Calming the Restless Mind

The mind is a storehouse of desires, thoughts, and emotions. The thought waves or Vrittis,

form impressions or grooves in the mind. Every time a thought is repeated, impressions become

deeper and it becomes difficult to remove them. The thought waves are like a record player that

goes on and on, moving from one thought to another, from the present to past and surface as pleasant

or unpleasant memories. Pleasant and selfless thoughts bring peace and joy, while unpleasant, selfish

thoughts bring pain and misery.

The mind is the desiring or pleasure-seeking part. Citta-mind, is the subconscious part, storing

past experiences. Buddhi-mind is the intellectual part, that is connected to the consciousness providing

knowledge of good and bad, intuition, and wisdom. Ahamkara-mind is the false mind or ego, which is

an embodiment of pride, anger, hatred, greed, jealousy, and fear. These negative emotions project negative

energies and destroy the inner balance. If you learn to control your ego and negative emotions, your mind

will become strong, there will be more clarity and you can solve many problems with ease.

The deep impressions formed in the mind by thought waves from the past are called Samskaras. These

are accumulated deep-rooted impressions or habit patterns in consciousness. Through Svadhyaya or

self-study of thoughts, feelings, emotions, and actions, and through Samyama or deep sustained focus, we

can transform the old habit patterns that harm and cultivate good Samskaras and live happily.

Sage Patanjali’s ‘Yoga Sutras’ provide practical and scientific solutions to awaken and direct the mind

to the right path. ‘Yoga Sutras’ is a bible of 196 aphorisms, hidden with profound meanings. Many saints

have given their commentary on yoga sutras for everyone to understand and practice in their lives.

Tips from Sage Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras

▪ With dedicated, regular practice of Asanas,

Pranayama and Dhyana, the powerful cleansing

tools of Yoga, you can control ego and calm the

restless mind.

▪ Through Abhyasa or constant practice and

Vairagya or dispassion or non-attachment, to

worldly things and pleasures, seen or heard, you

can control the ego and calm the restless mind.

▪ Cultivate Pratipaksha Bhavanam or opposite

emotions to calm your mind. When you have

anger or hatred replace them with compassion

and love.

▪ Great obstacles of peace are Avidya or ignorance,

Asmita or egoism, Raga or attachment /attraction

to worldly pleasures, Dvesha or hatred, Abivinesah

or fear of death or desire to live.

▪ CultivateMaitri or friendliness with happy people,

Karuna or compassion with sad people, Mudita

or delight with virtuous people, Upekshanam or

disregard towards wicked people. You can easily

control ego and calm the restless mind.

▪ Dedicated and long duration practice of Pranayama

along with Kumbhaka will control ego, the senses

and calm the restless mind.