Raja Yoga (Swami Vivekananda)

The long-awaited book Raja-Yoga by Swami Vivekananda is a true classic of Yoga and spirituality literature, as it contains several reflections and teachings of the great Swami  about the practices indicated in the Yoga system of Patanjali.
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 It is a new edition of 320 pages, translated and revised by Editora Vedanta, containing the original Sanskrit text of the Yoga Sutras  by Patanjali, with transliteration, translation and  comments by Swami Vivekananda.
 
 320  pages
 Finishing: paperback
 
 Size: 14x21x2cm
 ISBN: 856429506-3
 Paper: 80g pollen
 
 This book contains several reflections by Swami Vivekananda on the practices indicated in Patañjali's Yoga system, as well as a translation of the Yoga-Sūtras followed by commentary. Patanjali was not really the founder or creator of raja-yoga , but he compiled the spiritual practices known to yogis and structured them in his Yoga-Sūtras.
 
 “The philosophy of Yoga proposes a discipline by which the impressions of the mind can first be overcome, and then sublimated; as a consequence, it makes possible a complete transformation of character. Yoga agrees with Freud in stating that the conscious is controlled by the unconscious, but insists on the fact that the mind has an inherent power through which, by restricting itself, it can overcome the unconscious and all its tendencies, arriving at a complete renovation. Thus, the original purity of the mind is restored - a purity that reflects the supreme purity and infinite knowledge of the Self. Ultimately, the Self (Puruṣha) knows its true nature – its complete separation from the phenomenal nature (Prakṛiti) – and attains freedom.”
 
 * * Swami Prabhavananda, in The Spiritual Heritage of India, chap. 12 - The Yoga System of Patanjali, Vedanta Press, California
 
 EXCERPTS FROM THE BOOK
 
 From the Dhyana and Samadhi chapter
 
 “The yogi teaches that the mind itself has a higher state of existence, beyond reason, a superconscious state, and when the mind reaches that higher state, then this knowledge beyond reason comes to the person. A metaphysical and transcendent knowledge reveals itself to such a person.”
 
 “(...) we must transcend our reason, but we must do it scientifically, slowly, by regular practice, and we must reject all superstition. We must study the superconscious state in the same way as we do in any other science. On reason we must build our foundations, we must follow reason as far as it takes us, and when it fails, reason itself will show us the way to the higher plane.”
 
 “(...) these three states – instinct, reason and superconsciousness, or, the unconscious, conscious and superconscious states – belong to one and the same mind. There are not three minds in one man, but one state of mind that evolves for others.” “Experience is the only master we have. We may talk and reflect for a lifetime, but we will not understand a single word of truth until we have experienced it ourselves. ” 
           
 From the introductory chapter
 
 “Man wants the truth, he wants to experience the truth for himself; when you have understood, realized, felt this truth in the depths of your heart, only then, declare the Vedas, will all doubts disappear, all darkness will be dispelled, and all that is crooked will be straightened.” O children of immortality, even you who inhabit the highest spheres, the way has been found: there is a way out of all this darkness, and that way out is to realize That which is beyond all darkness: there is no other way. the science of  raja yoga  proposes to present to humanity a practical and scientifically structured method for achieving this truth.” “Knowledge of the mind, of the inner nature of man and of thought, can never be obtained without first having the power to observe the facts that are taking place within.
 
 (...) The science of  raja-yoga , in the first place, proposes to give us such means for the observation of inner states. The instrument is the mind itself.
 
 (...) There is only one method for achieving this knowledge, and that is concentration.”