21st June is commemorated as a Yoga Day world over now. It is a matter of great proud for India that due to constant efforts, government of India could convince World Health Organization (WHO) about the important and necessity of Yoga practices in modern times also. In common parlance, yoga is understood as adopting some physical postures to keep body physical fit and away from diseases. It is particularly true but not fully.
However, it is prescribed as a fundamental condition for going ahead and to take other actions for goal of emancipation. The most authoritative epitome on the subject is “Indian Psychology – Patanjali Yoga Darshan” by Great Sage Patanjali. Patanjali must have studied Vedas, Puranas, Upanishads, Ramayana and Mahabharat. He analysed and based on the knowledge on the subject created a consolidated epitomic work referred above. The Patanjali Yoga sutra has 196 suras, divided into four parts, namely, Samadhipaad, Sadhanpaad, Vibhutipaad and Kavailyapaad. In fact, these are logical sequential processes to reach the “State of Illumination”, when Kundalini reaches Sahasrara.
The Sahasrara is described as a lotus flower with 1,000 petals of different colours. These petals are arranged in 20 layers, each layer with approximately 50 petals. The pericarp is golden and within it a circular moon region is inscribed with a luminous triangle, which can be either upward- or downward-pointing. Often referred to as a thousand-petaled lotus. It is said to be the most subtle Chakra in the system, relating to pure consciousness. It is from this chakra that all the other chakras emanate. When a yogi is able to raise his/her kundalini (energy of consciousness) up to this point, the state of Nirvikalpa (Kaivalya) Samādhi is experienced.
The Sutra 18 says there are many people for whom it is not possible to go to mountains and forests and sit in isolation and solitude, like those, whose only aim is to attain emancipation or salvation form worldly attractions. But such ordinary people wish to go by path of attainment of emancipation.
Such ordinary people, who have not embraced hermitage, can get up early in the morning and do meditation. Even in Rigveda it is told that if any medicinal plant is not available, then appropriate substitute should be used, carefully. Similarly, when it is not possible to go to forest and mountain for meditation, those should do meditation in early in the morning. In today’s modern world, by radio, one can listen the sound generated at thousands of kilometres away, the reason for it is that sound waves are transmitted as electronics waves reach anywhere in the world within no time, almost instantly.
The minds of sages become extra sensitive and become capable to capture smallest vibration in and around in the environment, very easily. Such super sensitivity causes disturbances anytime. In the morning hours, such disturbances are very few and therefore, to concentrate, focus and get immersed in the Yoga.
It is always desirable that meditation should be preceded by body cleansing but not must. Appropriate time is important, but more important is to have desire for editation for emancipation and to try for it.