How can I get to know my mind better, and what it contains?

Question

I mean, there are stimuli coming from within my body and my brain that I can be aware of, to a certain degree. How can I learn to control my reactions to these inner stimuli, and can I be 'more aware' of them, or even extend my awareness to things that are out of my reach at the moment?

Answer 1

We never learn anything new we just explore what we always had in our mind but we never realised that we have. For example, what made you ask this question? This question obviously did not drop from the skies. It came to your mind due to a perfectly sound reason. It is the fruit of you own possibly unrealised efforts that you have been making for a long time now. What you are asking for is what you are already doing yourself. As a matter of fact you have always done that through out your life.

We learn about our mind only by using it, just the way we learn about life by living. We interact with things, people and our own thoughts and learn constantly. There is no direct way to explore mind given the limited time and resources we have at our disposal in a normal life span of a person. We are like a person in the middle of a deep ocean on a sailboat. There are fathomless depths underneath, and there are vast expanses of unpredictable skies above. We cannot exactly remember where our journey began, and we do not know either where it will eventually end, if it will ever end. We learn along this journey to sail safely through the tumults of rough seas and boisterous wind. In doing so we learn many things about our boat, the ocean, the winds, and this is how we know about ourselves. The rest is unknown. We need to travel with faith and hope, the reason and our knowledge alone will not be sufficient.

This boat is our conscious mind. It is boat because there is an ocean – the universal mind. We can go as far as we like, or as far as we can, we can even increase the size of our boat but as long as it all is in our grasp we can reach places. And soon it is out of our hold we become subservient to the elements and run a risk to be perished. The shores of safety however are never far off. We can always realise that we are not alone. On this perilous journey there are fellow travellers with their own boats, ships and even armadas. We can always learn from each other and inspire each other along. This can even be a fun, as this is here!

Answer 2

Consider for a moment if you will, what if, the mind and you are one of the same?
The content is a reservoir of all you know, all your thoughts and idiosyncrasies, what you refer to as 'me','my' 'self.'
The observer of all this which you call 'I' or 'Me' is also part of the content. But behind all this, your question, and all that you have said to be, is an awareness.
Its always there in the background. Behind all.
It is the factor by which you realise you realise all this, is it not?

Rest into that awareness more and more and simply observe.

Identify not with your thoughts, the content of your mind, feelings all the things that make what you think you are.
Rather identify with the awareness of it all.
Then and only then might you discover for yourself the answer to this excellent question.

Answer 3

Yes, a person has to consciously learn to be a witness to the mind... It comes by learning to set the conditions better... trying to shut of all external disturbances to possible extent, and reducing the input devices (sense organs) to minimum possible level, reducing the fuel to mind ( a little bit of need for bodily rest, that tired feeling, yet not likely to fall asleep), and a relaxed posture. Above all, try not to contribute to thought process, otherwise, the witnessing would get merged into participation.

Answer 4

In order to control your mind - you have to practice self control.
Set some mental or physical exercise and see if you can do it.
For example :
Sit and say "God give me strength wisdom and knowledge to live peacefully" for 20 minutes at a time. After you have practised it for 20 miniutes,increase your concentration and then increase the duration.
Same for physical strength. Jog, Swim, Build Muscles or simply walk.

When you have done what you planned you will get sense of achievement and enhance your will power. I hope I have answered your question.

EnJoy

Answer 5

Try the Zen approach --it will still the mind and allow for Illumined Thought

The road is long and hard and not for everyone, but a good
resource might be:

"Western Approach to Zen"
By; Christmas Gumphreys
ISBN 0-8356-0550-7

Answer 6

To know your mind meditation can help very much. To know yourself in easy way, you can also take help from Tarot. If you are interested, you can check the website http://www.facade.com/tarot/

One way is to use your subconscious mind to get what you want or to become what you want to be. Self-suggestions can really help to change the mind. The book "The power of your subconscious mind" by Joseph Murphy is really a helpful book which contains a lot of examples of how scientists and various other people have used suggestions to get what they want.

Answer 7

What would you do with said control? Expanding awareness... practice. If you see the path you are supposed to take, then practice it. Much like a musician practices their instrument... or a writer practices by writing. Anything is possible... good luck.

Answer 8

Yeah. Try totally blanking out. I do it sometimes when I lay around. I start thinking of all these places I've been and I get so happy my eyes get watery.

Or you could just chill and maybe you'll have a really cool dream. Like one about hot chick vampires.

Answer 9

Above the temples in ancient Greece were inscribed the legend "Man know thyself and you will know the universe" The answer to your question therefore, is to practise honesty, especially self honesty.

Answer 10

While I am not formally a Buddhist, I have found that Vipassana Meditation was the best thing for this.