Why is it so hard to keep the mind still?

Steps that help with stilling the mind

The mind is complex and fascinating. We have access to the outer periphery of the mind, and not to the inner core from where thoughts well up. The senses feed into the perimeter of the mind which we call the conscious mind. The inner core or the subconscious part is off limits and not directly connected to the senses. Stilling the mind involves more than just taming the surface currents. Unless we develop a deeper understanding of how the mind moves and operates, it becomes challenging to still more profound layers of the mind which are responsible for a lot of the turbulence on the mind’s surface. It cannot be done through force of will.

Similar to the mind, in the body, we have conscious awareness of the superficial aspects, and the rest is under the control of an automatic mechanism. For instance, we can feel our skin, but we cannot feel the flow of blood just under the skin. We can taste the food, but we cannot follow it as its essence is being absorbed into the bloodstream. There is a lot that happens in the body and the mind that is out of reach of our awareness.

Every action involving the body is a work of high precision. The simple act of walking is a good example. Walking requires coordinated movements of the arms and legs and involves a harmonious…