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ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODEThis episode explores Citta, the storehouse of memory, impressions, and latent tendencies within the mind. As the second part of our Antaḥkaraṇa series, we unpack how Citta governs the deeper layers of our mental activity and what it means for yoga practice and self-awareness.
DEFINITION AND ETYMOLOGY OF CITTADerived from the root cit, meaning “to perceive” or “to be conscious,” Citta is the memory aspect of mind, a vast internal field of impressions (saṃskāras) and mental patterns (vṛttis) that shape how we perceive and respond to the world.
KEY CONCEPTS COVERED
Citta as the substrate for vṛtti and its role in the Yoga Sutras (1.2)
How memories and conditioning form behavioural tendencies (vāsanās)
Mirror analogy from the Bhāgavata Purāṇa - how Citta reflects the world and the self
Distinguishing Citta from Manas, Ahaṃkāra, and Buddhi
Citta in the four states of consciousness: waking, dreaming, deep sleep, and Turīya
Cleansing the Citta through Sādhana and inner stillness
TEXTUAL SOURCES
Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali (especially 1.2: Yogaś citta vṛtti nirodhaḥ)
Bhāgavata Purāṇa - the analogy of the mirror covered with dust
Traditional Hatha and Vedantic references to the mental field (citta-bhūmi)
PRACTICAL INTEGRATION
We offer practices to refine and clarify Citta including:
Stillness in āsana to reveal subconscious patterns
Prānāyāma for emotional digestion
Meditation to observe and reduce vṛttis
Daily reflection and repetition to cultivate new saṃskāras
Living with awareness to interrupt automatic patterns
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We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey.
HARI OM
