We established last week, the most successful way to deal
with unwanted or bad thoughts is not to fight them, but to replace the negative
thoughts with positive ones.
When these positive thoughts have the strength and light of
G-dliness in them and they are not merely positive affirmations etc., for
example, thoughts and sayings that draw inspiration from the Bible then, they
not only replace the bad with good, they will actually chase away and dissolve
the dark thoughts, similar to light that without any struggle chases darkness
away.
Once, a Chassid struggling with unwanted thoughts was sent
to a Rabbi for guidance. When he came to this Rabbi’s house in the middle of
the night and knocked, no one opened for him. In the morning, when he was
allowed in, he noticed not only was the door bolted on the inside, it had an
extra piece of wood to cover the small crack at the bottom of the door.
When he told his host why he was sent, the Rabbi asked him “Did
you not notice when you arrived at a time when you were not welcome, no one let
you in? In addition, didn’t you see how besides the door to stop any intruders
there was an extra precaution in place to hold back even the creepy crawlers
from coming in?"
Similarly, your mind has its own doors of entry. People will
come and knock on the door, It is you who determines who and when you allow
anyone in. It is up to you to bolt the door shut and place precautions even for
the creepy crawlers.
Thoughts are like a garment through which the soul expresses
itself. So, when a person is a happy soul, he will most likely choose to put on
happy garments. When a person is not so happy, he will subconsciously choose
unhappy thoughts and garments. The soul and the garments, confirm each other.
Since every soul is always enclothed in the garment of
thought, it will be influenced by the positive or negative thoughts, and the
thinking can ultimately change the character of the soul!
When a person is in a crazy mood and is naturally drawn to
unhappy thoughts, how does he get control and stop the vicious cycle of going
after those bad thoughts which then influence the soul, like garments that
influence the person wearing them?
However, we need to be reminded, that while garments express
the disposition of the soul, they are a completely separate entity. In truth, a
person is not connected inherently to his thoughts. It is possible, to choose
and decide to think something entirely different, than the temperament of the
soul at that moment.
Part of the difficulty in overcoming negative thinking once
and for all, is the bad inclination inside every person. This force is always
trying to bring the person down in whatever way it is able to. One of the
arguments this evil force inside us uses to get us to think in negative and
self-inflicting ways, is by telling us, it’s only for a second, it can’t harm.
In that second, the bad thought will gain squatters rights
forever. Since the soul is eternal, and thought is so close to the soul, a
positive or negative thought will make its impression on the soul that will
last a lifetime. The way people get lost in a forest, is with the first step of
deviating from the proper path.
The purpose of this internal battle is to draw out the
deepest positive strengths. When a person asserts himself over his house and
doesn’t let anyone just trample all around, he creates the satisfaction of
ownership and of having his space, to use as he chooses. He is empowered and
truly becomes the owner and master of his place.
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