Human
beings, today, spend most of the time of their lives in thinking, contemplating,
planning for the future and making decisions. This is true even in the
pursuit of spirituality. The pressure of immense, continuous thinking
usually results in an incessant state of stress and apprehension. Religious
and spiritual masters too are no exception. While we do often realize
the futility of thoughts, we cannot “think” of living without
thinking. What would life be, if we were not to think anything? It is
hard to answer the question because the thoughts cannot grasp the reality
of the answer it demands. Our reliance on thoughts, perceptions and
logical interpretation of things, has become so strong that we completely
miss the reality of our world – even our own existence. We have
our distinct personalities, traits, perceptions, ideas and habits. While
we may get away with calling it an individual matter, we may not escape
the fact that this very difference exists because of differences in
the individual thoughts. We have different personalities because we
“think” different. The “thinking” may get influenced
by place, time, situation and surroundings, giving us the illusion of
multi-cultural dimensions. But it is the thinking or the perception
of the world due to thinking that is the dominant factor. What we think
we are is just a thought after all. What we are in essence is indeed
a reality but this reality is beyond the thoughts. Thus, what we really
are cannot be thought about – it can only be known, through thoughtless
awareness.
If the shape of our personalities derives from such a simple logic,
it should not be difficult to observe that anything coming out of the
mind, and thoughts, should be equally subjective and individualistic.
Yet, in this world, we have embraced philosophies, ideologies and thoughts
from varying minds and individuals. We seldom care to introspect and
ask ourselves if we were meant to be doing what we are doing in our
daily, routine lives. Sages and spiritual masters in all ages have tried
to create an awareness towards the thinking and illusory nature of the
mind. We have to understand that when they talk about “ego-less”
and “self-less” mind, they are essentially referring to
the thoughtless brain. When the illusion of mind, “I” or
“ego” departs, all that is left is the thoughtless, sensitive
brain. At this point, we should once again recognize that a thoughtless
mind simply means, “no-mind”, for the mind is the thinking
device itself. It will be easy for the readers if they can visualize
the mind and brain as two separate entities – one the illusory,
unreal layer of thoughts and the other natural, sensitive and part of
this eternal nature. Beware; while you are reading these lines, the
very mind is at work.
The only explainable cause of chaotic thoughts, stress, ideas, and continuous
restlessness can be the design of mind. This design is such that it
is always entangled in tension and apprehension, continuously trapped
in the slavery of habits. Habits are nothing but conditioning of the
mind in an unnatural way; that starts right from the moment of birth.
Since the thoughts are only chemical properties of the body, a certain
action or thought at the mental level, circulates itself and gets imbibed
as a habit in our basic brain. Due to this superficial activity, the
basic brain starts losing its natural properties and qualities. As we
get to know more about things through words, language and logic, we
gradually start developing a perceptive and illusory personality that
we think as “me”. This “me” is merely a thought,
or image about ourselves – what we “think” we are
and what we would like to show ourselves “to be” to the
outside world. The illusion gets so strong and permanent that we start
living in this living dream and spend our lives satisfying an illusory
image, which can never be satisfied. Logics, arguments, opinions and
concepts such as individuality and freedom of thoughts become the life
support and before we realize, we start defending something that has
existence only in thoughts. We even know it sometimes but cannot help
ourselves. We have created an image, a standing in the society and it
seem to be in our best interest to continue with what we have build.
As a result, the truth and reality stay behind and we continue to walk
the path of dreams, desires and illusions. We create one dream after
another and the chain continues. Let us try to look at the process by
which the mind gets created and intensified throughout our lives.
This peculiar phenomenon that we know as thinking, starts from the tongue.
It might sound strange but it is the movement of the tongue that activates
chemical reactions in the brain and the thoughts start generating. The
thoughts are, ultimately, spawned to satisfy the "I" or "Ego"
in a person. Whatever we learn from the process of words is relayed
to the brain by the movement of the tongue. Thus, the memory is created
by the repetition process in the following order;
• Registration – grasping by the brain with the help of
words. (in the form of name, shape and characteristics of person or
object – creation of the conscious mind)
• Repetition - repetition of a particular word or thought over
thousands of times. (creation of memes (copy) by the mind over the genes.
Beginning of the subconscious mind)
• Retention - solidification of genes and memes due to constant
repetition of words (mentality or emotions in the subconscious mind.
Refer book, ‘The selfish Gene’ by Richard Dawkins and ‘The
Meme Machine’ by Susan J. Blackmore and Richard Dawkins).
• Recall – repetition of old memories and creation of new
ones.
We will briefly describe each of these activities to further understand
the creation of the mind.
Registration
All the words that we "learn" from our childhoods to adulthood,
and later, are grasped through the movements of the tongue. Have you
ever noticed that without moving the tongue, we cannot execute pronunciations
and dialects? This is the activity that could be described as registration
of thoughts and memories. This might remind you of learning the first
words.
Repetition
As we learn more words and practice to perfect them, the words start
forming on our tongue and we have to move the tongue in various ways
to create various sounds. As a result, the tongue starts getting habitual
of movements. Due to this habit, words keep on repeating on the tongue
and the vocal cord. This repetition causes thoughts to be created. Repeated
thoughts get metabolized in the basic (but natural) mind and start shadowing
its natural qualities. We have observed that in animals, it is this
basic mind that plays the part in their everyday life. This repetition
of thoughts goes on, all through our lives. The information gets accumulated
and the basic mind gets cluttered. The thoughts stay in our memory as
fragments of incomplete information. We often consider this as “knowledge”.
We also start creating logic and arguments by mixing one thought with
another. It gives a false sense of elation and achievement to the thinker,
because the thinker is the mind itself. It cannot do anything else but
think. What we normally consider as basic “skills” can rather
be termed as the result of repetitive memory.
Retention
Repeatedly thinking about a subject generates a chain of thoughts in
the mind. Just one thought erupts and it starts connecting itself with
other bits and pieces lying in the memory. As a child grows up, this
process of repetition is played so many times, that it turns into a
mentality and emotions. The thoughts act as a stream and a person just
flows with it. Imaginations begin to appear and the unleashed thoughts
float between their own perception of happiness and sorrow. Mental activities
take precedence over natural feelings and a person starts contemplating
the state of life by actually thinking and believing it. The state of
mind or the thought process appears to be the reality.
Recall
Thus, we have seen from the above examples that all the three terms
are simply mechanical and the tongue plays a part in each. The brain
comes in to the role-play as well. Since bodily functions have to be
performed, there are some intrinsic activities that the brain performs,
no matter what we think. One of those activities is storing images.
It captures images from the lenses of eyes in the same way a camera
captures a scene. However, the brain does not associate any thought
or idea or even a name to the images. The process seems to be the vital
function of evolution and survival by recognizing things as they come
in front of us – please take note “not to think” of
them. However, with the presence and influence of the mind, this is
just what happens. Just as a parasite survives on resources from parent
objects, the mind starts associating things with names. It does so,
because it has been taught to collect information and create identity
all the time. If there were no information, the mind would cease to
exist. Since we are essentially minds, we cannot live without giving
a name, definition, logic and perception to a thing. Mind uses the images
stored by the brain for its own purpose. In the process of life, forgotten
memories are recalled from different cells of the brain and perceived
as "new thoughts". These new thoughts once again break into
the parts, influenced by new alterations and again stored in the brain
as "new memories". Every new thought is based on some earlier
thought; there is nothing unique or new about them. One might say that
he or she thought of something they cannot associate from before. They
might not be able to remember at that moment but because of aforementioned
mechanical process, the thoughts and memories are there since very old
times. It is like a gearbox where each cog in the wheel works on the
dependence of the other.
Mind thrives on creating memories (words and thoughts only) and starts
putting logic into the natural process of the brain. Some people would
argue that, is having logic, such a bad thing at all. We have to be
aware that any logic derives from permutation and combination of thoughts
and thus remains just another form of thought that appears as “new”.
Logic can perhaps provide a very well worded concept but that is what
it always remains – just a concept. There are innumerable logics
and theories available to us from umpteenth times. Yet, none of them
seem to have worked in providing permanent happiness or bliss. Even
the greatest of wisdoms in the world, will remain just a theory as long
as it is interpreted by the mind. When the interpretation stops and
the mind ceases, you will not need any theory, for you would already
be “living” in it. Every human being is essentially spiritual
in essence. Spirituality is not an achievement or a gain. It is not
something that you “embrace” in order to “become”
something. You are inherently part of the Nature and spiritual in your
existence. Only this fact needs to be realized. And, this realization
comes outside of thoughts, mind, experiences or happenings. As long
as “you” are there to experience or see things, the mind
is there next to you. When “you” or “I” or “me”
disappears, you are automatically blissful.
The Web of Thoughts & Cycle of Life
The whole process works like a gearbox, the gears such as slow, fast,
intellect and idiocy among thousands of others. As one gear shifts into
another in an automobile, our mental gears go from one form to other
in the same way. We have changing moods and tempers throughout the day
every day of our lives. Our moods depend very much on our feelings.
The feelings are, in turn, aroused by the thoughts. Lots of people try
to make a distinction between the “mind” and the “heart”.
The usual belief is that, there are “mind people” in the
world, who are emotionally deficient and thrive on logic, and the “heart
people” are those intrinsically sensitive and caring. In reality,
the emotions are nothing but condensed forms of thoughts. They are like
packed, compressed stream of thoughts that explode the moment a trigger
is pressed. It is easy to see how certain words, phrases or even ideas
trigger certain emotions. If there is an emotion of love, there had
surely been a tremendous amount of thoughts of loves that got compressed
in a single emotion. We often believe that a person who has not been
loved is not capable of loving others. It rightly points at the above
discussion. People who have never seen poverty in their lives (in person
or through media) will feel nothing if confronted by it. This is the
very reason why some of the riches of this world seem “cruel”
or “insensitive” to us. It is all thoughts and mind at play.
A good thought or a bad thought always remains a thought. To dream good
or dream bad is not the question. The question is in waking up. All
the thoughts need to be eliminated before any decision can be made about
human life.
Therefore, we may see how the mental process converts into mind with
the help of words, thoughts and movements of the tongue. Manifestation
of the mind is essentially through the tongue and Vocal Cord, Cortex
(cerebral brain), spinal cord and heart. Through these components of
the body, the thought waves or the mechanical process of the mind influences
each cell in the body and becomes virtually incessant. Even if we wish,
we cannot stop this activity.
Since each cell in the body is as alive as the whole body, it is no
wonder that the stress is passed on to the heart as well. Probably,
this is the reason why we see major heart problems all over the world;
especially in societies where logic and thoughts are perceived as the
basis of life. Modern science has discovered that 75% of the all physical
ailments are actually psychological ones or originated from the mind
(in their words; they have not discovered the mind-brain duality yet).
Every word pronounced by the tongue instantaneously reaches each cell
of the body. We may be able to see the pattern here. For example, how
the hair on the body rises when someone narrates a horrifying incident?
Or, how your heart starts beating faster, when you are going to tell
a lie? "You are what your thoughts are!" holds true in the
above case. We pass through numerous lives and carry the subconscious
laden with a web of thoughts and behavior patterns. Therefore, it will
be futile to try to come out of this cycle with the help of the "thoughts".
Sometimes, people find a certain philosophy appealing. Any philosophy,
however, is merely a reflection of thoughts of an individual. It cannot
change our lives in any real sense. Any new and given philosophy only
strengthens the on-going mechanical process of the mind and things will
only become worse. Respected Saint Eknath of Maharashtra said. "You
have to be born with desires". He is referring to the same phenomenon.
Freedom
The freedom, again, cannot be achieved just by conviction, belief or
understanding. Intellect should be a tool and not a refuge. To change
things in your life, you will have to change too. As long as you only
"think" and not really "do", the clutter will never
end. Thoughts of numerous lives have gathered like dust on our basic
mind (jeev dasha).
Now, you must have understood that, the only way to begin is to achieve
the state of thoughtlessness. The state of mind where there is no single
fragment of thought. Since the mind is illusory, it will disappear with
the disappearance of the thoughts. This is not all that difficult as
it sounds. You can start by concentrating on your tongue and study its
movements. You will notice that no thoughts can occur without the tongue
first forming the words. Sometimes, the tongue movement is so insidious
and undetectable that the thoughts are being produced unconsciously.
Hence, if you do not pronounce a word in your mind, you cannot recall
a memory.
If the memory is not there, the mind will tend to remain empty. Therefore,
by controlling the movements of the tongue, you will be restraining
the mechanical process of the mind. It will not accelerate but gradually
become still. Swami Samartha Ramdas, once, described the way of bliss,
"Discarding the thoughts and imagine only the state of total thoughtlessness,
is the way to happiness." Here, happiness is not the motive but
a byproduct.
Mind is "I"
The mechanical process of thoughts and various states of the mind, as
described above, gain momentum by the fuel of words from the tongue.
What we call "willpower" and "argumentative capacity"
is nothing but stronger and stringent thoughts themselves. "I want
to become someone", "I want to achieve something", or
"Something must happen", are just superlative thoughts being
generated in the mind. The Mind wanders in an illusory world, creating
false egos and personalities. It throws us into an abyss of uncertainty
and confusion, where our aims are set at illusory targets. Nothing can
actually be derived by first building a dream in the thoughts and then
get depressed by not getting it. The more a person thinks, higher is
the mental activity, producing numerous thought waves. These thought
waves subsequently affect the whole body and its actions. Whatever the
direction, the process generates more desires and keeps on repeating
itself, resulting in a maze of desires and ambitions. It is, therefore,
not difficult to see that the mind is a mechanical activity, based on
the thoughts originating from the movement of tongue. The role of the
tongue and vocal cord in the activities of mind, is a very interesting
and unique study. Few people have so far recognized this association.
We will cover this topic in detail in the next chapter.
The Mind behaves like a computer floppy. The information having stored
in from the previous and present lives. It can, however, act only on
what it has been fed with. It cannot know anything beyond the given
information. Life strives for happiness and completion. But our mind
tries to find answers in thoughts and logic, where it will never get
one. True happiness lies somewhere else, much beyond the thoughts. As
described, we are all slaves of our own mechanical processes of thoughts.
Our natural abilities and sensations are buried somewhere deep inside
us, shadowed by the dust of thoughts on the brain. It is like a cover
of darkness over our true and natural self. As long as you keep on thinking,
you will be away from the subtle and true self. There are schools of
thoughts that believe in “cleaning” the mind of impurities.
The readers have to be aware that replacing one thought with another
will not resolve anything. A thought from a “clean” mind,
will be a thought in itself. The cleaning that we have mentioned impinges
upon the natural awareness of the body and thoughtlessness of the brain.
We need to understand that there are three parts to this – the
natural brain; basic mind and word-bound mind.
The moment you want to stop the process of thoughts, the mind gets alarmed.
It has reigned over you for so many lives, that it would not let you
go so easily. It will not give up its ownership over you for anything.
Due to this insecurity, the mind creates an illusory personality of
each person, which appears as "I" or “me” to them.
Each living person, if not enlightened, believes that what he or she
looks like in the mirror or what he or she thinks of them as the true
entity. The whole life, then, diverts towards satisfying the "I"
which is like creating a dream in to another dream. The strong belief
of "I" gives birth to belongings; "my nation", "my
God", "my community", "my religion", "my
family" etc. The ego or "I" starts playing the superior
part and the thought forms like "Good" and "Bad"
start creeping in. Comparisons start taking place and the ego becomes
judgmental. This activity creates a tussle of thoughts and in the presence
or absence of one of the elements, gives the illusory feeling of "Happiness"
or "Sorrow". Since the thinking process cannot find real happiness,
it keeps indulging in the mental imaginations such as God, demi-gods,
miracles etc. The conditioning is so strongly imbibed that the Mind
cannot visualize any other way out. In reference to this context, Lord
Buddha said; "Samsara Rogha, Sanskara Maharogha" meaning,
the world (mental) is a disease while the conditioning is an epidemic.
The traditionally
conditioned imaginary mind, feels that miracles would make it (I) happy.
That is the reason; we frantically keep running behind miracles; Gods,
Mahatmas, and alike. We seldom question ourselves whether these miracle
performers; ie. Saints and incarnations have really achieved the state
of happiness? Why does such a question not arise in our minds? Why don't
these miracle performers make the entire mankind happy? Don't these
miracle performers ever encounter sorrow? Don't they suffer the pain
of illness and death? Why don't such questions arise in our minds? The
reason behind this fallacy is that our mind has a false hope of achieving
happiness with the help of these miracles. And never do we see this
with an open perspective. Then the very basic question would arise,
can miracles provide happiness to the mind? The mind that is just a
series of word-bound thoughts! In other words it is an imagination that
is riding the brain. If such an imagination creates another imagination
(collective) in the name of miracles will it achieve happiness? And
is there not a possibility that the collective human mind, in order
to keep itself entwined for ages, created miracles? The possibility
appears to be more. If great miracle performers such as Lord Krishna,
Jesus, Moses, have perished, then it obviously makes death the greatest
miracle. Because, if the miracle performers suffer the agony of death,
it obviously makes death the miracle of miracles. All creatures in nature
and even infants (ie. 1-12 months old) have got nothing to do with miracles.
Only the conditioned human mind is always eager to experience miracles
and that too changing ones. That is the reason we always hold miracle
performers on a pedestal. Today, we go to a saint, tomorrow to some
incarnation and the day after, to somebody else and the chain continues.
Yet the basic question remains; is happiness the subject of the mind?
For the
past thousands of years, thousands of miracle performers have appeared
and can be found even today, but none of them, individually or together
have been able to provide everlasting happiness to mankind. Such a miracle
can only be performed by the brain. It is therefore extremely necessary
that the brain be freed from the influence of the mind. There is no
other alternative.
Finally,
the Vedas, Upanishads, Geeta etc. have rated miracles to a lower level
and have advised mankind to stay away from them. Today, science has
invented machines that can perform miracles (National Geographic 2001).
Science is also exploring the relationship between the mind and matter.
This will result in machines performing all kinds of miracles and readily
available in our day-to-day life. Everybody will be performing miracles.
Only then will the importance of the brain be realized and the influence
of the (‘I’) Mind that has been formed by the collection
of words and repetition of thoughts, reduced and the real natural mind
(80% brain and 20% mind) emerge. We will begin to tread the path of
true happiness.
We can
therefore conclude, that miracles only meet the needs of the mind. The
mind exerts influence on the brain and knowingly or unknowingly, miracles
take place. That is, if a miracle performer can place his brain out
of his body and try to perform a miracle, it will not be possible. It
means that miracles are performed by the neurons of the brain, so much
so, that the mind breeds on the neurons of the brain. If the brain is
freed from the vicious clutches of the mind, miracles performed by such
a brain could be unimaginable and such miracles would be of a permanent
nature. The first step in this direction would be ‘self realization’.
The mentioned paragraph is based on the personal experiences of miracles
by the author.
This "I" is the fundamental problem of our lives. It does
not matter how much wealth we accumulate or how many worldly things
we facilitate, they all will ultimately prove futile. The desires will
never end and the true happiness will not come even till the last breath.
We have to, therefore, try and practice to first identify and then separate
our false ego or "I" from our true self. The beginning is
from the tongue.
We would have to however, have a different outlook in case of the deaf
and dumb. Their education system emphasizes more on lip movements and
signals by the fingers. As a result, their quest will be focused on
these elements in eliminating the ego.
EQUATION
OF MIND
1 WORDS
X REPETITION - THOUGHT
2 THOUGHT X REPETITION - MEMORY
3 MEMORY X THOUGHT - ACTION
4 ACTION X RECALL - HABIT
5 HABIT X RECALL - THINKER, EGO, MIND.
6 THINKER X RECALL - MIND AND MY THOUGHT
EQUATION OF BRAIN
1 MEMORY
÷ THOUGHT - WORDS
2 WORDS ÷ MEMORY - THOUGHTLESSNESS
3 THOUGHTLESSNESS ÷ THINKER - SENSITIVITY / BRAIN
***
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