How Yoga Calms the Mind
Yoga is timeless. Attributed to the Indian sage Patanjali, the Yoga Sutra is the first guidebook on yoga and is over 1,000 years old. In the first Sutra (1.2), Patanjali states that the purpose of yoga is to calm the mind:
Yogas chittas vritti nirodaha.
Chitta (or chitti) loosely translates to "mind," while vritti refers to "movement" and together, chitti vritti means the "movement of the mind" or its fluctuations. Nirodaha translates to "calm."
The mind does not remain in a fixed state. Thoughts and feelings ebb and flow, mostly passively and without our direction. According to the Yoga Sutra, there are five fluctuations, or states, of the mind, called the chitti vritti. These can be either helpful or harmful, depending on various factors. Together, the chattering chitti vritti create tangled perceptions that influence how we behave and think.
The five chitti vritti are comprehension (also known as right knowledge), misapprehension (also known as perception), imagination, deep sleep, and memory. Individually and collectively, the chitti vritti are thoughts, feelings, and beliefs that are interwoven and inform one another, confirming "the mind's existence."(1) The chitti vritti are part of what makes an individual unique. It's important to remember that they are not inherently good or bad, but they are not always helpful or well-informed.
The Five Chitti Vritti
Comprehension or Right Knowledge (TRUTH)
Sutra 1.7
“Comprehension is based on direct observation of the object, inference, and reference to reliable authorities.”
Comprehension, or right knowledge, is derived from direct observation or from a reliable, trusted source. The mind seeks to make sense of life through the five physical senses: sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing. When the senses cannot provide the necessary information to understand something, the mind turns to memory, its knowledge base (logic), or seeks out a reliable source, such as a book or expert.
When the mind is in a state of comprehension, the information is based on either direct experience or primary sources. It represents "truth" or the closest approximation to it.
Misapprehension or Perception (Not TRUTH)
Sutra 1.8
“Misapprehension is that comprehension that is taken to be correct until more favorable conditions reveal the actual nature of the object.”
Misapprehension, or perception, is shaped by existing biases, such as judgments or labeling something as good or bad. Information is not based on direct experience or a reliable source but is influenced by friends, family, culture, religion, and society. Perception represents opinions about facts, not the facts themselves.
This is the "most frequent activity of the mind."(1) And this is where the purpose of yoga begins: to recognize when perception replaces comprehension and to address the underlying causes. Patanjali refers to these causes as kleshas, obstacles to comprehension. There are five kleshas, but four of them stem from the first one.
The first klesha is ignorance, the root of misapprehension. Ignorance is the primary obstacle to a calm mind and manifests in four ways: ego, attachment, rejection, and fear. In Sanskrit, the kleshas are avidya, asmita, raga, dvesa, and abhinivesa, respectively. The kleshas filter our understanding and they are “often influenced by past experiences and conditioning.”(1)
To combat the kleshas, Patanjali recommends leveraging the niyamas: tapas, svadhyaya, and ishvara pranidhana. In reference to the practice of asana and pranayama, tapas is the discipline of maintaining a consistent yoga practice. The moving meditative practice of yoga helps release mental blocks and cleanse the body and mind of impurities.
The self-reflection practice of svadhyaya allows us to better understand how we interact with others, what we need, and who we are. It creates space to untangle different perceptions and, hopefully, gain greater clarity on how to navigate the world.
Finally, ishvara pranidhana, sometimes translated as “love of God” or surrendering to a higher power, can also be understood as a “certain quality of action.”(1) Patanjali suggests focusing more on our actions and the intentions behind them, rather than on the hopes and fears surrounding those actions.
Imagination (Not TRUTH)
Sutra 1.9
“Imagination is the comprehension of an object based only on words and expressions, even though the object is absent.”
Imagination is built upon stories or narratives created around misapprehensions or perceptions. It reinforces the value system of weighing and measuring, along with the resulting judgments. Persuasive speaking can also influence the imagination, as well as dreams and memories of past experiences.
Deep Sleep (Neutral State)
Sutra 1.10
“Deep sleep is when the mind is overcome with heaviness and no other activities are present.
Deep sleep is a neutral state, neither TRUTH nor Not TRUTH. It is an unconscious state of being, where you are withdrawn from mental awareness. While dreams occur during sleep, they are considered part of the imagination, which is Not TRUTH.
Memory (Not TRUTH)
Sutra 1.11
“Memory is the mental retention of a conscious experience.”
Memories are the culmination of all chitti vrittis, the layered impressions of reality informed by right knowledge, perception, imagination, and deep sleep. According to Desikachar, “All conscious experiences leave an impression on the individual and are stored as memory. It is not possible to determine if a memory is true, false, incomplete, or imaginary.”(1)
How to Achieve Yogi Mind
Patanjali says that to achieve a calm mind, one must cultivate a consistent and dedicated practice, accompanied by a positive attitude and eagerness. So you not only have to want to practice, you also should be excited about your practice. A certain sense of desire and energy are key to establishing a meaning yoga practice, one that will keep you coming to the mat every day. According to the Yoga Sutra:
Sutra 1.12
“The mind can reach a state of Yoga through practice and detachment.”
Sutra 1.13
“Practice is basically the correct effort required to move toward, reach, and maintain the state of Yoga.”
Sutra 1.14
“It is only when the correct practice is followed for a long time, without interruptions and with a quality of positive attitude and eagerness, that it can succeed.”
What Science Says About Yoga
Modern science supports Patanjali’s claim that yoga calms the mind. Experimental research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology concluded that yoga alters brain chemistry by strengthening the parasympathetic nervous system response via the vagus nerve and increasing compassion for others.(7) Even contemporary psychotherapy has embraced yoga as an effective treatment for those suffering from stress, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).(4)(8)(9)
For example, in 2013, an experimental study of a single yoga class confirmed yoga’s calming effect on the mind. Published in the journal Consciousness and Cognition, the research examined the impact of a one-time yoga session on female cancer survivors. There were 18 participants, with an average age of about 57. No control group was used. The participants had previously attended a week-long therapeutic yoga program, and all were cancer survivors. The session lasted 80 minutes and was taught individually.
The session was divided into eight parts, each lasting ten minutes. It began with a supine (reclining) resting pose to establish a baseline heart rate, followed by supine, seated, kneeling, and standing yoga poses, then returned to supine poses, concluding with a guided meditation in the supine position, and ending with ten minutes of savasana. After savasana, participants' resting heart rates were measured again.
The study investigated the “associations between attention, affect, and cardiac activity” using a neurophenomenological approach. Neurophenomenology combines mixed methods to study conscious experience through first-person anecdotes, second-person interviews, and third-person neuroscientific data from EEGs and MRIs (electroencephalography and magnetic resonance imaging).
While heart rates dropped an average of 5%, the anecdotes provided the most insight into how yoga led to a calmer mind. Here are a few quotes:
‘‘When I came in my mind was jumping everywhere. At the end I was very focused…whereas at the start there was just no focus.”
“Over the course of the practice, the calmness level really increased…You can almost feel yourself exhaling, letting the tension go.’’
“It (yoga) focuses you and totally gets rid of all the noise: the stuff going on in your brain.’’
“When you are just concentrating on the breathing and doing the poses, everything else just disappears…It is so nice to just be in the moment.’’
But not everyone reported a calm mind. One participant shared:
‘‘I was really relaxed but also had some monkey brain moments…I would pay attention for a few breaths then my mind would go off…Before you know it I am busy running errands.”
Overall, participants reported feeling mentally calm and more energized. Although the study focused on a single yoga session, the researchers provided evidence that yoga “effectively stills the changing states of the mind through heightened attention to the breath and body.”(3)
Yoga is a holistic wellness practice that focuses on cultivating a calm mind and an open heart. Widely recognized as a fitness regimen, yoga is one of the most popular self-care practices, with over 34 million people in the U.S. practicing, according to the most recent data.(5)(6) Experts predict high market growth for the yoga industry over the next five years. This is great news since yoga offers so many health benefits.(2)(9)
Concluding Thoughts
Ideally, the brain’s natural stream of consciousness is calm, with thoughts and feelings passing by gently, allowing you to go about your day undisturbed. However, the reality is sometimes thoughts will race and emotions will swirl, causing your heart to pound and your teeth to grind. That’s stress and anxiety making their presence known. Those thoughts and emotions are the chitti vritti chattering away. While not inherently bad, these mental fluctuations can be overwhelming, especially if exposed to a lot of information, some of which could be misinformation.
A dedicated yoga practice with sincere self-reflection opens the path to surrender to your higher power. As you engage in yoga, try to develop some consistency in your practice. It doesn’t have to be everyday. Just intentional. Take time to reflect how you are feeling and give space for your thoughts. If you journal, do so with no judgement. Explore your thoughts and if you discover some limiting beliefs, let them go. Doing so will clear out mental clutter and will make room for new growth. Remember, the original purpose of yoga is to calm the mind.
Bibliography
1 - Desikachar, T.K.V. The Heart of Yoga, 11, 13-14, 149, 151-153. Inner Traditions International, 1995.
2 - Grand View Research. “Yoga Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Delivery Mode, By End-use, By Age Group, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2024 - 2030.”
3 - Mackenzie, Michael J., Linda E.Carlson, David M. Paskevich, et al. “Associations between Attention, Affect and Cardiac Activity in a Single Yoga Session for Female Cancer Survivors: An Enactive Neurophenomenology-Based Approach.” Consciousness and Cognition 27 (2014): 129-146.
4 - Nejadghaderi Seyed Aria, Seyed Ehsan Mousavi, Asra Fazlollahi, Kimia Motlagh Asghari, Dana Rose Garfin. “Efficacy of Yoga for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.” Psychiatry Research 340 (2024).
5 - Statista. “Yoga - Statistics & Facts.”
6 - Statista. “Most Popular Self-Care Activities Among Adults in the United States in 2024.”
7 - Stellar, Jennifer E. and Adam Cohen, Christopher Ovies, Dacher Keltner. “Affective and Physiological Responses to the Suffering of Others: Compassion and Vagal Activity.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 108, no. 4 (2015): 572-585.
8 - Van der Kolk, Bessel A., Laura Stone, Jennifer West, et al. “Yoga as an Adjunctive Treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 75, no. 6 (2014): 559-565.
9 - Zheng, Jaylissa and Dacher Keltner. “Why Yoga Is Good for Your Body and Brain, According to Science.” The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley, August 24, 2020.
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