BANGALORE: Mooji, I am unable to concentrate on the inquiry, I lose focus easily.
Yes, you would rather walk to the moon than inquire into yourself!
My problem is...
Your problem is not the problem. We love our problems and cannot bear to be without them. They are our illegitimate children, demanding so much attention and we readily give it to them. Perhaps we feel bored without them. Who are you without your problems?
Mind makes all this fuss. You are neither the mind nor its activities.
How do I stop the mind?
Don’t stop the mind, leave it be. Ignore it and remain as Self.
It won’t allow me.
Listen to this: A man has been taking driving lessons and can now tackle the main road. One morning, he is driving on the highway alongside his instructor and it begins to rain.
The instructor advises the man to switch on the wind-screen wipers, but as soon as the wipers start moving, the driver’s attention begins to follow them and the car is now swerving from side to side along the road. Other drivers begin tooting their horns thinking the driver is drunk!
“Can we turn the wipers off? They are distracting me,” asks the learner.
“Keep your eyes on the road alone and the wipers will not distract you,” the instructor advises.
“I think I need to at least go to the slow lane,” requests the driver.
“No,” says the instructor firmly. “Only focus on the road.”
“I can’t!” says the man frustrated. “My eyes go involuntarily with their movement. Could we switch them off?”
“No. You must learn to drive with them on,” the instructor points out. “Focus only on the road.”
“But it’s too dangerous! I can’t keep the car straight!” says the man.
“No. Stay focused on the road only, ignore the wipers.”
“But it’s too dangerous! I will crash!” the man exclaims.
Other drivers are now shouting and swearing at the man, “Get off the road, you drunk!”
The rain is now torrential, and the instructor pushes the wipers up to full speed.
“Simply focus on the road alone. Relax.”
The driver, although very anxious, trusts the instructor’s calm voice. Gradually, the car straightens up as the driver is somehow able to hold his attention on the road despite the wipers swishing at full speed. The driver relaxes; now there is no distraction caused by the moving wipers.
It is the same here with you. ‘Focus on the road’ means to stay focused as the neutral observer rather than focusing on your thoughts, surrounding conditions or apparent problems. Remain as the observer. Don’t follow the mind flow. You are not this mind flow. Keep the attention inside the awareness.
What a beautiful example!
The driver did not learn to focus by adopting a technique, by chanting mantras or by practicing yoga and meditation.
He simply trusted his teacher’s advice, applied it, and focus simply happened. Initially, trust, effort and grace are all required for the attention to remain merged in the Self. Now you carry on by doing the same.