integration of body, mind, and spirit—you need to
develop the ability to calm your mental turbulence.
A thought is a packet of energy and information.
According to yoga, all thoughts can be classified as either
memories or desires. When your mind is active, you are
either thinking about something that happened in the
past or are anticipating something occurring in the
future. The Sanskrit word for memoryorpast impressionis
sanskara, while the word for desireisvasana.
Impressions give rise to desires. If you see an adver-
tisement for a flashy car, a tropical vacation spot, or a
designer dress, an impression is laid down in your mind
that may give rise to a desire. As a result of this desire, you
are compelled to take some new action, such as going to a
car dealership, calling your travel agent, or visiting your
local boutique.
The action that emerges from the desire is called
karma. This endless cycle of impressions giving rise to
desires giving rise to actions resulting in new impressions
is the circuitry that keeps your mind perpetually active.
We can think of this circuit of sanskara, vasana, and
karma as the software of your soul. As long as you are
thinking, your mind is churning through the cycle of
action... impression... desire... action... impression
... desire... action.
Meditation is the technology that enables you tem-
porarily to escape from this cycle. Through the process
of gently focusing your attention (known in yoga as
Dharana) while innocently witnessing the thought forms
that come and go in your mind (Dhyana), you enter into
the gap between thoughts, glimpsing the domain of
unbounded awareness (Samadhi). Taking your mind from
78 The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga