To hold the mind until it is an integrated whole becomes a painful and difficult task. This inner struggle is symbolised in the battle portrayed in the Mahabharata, and it is an eternal one. This inner struggle is the price that we must pay for the eternal reward of Liberation.

The mind is a product of the impressions we have gathered in our lives, from beginningless time up to today. In all of our incarnations, we have been living endless experiences, and the experience of each moment has left an impression on our mental sheath. Goaded by these impressions, memories and desires, we develop the conviction that we possess an irresistible mind that is wild and surging, carrying us endlessly hither and thither. Tossed in its agitations, we feel shattered in our attempts at meditation.

When the good and the bad meet face to face, tension and activity are always present. It is an eternal law. We can never mentally get away from these two opposing forces, and when we identify with them, we suffer the consequent dissipations. At one moment we identify with the good in us, and then feel unhappy because, in spite of ourselves, we feel tempted to act in a vicious, negative way. At another moment, in spite of satanic inclinations, we succeed at doing something good and feel elated. The tension between God and Satan within the seeker is eternal. But if the seeker gives himself up to the supreme control of the divine Charioteer, even disaster will spell success for him.

The mind is the challenge and the threat that faces every meditator. The mind of its nature is ever running into its chosen, instinct-driven ruts. The meditator’s attempt must be to bundle up all the wasteful channels of the mind and direct the thought flow through one chosen channel.

A thorough knowledge of the mind’s strategies becomes absolutely essential if we hope to hold the mind to one point of concentration and win the war against our lower self.

The following methods may be employed to gain control over the mind – not all of them at once, but one at a time. If you discover that you have used the wrong tool, change the instrument to win your moment-to-moment battles.

1. Bring the mind back forcefully – Whenever your mind runs off, become aware of it and at once strive to bring it back to meditation by force, if need be.
2. Be conscious of what you are doing – When you pray or meditate, be fully conscious of what you are doing. The mind that wanders is a mind that has left its aim of concentration; invariably we go off with the mind, not recognising for a long time that the mind has indeed wandered. Therefore, constant alertness is essential.

It is for the purpose of keeping fully conscious of the activity that we have congregational prayers, chiming of bells, burning of incense, beautiful lights, and symbols of the Lord. Also, every religion insists that we cleanse ourselves before prayer and prepare a clean place for our worship. If the temple of God is in a place no different than the waiting room of a busy bus depot, we shall find as much peace and concentration in the temple as at the depot.

1. Chant with the eyes open – Even after the physical surroundings are properly arranged, you may find that when you try to meditate, subtle causes arising from the inner world try to sabotage your efforts. Your loves, hatred, hopes, desires and passions dirty your inner world, and, propelled by them, your mind flies off on a tangent. These wanderings are held off by singing the glories of the Lord with your eyes open.

Sincerity is the secret of success in spiritual seeking. The change within us cannot come overnight. Learn to smile at the follies of the mind and turn your attention to Him who is everywhere.

The writer is the Founder of Chinmaya Mission. Today is his Mahasamadhi Day.