The Mind – The Mystery.
A mind is a master tool of your body, it makes the existence of the world. The mind is quite mysterious, from sages to scientists spent their whole life trying to solve the mysteries. The mind also called Chitta in Sanskrit, biologically mind is a very complex organ with numerous functionalities and controls. The mind is a control center of our body and its senses. Spirituality and Science have a common objective to discover the truth, only difference in the approach of discovery. The Hindu sages are the spiritual scientists who connect spiritual knowledge with scientific applications. From Yoga to Astrology all are the scientific applications of spiritual knowledge. The approach of spiritual discovery is from a subtle level to the gross level.
The mind plays an important role in the creation and the destruction of our life. The present state of mind decides our future, one who controls the mind is the real winner, not the one who has the physical assets or materialistic possession.
The Mind is the precursor, if you work with it, practice with it, it will be the best friend of your life, with eternal inspiration and motivation. The mind is the Problem and the Solution also, every problem comes with its own solution only difference in perspective. The solution to the mystery of mind is in it, not outer. If the mind is tense, pressured, stressed or chaotic then mind become a serious problem but, once you reached the state of complete silence of the mind, it opens up like an opening of all the knots and a fresh canvas of life in front of you, where you can paint yourself in the colors of the desired life. But the mind is not an easy thing, it keeps you in the delusions of the worldly life, the world, what we see, feel, smell, taste, and listen is just a sensual communication of sensual objects of life. This is the direct knowledge of the mind(called Pratyaksha Jnana) which comes from senses, the five senses. Your whole life decided by these senses and its cravings. These sensual objects controlled the mind and keep it engaged, So, the mind-controlled by these sensual desires. One who controls the mind is the winner of life. The mind is a beautiful tool to attain all the joy and peace of life.
Let’s talk about the mind in detail, in Vedas Mind which is explained as Chitta or the Mind stuff, it is composed of Manas, Buddhi, and Ahamkara. These three units (which itself individual units) describe the functioning of the mind. Manas, the physical mind which is being associated with the five senses, what we see, hear touch, taste, and smell is being observed by manas. The Buddhi part is the intellectual brain which has the ability to memorize, analyze, and distinctive. The Ahamkara the most important part of our mind which creates the notion of “I”, “Me” and “Myself” it gives the existence of the You in this world. One who is able to create a balance and control over Manas, Buddhi, and Ahmakara is the winner over the physical dimension of life and the worldly delusions. The focused, tranquil, and calm mind is the key to be a ruler of life.
How to do it? How to achieve the state of tranquility and the deep silence of the Mind?
The Meditation – The Key
Meditation, the Dhyana. the focused fluid mind. The mind is as complex as simple, this we can say when we take our mind from the complexity of nature (Prakriti) to the simplicity of peace and tranquility. The mind is like a lake with thousands of external and internal modifying ripples in it due to various vrrities(modifications). But the meditative mind rest at the state of complete tranquility like a lake of crystal clear water at a peace no ripples or disturbance if someone throws the piece of stone(a thought, word, etc) into that meditative lake the ripples do not arise, the stone gets engulfed by the lake without causing effect so no cause by the stone so the effect. That is meditation, a sharp, focused, relaxed, and fully control the mind, once this mind starts merging and dissolved in the self or the Isvara, the pure consciousness realized.
Nowadays meditation becomes the best selling product for stress removal, focus improvement, relax the mind and cure many other mental ailments. Many people develop or recreate the meditation techniques and practices as per their knowledge and experience. There is no doubt that meditation is beneficial for almost all kinds of mental and physical ailments, but as the popularity and the commercialization of meditation increased this ancient practice has lost its true essence. Now it become a well-known product which can treat all problems. But does meditation stand for this or it has a much bigger meaning.
Dhyana is the best way for self-realization, to manifest the true knowledge of self, the atman, much different religion use it to realize the truth, they have developed various techniques and practices like in Buddhism vipassana, in zen zazen, etc are major practices of meditation.
To understand meditation we have explained the various dimensions of the mind(i.e manas, buddhi, and ahamkara) now its easy to describe the process of meditation. The term Dhyana is one of the limbs of ashtanga yoga which is also called eight limbs yoga, this is the most ancient yoga process with a complete scientific system. In Ashtanga yoga, there are 8 limbs or steps in yoga to reach the final destination i.e super consciousness. these steps are :
- Yama — non-killing, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence, and non-receiving of any gifts.
- Niyama — cleanliness, contentment, austerity, study, and self-surrender to God.
- Asana, or posture;
- Pranayama, or control of Prana;
- Pratyahara, or restraint of the senses from their objects;
- Dharana, or fixing the mind on a spot;
- Dhyana, or meditation;
- Samadhi, or super consciousness.
The Dhyana or meditation is the seventh step or limb of the yogic system. So, before reaching the state of dhyana the purity of mind and control achieved by practicing these five limbs ie. Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, after practicing these the preparing stage of meditation is completed, now the important step of developing focus i.e Dharana, in this step, the clear and relaxed mind creates a focus on any object (even at the subject also) as the focus start developing the mind become clear and start expanding its potential from finite to infinity and the flow of pure knowledge starts flowing like a river, the mindfulness prevails to the present without any past or future in this state of mind.
The eternal happiness, mindfulness, calmness, peace, and wisdom experienced by the meditative mind, everything is right here right now.
