Appreciate Good Thoughts: Selections from “The Pathway of Life” by Leo Tolstoy (vegetarian): Volume 2, Part 1 of 2

“Everyone thinks of changing the world but no one thinks of changing himself.” This insightful saying by Leo Tolstoy is a valuable reminder for all of us to reflect inward. Today, it is a pleasure to present excerpts from Volume 2 of “The Pathway of Life,” called ‘Thought,’ where Leo Tolstoy reminds us to take control of our thoughts and recognize which are good and evil and focus on the good thoughts.

THOUGHT Man Has Power Over His Thoughts “Our life is good or evil depending on our thoughts. But we can direct our thoughts. Therefore, in order to live a good life, man must labor over his thoughts, nor yield to evil thoughts. Take care to purify your thoughts. If you have no evil thoughts, you will commit no evil deeds. Guard your thoughts, guard your words, guard your actions from evil. Observe these three paths in purity, and you will enter the path designed by the All-Wise one.”

Live the Life of the Spirit in Order to Have Strength to Rule Your Thoughts “We frequently think that physical strength is the most important thing. We think so because our body willy-nilly always appreciates physical strength. But spiritual strength, the power of thought, appears so insignificant that we refuse to acknowledge it as strength. And yet true power capable of changing our life and the life of all men is in the strength of the spirit alone.”

This is what Seneca wrote to a friend: “You do well, friend Lucinius, to endeavor with all your strength to maintain yourself in a good and kindly spirit. Every man can at all times attain the same disposition. In order to attain it, it is not necessary to lift up your hands to Heaven and to beg the temple watchman to let you come closer to God so that He may hear you better: God is always close to you. He is within your own self. The Holy Spirit dwells in us, witness and guardian of what is good and what is evil.”

“True prayer is important and needful for the soul because in such prayer, being alone with God, our thought reaches the highest pinnacle attainable to it.”