Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, father of Benazir Bhutto, was hanged on 4th April 1979. After he was sentenced to death, as he was confined to a prison cell in a highly fortified prison in the heart of Pakistan, the prison superintendent offered to provide him with a television so that he could relax and feel less tense as he spend his final days waiting for the fateful day. But Zulfiqar declined the offer. Then the prison official again offered to provide him with any kind of books. Yet again, Bhutto refused. The stunned official asked him, “How then will you spend these very difficult final days?” He replied, “Don’t worry about that, I have my thoughts with me”.
Stephen Hawking spent most of his life in a wheel chair due to paralysis. But he made incredible contributions in Physics and is considered one of the greatest minds of the 20th century. He said that, though he is deprived of physical mobility and can communicate only through machines, he does not consider it to be a hindrance because his mind neither lacks imagination nor dialogue. As he famously said, “In our minds, we are all free”.
Buddha said, “Never feel lonely because the whole universe is inside you”. Yes, though you and I may just be tiny specks in this big wide and open universe, we have been endowed with the capability to think and imagine about almost anything under the sun. From the deepest bottoms of the seas to the infinite ends of outer space, there is nothing which we cannot think or ponder about. Though there may still be many wonders that are yet to be discovered and explored, the capabilities of the human mind is such that it can, in a way, transcend almost everything that we know or will ever know.
I do not know what Zulfiqar Bhutto thought most as he spent his final days in the prison. But I am sure he thought about his God and made his peace with Him. Yes, when we can turn our mind and our thoughts into our best friend or companion, then something magical can happen because there is no limit to our mind. Even though Hawking spent his entire life confined to a wheelchair, his mind travelled all over the universe and explored wonders.
Our physical bodies may have limitations but our mind is limitless and unrestraint. And there is no boundary or territory which it cannot transcend. Therefore, one of the best ways through which one can encounter God is through meditation and self-introspection. Meditation is not just a fantastic way to encounter the ultimate truth but it is also a great form of worship. I guess this is why it is said, “Be still and know that I am God”. It is also said “meditation is God or the Universe talking to you”. And it is also said “our quietest moments are our greatest experiences”. A person may be physically confined or rotting in a dungeon, but it is not possible to encage his mind and his mind is always up to something or at work. And so even if his body is in chains, he still has the capability to think and imagine like God Himself because he has been created in the image of God. And if we look at history, some of the most revered people have been loners who spent considerable time by themselves without any interaction with others. The only interaction they had was with themselves. They were fully engrossed with the constant internal dialogue going on in their minds. Gautama Buddha achieved enlightenment after sitting and meditating under a tree for many days all alone by himself. David spent lonely times by himself looking after his father’s sheep in the wilderness and became a man after God’s own heart. Jesus spent forty days and forty nights in the wilderness before embarking on his ministry.
I like the Hindi song, “Kaun kisiko bandh saka hain” which means “who has been able to encage another”. Yes, no matter what our physical condition or the situation around us, our minds can never be tamed and it is great way to discover the wonders of creation and also a great way to worship honestly and truthfully.
For a person who has realized the truth of God, his mind will always be in a worship mode. And as such whatever he does becomes a form of worship and thus worship becomes spontaneous and original with no artificiality. His heart is filled with gratitude for God’s mercies and grace. His mind has absolute faith in the supreme sovereignty and justice of God. It will be full of hopes because it is filled with the wonderful words and promises of God. And whether he is inside or outside any temple, nobody can snatch away his right to worship because his mind is free and beyond the domain of any power.
True worship begins, happens and excels in the mind first before it transcends into other spheres. It flourishes and thrives in a conducive and supportive environment. But the power of true worship of the free mind is such that, even in a hostile and unfavorable setting, it does not diminish or shrink but rather, it only intensifies and becomes more vibrant and inexorable. And it is often in such hostile and dangerous surroundings that God manifests and proclaims His power and glory. This is why Daniel always opened his windows towards Jerusalem and prayed unceasingly and boldly even while he was in captivity of an antagonistic foreign nation. That’s how powerful the worship of the free mind is.
How amazing and wonderful as well as promiscuous and unpredictable is our mind! It is certainly one of the greatest gifts with which our Creator has endowed us. We may be sitting inside a church but our minds may be wandering elsewhere. We may be in a brothel or a bar, but our minds may be thinking about our loved ones at home. That’s how loose and capricious the mind is. Nobody can tell what’s going on in the space between the ears. Just because your body is physically present in a certain place does not mean that your mind is also there. You may be obediently carrying out some ritualistic activities in a church or temple. But there is no guarantee that your mind is also there with you.
If we can discipline our minds, it can become the most fertile ground for true worship and all that is dear to God. If God is really someone who can read our minds even before we ever speak out a word, then God is pleased when our minds think and ponder about the things and matters that are close to His Heart. We can be in the paddy field or in our concrete RCC building, we may be in prison or in the palace, we may be at home or on a journey. But we can worship anywhere and anytime because our mind does not need any pre-requisites or preconditions to worship. It can shift into a worship mode without a single word being uttered or a single action being taken.
And when we think about things that are important and close to God’s Heart, it will surely get manifested in our words and actions sooner or later in one way or the other. As is rightly said, “Whatever a man thinks in his heart, he is what he thinks”. God created us with a mind which can think, ponder, imagine, reason and envision like Himself. And so when we use our mind to think, ponder and imagine about the purpose of creation and the righteousness of God, we are using our most astounding asset for its most sublime mission.
One of the thieves who was crucified with Christ found paradise because, at the last moment, he thought about his Maker. In other words, he worshipped with his mind. This thief was probably someone who lived only for himself and spent his entire life robbing and hurting others. His life was an epitome of rebellion against God. But the moment he realized and admitted his wickedness and God’s righteousness, he was cleansed and made righteous. And how did he achieve this righteousness? Just by a mere though in his mind. That’s the power of the mind. So, even if you are lying in your death-bed at home or about to die in a faraway unknown land, you can still cleanse yourself by dwelling and meditating on God’s words and promises because in our minds we are all free. And when we choose and decide to use this freedom in the right way, for the right purpose and for the right person, then the blessing, anointing and cleansing are sure to follow us wherever we go.
