How To Stop Negative Thoughts

Thoughts have power. As we think, so we become. If we allow negative thoughts to dominate our mind, we will be frustrated, unhappy and lacking in inner peace. If we can stop negative thoughts, we will will be able to see the beautiful, even in the mundane; we will be able to attain peace of mind, even in the turmoil of everyday life.

Be Committed

The very first step is simply the awareness that you want to stop your negative thoughts. Unfortunately, there is a part of us that holds on to negative thoughts; if we didn’t consciously or unconsciously invite negative thoughts we wouldn’t have them. For example, we sometimes hold onto negative thoughts out of self-pity; we have to be careful of this. If we strongly value the benefit of rejecting negative thoughts we will be able to do it.

Be Aware.

Another problem is that negative thoughts can often slip in unnoticed. We allow negative thoughts to spiral around in our mind and don’t have the discipline to reject them. Always be conscious of your thoughts, and don’t allow your mind to wander down a path of negativity. Feel that when you allow negative thoughts into your mind you are staining something very beautiful. Take time to periodically review your thoughts so that it will become more instinctive to be aware of your own mind.

Positive Visualisation.

Only by our positive thinking,
By our bringing the positive qualities
Of others to the fore,
Will this world be able
To make progress.

The most effective way for countering negativity, is to throw yourself into the opposite – which is a positive view of life. Don’t focus on a person’s minor misdemeanour’s, but focus on the real self, the part that is divine. If you are frustrated how society is at the moment, visualise how society can change into something beautiful. By thinking of the positive and by feeling divine qualities of love, we will not want to harbour negativity. Don’t feel you are fighting negativity, but just growing into a better world-view.

Negativity Hurts yourself.

Much negativity is focused on other people – colleagues who annoy us, friends who disappoint us, politicians who fail us. We wish to blame and criticise other people we come into contact with. However, as we gain more experience, we come to feel that our own negativity unmistakably returns to its source. The failings we see in others are merely some part of our own larger nature. When we realise that negativity towards others returns like a boomerang, we will naturally be more compassionate, forgiving and loving. By being kind to others, we are really being kind to our more illumined self.

We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world.

- Lord Buddha

Meditation

Sometimes, when sitting down to meditate, I just allow thoughts to pass by and I act as the observer of the thoughts. This allows myself to be aware of the thoughts that I produce; it also enables me to see thoughts as separate from my real self. By simply observing thoughts that pass by your mind, you will be able to see them as passing, transient objects – separate from yourself. With this perspective it is much easier to reject those you don’t want.

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Scarcity, Giving and Abundance

As a profession I teach Economics. The first lesson of economics is the concept of scarcity. Because we have scarcity we have to decide how to distribute these limited resources. If you gain some goods, that means less for me. This law of economics we can also feel in all aspects of life.

However, from a spiritual perspective this law is completely misleading. When we give wholeheartedly and with sincerity, we  enable ourselves to have more. If we offer good will to others, if we can give others joy, then this is the best way of being joyful ourselves.

Anything we do for the world
Is bound to be returned
Infinitely more.

- Sri Chinmoy

If we think there is only a limited amount of love, we will try and possess it; we will love another, but in a limited and possessive way. With this conception of love, we will always fear losing it; we will fear that our limited love could easily escape. However, if we love unconditionally, if we love everyone we meet, we come to appreciate that it is natural to be loving all the time. To love others, we have to have love for ourselves. This is not an egotistical love; it is a recognition of our divine essence, our real Self. If we feel love and joy to be scarce commodities we will try and ration it and grasp onto it when we see. But, when we learn to give unconditionally, we gain more of what we give. As St Francis of Assisi, concisely put: “For it is in giving that we receive.”

Attitude to Money

If we see others in need and offer financial assistance, we learn the value of giving. This confidence to give to others in need, helps us to attract money into our lives. It is only in cheerfully using money that we can feel wealthy. I used to work for a boss who was a multi-millionaire. However, he was very miserly; he would turn off the heating and lights to save a few pence. He couldn’t give anything to anyone. He had stacks of money in the bank, but he felt poor. His millions gave no joy because he couldn’t spend it.

Giving with Sincerity

If we give to others with the hope that we will get in return, this is not sincere joyful giving. When we give with this attitude, there is a fear our giving may not pay dividends. With this attitude, we don’t really know if we actually have joy to give; it becomes like a bargain. This is not effective. If we give unconditionally, we do not need or expect anything in return. Giving is its own reward. Whether it is misused or not returned doesn’t matter – because we know that giving selflessly helps us to do and become the right thing.

Learn by Teaching.

Love cannot remain by itself — it has no meaning.
Love has to be put into action, and that action is service

- Mother Teresa.

I always tell my students that the best way to revise / learn is to teach others. If you just read the same notes, it is hard to make progress. However, if they take time to explain something to others, then there own understanding and comprehension increases significantly. It is the same principle in life, what we teach and give to others is the lessons we will learn ourselves.

If we judge others, we will feel judged ourselves. If we offer happiness to others, we will be happy ourself. If we are miserly towards other people, we will feel miserly ourselves.

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What Do you Want to See Today?

Quite often we feel that what we experience and see is something that happens to us. This experience depends on other people and the rest of the world. But, we have a habit of seeing what we want to see. If we want to see conflict we can see it in any aspect of life. If we want to see beauty we can also see that.

As soon as we wake up, we start creating our view of life. If you could start your day once more, what would you like to see.

Be Conscious From When you wake up.

What is the first thought you have on waking up? If you had one seed thought for the whole day what would it be? Would it be worrying about getting to work on time, what to have for dinner in the evening? Why not choose a thought which you will inspire you for the rest of the day. At least, make it positive.

Positive Image.

In my room, I try to keep flowers, I also keep a picture of my spiritual teacher, Sri Chinmoy. These are the things which inspire me most. When waking up, I look at these first. It is simple act, but it shows that we can choose to keep around us the positive and beautiful. From this we will get inspiration and keep in a positive frame of mind.

Give to Others What You would like to Receive yourself.

If you would like to receive joy and happiness in life, try giving it to others. What we give is what we will receive. If we offer forgiveness to others, you will be able to receive forgiveness for ourselves. If we are critical towards others, we will feel judgemental about ourselves.

If your life does not give joy
To others,
Then how can you expect
Your heart to give any joy
To you?

- Sri Chinmoy

Stop – Do you Really want to Focus on That?

Invariably, our day will be spoiled by some unwelcome negative thoughts. If left unchecked these can take us on a negative spiral. We have to stop these thoughts and be clear this is not what we want to see.

Good Qualities

No one is perfect, there will always be things that have the capacity to annoy us. But, we have to be unaffected by this. If someone is annoying us, then we have to try another way of looking at things. Let it go, choose to see the good in them.

From now on,
I shall see
Only the good
In all human beings.

- Sri Chinmoy

Feel Thoughts will come trues Immediately.

Just imagine that whatever you thought or wished became reality immediately. If you imagine inwardly arguing with someone, feel this would occur. If you feel thoughts would come true immediately, you would be very careful what you wished for.

Underlying Thoughts

To really see what we want to see, don’t forget to be scrupulously sincere and honest. Sometimes, we have an underlying thought or desire for something. Perhaps part of us gets a subtle sense of joy from conflict. Part of us has this injured pride when bad things happen. Ironically, part of us holds onto this. We may not even be aware that we are holding on to this unfortunate experience. Be careful of your underlying thoughts and impressions.

Take Time to be Grateful

Heaven on earth doesn’t have to be just a dream. If we are in the right consciousness, the simplest thing can give us so much joy. If we can be grateful for these good things, it will definitely help us to see and appreciate the good in the world.

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Quotes on Inner Peace

January 12th, 2011 | life | Posted by tejvan -

If you have inner peace, nobody can force you to be a slave to the outer reality.

- Sri Chinmoy

Related Article: Seven Simple Steps to Inner Peace

Once we have this inner peace, world peace can be achieved in the twinkling of an eye.

- Sri Chinmoy

My inner peace
Does not select anybody,
Does not reject anybody.
My inner peace
Always self-givingly projects itself.

- Sri Chinmoy

“When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others.”

- Peace Pilgrim

“Possession of material riches, without inner peace, is like dying of thirst while bathing in a lake.”

- Paramahansa Yogananda

“Peace, for example, starts within each one of us. When we have inner peace, we can be at peace with those around us. When our community is in a state of peace, it can share that peace with neighboring communities, and so on.”

- Dalai Lama

Freedom from desire leads to inner peace.

- Lao Tse

A smile is the beginning of peace.

- Mother Teresa

It isn’t enough to talk about peace, one must believe it.
And it isn’t enough to to believe in it, one must work for it.

- Eleanor Roosevelt

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