Post on 26-Mar-2015
THE ART OF CONTROLLING
THE MIND
THE ART OF CONTROLLING
THE MIND
This presentation is based on the Bhagavad Gita, As
It Is, translated byHis Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder Acharya – International Society for Krishna Consciousness
Modern Society
…some common facts
ALWAYS ON RISE
Murder
Violence
DrugAddiction
Rape
Unemploymen
t
Corruption
Mental
stress
SuicideDivorce
Violence
Public Unrest
WAR
Terrorism
Steadily increasing every year.
Time magazine poll
1st : crime
2nd: lack of morality
What are the main problems facing society
today ?
U.S. prisonpopulation
0
400,000
800,000
1,200,000
1,600,000
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
Gun Sales in America
0
1,000,000
2,000,000
3,000,000
4,000,000
5,000,000
6,000,000
1997 1999 2001
Murders
1996 2001
A phenomenal 124% rise
Average number of reported rape cases in South Africa in a year
33,000
Before finishing school an average child watches
8,000 murders100,000 acts of violence
Number of Drug users in European Union
7.4 million
Number of serious drug addictsin European Union
1.8 million
US 55
Canada 45
Denmark 40
US 55
Canada 45
Denmark 40
No. of divorces per 100 marriages
Av. number of suicides in Japan every year
22,50022,500Approx. number of
attempted suicides in US in a year
650,000650,000
Are we really advancing
in the right direction ?
Why is there so much chaos & confusion in
society
?
“With a pack of dogs in a room,how can we expect peace?”
Srila Prabhupada:
bandhur ätmätmanas tasya
yenätmaivätmanä jitaù
anätmanas tu çatrutve
vartetätmaiva çatru-vat
Krishna inBhagavad-Gita
6.6
“For he who has conquered the mind,
the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do
so, his mind will remain the greatest
enemy.”
Madness
Depression
Dangerous Diseases
Stress
Hypertension
Damage To Oneself, Family And SocietyWeakened
Determination
Lack Of
Confidence
Loss Of Trust
Uncontrolled Mind
WHAT CAN IT DO TO YOU ?
How can we expect peace
& happiness ?
the solution to our problems:
a controlled mind
Before understandingthe MIND…
...let’s answer the most fundamental question
the most fundamental question…
who am I ?
In the early years of the 20th century,
a scientist analyzed the
constituents of the human body.
Total value of chemicals
CALCIUM
IRON
PHOSPHORUS
WATER CONTENT
OTHER SUBSTANCES
$5.00
Total value of chemicals
are we just a bag of five
dollars worth of
chemicals ?
dehino ’smin yathä dehe
kaumäraà yauvanaà jarä
tathä dehäntara-präptir
dhéras tatra na muhyatiBhagavad - gétä 2.13
väsäàsi jérëäni yathä vihäyanaväni gåhëäti naro ’paräëi
tathä çaréräëi vihäya jérëäny
anyäni saàyäti naväni dehé
A simple analogy from Bhagavad - gétä
Bhagavad - gétä 2.22
a car cannot move even an inch without the driver
similarly, a body cannot function WITHOUT ITS DRIVER, the soul
CHARIOT OF THE BODY
5 SENSES
MIND
INTELLIGENCE SOUL
Role ofthe
MIND
Can the mind be our friend?
Is a knifegood
or bad ?
In a surgeon’s
hand : it can
save a life !
In a murder’s hand,it can kill !!
Techniques for controlling the mind
Step 1
Regulate the senses
Techniques for controlling the mind
Step 2
Do not allow the senses to wander astray
in any direction they want.
Withdraw them from unhealthy engagements.
Engage the mind in hearing
(reading) spiritual topics
Step 3
Techniques for controlling the mind
Associate with spiritual people
Step 3
Techniques for controlling the mind
Purify the senses
Ceto darpana marjanam
chanting (sacred sound)
Even if the mind is diverted, it will be
forced to concentrate on the
sound vibration “Krsna.”
The recommended method for
controlling the mind is loudly chanting and
hearing Hare Krsna maha-mantra.
It isn’t necessary to withdraw the mind from everything; it will automatically
be withdrawn, because it will be
concentrated on the sound vibration.
benefits of a controlled mind
Purified Senses
Cool Mind
Clear IntelligencePeace
Concentration & Memory
More Efficient
CHANT ...
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA
KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMARAMA RAMA HARE HARE
AND BE HAPPY!!