Articles for Saadhana

We are discussing Yogavāsiśtha Ramāyana during a few of the evening satsangs. Yogavāsiśtha Ramāyana constantly evolves us in the arena of the mind. It tells us repeatedly that the mind is no other than an expression of the Self. Whatever you find in the way of mind’s qualities, character, potential and the like, are in a way an expression of the Self. It is this mind that has to be tackled and handled and whatever qualities we are thinking of with regard to the Self, for example, immovability, stability, uniformity, unshakability, ever filled-ness – you can say blissfulness, all these are characteristics or qualities of the Self. After these qualities, you try to develop your mind also. Besides the mind, apart from the mind, there is no faculty where you have to focus your attention on, during the saadhana.

Because of sheer ignorance about what the mind is, what its potential is, and what possibilities are there in the mind arena, we are getting into trouble. To begin with, the mind produces a number of its traits, its potentials, likes and dislikes, preferences & prejudices, the sense of acceptance and rejection, desire & hatred, and so many other traits the mind produces and through such productions the mind puts us into trouble. It causes agitations, it causes tension and it causes stress. Yogavāsiśtha repeatedly says ‘Try to understand the potential of the mind. The mind has the same potential in reality as the Self has. As the Upanishad says, eśo’nurātma chetasa veditavyo. This ātma, the Self, is to be understood, accessed and known through the mind. So the mind itself is to be involved in the sadhana and imbue into the mind whatever qualities you feel like having, and you will find by a process of concepts when the mind conceives of these qualities, remembers these qualities, pursues these qualities, is given to these qualities, the mind will get transformed.

Mind is a thinking mechanism; feeling mechanism, emotional mechanism. So it is only through thoughts, feelings and emotions, attitudes, attunements, the changes in the mind can be brought about. Now the one change, the one correction that Yogavāsiśtha repeatedly stresses, is ‘Try to be uniform with your mind expressions. Do not prefer anything unduly as a result of which you will abhor, you will dislike some other things.’ This divisional point of view should be surrendered, should be sublimated and always make the mind even and uniform in its responses.

Do not allow the mind to become rigid and obstinate. Try to make it flexible and soft. You must be in a position to love the entire universe because all are evolutes of nature. You are also an evolute of nature. And nobody can find fault with nature. Whatever nature displays or produces that calls for acceptance by us in toto. So, treat the mind with a kind of a universal love and fondness. Treat it with the habit of tolerating, withstanding and forbearing matters, inputs from the world. Whatever you feel like having, the mind will agree and abide by but you will have to persist. But if you leave the whole subject to the mind, the mind will behave in its own manner causing havoc as it does now. If the mind becomes thinner, flexible, more & more pure and sublime, you will find that you will start getting the contentment, the fulfillment, the joy and the bliss that you are seeking. The agitational mind will become peaceful, the oscillating mind will become stable, the flimsy mind will become very enriched and very poised. These are the qualities.

Even for a Self-knower who is given to extreme meditation, he gets absorbed into the Self and after absorption when he comes up, you will find the qualities if at all to manifest in him, are the qualities of the mind. It is generally reflected in the character, the substantial structure of the mind. Then it is also reflected in the behaviour the mind gives rise to. So it speaks about softness, soft spoken-ness, flexibility, remaining always poised, feeling contented, never craving for anything. The mind should not have anything to make it unstable. It should be like the ocean, not necessarily a peaceful shānta samudra, but a roaring ocean. The ocean is so vast and the water is so fluid that itcan withstand any extent of waviness on the surface. Whenever a ship or a boat passes through the water, it appears to be cutting across the water. It is true that the water gets divided but as the boat or a ship passes, you will find that the division will be nullified and the water will be uniform. It is because of its fluid character. Try to understand that the mind is like that in reality. Now, that it is not so is the functional calamity that you have. We don’t question this calamity, it is there. We only think about how to get away from it or get over it.

So, the truthful introspection in which truth will be the character of introspection. So, we reflect upon the Self, reflect upon nature, reflect upon God also. As a result of all these reflections, we imbue or instill into the mind poise, contentment, flexibility, expansion, depth, loftiness, a sense of affluence and sufficiency. Now all these words which I have used are qualities of the mind. Throughout your life, the mind is the one factor which remains exclusive in you. Not only that, it is inaccessible to the others. You alone can access it. Having a mind which is inaccessible to the others, what is the heroic position that you have in this world? Realize it!