Annamalai Swami : Final talks

[Guest guest]

Annamalai Swami: Mind is just a shadow. Attempts to catch

it and control it are futile. They are just shadows chasing

shadows. You can't control or eliminate a shadow by chasing it

or by putting a shadow hand on it. These are just children's

games.

 

Ram Tirtha once told a story about a small boy who ran down

the street, trying to catch up with the head of his shadow. He

never managed because no matter how fast he ran, the shadow

of his head was always a few feet ahead of him.

 

His mother, who was watching him and laughing, called out,

'Put your hand on your head!'

 

When the boy followed this instruction, the shadow hand

caught up with the shadow head. This was enough to satisfy the

boy.

 

This kind of advice may be enough to keep children happy,

but it won't produce satisfactory results in the realm ofsadhana

and meditation. Don't chase your shadow thoughts and your

shadow mind with mind-control techniques because these

techniques are also shadows. Instead, go back to the source of

the shadow-mind and stay there. When you abide in that place,

you will be happy, and the desire to go chasing after shadow

thoughts will no longer be there.

 

Bhagavan often told the story of a man who tried to get rid of

his shadow by burying it in a pit. This man dug a hole and then

stood on the edge of it in such a way that his shadow was cast

on the bottom of the hole he had just made. After lining it up in.

this way, he started throwing soil on the shadow in an attempt

to bury it. Of course, no matter how much soil he put in the

hole, the shadow still remained on top of it.

 

Your mind is an insubstantial shadow that will follow you

around wherever you go. Attempts to eliminate or control it

cannot succeed while there is still a belief that the mind is real,

and that it is something that can be controlled by physical or

mental activity.

 

Annamalai Swami : Final talks by David Godman

2002 edition

 

© Sri Annamalai Swami Ashram Trust

[Guest guest]

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color:black">Annamalai Swami: Mind is just a shadow. Attempts to catch

"Courier New";color:black">it and control it are futile. They are just shadows

chasing

"Courier New";color:black">

"Courier New";color:black">shadows. You can't control or eliminate a shadow by

chasing it

"Courier New";color:black">

"Courier New";color:black">or by putting a shadow hand on it. These are just

children's

"Courier New";color:black">

"Courier New";color:black">games.

color:navy">

"Courier New";color:navy">

color:black">Your mind is an insubstantial shadow that will follow you

"Courier New";color:black">around wherever you go. Attempts to eliminate or

control it

"Courier New";color:black">

"Courier New";color:black">cannot succeed while there is still a belief that

the mind is real,

"Courier New";color:black">

"Courier New";color:black">and that it is something that can be controlled by

physical or

"Courier New";color:black">

"Courier New";color:black">mental activity.

color:navy">*******************************************************************

 

Arial;color:blue;font-weight:bold">I love Annamalai Swami and Kunju Swami and

Bhagavan’s devotees who understood the teaching so intimately that they

realized. The direct approach is

grasped by those only who are perfectly ripe.

Arial;color:blue;font-weight:bold">

Arial;color:blue;font-weight:bold">Yet, even the most eminent devotees of Sri

Ramana like Kunju Swami were advised by Bhagavan to engage in traditional spiritual

practices such as Japa, mantra, meditation, etc in addition to keeping up the

enquiry.

Arial;color:blue;font-weight:bold">

Arial;color:blue;font-weight:bold">The central force turns out to be not the

method employed or not employed but the Heart manifesting as the Guru that by

Grace pulls one in to realization, despite oneself.

Arial;color:blue;font-weight:bold">

Arial;color:blue;font-weight:bold">Love to all

Arial;color:blue;font-weight:bold">Harsha

Arial;color:blue;font-weight:bold">