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Source: The Hindu (http://www.hinduonnet.com)

 

Meditation helps to control the mind

 

CHENNAI, JULY 24. It is by constant practice of meditation that

the mind can be brought under control to enable it intuit the

bliss of the Self (Atman). The mind by nature is restless and

thoughts arise one after another without any effort on the part

of the individual. This tendency of the mind has to be controlled

by conscious effort by one desirous of spiritual evolution. Lord

Krishna advised Arjuna, ``For whatever reason this wavering and

fickle mind wanders away, it should be curbed and brought to

abide in the Self alone.'' Practice thus is the key to progress

in spiritual life.

 

What is the result gained by bringing the mind under control? The

Gita says that supreme bliss marked by a feeling of absolute

peace wells up in the mind when it abides in the Self. The

characteristic of such a reposeful state is total control over

the senses which become subdued without wandering after objects.

Initially it is by much effort that this state can be realised

but as the spiritual seeker progresses, with constant practice,

he will find that it becomes easy to experience the bliss of

communion with the Self. The mind which has tasted this absolute

peace will not hanker after the objects of sense pleasures

because it understands the transient nature of material objects;

the bliss of the Self it has experienced is on the other hand

infinite.

 

In her discourse, Swamini Vimalananda said that the example of

the Gopis in Brindavan remaining enraptured by the personality

and deeds of Lord Krishna during His childhood gave an inkling

into how the mind could dwell on God with practice. The cowherd

maidens were Yogis, sages who had practised meditation and

intuited the bliss of the formless Supreme in their previous

births and hence their minds had attained concentration to

experience Him. Having tasted that bliss, it was no wonder that

their minds sought the Lord when He manifested on the Earth, in

their next birth also.

 

Another result of this experience of communion with the Self is

the insight of unity of Reality - that it is the Self which

resides in all beings and its corollary, that all beings are

subsumed in the Self. The same idea is expressed in the Isavasya

Upanishad also. This is the vision of the Mahatma - a Self-

realised one who has only the constant vision of the Lord

permeating His entire creation. This insight transforms into love

towards all beings and also as service to all. The Lord in the

Gita acknowledges that such a man of wisdom never loses sight of

Him and the Lord also considers such a Self-realised person as

His very Self.

 

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