211. The Angel and the Devilkin. Chitta Vrittis chirping.
Happy to have you joining me as we continue working through the Sādhana Pāda, the second chapter of the Yoga Sūtras, authored by Patañjali around 200 CE. His wisdom is what we are searching for—not just as an intellectual pursuit, but as a practical guide for living with greater awareness, clarity, and ease.
Today, we turn to Yoga Sūtra 2:2, which reminds us of the deeper purpose of yoga. As David Swenson would say, don’t let the yoga get you down—because yoga is meant to liberate us, not burden us. To understand this, let’s revisit Yoga Sūtra 1:2, where Patañjali defines yoga as:
"Yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ"
This means that yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind. The citta vṛttis—mental modifications, thoughts, and distractions—are constantly pulling us in different directions. If you recall, these mental fluctuations can feel like the classic cartoon devilkin and angel sitting on opposite shoulders, constantly chattering and influencing our actions.
The real study of yoga is about moving beyond this inner dialogue and into Samādhi, a state of deep absorption and stillness. Samādhi is often misunderstood as something esoteric or reserved for monks, but in reality, it is a natural state of clarity that can be cultivated through practice. In modern terms, this is often referred to as a "flow state", when our thoughts settle, and we experience deep focus and effortless action.
Why is this important? According to Yoga Sūtra 2:2, Samādhi bhāvanārthaḥ kleśa tanūkaraṇārthaś ca—Samādhi is cultivated to bring about clarity and to weaken the afflictions (kleśas).
The kleśas are the deep-seated afflictions or obstacles that cloud our perception and create suffering. These include:
Avidyā (ignorance) – Misunderstanding the nature of reality.
Asmita (egoism) – Identifying too strongly with the self.
Rāga (attachment) – Clinging to pleasure.
Dveṣa (aversion) – Rejecting pain or discomfort.
Abhiniveśa (fear of death or clinging to life) – The deep-rooted fear that keeps us attached to existence.
By moving toward Samādhi, we gradually weaken these kleśas and gain greater freedom from their influence.
For today, simply observe—where is your attention? Are you caught in the chirping of the citta vṛttis, or can you find moments of nirodhaḥ, stillness within? Tomorrow, we will dive deeper into how Samādhi works to dissolve the kleśas, helping us move toward true inner liberation.
