abhijit1981's Blog

Author: Abhijit Borgohain

  • The Smokey Mirror — Understanding the Mind through Toltec Wisdom

    There’s a saying that if you dedicate your energy to a selfless cause, the Universe will align to support your intention and ensure it thrives. With that belief, I’ve decided to revive this long-inactive blog to share positivity and purpose. Last week, I published a post exploring the Nature of the Mind, Post editor: Preview illustrated through the example of the grass-eating lion, drawing from Sanatan/Indian philosophy.

    In what felt like a universal connection—or beautiful coincidence—my respected Guru, Prof. Dr. Arun Tiwari Sir, ( Arun Tiwari – Wikipedia) introduced me to a short yet profound e-book titled The Four Agreements. Written by Don Miguel Ruiz, a Mexican author born in 1952, the book distills ancient Toltec teachings into a path for spiritual awakening and personal freedom.

    Dr. Tiwari Sir encouraged me to absorb this wisdom and summarize it here through my blog.

    The Four Agreements are simple yet deeply transformative principles from Toltec wisdom—an ancient Mexican tradition that emphasizes self-mastery, inner peace, and living in harmony with truth and love:

    1. Be Impeccable with Your Word – Speak with honesty and intention. Avoid using language to harm yourself or others.
    2. Don’t Take Anything Personally – What others say or do reflects their own reality, not yours.
    3. Don’t Make Assumptions – Communicate clearly and ask questions to avoid misunderstanding.
    4. Always Do Your Best – Your best varies day to day; doing it helps you live without regret or self-judgment.

    Before I reflect on these four agreements individually, I feel compelled to share how Toltec wisdom views the nature of the mind —a perspective that echoes our own spiritual heritage. As we say, Truth is universal.

    At the heart of Toltec thought is the idea that the mind is always dreaming—whether we’re awake or asleep. In our waking state, we interpret life through filters shaped by societal conditioning, beliefs, and expectations. This collective filter is what the Toltecs call the dream of the planet. We’re born into this dream and are gradually “domesticated” into it—trained to behave through a system of praise and punishment, much like animals.

    Over time, we internalize this dream. We develop a Judge—an inner voice that evaluates everything we do—and a Victim, the part of us that feels unworthy, ashamed, or guilty. These voices are formed by agreements we never consciously made, yet they shape our lives.

    Toltec wisdom explains that this mental state is like a fog or mitote—a swirl of conflicting thoughts and beliefs. In Indian philosophy, we refer to it as maya—illusion. It prevents us from seeing our true self, which the Toltecs describe as pure light and love.

    This insight was beautifully illustrated through a story: a man, thousands of years ago, dreamed he saw himself sleeping. Under a star-filled sky, he realized, I am made of light. He named the stars tonal (the material world), the space between them nagual (the spiritual essence), and the binding force Life or Intent. He called himself the Smokey Mirror, understanding that while all matter reflects divine truth, our beliefs—the smoke—obscure it.

    So why do we suffer? Because we try to be what we are not. We chase images of perfection shaped by others, and when we inevitably fall short, we reject ourselves. The more we pretend to be something else, the more distant we grow from who we really are.

    But there’s a way out.

    Since our suffering stems from unconscious agreements, we can reclaim our freedom by breaking those rooted in fear. This frees up the personal power we’ve used to maintain them. And with that power, we can begin to dream a new dream—one grounded in self-acceptance, joy, and authenticity.

    The first step is awareness: to see the dream for what it is and question the beliefs that run our lives. Who told you you’re not enough? Whose ideal are you trying to fulfill?

    You are already complete. You are a mirror of divine light. The smoke may cloud your reflection, but the light has never left.

    As Don Miguel Ruiz wisely says:
    “You are the creator of your story. You can dream heaven or you can dream hell. The choice is yours.”

    Over the next four blog posts, I’ll explore the core principles and timeless wisdom of  “The Four Agreements.”

  • Nature of the Mind

    I am reminded of a story I read in childhood about a lion cub raised among goats. Orphaned at birth, he was adopted by a young girl who fed him goat’s milk and raised him alongside her herd. Over time, the lion cub began behaving like a goat—eating grass, feeling fearful, and never realizing his true nature.

    One day, he got lost in the jungle and instinctively ran in fear when he  saw a wolf. But to his surprise, the animals fled from him. This unfamiliar experience sparked a subtle awareness within. As he wandered deeper into the forest, he noticed the same reaction from other animals. Eventually, he encountered a pride of lions feasting on a kill. Something awakened inside him—a primal desire. Acting on it, he hunted a calf and, for the first time, felt the exhilaration of being what he truly was. From that moment on, the goat-like lion transformed into the king of the jungle.

    This story echoes our own journey. Like the lion, we are born fearless and whole. Yet, from early childhood, society conditions us—instilling beliefs about who we are, what we should be, and how we should behave. Over time, we learn to seek validation from others, shaping our identity through approval and comparison. This deep conditioning clouds our true nature, replacing inner confidence with doubt. The voice of our soul grows faint, and we begin to act more like the goats around us—fearful, uncertain, seeking acceptance.

    The external world we perceive is only a reflection of our inner state. When our inner world is in chaos, the world around us feels threatening. Our thoughts and emotions ripple like waves on a lake, disturbing the stillness within. As Confucius said, the human mind is more unpredictable than nature itself.

    To return to our true nature—the fearless lion within—we must still the mind. Through awareness and meditation, we can observe the restless flow of thoughts and emotions, and gradually reconnect with the deep peace and clarity that lies beneath. A calm mind, like a tranquil lake, reflects reality clearly and completely. If you able to observe the anatomy of the mind, and observe the flow of thoughts you will realize that how our mind is like constantly under the wave/ripples of emotions. You will realize that mediation is the only remedy to bring a still mind

    Meditation is not an escape; it is the only way to rediscover the self we’ve forgotten.

  • Eternal Bliss…I — “The Soul”

    I am a living entity—distinct from the body I inhabit. Just as a person uses a telephone to speak or listen but is not the telephone itself, I, too, use the body as an instrument. I am not the body, but the one who sees through the eyes, hears with the ears, speaks through the mouth, and feels, thinks, and acts. These faculties are tools—I am their master.

    I am the soul (Atma), eternal and immortal. The body is perishable, a temporary vessel given to me for performing actions and experiencing their consequences. I am both the doer and the one who undergoes the outcomes of those deeds.

    Like a driver controls a carriage, I—the soul—am in charge of the body, which serves as my vehicle. The soul is like a diamond; the body, its casket. When the soul departs, the body is declared dead. People say, “The light has gone,” meaning the living essence has left, and the drama has come to an end.

    The mind is the soul’s thinking faculty. It imagines, creates thoughts, and forms ideas. Thoughts give rise to emotions, desires, and sensations. In a moment, the mind can revisit the past, project itself into the future, or reach distant places. It is the mind that navigates moods and internal experiences.

    The intellect is the faculty that evaluates thoughts. It is the center of understanding, judgment, and decision-making—arguably the most vital of all. A refined intellect allows for clarity, deep realization, and sound reasoning. It is through the intellect that we remember, discern, judge, and exercise willpower.