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The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Book 2 - The Steps to Union
33. When thoughts which are contrary to yoga are present there should be the cultivation of their opposite.

The translation by Johnston gives the same idea in very beautiful words and the method is adequately brought out. He says:

"When transgressions hinder, the weight of the imagination should be thrown upon the opposite side."

The entire science of the balancing of the pairs of opposites is given in these two translations, neither one being fully complete without the other. It is often difficult to translate the ancient Sanskrit terms by one word or phrase, for in that language a term will stand for an entire idea and will require several phrases in order to convey the true meaning in the more limited English tongue.

Certain basic concepts are embodied in this sutra and for the sake of clarity might be tabulated as follows:

1. As a man thinketh so is he. That which works out into physical objectivity is always a thought, and according to that thought or idea so will be the form and life-purpose.

2. Thoughts are of two kinds; those tending to form-building, to limitation, to physical plane expression; those tending away from the lower three planes and therefore from the form aspect as we know it in the three worlds, and leading to union (yoga or at-one-ment) with the soul, the Christ aspect. [192]

3. When it is found that the thoughts habitually cultivated are productive of astral and physical reactions and results it must be realized that they are inimical to yoga; they hinder the at-one-ing process.

4. Contrary thoughts to these must then be cultivated; these can be easily ascertained for they will be the direct opposite of the inhibiting thoughts.

5. The cultivation of the thoughts which will tend to yoga and lead a man to a knowledge of his real self and consequent union with that self involves a triple process:

  1. The new thought concept, definitely formulated and found to be contrary to the old thought current, must be ascertained and considered.
  2. The use of the imagination comes next in order to bring the thought into manifestation. This brings in the realm of desire and consequently the astral or emotional body is affected.
  3. Then follows definite visualization of the effect of that which has been thought and imagined, as it will manifest in the physical plane life.

This will be found to generate energy. This means consequently that the etheric body becomes vitalized or energized by the new thought current and certain transformations and reorganizations take place which eventually cause a complete change in the activities of the physical plane man. The constant cultivation of this effects an entire transformation in the threefold lower man, and eventually the truth of the Christian phraseology [193] becomes apparent, "only Christ is seen and heard," only the real or spiritual man can be seen expressing himself through a physical medium, as Christ did through His instrument and disciple, Jesus.
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