MIND CONTROL THROUGH MEDITATION -THE TORTOISE TECHNIQUE

 

To develop good qualities and be really happy in life one must control the mind. Lord Krishna explains this in the Bhagavad-gita (BG 2.58):

 

yada samharate cayam kurmo 'nganiva sarvasah

indriyhanindriyarthebhyas tasya prajna pratisthita

 

"One who is able to withdraw his senses from sense objects, as the tortoise draws its limbs within the shell, is firmly fixed in perfect con­sciousness."

 

The senses are compared to venomous serpents. They want to act loosely and with­out restriction. But we must be strong enough to control the serpents - like a snake charmer. We must never allow the senses to act inde­pendently. There are many injunctions in the revealed scriptures; some of them are do-not's, and some of them are do's. The example of the tortoise given by Lord Krishna is very appropriate. The tortoise can at any moment wind up his senses and exhibit them again at any time for particular purposes.