Closely examine the nature of mind, desire, it's fulfillment and product thereof...

Closely examine the nature of mind, desire, it's fulfillment and product thereof. Also its non-fulfillment and product thereof.

See how the mind is composed of the three guNas and how a predominance of rajas generates desire. Reaching out through the senses the mind seeks objects and when it is successful in enjoying them it gets pleasure. This leads to a reinforcement of that vAsana and guarantees that same desire will rise again. If it is not successful in enjoying that object, it gets angry or sad.

Examine these products of happiness and sadness that arise due to expectation in the mind.

What is the root cause of expectation?

It is memory of past enjoyments. The vAsana was created because previously a desire had been satisfied, so the mind expects it again. From a modern scientific standpoint they say the mind is a creature of habit and there is a reward cycle set up in the brain where mood-altering chemicals such as dopamine or endorphins are released following some satisfaction. Breaking these 'drug' habits is hard and that is what makes controlling the mind so difficult.

The chemical released in samAdhi is very similar in effect to that of the hallucinogenic drug DMT. This is why samAdhi is a very effective way to counter the effect of vAsanas. By allowing the mind to taste the bliss of samAdhi, it slowly starts preferring bliss over pleasure.

Even at an earlier stage in practice it is found that the peace of mind arising from meditation is truly more enjoyable than the up and down of pleasure and pain from sense experience.

So carefully examine the opposite state of samatvam or equanimity of mind due to non-expectation arising from perfect vision.  This is why cultivation of the perfect vision and restraint of the mind have to go hand in hand.