how to deal with the fluctuations of consciousness
Developing a strong association with Yoga is one of the best and most effective ways to achieve optimal mental and physical health.
In classical yoga, consciousness lies at the heart of the practice. According to Patanjali‘s Yoga Sutra, the so-called contents of our consciousness — thoughts, feelings, emotions, perceptions, memories, fantasies, and even dreams — are always in constant fluctuation. Yoga, as Patanjali famously defines it, is the “restriction of the fluctuations of consciousness.” The word Patanjali uses in Sutra 1.2 to aptly describe this continual movement is vritti (pronounced VRIT-tee), which means “to revolve” or “to whirl about.” The chief aim of this practice is to consciously step away from the contents of our mind and observe them more or less “objectively,” at least for a few moments.
According to Patanjali, unconsciously associating with these fluctuations so much that we eventually become them and define ourselves through them is a huge mistake. In his article ‘Patanjali’s Take on Identity,’ Richard Rosen explains, “Because the contents of our consciousness are circumscribed in both time and space, we also believe ourselves to be ephemeral, finite creatures cut off from all other creatures around us and from the world at large. This nagging inkling of impermanence, temporality, and alienation is a source of great existential sorrow, which taints everything we do. In fact, the contents of our minds are simply passing fancies, mere ripples on the surface of the infinite ocean of our consciousness. Our thoughts and feelings are no more us than the waves are the ocean.” Instead of getting affected by what happens in the world and developing attachment towards the contents of the mind, Patanjali suggests establishing contact with the true self, also called the Seer (drashtri), who is eternal, illimitable, unchanging, and perpetually joyful (1.3). This will help us overcome the incessant whirlings of consciousness and achieve a state of stillness.
In the modern world, it’s easy for the mind to be influenced by fear, anger, envy, lust, greed, anxiety, stress, loneliness, and despair. And these toxic mental states could lead to the manifestation of physical ailments such as skin rashes, allergies, insomnia, hypertension, and indigestion. Several physicians have confirmed that many of these disorders are actually psychosomatic i.e. either caused or aggravated by a mental instability. And so, participating in repetitive, rhythmic activities such as asanas (body postures), pranayama (breathing exercises), and chanting a mantra or God’s name consistently grounds the restless, wavering mind and makes it stable and calm. It removes negativity, arrests unnecessary thoughts, and curbs the habit of rumination, thus resolving numerous health issues as well.
