2019-02-01_Australian_Yoga_Journal

98

february/march 2019

yogajournal.com.au

REFLECTION

YJ

PHOTO: MELISSA TOWNSEND

Sutra I.35

The experience

of subtle, divine

levels of the senses

also establishes

steadiness in

the mind.

EACH OF THE FIVE SENSES can be a

vehicle for subtle, divine

experiences that can bring peace

and steadiness to your mind and

move you toward samadhi (union

with the absolute)—the eighth

and fi nal limb of yoga. Sensory

experiences—such as visions,

sounds, tastes, aromas, and

physical sensations—can come

naturally as a function of grace,

or they can be the result of certain

techniques and practices. These

sensory perceptions can bring

great calmness and peace and

serve as a gateway to an

experience of transcendence.

Artwork, translation, and commentary

from The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali–A Visual

Meditation; Book One, Samādhi Pādah by

Melissa Townsend. Available at amazon.com

or melissa-townsend.com.