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 written an entire work of 205 shlok on the mind known as Manaache Shlok (मनाचे श्लोक).

It is well known that we understand concepts a lot better when we talk them out and try to articulate and explain them to others. This is also why teaching is said to be the best way of learning or solidifying what one has learnt.

This series is an exploration of my mind, an articulation of the conversations and debates that it holds with itself in its journey to understand it's "Self" and because of this nature of those conversations, I'm hoping it will be not be a mindless conversation but a mindful one!

In short, this is the highest form of self-help, i.e., helping the lower case self realize its true nature of the higher "Self"! Reminds me of the story of the ugly duckling who thinks it is ugly, only to see its true reflection one day to realize it is the most beautiful, noblest of creatures! Let us too work on cleaning the mind so that we can clearly see the reflection of our true divine selves!

शुभास्ते पन्थानं! May the paths (of this journey) be good/auspicious! 🙏🏻

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