Question: It is said that the subconscious mind is
very powerful and constitutes 90% of the mind. Is this true?
Answer:
Yes. According to modern psychology, only 10% of our mind is conscious, while
90% is subconscious.
Question: What is the significance of this?
Answer: It
means that many of the activities which we do in our day-to-day life, are
governed and prompted by our subconscious mind.
Question: For example?
Answer:
Suppose you are listening to a lecture attentively. You might also be moving
your hands and fingers, even without your being conscious. These movements are
due to the promptings of the subconscious mind.
Question: Does subconscious mind act only on the physical
body?
Answer: No.
Subconscious mind also influences our thoughts and even our decision-making.
Western psychologists say that the subconscious urges and desires manipulate
the conscious mind to get fulfilled.
Question: What does Indian psychology say?
Answer:
According to Indian psychology, we are prompted by our past impressions called Samskaras
to act in a specific manner. These are very strong.
Question: Some say that subconscious mind is fully
active during sleep.
Answer: It is active during the dream-state. During
that state the conscious mind sleeps; it is shut off. So the subconscious mind
gets an opportunity to have a full, unhindered play.
Question: But in dreams we see also the pictures seen
in the waking state. So how can you say that there is activity of sub-conscious
mind?
Answer: Many of the dreams are symbolic. For example
snake is a symbol of lust, and although some one may not feel lustful in the
waking state, if he/she sees a snake in the dream, it means that he/she has
lust suppressed in the subconscious mind.
Question: Can we control the subconscious mind or
make use of it?
Answer:
Certainly yes. And this is a real task for us. According to one technique, the
mentally retarded children are made to listen to music or some text, selected
by experts, while they are asleep. The subconscious mind listens and so learns
them. Later, the candidate is able to reproduce much of what is learnt of
without the effort of conscious mind. As a matter of fact, most of the
activities of the small children are governed by the subconscious mind, and
their learning too is through the subconscious mind.
Question: How to make use of this technique in the
adult life also?
Answer: The
atmosphere we live in, the people we meet, the pictures we just glance through,
the the
sound which enters an ear unknowingly—all these inputs influence the
subconscious mind. As a mater of fact, we go on learning many things
unconsciously.
Question: Please illustrate this.
Answer:
While you are working, for example or are travelling in car, or are sitting in
your room, continuously play a cassette of bhajans or chanting of God’s
name. Although your conscious mind may be busy with the task at hand, the holy
music will effortlessly enter into your ears, and influence your mind. Also,
put holy pictures in various places in your house. As you move around, although
you may not look at it, still, their presence will be felt by the subconscious
mind, and it will be affected.
Question: How does one
control the conscious mind?
Answer: By the practice of meditation.
Question: And how to control the subconscious mind?
Answer: Meditation or dhyana is one of the
eight steps in Patanjali’s system of yoga. Of these, the first two, yama and
niyama are meant to control the subconscious mind. Unless the principles
of yama and niyama are regularly
practised, no one can succeed in the
control of the conscious mind which gradually leads to the control of the
subconscious mind. Yama includes the universal ethical values:
Non-violence, truth, chastity, non-stealing and non-
possessiveness. Niyama includes purity of body and mind, contentment, reading of healthy, holy literature, austerity, and surrender to God.
possessiveness. Niyama includes purity of body and mind, contentment, reading of healthy, holy literature, austerity, and surrender to God.
Question: But as these are practised consciously, how
do they help in controlling the subconscious?
Answer:
When one systematically practises the conscious control of mind, with intensity
and for long time, it produces Nirodha-samskaras, or impressions of
control. Nirodha means control, restraint, and samskaras
essentially are subconscious impressions. Thus the subconscious mind is
controlled.
Question: Examples?
Answer: When Sri Ramakrishna practised the
renunciation of money, he forcefully impressed upon his mind that money was as
useless as dust since it cannot impart God-realisation. Thinking thus he threw
away a coin and a lump of clay in Ganga. His auto-suggestion was so intense and
the subconscious impression produced on the mind was so deep that later he
could not touch metal, even unconsciously. Even if unknowingly he touched metal
or coin, he felt a burning sensation.
Question: It is said that we, on an average use only
10% of our brain. Is that true?
Answer: We
do not know the exact percentage; but, certainly, we only use a part of our
brain. The rest remains unused.
Question: How can we use greater parts of our brain
and thus become more efficient?
Answer:
Most of our mental energies are wasted due to restlessness. Most of us, at most
times, remain dull or restless. If this mental inertia, or tamoguna can
be removed and the restless mind controlled by leading a systematic life, much
of the energy which is frittered away, can be harnessed.
When the flow of a river is stopped by
a dam, and the water is channelled in a specific direction, and is made to fall
on a turbine, it produces electricity. Similarly, the restless mind must be
controlled by the practice of detachment, Vairagya, and then this mind
must be, through effort, re-directed in only one direction. That is how the
mind is controlled and concentrated. Such a mind even acquires extraordinary
powers. This is mentioned in the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali.
