“हमेशा ‘ऊंचा’ और ‘उत्तम’ सोचो …’

Swami ji said …

If we were asked – ‘What is that one thing that would make you most powerful ?’ – among the prompt replies would be – money, land, status, power, etc. But on flipping through the pages of our lifetime and giving considerable thought to what would be the ‘one’ most powerful factor that has made us reach where we are in life ; enabled us to attain what we have in the present time – ‘वो हमारी ‘सोच’ की वजह से ही है … हम आज जहां अपने आप को पाते हैं, वहां तक हमें हमारी सोच ही लाई है…’

The patterns and contours that emerge in our mind ; the vision that we have in the present time- whether it is blurred, faint, clear cut or sharply outlined – depends only on our thoughts – our way of thinking
about life and approaching it – “
यह सब हमारी सोच पर ही निर्भर करता है ” A sharply outlined pattern depicts clarity of thoughts and crystal-clear thinking. The most powerful tool that we are equipped with is – the ability to think – and if our ‘thinking’ is on a positive, constructive, and confident line – believe me – we will be able to change any situation – to our advantage and in our favour.

For instance, the state and scenario in which we find ourselves could appear wretched, depressing and tilting towards despair – but a positive mindset would make us refuse to cower down to its darkness and embolden us to brighten up each day with regular doses of happiness. Whether we are ecstatic – steering the wheels of worldly success – or content living a life of seclusion, detached from worldly attachments – it all depends on our way of thinking and our definition of life ; what life means to us and what we intend to make of it.

Are we creatures of comfort and thus attracted only to the pleasures of materialism – so much so – that the thought of living without them, even for a day, is unimaginable to us. Does the foul smell of sweat and toil revolt us to such an extent that we are not willing to work – even if our very existence is in crisis? All this confusion reigns in the mind because of our wayward thinking.

Those of us who have made up our minds to walk the spiritual path, in particular, will have to understand – the strong hold and control that our ‘thinking’ has on us. Our thoughts change with every move of the needle – and it is completely up to us , henceforth, to take charge of controlling these thoughts – which will happen with practice. It would be incorrect on our part to express absolute contentment at the magical turn that our lives take – under the wings of a ‘saccha sant’ – on a particular day – but walk with discontentment written large on our face , the very next day , when we are expected to follow a strict spiritual routine. Eager and regular ‘sadhna’ and meditation teaches us to develop calmness and an unruffled state of the mind – so that we are able to focus on our ‘ आराध्य ‘, our ‘ishta devta’ or ‘guru’ – but the very next day we could find ourselves caught in a fatigued dilemma while meditating – whether or not – all our wishes and desires will be fulfilled by our chosen deity or ‘guru’ ; impending which – ‘ एक ऐसी सोच – की क्या हम किसी दूसरे ‘इष्ट’ या ‘गुरु’ का आशीर्वाद लें जो हमें ज्यादा देंगे ? ‘ – rises within us. So weak and pathetic can be our thinking! Nothing should make us happier and more cheerful than availing opportunities that could make us inch towards realising God – but , at the same time , the thought of not being able to meet our loved ones for long durations could also sadden us. The firm resolve to not surrender to the mirages created by the mind must be strengthened on a regular basis.

Our life principles, our beliefs, can only be called so – if they are applied rigorously over a lifetime – otherwise they are just musings of a fickle mind.Having faith means believing in something when there is no evidence for the same. Similarly, we must have faith in our principles when the going gets tough, no matter what the mind throws up and says. We must gather strength and follow the path we have set out for ourselves.

Jesus had spent 40 days and nights fasting in the desert, and in this malnourished state he was tempted by the devil to forsake God and His teachings and simply worship him in return for all the kingdoms of the world. Despite His hunger and thirst, the extreme suffering of His body, Jesus did not give up God. Similarly, the spiritual practitioner too faces tests and temptations – the mind like the devil offers reasons to take the ‘easier way out’ – just like the devil wanted of Jesus – the mind wants to enslave us – to take us away from God and self-realization. That is the nature of the material world – मोह-माया – that surrounds us.
While it is our beliefs and principles – our सोच – that navigates our journey of life – It is only by staying true to the course – by holding on and believing in these principles – can we show the world why and how beneficial it is to have a sound and strong spiritual system. The path of God is a difficult path to take, but, those who embark upon it for the whole journey – bring only more light on it with their own enlightenment.