Ever Wondered Where your Thoughts Come From? Are thoughts personal, or do they connect to something bigger?

Here’s the gist:

  1. Thoughts arise from mental impressions (vāsanās) and memories. The mental impressions are not random; they are the result of dependent arising, a cause-and-effect relationship where past actions (karma) shape your present mental landscape. Every thought, emotion, and reaction you experience is tied to the seeds of your past actions (karma). 

But what caused the mental impressions?

  1. Thoughts fundamentally emerge from a "sky of collective consciousness." They become yours when you claim them, leading to judgment and emotional reactions based on your vāsanās. This claiming process is where individual responsibility comes into play. By identifying with thoughts, you reinforce the vāsanās, perpetuating the cycle of karma. 

But are thoughts random?

  1. Thoughts aren’t random; they follow the mind’s internal logic. External triggers aren’t needed—your mind generates the appropriate thoughts on its own from the collective consciousness. Where there is an appearance, there is consciousness, and there is an inviolable connection between them. 

What's the Solution?

  1. However, if as you observe your mind daily, if you understand that an individual's internal impressions, the mind's internal logic, and collective consciousness (the totality of all thoughts) are apparently real, not actually real, and park your attention to what is really real i.e. the ever-present Ground of Being, the always available unchanging Self, which is free from thinking, you will love yourself unconditionally.  There is no need to get rid of the thoughts themselves.  Keep that parking space!  Don’t let your ego bully you out of it.  Consider your life a long-term commitment, spanning at least 10-15 years of consistent effort and growth, just as medical students invest years in study and practice to master their craft.  Naturally, some progress faster than others, but in the grand scheme of an endless universe—with no beginning and no end—time ultimately holds little significance!