The mind is noisy and shaky subtle equipment of perception indeed. It is constantly in action and its job is to hide reality and project its own images on that screen. It keeps a non-stop movie on show for us all the time. How can this show be stopped and how to know the truth? According to Maharshi Patanjali, there are just two ways —Abhyasa and Vairagya. Abhyasa means constant practice of re-ascertaining the understanding that there is an unchanging truth present within and Vairagya is to drop all those ideas, thoughts and actions that are contrary to this realisation.
The mind has the five capabilities of cognition, misapprehension, imagination, deep sleep and memory. It always keeps trying to understand, interpret and report its feedback on the happenings in the world outside.
The key of yoga is to rein in the mind, which will then become obedient to the command of the intellect. The obedience will be more like a friend or a lover, rather than as a servant to an overbearing and fearsome master. By constant practice, the mind can be trained to listen to the intellect rather than acting on its own.
An example of the relationship between the intellect and the mind can be understood this way—the relationship between the CEO of a company and his personal secretary. The personal secretary of the mind has got all the five capabilities. But if he begins to use them on his own, it will be like the secretary receiving all office correspondences and issuing orders himself. A secretary is just supposed to receive the mails and the information and pass it on to the CEO who will take decisions and issue directions. The CEO may chose to ask the secretary for advice now and then, but the final decision is left to him alone.
Patanjali says that by constant practice of yoga—the different methods of practice are mentioned in the other Sutras—the energies of the restless, clueless mind can be harnessed and channelised to thoughts and activities that enrich and enhance the individual.
The purpose of keeping the mind trim and fit with yoga also prevents the six types of aberrations that cause distortion—Kama (unchecked desires), Krodha (anger), Lobha (greed), Moha (delusion), Mada (arrogance) and Matsarya (jealousy).
By sustained practice of yoga, the mind is not following in the direction of thoughts uncontrollably like a rudderless ship caught in a storm, but is held in charge by the intellect for what it chooses to do.
Abhyasa is positive in nature and it focuses on what already is there within us. Vairagya is negative in nature and constantly keeps pushing out whatever idea that may disturb this knowledge of our true state of existence. These two factors are important because just as everything in this universe functions on a centrifugal and centripetal force, the mind has these two qualities of attachment and hatred. Positive attachment is Abhyasa or constant practice and Vairagya is cashing in on the negative nature of the mind to hate and directs it towards all those thoughts and feelings that do not serve to reveal the truth.
—Swahilya Shambhavi (www.swahilya.blogspot.com)