WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND?
Bhagvan Ramana Maharishi says The highest Karma is to do SELF ENQUIRY into ones REAL NATURE. What is the point of drawing snakes on the ground as a part of a remedial measure if the the Biggest Snake (THE MIND) with countless EVIL HOODS (evil vrittis) is not purified and thinned out.
The mind is our most important link to the spirit that moves us. The song of the soul’s purpose for taking birth is constantly being sung through the mind. In order to pick up the words from the appropriate channel we need to be keeping any interference cleared. In our busy world the mind is constantly bombarded with demands from the outside while on the inside it must battle with thoughts and desires that we may or may not find comfortable, there is no let up. There is a very thin line between despair and elation - this fragile path must be walked by all of us at every moment of every day.
We have an animal nature that is instinctive in going after what it desires without thought to the consequences. However, we have been given intelligence and the power to choose. We only have to look at the size of the health problems and the level of fear and anxiety that people are experiencing to know that there is something wrong with how we are living. Unfortunately, the choices we are making are not always to our benefit.
In Astrology we look to the Moon as the symbol for the mind due to its changeable nature with its bright and dark times as it moves away from or toward the light. Its effects on the tides is similar to the ebb and flow of our emotions and like the breast-feeding mother responding to the babies needs, it is a constant source of nourishment necessary for our continued survival. By seeing its position in a birth chart and the current influences on it we can see where the immediate concerns are and put the necessary supports in place for its protection. “Moon’s strength is the seed of strength of all planets”
Only when we know the kind of stress that is created by the Worrying, Wondering and Wanting of the mind are we willing to look at alternative way of seeing things. We are invariably caught in habits and addictions that are hard to break - unless we are willing to challenge ourselves they will continue to bring us grief. Free Will is not such a great gift until we learn to use it to our advantage. It does not mean that we do as we like, keeping whatever company we like, eat all the rubbish we like and not suffer the consequences. There are several activities that are a source of distress and to target the problems we need to identify the source of disturbance. It can be any one of the following:
Environmental - Tense atmosphere
Physical - Body ailments, tired, lazy, overworked, weight
Mental - Ambitions, thoughts, likes and dislikes
Emotional instability – cannot function mad, sad, glad
Spiritual - Deep longing, emptiness, Soul sickness
To have peace in our hearts and control of our body we need to tame the mind. We need to help it to feel safe, to talk back to it, reassure it that its needs are being heard and patiently make room for its concerns. We need to be kind, patient and forgiving towards ourselves and others letting our aim be gradual progress rather than rigid perfectionism. Instead of blaming ourselves and feeling guilty for the condition of our mind, when we get to understand something of how it works, we start to see that we have very little control over the changeability of its nature. Suppression does not work and like trying to submerge a wooden cork in water, the moment the pressure is off, its concerns come right back at us. However, it is important to remember that whatever our mind is focused on is what we prefer to be involved with and therefore it is useful to have techniques to rein it in and guide its direction. Growth involves working through and overcoming the doubts and fears that can torment our mind.
“The one who would be constant in happiness must frequently change.” Confusius
Religions only serve as signposts
– mystics know this
– regular clergy are caught with their drama
We must find our own pathway to bliss
Arthurs story of Knights search the Grail
The skeptic says, "I'll believe it when I see it." The mystic says, "I'll see it when I believe it."
The mind is our most important link to the spirit that moves us. The song of the soul’s purpose for taking birth is constantly being sung through the mind. In order to pick up the words from the appropriate channel we need to be keeping any interference cleared. In our busy world the mind is constantly bombarded with demands from the outside while on the inside it must battle with thoughts and desires that we may or may not find comfortable, there is no let up. There is a very thin line between despair and elation - this fragile path must be walked by all of us at every moment of every day.
We have an animal nature that is instinctive in going after what it desires without thought to the consequences. However, we have been given intelligence and the power to choose. We only have to look at the size of the health problems and the level of fear and anxiety that people are experiencing to know that there is something wrong with how we are living. Unfortunately, the choices we are making are not always to our benefit.
In Astrology we look to the Moon as the symbol for the mind due to its changeable nature with its bright and dark times as it moves away from or toward the light. Its effects on the tides is similar to the ebb and flow of our emotions and like the breast-feeding mother responding to the babies needs, it is a constant source of nourishment necessary for our continued survival. By seeing its position in a birth chart and the current influences on it we can see where the immediate concerns are and put the necessary supports in place for its protection. “Moon’s strength is the seed of strength of all planets”
Only when we know the kind of stress that is created by the Worrying, Wondering and Wanting of the mind are we willing to look at alternative way of seeing things. We are invariably caught in habits and addictions that are hard to break - unless we are willing to challenge ourselves they will continue to bring us grief. Free Will is not such a great gift until we learn to use it to our advantage. It does not mean that we do as we like, keeping whatever company we like, eat all the rubbish we like and not suffer the consequences. There are several activities that are a source of distress and to target the problems we need to identify the source of disturbance. It can be any one of the following:
Environmental - Tense atmosphere
Physical - Body ailments, tired, lazy, overworked, weight
Mental - Ambitions, thoughts, likes and dislikes
Emotional instability – cannot function mad, sad, glad
Spiritual - Deep longing, emptiness, Soul sickness
To have peace in our hearts and control of our body we need to tame the mind. We need to help it to feel safe, to talk back to it, reassure it that its needs are being heard and patiently make room for its concerns. We need to be kind, patient and forgiving towards ourselves and others letting our aim be gradual progress rather than rigid perfectionism. Instead of blaming ourselves and feeling guilty for the condition of our mind, when we get to understand something of how it works, we start to see that we have very little control over the changeability of its nature. Suppression does not work and like trying to submerge a wooden cork in water, the moment the pressure is off, its concerns come right back at us. However, it is important to remember that whatever our mind is focused on is what we prefer to be involved with and therefore it is useful to have techniques to rein it in and guide its direction. Growth involves working through and overcoming the doubts and fears that can torment our mind.
“The one who would be constant in happiness must frequently change.” Confusius
Religions only serve as signposts
– mystics know this
– regular clergy are caught with their drama
We must find our own pathway to bliss
Arthurs story of Knights search the Grail
The skeptic says, "I'll believe it when I see it." The mystic says, "I'll see it when I believe it."