Yoga dictionary. Vasana

According to another version, character traits are already genetically determined, and it is only possible to partially adjust the character of the child in the process of education. From the point of view of yoga, the soul, incarnating in the body, already brings with it the experience of past lives, which is stored in the form of karmic prints or “Samskaras” in the mind of every living being. Sets of karmic prints form the so-called Vasanas. And these Vasanas largely determine the development of the living entity. Vasanas can be manifested only in favorable conditions, so we can not say that the presence of Vasana is a predetermined destiny of man, which can not be changed.

The word “vasana” is translated from Sanskrit as `impression` or `predestination`, the literal translation of the word — `give fragrance` or `aromatize`. Just as a fragrance can permeate the clothing in which a person is dressed, so vasana “permeates” the mind of a person with a quality or inclination. Continue reading →