Manual of Mind Control

This booklet gives the essential outline of a work in Sanskrit which dates back to about 150 B.C. The author was a sage called Patanjali and his work is called YogaSutra" (YogaAphorisms). The work deals with mystical exercises to master the wandering mind and free the candidate from all mental stress. Perhaps this work is the earliest work on meditation. It is presented in the form of aphorisms (terse sayings); there are 196 of them. It is not a religious work; it is free from dogma; and is based on a laser like probe into the psychology of the human mind. That a person who lived more than 2000 years ago could delve deep into problems of the mind is incredible; doubly so when those problems are confronting man even in the present day. That is why his teachings are astonishingly relevant to modern man. There are quite a number of dissertations on metaphysical aspects of human psyche; but this booklet confines itself to the main purpose of the teachings which is mind control and the methodology prescribed. For the religiously bent an active technique of self improvement is briefly given in the teachings but this booklet does not discuss it. Quite a few aphorisms describe the occult powers that might accrue to the aspirant but Patanjali cautions against entertaining them. He has not given the methodology to acquire these powers. Briefly this booklet describes the different stages of the transformation of the mind and explains the discipline to achieve this transformation.