Understanding our Mind and Vrttis – Vanessa Graham

The scriptures point to the importance of getting to ‘know yourself’ and what better way to understand than studying our thinking. At the very beginning of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, verse two it states “Yogas citta vrtti nirodhah”. Yoga is the connection with the inner rest behind the movements in conscious awareness. It is also translated as restraint of the modifications of the mind.
Before you can bring the vrttis under control, you first need to understand how your mind works.

We can do this by turning our attention inward and observing our mind for ourselves. Unfortunately today’s usage of the word ‘mind’ covers all our thinking; past, present and future, which is not helpful to understanding it. Patanjali gives a clear explanation of what our ‘mind’ consists. There is the background awareness, which in the beginning can be seen as our own personal awareness (citta) and this is fuelled by the Absolute Awareness (the Cit). It is pure, unchanging and not coloured by anything, yet contains all. The citta is the background out of which all ‘mind’ activity arises. It can be useful to envisage it as the silver cinema screen, on which all action is played out. When the film has finished the screen returns to its original blank state, unaffected by those images that have appeared on it. The same happens with our citta, it is unaffected by our mind modifications.

There are three aspects to the citta, our field of awareness. First the manas, which is the desiring lower mind, linked to the senses it runs in habitual grooves. It is necessary for our everyday living but manas can be directed to contact with the Divine. The second aspect is Ahamkara, our individuality or personality (asmita). The I-ness or more commonly called the ego. Finally the third aspect, the buddhi, which can discriminate good from bad and has a higher intelligence to guide our thoughts and behaviour.

Each human being has at its heart a field of citta through which the Absolute Awareness manifests itself. We can connect to this at any time as it is ever present, ever available and never changes.

Part of ‘knowing yourself’ is to know you are this citta, the Divine Consciousness that exits and flows through you. Your body is a vehicle for it to be part of this world and experience it. On a spiritual path you allow it to play through you, just as air passes through a flute and makes beautiful music. At your heart you have this beautiful, pure core; it can be discovered by turning your attention inwards and resting in this space.

In today’s world we turn our attention outwards to external things. Through the media, advertising, commercialism we believe material wealth will buy happiness. Our Ahamkara (I-ness) believes it will feel better if all its desires are fulfilled but desires can be limitless and often when fulfilled they are replaced by another. They are insatiable. The danger comes with self identification of one’s own material goods, identifying your personality with your house, car, holidays, job etc. They become part of who you are, your self esteem hangs on them and when they disappear life can crumble. As with a man who’s job is suddenly made redundant, he becomes lost, or a mother when her son leaves home.

One can live and enjoy the things that come your way but not hold onto them (apari grahah). See them as God given not personal possessions, taking the blessings with gratitude and sharing what you can.

A desire first has to arise as a thought form in your awareness and then you act on it, so it is helpful to watch your thoughts whilst being particularly alert to negative thought patterns. Here our buddhi can be put to good use as it is capable of discriminating what is good or bad for us. It also contains our conscience, our innate ability to know deep inside what is good or not, we can trust it.

We also possess a still, silent, wise witnessing awareness (drastuh) which can observe our thought patterns and subsequent actions. Falling still you can observe your breathing, movements in your body and mind, therefore it is something beyond all these; it is the Consciousness itself flowing through you. The more you practice this turning inwards the more your connection with it develops. This background Ocean of Peace is our true nature and on top of this the movements in the mind get placed (vrttis). Imagine your citta as a calm peaceful lake, when a pebble is dropped in it, it causes ripples or disturbances on its surface. The same happens with thoughts, they cause disturbance in the peace of the citta. The secret is to discern the thoughts that cause ripples and eliminate them. We identify with our vrttis, we are swayed this way and that by them. If someone says something nice to us we feel good about ourselves, if it is bad we feel down. Swings and roundabouts, much better to step back and see what is really happening. Stepping out of your I-ness and connecting to your background awareness of citta. Yoga is this connection to the stillness beyond all thought forms.

In Chapter 2 verse 48 of the Bhagavad Gita it talks about the mind being perturbed by either success or failure, particularly failure which causes waves on our peaceful lake of tranquillity. The solution to this is even mindedness. By maintaining equilibrium in all eventualities spiritual growth is possible.

We have so many different thoughts. Prejudices, likes/dislikes, opinions, beliefs can be traced back to the Ahamkara, the ego. Longings, hopes can be projected to the future. Fears can lurk from the past. How much time is wasted in useless mind chatter? Instead sharpen the buddhi to bring manas and the senses under control, connecting to the Divine directly, thus allowing initiative and creativity to surface. Clearing the mind clutter allows you to react to each person and situation afresh, with no expectations or desires; this gives you freedom to find joy.

To find eternal Peace you need first to understand the mind and its functions in order to go beyond them. You will come to understand you are more than a body and mind, you are the Divine Consciousness that exists. It is an exciting voyage of discovery. If you have any queries or questions please email Vanessa direct on Vanessa@ oshadhimeditation.co.uk