समाधिपाद · Chapter Overview
From The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali, taught by Acharya T Krishnatrey. This lesson is free to read.
<pre data-block="statement">What this chapter covers | The first pāda (51 sūtras) answers "what IS yoga?" It defines yoga as the stilling of the mind (1.2), describes the mind's five kinds of activity (vṛttis, 1.5–11), and lays out the MEANS to still them — steady practice and non-attachment (abhyāsa & vairāgya, 1.12–16), the inner supports of faith, energy, mindfulness, absorption and insight (1.20), and the devotional path of surrender to Īśvara and the syllable OM (1.23–29). It teaches the four attitudes that keep the mind serene (1.33), the obstacles on the path (1.30–32), and the deepening levels of absorption (samādhi) themselves (1.41–51). The slides below share a few of its most important sūtras as examples.</pre>