Satyananda Saraswati's Teachings

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Satyananda and His Lineage

Satyananda and His Lineage

Education . . . is a means of developing a fully integrated personality and enabling one to grow effectively [and] training in the art of living. - Satyananda

Swami Satyananda (1923-) served to bring yoga to Australia and the West. He travelled the world for over twenty years sharing the inspiration of yoga through methodical explanations that also have been used as inspiring textbooks later. During the times of travels to some thirty countries he wrote over 80 books on yoga, tantra and spirituality.
Swami Satyananda founded the Bihar School of Yoga (BSY) in 1963 in order to carry out the mission given to him by his guru to spread the message of yoga from door to door and from shore to shore. He propagated yoga for people of all ages from all countries, races, religions and cultures. Under his guidance, the ancient science of yoga was taught on a scientific basis with clarity and vision. BSY has become a teaching institution of very high standard. Sivananda's work has helped in making yogas mainstream in the West and East.
Satyananda founded the International Yoga Fellowship Movement in 1956. He also founded Sivananda Math, a social and charitable institution to help the weaker, underprivileged sections of society in 1984 and the Yoga Research Foundation, a scientific research oriented yoga organisation, in 1984. The swami retired from public life in 1988 and settled in Rikhia, a small Indian village in Deoghar (Jharkhand), in 1989. He remains for the most part in seclusion.
Satyananda is a disciple of Swami Sivananda MD (1887-1963). Satyananda was initiated by him in 1943. Sivananda had been initiated into the Sannyasa Tradition of Shankara in 1924 by Swami Vishwananda Saraswati. Sivananda toured throughout India, inspiring people to practise yoga and founded the Divine Life Society at Rishikesh in 1936, the Sivananda Ayurvedic Pharmacy in 1945, the Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy in 1948 and the Sivananda Eye Hospital in 1957. During his lifetime Swami Sivananda guided thousands of disciples and aspirants and authored over 200 books.

Satyananda Yoga

At present, yoga is passing through growth and expansion with rapid integration into modern society, where some parts of it have become mainstream. Yoga efforts should serve this on broad terms and in the long run: creating a better future.
Satyananda's teachings emphasize Integral Yoga with a strong emphasis on Tantra. It incorporates the whole person, not just the body. There is an emphasis on awareness. Satyananda Yoga is a systematic, step-by-step approach to yoga, a yoga system that is grounded in tradition and adapted to our times. It aims at integration, and includes Hatha, Raja, Karma, Jnana, Mantra and Bhakti Yogas and more, and presents them in a unified package.
Satyananda Yoga does not postulate any political or religious beliefs. It provides tools for health, perhaps a broader, more delicate awareness in calmness, and furthers good health in inner strength.
Satyananda Yoga may be learnt in classes or by self-help books by Satyananda himself. A yoga class is to have a non-competitive atmosphere, and is often about one hour long. It consists of asanas (postures) pranayama (breathing), meditation and deep relaxation called yoga nidra.
Breath work is the second major deal of a class. Pranayama training begins with natural breath awareness and progresses to a variety of practices. Swami Satyananda Saraswati stands for using pranayama as a part of daily yoga sadhana.
Yogic relaxation (Yoga Nidra) is done lying down while the awareness remains active. What is referred to by this term is a meditative technique of aware sleeping: "Nidra" means "sleep" in Sanskrit. Satyananda Yoga Nidra is a pratyahara technique in which the distractions of the mind are contained and the mind is allowed to relax. True relaxation is an experience far beyond a cup of tea.
Meditation expands finely attuned awareness. It helps the understanding by enhancing good focus ("concentration"). Satyananda's meditation techniques are presented as a course of sessions. Three of the common meditation techniques are:

Antar Mouna, which deals with getting proficient awareness and at last better control of thoughts and other mind facets.
Ajapa Jap(a) is a mantra repetition practice with breath awareness. The mantra may be the "breath mantra" Hang Sau.
Tratak involves gazing at one point so as to induce relaxation and concentration of mind.

Different Yoga Paths

Bhakti Yoga is the path of trining the feelings. One is trained to channel emotional energy; to open the heart and feel into human qualities in daily life.
Hatha Yoga consist in part in assuming yoga postures. Asanas work on both the body and the mind. The higher techniques of Hatha Yoga are for elevating us. Hatha Yoga is described in yoga classics, notably Hatha Yoga Pradipika.
Wisdom Yoga (Jnana Yoga) allows the meditative state - for in the context of yoga it means the process of meditative awareness which leads to illuminative wisdom in deep self-realisation. Jnana Yoga stands for (a) not believing but realising; (b) awareness leading to self-analysis; (b) firmer personal nature; and further. Some of the old upanishads cover aspects of Jnana yoga.
Karma Yoga is a tricky subject. It helps to become aware of desires and personality problems so as to get to a dynamic, creative and constructive expression in life. In Satyananda's yoga the karma discipline is a means to become truly human and graced, and so on.
The guru Sivananda taught Satyananda kriya yoga, the Bihar School of Yoga informs. We are also told that the kriya yoga of Satyananda rests on secret teachings described in tantric texts called shastras (works). The kriyas, as taught by Satyananda, are one of only two systems of kriya yoga recognized the world over. The full form of kriya yoga consists of over 70 kriyas; only 20 or so of them are commonly known. An authoritative work on kriya yoga is A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya by Satyananda. It consists of 36 structured lessons (957 pages) compiled from the teachings of Swami Satyananda and could work well for both yoga teachers and beginners. The emphasis is on practice, theory and application in day to day life. It may be daunting for beginners, though. Here is what an Amazon reader tells:

While Paramahansa Yogananda's "SELF REALIZATION FELLOWSHIP" charges thousand$ for initiation and instruction, this book and "A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya" will take you step-by-step through all prepratory stages AND ALL ACTUAL PRACTICES OF THE ENTIRE SERIES OF KRIYAS for a paltry one-time fee. Forget the other reviews on here which warn of "seeking a qualified teacher" before attempting Kriya Yoga! You can't get any more qualified than the author of these two books AND you can't get better step-by-step, seriously detailed explanations for reaching Kriya mastery than right here.

The Self-Realization Fellowship teaches kriya in another tradition. It is not the money that is a problem with that fellowshop, but very basic human rights, in that you have to trade them away to learn kriya in it. You might get Yogananda-indoctrinated too. [MORE].
The sequel to Satyananda's lesson course in one book is called Kundalini Yoga. In it, he tells the purpose of kriya is to create awakening, that kriya is quite riskfree, and that a combination of twenty kriyas are powerful. The first nine of them are to be done with the eyes closed, and eleven more practices are to be done with the eyes closed. There should be the readiness to practice kriya before learning it. (93-94, 97, 100).
He presents 20 kriya practices that in part blend with hatha-yoga in this sequel book. The practices are explained in detail. Some of the things to do are out of reach of the common Westerner, such as bending the tongue back so well that it goes into the nasal cavity (kechari mudra, yogic tongue lifting). (284 ff)
Kriya practices should help advancing concentration. (314). Effects of the kriya of Satyananda has been studied at the Copenhagen University. [LINK]
Satyananda's book Yoga Nidra may be far better for beginners than his massive course and its sequel book. The book presents sides to a simple method of deep relaxation in stress management and therapy too. The information covers both practise and research on the subject. The aim of Yoga Nidra is to harmonise. He writes:

Our problem [is] how to emerge from the unconscious yet still remain on the bosom of it? [Answer:] One has to have a symbol . . . You can choose any object, but . . . the best and easiest of all symbols is the . . . light of the Self [which means] transcendental awareness] . . . Therefore . . . in the beginning we use the symbol. [Yoga Nidra p. 63]

But "what is the greatest knowledge available to mankind"? Transcendental Meditation (TM) is recommended as the best practice by me too.
Raja Yoga usually refers to the system of yoga that is described in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. In this ancient text Sage Patanjali describes eight stages of yoga. These are its three great strides:

Vitality through asanas (postures) and pranayamas (pranic breathing techniques);
Management of awareness and concentration through pratyahara (sensory withdrawal) and dharana (concentration);
Training of awareness through dhyana (meditation) and samadhi (absorption in the universal identity).

Excerpts from Yoga Nidra

Satyananda's book has these parts after the Introduction: Theory, Practices, Scientific Investigations, and Appendices.

In the introduction Yoga nidra is explained as systematic training in deep relaxation. During the practice one appears to be asleep, but is conscious inwardly, as a result of turning inwards while resting deeply. (p 1)

In the theory part a key concept is sankalpa [intent]. While lying at rest, form a brief mental statement. This works like sowing a seed in the bed of your mind. "You have the mind and you have an idea. If you prepare the mind and sow the [idea] seed properly, then it will grow in your life.". Just think it in deep relaxation. Then "everything you do in life becomes successful." Ask yourself: "Everything?" I hardly think so, but good ideas can sprout in time - absolutely. So, you have the deep relaxation practice and also things to focus your mind on when in that state. Try and see if you like. (p 21 ff)
In the eight-limbed yoga system of Patanjali yoga nidra bypasses the first four levels, and relates to relaxing so well that sensory inputs get weaker, much as when falling asleep. If the awareness is withdrawn totally from the senses, there is a fine shift, and the awareness is inward-made without sleeping. The shift is called pratyahara. The swami states that self-hypnosis is not involved. There is no other, such as a therapist, to influence and try to direct your mind. You do it yourself, resting well. Visualisation is done with very little effort in yoga nidra, and such visualisation allows for progress too. In deep rest the image tends to become very clear. (p 22-52, passim)
In essence, then, rest well and either affirm or visualise or both while in that state. Subconscous levels of the mind may get activated and directed in such ways, allowing for better progress within certain limits. It is documented in other connections too that visualisations help progress.

Part 3 shows how to use yoga nidra stepwise. After getting to a restful state, one may focus on various parts of the body, the breath, visualise and affirm to one's liking. Yoga nidra may also be adapted for use as short relaxation at the workplace and as a prelude to sleep. (p 81-87). The book offers detailed schemes for doing it. Some publishers also offer guided yoga nidra sessions on tape. And yoga nidra may be adapted even to small children. The practice can be expanded upon. ((p 159 ff).

The fourth part covers scientific investigations into the states of the mind. Different states are accompanied by different brain wave patterns, which are measured by EEG (electroenchephalograms) and more lately, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). Yoga nidra functions somewhere between waking and sleeping - in the so-called hypnagogic state between waking consciousness and sleep, and arrives at heightened awareness, called turiya, at best. (p 170 ff)
Yoga nidra is fit for self-education without external rewards and punishments. In this state, the left and right hemisphere of the brain are integrated better, and one may learn better (p 179-85)
Further, yoga nidra counteracts stress very well by going against the stress response. Yoga nidra is prescribed by many medical doctors for that reason. It is a tool for imagination, and may help deeper understanding of oneself. (186-190)
Yoga nidra may improve the lives of those who suffer from several chronic diseases, and has found by researchers at the University of California Medical Centre at Davis (p 198) to be applicable for bedridden and afflicted patiients of all degree. They say:

Yoga nidra may relieve insomnia and sleep disturbances.
Partially relieve feelings of despair and depression.
Decrease the requirements for analgesis and sedative drugs.

Yoga relaxation helps elderly people overcome many psychological difficulties related to old age, such as lowered self-esteem, boredom, loneliness, and fear, according to a study in a French geriatric hospital. (p 200-01)
"Doctors estimate that emotional stress plays an important role in more than half of all medical problems." [Hi 505]. An effective relaxation method helps to relieve stress, and may thus bulwark against some diseases, reduce the effects of others, and so on. Yoga nidra has been found effective in reducing dependency on medical drugs, also for asthmatic patients. (p 203-04).
It has been shown in several studies that yoga nidra helps against too high blood pressure, and the practice is widely prescribed for it (p 212-13) The appendices furnish further details, including color pictures from PET scannings of the brains of persons who do yoga nidra.

Literature

The literature in Satyananda Yoga is noted for authenticity, clarity and depth.

Literature
Hi: Smith, Carolyn D., ed, et al. Hilgard's Introduction to Psychology. 14th ed. Belmont: Thomson Wadsworth, 2003.
Mmm: Roth, Robert. Transcendental Meditation Revised And Updated. New York: Dutton/Penguin, 1996. On-line. www.learntm.co.nz/recommended_reading/robert_roth/tm_robert_roth.htm
Kta: Satyananda Saraswati, Swami. Kundalini Tantra.8th ed. Munger: Yoga Publications Trust, 2001.
Yn: Satyananda Saraswati, Swami. Yoga Nidra.6th ed. Munger: Yoga Publications Trust, 2001.
Satyananda Saraswati, Swami. A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya. Munger: Yoga Publications Trust, 2004.
Yoga Publications Trust. Information on the Satyananda Yoga Tradition. (Booklet) Munger, Bihar: Yoga Publications Trust, 2007.

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