This episode will explore how yoga defines the mind and provide you with information to help you believe that you can manage the mind.

To do this

• Understand our thought patterns called samskaras
• Develop and focus our awareness
• Observe where our response is coming from – the root of the pattern
• Use yoga techniques such as meditation, yoga nidra, breathing techniques, slow & mindful asanas
• Practice, practice, practice

What are samskaras?

• A conditioned and automatic way of responding to the events of life around us, eg. anger, guilt or indecisiveness
• Subconscious process
• Samskaras decide your thoughts, behavior, pattern of perception, understanding, expression, reaction, everything
• Sum of our samskaras make up our personality, and we even define a person’s personality based on them – He’s an angry person, she’s indecisive
• We need to know about samskaras to understand some of the fundamental, underpinning concepts about yoga

Yoga Sutras

1. Yoga is to be understood as a form of discipline
   1. My guru says it means “to tame the wild nature of the mind”
2. Yoga is defined as stopping the pattern of the mind. Enlightenment, not for most of us. Rather it is a system of mind management where the subconscious patterns that continue to keep us stuck doing the same old things the same old way are stopped.
3. Once the mind is managed, a person becomes the “seer” established in his or her own true nature - meaning that you can access your higher self, your more intuitive wisdom and be less influenced by the dramas of life. You will have the space needed to do that.
4. If this is not practiced, one continually assumes the form of the patterns and they continue without change and keep getting sucked into those dramas

Consideration in Understanding the mind

• The mind is so preoccupied with thoughts about the past, the future, or some imaginary problem that we usually leave the day-to-day, moment-to-moment tasks to the subconscious.
• This becomes habitual.
• When the conscious mind is busy, we do not observe our own programmed subconscious behaviors.
• 95% of our decisions, actions, emotions, and behaviors are derived from the unobserved processing of the subconscious mind.
• Being unaware of our subconscious behaviors, we often perceive ourselves as being influenced only by external forces or see ourselves as victims of these circumstances.
• As victims we may fell that we are powerless to manifest our best intentions.
• Most powerful and influential programs in the subconscious mind are the ones that were recorded first during the formative period of our lives up to age six.
• Much of what we learned as a child, was based on misperceptions that may now be expressed as limiting beliefs.
• This keeps a lot of us from maximizing our potential.
• It has been estimated that over 40 million nerve impulses per second are interpreted by the subconscious mind.
• The prefontal cortex (the self-conscious mind) only processes about 40 nerve impulses per second.
• Subconscious mind 40 million – conscious mind 40?
• This means the subconscious mind is a million times more functional or powerful than the self-conscious mind.
• No wonder we “think” we are going to change, but then don’t.
• Additionally, psychologists estimate 70% of our thoughts are negative and redundant. Think about that one!

Now, by combining this information with yoga psychology, we will have a better understanding of how yoga can help us.

Sanskrit

Antar Karana – Inner Instrument

Manas

• Thinking mind, responds to sensory input for survival
• Measuring and judgemental
• Relates to thought and counter-thought
• Changes from moment to moment
• Continuously engaged with other parts of the mind

Ahamkara

• The sense of “I - ness”
• Ego as protector

Chitta

• consciousness
• The storehouse of past experiences
• Memory
• Substratum of mind and mental power

Buddhi

• ‘To know’
• True discernment, awareness and understanding – at higher levels
• Intellect & rational thought – at lower levels

Here’s an example of how these parts work together. You walk into the kitchen and find a chocolate cake on your counter -

• Manas: That round thing smells of chocolate
• Chitta: I remember, it’s cake!
• Ahamkara: “I” like cake
• Manas: I want cake, but cake is fattening, but it smells so good, a little piece won’t hurt, I haven’t had chocolate all week, etc.
• Buddhi: Is eating cake really the best thing to do right now?

Buddhi decides Yes or No

• Decides based on its strength from the input it receives
• If buddhi is influenced to act due to the continuous input of manas & ahamkara?
  • The senses are always attended to without awareness
  • The ego/I-ness is habituated into getting whatever it wants
• Then budhhi will use rational thought and decide a small piece is OK.
• If buddhi is influenced to connect with our inner sense of knowing based on strength of discernment and a better understanding of what our actions yield over time
  • Has arisen by developing a depth of awareness
  • A release of old patterns through mindfulness
  • Having space to act rather than react
• Then buddhi will help us realize that cake is not leaving the planet and your desire for sugar is not necessary

Must practice mindfulness techniques such as meditation, yoga nidra, breathing practices.

Why Practice?

To purify the subconscious mind.

• In life, we accept positive thoughts & allow them to be expressed.
• Negative thoughts & feelings are pushed down into those subconscious layers of mind, adding to our samaskaras. Those patterns that keep us stuck.
• Vast accumulation of suppressed thoughts create tension, stress, chronic pain & unhappiness in life.

As we begin to practice yoga mindfully and cultivate our awareness there are many benefits that will be realized.

• Learn to witness the thoughts without reacting to them
• Allows subconscious thoughts and emotions to slowly be confronted and released in a therapeutic manner.
• Increases our resistance to external disturbances
• Mind becomes more tranquil and focused
• We can become more proactive and live with intentions. We become healthier, both physically and mentally

Please note that there are several practice episodes in Season One that can help you get started.