“Conditioning of the mind,” as stated by Jiddu Krishnamurti in Freedom from the Known, is the act of creating various patterns in the mind that become embedded deep in the psyche. These patterns can be referred to as saṃskāra (संस्कार). This concept is also synonymous with “domestication of the human,” explained by Don Miguel Ruiz in The Four Agreements. The practice of yoga helps reduce the conditioning of the mind until the mind becomes completely clear. When the mind becomes clear, then only does the puruṣa (पुरुष), or the true self, emerge.  

Stephen Covey refers to a paradigm shift in his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, in which readers are asked to look at a picture and interpret it in their own way. On the next page, an entirely different method of interpreting the picture is presented, which demonstrates how the mind works. Looking at the world in a different way represents this same paradigm shift. 

Domestication of the human is inevitable and a very normal learning process of life. When a child is born, it is taught a language through conditioning of the mind. It is shown the image of a tree and told that it is called a “tree.” From then on, that baby is able to associate the image of a tree with the word tree. When children are young, they are innocent and most often will believe anything that they are told. It is not the fault of the parents because these parents were brought up in the same manner. However, klesh (क्लेश), or confusion and sorrow, arise when that individual grows a little older and does not agree with certain patterns that have been embedded into the mind. These patterns could be social, religious, or based on a particular generation or gender.

According to Don Miguel Ruiz, every human being has a judge, a belief system, and a victim inside of them. The belief system refers to the set patterns in the mind. Every time the individual wants to deviate from that belief system, the judge rebukes the victim, which adheres to the belief system out of fear. The belief system provides a safety net, from which the victim is afraid to escape because it does not know what else exists in the world.

But why escape from the safety net at all? Why not remain captive in that which is known instead of venturing into the unknown? Living within established patterns is the equivalent of living in a world of māyā (माया), or illusion, or, according to the Toltecs, living in mitote (fog).  The fog in the mind is conditioning that prevents the true self from seeing the world as it is meant to be seen.  

For example, the mind can be compared to a pair of glasses. The puruṣa (true self) can only see the world through the mind. When the mind is not clear or the glasses are tinted, there is still significant conditioning or “fog” in the mind and the mind sees a distorted image of the world that is not real or an illusion. However, when the mind is clear, when there is no tint in the glasses or absolutely no conditioning in the mind, then the puruṣa is able to see the world in all of its beauty and love. 

This is pure enlightenment, when the real self sees itself in every other life form. When a human being looks at another human and sees a reflection of themselves. All barriers and walls disappear, and all that can be seen is light, the same light that resides within. The clear mind has no rules, biases, or prejudices and does not see race, religion, gender, or any form – it sees only love. Once this love is realized, all fear disappears, and the true talents of that person emerge. The individual begins to live life passionately, with a purpose, and without fear. This is true freedom: freedom of the soul, freedom from the known. It is with this freedom that we finally begin to live life as it should be lived.

“The body is the chariot, Ātman its owner.

The senses are its horses, and sense enjoyment is the green grass.

Intelligence is its charioteer, the mind its reins.

By controlling the mind, we can go anywhere.”

 – Chāndogya Upaniṣad