Man, Control Thy Thoughts

Many years ago, I was given the following statement to think about:

"Thoughts are things. They go somewhere".

...and also, the following maxim: "Man, control thy thoughts"

Let's think about this for a second. How can we say that Thought does not have a physical presence? Because we can't detect it with one of our five senses? Well, then how can we explain the existence of that indefinable "little voice" in our head, that "silent impulse" that precedes our every act? We can't say that thought doesn't "exist", we know that it does. Therefore, it must take some sort of form, even though we may not be aware of, or understand, what that form may be.

Thoughts are built of a finer, more subtle material than our gross physical bodies. Subtler, even, than "invisible" matter like air, vapor or gases. C. W. Leadbeater, in his manual "The Astral Plane", calls this matter "elemental essence". He states,

"...elemental essence, wonderfully sensitive to the most fleeting human thought, responding with inconceivable delicacy in an infinitesimal fraction of a second to a vibration set up in it even by an entirely unconscious exercise of human will or desire...as soon as its impulse has worked itself out, it sinks back into the undifferentiated mass...from which it came".

So, every thought or impulse we have sets off a corresponding vibration, whose strength results from the type and intensity of the thought/impulse. This vibration quickly seizes the elemental essence and, well, I'll have Leadbeater explain it:

"It has already been explained that the elemental essence which surrounds us on every side is...singularly susceptible to human Thought. The action of the mere casual, wandering thought upon it, causing it to burst into a cloud of rapidly moving, evanescent forms, has already been described; we have now to note how it is affected when the human mind forms a definite, purposeful, thought or wish.

The effect produced is of the most striking nature. The thought seizes upon the plastic essence, and moulds it instantly into a living being of appropriate form -- a being which when once thus created is in no way under the control of its creator, but lives out a life of its own, the length of which is proportionate to the intensity of the thought or wish that called it into existence. It lasts, in fact, just as long as the thought-force holds it together. Most people's thoughts are so fleeting and indecisive that the elementals created by them last only a few minutes or a few hours, but an oft-repeated thought or an earnest wish will form an elemental whose existence may extend to many days.

Since the ordinary man's thoughts refer very largely to himself, the elementals which they form remain hovering about him and constantly tend to provoke a repetition of the idea which they represent, since such repetitions, instead of forming new elementals, would strengthen the old one, and give it a fresh lease of life.

A [man] who frequently dwells upon one wish often forms for himself an astral attendant which, constantly fed by fresh thought, may haunt for years, ever gaining more and more strength and influence over him; and it will easily be seen that if the desire be an evil one, the effect upon his moral nature may be of the most disastrous character.".

As outlined above, when we "think" a thought, or have an impulse, that thought or impulse does not just "disappear into thin air". It grabs an elemental "suit of clothes" and take a definite form, unseen by the un-trained human eye. These elemental thought entities are known as "thought- forms". The thought-form hangs around, indefinitely, and has the ability to grow in strength and even to affect the thoughts of others. I invite you to read on, from Leadbeater:

"Furthermore, it [BG: the thought-form] appears to be actuated, like most other beings, by an instinctive desire to to prolong its life, and thus reacts on its creator as a force constantly tending to provoke the renewal of the feeling which called it into existence. It also influences, in a similar manner, others with whom it comes into contact, though its rapport with them is naturally not so perfect.

Still more pregnant of result for good or evil are a man's thoughts about other people, for in that case they hover not around the thinker, but about the object of the thought. A kindly thought about any person, or an earnest wish for his good, will form and project towards him a friendly, artificial elemental. This is also true in the opposite direction of evil wishes and angry thoughts; and considering the amount of envy, hatred, malice and all uncharitableness that exists in the world, it will be readily understood that among the artificial elementals many terrible creatures are to be seen.

A man whose thoughts or desires are spiteful, brutal, sensual, avaricious, etc., moves through he world carrying with him a pestiferous [BG: there's a word, eh?] atmosphere of his own, peopled with the loathsome beings which he has created to be his companions. Thus he is not only a sadly evil case himself, but is a dangerous nuisance to his fellow man, subjecting all who have the misfortune to come into contact with to the risk of 'moral contagion' from the influence of the abominations with which he chooses to surround himself.

What has been written above will serve to enforce the statement already made as to the importance of maintaining strict control over our thoughts.".

I will end this segment with the following quotes:

"You live with your thoughts. So be careful what they are." - Eva Arrington

"All that a man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the direct result of his own thoughts." - James Allen

"We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, Joy follows like a shadow that never leaves." - Buddha

All Love,

~~ G

The Astral Plane, by C. W. Leadbeater, can be downloaded for free at http://www.scribd.com/