THE ART OF
CONTROLLING
THE MIND
This presentation is based
on the Bhagavad Gita, As
It Is, translated by
His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami Prabhupada
Founder Acharya –
International Society for
Krishna Consciousness
Modern Society
…some
common
facts
ALWAYS ON RISE
Violence
Public Unrest
WAR
T
e
r
r
o
r
i
s
m
Steadily increasing every year.
Time magazine poll
What are the main
problems facing society
today ?
st
1 :
crime
nd
2 : lack
of morality
U.S. prison
population
1,600,000
1,200,000
800,000
400,000
0
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
Gun Sales in America
6,000,000
5,000,000
4,000,000
3,000,000
2,000,000
1,000,000
0
1997
1999
2001
Murders
1996
2001
A phenomenal 124% rise
Average number of
reported rape cases in
South Africa in a year
33,000
Before finishing school an
average child watches
100,000
acts
of violence
8,000
murders
Number of Drug users in European Union
7.4 million
Number of serious drug addicts
in European Union
1.8 million
No. of divorces per 100 marriages
US
Canada
Denmark
55
45
40
Av. number of suicides
in Japan every year
22,500
Approx. number of
attempted suicides in
US in a year
650,000
Are we really
advancing
in the right direction ?
Why is there so
much chaos &
confusion in society
?
Srila Prabhupada:
“With a pack of dogs in a room,
how can we expect peace?”
Krishna in
Bhagavad-Gita 6.6
bandhur ätmätmanas tasya
yenätmaivätmanä jitaù
anätmanas tu çatrutve
vartetätmaiva çatru-vat
“For he who has conquered the mind,
the mind is the best of friends; but for
one who has failed to do so, his mind
will remain the greatest enemy.”
Uncontrolled Mind
WHAT CAN IT DO TO YOU ?
How can we
expect peace &
happiness ?
the solution to our problems:
a controlled
mind
Before understanding
the MIND…
...let’s answer the most
fundamental question
the most fundamental
question…
who am I ?
In the early years
th
of the 20
century,
a scientist
analyzed the
constituents of the
human body.
Total value of chemicals
CALCIUM
IRON
PHOSPHORUS
WATER CONTENT
OTHER SUBSTANCES
Total value of chemicals
$5.00
are we just a bag
of five dollars
worth of
chemicals ?
dehino ’smin yathä dehe
kaumäraà yauvanaà jarä
tathä dehäntara-präptir
dhéras tatra na muhyati
Bhagavad - gétä 2.13
A simple analogy from Bhagavad - gétä
väsäàsi jérëäni yathä vihäya
naväni gåhëäti naro ’paräëi
tathä çaréräëi vihäya jérëäny
anyäni saàyäti naväni dehé
Bhagavad - gétä 2.22
a car cannot move even an inch
without the driver
similarly, a body cannot function
WITHOUT ITS DRIVER, the soul
CHARIOT OF THE BODY
INTELLIGENCE
MIND
5 SENSES
SOUL
Role of
the
MIND
Can the mind be our friend?
Is a
knife
good or
bad ?
In a
surgeon’s
hand :
it can save
a life !
In a murder’s hand,
it can kill !!
Techniques for controlling the mind
Step 1
Regulate the senses
Techniques for controlling the mind
Step 2
Do not allow the senses to
wander astray in any direction
they want.
Withdraw them from
unhealthy engagements.
Techniques for controlling the mind
Step 3
Engage the mind in hearing
(reading) spiritual topics
Techniques for controlling the mind
Step 3
Associate with spiritual people
Purify the senses
Ceto darpana marjanam
 chanting (sacred sound)
It isn’t necessary to
The recommended
Even
withdraw
if thethe
mind
mind
is
method for
from
diverted,
everything;
it will beit
controlling the
will automatically
forced to
mind is loudly
concentrate
be withdrawn,
on the
chanting and
because
sound vibration
it will be
hearing Hare Krsna
concentrated
“Krsna.”on the
maha-mantra.
sound vibration.
benefits of a controlled mind
Clear Intelligence
Cool Mind
Purified Senses
Peace
Concentration & Memory
More Efficient
CHANT ...
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA
KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA
RAMA RAMA HARE HARE
AND BE HAPPY!!