Theos-Talk Archives (May 2012 Message tt00164)

Mind and its Moods
Hugh Prather in his book Notes to Myself says: 'The tools of the mind can be wrongly used, but the mind possesses no wrong tools.'  Mind is, no doubt, a wonderful tool or instrument we have for our daily activities and avocations. If the mind is not there, we become mad men and women of the world. Similarly, if we do not use our mind well and for the general benefit of mankind, then too, we become half-mad men and women. To understand 'mind' it is not totally possible. It is never open and clear. Even if we understand 'mind', we are told, there are many other things that we need to know. It is generally stated that the real things about 'life' are not enclosed by the mind. There is another 'tool' with us, which posits the quality of 'discrimination' within the mind. The discriminating mind is too often called the 'heart'. While he mind analyses everything, the heart tries to synthesize all and make the appearance clear and one.  The tools of the mind are to be used rightly. Right use alone brings the right results. Forgetfulness, abuse, neglect, sloth, arrogance and similar qualities do not belong to the mind as such. They are the aberrations of the mind, unwittingly mixing with it and posing themselves as the mind. This is where one has to be vigilant. Do you do things, which you never dreamt that you would do even in sleep?  Every action is preceded by careful, meaningful examination of the purpose. For example, we are told that before talking loud on any matter, even in routine conversations, we are supposed to internally question ourselves: Is what I am going to say true, necessary and kind? If by any chance the answer to any one of the three questions is 'no', it means the word need not be spoken out! This practice can be extended to the matter of feelings and thoughts too. How many times do unnecessary emotions, feelings and thoughts not enwrap us! These are short-lived, and less useful for the totality of our being. Clinging only to that which is strictly necessary to the enhancement of life in its total structure and setting aside the unnecessary matters is of course as necessary as the breathing. We only need to realize the seriousness of this. 
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