meet and separates, meets and divides again, in perpetual concussion and interchange; our spiritual self can attain true consciousness through unity, where the partition between us and the Highest, between us and others, will be cancelled and we are all made in the perfect. The highest riches are possessed by all pure souls, only when they are United. Thus we rise from separation to true individuality in unity.
46. The above are the degrees of limited and conditioned spiritual consciousness, still contain the seeds of separation are.
In the four stages of perception described above, the spiritual vision still works through the mental and Psychic, the inner genius is still expressed through the external, personal man. The spiritual man has yet to come fully to consciousness, as he himself, in his own sphere, has put aside the psychic veils.
47. When pure perception without judicial action of the mind, follows the gracious peace of the inner self.
We have instilled certain kinds of this pure perception: the poet's prophecy, in which he sees the spirit within the symbol, the similarity in other things and the beauty in all things; the pure insight of the true philosopher, whose vision is based not on the appearances of life but on his realities; or the firm perception of the sacred through spiritual life and being. All these have advanced on the way; they have approached the secret abode of peace.
48. In that peace, perception is unfailingly true.
The poet, the wise philosopher and the saint not only attain a broad and luminous consciousness, but also acquire a certain knowledge of essential
Reality. When we know, we know that we know. Because we have come to the stage where we know things by being them, and nothing can be truer than to. We rest on the rock and know that it is rock that is rooted in the heart of the world.
49. The object of this perception is different than what is learned from the sacred books, or by sound inference, since this perception is particular.
The distinction is luminous and inspiring. The Scriptures teach general truths about universal spiritual life and broad laws, and conclusions from their teaching are no less general. But the spiritual perception of the awakened seer brings special Truth about his own life and needs, whether for himself or others. He receives defined, precise knowledge that relates exactly to what is close to his heart.
50. The impression on the consciousness springing from this perception supersedes all previous impressions.
Every state or field of the mind, every field of knowledge that is reached, so to speak, by mental and emotional energies, is a psychic state, just as the thought image of a stage with the actors on it is a psychic state or field. When the pure vision, like the poet, the philosopher, the Saint, fills the whole field, all smaller views and visions are displaced. This high consciousness displaces all lesser consciousness. But in a sense, what is considered a part even of the vision of a sage still has an element of illusion, a thin psychic veil, however pure and luminous that veil may be. It is the last and highest mental state.
51. When this impression ceases, then, since all impressions have ceased, there arises pure spiritual consciousness, with no seed of separation.
The last psychic veil is pulled aside, and the spiritual man stands with revealed vision, let alone.
INTRODUCTION TO BOOK 2
The first book of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras is called The Book of spiritual consciousness. The second book with which we now begin is the book of the means of soul growth. And we must remember that soul growth here is the growth of the realization of the spiritual people of means, or, to put it briefly to say, the growth of the spiritual man and the unraveling of the spiritual man from the wrappings, the veils, the disguises, the Ghost and the psychic-nature to him, wherein he is enmeshed, like a bird caught in a net is.
The question arises: by what means can the spiritual man be freed from these psychic meshes and disguises, so that he stands above death in his radiant eternity and divine power? And the second book asks itself precisely to answer this question, and to detail the means in a way quite practical and very clear, so that the one who runs, can read, and who reads, can understand and practice.
The second part of the second book deals with the practical spiritual training, i.e. with the earlier practical training of the spiritual man.
The most striking thing about it is the emphasis on the commandments, which are exactly those of the last part of the Decalogue, along with obedience to the master. Our day and our generation tend a lot to the idea that there can be mystical life and growth on a different basis, on the basis of intellectual curiosity or psychic selfishness. In reality, on this latter Foundation the life of the spiritual man can never be built; nor, indeed, anything but a psychic falsification, a dangerous delusion.
Therefore, like every great spiritual teacher, Patanjali asks the question: What do I have to do to be saved? with the ancient answer: keep the commandments. Only after the disciple can say: these I have kept, there can be the further and finer teaching of the spiritual rules.
Therefore, it is important for us to realize that the Yoga system, like each true system of spiritual teaching, rests on this broad and firm Foundation of honesty, truth, cleanliness, and obedience. Without this there is no
Salvation; and he who practices these, although he does not know spiritual things, lays up a treasure against the coming time.
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