This text was written for the Booklet of the Yoga Congress of the EUY in Zinal 2025
How are Abhyāsa and Vairāgya Employed in the Inversion of Intentional Consciousness?
By Martin Dojčár
In the masterpiece of yogic literature, the Yoga Sūtras, the legendary sage Patanjali provides a structured description of yoga sādhana, divided into eight limbs. Due to its structure, Indian tradition has termed it astānga, while the text itself uses the more traditional term kriyā – “the action of yoga”. Patanjali’s structured exposition of yoga serves as the reference point on which the workshop is based.
In contrast to the technical interpretations that have prevailed throughout history and have led to a fragmentary understanding of the individual limbs of yoga as more or less isolated elements, this workshop offers an integrally designed yoga practice that takes into account the thematic focus of the congress, which is abhyāsa and vairāgya. The reason for this is that the genius of the classical model of yoga lies not only in its structure, but also in the interconnectedness of its structural elements.
Yama, niyama and āsana are so interdependent that together they form a separate segment of yoga – a kind of gateway into the realm of yoga. On this foundation, the second segment is built consisting of āsana, which is already integrated with yama and niyama, and prānāyāma. These two segments are linked together by pratyāhāra – a skillful and mindful ability to control one’s attention and direct it toward desired objects throughout the day. When this mindful skill of pratyāhāra is developed through a proper employment of the previous tools of yoga sādhana, the central yogic practice of dhāranā is opened to its full potential and without risk of harm. Correctly practiced on the above foundation, dhāranā spontaneously transforms into dhyāna and ultimately culminates in samādhi.
The workshop will provide a detailed introduction to these processes, followed by a guided practice of how to consistently develop individual segments of the limbs in both formal and informal practices, based on theory derived from the Yoga Sūtras and deliberately selected traditions of Yoga Tantra transmitted from teacher to student.
