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The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Book 3 - Union achieved and its Results
38. By liberation from the causes of bondage through their weakening, and by an understanding of the mode of transference (withdrawal or entrance), the mind stuff (or chitta) can enter another body.

This entire science of Raja Yoga is based upon an understanding of the nature, purpose and function of the mind. The basic law of this science can be summed up in the words "energy follows thought" and the sequence of activity might be stated as follows:

The thinker on his own plane formulates a thought embodying some purpose or some desire. The mind vibrates in response to this idea and simultaneously produces a corresponding reaction in the kamic, desire or emotional body. The energy body, the etheric sheath vibrates synchronously, and thereby the brain responds and energizes the nerve-system throughout the dense physical body, so that the impulse of the thinker works out into physical plane activity.

There is a close connection between the mind and the nervous system so that we have an interesting triplicity,

  1. The mind,
  2. The brain,
  3. Nervous system,

and this triplicity must be carefully borne in mind by the student of Raja Yoga in the initial stage of his work. Later a second triplicity will engross his attention, [328]

  1. The thinker,
  2. The mind,
  3. The brain,

but this will be during the demonstration side of his work.

It is through an understanding of the method of energizing the nerves that the thinker can galvanize its instrument into activity during incarnation, and similarly produce trance, samadhi, or death. The same basic knowledge enables the adept to raise a dead body, as Christ did in Palestine, or occupy the vehicle of a disciple for purposes of service, as Christ occupied the body of the disciple Jesus. This knowledge and its use, we are told, is subject to the great law of karma, of cause and effect, and even the Christ Himself may not set the law aside in any case unless there is adequate "weakening" of the cause producing the bondage.

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