The power of thought

Someone has written me a note: “Sometimes I feel that you are my enemy. Sometimes I feel that you are my friend.” He speaks on behalf of all of you. When you think I don’t fulfil your desires, naturally I am your enemy. He told me that sometimes he feels like leaving the Centre. I scolded him like anything. That is a thought, a very powerful thought. When you think you are going to leave me, rest assured that one step you have already taken. You take a few more and you are gone. People who have left always started with one step. When you think you have already taken one, then it is easier to take a few more. Then it becomes a one-way street and you can’t come back.

So if you have the feeling, even in the mind, that you are going to leave, I wish to tell you that one thought is enough. You can create a thought-world that is so powerful that you are finished. Thought itself, I tell you, you have to take as poison. If you drink poison, you die; one part of your consciousness is affected. Spiritual Masters say one bad thought is like a whole world. One bad thought, a lower vital thought, is enough to destroy a whole day. You have to know whether you have allowed it to enter your mind or gone further and actually cherished it. And again, one divine thought is enough to keep the whole day cheerful.

All spiritual seekers and Masters have come to the conclusion that one impure thought is enough to destroy the consciousness and one pure thought is enough to illumine the consciousness. The impure thought can be doubt, suspicion, meanness, lower vital desire, insecurity. In my eyes, doubt and suspicion are worse than insecurity. Whatever defect you have, that is your worst enemy. If one has insecurity, then that is his worst enemy. Doubt is the worst enemy of all, that is true. But if somebody does not have doubt, but he does have jealousy or insecurity, then that is enough for him: that is the worst enemy for him. And when one keeps getting the same disease over and over, it becomes very powerful.

When someone’s enemies are already inside him, he has to fight very hard. If the thought is already inside, it is difficult. But it is not impossible. No, never! Throw it out. Once you throw it out, remain always alert so it doesn’t enter into you again. It usually strikes the forehead; the thought-world comes just here and strikes the forehead. Feel that you are a fort and somebody is coming and striking you. Just don’t allow the wrong thought to enter. But you not only allow it to enter, you usually go further: you cherish it.