Vedic Mind Control

The Buddha has said, "The mind is everything, what you think, you become." this quote has always struck me in the sense that most "realistic" people such as myself, have come to the realization that the future is, for the most part of out of our control. But what a beautiful concept presented by such a realistic being, that we are certain to become a product of our thoughts. In a more technical sense, my Spiritual Master has outlined the power of thought as follows, "From good ideas come good thoughts, from good thoughts come good actions, from good actions come good habits, from good habits come good character and when we have good character we reach the proper destination." Some of us who are more optimistically inclined may hear this and think, Yes! this is a truth of truths, from now on I will only think positive thoughts and in the future my life will be positive! However in time, we all come to realize that curbing the mind is not so simple. In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna after hearing Krishna's instruction to focus the mind, pleads to Krishna for further guidance. Arjuna at this point has understood the power of the mind and it's capabilities to shape the future for the living being but he also realizes that the mind is fickle and wavering, that it's very nature is to accept something one moment and reject it the next. Arjuna suggests that to curb the mind would be more difficult that to control the restless wind for both seem to move so passionately yet without a substantial and beneficial motif. Krishna responds that the only way to curb the mind is through intelligence. But before the intelligence can work properly, we must have a goal and we must be serious about that goal. If we are moving through life whimsically, then our intelligence may lead us here or there for there are many millions of different ways to gratify our senses in the material world. The paths in which we find ourselves may lead to more sense gratification, or less but we will always have minimal control of the future, as our mind will lead us in one direction one day and another the next. If we develop a meaningful goal, and we meditate on that goal, then our intelligence throughout the day will discern in favor of that destination. In this way we may train the restless mind to be active in a way that is favorable to our goal. When internally we are focused on our goal, then externally we will act in such a way that brings us closer to the goal. Our intelligence should also be used to justify the objective for there will b many convincing propositions made by the fickle mind to give up or focus instead on something that can provide a quick sensuous reward like sex or drugs. The mind and the soul are bound to disagree thus when facing mental discrepancy, we should search out our duty which is to become self realized, we should reflect on the suffering that results from failing to become self realized and we should remember the tricks that the mind plays on us to entangle us deeper in misery and torment. developing this one-pointed intelligence is the key to advancement on any level, in any situation or circumstance not just in regard to spiritual growth but to growth in general. However by cultivating an intelligence that compliments the desire to become self realized, we may actually tame the restless mind which will torment the living entity no matter how materially advanced he may become. The intelligence of those who are controlled by sense gratification is many branched, always taking them to places they couldn't have imagined themselves previously, dark alleys, tasteless clubs, etc. But for one who is resolute in purpose, who uses the intelligence to fix the mind on the constitutional position of the self and the self's respective duty in the material world, for him the mind becomes the best friend, pushing him towards his goal by reminding him of the tremendous amount of negative reactions brought about by straying from his path. For such a person the goal is one, the intelligence is one, the mind is one and thus the destination is always the same, success.