Think about it: who thinks what is thought?
"Cogito ergo sum," Descartes said, equating the substance of the human being with thought. Indeed, as I write this article and hear my inner voice, I have no doubt that it is I who am speaking.
Well, have you ever wondered if that voice is truly you?
The Mind-Gadget
If you've never questioned the nature of your thought and your mind, don't worry, you're in good company. In the West, it's practically taken for granted that that little inner voice is, to all intents and purposes, who we are.
It's not the same for most Eastern philosophies: for yoga and many other worldviews, what we call "mind" is actually a tool serving the Self, but it is not the Self.
Consider the implications: everything we think and the very way we see and experience the world around us depends on how we use this tool and how sharp we make it. It can be an opaque lens, or a crystal-clear one; it can be a runaway horse or a faithful steed. It can cling to poisonous images, or seek the light.
Antahkarana: The Inner Psychic Instrument
If we are not the mind, then what are we? We are pure consciousness, sat chit ananda. Even if, in our earthly life, betrayed by the veil of illusion (maya), we are not aware of this. However, we have a bridge, a ladder, that can allow us to return to a state of enlightenment and higher consciousness: the inner psychic instrument, antahkarana.
This psychic instrument mediates between our lower Self (Individual Consciousness) and our higher Self (Universal Consciousness, precisely). In its progressive emanation towards grosser reality, in fact, in one of the first stages, Universal Consciousness gives rise to 3 elements (buddhi, ahamkara, manas) which, together with chitta, compose antahkarana.
Buddhi (The Higher Mind)
Buddhi is our intellect and is the element closest to Universal Consciousness. In it resides our capacity to discern, judge, and understand reality; it is the "higher mind."
Buddhi processes information received from the ordinary mind (manas) and directs the decision-making process. It is the seat of wisdom, awareness, and will, and it is the principle that allows us to distinguish what is true from what is false, good from evil, and to make conscious choices.
Ahamkara (The Sense of Self)
Ahamkara is where problems begin. It is, in fact, our sense of self. It represents the mental process that creates the sense of individuality and separation, identifying the self as an entity distinct from others and the universe.
Ahamkara allows thoughts to be translated into decisions and actions, but at the same time, it generates the false self or ego that identifies with the body, mind, and external experiences, creating the illusion of separation from ultimate reality (Brahman or Atman).
Manas (The Ordinary Mind)
The functioning of our inner instrument depends strictly on our perceptions and habits. To quote another Western philosopher, "We are what we eat" (Feuerbach). The same applies to our psychic instrument.
Manas is considered the main component that receives information from the external world through the senses and processes it at a conscious level.
But what happens if manas "feeds" antahkarana wrong perceptions or elaborations?
The answer to this question is clearly visible in daily suffering, both individual and social: we live and cling to false impressions and do not see things as they are. If manas is restless, rebellious, and lazy, so too will be our experience of the world.
Chitta (Consciousness)
Chitta is considered the mental substance that continuously modifies itself through the impressions (samskara) of sensory and mental experiences. We can consider it as memory and the subconscious.
It is shaped by our sensory and mental experiences (domains of manas). This is why it is also the place where mental fluctuations, called vrittis, reside.
"Yoga Chitta Vritti Niroddha"
The essence of yoga is precisely to tame mental fluctuations. The yogic path (sadhana) is a toolbox for strengthening and adjusting that psychic instrument which is at their mercy and which makes us live in the mistaken perception of being "a small Self."
Certainly, it is a long and difficult path, which may require many lifetimes, but whose benefits can be felt from the very first steps. For example, the next time we are afflicted, troubled, disappointed, or angry, we can choose: are we the ones who are angry? Or is it our clouded and untrained mind?
At any moment, we can choose whether to be a small bee at the mercy of atmospheric events, hornets, and blackbirds, or to be the large and efficient beehive.
Further Reading
Commentary on Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, by B.K.S. Iyengar
A Dog Called Mind by Swami Veda Bharati
