This is a supplementary text from „How can I bear the suffering?“
Train your mind! Nothing else will get you out of this chaos!
The cause of the concentrated mess in our mind is the mind itself, nowhere else. Not „out there“ in the world. Not with our life partners, with our children, with our parents, our neighbors, our bosses, the politicians…etc.
The suffering happens between the ears, or wherever you imagine the human mind. The tragedy of old age, illness and death also takes place there. Not in the body.
Once again: nothing, absolutely nothing, takes place out there. By nothing and no one.
Mind training, often referred to as mental training in Zen Buddhism, is a central aspect on the path to enlightenment, or awakening. That is nothing other than peace!
It is about taming the mind, freeing it from negative emotions and thought patterns and focusing it on what is essential.
Imagine your mind is like a wild horse. Through mental training we learn to ride and steer the horse.
It is not about suppressing or controlling the mind, but rather observing, understanding and accepting it. And it is about discernment. In concrete terms, mental training can take many forms:
*Meditation*: Through meditation we learn to calm the mind and observe thoughts without letting ourselves be carried away by them. “Sitting in silence”, as we call it in Zen circles, is one of the main training methods.
*Mindfulness:* Being mindful in everyday life means consciously perceiving every moment without judging.
*Ethical action:* An important aspect of mental training is to live according to ethical principles and not to harm other beings.
According to Zen Buddhism, mental training is a lifelong process that requires patience, discipline and dedication. But it is worth it because it leads to inner peace, freedom and happiness.
In the context of “A Course in Miracles,” mind training is about consciously directing and changing thoughts. It is a process in which you learn to see through the illusions of the world and instead focus on the reality of the mind.
Kenneth Wapnick, probably the best-known interpreter of the course, describes mind training in his lectures as “unlearning” false thought patterns that separate us from the experience of love and peace.
An important aspect of mind training is forgiveness, which helps us to let go of resentment and guilt.
In the lessons of the course’s workbook, the student is repeatedly asked to observe and question thoughts. It is about recognizing the voice of the ego and no longer following it.
Here, mind training is explained as a path of transformation that leads us to the realization of our true nature.
In Mary Baker Eddy’s Christian Science, mind training is described as follows:
It is understood as a continuous process of spiritual transformation that enables us to see more and more clearly the reality of God (Pure Mind) and our true self as His image. It is about deteaching our minds from the illusions of the material world and mortal thought and aligning ourselves with spiritual reality.
Mary Baker Eddy writes in Science and Health (p. 4): **“The gaze must be turned away from matter and toward the mind in order to grasp the reality of being and to solve the problems of being.“**
This turning away from matter and toward the mind requires constant vigilance and practice. We must learn to observe our thoughts, identify false beliefs and replace them with spiritual truths.
As in Buddhism, there are several pillars of mental training:
*Study* of the Bible and the book “Science and Health”: Daily study of these two books helps to understand the laws of God (the Pure Spirit) and the true nature of man.
*Prayer*: Through prayer we connect with God and open ourselves to His healing influence.
*Vigilance*: We learn to observe our thoughts and actions and recognize negative patterns.
*Practice*: We apply spiritual truths in our everyday lives and thus experience their transformative power.
A notable aspect of “Christian Science” is the emphasis on the synchronicity of mind and body. If the mind is healthy, so is the body. If the mind is sick, so is the body and the person experiences illness.
Mental training in the Bible:
In the Bible, Romans 12:2 says: „Do not be molded by the transitory things of this world, but be transformed from the inside out by the renewing of your mind. Then you will discern what is the will of God, what is good and perfect and acceptable to Him.“
We notice quite clearly: despite cultural differences and temporal differences, there is agreement that it is the spirit that must be trained if man wants to escape the cycle of human tragedy once and for all.
Here is a poem in the format of a Japanese haiku:
Elevate thoughts,
Find the truth in the spirit,
Experience healing.
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