Wanting To Be In Control Of Things Is The Result Of Ignorance Of Our True Nature – Hinduism Reflections

In the tapestry of human experience, the impulse to control the uncontrollable appears almost universal. Whether we exert ourselves to manage our careers, relationships, or even our inner emotions, the urge to steer events and shape outcomes often feels indispensable to our sense of security. Yet, according to the Vedanta tradition of Hinduism, this compulsive striving for control is born of a deeper ignorance—avidya—about our own true nature. By exploring how this dynamic unfolds, and by reflecting on scriptural insights and the teachings of Vedanta masters, we can begin to loosen our grip on illusion and rest in the freedom of the Self.

The Illusion of Control and the Reality of Maya

At the heart of Vedanta lies the distinction between the transient world of phenomena—Maya—and the eternal reality of Brahman, the unchanging ground of all that is. Maya is not “evil” in a moral sense, but rather a cosmic veil that casts up forms, names, and distinctions, compelling the individual ego to believe itself separate and finite. Out of this separation arises the sense that we must manage everything around us, lest we be overwhelmed by chaos. In truth, control is an act of desperation, a symptom of ignorance about our essential, boundless nature as Atman.

The Bhagavad Gita, in its second chapter, states, “You have a right to action only, never to its fruits. Let not the fruit of action be your motive, nor let your attachment be to inaction.” Here Krishna teaches that clinging to outcomes binds us tighter to suffering. It is the belief that we are the doer—that we can determine every result—that fuels anxiety, depression, and conflict. When we recognize that the Self is ever content and untouched by gain or loss, we begin to loosen our futile attempts to choreograph reality.

Vedanta Teachings on Non-Doing and Surrender

Sri Shankara, the great 8th‑century exponent of Advaita Vedanta, emphasized “Neti neti”—not this, not that—as a method of negation to reveal the Self beyond all attributes. In the practice of neti neti, we negate every thought, sense perception, and craving, until the mind stands empty before its own source. In that emptiness, there is no one left to control or be controlled.

Ramana Maharshi, the modern sage of Arunachala, taught the path of Self‑inquiry: “Who am I?” By turning attention inward to the sense “I,” we discover that the “I” is not a bundle of desires, experiences, or ego‑stories. It is the luminous, unchanging awareness in which all appearances arise. Maharshi would often say, “Your own Self‑Realization is the greatest service you can render the world.” When the Self is known, the folly of controlling vanishes naturally, because there is no gap between the knower and the known.

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa went further in his ecstasies, declaring that surrender to the Divine Mother dissolves all egoic striving. “Let me be a blade of grass, and the wind of Thy will may bend me, break me, or toss me to and fro,” he would pray. This radical yielding is what Hindu seers call Ishvara pranidhana—devotion to the Lord as the true doer. In Sadhana (spiritual practice), this translates to offering every thought, word, and deed at the altar of Brahman, freeing us from the illusion that we ever controlled anything in the first place.

Modern Resonance: Control in an Uncertain Age

In the twenty‑first century, the illusion of control has reached new heights. Technological advances promise to optimize our lives, from algorithms that predict our preferences to medical breakthroughs that extend our lifespan. Yet even these marvels cannot shield us from pandemics, natural disasters, or the entropic decay of the body. Social media amplifies our belief that life can be curated—feeds of perfect images, filtered news cycles, ratings and likes that fuel the ego. And when any of these systems falter, we experience existential panic.

Psychologists speak of the “illusion of control” as a cognitive bias: people overestimate their influence on uncontrollable events, leading to stress and burnout. Stoic philosophers likewise warned against entangling ourselves in outcomes beyond our reach, teaching instead to focus on what is in our power—our judgments and attitudes. In this way, the wisdom of the Upanishads—written millennia ago—finds uncanny affirmation in modern science and ethics.

The Practice of Letting Go

How, then, do we translate Vedanta’s lofty insights into everyday life? The process begins with awareness. Whenever you notice the familiar tightening around uncertainty—fear of failure, of loss, of judgment—pause. Investigate the bodily sensations: is the belly clenched, the breath shallow? Direct the mind to the source of the “I”-thought. Ask gently: “Who is it that wants control?”

Over time, repeated inquiry reveals the ego’s fragile foundation. As you rest in awareness, the compulsion to orchestrate dissolves into a natural pattern of responsive, rather than reactive, action. You still care for your job, your family, and your community—but from a place of fullness, not lack. You let outcomes unfold, engaging wholeheartedly in the process, yet remaining unattached to success or failure.

Practical Tools from Vedanta Masters

1. Mantra and Meditation

   • Swami Vivekananda recommended chanting such as “So’ham” (“I am That”) to reorient consciousness to the unity of Atman and Brahman. Repetition of a simple mantra quiets the mind’s chatter and loosens the ego’s hold.

2. Mindful Service (Karma Yoga)

   • Following the Gita’s path of selfless action, service becomes a means to transcend ego rather than inflate it. In hospitals, schools, or spontaneous acts of kindness, the doer vanishes in the act of giving.

3. Self‑Reflection (Jnana Yoga)

   • Daily journaling on “I,” “mine,” and “me” elucidates how attachment and identification sustain the control fantasy. Writing down moments when you clung to an outcome can illuminate patterns ripe for surrender.

A Resonant Quote from the Mandukya Upanishad

“You are neither the senses, nor the mind, nor the vital breath, nor the emotions. You are the eternal, the all‑pervading spirit, unchanging. When this knowledge dawns, all bonds are severed.”

When we truly hear this, we no longer believe we must safeguard or direct our lives. We rest like the sky, welcoming every meteor, cloud, or sunrise without effort. This is the highest teaching of Vedanta: to know oneself as that which is beyond all altering forms.

 Freedom Beyond Control

To want control is human, yet it betrays a fundamental misperception of who we are. In grasping for certainties, we reinforce the ego’s sense of fragility. Vedanta offers the antidote: unwavering Self‑knowledge that transcends all doership. When the mist of ignorance lifts, the soul dances in the light of its own being, untouched by the tumult of change.

May these reflections encourage you to explore the depths of your own awareness, to question the urge to dominate life’s flow, and to discover the freedom that lies at the core of your being—unchanging, infinite, and eternally at peace.