Sitting alone quietly on a rock near the Ganges, the mind glides slowly into peace and your whole being experiences inner bliss. It makes one wonder how similar is the flow of the river waters to the flow of the mind. The water keeps changing and forming new patterns as it goes. The water flows smoothly when no obstacle crosses its path but jumps up when irritated by even a small rock hampering it’s path. So does the mind.
Wherever the river runs deep the surface is calm, but shallow waters make much noise! When irrigation channels are cut to divert the water to the fields, the flow is slackened and loses power, but a unidirectional flow gathers tremendous power. When dammed , the energy of the flow is conserved. Then, if this water is passed through a narrow sleuth, it generates electricity!
Similarly the mind becomes unidirectional when dissipating thoughts are not allowed to cut ruts into its flow. The steady continuous flow of a meditative mind gathers tremendous power. Its strength can destroy impediments and facilitate achievements. The concentrated mind of an artist paints a masterpiece, a scientist discovers the laws of nature and an inventor creates miracles! Thoughts take the direction of your “likes” just as the river changes its course for unhampered flow.
The river water is naturally pristine. All pollutants are external. When mud and water mix you call
the water dirty.
The mind gathers impurity when you allow the garbage of impure thoughts to pollute it. Therefore the saints insist that we filter out hatred ,anger, violence , greed , lust and such negative emotions. Maintain mental hygiene and then your actions will always be pure, sublimated, even divine, purifying mankind like the holy Ganga!
Prarthna Saran, President Chinmaya Mission Delhi.
Email: prarthnasaran@gmail.com