The mind is what we make of it

Oasis

Two days ago, there was this friend on a telephonic chat, tirelessly talking of the times, she had spent in various top-notch clubs. Being the sole progeny of pelf-loaded parents, she was perpetually into profligate money-frittering, that aided her pleasure-seeking pursuits. Revelling in a real sybaritic lifestyle, no wonder her racy descriptions always revolved around her roistering in ritzy clubs with her rich friends. The way ‘her mind’ constantly churned out copious thoughts, circling only around clubs, looked like ‘it’ had turned itself into an all-day-open club!

In contrast to this above pleasure-centric prattle, on the same day, there was yet another call from a relative. The relative, who generally goes gaga over all the temples she visits, this time, was giving graphic details of all the grandeur inside one particular temple she had visited. Then, she went about expatiating on exquisite flower-bedecked deities, the inexplicable numinous feel, the ineffable peace/tranquillity… Obviously, by her constant temple-related chats, her mind had assumed the calmness of a temple!

Then, there is a friend’s nephew, a fitness fiend, who is firmly fixated with his fitness regimes. His chats are pretty much pivoted around pumping irons in his gym, or propelling himself to run miles during marathons. With his gym obsession, he goes overboard talking about his six-packs and sculpted muscles. Often, he overtly expresses fears of old age, an ominous threat to his toned body!

If this youngster had made his mind into a gym, there is an associate of mine, whose chatter ever hinges around her workplace. Thus, making her mind a never-shut office! Whenever I try talking to her, within moments, I find her mind, meandering towards the office-related matters – right from stenchy washrooms to workshy juniors, wiseacre-like seniors, world-weary office gofers, wisecrack-spewing team leaders, etc.

Apparently, when we constantly get cleaved to certain obsessive thoughts, they start making a strong abode in our mind to stay on forever. As ‘our mind’ is what we make it, it is up to us whether to make ‘it’ into a magnificent place or a menacing hell!