Ideas for reflection by study circles – managing our mind towards ‘good, better, best’
“From our childhood upward, we have been taught only to pay attention to things external, but never to things internal; hence most of us have nearly lost the faculty of observing the internal mechanism. To turn the mind, as it were inside, stop it from going outside, and then to concentrate all its powers, and throw them upon the mind itself, in order that it may know its own nature, analyze itself, is very hard work. Yet that is the only way…”
1. We are identified with desire alone. What we desire, we resolve to do; as is our motivation and resolution, so is our action. And, whatever we carry out into action, that we reap – as we sow, so we reap. All this happens in our Mind which is just our instrument and storehouse of all our past actions (not our master!), enlivened by Life, Consciousness.
Desires arise from tendencies we are continuously acquiring, every moment, by our Choices, Intentions/Motives, Thoughts, Words, Actions”, which leave ‘Impressions’, ‘Samskara’, and continuously form – Refine or Pollute – our Beliefs, worldview, tendencies, skills, likes/dislikes, etc.
2. Academic Study Circles to explore the “highest & best”: Throughout schooling we must ‘learn’ to discuss, explore, discover, ‘know’ our ‘Mind’, and the ‘highest and best’, towards which we may desire to grow. Study circles should openly discuss along with teachers, parents, mentors, guardians, and learn to know and manage our “Mind & Desires” and “Walk-the-Talk towards Good, better, Best”!
3. The ancient, universal global quest: “Know Thyself” and the answer “I am That I am”! “Kingdom of God is within you”. “Seek first the Kingdom of God & his Righteousness and everything else will be added unto you”. “Sat-Shri-Akal”. “An-al-Haqq”. UNESCO says: “Learning the Treasure within”. “Learning To Be”. “Learning to Live Together”. Now GOI has given us a National Vision of:
# Fundamental duties, etc. In 1985, GOI has also nominated Sw. Vivekananda as National Youth icon since his works can inspire the Youth to know and love Indian culture, e.g. Practical Vedanta and Karma Yoga etc. which can elaborate and enable us to understand the Quest of Know Thyself.
4. To fulfil this GOI’s national vision, schooling and academia must introduce programs, course, etc. focused on “Life-skills”, “Mind and Self-management”, “Learning To Be & Make Mentors & Karma Yogi”, etc.
5. Nature of mind is to flow down like a river towards our Likes & Dislikes. Similarly, Thoughts in our mind flow down into canals that we keep making every moment by our Thoughts-Motives-Choices-
6. Our behaviour is driven by our Samskara, Mindset, which form our Worldview, Beliefs, likes-dislikes etc. We’re continuously refining/polluting our Mindset by our Intentions-Thoughts-Deeds righteous/unrighteous. Sattvic (calm), Rajasic (Active), Tamasic (passive) are the three Guna, characteristics, qualities, that differentiate our minds, based on our thoughts-actions. Daily ‘Self-study & Reflection’, Life-Skills, Praxis, for a few minutes inspires us to learn to be aware of and then manage our Responses towards Righteousness and “Good, Better, Best”.
7. A simple exercise! Are you Aware, Conscious? Yes, if I am awake and alive! For a moment just be aware of your awareness. We will realize that our attention gets diverted, and we get attached to the various thoughts flowing in our Mind. Am I the Awareness per se or the thoughts?
Ultimately, we will Realize that we’re just the Subject, Knower, Observer, Consciousness. Like any other objects, our body and Thoughts are also just Objects of our Perception, subtle-objects flowing in a field that we may refer as Mind.
8. The most profound and important idea is that we’re that infinite Consciousness because of which the Mind has become conscious. However, somehow, we’ve got attached to this limited particular ‘mind’, with all its idiosyncrasies and so are limited self-centered individuals, enslaved by our own mind. We seem to have forgotten that as Life, Consciousness, we’re all One and interconnected; and that’s why, at least for ‘some’, we do say “I”, “WE”, “HUM”!
The purpose of working, enjoying, living is to ‘Regain’ and ‘Reunite’ with our reality as one singular, eternal, Consciousness (Meaning of ‘Religion’ in Latin and meaning of ‘Yoga’). Righteous conduct, Commitment to Duties, kartavya-palan, selflessness, etc. gradually purify the Mind and expand it towards feelings of oneness with more and more till we can feel one with the whole Creation!
9. Code of ethics & time for study circles: Of course, very few may really understand this wisdom, but all could be inspired to selflessly fulfil their duties. That’s why each school and all teachers and government training institutes must evolve for themselves and the students, Codes of Ethics and Time for learning to be and do good.
Unfortunately, this essential wisdom and the need to unite the nation towards the higher goals, is not a part of Academia, Schooling, Democracy, religions and so, no one in power and authority has been nurtured, evaluated, nudged to be and make selfless mentors.
10. Artificial Intelligence, AI can find time & also evaluate those interested to be Mentors! All Educational, Training Institutes must add a Daily Compulsory Study Circle Period for building Powers of Mind and Awakening Viveka. Those should be selected as Mentors & Leaders who sincerely strive to be committed to selfless kartavya-palan for the long-term good of all, not for self-centered short-term good.
Disclaimer
Views expressed above are the author’s own.
END OF ARTICLE
