Look Inside your Cup

Our mind and body are a reflection of our habits, and our habits are patterns emerging out of our beliefs. Everything we consume through our five external senses is being fed into our sixth – the mind, which ultimately goes on to shape our present and future selves. The most potent, powerful sense is the mind, simply because it is the master of the other five. The most difficult habits to overcome are not those of the body but those of the mind, as it is the mind that powers the body through will. However, our unmindful behaviours let our bodies act autonomously.

Today’s world is driven by desire…! Desires aren’t wrong in themselves, but it is important to know what is driving that desire in us – whether it’s a need, comparison with others, fear of losing out, social projection, ego enhancement, power and status or as means to achieve some other higher or advanced goals. We feel that we are in control of our desires but most of us don’t realize when these desires turn into fears and unhealthy habits entrapping us in their restless pursuit. We spend our most valuable resources – time and energy in pursuit of things that provide little or no long term personal gain because everywhere around us we are bombarded with things that we are supposed to desire.

Let’s take an example, suppose we want to buy a pair of socks. Nothing spectacular, or even splurge worthy, just a pair of simple, regular socks. We go to our favourite shopping App, and before we visit the link to Mr. Socks, we are being told that there are massive discounts applicable if we make a purchase of say over a thousand and the delivery gets free too!!” Yay! On the way to Mr. Socks,  we see all the pretty stuff dangling from various corners of the screen.

We think, “Well won’t hurt to see. May be a shoe, a t-shirt, a kurta, that deo…. Five minutes, and I wrap it up.” An hour or two later, we have two-three additional things we didn’t really need in our cart, may be even more; we probably have a slight headache because of all the stuff we just went through to get the discount deal, as the deal is always applicable on *select items only. We finally add the socks at the end. Takes two minutes (how picky can you get with socks anyway). And check out. Let’s go back and see what just happened. We probably paid a little over 3000 bucks for the ‘upto’ 50 percent discount on 3 out 4 things we didn’t even need. Even the most expensive pair of socks are usually not over 500 a pair.

Do the Math. We could have just spent 500+30 delivery and saved almost 2500. And money wasn’t the only valuable thing you expended. You wasted time, energy, and a fairly significant amount of mind-space that could have been filled with more interesting and useful stuff. But what did we do? What just happened here?  Our mind was fed ideas of saving money on things we didn’t need in the first place by creating a desire for them. We were sold information in the form of images, fantasies, the fanciness of it all.  We feel wise (You saved money!) by being fooled. But did we have a choice here? Yes, we did. Was it in our control? Yes again. Did we use the choice and control? If you’re like most of us above, then probably you didn’t.

The human mind with all its power is also most susceptible. It wants fulfilment, pleasure, enjoyment. It fears missing out. FOMO is a real thing. And today’s capitalist world makes most of it. They inundate your senses with ideas and fantasies. It’s not just the desires that are fuelled, but also our basest instincts that often propel us into acting on our impulses, hurting or harming others, our environment. Social and political forces use the same route. Whatever we choose to feed ourselves determines who we become.

The wise had known all along about the mind’s vulnerability. And so they suggested that if you view all sensory stimulation as food, you can pick and choose what is best for you to consume. The ancients offered a simple yet intuitive solution – Pratyahara, which is an amalgamation of two words, Prati (reversal) +Aahaar (food), that is, feeding the opposite of what your mind relentlessly pursues for the sake of pleasure alone. Pratyahara is not forced abstinence, it is about having the ability to control over what goes inside you. Choosing what you intake through your senses is just how much control we all have in our lives – and believe it or not, it’s actually enough. 

Our mind often acts like a small child who wishes to be pampered more and more, after it is duly spoiled by the sycophant senses that serve it. Slowly, it begins to desire things without often understanding why, because a habit has been created. The more we indulge, stronger this child gets and before you know it, you are giving into  its most needless tantrums.

Connect to your sense of wellness once again, and then with complete awareness determine what is in the best interest for your self-growth in that moment. With that intention now coursing through your body, partake that ‘aahaar’- in whatever form it is in front of you. Understand that pratyahara is not the same as suppressing your desires or wishes, but acting on them with awareness and choice. Our bodies more often than not act independently outside our mental awareness and control. Through pratyahara, we empty the cup of mind, and refine the vessel that is body.

We all must have found ourselves hogging on a packet of chips just because it was kept in front of us. We often consume without even the will to do so! Slowly and steadily, the mind and body gets habituated to sensory junk, effectively keeping us away from activities that promote wellness and well-being. This loss of connectedness with ourselves soon begins to percolate to all areas of our lives, be it work or relationships.

Habituated to continuous stream of stimulation, we now cannot walk or drive without music, cannot eat without television, or talk to our loved ones without surfing through social media. For transient pleasures we are missing out on greater joys of life. The joy of smelling the fresh air, the touch of soft grass on the soles of our feet, enjoying a delicious meal prepared by our mother while sharing stories of the day, witnessing the joy of watching birds play in the balcony, or humming to the pattering of rain on the window sill… We are busy capturing all moments in our phones, but how much do we capture in our heart and soul? Experiences captured within in all their divine beauty and simplicity have the power to heal. These expressions of nature are manifestation of its love sent across our way, but we’re too busy feeding our senses with other things endlessly to be able to receive it. How to fill a cup that’s already full..?

Choose what goes inside you, choose wisely. You don’t have to coax yourself or be unnecessarily harsh. Be kind. Netflix your favourite show, but set a daily limit, so that you have time for other creative things as well. Spend time on your long lost interests, but instead of spending energy on being perfect, enjoy the experience as you create or engage. Eat with awareness by paying attention to what you are eating, and how much. Your body will thank you for years thereafter.

Practice sitting in silence, and simply listen to your inner chitchat. Your mind needs to be heard too. It always has so much to share. Listen to what goes on inside, from outside like a kind and empathetic friend. When you express compassion and empathy towards your own self, it will start reflecting automatically in everything you do. Pratyahara is about understanding what in your life doesn’t support your aspirations and growth anymore, and thereby slowly letting it go, even if it was a good and desirable habit at one point in time. Give yourself the ‘aahaar’ you truly deserve. Be a master of your habits, not a slave. Fill yourself with love and understanding.

After all, a cup can only pour what it has!