The Art Of Positive Thinking: Author's Preface

The present book is devoted to a detailed discussion of the following three topics:

1. The Art of Thinking.
2. Principles Governing a Change of Heart; and
3. Freedom from Fear.

The Art of Thinking

Man is a living being endowed with a mind, and thinking is a function of the mind. Other animals possess a mind too, but their brain is not much devel­oped; so their power of thinking is limited. However, thanks to his highly developed brain, man's capacity for thought is almost unlimited.

The body and the mind are intimately connected with each other. The body influences the mind and is in turn influenced by the mind. However, the mind affects the body much more. A study of the mutual interdependence of the body and the mind reveals that when a man's thinking is positive and constructive, his body too keeps in perfect condition. On the other hand, nega­tive or destructive thinking results in the malfunctioning of the body. All think­ing emanating from delusion and/or attachment is negative, whereas reason­ing is ever positive and constructive.

Constructive thinking helps in bettering social and human relations and the path of development and progress are cleared thereby. Negative feelings create bitterness in social and human relations, thus obstructing the path of progress.

The practice of preksha dhyana serves to wipe out negative emotions and promote positive thinking.

Change of Heart

The evolution of our world is the evolution for change. Without change, there can be no development. While man has achieved tremendous success in changing the external environment, his success regarding the inner environ­ment is limited.

A complete change of heart takes place only when there is inner trans­formation. The inner transformation is threefold - transformation of emotion, transformation of thought, and transformation of the body-chemistry. It is feeling which gives rise to thought and not vice-versa. Like feeling, like thought. With a change in feeling, there occurs a corresponding change in thought. When the mind undergoes a transformation and thought changes, the inner chemistry of the body also undergoes a change. That marks the beginning of a complete change of heart.

The technique of changing the feeling, the thoughts and the chemistry of the body is a composite one. It is technique of transmuting the endocrine output, of purifying the heart and the mind.

Five principles underlie this change:

1. Concentration
   
2. Equanimity
   
3. Awareness
   
4. Freedom from attachment
5. Freedom from delusion

Freedom from Fear

There are four main sources of fear:

1. Lack of vitality
   
2. The fear-complex
   
3. Constant thought of fear
   
4. Secretion of the fear-producing hormones
   

There are five reactions of fear:

1. Disease
2. Old Age
3. Death
   
4. Forgetfulness
5. Madness

The means of achieving freedom from fear (and how those means are employed in the technique of preksha dhyana) are all described here. I have thus discussed at length the art of thinking, the techniques of bringing about a transmutation in the mind, and some means of achieving total freedom from fear. In this process of thought-churning, I have been blessed with the inspira­tion of Acharya Sri and the editorial expertise of Muni Dhulheraj. The book, I hope, would provide the reader a refreshing dip into the purifying stream of thought.

Yuvacharya Mahaprajna
Balotra (Rajasthan)
1.9.1983