Shunya Yoga is an inner science for the expansion of consciousness and freedom from the causes of suffering. Through the use of asanas (physical postures), pranayam (breath control), mudras (seals), bandhas (locks), and kriyas (purification exercises), the first phase of Shunya Yoga involves purification of the energies of the mind and body as preparation for meditation. Most people, because of deep conditioning from the world and past experiences, are unable to remain silent for even a few moments. In our fast paced environment, in which time and space has radically been transformed in human experience through science and technology, this has only helped the mind to become more neurotic and compulsive. Meditation is the science of observing the mind from moment to moment without craving after whatever may be happening in ones experience. All suffering is created at the level of the mind out of unawareness. In order to gain insight into the causes of our suffering and the programming of the mind, the mind must be observed directly. It is in meditation where the process begins of bringing the activity of the mind to a stillness. As the mind gradually becomes silent, ones awareness starts turning inwards from the conscious mind, to the subconscious mind, to the unconscious, to one’s own original nature. Once the mind’s lake has become absolutely still, without even a ripple of thought stirring, then there arises a direct seeing into that which is beyond the mind that lies at the very core of ones being. Timeless and Boundless, Birthless and Deathless, it is this state of consciousness, of the finite merging with the infinite, which is the state of Yoga (“Union”).
After coming to one`s enlightenment, the final phase of Shunya Yoga is to integrate one’s enlightenment in daily life, as there can be no freedom outside of life itself, nor can there be life outside of freedom. The path disappearing into the pathless, life becomes effortless expression of one’s true nature which is in direct communion with the whole existence. This is the state of sahaja samadhi, spontaneous enlightenment.
