Within the metaphysical community, if that is an appropriate term, it appears that the concept of “being negative”, and fears regarding negative thoughts, are approaching a level of undeserved importance.  This is unfortunate, not only because it is based on a basic misunderstanding but, if elevated to the level of superstition, it can easily become a serious vulnerability, a lever that others can use to easily take away your personal power.  A superstition is a false belief that controls behavior, either causing or preventing certain courses of action.  Of course, the belief does not seem false to those who have accepted it, which is why dealing with superstition is not an easy task. 

In early Hollywood, there was no more popular theme than using people’s superstitions against them.  It was portrayed as comic, and was so common that audiences could usually see it coming far in advance as “natives” of one kind or another were manipulated by their own superstitions into letting the “good guys” or sometimes the “bad guys” get away with almost anything.  There was much laughter over this, and the general feeling was that superstitious people pretty much deserved whatever they got.

If we are tempted to grant “demon” status to certain forms of thought or discourse, it would be a good idea to first review how we got to this point.  Then we can ask the key question: what is a negative thought, and why on earth should we care?

The New Paradigm

Virtually all spiritual paths that we would identify as being metaphysical in nature tend to lead to the same place.  First is the essential concept that the world is not what it seems, and next that we ourselves are much more than we ever imagined.  As we absorb these ideas, we are being led toward what has been called the “new paradigm” which eventually the whole planet will embrace.  A paradigm (para-dime) is a specific way of looking at something that seems so fundamental and true, that it is virtually impossible to conceive of any other way of viewing, or dealing with the subject in question.

For planet Earth, the old paradigm hasn’t run very long.  It holds that human beings are physical creatures, trapped in a physical environment that changes only according to physical laws, while at the same time significant aspects of human experience are attributed to mechanistic processes, coincidence, or perhaps chemistry.  We are all told that we must strive to be rational and realistic, and accept the dictates of science in all things.

Of course there was an older paradigm before that.  It held that people and their environment, even matter itself, could be manipulated by magic or by the powers of gods, demons, witches, and so on.  A prudent person might spend considerable time, energy and money in making sure that elemental forces were either kept at bay, or persuaded to view his or her affairs with favor.  Like all paradigms, it made complete and perfect sense at the time.  If you thought otherwise, people would simply believe you were crazy.

The new paradigm, as they always are, is a radical departure from the old.  It says, Mind Is The Builder.  Not only are we spiritual beings who for some silly reason believe ourselves trapped in a physical existence, but it is through our minds that we create and control every aspect of that existence, from each moment to the next, either by ourselves or in concert with others.

When will the change of paradigms take place?  Global paradigm change is a gradual process that slowly picks up speed as it goes along.  In actual fact it is happening right now, at this very moment.  It has been happening for some time now.  In parallel with those of us moving to the new paradigm are those scientists who are actually observing and measuring the new truths in their laboratories.  The corresponding new physics, called Quantum physics, is now over sixty years old.  Scientists are already concluding, and reporting, that all matter in the universe is formed, organized and controlled, moment by moment, by the tiniest particles imaginable.  Those particles, they say, appear to have their existence in a vast sea of what can only be described as thought.

While these men and women work to identify scientific truths, those already on the path to the new paradigm can smile and offer encouragement as they catch up to us.  We already know these truths, but we call them metaphysical or spiritual truths.  While the scientists work to identify and define the new physics, we are the ones who have been striving to actually learn, use and control the creative forces that make it all work.  We have even learned that beyond the mechanism of thought and the creative power of mind, the actual force that makes this universal engine run is Love.  Any metaphysical study will soon discover this basic fact, that there is a spiritual component to the universe which simply cannot be ignored.

So, sometime relatively soon, physics and metaphysics will join again, as they once did in ancient Greece.  For the scientists it will be somewhat akin to building an entirely new type of airplane, only to discover that the pilots who can actually fly the new plane are already in place, waiting for them to catch up.

How Does It Work?

The task of the metaphysician is first to learn how the universe works behind the scenes, in the invisible realm that scientific instruments cannot measure, and essentially reach a working understanding of how and why things happen.  Second, to apply what has been learned and actually make things happen, preferably becoming an agent for good.  After all, what would be the point of all that work if you couldn’t use it for something?  Would a few loaves and fishes from time to time be too much to ask?

Unlike the physicist who must proceed from one small discovery to the next, primarily through logic and math, the beginning metaphysician finds that the information is already there, and given freely.  Many people have traveled this way already.  But at first the massive volume of information is pretty confusing.

If you are on the path then you know the drill.  First, you accept a tiny little piece, an idea that might fit in with how you see the world already, and you give it a try.  It might be something as simple as greeting everyone with a smile.  You can think of all kinds of reasons why this seems to work out so well, and they are all perfectly practical and scientific.  Then you realize that there is something more happening that you can’t explain.  So you try another concept.  Just a small one, of course, and you repeat the cycle.  Soon you are ready to try larger things “on faith”.  Perhaps you practice sending healing, loving energy to everyone you see.

We used to joke that the old adage, “fake it till you make it”, was more true than anyone suspected.  This was because the fastest way to test and confirm a new metaphysical concept was to follow the prescription and then strongly pretend that you saw results.  This opened the door, mentally, and it wasn’t long before you didn’t have to pretend anymore.  The results really were there.

Because this is all “new” paradigm, it is all related to the mind, and we are told right away that we must guard and control our thoughts.  This is not easy at all, and many people who haven’t worked at it believe it is flat-out impossible.  Actually, most of our thoughts come from unconscious, or subconscious sources.  The unconscious is beyond our conscious control, by definition.  In other words, the reason we call it the unconscious or subconscious is because the conscious mind cannot go there.  If it could, we wouldn’t call it the unconscious in the first place.

The unconscious is the key to virtually all metaphysical work.  In addition to the fact that it is generating many of the thoughts that disturb your peace, this is where your creative or manifesting power is located.  You can’t control that power consciously (unless you’ve spent a long time programming for that), so you need tools to get in there and change your internal script, also termed unconscious program or data base.  This is absolutely required if you would like to manifest something different tomorrow than what you are creating today.

This can be exciting, because the rules of the quantum universe require that the universe provide you at all times with whatever you ask for, and to deliver it exactly as you have asked, hour by hour, day by day.  Of course the catch is that it is your unconscious mind doing the asking, and you don’t know what it contains.  This is why you hear so many people say, “Hey, I didn’t ask for this!” Sorry, but yes you did.  Exactly.

This is the point at which metaphysics often ceases to be fun for a while and becomes, instead, hard work.  The only way to determine what is in your unconscious is to take a very rational look at what it is that you are currently manifesting.  Having done this, most of us will admit there is a lot of stuff in there that we would like to “heal” or reprogram.  There are a number of tools available for this purpose; some ancient and some very modern, some agonizingly slow, while others are surprisingly fast.

Negative Thoughts

As we begin to consider a universe controlled by mind, it is only natural that we pay close attention to the aspect of mind that is visible, our thoughts.  Before the role of the unconscious was fully understood, it was assumed that our thoughts must be the controlling factor that generated our experiences.  Many books have been written about “positive thinking” and the concept does have benefit, despite the fact that it is not exactly on target.  The true process of growth or change addresses the unconscious beliefs first, and recognizes that most thoughts are internal mirrors or reflections, or input from experiential, intuitive or psychic sources, rather than being causative agents in themselves.

The task of controlling thoughts is actually at the tail end of a process that goes like this.  One first selects an “ideal” or a new concept that, if it were accepted at deep enough levels would bring a desired benefit, and/or represent another step along a pathway of growth.  Next, available tools are used to embed the new belief in the subconscious and wear away conflicting beliefs at the same time.  Common examples would be repetitive affirmations spoken out loud, or focused concentration during receptive, meditative states.  As part of this process of change, it is possible to take notice of thoughts that might surface during the following days which are generated by the older belief you are trying to replace, and are naturally in conflict with the new one.  This is the “negative thought” that we should be interested in.  This is the time when we promptly but gently respond, “No, that isn’t true.  The real truth is...”

Many people believe, however, that they must police their thoughts at all times, and that any thought which does not paint a rosy picture must be ruthlessly stamped out to avoid creating an undesirable result.  If this were actually true our daily lives would be total chaos, but it is simply not the way the universe works, and individual thoughts entertained by the conscious mind have virtually no manifesting power at all.  This is actually for our own protection.  Nonetheless, fear of “negative” thoughts has, over time, been transformed into a powerful superstition that can have serious consequences for those who see themselves on a path from earth-bound mortal to empowered spiritual being.  Why?  Because at minimum you are insisting that all your intuitive and higher resources, the very channels you want to depend on more and more, must be throttled-back or shut down against the chance that you might get a message you don’t want to hear.

We receive important messages from unconscious sources all the time.  From the unexpected thought that you should check the air in your tires, to the feeling that a person is not telling you the truth, they just pop into our awareness and, obviously, many of these messages are clearly “negative”.  Does that mean that as a “spiritual” person you should ignore them?  Remember how many times you’ve said, “I wish I had listened to my inner voice.” Sometimes it even seems that when we are not listening to our inner voice, a “volunteer” will suddenly appear to say what we need to hear out loud, even though they may appear to be talking about something else entirely.

The self-defeating effects of the “negative thinking” concept are also seen in relationships.  If we are partnering on our spiritual journey, we often learn that our available resources have more than doubled and two minds are indeed much better than one.  Concern for negative thinking can shut this down in a hurry.  Whether the subject is a new purchase, vacation plans, or starting a new business, the person who is proposing something is usually too involved to also be in that neutral space where intuitive processes function best.  It is the partner, then, who is in the best position both for evaluating and listening for guidance, and of course some of this information that comes may be “negative”.

Many people develop very potent intuitive abilities as they study and work to move into the new paradigm, even though they cannot put their finger on the source of their feelings right away.  If one person shuts down the conversation by saying that the other is “just being negative” then, again, the opportunity for important input has been thrown away.

Worse yet, we know that relationships themselves play a special role in spiritual development and that we are always to be moving toward greater trust and respect, both with our partner and other people as well.  Any form of emotional arm-twisting clearly moves you in the opposite direction.

Your first response to your own unexpected negative thought should be to assess whether or not it has merit.  Then if you decide that it does not, to make a note to later see if you can determine what unconscious belief might have generated it.  In a similar fashion, when the unwelcome thought comes from a partner, our response should be, “I respect your judgement, tell me more about why you feel that way.”

If you are on the receiving end of the negative thinking ploy, you may need to be a little more bold.  You might respond with, “I know you respect my thinking.  Are you sure we should not be sharing how we feel about this?”

Of course, if the answer is that you should not be sharing, or perhaps not be listening to another person, then you have learned something about the relationship itself.  Viewed strictly as a social transaction, a person who protests negative thinking in order to stop conversation is really saying they believe that you, as a person on a spiritual journey, have a button that will turn off your mind, and they are willing to push that button in order to control discussion.  It seems unlikely that such a relationship would foster respect, trust, or spiritual growth.

Many negative thoughts are nothing more than common sense.  Suppose a group has scheduled a picnic.  The person acting as planner says that, considering the season, it would be a good idea to set up a contingency plan for rain.  Is this a negative thought or the sin of "being negative"? Of course not.  Many forms of input, which might range from comments by the TV weather man and memories of previous years to razor-sharp intuition, have produced a common sense suggestion.  On the other hand, if someone says, "It always rains at these things," you might take notice.

Just a thought is certainly not going to make it rain.  Imagine what the world we be like if it could!  However, if they have an underlying belief strong enough to be embedded in the unconscious that it does in fact always rain at events like this, then you may correctly assume that there will be some manifesting energy pointed in that direction.  But the picnic is a group event and the outcome will reflect the unconscious beliefs of everyone involved including, since we are talking about weather, many people who have nothing at all to do with the picnic itself.

The important thing to remember is that negative thoughts have no power in themselves.  Their purpose is simply to provide you with information.  The information will either be about something external that you might want to look into, or something internal that you definitely want to look into.  Either way, negative thoughts have value and should never be discarded simply because you don’t want to deal with them.