It’s widely known that hatha yoga develops the mind. But how exactly? How does the thinking process relate to taking static postures? How do science and yoga explain it? We will try to understand the mechanics of hatha yoga’s effect on the mind and thought process through logical reasoning.
Terms and definitions
Yoga is a system of self-awareness based on kindness and common sense (principles 1 and 2 of yoga) through the prism of personal duty and using the method of harmony. When we force ourselves, we use the method of consciousness; when we allow ourselves, we use the method of energy. Harmony is in the appropriate combination of the methods of consciousness and energy. Moreover, both methods should be saturated with joy: the joy of doing, the joy of overcoming oneself and the joy of rest. Only when these conditions are observed does yoga arise.
Consequently, hatha yoga means taking static postures (asanas) in accordance with the main method of yoga.
To define the word “mind”, let’s use a general philosophical approach. Mind is a philosophical category that describes the highest type of mental activity, the ability to think in general, the ability to analyse, distract and generalize.
The brain is a physical and biological matter contained within the skull and responsible for the basic electrochemical neural processes. From the point of view of modern science, the brain is a complex network of nerve cells – “neurons”, producing and processing a huge number of logically connected electrochemical impulses. Therefore, the inner world of a person including his/her mind is the product of this work. This is the most common scientific definition.
Let’s try to merge the two definitions: mind is a mental activity based on neural processes in the human brain.
Consider the connections between neurons. Picture 1 (below) shows schematically how the cells are connected to each other. The more stable the connections are, the better the process of extracting the necessary information is, and the better the memory and the thinking process is. The more unstable the connections are, the more resources are needed to store memories, and memory deteriorates.
Picture 1. Connections between the neurons
Scientific point of view
Throughout the day through our senses, we receive a large amount of information that forms new connections between brain cells. Usually, these bonds are not particularly strong, but they take up a lot of resources (nutrients). When we exercise, we learn to consciously control the flow of information entering the brain from the environment. When we focus our attention on the sensations of the body, we gradually remove all other flows from our active attention, releasing an additional volume of nutrients and electricity from the body to work with the information already received. Fragile and useless connections are breaking up, freeing up the resources for the next piece of information.
Remember any pain. If there is an involuntary concentration on painful sensations, then the pain is subjectively perceived as stronger and stronger. It can even lead to shock overload. Also if we are distracted by something, the feeling of pain dulls, subjectively diminishing. A similar effect occurs during yoga practice: we try to concentrate on the work of the body, and all other stimuli automatically fade into the background. Important matters fit in the head, and the “waste” that has accumulated during the day is erased.
The sensations of our body are the brightest sensations; and they are the easiest to concentrate on.
With regular practice, we develop a habit of concentrating on the process.Consequently, the efficiency of mental activity increases. To enhance this effect, it is very important to avoid pain during the practice. First, pain is an indicator that we are not attentive during the practice and therefore, are ineffective. Secondly, painful sensations affect the deepest structures of our nervous system. Having suffered once, the body is inclined not to repeat the action that caused it the next time. Therefore instead of a consistent habit, a repulsive reaction to practice develops.. Even more so, a painful practice cannot be considered yoga.
The position of yoga
So, we examined the point of view of science, which reduces the activity of our mind to the interaction of neurons in the brain. In yoga, the concept of prana is introduced to explain the principle of the mind. Prana is the vital force that permeates the entire human structure and due to which all life processes occur, including the work of the brain. The more prana there is, the more harmoniously our structures function. The less prana, the more disorganized, lethargic, passive and the less resistant to diseases we are.
Analysing the treatise “Yoga Sutras of Patanjali”, we find out that the main goal of yoga is the liberation of the mind from uncontrolled thought formation – the so-called state of “Chitta Vritti Nirodha”. Such liberation leads to the state of Samadhi, or Enlightenment.
The axiomatics of yoga tells us that the ability to think, ask questions, analyse is inherent in us by nature. The principle of reason, upon which intelligence is built, was created one of the first during the creation of the universe. Our mind is not a new invention, but the realization of one of the fundamental basics on which the whole world is built. Our nervous activity, higher and lower, is the way to use this principle. The principle of reason, firstly, is universal and secondly, it is a certain stage on the spiritual path of a person. Having mastered it perfectly, we must reach the principle of super mind or intuition.
Also, axiomatics tells us about associative connections upon which all yoga is built. “The associative link is created due to the illusory action of Maya: when we consider one thing to be something else then a connection is established between those two things and prana begins to flow through it.” Maintaining each associative connection requires a certain amount of our vitality.
The basic principle of working with associative links is to establish and strengthen the necessary connections and break the unnecessary ones.
Yoga tells us that doing hatha yoga, keeping our body and mind in a certain state breaks unnecessary associative connections. There is more free prana at our disposal, and it is directed towards the restoration and strengthening of structures in need. Since the modern man spends a lot of energy on the intellectual activity, prana is directed to maintaining and optimizing the structures associated with the work of the nervous system.
Performing the asanas of hatha yoga, we refine what we have not worked out starting from the past day and up to what came to us from past lives, including lives in animal bodies. That is why asanas are often given the name of animals, birds or insects – peacock pose, frog, cat, etc. By concentrating continuously on the internal sensations of the body, we achieve one-pointedness of attention, preventing the leakage of vitality to inappropriate processes that arise in the nervous system. That is, we establish the associative links we need and cut off unnecessary ones.
Harmony in practice
The very definition of yoga indicates the method that is also used in hatha yoga. The harmony method implies a smooth and appropriate transition from allowing ourselves to forcing ourselves and back. The bias in one or another direction results in pain and suffering.
The use of the harmony method eliminates the occurrence of unpleasant sensations.
Yoga is a very logical and kind system. As we have just described, it does not replace science; science and yoga complement each other perfectly. From both points of view, Hatha yoga will have a beneficial effect on the thinking ability, but only if the principles of yoga, the methods of harmony and regular practice are observed. Each exercise should be saturated only with joy, only an “inner smile” will contribute to our development!
Rejoice and develop with hatha yoga!
Author: Marina Mirra
Editor: Kerigona
Project coordinator: Kerigona
Translator: Liana Krasovskaya, Tatiana Sugrue, Nat Satchitananda
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1 A.S. Batuev – Higher nervous activity – M .: Higher school, 1991.