The importance of the subtle in Yoga

Dawn & dusk, the subtle merging of duality.
by
Kamini Bobde


Our universe is a beautiful dance of dualities. Night and day, pain and pleasure, joy and sorrow, positive-negative and so on and so forth. One of the least realised opposites is the gross and the subtle. This is so because the gross leaves very little room for the subtle to be realised or experienced. The gross is finite whereas the subtle is gateway to limitless possibilities. That which is subtle is the basis of all existence in the universe.

But, the beauty of this duality is that it comes to rest at the centre, when the dualities merge and emerge anew in a different form.

The merging is not as gross and obvious as the duality. It is subtle. It is the junction between the gross world and the subtle nether world.

Let us trace this subtle as it plays out everyday around and within us, balancing itself between the two extremes of duality.

Day and night:
One of the daily dramas of this merging of duality into each other happens every day at dawn at the macro and micro level. Light and darkness, day and night are part of the duality of this universe. But, at dawn, darkness dissolves into light and night into day. In that moment of dissolution of the opposites into each other, it is as if all things come to rest without the pull of the opposites. Therefore, there is a certain peace, calm and serenity in the wee hours. It is in the cosmos and within us in our cells and our whole body system.

Therefore, our seers said that the best time to meditate is at dawn. It is the time when the duality of the gross, settles at the centre and becomes subtle.


Breath and Prana: 
Breath is gross. You can feel and smell it. Prana is subtle. You can neither smell nor feel it. Yet, both are intermingled. Prana enters your body riding on the breath. When you are excited, angry or exhausted, your breathing becomes  gross, more pronounced than normal. When you are calm, relaxed, thoughtless, your breathing becomes quiet, slow, almost imperceptible. Meditation is a state where these two come to rest at the centre. The gross breath becomes quiet enough for you to feel, connect with the prana, the subtle.

Sleep and Wakefulness:
Yet, another example is sleep and wakefulness. Wakefulness is gross state of consciousness. Both breath and thoughts are active. Sleep is gross state of unconsciousness when breath is active but mind is at rest, no thoughts. The subtle is a state in-between when you are awake, conscious, but there are no thoughts, the breath is quiescent. This state is the meditative state. The doorway to Bliss, Turiya.

The subtle also makes us aware of that which is the power behind the gross. This is very well bought out in the Kenopanishad, Part 1. It talks about the subtle which powers everything, but we know not.

Kenopanishad:
Sutra 4: Yadvaahaanabhyuditam Yena Vaagabhyudyate: Tadeva Brahma Tvam Vidhi Nedam Yadidamupaasate.

That by which is not uttered by speech, but which enlightens the speech, that alone is Brahman, not that which people worship.

Sutra 5: Yanmanasaa Na Manute Yenaahurmano Matam: Tadev Brahma Tvam Vidhi Nedam Yadidamupaasate.

That by which one cannot think with the mind, but by which they say, the mind is made to think is Brahman, and not that which people worship.

Sutra 6: Yachchakshushaa Na Pashyati Yena Chakshoomshi Pasyati: Tadeva Brahma Tvam Vidhi Nedam Yadidamupaaste.

That by which one cannot see with the eyes, but by which the eyes are enabled to see, know that alone to be Brahman and not that which people worship.

Sutra 7: Yachchhrotrena Na Shrinoti Yena Shrotramidam Shrutam: Tadeva Brahma Tvam Vidhi Nedam Yadidamupaasate.

That by which one cannot hear with the ears, but by which the ears are made to hear, know that alone to be Brahman and not that which people worship.

Sutra 8: Yat praanema Na Praaniti Yena Praanah Praneeyate: Tadeva Brahma Tvam Vidhi Nedam Yadidamupaasate. 

That which one cannot smell with the nose, but which directs the nose to the object of smell, know that alone to be Brahman, and not that which people worship.

( The sutras and their translations taken from, Nine Principal Upanishads, from the teachings of Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Yoga Publication Trust, Munger, Bihar).