Once, Mahatma Gandhi was asked Are you a politician, a freedom fighter, or a social worker? He answered, I am a simple man in search of god. What an inspiring seeker, who taught the world the importance of Truthfulness and Non-violence.
Externally, we may exhibit morality because we are expected to act according to accepted norms, but internally, varieties of deformed and troubling thoughts arise in our minds. No one knows about them, and neither can we express them freely. When suppressed in our conscious state, they manifest in our dreams.
Controlling the Mind
Controlling the mind is thus the most essential step in reaching the higher stages of spiritual development. When one’s thoughts and deeds, not the deeds alone, become beneficial for ourselves & others, then progress happens. When one’s thoughts continue to be pure, even when no one is watching, not only when surrounded by others, then progress happens.
Only when the mind’s deformed tendencies of anger, lust, jealousy, pride, attachment, and fear are slowly cleared does one become qualified to receive the real spiritual teachings that can bring transformation.
And control of the mind begins with bringing the external senses under one’s command. A renowned swami gave an apt analogy to understand this better. Just like a moving car can be slowed down by applying brakes on the external tyres, even though the real power is produced internally inside the engine, so too are the mind’s deformed tendencies brought under control by exercising discipline over the sense organs.
For a seeker, the tongue should be addressed first. Unmindful speech, unmindful eating, and unmindful sexual urges all emerge from this little piece of flesh. But today we shall focus more on speech.
True, Useful, and Non-Violent Speech
A serious seeker should always abide by truthfulness. He should speak nothing but the truth. And this shouldn’t just be followed out of blind obedience. One should question why we should speak only the truth.
Upon analysis, one should realise that when an untruth is spoken, the mind gets into a mode of fear of getting caught. When we exaggerate something or add extra to get attention, the mind becomes restless to add even something else to get more attention. There is also a guilt afterwards, by reflecting upon the potential harm our untrue words might have caused. Isn’t it evident that even one tiny lie disrupts the peace of our mind? Isn’t it counterproductive for our pursuit to have a calm mind?
Also, one should speak only what is useful. Unnecessary words and useless conversations like gossip, scandalous chit chat, etc., should be avoided. Meaningless conversations drain us of all the vital energy that needs to be conserved for mindfulness & concentration.
It is the mind’s old habit to avoid loneliness, and in that pursuit, generate random, useless thoughts just to fill the void. A seeker has to slowly practice solitude and be comfortable with aloneness, at least for some time every day. It is in those moments of deep silence in solitude that the truth is revealed.
And finally, a seeker should avoid all sorts of cursing, criticism, abuse, and violent speech. Whatever he speaks, it should be compassionate, inspiring, and soothing to others. Even the truth shouldn’t be harsh, otherwise it becomes violent. When one can achieve the same compassionate feeling for one’s family members, a random stranger, and an enemy, then one reaches the highest point of human evolution.
Therefore, the golden rule is to speak only that which is true, useful and non-violent. If what you are going to speak is not these, then it is better to be silent.
Practising this speech control externally with dedication gives an immense boost to our endeavour of controlling the mind. After a few months, one shall notice that our minds have automatically learnt to be in command of speech without any conscious efforts, and whatever we speak is only for the benefit of others.
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