From thinking of the best career option to choosing a job, from deciding between right and wrong to forgetting a traumatic experience; your mind does a lot. By taking the right decisions at the right time it gives your life purpose and meaning.
Unfortunately, doing so much also makes you quite restless. Your mind has a habit of being all over the place and make you follow its rules. But, what if you could reverse this situation and control the mind? It is possible by making yoga a part of your daily routine.
Let us understand how does yoga define the mind.
Mind – According to Yoga
Yoga talks about silencing the mind.
Sage Patanjali has defined yoga as – The practice to quieten the mind and the distractions generated by it.
In other words, you cannot enter the mindset of a yogi without properly understanding, discriminating, and coordinating the mind.
As per the yogic tradition, your mind is not the same as brain which has a physical space in your body and controls all the major functions. The mind according to yoga includes all the thoughts, feelings, memories, and the ego.
It is the mind which helps you enter the final yogic stage of Samadhi or enlightenment. A conditioned mind can help your body enjoy every experience and condition. On the flip side, an uncontrolled mind wreaks havoc on your mental and physical health. Enroll in a certified RYS academy to understand more about this yogic concept.
Do you know how many dimensions are there in your mind? Keep reading to find the answer.
What is the Mind Made Of?
According to yogic tradition, there are 16 dimensions of the human mind. All these are categorized into 4 parts namely – Manas, Chitta, Ahamkara, and Buddhi. All four work in coordination to help you experience and understand the world.
Let us now understand what each of these do.
Manas (Keeper of Memory)
The basic part of your mind which is responsible for acquiring external information in the system. Manas works by understanding and deciding which sensory information to pass to the internal system in your body. It has the ability to doubt and question which at times causes mental difficulties.
Manas is also the controller of all the 5 sensory organs and 5 organs of action. Enroll in a certified yoga school in Rishikesh to understand more about this aspect of the mind.
Chitta (Makes You Aware)
As a yoga practitioner, you must have heard the words – Supreme Consciousness and Pure Consciousness.
Chitta is related to consciousness. In the yogic tradition, Chitta helps you become aware of objects both on a conscious and unconscious level.
Ahamkara (Offers a Sense of Identity)
Ahamkara is defined as your ego or the sense of “I-ness”. It gives you an identity and makes you unique at the same time. However, this causes you to feel a sense of alienation, loneliness, and pain.
If Ahamkara dominates you, the mind makes decisions which only serve its agenda. Ahamkara does not let your intellect function to see the irrationality of past memories or bad decisions you made or are about to make. Enroll in a certified RYS academy to learn and practice yoga and bring this part of yourself under control.
Buddhi (The Intellect)
The word Buddhi comes from the word Budh which means awakened. This is a higher state of your mind and closer to wisdom. Buddhi can make sound decisions only when it is functioning at its full capacity without being controlled by Manas, Chitta, or Ahamkara.
Can I Control These Parts of the Mind?
The slightest imbalance in either of these 4 parts of your mind brings you to a state of restlessness and agitation. Manas controls the sense and action organs. However, it is misguided by Chitta and surrenders to the numerous desires.
You can control these desires only when Ahamkara, Chitta, and Buddhi function properly. For this you should join a yoga school in Rishikesh and learn yoga under the guidance of skilled yoga teachers.
Yoga to Regulate the Mind
Yoga experts have come up with some powerful yoga tips to help you bring balance Manas, Chitta, Ahamkara, and Buddhi.
Be Mindful
The first thing you should do is regulate your mind and observe the workings of Manas. Simply observing the activities of Manas including the sensory input and action helps you understand how your mind orders them to function. You should make yoga a part of your daily routine to bring the Manas under control.
Pay Attention to Thoughts
Observing the thoughts coming and going helps you understand the functioning of Chitta. Becoming aware of your thoughts and feelings helps you control this aspect of your mind. Yoga experts recommend that you practice deep breathing and meditation to make this possible. Enroll in a certified RYS academy to learn the yogic techniques to control Chitta.
Surrender
Ever heard of Ishvara Pranidhana? It is about surrendering to a higher power. However, surrendering does not means you detach from the environment but get rid of wrong ideas about yourself. Yoga professionals recommend that you make praying, worship, and believing a part of your life to get closer to the divine.
Release False Identities
False identification with your mind, body, pleasures, and achievement keeps Buddhi in the dark. If the Buddhi is not brought out of this state it cannot take right decisions. Join a certified yoga school in Rishikesh to learn the secrets to keeping your mind free of negativity.
Conclusion
The mind with all the four aspects described above functions on all levels of consciousness. The impressions of the mind influence the decisions you take in life. Join a certified RYS academy to learn the secrets to bring the mind under control.
