Mind: How to control it

III

He says that the remedy lies in establishing a link with the All-Pervading Spirit or the Word dwelling in every human heart. Then mind would easily get stilled and all passions would cease to have their hold on it.

After explaining this, He elucidates Naam: 

Ram Naam (All-Pervading Word) is very, very scarce; you can partake of the Elixir of Life through the Master’s instructions.

Guru Amar Das says that the Power of God permeating everywhere – Ram Naam – is known as the Word. That is extremely hard to find in this world. A contact with It makes the mind docile. It is only through the Grace of a Master that we can taste the Nectar of Naam or its Eternal Bliss. First, one should come across a Master Adept in the Spiritual Science, and then one should keep His association and follow His instructions. He may then grant us the Inner Contact with the All-Pervading Naam. This is the panacea for all ills of the mind. 

The Ethereal Music is going on in each individual, which has been mentioned in the Vedas. The Upanishads refer to It as Udgit – Music of the Beyond. In Rig Veda it is stated as Vak Sidhi. Among Muslims It is known as Kalma. The Hindus call It Nad and ascribe to It as the manifestation of 14 Bhavans, regions. Both speak of the same thing. Various planes and sub-planes were formed by Naam. Earth and sky were created by Shabd reverberating in each heart. Christians have termed It as the Word. 

Saint John has stated in His Gospel: 

In the beginning was the Word; the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The Word was there before the creation. All Great Souls have stressed this point. A Divine Link is present in each one of us by contacting which mind gets stilled. There is an instance in the life of Lord Krishna of the Gita. While playing upon the flute, he jumped into the Yamuna river, human body, and tamed the hydraheaded cobra by the melody of his magic flute, Audible Life Steam. This has been stated allegorically. What is that hydraheaded cobra? It is nothing but the individual mind. It has numerous ways of trapping a man – learned people by their learning, devotees by their contemplation, etc. – and generates egotism in everybody. But, by listening to the intrinsic music reverberating in each one of us, the mind is subdued forever. 

Mind becomes docile by drinking the Nectar of Hari Naam (All-Embracing Impulse). Mind gets steady by communion with Naam or the Word.

Just as a mouse becomes heavy by taking mercury, making him unfit for moving fast, mind, if it partakes the Elixir of Hari Naam, would shed all its ramifications. That is the only way of disciplining the mind. 

Naam and the Master – Word Personified – constitute the only two remedies for the mind. When fire subsides under ash, it appears as if there was no fire, but it becomes active as soon as a strong wind blows. If water is sprinkled, it would never ignite even if thousands of storms blow. Mind requires pleasure. Worldly pleasures are divided into two main categories: beautiful things to look at and melodious music to hear. Mind is irresistibly drawn by exquisite beauty and sweet music. 

Suppose a child is playing with a toy. If you want to take the child away, you have to offer him something more attractive. If the child is shut in a dark room, he will surely raise a hue and cry. Similarly, mind normally receives intoxication from external objects like charming scenes and melodious tunes. It would be docile by obtaining Inner Bliss, far more joyous. So Naam or the Word has both these things. First, there is Light, Divine Beatitude, and bliss of the various subtle and cosmic regions, by receiving which external pleasures lose their charm. Secondly, there is Celestial Music. 

After enjoying the external bliss within, the sense-pleasures lose all their charm.

When the Sound Current becomes audible, its happiness renders all sense gratifications insipid and valueless. Now the question is how can we contact It? It is only through the instructions of a Master that we can partake of the Elixir of Hari Naam – All-Pervading Word. Kabir says that we should go to a Master and ask Him, 

Where is the seat of mind in the body, and what are the channels through which it flows out?

If one is lucky enough to meet a Competent Master, He would explain the place of mind in the body and how it externalises. Kabir says that if you realise that a master is not an adept in the esoteric science, you should leave him and search for a Perfect One. He who has not controlled his mind cannot help you in this regard. When we go to a Perfect Master, first we are blessed with His association; and the restless mind gets stilled. 

Maulana Rumi also has stated: 

Oh mind! seek thou the nearness of Someone Who is fully conversant with the condition of our mind.

He may know how we do float down helplessly under the impact of mind. Adopt the company of One Whose mind is controlled and by sitting near Whom one may have some soothing effect.

Maulana Rumi adds: 

Do not waste thy time like idlers wandering the world’s bazaars. Sit thou in the shop of One Who deals in honey.

He goes on to say that, 

lots of pots are boiling filled to capacity.

This means there is a lot of propaganda all around. The world is full of fake Masters. If a Master can guide us about the seat of mind within and tell us how it runs out, it is all right. Otherwise, bid him good-bye and search for a True Preceptor. Do not waste your time. 

None condemns his own stuff. On the other hand, everybody pleads that his place is the best.

Maulana Rumi says, that the boiling pot might contain acid instead of milk. Go and attend a Spiritual Discourse and try to find out the reality. After all, you are endowed with intellect. You can judge and test a Master. At least, you would realise that there is some stillness of mind, Inner peace, and clarification of the subject. If it is so, one would have some conviction. Seek the practical guidance of an Adept. Commune with the All-Pervading Naam within. By listening to its Divine Melody, mind would be stilled forever. This is the true definition of the Path of the Masters that falls into two categories: objective and subjective. Every social religion has its own external teachings. 

The subjective aspect of all is one for all mankind. Gurbani has defined Gurumat – teachings of the Masters – thus: 

The essence of Gurumat is that one communes with the Word. He who truly follows the instructions of the Master would taste the Elixir of Life, by partaking which mind gets docile.

The only way of stilling the mind is to seek the practical guidance of a Master. He will give you a contact with Naam and grant a practical demonstration of transcending the senses. If you undertake regular Spiritual Practices, your life would be transformed. All sensual gratifications would cease to have their hold on your mind. 

Guru Amar Das received this Eternal Bliss when He came to the feet of Guru Angad after a search for 70 long years. He is giving us a detailed account of His personal experience: 

Mind gets refreshed by communion with Shabd and then adores the Lord.

First, He has used the term Ram Naam, and now He is using Shabd or the Word. Both have been defined identically. 

The creation and the ultimate dissolution of the universe are caused through the Word. Again, through the Word it takes its existence anew.