Get Over Gloomy Thoughts
Very carefully watch all your
thoughts. Suppose you are assailed by gloomy thoughts, you experience
depression, take a small cup of milk or tea. Sit calmly. Close your eyes. Find
out the cause for the depression and try to remove the cause.
The best method to overcome
the gloomy thoughts and the consequent depression, is to think of inspiring
thoughts and inspiring things. Remember again, positive overcomes negative.
This is a grand effective law of nature.
Now think strongly of the
opposite thoughts, the opposite of gloom. Think of those things that elevate
your mind; think of cheerfulness. Imagine the advantage of cheerfulness.
Feel that you are in actual possession of this quality.
Again and again repeat the
formula: OM CHEERFULNESS, mentally. Feel, “I am very cheerful.” Begin to smile
and laugh several times.
Sing: sometimes this can
elevate you quickly. Singing is very beneficial to drive off gloom. Chant OM
loudly several times. Run in the open air. The depression will vanish soon.
This is the Pratipaksha Bhavana method of Raja Yogins. This is the
easiest method.
The method of driving gloom by
force—by willing, by assertions, by command—taxes the ‘will’ very much although
it is the most efficient. It demands great strength of will. Ordinary people
will not succeed. The method of displacing or dislocating the negative feeling
by substituting the opposite, positive feeling, is very easy. Within a very
short time, the undesirable feeling vanishes. Practice this and feel. Even if
you fail several times, continue. You will be successful after some sittings
and some practice.
You can treat in the same
manner other negative thoughts and feelings as well. If there is the feeling of
anger think of love. If there are thoughts of jealousy, think of the advantages
of charitableness and magnanimity. If there are thoughts of gloom, then think
of some inspiring scenery that you saw sometime ago, or recall to mind some
inspiring passage.
If there is harshness of
heart, think of mercy. If there is lust, think of the advantage of celibacy. If
there is dishonesty, think of honesty, integrity. If there is miserliness,
think of generosity and generous persons.
If there is infatuation or
Moha, think of discrimination and Atmic Vichara; if there is pride, think of humility.
If there is hypocrisy, think of frankness and its invaluable advantages. If
there is jealousy, think of nobility and magnanimity. If there is timidity,
think of courage, and so on.
You will drive off the
negative thoughts and feelings and will be established in a positive state.
Practice of a continued type is essential. Be careful in the selection of your
companions. Talk very little and that too, on useful matters.
Excerpts from:
Get over Gloomy Thoughts - Thought
Power by Swami Sivananda
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