The mind is being influenced by the world of consumerism and capitalism

We grew up being 'inspired' by 'the world of a commercialized and capitalized society' to be motivated to 'study and work hard' or 'not being lazy/laid back/useless', to 'achieve' and 'appreciate' certain standard/quality of living achieving particular lifestyle that emphasized on developing and empowering passionate egoistic desires and be inspired to be ambitious to perform actions or work that increase 'spending power' or 'income' that helps the gratification/attainment of all kinds of passionate worldly desire/success/achievement/enjoyment, to fit into 'the elite group of successful people' that based on 'worldly recognized social/educational/financial status and social/academic/economic achievement and contribution', where life is no longer about having a skill to be making enough livelihood or finding food and shelter to survive in the present moment, without the urge of possessing and hoarding more than what we need to survive in this present moment, without fear and worry towards 'the future', but life is very much under the influence of consumerism and capitalism, where the basic survival instinct of getting enough of daily needs, shelter and food for survival in the present is being taken over by the 'necessity' of 'possession' and 'hoarding' under the fear and worry towards 'the future that seems to be uncertain/insecure', as well as there's endless egoistic discontentment of greed/craving for 'more' and 'higher' ongoing personal/global success and achievement/recognition, until the body and mind can no longer function properly to 'work' anymore, and/or there's desire to be indulging in 'higher' and 'latest' pleasurable enjoyment of the senses until the body and mind can no longer function properly to enjoy the objects of the senses.

The way of living and the meaning/goal of life under particular social thinking, belief, value and practice of human beings is basically being 'determined', 'influenced' or 'led' by the world of consumerism and capitalism.

People might think that it's because there's new demand for certain products crops up, and hence, some people are being creative to produce those products to meet the demand of the people. But actually, the world of consumerism and capitalism constantly 'create' and 'produce' many different kinds of 'new product', where the business people and the capitalists simply and constantly create 'trend and demand' for their 'innovative' products in the society through various mediums of advertisement, telling/manipulating the minds - "You need this", "You want this" and "You deserve this".

'The standard of something' or 'the belief of something' in the world about how the mind thinks, believes and judges as beautiful or ugly, good or bad, right or wrong, meaningful or meaningless, positive or negative, success or failure, appropriate or inappropriate, aspiration and inspiration, and so on, is very much being 'created' or 'dictated' by the business people and capitalists in the world of consumerism and capitalism.

Most untrained minds, no matter how well-educated or knowledgeable they are, would also be influenced and manipulated by all sorts of information that sanction and give rise to all kinds of 'standard' and 'belief' about this and that, which were being repeatedly 'ingrained' into the minds, from everywhere, either wittingly or unwittingly, being aware or unaware, adopting 'standard and belief about this and that', passing down/on from generation to generation, where the entire life existence is being influenced by and lived according to 'the way of life aligning with the standard and belief influenced mostly by the world of consumerism and capitalism', including different kinds of social media platform, gadget, telecommunication, app, entertainment, game, tourism, fashion and accessory, lifestyle, food and drinks, diet, clean eating, health care, medical care, beauty product, skin care, hair care, body care, fitness training, spiritual healing, self-improvement, home decor, hobby, education, job, career, investment, family value, social circle, all kinds of festival and convention, all kinds of celebration day, and etc.

And hence, from long time ago, the teachings of Yoga and Buddhism reflect high importance onto the observation or the practice of 'renunciation', 'silence', 'solitude', 'seclusion' and 'dispassion', moving the mind away from the worldly society/affair/interaction/activity/input for a prolonged period of time, in order to 'cleanse out' all the worldly passionate egoistic ideas, beliefs, values and practices out of the mind efficiently, purifying the mind to allow the mind to see things as it is, not being influenced by any worldly passionate ideas, beliefs, values and practices to judge everything and/or living a life that meet up certain 'standard and belief' about 'what is good, positive, successful and meaningful life'.

Renunciation doesn't necessarily means that one has to become a monk or a nun and live with the monk and nun community, as even being a monk and nun living in the community of monk and nun, people might not be practicing renunciation, silence, solitude, seclusion and dispassion. Just as some people want and try to live the life of so called 'minimalist', also doesn't determine that one is practicing renunciation, silence, solitude, seclusion and dispassion, or one is free from attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, judgment and expectation.

x x x x x x x x x x x

"Renunciation is necessary, but inner renunciation born out of true knowledge that the Atman is Akarta and Abhokta, and that it is not affected by the actions of the sense-organs, is considered preferable to external renunciation of physical actions. Man should perform his duties, in the proper spirit. Such actions do not bind him, but on the other hand they help him to liberate himself.

The deluded attachment to men and women, friends and relatives, money and gold, has to be ruthlessly burnt to ashes! All the so-called duties of the world have to be kicked away for the sake of that glorious state of Self-realisation.

Kick off the world ruthlessly. Enough of tea and coffee, enough of soda, lemonade and crushes, enough of novels and cinemas, enough of races and aeroplanes, enough of father, mother, brothers, children, friends and relatives! You came alone and you will go alone.

A worldly-minded fashionable wife (or husband) is a sharp knife to cut off the life of the husband (or wife). Be wedded to Santi and have Vairagya as the sons, and Viveka the magnanimous daughter and eat the delicious divine fruit of Atma Jnana which can make you immortal!

Application of soap to the body, oil to the hair, powder to the face, looking into the mirror a thousand and one times a day, wearing rings on the fingers - these and many like these will intensify your attachment to the body. Therefore give up all these things ruthlessly.

The cause of pain is love of pleasure. The cause of death is love of sensual life. Death is a horrible thing to him who is intensely attached to sensual life. Words like cremation, murder, death, corpse, burial, make the sensualist shudder at heart, for he is extremely attached to the body and the objects of the senses. "How to part with the sensual objects?" is his great cause of misery. Pity!

According to vedanta, annihilation of Adviya or ignorance leads to Samadhi. According to Patanjali Rishi, the aspirant attains Samadhi by removing the hold of Prakriti by practice and discipline.

The Vedantin enjoys the eternal bliss and natural easiness of Sahaja Samadhi. He remains as Sakshi or silent witness. He does not make any serious attempt to control the psychic stream or thought-current. He raises the Brahmakara Vritti by meditating on the significance of "Tat Tvam Asi" Mahavakya.

The Samadhi in the Jnani is effortless and spontaneous. Wherever the mind goes, there it experiences Samadhi. He rests in Samadhi always. There is no "In Samadhi" and "Out of Samadhi" for a sage. He enjoys freedom, bliss and peace, in all moments of his life.

Yogic Samadhi is analytical and discriminative. In this Samadhi greater stress is laid upon the discrimination between the Prakriti and the Purusha. In Jnana Samadhi, no discrimination is needed. Brahmakara Vritti, raised by an attempt to become identical with the Supreme Self or Brahma Chintana, destroys Avidya and dies by itself.

No more words. Enough of discussions and heated debates. Retire into a solitary room. Close your eyes. Have deep silent meditation. Destroy the Sankalpas, thoughts, whims, fancies and desires when they arise from the surface of the mind.

You are left alone now. You have nothing to see and nothing to hear. There is none to cheer you. You will have to depend on yourself. Do not look backward. Forget the past. Forget the body and the world." 

- Swami Sivananda.