Tillitonse - A Transformational Journey Together

Managing the Mind : How can one actively defeat one’s own lower nature, and train the mind to be even and balanced? The point is very simple. Always maintain a  positive attitude. As long as one maintains a positive attitude, and is happy and clear in one’s mind as far as one’s own aspirations and participation are concerned, one can easily manage the mind. It goes without saying that the nature of mind is to create problems all the time. Problems are created by the mind because of two things only: firstly, one’s expectations and needs, and secondly, mismanagement of the mental behavior. A person’s expectations and needs become their personal areas of involvement, and then managing of the reactive mind in normal situations has to be the focus On the one hand people say that life is tamasic, restrictive, painful and confusing, yet on the other hand we all expect so much from our own life. There is a contradiction in life. There is no intellectual reasoning, logi...

Manage the Mind Swami Niranjan You tend to forget that whatever happens in life is only temporary. In one situation you experience happiness, and then something happens and you feel sad. When you find happiness, you cling on to it. You do not want the situation to change. However, when you are filled with adversity, you want to run away from it; you do not want to have any association with it. Who is responsible for this attitude? It is the mind. If you can keep the mind in check, if you are able to deal with it firmly, it will remain healthy. After all who did Lord Krishna manage? Did he manage Arjuna or Arjuna’s mind? While on the battlefield, Lord Krishna repeatedly told Arjuna, “Do not let your mind be disturbed! It is your mind that is the cause of all your troubles.” He advised him to perform his duty, to follow his dharma, and not to allow his mind to waver. He showed him ways to regain his balance and keep his mind in control. In fact, the entire message of the ...

Swami Sivananda’s 18 Yamas (excerpts from Development of Satyananda Yoga by Sw. Nirajan) Swami Sivananda gave certain guidelines, in the form of 18 yamas or disciplines to be followed to overcome the lower, tamasic tendencies in life and to cultivate spiritual awareness. Sage Patanjali prescribed five yamas. There are only related to the mind and applicable for altering the states of the mind. I am referring here to the yamas that are capable of altering the nature of the ego. Do not confuse the two. Swami Sivananda’s eighteen yamas which we call ‘ites’, are: serenity, regularity, absence of vanity, sincerity, simplicity, veracity, equanimity, fixing, non irritability, adaptability, humility, tenacity, integrity, nobility, magnanimity, charity, generosity, and purity. You should make the attempt and effort to cultivate these qualities in life. If you are able to grow these wonderful flowers in your life, then the thorns will not bother you. The bush of roses is ...