Patanjali states of mind_2

 Most of the time, mind flows towards the many sensory experiences we have, as well as towards the streams of memories and fantasies. 

The existence of the external world and the memories is not the problem. 

Rather, the pure consciousness mistakenly takes on the identity of those thought patterns. 

In this way, we incorrectly come to think that who we are is one and the same with these thoughts. 

The solution is to separate the seer and the seen

 There are five types of interfering mental impressions that block the realization of the true Self 

1) knowing correctly,

 2) incorrect knowing, 

3) imagination, 

4) deep sleep, and

 5) memory 

learn to witness these five kinds of thoughts with non-attachment (1.15-1.16), discriminate between these five, and to cultivate the first type of thought, which is knowing correctly

These thought patterns may be colored (klishta) or not-colored (aklishta) (1.5). That coloring has to do with ignorance, I-ness, attachments, aversions, and fears (2.3). 

The simple observation of whether thought patterns are colored or not colored is an extremely useful part of the process of purifying, balancing, stabilizing, or calming the mind so that deeper meditation can come.

Next explore and become witness to these five types of thoughts, and 

  allow the coloring to fade (1.16) through the various processes of Yoga meditation

Types of thoughts 

1) real or valid cognition-right knowledge, valid proof, seeing clearly

2)unreal cognition- indiscrimination, perverse cognition, wrong knowledge, misconception, incorrect knowing, not seeing clearly  

eg rope and snake) Mirage

Relationships with people: 

Wrong judgement of situation due to missing information.

The result might be increased egoism, attractions, aversions, or fears.

3) imagination, --

verbal misconception or delusion, fantasy, hallucination

mind often thinks and creats chains of words and images. leading to thoughts or impressions that have no actual reality.

Imagine yourself to be rich wise and beautiful when in reality you are poor stupid ugly

The mind is really taking the current thoughts, rearranging them this or that way, and then fantasizing some new combination as being the future, even though that fantasy is occurring in the present moment.

Avidya (ignorance) is somewhat like making a mistake, in which one thing is confused for another. Four major forms of this are:

Seeing the temporary as eternal: For example, thinking that the earth and moon are permanent, or behaving as if our possessions are permanently ours, forgetting that all of them will go, and that our so-called ownership is only relative.

Mistaking the impure for the pure: For example, believing that our thoughts, emotions, opinions, or motives in relation to ourselves, some other person, or situation are purely good, healthy, and spiritual, when they are actually a mixture of tendencies or inclinations.

Confusing the painful to be pleasureful: For example, in our social, familial, and cultural settings there are many actions that seem pleasure filled in the moment, only later to be found as painful in retrospect.

Thinking the not-self to be the self: For example, we may think of our country, name, body, profession, or deep predispositions to be "who I am," confusing these with who I really am at the deepest level, the level of our eternal Self.

Both large and small scales: As you reflect on these forms of Avidya, you will notice that they apply at both large scales and smaller scales, such as the impermanence of both the planet Earth and the object we hold in our hand. The same breadth applies to the others as well.

We come from a country and think we "are" that country. We say, "I am American," or "I am Indian," etc. We follow a certain path or teacher and say, "I am Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jew, or Muslim." We say, "I am a daughter, son, father, mother, sister or brother; I am the doer of this or that action; I am good or bad, I am happy or sad." Actually, none of these are ultimately "who" I am

4) nvidra = deep sleep 

Unlike ordinary sleep, which is characterized by a lack of awareness, the yogic approach aims to convert sleep into a state of conscious rest by training the mind. The ultimate goal is to achieve an alert awareness that persists through waking, dreaming, and deep sleep states. 

5) memory, remembering

Memory can take on associations: Memory is something with which we are all familiar. Some previously stored impression simply awakens, stirs in the unconscious, and then springs forth into the conscious awareness, having pierced the veil between conscious and unconscious. However, a rising memory often brings along with it many other memories that then get linked in such a way that the original memory is not seen in its pure form. In other words, the memory is being distorted; it is commingled with the other types of thought patterns.

Mere memory is less of a block to meditation: The memory being described here is the pure memory, without having stolen, or had additions from other memories or the creative, fantasizing, hallucinating process of mind. It is quite natural for these thought impressions to rise in the mind field. By discriminating between the types of thoughts, we can see which are simply memories, and which are memories that have become distorted and effectively turned into fantasies, which are vikalpa, described in sutra 1.9. Mere memory is not so disturbing to our natural peace of mind, whereas when associated with all of the other inner process, leads to the troublesome mental process that blocks deep meditation. 

The process of continually seeing ever more clearly brings progress on the path of meditation. This process of seeing clearly, of seeing things as they are, is one of the ways of describing the inner journey, eventually revealing that absolute, unchanging True Self.

klishta -- aklishta

painful -- not painful 

not useful -- useful 

afflicted -- not afflicted

impure -- pure

troubled -- not troubled

negative -- positive

vice -- virtue

away from enlightenment -- towards enlightenment

resulting in bondage -- resulting in freedom