The Power Of A Thought

How much do our thoughts influence other people? The reductionist will quickly answer that they cannot; our thoughts are in our own heads, and are really nothing more than biological ticks that hop from one stimulus to another. For those of us who know better, it is good to understand just how powerful our thoughts towards others are. We can make or break those we care about, and those we dislike or even hate, with thought. To understand this, we have to understand what thoughts actually are, how they grow and are fed, and what they can do when they become powerful. 

Thought does not exist inside the brain. This principle is effectively demonstrated by contemporary physicist Rupert Sheldrake in his experiments regarding learned behaviors in animal groups regardless of the exposure the group has to a new technique or danger other groups in separate locations have experienced. Sheldrake calls this communication phenomenon learning through the morphogenetic field. In old fashioned esoteric understanding, this is simply called the ether. 

Thoughts form in the etheric, the spiritually connected ‘sheath’ that surrounds every human being. Thoughts are not simply a collection of electrical signals however–that is simply how they appear in the brain, which is the ‘receiver’ for thoughts. Thoughts themselves are spiritual in nature. In fact, you could even say they are ‘spirits’ or spiritual beings. These beings are not bound by space and time, but can interact with anyone, anywhere and possibly at any time. The more ‘fuel’, or attention, we put into a thought, the more powerful the thought or being behind the thought becomes. 

It is more important that we perhaps know to deliberately choose our thoughts and the attention we give to them, as negative thoughts can deeply harm others and ourselves, while thoughts of love, help and hope can save lives and bring the whole world closer to God. Framing thoughts about others as prayer is particularly valuable, as this directs the thinking towards positive channels and helps us to be conscious of them and their effect on others. I think it is particularly valuable to practice visualization in these thought prayers. 

When you have a wound from someone, or a worry about another person, visualize what you want to see happen there. Perhaps the troublemaker can be seen as someone wrapped with care, a person who needs relief from a dangerous or hurtful mindset. Maybe there is a worry we have over someone we care for. This can be visualized as the person appearing to us in our thoughts as strong, fearless, protected and loved. We can literally cover their concerns with love, and consciously intervene to help keep evil thoughts and plans away. 

Visualized prayer is a powerful way to use thought for good. When praying, I visualize the problem, the person, the event and then care for it in the spiritual realm. One person I am praying for is like a little baby tree. He is alone in the forest, very small and lacking light. So I visualize the process of growth and protection. How the tree will come about into a solid, healthy member of the forest around him. I can feel this sense of warmth and joy when the tree survives and begins to put out branches. 

So I go through people I'm praying for like this: visualize, participate, realize. The more I do this, the more I understand just how powerful our thoughts are. They can save someone from darkness, they can bring life and hope. Thought can be used for great good in the world. Perhaps, in the end, we will find that our thoughts are the most powerful tool we have to change ourselves, others, and the world.