Developing the Tranquil Mind

One of the secrets of life is to keep a tranquil mind. Be at peace, whatever is happening outside. The most successful negotiators are those who can keep a quiet mind. The most able problem solvers can keep a peaceful, unruffled, calm mind. The best communicators can keep a peaceful, unruffled, calm, mind.

The only way to manage a situation in which anger flames and harsh words fly is to keep a quiet peaceful, tranquil mind. Let others yell, and scream and rant, while you maintain a state of peace, deep relaxation and calm. Calmly thinking in a peaceful way how you can solve this problem, or even simply non-reacting.

I liked them. Reading those lines gave me a confidence as if I had come over my anger and started behaving like a Sadhu, successful leader and what not? Easily said, but how can I do it? Meditation – replied my inner mind. The buzz word among all management consultants and the spiritual gurus. Meditate and achieve whatever you want.

However, I do not know how to do Meditation. I seldom have time to go for classes and learn this & I certainly do not want to go on such classes. I went on book-hunt that could explain me meditation so that I practice the same at home preferably on Sundays.

I bumped across a book and the synopsis of the same read like this:
One of the key techniques which affect the whole of your being is one that concerns the eyes. Although the eyes have long been thought to have magical properties, we have tended to forget this in the modern world.

The eyes affect not only outer vision, but also inner vision.

You can tell a person's emotions simply by looking at their eyes. In grief, the eyes look down. In fear they flit and move searching for danger. In anger they fix and pierce the object of anger.Tense eyes sometimes cause and always escalate mental moods and feelings.

I said to myself, “Sit on a mat in the central hall. Switch off you TV set. However, have the fans rotating – I can’t tolerate the hot air distrubing me. Mentally command your eyes to relax. Mentally say, 'Relax!' Yes, that's it. 'Relax!' Make them blank. Blank out all eye tension. Imagine seeing, in your mind's eye, your eyes being blank, lifeless, inscrutable and unresponsive - so relaxed they are almost asleep. Imagine a white big screen blank in front of you. Keep bringing the screen in front of your eyes. Nothing else. So wooden the eyes are like a heavy log, without tension and totally unresponsive. How can you react emotionally with those unresponsive, sleepy eyes. No response at all!”

Now I do notice how my thoughts and my body follow suit. I started thinking, 'I'm not interested in this.', 'This doesn't affect me at all.' My body begins to relax all on its own, and in some strange way, you let go and release whatever it was that held my attention in that unwanted way?

With my eyes in this state that cannot cause or escalate emotions like anger, fear, panic, turbulence, etc, they turn off these unwanted emotions. Do remember that unwanted emotions can also be pleasant. You can use the same technique. So sleepy, and so uninterested!

I was feeling physically relaxed; feeling mentally relaxed; am at peace with a tranquil mind till my wife shook me with vigor. “How long I have been telling you to assist Adi in his homework? Since when are you habituated to sleep in sitting posture?”