Mind Control

In the Bhagvad Gita, at one point in Chapter 3, Krishn says:

Even wise people act according to their natures, for all living beings are propelled by their natural tendencies. What will one gain by repression?

सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्या: प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपि |
प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि निग्रह: किं करिष्यति || 33||

Primarily, he is saying that even those who have gained theoretic knowledge tend to act according to their natural tendencies and impressions, the baggage that they carry with them over endless past lives. It is okay if you do not believe in the rebirth theory. You can consider this as habits, likes, and dislikes that each one of us develops from childhood onwards. The point Krishn is making is that even the knowledgeable find it difficult to resist this force of habit and nature.

Does that mean that Krishn says that we are slaves of our individual traits? Does that also mean that it is not possible to control one’s mind?

No, in the next verse he tells us it is necessary to control our.

The senses naturally experience attachment and aversion to the sense objects, but do not be controlled by them, for they are way-layers and foes.

इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ |
तयोर्न वशमागच्छेत्तौ ह्यस्य परिपन्थिनौ || 34||

Here he says that although it is natural for the mind and senses to be moved by natural tendencies, one should not be controlled by them. The important thing is that he does not ask to stop thinking, saying or acting according to your natural tendencies but to try to eradicate attachment and aversion.

This is where mind control comes in.

Let us try to understand this.

Our natural tendencies and impressions that we have accumulated are below the level of consciousness. We are not aware of them and these are not expressed. Our natural tendencies, the attitude of our mind that favours one alternative over others comprise our habits, likes and dislikes. We grow up to like or dislike certain activities, environments, foods etc. These tendencies are deep rooted and we are not aware of them and differ from person to person.

At the conscious level is our interaction with the world where we express ourselves — we think, we say and do something — which are primarily responses based on our natural tendencies. We derive pleasure by eating pastries because we have developed a liking for them. We are unhappy in crowded spaces because we have developed an aversion to them.

In discharge of our worldly duties, we face all types of people and situations — some favourable and some unfavourable. It is our attachment or aversion to these that please us or make us sad. Krishn calls upon us to be indifferent to both pleasure and pain by stopping to be slaves of our mind and senses and their likes and dislikes.

For that, we need to control our mind.

Practicing Mind Control

For me, it started with my practice of trying to silence the noises in my head in an effort to focus on thoughts that matter and block those that do not. I was trying to control my mind with end goal of reaching a state of mind where my likes and dislikes did not affect me.

The first thing I learnt was that the harder I tried, the more difficult it became to shut off extraneous thoughts. The thoughts you push out keep boomeranging endlessly.

Mind control is possible when you do not try to control your thoughts but watch them come and go. Let the mind run: watch your thoughts as a witness, do not identify yourself with your mind. See the coming and going of breath, thoughts, the sense of pleasure and sadness. Ancient scriptures know this as साक्षी भाव ­– to see the one who sees — which according to the Upnishads is the essence of mind control.

Swami Vivekananda explains it like this, “Picture your mind as a calm lake stretched before you and the thoughts come and go as bubbles rising and breaking on its surface. Make no effort to control your thoughts.” Slowly, over time, the circles will lessen and the mind “obtains the faculty of constant concentration.”

Try it. It is not as easy but it is also not impossible. Try it, if you want to. It is achievable. If you have the inclination, you can achieve it with patience and perseverance.