Just Think Lovely Thoughts

After years of studies, experts concluded that playing violent video games and being exposed to violence on TV promotes to aggressive behavior in children. Duh. Last week, on my way to the dermatologist, I was listening to BBC news and was treated to a story about two boys who brutally murdered two other boys in the woods outside of London. Then, I went into the doctor's office, and two t.v. screens at either end of the waiting room were broadcasting a story about Tiger Wood's sex addiction. This led to a talk show about a pizza delivery man who was cheating on his wife by having sex in his delivery van with his customers. It is as if we are LIVING in a violent video game. We are bombarded with sordid, bad news all day long. Why? Why do I, or anyone else, need to know about the two boys? Or Tiger Wood's troubles? Or the pizza guy's escapades? Hearing about people's basest acts is demoralizing and wearing. What if all you heard about was good news. What if the daily headlines looked like this? Or what if the media made a point to balance every report on violence with a report on people's heroic acts, and the millions of random acts of kindness that happen each day? Violence in the world will not end until our minds are free of violent thoughts. But this will never happen if we are surrounded by violent images on a daily basis. Ahimsa, the first of the yamas or restraints in the Yoga Sutras means "do no harm." Our lives are shaped by our minds. So watch what you put in there. As we think, so we become.

From Peter Pan: "Just think lovely, wonderful thoughts, and up you'll go!"