Two In One

Our Mind as we conceive of the embodiment of our subtle being, where our thoughts, ideas, emotions and experience appear to happen, has two components.

One can verify this to be true by their own experiences. Intuitively we would feel the separation of these two. There are actions of decision, a clear sequence of logical reason, a weighing of pros and cons, analysis, categorizing, classifying etc. which is based on clarity. This aspect of our mind is termed the Intellect. The other aspect of our mind is the desires, oscillations, confusions, impulse, emotions, flutter etc. This is termed the mind with a lower case 'm'.

Mind = Intellect + mind

Most of us have the mind to be our master and the Intellect to be its slave. It is said that the mind is a container of never ending desires. Immediately after a desire is fulfilled, the next one sprouts. If the mind is the master, it drives the intellect to execute in order to fulfill its desires. Also depending on the various emotions it undergoes, the mind with a stranglehold on the intellect, gets things accomplished according to its needs. The mind as a master will make the intellect of a Diabetic justify its craving for chocolate, and the intellect will obey and get the sweet to the person. A Jealous mind will with the help of intellect will make the person do things that counter act the situation. An angry mind will with the help of the intellect justify its violent actions. The very same mind will get into a state of resentment making the intellect helpless.

We do not in general distinguish the two aspects of our Mind, and hence we are unaware as to the methods of management of the happenings of our life.

On the contrary, if we could make the intellect our friend and master, the actions that we perform will stay within the faculty of reason, and logic. The fluttering mind will slowly feel this, and the very same fluttering, oscillating aspects can become the source of creativity and freshness of events under the control of the intellect.

The process of empowering the intellect and making it the master is the result of obtaining the Knowledge of the Self. Upon knowing the Truth, the intellect becomes our friend and realizes is stature. Then its a process of managing the mind to lead a life of Joy.

Infinite Mind

Infinity is an interesting idea. It generally creates a sense of vastness, an unfathomable distance. Some thing far far away. Whether we are looking at it from a numerical perspective or intuitively, it seems daunting to think about it. A sense of overwhelming takes over us. The physical and material world is limited and finite. However large and vast it may be, it is still finite. It is bound by the physical faculties of observation.

The mind however is not material. Hence it is not bound by the physical constraints and hence is infinite. When we say that, it might appear as though the mind is vast and huge and might appear counter intuitive to accept that. The reason is, infinity is not something "out there". Its a mere idea. It is a concept. For example we can simplify the idea as "Whatever there is, there is one more". We can experiment with lots of interesting things.

For example, the mind's needs are infinite. Its true for everyone. no matter how little or how much more one has, the mind seems to need "one more". Similarly the mind can keep on learning. Irrespective of how little or how much more one knows, one can always know or learn about "one more" thing. 

Infinity is possible only in the subtle realm. The material realm is finite and bound. The body is limited but the mind is unlimited. Music, Arts, Literature, Philosophy, Religion, ideas and thoughts belong to this infinite subtle realm. They allow us to travel boundlessly and experience freedom. 

Once we realize that infinity is in itself is a mere idea, that there can always be one more thing, the mind's infinite needs can be let go. No matter how much it travels, and how much it experiences, it will seek for that "one more" thing :). This travel of the mind is cyclic like a circle, and a circle though apparently endless and provides infinite travel is indeed finite. Realizing this liberates one from the bindings of the mind's endless needs.