Hatha & Karma Yoga in A.'.A.'.
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I've been reading trough the teachings of the early Grades of A.'.A.'. - I see that 3=8, 4=7, & 5=6 correspond to the practices of Gnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, & Raja Yoga respectively...does Karma Yoga, Hatha Yoga, or Mantra Yoga correspond to any of the Grades?
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Hatha Yoga definitely corresponds to 2=9...Mantra Yoga fits quite well with Liber Jugorum & the curriculum of 4=7.
616
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@Lapis said
"I've been reading trough the teachings of the early Grades of A.'.A.'. - I see that 3=8, 4=7, & 5=6 correspond to the practices of Gnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, & Raja Yoga respectively...does Karma Yoga, Hatha Yoga, or Mantra Yoga correspond to any of the Grades?"
There is no place where Karma Yoga is made a subject per se. It's hard, though, for me to separate it from 1=10, and I consider it the unifying idea of the whole of 6=5.
Hatha Yoga (as already said) is clearly and specifically 2=9.
Crowley regarded Mantra Yoga (I think correctly) as a subset of pranayama, so in that sense it's part of 2=9. But there's something more subtle: The original Eastern idea of mantra (still quite evident in Islam and in some Hindu practices) meant the memorization and recitation of scriptures. In that sense, every grade of the Outer College practices this, because in each grade one memorizes and recites a chapter of a Class A docuent ("scriptures").
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@Jim Eshelman said
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@Lapis said
"I've been reading trough the teachings of the early Grades of A.'.A.'. - I see that 3=8, 4=7, & 5=6 correspond to the practices of Gnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, & Raja Yoga respectively...does Karma Yoga, Hatha Yoga, or Mantra Yoga correspond to any of the Grades?"There is no place where Karma Yoga is made a subject per se. It's hard, though, for me to separate it from 1=10, and I consider it the unifying idea of the whole of 6=5.
Hatha Yoga (as already said) is clearly and specifically 2=9.
Crowley regarded Mantra Yoga (I think correctly) as a subset of pranayama, so in that sense it's part of 2=9. But there's something more subtle: The original Eastern idea of mantra (still quite evident in Islam and in some Hindu practices) meant the memorization and recitation of scriptures. In that sense, every grade of the Outer College practices this, because in each grade one memorizes and recites a chapter of a Class A docuent ("scriptures")."
Where (and why) does Crowley consider Mantrayoga a subset of Pranayama? Theyre completely different really.
The original Eastern idea of mantra is not memorization of scriptures... where did you get that idea from?
IAO131
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@Aum418 said
"Where (and why) does Crowley consider Mantrayoga a subset of Pranayama? Theyre completely different really."
Well, for starters, the title of the relevant chapter of Book 4, Part I is, "Pranayama and Its Parallel in Speech, Mantrayoga." - There are more specific remarks somewhere in his various yoga writings, but I haven't the time to dig through a few unindexed books right now.
"The original Eastern idea of mantra is not memorization of scriptures... where did you get that idea from?"
From a number of teachers and other bits of data scattered over the last 30 years. (All of the traditional Hindu mantras are direct scriptural quotations.)
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@Jim Eshelman said
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@Aum418 said
"Where (and why) does Crowley consider Mantrayoga a subset of Pranayama? Theyre completely different really."Well, for starters, the title of the relevant chapter of Book 4, Part I is, "Pranayama and Its Parallel in Speech, Mantrayoga." - There are more specific remarks somewhere in his various yoga writings, but I haven't the time to dig through a few unindexed books right now."
That is because they both work with rhythms (which wouldnt work if you consider mantra to be a chapter, by the way). Either way, Crowley is not saying Mantra yoga is a subset of Pranayama like you claimed but that they are paralleled in this sense.
"The original Eastern idea of mantra is not memorization of scriptures... where did you get that idea from?"
From a number of teachers and other bits of data scattered over the last 30 years. (All of the traditional Hindu mantras are direct scriptural quotations.)"
Of course the mantras are direct spiritual quotations, but thats nothing like reciting chapters. Its easy to make claims when you have no substantiation.
IAO131
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93,
Actually, Crowley does say mantrayoga is a branch of pranayama. One relevant quote is from Eight Lectures on Yoga - Lecture 4, Paragraph 29:
"Before proposing a vote of thanks to the lecturer for his extraordinarily brilliant exposition of these most difficult subjects, I should like to add a few words on the subject of mantrayoga, because this is really a branch of pranayama, and one which it is possible to practise quite thoroughly in this country. In Book IV, Part I, I have described it, with examples, quite fully enough. I need here only say that its constant use, day and night, without a moment's cessation, is probably as useful a method as one could find of preparing the current of thought for the assumption of a rhythmical form, and rhythm is the great cure for irregularity. Once it is established, no interference will prevent it. Its own natural tendency is to slow down, like a pendulum, until time stops, and the sequence of impressions which constitutes our intellectual apprehensions of the universe is replaced by that form of consciousness (or unconsciousness, if you prefer it, not that either would give the slightest idea of what is meant) which is without condition of any kind, and therefore represents in perfection the consummation of Yoga."
93 93/93,
EM
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@Edward Mason said
"93,
Actually, Crowley does say mantrayoga is a branch of pranayama. One relevant quote is from Eight Lectures on Yoga - Lecture 4, Paragraph 29:
"Before proposing a vote of thanks to the lecturer for his extraordinarily brilliant exposition of these most difficult subjects, I should like to add a few words on the subject of mantrayoga, because this is really a branch of pranayama, and one which it is possible to practise quite thoroughly in this country. In Book IV, Part I, I have described it, with examples, quite fully enough. I need here only say that its constant use, day and night, without a moment's cessation, is probably as useful a method as one could find of preparing the current of thought for the assumption of a rhythmical form, and rhythm is the great cure for irregularity. Once it is established, no interference will prevent it. Its own natural tendency is to slow down, like a pendulum, until time stops, and the sequence of impressions which constitutes our intellectual apprehensions of the universe is replaced by that form of consciousness (or unconsciousness, if you prefer it, not that either would give the slightest idea of what is meant) which is without condition of any kind, and therefore represents in perfection the consummation of Yoga."
93 93/93,
EM"
Interesting. When I originally posted, I took 'pranayama' as 'control of breath' of which the latter is actually a branch of the former. Mantrayoga is certainly a form of 'pranayama' insofar as pranayama refers to the control/constraining of 'prana' and not simply breath-work as I took it.
IAO131