Breaking the Invisible Chains
Photo Credit: Quotefancy Breaking the Invisible Chains In the deep well of our inner consciousness, many of us live as prisoners without realising it. We believe we are free agents making conscious choices, yet if we pause and observe, we find we are often driven by invisible forces. These are our compulsions - the automatic patterns of thinking, feeling, and reacting that dictate our daily lives. When we speak of compulsions, the mind often jumps to obvious addictions like substances or gambling. However, the deepest compulsions are subtler and more pervasive. It is the compulsion to worry incessantly, the compulsive need for approval, the automatic reaction of anger when things don't go our way, or the endless loop of desiring what we don’t have. These are the mental grooves worn deep into our psyche over lifetimes, known in yogic philosophy as deep-seated sanskaras (impressions). We are held hostage by our own minds. Modern society tells us to fight these habits with wi...