Mind conquest- ten important methods

In the book "Conquest of mind" Swami Sivananda describe ten basic methods that will help us to conquest our mind , that as he told : "is a bundle od desires (Vasanas) and thoughts . To make our mind more obedient we can practise the next ten technics:

1. Vichara, or asking "who am I". Realisation that "I" does not exist  will annihilate our mind.
2. Eradication of ego. Our thoughts are centered on the "I". "I" is the source of the desire and will.   Find out what the "I" is,and it will dwindle into airy nothing. "The Sun fo Self-realisation is fully seen when the cloud of ego disappears"
3. Vairagya- dispassion. "It is distaste for objects of sense-pleasures by finding out the defects in the sensual life. Objects are perishable. Sensual pleasure is momentary and illusory"
4. Abhyasa- practice. Abhyasa means having an attitude of persistent effort to attain and maintain a state of stable tranquility. 
5. Asanga- Non attachment. this is the practice of detachment from objects. "Detach attach"- no attachment , no fear to lost it. No fear- no worries in the mind. No worries- no restless. Peaceful mind is in the ceaseless meditation. 
6. Vasanakshaya- renunciation of desires. "This will lead to annihilation of mind (manonasa). Desire for objects of pleasures is bondage; giving it up is emancipation. Desire is the most essential nature of the mind. Mind and egoism are synonimous"
7. Pranayama- control of prana. Prana gives the life to our body and our mind. Vibration of prana causes the movement of the mind. The control of prana will stop the activities of the mind.
8. Sankalpas- control of thoughts." Avoid imagination or day-dreaming. The mind is destroyed when there is no imagination"
9. Renunciation, equanimity and balance. Renunciation in daily life and balance in every situation.
10. Devotion and service. There we have a large choise for practise- prayer, devotion, Japa, Kirtan or others devotional songs. 

Sources:  

Swami Sivananda "Conquest of mind"

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

    Hari om tat sat

     

Swami Sivananda

„But if a man is really selfless he will not care for name and fame. He will do his work with great interest but will not expect any reward for it. Work itself is his reward”[1]

With these three sentences we can describe the life of Swami Sivananda. He was one of the saints and savants in India.

Swami Sivananda was born the 8^th September the 1887 in Tamil Nadu. Since the childhood he was open-minded and had an aim- help the people. That’s why he becomes a doctor. Swamiji made a good medical career. He had been editing a health journal and wrote on health problems. As a doctor he was working in Malay. Suddenly he discovered that the people needed not only physical care but almost soul-care, that’s why he abandons his medical career and becomes the ascetic by practicing the yoga and studying the Vedic texts. In 1924 he settled down at Rishikesh for the intense sadhana. But even there he continues to help people in the little hospital. Next years were very fruitful: 

·                 1932- Swami Sivananda started the ashram

·                 1936- he created the Divine Life Society

·                1948 – the creation of Yoga Vedanta Life Society.

      What was the goal of these societies? The main object was training people in yoga and Vedanta and dissemination of spiritual knowledge. Swamiji synthesized the based doctrines of different religions by creating the Yoga of Synthesis that includes four main paths: karma yoga, bhakti yoga, raja yoga and jnana yoga. He teached that there is no less or more important work, every task should be done with love, concentration and responsibility. His life motto (and the motto of Divine Life Society) “Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate, Realize” shows us the main values that we as a human beings have to protect.Swami Sivananda is the author of more than 200 books (ex. “Conquest of mind”, “Vedanta beginners”). He entered in Mahasamadhi the 14^th July in the 1963

    Hari Om tat sat

                                                                   

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[1] „A great guru and his ideal discipline”- Swami Sivananda

Bala Atibala mantra

Mantra is a Simple way to meditate, those who can’t concentrate the mind on the abstract object can read or sing the mantras, it gives the same effect: concentration and peaceful mind.  There we are concentrating on the sound, but anyway-  this is the mind conquest.  Mantra is not only the word or sound, every letter makes the vibration that calm down the body (and the mind of course ), at the same time it purifies the nadis.

In the Ramayana, we can read the next words “And on going one and half yojana distance Vishvamitra addressed Rama in a harmonious voice calling, 'oh, Rama', on the southern riverbank of Sarayu. Take water, my boy, and like that you receive a group of hymns, bala and atibala from me, and let no time lapse.” (Book I Bala-Kanda, Chapter 22)

So, what is the Bala and  Atibala mantra that the sage Vishvamitra initiated Rama and his brother Lakshman?

Bala and Atibala mantras remove the thirst and hunger. Vishvamitra said “neither tiredness nor fever, nor disfiguring of personality can effect you” (Book I Bala-Kanda, Chapter 22)

This mantra has one more advantage: the long words to be read really involve a strong concentration  :)  So your mind makes the good concentration exercise :)

So let see the text :

balaatibalayoh viraat purusha rishih |

gaayatrii devataa | gaayatrii chandah |

akaara okaaramakaaraa biijaadyaah |

 kshudhaadi nirasane viniyogah|

klaamityaadi shadanga nyaasah |

klaam angushtaabhyaam namah |

kliim tarjaniibhyaam namah | kluum madhyamaabhaamnamah |

klaim anaamikaabhyaam namah | klom kanishtikaabhaam namah |

klah karatalakaraprishtaabhyaam namah ||klaam hridayaaya namah |

kliim shirase svaahaa | kluum shikhaayaivashat | klaim kavacaaya hum |

klom netratrayaayavaushat | klah astraaya phat | bhuurbhuvassuvaromiti digbandhah |

amrita karatalaardrau sarva sanjiivanaadhyaa

avaghaharana sudkshau veda saare mayuukhe|
pranavamaya vikaarau bhaaskaraakaara dehau

satatamanubhave'ham tau balaatiibaleshau ||

 om hriim bale mahaadevi hriim mahaabale

kliim catur vidha purushartha siddhi prade tatsavitur

 varadaatmike hriim varenyam bhargo devasya varadaatmike |

atibale sarva dayaamuurte bale sarva kshud bhrama upanaashini

dhiimahi dhiyoyonarjaate pracuryaa pracodayaatmike pranava shiraskaatmike |

hum phat svaahaa ||

evam vidvaan krita krityo bhavati |

saavitryaa eva salokataam jayati ||

iityupanishat ||



om aapyaayantu mamaangaani vaakpraanashcakshuh

shrotramatho balamindriyaanicasarvani |

sarvam brahmaupanishadam |

maaham brahma niraakuryaam maa maa brahma niraakarot |

aniraakaranamastu aniraakaranam me'stuh tadaatmani

nirate ye upanishatsu dharmaaste mayi santu te mayi santu ||

om shaanti shaanti shaantih |

One more interesting information, Ramayana was created in the 4^th - 5^th century B. C. , so can you imagine how ancient is this mantra?

  Hari Om Tat Sat!