Part 5 Yoga Sutras Chapter 1 Verse 6

In this fifth recording from a series of lectures on the first chapter of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Ryan Kurczak goes on to further explain sutra 6.

The discussion on yogic sleep that was started in the previous recording in this series on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, continues in this part. Ryan describes how we can experience the state of samadhi through falling into yogic sleep by chanting through the chakras as we lay down to sleep. With some practice we can learn how to watch our body sleep and that is the state of samadhi. According to the Yoga Sutras sleep is a modification of consciousness. This practice will help us overcome sleep modifying our consciousness so we will always be awake.

You can also learn more about Yogic Sleep in the book Kriya Yoga Vichara:

One of the definitions described in verse 6 of the Yoga Sutras is memory. Memories are just impressions that we should let go. We can think that we don’t deserve to wake up or to achieve anything in life but, when we realize that that is just an impression in our head we can weaken it, let it go and eventually do what we need to do and be able to make appropriate actions to wake up.

In meditation we ignore the world and pay attention to our real Self and the more we can do that, even if it is just for a short minute at first, we send out the intention that we want to hold on to the real Self. This will help us live our lives better and let life happen naturally of its own accord which is the ultimate goal with yoga practice.

Recorded in 2009 at the first “Yogic Scriptures and Meditation Group” hosted by the Asheville Yoga Center. Presented by Ryan Kurczak, Kriya Yoga teacher authorized by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda.

A deeper discussion of the Yoga Sutras can be found here: https://kriyayogaonline.com/downloadable-courses/kriya-yoga-sutras-26-hour-meditation-training-course/