The Nature of the Mind

By Andreas Mamet
©2006

Many times in my reflections I return to the same point: In the individual’s striving for contact with a Divine Reality, I see the simultaneous inability to look at the nature of one’s own mind. The mindfulness to do so simply is not active. To look at the functioning of one’s own mind, in my opinion, is of pivotal importance. I am convinced that if one were to merely practice observing one’s own mind, the Divine will reveal as a by-product.

If we were to focus on the nature of the mind, we would recognize over and over again the same programs that run through all the mind modalities.
1 “I” am right – they are wrong.
2 “I” know – they don’t.
3 “I” am afraid of what “I” don’t know.

If these underlying programs could be made conscious and thus transcended, this would constitute a revolution in the individual’s life, and consequently it would revolutionize life on this planet.

However, to shift the pointing finger away from the other to oneself, this in itself is a revolutionary move, as it is the move of a maturity that is willing to accept responsibility for one’s life in a much more substantial way.

As things are, our mind is given unintercepted permission to highjack as many identifications as possible. And as said before, the moment the mind highjacks religious/spiritual identifications, it merely gets worse.

Now, “I” know the will of god – and they don’t. Now “I” know yoga and meditation – and they don’t.

To develop an understanding of the programs that are at the base of the functioning of the mind is of awe-inspiring importance, because these programs are responsible for all wars and conflicts, be they between two people or between two nations or cultures. And once these programs are permeated with awareness and we free ourselves from their domination, then it becomes possible for the individual’s consciousness to fall into the heart and let actions arise from there.

To look at the nature of the mind is a solid path of awakening. It requires daily commitment and focus throughout the day, not just during selected times of meditation practice. It is surgery upon oneself, facing the shadow within. It requires looking at those aspects inside we would rather prefer not looking at. In simple words, it is about looking at our inner jerk. We all carry one inside ourselves.

And here is the irony: In our refusal to face our inner jerk, the inner jerk gains more strength and momentum. But if we take a deep breath and generate the full willingness to face the inner jerk – it will disappear and cease to highjack our lives.

The inner jerk is the ultimate terrorist and only by facing it will we overcome the conflicts inside and consequently the conflicts in this world.