In the quiet corners of the mind, shadows stir. Not of external beings, but of thoughts given too much power – of fears, doubts, habits, and illusions we unknowingly sculpt into reality. The ghost we fear the most is often the one we create ourselves.
Just as someone who hears whispers of a ghost may one day see it materialise before their eyes, the mind projects its deepest anxieties outward. The ghost is not real – it is an external manifestation of belief. It is the mind taking form outside, becoming something tangible, something perceived. When fear dominates our thoughts, the mind takes its shape – spilling into hallucination, behaviour, even identity.
Addiction: The Ghost of Desire
But ghosts do not always wear the guise of terror. Some haunt in subtler ways – like addiction. One who drinks, knowing their liver is failing, tells themself, “I will quit soon.” But soon never arrives. This person grants their mind a license – two months, then one more drink, then one final farewell to alcohol… until the cycle repeats. They are haunted not by liquor itself, but by the ghost of justification, whispering that there is always time, always another excuse.
Yoga philosophy teaches us that what we dwell on, we become. Just as repeated thoughts of ghosts make them appear real, repeated surrender to habitual cravings reinforces their control. Addiction is not merely physical – it is psychic formation, a samskara, an imprint deep within the layers of mind. And until one shifts focus, until one chooses a different psychic object, the ghost remains.
Breaking the Cycle: The Power of Resolve
To dispel a ghost, one must first understand its nature. To dissolve addiction, one must stop engaging with its deception. If we say, “I will try,” the mind wavers, unsure, hesitant. But yoga teaches Dharana – firm focus. Not “I will try” – but “I will do.” Transformation is not born of hesitation; it is born of action in the present moment.
Similarly, Pratyahara, the withdrawal from distractions, teaches us how to detach from harmful influences. If a man absorbs the thought that he is powerless, he will manifest powerlessness. If he instead cultivates, “I am inseparable from Supreme Consciousness. I have the strength to overcome.”, his mind will take the shape of empowerment.
A New Psychic Object
The ghost of addiction, like the spectre in the haunted house, is a projection – not an eternal reality. If one chooses a new focus, a higher ideal, then over time, the illusion weakens. Instead of fueling cravings, the mind redirects its energy toward something greater. This is why yogic practice emphasises meditation, self-study (Svadhyaya), and surrender to the Supreme (Ishvara Pranidhana)– they shift the psychic object from limitation to liberation.
So, the question remains: What will you choose? Will you give energy to the ghost – the fears, doubts, and habits that haunt your path? Or will you, in this very moment, choose light, strength, and clarity?
Because, in truth, we are never haunted – only convinced that we are.