Nirodha…say what?

Nirodha is defined as the fifth and highest level of the mind.  Why is this important to explore or understand?  You may have heard the saying, "Yoga begins with the stillness of the mind".  This is a simple translation of the second of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. The Yoga Sutras are a collection of 196 aphorisms on the theory and practice of yoga that date back prior to 400CE.  In the first chapter of the Sutras, Patanjali defines yoga as a specific state of mental activity called nirodha.  While some may ask, "Am I trying to empty my mind while I practice yoga?", the concept of nirodha is often misunderstood.  The word nirodha can be broken into two syllables ni- and rodha-.  Ni- is a prefix used to indicate great internal intensity while rodha-comes from the root word "rudh" which means "to be wrapped in".  Therefore, nirodha can be defined as a state in which the mind is able to focus exclusively on one thing with being disturbed or distracted by other thoughts or distractions.  Through practice, the mind is moved strongly and intensely toward one area.  So, that being said, Yoga is not about emptying the mind, but rather learning how to increase our attention and concentration on one thing at a time.  Pretty deep stuff!  It may seem complicated, but imagine you are standing on a rock in front of a waterfall.  You are taking in all the sounds and smells of your environment.  You decide to move your body through a series of yoga poses (asanas).  You start small and simple, paying attention to your breath and body as you move into deeper and deeper poses.  You concentrate and move with intention into the balancing pose Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III).  The only thing you can focus on is the balance, shape, and effort of the pose...this is nirodha.  Nothing else matters in the moment, nothing but the task at hand.  This state of mind can help us act with complete involvement and understanding. 

In the words of T.K.V. Desikachar,

"A yogi has not seen something others can never see; rather he or she sees what others do not yet see".