How do we keep our mind under control?

[shuvo]

Hare Krishna...

 

 

I is sometimes a very difficult task..."Keeping our mind in control" Our mind keeps wondering here and there...Doing one work, It goes and wonders in another place!!!

It seems to be a very difficult task. But...If we can get control of it, we can put it in a good thing. But how do do that?

 

 

If anyone have any idea, please help!!!

How do we keep our mind under control?

 

 

Hare Krishna.........

[Gaea]

i find it very hard also! i think that is pretty much unviversal.

 

i reckon the key is to realise that the mind is YOUR (i.e. the jiva's) slave, not the other way around. If you let the mind, which is the receptacle of the senses, control you then the slave has become the master.

 

keeping the mind is check - depends on what exactly you want to control, and how far you're willing to go. Being a full blooded testosterone boosted male, i let myself wonder into all sorts of lustful thoughts... but as i began to force myself to control my senses (i.e. enactment) i found that the wondering thoughts came under control. I really believe offering food to GOd before eating also helped with this - you are what you eat, afterall, and if you eat "negatively-vibed" food then your thoughts are bound to go astray.

 

Also, i have found meditation very useful.... MEDITATION?! i hear the GV's ask!!! haha, the fun i have had telling devotees that i learnt meditation from buddhists but i have found it has really helped me concentrate on Krsna when i am in kirtan or even my mundane work, so it can't be a bad thing.

 

Hope that helps... Good luck, Shuvo!!

[gHari]

As our natural affection for God increases we just simply remember Him more. He is so lovable that the more we remember Him, the more we love Him. It is like a circle, a whirlwind that keeps getting faster and faster - a cyclone that never stops, but carries us away to paradise even on earth.

 

So remembering leads to remembering.

[stonehearted]

Here's some advice from Srila B. R. Sridharadeva Maharaja:

It has been practically experienced that responsible services can help us from falling prey to lust, anger, etc. Foremost is faith (sraddha), next is the association of pure devotees (sadhu-sanga) and deep engagement with the duties prescribed by the Divine Master (bhajana-kriya). Deep engagement is necessary, especially for the mind, not merely the body. And mental engagement can be attained only by responsibility. Some responsible service is given to the disciple. He feels weight and it occupies his brain; he cannot but think about it - the mind is engaged there, surely. So the mind gets no chance to dwell on lower things. This is the beauty of deep engagement in responsible Service. In the practical sense, that helps us a great deal. Then association and Scriptures will really be of substantial help to us: as Service (pariprasna, sevaya). As much as we are able to engage ourselves in deep, responsible services, the enemies' effect on us will be minimized. They will come and peep, and will step back saying, "No - no time. He is deeply engaged. He has no time to give attention to us. He may not be enticed." In this way, they will have to retreat. Then if they return once, twice, thrice or more - "Oh, no time. He has no attention to spare for us. He is very deeply engaged - for Seva."

Seva, Service, should not be merely physical; there is mental Seva, and only responsibility can capture the mind. In responsibility, the mind is compelled to think on the matter; otherwise, the mind may be free to wander hither and thither even while the body is apparently engaged. So engage the mind in deep Service, responsible Service.