Remember, It Can
Always Be Done
There
are basically two kinds of people, says Paramhansa Yogananda those who are
governed by the `never-say-die' spirit, ull of confidence, ready to face all
sorts of challenges in life; and those who always see the gloomy side of hings,
are given to worrying, and lack he confidence to fight adversity .
The
parable of the two frogs is illustrative of this. One big and one small frog
fell into a pail of milk. The sides of the pail were too slippery and steep for
the frogs to climb out. They kept battling and struggling to stay alive. Every
time they raised their mouths to inhale a little oxygen, down hey went. They
paddled around, rying their best to find their way out. This struggle proved a
bit too much or the big frog that soon gave up and drowned.
The
small frog, however, said: `Life s too precious and wonderful. I don't want to
die. I will keep paddling and fighting for survival irrespective of what
happens to my little feet.' So it kept battling for hours, when suddenly it
found something solid under its feet. As a result of constant paddling, the
milk was churned to butter! Out jumped the little frog! Indeed, the habit of nega
tive thinking could shatter your confidence and impair your judgment. Negative
thoughts like `I won't be able to climb that steep hill' or `I am not hopeful
of making the grade' constantly occupy the mind of a person with a pessimistic
approach to life.To such a person, success proves elusive.
The
National Science Foundation estimated that, on an average, people have 70,000
to 80,000 thoughts per day, with 80% of those being negative and 95% being
repeated. This implies that we aren't really thinking; our mind is being
governed by the memory of earlier thoughts. Negative thoughts, over a period of
time, become so deeply entrenched in the mind that a specific `groove' is
created in the brain that makes you behave in a certain way , often against
your wish.
Special
effort is required to eradicate negative thoughts and to create brain patterns
of positive thoughts. One way of doing this is that we strictly avoid
categorising thoughts as `good' or `bad'. Understand that these thoughts come
and go voluntarily from the collective consciousness and you do not really own
them.
You
might not have control over what enters your brain, definitely have the power
to but you definitely have the power to remain indifferent to these and watch
them like a witness.
Secondly
, try to keep your mind constantly occupied in some constructive activity . It
is said that an idle man's brain is the Devil's workshop. The time when your
mind is vacant is just the time negative thoughts overpower you and wield their
influence on you.
Thirdly
, through deep meditation, make efforts to get connected with the positive
energy , the cosmic current that constantly flows within you. Do introspection
on a regular basis and invoking the power of your will, direct your mind to
cauterise the cells of negative thinking. Constantly assert in meditation: `By
the power of Divine Will, all my negative tendencies will soon be destroyed.'
If you are cowed down by adverse situations in life and lose hope like the big
frog, you are finished. But if you keep on battling with determination and
positive approach, you will be able to surmount all difficulties and emerge
victorious in life. Never give up hope. It can always be done.
|
Anup Taneja
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TOI3JUN15
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