K. Ramakrishna Rao Foundations of Yoga Psychology Foundations of Yoga Psychology K. Ramakrishna Rao Foundations of Yoga Psychology 123 K.RamakrishnaRao GITAM University Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh India ISBN978-981-10-5408-2 ISBN978-981-10-5409-9 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-5409-9 LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2017943835 ©TheAuthor(s)2017 Thisworkissubjecttocopyright.AllrightsarereservedbythePublisher,whetherthewholeorpart of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission orinformationstorageandretrieval,electronicadaptation,computersoftware,orbysimilarordissimilar methodologynowknownorhereafterdeveloped. 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Theregisteredcompanyaddressis:152BeachRoad,#21-01/04GatewayEast,Singapore189721,Singapore To An All Weather Friend of Thirty Years Standing Dr. Kodela Siva Prasada Rao Speaker, Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Foreword ProfessorKoneruRamakrishnaRao,notedphilosopher,psychologist,educationist, andadministrator,inhiscareerspreadoverfivedecadeshascontributedimmensely to Gandhian thought, philosophy of mind and cross-cultural studies. Professor Ramakrishna Rao published over two hundred research papers and twenty books. Prof. Rao has travelled widely in USA and Europe, holding academic and administrative positions at various Universities. Prof. Rao, as Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University, Advisor on Higher Education to the Government of Andhra Pradesh, Chairman of the A.P. State Council of Higher Education, and Vice-Chairman of Andhra Pradesh State Planning Board is instrumental in reforming higher education and also school education in Andhra Pradesh. Prof. Rao, who hails from traditional orthodox family, has vast in-depth knowledge of traditional ancient Indian philosophy, culture, and values and has contributed extensively in conveying the important hidden values for the welfare of the society. Prof. Rao, with profound knowledge of ancient traditional Indian treasure in various disciplines including philosophy, science, technology, has contributed for spreading the importance of Yoga in developing good mind and body,tobeagoodresponsiblepersonforthewelfareofthesociety.Whileworking in this direction, it is happy to note that, he has authored this valuable book Foundations of Yoga Psychology. He with his in-depth knowledge meticulously explains and explores the ancient traditional Yoga system, in detail under nine chapters.Intheseninechapters,hehasexplainedtheintricaciesofYogafromvery fundamental to the advance stages, including yoga siddhi and meditation and its impact on mind. In the last chapter, he has highlighted the importance of case studies in Indian psychology for bringing about harmony and universal brother- hood.ThenarrationandcontentsincorporatedinthebookwithrespecttoMahatma Gandhi’s life and practices and his Yoga of Nonviolence will draw every indi- vidual,whoiskeentounderstandtheessenceofYogaanditsrelationwithrespect to the individual mind and social action. I take this opportunity to convey my best vii viii Foreword wishestotheauthorProf.KoneruRamakrishnaRaoforhiseffortsandtrustthatall the book lovers will enjoy till the last bite the information so well narrated. I wish Prof. Rao, all the best in his endeavor. Dr. H. R. Nagendra Chancellor-SVYASA & President-VYASA Preface Yoga has been a subject of interest from my student days at Andhra University. This book represents the culmination of that interest. First, the interest was at a theoretical level recognizing the fundamental role of consciousness in the func- tioningofhumans.OnceIwasinapositiontopursuemyownresearchinterests,it tookverysoonanempiricalturn.Oneoftheearlyattemptswasasurveyofpeople reputedtobeyogins who areabletoprovide evidence oftheclaims made on their behalf.Thistookmenowhere.Somesimplyclaimednooutstandingabilities.Afew have given some bizarre accounts of their experience. For example, one of them claimed that he teleported himself to the moon and began narrating what he saw, which was no more than some published accounts of moonscape. Thenextstepwastoinvestigatethepsychophysiologicalstatesofyoginsintheir deep meditative states. We investigated one such yogin at Andhra University. He was closeted in an airtight wooden compartment with a glass front, and we mon- itoredthepsychophysiologicalchangesinhimastheoxygenintheboxhadbecome increasingly diminished. The yogin was able to sit in the box much longer than what one would expect, indicating that he was consuming less oxygen than what one normally requires. Elmer Green from the Menninger Foundation, Topeka, USA, with all the instrumentation available to him monitored the physiological changes taking place. We moved on to test for parapsychological abilities of people practising medi- tation.Mr.H.DukhanfromTrinidadjoinedourteamatAndhraUniversity.Hewas able to have the cooperation of an Ashram in Pondicherry (not the Sri Aurobindo Ashram) and tested meditators before and after meditation. He found significant differences in pre-and post-meditation ESP scores. It wasthetime when biofeedback wasmakingitswaves.JoeKamiyaoperating from the West coast of USA had earned for himself the reputation of being the fastest guru with his popular biofeedback techniques. This led me to travel to Berkeley, San Francisco, and Los Angeles and visit Kamiya and Barbara Brown. While these visits were very helpful, I was not able to find the answers I was seeking. ix x Preface Then, under the influence of J.B. Rhine, I got myself involved in experimental investigation of ESP. This has consumed a major part of my mature professional career.Myinterestinyogarecededintothebackgroundtoberesurrectedonlyafter my return to India after nearly quarterof a century of continuous stay in the USA. The focus of my study of yoga is now centered around yoga in its relation to consciousnessstudiesandpsychicabilities.Theresultiswhatsomehavedescribed as my magnum opus Cognitive Anomalies, Consciousness and Yoga published in 2011. Much of the material for the present book is drawn from it. The focus in this book is on yoga psychology as central to Indian psychology. Rooted inclassicalIndianthought,Indianpsychology isconsideredasprovidinga new paradigm for studying and understanding human nature. In the process we glean what seem to be the basic postulates of Indian psychology and go on to developtheTridentModelofthepersonasauniquecompositeofbody,mind,and consciousness. Further, we provide in this book a psychological rendering of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras intended for students of psychology in the East as well as in the West. We follow it up with drawing their implications for study of and research into various facets of yoga. It is our hope that this volume would provide an instructive intro- duction to yoga psychology. In writing this book, I learned much from several of my colleagues engaged in promotingIndianpsychology.TheforemostamongthemisDr.AnandParanjpeof SimonFraser UniversityinCanada.Iacknowledgemyindebtednesstohimandto several others I have not named. Ms. Shinjini Chatterjee of Springer isa source of constant encouragement and support. Indeed, I am fortunate to associate myself with a person like her who is always willing and ready to help. Backathome,IacknowledgethehelpofMrs.Ramalakshmi,Librarian,GITAM School ofGandhian Studies, andMrs. Prasanna,my secretary who is always there to help beyond the call of duty. YogaisnolongerlimitedtoIndia.Ithasinternationalcurrencyandappeal.The United Nations declared 21st June as International Yoga Day. But, then, yoga is more than practising certain physical postures. It has a wholesome psychology behind. If the publication of this book could serve to stimulate interest in scien- tifically studying yoga as a foundational source of a new paradigm by psycholo- gists, where ever they may be situated, it would have served its purpose. Visakhapatnam, India K. Ramakrishna Rao Contents 1 Yoga as Samādhi.... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 1 Introduction. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 1 Yoga-Sūtras of Patañjali ... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 2 Background... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 2 On Samādhi .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 7 Theory of Mind.... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 11 Control of the Mind .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 14 Concept of God.... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 20 Hindrances to Control... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 22 Different Kinds of Samādhis..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 27 The Goal of Yoga.. .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 30 Summary... .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 31 References.. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 33 2 Yoga as Sādhanā (Practice) .... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 35 Kriyā-Yoga. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 36 Kleśas: Sources of Suffering... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 37 Karmāśaya: The Receptacle of Karma ... .... .... .... ..... .... 41 The Existential Anguish ... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 43 The Seer and the Seen .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 45 Person as Embodied Consciousness ... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 48 Summary... .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 61 References.. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 63 3 Yogic Siddhis... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 65 Five States of the Mind.... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 68 Psychic Powers.... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 74 References.. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 82 xi