The Impure Mind

“Yogaścittavṛttinirodaḥ.”  This second line of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali written in Sanskrit translates as “control over the wandering tendency of the mind is Yoga.”  Mastery over the mind’s activities allows the mind to become pure and clear of conditioned thinking. Unencumbered in its pure and tranquil state, the mind can grow towards a superconscious reality.

With the exception of a handful of realized yoga masters, saints, and mystics, everyone experiences the impure mind every moment of every day. The impure mind traps us in a world of distorted mental constructs. These mental constructs inform our personality that lead to our actions.  Self-identity can mean all the ways that we recognize ourselves as being separate from others. There are as many ways to express our separateness as there are people on the planet. I am a woman. I am a man. I am transgender. I am black. I am white. I am Mexican. I am Polish.  I am rich. I am poor. I am Democrat. I am Republican. I am a city dweller. I live on a farm. I am Christian. I am Hindu. I am Muslim. I am Jewish. I am tall. I am short . I am fat. I am skinny.  I am beautiful. I am homely. I am against. I am for.  I am proud.  I am worthless. I am blessed. I am abused. And on and on… If we over identify with some of these constructs they can become toxic impurities limiting our view of life.

These impurities become the determinants of our life decisions. These impurities are the center of conflicts. We invest energy to protect our separation. These impurities of the mind are powerful motivators to take actions. These impurities can impart injustice on another.  Through the clinging to self-identity much division is created in the world and this country is no exception. The power of these impurities may drive people to storm the government.  The impurities may cause us to turn weapons on another. The mind justifies these actions in the name of preservation of individual identity.

This separating ourselves from others also separate us from a larger Truth. According to yoga, to be attached to this over self-identification is to be in ignorance. We act based on false assumptions of who we truly are and who we identify others to be.   If I identify myself as unworthy I will take the action to deny myself the benefits of worthy relationships with others.  Identifying with unworthiness I will take the action of denying myself opportunities to expand my gifts into the world.  Also, if I identify myself as misunderstood and abused then I may lash out with anger against any perceived encroachment on my personal space.  I may spark a fight at any disagreement that arises. I may believe only those things that strengthen my self-identity and ignore those things that do not align. I will miss the offer of a handshake because that does not belong in the script for my identified self that reads any offer of a hand as an aggression. The power of an impure mind is immense and can lead to much suffering.   

Yoga acknowledges this strong power of the mind and lays out the means to control the mind.  The mind is like having nuclear power. If properly used, it can benefit societies.  If mishandled, and it can destroy the world.  The practice of yoga is to first, to harness the mind to experience peace and clarity, and second to be receptive to the Higher Self.  In this state ignorance is dissipated  allowing the emergence of the lager sense of “I am-ness” to be revealed as inherent bliss.  The practice of yoga is to realize that this hidden dimension of yourself is greater than your personal history.  With this experience the grip to the small self-identity is lessened.  Having a glance of  this Higher Self brings Divine presence. “Us” versus “them” no longer exist under this presence of love and belonging. 

Purify the mind of of its afflictions which inhibit seeing yourself as a gift among all the many other gifts. Rid the mind of forming negative impressions that blind you of the beauty and joy of being. Use your mind properly. Heal yourself from the impurities of the mind and create the nuclear reactor that also heals the world.

Be safe. Let's continue to bring the best of ourselves forward.  The best part of ourselves may be the solution for all humanity.

Namaste.