Sometimes, especially in youth, the mind is clouded with bad or unwelcome thoughts. How does one deal with this situation? Bhagawan most kindly counsels us today.

Youth is the stage when one gets excited about many things. It is necessary to control these passions and excitements by recitation of God’s Name. Tell yourself, “Such unsacred thoughts are not good and proper for me. These are just passing clouds; they will come and go. My life is eternal, and these thoughts are ephemeral like passing clouds.” The heart is like the sky, the mind is the moon and the intellect, the sun. Clouds of thoughts come in the sky of the heart and cover the sun and the moon. Sometimes, very thick clouds of thoughts come during our young age. Then, one cannot see the sun or the moon. But how long will the sun or the moon remain invisible? Just for a few moments because these thoughts are like passing clouds. Be patient, and the clouds will move away by themselves. Hold on to patience firmly. Do not make haste. Haste makes waste. Waste makes worry. So, do not be in a hurry. Haste is not good, particularly at this age; maintain Shantam (peace). There is no well-being other than this Shantam. That’s why Tyagaraja said, “One may be a danti (ascetic) or a vedanti (philosopher), but one cannot attain happiness without shantam”. Peace is very essential in life, both at the level of the body and the mind.