‘Yogas Chitta Vrittis Nirodha’ - simply translated as 'yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind'
In yoga we are working towards quietening the chatter of the mind; this can be challenging when we first start to practice. If we are not able to cease the chatter just yet we can work on recognising that the mind is constantly chatting and that we are not our mind. We can work towards not identifying with or getting carried away with the chatter of the mind. To help us to accomplish this we can turn to the SIFT model of the mind.
The SIFT model was developed by Dr Dan Siegel. It's a simple way of understanding and bringing awareness to the workings of the mind so that we can find peace of mind.
SIFT explains that the mind is a neutral space and that it is what we fill it with that matters and that we fill it with Sensations, Information, Feelings and Thoughts. We are also taught this through the yoga sutras.
If we can develop a trait of bringing awareness to our state of mind and then examining the source of that state we can work towards sitting with or processing that, to work towards peace.
The SIFT Process
What are we sensing with our bodies?
What is the information coming in?
What are we feeling, emotionally?
What are we thinking?
Bringing awareness to these elements helps us understand ourselves and develop insight, so that we can live more skilfully, deciding what we need to do from a place of clarity.