Keep The Mind Fixed On Something

[Ms Tercy Lonan]

Keep The Mind Fixed On Something
There is also a positive way. You cannot remove all the objects from the world. You cannot
remove all people from the world. You have to live in the world. Therefore a very interesting
method is given. A saint has said that if you want to go through a forest of thorns, you cannot cover
the forest with a carpet in order to manage to walk safely. Instead of trying to cover the entire forest
with a carpet, a wise man will wear a pair of slippers. It is as effective as covering the entire forest
with carpet because wherever he goes, this protection will follow him. In the same way, we cannot
completely make the world disappear, but we can protect ourselves in such a way that we are not
affected by the contact, and this way, through Pratyahara and Udaseenata we have to protect
ourselves from the objects creating impressions in our minds. And the positive way is this: Always
keep the mind fixed upon something. If you have to go through a place which emits a foul smell,
you cannot sprinkle the whole place with some fragrant element. But if you keep a bit of musk in
your nose, you will always experience the smell of the musk, you will not feel the bad smell.
Similarly, always do mental repetition of God’s Name and do Nama-Smarana, constant
remembrance of God and remembrance of some great ideal. Vedantins will say, “All is
Brahman—Satchidananda.” Bhaktas will say, “All is Rama or all is Krishna,” along with the
constant repetition of Mahavakyas or Ishta Mantra. These things form a positive hold to which the
mind may cling. Thus the tendency of the mind to move towards other objects is lessened, because
it is given a centre which it can catch hold of.