This life-changing post brings timeless wisdom and practical guidance for anyone wrestling with negative thoughts, मोह (attachment), and माया (illusion). Understanding that spirituality is not a battle to suppress the mind, but as a journey to recognize our true nature—the witnessing "awareness" (consciousness) beyond thoughts.
In this beautiful post, drawing primarily from the eternal teachings of the Bhagavad Gita and ancient Indian philosophy, we present you the TWO solutions to control negative thoughts, Moh, and Maya➙ONE: becoming a detached observer of the mind (साक्षी भाव) and TWO: engaging in selfless action (निष्काम कर्मयोग). This post is a brief guide to 𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏-𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 and 𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏-𝚖𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚢.
Index
Title: "𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 & 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙉𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨"
Subtitle:
𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚕 𝙼𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚢: 𝙰 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚝𝚎 𝚐𝚞𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚗𝚎𝚐𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜
{ MUST READ }
✶𝗔𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻: 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘧𝘶𝘭, 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘶𝘮 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 (𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺/𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴). 𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘶𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 & 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴. "𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙨 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜"
The following was written in response to a query we received on our Samadhan WhatsApp group in September 2025. So please read the following in the same context.
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Question:
How to control the negative thoughts? How to overcome the मोह (attachment) and माया (illusions)?
The Response
You now stand at the threshold of a great inner discovery. The questions you ask—𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘰𝘩 𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘢—are not separate inquiries. They are two doors leading to 𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚘𝚖 and spiritual mastery. And this message contains our complete guidance, the key to unlock those doors.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱
To hold the grasp of this eternal wisdom, even spoken in The Bhagavad Gita, one must first understand the 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 (प्रकृति) of the mind. For even the God of the Gita accepts that the mind (मन) is playful (चंचल), and to control it is like controlling the wind.
The human mind, by its very nature, is a river of 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜, 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 (संस्कार). It is चंचल (chanchal) - restless and 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫-𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠. The mistake we make is to believe that we are this flow. We identify with a passing negative thought and say, "I am sad," or "I am angry." This is the fundamental error.
𝗪𝗛𝗢 𝗔𝗠 𝗜?
You are not the thought. You are the silence between two thoughts, the "awareness" that remains when there is no thought. The fabric in which the thought appears and disappears. This is you, the eternal consciousness, the SOUL. Even according to the ancient Indian philosophy, आप विचार नहीं हैं, आप विचारों के साक्षी हैं। (You are not the thought, you are the 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 of the thoughts)
Video: 𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐀𝐌 𝐈 (English)
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣
And therefore, the goal of meditation (राजयोग) is not to stop (dam) the river (which is a constant struggle), but to learn to "be a witness" and 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐛𝐲 without being swept away.
𝗠𝗼𝗵 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗮 (मोह माया)
It is the intricate web that creates this prison of negativity. Let's uderstand the both:
𝙈𝙤𝙝 (मोह) is the deep-seated 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 we feel towards people, outcomes (result), possessions, and even our own self-image.
𝙈𝙖𝙮𝙖 (माया) is the grand 𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 that presents this physical world appear as "permanent and real", appealing us to seek lasting happiness in things that are bound to change and perish.
The Two Solutions
ONE
साक्षी भाव: 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙤 𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙤𝙢
The ancient wisdom provides us with timeless tools to untangle this web and calm the restless mind. When a negative thought arises:
➙𝐀𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐭 without resistance. Simply note internally, "A thought of fear has come."
➙𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 by observing it. See it as a cloud floating across the vast sky of your consciousness. You are the sky, not the cloud.
➙𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬 without judgment or engagement. Do not feed it with more mental energy. A thought, when simply observed, loses its power and dissolves.
𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗮𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗶 𝗕𝗵𝗮𝘃
Every morning as you wake up, sit for 10–20 minutes in 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. Keep your spine 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭. Focus on every 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡. Whenever a negative thought arises, label softly: “𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐… 𝚏𝚎𝚊𝚛… 𝚓𝚞𝚍𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚐…” and return to breath. Just observe, do not engage.
AND
You may even chant a 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙖 (मन्त्र). For example: ॐ (OM) chanting, etc; to remove your mind from distractions & bring it to focus.
Tip: Refer to our post 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐥 & 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 for more clarity on the same.
TWO
निष्काम कर्मयोग (𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻)
As you would observe, a lot of those negative thoughts are born from our 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬 (including attachment to the outcome of our karma). The timeless wisdom of The Gita is our guide again. 𝘈𝘳𝘫𝘶𝘯𝘢 was struggling to control his thoughts and emotions. Krishna did not ask him to supress them, but to engage the mind in निष्काम कर्मयोग (Selfless Action) through which Arjuna can attain 𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚕 𝚖𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚢.
Gita verse: कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन। मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि॥
Meaning:
We are entitled to act, but not to control the results (consequence). We should perform our duties with sincerity, without being driven by 'reward' or 'fear' of failure, and without slipping into laziness or avoidance. True freedom lies in focusing on effort, not outcome.
Lesson:
The root of those negative thoughts is 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. You want praise, you fear failure, you expect a certain result. God's guidance is to pour your entire being into your actions—your work, your relationships, your duties—but to completely surrender the results to the higher power. When you are no longer anxious about the fruit, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐦, 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 & 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞. You act from a place of 𝐝𝐮𝐭𝐲 (धर्म - 𝐃𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚) 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞, not from a place of fear and desire.
Must read this post: 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐘𝐨𝐠 (𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤)
and
Must watch 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐢𝐭𝐚 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐡 (Hindi original series, full playlist)
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFPJRCFRDARSRskyLvVn6ukSQvLq2c_iy
𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗧𝗼 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆
It is a perfect balance of "selfless karma" and "yog (meditation)" that can leap you to spiritual mastery. योग (meditation to god) is very important, as the 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐠𝐨𝐝 that we develop, and the energy we receive through this योग, eases our path of निष्काम कर्म. That is: when we have a close connection with the divine, we can easily "surrender" our karma to god, and free ourself.
➤𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣
Nishkama Karma prepares the field by removing the ego, desire, and attachment. And योग (meditation) then plants the seed of '𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏-𝚊𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜' in that purified field, allowing it to blossom into the full realization of the Self. Life becomes a blessing.
Next to read:
Testing times are Blessed times
✶𝗔𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻: 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘧𝘶𝘭, 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘶𝘮 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 (𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺/𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴). 𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘶𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 & 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴. "𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙨 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜"
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𝐵𝑒 𝐵𝓁𝑒𝓈𝓈𝑒𝒹..✨
Oᑎ ᘜOᗪᒪY SᗴᖇᐯIᑕᗴ,
𝕸𝖆𝖓𝖆𝖌𝖊𝖗, 𝕾𝖆𝖒𝖆𝖉𝖍𝖆𝖓, 𝕾𝖍𝖎𝖛 𝕭𝖆𝖇𝖆 𝕾𝖊𝖗𝖛𝖎𝖈𝖊𝖘 𝕴𝖓𝖎𝖙𝖎𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖛𝖊 (SBSI)
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