I heard back from Chip Hartranft who translated the yoga sutras. Here' what I wrote him and what he said

Dear Arlington Center,
I wanted to ask Chip Hartranft about the practice of the yoga sutras. I want to be able to practice dharana, dhyana, and samadhi. I want insights about the universe by meditating on the sun. I want to eradicate hunger and thirst by meditating on the pit of the throat. I want to attain the perspective of the perfected ones by meditating on the light at the crown of the head. I want to become luminous by mastering the flow of energy through the solar plexus. I want to master the elements. All these things Chip Hartranft's translation of the yoga sutras says are possible. But I cannot do any of these things. What am I supposed to do from the stage that I am at now to start to develop some of these amazing attainments? Are there some gradual stages of practice that I am capable of doing? I cannot figure out how to meditate properly to get these realizations just from reading books. Is there any advice or blessings that Chip can offer me. When I read the third chapter of the yoga sutras I feel it is as if they are teaching graduate school courses to somoene who doesn't know his alphabet yet. How do I get some realization?

Liam St. John

Dear Liam

Thank you for your note, which was forwarded to me.

The portion of the Yoga-sutra dealing with sh(r)amanic/animal powers is one of the most interesting and misunderstood aspects of the ancient yoga. The shamanic attainments and their place in the spirituality of early South Asian indigenes appears to have preceded liberation yoga - the primary theme of the Yoga-sutra - and co-evolved with it. If David Gordon White is to be believed - and at least in part, I think he might be - the shamanic aspect of the yogin has predominated throughout history, perhaps owing to its precedence but more probably due to the widespread appeal and interest in powers (not to mention the easy profit to be made from their pretense or misuse). That would explain why Patañjali dutifully includes them in his compendium of yogic lore - they are associated with samadhi, even though the powers themselves are not essential to attaining the path.

You see, some - but not all - yogis who develop higher levels of dhyana/jhana often notice some - but not all - of these sorts of powers arising spontaneously. In the Buddha's circle, for example, Maha Moggallana acquired several, while the most insightful of them all, Sariputta, did not.

I don't know if it is possible to say that any given person - say, you - will be gifted in this way, no matter what level of absorption is reached. It is important to realize, though, that the 'extraordinary powers' themselves are not liberating. In fact, the higher forms of concentration that may produce the powers are not enlightening in and of themselves, either. No one awakens to things as they are (yatha-bhutam) in mind & body while ensconced in the form or formless dhyana/jhanas. However, those who develop themselves through 'yoking' and progress to any degree of authentic collectedness (samadhi), even the first stages, will find themselves in the neighborhood of wisdom. Anytime you're in the neighborhood, cessation (nirodha) is a possibility, lying within reach. Just keep letting go...

By the way, the specifics of several of the vibhuti, including the 'pit of the throat' contemplation, have been buried by the shifting sands of time. That's not to say that there aren't a few contemporary teachers who confidently claim they know what the details are, but no one can say for sure what Patañjali meant. One thing is for certain, though - these are not in fact strictly relevant to wisdom. The awakening and liberation that the Yoga-sutra maps and describes involve stilling body and mind until the transparent yet luminous emptiness of awareness reveals itself and its utter freedom from causality.

If you wish to develop insight, and are seeking happiness and freedom rather than power, look for extended meditation retreats without alot of ideology. The best 'yogic' practice being taught these days, especially in the West, is at Buddhist retreat centers like the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, and Spirit Rock in Woodacre, CA. Each is located in a beautiful setting and offers inexpensive retreats ranging from a weekend to IMS's annual three month retreat, taught by the most insightful meditation teachers from the US, Europe, and Asia.

Warm wishes,

Chip