Namaste, last week we studied how our senses play a role in affecting the mind. We will study a little bit more about them in the context of next couple of techniques Patanjali suggests to calm the mind. Patanjali talks about a couple of meditation techniques in subsequent sutras (1.36-1.39). To understand how to meditate, it becomes important how our minds ‘think’ in general. Our minds can broadly be defined into two categories – ‘verbal mind’ and ‘pictorial mind’. Verbal mind – someone who thinks more in terms of language, names and numbers. Pictorial mind – someone who thinks more in pictures and visuals. All of us operate in both these categories, but there is generally a domination of one type over the other.
The verbal mind expresses what’s within us to others through our ‘talking’ faculty. If we observe carefully, all our senses (hearing, touch, vision, taste and smell) are only ‘input’ mechanisms – they receive something from outside and send to the brain for further processing. All the thoughts that manifest from this input are expressed only through our words. Hence the saying first goes ‘We are what we say’ and then ‘We are what we do’. Any input that we receive through the senses can bring about a change within us – this is called ‘Kruti’. If the change is used to transform us in a positive way and brings refinement within us, it is called ‘Samskruti’ and if the change brings negativity within us, it is called ‘Vikruti’. For instance, if you see a very old person trying to cross the street, the thought can evoke compassion within you and you help the person to cross the street (Samskruti). Or, you may ignore or curse saying that there are too many such people on the streets causing interruption to others (Vikruti). The vehicle for expression of this positive refinement within us is called ‘Samskritam’.
If the thoughts that manifest from sensory input bring this positive refinement (Samskruti = Our culture) within us, it is very conducive to meditation. We will study the meditation techniques that Patanali discusses in this context next week.
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