by Paramahansa Yogananda

Everything in the universe is composed of energy, or vibration. The vibration of words is, by extension, a grosser expression of the vibration of thoughts. The thoughts of all men are vibrating in the ether. Because thoughts have such a high vibratory rate, they have not yet been detected there, but it is fortunate that we do not know the thoughts of all men.

Through the instrumentality of radio, you can push a button and lo, you hear music and voices. If it were not for the intelligence in the ether, through which the radio waves travel to your receiving set, you might hear all the different broadcasts at once. God created the ether, and He planned that man would create radio and radio-wave vibrations which could be transmitted and received through this medium. Radio waves depend on the ether for transmission, and on electricity for amplification in broadcasting and receiving. The sounds of radio broadcasting are always present in the ether, but are inaudible to us without a radio instrument. The vibratory radio-waves represent thoughts that are being transmitted through space into any receiving set that is tuned in.

When you are near and dear to someone, you can feel the thoughts of that person, but you are probably not able to do this with anyone as far away as India unless you have developed range. …[With development] your mind will become more sensitive.

We are all human radios. You receive the thought messages of others through your heart, the center of feeling, and broadcast your own thought messages through the spiritual eye, the center of concentration and will. Your antenna is in the medulla, the center of intuitive superconsciousness. Suppose you are away from the home and you wish to perceive what is happening there. If your feelings are very calm and your mind quiet, you will be able to intuit the feelings and thoughts of your family at home. When you become capable of great concentration, your feeling can penetrate everywhere, your perception becomes charged with energy, with electricity.

The World Is Only A Thought In The Mind of God

There is in reality no space between India and here. But we are in America and we think we have to allow twenty-five days for a steamer trip before we can reach India. According to material consciousness time is required to traverse such a distance. But energy cuts down space. If we go by airplane, the trip takes but seven days. The distance is decreased by increased energy of flight—the more energy, the more reduction of space or distance. Suppose you are sleeping and you dream that you are going to India. You take the train to New York, board the boat, stop at various ports of call, and arrive in Bombay. All this can be done in minutes in the dream, because in thought there is no space. Or suppose I am dreaming that I am dialing a radio and I tune in India. There is no space, it is all an idea in my brain.

The whole world exists only in thought, such is the power of mind. Space is a mental concept. I can close my eyes and think of things that are two thousand miles away, and yet all those miles are a mere expansion of thought. Space and time are merely differentiations of thought. What is the difference between ice cream and hot coffee in a dream experience? When you awaken, you realize that in the dreamland ice cream was one thought and hot coffee another, they were merely two different ideas.

Thought has omniscient power. The kind of thought I am speaking of is the thought of God. As He is omnipresent through thought, so are we. Are we not already connecting the thought of America and the thought of India by radio? There is no space there.

Often when you are trying to tune in a radio station, static comes in and disturbs the program you are trying to hear. Likewise, when you are trying to accomplish some personal transformation in your heart, “static” may interrupt your progress. That static is your bad habits.

Fear Cannot Enter A Quiet Heart

Fear is another form of static that affects your mind-radio. Like good and bad habits, fear can be both constructive and destructive. For example, when a wife says, “My husband will be displeased if I go out this evening, therefore I won’t go,” she is motivated by loving fear, which is constructive. Loving fear and slavish fear are different. I am speaking of loving fear, which makes one cautious lest he hurt someone unnecessarily. Slavish fear paralyzes the will. Family members should entertain only loving fear, and never be afraid to speak truth to one another. To perform dutiful actions or sacrifice your own wishes out of love for another person is much better than to do so out of fear. And when you refrain from breaking divine laws, it should be out of love for God, not from fear of punishment.

Fear comes from the heart. If ever you feel overcome by dread of some illness or accident, you should inhale and exhale deeply, slowly, and rhythmically several times, relaxing with each exhalation. This helps the circulation to become normal. If your heart is truly quiet you cannot feel fear at all.

Anxieties are awakened in the heart through the consciousness of pain, hence fear is dependent on some prior experience—perhaps you once fell and broke your leg, and so you learned to dread a repetition of that experience. When you dwell on such an apprehension your will is paralyzed, and your nerves also, and you may indeed fall again and break your leg. Furthermore, when your heart becomes paralyzed by fear, your vitality is low and disease germs get a chance to invade your body.

Be Cautious But Not Fearful

There is hardly anyone who does not fear disease. Fear was given to man as a cautionary device to spare him pain, it is not meant to be cultivated and abused. Overindulgence in fear only cripples our efforts toward our difficulties. Cautious fear is wise, as when, knowing the principles of right diet, you reason, “I won’t eat that cake, because it is not good for me”. But unreasoning apprehension is a cause of disease, it is the real germ of all sickness. Dread of disease precipitates disease. Through the very thought of sickness you bring it on yourself. If you are constantly afraid of catching a cold, you will be more susceptible to it, no matter what you do to prevent it. Do not paralyze your will and nerves with fear. When anxiety persists in spite of your will, you are helping to create the very experience you are dreading. Also, it is unwise to associate more than is necessary and considerate with people who constantly discuss their own and others’ ailments and infirmities, this dwelling on the subject may sow seeds of apprehension in your mind. Those who are worried they are going to succumb to tuberculosis, cancer, heart trouble, should cast out this fear, lest it bring about the unwelcome condition. Those who are already sick and infirm need as pleasant an environment as possible, among people who have strong and positive natures, to encourage them in positive thoughts and feelings. Thought has great power. Those who serve in hospitals seldom fall ill, because of their confident attitude. They are vitalized by their energy and strong thoughts.

For this reason, as you get older, it is best not to tell others your age. As soon as you do, they see that age in you and associate it with diminishing health and vitality. The thought of advancing age creates anxiety, and thus you devitalize yourself. So keep your age private.

Therefore be cautious, but not fearful. Take the precaution of going on a purifying diet now and then, so that any conditions of illness that may be present in the body will be eliminated. Do your best to remove the causes of illness and then be absolutely unafraid. There are so many germs everywhere that if you began to fear them you would not be able to enjoy life at all. Even with all your sanitary precautions, if you could look at your home through a microscope you would lose all desire to eat.

Fear Ceases With The Contact Of God

Fear is constantly haunting you. Cessation of fear comes with the contact of God, nothing else. I owe everything to my guru, Swami Sri Yukteswar, he was a master in every way. It was by following his wisdom that I was able to succeed in my mission in the West. He said, “Whatever you do, try to do it as nobody else has done it before.” If you remember that thought, you will succeed. Most people imitate others. You should be original, and whatever you do, do well. All nature consciously communes with you when you are in tune with God.

We often consider ourselves first, but we should always include others in our happiness. When we do that from the goodness of our hearts, we spread abroad a spirit of mutual consideration. If everyone in a community of one thousand persons behaved this way, each one would have nine hundred and ninety-nine friends. But if everyone in that community behaved like an enemy to the other, each one would have nine hundred and ninety-nine enemies.

Conquering the hearts of others by the power of love is the greatest victory you can win in life. Always try to consider others first and you will find the whole world at your feet. That was the greatness of Jesus. He lived and died for all. Men of great maternal power who live only for themselves are soon forgotten, but those who live completely for others are remembered forever. The King of Kings had no throne of gold during his brief span on earth, but he has reigned for twenty centuries on a throne of love in the hearts of millions of people. That is the best throne to have.

A Single Thought May Lead To Redemption

When you came into this world you cried, whereas everyone else rejoiced. During your lifetime, work and serve in such a way that when it is time for you to leave this world, you will smile at parting while the world cries for you. Hold this thought and you will always remember to consider others before yourself.

The vast world was made that you might use your intelligence to acquire knowledge of the Spirit, knowledge about your Self. Just one thought may redeem you. You don’t realize how effectively your thoughts work in the ether.

How would you know human love if God himself didn’t give it to you by planting His love in the heart of each being? And since God is so kind and so loving, then He should be the object of your search. He doesn’t want to impose Himself on you. But the mysterious working of your body, the intelligence He has given you, and every other wonder in life should be sufficient stimulus to make you determined to find God. Every human being would be redeemed if he would try. You must try!

When I started in this path, my life at first was chaotic, but as I kept on trying, things began to clear up for me in a marvelous way. Everything that happened showed me that God is, and that He can be known in this life. When you find God, what assurance and fearlessness you will have! Then nothing else matters at all, nothing can ever make you afraid.

Excerpt from Man’s Eternal Quest