We have everything that can be given to anyone. It may seem, like a joke,
if someone feels limited. Then why we feel limited and what can be done about
this? Let us try to understand.
Let us start with mind-body level. Most of us consider our self to be mind-body.
So let us see, how many aspects of mind-body is in our control. Consider the
body first. Breathing with nose, cleaning of blood by kidney, pumping of blood
throughout the body by heart, functions of liver & pancreas, digestion of food
by intestine and many more. How many of these functions are we controlling?.
Laughter!!. None. They are happening on their own, thanks to unknown. It is amazing that, all this body functions,
happens on their own, including breathing, even when we sleep. If one of the functions go little haywire, our
life will come to stop. The fact that body
is bound to weaken and diminish over time, is known to all of us. Anyway, we are not controlling it, even if it
diminishes, we should not complain. We should be rather be thankful, that it
has sustained us for so long.
Then why we consider our self limited. This job is done by our mind. Mind will create insecurity, fear, anxiety etc.,
of the future, guilt etc., from the past and make us believe we are limited. It
make stories, and make us believe that there is something more to be achieved,
so that fear/guilt etc will be satisfied. But since these things cannot be
mentioned in numbers, and that is why it will never be satisfied. We will discuss more on this in future blogs.
So it seems neither our mind or body are in our control. So what we are
actually doing here. Laughter !!
We find most of the people look for peace of mind. That means, the
unwanted chattering of mind needs to be stopped. But one will find it very
difficult to achieve. This is the reason, why everyone needs awareness, just to
achieve peace of mind.
What is this awareness? The awareness that we are not this mind-body. That
we are actually infinite consciousness. We
will discuss on this in future blogs.
Thanks for reading. Your valuable
comments will be helpful.
I don't think the chattering of mind can ever be stopped. What can perhaps be stopped is our habit of giving it too much importance. We just need to realise that its 'chattering' and nothing more than that.
ReplyDeletethanks for reading and replying. I agree that mind cannot be stopped. Mind only stops with the death of the body. So I have mentioned 'unwanted' chattering in the blog. This is really interesting!! you see. Mind have grossly two levels: first one is 'wanted' mind or 'natural' mind and second one is 'unwanted' mind that we may call as 'chattering' as well. 'Natural' mind is integral to the body and it is stored as memory all over the body. It cannot be stopped and it is absolutely essential for survival. But the 'unwanted' mind, which originates from 'unreal' fear/guilt, leads to stress and suffering. This 'chattering' can be reduced to great extent as one increases his attention or as he/she is more aware. I will write on 'mind' in detail in next blog.
ReplyDeleteGood start Amit! Look forward to the sequel.
ReplyDeleteI am intrigued by your definitions of wanted and unwanted minds. All my readings till date taught one thing - duality (good/bad holy/evil wanted/unwanted) lies only in our thoughts and perceptions.
According to Zen monks and those who are on the path of enlightenment, thoughts (and hence mind) cannot be controlled as is. It is only our reaction to those thoughts that can be controlled. The Buddhist philosophy of "just let go" teaches exactly the same.
thanks for replying. your views are really helpful.
ReplyDeleteI agree that, our 'perception' to the 'chattering' causes suffering. But who 'perceives' ? it is again the mind. So that 'unreal' thoughts, such as fear/guilt, needs to be discarded by the mind at first place, so that it does not become the part of the mind or memory. So as you mentioned, the Buddhist philosophy of "just let go", may be pointing towards 'thoughts'.
Amit, first of all Congrats on your first blog. It has started on a good note in my view.
ReplyDeleteIt is a strange and difficult thing to describe the mind. You may categorise as 'wanted' and 'unwanted' - but to me its a just a continuous flow of thoughts. Now in the process of getting rid of unwanted thoughts you actually start to think of them. It is like if someone says dont think of 'X', the mind wants to think of 'X'. With such a state of our minds, it is nearly impossible to distinguish between wanted and unwanted thoughts and hold on to wanted thoughts. One way, as you put differently, is to become a silent spectator of what thoughts come in your mind. Have tried this for some time I can say that it is easier said than done. I completely get lost, because the mind has moved to some other place/thing and the awareness catches later. May be with continuous practice it can get better. We can discuss on this as and when you pen your next thoughts.
Thanks for appreciating. I do not know why i am writing this. It just happened.
ReplyDeleteYou have got it right, perhaps, instead of putting the mind as wanted/unwanted, i should have stick to wanted/unwanted 'thoughts'. I agree, as you have pointed out, that this judgment is very tricky and one should be very careful. It might take us the other way. That is a learning. But with my limited understanding, i have found out that thoughts become mind, if you do not discard the 'unnecessary'. With required attention/awareness, one may get the ability to do so. As we become more and more aware, we reach the state of witnessing.
Congratulations on your first blog bhaiya.
ReplyDeleteI really did not get anything out of it.
ReplyDeleteIs it fine. Even I do not know anything neither about the blog or even about myself. Just Kidding!!.
DeleteHello Professor, Hope you are good!!! Peace of Mind is going to be the expensive gift in the future. Most of the time we want to reach greater heights in our life, actually I could say our mind, can be controlled, we can have control on our dreams, but we need to sacrifice a lot.
ReplyDelete