So how do we calm the waves of the mind? Patanjali gives a two-part answer: practice and non-attachment.

Practice means doing it again and again, regularly, for a long time, even when it's boring. Like learning an instrument, the mind gets calmer through steady repetition, not through one big effort.

Non-attachment means letting go. It means not grabbing at every pleasant thing and not running from every unpleasant thing. You notice them, and you let them pass.

The two work together, like the two wings of a bird. Practice gives you energy and direction. Letting go keeps you from getting tense and frustrated.

Swami Vivekananda, who translated these sutras, explains that the mind has strong habits, and practice slowly builds new, calmer habits in their place.

If you meditate for five minutes and your mind wanders the whole time, that is still practice. Coming back to it tomorrow is how the change happens.