Absolutely Jaw Dropping Insights into the Idea of Positive Thinking
We often don’t know where to stop when we get what we desired for.
Does positive thinking actually serve as a remedy to a problem? A deep enquiry says otherwise.
Positive Thinking — a tool to escape!
Positive thinking is used to escape from the existent reality using the tool of psychological drama. It is a short term solace for the long lived problem. It tries to avoid the problem, and fails to deliver.
The Problem of Running Away
We don’t search within ourselves when we are confronted with a problem. Instead, we look for several mediums of solace like alcohol, cigarette, social media, companionship, travelling, shopping, religious chanting etc. We tend to run away from ourselves. But the problem chases us wherever we go.
So what is the solution? The solution lies in understanding the root of our problem.
To find the source of agitation is the very beginning of solution
Therefore, we must devote our energy towards deepening our level of understanding, instead of engaging in positive thinking.
If there is a bad memory that troubles us every now and then, the solution lies in asking ourselves — who is becoming sad? The person who continues to exist, no matter what, or the one identified with that memory?
We have to remind ourselves that despite the bad experience, something within us continues to exist. Why not find ‘that’ out and nurture it!
We need to realise that the memory is dead but the person with that memory continues to live. Once we clearly see the distinction between what’s dead and what’s alive, we are a step towards permanent resolution of our problem.
The Origin of Positive Thinking
In the Eastern cultures, people believed in other-worldly affairs — that there lies something beyond the material world we see. In fact, people saw the other-world as an escape from the rigours of daily life. This gave rise to illusion, and consequently people took to escaping from their worldly responsibilities, proclaiming that their escapism had scriptural endorsement.
On similar lines, people in the West took to Positive Thinking as a substitute for the harsh reality of their mundane existence.
The European minds which were, for long, held hostage by the morality of Church got eventually liberated once the authority of Church weakened. The newly liberated minds began to indulge in great extremes of thought, one of which was, of course, positive thinking.
The European culture is also a firm believer in Utilitarianism. Thus, thought stretched too far in terms of their utility is called positive thinking.
Most European scholars could not fathom the limit of a thought.
We often don’t know where to stop when we get what we desired for.
This holds true for a person or an object or even the mechanism of thought.
The European thinkers relegated their existence to the background, while placing thought at the highest pedestal. And this was a big mistake. Because thought is essentially limited. It cannot fathom the vastness of this cosmic existence! Agree?
