Why Does The Mind Cling To Negativity?

At different stages of our day-to-day life we face negativity in different forms. It can be in the form of an unpleasant event or it can take the form of an insensitive office colleague or it could even by one of our family members. Whatever form it takes, negativity has to be dealt with. As always, Gurudev manages to positively throw light on ‘negativity’!

- Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

The mind does not always get attracted to negativity! Let us understand what negativity is. When would you call something “negative”?

• When something does not give you pleasure

• When something gives you a lot of pain

• When something appears to give you pleasure, but really gives you pain

Let us take smoking as an example. Smoking appears to give you pleasure, but it does not. Look at the face of all those people who smoke, are they in bliss and serenity? Are they happy and content? No! There is stress and anger. Now, why is it that they are unable to give up smoking? It is because it promises them pleasure, instead gives them pain, negativity.

So, what is the definition of negativity? - It is that which appears to give pleasure, instead it gives pain and suffering.

You sit and gossip about somebody – it appears to give you some pleasure, but what does it leave you with? Have you noticed? Your body feels odd, and your mind feels awkward.

When you sit and just complain, sometimes you find that it gives you some pleasure; instead, it leads you to a state where you get disgusted with yourself and your own mind. You feel like running away from your own mind. Running away is not going to help, because wherever you go, your mind will come with you. It is like, trying to run away from your shadow.

The mind clings to negativity because it has moved away from its own true nature. A child does not do that. It is not in our innate nature to cling to negativity; it has become our second nature.

If you hear ten positive compliments and one negative criticism, the mind clings on to the criticism. It is wrong to say that negativity is our innate nature. No! It appears as though it is our nature, but it has become our second nature because of stress.