default image for post
Controlling the Mind
May 3, 2011  |  radhanath-swami

Richard (now Radhanath Swami) was excited to see a sign, ‘The World Yoga Conference’ and learnt that 800 yogis had assembled for the event. In the giant tent where the conference was held, Richard saw even small children perform difficult asanas, postures, with ease. Richard was impressed by Swami Rama, the renowned founder of the Himalayan Institute. Swami Rama demonstrated yogic trance and showed how he could slow his heart rate, produce specific brain wave patterns on demand, consciously move a physical object half way across the room, and even stop his heart all together, all by the power of yoga asanas, being in a trance. His message was simple, “All of the body is in the mind. Mind over matter is developed by control of consciousness. You really do not need to know many things, but you definitely need to practise what you know.” He blessed Richard to be able to cross all obstacles on his spiritual path.

Radhanath Swami also emphasizes that a spiritualist must try to control the mind and bring it back from wherever it wanders, to focus on the Lord. He once narrated an interesting anecdote of a man who was sitting under a tree and a snake bit him. He wondered what bit him and as he turned around he saw a rat, and concluded that a harmless mouse had bit him. He survived the bite A few days later as he was sitting once again under a tree, a mouse bit him. Again he wondered and looked around and saw a snake slither by. He thought the snake must have bitten him and died of the shock. Radhanath Swami points out that in most cases it’s the mind that convinces us of a reality and causes bias and prejudices in our hearts. Speaking on the basis of the Bhagavad Gita Radhanath Swami explains that the mind can be the best of our friends or the worst of our enemy. If the mind is controlled, it is the best of our friends, and if uncontrolled, it can be the worst of our enemies.

Radhanath Swami explains that mind is neutral like a knife. A knife becomes dangerous in the hands of a criminal but becomes a welcome asset in the hands of a surgeon. Similarly, mind is neutral. If we use it for the right purpose, it becomes our best friend. “For a man, the mind absorbed in sense objects is the cause of bondage, and mind detached from the sense objects is the cause of liberation.” Therefore we should learn the technique of controlling the mind for the best use.

 

Radhanath Swami answers the question on how we can control the mind. He gives two steps; detachment from sense objects and feeding the mind with positive alternatives. He compares a spiritualist with a car driver and a jockey. Initially when learning to drive, the driver feels difficulty and is not able to keep the car on the road. Later by practice he does. Similarly a yogi can bring the mind on the track of God consciousness. An expert jockey controls the horse by not restraining the horse too much and also by not allowing it too much freedom. Similarly a spiritualist regulates his horse like mind and gradually but surely advances in his spiritual life.

 

Related Posts:


107 Comments


  1. Pramathesh Nimkar

    Very nice story of serpant biting by Radhanath swami

    View Comment
  2. What a wonderful point! We need association and blessings of great personalities like Radhanath swami in our “battle against the mind”

    View Comment
  3. “The mind is our greatest friend when we control it, BUT mind is our greatest enemy when it controls us.” This is one of the quotes from Radhanath Swami’s lectures.

    View Comment
  4. Radhanath Swami Maharaj ki jai!

    View Comment
  5. Very inspiring story of serpant biting

    View Comment
  6. True teachings…nothings possible without mind control..

    View Comment
  7. Thank you for giving us very important instruction

    View Comment
  8. Wonderful words of wisdom.

    View Comment
  9. Very nice article……..

    View Comment
  10. Wonderful meditation.

    View Comment
  11. Very nice explanation on different attributes of the mind….

    View Comment
  12. Beautiful story decorated with matching analogies. Particularly like the analogy of controlling mind similar to controlling horses.

    View Comment
  13. such lovely realisations

    View Comment
  14. Radhanath Swami has rich experience in mind control. And since he chose exclusive devotion over mere mind control, it shows the superiority of devotion.

    View Comment
  15. Thank you very much for sharing the invaluable tips on mind control from the teachings of Radhanath Swami. I especially liked the analogy of the car driver and the jockey.

    View Comment
  16. It is very easy to control other temptations, however the most difficulty thing is controlling the mind.

    View Comment
  17. Mind can be one’s worst enemy as well as one’s best friend. Very difficult to control unkess we take shelter of the Supreme. Thank you Maharaj.

    View Comment
  18. Sanjiv Chandnani

    Mind has to be given positive alternatives to be able to control it. Thank you Radhanath swami for this most valuable advice.

    View Comment
  19. Very good Teaching. Thank you Maharaj
    http://www.radhanath.com

    View Comment
  20. Very difficult to control the mind, but there is still hope. Thank you Maharaj for your encouraging words.

    View Comment
  21. Thanks to H.H Radhanath Swami Maharaj for this wonderful description on mind control.

    View Comment
  22. Arjun K Ramachandra

    Wonderful article! I liked the example of snake and rat and how the mind convinces us of a reality and causes bias and prejudices in our hearts.

    View Comment
  23. Amazing description by His Holiness Radhanath Swami

    View Comment
  24. good analogy of driver of how initially it is difficult to control the mind and of jokey how not to control mind too much or let loose and give alternatives. I also liked the analogy of snake and rat perception of the mind

    View Comment
  25. Wonderful Discription on mind control, liked the example of snake & rat. Thank you Maharaj.
    Also Visit- http://www.radhanathswamiphotos.com

    View Comment
  26. mind is the greatest friend

    View Comment
  27. Shoba Ramachandran

    Very convincing explanation for the need to control the mind. And it can be done, Maharaj gives assurance. Thanks Maharaj. And thanks for the wonderful article.

    View Comment
  28. Madana Kishore Das

    Great techniue to control mind – detachment from sense objects and feeding the mind with positive alternatives

    View Comment
  29. “….detachment from sense objects and feeding the mind with positive alternatives…” Radhanath Swami explains this wonderful point that its detachment from matter + attachment to Krishna both is required.

    Most spiritualists (not coming in bonafide parampara) at most focus just on detachment from sense, but without a higher taste/ engagement in Krishna Consciousness, such a person will soon fall down to lower tastes.

    View Comment
  30. HH Radhanath Swami not only emphasises practicing mind control but also reveals how to

    View Comment
  31. Such a wonderful explanation. Thank you Radhanath Swami.

    View Comment
  32. The example of the man and the snake is amazing.

    View Comment
  33. Dr.Vivekanand Shanbhag

    Thank you Radhanath swami for the beautiful story of ?snakebite to illustrate the nature of the mind

    View Comment
  34. powerful instructions by radhanath swami-“detachment from sense objects and feeding the mind with positive alternatives”,is the best and the ultimate solution to control one’s mind,

    View Comment
  35. Thank u Radhanath Swami for such powerful lessons on controlling the mind! Especially the rat-snake-man story was really too good.

    View Comment
  36. M Pandu Rangayya Shetty

    Mind is not easily be controlled. Even Arjuna declares it. Forgetting all other methods of our own and follow the instructions of persons like Radhanatha Swami is beneficial. All glories to Radhanatha Swami.

    View Comment
  37. Very insightful article with very effective anologies – Thanks a lot for sharing.

    View Comment
  38. Thanks – Enjoying Your Site!

    View Comment
  39. Radhanath Swami describes very nicely how to “mind” the “mind”.

    View Comment
  40. Great story Radhanath Swami

    View Comment
  41. Radhanath Swami points out that in most cases it’s the mind that convinces us of a reality and causes bias and prejudices in our hearts.

    View Comment
  42. Enjoying the site – Thanks! – H

    View Comment
  43. So important to control the mind but a very difficult task. Hope we can try and make the mind our greatest friend instead of greatest enemy.

    View Comment
  44. horse analogy is very relavant for mind

    View Comment
  45. Great analogy of a car driver and a jockey .. seek blessings to be able ot control the mind ..

    View Comment
  46. Kalpana Kulkarni

    Wonderful article about how the mind can be our best friend and worst enemy.

    View Comment
  47. Radhanath maharaj has explained very nicely to mind the mind

    View Comment

Leave a Reply