Mysteries of mind (2)

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The mind thinks, plans and schemes at first. Then the action

manifests itself. He who invented a watch at first had all ideas of a

watch in his mind about lever, wheels, dial, hands etc.

 

These ideas materialised later on into action. A spark of light

presents the appearance of a continuous circle of light if it is made

to rotate quickly. Even so, though the mind can attend but to one

thing at a time, either hearing or smelling, though it can admit of

but one kind of sensation at a time, we are led to believe that it

does several actions at a time, because it moves from one object to

another with tremendous velocity, so rapidly that its successive

attention and perception appears as a simultaneous activity.

 

The best philosophers and seers are unanimously agreed that the mind

cannot actually attend to more than one thing at a time, but it

appears to be doing so only when it is shifting with prodigious

rapidity backward and forward from one end to the other.

 

Change of thought, relaxation of mind by dwelling on thoughts of

pleasant objects, cheerfulness, Sattvic food,mental recreation of

sattvic nature are necessary for mental health. The mind assumes the

shape of any object it intently thinks of. If it thinks of an orange

it assumes the shape of an orange. If it thinks of Lord Jesus, it

assumes the shape of Jesus. We must train the mind properly and give

it proper pure food for assimilation. Have a divine background of

thought or mental image. If all the thoughts are eliminated then

there remains nothing, which can be called mind. So thoughts are the

mind. Again there is no such thing as world, independent of and apart

from thoughts.

 

Two thoughts, however, closely related to one another, cannot exist

at the same time. The mind becomes that on which it dwells. This is

an immutable psychological law. If you begin to think about the Dosha

or defects of a man, for the time being at least your mind dwells on

the bad qualities and becomes charged with these qualities, whether

the man possesses these bad qualities or not. This may be your vain

imagination only through your wrong thinking, wrong Samskaras or wrong

habits of the mind. He may not possess even a bit of the bad

qualities which you have superimposed on him through ill-will or some

form of jealously or petty-mindedness or habitual. Dosha-drishiti or

fault-finding nature.

 

Therefore, give up the dangerous habit of censuring others and

finding fault in others Praise others. Develop the power or vision of

finding only good in others Do not bark like wild dog about the bad

qualities of others. Glorify others. You will grow spiritually. You

will be liked, honoured and respected by others.

 

Deep sleep is not merely a state of inactivity or passive repose. It

has deep philosophical significance. Vedantins study this state very

deeply and carefully. It gives the clue for non-dual philosophers to

trace, search and find out the hidden silent witness.

 

Atman is ever awake, although all the minds are at rest. Mother of

this world, Rajeswari takes the Jivas back to her and her Lord during

deep sleep, hugs them to her bosom, bestows on them refreshing peace,

new vigour, vitality and strength and makes them quite fit

for the ensuing battle of life on the following day. But for this

sleep, life would have been absolutely impossible in this physical

plane when miserly, disease, cares, worries, fears and anxieties of

various kinds trouble men every second. If a man does not get sound

sleep even for one night, if he loses his sleep one night for three

hours by keeping watch over a sick patient or attending the cinema,

how miserable gloomy, depressed he feels the next day.

 

Mind is atomic, according to the Indian school of logic. It is all

pervading according to Raja Yoga school of Patanjali Maharashi; it is

of the middling size same size that of the body, according to

Vedantic school.

 

Mind is material. Mind is made up of subtle matter. This

discrimination is made on the principle that the soul is the

only source of intelligence: it is self-evident; it shines by its own

light. Mind is formed out of the subtlest portion of the food.

 

Mind can be compared to water. Water exists in four states, viz.,

causal state in the form of H2 & O2. subtle state in the form of

water, gross state in the form of ice, and gaseous state in the form

of vaporised steam. Even so the mind is in a gross state during

Jagrat state when it enjoys sensual objects, is in a subtle state

when it functions in the dream state, is in a casual state when it

gets involved into cause, Mula-Avidya during deep sleep and it

evaporates as gas when it melts or dissolves in Brahman during

Nirvikalpa Samadhi.

 

Just as the physical body is composed of solid, liquid and gaseous

matter, so also the mind is made up of subtle matter of various

grades of density with different rates of vibration.

 

A Raja Yogi penetrates through the different layers of the mind by

intense practice. Just as you nourish the physical body with food, so

also you will have to give food for the mind and spiritual food for

the soul.

 

When your business fails, or when you are in heavy grief by the death

of your only son, you get emaciation of body even though you eat

nourishing substantial food. You feel tremendous internal weakness.

This clearly proves that mind exists and cheerfulness is a good mental

food. When a lady is deeply engaged in the management of the

affairs of her daughter's marriage, she forgets to take her food.

She is always happy. Her heart is full of joy. The joy and

cheerfulness are powerful tonics for her mind. She gets inner mental

strength although she does not take any food. Next we will see how

to control this mind