To make our life a meaningful one, we need to mind our thoughts, for our thoughts are the foundation, the inspiration and the motivating power of our deeds. We create our entire world by the way we think. Thoughts are the causes and the conditions are the effects. Our circumstances and conditions are not dictated by the world outside; it is the world inside us that creates the outside. Self awareness comes from the mind, which means soul. Mind is the sum total of the states of consciousness grouped under thought, Will and feeling. Besides self-consciousness we have the power to choose and think. Even when inactive on the bodily plane, we are all the time acting on the thought plane. Therefore if we observe ourselves, we can easily mould our thoughts. If our thoughts are pure and noble, naturally actions follow the same, if our thoughts are filled with jealousy, hatred and greed; our actions will be the same.
Karmic ally, however, thought or intent is more responsible and dynamic than an act. One may perform a charitable act, but if he does not think charitably and is doing the act just for the sake of gain and glory, it s his thoughts that will determine the result. Theosophy teaches us that every thought no matter how fleeting, leaves a seed in the mind of the thinker. These small seeds together go to make up a large thoughtful and determine one’s general character. Our thoughts affect the whole body. Each thought once regenerated and sent out becomes a dependent of the brain and mind and will live upon its own energy depending upon its intensity.
Trying to keep a thought from our mind can produce the very state we are trying to avoid. We can alter our environment to create the mood. When, for, instance we are depressed, if we sit by ourselves trying to think cheerful thoughts, we often do not succeed. But if we mix with people who are cheerful we can bring about a change in our mood and thoughts. Every thought we think, every act we perform, creates in us an impression, like everything else, is subject to cyclic law and becomes repetitive in our mind. So, we alone have the choice to create our thought and develop the kind of impressions that make our action more positive.
Let us choose the thoughtful seeds of right ideas, noble and courageous aspirations that will be received by minds of the same nature. Right introspection will be required of us to determine what we really desire to effect. Everything in the universe is inter-related and inter-dependent, that we live in another and by accepting the grand principle of universal brotherhood we shall be a position to appreciate what a heavy responsibility is over ours to think right. Let us reflect and send loving and helpful thoughts and lighten the load of the world’s suffering.
Life is too short and there is not enough time do all the things we want to. We tend to compare with others and get upset when they seem to be doing well-dismissing their achievement as pure luck-or think that they have support, help, approach…that god is being too kind to them and not to me…. That’s when we give up lacking the confidence behind.
Success, real success and happiness come to those who have a “bread-making” attitude. Those who are willing to knead the dough, wait for hours for it to rise to punch it down and knead some more, wait for another couple of hours for it to rise again, then bake it before it is ready to be eaten, nothing is instantaneous. For every endeavor whether in the area of career, academics, music, sports, relationships, spirituality-it is a long arduous journey.
Only if we are willing to spend time, put in painstaking effort and have faith, can we achieve success. If we don’t accept this difficulty the true fact of life, our lives will be far from being happy and fulfilling for we may not make that extra effort which can change the course of life dramatically, for our benefit. One who can reach their home in time can wonderfully fill their family relationships with happiness. No wonder, most of us get bitter and disillusioned with life and ourselves and look for escape routes which seem to promise quick results/instant solutions.
The major problem with instant solutions is that they are short lived. If we stubbornly refuse to give up this search for quick solutions, all we do is end up on the wrong track. We never just pause to analyze what we are wasting searching for such miracle solutions which simply do not exist. We actually would save time when we stop this futile search and accept the proven methods of treading the straight narrow path however difficult it may seem initially.
The latest communal violence was one instance where negative approach strike our brothers and sisters first before positive! Why? Why aren't we taking care? Why are we letting violence separate us? Are we not one tribe known as Nagas? Let’s work for it!
THANK YOU! MAY GOD BLESS US ABUNDANTLY!
Yours Truly
Mann Vam De
Sainik School Punglwa
