Book 1, Sutra 10: The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
Sleep or Passivity
The 5 Mind States or Vrittis are:
1. Pramana - Correct knowledge/perception which includes sense perception, logic and verbal testimony
2. Incorrect perception
3. Imagination
4. Passivity (sleep)
5. Memory
10. Passivity (sleep) is based upon the quiescent state of the vrittis (or upon the non-perception of the senses).
Passivity in this context is defined as a ‘trance-like’ state and is not what the yogi aspires to. We need to guard against states where the consciousness becomes passive.
The sleep alluded to in this sutra is the sleep of the vrittis or the whirlpools of mental-emotional thoughts.
The goal of yoga is to control the mind so that it can clearly reflect the light of the soul. We do not aim for a blank mind in meditation practice or a state where we cut off the senses, instead, as we gain control over the mind, it overrides the senses. If we negate the senses without the mind superseding them then we have a negative mind state called abhava or a void that is open to distortions of reality including obsession, hallucinations and delusions.
There are different types of sleep that are dependent on different levels of consciousness:
Normal sleep of the physical body when we are not aware of any information being relayed to the brain from the senses;
The quiet of the vrittis or sleep of the vrittis;
The sleep of the soul, that encompasses the time of our first incarnation to the time when we awaken to the fact of the soul or higher self. Or more simply put, when we realise there is much more to this life;
The sleep of mediums or psychics, where the etheric body which is the blueprint to the physical is partly separated from the physical body and the astral or emotional body and can be dangerous.
Samadhi, or the sleep of the yogi, which is what we aspire to by persistently following Patanjali’s method of training us in mental-emotional-physical detachment and stilling of the vrittis.
The sleep of the Nirmanakayas – these are great spiritual beings who give up Nirvana to help humanity. The sleep that they achieve is a very high state of spiritual concentration in their spiritual or atmic body.
References
Patañjali, & Bailey, A. (2013). The light of the soul : its science and effect : a paraphrase of the Yoga sutras of Patañjali. London.
Bryant, E. F. (2015). The Yoga Sutras of Patañjali. North Point Press.
Iyengar, S. (2012). Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. HarperCollins UK.
Paramhansa Yogananda. (2013). Demystifying Patanjali: The Yoga Sutras. Crystal Clarity Publishers.
Satyananda Saraswati, Swami. (2013). Four chapters on freedom : commentary on yoga sutras of Sage Patanjali. Yoga Publications Trust.
Sounds True. Second Initial. Michael Singer 2024-2025 The Michael Singer Podcast [Audio podcast]. Website. https://resources.soundstrue.com/michael-singer-podcast/