According to Yogi Philosophy; the five major destructive perversions of the human mind; their Sanskrit name with English explanations, are listed below. They can not take root in you unless invited in; self-indulgence allows all of these to occupy humanity. What I am sharing here comes directly from the Vedas, and ancient text, but I have put my comments in parenthesis along each. The basic premise is that what we give our attention to will grow.
KAM = Passion allowed to run into lust, and abnormal demand. We grow like that which we contemplate. Kam binds us to the animal plane. (Some might ask what is abnormal demand?)
KROFT = Anger and hate. A mental carcinoma. Anger causes confusion to scatter the mind from the center. Slander, fault finding, jealousy, destructive criticism, etc. are the “pups” of anger. Never criticize, find fault, abuse or blame anyone. When you speak ask yourself, is it true, necessary, and kind. (This is easier to do in a monastery than it is living in the general public)
LOFT = Greed. This binds us to the mineral plane, lower than the animal plane, and creates a God of gold and silver for us. While Kam degrades us, Kroft consumes us, and Loft hardens us. (Mmmmm…a cage made of gold is still a cage)
MOFT = Undo attachment to things. This will use up your time on earth and take you away from higher affairs. It makes you a slave to the lower planes. The liberation of the soul is what you are here for, nothing else matters. Moft will keep you from this freedom. (What stands in the way is the way)
AHANKAR = Vanity or egoism. Ahankar grows on the action of the other four perversions. Vanity operates with boasting long after the other four perversions have died. It is the source of error in humanity; it loudly says I am right and all others are wrong. (Self-love is one thing but vanity and narcissism in my opinion are another)
The only thing worth doing in this life, according to yogi philosophy, is to find a compatible spiritual path and walk in it. Taming The Monkey Mind is also the title of a rather insightful book, written by Thubten Chodron, with a Forward by the Dalai Lama. Although using the term “Monkey Mind” to refer to the antics of the human mind does and injustice to monkeys; and yes I am aware of the connotation, because I did find while writing this post that my mind had allot to say about its’ own perversions. Inner silence is truly golden.
