Excerpts

Excerpts from

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

interpreted by Mukunda Stiles

Samuel Weiser publisher

II, 46

Yoga pose

is a steady

and comfortable position.

II, 47

Yoga pose is mastered

by relaxation of effort,

to create a lessening

of the natural tendency

for restlessness,

and identification

of oneself as living

within

the infinite stream of life.

II, 48

From that

perfection of Yoga posture,

duality,

praise and criticism,

ceases

to be a disturbance.

II, 49

When this is acquired

then naturally follows

a cessation

of the movements

of inspiration and expiration;

this is called

regulation of breath.

II, 50

The motions of breath

are either external,

internal, or stationary,

they may be regulated

three ways:

by location, time, or number;

then they will become

prolonged and subtle.

II, 51

In the fourth method

one's breath is extended

into the Divine Life Force

and prana

is felt permeating everywhere,

transcending the attention

given to either

external or internal objects.

II, 52

As a result

of this pran-ayama,

the veil obscuring the radiant

Supreme light of the inner Self

dissolves.

II, 53

And as a result,

the mind becomes fit

for the process of contemplation.