The mind, senses, mental health and well-being.
Below is about Thom Knoles Podcast on Mind, Intellect & Ego.
What’s the distinction between mind, intellect and ego? And what are their functions? Unlike many modern psychological approaches, the Vedic worldview honors and celebrates the role of all three.
While they may not always function perfectly – like the 'mistaken intellect' often discussed by Thom – each of these elements plays a specific and essential role in our evolution.Thom explains in this episode, that rather than putting our efforts into “getting rid of the ego,” we’re best served by enlisting our ego as a cooperative component in our quest for enlightenment. Ironically, it’s allowing the ego to transcend itself, that gives it the ability to truly know its ultimate, unchanging essence.
Thom Knoles podcast - Mind, Intellect & Ego.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mind-intellect-ego/id1215052677?i=1000656084956
The mind has a natural tendency to look for greater happiness and like an obedient servant the senses are ready and waiting to serve the mind.
What can happen in the process of bringing happiness and enjoyment to the mind is that the senses can become absorbed to the point where the intellect loses its power to discriminate. The process of the Intellect of the mind is to discriminate between what is good for us and what isn’t. If the mind is fixated on one object we can end up over indulging to excess. “As a ship is carried away by the wind, so is the mind completely carried away by the senses in the outward direction of gross creation, the direction of the objects of the senses.” Maharishi Mahesh Yogi on The Bhagavad-Gita.
Everything in moderation is the key to living a balanced healthy lifestyle. We don’t want to over-feed our senses excessively nor do we want to completely deprive them of their experiences.
Eating - we don’t want to eat excessively – finish a meal with still room to eat more. Nor do we want to deprive the body of food and skip meals and deprive the body of important nutrients.
Sleep – if we sleep too much it creates dullness and fatigue. When we don’t sleep enough it creates dullness and fatigue. In Ayurveda it is recommend going to bed at 10pm and rising before 6am.
Recreation – The body should be given the rest it needs, to experience the best while in activity. We don’t go to the extreme of feeling exhaustion from overworking, playing hard or having too many late nights - nor do we want to go in the opposite direction to be completely inactive. Recreation should be done in proportion, not too little and not too much.
Meditation - 20 minute twice daily meditation brings deep rest and relaxation to the mind and body. Research shows that following meditation the senses function with heightened awareness and a much higher sensory receptivity
Until next time enjoy all you do and take good care of your mental health. Meditating 20 minutes twice daily restores our mental health. The mistaken intellect (pragya paradh) begins to discern what is the best for us mentally, physically and spiritually. The mind is happier, healthier and more creative. Allow nature to be your guide. If your idea/thoughts feel charming/good then go in that direction. Leave fear behind and come to your senses fearlessly.
Love & Jai Guru Deva
Liz
