• • The mind is not always a friend. It is a politician. It keeps changing parties. Therefore one must remember that it can be ones own enemy, at times.
  • The mind has no scruples. It can indulge into negativity at the drop of a hat. Just like it can take to positivity like magnetism, if disciplined.
  • ‘Pain’ and ‘pleasure’ are the driving forces for the mind, not the discrimination between ‘right’ and ‘wrong’. It can sway you between right and wrong and confuse you so much that you easily get manipulated to choose the most pleasing option even if it is wrong or negative.
  • Mind is the dominating power in the ‘beginner of spirituality’. Mind is the ‘weakened or ceased’ entity in the wise enlightened sage.

Recognizing the above ‘qualities of the mind’ is the first step.

2] Identify the negativity and acknowledge it

• • One must identify the ‘specific individual tendencies and habit patterns’ of his own mind that are leading to negativity. E.g. Harboring thoughts of anger, greed, jealousy, hatred, etc.
  • Observe that the ego is always looking to cover up the faults. For e.g. The ego will always justify that you got angry and abused someone because they deserved it.
  • One must be courageous enough to call a ‘spade’ a spade! If you have made a mistake, courageously admit to yourself and acknowledge it.

That is the only way to move away from ‘negativity’. Remember, negativity is not always expressed in ‘action’, negativity is mostly at the mental level. You become what your thoughts are!

3] Form an action plan

Surprised? 🙂 You have spent invaluable amounts of time training the mind to get angry, isn’t it? You kept getting angry for the same things with the same person innumerable times. You have practiced so hard to get established in the practice of anger. Now tell me, do you think you can get out of the ‘trained angry mind’ very easily? in one email response from me? NO! It requires a training plan. To train what?

• • Train the intellect to become stronger than the mind. It is weaker than the mind, right now. The voice of reason inside you is feeble. Making it strong is in your own hands.
  • The action plan is only in the scriptures. Drown yourself in the knowledge of the mind, emotions and Self. Make it atleast a 1 year program in ‘Mind management’, then only will you be able to unlearn that which you learnt with continuous practice.

There is no other short cut!

4] See the reality as it is. Not as you want it to be

The mind usually fools you to believe what you like. It will not let you look into the mirror. It is adept at fogging up the mirror. You need to develop the skill to wipe away the fog and stand naked in front of the mirror. See reality as it is, not as you want it to be!