MIND GAMES

Our mind is always focused on what we want and we are busy wanting something all the time. Before one wants to vanish, another comes up; they are in a queue! When we ponder over this very nature of our mind, the question ‘what is the purpose of life?’ comes up. This very question is a sign of being human and it enlivens the human values in us.

Don’t be in a hurry to find an answer to the question; be with the question. The question itself is like a tool by which you can go deeper within yourself. You can’t go deeper reading books and doing things here and there. They may help to some extent, give you some understanding, but will not serve the purpose. Deep inside everyone is smiling, but we are not in touch with that smile. Getting in touch with that smile, being natural, simple and innocent is enlightenment. Enlightenment is all about living from a depth of life, not getting stressed in any circumstances, being able to influence circumstances and situations rather than get influenced by them. Enlightenment is not an achievement, rather getting rid of ignorance is an achievement because enlightenment is our very nature.

Human and Divine are not two things. Human is the outer skin, the Divine the inside pulp and stress is the outermost cover. Humanity is the link between divine and animalistic tendencies. It is like being on a bridge in between - on one side, there is the pull of the divine qualities and on the other, of animalistic qualities. That is why there is more conflict among humans than anywhere else. Animals are blissful; they have no problems, and are enlightened. The divine too has no problem. It is the human who has all the problems.

Observe the nature of the mind. The mind clings onto the negative quality. Ten compliments and one insult, the mind will remember the insult only. The mind always vacillates between the past and the future. When the mind is in the past, it’s angry about something that has already happened; but anger is meaningless as we can’t alter the past. And when the mind is in the future, it’s anxious about something that may or may not happen. What will happen to me tomorrow? Do you notice that you had the same question last year, two years ago also? But when we are in the present moment and look back, our anxiousness and anger appear so meaningless. So when anger and anxiousness drop off, the mind just becomes full of joy, full of love.

Love is not an act; it is a state of being rather than an act. We are all made up of love. When the mind is in the present moment, we are in a state of love. Look at children! They are so attractive because they are always in the present moment and they radiate love without the blocks of stress, tension. What has happened in our lives is that as we became intelligent, we started losing our innocence. Enlightenment is maintaining our innocence and growing with intelligence. An ignorant person can be innocent, but it has no value. The most precious combination is being intelligent and at the same time maintaining the innocence in you.

The mind always doubts which is positive, have you observed this? We doubt when someone says I love you very much, but we don’t doubt when someone gets angry. We doubt our happiness, joy and good qualities in us. But we never doubt when we are depressed or angry. We don’t doubt the negative qualities in people. We start from the point that everyone in the world is hopeless and we try to find where there is somebody really good, really trustworthy. Doubt has a place in life; doubt the negativity in yourself and the people around you. Then trust in our life grows naturally and trust is innocence. When there is trust there is no fear in life.

Train the mind a little to live in the present moment, drop the stress, tension and strain that you are carrying for nothing. Our smile is worth the whole world and more, but we sell our smile for small things. Just some words from somebody, some telephone conversation can upset us; we can lose our smile and be upset for several days. Is it worth it? Being happy and keeping the environment around you happy and not losing your smile come what may, is the real sign of enlightenment.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR The writer is an Indian yoga guru, a spiritual leader, founder of The Art of Living