The human Mind is like a combustion engine, hardly at peace or able to maintain silence. It is hardly rocket science that the Mind is cannonaded with innumerable thoughts.
In such a situation we are unable to sit calmly at the banks of a river and witness the shades of the water flowing or the deep silence the river provides. Similarly despite innumerable techniques that nature or the universe has to offer, our Mind is not at rest.
The human Mind is complaining, comparing and carousing. This reduces the fount of immeasurable fountain of silence, solitude, peace, harmony, generosity, pristine love and compassion that rests in our inner self.
When we sit in a group espousing negative and purgatory emotions, feelings or thoughts it drains our Prana the reservoir of energy. In such a situation there is a conflict between the Mind and body.
We are unable to work efficaciously. The body may like to footslog on the treadmill, pump iron or jog for say eight kilometres or do a hundred and eight sets of Suryanamaskar, but the demons in the Mind acts like a roadblock and we are unable to exercise.
Exercise is pivotal to tone the internal organs of the body and release endorphins in the brain. When endorphins are released the human body and the Mind is able to give a hundred percent.
The virtuosity and resplendence of the Mind can be authentically harnessed by exercising gargantuan patience and quotidian practice. It is for nothing that the old adage simply put says, “Practice makes a man perfect.”
Aeons ago in ancient China a youngster enrolled as the student of an estimable scholar in a Temple of Knowledge to acquire the craft of Zen Buddhism and the skills of archery.
For several days and months that were transfigured into years, the mentee followed the vigorous and rigorous regimen of following breathing techniques, meditation sessions and practising archery.
He was now keen to don the ochre robes, establish his own Temple of Knowledge. His patience was wearing out. In desperation the distraught postulant gathered courage, walked up to the Master and asked, “Holy Sire, when will I graduate from the monastery and start my own academy?”
The seraphic monk asked the student how long he spent at the estimable monastery. “Holy Sire, it has been ten very long years.” The monk replied, “Normally it is ten years of rigorous training, but in your case, the period would last for thirty years.” This devastated the greenhorn.
“Son, you are proficient in archery and breathing techniques but you are yet to acquire the skills of patience. Only the Holy Grail of patience, solitude, silence and meditation would re-engineer and metamorphose your Mind to scale the summit.” The tutee grasped the nuances and tenets of Zen Buddhism and hung his head in despair but acknowledging his folly.
At a Satsang, a devotee asked Sri Sri Ravi Shankar whether he had accomplished his goals. With an enigmatic smile Gurudev answered, “YES and NO.” Those present in the amphitheatre were stunned and baffled as Guruji seldom states anything with an element of confusion.
The Master seeing the rustle and bustle in the congregation assuaged the feelings of those present. He said, “Yes, the Art of Living has grown manifold and is providing succour to millions of people across the globe.
It is making everyone happy, making people smile. However, today my competitor is the cell phone. Why cell phone? As even during the Satsang instead of being in the present moment devotees are on WhatsApp, Facebook, making calls or
checking You Tube.”
Thus these gizmos have invaded the privacy of the human Mind and are not permitting people to rest. Ashram is a place where one is at the lotus feet of the Master, at peace and not carousing but in genuine silence. So India ten odd cellular companies and 1 billion cell phones are challenging peace, harmony, compassion and munificent grace.
There are several techniques like Sudarshan Kriya, yoga, pranayama, meditation to achieve this goal and several embark upon the path. However savants, stock individuals and seekers fall by the wayside as they lack in patience and perseverance.
Forbearance, equanimity and mental equilibrium without feverishness metamorphose the Mind to unearth infinity within us. That is what Buddha did and so did Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. In such a state intuitive abilities are enhanced and the individual is part of the Cosmic Energy.
