"The ONE Trick to Keep Your Mind in God | Bhagavad Gita 6.30" by Swami Mukundananda
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY_OQa40zDI
The discourse focuses on the technique of engaging the mind in devotion (Bhakti) rather than suppressing it. *Main Points*: 1. The Strategy: Don't Kill the Mind, God-ify It The speaker introduces the core principle of Bhakti philosophy as the clever way to manage the mind. • [00:00:00] The key is: "Don't kill the mind. Make the mind Bhagavan mind. Make the mind divine." This means allowing every thought to become godly and divine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY_OQa40zDI&t=0 • [00:00:13] Bhakti is described as a simple, easy, and natural path. • [00:00:24] The Bicycle Analogy: If you stop a bicycle abruptly by pressing the brakes, you fall. But a smarter way is to turn the handle. The forward movement stops, and the cycle easily moves in a different direction. • [00:00:48] Likewise, since the mind wants to keep running, you should "make it run towards God." You must be clever and use a "trick" to keep the mind in God. 2. Bhagavad Gita 6.30: The Promise of Constant Union • [00:01:40] Bhagavad Gita 6.30 (Translation): "For those who see Me everywhere and see all things in Me, I am never lost, nor are they ever lost to Me." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY_OQa40zDI&t=100 • [00:02:14] This means the mind of such a Yogi always remains with God. • [00:02:40] The mind is the cause of bondage and liberation, and the ultimate goal is to purify the mind. • [00:02:40] Gyan Marg (Path of Knowledge): This path seeks to "kill the mind" (manomayam tu vyapar) through severe austerities and meditation techniques like Kriya Yoga to achieve a state of thoughtlessness–[00:06:25]. • [00:06:25] Bhakti Marg (Path of Devotion): This path suggests a smarter way: Don't kill the mind; make it divine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY_OQa40zDI&t=385 o The mind likes to think—so think of God. o The mind likes to desire—so desire God. o The mind likes to see—so desire to see God. 3. The Trick: Keeping God in Every Circumstance The "trick" involves deliberately linking God to all worldly interactions and events to prevent the mind from becoming distracted. • [00:08:04] If you don't use the trick, the mind will run away from God, especially when confronted with worldly conflict, like scolding from a family member. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY_OQa40zDI&t=484 • [00:09:43] The Trick in Conflict: If someone scolds you, stop the reflexive anger and think: "No, no, no. Shri Krishna is sitting in this person also. Shri Krishna is testing me. I will not get annoyed." By doing this, you bring Shri Krishna into the picture, and the mind remains connected to God. • [00:10:18] The Trick in Calamity/Loss: When disaster or tragedy strikes, the mind typically laments, "This is so bad." Instead, bring God into the picture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY_OQa40zDI&t=618 o [00:10:48] Do not lament, see the grace of God. "Shri Krishna wanted me to be detached, so He snatched away my worldly attachments so that my mind may come off from the world and stay with Him". o This is the art: somehow or other, you connect God to every event. • [00:11:46] The Trick in Worldly Attachment: If the mind is attracted to a person, think: "Shri Krishna is sitting in this person's heart. The attraction is happening because of Shri Krishna's qualities manifesting." This thought redirects the mind back to God. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY_OQa40zDI&t=706 • [00:12:08] This persistent effort to see God in all things and all things in God ensures that the practitioner is never lost and remains in constant yog (union) with the Divine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY_OQa40zDI