Vedanta supports authentic thinking

By: Swami Sukhabodhananda

If your mind is constantly branding and labelling, you begin to control your mind. You start saying ‘i should not label.’ You superimpose a thought on a thought of labelling. This is often referred to as positive thinking.

This kind of thinking may be functionally sound, but it is not transformative. You are unhappy, but you keep saying, ‘I am happy…’ You are substituting unhappiness with happiness.
Thoughts are just a shadow. Why do you fight with a shadow? The Lord says, vijatmanah, to the one who has mastered his mind. He says that person is prashantasya, in profound silence, peaceful. No thoughts disturb him. He is only an observer of all thoughts; for him, life is joy, full of adventure and thrill.

There lived a sadhu who regularly gave discourses. One day, at the end of the discourse, he spoke about being grateful for existence. “Operate from a space of gratitude – kritajna. This will allow us to expand.” A beggar was sitting in a corner and listening to this discourse.

After the discourse, he came up to the sadhu and said, “Maharaj, your talk was great. However, there is one thing I am unable to do. You said to be grateful to existence because it has always showered benediction on you. Sorry, but existence has not given me anything.”
The sadhu said, “I will give you ₹2L, will you be grateful?” The beggar was thrilled. “But I want something in return from you,” said the sadhu. “I do not have anything, what can i give you? If i have something i shall give you,” the beggar replied. “I won’t ask you for anything you don’t have,” said the sadhu, and an agreement was made.

The sadhu said, “I shall make arrangements for ₹2L, you give me your eyes.” The beggar was astonished. “I don’t agree to this deal,” he said.

We are typically focused on what is missing in life. Vedanta talks not of positive thinking but of authentic thinking. If you’re upset, you’re upset. Stay with the upset. If your mind is tormented by lust, what should you do? Authentic thinking is – if there is lust in your mind, be with lust. Observe it; experience that observation. It is called being a sakshi, a witness to lust. Don’t label or brand it; don’t be manipulative and cover lust.

By being a witness, you are aware of lust, and there is a quality of understanding; there is an awakening of intelligence. All myths about functioning of mind drop off. In Vedanta, emphasis is on authentic thinking that enables observation, which in turn, brings about understanding. The moment there is understanding, misunderstanding drops. Such a quality of relatedness is called mastery of mind. You are not then fighting with your mind, but you are observing it. You are not at war with the mind.

Swamiji will conduct a 3-day residential retreat, Existential Laboratory (E-Lab), along with the Mysuru Yatra, Sep 11-13, 2025. For details, contact: +91 99017 77003/+91 91080 70452