Stop Thinking, Enjoy Living

Stop Thinking, Enjoy Living

The mind means thoughts and, the existence of this mind is a mere illusion. It is very easy to understand the concrete thing, but how can one understand the functioning of the mind which is just a mirage.

Thinking is a continuous process to an extent that we don’t need liberation from any external entity but our own mind. What is the meaning of mind? The mind means thoughts and, the existence of this mind is a mere illusion. It is very easy to understand the concrete thing, but how can one understand the functioning of the mind which is just a mirage, and yet rules our world and our actions.

Understanding mind is more of an inward study than an outward discovery. And once you get to know it completely, you just move beyond it because knowing is moving beyond. To be able to understand your mind, it is important to begin discovering your mind, searching within your mind.

We are always engrossed in our activities, but the essential nature of mind is to be detached. The temperament of this mind is such that no matter how hard we try to bind it to this world, it refuses to be bound. This mind does not belong to anyone; it is dispassionate and remains so.

You can discover this nature of mind by being determined in your spiritual practice. Repeated practice brings its own maturity into the performance and you cannot practice anything without possessing an element of persistence.

If you are not persistent, then you cannot attain excellence in your spiritual practice. I will get up in the morning at four, do my meditation, if this tenacity is not within you, then your mind will find hundreds of reasons, thousands of excuses saying, “Where is the need for me to wake up early in the morning? How does it matter if I do my meditation a little later? And anyway, I practice these things everyday, so even if I don’t do it one day, it will not really make a difference.” The mind will grope for numerous reasons to disrupt you. But,spiritual pursuit is not possible without firm determination.

Another important thing is that you should not be stubborn while living out your role in society. It is not advisable to be stubborn in your interactions and behavior with others. But the same stubbornness becomes a good thing when an aspirant brings it within the realm of his spiritual pursuit. Don’t be stubborn with others.Keep your stubbornness to yourself but that too, should be within a limit. What kind of limit? Be adamant but only from the point of view of spiritual pursuit. Without this stubbornness, devoid of this determination, we cannot move much ahead in spiritual practice.

Now, we want to practice spirituality, we want to be solely devoted to God; but in our thoughts, in our conversations, the topics are generally neither those relating to God or to spiritual practice. Whenever you talk, whom do you talk about? You always talk about others. Those others can be your relatives, friends, or anyone else or any other topic of conversation.

Thoughts of others are crowds. When we begin thinking about others, we move away from meditation. When we talk about others, whether good things or bad things, then our concentration shifts from ourselves to the person that we are talking about. As long as we are attached to ‘others’ in our mind and in our thoughts, we will not be able to develop longing for God.

Mind is the only barrier between you and God. The one, who knows this mind, can move beyond it. To discover mind, two things are important: first is your resolve and the second is ridding your mind of the thoughts of others.

Must do

Watch your mind to see what kinds of thoughts come in it. Do not pass judgment on these thoughts saying that this is a good thought or this is a bad thought. Your mind is a showman; it brings so many shows in front of you, just watch these shows of your own mind. Adopting an approach of a witness, watch your mind and its activities like an observer, unattached. Don’t get carried away by those activities. When you view your mind as an observer, the mind will cease to be a problem and instead, will become a free entertainer.

Carry out this experiment

Make a resolve, “I am not going to discuss others”. Sit with someone thinking that “I will surely talk, but today I will not talk about others.” Other means anybody other than the two of you. Even God & Guru come in the category of others. Do talk but the topic of your conversation must not be ‘others’. Then there will be nothing to talk about. When there remains nothing to talk about, you will become quiet and when you become quiet, only then will you be able to investigate your own mind. And what is required to observe one’s own mind? Silence is required. As long as your mind is noisy, as long as it goes on thinking about other people, you can not hear even the words of wisdom.

When you sit for meditation, you say, “Numerous thoughts keep crossing my mind” All this thinking that you are doing, whatever you are contemplating, who are all these thoughts about? About others! When you begin thinking about others, you move away from meditation. You sat down with the intention of praying to God and are actually thinking of others. Whether this thinking is good or bad is immaterial; the fact is that your goal is not attained.

Stop thinking about others, stop discussing others and stop talking about others. Whenever thoughts of others begin to arise in your mind then use the sword of knowledge to chop off the heads of those thoughts, saying, “I am not going to think about others.” When you quit thinking about others, when you set your mind absolutely free from others, then you become an aspirant, a seeker in real sense.

“Be a witness to your mind
and only then will you come to know that you
and your mind are two different entities.”