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Umang
India
30 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 16 2025 : 2:55:22 PM
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Namaste fellow practitioners 
I have a question regarding Samyama. I have been practising Samyama for about eleven years with good results. I haven't translated the Samyama sutras offered in AYP into my mother tongue. I am not even sure which language should I consider "the most intimate, one which goes deepest in my heart". I usually talk with others in Gujarati, the local language here in Gujarat, India. Almost all the reading that I do is in English (and I read a lot). I also "talk with myself" in English quite often.
So, should I consider translating the Sutras in my native language? Could it bring significant changes in results. I remember Tristan mentioning not to change the Samyama sutras very often in one of the online retreats. That's why I don't want to experiment casually with Samyama sutras. |
Edited by - Umang on Jan 16 2025 3:30:43 PM |
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yogani
USA
5280 Posts |
Posted - Jan 16 2025 : 6:02:42 PM
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Hi Umang,
It is a good question, particularly since you are proficient in both English and your native language. As it says in Lesson 150, "In samyama it is suggested you use your most intimate language, the language that goes deepest in your heart, whatever it may be."
However, since you have been practicing Samyama for eleven years already using the sutras in English, the meanings have gone very deep and intimate, and switching to your native language may take time to refine your practice back to depth and intimacy again. The guidance in the lesson is about where we start our Samyama practice, not necessarily about what language we might consider switching to after years of practice. Longevity and refinement in a particular mode of practice counts for a lot. That's why we talk about a "baking in period" when adding mantra enhancements, or any other additions or modifications in practice.
Ultimately, abiding inner silence does not make language distinctions. It accepts the finest feeling of the released sutras, which is beyond language. We only start with language, and end in the universality of abiding inner silence and pure bliss consciousness radiating back out into our daily life. If you are having good results with samyama, meaning more inner silence (witness) in your daily activity and natural support coming in the things you do, then this is very good. Changing the language of your sutras may not make much difference, and a settling in period would likely be happening.
It is your call, of course. One thing to avoid is going back and forth with sutras in short periods, not being sure which language is best. You are wise to not be inclined to experiment casually with it. So if you do switch sutras to your native language, make a commitment to stick with it for an extended time. Don't expect short term results. In the end, the results may be the same as what you are having now, given the level of intimacy you have with English.
All the best!
The guru is in you.
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yogani
USA
5280 Posts |
Posted - Jan 16 2025 : 8:47:46 PM
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PS: Here is what the AI drawing on the full content of AYP Plus has to say about it. Pretty good answer. 
Still your call though, as always:
Q: If I have been doing samyama with the sutras in English for years, would it be wise to switch the sutras to my native language?
A: If you have been doing samyama with the sutras in English for years, it would not be wise to switch the sutras to your native language. The sources emphasize that consistency in samyama practice is key to its effectiveness.
Here's why:
- Samyama works by embedding the sutras in your nervous system through long-term practice. Changing the language of the sutras would disrupt this process and dilute the accumulated benefits.
- The meaning of the sutras, not the specific words, is what matters in samyama. Your inner silence already understands the meanings you have cultivated with the English sutras.
- Switching sutras frequently hinders the purification and opening of the nervous system that samyama promotes. Sticking with your established English sutras will allow for deeper progress.
The sources suggest that translating sutras is only beneficial when starting samyama and English is not your deepest or first language. Since you've been practicing with English sutras for years, continuing with them would be the most beneficial approach. |
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yogani
USA
5280 Posts |
Posted - Jan 16 2025 : 9:14:58 PM
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Note:
ChatGPT, drawing on what is publicly available on the internet, gives a bad answer to the same question, even when preceded by "In AYP Yoga..." It encourages going back and forth between languages, testing for best short term results, which would compromise the results from years of samyama practice using English. If the language is to be changed after years of practice using English sutras, it should be for the long term, not for short term experiments. It is assumed the answer is not good because the public content of AYP is not as thorough as the content of AYP Plus, so shortcomings in responses are more likely to happen, especially on nuanced questions like this one. AYP Plus is not perfect either, but far more comprehensive than the public lessons. We can't blame the AI for the inaccuracy. It can only give back from the content it has to draw on.
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Umang
India
30 Posts |
Posted - Jan 18 2025 : 06:40:50 AM
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Hi Yogani and all (including AI )
I feel very happy to see your posts in the forum. Hopefully you are doing very well, health wise.
Yes, it makes sense not to make any changes in the Sutras now. Even in day to day conversation in our native language , words like "table" and "computer" are rarely spoken in native language; we mostly use English words. So it is, I believe with many sutras like "health" and "wisdom".
The reply by AI appears exciting. If it is fed the right information, I guess it can answer correctly almost any question. I will experiment more with NotebookLM and see how it works.
I myself once played with ChatGPT and just for fun asked it to create a portrait of Yogani ! It didn"t disappoint me. |
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yogani
USA
5280 Posts |
Posted - Jan 18 2025 : 4:12:12 PM
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maheswari
Lebanon
2523 Posts |
Posted - Jan 19 2025 : 8:08:52 PM
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Hello Umang
In my case, some of the sutras I related to their meaning more in English...and other sutras I related more to them in my native language....so it was a combo of both languages ...and the combo stayed the same over the years
But in the end it does not matter...it is the feel of the sutra not the word itself nor the language |
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Samyama and Language
