Two Strategies – Vairagya and Abhyasa – II

So how do we avoid tamas and rajas and stay in sattva? First, keep your mind busy by focusing on your duties. A mind thus engaged has no waking time to fantasise. Next, when imaginings arise, immediately make a giant comma appear in your mind. It could be of any colour—blue, green, pink, whatever you like. For stronger impact, this could be accompanied by the sound of a car screech. Now, seriously ask yourself whether you really need that object you fancy. An honest mind will reply, ‘No, I don’t need it, but it is enjoyable.’ Think again: will it really give you joy, or will you only be burdened with another set of problems? For example, you wanted a shiny black Mercedes, and you got it. Now every tiny scratch on the car troubles you and you spend a small fortune trying to get rid of it! You wanted to marry the spouse you have because you thought he or she would look after you and make you happy. But you know better now.Everything comes with its share of problems. So, in the first place, keep yourself grounded in your work and your duties so that your imagination does not take off and go on autopilot. But if you do find yourself already floating on a cloud, or from time to time going in circles around the same fantasy, pull the plug by thinking of the opposite of your object of fantasy. This is called pratipaksha bhavana (visualising the opposite), and is a slow drip vairagya delivery system. Use with care, and do abhyasa.

Two Strategies – Vairagya and Abhyasa – II

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