summary of witnessing your thoughts

(Based Upon Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra) By Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati 

Yoga meditation systematically leads us to the realization that: “I am not my thoughts! Who I am, is the Self who is Witness of the thoughts!”

In which state is my mind currently?  Kshipta, disturbed, troubled Mudha, dull, heavy Vikshipta, distracted, partly focused Ekagra, one-pointed, focused Nirrudah, highly mastered, regulated Which of the qualities or gunas is dominant with this thought? Sattvas, illumined, light, spiritual Rajas, active, stirring, moving Tamas, static, stable, inertia Which type of thought is this?  Pramana, clear, correct, valid Viparyaya, misconceived, unclear Vikalpa, conceptualization, fantasy Nidra, sleep, focus on non-being Smriti, memory, recalling How do I know this is true?  Pratyaksha, perception or experience Anumana, inference or thinking Agamah, written or oral testimony How do the four functions of mind interact with this thought?  Manas: driving actions and senses Chitta: storehouse Ahamkara: I-maker Buddhi: decides, judges, discriminates

Is this thought colored or not colored?  Klishta, colored, afflicted Aklishta, not colored, not afflicted Is this thought useful or not useful? Useful to growth Not useful  to growth If the thought is colored, which colorings are dominant? Avidya, spiritual forgetting, veiling Asmita, associated with I-ness Raga, attraction or drawing to Dvesha, aversion or pushing away Abhinivesha, resistance to loss, fear What is the current stage of the coloring of this thought? Udaram, active, aroused Vicchinna, distanced, separated Tanu, attenuated, weakened Prasupta, dormant, latent, seed How is this thought operating at the four levels of consciousness?  Vaishvanara, waking, conscious Taijasa, dreaming, unconscious Prajna, deep sleep, subconscious Turiya, fourth, witness, consciousness Is this thought pattern who I am? Yes, it is who I am. No, it is not who I am.