Sense ControlMastering the mind through sense control is a complementary practice to regular mind control techniques. The mind and the senses have a constant interaction and if we master one of them, we gain control over the other one as well. The mind and the senses are tight like a chariot is tight to its horses. If we control the horses we control the chariot. Likewise; if we control the senses we control the mind. The regular Mind Control Techniques suggest to take control over aspects of our being that are more subtle in nature and less concrete, less physical, less obvious. This makes controlling the mind harder for some. Sense Control is more gross in nature, more physical, more concrete. It is like the senses are the Ice and the mind is the water (and at certain levels it becomes as vague as gass). Both are the same substance called H2O. Which form of H2O is easier to control, water or Ice? Ice is more physical, more concrete than water, which makes it easier to grab hold of. Control one of these forms and you control the H2O. Some may prefer training or controlling the mind itself rather than the senses, others may prefer sense control as a doorway to mastering the mind. Both are close relatives. Every time we perceive something, automatically there is a response from the mind; a reaction; a judgement; a thought. Because of this instant and automatic reaction we fail to observe reality as it is. We are not seeing what is really here, we are seeing what we think about what is here. We see the responses of the mind and assume that is reality. If we want to establish a pure perception of reality as it is, we need to learn how to see beyond these judgements, these thoughts. Ultimately we should master the mind completely and always see things as they are without judgement.
Table of ContentsSense Control as well as Mind Control have everything to do with becoming free from desire. Why do we need to control our senses in the first place? What is it that makes our senses run around wild all day? Desires to external stimuli. Basically there are three ways of controlling the mind and the mind's processes:
It doesn't matter much which way around you prefer to work on this. It basically all comes down to controlling the same process, even though we focus on a different aspect of it; it remains the process of the mind. Every practice of yoga and meditation eventually comes down to:
Yoga Sutras of Patañjali #1.2: Return from Sense Control to Yoga Mind Control
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