Meditation for Management of Mind
Meditation affects brain cells specifically in our limbic nervous system (base of brain), which controls metabolism, blood pressure, respiration, heart rate, and our emotions.
The modern age is the age of psychological disorders. Now a day’s modern generation due to modern life style everybody whether child, young, old, men-women all are suffering from the psychological disorders.
Modern psychology is far away from the holistic understanding of human psychological nature, its constitution, and disorders. That is why its therapeutic approach towards the psychological disorders is only at surface level.
Modern psychology is unable to provide the holistic approach for psychotherapy of psychological disorders because science assumes the mind is another physical organ of the body. But Patanjali Yoga Darshan is one of the ancient yoga philosophy books written by sage Patanjali, in which the body, mind, and soul are considered as one integrated entity.
Stages of Mental Health
The 5 stages of mental health described in Patanjal Yoga darshan are Mudha, Kshipta, Vikshipta, Akagra and Niruddha –
- Mudhavastha (Neurotic Stage)—This is the lower stage of chitta (mental health) tamoguna, i.e., the mind dominates over others and performs sins, and desires are dominant. Laziness, attachment, fear, illusion, inferiority, etc., are dominant and highly fertile for all negative actions.
2. Kshiptavastha (Psychic Stage)—This is the second lower stage of chitta in which rajoguna/material desires are dominant. This is the stage in which the mind always runs behind the materialistic pleasure.
3. Vikshiptavastha (Mild Neurotic Stage)—This is the third stage of chitta in which satavaguna is slightly dominant. That is why it is the state of chitta in which the mind moves towards stability. So this is the mental stage of the entire spiritual seeker moving on a spiritual path.
4. Akagravastha (Mentally Healthy Stage)—This is the complete satvaguna dominant stage in which rajas-tamas are very light. This is the concentrated and stable stage of chitta. This is the ideal stage for the attainment of samadhi.
5. Nirudhavastha (Perfect Mental Health Stage)—It is the stage of complete cessation of mental waves, so a completely stable stage of mind and the ultimate stage of Samadhi, in which ignorance is completely destroyed and the seer becomes stable in his state. That is why it is the stage of perfect mental & spiritual health.
Types of Mental Health dis-orders
The nine types of mental disorders In Patanjal yoga darshan for the holistic psychotherapy, apart from the five stage of chitta (Mental health), the various chittavikshepa (mental disorders) have also been discussed in detail so that we can have a complete understanding of mental disorders and can adopt the holistic approach towards its therapy:
01. Vyadhi (Disease) 02. Styana (Dullness) 03. Sansya (Doubt) 04. Pramada (Procrastinating nature) 05. Alasya (Laziness) 06. Avirati (Lack of dispassion) 07. Bhranti darshana (False knowledge) 08. Alabdhabhumikatva (Inability to find any stage of yoga) 09. Anavasthitatva (Inability to maintain any stage of yoga)
In this way these nine chittavikshepas are the main mental disorders which are called as yoga Antraya & yoga obstacles.
2. These nine Chittavikshepas manifest in the form of various psychological disorders which accompany Pain, Despair, Trembling, Irregular inhale and exhale five other mental distractions.
3. The five major root causes Apart from the detail discussion of five stages of chitta (mental health), nine yoga Antraya (major mental disorders) Yoga darshan has also enlighten the five-root cause of mental disorders. Ignorance, Egoism, Attachment, Hatred and fear of death are the five root cause of mental disorders, which are known as Panchklesha.
4. Patanjali thus has given various yogic principles which not only purify the conscious, subconscious and unconscious level but also super conscious state for complete mental and spiritual health.
5. These yogic techniques of chitta-shudhi ( mental purification) are as follows-
- Ishwarpranidhana- It is complete surrender to God and working just as an instrument in the hand of God. It helps in refinement of emotions and attainment of complete mental and spiritual health.
- Concentration and meditation ultimately leads towards the Samadhi (the state of complete mental and spiritual health) because meditation itself becomes Samadhi (super consciousness) when the object alone shines and the mind loses itself, as it where, in the object of meditation.