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Changing the Mental Focus From Negative to Positive Objects: the Power of Positive Affirmations · Sri Aurobindo Studies

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  The idea that there is a law of attraction has gained
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  significant attention in the West over the last few decades.
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  It has largely been interpreted by the materialistic mind of the
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  West as a way to attract wealth and all forms of fulfillment of
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  desire. This, however, is both a
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  misreading and a misuse of the incredible power that lies
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  within us to turn our attention and focus on some vibratory
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  pattern, and thereby to create an environment in our lives
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  where that pattern brings us into contact with all of its
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  various aspects. If we focus our attention on
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  negativity, the idea that the glass is empty or half full,
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  then we are going to live a life that is filled with negativity
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  and we will experience circumstances from that
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  standpoint. Not only will we interpret
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  things negatively, but our energy will actually call forth
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  negative events to surround us. If, on the other hand, we focus
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  our attention on positivity, harmony, beauty, uplifting
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  ideas, we will find that those things which embody these
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  principles begin to fill our lives more and more.
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  Some may argue that this amounts to seeing the world through rose
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  colored glasses, implying that this is a false view of the
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  world. They do not, however, recognize
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  that we very much create the reality within which we live,
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  and each person's experience will vary to the extent that he
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  can harness his thoughts, direct his focus, and open up his
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  receptivity. If this is done in a negative
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  direction, then the individual will experience suffering and
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  disappointment all the time. If in a positive direction, then
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  he will begin to master circumstances.
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  There's a story about a man who had a tour of hell and of
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  heaven. First he was shown hell.
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  There was a table filled with delicious foods and drinks, and
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  around the table were sitting a number of people eyeing the
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  mouth watering foods before them.
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  It so happened however, that each one had arms 6 feet long
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  and without an elbow for bending, so they wound up
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  frustrated and starving with the food right in front of them.
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  The man was then transported to heaven.
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  To his surprise, he saw the very same table, the very same
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  people, and the very same 6 foot long arms with no elbow.
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  The difference was. That the people in heaven.
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  Were feeding each other. The moral of the story is that
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  we can either find the positive way to enjoy the world that we
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  live in. Or the negative way.
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  And depending. On how?
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  We focus our attention. We will either suffer or enjoy
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  our lives, the mother writes Quote.
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  One is quite surrounded by what one thinks about.
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  You understand quite well what this means, turning to a child
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  every time you think of something.
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  It is as though. You had a magnet in your hand.
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  And were. Attracting.
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  That thing towards yourself, you understand.
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  Now there are people who. Have a very very.
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  Bad habit of always thinking about all possible catastrophes
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  and are in a sort of constant apprehension.
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  About some. Calamity befalling them the next
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  moment. I know many like that.
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  There are some here. And so.
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  Those people have as though a magnet in their hands to attract
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  calamities not only upon themselves but upon others also.
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  That lays a big responsibility upon them.
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  And if one can't stop all the time from thinking.
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  About something. Some have a head that runs on
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  and they haven't found a way of stopping it.
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  Well, why not make it run on the right lines instead of letting
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  it run on the others once your head begins to?
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  Run. Let it run on all the good
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  things that can happen. If it is obliged to turn round
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  and round, well, turn them to the good side.
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  That is, if somebody is ill, instead of saying what's going
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  to happen, perhaps this is going to be very serious.
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  And if it is that disease and a calamity comes so quickly
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  instead of all that, if one thinks, oh, that's nothing.
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  Illnesses are outer illusions translating some deeper
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  vibrations, which are. Not.
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  Seen that is why 1 doesn't speak about them.
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  But that's how it is. And these deeper vibrations may
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  come and set in order what has been disturbed.
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  And this imbalance, this illness or bad thing that has come,
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  well, it will be absorbed by the grace and will disappear.
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  No trace of it will remain, except that of things agreeable
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  and pleasant. One may continue to think in
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  this way uninterruptedly. People always need to make their
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  mind run, run, run, but then make it run on the right lines.
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  You will see that it has an effect.
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  For instance, let it go like this.
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  That I shall learn better and better, Shall know better and
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  better become. Healthier and.
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  Healthier and all difficulties will vanish, and wicked people
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  will become sweet and. Good.
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  And ill people will be cured, and houses which should be built
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  will be built, and those things which should disappear will
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  disappear, but giving place to better things.
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  And the world will move in a constant progress.
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  And at the end of that progress, there will be.
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  A total harmony. And so on and continue.
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  Thus you can go on endlessly, but then you will have around
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  you and around your head all kinds of pretty things.
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  Those who perceive the atmosphere see certain inky
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  stains, like an octopus there, yes, like that, with its
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  tentacles to try and upset your mind.
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  Instead of that, one will see happy formations, formations of
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  light or rays of sunlight, or perhaps beautiful pictures.
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  All that one will see beautiful things.
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  There are painters who do that and they always catch thoughts.
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  End Quote. Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
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  Mother powers within. Chapter 2.
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  Power of Thought, pages 12 to 14.