I.8: Unweaving the mind

The aim of science and yoga is the search for the truth by understanding reality. Science allows new understanding to be gained and others to prove new ideas through empirical analysis. These ideas can be verified by other scientists. Science continually refines its intellectual knowledge (scientific view) of reality and by doing so is able to uncover deception, confirm truths and find new truths.

The title of this post takes it’s name and inspiration from the book Unweaving the Rainbow by Richard Dawkins. I’m not sure I will do justice, so you may want to read this book, at least the chapter “Reweaving the World” for the benefit of this post. In this book Richard looks at how the mind perceives the world, practical experiments are presented that need no equipment and can be done whilst reading, these help demonstrate the points he makes.

Richard explains we see the world through an abstract view that is constructed to represent reality, a virtual world we perceive even though we act in the real world. The brain is constantly receiving information which it uses to construct an internal view of the world. Therefore basing our perception on a model and not reality itself, to quote Richard,“… has a darkside. A brain that is good at simulating models in imagination is also, almost invariably, in danger of self-delusion.”

Yoga and science are similar in that they ask you to prove to yourself what is true and what is not, the difference is that science doesn’t know the ultimate truth. Yoga states that deep reality is beyond intellectual understanding which has it’s limits and can only take you so far. Yoga is based on the knowledge of others who have found the fundamental truth and, yogic philosophy provides a map we can use to guide us, but we must walk the path and prove things for ourselves.

Sutra I.8 states“Misconception occurs when knowledge of something is not based upon its true form.” and the example; “In the twilight you see a coiled rope and mistake it for a snake. You get frightened. There is no snake there in reality; there is a false understanding. But still it created a terror in your mind. It is not only valid knowledge that creates thought waves, but erroneous impressions”. Taken from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Translation and Commentary by Sri Swami Satchidananda.

Copyright © Russell Smithers 2008