The Way Our Mind Functions🔗

15.15 I am seated in everyone's heart and from Me came memory, knowledge and their loss. I am known by the Veda; indeed, I am the creator of Vedanta and I am the knower of the Veda.

15.16 There are two things, the perishable and the imperishable, in this world. There are the living beings who are perishable while there is the unchangeable, the imperishable.

Krishna says that He is memory and He is knowledge. What does this mean?

How does our mind work? How does it invent scenarios that have no real existence? We know nothing about our mind. We do not even know where our mind is. If I ask you where your mind is, you point to your head. That's not your mind. That's just your thick skull!

Every cell in our body system has inbuilt intelligence. These cells constantly regenerate themselves. Therefore, our intelligence is always fresh, updated. It is not ancient and ready for the scrap heap. These cells make up our mind-body system. They are everywhere. Therefore, there is not one place where our mind is rigidly situated; certainly it is not in our head.

How does this mind work? How does this collective intelligence of the cellular system of our mind-body entity function? Science has no clue even today. Science has no idea how senses perceive what they do. Scientists, neurologists, psychologists and others in the field can explain the physical pathways through which they think thoughts travel and say that this is the route our thought process takes. They have no proof.

Sages of ancient Bharat described the process. They described it not in physical terms but in conceptual terms. Their description enables us to understand how the mind functions.

Let me show a diagram to illustrate how information that enters the eye is processed; actually, not just information entering through the eye but information entering through any of the fives senses, i.e., through nose, ears, tongue, touch and eye. As an example, we are using the eye.

Let us take the process of seeing, which is almost eighty percent of our total sensory perception. Your eyes see me now. In Sanskrit, we call this seeing power chakshu. It is the energy behind the physical eyes; however, it is not a physical organ. Chakshu is a virtual digital signal processor. Its output goes into our memory, called chitta in Sanskrit, as a bio-signal file. Memory starts analyzing the facts of the case. It compares the input it has received against its database.

Chitta acts as a filter. It excludes first. It responds based upon comparison and elimination, 'What I see is not

an animal, it is not a rock.' 'na iti, na it,' 'not this, not this,' it says. The partly processed, filtered file then goes to manas, our mind. Manas makes a positive identification of what is seen, again by referring the file to its huge database. Mind then says, 'What you see is a human being talking to you.'

A computer still is not capable of performing this process of identification from an object that we see to a known entity. The capacity required, even with today's huge computing powers and parallel computing networks, would be so massive and complicated that no real operating system exists that can duplicate even this one process of our mind-body system.

The object identified by the mind, manas, then takes a quantum leap to our ego as a file. This ego is similar to what Freud and others described as the collective identity of the individual, where all experiential data is stored. However, it may not be the same definition that I use here that you will find in western psychology.

Our ego associates the file with similar memories from the past and decides what to do based on previous experience. If we have had a good experience listening to the person we see, we stay and listen. If the data shows that our experience with such a person or someone similar has been negative, we leave.

Ego decides for us whether to listen to this person or not. We express that decision and act upon that decision. This zone of ego is not under the control of our conscious, logical and rational mind. Ego continuously stores impressions, past memories, unfulfilled desires and various emotive reactions, whether we are conscious of these experiences or not. Ego never sleeps, not for one moment.

The unconscious zone is filled with negative memories and restlessness. All our past memories, which we call samskaras in Sanskrit, all our past thought patterns are stored in this zone as files. Psychology uses the word engrams or engraved memories to denote these stored memories. There are many files stored in this zone. Without any logical connection between them, these memories or incidents are stored here, in random order so to speak. Because of so many engrams we are restless.

What happens is that when the file takes a quantum leap to this zone where so much data is stored, the file does not even reach the ego properly for a decision. It is as if our hard disk is loaded with all high-resolution photographs and there is only little space left. There is no space available to work further on our hard disk, right? The computer stalls; it stops. In the same way, when our unconscious is loaded with past thought patterns and memories, it becomes inefficient and makes superficial and illogical decisions.

For example, according to data that we have collected, we know smoking is injurious to health; it is not good for our body or mind. We hold onto this decision as long as we are in the conscious level. However once the mind

takes the leap to the ego, the engrams just instruct us to smoke; we decide to smoke. The conscious process says, 'No, it is not good for health.' However, the unconscious process says, actually it doesn't even say, it just makes the decision and we execute it. It is a pure instinct-level decision.

This unconscious area is powerful. It can be used in three ways: at the instinct level, intellect level or intuition level. As long as the unconscious is overloaded with negative memories and restlessness, it works at instinct level. We decide instinctively, unconsciously, just like an animal does. We make hasty decisions out of restlessness and overloading of our unconscious zone. When we are at the instinct level, we end up regretting most decisions.

Next is the intellect level. Here, we are conscious; we make decisions logically, but we don't have extra enthusiasm or energy. We are not creative or innovative; we don't take big steps; we don't grow. We make decisions in a logical and conscious way.

When we are at intellect level, we are not tired; yet we are not energetic either. We are in a break-even state. At this level, we do not use our potential to the maximum.

The level where we can actualize our entire potential is the intuition level. If we can infuse deep silence and awareness into the unconscious zone and replace engraved memories or files with silence and awareness, we are at the intuition level.

A small story:

A woodcutter was busy chopping trees at the edge of a forest. An enlightened Master walked by and the woodcutter offered him what he had. Pleased, the Master blessed him and said, 'Go deep.'

The woodcutter advanced deeper into the forest the next day. He found a silver mine with rich deposits. He was pleased, dug out chunks of silver, sold them and became quite rich.

Months later, the Master passed by again. The woodcutter entertained him well. He was grateful for the Master's advice that made him prosperous. The Master left, once again saying, 'Go deep.'

The woodcutter progressed deeper into the forest and found a gold mine. By recovering deposits from this mine, he became very wealthy. He felt deep gratitude to the Master and wished to see him to pay his tribute.

After many months, the Master passed by again. The woodcutter told him all that had happened and wanted to share his wealth with the Master. The Master smilingly refused and as he left said, 'Go deep.'

Believing implicitly in the Master, the woodcutter pressed on deeper into the forest and discovered a diamond mine. He became richer than the king of his country. He eagerly awaited the Master's next visit to share the good news.

The Master passed by again. Again he left saying, 'Go deep.'

This time around, the woodcutter became thoughtful. He reflected, 'There must be more to what this Master says. There must be more than what I am able to understand. It is not the forest that he is asking me to go deeper into, perhaps it is into myself.' This time, with great awareness and the trust that he had developed in the Master, the woodcutter focused within and became enlightened.

The greatest wealth lies within, not outside. The greatest joy lies within, not outside. In the outside world, every experience of joy is followed by sorrow. Joy creates expectations and when expectations are not fulfilled, they lead to sorrow. When the search begins inside, expectations drop, attachments drop and a new joy happens. That joy is eternal, never ending. It is ananda, nithyananda, eternal bliss.

Because we are unaware of this, we search outside for happiness because that is the only way that we know.

The Sufi Master Nasrudin was eccentric. No one knew what he would do next. They rarely knew what he would do or why. But Nasrudin was happy. Nothing disturbed him.

One evening, Nasrudin seriously searched for something under the streetlight across the street from his house. He was unaware of what was happening around him. Observing him for a long time, a neighbor asked, 'Nasrudin, what are you doing outside your house at this hour?'

Nasrudin said, 'Oh! I am looking for the gold ring I inherited from my great grandfather. It is precious, as it carries many memories. I must find it.'

The neighbor joined the search along with a few others. After several hours of this search, Nasrudin's good friend dropped by. He asked, 'Nasrudin, where exactly did you lose this ring?'

Nasrudin said matter of factly, 'I think I lost it in the house. I kept it in a box and cannot find it now!'

The friend asked, 'Why are you searching for it outside the house?'

Nasrudin said, 'That is simple. I have no light inside the house. The only light is outside under the street lamp. That is why I am searching here!'

This is the story of our lives. We are conditioned to search where we think there is light; we search in futility for that elusive happiness. All we need to do is turn inward.

In his commentary on the Gita, Sankara says that memory and knowledge come from Krishna to those who do good deeds and loss of memory and knowledge to those who do evil deeds. The reference of memory and knowledge here is to the understanding of our true

nature, the understanding and realization that we are one with the Divine, that Krishna is seated in our hearts.

Sankara concludes in his Bhaja Govindam:

Guru charanambuja nirbhara bhaktaha …drakshyasi nija hridyatvam devam'

'The true devotee who surrenders himself completely to his Master sees Divinity in his own heart.' That is all that is required. Surrender to the Master, surrender to Krishna. We shall then see Him.

Krishna takes Arjuna into a deeper understanding. Krishna talks about purusha, the principle of energy that underlies all of us. Sankhya philosophy talks about purusha and prakriti. Purusha, in one sense is energy, and prakriti is matter. Purusha is the unmoving, passively active energy principle, whereas prakriti is the active material principle. Purusha is the male principle; prakriti is the female principle. Purusha is Shiva and prakriti is Shakti.

Krishna goes beyond that philosophy. He says Purusha is twofold, one imperishable and the other perishable. He says all living beings are the perishable purusha and they are situated in the imperishable.

In earlier chapters, Krishna has covered in depth, these aspects of prakriti, which operate through the mind, senses and the attributes, the three types of guna. Here, He expands upon purusha. Purusha is the ultimate Energy from which all emanates. 'Isa vasyam idam sarvam' says the Isavasya Upanishad, 'All that exists is energy.'

The great scientist, Einstein became depressed when the findings from his theory of relativity and his discovery that matter can release energy resulted in nuclear fission and nuclear bombs. He was shocked at the destruction he had unwittingly caused and turned to spirituality for solace.

When Einstein read this verse from the Upanishads, written possibly five to ten thousand years ago, he said, 'I felt proud that I had discovered that matter is energy. Many thousand years ago, these sages knew this and also that matter arises from energy. The last step in science is the first step in spirituality.'

More and more, scientists sound like the Eastern mystics. They no longer have the arrogant attitude of scientists of a hundred years ago who felt that they were rewriting the laws of nature.

Now, with advancements in quantum physics, molecular biology and such areas, scientists find that there is little they can predict about nature. The same experiment conducted in an identical manner by two scientists yields two different results. The people looking at what happens during the experiment influence the experimental results. Our scriptures said this over a thousand years ago. Sankara has said again and again that the seer influences what is seen. That was over a thousand years ago.

The primal energy principle, purusha is like potential energy. It is energy, but passive. It is the operating principle behind the entire Universe. Without this energy, nothing will exist. Nothing will live.

Krishna says that there are two kinds of purusha: one is eternal and one perishes.

The purusha that perishes is the body-mind energy embedded in all beings, including humans. This energy has a definite, limited lifetime. It is always changing. There is nothing permanent about it. It is programmed for deterioration and destruction.

The purusha that is kutastha is the imperishable aspect of this energy. It is the energy of the spirit that is indestructible. It is the atman that is forever, that which cannot be destroyed.

Krishna points out that primal energy manifests in different ways, as perishable and imperishable. Both are aspects of primal energy. One is destroyed and the other lives. One who realizes this difference and understands the true nature of purusha is liberated.

Ramakrishna says:

An arrogant scholar, a pundit, was very proud of his learning. He was a great advaithic scholar and did not believe in various forms of God. God came to him one day.

Mother Goddess appeared before him in all Her splendorous. She came as the primal Energy, Parashakti. The scholar was in a swoon for a long time. When he woke up, he shouted, 'Ka, Ka, Ka.' He could not fully pronounce 'Kali,' whom he had seen. Words cannot describe the Divine.

Scholars endlessly argue about the nature of purusha, the various aspects of purusha, the difference between prakriti and purusha. It keeps them occupied. It strengthens their ego. When the Divine presents itself before them, they cannot recognize what they see. Even Mother Kali has to produce her identity card before she can convince a pundit.

Q: Master, you have explained so well about how the mind works. How can we use this in our daily activities?

Our mind functions in three modes. It can operate unconsciously at the level of the instinct. It can work consciously at the level of the intellect. It can work superconsciously at the level of intuition.

Our mind works at the instinct level when it is filled with samskaras, embedded memories that are full of mostly negative emotions. These samskaras are buried deep in our unconscious, embedded there through repeated conditioning from childhood. At times of stress, trauma or pain, when we need to address issues with a clear mind, these unconscious memories pop up and decide without us being even aware. The samskaras, the engrams, decide what we do, not our rational mind.

In the ten percent of cases where our consciosus mind engages in decision making, we are confused by the choices. We dither and we later regret whatever choice we make through our intellect. No choice is ever perfect.

Do we have an option? Yes. When we decide through intuition, we can never be wrong. How can we access this state of intuition?

Intuition is the state when the mind is centered. It is what we call the present moment. Normally we are buried in past memories or speculating about our future. We are rarely in the present moment. Our mind is rarely where our body is. That is what thoughts do to us. Thoughts are the constant movement of the mind between the past and future. When thoughts stop, mind stills.

Meditation makes thoughts stop. It is simple. During meditation one's awareness centers in the present moment, thoughts stop and intuition results. Whatever you decide in such a moment is always the right decision.

It is not even necessary that thoughts stop. It is enough if you stop following your thoughts. Once you learn how to witness thoughts without getting caught in their flow, your battle is won. Once you master this technique, you settle into the present moment awareness whenever you wish. There will never be a situation when you will regret the decision that you make in the present moment.

If every businessman and corporate employee learned to do this, imagine how many billions of dollars could be saved. Not just money would be saved. The environment is being destroyed because people act from greed and fear out of instinct. If we act out of intuition, we can never act against nature. Intuition is nature.