Hari
Om
Each 'Choose-day' we will investigate the process by
which we can reassess our activity and interaction with the world of plurality
and become more congruent within our personality.
MANAGING THE MANAGER (cont'd) - Swami Swaroopananda
Keep
The Mind Busy.
Another
mighty force which prompts the mind to brood and regret is inactivity. An idle
mind is the devil's workshop. One decides to stop the habit of watching too
much television, for example, but what does one do with the 'extra time'? One
has to do something because an unoccupied mind will think of ten other
distractions to compensate for giving up the television!
A
disciple went to his guru and asked; "I want to spend time on my religious
practices but I have so many other things to do, where is the time? When am I
going to sit and contemplate? You have many powers… please grant me the boon to
invoke a genie to carry out the other work, so that I may attend the
spiritual!"
"That
is not easy - every genie has his own condition," said the guru.
"I
will fulfill all his requirements!"
The
guru granted the devotee's wish, giving him the invocation mantra and the
associated rituals. Carrying these out in accordance with instruction, out came
the genie. "Your wish is my command, Master...the only condition is that
you must keep me busy, never let me have a holiday."
"What
an enthusiastic servant I have! Okay. Clean up the house."
Two
minutes later the genie was back. "It is done. What shall I do now?"
"Now
cook food." The genie did that and in a few moments was back. "Give
me more to do." The master asked for water. Then for the garden to be
done…. Before long he had run out of tasks for the genie and he didn't know
what to do. He began to run as the genie chased him demanding work from him.
Where could he go? Back to the guru, he ran… "Master, take away this
genie!"
"Cannot
be done, now that you have invoked him, he is yours for life."
"But
what to do? He will eat me up if I do not give him work to do."
The
guru pondered his disciple and felt some compassion for his condition.
"Very well, here is a solution. You must keep the genie so you must find a
task which will keep him busy during the times you do not have direct
instruction. Ask him now to plant a tall pole. Once planted, his task is to run
up and down that pole until you call him to you."
That's
exactly what happens to the mind - depressions, defections, anger and
frustrations develop in a vacant mind - genie mischiefs! Keep the mind busy
with some positive activity. Keep it involved in nobler and higher thoughts and
actions. One of the easiest ways to keep the mind busy is to take the name of
the Lord - any name. The mantra of Lord becomes like the pole. "Om NamaH
Shivaaya… Holy Jesus Bless Me… Ommmm…" When the mind is needed, use
it; and when there nothing for it to usefully
do, chant the name of the Lord. Keep it busy. Positive tendencies are
created by constant repetition. Nama japa - repeating the name of the Lord - is
a powerful occupation for the idle mind.
