Most of the time we remain unaware of the mind’s erratic movements because we are habituated to giving our minds free reign: we’ve never seriously attempted to observe, let alone train the mind. Were it not so dismaying, it would be funny. The argument we had yesterday becomes even more vivid and powerful so does the perfect retort that we’ve cleverly composed during our “meditation.” The minute we stop thinking one thought, another jumps in with equal force. The fly buzzing around suddenly becomes very important. What happens? A thousand different thoughts fly at us, all leading the mind outward. Should anyone doubt this assertion, let the intrepid soul try to sit quietly for a few minutes and meditate upon the Atman. If we can imagine a lake that is whipped by waves, fouled by pollution, muddied by tourists and made turbulent by speedboats, we’ll get a fair assessment of the mind’s usual state. If the mind can be made still and pure, the Self will automatically, instantaneously, shine forth. The basic premise of raja yoga is that our perception of the divine Self is obscured by the disturbances of the mind. In raja yoga we use our mental powers to realize the Atman through the process of psychological control. As a king maintains control over his kingdom, so can we maintain control over our own “kingdom”-the vast territory of the mind. Raja yoga, is the royal path of meditation.
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