12. Controlling Mind

 

Arjuna compares the mind to the wind and asks how it can be controlled, so that it maintains balance. Krishna says that it’s certainly difficult, but it can be achieved through the regular practice (abhyaas) of vairagya (detachment) (6.35).

The mind has evolved to judge inputs brought in by the senses as safe or unsafe and uses memory while doing so. This ability helped us survive and prosper during evolution.

The same ability of the mind can also be used for internal judging, which is called awareness. We can feed our thoughts and feelings back to the judging mind to improve the quality of judging. Similar feedback mechanisms are used to enhance machine learning as well as to stabilize electronic systems. Lord Krishna is hinting at developing this faculty through practice as this doesn’t come naturally. In terms of neuroscience, it is like building new neural networks.

It is easier to understand vairagya by understanding its polar opposite raag (attachment). Raag is broadly a chase for pleasures in the manifested world like physical beauty, power, fame and material possessions. As per the principle of polarity, every raag ends in vairagya but our attention is always on raag, and we tend to overlook vairagya.

Some philosophies like stoicism advocate the use of death, which is the peak of vairagya.  It’s called ‘Memento Mori’, i.e. constantly revisiting death. It is keeping something (memento) as a reminder of death at a prominent location in the workplace or at home so that we can constantly revisit it. Indian philosophy refers to this as smashaan vairagya which is the detachment one experiences while visiting a graveyard.

Krishna says that if we practice vairagya, it will stabilize the mind at the centre. Adverse or tough phases of life give us glimpses of vairagya. A small streak of vairagya can help us attain a balanced mind, ultimately leading to a joyful life.