The Taco Cat – Kept Knowledge

Reading Summary: The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

Pages 42–47 | April 14, 2025

The Essential Yoga Texts for Spiritual Enlightenment

Actual text translation.

1. “Om” – Your Cosmic Reset

• Reactivates internal habits of peace.

• Clears mental clutter and reconnects you to your inner state.

• Chanting “Om” purifies thoughts and brings you into alignment.

Source: Sutra 28–29: “The repetition of this (Om) and meditating on its meaning is the way.”

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2. The Company You Keep

• Avoid negativity, as it reopens emotional wounds.

• Embrace positivity, which helps latent goodness rise.

• Keeping good company brings clarity and spiritual progress.

“Good company will call out the good impressions… Evil company will reopen scars of old wounds.” (Sutra 28)

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3. Repetition and Introspection

• Repeating “Om” deepens self-awareness.

• Helps eliminate mental and physical obstacles.

• Develops clarity and personal insight.

“The introspective power will manifest more and more… obstacles will begin to vanish.” (Sutra 29)

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4. Obstacles to Spiritual Growth

Sutra 30 & 31 — obstacle list + symptoms

• Disease – Prioritize your health.

• Mental laziness – Stay mentally engaged.

• Doubt – Trust your path.

• Lack of enthusiasm – Rediscover passion.

• Lethargy – Seek vitality.

• Clinging to pleasure – Detach from sensory cravings.

• False perception – Ground yourself in truth.

• Non-attainment – Persist with patience.

• Falling away – Maintain consistency.

• Emotional/mental distress – Be aware of internal signals (shaking, irregular breath, tremor of body).

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5. Endure Growing Pains

• Mental and physical discomfort is a natural sign of growth.

• Breathe through challenges to transform suffering into power.

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6. Singular Focus

• Focus on one spiritual practice at a time.

• Simplicity = spiritual potency.

“Making the mind take the form of one object… will destroy these obstacles.” (Sutra 32)

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7. Interpersonal Wisdom

From Sutra 33 — How to respond to different natures

Person’s Nature: Recommended Reaction

Happy: Celebrate

Miserable: Show Compassion

Good: Be Friendly

Evil: Stay Indifferent

“Friendship, mercy, gladness and indifference… will respectively pacify the thinking.”

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8. Energy and Breath (Prana)

“By throwing out and restraining the breath…” (Sutra 34)

• Prana = Universal Life Force, not just breath.

• Mastering breathwork gives control over your energy and mind.

• Redirect suppressed anger or pain into higher powers.

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Final Integration: “OHM-ing” Practice

• “Om” reconnects you to spiritual clarity and strength.

• Single-task your energy: where attention goes, energy flows.

• Positivity strengthens; negativity transforms when consciously processed.

• Control your energy = control your life.