What’s on your mind? No really, what’s on your mind? What are you thinking about?
 
Here’s the deeper question, why are you thinking it?
 
Is what you are thinking about helpful? Is it helpful to you? Is it helpful to someone else? Is what you are thinking about hurtful to you? Is it hurtful to someone else? Is there any true reason why you are thinking about what you are thinking about right now?
 
Here’s the thing, what you think about defines what you do in your life. But, the problem is, most people never even contemplate why they are thinking what they are thinking. They are simply thinking it. Thus, their life is defined by a million thoughts, leading to millions of actions, but there is no truth to their thoughts leading to those actions. Thus, an entire life of generated karma is randomly given birth to.
 
Have you ever had the experience where you have watched a movie and, for whatever reason, that movie has caused you to feel something, and you find yourself rethinking about that movie for a period of time—you find yourself questioning the outcome of that movie over and over again. But, it was just a movie. It was not real life. Why should you be thinking about it at all?
 
The reality is, this is one of the commonalities of modern life. You are provided with something to think about, and you think about it, over and over again, though it has no true meaning to your life, your life evolution, or the betterment of anything.
 
Think about it. What do you think about? Why do you think about it? What takes control over your life and make you think about anything? Why do you give that something that control over your thinking mind?
 
In Buddhism, the concept of Right Thought, or sammā-sankappa, from the Pali, is one of the primarily components for one who walks the Spiritual Path with the hopes of removing themselves from the constrains of common reality. Sammā-sankappa is one of the Eight Nobel Truths. Right Thought is understood to be the second component of this path, and it serves as a guide for cultivating mental clarity, ethical behavior, and spiritual development.
 
Right Thought involves the cultivation of a mindset that aligns with the principles of ethics and wisdom. Sammā-sankappa is about developing wholesome intentions and attitudes that lead to positive actions and ultimately contribute to the cessation of suffering. According to Buddhist teachings, two of the primary components of Right Thought are: the intention of goodwill and the intention of harmlessness.
 
Think about this, what have your thoughts led you to do? What have they caused you to do that has helped yourself and other people and what have they caused you to do that has hurt yourself and other people?  And, most importantly, do you ever even question why you are thinking what you are thinking, that has led you to do what you have done? Do you ever take control over your thoughts and guide them away from negativity, if that is what you are thinking about?
 
The practice of Right Thought involves being mindful of your thoughts, leading to your intentions, which guide your motivations, ultimately leading to your actions. In practice, this means by regularly examining the nature of your thoughts and ensuring that they are aligned with the principles of goodwill and harmlessness, you will experience mindful awareness while ultimately guiding yourself towards rebuking any unwholesome thoughts while replacing them with positive and constructive ones.
 
Right Thought is a fundamental aspect of the Noble Eightfold Path in Buddhism, and it plays a vital role in the pursuit of enlightenment. But, the practice of Right Thought is not limited to the religious nature of Buddhism or any other religion. By cultivating Right Thought the practitioner will develop mental clarity, ethical behavior, and a compassionate attitude towards all beings. It will free them from the addictive nature of negative thoughts and will provide them with a method of not being controlled by the transient nature of temporary emotions feed into their mind by others.
 
Right Thought becomes a practical tool for transforming your life and contributing to the cessation of suffering. As individuals strive to align their thoughts with the principles of goodwill and harmlessness, they move closer to the ultimate goal of Nirvana, thereby, achieving true peace and liberation.
 
How do you develop Right Thought? Simple, take control of your mind and the moment you find yourself thinking anything negative or hurtful, consciously stop yourself. Relace those thoughts with something positive and helpful.
 
If you don’t control your mind, who does?