Mind Control
Question: What is the purpose of controlling the mind and how can it be done?
Answer: The mind is flickering and easily influencable. People know that and make use of it, knowingly or unknowingly. For example, people dress to look nice and make a certain impression in the mind of other persons. Advertising experts use it to influence people to buy products by creating images and familiarities in their minds, and magicians use it to create specific illusions in people's minds.
Our mind constantly suggests us what to do, what to get and what to wish for. Thus, without controlling the mind it will always come up with more and more suggestions and wishes, thus we will never become satisfied. If we do not control our mind we are like prisoners, tied up to this material world, running after temporal pleasures. For example, sometimes people do things that are actually unreasonable, or buy something of little importance, not really being conscious about what they are doing.
But how can we control our mind to become free from that entangled situation?
The Bhagavad Gita tells us that the mind is our enemy if it is uncontrolled but it is our best friend if we control it. That is because only by controlling the mind it is possible to transcend the material limits and make spiritual progress. Wealth, fame and sexual attractions are the three prominent types of lust that keep us in that material condition. They are the source of most of the problems we have to face in our lives. So, if we follow this kind of attractions without restrictions, the mind is our enemy, whereas by regulating them, the mind will become our best friend.
Some persons seem to have control over their mind and in some way they also seem to have some control over the mind of others, like magicians. Those mystic powers will not help us to overcome our material deficiencies. Rather, they serve the purpose of incrementing our wishes and false ego even more. The presence of authority in our lives is what helps us to control our mind. The mind is looking for direction. Because authority always stays in a fixed position, while the nature of the mind is flickering. The highest authority is God. But in our present condition we do not have a close connection with God. Therefore we have to find a representative of God, a spiritual master, as an authority in our live. A spiritual master will guide us towards an elevated life because he can see things without disturbance of the mind and egotistic motives. Without the acceptance of a wellwishing authority we will accept false authorities and stay confused.
Srila Prabhupada said that it is possible to control the mind if we engage it in devotional service. If we become enthusiastic about something, then suddenly the mind starts cooperating and does not disturb anymore. Such animation can be found if we connect our mind and our heart with the purpose of our existence.
The mind wants to be engaged in something devotional. It becomes happy if it is making plans how to serve Krishna. But certainly one becomes easily distracted from this state of consciousness and starts to justify one's actions, searching the difficulty in others. Therefore we have to understand the mechanism of the mind.
The mind is part of our subtle material body, which consists of mind, intelligence and the false ego. But we, our true self, is different. The soul is of spiritual nature. So by serving the desires of the mind and the body, we become materially conditioned. By serving the needs of the soul we will become free from this entanglement. A spiritual master will show us how to do that.
A great part of yoga deals with controlling the mind. It is not easy, but if the heart is conquered, the mind will follow automatically. So, inspiration is a vital part of spiritual life.
A great help to control the mind comes from chanting mantras. The word 'mantra' itself consists of the two syllables 'man' and 'tra'. 'Man' comes from 'manah', meaning mind, and 'tra' comes from 'trayate', meaning liberation. So, mantras are destined to help us to control our mind.
The hare krsna maha mantra, Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, is called the great mantra because it directly connects us with the supreme platform and automatically helps us to fix our mind.
The highest form of mind control is to engage it in devotional service of the Lord by rendering service to a spiritual master. This process will reveal the highest goal of life to us.
Answer: The mind is flickering and easily influencable. People know that and make use of it, knowingly or unknowingly. For example, people dress to look nice and make a certain impression in the mind of other persons. Advertising experts use it to influence people to buy products by creating images and familiarities in their minds, and magicians use it to create specific illusions in people's minds.
Our mind constantly suggests us what to do, what to get and what to wish for. Thus, without controlling the mind it will always come up with more and more suggestions and wishes, thus we will never become satisfied. If we do not control our mind we are like prisoners, tied up to this material world, running after temporal pleasures. For example, sometimes people do things that are actually unreasonable, or buy something of little importance, not really being conscious about what they are doing.
But how can we control our mind to become free from that entangled situation?
The Bhagavad Gita tells us that the mind is our enemy if it is uncontrolled but it is our best friend if we control it. That is because only by controlling the mind it is possible to transcend the material limits and make spiritual progress. Wealth, fame and sexual attractions are the three prominent types of lust that keep us in that material condition. They are the source of most of the problems we have to face in our lives. So, if we follow this kind of attractions without restrictions, the mind is our enemy, whereas by regulating them, the mind will become our best friend.
Some persons seem to have control over their mind and in some way they also seem to have some control over the mind of others, like magicians. Those mystic powers will not help us to overcome our material deficiencies. Rather, they serve the purpose of incrementing our wishes and false ego even more. The presence of authority in our lives is what helps us to control our mind. The mind is looking for direction. Because authority always stays in a fixed position, while the nature of the mind is flickering. The highest authority is God. But in our present condition we do not have a close connection with God. Therefore we have to find a representative of God, a spiritual master, as an authority in our live. A spiritual master will guide us towards an elevated life because he can see things without disturbance of the mind and egotistic motives. Without the acceptance of a wellwishing authority we will accept false authorities and stay confused.
Srila Prabhupada said that it is possible to control the mind if we engage it in devotional service. If we become enthusiastic about something, then suddenly the mind starts cooperating and does not disturb anymore. Such animation can be found if we connect our mind and our heart with the purpose of our existence.
The mind wants to be engaged in something devotional. It becomes happy if it is making plans how to serve Krishna. But certainly one becomes easily distracted from this state of consciousness and starts to justify one's actions, searching the difficulty in others. Therefore we have to understand the mechanism of the mind.
The mind is part of our subtle material body, which consists of mind, intelligence and the false ego. But we, our true self, is different. The soul is of spiritual nature. So by serving the desires of the mind and the body, we become materially conditioned. By serving the needs of the soul we will become free from this entanglement. A spiritual master will show us how to do that.
A great part of yoga deals with controlling the mind. It is not easy, but if the heart is conquered, the mind will follow automatically. So, inspiration is a vital part of spiritual life.
A great help to control the mind comes from chanting mantras. The word 'mantra' itself consists of the two syllables 'man' and 'tra'. 'Man' comes from 'manah', meaning mind, and 'tra' comes from 'trayate', meaning liberation. So, mantras are destined to help us to control our mind.
The hare krsna maha mantra, Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, is called the great mantra because it directly connects us with the supreme platform and automatically helps us to fix our mind.
The highest form of mind control is to engage it in devotional service of the Lord by rendering service to a spiritual master. This process will reveal the highest goal of life to us.
Proper Renunciation
Question: What does renunciation mean? Is it that we should give up all our possessions?
Answer: First of all we have to see that God is the creator and maintainer of everything. Living beings, matter and everything else has its origin in the Supreme Lord. In other words, everything is a manifestation of His different energies. Therefore, everything is connected with the Lord.
If we forget this relationship with the Lord, and if we take things as real or use them without considering their connection with the Lord, we take things for something they are not. That is called illusion or maya.
On that basis we can see, that we do not possess anything in this world as everything is the energy of the Lord. And at the end of our life all material possessions loose their importance because no amount of money can buy an additional minute of life.
Renunciation means to see the things as they are and to use them appropriately. To see all things as the property of the Lord and to use them in the service of the Lord, without expecting any results for oneself, is the highest form of renunciation. The more advancement we make on the spiritual path, the purer our renunciation will become.
The environment are perfect as it is. But we have to learn to see and to use everything properly. Spiritual advancement requires to learn to accept things that are favourable and to reject things that are unfavourable for spiritual life.
Persons who worship the impersonal aspect of the Lord reject everything in this world because it is temporary. But a loving relationship with the Lord and devotional service also include a positive aspect. We will be able to destroy the darkness of both, pleasure and renunciation.
Sri Krishna himself mentiones that in the Bhagavad Gita: "For someone who sees me everywhere and sees everything in me, I am never lost for him, nor is he ever lost for Me."
Answer: First of all we have to see that God is the creator and maintainer of everything. Living beings, matter and everything else has its origin in the Supreme Lord. In other words, everything is a manifestation of His different energies. Therefore, everything is connected with the Lord.
If we forget this relationship with the Lord, and if we take things as real or use them without considering their connection with the Lord, we take things for something they are not. That is called illusion or maya.
On that basis we can see, that we do not possess anything in this world as everything is the energy of the Lord. And at the end of our life all material possessions loose their importance because no amount of money can buy an additional minute of life.
Renunciation means to see the things as they are and to use them appropriately. To see all things as the property of the Lord and to use them in the service of the Lord, without expecting any results for oneself, is the highest form of renunciation. The more advancement we make on the spiritual path, the purer our renunciation will become.
The environment are perfect as it is. But we have to learn to see and to use everything properly. Spiritual advancement requires to learn to accept things that are favourable and to reject things that are unfavourable for spiritual life.
Persons who worship the impersonal aspect of the Lord reject everything in this world because it is temporary. But a loving relationship with the Lord and devotional service also include a positive aspect. We will be able to destroy the darkness of both, pleasure and renunciation.
Sri Krishna himself mentiones that in the Bhagavad Gita: "For someone who sees me everywhere and sees everything in me, I am never lost for him, nor is he ever lost for Me."
Gaura nama, Maha Mantra and Offenses
Question: I am in a lot of unhappiness and confusion in my life. I also feel that I am under the influnce of black magic. I heard and read in Srila Prabhupada's books that the maha mantra is the solution for everyhting. However I also read (please correct me if i am wrong) that one must chant without offense to get the proper effect. Could I chant the Gaura - nama instead because there is no consideration of offense?
Answer: Chanting the maha mantra is always auspicious. Gradually it will clean our heart from all bad influences and nourish the longing of the soul. This transcendental sound vibration has so much power and mercy that it will always and under any circumstances have some positive effect.
However, the highest effect of the mantra can only be achieved when it is received from a spiritual master. Only then it is possible to chant the Holy Names of the Lord without offenses. Our faith and dedication to the spiritual master will help us to overcome all offenses.
In our sampradaya I do not know of any guru who initiates disciples exclusively in the names of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Nityananda prabhu. The names of Lord Chaitanya and Lord Nityananda are part of the life of a Vaishnava and surely will give mercy and spiritual insights to a person who meditates upon them and renders service to Gurudeva; but excluding the maha mantra certainly does not come in the line of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada.
Once Srila Bhaktivijnana Bharati Maharaja responded to the same question that it is all a question of the faith in Sri Gurudeva. If we have faith in Sir Gurudeva no desire will come up to change his instructions.
As you wrote in the question, Srila Prabhupada said that the maha mantra is the solution for everything. If we accept these instructions of our eternal wellwisher, there won't be any doubt about what is to be done.
Answer: Chanting the maha mantra is always auspicious. Gradually it will clean our heart from all bad influences and nourish the longing of the soul. This transcendental sound vibration has so much power and mercy that it will always and under any circumstances have some positive effect.
However, the highest effect of the mantra can only be achieved when it is received from a spiritual master. Only then it is possible to chant the Holy Names of the Lord without offenses. Our faith and dedication to the spiritual master will help us to overcome all offenses.
In our sampradaya I do not know of any guru who initiates disciples exclusively in the names of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Nityananda prabhu. The names of Lord Chaitanya and Lord Nityananda are part of the life of a Vaishnava and surely will give mercy and spiritual insights to a person who meditates upon them and renders service to Gurudeva; but excluding the maha mantra certainly does not come in the line of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada.
Once Srila Bhaktivijnana Bharati Maharaja responded to the same question that it is all a question of the faith in Sri Gurudeva. If we have faith in Sir Gurudeva no desire will come up to change his instructions.
As you wrote in the question, Srila Prabhupada said that the maha mantra is the solution for everything. If we accept these instructions of our eternal wellwisher, there won't be any doubt about what is to be done.
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