Your world, a prism of your thoughts!

You are characterized by your ability to think. To think and act. You are a bundle of thoughts. Thoughts of different kind.
We see the world not the way it is, but the way we THINK it is.
Our world is seen through the prism of our thoughts. To see things the way they are and not the way we want is the challenge. For this we need to possess a strong Intellect. Our prime possession among many things is our INTELLECT.

So what is Intellect? You think you can define that? Does Intelligence come to your mind when I say Intellect? Well, Intelligence is different from Intellect. Intelligence is gross in nature. Intellect is more subtle. You need intelligence to solve a puzzle. You need intelligence to learn calculus. You need intelligence to write code. But you need INTELLECT to guide your mind. Intellect is different from Intelligence.

To know more, let us know a few things about our thoughts. Essentially, we can classify our thoughts into 4 types:

1. The thought of the Mind (Manaha)
2. The thought of the Intellect (Buddhi)
3. The thought of Memory (Chitham)
4. The thought of Self-form (Ahankara)

The beautiful thing about our thoughts is they come in plenty. Almost continuously. So, we are always thinking. This is also a problem. Do not worry about your thoughts (in fact, worry by itself is a thought). Do not control your thoughts. Simply, observe your thoughts.

The next thought in your mind might be - "But, why do I need to observe?"

Observe to know what is the actual thought. The type of the thought. You will know your prism really well. You will see that the world is indeed what you see through the prism.

Let me throw more light.

1. The thought of mind (what we call as simply the Mind)

is the thought that is driven by our senses - the sense organs. This thought is a result of some stimulus from our sense organs. This thought has a very unique property. 'It is wavering in nature'.

This thought says 'I feel like eating'. Immediately, the next thought of the mind is 'Should I eat or not eat?'. Now this wavering continues for some short time or for some prolonged period of time. This wavering goes on and on. So when you get such a thought resulting out of such a stimulus, know it as the thought of mind.

2. The thought of Intellect (what we call as Buddhi)

is the thought that decides your action. The property of this thought is its 'Decision-making' ability. To decide 'whether to eat or not to eat' is the thought of the Intellect. To eat (when you are hungry) or to abstain when you are not hungry, you need the Intellect to decide. When your Intellect is weak, then your mind wins over it. It influences it. Your Intellect succumbs to your Mind. And there we go, at the mercy of mind. But still, the thought of mind cannot decide. It is the Intellect that decides. Even if it succumbs to the dictates of mind, the thought that decides is still the Intellect. So every time you make a decision, know that you have used your Intellect. Observe your thoughts to know if your mind wins the battle or the Intellect keeps it at bay. A sharp Intellect is needed to not get swayed by the mind.

3. The thought of Memory (what we call as Chitham)

has the wonderful property of randomness. These thoughts are random thoughts which arise from the impressions created in our memory. There are no reasons for this randomness other than the fact that this thought is random in nature. Many related and unrelated thoughts from the past are experienced by us. The thought about the future also has its roots in our impressions about the past. We cannot think about what we know not exists. So even the thought about future is driven by the memory of past. So know such thoughts as the thought of memory. Observe, and you will know how much you are in the present.

4. The thought of Self-Form (what we call as Ahankara)

is so very difficult to translate. This means Aham (I) and kara (Form). The thought associated with the role I think I am. Let me bring in some clarity. When you say I am a Father, it is a role that your 'I' assumes. When you say that you are an entrepreneur, a doctor, a teacher, a listener, or any other such thing, you are only thinking about the form you are assuming as you. This thought is the thought of Ahankara. This thought makes you believe that at that point in time of the thought you are the role that you have assumed.

Now, as we understand the different types of thoughts, we start understanding more about our thoughts. We start observing them.

If you are living in the present, the thought of Chitham (memory) does not frequent you as much as otherwise. When you are driven by your sensory pleasures, your thought of the mind assumes highest frequencies.

It is important to know that our Intellect needs to be in control of the other thoughts. It is the Intellect that helps you to revisit your presence (ironically, we revisit as we struggle to be here always). It is your Intellect that tames the mind. It is the Intellect that makes you realize that it is not bad after all, if you were asked to come in the queue even if you happen to think that you are the Celebrity. In fact, it reminds you that this is only a role and not the true you. May be the next time around we will stop feeling offended or elated because of the response we receive from the world to the role that we assume. We are guided by our Intellect to not take the Ahankara (the thought of the form) very seriously.

So while I.Q., as a measure of Intelligence, is taken far too seriously, it would be more appropriate to measure our Intellectual Quotient. This is more critical.

The final realization that needs dawn upon us is as much as Intellect is a nice thing to possess, it is still something that WE possess. We should not be possessed by our thoughts. It is so beautifully said that these four thoughts are our AntahKaranam. Antah - means Inner, and Karanam - means Instrument.

So essentially all these four types of thoughts are the instruments that we use within. It is like using a pen. To write efficiently, we need to hold the pen and take charge of the pen. If the pen has a mind of its own and starts writing, we cannot write what we wish to. Then, the pen is no longer an instrument that is in our control - an instrument that we wish to use the way we need to use. Similary, we need to realize that the thoughts are simply an instrument. We need to be in control of them and not the other way round. Are we really in control of these instruments? Or are we the instruments of these thoughts? Let us give it a thought.

If we are indeed using our thoughts like the way we use the instruments, then the highest guiding thought needs to be the Intellect. If you are constantly using your Intellect, free from the bondage of the mind and its vicious tantrums, then we can say that we are indeed using them like AntahKaranam (internal instruments).

If we realize this, then we may also realize that we currently see the world not the way it is, but the way we wish to see it - the way we think it is. To see the way it truly is needs a sharp Intellect. And whosoever believes that he has no Intelligence, does not realize that he constantly uses a tool more subtle and more powerful known as the Intellect. Intelligence is just a gross characteristic. Having high I.Qs without the Highest Intellectual Quotient (the right term is Spiritual Quotient) is of no use. Intelligence cannot guarantee happiness. Intellect does. To see things the way they are without influences of Raaga (likes) and Dwesha (dislikes) is to see the world the way it is and not through our prism of thoughts.

This stage should be the ultimate goal of each individual. This has nothing do with our religious beliefs. This transcends the rituals and heads straight into Spiritual growth. As is the case with everything else, only Knowledge can guarantee bliss. And a guru imparts this knowledge.

These are words straight from my master. And I am only the medium.