Meditation helps to control the mind

CHENNAI, JULY 24. It is by constant practice of meditation that the mind can be brought under control to enable it intuit the bliss of the Self (Atman). The mind by nature is restless and thoughts arise one after another without any effort on the part of the individual. This tendency of the mind has to be controlled by conscious effort by one desirous of spiritual evolution. Lord Krishna advised Arjuna, ``For whatever reason this wavering and fickle mind wanders away, it should be curbed and brought to abide in the Self alone.'' Practice thus is the key to progress in spiritual life.

What is the result gained by bringing the mind under control? The Gita says that supreme bliss marked by a feeling of absolute peace wells up in the mind when it abides in the Self. The characteristic of such a reposeful state is total control over the senses which become subdued without wandering after objects. Initially it is by much effort that this state can be realised but as the spiritual seeker progresses, with constant practice, he will find that it becomes easy to experience the bliss of communion with the Self. The mind which has tasted this absolute peace will not hanker after the objects of sense pleasures because it understands the transient nature of material objects; the bliss of the Self it has experienced is on the other hand infinite.

In her discourse, Swamini Vimalananda said that the example of the Gopis in Brindavan remaining enraptured by the personality and deeds of Lord Krishna during His childhood gave an inkling into how the mind could dwell on God with practice. The cowherd maidens were Yogis, sages who had practised meditation and intuited the bliss of the formless Supreme in their previous births and hence their minds had attained concentration to experience Him. Having tasted that bliss, it was no wonder that their minds sought the Lord when He manifested on the Earth, in their next birth also.

Another result of this experience of communion with the Self is the insight of unity of Reality - that it is the Self which resides in all beings and its corollary, that all beings are subsumed in the Self. The same idea is expressed in the Isavasya Upanishad also. This is the vision of the Mahatma - a Self- realised one who has only the constant vision of the Lord permeating His entire creation. This insight transforms into love towards all beings and also as service to all. The Lord in the Gita acknowledges that such a man of wisdom never loses sight of Him and the Lord also considers such a Self-realised person as His very Self.

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