Samskaras: deep subconscious level imprints that shape our lives

What are samskaras

Have you ever wondered why we behave in a certain predetermined way in a given situation? For example if someone cuts you across while driving, you may end up shouting and cursing at the other person. Or, if someone screams at you using harsh words, you are likely to shout back with even harsher and unpleasant words. These so-called “knee-jerk” reactions are a result of deep-seated impressions that have been left in the deep subconscious levels of the mind not only during this life but over multiple lifetimes. These deep-seated impressions in the mind are called samskaras.

The Sanskrit word ‘saṁskāra’ (संस्कार) is a composite of two words – sam and kāra. The word kāra is derived from the root kṛ (कृ) which means “to do”. The literal meaning of the word samskara is purification, refinement etc.

In the context of spirituality, it implies the impressions or subtle imprints that are deposited in our subconscious mind as a result of our thoughts, actions and experiences. These impressions serve as the seeds of our habits, tendencies, and emotional responses, shaping the very fabric of our personality and life journey. Samskaras are formed through repeated behaviors and experiences, which create grooves in the mind, much like a river carves its path through land. They function as both memories of the past and blueprints for the future, influencing how we perceive and interact with the world. While some samskaras propel us toward personal growth and spiritual evolution, others bind us in suffering and limitations. Understanding their nature and purpose allows us to bring unconscious patterns into conscious awareness, empowering us to create a more intentional and fulfilling life.

How are saṁskāras formed?

All our actions are initiated by our desires prompted by our likes and dislikes (called rāga and dvesha). Of course, our likes and dislikes stem from our strong ego (ahaṃkāra or asmitā). It is the ego that ends up dominating the intellect and makes us do undesirable actions which, even though may give momentary gratification, finally result in suffering. All our actions – good/bad or virtuous/non-virtuous – get deposited in our memory as samskara.

Positive and negative saṁskāras

Every experience that we have in life gets stored in our memory bank. Each experience also gets labeled as – I like/dislike it; I love/hate it; I want/don’t want it; It is pleasant/unpleasant etc. When we have a pleasurable experience, it leaves an impression in the mind along with a desire for a repeat of that experience. When a similar desire comes up, we repeat that experience. With every such repetition, the impression in the mind, called samskara, gets stronger and stronger. Now that becomes a natural response, and you may develop a craving for the same experience to happen on a repeated basis. When the need to consume some item becomes totally compulsive, we call that an addiction.

When we have an unpleasant experience, it leaves a negative impression in the mind along with a desire to avoid similar experience in the future. Now, when we have an experience which is “seemingly” similar to that unpleasant experience, but may be totally unconnected, we still want to habitually avoid that experience.

When actions and thoughts are repeated, these samskaras become deeper. The collection of samskaras creates our individual personality and character and also strongly influences our subsequent thoughts and actions. If, for example, we get angry easily, the mind is predisposed to react with anger rather than with patience or understanding. Over time, these samskaras become so strong that it becomes extremely difficult to weaken or erase them. Changing a deeply ingrained mental habit becomes an uphill battle.

In general, positive samskaras lead to constructive habits, virtuous deeds, and instill a sense of inner peace. Good samskaras help us stay aligned with ethical living, mindfulness, and spiritual growth. Some examples of helpful behavior patterns resulting from positive samskaras are: offering selfless help to others (called nishkama karma); establishing a consistent yoga practice which includes asana, pranayama, meditation, proper diet etc.; having a sense of gratitude for what and who we are, and many similar traits of personality.

Negative samskaras, on the other hand, lead to reactive, unhealthy behavioral patterns. They cloud our judgment and perpetuate negativity in relationships, health, or emotional well-being. Some examples of negative samskaras are: procrastination, laziness, habitually delaying necessary activities or avoiding responsibility, reacting impulsively to people and situations, self-doubt, unhealthy habits (over-eating, substance abuse, prolonged and unproductive time on social media) focus on failures etc.

Fruits of our actions

As per the karma theory, we reap the fruits of our karma (karma phala) either in this life, or in a subsequent life. If our thoughts and actions predominantly represent kindness, love, and compassion, our character reflects it. Fruits of these very actions will be returned to us sooner or later. If our thoughts and actions are full of hatred, anger, or jealousy etc., those thoughts will bear similar negative fruits in the future.

Impact on Daily Life

Samskaras play a profound role in shaping our daily lives, often operating beneath the surface of conscious awareness. They influence how we think, feel, act and behave, creating patterns that can either support or hinder our well-being and growth.

Here are a few examples to illustrate their impact:

Personal relationship: When an apparently healthy relationship is broken, one may feel a sense of betrayal. This can develop a samskara of distrust. One can start questioning the intentions of others even in a friendly relationship. This will obviously inhibit development of deeper and long-lasting connections.

Habit formation: Someone who repeatedly procrastinates and waits till the last moment to meet a deadline can develop a samskara of avoidance. Over time, this samskara will make a person “run away’ from challenging situations resulting in stress, anxiety and poor performance.

Another example is the habit of eating wrong and unhealthy kind of food leading to a variety of physical and mental ailments. I have known several people who, despite being diabetic, love to eat sweet and fatty desserts.

Emotional response: Sometimes children get constantly criticized for not being the best in the class or for not achieving high proficiency in sports, music etc. This can easily develop a samskara of self-doubt. On growing up, this samskara can manifest as fear of failure which can impact their self-confidence, decision-making and performance. In general, samskaras can influence our emotional response such as anger, hatred, jealousy, fear or joy.

Above, I have given examples of how negative samskaras impact our lives. The contrary is also true. In each of the above situations, a positive samskara will bring about positive results. For example, in the case of personal relationship, a samskara of kindness may help approach a relationship with warmth, kindness and empathy fostering deeper connections and harmonious relationships.

Breaking free from negative samskaras

Making the intellect (buddhi) more dominant than the ego (ahamkara)

A conscious, concerted effort is required to break loose from the deeply ingrained grooves of behavioral patterns in our memory bank. A consistent yoga practice consisting of asana, pranayama and meditation can help us loosen these bonds. If you have attended any of the yoga classes that I teach, you’d have noticed that at the end of the asana sequence and just before yoga nidra, we sit quietly for a “moment of reflection”. During this brief period, we try to replay in the mind, like a video replay, the sequence practiced so far. This reflection gives us an opportunity to become more aware of ourselves at the physical, breath and mental levels. This enhanced level of awareness helps us identify if at any time the mind was driven by the ego, rather than the intellect, and tried to push the body beyond its natural limits. As we know, the ego always like to do actions that are pleasurable but not necessarily desirable. In many situations in life, the ego is more dominant than the intellect and we end up doing undesirable actions which lead to the accumulation of negative samskaras. For example, a dominant ego can make us eat the wrong and unhealthy diet which can lead to all kinds of ailments. Repeatedly eating pleasurable but unhealthy food becomes habitual and leaves a deep negative samskara in the chitta. If, on the other hand, the intellect is sharp and dominant, then we perform actions that are desirable, but may not necessarily be pleasurable. For example, due to certain health condition, the intellect will guide us to eat food that we may not enjoy but is highly desirable for our health situation. Again, repeatedly doing the right action propelled by the intellect will help accumulate positive samskaras.

Cultivating pratipaksha bhavana (opposite thoughts)

In the journey of our life, we often encounter negative thoughts (anger, jealousy, hatred etc.), anxieties, and frustrations that can disrupt our inner peace and result in suffering both at the physical and mental levels. One of the most effective techniques to counter such mental roadblocks called “pratipakṣa bhāvanā” is presented by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras. It is a profound concept that offers a transformative approach to managing our thoughts and emotions, ultimately leading to inner peace and harmony. The term pratipakṣa bhāvanā entails cultivating an opposite or a counter thought or emotion.

In essence, pratipakṣa bhāvanā teaches us how to consciously shift our perspective from negative or harmful thoughts to positive and constructive ones. This practice is rooted in the recognition that our mental states profoundly influence our well-being and overall quality of life.

Let us take a look at the two sutras given by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras that give a deeper insight into the definition and application of the concept of pratipakṣa bhāvanā.

Sutra 2.33: “When disturbed by negative thoughts, opposite [positive] ones should be thought of. This is pratipakṣa bhāvanā.”

Sutra 2.34: “When negative thoughts of acts such as violence, etc. are either done by oneself, caused to be done by someone else or even approved of; whether incited by greed, anger or delusion; whether indulged in with mild, moderate or extreme intensity; they result in infinite misery and unending ignorance. Reflecting thus is pratipakṣa bhāvanā (cultivating the opposite).”

A nice example of how negative thoughts can result in misery for us is presented in this Buddhist saying, “anger is like holding a piece of burning charcoal in the hand with the intent of hurling at someone you hate. Guess who is getting hurt/burnt?”

For a more detailed discussion on these two sutras, please visit my blog here.

Concluding Remarks

Understanding samskaras empowers us to take charge of our inner landscape. These mental impressions (samskras), whether positive or negative, shape our lives and influence the way we perceive and interact with the world. By becoming aware of the samskaras that govern our thoughts and actions, we open the door to inner transformation. Through consistent practice of self-awareness, self-reflection, and practicing the tools offered by yoga, we can weaken the grip of negative patterns and cultivate uplifting, positive ones. In doing so, we move closer to freedom from conditioned responses, embracing the potential for living a life full of growth, joy, and fulfillment which can ultimately lead us to self-realization. The journey of working with samskaras is not just about changing habits—it is about rediscovering our true essence, untainted by past imprints, and living a life of purpose and clarity.

[1] Sutra 2.33: वितर्कबाधने प्रतिपक्षभावनम्॥३३॥ vitarka-bādhane pratiprakṣa-bhāvanam ॥33॥
[2] Sutra 2.34: वितर्का हिंसादयः कृतकारितानुमोदिता लोभक्रोधमोहपूर्वका मृदुमध्याधिमात्रा दुःखाज्ञानानन्तफला इति प्रतिपक्षभावनम्॥३४॥ vitarkā hiṁsādayaḥ kr̥ta-kārita-anumoditā lobha-krodha-moha-āpūrvakā mr̥du-madhya adhimātrā duḥkha-ajñāna-ananta-phalā iti pratiprakṣa-bhāvanam ॥34॥