Compare the yoga system prescribed in the Yoga Sutra to that prescribed in the Yogavasistha - Essay Example

Yoga Sutra versus Yoga Vasistha According to Singleton peoples’ perception on Yoga has constantly shifted over the years. There are various forms of Yoga. Yoga Sutra is the science of meditation that aims at self apprehension of a person. In the practice of Yoga Sutra, the individual taking part in the art encounters, scrutinizes and evaluates the various forms of identity in his/her environment. In the course of systematic analysis of the phony identities in the society, an individual comes up with the actual truth within his/her society.

In short, Yoga Sutra can be credited for its ability to discern the truth from a myriad of lies by organized and soul-searching means. On the other hand, Yoga Vasistha allows an individual to dismiss delusions tied to life that it is just an ordinary event, even in the supreme state. This form of Yoga also indicates that falling of the body cannot lead to failure of the Self (Venkatesananda, 88). Vasistha is quoted to welcome all vagrants that have not found the right path by allowing them to come to terms with the truth through Yoga.

Unlike in Yoga Sutra that mostly focuses on identifying the truth, Yoga Vasistha lets the minds inquire about the Self through a person’s consciousness. In this sense, the individual disbands concepts in his/her own perception. However, the individual undergoes a process of spiritual search in both forms of Yoga, in order to come to a certain state of consciousness. The sole aim of both forms of Yoga is to reach a balanced state of mind that would allow an individual to discern the meaning of various concepts.

Works citedSingleton, Mark. Yoga body: the origins of modern posture practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010. Print.Venkatesananda, Swami. The Supreme Yoga: Yoga Vāsiṣṭha. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publ., 2003. Print.