Sri Sai Baba`S:Charters And Sayings

298 TALKS ON " AT THE FEET OF THE MASTER "

That is the sort of way one may learn to do two
things at once if one has one's mind fairly in order
and one is fairly sure of one of the, things, but it is a
difficult business, this control of the mind. The Master
speaks here of control.

Of the mind itself, so that the thought may always be
calm and unruffled; and (through the mind) of the nerves,
so that they may be as little irritable as possible. This
last is difficult, because when you try to prepare yourself
for the Path, you cannot help making your body more
sensitive, so that its nerves are easily disturbed by a sound
or a shock, and feel any pressure acutely.

You see the physical body is that over which the
will has the least power. People often say, <c Oh,
yes, you can learn to do a thing with your physical
body, you may even control your feelings ; but it is a
much harder thing to control your thoughts/' I
know that it is a popular idea that of all things it is
the most difficult. In one way it is; because the
mental matter is finer and much more active, there
is very much more to control in the way of motion, in
the way of initiative. On the other hand you must
not forget that the mental body is very much
nearer to the ego within, very much nearer to the
spirit, and very much more under his control.
There are greater forces that he can JSprasp with
mental matter and deal with, whereas it is very
hard for him to get right down to the physical
plane and control the physical matter. We think
it easier because while we are in the habit of