Mind is everything – Sarada Devi

Teachings of Sri Sarada Devi, the Holy Mother

Control of the Mind (Part 2)

11. “It is the nature of water to flow downwards, but the sun’s rays lift it up towards the sky. Likewise it is the very nature of the mind to go to lower things, to objects of enjoyment, but the grace of God can make the mind go towards higher objects.

12. Disciple: “I have been practising religious disciplines. I do not relax my efforts in that direction. But it appears that the impurities of mind are not growing less.” Mother: “You have rolled different threads on a reel — red, black and white. While unrolling you will see them all exactly in the same way.”

13. Disciple: “How many insignificant desires crop up in our minds! How can we get rid of them?” Mother: “In your case these are no real desires. They are nothing. They are mere fancies that appear and disappear in your mind. The more they come and go, the better for you. … So long as the ego exists, desires also undoubtedly remain. But those desires will not injure you.”

14. “Don’t puzzle the mind with too many inquiries. One finds it difficult to put one single thing into practice, but dares invite distraction by filling the mind with too many things.”

15. “The mind is everything. It is in the mind alone that one feels pure and impure. A man, first of all, must make his own mind guilty and then alone he can see another man’s guilt. Does anything ever happen to another if you enumerate his faults? It only injures you.”

16. “Whenever people discuss good or evil, all those who are present have to take a little share of the good or evil. … Suppose someone tells you about his good and evil deeds. Every time you think of that person you must perforce remember his good and evil deeds. In this manner his good and evil deeds both must leave some impression upon your mind.” 3

17. “All is in the mind — purity, as also impurity, is in the mind.” 4

18. “There is evil in your mind. That is why you can’t find peace.”

19. “It is a complex always to be suspecting impurities. The more you emphasize your obsession, the more obsessed you become. It is true of all things.”

20. “He who has a pure mind sees everything pure.”