Yoga Sutra Reflections Session 7: Chitta and Nirodhah

Integrating Ancient Wisdom in Modern Life: Life Is Not Stagnant

1. Tam, Raj, and Sat – All three gunas are always present in all beings and objects surrounding us but vary in their relative amounts. We can transcend our gunas. By not being judgemental for anything as we have the inborn capacity to transcend everything.
2. Tam is a state of inertia, fear and confusion. Raj is a state of passion and movement. Sat is a state of balance and direction.
3. As human beings we have the ability to transcend all gunas and attain self-knowledge.
4. If we start to focus on Raj and Sat our Tam can be transcended. Balance and direction, through inner wisdom is an attribute of Sat. This attribute of Sat is to be focused on Right Objective, Right Intention and Right Attitude. Attributes of Raj are passion and movement. This attribute of Raj is to be focused on High Effort, High Time and High Focus. When the attribute of Sat and Raj is focused on Right and High our attribute of Tam inertia, fear and confusion will transcend from self-identity to self-knowledge.
5. Now to transcend Raj, attribute of Sat to be focused on Right Effort, Right Focus and Balance Time. With this, the attributes of Raj will transcend from self-knowledge to self-awareness.
6. Now we even need to transcend Sat. Because life is not stagnant. We can transcend Sat by watching self without any interference, with Restrain Mind. By transcending Sat attribute we transcend self-awareness to self-realisation.
7. Our fluctuating mind is a combination of Mann, buddhi, chitta and ahamkara. Which will distract us from facts and reality. We become unconscious of ourselves and start reacting instead of responding.
8. If we bring our focus on facts and reality we will understand that we are playing our role. Immediately we will be creating distance from the circumstances, people and from our role/identity. This distance will help us to restrain our mind and act with awareness. With this awareness we will have the courage to act through our wisdom. To transcend our identity to an individual.

Tags: Patanjali Yoga Sutra