Escape from the prison of cognition

We work, plan and act for ourselves and for our families. In each and every moment of our life, we are busy thinking, planning, interpreting and evaluating (Cognition). Most of us are entangled in our cognition to the extent that it became a prison. Our struggle for fulfillment in life is actually a struggle to escape from the "prison of cognition".

Five rats were living with their mother in a forest. One day the rats came across a small house in the forest. The rats felt that they would get something exciting to eat inside that house. The mother rat warned them that it would be dangerous and they might get killed if they were noticed by the owners of the house. However, the five daughter rats insisted to get into the house. Then the mother rat said “If you had decided to go, I cannot stop you. However, I will give four rules which you should follow to come out of the house safely".

 

ü     We work, plan and act for ourselves and for our families. In each and every moment of our life, we are busy thinking, planning, interpreting and evaluating (Cognition). Most of us are entangled in our cognition to the extent that it became a prison. Our struggle for fulfillment in life is actually a struggle to escape from the "prison of cognition".

Five rats were living with their mother in a forest. One day the rats came across a small house in the forest. The rats felt that they would get something exciting to eat inside that house. The mother rat warned them that it would be dangerous and they might get killed if they were noticed by the owners of the house. However, the five daughter rats insisted to get into the house. Then the mother rat said “If you had decided to go, I cannot stop you. However, I will give four rules which you should follow to come out of the house safely".

 

Ø   Ø     Rule 1 Whenever the rat finds uncomfortable situations around, it immediately gets into the rat hole. The rat takes the shelter in the rat hole and it witnesses the external events. It picks up its food safely at the right time. It makes this safe space even before the crisis arises.

    One pointedness: cognition is a complex process of thinking which involves several steps. Most of the times our mind is full of thoughts and emotions. However, during meditation and yoga when we fix our focus on one point (between the eyebrows or breath or an image). This "one-pointedness” can dissociate us from the ongoing thoughts and emotions. This is called "Samadhi state" in Yoga.  The samadhi state is attained by Raja yogi through meditation, by a Karma yogi by doing a passionate self-less work and Bhakti yogi by a deep prayer. Just like a rat hole provides shelter to the rat and helps it in witnessing the external world without getting influenced "one-pointed state", helps the yogi uninfluenced by thoughts and emotions. “One pointed state doesn't deprive us of cognition, in fact, it helps us to have better control over our cognition.

 

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Ø    Ø     Rule 2 The rat’s orientation is always towards the rat hole in whichever the room it moves. In the same way when we move across various situations, roles, times and places in life our focus should be oriented to one-pointedness (meditative/passionate work not bothering about reward/ Ishta Daiva) at all times. 

   Swami Vivekananda said, "Meditate for a few minutes in a day and live the rest of the day doing those acts which won't hamper your concentration during those few minutes."  

Ø     Rule 3 Rat bait is attractive , easily reachable to the rat and is also coupled with a trap. In the same way, easily accessible pleasures are the source of most vulnerable smiles. One has to be selective in choosing the source of happiness. Any source of happiness which is outside ourselves sooner or later ends in pain.

Ø     Rule 4 Whenever we come across the most pleasurable moment of our life, we should be conscious “that this moment will pass away”. This will clear our way to “One pointedness”.

T   A rat hole on the other end opens in the outer world and takes it to her mother. In the same way, "one-pointedness" is the only way to let us experience our “mother” (the source of creation). To escape from the "prison of cognition" into the freedom we must remember 

·    1  We were free before we were encased in this body and mind. We will be set free once we leave this body. This life is transit on our journey from freedom to freedom.

     2 Pleasure is not the goal of life. It creates bondage which obstructs our "one-pointedness".

      3 Always keep the mind oriented towards "one-pointedness"(meditative, bhakti, or self-less work) while operating in this world. 

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FFollowing these rules can help us experience freedom in this transitory phase of our  journey from freedom to freedom