ambition will be dashed； your savings of years will be lostand for the moment you will be inclined to think that your life has been in vain。 But presently you will wake up and find that something quite different has happened。 You will find that the thunderbolt which you thought was your ruin has been your salvationthat it has broken the chain which bound you to your wheelbarrow； and that you are free！
I think you will now see what I mean by Rest。 Rest is the loosing of the chains which bind us to the whirligig of the world； it is the passing into the centre of the Cyclone； it is the Stilling of Thought。 For （with regard to this last） it is Thought； it is the Attachment of the Mind； which binds us to outer things。 The outer things themselves are all right。 It is only through our thoughts that they make slaves of us。 Obtain power over your thoughts and you are free。 You can then use the outer things or dismiss them at your pleasure。
There is nothing new of course in all this。 It has been known for ages； and is part of the ancient philosophy of the world。
In the Katha Upanishad you will find these words （Max Muller's translation）： 〃As rainwater that has fallen on a mountain ridge runs down on all sides； thus does he who sees a difference between qualities run after them on all sides。〃 This is the figure of the man who does NOT rest。 And it is a powerful likeness。 The thunder shower descends on the mountain top； torrents of water pour down the crags in every direction。 Imagine the state of mind of a manhowever thirsty he may bewho endeavors to pursue and intercept all these streams！
But then the Upanishad goes on： 〃As pure water poured into pure water remains the same； thus； O Gautama； is the Self of a thinker who knows。〃 What a perfect image of rest！ Imagine a cistern before you with transparent glass sides and filled with pure water。 And then imagine some one comes with a phial； also of pure water； and pours the contents gently into the cistern。 What will happen？ Almost nothing。 The pure water will glide into the pure water〃remaining the same。〃 There will be no dislocation； no discoloration （as might happen if MUDDY water were poured in）； there will be only perfect harmony。
I imagine here that the meaning is something like this。 The cistern is the great Reservoir of the Universe which contains the pure and perfect Spirit of all life。 Each one of us； and every mortal creature； represents a drop from that reservoir a drop indeed which is also pure and perfect （though the phial in which it is contained may not always be so）。 When we； each of us； descend into the world and meet the great Ocean of Life which dwells there behind all mortal forms； it is like the little phial being poured into the great reservoir。 If the tiny canful which is our selves is pure and unsoiled； then when it meets the world it will blend with the Spirit which informs the world perfectly harmoniously； without distress or dislocation。 It will pass through and be at one with it。 How can one describe such a state of affairs？ You will have the key to every person that you meet； because indeed you are conscious that the real essence of that person is the same as your own。 You will have the solution of every event which happens。 For every event is （and is felt to be） the touch of the great Spirit on yours。 Can any description of Rest be more perfect than that？ Pure water poured into pure water。 。 。 。 There is no need to hurry； for everything will come in its good time。 There is no need to leave your place； for all you desire is close at hand。
Here is another verse （from the Vagasaneyi…Samhita Upanishad） embodying the same idea： 〃And he who beholds all beings in the Self； and the Self in all beings； he never turns away from It。 When； to a man who understands； the Self has become all things； what sorrow； what trouble； can there be to himhaving once beheld that Unity？〃What trouble； what sorrow； indeed； when the universe has become transparent with the presences of all we love； held firm in the One enfolding Presence？
But it will be said： 〃Our minds are NOT pure and transparent。 More often they are muddy and soiledsoiled； if not in their real essence； yet by reason of the mortal phial in which they are contained。〃 And that alas！ is true。 If you pour a phial of muddy water into that reservoir which we described what will you see？ You will see a queer and ugly cloud formed。 And to how many of us； in our dealings with the world； does life take on just such a formof a queer and ugly cloud？
Now not so very long after those Upanishads were written there lived in China that great Teacher； Lao…tze； and he too had considered these things。 And he wrotein the Tao…Teh… King〃Who is there who can make muddy water clear？〃 The question sounds like a conundrum。 For a moment one hesitates to answer it。 Lao…tze； however； has an answer ready。 He says： 〃But if you LEAVE IT ALONE it will become clear of itself。〃 That muddy water of the mind； muddied by all the foolish little thoughts which like a sediment infest itbut if you leave it alone it will become clear of itself。 Sometimes walking along the common road after a shower you have seen pools of water lying here and there； dirty and unsightly with the mud stirred up by the hoofs of men and animals。 And then returning some hours afterwards along the same roadin the evening and after the cessation of trafficyou have looked again； and lo！ each pool has cleared itself to a perfect calm； and has become a lovely mirror reflecting the trees and the clouds and the sunset and the stars。
So this mirror of the mind。 Leave it alone。 Let the ugly sediment of tiresome thoughts and anxieties； and of fussing over one's self…importances and duties； settle downand presently you will look on it； and see something there which you never knew or imagined beforesomething more beautiful than you ever yet behelda reflection of the real and eternal world such is only given to the mind that rests。
Do not recklessly spill the waters of your mind in this direction and in that； lest you become like a spring lost and dissipated in the desert。
But draw them together into a little compass； and hold them still； so still；
And let them become clear； so clearso limpid； so mirror…like；
At last the mountains and the sky shall glass themselves in peaceful beauty；
And the antelope shall descend to drink； and the lion to quench his thirst；
And Love himself shall come and bend over； and catch his own likeness in you。＇1＇
＇1＇ Towards Democracy； p。 373。
Yes； there is this priceless thing within us； but hoofing along the roads in the mud we fail to find it； there is this region of calm； but the cyclone of the world raging around guards us from entering it。 Perhaps it is best sobest that the access to it should not be made too easy。 One day； some time ago； in the course of conversation with Rabindranath Tagore in London； I asked him what impressed him most in visiting the great city。 He said； 〃The restless incessant movement of everybody。〃 I said； 〃Yes； they seem as if they were all rushing about looking for something。〃 He replied； 〃It is because each person does not know of the great treasure he has within himself。〃
How then are we to reach this treasure and make it our own？ How are we to attain to this Stilling of the Mind； which is the secret of all power and possession？ The thing is difficult； no doubt； yet as I tried to show at the outset of this discourse； we Moderns MUST reach it； we have got to attain to itfor the penalty of failure is and must be widespread Madness。
The power to still the mindto be ABLE； mark you； when you want； to enter into the region of Rest； and to dismiss or command your Thoughtsis a condition of Health； it is a condition of all Power and Energy。 For all health； whether of mind or body； resides in one's relation to the central Life within。 If one cannot get into touch with THAT； then the life… forces cannot flow down into the organism。 Most； perhaps all； disease arises from the disturbance of this connection。 All mere hurry； all mere running after external things （as of the man after the water…streams on the mountain…top）； inevitably breaks it。 Let a pond be allowed calmly under the influence of frost to crystallize； and most beautiful flowers and spears of ice will be formed； but keep stirring the water all the time with a stick or a pole and nothing will result but an ugly brash of half…frozen stuff。 The condition of the exercise of power and energy is that it should proceed from a center of Rest within one。 So convinced am I of this； that whenever I find myself hurrying over my work； I pause and say； 〃Now you are not producing anything good！〃 and I generally find that that is true。 It is curious； but I think very noticeable； that the places where people hurry mostas for instance the City of London or Wall Street； New Yorkare just the places where the work being done is of LEAST importance （being mostly money…gambling）； whereas if you go and look at a ploughman ploughingdoing perhaps the most important of human workyou find all his movements most deliberate and leisurely； as if indeed he had infinite time at command； the truth being that in dealing （like a ploughman） with the earth and the horses and the weather and the things of Nature generally you can no more hurry than Nature herself hurries。
Following this line of thought it might seem that one would arrive at a hopeless paradox。 If it be true that the less one hurries the better the work resulting； then it might seem that by sitting still and merely twirling one's thumbs one would arrive at the very greatest activity and efficiency！ And indeed （if understood aright） there is a truth even in this； whichlike the other points I have mentionedhas been known and taught long ages ago。 Says that humorous old sage； Lao…tze； whom I have already quoted： 〃By non…action there is nothing that cannot be done。〃 At first this sounds like mere foolery or worse； but afterwards thinking on it one sees there is a meaning hidden。 There is a secret by which Nature and the powers of the universal life will do all for you。 The Bhagavat Gita also says； 〃He who discovers inaction in action and action in inaction is wise among mortals。〃
It is worth while dwelling fo