Mind: How to control it

I

Ethical life is a stepping stone to Spirituality. Without a proper foundation, a building cannot be erected. As such, the observance of continence is the first postulate to achieve success on the Spiritual Path. 

Christ said: 

Blessed are the pure in, heart for they shall see God.

One cannot realise God unless one’s heart is clean. God does not dwell only in mountains, forests, or skies. He is our Controlling Power. He is within all of us. All Great Souls and Saints have declared that the Lord dwells in every human heart. Why then we cannot see Him? The reason is that our hearts are polluted. We cannot reach our goal without purity of heart for which we will have to make efforts. Have you ever thought of purifying your heart where the Lord is dwelling? Until the mind is stilled, we cannot realise Him.

Those with pure hearts say: 

Open your Inner Eye and have a glimpse of Him.

How to purify and control the mind? This is our subject today. Great Souls Who have traversed on the Spiritual Path have recorded Their experiences about purifying Their hearts and controlling Their minds. Let us see how Guru Amar Das did it. It is a historical fact that He remained in search of God until He was about 70 years old. Every year He used to go barefooted on a pilgrimage to Haridwar. What a great devotion! Why did He go to this trouble? He did not go there on a pleasure trip. He was in search of something, by attaining which all else is attained. Ultimately He came to the feet of Guru Angad. After having experienced the Reality, He dealt with the subject exhaustively for the guidance of the worldly people. 

Everyone of us is afflicted with the malady of mind. The Upanishads state, 

Human body is just like a chariot wherein the soul is a rider, the mind the driver, the intellect the reins, and the senses are the powerful steeds running amuck in the mire of sensuous gratification.

Under the influence of mind, our soul is attached to the external objects at the sensual plane. Now mind is trapped by the senses. Presently, soul and mind are identified with each other. So long as one is out-flowing, one cannot realise the Reality within. 

So Guru Amar Das says: 

One whose mind is continuously flowing out through the ten channels, how can he sing the praise of the Lord? If the mind is stilled, then only the question of adoration (of the Lord) arises.

Guru Nanak also says: 

One whose heart is not intact, how can he realise God?

Take a worldly example. When a man is totally confused, he would say that his mind is not equipoised or something is fundamentally wrong with him.

It is said: 

If you are firmly resolved to proceed to the Beloved Lord, you put one foot on the mind, and the other will enable you to reach the alley of the Beloved.

Control your mind, and the next step you take will be in the mansion of the Beloved.

Guru Nanak also said the same thing: 

By conquering the mind, you can win over the entire world.

So the subjugation of mind is the first step not only on the Path of Spirituality, but also to achieve success in every walk of life. Now, the question arises as to what is afflicting the mind? Guru Amar Das says that mind is running out through the ten outlets of the body. First, attention is under the control of mind. Then how can one adore the Lord? You may be reading something by the tongue, while the mind may be engaged somewhere else. Outwardly, we bow our heads, offer prayers, and worship the Lord while the mind is running out elsewhere. Such people whose minds are engrossed in worldly objects like children, wife, friends, gold, properties, etc. would be seen offering prayers or worshipping the Lord. Externally it would amount to the remembrance of God. But what is the significance of such a meditation? Equipoising the mind, its proper concentration by withdrawing from outside and absorption in the object in front of it, is the first postulate. 

Kabir also said the same thing: 

Mind is an unattainable ocean in which endless tides spring up.

This mind is like an ocean in which unending waves of animal passions, anger, greed, attachment, and egotism are constantly emanating. Unless it is stilled, the goal cannot be reached 

without a Competent Master Who can ferry us across the mighty sea of mind.

Only the association of an Adept Who has controlled the mind and transcended its limitations can help an aspirant to do likewise; otherwise, there is no way out. Our ancient history reveals that even Great Sages and Seers were badly deceived by mind. The waves originating in mind come from the plane of the senses that should be subdued. 

The Upanishads state that self-knowledge dawns only when the senses are at rest, the mind is stilled, and the intellect too is equipoised. So, stillness of mind is of paramount importance. 

Mind is one; engage it anywhere – in meditation or in fulfilment of animal passions.

Mind is a connecting link between the body and soul. It is so subtle that it identifies with the soul and so physical that it is easily attached to the body. If mind works at the sensual level, it will flow outside. The Reality that lies within would thus remain obscure. 

The soul which is getting lost in the nine portals of the body can never realise the Eternal Bliss. 

Kabir

The soul that is flowing out through the nine channels of the body is consequently deprived of the unique happiness within. Everyone is a victim of this malady. The only alternative is that one should learn to do one thing at a time. Meditate at the time of meditation. Remember God when you sit for that purpose. Whatever you do, be wholly and solely devoted to it. Only by working like this can you be successful in any walk of life. Great Souls never advise you to renounce your hearths and homes and leave for jungles. They only exhort us to discipline the mind wherever we are. We can reach our goal when this is done.