Changing the Mental Focus From Negative to Positive Objects: the Power of Positive Affirmations

The idea that there is a ‘law of attraction’ has gained significant attention in the West over the last few decades. It has largely been interpreted by the materialistic mind of the West as a way to attract wealth and all forms of fulfillment of desire. This, however, is both a misreading and a misuse of the incredible power that lies within us to turn our attention and focus on some vibratory pattern, and thereby to create an environment in our lives where that pattern brings us into contact with all of its various aspects.

If we focus our attention on negativity, the idea that ‘the glass is empty or half full’, then we are going to live a life that is filled with negativity, and we will experience circumstances from that standpoint. Not only will we interpret things negatively, but our energy will actually call forth negative events to surround us.

If, on the other hand, we focus our attention on positivity, harmony, beauty, uplifting ideas, we will find that those things which embody these principles begin to fill our lives more and more.

Some may argue that this amounts to seeing the world through ‘rose colored glasses’, implying that this is a false view of the world. They do not, however, recognise that we very much create the reality within which we live and each person’s experience will vary to the extent that he can harness his thoughts, direct his focus and open up his receptivity. If this is done in a negative direction, then the individual will experience suffering and disappointment all the time. If in a positive direction, then he will begin to master circumstances.

There is a story about a man who had a tour of hell and of heaven. First he was shown hell. There was a table filled with delicious foods and drinks and around the table were sitting a number of people, eyeing the mouth-watering foods before them. It so happened, however, that each one had arms six feet long and without an elbow for bending, so they wound up frustrated and starving with the food right in front of them.

The man was then transported to heaven. To his surprise, he saw the very same table, the very same people and the very same six foot long arms with no elbow. The difference was that the people in heaven were feeding each other.

The moral of the story is that we can either find the positive way to enjoy the world that we live in, or the negative way, and depending on how we focus our attention, we will either suffer or enjoy our lives.

The Mother writes: “… one is quite surrounded by what one thinks about. You understand quite well what this means? (Turning to a child) Every time you think of something, it is as though you had a magnet in your hand and were attracting that thing towards yourself — you understand. Now, there are people who have a very, very bad habit of always thinking about all possible catastrophes, and are in a sort of constant apprehension about some calamity befalling them the next moment. I know many like that, there are some here. And so, those people have as though a magnet in their hands to attract calamities, not only upon themselves but upon others also. That lays a big responsibility upon them. And if one can’t stop all the time from thinking about something — some have a head that runs on and they haven’t found a way of stopping it — well, why not make it run on the right lines instead of letting it run on the others! Once your head begins to run, let it run on all the good things that can happen. If it is obliged to turn round and round, well, turn then to the good side! That is, if somebody is ill, instead of saying: ‘What is going to happen, perhaps this is going to be very serious, and if it is that disease… and a calamity comes so quickly’, instead of all that, if one thinks: ‘Oh! that is nothing, illnesses are outer illusions translating some deeper vibrations which are not seen, that is why one doesn’t speak about them, but that’s how it is. And these deeper vibrations may come and set in order what has been disturbed. And this imbalance, this illness or bad thing that has come, well, it will be absorbed by the Grace and will disappear, no trace of it will remain, except that of things agreeable and pleasant.’ One may continue to think in this way uninterruptedly…. People always need to make their mind run, run, run, but then make it run on the right lines, you will see that it has an effect. For instance, let it go like this: that I shall learn better and better, shall know better and better, become healthier and healthier, and all difficulties will vanish, and wicked people will become sweet and good, and ill people will be cured, and houses which should be built will be built, and those things which should disappear will disappear, but giving place to better things, and the world will move in a constant progress, and at the end of that progress there will be a total harmony, and so on, and continue thus…. You can go on endlessly. But then you will have around you and around your head all kinds of pretty things. Those who perceive the atmosphere see certain inky stains, like an octopus there, yes, like that, with its tentacles to try and upset your mind — instead of that, one will see happy formations, formations of light or rays of sunlight or perhaps beautiful pictures, all that. One will see beautiful things — there are painters who do that and they always catch thoughts.”

Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter II Power of Thought, pp. 12-14