Reduce mental chatter – The Hindu

The mind is a relentless stream of thoughts, continuously wandering and jumping from one idea to another. To achieve spiritual growth and inner peace, it is essential to curtail this wandering mind. Mind-body alignment (MBA), a crucial aspect of spiritual practice, requires being present in the moment, aligning one’s thoughts and actions, said Swami Mitranandaji.

According to psychiatry, the mind generates approximately 60,000 thoughts daily. Reducing this mental chatter is vital for mental clarity and focus. Lord Krishna’s advice in the Bhagavad Gota, (Chapter VI, verse 26), offers a practical solution: yato yato nishcharati manash chanchalam asthiam tatas tato niyamyaitad atmanyeva vasham nayet. Whenever the mind wanders, bring it back and focus it on the goal. To practice this, one must incorporate mindfulness into daily activities. Perform everyday tasks such as brushing teeth, drinking water or tying shoelaces with conscious awareness. By doing so, you will bring your mind and body into alignment, reducing mental distractions. To achieve this, one should start with a list of 10 daily activities, doing each one mindfully. As one cultivate this habit, one will find one’s mind becoming more focused and calm.

By following Krishna’s advice and practising mindfulness, one can quiet the ever-churning mind and achieve a state of inner peace. Regular practice will help one stay in the present, reducing wanderings of the mind and increasing mental clarity. When one masters this technique, one will find oneself better equipped in life and reap the benefits of a more focused, calm and peaceful mind.