CHAPTER 6 Yoga Practice*

(*The Mahābhārata [ Bhagavad Gita] contains no chapter headings. This title was assigned by the translator on the basis of verse 12 of this chapter.)

“The Blessed Lord said: A person who fulfills obligatory action, without depending on the result of the action, is a renouncer, and a yogi, not the one who is without a fire ceremony or who lacks physical activity. That which the authorities define as renunciation, know it as applied yoga, O Arjuna Pandava. Indeed, no one becomes a yogi without an intention for renunciation. For a philosophical man who strives for yoga expertise, cultural activity is recommended. For one who has mastered yoga already, the tranquil reserved method is the means. Indeed, when having discarded all motivations, a person feels no attachment to attractive objects nor to performance, he is said to be proficient in yoga practice. … The yogi who is satisfied with knowledge and realized experience, who is stable and who has conquered his sensual energy, who regards a lump of clay, a stone or gold in the same way, is said to be disciplined in yoga.

“A person who is indifferent to friend, acquaintance, and enemy, who is evenly-disposed to enemies and kinsmen, who exhibits balanced judgment towards saintly people or sinful ones, is to be regarded with distinction. In isolation, the yogi should constantly concentrate on the self. Being alone, he should be of controlled thinking and subdued self without desire and without possessions. … Holding the body, head and neck in balance, steady without movement, gaze at the tip of the nose, not looking in any other direction. With a pacified self, free from fears, with a vow of sexual restraint firmly practiced, with mind controlled and having Me in his thought with his mind concentrated, he should sit, being devoted to Me as the Supreme Objective. Disciplining himself continuously as described, the yogi who has a subdued mind, experiences spiritual security. He achieves the extinction of mundane affinity as he simultaneously attains the highest living state. He achieves an existential position with Me. But Arjuna, yoga practice does not consist of eating too much. And it is not the practice of not eating at all, nor the habit of sleeping too much nor staying awake either. For a person who is regulated in eating and in leisure, who is disciplined in the endeavor of duties, who is moderate in sleeping and waking, for him, the yoga practice is a distress- remover. When with tightly controlled thought, he is attentive to his spiritual core self alone, being freed from desires and from all cravings, he is said to be proficient in yoga. …

“Applying the yoga disciplines constantly to the self, the yogi being freed from faults, easily contacting the spiritual plane, attains endless happiness. With a spirit existing in every creature, and with every creature based on a spirit, a person who is proficient in yoga, perceives the same existential arrangement in all cases. ” ~Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6

Practicing Spiritual Yoga

First, let me remind the reader that the exercise programs practiced in the West, and called Yoga, is just a small part of the practice of Yoga. Real Yoga is a spiritual development system and that is what the Bhagavad Gita is all about. While there are several types of Yoga, they all try in some way to develop spiritual faculties. That is what Krishna is talking about when he advises practicing Yoga disciplines. Being the oldest of the ancient Sanskrit Vedas, the Bhagavad Gita has much to teach us, if we know how to interpret it.

Obligatory Action

What is meant in this reference to obligatory action is that the spiritual student must do these actions without regard for any rewards that might be received for doing so. That is the essence of karma yoga. And if the person practices those actions for a time, and doesn’t notice any improvement, that doesn’t mean the actions should be stopped. Some spiritual actions take time to produce results. It’s like planting an acorn. You don’t get an oak tree a week later. Also, sometimes you have gotten results, but they are on a spiritual level and your body and mind are not aware that any change has occurred.

Lord Krishna then adds that one who thinks the right thoughts but does not do the necessary actions will not get good results either. One must have the right thoughts, the right actions, and the right motivations.

Attention to Renunciation

Arjuna is told that to become a true Yogi, one must devote attention to renunciation. Renunciation of what? You have to read down a bit to find that it is attachments to things (bhakti) and “performance”, meaning the seeking of wealth and glory, or the pursuit of materialism. Too much of sense objects, and we tend to ignore the spiritual.

Gaze at the Nose

One may gaze at the tip of the nose as Arjuna is advised here at any time, but at most times it would serve no purpose. The time when it serves a purpose is when one is practicing spiritual Sun Gazing, which is not mentioned in the quote but was probably a secret part of the Yoga practice. Gazing at the tip of the nose is one way to focus the eyes away from the sun when doing spiritual Sun Gazing, Ths is done for two reasons. The first is to avoid damaging the eyes, as might happen with looking directly at the sun. The second is to unfocus the eyes from the things of matter, including the sun so that the spiritual can become more active. Spiritual sun gazing is true Karma Yoga.

Subdued Mind

It is also important to have a subdued mind when doing spiritual practices such as SunGazing. Unfortunately, that is far easier said than done. When you try to keep your mind quiet for just a few minutes, you will find that thoughts keep flowing past your consciousness like leaves in the wind. The mind wanders, no matter what you want. In Zen, they try to turn the restless mind into the Subdued Mind by thinking of something like the sound of one hand clapping or the sound of wind in a windless place. That may work for some, and it is worth trying. The truth is that for most of us, it won’t happen without help from God, and God will help only when you are truly ready, so keep trying and be patient. Patience and humility are important parts of being a Yogi (spiritual adept) also. So be a yogi as Lord Krishna wants Arjuna to be, and as the Upanishads teach. Soon you will become one with Brahman (the Supreme Lord), and achieve Vedanta (Gnosis) and samadhi (unity with Universal Consciousness). When we achieve Vedanta, we become Brahma ourselves.