FREEDOM FROM BOREDOM
By
Shri Shri Nimishananda
Today, as human beings, we are trained to view everything through the faculties of logic and analytical reasoning. This constricts the mind and prevents its expansion. Only when the mind expands can we experience the vibrations of utter peace, contentment, joy and bliss which constantly emanate from the Spirit or Soul within. An expansive mind is a spiritual mind. In fact, when God created the mind, He gave it a natural tendency to remain poised in a state of total tranquility. The most essential prerequisite for experiencing God is to keep the mind calm, stable and tranquil at all times. Unfortunately, most of us are unable to accomplish this. If we watch carefully, we will discover that two factors disrupt our inner peace most often – a fear of boredom and a feeling of enmity.
Whenever the mind has nothing to do, it slips into a state of inner peace, but before it can settle down there, we think – “I’m getting bored. I must find something to do.” Immediately we call a friend, switch on the TV or look for some kind of entertainment. The moment we do this, we nip the blossoming of the mind. Instead, we should postpone the urge to keep the mind constantly occupied, sit still for a while, and allow it to expand. We should tell ourselves –“This is not boredom. It is a state of great tranquility and serenity given to me by God.” If we do this persistently, the mind learns to slip into a natural meditative state where we experience the presence of God. We should do this for at least half an hour everyday. The Sages called this state Sahaja Samadhi.
The innate calmness of the mind is also disturbed by the enmity we harbour. We have imprisoned all those who have hurt or harmed us as our enemies in the mind. They have become our prisoners. We have imprisoned others and others have imprisoned us. We should understand that it is our own bad karma that has invited this set of people into our lives as enemies and break the shackles of hate and resentment by forgiving them. Pray to God for their well being. Set them free from life imprisonment in your mind, and you will also be released from theirs. As long as there is space for enmity in your mind, there can be no lasting peace, contentment or fulfillment in life. When we pray for our enemies, the negative karma that binds us is dissolved and no fresh karma is generated. The mind which has been a palatial prison for negative thoughts and feelings towards others is cleansed. We soak in the ocean of peace and our mind becomes the sacred abode of God.
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