experience but tend to take for granted. Yoga says there is much to be
learned from them as they too are patterns of thought waves that in
fluence the mind and its ability to perceive truly. If the reader is puz
zled by this insistence on examining the myriad waves of thought that
ruffle the lake of consciousness, let me just remind you again of Patan
jali's second sutra, "Yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of con
sciousness." Why? Because yoga is meditation, and this chapter is
about concentration and meditation. A ruffled mind cannot meditate,
which is why we must identify and pacify all disturbing patterns. The
consciousness must become passively alert-not placid like a cow con
tentedly chewing the cud, but alert and receptive like a wild deer in the
forest, except that whereas the deer's senses are turned outward, the
yogi's, with equal acuity, are directed inward. This is intelligence en
throned in awareness, about to enter the mystery of the unknown. Yet
our consciousness is not always alert, and so we must explore the mod
ifications of our mind that prevent us from having this acuity.
Transforming the Mind
Consciousness (citta) has three functions. The first is cognition, which
is perceiving, knowing, and recognizing. The second is volition, or
will, which is the impulse to initiate action. The third is motion, which
expresses the fire nature of mind, ever transforming itself and leaping
up in different places and guises. These all serve for us to gain knowl
edge and appreciate the truth concerning humankind's position in the
universe.
Let us look at the fiery nature of mind. Fire flickers and dances, so
does mind. In fact, consciousness modifies itself so rapidly that before
we can recognize one fluctuation and examine it, it gets muddled with
another. These muddled changes are a natural process. They show the
vivacity of consciousness. All our activities depend upon these mental
fluctuations.