Unknown to our concious mind, we are more often than not, acting or thinking because of deep-rooted impressions in our subconcious mind.We all know something about our conscious mind. At least we can make certain presumptions about our consciousness .Consciousness for most of us is the fact of the awareness or our thinking, feeling, and doing. certain acts are performed reflexively or without conscious awareness. For instance, mind goes on thinking bad thoughts despite attempts to control them.From where such thoughts as anger, lust, jealousy, hatred and even desire to harm the other come? Same is the case with good or noble thoughts also. selflesness takes control over some people to the extent that these people give up everything and start working for the welfare of the world. where do these thoughts arise from? they arrive from our subconcious mind.
For instance there is silent unseen tendency to drink alchohol or to smoke in our subconscious mind. Necessary conditions in the form of a friend, a bar, a cigarette vendor, etc. , bring forth the desire to drink or to smoke, and we are in there! Another person has a latent tendency to seek God. The necessary external stimuli in the form of a scriptural text, meeting a Holy person, visiting a temple (or Church,) etc. attracts him/her, and what a wonder! The person is totally immersed in various spiritual practices, becomes God centered. There never was any conscious effort or desire or thought to drink, smoke, or to seek God. But fulfillment of necessary conditions was responsible for the particular behavior.
"But what about free will? Can we not choose the way we will react to given conditions and circumstances? Yes, we can choose; but the will is not absolutely free will. is there a way out? there is We have to empty the mind of all unwanted subconscious impressions and tendencies, we have to control and handle both conscious and subconscious mind. Our actions, thinking, and feeling should be such that the subconscious mind is cleansed of its dirty contents.
"Suppose you had the problem of cleaning a dirty oil bottle that is fastened to the table. You can't pick it up and empty the oil out. What will you do? You pour clean water in and the oil and the dirt will spill out. You keep pouring in clean water until all the oil and dirt have been washed out and the bottle contains nothing but clean water. In the same way, it is not possible to empty the mind by throwing out the contents of consciousness and making it blank; but what one can do is to keep pouring clean water of the thought of Good "Suppose you had the problem of cleaning a dirty oil bottle that is fastened to the table. You can't pick it up and empty the oil out. What will you do? You pour clean water in and the oil will spill out. You keep pouring in clean water until all the oil has been washed out and the bottle contains nothing but clean water.
In the same way, it is not possible to empty the mind by throwing out the contents of consciousness and making it blank; but what one can do is to keep pouring clean water of the thought of God into the mind until the dirt spills out." During spilling out of this dirt, our character may appear miserable and suspect, but that is natural during the cleaning operation. One may feel dejected and depressed, and therefore, guidance of a spiritual teacher and
association with holy company is necessary.
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