The Yama Niyama section of the Patanjali's Yoga Sutras for study or chanting before or after practice.

Studying or learning to chant Patanjali's Yoga Sutras can be a large undertaking, we may wish to learn to chant it in sections however, the yama niyama portion perhaps, before or after our practice.

Update: I've divided the section further still, separating out the introduction (30-34) and the yamas (35-39) from the niyama (40-45) for ease of learning, we might also choose to chant the introduction one day, the yamas the next and the niyamas on the third day before repeating the cycle on the fourth day. Once memorised and confidence in chanting them is gained we might chant the full section.

Ramaswami talks of reflecting on our day before falling asleep, not necessarily in a negative way but merely noting. Chanting the Yama niyama section may be a pleasant way to drift off to sleep.

Ramaswami also talks of the study of (portions of) an appropriate text as being a meditative activity that we may wish to engage in after our asana and/or pranayama practice. The idea being, in Guna terms, that our asana practice has reduced our rajas (agitation), pranayama has lessened the tamas (lethargy) leaving us in a more satvic state suitable for such study

Here then is the yama niyama section from the second pada/chapter of Patanjali's yoga sutras with links to commentary at Ashtanga.info followed by Ramaswami's tutorial for chanting the second chapter as well as indication as to where to find the appropriate sections. A comparison commentary chart from milesneal.com is below the chanting tutorial as well a s a print out of the section in larger type.

Or you might prefer to dip into Marcus Aurelius' Meditations ( see end of post) or a similar text from your own culture/tradition.

NB: I keep Ramaswami's full tutorial at the top of the blog on this page as well as suggestions for commentaries, I'm currently recommending Edwin Bryant's The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali as he refers to and quotes many of the classical commentaries throughout. See the link below.

Chanting the yoga Sutras


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See also perhaps