Our mind is an amazing tool: "Our mind is not only the source of ideas, a tool for gathering data, an instrument of training and technique, or a repository of experience and memory" (93-4). Our mind serves more purpose than reasoning alone. How we utilize this powerful tool is entirely up to us. Hopefully, we put it to good use such as helping others and doing what is "right".
However, our mind is a double edged sword. As Dass asserts, "Much of our capacity to help another person depends upon our state of mind" (93). Depending on its condition, our mind can help or in extreme cases harm others. When you are in good condition, you are ready to help others, but when you are groggy, you do not have any desire to help others let alone help yourself. Thus, when trying to help others, try to keep yourself in top condition, for you'll be more willing to do so.
I found an interesting point that I can relate to. I "listen" or rather pretend to listen in many cases, but in reality I'm drenched in my own thoughts and daydreaming about a problem or another. I can easily make the speaker feel like I am very attentive, but I probably won't remember details of the conversation. As we have discussed before, listening is a vital skill in life, which is why we put so much emphasis on listening last semester; thus, we should really LISTEN when someone is talking. Dass makes a good analogy on how to practice good listening: "If we imagine taht our mind is like the blue sky, and that across it pass thoughts as clouds, we can get a feel for that part of it which is other than our thoughts. The sky is always present; it contains the clouds and yet is not contained by them" (102). It is o.k. to have one's own opinion about what one is listening to, but one should focus more on what the speaker is saying rather than exploring one's opinion while pretending to listen.
Our mind should be as clear as this sky above
HELPING PRISON
I agree with the idea that humans do things for selfish reasons. There is always some type of an award for doing something. Perhaps it is as little as a little praise or as big as fame and prosperity; nonetheless, everyone has a selfish motivation behind doing good deeds: "It's clear, for example, that as helpers we don't simply go about dispensing service with nothing in return" (140). To prove my point, why do people do community service? People do it for various reasons. Some people do it to feel good about themselves, some people are giving back to the community by doing so, some want to atone their sins, and some HAVE to do it because it is court ordered. Some are more altruistic than the other motivations, but nonetheless they are all selfish reasons. There is always a reason why people help the helpless.
Maybe these guys are out here simply to help and maybe not
