The mind's habitual fluctuations that create cognitive distortions, directly paralleling CBT's focus on identifying and restructuring automatic thoughts.
Patanjali's concept of citta vritti—the fluctuations and modifications of consciousness—describes how the mind naturally creates patterns of thinking that obscure reality. In CBT terminology, these are cognitive distortions: catastrophizing, black-and-white thinking, and mind-reading. Patanjali's yoga psychology recognizes that untrained minds habitually generate reactive thought patterns that cause suffering. CBT practitioners use this wisdom by helping clients observe their vritti without judgment, becoming aware of automatic thoughts before changing them. By treating thoughts as mental events rather than facts, clients gain the psychological distance necessary for cognitive restructuring. This mirrors Patanjali's emphasis on witnessing consciousness (sakshi) that observes thoughts without identification, creating the foundation for therapeutic change through mindful observation and intentional intervention.
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