Mental Health: A Yogic Perspective

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#HappyWorld’sMentalHealthDay

"योग: चित्त-वृत्ति निरोध:" Yoga is the inhibition (nirodhaḥ) of the modifications (vṛtti) of the mind (citta)

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health in its constitution of 1948. It defines health as a state of complete physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Total health is a natural by-product of Yoga. This has led to the misconception that Yoga is a form of therapy. Yoga works at the tenet of ‘Prevention is better than cure’.

Mental health is achieved when the mind is not wandering as a sinusoidal wave and is calm as y=constant even when there are umpteen number of triggers to change that state – both from inside and outside. In yogic terms, when the Anandamaya Kosha is satiated and activated in one’s body, one is mentally healthy.

The first chapter of ‘The Yoga Sutra’ by Maharishi Patanjali consists of 195 sutras which are divided into 4 chapters. The first chapter that is Samadhi pada has 51 sutras. This chapter begins with the sutra ‘atha yoga anushasanam’ (Now the discipline of Yoga is explained) and in second sutra it defines yoga ‘Yogah citta vritti nirodhah’ (Yoga is controlling the fluctuations of mind). He goes on to describe how many types of mind are there and how to identify them.

Before I explain the theory in detail I suggest some basics of practical. For inculcating yogic practice in daily life, I present to you a vlog explaining some meditative postures, pranayama and Om uccharan as a beginning to the yogic journey of attaining the zenith state of mental well-being.

Chitta

Chitta or mind is an internal organ which cognizes, connotes (wills) and retains by blending together the knowledge gathered by senses and pranas. Chitta comprises of 17 components:

5-Jnanedriyas, 5-Karmendriyas, 5-Pranas, Ego and Manas.

Jnanendriyas bring knowledge relating to sound, touch, light, taste and smell. The experience relating to movements of objects by Karmendriyas and perception of inertness of external object is brought by Pranas. Whereas feeling of pleasure and pain is inherent in internal organs.

Chitta Vrittis

Vritti is the Modification or fluctuation of mind, Thoughts that we experience in our conscious mind are known as vritti. They are of five types and each are either harmful or harmless (i.e. klishta or aklishta).

The five types of vrittis are as follows;

1. Pramana - correct knowledge.

2. Viparyaya - wrong knowledge (illusion).

3. Vikalpa – imagination

4. Nidra – sleep

5. Smriti – memory

Chittavritti Nirodha Upaya

Abhyasa and Vairagya

This technique of evolution is meant mainly for Uttam Adhikari of yoga path, when some level of understanding has occurred to choose to go towards discriminative knowledge instead of working towards bondage Abhyasa and Vairagya are the two measures through which fluctuation of mind or Vrittis are stopped and salvation can be achieved, all other methods are included in them. While in the practice, knowing the nature of mind possibilities are that it may get distracted hence vairagya helps in reducing this flow towards worldly object.

Abhyasa

An effort made towards getting the tranquil state of mind is called abhyasa, which is possible only by concentration with strong mental, moral and physical discipline. Contention here is between ordinary effort v/s determined effort or broken effort v/s continuous effort towards known goal v/s unknown goal.

Vairagya

When mind loses all desire for the objects seen or described in scripture it acquires the state of utter desirelessness is called detachment.

Ashtanga Yoga or the Eight-fold path of Yoga, as described by Patanjali, leads us to the mental capacities to gain control over thoughts, feelings and emotions and to bring about a balanced state of mind. The aim of these 8 steps is to gradually bring discipline in behaviour by purifying the Body and Mind, an essential requisite to achieve yoga. First five steps of Ashtanga Yoga are known as Bahiranga Yoga and the last three steps i.e. Dharna, Dhyana and Samadhi are known as Antaranga yoga. Concentration is what can make all the difference, for that Patanjali has suggested the practice of Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi the last three limbs of this path.

I shall cover these in my upcoming blogs.

Stay tuned! Namaste.