December 13

When You Realize That,
You Won’t Even Want to Do It

Question: What can people do who have a tendency to judge themselves harshly or to look very negatively at themselves?

Sri Gurudev: The question is not about self-judgment, but about self-negativity, or having a poor opinion of yourself. Certainly, that will affect your heart, your mind and your personality. What you think you ultimately become. Don’t we say that? “As you think, so you become.” If you’re thinking negatively about yourself, you don’t need any negativity to come from somewhere else. You are negating yourself. So, you have to analyze it: “Is this good for me? Is it helpful for me to have these negative thoughts? Is it constructive or destructive? I become what I think. If my thoughts are like this, what will I become?” When you realize that, you won’t want to do it anymore. Often people don’t take it seriously; but your own negative thoughts will affect you. That’s why, at least for our own sake, if not for the sake of others, we shouldn’t develop any negative thoughts about ourselves or about anybody else. No one interested in his or her own welfare, physical and mental, should invite negative thoughts.

In the same way, how does one find self-love? Love yourself. Think of that. “I am God’s child. God has given me all these gifts. I love myself because God is functioning through me.” Even if you have some disabilities, it doesn’t matter; still you don’t have to think that God doesn’t love you. No. That’s where the theory of karma comes in. You must have done something before that brought it to you. Think, “God is merciful and is purging me of my karma by making me go through this.” There must be a cause; nothing happens without a cause. So think of all these things, “Yes, God loves me. I’m the dear, dear child of God.” Think of all the gifts that God has given you. You will learn to love God, and by loving God you will love yourself also.