life?” “What is the nature of the spirit?” A constant penetrative exploration into the realm of spiritual knowledge under the guidance of a Self-Realized Master leads to the unfoldment of wisdom and removing the veil of ignorance (that the world is transient and unreal), thus revealing one’s true identity, “I am Brahman.”

ॐ

From the book Integral Yoga: The Secret to Enlightenment by Swami Jyotirmayananda, published by the Yoga Research Foundation. © Swami Jyotirmayananda. All rights reserved.

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