Yoga is state of ‘no mind’
Sanjay Murty | NT
Bengaluru
Yoga is a way of life that was formulated by Patanjali through his Yoga Sutras, which include an elaborate set of practices classified into the eight ‘limbs’ collectively known as ‘Ashtanga Yoga’.
Instructors and practitioners of yoga must understand and remind themselves regularly that it is not limited to the body alone. At this juncture, it has become essential to expand our understanding of yoga as it is not confined to a collection of postures.
Yoga is one of the six major schools of Indian philosophy and arguably the one which best connects the mind with the body. It aims at training the body and the mind to perceive reality. At the physical level, it aims to keep the body free of diseases. At the mental level, it focuses on getting rid of mental ‘impressions’.
A statement that is often heard about the philosophy is – yoga is not a state of mind, but a state of ‘no mind’. This refers to the ultimate goal of yoga, which is to rid the mind of all its afflictions. Patanjali lists several mental afflictions like the wrong knowledge, desire, contempt and the fear of death that prevent the mind from knowing the truth.
In his yoga sutras, he prescribed a set of virtues that one must develop in order to cultivate a mental state that is conducive to attaining concentration and, in turn, realising the truth. According to him, Ahimsa is the first and foremost virtue that is essential for the practice of yoga.
While we stretch and twist in various Asanas, take long breaths, repeat Suryanamaskars and hope to shed a few kilos while doing so, may we also remind ourselves that the larger aim of the process is to gain mastery over our minds.