Since the dawn of history, various extraordinary phenomena
have been recorded as happening amongst human beings. Witnesses are not wanting
in modern times to attest to the fact of such events, even in societies living
under the full blaze of modern science. The vast mass of such evidence is
unreliable, as coming from ignorant, superstitious, or fraudulent persons. In
many instances the so-called miracles are imitations. But what do they imitate?
It is not the sign of a candid and scientific mind to throw overboard anything
without proper investigation. Surface scientists, unable to explain the various
extraordinary mental phenomena, strive to ignore their very existence. They
are, therefore, more culpable than those who think that their prayers are
answered by a being, or beings, above the clouds, or than those who believe
that their petitions will make such beings change the course of the universe.
The latter have the excuse of ignorance, or at least of a defective system of
education, which has taught them dependence upon such beings, a dependence
which has become a part of their degenerate nature. The former have no such
excuse.
For thousands of years such phenomena have been studied,
investigated, and generalised, the whole ground of the religious faculties of
man has been analysed, and the practical result is the science of Râja-Yoga.
Raja-Yoga does not, after the unpardonable manner of some modern scientists,
deny the existence of facts which are difficult to explain; on the other hand,
it gently yet in no uncertain terms tells the superstitious that miracles, and
answers to prayers, and powers of faith, though true as facts, are not rendered
comprehensible through the superstitious explanation of attributing them to the
agency of a being, or beings, above the clouds. It declares that each man is
only a conduit for the infinite ocean of knowledge and power that lies behind
mankind. It teaches that desires and wants are in man, that the power of supply
is also in man; and that wherever and whenever a desire, a want, a prayer has
been fulfilled, it was out of this infinite magazine that the supply came, and
not from any supernatural being. The idea of supernatural beings may rouse to a
certain extent the power of action in man, but it also brings spiritual decay.
It brings dependence; it brings fear; it brings superstition. It degenerates
into a horrible belief in the natural weakness of man. There is no
supernatural, says the Yogi, but there are in nature gross manifestations and
subtle manifestations. The subtle are the causes, the gross the effects. The
gross can be easily perceived by the senses; not so the subtle. The practice of
Raja-Yoga will lead to the acquisition of the more subtle perceptions.
All the orthodox systems of Indian philosophy have one goal
in view, the liberation of the soul through perfection. The method is by Yoga.
The word Yoga covers an immense ground, but both the Sânkhya and the Vedanta
Schools point to Yoga in some form or other.
The subject of the present book is that form of Yoga known
as Raja-Yoga. The aphorisms of Patanjali are the highest authority on
Raja-Yoga, and form its textbook. The other philosophers, though occasionally
differing from Patanjali in some philosophical points, have, as a rule, acceded
to his method of practice a decided consent. The first part of this book
comprises several lectures to classes delivered by the present writer in New
York. The second part is a rather free translation of the aphorisms (Sutras) of
Patanjali, with a running commentary. Effort has been made to avoid
technicalities as far as possible, and to keep to the free and easy style of
conversation. In the first part some simple and specific directions are given
for the student who wants to practice, but all such are especially and
earnestly reminded that, with few exceptions, Yoga can only be safely learnt by
direct contact with a teacher. If these conversations succeed in awakening a
desire for further information on the subject, the teacher will not be wanting.
The system of Patanjali is based upon the system of the
Sankhyas, the points of difference being very few. The two most important
differences are, first, that Patanjali admits a Personal God in the form of a
first teacher, while the only God the Sankhyas admit is a nearly perfected
being, temporarily in charge of a cycle of creation. Second, the Yogis hold the
mind to be equally all-pervading with the soul, or Purusha, and the Sankhyas do
not.