Another tip to quieten the mind is to narrow its field of activity. The more you let it roam extrovertedly the more restless and jumpy it will become. So narrow its field of occupations.
The physical body should be absolutely still for a long time. Train it to sit erect with the legs and seat firmly on the ground, without moving even a centimetre, for quite some time. Physical movement does not allow the mind to become calm. Just as in water, a clear reflection is not possible if the water has waves. It has to be completely placid.
The mind can quieten down with total surrender to the Lord. You are your own enemy. You have tied yourself in chains of attachment and then you say that you are shackled! Disengage yourself from all the worldly things of OET (Objects Emotions Thoughts) and just pray to Him. Let the “divine potential” in you be tapped. We all have it, that “I” is our true nature. Relax your facial and head muscles. The more you climb in His lap and nearer Him, the happier and calmer will be your mind. Some people learn to quieten the mind and go into a stupor, a kind of a hibernation. No, then you will not progress. The mind has to be quiet but the intellect has to be highly purified, alert and vigilant, then the divine joy will tumble out of you. It will unfold to you. It is not a passive experience but a positive one.
Another technique to quieten the mind while meditating is to do japa louder and louder (mentally). May be as loud as you can. That will arrest the mind from wandering.
The sign of an impure mind is likes and dislikes. The less you react to likes and dislikes, the more pure the mind. True meditation is a state of bliss. If you are ever cheerful and smiling you are in constant meditation.
* Prarthna Saran is President, Chinmaya Mission, Delhi.