YOGA FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT

Week 02_ Module 4: Stress according to Eastern perspective

Reality about the world

In search of reality, modern science went very deep and gathered exhaustive details about this
physical world. In in the ancient India too, there was serious investigation about the reality of
this universe, which is reflected in Vedic literature and specially in the Upanishads, though in
a mystical language.

In Taittiriya Upanishad, this mode of enquiry and findings has been elaborated in detail.

A student named Bhrigu comes to his teacher Varuna and asks to help him to understand the
ultimate reality called Brahman. Varuna, the teacher suggests him to do tapas (here,
austerities in the form of introspection) with a clue towards that ultimate reality.

yato va imani bhutani jayante . yena jatani jivanti . yat.prayantyabhisamvishanti .

tad.vijijnasasva . tad.brahmeti . sa tapo'tapyata | sa tapastaptvā

Meaning: That from which these beings are born, that by which, when born, they live, that
into which they enter, they merge—seek to know That. That is Brahman. That need to be
known through tapas or intensive enquiry (to get that experiential knowledge).

Bhrigu’s tapas led to the conclusion that all are based on ‘annam’ or food. Hence he
considered ‘annam’ as the ultimate reality. This is reflected in his statement.

anaṁ brahmeti vyajānāt | annāddhyeva khalvimāni bhutāni jāyante | annena jātāni jīvanti |
annaṁ prayantyabhisaṁviśantīti |

He realised that food is Brahman; for from food, verily, are these beings born; by food, when
born, do they live; into food do they enter, do they merge.

But the teacher asked him to continue the tapas or enquiry : ‘tapasā brahma vijijñāsasva’
Then he found ‘Prana’ is Brahman. ‘prāṇo brahmeti vyajānāt’

Again he was asked by his teacher to do tapas further.

In this way Bhrigu went through various stages like to understand ‘Annam’, then ‘Prana’,
then Mind, then ‘Vijnana’ and finally he successfully arrives at ‘Ananda’ as the nature of
Brahman.

ānando brahmeti vyajānāt | ānandādhyeva khalvimāni bhūtāni jāyante | ānandena jātāni

jīvanti | ānandaṁ prayantyabhisaṁviśantīti | saiṣā bhārgavī vāruṇī vidyā | parame
vyomanpratiṣṭhitā

Meaning: He realised that Bliss is Brahman; for from Bliss (ananda), verily, are these beings
born; by bliss, when born, do they live; into bliss, at the time of dissolution, do they enter, do
they merge. This is the wisdom taught by Varuna and learnt by Bhrigu. It is established in the
supreme Akasa, in the heart. He who knows this is established in the Bliss of Brahman.

Here one can see that, intense enquiry into the reality of the existence leading form gross
matter to subtle and to the subtlest. Various layers of existence. These progress from Annam
(food or gross body / sheath) to Prana (energy body / sheath), Manas (mental sheath), Vijnan
(knowledge sheath) and Ananada (Bliss sheath, which is considered to be the causal body).

Beyond this lies the all-pervading transcendental reality called Brahman or pure
consciousness. Satyam (truth), Jnanam (knowledge) and Aanadam (bliss) is it nature.
Consciousness is fundamental entity in Upanishadic wisdom.

Upanishads reveals that Anandamaya kosha (Bliss sheath) is the causal state from where all
other koshas come, Vijnanamaya kosha, Manomaya kosha, Pranamaya kosha, Annamaya
kosha (which is the final product). This is called the downward causation, contrary and
opposite to the understanding of modern scientific view that everything is material and from
physical matter every other entities (mind, intellect or anything) emerged, which is termed as
the upward causation. Consciousness is not fundamental in modern science, instead it is a
mere phenomenon based on material nature.
Theory of stress from eastern perspective:

As Anandamaya kosha is the causal form of all other sheaths, here, the mind is in the
potential form, in the seed form, no thoughts, it does not come into active phase, therefore in
a state of bliss like in deep sleep (sushupti).

From there, in the Vijnanamaya kosha, the mind comes into active phase or kinetic form.
This is associated with complete knowledge, mastery and lack of any miseries.

From there, in the path of further transformation, in the Manomaya kosha, various thought
patterns emerge including patterns of wrong knowledge or viparyaya, under the influence of
avidya or ignorance. This is the body of emotions and has the possibility to get disturbed with
the interaction with the world. In a disturbed scenario, the uncontrolled speed of mind can
lead to stress or aadhi. Likes and dislikes of the mind can expand themselves into various
negative metal patterns or infatuation (kama), anger (krodha), greed (lobha), moha (delusion),
mada (arrogance) jealousy (matsarya).

Stress at the manomaya kosha slowly percolates down to the Pranamaya kosha and induce
imbalance in the prana (the energy flow) governing various body functions. Various pranas
get affected (Prana, Samana, Udana, Apana and Vyana).

This pranic imbalances appears as in the Annamaya kosha or physical body as disturbance in
the nervous and endocrine systems. If unchecked, this can manifest as various disorders and
disease in the body, which is termed as vyadhi.