Beyond Boundaries 2007 Conference

Swamini Vimalananda

Not sure what to expect of Lift Yourself? Below is an article on last years conference entitled Beyond Boundaries which should give you an idea. Below that are some Capsules of Wisdom: excerpts from one of Swaminiji's lectures last year.

Why do I do what I do?

It may seem like a bizarre question to which the answer should be obvious - but for most of us it isn't. Prompted by such enquiry, over two-hundred students and young professionals ditched the Sunday paper and Eastenders omnibus on 23rd September, and instead chose to spend a day ruminating over fundamental life-steering questions guided by the wisdom of senior and dynamic Chinmaya Mission Acharyas.

There was a unique atmosphere at the one-day youth conference from the start. The warmth of the volunteers and delegates alike was tangible - all were united in the mutual pursuit of something beyond the superficial. But the day really kick started with Swamiji's first lecture that left some stunned into mind-boggling silence. Swamiji ordered us to face up to how much attention we really pay to the constant flow of thoughts that is our mind. We spend countless hours preparing and maintaining our body but it is the mind that faces the challenges of life - yet how long do we spend preparing it? And what does it mean to go Beyond Boundaries?

The day included uplifting lectures by Swamiji and the UK resident teacher Brahmacharini Sumatiji combined with thought-provoking discussion groups through which subtle and new concepts could be openly explored. And if delegates felt they had burning questions that only the insights of a senior Spiritual teacher could provide there was a Question and Answer session with Swamiji ensuring that no-one left the one-day conference with doubts hanging over their head.

So why do I do what I do? I guess I am guided by my desires, habits cultivated over the years and a long-standing belief that it will all bring me lasting happiness. There is no doubt that to achieve the various goals I set for myself, the mind which runs free rein most of the time needs to be strong, flexible and single-pointed.

But from the one-day conference we were taught that to transcend all limitation and achieve man's ultimate purpose, the mind, must ultimately be transcended. To transcend the mind, is to go Beyond Boundaries. This is the ultimate and timeless message of Vedanta and amidst the laughter and warmth of the atmosphere felt at Beyond Boundaries; this was the lofty take-home message of the day.

Capsules of Wisdom

Extracted from lecture 1 of the Beyond Boundaries conference by Swamini Vimalananda

Do you think, or does thinking happen to you?

Most problems in life would not arise if we thought for a moment. But a moment is a long time and thinking is a difficult process.

How do you think? Why do you think?

Deep thinking tires us. So instead, we think in fits and starts, not completing or sustaining our trains of thought.

We spend countless hours preparing and maintaining our body but it is the mind that faces the challenges of life. How long do we spend preparing our minds?

We excuse mental weakness as human emotion. We describe those who are upset easily as 'sensitive'. But becoming upset easily is not sensitivity; it is a sign of an egotistical weak spot.

When the world rubs against us, we react. Why? Because there are weak areas of our personality: our egotistical insecurities.

When the world presents us with challenges we don't respond; we react according to our egotistical weak spots, our mentally sensitive areas.

It is our egotistical weak spots that generate jealousy, hatred, revenge, greed, passion and anger. These negative emotions reduce the capacity of the mind, weakening it.

A weak mind is one that is dictated by ego and pride.

A strong mind is one that has: PurityClaritySubtlety

What is the mind? Is it the brain? No. The brain is the hardware, the mind is the software. The mind is not in the body, the body is in the mind? How?

The seer is always different from the seen. The seer can see the seen but the seen cannot see the seer. The seer is always different from the seen. The seer is conscious. The seen is inert.

My eyes see an object. The mind knows the eye. I know the mind.

Who then am I?

I know my mind but my mind does not know me. I am beyond the mind. I am not the mind.

All limitation exists in the mind.

To transcend the mind, is to transcend limitation.

Like a pole-vaulter, we must ensure that our minds are strong, flexible and single-pointed. But we must also know that to transcend all limitation and achieve our ultimate purpose, the mind, like the pole, must ultimately be discarded.

To transcend the mind, is to go Beyond Boundaries.

Go Further Beyond Boundaries, September 2007 CHYK UK