Whether it is possible to uncondition the mind?

Answer 1

If you are at all serious, the question whether it is possible to uncondition the mind must be one of the most fundamental. One observes that man, in different parts of the world, with different cultures and social moralities, is very deeply conditioned; he thinks along certain lines, he acts and works according to
pattern. He is related to the present through the background of the past. He has cultivated great knowledge; he has millions of years of experience. All this has conditioned him—education, culture, social morality, propaganda, religion—and to this he has his own particular reaction; the response of another form of conditioning. One has to be sufficiently attentive to see the whole significance of this conditioning, how it divides people, nationally, religiously, socially, linguistically. These divisions are a tremendous barrier, they breed conflict and violence. If one is to live completely at peace, creatively—we will go into the words ‘peace’ and ‘creatively’ presently—if one is to live that way, one must understand this
conditioning which is not only peripheral or superficial; but also very deep, hidden. One has to discover whether the whole structure of this conditioning can be revealed. And when that is discovered, what is one to do, to go beyond it?
If one observes that one is conditioned and says, ‘One can never possibly uncondition the mind’, the problem ends. If you start out with a formula that one will never be unconditioned, all inquiry ceases, one has already resisted and answered the problem and there it ends; then one can only further decorate the conditioning. But if one goes into this fairly deeply and one becomes aware of the whole problem, then what is one to do? How does one respond if this is a
very, very serious challenge and not something that one just brushes aside? If it is something vital and tremendously important in one’s life, what is one’s response?
If you have discovered this conditioning then what is the manner of your observation? Have you observed it for yourself or has somebody told you about it? This is really quite an important uestion to answer. If you have been told about it and you say, ‘Yes, I am conditioned’, then you are responding to a suggestion; it is not real, it is only a verbal concept which you have accepted, with which you agree; that is quite different from the discovery of it for yourself, for then it is tremendously vital and you have the passion to find the way out of it. Have you discovered that you are conditioned because you have inquired, searched and looked into it? If so ‘who’ has discovered it—the observer, the examiner, the analyser? ‘Who’ is observing, examining, analysing the whole mess and the madness that this onditioning is causing in the world? ‘Who’ by observing has discovered the structure of this conditioning and its result? By
observing what is happening, outwardly and inwardly—the conflicts, the wars, the misery, the confusion in oneself and outside oneself (the outside is part of what one is)—by observing this very closely (all over the world this thing is happening) I have discovered that I am conditioned and have found the consequence of this conditioning. So there is the observer who has discovered that he is conditioned, and the question arises: Is the observer different from that which he has observed and discovered, is that something separate from himself? If there is separation, then again there is division and therefore conflict
as to how to overcome this conditioning, how to free oneself from this conditioning, what to do about it and so on. One has to discover whether there are two separate things, two separate movements: the observer and that which is observed. Are they separate? Or is the observer the observed? It is tremendously important to find this out for oneself; if one does, then the whole way one thinks undergoes a complete change. It is a most radical discovery as a result of which the structure of morality, the continuation of knowledge, has, for oneself, quite a different meaning. Find out if you have discovered this for yourself, or whether you have accepted what you have been told as fact, or whether you have discovered this for yourself without any outside agency telling you ‘It is so.’ If it is your discovery, it releases tremendous energy, which before had been wasted in the division between the observer and the observed. The continuation of knowledge (psychological conditioning) in action is the wastage of energy. Knowledge has been gathered by the observer, and the
observer uses that knowledge in action, but that knowledge is divided from action; hence here is conflict. And the entity that holds this knowledge—which is essentially his conditioning—is the observer. One must discover this basic principle for oneself; it is a principle, not something fixed; it is a reality which can never be questioned again. What happens to a mind that has discovered this truth, this simple fact, that the observer is the observed—psychologically speaking? If this is discovered, what takes place to the quality of the mind—which has for so long been conditioned by its concepts of the Higher Self or the soul as something divided from the body? If this discovery does not open the door to freedom it has no meaning; it is still just another intellectual notion, leading nowhere. But if it is an actual discovery, an actual reality, then there must be freedom, which is not the freedom to do what you like or the freedom to fulfil, to become, to decide, or the freedom to think what you like and act as you wish. Does a free mind choose? Choice implies decision between this and that; but what is the need of any choice at all? (Please, sirs, these are not verbal statements; we have to go into it, we have to live it daily and then will be found the beauty of it, the vigour, the passion, intensity of it.) Choice implies decision; decision is the action of will; who is the entity that exercises will to do this or that? Please follow this carefully. If the observer is the observed, what need is
there for decision at all? When there is any form of decision (psychologically), depending on choice, it indicates a mind that is confused. A mind that sees very clearly does not choose, there is only action; the lack of clarity comes into being when there is division between the observer and the observed.

Answer 2

Yes, very much. Every person's mind is routinely conditioned from birth, mostly by imposed points of view or observed point of view.

A very few only start questioning things some time latter in their lifes. They stand a chance to uncondition their mind.

Actually what I believe as the real meaning of your question is, is it possible to uncondition the conditioned conciousness or Atman or the Self, that is supreme: That exist everywhere and in everyone: That is covered by so many other layes.

In effect unconditioning the mind leads you on the path of Self realisation, or brings out the Divinity in you.

Answer 3

It's extremelly hard to do; although it is possible. I personnally am getting closer and closer to realizing this truth.

See there are a lot of things that I believe I can do that some remote part of me doesn't believe to be possible so I can't do these things. However I have gotten over some barriers (mostly in the psychic area). However I still can not walk on water, lift mountians, heal the sick when I want to (I can only heal the sick when I'm led to that person by a force I can't describe), ect. ect.

So far I can really only read minds; read past, present, and future; make items shake a tad (still working on it), enter my own mind, out of body stuff, and like I was mentioning earlier heal when led.

See I live by the motto you can do anything with faith the size of a mustard seed. I'm trying to prove it right.

Don't be worried about the abilities I have learnt. For instance I only read people if they ask me to.

Answer 4

YES

Example:

I am a Marine. Act without question was dirlled into my thinking. After things fell apart several times I learned to question things in my pre-opperations meetings. My mind was unconditioned by observing reality.

Answer 5

yes, it is possible.

it is first necessary to understand what is mind.

is mind part of body, or is it separate from it. without first understanding mind, we can't talk of unconditioning it. because without understanding mind, it is 'mind' is just a word.

the way to understand mind - is to understand in ourselves what mind does - and how it does. observing it keenly. as i observe it keenly - i see its activities are - to select/choose in some expectation. i also observe that i don't do any mind-less actions. in other words - the mind is there behind all of my actions. whether prejudiced or unprejudiced. absence of mind is death. a dead body has absence of mind (but brain is there).

the need for unconditioning mind - is because one is tired of its waywardness. one wants it to stay still and quiet. putting restrictions on oneself for controlling mind don't work for long. controlling doesn't lead to unconditioning. unconditioned mind is a well-behaved mind. it is possible to have a well-behaved mind by understanding existence. the order of existence - which is co-existence. in the existence - 'I' am also included, so understanding myself. and then understanding how i should conduct myself in existence. This will lead to a unconditioned or well-behaved mind.

Answer 6

Yes, but it takes a long time if you are in an evironment where everyone around you is immersed in a particular dogma and reinforcing it in each other it's hard to escape...but there is always a door in that wall...make sure you find it, walk through it and walk away! for a time anyway and give yourself some space to think your own thoughts.

Answer 7

Love is the answer to everything. All you ever need is love,
communication and understanding. That's what I figured out so
far. If you are down, you need to get up and start doing something with
your life. Don't need to be shy, be straight forward and allways say what
you want and expect from the others.

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Answer 8

It is possible. It took about six years of constant work at it for me to finally break through my pre-programmed thought processes, but after that point it's become much easier.

Answer 9

i think so....people are creature of habit so what i do is never keep a routine... my partner has the same routine day after day.. sockes here... wallet there..sleep at 10.. up at half 7....life shouldnt be on a schedule......

Answer 10

only by the one that owns the mind.