The inner battle between mind and intellect

By Jaya Row

The Gita is not just a scripture of bygone ages; it is a scientific manual that helps manage the most sophisticated equipment known to humankind – the inner personality. It enables you to attain the three things every person longs for: material success, inner happiness, and growth to your potential. Prosperity and happiness often seem mutually exclusive. And tapping into your potential seems like a far cry. Gita seamlessly blends all three to make for a fulfilling life.

Within each of us, an inner battle is constantly raging – between the mind and the intellect, between impulse and clarity. The heart urges you to hit the snooze button; the head nudges you towards your morning exercise. The mind tempts you to the dessert counter; the intellect directs you to the salad bar. This conflict has existed since time immemorial. Which one do you follow? While it is enticing to follow the mind, it invariably leads you up the garden path. On the other hand, the intellect seems to take you to boring avenues. Who wants to study when a captivating movie beckons? Is there a way to have your cake and eat it, too?

Gita provides the answer: strengthen your intellect. Pass every impulse through the filter of the intellect. A powerful intellect doesn’t deprive you of enjoyment – it guides you to enhanced gratification. The intellect will analyse the situation and allow unhindered enjoyment at most times but caution you when it comes in the way of your own interests. For instance, it is perfectly okay to party after an important exam but not the day before! However, when the mind overpowers the intellect, you sacrifice a lifetime of happiness for a few hours of indulgence.

The next essential ingredient for success is a calm mind. A quiet mind sharpens the intellect, enabling brilliant action. When the mind is agitated, even the most learned person fumbles.

What disturbs the mind?

Obsession with oneself. Think of yourself, and you are agitated. Unchecked desire is the root of sorrow, intensified today by relentless marketing and advertising. Only a vigilant intellect can keep desire in check. Shift your focus from taking to giving, from profiteering to contributing. Feel grateful for all that you have been blessed with, not one or two things you do not have.

When the mind is serene, excellence flows naturally. Gita speaks of perfection in action , born of selflessness. Self-centredness leads to mediocrity. The most successful people were inspired by higher goals beyond self. Don Bradman did not play for money but for the sheer love of the game. Ustad Bismillah Khan was totally dedicated to music. Rabindranath Tagore did not seek the Nobel Prize. When you understand that your talent is a gift bestowed on you by a divine Force, you offer your actions in thanksgiving to the very entity. This makes for Perfection. Then you achieve the impossible.

The highest teaching of Gita is the vision of oneness. Open your heart to the power of unity when the illusion of separateness seems more real. Feel the divine energy within you reflected in everyone around you. Then all feelings of separateness vanish. Unity transforms drudgery to revelry. It builds powerful teams, multiplies happiness, and helps you grow into a towering personality.

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