Every action we perform is preceded by a thought. Whether we brush our teeth, eat a meal, or chit-chat with friends, there is always a thought that generates the impulse for it.
Hence, the kinds of thoughts we cultivate in our minds create the basis for our actions. Great personalities who enhanced the lives of millions were able to do so because they empowered their thoughts with purity and energised them with vigor. The monumental work they accomplished in life was a natural consequence. A little boy, Chandu, accompanied his mother to the Diwali mela. His young mind was thrilled by the numerous fascinations there. However, what really grabbed his imagination was a gas balloon stall.
The balloon seller had a bunch of helium-filled balloons of different colors, tied to strings. Every once in a while, he would release a balloon into the air to attract people’s attention. Chandu would gaze in amazement while the balloon defied gravity and drifted towards the stratosphere. Chandu witnessed a yellow balloon go up, followed by a red one, and then a green one. Unable to contain his curiosity, he asked the seller, “Sir, if you release the black-colored balloon, will it also float that high?”
“Son!” responded the seller. “The colour of the balloon does not decide how high it floats.” It’s what’s inside it that matters. “ Similarly, how high we rise in life is determined by the level of the thoughts we harbour within. And it does not stop at that. Others too, derive inspiration from our elevated emotions. Swami Vivekananda, it seems, understood this principle deeply.
Before his epoch-making journey to the US, he wrote: “I shall lift my mind to such heights that I inspire people everywhere until the world realises it is one with God.”
Historically, Indian culture has placed great emphasis on inner wealth, and those who possess it are offered the highest respect in society. That is why Adi Shankaracharya asked a question in his “Prashnavali”: jagad jita kena. “Who shall achieve victory in the world?”
The answer he provided was: mano hi yena. “Those who have conquered their own minds.” If we aspire to emulate these shining luminaries, and if we are ambitious to perform noble deeds and heroic acts, then we too must uplift our thinking. Suppose we wish to do spectacular work, but our emotions are miserable. How will we ever succeed? The formula for success is that we rise in life by elevating our thoughts.
These powerful techniques are explained in detail by best-selling author, Swami Mukundananda, in his latest book, The Power of Thoughts, soon to be released by Penguin Ananda.