We established that the most successful way to deal with bad thoughts is not to fight them, but to replace the negative thoughts with positive ones.
When these positive thoughts have the power strength and light of G-dliness, for example passages from the Bible they not only replace the bad with good, they will actually chase away and dissolve the dark thoughts, similar to light that without any struggle chases away darkness.
Once, a Chassid struggling with unwanted thoughts was sent to a Rabbi for guidance. When he came to this Rabbi’s house in the middle of the night and knocked, no one opened for him. In the morning, when he was admitted in, he noticed not only was the door bolted on the inside, it had an extra piece of wood to cover the small crack at the bottom of the door.
When he told his host why he was sent, the Rabbi asked him “Did you not notice when you arrived at a time when you were not welcome, no one let you in? In addition, didn’t you see how besides the door to stop any intruders there was an extra precaution in place to hold back even the creepy crawlers from coming in?"
Similarly, your body has its own doors of entry and a boss over all these gateways. It is you who determines who and when you allow anyone in. It is up to you to bolt the door shut and place precautions for the creepy crawlers.
Thoughts are like a garment through which the soul expresses itself. So, when a person is a happy soul, he will most likely choose to put on happy garments. A person who is not so happy will subconsciously choose unhappy thoughts and garments.
When a person is in a crazy mood and is naturally drawn to unhappy thoughts, how does he get control and stop the vicious cycle of those bad thoughts which then influence the soul, like garments that influence the person wearing them?
We need to be reminded that while the garments express the disposition of the soul, they are a completely separate entity. In truth, a person is not connected with his soul inherently to his thoughts. It is possible, to choose and decide to think something entirely different than the nature of the soul.
Since the soul always enclothes itself in the garment of thought, it will be influenced by the positive or negative thoughts, and the thinking can ultimately change the character of the soul!
Part of the difficulty in overcoming negative thinking once and for all, is the bad inclination inside every person. This force is always trying to bring the person down in whatever way it is able to. One of the arguments this evil force inside us uses to get us to think in negative and self inflicting ways is by telling us, it’s only for a second, it can’t harm.
In that second, the bad thought will gain squatters rights forever. Since the soul is eternal, and thought is so close to the soul, a positive or negative thought will make its impression on the soul that will last a lifetime. The way a person eventually gets lost, is with the first step of compromise off the tested and true way.
The purpose of this internal battle is to draw out the deepest strengths of the positive side. When a person asserts himself over his house and doesn’t let anyone just trample all around, he creates the satisfaction of ownership and of having his space to use it, as he chooses. He is empowered, and feels good.