At a recent workshop on “How to develop Harmonious Relationships”, my wife, Narayani, and I used a pendulum to demonstrate the power of thoughts, both, positive and negative. We invited a volunteer from the class to come up and sit on a chair facing everyone. Narayani placed the pendulum a few inches above this person’s head and allowed it to settle down until it was perfectly still.

Now, we asked all those present to send positive thoughts to this person, without saying a word. Just inwardly, in their mind. As they did so, the pendulum suddenly began to swing in a clockwise direction. The more powerfully they sent these thoughts the larger and faster the pendulum swung.

Asking them to stop, we allowed the pendulum to return to neutral. As you may have guessed already, we now had them think and project negative thoughts towards this person. The pendulum, awakening from its slumber, gradually began swinging in the opposite direction — anti-clockwise. Everybody in the room was shocked, “Our thoughts did that?”

We’ve all heard about the power that thoughts have to shape and affect our reality, but nobody really takes it that seriously. Often we dismiss them as personal indulgences.

“These are my thoughts, what difference does it make to others?” “I can think whatever I want.”

We think just because no one can hear us, we are not affecting anybody. But seeing this lucid experiment, right before their eyes, they could no longer deny the power. The power that they, you and I, your neighbour, and everyone carry within them.

The world, believe it or not, is responding to these very thoughts and creating for you a reality that corresponds to those thoughts.

Now, the first question is: what thoughts most preoccupy your mind right now?

Fear?

Uncertainty?

Anxiety?

It seems so natural, given the present circumstances, that no one would fault you for having them. But what effect are they having on your immediate surroundings and circumstances?

How do we get out of the habit we have created of constant worry and frustration at our situation?

Easy. By “consciously” re-seeding the ether with fresh new positive thoughts.

For this purpose we will use the technique of AFFIRMATIONS! These affirmations will replace the old habit-driven patterns with purposeful and uplifted thoughts. There is a specific way to do these affirmations to ensure they are most effective.

First, one repeats them out loud: thereby commanding the other thoughts to seize their restless flurry. Then, gradually we repeat the words softer and softer, taking them deep into our subconscious mind, where all our thought patterns are stored. And finally, we say them silently, mentally only, with our eyes closed trying to plant this seed-thought deeper still, into the super-conscious mind.

Now the best times to do an affirmation is right after waking up and just before going to bed. These two time periods are perfect because in those moments we are exposed to both our subconscious mind, through the state of sleep and the conscious mind, in the state of wakefulness. However, in addition, we then continue to repeat them several more times. At least four to eight-time daily.

The affirmation (taken from the book 'Affirmations for Self-Healing' by Swami Kriyananda) that I will share with you today is on “Good Health,” since that is what is preoccupying so many of our minds.

“My body cells obey my will: They dance with infinite vitality! I am well! I am strong! I am a flowing river of boundless power and energy!”

This is step one of the journey towards self-mastery. If you are interested in this journey, then walk with us as we continue to explore different practices, techniques and perspectives that will mould our lives into expressing our highest potential.

(The authors are disciples of Paramhansa Yogananda and are currently the spiritual directors of Ananda Mumbai, a yoga and meditation centre. The views expressed in the article are the authors’ and indiantelevision.com need not subscribe to them.)