Date:   4/6/2004 8:31:13 AM ( 20 y ago)
Hits:   844
URL:   https://www.curezone.org/forums/fm.asp?i=439712

Mind is subtle matter, an energy-force that can take any form instantly. It has tremendous capacity to empower itself. However, it is insentient and has to take or borrow the Light of Consciousness for its functions. As a thought or a feeling or an emotion it can express itself only as a mixture of matter and consciousness. Consciousness is the only spiritual basis of Existence; it is our true nature, the Self. Thus mind can be separated from Consciousness, and in fact this separation of spirit from the false identification with matter is the goal of human life. It is what religion is all about.

The trouble is that in this difficult process of seeing Spirit different from the functions of 'brain and mind', one has to take help of mind itself. The road to understand our Self is through the purification of mind, the process that requires help from the mind howsoever defiant and unfriendly it might be in the beginning.

As with every form of matter, the mind also consists of three gunas, tamas, rajas, and sattva, the basic constituents of Primordial Nature (Prakriti). Relative predominance of one or the other gunas gives peculiar character to the mind. When tamas prevails the mind is dull, stupid, and lazy. It is easily caught in the mesh of infatuation of inertia. Rajas makes the mind active, ambitious, and passionate. However, such a mind is easily misled into errors. It is caught into the web of degrading qualities of lust, anger, greed, jealousy and hatred. Only sattva illumines and leads to freedom. Sattva is associated with joy, happiness, kindness and similar noble virtues. Thus, training of the mind consists of cultivating pure sattva in our character and personality.

The following are the qualities of Sattvika Mind:
a) Mental calmness, b) Control of senses, c) Fearlessness, d) Patience, e) Forbearance, f) Universal friendship, g) Faith, h) Devotion, i) Creative power, adventure, experimentation
Mental calmness in every activity and under all circumstances reveals true sattvika nature of a sadhaka. We encounter many great persons, e.g. Mahatma Gandhi, who remained calm and collected under adverse conditions and thus won the battle of non-violence in his life. Devotional music, contemplation, and meditation help in achieving such calm state of mind.

Control of senses is essential for conservation of energy that is needed to progress on the spiritual path, or for that matter to achieve any sincere goal in life. Our senses are never satiated if we pamper them or easily give in to their demands. Like wild horses they pull us away from our aim. Their force is tremendous, but of little help. It is just waste of energy. They disturb our mental balance and lead to frustration and failure. Thus, senses must be controlled by conscious and deliberate efforts. Making our will power strong is the key in this regard
 

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