It is called the donkey state of mind because there is a lack of concentration, alertness, and energy needed to deal with different life situations. This is the state when the mind is dull, lazy and sluggish. By managing and prioritizing your attention only toward healthy, important, and constructive thoughts and letting go of the undesired ones, you can give clear directions to your mind to stop wandering and focus only on what is required at the moment. The good news is that through yoga practice, we can develop an understanding that thoughts come and go. Symptoms of the kshipta state of mind include difficulty making decisions, restlessness, anxiety, confusion, and lack of clarity. It is the most common state of the mind while awake, especially now in modern, stressful, fast-paced times. Managing simple activities becomes challenging because there is no clear focus. When in this mind state, a person alternates between extreme states of love and hate, like and dislike, pleasure and pain, enthusiasm and boredom. Kshipta is the monkey mind, constantly jumping up and down. In this lowest state of mind, a person will be restless and anxious. The 5 States of Mind, According to The Yoga Sutras

But according to The Yoga Sutra, to reach this state of absolute calmness and balance, we must first understand the different states of mind. The goal of yoga is to reach a state of Samadhi where the mind is calm and undisturbed even in the most difficult circumstances.

These fluctuations create thoughts and emotions leading to actions. Chitta (mind stuff) is constantly undergoing changes. Maharishi Patanjali, the author of the famous yogic text The Yoga Sutra, describes the purpose of yoga in just 3 words: the cessation (nirodha) of the fluctuations (vrittis) of the mind (chitta).

Download zen state of mind for free