why and How of controlling your Mind

Suppose you tell this to your children, don't worry about anything. Keep playing, dont need to take bath, washing your hands or going to bed.You can break things, throw your toys everywhere in the house and by the way hit and hurt someone, after all you are small and you dont really mean it.And, also dont worry about having you breakfast, lunch or dinner.Just eat and sleep whenever you want.How does this sound?.You would say "Pure Insanity or craziness ?".True, children not only need to be given love and affection, protection but, a proper guidance, discipline, some rules and regulations, so that they don't go over the top or blow things, hurt themselves. We have to give them enough freedom under guidance so that they develop right values and Character. 

Well that is about children but,it is said that our mind is like a child which is rebellious,hard to control,constantly blabbering like a child,demanding things, not letting us to focus on things that we want to do.

Infact,in the Chapter 6 of Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna the greatest of warrior confided to Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita that the mind is restless, Obstinate,turbulent and very strong and to control the mind is more difficult than controlling the wind.And, Lord Krishna acknowledges this fact and says that it is undoubtedly difficult to control the Mind but,it is possible by suitable practice and developing vairagya - detachment.The detachment Lord Krishna is talking here is the detachment from the matter and engaging it in the spirit.Firstly, the vedic scriptures advise us that to satisfy minds desire's is life adding the fuel to a raging fire. When some fuel is added to the fire, for a short while the fire seems  to have subsided but, within no time comes back with greater force and proportion. Similarly, when we listen to our mind and try to satisfy our desires through material things like, latest Mobile, latest dress or by gratifying our senses and over indulging in things like excess food, drinks or other sensations, we seem to get a temporary relief for the time being, only to see them come back with more force.We need use our intelligence to make the distinction and right choice of things we need and desires we want to fulfil.Another aspect of trying to listen to mind's desire is that, if the desire is not fulfilled, that will actually lead to anger, restlessness and wrath.And, if the desire is fulfilled, then we want more and more of that particular sensation which develops into propensities like lust, anger and greed.

Mind Control

Thus, it helps us to become cool headed and act with our intelligence rather than dance to the whims and fancies of the child like mind.As Lord Krishna explained to Arjuna, we need to take up suitable practices for controlling the mind.Some of the suitable mind control techniques available are like Self Hypnosis, NLP - Nuero Linguistic Programming, Meditation,Healing, Pranayama, Yoga which are good to elevate from the gross to subtle realms or spheres of life.However, I found the practice of Mantra Meditation " Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare" is the most practical and suitable method of controlling your mind, which is only the begining and there are many more benefits to follow.The other aspect of what Lord Krishna said - develop detachment, I found is achieved by reading and listening to the sacred texts like, Bhagavad Gita and Bhagavatham from realised Souls like His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada and his disciples. As explained in Bhagavatam, as soon as one starts listening to the sacred narrations and chanting the names of God, he automatically develops detachment and also control of  mind.Just like a person having meals with every morsel of food that he takes he feels satisfaction and gets strength.

Finally, my thoughts are that one experiences real freedom when he has control of senses, one who can control what he speaks, what he eats etc.The first step to control the senses is to control the mind, which purifies our consciousness and senses.One of the easiest way to control the mind and senses is engage them in service of the Master of senses "Hrishikena hrishikesha-sevanam bhaktir ucyate".Hrishikesha is another name for Lord Krishna.Engaging our senses in service of God or Krishna is basically called as devotional service where the centre of ones life is not himself but the Supreme God.