There’s an old story about an eagle and how it is reborn. The eagle has the longest lifespan among birds—it can live up to 70 years. But to reach that age, it must make a difficult choice.
When the eagle turns 40, its body begins to weaken. Its long, sharp claws become too weak to catch prey. Its strong beak becomes bent. Its large, heavy wings make flying hard.
At this point, the eagle has only two choices: either die or go through a painful process of change.
The eagle chooses to change. It flies to a high mountain and finds a safe place to rest. There, it starts hitting its beak against a rock until the old beak falls off. Then it waits patiently for a new beak to grow.
Once the new beak grows, it uses it to pull out its old, useless claws. After new claws grow, it starts pulling out its heavy, old feathers.
This whole process takes time and pain. But once it’s done, the eagle takes flight once again—fresh, strong, and full of life. It goes on to live for another 30 years.
Game Of Mind
The mind and its control—this is something we are all deeply curious about. Why? Because nothing influences our lives more than our own thoughts. All of us, in some way or another, try to manage our mind. Sometimes we succeed, sometimes we fail—but we keep trying.
Still, wouldn’t it be better if we could understand the mind more deeply? Can someone really help us in this journey?
Yes—those who have mastered their mind can surely guide us. From saints, sages, and self-realized souls, we can learn how to work with the mind through simple and meaningful spiritual practices.
Mindfulness is The Key
Think of mindfulness like a fun indoor game. If you play with a playful attitude—not too serious, not too loose—you’ll enjoy it even when you occasionally lose. It’s not a game of perfection, but of learning and growing.
To play this game well, you need a mix of skills: awareness, patience, humour, kindness, cleverness, endurance, and a little courage. Why courage? Because the mind will test you over and over—and you’ll need strength to keep going, even after setbacks.
Teachings Of Geeta
Let’s go back to an ancient and powerful conversation between Arjuna and Shri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita. As Krishna talks about the peaceful state of yoga, Arjuna—overwhelmed by confusion—admits something we all feel at times:
> “O Krishna, the mind is so restless, so strong and stubborn! I find it as hard to control as the wind itself!”
Can we blame him? We’ve all felt that frustration. The mind jumps from one thought to another, gets stuck in fear or desire, and wears us down.
But Krishna, representing timeless wisdom, replies with a calm truth:
> “Yes, the mind is restless and difficult to control—but it can be mastered through practice and calmness.”
This teaching has been the foundation of Indian meditation and self-mastery for ages. And even today, it holds the key.
3 Simple Truths About Mind
From this Gita conversation, we learn three powerful lessons:
1. Controlling the mind is not easy—even strong people like Arjuna struggled.
2. But it is possible.
3. There are clear methods—and they are based on two things:
Practice (Abhyasa)
Dispassion or calm detachment (Vairagya)
Wisdom From Ramkrishna Speeches
Here’s a beautiful exchange between Sri Ramakrishna and a devotee, which makes this idea even more relatable:
> Devotee: “My mind is not in my control.”
Sri Ramakrishna: “Why do you say that? With practice, the mind will go wherever you guide it. The mind is like a white cloth. If you dip it in red dye, it turns red. If you dip it in blue, it turns blue. The colour you choose is the colour the mind takes on.”
Isn’t that a beautiful image? It shows that your mind is flexible—it just needs direction, given with love and patience.
4 Steps To Keep Your Mind Still
Yes, practice and dispassion are the keys—but how do we bring them into daily life?
Here’s how:
1. Strengthen your will – First, develop a strong desire to control and understand your mind. This inner fire is the starting point.
2. Understand the mind’s nature – The mind loves movement, distraction, and comfort. But it can be trained gently over time.
3. Learn simple practices – Start with basic mindfulness exercises, breath awareness, daily reflection, or silent sitting. Do it regularly—even just 5–10 minutes a day.
4. Be consistent, not perfect – The magic is in repeating the effort, not getting it right every time.
Change is The Final Truth
In the end, the mind can be both your prison and your path to freedom. It depends on how you treat it.
Don’t be harsh with yourself. Don’t expect perfection. Instead, play this inner game with love, courage, and a little humour. With practice and calmness, you’ll see changes—not just in your mind, but in your whole life.
> The mind is not your enemy.
It just wants your attention, your kindness, and your steady hand.