LAWS OF MIND (W.M.M. - 8)

Excerpts from book: WHAT MIND MEANS (Author Swami Vijnananand, Manashakti publication).

Chapter 8 - Sleep and Dream Reveal Laws of Mind

1.  Since so far, we have discussed and provided the proof, no rational should hesitate to get convinced about the non-material nature of mind. It would be now worth to understand the Laws of Mind.

These laws will be useful for all of us to understand the rights and responsibilities to which we (as mind) are entitled. If we look around carefully, we get ample hints to observe how Nature fails to guard the Magna Charta (fundamental rights and liberties) of mind.

They are (a) solitude (living alone) (b) Sleep and (C) dreams.

2. Sleep proves Mind independent of body.

Pavlov theory about sleep is taken as a basis to illustrate this point.

Pavlov distinguished sleep in three parts, viz. total, partial and broken up. A section of cerebral cortex called ‘sentry post’ by Pavlov remains awake in the state of partial sleep. Person goes to sleep in night and wakes up in the morning at pre-decided time. This is possible because of the awakening of ‘sentry post’ in partial sleep. When the sleeping effect also covers this ‘waking cortex’ (i.e. sentry post) then there is partial sleep converted in a total sleep.  If this is so, it means that during total sleep no cell of the brain is excluded out of sleep. How then we return to agile (active) activity? To this Pavlov says, “The waking state is maintained by more or less rapidly changing stimuli acting on the cerebral hemispheres mainly from the external world”. What is this stimulus in the external world? And when and how it is available? When it is absent?

For example, a tired person goes to sleep at 7.00 pm then at 4.00 am he will naturally wake up as his sleep duration will be over. At calm and quite morning at 4.00 a.m. which external stimuli wakes him up while all the other members in his home could be in deep sleep?

So this can’t be any external stimuli but it ought to be the internal stimuli which springs to operate and awakes the person. That stimuli (capable of acting when ‘all’ brain cells remain passive) cannot but be non-material and we seek Pavlov granting us a form to reward it the title ‘mind’.

3) Mind controls matter in hypnotic state or partial sleep.

In the hypnotized sleep or suggested sleep we have to carefully look at the hypnotizer’s order to the subject to go to sleep. No command like “go to total sleep or maintain speech contact after sleep” was given. No doubt, in his own mind the hypnotizer did issue these instructions. Does it not then obviously establish that un-uttered intentions of the hypnotizer have, in this case, passed on to the subject. It self-evidently proves how the hypnotized person’s mind independent of matter, took active part in the process. If ‘matter’ was be-all, end-all, the subject would have slept like a dormouse (squirrel) as directed, without additions or subtractions by instinct, right or wrong.

4) Mind is always alert, also in sleep, suggested dreams prove. In a short nap (afternoon sleep), the mind comparatively and perhaps willingly slackens its closely tied authority over body. However, till the organism is alive, body and mind are never distinctly divorced. The discussion on total sleep above has already, though partly, set the question at rest. Moreover, suggested dreams show clearly this fact with still firm convictions. True, that dreams cannot be suggested at will, but in a no way, it diminishes the amazing significance attachable to the suggested dreams. As early as 1925, Russian experts have used medicine of suggested dreams in their cure therapy.

(5) Quite Mind has greatest strength. Normally, each day ends in exhaustion and fatigue. This exhaustion is reduced bit by bit during night sleep. Eight hours sound sleep takes care of energy of 16 hours’ work during the day. Inactive state each night inherit rather inject in us blessing ability to enjoy. Accumulation of potential to enjoy stems from relaxation of bonds between psyche (mind) and soma (body) purposive silence (meditation) and sound sleep apparently confer power, both to fight the battle of life and to enjoy excitement of emotions.

(6) Emotionlessness offers greater bliss: Body not necessary to enjoy

Just calmly and thoroughly consider following. When do you indulge (allow yourself to follow your will) in unimaginable delight?  This is best done only in sound sleep. For rest of the day, your conception of happiness is subjective, relative, comparative and plastic. In serene (peaceful, calm) sleep, it is absolute (complete, perfect).

(7) Dreams indicate: We may suffer without body.

In unsound sleep, body also undergoes dangerous experience as much as thoughts (emotions) physically affect the body. In a deep trance (half conscious sleep between sleeping and awakening), I climb the towering Empire State Building and through myself beneath, my palpitation is accelerated. This happens though my limbs are actually relaxed in my bed. Obviously though mind has chosen to hop over the top of the structure while the other end (mind’s other end) is retained in the material body for the production of appropriate representative repercussions. With this we see a rational inference (conclusion) about minds capacity to drink with pleasure the bitter cup where material flesh is not an absolute requirement. Inferentially, though not conclusively, after-life notions conceived by various faiths (religious) may be true to the extent to which it is deciphered (said/meant) that in after-life, mind is conditioned to extreme agony (extreme, prolonged sufferings) in proportion to its carefree carving. During the life suffering in dreams of cause make marking on body.

(8) Hypnotism, Dreams partial capacity of Mind to go out of body.

Explanation in point 3 above throw light on mind’s restricted ability to go out of physical frame. A thought, though unspoken, can reach other subject and impel him to act. Similarly, it can be said with confidence (asserted) from the paint 7 above that suggested dream put the subject (body) under disturbing/damaging influence and induce mind to spin out (to resolve or rotate rapidly) in the free space of the unfathomable cosmos.

(9) Mind can peep (look partially) into future.

Hypnotic suggestions that work successfully and dreams that come true suggest mind’s capacity to probe into future. Yet this point needs further consideration.

Chapter 9 – Health, Mind and its laws

1)  Truth is frequently stranger than fiction. We consider every disease as physical (related to body). But it is derived (created) from the ‘mind’, which is beyond our world of imagination and understanding. For many centuries the dead bodies (mummies?) are kept in the pyramids in the Egypt. But no studious historian or any person has every reported them taking an infection of influenza, black plague, yellow fever, small pox, cholera, cancer or T-B.  After death, the mind (or life or soul, etc.) makes the (dead) body invalid and passes on to the next adventure (i.e. normally called as rebirth). The body (the one like in Pyramid) never tends to develop any disease after suffering the unbearable tumor of death.

2) The key stone (Base or backbone) of the argument in short is as follows: 

The effects of mind when attached to matter on its own are measurable at a given moment. Resting on this premise (logic) we (S.V.) have described our theory in the four books. One of the major surmises (inference without strong evidence) can be produced in a concise (brief but comprehensive) form:

Emotion = observable Motion (Pulse Variation PV or EEG potentials)

Disease = Observable Motion (     - do -                  )

Therefore 

Emotion = Disease i.e. E = D

Truth: Mind hits body (Desires make body to act i.e. create motion in body for ease i.e. pleasure). In pursuance of the laws of motion as the reaction is equal and opposite, the mind craving for ease earns disease, (not immediately but) after potential capacity of the concerned metabolism (in body) to store disease (i.e. anti-motion created by the hit of desire – emotions) reaches its peak limit. Lastly, it was codified as under:

In truth, there is no emotional outburst. Untruth causes emotions (outburst to the extent of untruth).

Emotions cause disease.

Untruth causes un-ease (disease)

Truth causes ease

(Ease is comparative see question ‘3’ below)

3. In order to understand manifestation (outward perceptible indication) of mind in terms of laws of motion and its relation to health (or happiness), we need to find out answers to following eight questions:

Q.1 – How many gradations has mind like conscious, sub-conscious, Universal and so on ….?

Q.2 – Does mind observe the laws of motion?
Q.3 – If emotion is disease in minute form, should not its reaction bring in ease in obedience to Laws of motion?

Q.4 – Is mind itself machine in the normal sense?

Q.5 – How does mind act while related to body?

Q.6 – Does mind survive after death?

Q.7 – Does not method of auto suggestion subscribe to the view that mind is separate entity?

Q.8 – Can brain be compared to telephone system?

3a) Q.1 – How many gradations of mind exist? 

Mind, reflects obedience to the Laws of Matter at all times and without exception. If the mind resists openly (defies) these laws or it can elude (speedily avoid) them, it must be non-matter to that extent (under reference are laws of matter, limiting speed of matter). No scientist can dis-agree the above statements. May be, in the days to come, improved understanding of nature, will reveal variation of minds. It is conceivable that notion of impurity in mind itself implies sub-division of the mind-entity. Yet it remains a probability at each level a personal lemma (view). Detailed description of mind as advanced by some great spiritualists can never be blindly accepted, nor on the other hand can it be summarily rejected. An unbiased rationalist remains contended to accept. Mind exists independent of matter.

It gives birth to motion (relatively accelerated motion) yet minds unbelievable (strength, ability and characteristics) pre-potency lies in consciously adopted passive (visible/ inactive) state.

Existence of man (birth of human being) is for reasserting these facts and surrendering attachment to the matter. One can trace the links of mind till logic allows. Going beyond is neither necessary, nor possible. For closely understanding the Laws of Nature, it is not necessary to attach fertile fancy imagination to the Nature. (Mind need not be classified further. At least, at this stage)

3b) Q.2 Does mind obey the laws of motion?

Yes. Causality is applicable. Mind motivates body (induces motion in body/disturbs its inertia) which being matter has to abide Laws of Motion. Nobody has explored the mighty mind yet. In the present context, it is futile to imagine its behavior and laws in details after the death or prior to birth. Hardly anything (except/beyond) its bare existence before the birth and after the death can be guessed. Here we are concerned with the mind essentially after its voluntary attachment to matter (body) which is during the life. More particularly with the consideration of health and cure of the serious ailments (diseases) (Refer Book Cure without Medicine, Chapter 8 to 11 for the details).

Scientists do not reject ‘causality’ in one voice. (There may be objection or reservation from same section of scientists) Marxists scientists, Einstein and Plank all support the principle of causality.

In any case, the laws of motion certainly apply in lesser velocities with which we are concerned while considering relation between mind and health or when humanity broods over its 'happiness'. Except nuclear physics which has raised some doubts about the quantum of effect, no thinker worth the name argues that cause produces no effect at all.

Some biologists consider Laws of Physics (Law of Motion included) do not apply to ‘Living’. This hypothesis pre-supposes following:

·         Property of ‘Life’ (mind) beyond the scope of physics.

·         Physics deals with matter and when its laws fail to operate the entity involved in consideration has to be non-matter (mind).

·         The section of scientist who accept effect on body matter to be measure of mind.

For our purpose it is sufficient to emphasis that mind motivates body and the latter (body) abides by laws of Motion.

3c) Q.3 – If mind obeys laws of motion and emotion is a ‘disease’ how can its resultant be also disease. It should give ease following the premise of ‘equal and opposite’.

a) In emotion the mind is notionally at ease in a sense that without revealing that emotional warmth (earnestness) the mind tends to be ‘more’ uneasy. Mind exercises its option (with / without emotions) in favor of nearest route and clings itself to the emotional outburst, to enjoy ease (Ferment's principle of least action).

b) If the material, cell-knit body is assumed to be subjected to motion, distinct from mind, the proposition becomes more or less disentangled (simplified). In such a hypothesis the latter motion that is of mind acts on the former. Reaction on matter in this process is and ought to be bound by laws of motion. In effect the process becomes measure of mind's motion at a given moment.

c)  Both body and mind are in ceaseless motion. Over and above, the former (body) acts under the spell of inherent molecular motion (the body’s cells are made of molecules, which are always in motion) on top of it; is a motion derived from minds motivation. (This means body has three motions – (i) its own organs (for ex. Pulse, heart, brain etc.), (ii) its molecules, and (iii) imposed motion by mind - emotions).

Imagine or believe for a moment that body stays clean (of mind) from the scene. Mind initiates to action itself at the dictate of emotion will duly return to its state of inertia. (Here emotion assumes causal value of mind's brisk activity not necessarily as a different entity; as in steam engine, though steam, as well as engine, are material entities, the first becomes cause of activating the second). Utility of simile is limited. It has already been asserted and asseverated (stated categorically) how mind and matter fundamentally have different properties. Mind set into action cannot indefinitely continue to keep going assuming body obliterates itself (destroyed completely).

Consider an arrow is targeted at a tree and travelling with speed. Even though it misses the aim of tree, still at certain point after its journey the arrow will stop its travel and come to halt. The weakening of motion is attributed to gravitation and atmospheric resistance. Whatever it may be, the fact is certain that a given motion can never continue to be in the same velocity for an indefinite time, and though in its route it may suddenly and temporarily tend to accelerate, it must in due course put on the drag. In short, mind dashing itself on and creating a "fresh" motion for ease, even in the absence of the cell-spun body, at a given stage it would by itself turn into "disease". It cannot be otherwise till "law of force" operates or the law of contradiction remains valid.

In the absence of body too, mind’s irritation certainly would tend to diminish. The retardation quickens due to the ubieties (the property of having a definite location at any given time) of mind. Apparently then, with or without bodily bonds, mind is also loaded with the burden of inner monitoring law of ‘equal and opposite’.

Inherent contradictions of mind: Suppose the ‘Belly God’ feels hungry and has a special liking for chocolates. While eating first few chocolates will be ease, after consuming two dozen cakes of chocolate, he would develop a dislike for chocolates, only temporarily. Eventually, the pampered (excessively cared) will eat other dishes without hesitation or complaint. Had tongue alone (body alone) the choice of liking, there is no reason why the tissues on tongue grow dislike as such. Obviously the ‘dislike’ is to be attributable to mind alone much the same as like. This example shows clearly the internal inevitable contradiction.

(d)  Point (a) establishes that initiative action must be taken to make us comparatively ‘easy’. The moment you accept even unwillingly to the ‘guess’ and insist that in ‘anger’ or (in any emotion) the mind is not ‘easy’ your game is over. You are contradicting yourself. Because once you feel that there is no ‘ease’ in being greedy or affectionate why do you become greedy or affectionate? It is in your hand not to be so. On the other hand, the moment you agree with me (the author) that in emotions dwells the ‘germ’ of disease, you inadvertently agree with the equation, E=D

3(d) Q.4 – If man is a machine, why should he develop disease?

Man is not a machine. Man = Mind + Body (Non-matter + Matter). The body being material accepts the laws of motion. A misgiving is often generated that it strikingly resembles machine. Without the spark of mind, it would be same as machine. Attempts to create mechanical brain have not gone beyond a limit. It is not yet possible to synthesis the first live cell. Whether brains gifted with talent and well advanced and competent discretion comparable to man’s brain can be created artificially? There is no answer to this question.

The machine can’t be on pins and needles (to be nervously waiting to see what is going to happen) nor would it be delighted on its reaching a clue (getting guide to solve problem). Consequently, it would have no ease or disease and so no ill health on that account. Machines need fuel and best quality fuel would be sufficient for its purpose. For a man mere quantity, quality and calories are hardly sufficient.  He hankers (has strong often restless desire) after a good cheer, agreeable surroundings and number of other factors to make him appreciate his bait (allurement), breakfast (food) and banquet (feast, lavish meal). Sense of affection and affliction (suffering, a state of grief) draws a line between machine and living organism. Once the inborn inherent mover embarks in the steam of life (i.e. mind chooses to get associated with body i.e. the moment of conception), it implies death, which is accelerated by emotional characteristic, habit, mannerism, or the like, that is peculiar to an individual.

Obviously, a living organism purchases death instead of eternal life. Extra motion of emotion allures (attract) him. Emotional mind in turn differentiates men from machine and becomes final traceable cause of his death.

Having seen some of the important features of mind; we shall try to understand the mind-body relationship in the next article based on the excerpts of the book “WHAT MIND MEANS”. (To be continued)

(Note: This is an attempt to make reader friendly interpretation of the book “WHAT MIND MEANS” based on my perception. Readers are requested to refer to the original book to cross check their understanding.)

Vijay R. Joshi.