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Source: The Hindu

(http://www.hinduonnet.com/2002/02/15/stories/2002021500340800.htm)

Miscellaneous

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Religion

 

 

Mind must be free from desires to meditate

 

 

 

 

CHENNAI

FEB. 15.

 

There is a trite saying "As you think so you become'', which is very apt to

understand the spiritual evolution of man. Thoughts determine the mental make-up

of a person. The human personality is a conglomeration of the Self (Atman),

body, mind and intellect. When the thoughts are focussed on the body, the person

gives importance to everything related to his physical body. Likewise, when

thoughts relate to the mind it makes for an emotional person and when the

thoughts pertain to the intellect, the individual is an intellectual. If the

thoughts are instead focussed on the Self, such a person then identifies himself

with his true nature.

 

The problem with the majority of us is that we are constantly engaged in worldly

matters and hence we lose sight of our spiritual nature. If we can learn to

shift our focus to the Self we can become spiritual. An analogy can be used to

understand the state of the human mind. A person with a wound went to the

doctor. He cleaned and dressed it and told him to come next day for another

check up. The man returned as instructed but the wound had become worse instead

of showing signs of healing. The doctor asked whether he was a diabetic, in

which case, it would take a longer time to heal. The patient said no and the

doctor asked him to come again the following day to check the progress. Day

after day the blister showed no signs of healing and the doctor became

exasperated and asked him what he had been doing. It transpired that the man had

been scratching it without allowing it to heal. So also was the human mind

ulcerated with thoughts fuelled by his desires and engagements in t!

he world, said Swami Parthasarathy in his discourse on the Bhagavad Gita.

 

How then is it possible for the mind to constantly abide in the Self amid

worldly life? Even a person who sincerely practises meditation is focussed only

for half an hour and for the rest of the time his mind is disturbed with other

thoughts. It becomes apparent then that one has to prepare the mind to become

meditative. Without proper preparation if one meditates there will be more

damage than benefit from such an exercise and it will only be waste of time.

This is similar to asking a recuperating patient to jog. He will only collapse.

Spiritual exercises like meditation also can be beneficial only when the mind of

the person is properly conditioned to engage in it. The mind has to be free from

desires which disturb its tranquillity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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