Vritti: The Mental Modification

In Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, vritti refers to the fluctuations or modifications of the mind that create distortions in how we perceive reality. These mental patterns are the root cause of cognitive biases—our habitual ways of thinking that filter, distort, and selectively process information. By recognizing vritti as the mechanism behind bias, we can observe how our minds automatically categorize experiences through conditioned patterns. This framework transforms bias from an inevitable flaw into a psychological phenomenon we can examine and gradually release. Understanding vritti teaches us that biases are not character flaws but natural mental processes that can be witnessed, studied, and ultimately transcended through disciplined awareness and practice.