What you allow yourself to think is mighty powerful from all angles. It’s from the soul, to the soul, and on one’s own soul.To better appreciate the exclusivity of thought over the other garments of the soul --speech and action -- let’s turn once again to the article of clothing metaphor.
Speech and action are like clothing that always remains separate from our real selves. Thought is to the soul, like the skin is to the frame of our bodies, united and one with the soul, all the time. That is why you can never stop thinking, just like you can never take off your skin. It’s always on and always needs your attention.
The soul garment of speech and action are put on the outside, for people, looking from the outside. They are meant to make an impression on outsiders.
Thought is an internal expression of the soul inwardly, for oneself. The thoughts which a person decides to think remain an internal communication to the person, from the person, who decided to think those thoughts. Thoughts are always a double whammy, internally, from the person to the person.
This fact that thoughts are one, united with soul -- i.e. our life force -- presents the added measure of respect necessary towards our thoughts. Bad thoughts will leave a deeper imperfection and blemish, even if only once. Encouraging and optimistic thoughts will make a tremendous positive manipulation on the soul. Because of its closeness to the soul, thoughts will affect the soul in a much more profound and deeper way than speech and action
The garment of thought not only has more impact on the soul; it is also more sophisticated and refined than the other garments. Any stain or spot on a sensitive and refined garment will stand out more boldly. A cut or mess-up on clothes doesn't compare to a cut or mess-up on one’s skin.
The percentage of value that an expensive car or diamond will drop with a blemish on it is much steeper than the small and relative insignificant reduction a much cheaper and insignificant item will have, because of a relatively same blemish.
This is what the books mean when it says, “Thoughts of sin are worse than sin itself”. One can ask why is thinking all that bad if I didn't DO anything wrong??
The answer is, since thought is so intimately attached to the soul, using thoughts wrongly will cause even a greater harm to the soul, to the person themselves, than a bad action.
The prophets would admonish the people that all their sacrifices were worthless, because their thoughts and intentions were compromised. The Bible tells us of a king who had bad intentions, but did good deeds. He was rewarded for his good actions and brought about punishment for his evil thoughts.
Indeed, thoughts are very, very powerful.