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Concept
1 min read

Chitta Vritti: Mental Fluctuations and ADHD

The Yoga Sutras' framework for understanding the mind's constant fluctuations—directly applicable to recognizing ADHD as a pattern of vritti rather than a character flaw.

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Why It Matters

Patanjali's concept of chitta vritti—the fluctuations and modifications of consciousness—provides a foundational lens for understanding ADHD. Rather than viewing scattered attention as a deficiency, the Yoga Sutras recognize that the untrained mind naturally produces multiple vritti, or mental waves. ADHD represents an intensified expression of this universal tendency. Patanjali's non-judgmental observation of these fluctuations invites acceptance rather than resistance. By studying the specific patterns of your mental waves—how attention jumps, how focus scatters, how impulses arise—you develop the discriminative awareness (viveka) that makes intentional change possible. This reframes ADHD from pathology to a particular configuration of consciousness requiring specific practices, not shame.

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