When we ask, ‘what is mind?’ you’re asking what is nature of the mind, yes? Anything that you find within nature, whether it be natural or synthetic, organic or inorganic, follows a simple mathematical principle known as the Fibonacci sequence. Even that which we define as synthetic, inorganic, manufactured essentially consists of something that came from nature. All things in nature follow this same principle. That which appears to differ from this sequence does in fact conform to Fibonacci, it is just that its complexity is such that it is difficult to find. If you are to look deep enough, you are bound to find this principle. Fibonacci is known as to express the path of least resistance. There is nothing that does not follow the path of least resistance, even if it seems to deviate from this, it is still following the path of least resistance as its deviation is in fact the path of least resistance for that particular expression. The mind, too, follows this path, not only physically, but energetically also. It is the most energetically efficient method of transference. To relate this to some of your subjective experiences of this truth, habits, cyclic patterns, ideas, the music you enjoy, the way you brush the teeth, the way you tie the shoes and what clothes you like to wear, these are some examples of the expression in your Experiencing that directly expresses this path of least resistance. Some examples of this expression found in nature can be seen below.
What you must understand is, that you do not actually have any experiences outside of what you call as ‘Mind’. This is the basis to your Experiencing. Without Mind, you do not have experiencing. Now, this isn’t to say that you do not exist without Mind, in fact, when you are in deep sleep, where does the experience go? Well, it is still there, as you are experiencing the absence of experience, which is an experience of inexperience. Sounds contradicting, but it’s quite easy to grasp if you compare this to your own experience of experiencing ‘Nothingness’ (deep sleep). Even time within the deep sleep state is absent, hence why when you move out of deep sleep, time had seemed to move by instantly. Whilst you are in that deep sleep state, you experience infinity itself. This “No-thing-ness” is where all things flow out of. It is the basis to your Experiencing. Does sadness exist here? How about grief, anger, worry, despair, happiness, questions, ego, time, space, universe, existence itself? Do these exist in this state of experiencing no-thing? You are not “gone” during this time, as you wake up with the remembrance of no remembrance, which is an absence of absence itself. This is not a difficult concept to grasp, I am sure you have experienced deep sleep, yes? This is what I’m describing.
Vibration of Mind – The recalibration of the mind to produce outcomes aligned with a chosen ideal reality.
Nirvana Shatakam, composed by Adi Shankaracharya over a thousand years ago, is one of the most well-known among Sanskrit chants. Sadhguru, one of the well-known mystic yogis of our time, looks at the significance of the chant and explores what is being conveyed through it.
Sadhguru: Nirvana means “formless.”
The Nirvana Shatakam is towards this – you don’t want to be either this or that. If you don’t want to be this nor that, then what do you want to be? Your mind cannot understand this because your mind always wants to be something. If I say, “I don’t want to be this; I don’t want to be that,” you would think, “Oh something super!” Not super. “Oh, so emptiness?” Not emptiness. “Nothingness?” Not nothingness.
That’s what is being conveyed through this chant.
NIRVANA SHATAKAM
mano buddhi ahankara chittani naaham
na cha shrotravjihve na cha ghraana netre
na cha vyoma bhumir na tejo na vaayuhu
chidananda rupah shivo’ham shivo’ham
I am not the mind, the intellect, the ego or the memory, I am not the ears, the skin, the nose or the eyes, I am not space, not earth, not fire, water or wind, I am the form of consciousness and bliss, I am the eternal Shiva…
na cha prana sangyo na vai pancha vayuhu
na va sapta dhatur na va pancha koshah
na vak pani-padam na chopastha payu
chidananda rupah shivo’ham shivo’ham
I am not the breath, nor the five elements, I am not matter, nor the 5 sheaths of consciousness nor am I the speech, the hands, or the feet, I am the form of consciousness and bliss, I am the eternal Shiva…
na me dvesha ragau na me lobha mohau
na me vai mado naiva matsarya bhavaha
na dharmo na chartho na kamo na mokshaha
chidananda rupah shivo’ham shivo’ham
There is no like or dislike in me, no greed or delusion, I know not pride or jealousy,
I have no duty, no desire for wealth, lust or liberation, I am the form of consciousness and bliss, I am the eternal Shiva…
na punyam na papam na saukhyam na duhkham
na mantro na tirtham na veda na yajnah
aham bhojanam naiva bhojyam na bhokta
chidananda rupah shivo’ham shivo’ham
No virtue or vice, no pleasure or pain,
I need no mantras, no pilgrimage, no scriptures or rituals, I am not the experienced, nor the experience itself, I am the form of consciousness and bliss, I am the eternal Shiva…
na me mrtyu shanka na mejati bhedaha
pita naiva me naiva mataa na janmaha
na bandhur na mitram gurur naiva shishyaha
chidananda rupah shivo’ham shivo’ham
I have no fear of death, no caste or creed, I have no father, no mother, for I was never born, I am not a relative, nor a friend, nor a teacher nor a
student, I am the form of consciousness and bliss, I am the eternal Shiva…
aham nirvikalpo nirakara rupo
vibhut vatcha sarvatra sarvendriyanam
na cha sangatham naiva muktir na meyaha
chidananda rupah shivo’ham shivo’ham
I am devoid of duality, my form is formlessness, I exist everywhere, pervading all senses, I am neither attached, neither free nor captive, I am the form of consciousness and bliss, I am the eternal Shiva…