Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Reveals Why Yoga Is More Than Just Postures

What does it truly mean to have control over your mind? Motivational influencer Sri Sri Ravi Shankar explains that real mastery isn't about suppression, it's about awareness and discipline. Drawing from Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, he reminds us that Yoga is not an imposition but a journey back to your true self, the “seer” behind the “scenery.”

The Five Vrittis That Shape Your Mind

Our mind constantly moves through five modulations, or vrittis, that influence how we experience life:

• Pramana – Right knowledge gained through experience, inference, or wisdom
• Viparyaya – Wrong understanding, when insecurities distort reality
• Vikalpa – Imagination and fantasy, from pleasant dreams to baseless fears
• Nidra – Sleep, when the mind rests without content
• Smriti – Memory, the impressions we hold on to

These patterns aren't inherently negative. They can be painful (klishta) or non-painful (aklishta) depending on how we engage with them.

The Key Is Mastery, Not Elimination

Sri Sri emphasizes that the goal isn't to erase these vrittis but to gain mastery over them. When you learn to observe your thoughts without getting lost in them, you reclaim your power. This shift, from being entangled in the scenery to resting as the seer, brings clarity, peace, and inner strength.

Why This Matters for Your Life

In a world full of distractions, fantasies, and fears, understanding your mind is the ultimate freedom. Yoga, in its true essence, is about returning to that state of balance where external circumstances no longer dictate your inner peace. When you master your mind, you master your life.

Control isn't about force, it's about awareness. Start by noticing your thoughts, honoring your experiences, and gently guiding your mind back to its natural state of calm. That's where true happiness resides.