0 Deer Eyed One, by stopping all thoughts, the mind will be without support. Then the self will become the Supreme Self of God.
Verse 108, Vigyan Bhairava Tantra
The body needs food, water and air to survive. Without these three things, the body would not survive. What does the mind need to survive? The mind needs thoughts to survive. Thoughts are to the mind what food, water and oxygen are to the body. The mind feeds on thoughts. Every time you think, you strengthen the mind. The mind is nothing but a bundle of thoughts. On the other hand, when you remain aware, you weaken the mind. 0 Deer Eyed One, by stopping all thoughts, the mind will be without support. Stop all thoughts.
Whenever you become aware that you are thinking, stop thinking, and come back to the present moment. This is something you may have to do several times a day. Practice this even when you are facing a problem. It is our thoughts that create bondage and suffering in our lives. Even if you are having pleasant thoughts, thoughts you enjoy, stop those thoughts and return to awareness. The happiness you feel from thinking pleasant thoughts is very limited compared to the peace and joy you feel when the mind is stilled. When you try and stop your thoughts, you start thinking less. The interval between thoughts starts increasing. With fewer thoughts, your mind becomes weaker. A time comes when the mind suddenly collapses and disappears altogether. It is like weakening the structure of a building. You remove parts of the structure bit by bit. That- is what you are doing here by having fewer thoughts. Eventually the structure becomes so weak, that the whole building collapses. That is what happens with the mind when you practice this verse. This entire process does not have to be as gradual as described above. Some people are able to stop thoughts, and control their mind very quickly. It depends on how determined or intent you are. It only takes a few minutes of having no thoughts for the mind to be stilled forever.
There are many diseases known to mankind -AIDS, cancer, malaria, leprosy, etc. The seriousness of the disease has varied through the ages, depending on whether mankind has found a cure for it. One of the worst diseases is the disease of uncontrolled thinking. Even the medical profession now admits that our thoughts can affect our health. Thoughts of anxiety, hatred, fear, violence, greed, impact our health in a negative way. On the other hand, thoughts of love, mercy, joy, happiness, affect our health in a positive way. Uncontrolled thinking can be considered a disease, for a deeper reason. Our thoughts prevent us from experiencing the incredible and infinite joy of our true nature. All our misery and suffering is due to thinking and its related offshoots, such as judgement, expectation, or condemnation.
When we are simply aware, there is no judgement, there is only experience. Consequently, there is no suffering. More important, when the mind is stilled, we experience the joy of our true nature. Our real nature is pure joy, infinite joy. The mind acts like the wall of a dam. It checks us from experiencing and expressing the joy of our nature. When you break the wall of a dam, the surrounding areas are engulfed with water. Something similar happens when the mind is stilled. You become engulfed with joy, and everyone around you. can feel this joy. Joy that knows no end, and joy that you continue to experience for the rest of your life. When you stop the mind and live in awareness, you live life in the present, from moment to moment. You accept everything that comes into your life, no matter how negative it may seem. You develop a deep sense of trust in God. You understand that things work out perfectly for you. Whatever comes into your life is only there to help you evolve, and move you closer to your true nature. You even accept your own death with equanimity, knowing that this is what is best for you. Then the self will become the Supreme Self of God. If you stand in front of a mirror, you can see yourself. However, if the mirror has a layer of dirt covering it, you would not be able to see yourself. You would have to first remove the layer of dirt. The mind is like that layer of dirt. It is only after it is removed that you can see your Real Self. When our mind is stilled our ego disappears, and God appears. Our limited self vanishes, and our true Divine nature unfolds. We become God in flesh.
What seems at first a cup of sorrow, is found in the end to be immortal wine.
Lord Krishna, Bhagavad Gita (1 8:37)
“Stopping Thoughts is an art, and your post beautifully captures the essence of it. Thanks for sharing, #85 is now my daily mantra!”