Think
Strong
“Let
go of the thoughts that don’t make you strong.”
Karen
Salmansohn
All
mystical traditions hold that we are what we think—we become what we believe
ourselves to be. In other words, we create ourselves and our world with our
thoughts. From the ancient Taoists to the modern mystics like Caroline Myss,
there is agreement that there is no one truth, there is only subjective belief.
It sounds “nano-nano” but when you think about it, turns out to be only common
sense. For example, if I’m told by someone who matters to me that I am
inadequate, and even pathetic, and if I believe them and begin to tell myself
that I am inadequate and pathetic, then in all likelihood, I will become
exactly that. I did not change physically, but my thoughts locked in on that messages
from without and within, and voila! Pathetic me! Conversely, if I am told that
I am strong and resilient and know exactly what I want and need, I am likely to
see myself in those terms—especially if I believe them to be true and tell them
to myself.
I don’t
know anyone who does not occasionally have negative thoughts. Maybe they exist,
but not in my world. However, there is a big difference between having the
occasional lapse into negativity and having an apocalyptic attitude toward
life. “Woe is me! Life is so unfair. I am oppressed. I’m a victim! The whole
world is going to hell and there is nothing anyone can do to save it! Woe is
me!” Does that sound familiar? If that is where one wants to live, then I
suppose they have a right to be there. Just know that it doesn’t have to be
that way. To change it, one must change the thoughts that produce it.
This is
not to say that there are no real victims in this world; there are way too many
to count. The kids in refugee camps around the world come to mind. Or citizens
of this country, shot dead in our streets, who just happened to be in the wrong
place at the wrong time. But a bad hair day, or a run-in with your boss, or a
nasty remark thrown in your direction does not make you a victim. The only
oppressive thing about such instances is the way we respond to them. Toss it
off, let it go, take some deep breaths, and give thanks for the opportunity to
live this day, to breathe the air, to hear the sound of new-born leaves rustling
in the breeze, and to feel the warm spring sun on your face. Gratitude is the
cure for negativity. Think thoughts that make you strong.
In
the Spirit,
Jane
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