We look after ourselves. We take it very seriously. From childhood we are taught to be clean. We are given instructions. Brush your teeth, wash your face, feet, hands, and clip your nails. When you bathed you were reminded by your parents to wash behind the ears, soap your neck, scrub your knees and the soles of your feet. It is embedded in our memory and we repeat it to our kids. The list is endless.

We are never told to look after our minds. If it was said to us when we were children, how we would have laughed. If we did not apply our minds, we would not realize the importance of these directions.

Our mind controls our senses and sense organs. Our thoughts which influence our behavior are the kingdom of the mind. The mind is all in all. The Upanishad say: “Mind alone is the cause of man’s bondage and liberation. He who has conquered the mind has conquered the world”.

Empowerment of the mind is vital for us. The daily practice of Yoga would help us to control and restrain our mind. It is the same routine like brushing our teeth daily. The application here is simple. For children to join their hands in prayer every day, before going to bed and sleep with no thoughts. For adults this is also applicable or a different sadhana can be chosen. What happens, when we say a prayer? We are concentrating on what we are saying and this enables us to quieten our thoughts.

Aim Hrim Klim

Photo by Diana Polekhina on Unsplash