Do we Use Thought, or Does Thought Use us?
हम अपने विचारों का इस्तेमाल करते हैं, या हमारे विचार हमारा इस्तेमाल करते हैं?- दादा
क्या आपने कभी विचारों के कारण और परिणाम को ध्यान से देखा है, विचारों के जन्म और मरण की ओर, ये चक्कर जो डर और मत-भेद पैदा करता है और अंत में दुःख देता है?
विचारों और भावनाओं की हर अभिव्यक्ति हमारे मानसिक बल को नष्ट करती है, और विचारों का हर प्रदर्शन हमारी प्राण शक्ति को कम करता है। हम सब को एक सीमित मात्रा में यह मूलयवान जीवन शक्ति प्रदान की गयी है। इन पुरानी आदतों से मजबूर हमारा इस यांत्रिक तरीके से अपनी शक्ति का लगातार खोते रहना एकदम मूर्खता और बेकार है। बिना सोचे-समझे, ये लगातार चलती हुई दिमागी गतिविधि हमारी शक्ति का नाश करती है, मानसिक थकावट का कारण बनती है, और मनोदैहिक विकारों को आमंत्रण देती है।
बहुत ही कम विचार ऐसे हैं जो रोज़मर्रा की ज़िंदगी और कार्यवाही के लिए ज़रूरी हैं। जहां ज़रूरी न हो वहाँ हमें विचारों का इस्तेमाल नहीं करना चाहिए। विचारों को अपने-आप काम करने की ज़रूरत नहीं है।
लेकिन अब दिमाग में विचारों का कोई अंत नहीं है, जब हम सोने के लिए बिस्तर में लेटते हैं, तब भी नहीं। हैरानी कि बात है कि नींद में भी विचारों का सिलसिला चलता ही रहता है। हमारा दिमाग कल्पनाओं और आशंकाओं को प्रदर्शित करता है। और जब हम सो भी रहे होते हैं, हमारा दिमाग अधूरी योजनाओं और गतिविधियों में डूबा रहता है। दिमाग का वही खेल बराबर चलता ही रहता है। ये जीवन इस विचाओं की धारा के सिवा कुछ भी नहीं है।
दिल की धड़कन की तरह, दिमाग पूरी ज़िंदगी हर समय चलता ही रहता है, पहले उलझने बनाने में व्यस्त, फिर उन्हें सुलझाने में। हम शायद ही कभी आराम की अवस्था में होते हैं और पूरी शांति की अवस्था में कभी भी नहीं।
आप सोचते हैं कि आप सोच-विचार का इस्तेममल कर रहे है, पर मैं ऐसा नहीं मानता। लोगों और चीज़ों पर अपना नियंत्रण कर के, उन पर हावी होकर, अपनी मुट्ठी में जकड़ कर और आप पर शासन कर के, ये विचार आपका इस्तेमाल कर रहे हैं, आपकी जीवन-शक्ति का इस्तेमाल कर रहे हैं।
दिमागी सोच एक ऐसी प्रबल शक्ति है जो बहुत उग्र और अपना बना लेने वाली होती है, जो रचनात्मक प्रकृति को दबाने और रोकने का काम करती है। सोच की सीमाओं को देख पाना, उसकी विशिष्ट गतिविधियों और आम प्रकृति को, उसकी यांत्रिक आदतों और सूक्ष्म मज़बूरियों को जान लेना समझदारी है। यह सहज बुद्धि के जागरण की शुरुआत है।
एक नए आयामी अस्तित्व का अनुभव करने के लिए दुनिया को इस तरह के ज्ञान की खोज की जरूरत है : सार्वजनिक समझ का एक रास्ता , सुखी और रचनात्मक जीवन का एक तरीका, स्वतंत्रता और शांति का जीवन। ध्यान की सतर्कता हमें मुक्त, स्वतंत्र और अपने आप में सम्पूर्ण बनाते हुए, स्वाभाविक तौर पर सृजनात्मक प्राणी की तरह काम करने के लिए एक नए निरीक्षण के तरीके को जन्म देती है। फिर मानव संवेदनशीलता के क्षेत्र के भीतर एक नई ऊर्जा का स्रोत उभरेगा। एक नए अवैयक्तिक ज्ञान की सुबह फूलेगी और हमारे मन में फूट पड़ेगी।
कुछ मूल प्रश्न: अपने विचारों का इस्तेमाल करने की बजाय विचार हमारा इस्तेमाल करते हैं, इस धारणा के बारे में आपका क्या विचार है? आप सहज बुद्धि से क्या समझते हैं? क्या आप अपना कोई व्यक्तिगत अनुभव बाँटना चाहेंगे जो सहज बुद्धि का उदाहरण दे सके?
SEED QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: How do you relate to the notion of thoughts using us instead of us using thoughts? What does intuitive intelligence mean to you? Can you share a personal story that illustrates intuitive intelligence?
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21 Past Reflections
On Nov 26, 2013 Rajni Gohil wrote :
I have read a lot of power of positive thinking books and articles. And in daily life I see many things happening as i have thought.
Sanskrit scriptures say "Manomulam idam Jagat" e. i. Our whole world is a reflection of our thought. in other words , we creative our own world, by thinking.
To me intuitive intelligence is like God sending us warnings or inspirations. Full faith in God and acting accordingly leads us to higher plane in spirituality.
1 reply: Mish | Post Your Reply
On Nov 3, 2013 Luv4all wrote :
I believe each thought leads to a subtle impression, repetition deepens them and our life is a collection of all such impressions. It is very important to be mindful about what we think and engage with people or acts which help in developing positive, humane thought patterns. Defining what is good itself needs thoughtfulness :)
1 reply: Mish | Post Your Reply
On Oct 29, 2013 Jyoti wrote :
Thoughts can be used creatively, with training and awareness. Monkey mind can be tamed, with practice. If I did not belief that, I would not be teaching critical thinking !
On intuitive intelligence, sometimes I just know what I need to do, without thought, without rationale, without it being impulsive too -- but with clarity, almost perfect clarity. It feels absolutely right. That, to me, is intuitive intelligence. I have no choice and I am content or rather happy to have no choice, because even if I did, I would still be compelled to just do that which feels right in every which way. Interviewing to get into a prestigious college, I was waiting in the corridor outside the interview room, sizing up the other candidates, competition. One of them was pacing restlessly and somehow I knew she was going to be my friend. We both were accepted to the college, were okay friends, but now 30 years on, are still friends and perhaps best of friends. The initially weak ties have survived so much,... [View Full Comment]
1 reply: Boo | Post Your Reply
On Oct 29, 2013 Chris Walker wrote :
Just finished a day full of thought, this is the best reading I could have found to reflect on before I go to bed.
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On Oct 29, 2013 Mish wrote :
thoughts just passing through...letting them go...not giving them power .
2 replies: Jagdish, Me | Post Your Reply
On Oct 27, 2013 a wrote :
The most simple personal story I can share related to the seed question given would be: Having a history of anxiety/panic, the evil one/ill thought "uses me" periodically when I'm on the road.
I was driving to Madison (pulling a load of my son's stuff in assisting him in his move from Milwaukee), following my husband,who was driving before me on the highway. Thoughts came . . . I'm trapped, I cannot do this, how am I going to get out of this situation (you get my drift) . . . that USED ME.
From experience, I USED THOUGHT . . . blasted cold air within the vehicle(to dry my wet with panic sweat face) . . . questioned "who would put negative thinking" in my head? . . . repeated the words "I can"! . . . until
God's truth returned in calm and assurance that, indeed, "I can" . . . "I could" . . . and "I would" finish the work I had begun!
Experience, too, tells me that ANY time/in ANY circumstance a disturbing thought or lie ONLY becomes our truth if... [View Full Comment]
1 reply: Smile | Post Your Reply
On Oct 26, 2013 david doane wrote :
Thinking makes a fine servant and a terrible master. I'm not sure who said that -- I definitely do believe it. I believe it is important that we have and use and control our thinking rather than our thinking have and use and control us. Our thinking is part of us, not us part of it. We have elevated thinking to a position of priority. Thinking is a primary left brain activity, and it is important that we at least equally utilize right brain attributes such as experience, feeling, intuition, dreaming, fantasy, nonlogic. I experience an I, and it is important that I be in charge of all qualities, including my thinking. Now I'm thinking that the author and I are thinking too much. To me, intuitive intelligence is intelligence that is right brain unconscious affective nonlogical intelligence. Actually, I think intuitive intelligence is operating and is part of our choices much more than we realize. When I make a decision because I have... [View Full Comment]
1 reply: Carlos | Post Your Reply
On Oct 26, 2013 Thierry wrote :
It seems the author is speaking of the 95% of our so-called thinking which is vain, irrelevant, superficial, mechanical. The chattering mind. Yet to be aware of this chattering, of this wastage of energy, this also consumes energy while in a more focused way. It doesn't necessary follow that meditative watchfulness, must , of itself, generate new insights.. In my experience, insights come through sharing the thinking of others, whosoever whose thinking has meditative value, what is called wisdom. Which is in no way personal yet must make sense in my experience. The mind is like a huge reservoir not all of us can tap into directly. But we can tap into it indirectly through the mediation of others. This is how impersonal the mind is and how important thinking, in the meditative dimension, is.
Thought is restless, the more so as one does not attend to it. Yet this is only half of the deal. The fact is that the more one attend... [View Full Comment]
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On Oct 24, 2013 Ganoba wrote :
For a long time now, I have stopped thinking. Thoughts/ideas come when there is a need to move on. They are in the form of suggestions and there is no compulsion to act associated with them.
The mind is now like the sky, not a Pandora's box.
Thoughts float across the mind like clouds. They do not effect the quality of the mind. They do their job and then go.
Life is beautiful and harmonious.
1 reply: M | Post Your Reply
On Oct 24, 2013 Conrad P Pritscher wrote :
After writing what I said earlier, I read this from tricycle. It applies to what Dada Is saying,
Tricycle Daily Dharma October 24, 2013
The Examined Life
Life is profound if you’re awake to see it. It’s one thing to draw from culture, it’s another thing to be drawn so deeply into the culture that your true nature disappears. Wisdom is not merely something to be gained with old age. One can be wise in every stage of one’s life. To manifest wisdom means simply to step back and see—to reflect, inquire, be aware, be disciplined, and be focused not once in a while, but all of the time, moment to moment. This life is precious and fleeting. Pay attention.
- Seido Ray Ronci, "The Examined Life"
... [View Full Comment]
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On Oct 24, 2013 Conrad P Pritscher wrote :
Before I read Dada,, I thought thought uses me and I use thought. When I notice I am one with everyone and everything, I notice I think I am one with everyone and everything. I have not been able to rid myself of my ego to become impersonal as Dada suggests. My level of understanding has not yet gone beyond "'my' level of understanding." There is no question that my thought is limited. I find great to joy in thinking about thought. Yesterday I made notes to write about "a thought too far," and "a thought to near ." I love to think about change and time which can't be clearly defined and I don't know what they are. I love fuzzy thinking. I believe it is possible to evolve beyond "personal understanding," but I have not done so. Shunryu Suzuki's statement about being not one and not two seems to apply here. The great value of "not knowing" also is helpful here. Perhaps if I allowed myself to "not think" more often I would naturally evo... [View Full Comment]