Wrong knowledge is based on incorrect perception.  That is pretty straight forward.  How many of us have percieved something so completely wrong that when the truth was revealed we couldn't believe how far off the mark we were originally?  Indra Devi tells a story in her book, Yoga for Americans about a rope sitting on a windowsill.  The husband percieved it as a snake, the wife percieved it as a belt, and the housekeeper percieved it at a rope.  The housekeeper did not bring any attachments or conditioning to her perception, so she was able to see the object for what it was.  Often we put our own spin on our perceptions whether it be by ego or by conditioning, and we see things as very different from our peers.  Each person can look at picture and see different things depending on their personal journey. 

 

Wrong knowledge brings us away from spiritual enlightenment as it clouds our ability to discern reality from our conditioning.  Wrong knowledge can bring about suffering in the form of anxiety, depression, and misplaced anger.  It is the awareness of the fact that this wrong knowledge exists that we can transcend it and begin to live in reality.

The sources of right knowledge are direct perception, inference and scriptural testimony.

 

This sutra is primarily about how we learn.  How we figure things out.  The first being direct perception.  Direct perception is concrete knowledge.  You can see it, touch it, experience it.  The second is inference, a valid assumption.  One can infer that there is a fire nearby if they can smell or see smoke.  One can infer that similarities exist in situations based on our direct perceptions.  The third is through scriptural testimony.  This may not necessarily mean if it is written it is so.  It more means that if a trusted source tells us something, then we trust in their knowledge.  It is more a trust in another's testimony than it is blind acceptence.

 

This is how we learn.  This is where we get our conditioning from.  It can be a source of comfort, and a source for discomfort as we struggle with our attachments and conditioning.   This particular sutra is a prelude to a discussion on the things that interfere with right knowledge.

 

On a side note.  Right knowledge exists within all of us.  It is universal truth.  Conditioning, and outside influences cloud our right knowledge, and move us away from blissful balance by creating and feeding anxiety.

The 5 types of mental modifications are named here:

 

Pramana - right knowledge

Viparyaya - misconception

Vikalpa - verbal delusions

Nidra - sleep

Smritayah - memory

 

remember in #5 he said that some bring pain, others are painless.  In the next 5 sutras, he explains each one in more detail.

Vrittayah=modification of mind chatter

Pancatayyah=5 kinds

klishta=painful

aklista=painless

 

Patanjali states that there are 5 types of mind chatter.  Some are painful, and some are not.  It is through our yoga practice and meditation that we learn to control the negative thoughts and replace them with positive thoughts.

Vritti=modification of thought

Sarupyam=take form

Itaratra=at other times

 

At other times, the self appears to take the form of our thoughts.

 

Thought becomes reality. You become and Identify with your thoughts and perceptions rather than your true self. You may have many thoughts about yourself.  "I am a woman/man",  "I am a doctor/lawyer.....", "I am too (fill in the blank).  The thoughts are neverending, but you are not changed.  Only superficially, in your mind you have become the thought.  In reality, you are still the beautiful spirit you were before that thought.  Your indentifications are not you, they are only identifications.  You are all and none of your identifications.  You are a creation of God having a physical existence, and thus having physical indentifications. 

 

Yoga is specifically designed to teach us self-control, self-adjustment, and reformation of thought.  Through doing so, we free ourselves from wrong self-indentifications and begin to experience harmony and happiness.

 

The Seer is the part of us that observes without judgement, that part of us that can step away from our ego, and look objectively upon our existence.  The part of us that is detached from our thoughts and physical being.  The Seer is our Spirit, our True Self, and it is all Knowing, all Seeing, and does not feed into the mind chatter and anxieties.  The Seer naturally craves simplicity, truth, and balance.  When our minds become filled with anxiety, and mind chatter, the subject of ourselves becomes distorted.  It is through meditation, and quieting the mind that we are able to remove distortions and see our true self.  It has never left, it was just covered up. 

 

Just like removing layers of make-up, the real you is underneath, and is beautiful.  The make-up distorts your appearance to yourself and others.  You may look different, but you are still the same.  Our thoughts do the same thing to us.  They layer on top of our true selves, and distort our appearance, to our own minds, as well as others.  Our True Self is not fooled by that.  It waits underneath to be uncovered, so that we can shine as the beautiful creations that we really are.  All we have to do is meditated and uncover the layers of conditioning.

2. Yogas Citta Vrtti Nirohdhah

 

Yogas=Yoga, Citta=mind chatter, Vrtti=modification, Nirodhah=restraint

 

Yoga's purpose is to modify and control the mind chatter.  All of those stray, useless thoughts that occupy our minds, contributing to our anxiety and stress.