About the Book
The control of the mind is not a problem peculiar to religious aspirants; people in all walks of life need to control their minds if they are to succeed in their vocation. No fundamental work for the uplift of the individual or the community can ever be done without mind- control.
This book, which sets forth the teachings of Vedanta and Yoga on the nature of the mind and ways of controlling it, is meant for all.
Preface
The control of the mind is a theme of universal interest. It personally concerns every spiritual seeker belonging to any religion. Religion in its applied aspect has to grapple with this problem. No fundamental work for the uplift of the individual or the community can ever be done without mind-control. Hence its compelling claim on our attention.
Among those who seek to control their minds there are different kinds of people: atheists, believers, agnostics, and those who are indifferent to religion. Ways of controlling the mind are open to all these kinds of people, though the true believer in God may be at an advantage in that genuine love of God can to a considerable degree simplify his problems with the mind. This book, however, is written for all. A detached inquirer will keep his mind open to all the methods of controlling the mind.
Vedanta and Yoga have much to teach about the nature of the mind and the ways of controlling it. In his treatment the author has largely depended on such information and enlightenment as the authentic scriptures and teachers of Vedanta and Yoga provide.
The Mind and Its Control was first serialized in the ‘Essays on Applied Religion’ column in the October, November and December 1970 issues of Prabuddha Bharata.1t attracted the attention of some readers, one of whom generously offered to contribute towards the cost of its production as a book for wider circulation. Our thanks are due to that friend.
In this publication the text of the original article has been revised; certain points have been further elucidated; and some points have been added. A summary and glossary have been provided.
It is hoped that this small book, which addresses itself to one of the central problems of life, may be of service.
Contents
3
1.
Mind-control: Difficult but Possible
9
2.
How to Strengthen the Will to Control the Mind
13
3.
What is at Stake in Controlling the Mind
16
4.
How to Overcome the Pleasure-motive
19
5.
The Nature of the Mind: Hindu View
28
6.
How Not to Make Mind-control Unnecessarily Difficult
38
7.
A Clear Grasp of the Task on Hand Needed
40
8.
A Favourable Inner Climate Needs to be Created
42
9.
Two Sets of Inner Disciplines
44
10.
The Purer the Mind the Easier to Control
46
11.
Changing the Constitution of the Mind
47
12.
Holy Company Greatly Helps Mind-control
60
13.
How is Sattva Purified
62
14.
Basic Yoga Disciplines for Mind-control
66
15.
Practice of Discrimination Helps
69
16.
Training the Mind to Behave
72
17.
Practice of Pranayarna
74
18.
Practice of Pratyahara
75
19.
Importance of Harmonious Human Relations
77
20.
Healthy Occupation of the Mind Needed
80
21.
Importance of Right Use of the Imagination
83
22.
Importance of Meditation
85
23.
Guard Against Despondency
86
24.
Emergency Control Devices
88
25.
Directed Thought
91
26.
Control of Thought: the Secret
98
27.
Control of the Subconscious Mind
104
28.
Beware of a Trick of the Mind
113
29.
Believers are at an Advantage in Controlling the Mind
114
30.
The Simplest and the Surest Method of Controlling the Mind
116
A Summary
121
Glossary
124
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