INTRODUCTION

PATAÑJALI YOGA-SŪTRAS

A few thousand years ago, Patañjali, a sage from India, developed a scientific step-by-step approach to lead ordinary human beings from the common experience of chaos, confusion and negative emotions to the highest level of well-being.

This manual contains 196 statements (sūtras) in four chapters.

For one who has conquered the self by himself, the self is a friend.
bandurātmā'tmanastasya yenātmaivātmanā jitaḥ.

But for the unconquered self in conflict, the self is indeed like an enemy.
anātmanastu śatrutve vartetātmaiva śatruvat.

Bhagavad Gītā 6.6

Samādhi

Etymology of Yoga is ‘yuj samādhau.’ 'In samādhi' and 'in joining, uniting.'
Samādhi is unconditional happiness.
Glimpses of samādhi on this journey should be taken as encouragement and proof of progress that mind and heart are getting calmer.

Haṭha Yoga

Yoga teachers, yoga courses and books usually teach āsanas or postures and prāṇāyāma or breathing techniques. This is called Haṭha Yoga. It is a preparation for meditation.

ha - ṭha - yoga
breath - mind - joining

Haṭha Yoga also describes methods for cleaning the physical body inside and outside in preparation for meditation.