Sutra 1. 2 yogash citta-vrtti-nirodah

Vrtti (vrtta, plural): The dualist view where bias, instability, tilt, spin, skew, recurring patterned fluctuations, modifications, limited or restrictive psycho-energetic patterns, conditioned effects, oscillations, vacillations, machination, spinning, rolling, rippling, restiveness,  uneasiness, a wavering unsteady state, unstable processing, distortion, disturbances, waves, refractive tendencies, fractures, eddy currents, fractual processes, aberration, whirling, swirling, bias, tilt, including dullness and sleep recur and occupying one's attention (pratyaya). A recurring waveform dependent upon the operations of the biased mind-field and/or creating a bias in the mindfield. Vrtta are reoccurring patterns and tendencies that affect the field of consciousness, thus occupying, occluding, blocking, obscuring, or coloring pure consciousness (cit). Vrtti when applied to citta (conscious states) connotes the circular unresolved processes of the discursive mind (karmic winds), while authentic yogic practices are designed to break such circular cycles.

Citta (chitta): Mind-field: A dualistic field of consciousness. Here citta-vrtti refers to the ordinary egoic dualistic consciousness with a separate object and observer. It includes all limited states of mind's field.

Nirodha: Release, liberation, cessation, completion, resolution, dissolution, cancellation, nullification, stillness, absence/emptiness, disappearance, or extinguishment; hence, a rested, open, free, and relaxed state. The prefix, nir, means means cessation, absence, devoid of, without, empty of, or freedom from something, while "rodha" means limitation, prison. wall, place of confinement, or obstacle. Hence citta-vrtti nirodha means a freeing up of the limitations of the mindfield (citta-vrtti), where nothing needs to be added or taken away.

Citta-Vrtti: The reduced or limited mind-field. A distorted mind field or distorted perception. The turning, twisting,stirring, wavering, whirling, spinning, vacillations,of a turbulent, unstable, and fragmented patterned biased, and circular recurring series of thought patterns. Mental agitations, modifications, fluctuations, machinations, restlessness, tumult, perturbation, aberrations, blurring, biasing, tilting, distorted wave form or energy field, and other fractual process of the field of consciousness which bias and obstruct pure and complete universal now awareness. The ordinary situation of the dualistic/conditioned mind where the observer (ego) identifies with the whirlings/turnings. A dualistic state of mind where the observer associates and identifies with temporal permutations and limitations of fragmented consciousness, habituated recurring mental patterns, and prisons of a limited conditioned mindset. Simply stated the citta-vrtti is a limited and fragmented picture of the original/primordial mind (cit). The samsaric mind field. Yoga reconnects the yogi with his/her original and unobstructed primordial nature. Citta-vrtti are broken and destroyed through authentic yoga practices. In meditation, the circular unresolved processes of the discursive mind (karmic winds) are disclosed and released either one by one or all at once for longer or shorter periods of duration until supreme samadhi (nirbija-samadhi) is realized.

Yogash: Both the practice (verb) and the fruit (noun) of unconditional liberation (kaivalyam) by resting in samadhi (the intelligent self informing ground of being). Yoga leads to yoga. Its pinnacle is samadhi, whose result, is none other than kaivalyam. All these are united as one -- as authentic yoga.

Commentary: Yoga occurs when the bias, winds, turbulences, instabilities, tilting, turnings, twisting, distortions, and spins of the mind-field has become liberated; where the operations of its fluttering/fluctuations have ceased. In that zero point a quietness of mind and spacious stillness occurs allowing the space to recognize the self-luminous nature inherent in the unobstructed larger unlimited/unbounded awareness, naturally. A natural unconditioned clear light radiance and splendor, which intelligently informs us via its primordial awareness, thus recognized. As the instability of the mind-field (citta-vrtti) becomes weakened, clarity is liberated, the true nature of mind becomes stabilized and self-emanates,, thus allowing the yogi to directly perceive the true nature of phenomena and "self". In short, the citta-vrtti is the box/prison of limited and narrow pictures and samsaric thought processes. Yoga operates from an awareness outside of such limited pictures.

Yoga practices such as astanga yoga (especially dhyana) and others as described by Patanjali, considered as yogic "processes", which disclose the true form of transpersonal non-dual experience, can be seen as a process of gradual refinement from a pre-existing condition created and maintained by a distorted and conditioned mentality, which replaces "reality" by a biased mind-field", which in turn is a mere mental projection. Yoga goes beyond these habitual mental formations of the mind, so that clear vision is possible (vidya), whereby the process involves dissolving, emptying. canceling, or releasing the unstable operations/machinations and churning of the ordinary thinking processes (vrtti) common to the ordinary dualistic mind. At first the mind has found its resting point. The mind is quieted, but it is not achieved through artificial means, forcefulness, or through suppression. Rather, the mind becomes unrestricted and totally relaxed and rested. The past machinations, limitations, and distortions of the citta-vrtti have faded away and dissolves. There are subtle layers to let go (vairagya) but eventually the mind becomes liberated into infinite and universal unbiased spaciousness (natural liberation). The original Pure Universal All Pervading Primordial Mind (Cit or Citi), which has always been waiting in the background underneath the wavelike distortions of the citta-vrtti becomes recognized and shines forth into fulfillment and completion. Especially this process is to be activated and observed in dhyana (the seventh limb of astanga yoga) and culminates in nirbija samadhi, the eighth and final limb.

Yogic processes/practices thus are designed to cancel out, annihilate, annul, still, dissolve, and release (nirodha) the fractual and limited unstable wavering patterns, bias, and turnings (vrtti) of the conditioned mindset (citta), so that the unconditioned natural clarity of the original mind can shine forth illuminating the darkness and stilling all anxiety, confusion, tension, and stress continuously and without interruption. Thus vrtti can be defined as the interruptive patterns and oscillating operations, which occlude or disrupt the natural continuous self liberatory flow of the original cit from manifesting in All Our Relations. The citta-vrtti is most easily seen in silent sitting unsupported meditation (dhyana). there one recognizes one's mental operations/formations, which are in flux. However, while in in everyday life one usually does not notice the mind's operations and the way it colors and limits our view of the world. There one's projections or view of the world or reality become confused as the world/reality as-it-is. As long as we have not cleared out the bias (vrtti) of the mind, then the mind-field will be afflicted by ignorance and we will suffer its consequences negatively.

Various descriptions of the citta-vrtti are limited oscillating movements of thought patterns, habitual and recurring mental patterning, recurring pictures, fluctuating thought processes, wavelike operations, mental machinations, twisting, turning, vacillations (including agitation, perturbations, whirlings, spinning), oscillations, mental turmoil, disturbances, disruption, skew, fracture, and further distractions, as well as a dulled and vacant mind field many of which are capable of causing affliction and suffering. In order to avoid confusion, Sri Patanjali is NOT advocating the cessation of the mindfield, but only its limited patterns and habits (vrtta) must cease. What is left is a liberated mind field without bounds. It is a non-field but pure Cit, the conscious principle recognized in all beings and things universally. Authentic yoga sadhana removes the limitations/restrictions of the mind, and expands consciousness and awareness to reach its ultimate integrated potential.

In short, the citta-vrtti is recognized as the unconscious limitations that humans impose on top of their lives/reality, which when removed liberates their true creative potential. The dramatic whirlpools, tides, and/or ebbs of ordinary dualistic thinking processes as well as sleep, which create a turbulence, spin, skew, bias, limited views, impediments or obstructions, -- which condition, program, color, and distort the original unobstructed true pure nature of the unbiased and universal clear light of consciousness or Infinite Mind (citta) are lifted. The citta-vrtti muddle, color, distort, and obscure that sweet wholiness of consciousness (citta-prasadanam) from penetrating and manifesting into everyday consciousness. The presence of habitual vrtti upholds the fragmentary or corruptive mind which thus becomes habituated to the secondary traumatic spiritual rend of separation from our true Self (the primal trauma). In yoga it is that compensatory habit, bondage, or attachment formed to that afflictive state (klesha) which is the cause of our suffering (duhkha) as elucidated by Patanjali in Sutra I.5. When the citta-vrtti (istotions of the mindfield) cease or become dissolved/cancelled (nirodha) then the clear light of absolute reality shines forth as our true nature (swarupa). That is the same light that is also in all beings and things simultaneously. That is the awesome process and result of yoga.

Nirodha

When something ceases to influence our mind, we are liberated from it. It has been released. Hence Yoga is the practice where the citta-vrtta are released. Nirodha is not a practice. Yoga is the practice and the result. Nirodha is part of the result and is entirely passive/rested and effortless. Nirodha is completion. At its completion it occurs beyond even the most subtle refinement of the ordinary mindset. The prefix, nir, means means cessation, absence, devoid of, without, empty of, or freedom from something, while "rodha" means limitation, prison. wall, confinement, or obstacle. Hence citta-vrtti nirodha means a freeing up of the limitations of the mindfield (citta-vrtti). When the restrictions of the mindfield are lifted, what is left is the boundless mind -- our own true and unmodified nature of mind (swarupa-sunyam). The effort is only in making time to sit in meditation (dhyana) allowing nirodha to occur. it is thus effortless and natural self-liberation, which is always available when the veil of unawareness is lifted.

In the Yoga Sutras the cessation (nirodha) and hence liberation of the citta-vrtti (restrictions of consciousness) that is described is a result, is achieved through yoga practices that effect the balancing out and nullification process of release, unwinding, unspinning, unbiasing, and cancellation of the recurring fluctuations or spinning of the mind field -- the ordinary mental processes (manas and buddhi) allowing Universal Purusa seed consciousness entrance.  As a result of the practices of yoga sadhana, what is produced is the unspun, unmodified, unlimited, open, boundless, pure original primordial state which is the culmination of yoga in swarupa. Yogas citta-vrtti nirodha is thus a concise statement of what yoga practice accomplishes -- the the eventual nullification, elimination, and cessation/reduction of the wavering/fluctuations and disturbances of the mind-field and also its final state where the wavering/fluctuations cease altogether revealing our true unobscured nature. Spin, tilt, distortion, or prejudice no longer obscure while residing in natural unobstructed pure primordial evolutionary consciousness.

Translators often confuse the word, nirodha, as being active like a forceful act of stilling, restraining, or even worse as the act of controlling or repressing thought processes; however, the word, nirodha, is definitely more than passive i.e., it is a passive cessation of all efforts -- it occurs at zero point stillness not in the act of stilling -- absorption and dissolution of the ego, not dissolving. It is cessation, not the act of restraint, but cessation of the obstructive condition/noise that covers the revelation of the view/light as the result as the process unfolds. As the process deepens, it becomes self-instructing. What is active is yoga sadhana (practices) instructed by the innate view, as a process that quiets, focuses, and liberates the mind and energy body so that its authentic inherent true-nature can shine forth. Nirodha occurs naturally when the citta-vrtti rests. There the mind is left alone in its natural universal clarity and essence.

So before the citta-vrtta are nullified and emptied, yes, an active process of yoga sadhana occurs; yet the ultimate motivation, being innate, is best left to move the practitioner, rather than to be seen as being initiated from a separate egoic state of willpower (any "individual/separate" effort. Nirodha, itself, is not an active process emanating from the ego; rather it is the result of a profound innate inspiration/motivation, which is ultimately completely satisfying and implicate, albeit it must be given an open space at first in order for it to express itself. Thus, it is dichotomous to state that yoga is restraint or repression of the mind or even the limitation of the fluctuations of the mind; rather, yoga liberates the mind from the dualistic limitations of the mind-field. It frees the mind and opens up awareness to rest in the true nature of mind. It is a natural unconditioned impulse pure and uncontrived from beginningless, primordial, unborn, limitless, universal, and all permeating holographic Mind or more simply put, innate primordial awareness.

It also could be stated that there exists an object that is being transformed from an active state to a stillness (the citta-vrtti), but such is a dualistic statement capable of amplifying dualistic practices with dualistic results. Nirodha is better understood by pointing out that it is not the mind that is being stilled or controlled; rather, the machinations and habits (vrtti) that have become attached to the consciousness (and which obscure it), which have been patterning the afflicted mind in dysfunctional circles is now becoming self-liberated. By the idea of "control" an independent outside operator is imputed. That is why yoga practice is to be undertaken as process oriented, versus goal oriented, the seed of the fruit/result is in the practice/path, mutually co-arising in synergistic synchronicity.

In yoga, the machinations of the citta-vrtti come to a halt, through innately informed functional process oriented practices, and hence awareness deepens accordingly; the yogi wakes up. Then the larger Mind's eye is opened, and with better vision (vidya), the cosmos opens. One sees with heightened clarity. One trips over their untied shoe laces less often. Hence when the mindfield is emptied of all fragmented content and impediments, a dramatic shift takes place. The wisdom eye is activated and shines forth inside which allows it to recognize itself outside as well then "Reality" is seen as-it-is, in its true non-dual nature (swarupa).

When such limited associations, self identifications, or attachments with the thought processes (vrtti) cease (nirodha), then the self resides in its true non-biased abode -- as the True Self or natural unconditioned mind (citta). Nirodha, as cessation is thus passive to an extreme, yet yogic processes (sadhana) themselves are activities (active) as we shall see. They are designed to bring upon this effect (dissolution) of the vrtti.