Oh! The mind, that pathetic little creation of God, that led to all the problems of mankind is it not?
Absolutely and totally false!
The mind is not the problem, the problem is to have a problem with the mind.
So what if you get the nastiest thoughts in the world? So what if it’s full of filth.
Whosoever said, that your mind is a reflection of you, was certainly not aware of the truth of himself.
One of the wonderful aspects of being a human, is we have the capacity to think, we have a mind!
But let me reiterate, “we have a mind, we are NOT the mind.”
Do you see the difference?
Now whoever invented the idea that you are what you think, was absolutely and totally spiritually asleep.
But don’t let the word “spiritual” scare you. It’s not much of a big deal.
Yes, we have a lot going on in the name of spirituality, but in its simplest essence, being spiritual means knowing the truth of who you are.
It is because you do not know who you are, the mind has taken on such a villainous character, because you’ve made an enemy out of it.
The poor guy is just doing his own nonsense (and this is a metaphor, just in case anyone has any doubts :D).
And you are trying hard to tell him to stop, and all he does is more nonsense.
No wonder the effort to make the mind holier than thou is making you crazy.
There’s a simpler path, the path of self knowledge.
And let me save you from all the big words of liberation etc., the truth is you need no liberation, but only to see the truth that you’re already free!
I know it sounds too good to be true, but whosoever said, that truth was supposed to be complicated, was not in touch with truth.
The beauty of truth is, it is simple.
I know, you’re used to complicated, solving big puzzles, sorry, no Nobel prize here.
Self knowledge is the only way to free yourself from the false need to have a peaceful mind.
The funny thing is, it is what makes the mind peaceful. What an irony.
How to Know Thyself
Here’s something funny that comes to mind, let me illustrate it with a story.
Sally (and if there’s any Sally out there reading this sorry, I don’t really know you, I just had to pick a name :D).
So yes, Sally, was a little perplexed about the fact that she wasn’t exactly sure who she was. She kept wondering what in the world am I doing in this world, what’s the purpose of my life. And so she asked her parents, who gave her their answers, and then she asked the priest who gave her his answer, and then she asked her friends who all gave her their versions of her true purpose on earth, and who she was.
Her parents told her, she was their princess, and that she was supposed to marry a prince one day. Check.
The priest told her, ahem, I better not tell what he told her. So she got an idea, and check.
Her friends told her, she was so nice, and so cute, and they all advised her to become this or that. Check.
Sally, finally thought, she now has a fair amount of idea as to who she was and what her purpose on earth is.
To Sally’s disappointment, she got word that there were some who believed, she was ugly. She also heard, that some of her friends, thought she was stupid.
And the guy who she thought was going to be her prince, ended up falling in love with her friend.
Her dreams were all shattered. And she was gloomy, and sad.
Her mind started racing with thoughts, with one saying she was a princess, and another thought saying oh no, you’re just an ugly little (the “b” word that ends with an “h.”)
She was trying to drive out the nasty thoughts so she could solidify the good images of her, to find some peace.
Oh, but when was the mind going to listen, it gave her more of the b word, and all other such words!
It was driving her crazy.
Gradually, it occurred to her, that she needs help,
She’s growing sick with all this battle with the mind.
This awareness, aroused in her, the right desire to investigate into the truth of who she was.
And she packed her bags, and left in search of the truth.
She went to a monastery in the Himalayas, and had the fortune to meet a wise man, who never answered any of her questions.
He just told her to do as he says, and with a little reluctance, she obeyed.
Her task was to wake up at 5 and meditate, until evening, she only got a few mins break in between.
Rest all the time she was to meditate. Without even having a clue what she was doing.
The meditation brought all the b and f words, and all the junk in her awareness, but the wise man had told her, you’re only to observe.
While she had no clue what she was doing, and the man wasn’t going to answer any of her questions, she was feeling more sick than before.
But she was done with her old life, and she wanted to move past it, so she stuck around.
And one day, as she was meditating, it came like a flash of light.
She saw clearly, that even though her mind was racing, she was sensing peace within. There was a certain stillness to her, a quiet witness, that was watching everything, without being affected by it.
This experience, continued to become stronger for her, and it became so strong, that she knew with absolute clarity, that she was separate from the mind.
And she also saw, that all that she believed herself to be, were nothing but ideas. And that she was neither a princess, nor a “b.”
She was elated, and thanked the wise man for showing her who she was, without ever telling her who she was.
And of course, as all good stories end, she lived happily ever after.
Guess, you get the point?
Self knowledge is what you truly need, which helps you see that you don’t need a peaceful mind, but only to see clearly that you are not the mind.
Meditate. It is the only way to know peace that is forever still!
Amen?