Most people, whether students or professionals, are distracted and cannot concentrate. Their mind troubles them most of the time. Everyone wants to know how to control the mind. First thing, don’t go with what the mind says. The mind is like a spoilt and stubborn child. A child sometimes indulges in play, occasionally abandons all toys, and seeks comfort in his mother’s lap. The mind is like a stubborn and ill-tempered child. No one has managed to walk the path of truth by following the mind. This mind is a cheater and is very dishonest.
The Fickle Nature Of Mind
Sometimes, it makes you feel enlightened; other times, it will send you far from truth and spirituality. Therefore, one should not follow the mind. We should follow the instructions of the guru and saints. Even if you control the mind for ten years, it can come back strong and within ten minutes, it can destroy ten years of spiritual practice. That is how mischievous the mind is. You can’t even abandon the mind. It’s an integral part of existence. You cannot act as per its whims, or it will destroy you. And if you isolate yourself from it, it will torment you.
People know if they engage in wrong deeds, they might face punishment, even imprisonment. But because of the mind’s desires, they act and even end up suffering in prison for a lifetime. The mind is truly strange.
How To Control Your Mind?
To control the mind, you need to follow the teachings of a saint or a scripture. If you do this, then everything will fall into place. Chanting the holy name of God gives you the power to control the mind. It will give you the strength to witness the wrongdoings of the mind, chastise and stop it.
Do not consider the mind your own; it is not you. You have to stay with it like an enemy living in the same house as yours. It can’t be thrown out, and you cannot befriend it. How do you live then? Only saints and scriptures can give you the method to deal with it.
If you follow the mind, you suffer consequences. If you do not follow the mind, it torments and depresses you. Only the grace of a saint, scripture or Guru can save you. The mind can never be satisfied. It doesn’t stick to one thing. Once it gets something, it desires something new. This mystery is what people don’t understand. It is ruining everyone’s life.
Realize that you cannot control your mind on your own. God can make a fool recite the Vedas and a lame person climb a mountain. Surrender yourself and take shelter of God, realizing that no one else can manage this mind apart from God. Chant the holy name of God, Radha Radha! Do your duties well, walk the path of righteousness, and take refuge in God. He will make you win.
Answered by – Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Ji Maharaj
