When the mind is quiet, there is no conflict. The whole idea is to make the mind quiet.
Situations, people and objects that present themselves to us moment to moment cease to create a disturbance in the mind. When the thoughts are not shaky and disturbed, the words and actions that flow from such a person have the fragrance of clarity and steadiness.
Steady the mind, by whatever means. One of the ways is to go on a yatra. Yatanath Trayate Iti Yatra. Yata is to move. When we go on a Yatra or a pilgrimage, we are forced to move the body and along with it the mind and the intellect within.
When movement and change is consciously experienced in our consciousness and the change is brought by our own actions, rather than being enforced upon us by the world, then that change purifies the mind. A pure mind is free of desires of acquisition in the world outside—anger, hatred, jealousy, arrogance, greed, fear and selfishness.
On a yatra with either people we know or don’t, there is a great opportunity to adjust ourselves to many different characteristics of others. This way, we transcend our limited behaviours and insistence on having things the way we like. We usually get upset because others do not behave the way we want. On a yatra, that mental myth gets busted very often.
Adapting to many situations—hunger, thirst, hot and cold weather conditions—transform the body’s capacity to change and be in tune with the surroundings. Accommodating with others, adjusting to conflicts in our likes and dislikes and adapting to many changes give the mind an excellent opportunity to be still despite different situations and surroundings.
Then the main purpose of the yatra is the place of pilgrimage, which is either a temple or a holy spot with fresh running water, a mountain or an ocean. The status of a place of pilgrimage comes to a place if it has gathered energy over thousands of years.
The energy is gathered and collected when crores of masters have lived there and carried out their meditation and chants. This building up of energy creates a vibrant and massive energy field.
There are some important rules to follow during a yatra. They are to give least thought for physical comforts and sensory enjoyment. Energy should not be wasted in unnecessary conversation on worldly matters.
The whole journey should in fact be a satsang from the word go—chanting the name of the deity you plan to have a darshan by singing songs and chanting together. It is important not to indulge in any fighting among the yatris. On the contrary, a yatra is a great time to expand ourselves in service and help.
With all these precautions, going on a yatra will leave you refreshed and with a change in our thought pattern can influence our actions for the rest of our lifetime.
(www.sharanyachaitanya.blogspot.in)