In chapter two of the Yoga Sutras, the author, Patanjali, states that the practice of Yoga must reduce both mental and physical impurities, and that with practice this will remove the obstacles to clear perception. In the yoga class we quite often deal with the symptoms of imbalance or unclear perception in the body and mind, and may not always look at what the true cause of these symptoms are.
In my own teaching of Yoga I have found that many people come to the class for various physical ailments and for problems of the mind, such as anxiety and depression. These ailments can be treated using the various techniques of asana, pranayama and meditation. Such practices can be very helpful indeed in pacifying these symptoms. This type of healing is known as Samanam, and is a good way to introduce people to Yoga.
As Patanjali states, the true aim of yoga is the complete focus on a particular object, without distractions; to be fully aware of what we are seeking, so if there are physical and mental impurities then this awareness can become clouded. Once we have pacified these symptoms then we turn to Sodhanam or purification, that is, to become aware of what it is that may be the true cause of our ailments.
Patanjali declares that we cannot be aware of the true causes of our suffering due to unclear perception and that there are five obstacles in achieving clear perception known as the Kleshas. The five Kleshas are misapprehension, false identity, excessive attachments, unreasonable dislikes and insecurity. When we can begin to see what these obstacles are and how they affect our perception of things, we turn from Samanam to Sodhanam and begin the journey of true healing, which is not to identify with what we perceive but recognise the space in which all things appear.
In the yoga class this can be quite a tricky subject to bring up, as we too are likely to be misunderstanding our true nature, and until we can begin to identify within ourselves the obstacles towards clarity then it can be difficult to lead others in that direction. The study of the Yoga sutras are enabling me to become more aware of these obstacles, and rather than using the Yogic techniques as Samanam healing, I feel I am slowly able to lead people towards Sodhanam relating to my own experience. In the class, this means becoming very mindful of what we are doing as we practice. I now place much more emphasis on people being aware of how they feel in their bodies as they do Asana, rather than trying to get them into a particular position that may not suit them.
Rather than telling people that they need to reduce the obstacles to clear perception, I will take them through the class and keep reminding them to be fully aware of everything they are doing. This awareness in asana, pranayama and meditation can keep the mind focused and help us to observe the changes that may happen over time in what we perceive, and eventually allow us to be aware of that which perceives, which is unchanging.
