yogaś cittavr̥ttinirodhaḥ ॥2॥
योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः ॥२॥
Yoga is having a say over the modulations or tendencies of the mind.
- Patañjali Yoga Sutra 1.2
What happens when you have a say over these tendencies of the mind?
tadā draṣṭuḥ svarūpe'vasthānam ॥3॥
तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपेऽवस्थानम् ॥३॥
Then (when the modulations of the mind are restrained) you repose in the nature of the Seer (the draṣṭuḥ).
- Patañjali Yoga Sutra 1.3
When you are caught in the modulations of the mind, you are lost in the scenery. But in yoga, what happens? The mind becomes free from all the modulations. You bring your attention back to your Self, back from the scenery to the Seer. That is why, when you do yoga āsanās (yoga postures), the body, mind, and breath align to one rhythm. That is when real yoga happens and you are with yourself.
Yoga also happens when you watch the sunset or you experience beauty in your life or when you have a lot of energy in your body. This also happens after prānāyāma (breathing techniques), or during meditation.
Otherwise what happens?
vr̥ttisārūpyam itaratra ॥4॥
वृत्तिसारूप्यम् इतरत्र ॥४॥
At other times, you identify yourself with the modulations of the mind.
-Patañjali Yoga Sutra 1.4
What this means is that your mind is engaged in the outside world all the time. With your eyes open, in the waking state, you are caught up in all that you see, smell, hear, touch, and taste. If not, you return to sleep, or to the state of dreaming, where you are completely shut off from the world.
<<Are You Really Happy? Or is it All an Illusion?
Purpose of Yoga is to Be One With the Self>>
(This is part of a series of knowledge sheets based on Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's commentaries on Patanjali Yoga Sutras.)
