1.10

Even in dreamless sleep, the mind is still at work. Patanjali teaches that nidra — deep, dreamless sleep — is not the absence of mind, but a subtle mental state marked by the perception of "nothingness." It’s not pure stillness or liberation (kaivalya). Rather, it’s a temporary quieting where no specific thoughts arise, yet a kind of awareness remains. This reminds us that not all stillness is the goal of yoga. True meditation goes beyond unconscious rest: it’s a conscious, clear stillness. Sleep can refresh us, but it doesn’t free us. Yoga invites us to notice the difference between unconscious rest and awakened clarity.