The Tyranny of Thoughts

This blog is like my meditation cave. I retreat here to dive deeeper into my soul. New Year's Eve is especially a good time to do some deep reflection.

I'm not exactly sure what I will come up with everytime I face this blank screen with my fingers hovering over the keyboard, like a diver poised on the edge of a springboard.

When I was young, curiosity drove me to acquire knowledge. It was my belief that at some point, with sufficient knowledge and intelligence, one gets to understand everything. Reason and logic can overcome any intellectual challenge.

Then as I grew older, I began to realise that the reasoning mind is not everything. There are depths within the mind that are never penetrated by reason. The mind, which has served mankind as the ultimate instrument for exploring the secrets of the universe is the biggest obstacle of all towards enlightenment.

Our preconceptions, our love for ideology and dogma seduce us into believing that we have found the Ultimate Truth when in fact we are like children preoccupied indoors with the latest toys, while the vast world of wonders lie unexplored outside.

Everytime we think, we are already imprisoned by the mind. We fear the cessation of thoughts because we think that the absence of thoughts make us stupid. How wrong we are!

A wise spiritual teacher once said: "Thoughts are wonderful servants but bad masters". How true it is. Thoughts, when they are given free reign, takes over our lives. If I have a new year resolution at all, it has to be this: "To make thoughts my servants". Happy New Year.