Mindful Conversations: A dialog with the mind: #1 Introduction
Attempting a new series on "Mindful Conversations" which is me talking to myself! Sounds rather egotistic or self-centered, I know, but how can one explore the "Self" without being "Self-centered"?! I guess the difference is that one needs to be careful to not focus on the lower case "self" which is our physical/mental identity but instead on the upper case one, the limitless Paramaatmaa! The saints highly recommend this approach too. Sant Tukaram says in one of his abhangs: "तुका म्हणे होय मनाशी संवाद, आपुलाची वाद, आपणाशी" -- Tukaram says, the mind holds a conversation with itself, we debate with ourself. In another place Tukobaaraayaa (another name for Tukaram maharaj) says: "आपणचि तारी, आपणचि मारी, आपणचि उधारी आपणा" -- we only are responsible for saving or destroying ourselves, we only can uplift ourselves. Samartha Ramadas Swami who was the spiritual and political Guru and advisor/guide of Chhattrapati Shivaji Maharaj has