Our mind is a boat, adrift on a sea of confusion. When a wave comes, the boat is swept ashore; when the tide turns, the boat is carried out to sea; a strong current pushes the boat along the coast; and when the wind blows, the boat is blown according to the wind’s whim. Like this, our mind is at the mercy of the currents of thoughts, waves of emotion, tides of desire and winds of whimsy. As long as we identify as our mind, and as long as our mind identifies with its present thoughts and preoccupations, our very perception of ourselves is all at sea; we have no control over our own consciousness, even our own sense of who we are and what we stand for.
We cannot control the wind, the waves and the tides, nor the flow of thoughts, distractions and desires. But we must take control of our own mind so that we are no longer the plaything of these external forces.
We cannot pilot a boat that is a toy of the wind and waves. Nor can we take command of our own lives until we can hold our mind still, even for a few moments. To hold the boat in one place, we drop an anchor. The weight of the anchor gives the boat stability, resisting the invitation of the wind, pull of the tides and force of the waves.
Concentration is our anchor, providing a focal point to keep our mind fixed in one place for long enough for us to take control, to quieten our thoughts and emotions, so that we can then point our mind in the direction we wish to travel, into our spiritual heart. Only then, can we enter into meditation.