Pratipaksha Bhavna – The Art of Emotional Empowerment

Cultivating the opposite is the key to a good mental attitude

- Sejal Pandya

Pratipaksha Bhavna is the theory of mental purification. It involves developing a noble type of thinking that brings out the defects in unwholesome thoughts. Pratipaksha Bhavna offers advice on how Yogis should maintain their resolve in adhering to the Yamas and Niyamas.

Pratipaksha Bhavna is in order to obstruct, preventor overcome defiled thoughts. It is the cultivation of a good mental attitude in contradistinction with the wrong mental attitude. As pointed out by Matthieu Ricard in his book entitled 'In Search of Wisdom', we can get rid of thoughts that trouble us by calling upon thoughts that are diametrically opposed to them; kindness v/s hate, patience v/s irritation, and so on. A thought of love and a thought of hate cannot exist in our mind at the same time. As a way to overcome all pairs of odds, Yoga Sutra 2.33 talks about Pratipaksha Bhavna. Vitarka Badhane Pratipaksha Bhavanam. When there is bondage due to discursive thought, the cultivation of the opposite. Discursive thoughts like violence, etc. whether done, caused or approved, consisting of lust, anger or delusion and whether mild, medium or intense, have as their endless fruits, dissatisfaction and ignorance. Thus, cultivation of the opposite is suggested.