Patanjali... For Better Mental Health
Think better, feel better: insight into Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras for improved mental health.
By Komal Dadlani
Reading time: 8 minutes
Yogas Chitta Vritti Nirodaha (Chapter 1, Sutra Number 2) roughly translates to: yoga is the suspension of the oscillations of the mind. There is a reason why this sutra always makes it to the front cover of every yoga book and tee-shirt — and that is because it depicts yoga for what it really is: a change in consciousness, meaning a change in your thinking. What does it mean for our thinking to change? No more depression, less anxiety? Yes, exactly that. One of the richest insights from Patanjali’s super deep meditation experience is that our emotions, mood and thoughts stem from the energy of our mind and not our soul. This means, that our feelings are objects rather than our true Self — and this raises the question as to whether we can change them. The answer is yes! Patanjali’s teacher, Vyasa, said that there are five different ways in which our mind can shape itself:
Moodha (Depression)
Contrary to common belief, there is a ton of energy when you are feeling low. The only difference to ‘feeling good’ is that your energy is flowing erratically and lacks harmony. Loss of harmony happens as a result of intense sensory stimulation. Think about the last time you went on holiday and overindulged in food, alcohol or loud music (I am talking about doing it every day, all day). Did you return feeling uplifted or tired? Each of our five senses has a dedicated energy channel, or nadi, through which prana (vital force) is expended. Too much of anything will always end up in moodha. The good part is that being energy, you can change it!
Kshipta (Anxiety)
I love to know that every panic attack I have had in my life stems from my energy flow and is not some reaction or illness I am doomed with for life! Similarly to moodha, anxiety, over thinking, fear and lack of clarity also stem from a pattern of the mind. Think about Lake Windemere on a windy day, full of waves. What can you see? Just the waves! It is impossible to see beyond the surface or be intuitive, when your energy is all over the place. You know those times when you have found yourself saying: “I wish I would have said that” or “I wish I hadn’t done this”…all of these behaviours and actions that we thereafter feel unaligned with, stem from a state of kshipta.
Nirodaha (Suspension)
This is total suspension of the of the waves of the lake. Absolute steadiness of your mind-stuff for approximately 28 minutes. There is a lot that happens here, worthy of another write-up!
Vikshipta (Self-Awareness)
This is when it starts getting better. Vikshipta is basically shining a light onto your anxiety or depression, meaning, bringing awareness and attention to it. It is impossible, even for the deepest of wails or fits, to be sustained once you shine awareness onto it. One of my fellow yogis suggested I look at myself in the mirror when consumed by anger (still happens after 15 years of yoga!). Try it out. Really run off to the bathroom when things get heated and take time to look at yourself (close the door so that you are not followed). You’ll buffer up in patience and be less reactive as soon as you bring awareness towards yourself. Self-awareness is the stick shift that allows you to change gears. When you ask a person to pause in the middle of a heated argument and take a deep breath, you are inviting self-awareness; when you ask a crying person to take a deep breath and sip a little tea, you are encouraging self-awareness. Self-awareness (vikshipta) puts the breaks on unruly energy patterns, allowing you to take a step back and shift into the golden state of ekagrata (one pointedness, or presence).
Ekagrata (Presence)
As per the word itself, eka (one) and grata (point), this is a state of one-pointedness, or in other words, being present. It is a sustained state of self-awareness or vikshipta. This is Lake Windemere with no waves, all its water in harmony, being able to respond to life from the depth of itself. Less regret, a translucent surface, focus, forgiveness, resilience, all of the good stuff that lies at the bottom of the lake. In this state, your Self or Soul shines its light upon your consciousness. Even the toughest of circustances feels lighter and you rise above toxicity. Obviously, we all want this state and though us teachers don’t speak about it much, every yoga pose and breathing exercise we walk you through in class is for the purpose of ekagrata (it is not just a stretch!).
“The yoga teacher isn’t going to go inside your head and change your ratio of helpful to unhelpful thoughts. This is really something you need to remain aware of and do for yourself.”
Patanjali’s essential tips
As you can see, your experience of life is reliant on the patterns of your mind. One day you wake up feeling firm, resilient, forgiving and abundant. Still have the same debt, responsibilities or nasty sibling, but your wavelength is different. One of my teachers also says that karma is only a karma if you match its frequency. Never mind what you are going through, if you change the vibration of your mind to one that is higher than the situation, you won’t even feel it. You can be higher than your own karma!
So, what are Patanjali’s key tips to sustain vikshipta (self-awareness) and ekagrata (presence)?
Be picky with your thoughts
Patanjali says we have four of them (thoughts): helpful (pramana), non-helpful (viparyaya); delusion (vikalpa), and memory (smriti).
Everybody knows what is a non-helpful thought. Your colleague walks past you in the morning and compliments you on your outfit. Helpful thought: “Oh! thank you very much” with the mini-boost of satisfaction and getting on with your day. Non helpful: “Do they mean I am usually underdressed …?” ..we all know where that spiral ends.
Higher degrees of self-awareness begin with being self-aware of the quality of your thoughts. Choose those that serve you. They are precious ornaments, just as you would choose an outfit from your wardrobe every morning. You don’t just wear whatever. You dress for the occasion. You must entertain thoughts and re-wire your thinking to dress for life. The yoga teacher isn’t going to go inside your head and change your ratio of helpful to unhelpful thoughts. This is really something you need to remain aware of and do for yourself.
Delusion is an extension of viparyaya and just as unhelpful, but with painful consequences. Here, your imagination runs full blast: “I always compliment everyone on their outfits, how come I have only been told this once…surely, they must be talking about me behind my back…?”…this ends in unjustified resentment towards your colleagues, a row at the team meeting and getting kicked out of your dream-team and project! Self-generated pain and suffering. How to stop this? Cultivating self awareness and choosing thoughts that serve you, rather than being subject to whatever arises in your mind. This further strengthens self-awareness (vikshipta) and presence (ekagrata), paving the way to becoming a helpful-thought-generating machine (grounded in reality and objectivity, of course, which is the basis for pramana).
Memory (smriti) is the recollection of past experiences which can fuel helpful (pramana) or unhelpful (viparyaya) thoughts, depending on your degree of self-awareness. Use memory as a database to make informed decisions or to connect with a loved one for inspiration. Do not indulge in memories that drag you down. This is not suppression, but assertiveness. As per the words of Sage Vashishta to Prince Rama, you must arm yourself with the sharpest of the weapons — the ‘sword of choice’ – as nothing can cut through unhelpful thoughts (viparyaya) more effectively than your decision to.
Feeling better is an active choice that requires 24/7 vigilance over what you choose to think and how these thoughts contribute towards your desired state of being. For example, if you are already grieving from a difficult relationship with your mother, hold back from scrolling through your messages with her (memory smriti), and instead choose to go for a walk (presence - ekagrata) or engage in meaningful service to others.
The power of superimposition
Harness the power of superimposition (pratipaksha bhavana) also known as ‘manifestation’ in our modern age, which Patanjali knew well! The best way to weed out unhelpful thoughts and feelings is to cultivate their opposite. Feel anger towards someone, send them light (literally!). Consumed by insecurity and disbelief, ramp up on confidence and self-acceptance. Speak and act coherently with the feeling you want to cultivate towards the person or situation. It might feel ‘fake’ at the beginning, and you will feel the greedy pull of the old unhelpful thoughts at times, but you must persist and continuously rehearse your new feeling (do abhyasa – practice regularly!), until it prevails.
When practicing pratipaksha-bhavana, put your negative dialogue on a diet: this is not suppressing but weaning and starving unhelpful thoughts. As per the Hatha Yoga Pradīpika, attention and energy are like milk and water when mixed in a cup – a homogenous substance, that cannot be told apart. Wherever your attention goes, there goes your energy. Nourish your thoughts, with the right choice of words and attention. For example, if you are feeling anxious about an upcoming presentation, rather than continuously asserting your insecurities with friends and your self-dialogue, try entertaining self-esteem, pride and direct your energy towards preparing as best as you can.
Cultivate the opposite of the disturbing emotion right after your meditation practice for a few moments or a chosen quiet time. For example, if someone’s success makes you feel like you are missing out or got the bad end of the deal in life, cultivate admiration for that person’s accomplishments and welcome feeling inspired by their achievements, until you feel the vibe to go and make that happen for yourself. Similarly, cultivate faith in the face of anxiety; compassion in the face of hatred. You have to really plough through your thoughts with selectivity.
Seal your lips: your nostrils feed energy (prana) into the wavelengths of your mind. If you breathe from your mouth, you've taken in oxygen, but not prana, wreaking havoc in the lake of your mind. Try setting an alarm clock a few times per day to check on your breath. In 15 years of teaching yoga full time, I have evidenced a large portion of depressive and anxious states being corrected by favouring nostril breathing, including my own.
Mantra therapy (Likhita Japa)
This is the ultimate energy-shifting tool that can promote harmonious patterns and weed out unhelpful thoughts, including the ones you are not aware of. Mantras are like medicine for the mind, but in the form of sound, and are a reliable tool whose benefit can be felt regardless of whether you can properly concentrate or not. Grab a piece of paper, centre yourself and start writing one of these powerful sentences with complete dedication for five minutes straight. You will immediately notice a difference.
Soham — Evokes feelings of being centred and calm.
Om Hrim Mahā Laxmiyē Namahā — Elicits the experience of being upheld and nourished by maternal love.
Om Namō Narāyanāya — Awakens contentment, satiety and a sense of belonging.
Aum (Om) — This is a nirguna mantra, meaning it has no attribute, but is universally known for its power to promote presence (ekagrata).
Connect with Komal Dadlani @komi_yogi If you would like to understand more about mantras, how and which ones to practice, the author has two courses on the subject which can be viewed on demand at: omstars.com
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