Mind & Meditation
Meditation is an experience and can not be elaborated like colours cannot be described to a blind person. It is a state of consciousness in which all mental waves are stilled. In meditation, there is constant observation of the mind. The challenge in life and dealing with the mind is to gain control of the internal world.
The mind is constantly conversing with itself, replaying past events, rearranging them into a better drama, planning for the future, discussing the pros and cons of this and that.
mana eva manusyanam karanam bandha-moksayoh
bandhaya visayasango muktyai nirvisayam manah.
“For a person, the mind is the cause of bondage and the mind is the cause of liberation. Mind absorbed in sense objects is the cause of bondage, and mind detached from the sense objects is the cause of liberation.”
The mind is like a knife, which can be used by the expert surgeon to save someone’s life and also it can be used by someone to kill another person. So it all depends, how we learn to deal with the mind. Training the mind can be done methodically by slowing down its continuous ramblings. There is an internal dialogue which goes on in our mind and it can be stopped with the process of meditation. Along with meditation, we need to focus on positive and uplifting thoughts and objects and it is achieved with the support of meditation philosophy. So with the help of meditation and meditation philosophy, It is possible to begin to understand the mechanics of the psyche and bring about a more effective life.
Mind training is most crucial, else our mind which is so close to us can act like a bodyguard who is a fool. Once there was a king, and he had one monkey friend, this monkey friend was so close to king that he would be with the king all the time, and the king had too much faith in his monkey friend like we all do whatever our mind demands or says to us. One day when the king was sleeping, the monkey friend of the king was guarding the king as a bodyguard, the monkey saw one fly was bothering the king a lot when the king was asleep, the monkey got angry at the fly and he took the sword and attacked the fly when it was sitting at the neck of the king, and guess is easy now, the king was dead. Our untrained mind is like this monkey friend, which can become the cause of our destruction.
The mind is like a phonograph record containing different grooves or impressions. These impressions are very deep on our mind based on our exposure and experiences in life. These experiences can be very negative and destructive. One of the main purposes of meditation is to create new, positive channels in the mind and to eradicate those that are destructive.
These experiences or impressions are called Samskaras and they are formed when certain thought waves become habitual. Samskaras are not necessarily negative. There can be grooves in the mind that are uplifting and also the ones that can bring us down.
With the help of meditation not only we eliminate the negative and destructive Samskaras, but simultaneously we also strive to develop love, compassion, a sense of service, cheerfulness, kindness, and many other qualities which not only make one’s own life happy but which also radiate to others.
Through regular meditation, the mind becomes clearer and motives become purer. The subconscious releases hidden knowledge that allows better understanding. The ego is slowly eradicated. Ultimately the intuitive forces are released, leading to a life of wisdom and peace.