The Value that Factors in Governing Your Mind
Since ancient times, philosophers have discussed the importance of the mind control in governing human life. In our reality, all matter that exists was and is the result of thought, and consciousness. Simply put, if a person thinks of themselves as wealthy, they would acquire wealth. If a person were to think of thoughts about lack, poverty would produce the corresponding effects; like attraction, in the person’s life circumstances. Today, modern science has acknowledged the truth of these findings, through Quantum Theory.
Yoga has specific techniques that deal with the science of mind control. Shankaracharya defined the mind in four different ways as per its functions: manas for the job of resolving and doubting; buddhi for the decision and judgment; Asmita for the consciousness of its individual existence and Chita for remembering the previous experiences.
The Mind is a vast collection of thoughts and traces of past experiences. When you are born, your mind is the collection of samskaras collected over the previous births. Those samskaras, whose fruits have already been enjoyed have been wiped out. But as you grow up, new samskaras are being added continuously due to various acts performed by you from birth to death. This translates into the law of karma, which states that the events one faces in his life are the results of his past activities and his mind at birth contains the samskaras from his previous births.
Yoga recognizes five factors, basic to the mind of every person. They are called kleshas because they are the forefathers of every human misery. They are: avidya which is the false knowledge or ignorance of one’s true self concerning the objects; Asmita or ego feeling since in yoga, body, and soul are two different aspects; raga is the liking of pleasurable experience; dvesha or aversion to pain; abhinivesha or fear of death.
Yoga understands human behavior from the perspective of these five qualities that are assumed to be present in a person since birth and are considered as the impurities of the mind. They make a person unstable and agitated. Yoga is a holistic tool, serving the entire body, and a person’s lived experience, through the way of dhyana, contemplation, and meditation, and pranayama to aid in the cleansing of your mind.
