When I ask a new client, “What is your goal for therapy?” I am typically met with some version of, “I just want to be happy.” As a fellow human, I whole heartedly understand. However “being happy” is subjective, impersonal, not operational. To clarify further I ask, “How would you know you were happy? What would you be doing? Who would you be surrounded by? What would happiness look like to you?”

There are no “right” answers to these questions, however yoga can offer guidance on the topic of living a meaningful life and removing the mental obstacles we all face. Below is a brief exploration of Yoga Sutras 1.1-1.16 or the “Sweet Sixteen” that serve as introductions to many of the concepts found throughout the Sutras.

The first Sutras, 1.1-1.4, focus on answering the question, “What is yoga?” Yoga begins in the here and now and serves to quiet “the chatter of the mind.” When we practice yoga, we are able to see the world for what it truly is, and when we don’t practice yoga…we are pushed around by the ever-changing landscape of our thoughts. Nirodha is the way out. This practice of intentionally redirecting the mind and challenging the automatic perceptions is how we realign with Reality.

Now, imagine the moon. High in the night sky. Unchanging, ever-present. Shining brightly overhead. Shifting your gaze downward, you see the moon’s reflection on an expansive lake below. It is a calm night. The water is still, and the moon is perfectly reflected on the smooth surface. Notice what shows up for you and observe this reality.

Then, a gentle breeze passes through the trees and over the water, disrupting the steady image of the moon. Although the moon remains unchanged, our view of it is distorted. Notice what shows up for you and observe the changes in your presence and connection with this scene.

The moon represents “reality,” or our True Self, unchanging and objective. Our mind is like the surface of the water; when undisturbed, we see things clearly. Even the smallest wave distorts the image of the moon (reality). These “waves” are caused by the vrittis.

Sutras 1.5-1.11 describe the vrittis, or the mind’s attempt at understanding our experiences, as whirlpools of the mind. ALL mental experiences fall under one of the five vrittis: correct knowledge (pramana), misconception (viparyaya), imagination or fantasy (vikalpa), sleep (nidra), and memory (smrti).

Have you ever used your five senses? Made an educated guess? Has your mind ever played a trick on you? Do you tell stories? Ever had a good night’s rest? Talked about your day? (Trick question; everyone has). These a just a few examples of the vrittis we can experience daily.

Although the vrittis range from harmless to harmful, they are not inherently good or bad. When repeated over time, and for the wrong reasons, they create impressions in the mind, or samskaras. Samskaras are like unconscious habits and greatly influence how we see the world, ourselves, and live our lives, and can prevent us from living as our True Self.

So now what? How do you know if samskaras are calling the shots? And what do you do about it? And why does this matter in the search for happiness?

I say to my clients often, “If I had a quick fix to your struggles, I would be a millionaire, and we would not be having this conversation.” Albeit there are practitioners, influencers, and entrepreneurs of the past, present, and likely the future, who promise they hold the answer, there is no shortcut to everlasting happiness and you will not find it outside of yourself.

As stated in Sutra 1.12, Abhyasa-vairagyabhyam-tat-nirodha, “consistent practice (abhyasa) and detachment (vairagya) from sense objects create stillness of the mind.” As Sutras 1.13-1.14 further explain, spiritual practice in the context of yoga, is learning about and addressing the mental fluctuations (vrittis) and breaking the unconscious habits (samskaras) they can cause. Abhyasa (practice or effort) implies practicing whole-heartedly and with sustained dedication to achieve a level of stability with our vrittis.

Sutras 1.15-1.16 Vairagya (detachment or letting go) entails intentionally learning about your True Self and True Values and discerning them from false values and any attachments that have come with them. It is not about abandoning the world or the life you have. Happiness is not achieved through possessions or avoiding what we don’t like, and therefore life and the things in it cannot bring happiness.

And finally, Sutra 1.16 explains “When an individual has achieved complete understanding of his true self, he will no longer be disturbed by the distracting influences within and around him.” Oversimplified, the way to not be disturbed by the fluctuations of the mind, is to not be disturbed by them. Easier said than done.

So how do you develop a spiritual practice and “find” happiness? First, ask yourself, “Am I ready and willing to put in the sustained effort to see myself clearly and challenge the rules I have lived my life by up until this point?” The only way out is through.

Next, find a trusted guide, therapist, teacher, friend, loving parent, spiritual practitioner, support group, etc and begin a personal inventory and exploration of Self.

Take a personalized approach. Each individual, therapy modality, or holistic practice, will have its preferred ways to build awareness and break “habits,” of the mind. The “best” way is the one that works for you.

As a therapist, this is a daily practice of guiding my clients. As we sift through the muck of what society has told them to be, they can hear their own inner wisdom, perhaps for the first time.

For myself, I notice I am hooked by the vrittis and their associated samskaras when I am disconnected from my body and no longer notice my breath. I am moving between tasks without completing anything, fatigued, over-thinking everything I have ever done or will do, avoiding time with my loved ones, and probably pretty crabby. This is my cue to return to my practice.

Personally, this will be a lifetime practice and every day offers a new opportunity to challenge my understanding of reality and Self. I rely on time in nature, with loved ones, journaling, movement, and taking breaks from technology.

In a society that pushes us to our limits and harps on finding happiness, we do not often look in the right places. Happiness is not found outside of ourselves. I say again, if someone offers you enlightenment in one easy step, run. There is no shortcut in building a spiritual practice or understanding of Self. The benefits of the practice is in getting there and there truly is no end point.

*Created without the use of AI or other editing software. My intention is to prioritize being human and normalize vulnerability and making mistakes. I don’t want to be perfect anymore.*