An easy way to control the mind.

  Very often we feel helpless in front of the vagaries of the mind; we feel the mind is completely out of our control. But that is not true. And that can be proved with a very simple example. Most people in the world dislike going to work, unless of course they are self employed. Just as the Sunday evening Sun starts to set, a discomforting feeling takes over the mind. Yet, people overcome the dreadful Monday morning blues and make it to office week after week. How is it that even when our mind doesn’t enjoy doing something, it ends up doing the very same thing every single day? How do we control the mind?

  This is how the human mind works – the mind is a subtle machine that generates thoughts. Along with the mind is the intellect, also called the power of discrimination that controls our thoughts. The conviction of our intellect creates the direction of thoughts in our mind. If our intellect is convinced that there is happiness in money, all our thoughts will run towards earning money. If our intellect is convinced there is happiness in service to society, are thoughts are directed towards charitable efforts.

In the above example, our intellect is firmly convinced that if we do not go to office our survival will be jeopardized. Where will the money to fulfill our basic necessities come from? How will we feed our family? The intellect is firmly convinced that going to office and earning money is critical. Hence despite all the hardships that come our way, the decision of the intellect pushes us to office every day.

  Now if our intellect could make such decisions again and again in the proper places we would immediately gain control over the mind. In other words to control the mind we need wisdom, it is not merely an exercise. Very often people treat meditation like an exercise. People wish to develop power of focus and concentration like they develop muscles. But that is a very tedious and limited means of gaining control over the mind. If we could appreciate the power of our intellect in controlling the mind, we would not struggle so much with the mind. An easier way to control the mind is to illumine the intellect with the right kind of knowledge and then make it convinced about it. Conviction in the knowledge comes with repeated contemplation.

  Spiritual aspirants struggling to gain control over the mind should illumine the intellect with divine knowledge. This knowledge is received from the Guru and Scriptures. Then they must repeatedly contemplate over that knowledge through shravan, smaran and kirtan. Once their intellect becomes convinced about the knowledge that our Supreme goal is to love and serve God, there is nothing that can distract the mind.

The way to peace of Mind!!

In today’s world with our fast paced lives amidst stress and anxiety, if there is one thing we all long for, it is peace of mind. For most of us peace of mind has become a cherished ideal that seems far-fetched. We dissipate a large part of our time and energy in seeking favorable circumstances that will lead to peace and tranquility of the mind. But our own experience tells us that circumstances conducive to our mental peace rarely become a reality. So what is the way to peace?

 Firstly understand that internal peace is never a product of external circumstances. It is a product of purified senses, mind and intellect. For most of us, our mind is afflicted by mental diseases of desires, greed, lust, envy and ego. As long as the mind is tormented by these diseases, we can hardly hope to achieve peace even in the best of situations. Therefore we can begin our journey towards perfect peace by giving up 3 things:

 1. Give up endless desires: Remember, peace of mind comes not by enhancing our material possessions but by eliminating our desires

 2. Give up sense of proprietorship: Remember everything in the world belongs to God. We came empty handed and will go away empty handed.

3. Give up ego: The biggest reason for strife between people is their egos. The way to peace is not to nurture it but to get rid of it. Self-realized Saints experience everlasting peace and bliss because they have given up all these mental defects by purifying their minds through bhakti. In fact for anyone, everlasting peace can become a practical reality when he or she engages in devotion to God. By attaching the mind to all –pure God, the mind gradually becomes purified and experiences its much cherished ideal of peace and bliss.

MIND IS THE SOUL OF MEDITATION

Although one learns the skill of meditation by actually practising it, one must try to follow the basic instructions given by Jagadguru Kripalu Ji Maharaj.

Mind is the life and soul of the meditation . While meditating, the mind should be focused on the Naam, Roop, Guna, Leela, Dham or the Saints of God.

While meditating, one must bring a feeling of extreme powerlessness or deenata. The feeling should be stronger than a helpless grass blade which is crushed all the time and can do nothing.

The devotee should practise extreme tolerance like the stem of a tree. Whatever happens in the world, the effort should be to keep the mind in God and Guru only.

The devotee should feel that God and Guru are sitting right in front of him and that the form he is visualizing is Real and Divine.

The devotee should get the feeling that the seperation from God is the reason for his sorrow and grief. The devotee should shed tears and long for God to appear.

UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN LIFE

A soul very rarely receives a human birth, and that too, is due to God's grace. Of those who have received a human birth, even more rare are those who are true seekers of God's love. But just possessing these two is not enough to succeed spiritually unless you also have the association of a true Saint. If all three occur in the same birth, that soul's spiritual success is virtually guaranteed.

Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj says : Dear Souls ! Submit yourself to the lotus feet of Krishn. Your mother, father, sons, brothers and others, no one will help you at the time of death. You cannot achieve anything by indulging into the fields of lust, anger, greed, attachment and the egoistic activities of your willful likings. The happiness of this world is purely illusive. You cannot receive even a drop of true happiness in this world. The wealth and your youthful beauty (which you may be proud of) is transitory. It will disappear like camphor. Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj says, “ You will not receive this precious human life again and again, so surrender to Krishn immediately and restore your lost fortune.”

O my mind! Listen! This world is futile. Son, spouse, friends and all the worldly relatives are tied to each other in only self-interest. You are under the impression that your son, spouse, sister etc. really love you, and, in the same way, they all believe that you really love them. But your conscience very well knows that you like them for your own personal happiness, and thus (quite often) your behavior bears craftiness from inside. O my mind! Then why don’t you understand that they are also like you. Knowing this please turn to Radha Krishn Who are your true Divine Beloved.

PRICELESS TEACHING OF JAGADGURU SHREE KRIPALUJI MAHARAJ

God and Bliss are both synonymous terms. Every individual of the word desires bliss alone hence he is a servant of bliss. Thus unknowingly he is a servant of Lord Krishna.

Devotion (Bhakti Yoga) is the only means to attain LORD KRISHNA  (Bliss). This devotion is popularly known as Navadha Bhakti (Nine fold devotion).

Purification of the mind is possible only through devotional discipline whereafter one attains perfect devotion, and realises Lord Krishna.

It is impossible to acquire godly qualities of truth, non violence etc, without purification of the mind.

All spiritual discipline is related to the mind alone. Devotion performed only with sense organs is not spiritual discipline.

Love and hate in the material world have the same result. Detachment implies a state of indifference.

Perfection implies seeing Lord Krishna in all beings both movable and immovable.

Human birth is valuable but at the same time momentary. Hence even a moment’s delay in spiritual discipline can bring about a great loss.

Perceiving faults in others is the surest proof of one’s own faults.Spiritual discipline is only possible under the guidance of a true saint.

AKARM OR KARMAYOG

Akarm or karmyog is that where we engage in devotion with the mind, and simultaneously do karm with the body. Shree Krishn described to Arjun this very karmyog in the Bhagavad Geeta. He explained that karm or performance of duty would result in the attainment of heaven or earthly opulences. Vikarm or non-performance of duty would result in hell. So if Arjun ran away from his duty, and did not fight the war, it would be considered as vikarm; and if Arjun performed his duty and fought the war, it would be considered as karm. Shree Krishn asked Arjun to do neither karm nor vikarm. Instead, he should engage in karmyog:

“Tasmat sarveshu kaleshu mamanusmara yudhya cha”

“Keep your mind constantly attached to me and simultaneously engage in karm.” Thus, in akarm or karmyog, one does devotion with the mind, and the prescribed duties of the scriptures with the body. The fruit of devotion is God-realization, which also means liberation from material bondage and the attainment of Supreme Bliss. In karmyog, the karm that is performed bears no fruit, since it is done with detachment. Only that karm which is performed with attachment of the mind has a karmic reaction. When the mind is fixed on God, naturally it is not attached to the work being done. Hence, such work is no longer binding i.e. it is free from any karmic reactions. Thus, karmyog is highly recommended.

ATTACHMENT AND DETACHMENT BY MIND

Detachment from the world and attachment to God are done by the mind alone.It is your mind alone which is your greatest enemy.True detachment implies the absence of attachment and aversion towards anyone and anything in the material world.God is ready to do anything and everything for a truly surrendered devotee.One should never take any pride in offering anything material to god, because no material object can ever be the price for anything Divine.

MIND - CAUSE OF BONDAGE AND LIBERATION

It is the mind alone that has to be surrendered to Shri Krishna and engaged in devotional practices like hearing, chanting, remembrance etc.The mind alone is the cause of bondage and of liberation.One should constantly attach his mind to Shri Krishna, his Names, his Forms, his Qualities, Pastimes, Divine abodes and his Devotees.