THE FORCE OF MIND
Expanding Mental Energy Through Conservation
Sri Sudarshan, Founder, SKYLIGHT YOGA™
Sri Sudarshan, Founder, SKYLIGHT YOGA™
Just as structure, circulation and assimilation are vital for the development of the physical body, mental energy is vital for the development of creative thoughts and positive feelings. Mental energy sustains our mental health. Without inner joy and deeper satisfaction, a life lived in pursuit of vast riches and worldly powers but lacking in mental energy is a life lived in vain. With mental strength, the dense and prickly buds of adversity bloom into delicate flowers of spiritual achievement. All afflictions terminate with the dawning of Enlightenment. However, without mental energy, even prosperous smiles can turn out to be the sneering frowns of fruitlessness and conceit. Therefore, you must know the art of conserving mental energy in order to truly enjoy the treasure of divine wealth that is hidden in your soul.
Observe your mind and begin to watch its movements. When you lack mental energy, you are prone to distractions, your decisions waver and your judgments become faulty. Even the smallest of things can trigger a big reaction. But when you are mentally strong, you develop the art of patience and endurance; and, if disturbing conditions arise, you are not easily irritated. The mind does not lose its tranquility. When you do not react, there is no possibility of being distracted, you remain indifferent to the conditions of adversity, and the coolness of mental peace extinguishes the fires of animosity.
Remember the old saying, “Where there is a sound body, there is a sound mind.” Well, it is true only to a certain extent, as often people possessing sound bodies have weak minds crippled by vanity, negativity and ignorance. Mind is a much higher form of divine energy than the body and, therefore, no matter how much you may nourish the body with nutritious food, your mind may remain malnourished and fragile.
Mind derives its nourishment from the Cosmic Mind and ultimately, the Spirit, and as a result, any action, thought or feeling that puts your mind in deeper contact with the Spirit enables the mind to receive true nourishment and strength. But any action, thought or desire that builds disharmony or conflict within, opposed to the voice of conscience and the law of morality, will degrade the mind of its energy and move it away from the Spirit. A mind that is debilitated is instead filled with fear, indecision, hatred, greed and misery. Additionally, the mind does not have to weaken as the body grows older – that idea is completely faulty. Mental energy continues to grow if it is fed with virtuous conduct and lit up by the light of devotion and reason. Yogis, Sages and souls of great attainment have manifested, sustained and cultivated extraordinary mental powers even in their advanced stages of old age and physical disability.
Understanding life and its deeper laws is the basis of the conservation of mental energy. People lacking in this knowledge live a life of endless conflict with the world and distress within themselves. Do not sustain thoughts of frustration and grief. Do not harbor negative and depressing feelings, rather, accept yourself and your spirit of heroism that is endowed with proper understanding. The majority of people want to accept the brighter aspects of life while ignoring the adverse and darker ones. Life encompasses the blossoms of success and joy as well as the thorns of failure and misery. Accept both as necessities of evolution.
Pursuing only joys and delights and trying to escape adversities and miseries is the cause of a weak mind. It is this inwardly divided life that pulls one apart. Though people strive to acquire name and fame, deep within they remain hollow like a tree eaten by parasites. LIVE LIFE FULLY! Learn the significance of prosperity and adversity, patience and a peaceful spirit. Accept prosperity with serenity and humility and accept adversity with fearlessness and endurance. Thus prosperity will broaden your mind and adversity will deepen your understanding of life.
Build up good association for your mind through the study of spiritual books and scriptures that inspire and elevate, through the company of spiritual personalities, preceptors and a Guru, and through the unselfish service of humanity. Learn the techniques of concentration and then how to be one-pointed by the art and science of meditation. After some time of practice, you will be able to command a serene mind whenever you want. Concentration becomes meditation which endows you with immense mental energy and leads you to the realization of the Divine Self.
Wash away the unconscious impressions of ignorance and behold the Expansion of Pure Consciousness! Be strong in mind! Even death cannot cause you to waver, nor can it impede your progress! For death itself is a transition for further evolution. Through strength of mind, realize your essential unity with the Cosmic Self – with God – and thus find the blissful energy and strength of wisdom beyond all human expectation.
Observe your mind and begin to watch its movements. When you lack mental energy, you are prone to distractions, your decisions waver and your judgments become faulty. Even the smallest of things can trigger a big reaction. But when you are mentally strong, you develop the art of patience and endurance; and, if disturbing conditions arise, you are not easily irritated. The mind does not lose its tranquility. When you do not react, there is no possibility of being distracted, you remain indifferent to the conditions of adversity, and the coolness of mental peace extinguishes the fires of animosity.
Remember the old saying, “Where there is a sound body, there is a sound mind.” Well, it is true only to a certain extent, as often people possessing sound bodies have weak minds crippled by vanity, negativity and ignorance. Mind is a much higher form of divine energy than the body and, therefore, no matter how much you may nourish the body with nutritious food, your mind may remain malnourished and fragile.
Mind derives its nourishment from the Cosmic Mind and ultimately, the Spirit, and as a result, any action, thought or feeling that puts your mind in deeper contact with the Spirit enables the mind to receive true nourishment and strength. But any action, thought or desire that builds disharmony or conflict within, opposed to the voice of conscience and the law of morality, will degrade the mind of its energy and move it away from the Spirit. A mind that is debilitated is instead filled with fear, indecision, hatred, greed and misery. Additionally, the mind does not have to weaken as the body grows older – that idea is completely faulty. Mental energy continues to grow if it is fed with virtuous conduct and lit up by the light of devotion and reason. Yogis, Sages and souls of great attainment have manifested, sustained and cultivated extraordinary mental powers even in their advanced stages of old age and physical disability.
Understanding life and its deeper laws is the basis of the conservation of mental energy. People lacking in this knowledge live a life of endless conflict with the world and distress within themselves. Do not sustain thoughts of frustration and grief. Do not harbor negative and depressing feelings, rather, accept yourself and your spirit of heroism that is endowed with proper understanding. The majority of people want to accept the brighter aspects of life while ignoring the adverse and darker ones. Life encompasses the blossoms of success and joy as well as the thorns of failure and misery. Accept both as necessities of evolution.
Pursuing only joys and delights and trying to escape adversities and miseries is the cause of a weak mind. It is this inwardly divided life that pulls one apart. Though people strive to acquire name and fame, deep within they remain hollow like a tree eaten by parasites. LIVE LIFE FULLY! Learn the significance of prosperity and adversity, patience and a peaceful spirit. Accept prosperity with serenity and humility and accept adversity with fearlessness and endurance. Thus prosperity will broaden your mind and adversity will deepen your understanding of life.
Build up good association for your mind through the study of spiritual books and scriptures that inspire and elevate, through the company of spiritual personalities, preceptors and a Guru, and through the unselfish service of humanity. Learn the techniques of concentration and then how to be one-pointed by the art and science of meditation. After some time of practice, you will be able to command a serene mind whenever you want. Concentration becomes meditation which endows you with immense mental energy and leads you to the realization of the Divine Self.
Wash away the unconscious impressions of ignorance and behold the Expansion of Pure Consciousness! Be strong in mind! Even death cannot cause you to waver, nor can it impede your progress! For death itself is a transition for further evolution. Through strength of mind, realize your essential unity with the Cosmic Self – with God – and thus find the blissful energy and strength of wisdom beyond all human expectation.
Sri Sudarshan Jyotirmayananda
Published November 22, 2020. Written October 2, 2020.
Copyright 2023 © SKYLIGHT YOGA™
Feel free to cite and share, Om!
Published November 22, 2020. Written October 2, 2020.
Copyright 2023 © SKYLIGHT YOGA™
Feel free to cite and share, Om!
