In society, various activities are undertaken with the aim of purification of the mind. Despite diverse activities, this goal is far from being realized. This is because all these activities are attempted without first deconditioning the mind. It is as if everyone is on a journey which has yet to commence. It is only after deconditioning the mind that one can have a truly well-prepared mind. Without such a well-prepared mind, one will be unable to accept anything with an open mind, and will, instead, understand things based on preconceived notions. We are all born in a pure natural state. Due to the conditioning we receive from society and family, our nature is influenced. This conditioning is like a series of coverings over our true nature, similar to the peels of an onion. Deconditioning is a process that can be symbolically explained as a removal of these layers, one by one, until the true, pure nature is uncovered. In this respect an onion is a material example of the deconditioning process.
In Conversation with Khaja Kaleemuddin