Question: I would like to know how to overcome negative thinking, both during meditation and during my ordinary daily activities.

Sri Chinmoy: The very nature of negative thoughts is to steal, consciously and deliberately, the wealth that we have, our divine Joy, divine Peace, divine Light and divine Love. These are our treasures, but doubt, fear and negativity are real thieves. Sometimes a thief will enter into our apartment and steal things, but only because we are neglectful and allow this to happen. In the spiritual life, when we have a kind of relaxation and are not constantly vigilant, this happens. We may be vigilant for ten minutes a day during our meditation, but the rest of the day we are totally careless. When we enter into our daily activities we do not remember to guard our thoughts. At that time we are no different from the ordinary people all around us who never meditate.

You can throw doubts and negative thoughts aside if you can constantly remember your meditation. After you have stopped meditating you must try to remember these few minutes with utmost joy, affection and concern. You must cherish them as an object of adoration. During all of your ordinary activities try to remember your soulful meditation and do not forget the necessity of retaining a spiritual consciousness or spiritual thoughts. Do not allow your mind to sink to a low level. If you can maintain pure thoughts, divine thoughts, when you are not meditating, you will have additional strength when you do meditate.

Any time doubt and negative thoughts come, you have to stop them immediately with your divine thoughts. In this way you will be able to conquer your negative thoughts. If your thoughts are pure during the entire day, then when you meditate, your mind will already be pure. But if you allow your thoughts to roam in the world of ignorance and impurity for fourteen or sixteen hours a day, how can you expect your thoughts to be pure at the time of your meditation?