Narayanasramam

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Understanding and Treating the Mind by Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha

 

The growth of the mind and its enrichment should be the true and desired outcome

of its interactions with the world of objects. But usually along with the growth

and development of the body, the mind also develops its own set of ambitions as

well as preferences and prejudices. While some of these are conventional, others

are not. But remember, all are included in the huge variety of human experience

of the world.

 

About the peculiar attitudes and moods that grip you, it is quite in

order and in tune with Nature and her complexities. External Nature is a complex

of various physical, chemical and organic forces and reactions, properties and

traits. Similarly the internal Nature, the psychological side of human

personality, also beams with a wide variety and assortment, and as a result

human tendencies and behaviour differ widely.

 

It is Nature's Law that the human mind is subject to fluctuations.

These fluctuations themselves are optional to us. They are the result of the

complex psychological laws of Nature applicable to humans. So you do not have to

take up any ownership about them or their outcomes. The question remains: what

is an individual supposed to do about this inescapable complexity?

 

The human psyche is an admixture of the three gunas: Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas.

Mind you, these are spiritual components. Each of these generates its individual

characteristics and traits in varying proportions in the display of the

personality. The outcome will reflect the nature of the guna that prevails over

the others. The aggregate remains constant, say 100. One's option lies in

recognizing the existing percentage structure and then work upon it to bring in

the desired combination.

 

Desire, craving, the troubles caused by the absence of a sense of

fulfillment, these are all coupled with rajas. You can know the

dominance of rajas from the pronounced expression of these traits. Do

not have any sense of ownership, as I said earlier, for this raajasik

domination. This much is incumbent on you, to recognize, appraise, and

act upon your finding. Else the suffering natural to rajas will continue to

afflict.

 

Rajas may subside for a while quite abruptly, and Sattva may prevail.

You did have such spells and you have tasted the joyfulness and delight, the

deeper yearning for spiritual pursuits and thoughts, when Sattva shines.

 

The option hence consists in seeking to promote Sattva pursuit in spite of the

periodic interruptions, internal and external, using the will provided by

Nature's laws, in your system. Thereby you gain a

so-called mastery or control over the components and their effects. You do have

the will and wisdom for the purpose in ample measure! Only a timely combination

of these is called for. Can you not do it?

 

The eyes must read, the mind and emotion must abet and the intelligence further

help by doing the vichaara part. The one additional factor will be the contact

and association with the Mahapurushas or Saints. Like the few good friends, for

whom you have a characteristic liking, you can find among the rows of Saints and

Wise people, one or two at least, who generate a sense of fondness in your mind.

In the absence of a personal contact, books – biographies of such persons – and

the like help greatly. Ramakrishna Dev's Kathaamrta is one such. May it inspire

you.

 

Let me tell you that the qualities and preferences of the mind will

linger on for a decade at least before a full change or progression

takes place. It should be so, else an individual may find an interest in one

thing now and suddenly shift to another next day. Even blood and matrimonial

relations will be impossible under such a background.

 

The mind operates by the principle of association with a quality or

ideal – longer the association greater is the influence on the mind.

So do not worry about the absence of short term or immediate effects and

benefits. Habits too are slowly gained, but once formed they become strong in

the person. To begin with there will be resistance form the system, naturally!