CONVERSATIONS WITH ANNAMALAI SWAMI
'Just Be the Self and do not concern yourself with the Mind'
Q: I think that I am now beginning to grasp what the ‘I am' is. It seems that this is something behind the body, behind the mind, and behind the awareness of the body. I think that we don't automatically make a relationship with this 'I am' because we feel that we lack a conscious acquaintance with it. We are accustomed to direct our attention outwards rather than inwards. We think about people and things because we are attached to them and for no other reason. I am beginning to realize just how hard it is to give up this
habit.
AS: Let the mind go wherever it wants to go. You don't have to pay any attention to all its wanderings. Just be the Self and don't concern yourself with the activities of the mind. If you take this attitude, the activities and wanderings of the mind will become less and less.
The mind only wanders around all day because you identify with it and pay attention to all its activities. If you could establish yourself as consciousness alone, thoughts would no longer have any power to distract you.
When you have no interest in thoughts they fade away as soon as they appear. Instead of attaching themselves to other thoughts, which then spin off countless other thoughts and ideas, they just appear for a second or two and then vanish-
One's vasanas make thoughts arise. Once they have arisen, they will repeat themselves in regular chains and patterns again and again. If you have any desires or attachments, thoughts about will be constantly appearing in the mind. You cannot fight them because they thrive on the attention you give them. If you try to suppress them, you can only do it by giving them attention. And that means you are identifying with the mind. This method never works. You can only stop the flow of thoughts by refusing to have any interest in it.

— Living by the Words of Bhagavan, p. 348