| 786 An Alphabet of Positive Thinking. Zahurmian constantly emphasised the importance of positive thinking – the recognition of negative thoughts and the practise of replacing them with more positive ones. This practise is recommended in the holy Qur’an. Awareness of the nature of one’s own apparently spontaneous thought processes is necessary first; and then the recognition that we do have the ability to manage our thoughts, or at least we can, with practise, acquire that skill. Our thoughts form a pattern, that pattern affects our actions and habits. Our actions and habits become identified as our personality; or some would say become our self image. We do not have to be a slave to these thoughts or to the impulses that engender them. They also contribute to the perception that events just seem to happen and to be out of our control. Positive well founded patterns of thought have the potential to change our dependence on external events in a significant way. The best proof of that comes from applying the technique consistently. If you find a cynical response to all this rising within you, you may have found just the place to start your self-examination. We might say 'Stop cynicism - start self assessment'. Shakespeare as so often the case had an insight for us: ‘Canst thou minister to a mind diseased .... Therein the patient must minister to himself’. The habits of negative thought may not amount to disease for everyone but are sure to lead to unhappiness without some self applied medicine consistently applied. I have provided an alphabet of slogans or maxims – envisage them if you like as banners waved aloft in a demonstration by the angels against the ways of man at his meanest. |
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Avoid anger,
Avert danger.
Ban bitterness,
Blame less.
Cancel curiosity,
Concentrate.
Desire less,
Do more.
Eject egocentricity,
Embrace empathy.
Finish with fantasy,
Find faith and fidelity.
Get rid of greed ,
Greet generosity.
Hinder Hate,
Harmonise happiness.
Integrate intellect
In to intelligence.
Jettison jealousy,
Just be just.
Kick out callousness,
Keep kindness.
Leave loathing,
Live with love.
Mock mockery,
Maintain manners
Avert danger.
Ban bitterness,
Blame less.
Cancel curiosity,
Concentrate.
Desire less,
Do more.
Eject egocentricity,
Embrace empathy.
Finish with fantasy,
Find faith and fidelity.
Get rid of greed ,
Greet generosity.
Hinder Hate,
Harmonise happiness.
Integrate intellect
In to intelligence.
Jettison jealousy,
Just be just.
Kick out callousness,
Keep kindness.
Leave loathing,
Live with love.
Mock mockery,
Maintain manners
Negate negativity,
Negotiate nicely.
Oppose oppression,
Own toleration.
Pension off prejudice,
Practice patience.
Quit quipping,
Quietly appreciate.
Remove ranting and raving,
Realise responsibility.
Sell off selfishness,
Seek serenity.
Torpedo toughness,
Try tenderness.
Undo duress,
Urge Unity.
Vanquish Vanity,
Value Veracity.
Whisk away worry,
Welcome wonder.
Exclude extremism,
Elevate excellence.
Yesterday's gone,
You have today.
Zap zealotry (and bigotry) and
Be Zahuri
Negotiate nicely.
Oppose oppression,
Own toleration.
Pension off prejudice,
Practice patience.
Quit quipping,
Quietly appreciate.
Remove ranting and raving,
Realise responsibility.
Sell off selfishness,
Seek serenity.
Torpedo toughness,
Try tenderness.
Undo duress,
Urge Unity.
Vanquish Vanity,
Value Veracity.
Whisk away worry,
Welcome wonder.
Exclude extremism,
Elevate excellence.
Yesterday's gone,
You have today.
Zap zealotry (and bigotry) and
Be Zahuri
O brother, you are that same thought (of yours): as for the rest, you are only bone and fibre.
(Mevlana Rumi)
(Mevlana Rumi)
