Suhas_Tambe:

> Thinking process is resident in the brain and not directly connected with diaphragm (which remains a breathing apparatus). Secondly, there is no need to "stop" the thinking process, neither one is advised to do so through laborious efforts. We are talking about 'setting aside'. Here's Patanjali's method as I understand (and practice):

> The model: The “thinking instruments” (brain, mānas, and buddhi) are different from the “thinking process”. Electromagnetic vibrations arrive from the environment—re¬ceived as sense impulses which travel throughout the nervous system by means of the spinal cord and enter the brain. These vibrations are transferred to mānas flowing over the memory pools and then to buddhi. The energy of the incoming sense impulses stirs the structure of predispositions and these impulses attract memory patterns from the past-experienced emo-tions. Ideal thinking would be a process wherein the mind acts only as a catalyst, however, the untamed mind brings associated emotions to create vibrant “individualized” thoughts causing mind modifications.

> In the construction of thoughts Buddhi brings in the intellectual layer that makes an indi-vidual’s signature on the thoughts, mānas brings in the emotional layer that is judgmental, and the brain brings in a highly physi¬cal/ sexual orientation. Why does the mind indulge? Under the influence of tamas, mind conceals that the incoming impulses are mere appearances. Moreover, such a shallow percep¬tion is further affected by a conditioned cognition—one that uses only known patterns in the memory. Lastly, the emotional gloss creates attachment to the objects, and the mind lets us believe that such colored and deformed perception gives us our “only reality.” Such indulgent mind deserves to be kept aside. Sūtra 2.25/II.54 tells us that pratyāhāra is a process in which one consciously separates the mind from the thinking process and not allow them to engage and interact. This is neither an accident nor a psychic adventure; it happens at will. That is why it’s a breakthrough.

> For reaching this milestone the secondary means of Yoga con¬tribute collectively—yama-niyama compliance eliminates causes of alternating mind-states, āsana steadies and stills the physical body to remove any residual agitations, and prāṇāyāma’s regu¬lated breathing does the same to the astral body by eliminating the sentimental swings.

> But what happens to mind is even more significant. All along, mind has been actively participating in the thinking process to generate knowledge even if it is conditioned, individualized and sentimental. Through the Yoga practices, mind evolves into its original self, the Universal Mind, and starts sourcing spiritual knowledge. Thus, in a dramatic turnaround, the brain and its part¬ners stop creating defective knowledge and become users of exact knowledge. Mind can return to its original role of a catalyst and not indulge. This is non-attachment.

> It is tough to control the sense organs that owe their natural out¬bound tendency to a human legacy of millions of years. Instead of reining in the sense organs, it is easier to snap the link between sensing and thinking.

> Pratyāhāra is considered a breakthrough because, in that state, the freedom from longing for all objects eliminates the outward bound orientation of your perception. Instead of repeatedly forc¬ing your attention inward, your perception would come to re¬side there peacefully, at will. Desires are defused, perception is direct and independent of sensing, the sense organs are retired and mind is no more agitated.
> Our usual reflex thinking directly connects the sense organs with the organs of action, resulting in an automated behavior / response. With the sense organs withdrawing from attachment to objects, the organs of activity are relieved of their bondage of compulsive habits and are brought under full conscious control. One develops a relaxed indifference toward objects, people, and events that, until then, had held you captive. But it all happens in several progressive phases.

> First, there is an involuntary pause, Nirodh pariṇāma, (a state of mind transformation, is the silenc¬ing of the senses) in this sequence:
> • The brain reacts to that which is seen (saṃskāra).
> • Then follows a moment of restraint (nirodha).
> • Then ensues a moment wherein the mind responds to both these factors.
> • Both factors momentarily hold each other out and the perceiving consciousness has full sway over that mo¬ment (Sūtra 2.27/III.9).

> A complete subjugation of the sense organs neither happens sud¬denly nor is sustained for a long period. At first, the snapping of the link between sensing and thinking happens in a flash, for a fraction of a second. Though this pause leaves a beautiful memo¬ry, it remains an involuntary occurrence. You need to cultivate the ability to interrupt thinking by a willful pause in order to hold on to that.

> Then a response leads to a willed pause in this way:
> 1. You are concentrating on some object and are slowly be¬coming aware of the act of concentrating itself. To that awareness, the act of concentration becomes an object. This stimulates the mind into thought-forms and results in mind modifications.
> 2. But now any modification is immediately followed by a different awareness, a need to control the modifications, and this brings in your will to stop the form creation, and the mind momentarily ceases to modify itself. But this control itself generates mild modifications.
> 3. The above “modify and control” sequence goes on for a while, but you persist and eventually manage to be aware of both triggers almost simultaneously.
> 4. Then it happens—a willed pause. Both sensing and will¬ing are delicately balanced and consciously suspended. Neither the object nor the controlling creates any mind modification. Your awareness suddenly elevates itself be¬cause there is no medium for perception.

> Any effort to control the mind is counterproductive, because the controlling thoughts create mind modifications and increase the mind turbulence. Early attempts at concentration become frustrating, because even with the eyes closed and the body stilled, either the object of meditation (if one has such an object) or the awareness of your act of meditating itself creates mind modifications. The thinking instruments and the thinking process have no agenda of their own. But, once the thinking instruments and the individual thinking process are so equipped, it is easier to apply the will to excite or inhibit the nerves and thus control the thoughts and actions. This ability further facilitates a willed pause that leaves space for the arising of spiritual perception.
> Eventually, it is cultivation of habit from what first occurs as a one-of-a-kind involuntary flash. This is a long and often frustrat¬ing process. But despite its momentary nature, the initial vision is alluring enough. The vision is life-changing. The so-called esoteric becomes a viable way of life. The abil¬ity to separate the thinking instrument and the thinking process takes root at long last. When this becomes a habit and mind’s thought-form making tendency is arrested, that eventually re¬sults in a constant ability of meditation (Sūtra 2.29/III.11). The brain is not activated, as they used to even at the slightest sensory provocation, and thus the thought-churning tendency is voided.

> The practice: One needs a dual approach.
> 1. Watching the thoughts with the thoughts: Only by knowing the thinking process more subtly can we control it. From time to time, we have to bring our thoughts under the microscope. The big advantage is that at that very moment the thought-chain is broken. Then, one should make a note (mental or written) of the thought and trace it backwards. On that pathway, we recognize a lot of branching out or diversions. That’s typical perpetuation of thoughts. Then, we should pick up 3 to 5 such diversions and trace what caused it. It would invariably something emotional, and something in deep memory. At this moment, one would always find an opportunity to space thoughts and eventually widen it further into a pause. Care should be taken in not pressing any harder as that itself causes more thoughts. As well as remember to apply slight efforts of will to suspend thoughts.

> 2. Raising an antenna to the Universal Mind: Through a well-directed practice, one should activate bindu and sahasrara chakra. These chakras, when supplied energy, tend to derive intelligence from the Universal mind and provide it to the thinking apparatus. This reverses the flow – the brain becomes a custodian of unconditioned knowledge, rather than the manufacturer of faulty experienced-based knowledge. This makes the thinking process redundant and dispensable.