By: Dr. Satyawan Saurabh
Our mind is the most powerful element in our body, although also the most sensitive. Everything our body does is guided by the mind- our movements, our feelings, emotions, and most importantly thinking and reasoning. Man is the most evolved creature on earth because of the presence of the mind. All the changes we see around us, creations beyond what is naturally provided, are creations of the mind. Although some compositions are said to be beneficial and some are harmful, it depends on how and where our mind uses them.
Shakti is the essence of nature. It can be classified into physical and mental. When we compare the two, we see that the mental force (mind) is the essence of everything. Think of Hitler – a small man with such a powerful mind that he set about conquering the world how he is remembered today. Think of Gandhi – a frail body man with a calm and powerful mind responsible for India’s independence. That’s how they thought they became and so they were remembered. Gandhi believed in the power of mind and spirit to achieve anything.
Psychology as a separate department and the study of human behavior have great relevance today. Ancient political thinkers such as Machiavelli and Hobbes emphasized the study of the mind and human behavior for a healthy society. We see many suicide cases around the world. We find relevance in the context of India’s large demographic dividend and unemployment rate. The recent cases of farmer suicides due to financial burden may be related. Other areas with similar conditions are education, religious and regional variations. People being intolerant towards others is a problem for a healthy and peaceful society.
Buddha said that – ‘The cause of all problems is enthusiasm’ i.e. excess of desire and desire comes from the mind. That’s why it is necessary to control and balance the mind. Indian culture and scriptures teach us how to control our minds. For a balanced mind, ancient sages used to do yoga for years. The Government of India’s initiative to celebrate the International Day of Yoga is another step in this direction. The saying – “Mind is everything, you become what you think” is true in all aspects. So not only a healthy body but also a healthy and happy mind and soul is important.
Mind is everything. What you think, you become – a beautiful saying of Lord Buddha. He rightly said that karma is the major underlying factor for self-transformation and that karma is governed by the mind. Mind here refers to self-realization and the concept of the state and condition of the self which leads to the state of awakening. An awakened mind transforms Karma (action) into a continuous process of changing one’s personality which ultimately incarnates as one was meant to be.
Before becoming popular as a scientist, Albert Einstein was working as a clerk in the post office. His curiosity since childhood to find answers to many unanswered questions shaped his way of thinking as a researcher. Knowingly or unknowingly a genius scientist was born in his mind and finally, after many years of research and findings, he conceptualized the world-famous theory – “General Theory of Relativity”. The same happened with Newton, Edison, Dr. Raman, etc. the list is endless.
Mahatma Gandhi realized his potential to be a virtuous person and to fight against violence and tyranny in South Africa. His thinking and principle of non-violence, equality, and humanity transformed his entire personality from a lawyer to a political leader who fought against oppression and violence till his last breath. Unlike them, Sardar Bhagat Singh fought for freedom through violence. His disbelief in non-violence and assertion of fighting through arms and ammunition made him a great revolutionary leader forever.
It is the mind and thought process that gave birth to Ashoka, Alexander, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Rabindra Nath Tagore, Lincoln, Adolf Hitler, and many more. In the contemporary world, the President of North Korea – Kim Jong-un, and our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi are exemplary examples. The belief-following doctrine of violence, force, assertion, and muscle power has transformed Kim Jong-un into a tyrannical leader of modern times. On the other hand, the political quest to govern created great leadership qualities in Mr. Modi that took him from the streets to the Parliament. Many examples show how a person transformed himself into a new avatar.
It is the faith, beliefs, thoughts, and principles sprouting in the mind that have turned innumerable personalities into messiahs, leaders, ideologues, or devils. That’s why Mahatma Buddha has emphasized improving our thoughts before doing work. It is characteristic of a fool to be critical of anything without knowing the facts or based on some assumptions. He argued to make the mind and thinking process focused and conscious and then only through action one can achieve what one wants to achieve. Karma or actions are governed by the mind and therefore, what a person thinks, his personality will eventually be transformed in that way. Personality is created by the mind which leads to doing or not doing certain actions and in the end, we see a person with specific characteristics. That’s why human personality is so diverse.
It is rightly said in the Gita that GOD is everywhere. To know God you have to become God. It means, there should be perfection in your vision, kindness in your heart, and purity in your mind. A pure and rational mind can only develop empathy and joy. Then your heart can hear the sound of unity and your vision can see beyond the sky. The door of ultimate knowledge and truth opens for you. Then you find God everywhere, even in yourself.
The writer is Research scholar, poet, freelance journalist and columnist, All India Radio and TV panellist.
