Vikalpa, the Vritti.

Mind is continuously changing. It is never static; it is a flow.?

If something is disturbing us now, we must stay in that moment. The disturbance will be around for some time and will eventually fade away. But to remain with the disorder and not get affected is Mindfulness. This article is not about defining Mindfulness, though. The challenge is we focus more on pushing away the disturbances and looking forward to the desired result. And this is creating internal disharmony and conflict.

The essence of Mindfulness is about accepting the moment and living in the moment. If we notice how our mind functions each day, we will see a drastic change in the dimensions we operate from. In one single day, we can move from despair to excitement. Even in an hour, we oscillate from positive to negative. The triggers keep changing, and we keep moving along with these triggers.?

Reduced attention span is not just a toddler thing; even as adults, most of us face these challenges. The mind jumps from one idea to the other, one emotion to the other, and it keeps moving all day long. With each passing day, our attention span, focus and concentration are lower than the previous day. This aspect of the not-concentrated mind is called Vikalpa, as it is one of the vritti in the Yoga Sutra. Vritti is nothing but the flaws or mental blockages we have developed over time.?

Vikalpa is not our nature; it is a Virriti (flaw). We need to focus on moving away from Vikalpa, but unfortunately, we focus more on “attaining” and not letting go.?

The challenge starts when we approach Mindfulness with the Vikalpa state of mind. If the start is not right, then the path will not be smooth. When our mind keeps moving from one idea to other, then Mindfulness is a far-fetched idea. That is why many people fail to meditate or do not see desired results with meditation and Mindfulness.?

What are the challenges you face with mindfulness??