ABSTRACT

The Yoga system as formulated by Patanjali is a systematized religious discipline providing a means of attaining the highest consciousness, which in turn leads to final release. All spiritual aspirants in India, whatever may be their individual religious preference, accept the discipline of yoga, though, strictly speaking, Yoga philosophy in its metaphysical aspects is closely allied to Samkhya, with one important difference—its acceptance of God. Yoga psychology agrees with Freud that the conscious is controlled and guided by the unconscious, but it insists that there is a power inherent in the mind through which the mind, restraining itself, can overcome the unconscious and all its tendencies, and achieve by so doing a complete renewal. Austerity is the practice of conserving energy and directing it towards the goal of yoga, towards realizing the true nature of the Purusa. The practice of austerity, as described by commentators on the Yoga Aphorisms, may also include the regular performance of ritualistic worship.