Peace restored - 8/7/24

 It's wondrous how frequently the mind needs to be reminded of certain things. Or perhaps certain words find their way and cause a sensation that soothes the mind again. It was a turbulent last week, troubled by feelings that well, I had naturally no need for. I was not sure what thoughts were driving those feelings. 

A feeling of ennui had set in and it wasn't clear what was causing it. The mind has to be watched very cautiously, to see the thoughts and actions, and their consequence on feelings. But even more so, one must be willing to accept that certain thoughts have arisen. Often, one can be ashamed, even scared of the thoughts, insecurities, inadequacies and desires that arise in one's mind. One then tends to escape, ignore and dismiss the thoughts, or otherwise, even tends to engage with them, which gives them more power and causes all kinds of misery. 

Hence, watching the mind dispassionately, is easier said than done. Hence, the misery. Plus the absence of practice only made this worse for me. I then brought myself to read G.K. Pradhan's Know Thy Self, and I read a lovely phrase about how the mind has no doors and that the movement in any direction is a movement in desire. The book then went on to say that, if the mind is still, then it is full of energy that is stored in it, which in effect leads to a different kind of movement, a movement that ends in Godliness!

These words, seeped in truth, had a striking effect on me and all my thoughts and feelings were swept away in one fell swoop. And since that moment, I have been in relative bliss. Having closed my eyes this morning, in concentration, I could feel the truth of those words, as my mind stood still for a few moments. 

Aum.