Mind power or freak accident?
I stepped out of the backdoor and heard a rattle from up above...instinctively I placed my arms over my head just as a hammer sailed past my head and landed with a thud in the soil just inches away from my feet.
Of course ever the humble soul I yelled up to my husband, (who has been roofing for the past two weeks)," Whatcha doing? Trying to kill me?"
Him,"I had to ...you know? So I put the hammer down. Nobody was suppose to be around! Sorry!"
This incident has got me thinking. Years ago I was working on plaster works at the Montreal temple high up above Lord Jaganathas altar. This french helper was working on Lord Caitanyas altar and he was moving a metal scaffold. At one point he and another worker dropped a section of the scaffold. The large piece of metal hit the marble floor , bounced and then hit his 9 year old daughter on the head. Panic...blood..hospital and then fortunately the little girl returned sporting a large bandage on her head. She was fine.
For the past two weeks this image has haunted me every time I've helped to move the scaffolding up or down. It is a dangerous thing to do but we have found ways to use rope to make the process simpler and safer. But I'm wondering if my constant mental visualization of the past incident caused this present incident. I would say that yes my constant visualization created the reality. Fortunately nobody was hurt but this incident has caused me to give it a long....... hmmmmmmm! The mind can be the best friend or the worst enemy according to,
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6, verse 6.
bandhur ātmātmanas tasya
yenātmaivātmanā jitaḥ
TRANSLATION
For
him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but
for one who has failed to do so, his mind will remain the greatest
enemy.
Brahma Vaisnava Sampradaya:
To whom is the mind a dear friend has been mentioned by Lord Krishna in
this verse. Here the word atma should be understood as being the mind and
the word atmana as being the living entity. So the meaning is that the
atmana or living entity achieves success by the strength of the atma or
mind. In the Brahmavaivartaka Purana states: That the condition of the mind
is the sole reason for human beings to be liberated from the material
existence or contrarily incarcerated in the material existence. The mind
should elevate a human being and not be a source of delusion and distress
for the mind has the propensity to be the best friend or the worst enemy of
this there is no doubt. When with diligence and determination the mind is
well governed it is like a best friend and then there are no other enemies.
Therefore one should amiably govern their mind by Vedic knowledge and with
devotion to the Supreme Lord. The word atmana refers to one whose mind is
fixed and unconquerable. But even so if the mind is not directed towards
devotion to the Supreme Lord it is not likely to be helpful in the same way
as having a servant who does no work is like not having a servant at all
and soon the mind will become antagonistic to restraint and then an enemy.
Now begins the summation. The individual consciousness elevates itself by the mercy of the ultimate consciousness. Lord Krishna is perpetually the best friend and well-wisher of the righteous and spiritual beings but a perpetual enemy to the perpetrators of evil and unrighteousness. This means that to one who is devoted to the Supreme Lord Krishna or any of His authorised incarnations the mind acts as a dear friend by His grace; but for all others the mind is like an enemy. In the end of the verse it is indicated that the Supreme Being aides within such a person. Hare Krsna; Kokum Lal |
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