After reading the article in my blog on "Cluttering, Uncluttering and Decluttering", a friend of mine asked me: "Hey Suri! What about decluttering the mind?". Good question. As some work came yo, the question slipped into my mind and rested there. Then on one of my sleepless nights, as I was rolling in bed restlessly for want of anything to do, it surfaced and I had to face it.
Mind has always been a fascinating subject not only to seers, sages, mystics, philosophers, Freuds, Jungs and Adlers but also ordinary mortals like me. As I have been surfing through life for nearly 60 years, I have picked up many interesting facts about mind from books, people and personal experience.
First, the limitations of space does not apply to mind. Decluttering your room or house has the compelling reason of space behind it. But you can put any amount info and thoughts into your mind. I was taught beautifully and convincingly of this truth in a Sahaja Sthithi Yoga class.
Second, people who talk about mind-control do not know what they are talking about. For mind can never be controlled. As those, especially the ones, who tried control it by force. With redoubled force, it challenges you and makes fun of you. What to do then? Vedathri Mahrishi comes up with a wonderful suggestion: MIND WATCH. (மனதை அடக்க நினைத்தால் மதம் பிடித்த யானை போல் வெறிகொண்டு திமிரும். மனதை அறிய நினைத்தால், அடங்கும் - வேதாத்திரி மஹரிஷி) This practice of focusing mind on the mind seems to produce miraculous results. During mind-watch, the mind settles down and behaves itself like a thief who knows that he is being watching by the police surreptitiously from every nook and corner. So it behaves like an innocent child.
Third, to me, the greatest discovery of our ancient saints and sages is the close connection between MIND and BREATH. When your mind is agitated, your breathe fast and when you are totally absorbed in some good music, or natural scenery or anything that has the capacity to absorb you completely, your breathing becomes even and almost imperceptible. From this discovery, came the inference that by regulating your breath, you can regulate your mind. This is how PRANAYAMA, JAPA, MEDITATION and many other spiritual practices came to be designed.
Fourth, once a thought enters your mind, you can never erase it. This is the most dangerous part. So watch out and beware of your thoughts. Don't let bad, evil or disturbing thoughts to enter your mind. Prevention is the only remedy. Once a bad thought enters your mind, it hides itself somewhere in the subconscious mind and surfaces at the most inconvenient time and cause endless embarrassment or make you thoroughly miserable.
Fifth, mind and thoughts are like and its power to burn, inseparable. As long as you have a mind, there will be thoughts. Going still further, you know that even after death, your thoughts live encoded in the genes of your off-spring.
Sixth, It is exhorted to destroy or annihilate the mind. OK, what is mind? Mind is the objective form of life-force.('உயிரின் படர்க்கை நிலை மனம் - வேதாத்ரி மஹரிஷி). So as long as you live, you will have a mind and as long as you have a mind, you will have thoughts.
Seventh, is there a thougtless stage? Rishis speak of 'samadhi' (samam + adhi = reaching the original stage i.e. merging with the cosmic mind from which your individual mind came about. But this is for great sages and rishis and not for ordinary mortals like us.
Finally, it all boils down to the fact that you could declutter your room or home and tidy it up. But decluttering the mind is a very serious and entirely different matter. Practice breath-watch, pranayama, japa, meditation, silence or do something that totally absorbs you like listening to the music you love, watching the beauty of nature, paintings or even a movie that you love. Consciously think of good and godly thoughts. That is all I could think of for the present. If you can think of anything better, please tell me, I am all ears. Thank you, thank you very much for your patience and interest.
