Upasana Yoga
Upasanam: The second stage in the attainment of self-knowledge, meditation. The Sadhana of Upasana. In the second satkam of the Bhagavad Gita, the second group of six chapters beginning from the seventh chapter up to the 12th chapter, upasana yoga is highlighted.
If I’m going from bondage to liberation, I will need to develop a relaxed mind which is capable of receiving knowledge. Meditation is the spiritual practice (sadhana) utilized to remove the restlessness and extrovertedness of the mind so that a hyper mind becomes tranquil and focused. From karma yoga which is sarira-pradhana, spiritual practice where the physical body is active, the yogi has progressed to upasana yoga which is mana-pradhana, mind-focused. Note the practice is gradually moving from the grosser instruments to the subtler instruments, from the physical body to the mind. In upasana yoga/meditation, one learns to withdraw and focus.
The purpose of meditation is reining-in the mind itself from its extroverted nature. It is a remedy for the wandering mind to come to a quiet state. Wandering in Sanskrit is called viksepah. Viksepah is the problem of the ahamkarah (ego) and belongs to the mind or ahamkarah. Thus, the remedy of meditation is for the ahamkara alone. The ahamkara has got viksepah and therefore needs concentrated meditation. Both the disease and the remedy of meditation relates to the mind which is subject to modification.
In meditation practice the mind is purified; our mind is made one-pointed, increasing concentration or focus and healing fractured attention; removing the habitual errors we make about ourselves and the subtle impressions, habits and samskaras start to go. It doesn’t give knowledge, it removes the obstacles to owning up the knowledge.
This transforms an extroverted, active person into a quiet, withdrawn and Self/Atma-oriented person. That yogi’s mind becomes predominantly satvic. Because of that sadhana he’s got a strong, refined mind which is free from violent reactions, and any reactivity to life’s situations is less and much more mild. This yogi enjoys a healthy mind.
The practice begins slowly; slowly we limit our sense organs. Slowly we withdraw the mind from the external world. Thus, our ability to focus and our span of attention increase. We go slowly because we are so stuck in what we think we are. By the mind we manage our mind. This integrated, composed person is called a yogi. He is very tranquil. We are generally used to not being with ourselves. This yogi is able to be with themselves.
A well-regulated, balanced mind means the mind is available when needed. The once disturbed mind is now calm, clear enough to reflect one’s higher nature. These are some of the fruits of meditation practice - calmness, grace, elimination of wrong notions and narratives about myself. Eventually the mind is prepared enough to receive and assimilate the knowledge of the Self. That upasana yogi becomes a jnana yogi.
