ASK MAULANA — Your Questions, Answered

ASK MAULANA Your Questions, Answered How can we get clarity of thought? We are living in a world of thoughts. Every day, numerous thoughts come to our mind and get registered forever. So, we are bound to live in a great jungle of thoughts. This state of affairs requires sorting things out properly. In the absence of this quality, there will be confusion. If you can sort your thoughts out properly, you can develop clarity in your thinking. To help in sorting out your thinking you must stay away from distractions. Clarity of thought needs the sacrifice of keeping away from all distractions. If you want to develop clarity of thought, you will have to present this sacrifice. Why do we give in easily to temptations? Temptation in itself is not bad. It is temptation that motivates us to action. But, we have to control our temptations. Controlled temptation is good, while uncontrolled temptation is bad. What is the difference between the freedom that is essential for intellectual development and the freedom that the youth run after? Freedom is everyone’s right. It is a God-given blessing, and no one can abolish this blessing. However, you are living in a society where others also live, apart from you. So, you have to be cautious while exercising your freedom. A well-known formula rightly provides the definition for freedom: Your freedom ends where another's nose begins. Intellectual freedom is key to all kinds of intellectual development. But there are two kinds of exercise of freedom: negative and positive. The positive exercise of freedom leads to intellectual development, while the negative exercise of freedom leads to anarchy. Man has been programmed by nature to react the way he does. So, if he tries to engage in ‘anti-programming’, would it not be like going against his very nature? Please explain. The concept of natural programming is only partially true. There are