In every one of us, except for a rare few who are in alignment, there is a battle between the heart and the mind. Usually the mind is in control, and in some they don't even hear the heart at all. It's all mind to them.
But the mind is like one of the five senses, actually called the sixth sense in the ancient texts on the subject of consciousness and psychology. And the senses are usually instinctual and externally focused. The heart, on the other hand, is an internal awareness of self, the higher self.
Mind mistakes the ego and body for the self. After all, it experiences the world through the bodily senses. When, however, the mind is stilled, one will hear that there is the voice of the heart.
Only one can be master, is royal, is a real king or queen. The mind is an advisor or minister in the court of the actual king or queen. Yet we are led by the mind if we remain unconscious of the actual dictates of the higher self in the heart, who may even sometimes appear as a child, yet is ultimately eternal, beyond time and ageless.
If the original royal higher self is not allowed to be heard, due to the overly loud expressions of the mind and body, then we end up being led by our nose like a donkey. Dogs, hogs, donkeys and dandies are led by the instincts for survival, not hearing the voice of the heart reminding them of the real goal of this human life, of who they really are.
It's only the one who looks within, who reduces the loud calls of the senses, who can hear the higher self speak from the heart. Otherwise were mostly unconscious, on auto-pilot.
But for one who heeds the call that there must be something more, and looks within, with introspection into the nature of the self and consciousness in this strange world, they may be fortunate enough to hear the guidance of the higher self in the heart.
If this can be achieved, then the mind can be sublimated to be of great value to the higher self on the journey of transcendence or awakening for all mankind, or at least oneself.
Meditation is the practice of stilling the mind and body enough to be able to hear receptively the higher self and the plan, the great work, the legacy of a life well lived.
Bhagavad Gita ch6:6
बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जित: ।
अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत् ॥ ६ ॥
bandhur ātmātmanas tasya
yenātmaivātmanā jitaḥ
anātmanas tu śatrutve
vartetātmaiva śatru-vat
SYNONYMS
bandhuḥ—friend; ātmā—mind; ātmanaḥ—of the living entity; tasya—of him; yena—by whom; ātmā—mind; eva—certainly; ātmanā—by the living entity; jitaḥ—conquered; anātmanaḥ—of one who has failed to control the mind; tu—but; śatrutve—because of enmity; varteta—remains; ātmā eva—the very mind; śatruvat—as an enemy.
TRANSLATION
For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his very mind will be the greatest enemy.
PURPORT
The purpose of practicing eightfold yoga is to control the mind in order to make it a friend in discharging the human mission. Unless the mind is controlled, the practice of yoga (for show) is simply a waste of time. One who cannot control his mind lives always with the greatest enemy, and thus his life and its mission are spoiled. The constitutional position of the living entity is to carry out the order of the superior. As long as one's mind remains an unconquered enemy, one has to serve the dictations of lust, anger, avarice, illusion, etc. But when the mind is conquered, one voluntarily agrees to abide by the dictation of the Personality of Godhead, who is situated within the heart of everyone as Paramātmā. Real yoga practice entails meeting the Paramātmā within the heart and then following His dictation. For one who takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness directly, perfect surrender to the dictation of the Lord follows automatically.
Reference: Bhagavad Gita As It Is, translation and commentary by Swami A C Bhaktivedanta, original Macmillan 1972 edition.
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