What is the mind?
Our mind is the origin and collection of our thoughts, attachments, assumptions, prejudices, emotions and addictions. Since these factors vary from person to person, it’s natural that different people will have unique mindsets which cause them to think and react differently.
How is it formed?
The mind is the connection between our consciousness and the outer world and is formed from the first interaction of the senses with the physical world. Our sensory organs like the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin sense the external world. Then, a thought is formed by our thinking mind.
How does it work?
After this, perceptions are created and we then analyse them on the basis of why, how, when, and where. Based on this, assumptions are made and we form a feeling of like or dislike leading to a creation of a memory by the analysing mind. The choices then made based on the analysis is the function of our intellect or decision-making mind.
Your choices lead to your actions and the cycle goes on. With the repetition of these thoughts and actions, they become stronger, habitual and patterns are formed. These habits form the basis of your mind and your daily life. The more the mind interacts with the outer world, the more patterns and desires are created.
How does it cause misery?
We spend our lives in our minds anxiously chasing these desires. We experience fleeting happiness when we obtain the object of our desire and experience sorrow when not achieved. Even after fulfilling a desire, new desires are constantly being generated by the mind leading to a vicious cycle.
To add to this, our mind doesn’t let us see reality for what it truly is. Since our minds are moulded by our individual experiences and highly subjective, we perceive events from the narrow lens of our individual mindset. We fail to see the bigger picture and lose perspective on what truly matters.
How can yoga help?
The great yogis of the past have delved into the mind and decoded its inner workings and mysteries. They realized the potential it has to cause misery in one’s life and developed spiritual practices to tame the mind. In fact, bringing the mind under control and purifying it is seen as the first step towards achieving lasting happiness, contentment and even enlightenment. This can be achieved via yoga asanas (physical yoga), pranayama (meditation) or through knowledge. Of course, practising all three methods simultaneously yields faster results.
How can Vigyan Yoga help?
At Vigyan Yoga, we can help you in your chosen path. We offer yoga, meditation and in-depth yogic theory classes right from the comfort and safety of your home through our e-learning platform. We also organize regular yoga retreats for a full-fledged experience of the yogic life under the guidance of our Guru and co-founder Acharya Kaushal Kumar and his disciple and co-founder Jai Singhania.
Recommended Courses: Meditation, Yoga & Pranayama