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Yoga Sutra is an old Indian spiritual (not religious) text that talks about the human spirit and how to organize both spirit and mind, heart and soul (see also attached texts).
Yoga means unification, sutra means thread. Meaning that something sticks together.
The scripture begins with the Sutra:
Yoga Sutras are short and wise thoughts. They were transmitted orally from teacher to student. It is said that are compiled by Patanjali.
The Yoga Sutra is the foundation of Raja Yoga which is the foundation of the Yoga tradition.
Depending on collective or personal psychology this sutra may be understood differently. The meaning of individual words is:
Yoga – Unification
Citta – spirit, mind
vritti – swirl, oscillation, vibration, fluctuation (wave, sway, motion, twist)
nirodha – something that is brought to mastery, perfection; control; something that is regulated.
Yoga is the control of the vibrations of the mind.
Raja Yoga is the path for those who have the gift of basic thinking, relentless reasoning. This path leads to a true insight into the nature of all things. It is a long road and as the name implies, the aspirant (king) is the king who has his own mind under control. The material wealth of a king or one who by his material possessions (or academic title) feels like a king is of no value in this case.
The Yoga Sutras compare our mind (citta) and its vibrations (vrittis) with the waves on the surface of the lake that are caused by external and internal factors.
In words, it looks like this:
Our emotions, thoughts, impressions, memories (meaning unconscious and subconscious mind) are internal vibrations or the sea bottom.
Our senses, sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing produce wind or waves and they are external vibrations.
And only when the water is calm and thus conscious a man can perceive his true being, comprehend his soul and connect it with the spirit, higher reality, higher consciousness.
This path is also known as Ashtanga Yoga (not to be confused with the modern style of yoga invented by Pattabhi Jois in Misore, India).
Ashta means eight and anga means limb.
What else does Yoga Sutra talk about and whether Know Thyself is just a proverb or a possibility, read in this short text.
