Many people confuse the mind with the soul because both are
inside. However, the soul and the mind differ cognitively, constitutionally and
functionally. Cognitively, the soul is the root of consciousness, whereas the
mind is the route of consciousness. The consciousness coming from the soul is
passed through the mind to the outer world. So wherever our mind goes, that’s
what we become conscious of.
Constitutionally, the soul is spiritual, whereas the mind is
material, albeit subtle material. Functionally, the soul is the reservoir of
purity, being a part of Krishna. But the mind is the reservoir of impressions,
most of which are mundane and impure. Why? Because these impressions have come
from our past actions most of which have been material and sensual, even
immoral.
Presently, our inner feelings come largely from the mind,
whose materialistic impressions usually give rise to mundane feelings.
As long as we don’t realize our spiritual identity, we stay
uprooted, being disconnected from our spiritual essence. And even when we want
to be spiritual such disconnection continues if we mistake the mind to be the
soul and assume whatever we feel internally is spiritual. Presently, our inner
feelings come largely from the mind, whose materialistic impressions usually
give rise to mundane feelings. So if we let our feelings determine our actions,
then we will practice spiritualty only occasionally, whenever the fickle mind
temporary likes spiritual activities. Practicing spirituality erratically won’t
make us self-realized, just as taking medicines erratically won’t make a
patient healthy.The Bhagavad-gita (06.07) indicates that we can attain the
spiritual platform only when we conquer the mind. Conquering the mind includes
of course overcoming the illusion induced by the mind that it is the same as
the soul. When we let scripture guide our inner quest, we go undistractedly
beyond the route to the root – we progressively realize the self and relish its
eternal ecstatic nature.
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