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!!