Presentation given by Dada Rainjitananda during the Meditation, Yoga, & Living with Purpose weekend at the Ananda Viplava Center in the Catskills, NY. The presentation describes the 5 layers of the mind and the Astaunga Yoga practices that help develop each layer.

1. AŚTÁUNGAYOGA
8-foldYoga
Presented by Dada Rainjitananda

2. WHO
• Human being

3. HUMAN BEING
• Body - Physical
• Keeps our existence
• Mind - Mental
• Thinking
• Soul - Spiritual

4. –Shrii Shrii Anandamurti
“Regarding this faculty of thinking, if it is done in a
methodical way, the result is certainly positive: a
negative result is achieved only in certain rare cases.
But if it is not done in a methodical way, the general
result is negative: only in very rare cases do we get a
positive result.”

5. OUR STRUCTURE
• Human being

6. Chariot analogy
Horses - senses & motor
organs
Reigns - mind
Charioteer - conscience
Passenger - soul

7. CHAOS
Horses are in control
Senses
Instincts
Sentiments

8. CHAOS
• On the surface of the mind
there can be a storm
• External stimulus
• Deeper within one can
fi
nd
calmness and peace

9. Layers of the
mind
Conscious
Deals with the senses/motor
organs
1

10. Layers of the
mind
Subconscious
(The Intellect)
Analysis
Deep thinking
Dream
2

11. Layers of the
mind
Supramental
(The Intuition)
Synthetic thought
Genius
Creativity
3

12. Layers of the
mind
Special Knowledge
(Wisdom)
- Discernment of what is good/
bad, right/wrong
- Equanimity / non-attachment
4

13. Layers of the
mind
The Golden Layer
Touching the in
fi
nite
5

14. 5. The Golden Layer: calm, love, peace
1. Conscious: the horses
2. Subconscious: thoughts
3. Supramental: our inner “Einstein or Da Vinci”
4. Wisdom: our inner “Buddha”

15. WHAT
• AśtáungaYoga

16. AŚTÁUNGAYOGA
• System / Method
• 8 limbs / steps / parts

17. WHY
• A good life
• Human life
• A Purposeful Life

18. Layers of the
mind
Conscious
Deals with the senses/motor
organs
1

19. GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH
OTHERS
• There are 5 practices of (1)
Yama
• Non-harming is one

20. GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH
YOURSELF
• There are 5 practices of (2)
Niyama
• Cleanliness is one
• body, environment
• Mind

21. CONSCIOUS MIND
• When you have a good
relationship with others and
self
• Your conscious mind can
maintain balance

22. The Body
The Vehicle or the Base of the
Mind
0

23. HEALTHY BODY
• Exercises, daily practices
• (3) A’sana
• Balance the Endocrine
Glands

24. Layers of the
mind
Subconscious
(The Intellect)
Analysis
Deep thinking
Dream
2

25. BREATH WELL
• (4) Pra’n’a’ya’ma - breathing
techniques
• Keeps the Subconscious
level of the mind balanced

26. Layers of the
mind
Supramental
(The Intuition)
Synthetic thought
Genius
Creativity
3

27. HAPPINESS IS WITHIN
• Practice to withdraw the
mind
• (5) Pratyaha’ra
• Balances the Supramental
mind

28. Layers of the
mind
Special Knowledge
(Wisdom)
- Discernment of what is good/
bad, right/wrong
- Equanimity / non-attachment
4

29. CONCENTRATE
• Practice concentration
• (6) Dha’rana
• Balances the “Special
Knowledge” level of the
mind

30. Layers of the
mind
The Golden Layer
Touching the in
fi
nite
5

31. MEDITATE
• Thinking with concentration
• (7) Dhya’na
• Balances the Causal level of
the mind

32. WHERE
• Practice where you are

33. WHEN
• Daily life
• In small things / activities
• Like waking up in the
morning

34. HOW
• Study / learn / apply
Success is no accident. It is
hard work, perseverance,
learning, studying, sacri
fi
ce
and most of all, love of
what you are doing or
learning to do.
Pele

35. Beyond the
Golden Layer

36. (8) SAMA’DHI
• The Goal ofYoga
• Merging in the Cosmic
Consciousness
• In
fi
nite bliss
• In the beginning it is
something theoretical
• Gradually it becomes
practical

37. SUMMARY - 8-FOLD
1. Good relationship with others
2. Good relationship with yourself
3. Healthy body
4. Breathing
5. Withdrawal
6. Concentration
7. Meditation
8. Sama’dhi

38. Q & A

39. PATH OF BLISS / ANANDA
MARGA
• Started in1955 by Shrii Shrii Anandamurti
• Ananda MargaYoga is based on AstaungaYoga &Tantra
• A greatYogi, Shiva gave a system ofTantra - 7000 years ago
• There are 2 main systems of spiritual practices -Vaedik andTantrik
• TheVaedik system is a system to develop the desire for spirituality
• TheTantrik system is a practical system of how to attain realization
• Ananda Marga follows theTantrik system

40. PATH OF BLISS / ANANDA
MARGA
• Prabhat Rainjan Sarkar (aka Shrii Shrii Anandamurti) also
propounded:
• PROUT- Progressive UtilizationTheory (an alternative socio-
economic system)
• Neo-humanism (a philosophy that expands beyond humanism to
encompass love for all of creation
• Neo-humanist education (a system of education that promotes
Neo-humanism)

41. OUR CENTER
• AnandaViplava Center in the Catskills, NY
• It is planned to be a Multidimensional project based on the concept of
Master Units given by Shrii Shrii Anandamurti
• Spiritual
• Wellness
• Educational
• Sustainable - farm, industry, commerce, and more