Nine Impediments

The above modifications are primarily caused by the nine impediments to a healthy growth and development of the mind. These are:

• Sickness,
• Incompetence,
• Doubt,
• Delusion,
• Fatigue,
• Overindulgence,
• Confusion,
• Lack of perseverance and
• Regression.

These nine conditions are the greatest causes of all sorrows, miseries and pain, which disturb the mind and result in distractions and loss of mental tranquility. All these interruptions produce symptoms such as, mental discomfort, negative thinking, the inability to be at ease in different body postures, and difficulty in controlling one's breath. The yoga of Patanjali prescribes abhyasa or regular practice and vairagya or detachment as the sole means of conquering such impediments and achieving kaivalya (absoluteness) or self realization. Abhyasa in this case is basically the correct effort required to move toward, reach, and maintain the state of yoga.