PART ONE
THE DISEASE
The Power of Thoughts (Part One)
Thinking is
an experimental dealing
with small quantities of energy,
just as a general
moves miniature figures
over a map
before setting his troops
in action.
SIGMUND FREUD
A simple thought. A few micromilliwatts of energy flowing through our brain. A seemingly innocuous, almost ephemeral event. And yet, a thought--or, more accurately, a carefully orchestrated series of thoughts--has a significant impact on our mind, our body, and our emotions.
Thoughts cause responses in the body. Think of a lemon. Imagine cutting it in half. Imagine removing the seeds with the point of a knife. Smell the lemon. Now, imagine squeezing the juice from the lemon into your mouth. Imagine digging your teeth into the center of the lemon. Chew the pulp. Feel those little things (whatever those little things are called) breaking and popping inside your mouth. Most people's salivary glands respond to the very thought of a lemon.
For some people, thinking about the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard is physically uncomfortable. Try this--imagine an emery board or a double-sided piece of sandpaper. Imagine putting it in your mouth. Bite down on it. Now move your teeth from side to side. Goose bumps?
Thoughts influence our emotions. Think of something you love. What do you feel? Now think of something you hate. What do you feel? Now, something you love again. We don't have to change our emotions--we change our thoughts, and our emotions follow along. Now imagine your favorite place in nature. Where is it? A beach? A meadow? A mountaintop? Take your time. Imagine lying on your back, your eyes closed. Feel the sun on your face. Smell the air. Hear the sounds of creation. Become a part of it. Feel more relaxed?
Most people who took the time to try these little experiments know what I'm talking about. Those who thought, "This stuff is stupid. I'm not going to try anything as silly as this!" are left with the emotional and physiological consequences of their thoughts--perhaps irritability, impatience, or even hostility. A few--because of their thoughts about books containing sentences such as "Now imagine your favorite place in nature"--put this book down, never to pick it up again. These people (bless their independent hearts!) proved the point as well as those who followed along with the "suggested" thoughts. The point: thoughts have power over our mind, our body, and our emotions. Positive thoughts (joy, happiness, fulfillment, achievement, worthiness) have positive results (enthusiasm, calm, well-being, ease, energy, love). Negative thoughts (judgment, unworthiness, mistrust, resentment, fear) produce negative results (tension, anxiety, alienation, anger, fatigue).
To know why something as minuscule as a thought can have such a dramatic effect on our mind, body, and emotions, it helps to understand the automatic reaction human beings have whenever they perceive danger: the Fight or Flight Response.
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YOU CAN’T AFFORD THE LUXURY OF A NEGATIVE THOUGHT -1 (Part-1 THE DISEASE)