The mind loves to waver. One of the challenges we face in life is getting the mind to concentrate and stay focussed on the activity on hand. In spite of having decided to do, or not do something, often it feels the mind seems to be having its own agenda, pulling us away in different directions.

Our problem is that we identify with the thoughts and allow ourselves to waver in what we do. If we understand the four reasons as to why the mind wavers, we stand a better chance of winning the battle within.

The mind runs towards pleasure. Anything we enjoy becomes the natural field for the mind to stay in. This does not mean we deny ourselves pleasure, it just means we learn to calibrate not only the type of pleasure-seeking activity but also the quantity and timing. Having the discipline to do the right thing at the right time gets us far.

The mind runs away from responsibilities. Even though we understand our duties to ourselves and others around us, the mind keeps putting off for tomorrow what we know we should be doing today.

The mind loves living in the past and the future. The past allows it to live in the emotions of anger, regret, and self-pity and the future allows it its world of fantasy. The clever mind knows that living in the now means being denied the luxury of wavering to the past and future.

The mind revolts in silence. We find it easier to watch a movie or a game for three hours than sit in meditation for fifteen minutes. Silence and stillness conquers and disciplines a wavering mind.

And yet, the mind is our best friend and worst enemy. It is like an untamed horse that revolts till it is trained and tamed. If left wild, it can severely hurt us and we find ourselves falling often and hurting ourselves. But if like a horse, the mind be saddled and trained, it can serve us well and take us far.

When we realise we possess the discriminative power within to assess the quality, quantity and direction of our thoughts and we realise that we are not helpless, but empowered to tame and train the mind, we gallop through life turning every challenge to our advantage. But the moment we let go of the reins, living in the false sense of security that the mind is eternally conquered, the mind will ride us away from our chosen path.

It is the nature of the mind to waver. But we need not waver in our resolve of taming the mind. We will truly enjoy the ride of life when the mind is reined in.

(Picture-Canadian Rockies)