A challenge for anyone who meditates, whether new to the practice or a long time meditator, is how to quiet the active mind! The “monkey mind” is a big contender for our attentions! Paramhansa Yogananda, in the book, Conversations With Yogananda, offered this solution to Swami Kriyananda when Swami was having difficulty quieting his mind in meditation:

Yogananda said, “Don’t fight your mind! Treat it like a donkey. That beast is so stubborn that, sometimes, it won’t budge even when it is beaten repeatedly. If its owner lets it stand still for awhile, however, the donkey finally resumes walking again of its own accord. The best thing, when your mind rebels, is to let it stand awhile. Don’t be too hard on it. Let it ‘make its point.’ After that, it will resume advancing of its own accord, without being forced.”

Happy meditating!
Nivritti