Practice of discrimination helps

There are situations in which we do things deliberately, knowing full well that it is the right thing to do. And there are situations in which we act impulsively without knowing the right or wrong of them. But in either case every work bears its own fruits, sweet or bitter. Apart from other sufferings one result of wrong action is greater mental turmoil. Our ignorance about right and wrong will not save us from trouble.

Therefore in order to control the mind one essential thing is to learn how to discriminate between right and wrong, good and evil, real and unreal. When discrimination becomes a habit with us we shall automatically ask ourselves what good is it? This will save us from possible mental turmoil resulting from wrong, rash and foolish actions, provided we have developed the habit of doing only what our discrimination tells us to be good. The practice of discrimination may very well go hand in had with the practice of self-examination this conduces to self-improvement.

There is another dimension to the practice of discrimination, which helps the control of the mind in fundamental manner. The ancient seekers neatly put the crux of the problem of mind-control.

Contraction of the Heart causes

Contraction of the heart causes us a special type of inner disquiet, and this can be removed only through the expansion of our heart. Practicing compassion for the unhappy is one of the methods of doing this. Active compassion will mean service of ding this. Service done in the proper attitude is purifying. It expands our hearts, enhances our sense of identity will the whole, and liberates us from the cramping agony of our smallness. This gives us inner joy.

Even if we ourselves are miserable, there will be no dearth of more miserable persons around us. Let us do something for somebody else. If we cannot do anything else, we may just be friendly and pray sincerely for the good of the world. That too will help.

Our delight should be in the good. When we take delight in the good the psychological law is that we imbibe the goodness and the other qualities of the good. Goodness is conducive to calmness of mind.

Yoga Disciplines

Basic yoga scriptures insist that is order to control the mind aspirants must practice the disciplines. Non-killing, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence, and non-receiving of gifts are called as yamas. Internal and external purification, contentment, mortification, study, and worship of god are the niyamas.

Obviously one who is not yet the master of his mind will fail to observe some of these precepts. Yet the idea of insisting on the practice of these virtues id to keep the ideal always bright before the practitioner, so that inner strength may grow through self-effort. Patanjali, the great teacher of yoga, says:

a) friendliness towards the happy.

b) Compassion for the unhappy.

c) Delight in the good.

d) Indifference to the evil.

This aphorism requires explanation. The disposition of being happy at the happiness of others creates a very soothing mental climate in which wrong impulses like jealousy cannot thrive.