THE MIND BECOMES THE BODY - Swami Sivananda Saraswati

THE MIND BECOMES THE BODY

The body with its organs, is no other than the mind. The physical body is the outward manifestation of the mind. Mind is the subtle form of the physical body. The mind, contemplating on the body, becomes the body itself. Then, enmeshed in it, is afflicted by it. All bodies have their seat in the mind. Should the mind be paralysed, the body will not evince any intelligence.

The mind performs all actions very speedily in the linga sarira (subtle body) and fluctuates thereby. But the gross body knows not anything and is inert. Should this gross body be dissolved, the mind quickly assumes a fresh body. This physical body is the mould, as it were, of the mind. It is made by the mind for the outpouring of its own energy, for its own enjoyment. Thereby it gains different experiences of this world through the organs of knowledge or perception.

The body is really our thoughts, moods, convictions and emotions objectivised, made visible to the naked eye. Every cell in our body suffers or grows, receives a life impulse or a death impulse, from every thought that enters the mind. You tend to grow into the image of the thing you think about most. When the mind dwells on a particular thought, a definite vibration of matter is set up. This tends to repeat itself, to become a habit.

The body follows the mind and imitates the changes. Every change in thought makes a vibration in your mental body and this, when transmitted to the physical body, causes activity in the nervous matter of the brain. And this activity in the brain and nerve cells causes electrical and chemical changes in the body.

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Vedanta also adds: "See and feel Brahman everywhere. Ignore the names and forms." This teaches you to develop atma bhava (feeling that the Self is all) or Brahma bhava (feeling that Brahman is all) by vicara (enquiry) and right thinking and meditation.

When an idea exclusively occupies the mind, a mental state or bhava, corresponding to the nature of the idea comes in. Think of your enemy - the inimical bhava will manifest. Think of mercy and universal love - prema (love) bhava or karuna (compassion) bhava will manifest. Think of universal service - seva (service) bhava will manifest. Think of Lord Krishna and his lilas - Krishna prema-bhava will manifest. Feeling always accompanies thinking; it is like fire and heat - inseparable.

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