how to control the mind?

[Guest guest]

Hello, please accept my humble obeisances.

 

I am trying to follow the process of chanting and bhakti to Lord Chaitanya and I am finding it really difficult to attain control of my mind. So I need some good advice;

 

How is control of the mind attained?

Who has mind control? What are the symptoms and how long does it take?

Is chanting the only way in which the mind can be controlled?

Is it a gradual process or is it like a siddhi one can be blessed with?

As well as chanting what other practices help one develop the ability to control the mind?

What is the nature of the mind and how can it be trained?

 

Also, are there any astrological aspects or something to do with chakras which can help one in developing mind control? For instance I read that on Ekadashi it is much easier to control the mind (and I have experienced this as I can chant more rounds on Ekadashi) because something- some energy or something- moves from the crown to to heart chakra and vice versa which aids concentration, can such understanding help us in developing control of the mind?

 

It would be really great if someone who has actually attained mind control, i.e a goswami, would answer this query as well as others on the path

[Guruvani]

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is 6.35

 

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

asaḿśayaḿ mahā-bāho

mano durnigrahaḿ calam

abhyāsena tu kaunteya

vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate

 

SYNONYMS

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Personality of Godhead said; asaḿśayam — undoubtedly; mahā-bāho — O mighty-armed one; manaḥ — the mind; durnigraham — difficult to curb; calam — flickering; abhyāsena — by practice; tu — but; kaunteya — O son of Kuntī; vairāgyeṇa — by detachment; ca — also; gṛhyate — can be so controlled.

 

 

TRANSLATION

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: O mighty-armed son of Kuntī, it is undoubtedly very difficult to curb the restless mind, but it is possible by suitable practice and by detachment.

 

 

PURPORT

The difficulty of controlling the obstinate mind, as expressed by Arjuna, is accepted by the Personality of Godhead. But at the same time He suggests that by practice and detachment it is possible. What is that practice? In the present age no one can observe the strict rules and regulations of placing oneself in a sacred place, focusing the mind on the Supersoul, restraining the senses and mind, observing celibacy, remaining alone, etc. By the practice of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, however, one engages in nine types of devotional service to the Lord. The first and foremost of such devotional engagements is hearing about Kṛṣṇa. This is a very powerful transcendental method for purging the mind of all misgivings. The more one hears about Kṛṣṇa, the more one becomes enlightened and detached from everything that draws the mind away from Kṛṣṇa. By detaching the mind from activities not devoted to the Lord, one can very easily learn vairāgya. Vairāgya means detachment from matter and engagement of the mind in spirit. Impersonal spiritual detachment is more difficult than attaching the mind to the activities of Kṛṣṇa. This is practical because by hearing about Kṛṣṇa one becomes automatically attached to the Supreme Spirit. This attachment is called pareśānubhava, spiritual satisfaction. It is just like the feeling of satisfaction a hungry man has for every morsel of food he eats. The more one eats while hungry, the more one feels satisfaction and strength. Similarly, by discharge of devotional service one feels transcendental satisfaction as the mind becomes detached from material objectives. It is something like curing a disease by expert treatment and appropriate diet. Hearing of the transcendental activities of Lord Kṛṣṇa is therefore expert treatment for the mad mind, and eating the foodstuff offered to Kṛṣṇa is the appropriate diet for the suffering patient. This treatment is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.