MANAGING THE MIND FROM RESTLESSNESS.



In human life, mind plays a crucial and vital role. A man’s real strength lies not in his muscle but in the mind- to be precise in the tranquility of his mind. It is evidenced in Bhagvad Gita that the “Mind is our best friend” when kept under control, and “Our worst enemy when not”.

But what is the mind? Many thinkers have attempted to explain the mind in such terms as a function of the brain, a product of heredity, a product of environment, a by product of bodily processes so on and so forth. These views describes only ‘How the mind acts and reacts, but not why.’

Thinkers did not succeed in explaining a person’s moral commitment, aesthetic sensibility, and spiritual aspiration. They leave out the most essential part of a man-his soul, and diminish him to either a creature of circumstances or a stimulus- response mechanism. The spiritual interpretation of man and his mind- Mind is a positive entity that stands between the body and senses on the one hand, and the knowing self on the other. While knowing the self of a man is the focus of the all-pervading universal self, the mind serves as the ego-self. The mind is the leader of the sense organs and pervades the entire body, though closely connected with the body; the mind is independent of it. At the pervade stage itself man should take initiative to regulate the mind failing which the mind will invade the body and thereafter will be extremely difficult to regulate it and bring to control. (Not impossible).

The functions of mind are: -

1.Deleberation.
2.Detremination.
3.’I’ Consciousness.
4.Memory.

Mind is our subtle body and gross body is an extension of our mind. As you are all aware that the body is created out of five gross elements, earth, air, water, ether and fire and the mind is of the subtle form of same elements. Being material by nature, these elements do not posses consciousness of their own. The mind has three levels of consciousness: -

1.Subconscious.
2.Conscious.
3.Superconscious.
Conscious is that level from which man takes decisions, choices and value judgements. Beneath the conscious level lies the subconscious, hidden and unperceived and exerting its influence on the conscious. Above the conscious level there is a third level, the super conscious, where the individual consciousness comes in contact with the universal consciousness. The subconscious is guided by instinct; the conscious by reason and the super conscious guide the subconscious by intuition. The ego operates only on the conscious level and on the subconscious level it is unmanifest, while on the super conscious level it vanishes.

The mind is subject to three modifications of matter (gunas): -
1.Inertia (Tamas)
2.Passion (Rajas)
3.tranqulity (Satva)
The preponderance of one over the other two at any time affects the moods of the mind.

Inertia (Tamas) over powers the mind with darkness.

Passion (Rajas) with agitation.

Tranquility (Satva) gives the mind stability.

In regard to the perception of reality, Inertia causes non-perception, passion, distorted perception and tranquility brings clarity of perception.

There are six subtle centers of consciousness located along the spinal column and they are: -
1. At the base of spine.
2. At the level of organ of generation.
3. At the navel.
4. At the heart.
5. At the throat.
6. In the space between the eyebrows.

When the mind dwells in the three lower centers, it broods only on eating. Sleeping and gross sense enjoyments. When it rises to 4th, it feels spiritual longing and makes a spiritual effort. By rising higher it eventually goes beyond the six centers and merges in the universal consciousness. The natural flow of the mind is Cosmo centric, because of the ego, the flow gets obstructed, and falls back upon itself and breaks into waves of negative emotions and urges such as lust, anger, jelousey, possessiveness etc.thereby being unable to be Cosmo centric and becomes egocentric.

Impurities of the mind are the deposits of past indulgent living. They are not mere impure thoughts. Having been repeated over and over again, the impure thoughts have become persistent habits. Striking roots into the body-These habits are called SAMSKARAS and these cannot be overcome neither by intellectual reasoning and analysis nor erased by passage of time.

Face the mind! How? . It has four aspects: -

1.Self-acceptance: - Is acknowledging that the problem of restlessness is our own creation, and we ourselves will have to overcome it. A solution will always elude so long one deny this responsibility.

2. Self Control: - This is the second aspect. The unruly mind never comes under control unless it is controlled consciously. The four paths of yoga outline four ways to achieve control of the mind and they are: -

1.Persuasion. – By Jnana Yoga.
2.Purification.- by Bhakthi Yoga.
3.Eradication.- by Karma Yoga
4.Subjugation.- by RAJA YOGA.

Left to my experience, the path of meditation by Raja Yoga way has been proved to be pretty effective and result oriented in my case. It in reality emphasizes the way of subjugation, not relying so much on reasons.

Self-regulation involves concentrating the mind on a single object and meditating on the object at a center of consciousness and in Raja Yoga method it’s the ‘Heart’ the object of meditation.-the ideally chosen one for regular practice by one and all.

Efforts when too weak and casual fails to change the habits, when too intense can affect adversely. Bhagavad-Gita advises the moderation in all matters and in the case of Yoga: -
“Yoga is not for him who eats too much, nor for him who sleeps too little, but for him who is temperate in his food and recreation, exertion at work, sleep, and waking, and yoga puts an end to all sorrows.

Mind you, no task is more priority than gaining mastery over the mind by overcoming its restlessness. No sacrifice is great to achieve this. No effort in this venture is ever lost or wasted. Mind will never be restless.

Success in self-mastery comes only to those who long for it, urge for it. practice it with faith , devotion and perseverance in the practice.

J.K