# Class Two - How to Practice Answer Key, Class Two **1) What is the name of the text by the yogi Goraksha which is found in the Tengyur collection of Sanskrit classics in Tibetan translation?  What is revealed about the name of the author in the opening lines of the work?** The work is called Advices on Meditating upon the Ultimate Nature of the Winds; in Sanskrit, Vayu Tattvam Bhavanopadesha.  Master Goraksha’s name literally means the cowherd; in the opening lines of his text, he indicates that he is tending the wandering cows of his right and left channels—the channels of the sun and moon—so that he can gather them into the middle channel, called Rahula: the dark planet which devours sun or moon during an eclipse.  He says that he himself is Rahula, and that it is amazing how he can devour the sun and moon: the ultimate goal of ha-tha yoga. **2) Master Swatmarama says that “the yoga of sun and moon is the best place of shelter.”  Explain the meaning of this shelter in our own yoga practice.** Yogi Swatmarama is introducing the idea of renunciation: that the most basic motivation for us to begin the practice of physical yoga is to defeat the pain of simply living: of staying here “seared by the heat of this life’s pain.”  Already we have a higher reason to practice yoga. **3) Give the famed Sanskrit word for a yogi’s retreat cottage; say something about its root and related English words; and then explain the metaphor and the pun that Master Swatmarama uses for comparing it to a foundation.** Master Swatmarama compares the physical yoga of hatha yoga to a classical yogi’s retreat cottage, or matha mQ.  This word is probably related to the word madhya, or middle, with the sense of staying enclosed for deep yoga practice.  Related English words are middle and medium. Our practice of physical yoga is compared to our home base, our meditation hut, which acts as a foundation or springboard for our later practice of deep meditation and work to see emptiness, in royal yoga.  Here in our hut we are meant to yogaukta: to yoke (Skt root √yuj) ourselves to our practice of yoga (same root). **4) Master Swatmarama says that “the practice of hatha yoga is something that should be kept hidden completely from others by any yogin who hopes to attain high spiritual goals”; and that “this practice is powerful when it is hidden, but loses its power when it is revealed.”  Why has the practice of yoga always been considered secret?  And how does this reflect on our own responsibility as yoga teachers?** The practices of yoga were designed to move tremendous amounts of prana, or sort of an “inner electricity,” throughout the spiritual channels of the body.  If done improperly, or with anything but a very pure motivation, yoga can seriously damage body and mind.  This can lead to giving up a high spiritual practice, which in itself is a very bad karma. Keeping the yoga practices secret assured that a disciple would only be practicing them under the personal guidance of a Master.  There is also an element of “self-secrecy” to yoga, meaning that its most subtle level is revealed only to those who have the patience and commitment to practice it regularly and deeply.  When we irresponsibly reveal yogic practices to another person, the negative karma we collect reduces the power of the practice. Yoga teachers have a solemn responsibility to assure that whatever practices they teach their students should not in any way harm them.  Which means that we have a responsibility to learn and practice them well ourselves, before we go on to reveal them to others. **5) What are six considerations that Master Swatmarama advises us to keep in mind when we are choosing the location of our yoga retreat cottage? ** He says that (1) we should be practicing in a place where this is allowed by the local authorities; (2) in a general and immediate culture which encourages this sort of endeavor; (3) where we will not have any problem obtaining food and similar supplies; (4) where we are safe from dangers such as wild animals or thieves; (5) in a place whose size is modest but still comfortable; and (6) where we are safe from natural dangers, such as falling rock, flooding, or fire. **6) Give the Sanskrit word that Master Swatmarama uses to describe a place “where food and other supplies are easily obtained”; state its roots, related English words, and explain its implications for our practice.** Master Swatmarama here uses the Sanskrit word subhiksha suiÉ.  Su means good, and comes from the Indo-European esu, of the same meaning.  Related English words are euphemism and eurhythmics.  Bhiksha comes from a root √bhaj Éj! , meaning to divide or share.  Related words are bite, bit, and fission, through the Indo-European √bheid; as well as Bhagavad Gita: the Song of the Lord, or literally “the one with the lion’s share of goodness.” Another related word is the Sanskrit term for a Buddhist monk: a bhikshu, which literally means “one who begs for their food.”  The point is that in embarking upon our yogic practice we must be willing to live simply, without the distraction of many possessions, and to put up with any associated hardship in our financial situation, in order to attain the time required for our practice. **7) Describe some of the qualities of the perfect retreat cottage, according to the yogi Swatmarama, and speak a bit about why each one is useful. ** He says that the retreat cottage should be modest, meaning that we don’t have a big place to think about, keep clean, and heat: anything that would become a “possession” to distract our minds.  It should have no windows that will distract us as we look out, or which could allow insects likes flies, a serious obstacle to meditation.  There should be no cracks or holes that would allow in distracting drafts or critters such as mice. Careful thought should be given to the height of the ceiling: too low will induce a feeling of claustrophobia, while too high is difficult to heat.  The place should be kept clean and fresh, a Zen-like simplicity, free of clutter or possessions.  Applying some kind of antiseptic (cow dung was the antiseptic of choice in olden times) keeps out pests; and it prevents the build-up of dust, and associated problems with breathing during meditation and yoga.   We must be careful to keep out pests like insects or mice, which seriously disturb meditation.  There should be a covered porch outside, protected from sun or rain, where we can sit and watch the sky or stars, to prevent inner wind disorders.  There should be a good source of clean water, our most important “food.”  The immediate grounds should be pleasing and calming to the eye and mind, and we should have a high fence to keep out human and other visitors, as well as to prevent us from distraction. **8) What does going into retreat have to do with practicing the physical form of yoga?** Although we can make great progress in our yoga practice by a regular daily practice in our normal life, extraordinary progress can be made by going into even brief solitary retreats.  Now we have time to try all the practices found in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika; we can dedicate all our attention to our practice.  And if we learn to go into even longer retreats, we reach levels of yoga and deep meditation which are impossible otherwise. **9) Master Swatmarama says that, when we go into deep practice, we should “give up all thoughts.”  What are three senses of this advice?  Give also the Sanskrit for thoughts here; its root; and some related words.** In retreat, we are typically distracted by three broad kinds of undesirable thoughts: (1) thinking about things on the outside, wishing we were there, wondering what’s up; and (2) any kind of thought which is not directly related to our current object of practice; and, on a much deeper level, (3) “discursive” thoughts, in which we fail to see emptiness.  The advice is not, of course, to stop thinking altogether: we want to develop an ultimate level of thinking, filled with knowledge and compassion. The Sanskrit word for “thought” here is chinta icNta, which comes from the root √cit, to perceive or know.  Related words are count and bodhichitta, or the wish to become enlightened for every living being. **10) Swatmarama says that, in our practice, we must “follow the path that our Teacher shows us,” for “this is yoga.”  Explain, including the Sanskrit word for “Teacher” here, and giving its root and related English words.** Simply put, the proper practice of yoga is impossible without being under the personal guidance of a Teacher who is a master of both hatha and raja yoga.  The Sanskrit word for “Teacher” here is guru.  The original meaning of the Sanskrit word is heavy, or weighty; the Indo-European root is √gwerh, meaning heavy, and related words are grave and gravity. **11) List six different conditions which Master Swatmarama says are detrimental to our yoga practice.** The six conditions are (1) excess food or other stimulation; (2) taking trips outside of our retreat cottage area; (3) engaging in meaningless or excessive talk; (4) not keeping our commitments; (5) being around groups of people; and (6) restlessness or inconsistency in our practice. **12) What six conditions does Master Swatmarama say will bring “wild success” in our yoga practice; and which two of these are the most important?** The six things that bring success in our practice are (1) joy in doing the hard work necessary; (2) a firm or commitment to do it, and keeping all our commitments (this being the most important of all, since by so doing we collect the good karma to be successful); (3) consistency in our practice (not working in spurts); (4) seeking to understand suchness (another of the most important elements, since by understanding our reality we can change it, and transform ourselves into beings of light); (5) steering clear of doubts; and (6) avoiding groups of people.