How to tame the tornado of thoughts in the mind

THIS IS A CONSTANT PROBLEM WE ALL FACE: Generally, people complain of numerous ideas creeping into their mind at the time of meditation. They think that they have failed in their practice unless they bring their mind to a standstill. But it is not so. We are not practising concentration but only meditation. We must go on with meditation unmindful of the foreign ideas that happen to come to our mind at the time. The flow of ideas is due to the activities of our conscious mind, which is never at rest. We are still busy in meditation with our subconscious mind, while our conscious mind is roaming about and forming numerous ideas. Thus, we are not the loser in any way. In due course, after sufficient practice, the conscious mind too gets moulded and begins to act in harmony with the subconscious mind. The result thus achieved is deep-rooted and lasting, and finally calmness, the characteristic of the soul, becomes predominant.

There is also a second piece of guidance for managing thoughts. We all want to bring our minds to a still, thought-less condition during meditation, but what are we doing with our minds the other twenty-three hours of the day? Observe yourself and see. How can it possibly be still for one hour when the rest of the time it is wandering all over the place?

One way to regulate your mind throughout the day is to remain in a meditative state, carrying the condition you experienced during meditation with you. You can also make the following suggestion wherever you go: “Think that everything around you is absorbed in ‘godly remembrance’. Start by first feeling absorbed in ‘godly remembrance’ yourself, so its echo will be felt outside.”

A time will come when you notice that you don’t have thoughts at all. The mind is in stillness. Slowly, little by little, it is becoming fine-tuned. This practice of feeling ‘godly remembrance’ absorbed even in outer objects keeps your mind focused. It is an amazing benefit, like Yoda says in Star Wars: ‘Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you. Here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere. Yes, even between this land and that ship.’ And there is another benefit: whether you are at the theatre or in a shopping mall or college, can you imagine what happens to the feeling around you when you offer this suggestion? Try it as an experiment. Make this suggestion when you have nothing to do. You will become absorbed in ‘godly remembrance’, and slowly this absorbency will expand, not just around you but you will also think of a friend who is living somewhere else. You will send vibrations all over. Allow this feeling to expand. There are no limits to this expansion except those imposed by you. The Earth will be too small, even the universe will be too small when you allow your consciousness to expand; a consciousness packed with love.

(To be continued...)

Reprinted with permission by Kamlesh D Patel fromDesigning Destiny, 2019www.daaji.org/designing-destiny

(Kamlesh D Patel is the fourth spiritual guide in the Sahaj Marg system of Raja Yoga meditation. He travels extensively and is at home with people from all backgrounds and walks of life, giving special attention to the youth of today.)