Page 442 - Complete Works of Dr. KCV Volume 1

feel the infusion of a richer consciousness, a noumenal light of supreme scintillative power. The postures of Yoga are integral part of the practice in order to make concentration or attention steady and unflickering and to this end all external strains must be avoided since strain will have its reaction on the system. The dialectical process of attentive consciousness has been very well understood by those ancient Yogis. They knew that every attention is inviting exhaustion to release itself from. Yoga aims at suspension of both this (attention or) concentration or expectancy - neurosis and exhaustion - neurosis, or relaxation.
They instruct not only steadiness of posture, but also moral training of neither enjoying too much nor attachment to anything too much good or bad as ordinarily conceived in the meaning of pleasurable. Their instruction thus consists of Vairagya, freedom from attachment and nirodha, control of mental activities which lead to attachment.
That the Yogi seeks mere automatisms is pure conjecture on the part of Mr. Leuba. Indeed the very reverse is the case. He seeks consciousness rather than unconsciousness; he seeks not habitual reactions but intelligent and consciously willed or supra - consciously directed actions; he seeks not mere continuity of this quiescence of uniformity, dull, wooden, and binding but seeks full peace, harmony and the Bliss of dynamic attainment of reality. That Mr. Leuba should have styled the methods of Yoga as similar to the savage practices of stimulation only shows the terrible misinterpretation of the real Yoga. Even the Yoga sutras do not take the highest state to consist of intoxication. A study of caitanya and all Bhakti Yogins does reveal the psychic intoxication, which Mr. Leuba says corresponds to the Savages - cult. But the Raja Yogin is not one who is very much anxious to have intoxication that unbalances; rather he prefers the complete mastery of the self and its forces.
Truly it must be said that what Yoga aims is to "conquer oneself", Whilst the aim of Vedanta is to "know oneself". In synthesizing the two ideas of Yoga of the Upanishads is justifying its true character of integral harmony. This is perfect Yoga , not mere ecstatic conversions, nor mere prayer that makes for partial stimulations , partial alterations and partial fulfillments in union. It is not reduction of mental activity, but it is the transcendence of