Just as there is Agni (Digestive fire) for the food we consume, there is Buddhi (Intelligence) for mental digestion.If digestion is weak, even the best food can create toxins, similarly if the experiences we have need to be digested or understood to be released.Just as undigested food causes physical disease, experiences that have not been assimilated cause lack of ease in the mind.The process is similar :
1.Gathering of impressions in the Outer Mind (manas) through the senses.The outer mind and senses can organize what impressions come in from the outside in our lives.
2. Digestion of the Experiences happens at the level of Intelligence.Intelligence or Buddhi breaks down the impressions into experiences and memories.Proper mental digestion is when the intelligence discerns the truth. It takes the good and healing nutrients from the experience and discard the toxic elements from it. In other words it extracts the Sattvic elements and discards the Rajasic and Tamasic.If there’s anything that’s not digested at this level then that’s when we have a blocked perception.
3. Absorption of the Experience in Consciousness: Once the intelligence has digested our experiences it can pass into deeper consciousness which then becomes the part of our fabric and bodymind where we feel the affect.
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A well digested experience will not leave a scar but will allow us to function in life with utmost clarity and peace of mind.So the question is how do we improve our mental Nutrition?
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– Watch what you consume mentally through your senses – are you consuming peace or violence?
– Cultivate practices to detoxify and bathe the mind daily.
#mentalwellbeing