I remember when I was a child, my grandfather would often tell me, “During exam time, a change of subject is relaxation.” That concept has stayed with me for a long, long time, and it still does.
The mind needs engagement. And the mind is naturally flickering, especially in this age of Kali, when our attention spans have become so short. Is it really possible to absorb our minds in Krishna?
We may be able to fast from water on Nirjala Ekadashi once a year. Some devotees even observe many nirjala Ekadashis. But how many of us can keep the mind completely peaceful, even for a few minutes? No agitation. Not the slightest disturbance.
Therefore, the first austerity of the mind that Krishna describes is satisfaction. Srila Prabhupada repeatedly explains in the purport that satisfaction of the mind means controlling the mind and the senses. But merely trying to control them is not enough. Unless the mind is engaged in something higher, it refuses to give up its flickering nature.
So what do we do?
A HIIT Bhakti Workout
There is something called HIIT—High-Intensity Interval Training workout. It is quite popular today. It’s a form of exercise that alternates short periods of intense activity with recovery periods. The goal of HIIT is to push your body to its limits in a short amount of time, allowing you to get the benefits of a longer workout in a fraction of the time. Instead of long hours of exercise, it involves short bursts of intense activity with very brief breaks in between. People accomplish more in less time.
What if we had a HIIT Bhakti Workout every single day?
For many of us, chanting sixteen attentive rounds feels like climbing a mountain. His Grace Bhurijana Prabhu, in his chanting seminars, often says, “Just hear one mantra.” That itself is a HIIT workout for the mind.
When the mind learns to grasp one mantra, it can gradually grasp two… then ten… and perhaps one day many more. Not merely repeat them, but allow the holy name to fill and transform the heart.
My HIIT Workout
I tried such a workout today.
Ten minutes of verse memorization. Ten minutes of reading. Five minutes of journaling. Five minutes of prayers. And five minutes of Vaishnava songs. We could also include hearing a class, kirtan, repeating prayers from Bhagavatam, chanting 2 rounds, or any other activity in bhakti. The exact activities may differ, but the principle remains the same—high-intensity absorption.
My result – I can remember the two verses I tried to memorize (maybe a quick revision will help more), I remember the prayers I did (at least I prayed for a longer time!), and I remember a couple of points from my reading, and the thoughts that formed my contemplation.
And even if I don’t remember anything, the fact is that I was absorbed for 30 minutes !
Focusing in the Age of Distractions
Why can’t we be innovative to devise our own ways to remain absorbed in this age?
We are living in an era of constant bombardment—from social media, politics, entertainment, news, and countless other distractions. Once we hand over our mind to these distractions, they consume not only our time but also our absorption.
Krishna quietly disappears from the mind. And if Krishna is not there, maya inevitably occupies that space.
Just as we have parking spots reserved for the handicapped, sometimes it feels as though we have reserved parking spots for maya in our own lives.
What if we instead reserved just thirty uninterrupted minutes for Krishna every day? Perhaps those thirty minutes of deep absorption would spill over into our work, our responsibilities, and our interactions with others.
After all, bhakti demands intensity. Even if our devotional “workout” is brief, genuine absorption has the power to influence every other aspect of life.
Thirty Minutes to Forever
By utilizing the restless nature of the mind, instead of constantly fighting against it, perhaps we can gradually tame it. That may become an effective way to invite Krishna into our hearts.
For now, perhaps we can simply offer Him a 30-minute parking spot.
Who knows? He may decide to stay much longer.
And perhaps one day, He will no longer need a temporary parking spot at all. He will make our heart His permanent residence.
PS: This HIIT Workout has to be practiced additionally apart from our regular sadhana (16 rounds) ! There is no HIIT in chanting. But, this HIIT Bhakti Workout can ameliorate our chanting.
