The Quality of our Thinking
The recent dastardly coward act of the Maoist group of attacking the train, where innocent civilians who are unarmed men, women, children, completely unaware of the happenings around them were killed by the meticulously planned strike, once again highlight the fact that that the quality of thinking determines the quality of our life. Whether the serial bombing in Guwahati, or the 26/11 happenings of the Mumbai act or any terrorist attack in Pakistan. When events such as a terrorist bombing that kills hundreds, people all over the world are affected. They feel the tension wave of those unstable situations even though they're not directly impacted. The collective energy generated from the feelings, thoughts, and attitudes of the almost six billion people on this planet creates an atmosphere or 'consciousness climate.' Surrounding us like the air we breathe, this consciousness climate affects us most strongly on energetic and emotional levels. An increase in “coherent” thoughts and feelings creates an uplifting momentum in the consciousness climate. An increase in “incoherent” thoughts and feelings creates a stress momentum in the consciousness climate. In other words, coherence or incoherence is broadcast via the consciousness climate much as music or noise is broadcast via radio signals.
The quality of our thinking determines the quality of our life. If we improve the quality of our thinking, in any area, we improve the quality of our life in that area. By using our mind, our ability to think we become a creator of circumstances rather than a creature of circumstances. We move from being powerless to being powerful. We determine everything that happens to us by the way we think about it, in advance. We may not be what we think we are, but what we think we are.
The recent activity of the various terrorist groups operating in India, unfortunately India is the only country where we are faced with three types of terrorist Ideological, Ethnic, and the Religious Fundamentals which make worse for the security force as the approach for each group becomes completely different, worse again we have yet to make a concrete strategy for the ideological terrorist group like the Maoist, the Home ministry is still groping whether to go soft or hammer and tong. Well coming to the main issue of thinking the recent activity of the civilian attack proves beyond doubt that the Ideological group has lost the power of rational thinking. Thought is a power and has its effect on the material world. Thoughts, if powerful enough, travel from one mind to another. If we keep thinking the s
ame thought, people in our environment perceive it and act on it, furthering, usually in an unconscious manner, the materialization of our desires. It reminds me of Bhaja Govindam where a verse depicts our positive attitude of life…..
Translation
As water on a lotus leaf is very unstable, life is extremely unsteady. Know that the whole world is stricken with disease and arrogance and afflicted with sorrow.
Interpretation
The Pratipaksha Bhavana continues. Look at life afresh and you see an uncertain future. Shankara says life is as unsteady as a drop of water on a lotus leaf. A slight breeze is enough to tilt the leaf and the drop of water falls in the pond. Similarly life is unpredictable. At any age, however healthy or strong you may be, there is no security against death. It takes away anyone, at any time.
There is no time to waste. We have a tendency to procrastinate, postpone investment in the spiritual field. This verse conveys the urgency of the situation. Now you have the health, mental and intellectual faculties to develop the spiritual quotient. Who knows what the future has in store? The same facilities may not be available later. So use this precious time for self-enhancement.
Even during this uncertain tenure life is beset with all kinds of problems. There is disease at the physical level, sorrow at the emotional plane and arrogance at the intellectual stage. All of which create agitations. But we have got accustomed to them and do not feel the need to rise above them. We cannot visualise a life free from these hardships. Hence there is no attempt to rid ourselves of them. Bhaja Govindam tries to awaken us to the truth that as human beings we are meant to experience a hassle-free life, one full of cheer and joy.
This does not mean we should take the approach that we might die any moment. The point of this verse is that we must utilise our time judiciously. Invest in our spiritual growth and make our life worthwhile. We seem to think the study of the scriptures is for retirees, but the truth couldn’t be farther from that. Every one of us must set aside a little time for spiritual study everyday, think about it and strive to put it into practice. Before being diagnosed with cancer, Lance Armstrong took it easy on the cycling track. As a result, he didn’t cycle as well he should have. It was only during his fight against cancer that he realized he wasn’t performing to his potential. He decided to commit himself to giving his best everyday. From then on, Lance Armstrong has gone on to win a world-record six Tour de France titles. Unlike Lance, we shouldn’t wait for cancer or some disease to hit us before we start giving our best. So take affirmative action NOW. Refuse to pamper your body. Desist from pandering to your whims and fancies. Make a concerted effort to abide by your own deeper aspirations. Entertain the thought of the higher always. And see the difference.
Neglect is like an infection. Left unchecked it will spread throughout our entire system of disciplines and eventually lead to a complete breakdown of a potentially joy-filled and prosperous human life.
Not doing the things we know we should do causes us to feel guilty and guilt leads to an erosion of self-confidence. As our self-confidence diminishes, so does the level of our activity. And as our activity diminishes, our results inevitably decline. And as our results suffer, our attitude begins to weaken. And as our attitude begins the slow shift from positive to negative, our self-confidence diminishes even more ... and on and on it goes.
Positive Action is verily a signature of life. Life manifests most vividly in the form of actions. If the very life principle is said to be the eternal divinity then its manifestation in the form of action is indeed its divine fragrance. To be able to act is indeed a blessing, and anyone who acts in a dynamic, creative way out of the feeling of well being for all becomes a blessing for all those around him, and paves the path for his total fulfillment too. Any philosophy of life which gives due importance to action alone facilitates people to make the best of their lives and vice versa any philosophy which professes an inactive life becomes responsible for the fall of that person, society or the nation
**** Verse & Translation: Vedanta Vision,
