THE HARMONY OF VIRTUE

HathayogaTHE evolution of man has been upwardsfrom the body to the spirit and there are three stages in his progress.He bases himself upon the body, rises through mind and souland culminates in spirit. And to each stage of his evolution belongcertain kinds of sÀdhanÀ, a particular type of Yoga, a characteristicfulfilment. There was no aeon in man's history, no kalpato use the Indian term, in which the Yoga was withheld fromman, or fulfilment denied to him. But the fulfilment correspondedto his stage of progress, and the Yoga corresponded to thefulfilment. In his earlier development, he was realising himselfin the body and the divinity of the body was his fulfilment. Heis now realising himself in the heart and mind and the divinity ofthe heart and mind will be his culmination. Eventually he willrealise himself in the spirit and the divinity of his true spiritualself will round off his history. Yoga is the realisation of one'scapacity of harmony, communion or unity with God. Whateverreligious standpoint, creed or philosophy one adopts, Yoga ispossible as long as God's existence or omnipresence is admitted,whether it be as a Personality, a Force or a Condition ofThings. The infinite in some form or idea must be admitted.To be in tune with the Infinite, that is harmony. To be in touchwith the Infinite that is communion. To be one in kind, extentor self-realisation with the Infinite, that is unity. But fulfilmentis not possible, unless the “Soham” — “He am I” — is recognizedand practised as the ultimate truth of things. The realisationof God in self with the eye on the body is the fulfilmentof the tamasic or material man; that with the eye on the mindis the fulfilment of the rajasic or psychic man; that with theeye on the spirit is the fulfilment of the sattwic or spiritual man.And each fulfils himself, by rising beyond himself. When thematerial man fulfils the divinity of the body, he does so by risinginto the psychic part and finding his strength in the ahaÚkÀraor the psychic principle of egoism. The psychic man fulfils the