note to self

T.K.V. Desikachar, in his commentary on Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, cites five of the mind as by the sage Vyasa

KSIPTA

lowest state of mind; person is highly agitated and unable to think, listen, or keep quiet. “It’s like a monkey jumping up and down,” Desikachar says. “Toss it a diamond, and it doesn’t know what it is.”

MUDHA

In this state, no information seems to reach the brain. The mind is dull and listless. A person might be holding her key yet still ask, “Where is the key?”

VIKSIPTA

Here the mind receives information but seems unable to process it. The mind oscillates in confusion, with an inner chatter like “I want to do everything, but I can’t do everything. Should I do this or that?”

EKAGRA

In this state, the mind is relaxed but not sleepy. The person is ready to focus and pay attention, which is a prerequisite to meditation. A good yoga class can bring the mind into this state of relaxed attention.

NIRODHA

Here the mind is not distracted by random thoughts but is fully absorbed in the object of focus. This can occur in meditation or when a person is fully engaged in something.

the first yoga sutra states
yoga chitta vritta nirodha
which i previously understood/translated as:
yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind
not until now did i recognize nirodha as the highest state of mind
so now this makes even more sense
yoga helps uncover this highest mind
continuing glimmers & expansion,
c.