THE SERENITY OF MIND, THE WRITER

 

THE SERENITY OF MIND

Human beings gain knowledge of the objective world through the five sensory organs. While the objects of perception are insentient, the mind is sentient and hence emotionally reacts to sensory perceptions in the form of likes and dislikes, joy and sorrow. Hence the mind is responsible for the pleasantness and troubles that beset human beings. The mind can be drastically changed to respond to the stimuli it receives through the techniques of yogic methods of enquiry to remain peaceful even in the midst of trying circumstances. 

A mental world is created in us through sense organs during the /wakeful phase of mind. This inner mental world comprises of the sights and forms seen by eyes; sounds heard by ears; the tastes sensed by the tongue; the smells/fragrances smelt by nose; and the touches, warmness, hotness, coolness sensed by the skin.

All these are technically called vishayas) and the remembrances they simultaneously create are technically called vasanas (which remains is vasana). These vasanas (experiences –happiness, sorrow, unhappiness / insight / understanding / meaning / sense/ mood) constitute our memory.
 Our memory is also made up of the traits we get with this body – the genetic/hereditary- in the form of personality traits, instincts, intuitions, urges, senses, comprehending abilities, intelligence, desires, longings, other intellectual and emotional abilities, common sense, power of imagination, dreaming capabilities. Thus our memory is constituted and composed of all experiences / moods/understanding/insight and the like acquired or inbuilt. Our language acquisition and communication abilities comprising of meanings/senses of words also fall under this.

Our mental functions start with mood, insight, remembrance, understanding, experience, urge, intuition, insight and instinct – our direct or in-built/genetic perceptions and experiences. These are then converted into thoughts and feelings which are then expressed. As is mentioned we cognize and know through our sense organs: through the eye we detect forms and scenes, through the ear sounds, through the tongue tastes, through the nose smells and via the skin touch and heat.  These cognitions are received in accordance with manas, and perceived.  Together with the experiences they create, they are stored within us as remembrances and memory. When our memory is activated, they generate moods, thoughts and feelings. This is the two-way (reversible or forward/ backward) functioning of mind when we express or perceive, understand/experience.

We have four phases of conscious states of mind which automatically are activated and changed. They are: (a) wakeful Sleep, (b) deep sleep, (c) wakeful or awakened and (d) dream. The above functions take place and cease to take place depending on mental phase.

 Human consciousness is always on as conscious awareness and only mind rises or sets during these conscious states of mind causing cognition and cognition-related experiences, storing and retrieving them in respective phases. Human consciousness is the form, the structure and the consequence of breathing process and generates psychic energy that does all human cognitions and cognition-related functions. Cognition and cognition-related functions are the result of reversible becoming of this psychic energy and human consciousness bifurcates as consciousness that is aware of the cognitions and related activities and the occurrence of the activities themselves. When these activities are taking place, such a dual role is played by the human consciousness (during wakeful/awakened and dream phases or conscious states of mind).

 There is also a phase when no cognitions or cognition-related activity is taking place and it is the original or normal or natural state of human mind, the non-dual or peaceful, blissful or silent phase of mind (Wakeful Sleep and Deep Sleep phases or conscious states of mind). The Wakeful Sleep conscious state of mind is also known as the Real I state. No experiences, thoughts, feelings or traits of the individual do not activated. 

Once we think of or feel “I”, many moods, feelings, thoughts appear on our mental screen. We normally identify “I” with the body. And ”I” is also associated with the personality that is created in us through various mental traits, emotional and intellectual bonds, likes, dislikes, social status, age, gender, nationality, religion, region, language, culture, our mental faculties, abilities, emotional and intellectual aspirations and the like. This happens in wakeful and dream conscious or phases of mind. We rejoice, feel hurt, struggle within, with associated happy and unhappy experiences, thoughts and feelings.

If no pleasant or unpleasant mood is created or no experience is activated or no thoughts and feelings are generated and continuous peace, bliss and silence are in the experience as experience that is the Real “I” state. All the Jnaanis, seers, saints and realized souls live in this peaceful, silent and blissful state. 

If we also become aware of this phase of mind, and convert that insight into experience we too can be like a water drop on a lotus leaf merely remaining, though on it and touching but untouched moves freely on the leaf. This is not a mere philosophical statement or spiritual injunction. It is the reality we are all experiencing during deep sleep phase of mind but are unaware of it.

When we cultivate this phase of mind we bear all the vicissitudes of life with less disturbed state of mind. We will perform our ordained duties with serene mind. Our intellect gets sharpened. We become efficiently intuitive and useful and pleasant sphuranas (intuitive feelings) are generated. Our mental faculties improve. We live cheerfully and cheer our near and dear.

This serene state of mind is the state of Atman/Brahman. This quietness of mind is state of Atman or state of Self. This is our real state. This is our real form. This is our real trait. This is our real person and personality; our real sound from which all languages originate; our real sounding.

This state is to be made our own rather we become and be that state. This state is always present in us. When the mind is functioning and various mental functions are taking place, they superimpose on this state. This state remains in the background as the “sruti” (constant frequency sound maintained behind for the benefit of the musician) while music is being played. It is one as sweetness in the honey and fragrance with the flower. When mental functions are not taking place this state becomes our current experience. We will be peace-bliss-silence filled. We will be peace, bliss and silence.

When mind is tuned to the Self and merges in the Self, we enjoy peace, bliss, silence. This is the serenity of mind and serene mind. 

Various methods of yoga are designed to understand this working of the mind and cultivate it so that its vagaries are understood and taken care of and that psychological remedies are prescribed and implemented. Yoga is not merely about doing physical exercises. Physical exercises are just a starting point just as primary school is a starting point for more complex learning. Unfortunately, many practitioners and gurus of yoga teach and promote an incomplete type of yoga which starts and ends in physical exercises.

Kind of Yoga to be followed must be prescribed to the individual only after analyzing the individual’s culture, mental make-up, emotional and intellectual capabilities, social background and faith followed.

In brief, serenity of mind is cultivated by also changing the inputs we give to our sense organs and mental worlds we create. If the inner mental world is filled Divine Information, we get peaceful and blissful thoughts and feelings. If we give other fleeting, sensuous and like worldly inputs to our sense organs and mental world with them is created, we get those thoughts which cause us joy and sorrow. It is in our hands to be peaceful or disturbed. Let us cultivate serenity of mind consciously, intelligently and wisely.

THE WRITER

The writer is the conscience keeper of the society. The writer can be a poet, a fiction writer, a novelist, an essayist, an originator of philosophical thought, a spiritual quest and the like. The commentators on all these are also called writers. The commentators may agree with, differ, like, dislike, modify, extend or regulate the expressions of the original writers. The commentators are also called critics, some for and some against the writer.

The writers of natural scientific and social scientific articles; writers writing articles on social and cultural events, cinema, music, drama and the like fine arts and many such avocations are not covered by the term writer. The term writer is generally equated with individuals creating poetry, fiction, novels; thus relating to literature mostly and we can say alone. Translators are considered though not as writers themselves, but are commended as helpers and propagators of writers.

Writing is a sublime art and natural trait. It is an urge. It is the result of the sensitive and sensible nature of the individual. Writer automatically creates initiated, driven, guided, counseled, regulated, edited, by inner sensitivities. It is in-tuition which makes a writer in response to happenings within and around the individual. No one asks or invites a writer to write something. It is his inner consciousness and conscience which stirs, makes him/her moved and a flow of thoughts and feelings are generated within which take the form of the sentences and are expressed through writing on a paperor now a days through key board.

The sensitized mind or touched heart of the writer will not allow one to rest until he/she gives the thoughts or feelings language form and put on paper or computer screen. Such being the story of creation by a writer, the writers will be possessed by their inner pleasantness, turmoil or the like emotions and intellectual reflections. All civilizations have writers, encouraged them, adored and admired them; and the aesthetic readers and critics play an important role in making a writer popular, famous, earn name, fame and money and immortality.

But all the writers cannot make a profession out of their writing. Most of them do some other job for their livelihood and also create. Very lucky few only can make a profession out of their writings. Whether they are able to make money out of their writings or not all writers make impressions on society through their creations.

The eternal debate whether a writer must write for himself and society indirectly gets benefitted or otherwise because of it; or writer must cage himself and be restricted to an ideology, ism or such things goes on. Both types of writers exist in all civilizations and societies.  Thus the writer will and shall decide for oneself what to write about and the society and critics always have the choice to accept or reject the writer and his writings.

The tradition that a writer must print his work and then all recognize him/her as a writer is still strong. Even though thousands of websites devoted to literature are available globally, writer becoming famous, earn name, fame and money only by contributing to websites is yet to pick up. The views of the professional critics rate a writer based mostly on his printed matter; and merely readers who enjoy the creations of a writer on websites do not and cannot make a writer a writer. This adherence to print-recognition can give place to web-recognition by readers too;in making a writer a writer. 

Most of the websites invariably are eager to get the “printed writers” to their sites rather than the sites themselves initiating efforts to make their “web-writers” also rise to the fame of being called a writer. This will definitely happen. Must be happening elsewhere already.

Many writers are dedicated to writing because of their nature and not expecting money, name or fame; and money, name and fame will not adorn all writers equally. Whatever might be the financial, popular and the like position of a writer, a writer invariably continues writing till his/her last breath.