To trick the mind into renouncing

However, not many of us can renounce steadfastly. In fact, as you meditate you realise, this state arises on its own. Without your own contribution. It comes from a place of devotion, even in the jnani, and seems entirely to be an act of grace. Because if you try too hard, the mind resists this state. It also has its own subtle, intellectual tricks about how to subvert your intention. You think you are renouncing, but it has climbed back to its perch (the Bikram and vetal story, in essence:)

So how does one do this?

In psychology or neuroscience, to be precise, you can backstage (this is called backward masking, technically) an event in the mind. Overwhelm the mind with one task so that its focus acts in discarding other associations, sensations and thoughts. This is where the discipline of a steady practice/sadhana comes in handy.  Perhaps, rituals like mantra japa/rosary/tabeez all help in that. When you do a nirguna mantra, and hear its syllables in your own voice reciting it in your mind (this is the only way to do japa chanting, since otherwise again the mind runs off wayward, back to its loops:) then the mind begins the torturous task of renunciation. Torturous because every few seconds, it forgets its task and has gone off, looping itself yet again. And again. . Then the act of remembering gets you back to your intense renunciation.

Here, the path begins.... But for many of us, the sense of being stuck in one place, with this task can be overwhelming. Even annoying. Here is where Patanjali's call of shraddha/faith actually makes sense. You stay in that spot (like the Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland, running to stay in one place) and renounce/recite relentlessly. Things then fall in place...