Overcoming the mind-intellect gap

If we achieve the alignment between the mind and the intellect through yoga, we can utilise our faculties and resources optimally and achieve great progress in life, 
The mind being the reign of the senses holds control over them and can take the senses in the progressive direction.
The mind being the reign of the senses holds control over them and can take the senses in the progressive direction.

The human being is a complex organism. Apart from the physical body, it consists of subtle entities—the mind, intellect, ego and the soul. According to Kathopanishad, the human being can be metaphorically compared to a chariot driven by horses. The body of the chariot corresponds to the gross physical body of the human being. The horses propelling the chariot correspond to the human senses. The bridle ropes of the horses represent the human mind and the charioteer holding the bridle ropes is the equivalent of human intellect. The owner of the chariot instructing the charioteer represents the human soul. 

It follows from the above metaphorical explanation that the traveller of the life journey path or the owner of the body chariot is the human self or soul and it directs the intellect to take it in the desired direction. The direction may be right leading to human fulfillment and happiness or wrong leading to failure, despair and sorrow. This direction depends on the knowledge harboured by the soul. Right knowledge invariably helps in attaining success, freedom and fulfillment. But the horses are loose and wayward, and seek the external objects of desire. The senses behave similarly in the case of human being. They are excitable, errant, running loose after the objects of desire in the attractive world of glam. The mind being the reign of the senses holds control over them and can take the senses in the progressive direction. 

But the mind itself is in control of the intellect drawing comparison with the chariot example where the charioteer holds the reign of the horses. Hence the role of the intellect is of paramount importance in the human journey. But the intellect too does not work on its own. It gets command from the self or soul. The knowledge held by the soul is a factor in progressive journey of the human being. But whether this knowledge is used or not is the more important factor. This usage depends on other attributes of the self like self-control or will power. It also depends on faith in and connection with the universal divine power, God. To sum it up all, the attributes of the human self that are in the nature of its resoluteness in dharma (righteousness) decide how well it will use its intellect and mind for its benefit. This is the essence of life philosophy. 

Complete use of the human intellect connotes complete alignment of the intellect with the mind or, in other words, no gap between the mind and the intellect. In that case, the mind and the senses controlled by it will work in accordance with the intellect, never disobeying it. And if the intellect is enlightened with the elements of dharma, continuous progress of the human being is assured. 

Overcoming the gap between the mind and the intellect is the most important training regimen for the human being. Ashtang yog is the tool for such training. When most of the ordinary human beings talk of their mental weaknesses that do not allow them to implement progressive principles in their lives, in spite of having a full knowledge of these principles, it only points at the gap between their minds and intellects. This is what happened to the action hero of the battle of Mahabharata—Arjun—at the battlefield. He also expressed helplessness to his mentor Krishna in controlling the mind. When the human being closes this gap between the mind and the intellect, and equips himself with the eternal divine knowledge base of the Vedas, he becomes a complete achiever and a fit candidate for attaining salvation in this lifetime. 

Human life is continuous saga of alignment between the mind and the intellect. If we achieve it through yoga, we can utilise our faculties and resources optimally and achieve great progress, fulfilling our mundane desires all the way though the application of life-elevating threads of knowledge. This mind-intellect alignment is the practical key to human perfection and liberation.

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