Day 6
That which you do to 'be' is called abhyasa or practice. Abiding in the seer is abhyasa. That which you do to be there, now, here or in this moment is abhyasa. An effort is needed for you to relieve yourself from five modulations and just be here - now, now, now, to bring the mind to the present and not dwell on past memories.
This effort is called abhyasa. You can start by being determined that you are not going to dwell on any logic. You are free from pramaana. You are not going to be interested in any proof. If the mind is asking for proof, just know it. Know it, observe it and relax.
You are not interested in any wrong knowledge or right knowledge. Often when the mind is on wrong knowledge, it thinks it is on the right one. So, it is not even interested in knowing anything. Retrieve the mind from knowing, and from knowledge.
There is no anxiety to see, smell, touch, feel or understand anything. Let things be the way they are. Do not care. Do not pass judgements of right or wrong. Free yourself form viparyaya, vikalpa. Check if the mind is on some imagination or some fantasy.
By just knowing that it is imagining or fantasizing, it drops off. It is just like the time you know that you are dreaming - the dream vanishes. Knowing you are on a Vikalpa, or a fantasy, it just drops off, thereby freeing you.
This moment is so new, so fresh and so total. Abhyasa is just recognizing the moment when you are free, fresh, full and totally in the present moment. Here your mind might try to go into the past.
You know that the mind is getting into the five vrittis without any aversion or craving. This is coming back to the centre, to the seer. This moment, again and again and again, is Abhyasa.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji
PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS