A human being is not a machine. He has the power to change his thoughts, attitudes, feelings, etc.

Whenever an undesirable (or evil) thought comes to you, immediately throw it out of your mind by saying, “House full: there is no place for you!”

It was Prophet Muhammad who said: “Temptation comes as a passer-by: it knocks on the door of your heart to be let in as a guest. If you will open the door, it will come and stay as the master!” Therefore, the moment an undesirable thought comes to you, just kick it aside and, as I said, say to it: “There is no place for you!”

When you get a negative thought, immediately substitute it with a positive one. See that your mind is always filled with positive thoughts and you will be a source of blessing to many.

We were taught in school that Mumbai is within India and chor-bazaar is a part of it. We believed this statement because it was made by some who had seen Mumbai and visited chor-bazaar— though we ourselves had not seen Mumbai nor chor-bazaar.

Likewise there are people— seers, saints, sages— who have seen God and they tell us that God is within us and that we too can see God provided we live a life of sadhna (spiritual discipline).

This is the experience of so many of us. In the early hours of the morning, we think of God, we offer worship to Him. But when the day advances and we are absorbed in our mundane duties, we are apt to forget Him completely.

We need reminders, again and again, to keep the memory alive.

One very simple way of doing so is to pick up a great thought of a great one, or a sloka from a scripture dear to us and keep on revolving it in the mind, again and again. If possible, every half or every hour. A line such as: Deen Bandhu Deenaa Naath, Meri Dori Terey Haath (O Lord of the humble, O Brother of the lowly, I surrender the thread of my life in your safe hands) will serve the purpose.

This simple practice will keep the memory alive and you will find yourself in a state of recollection which will help you reach your spiritual potential.

What will happen in your nearest future will be revealed to you when your nearest future comes. You live in the present: try to make the most of it without worrying about the future. The past is a cancelled cheque, the future is a promissory note. The present is the only cash in hand. Use it wisely and well.

Yes, it is possible to read the mind of others but for this you have to go through a tedious course of mind-training. My advice to you is not to waste your precious time over such things but to press all your thoughts and energies in working for your spiritual progress. One purpose of the human birth is to discover that you are essentially an immortal being. Weapons can not cleave you, as the Gita says, fires can not burn you, water can not drench you and the winds can not dry you away.