The Power of Thought – Part Two
Our ability to get what we want in life depends on our ability to frame our thoughts clearly, so that our personal energy can be focused on the achievement of these desires. If we do not focus our minds clearly on our objectives they remain hazy and ill-defined. These thoughts therefore cannot manifest effectively in the physical world.
When we concentrate on a single thought, to the total exclusion of all other conflicting thoughts, they become a powerful force for change. The more clearly we hold an image in our minds, the more power we direct towards the attainment of that image. As we repeat this process the mind becomes more concentrated, and so gains strength. In the case of Sages and those who have cultivated perfect concentration, thoughts are able to manifest instantaneously, without any intervening delay.
The power of the individual mind is limited by the personal power of the individual concerned. This power varies from person to person. It increases with robust health and diminishes with illness. It is vital and effective in youth and fades, unless carefully cultivated, with advancing age. But however much power a person may possess, that power can be made more effective by practice.
When the 20th century Indian Sage Sri Ramana Maharshi was asked what was meant by strength of mind, he replied that it was the ability to concentrate on one particular thought without being distracted. When asked how this could be achieved, he said: “By practice“.
He went on to add: “The wavering of the mind is a weakness arising from the dissipation of its energy in the shape of thoughts. When one makes the mind stick to one thought the energy is conserved, and the mind becomes stronger”. (Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi)
Any desire can be achieved if the mind is steadfastly focused upon it. However our ability to manifest what we desire is undermined by negative thoughts such as doubts and fears. These contradictory thoughts negate the power of the original thought. The more we allow the mind to focus on these negative thoughts, the more its power will be dissipated. For as the ancient Sage Dattatreya explained to his pupil Parasurama:
“The will conceives effectively or ineffectively according as it is broken up by indecision. One should forget the old associations in order to make one’s new conception effective and this endures only so long as it is not obstructed by the old one. A conception is forceful unless obstructed by an antecedent one and thus destroyed. It is effective only when forceful; in that way even great things may be achieved.” (Tripura Rahasya)
Our most common error in life is to fritter away our energies pursuing conflicting objectives, and to allow our most heart-felt desires to be haunted by debilitating doubts. We hold briefly to one goal, only to drop it and then move quickly on to the next. One objective gives way to another in quick succession, and our reservoir of personal power is quickly depleted, as is evidenced by the words of the English poet William Wordsworth:
“The world is too much with us, late and soon. Getting and spending we lay waste our powers.” (Personal Talk)
At every moment of our lives we create anew our image of ourselves and of our world, in the shape of our thoughts and desires. Yet we remain unconscious of the role played by the mind as it spins its web of circumstance around us. We would rather believe that we are victims of a fate or destiny which allocates pain, defeat and suffering according to some random plan.
What we call destiny is nothing more than the loosely knit pattern of events that we have woven around us. Being blind to the role which our mind has played in the creation of these events, we are easily misled into believing that we are held in the thrall of an iron fate. But the fate that appears to binds us is the product of thoughts that we ourselves have woven, and these can be undone and woven again according to new desires. Destiny has its firmest grip on those who are convinced of its immutable power.
Another 20th century Indian Sage Sri Nisargadhatta Maharaj scoffs at these shallow fears: “Steady faith is stronger than destiny. Destiny is the result of causes mostly accidental and is therefore loosely woven. Confidence and good hope will overcome it easily.”
And to those who claim that the world outside of them is completely beyond their power to control he adds: “On the contrary, a world of which you are the only source and ground is fully within your power to change. What is created can always be uncreated, and recreated. All will happen as you want it, provided you really want it.” (I Am That)
Sri Ramana Maharshi answers in similar fashion to those who are convinced that they are trapped by by an unyielding fate. To a questioner who asked him whether he could overcome the limitations of his present life he replied:
“Yes. Many have done so. Believe it! They did so because they believed they could.” (Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi)
We are reminded again of the words of Jesus: “For verily I say unto you, if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” (Matthew 17:20)
