The Mind Needs To Be Trained

 

“If you think that confusion will clarify itself,

you should understand that samsara is

notorious for being endless.” Gampopa

Our minds have been trained from birth, 

by family, environment and education.

This is the default training we receive

just because we happen to be there.

Our habits and proclivities are the result

of this training, which should be called 

programming or indoctrination rather 

than training. We have little choice in 

the matter.

The training of the mind comes in many

forms. There is military training, scientific 

training, training that focuses the mind on 

different subjects leading to proficiency.

This is training the mind for a specific 

purpose, but has nothing to do with

training the mind itself to see more clearly

and accurately. Training the mind itself

happens through various disciplines: yoga,

meditation, contemplation are among the

important ones.

Training the mind for a specific purpose is 

the same as training a dog to roll over 

or fetch. It has nothing to do with evolving

the mind to a greater level of perception

and wisdom. This has been known in the

East for millennia, but the West has had a

hard time catching on or catching up.

Various mental disciplines have been

introduced to the West since the sixties,

with many people deriving benefit from 

them, but, over all, scientific materialism

remains the religion of developed societies

due to the momentum of the past. Trusting

that science can solve all humanity’s 

problems is just another belief.

An example of the shortcomings of default

training can be exemplified in Ted Kaczynski,

the so called “Unabomber”. Highly educated,

he became a nut case in a cabin in Oregon.

So much for the Renaissance Man.

The confusion endemic in the world today

is exacerbated by the fact that many minds

that are out there are reacting to events 

beyond their comprehension and that 

contradict their rote beliefs. Their minds are

not grounded in reality, though many seem 

to be starting to see through the fog. This is

proof that it’s possible to wake up from

our conditioning.