Yogic Ways of Knowing

by Barrie

“In indigenous ways of knowing, we understand a thing only when we understand it with all four aspects of our Being – mind, body, emotion, and Spirit.” —Greg Cajete, as quoted in Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer

The indigenous view on the holistic nature of knowledge very much resonates with the yogic notion of knowledge. Jnana, the Sanskrit word for knowledge, isn’t only about understanding something intellectually, it’s about knowing it through your own direct experience. Therefore, it involves more than just the mind. Knowledge—and understanding—in yoga is a cognitive experience that involves your whole being, body, mind, emotions, and spirit.

In the yoga tradition, there are many models of the human being as a series of interpenetrating layers. One of the earliest models, known as the three-bodies doctrine, comes from Vedantic philosophy. According to this model, the three bodies of the human being are the gross or physical body, the subtle body—which includes mental and emotional bodies—and the causal body which is considered to be the seed, or the cause, that gives rise to the other two and is closest to the unchanging core of who we are, which in this system is the atman, often referred to as the Self.

One analogy given for this model is that of the tamarind fruit. The fruit that grows on the tamarind tree is a brown pod that looks like a big string bean. The physical body is likened to the outer shell of a tamarind fruit, the pulp inside the shell that is eaten as the fruit represents the subtle body, and the seeds inside corresponds to the causal body.

Yoga then, is the journey through these layers, from gross to subtle, from the outermost layer of our physicality back to the core that is the source of who we are at our deepest essence. This is a foundational understanding needed to take our postural practice beyond the physical.

Understanding a little bit about this model can help you to approach your asana practice in an integrated and holistic light. For example, you can reflect on how a back bending practice affects not only your shoulders and chest, but also the quality of your breath, your mood, and your thoughts. Or how a deep twist leaves you feeling lighter and freer, not just physically but emotionally as well.

Try this approach out for yourself by practicing this short video of leg and hip stretches I created. Consider how, as in the indigenous ways of knowing, your experience of postural practice can reach beyond your body to include your mind, emotions, and spirit.

(If you are getting this post in email and can’t see the video, click on the title of this post, “Yogic Ways of Knowing”, to go to the blog and you’ll be able to view the video there along with the original post.)

Download Barrie’s free Guide to Home Yoga Practice right here. Learn more about her book Evolving Your Yoga: Ten Principles for Enlightened Practice and her online classes at www.barrierisman.com.

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