Befriending The Mind

By Mira Rostami

– by Mira Rostami, Certified Naturality Lead Instructor Most of us think that when we meditate, we must sit cross-legged and stop our thoughts. We try so hard to quiet the mind. We want to stop the mind from causing more pain and suffering. Most of the time this isn’t possible so we give up. Every day we are becoming increasingly aware of our own mind, but we aren’t to escape its powerful hold over us. One minute, it creates joy and the next minute, we are in a state of misery and pain. It can start to feel as though the mind is our enemy. Let’s explore why meditation is the practice of befriending the mind. The mind is a gift of nature, so it cannot be our enemy. We just have not learned how to use this fantastic tool to become a resource for contentment and joyfulness. The mind is the fertile ground on which our true potential can grow. If that ground is properly prepared, the seed of our true being can grow into its full potential. But if that ground is not tended properly, weeds will grow, preventing us from accessing our true being. A meditation practice is the science of befriending the mind. True meditators know how to use their thoughts to be inspired, transform negative emotional energy, and to live a meaningful life. Without this skill, most of us are slaves to our fluctuating emotions. We search for happiness externally and desperately need others to change and behave differently in order for us to feel happy. In contrast to what most people think, meditation techniques were not cultivated to mute the mind. Meditation techniques, once practiced, allow us go deeper into our being to a place where the mind does not exist. This state of no mind and no thoughts, can also be accessed in deep sleep. At all other times, the mind stays active and chattering. The more we can access this blissful state of peace consciously, the more joyful our mind can become. Just like a good sleep leaves you energized for the day, experiencing deeper states of meditation positively affects your state of mind. To become the master of our minds, we need self-discipline. To build muscles and a fit body, we need to practice and exercise. The mind is an extension of our body, and to create a fit mind and a new pattern of thinking, we need to practice and strengthen this new way of being. Small steps lead to higher success. Once this new pattern is strengthened in our brain and biology, it will get easier and easier to practice. When we become masters, happiness happens; it cannot be chased. Become the master of your mind, and joy and fulfilment are the side effects of this mastery. Our intellectual intelligence is awakened and can guide us to become our authentic selves. As the mind becomes more tamed, an inner wisdom begins to emerge from within. This inner wisdom is what we need to remove ignorance within us; the only thing that keeps us from seeing our true selves. Meditation is the path to befriending our mind and to eventually, become its master.