THE ART OF THINKING Human beings are constantly involved in one activity or another. The Gita says, "Nahi dehabhrita shakyam tyaktum Karmanyasheshatah". "A creature with a physical body cannot remain idle." There are two types of activities: physical and mental. While physical activities are not feasible without periodic rest, mental activities, for the most part, do not cease. The mind is active all the time. Its flickering is evident even during sleep. While the ability to focus on any object is limited, the process of thinking or reflecting can go on non stop.The mind is indeed fickle and confused, and can easily deviate from concentrating. The very mind that can be capricious and bewildered is also capable of performing positive functions, which in turn can reduce or eliminate its fluctuations.
Remember that: - It is the mind and not the eyes that can comprehend, meditate upon, and visualize the virtues of the divine soul or “Bhagwan”.
- The mind has the power of discernment and compassion. It has problem-solving abilities.
- The mind can generate the most creative and innovative ideas.
- A sharp and composed mind can take one to the next level of consciousness.
Restrained Thinking In these modern times excessive thinking and the resultant stress have become endemic. Day and night mind keeps churning, sometimes concocting problems. This serves no useful purpose because much of our thinking is aimless and confused and results in unnecessary tension. Sleep is required to rest the body and mind. But if the mind is not relaxed and free of thought, sleep becomes restless and results in insomnia. Indeed, a layperson cannot be expected to be totally free from thoughts. But to an extent one can restrain or control them. That is Mit Chintan. While thinking is necessary to address problems and to come up with solutions, it is equally important to contain the thoughts arising from one's greed and desires. Rational thoughts are crucial to keeping neurons functional and healthy. This can be achieved through Preksha, which recommends a specific practice called Bhavakriya, or living in the present. This limits unnecessary thoughts from stemming from unpleasant memories and dreams. The other simple exercise is to concentrate and focus on breathing. When the mind is synchronized with breathing, thoughts are automatically restrained. Benevolent thinking The second aspect of positive thinking, Hit Chintan, is wishing well for everyone including yourself. Bhagwan Mahavir said, ”Thinking negative about others does not necessarily hurt them, but it definitely harms the thinker.” Real thinking The third aspect of positive thinking is Rit Chintan, which means thinking realistically or pragmatically. Everything begins with a thought.The imagination breeds innovative ideas and happy dreams. But this blessing is often misused. The imagination has the tendency to fly far off and begin building castles in thin air. Thoughts that lack solid foundation and a consideration of reality are futile. Views of Acharya Mahashraman from "LIFE, Twelve Golden Principles for Holistic Living" | 
