Reflections on Sutra 1.5

1.5 vŗttayah pańcatayyah klișțāklișțāh
There are five activities of the mind. Each of them can be beneficial and each can cause problems

I think its interesting that my 'Reflections on Sutras' project stalled at 1.4, being all about a disturbed mind's inability to follow a certain direction. A great deal has happened in my life since February when I last posted about the Sutras and recent yoga training and workshops has helped bring my focus back to them.

Sutra 1.5 really is a bit of a cliff hanger isn't it, what are the five activities? Before delving into them I think its good to recognise that regardless, each has a potentially positive and negative effect. Some one once said to me that "A negative is only a positive taken to the extreme" and I have observed this myself on many occasions. One piece of chocolate cake or a modest yarn purchase, or even a moderate yoga practise can be of benefit in the way it fosters contentment. Yet too much of those things can result in an unhealthy body, debt and/or clutter or a form of escapism.

So I'll sit with this thought for a moderate amount of time before exploring 1.6...