Science behind power of positivity
We often hear people saying "Be positive, think positive." Sometimes it feels like just good advice from our elders or WhatsApp forwards.
This concept often reminds me of a powerful scene from the movie The Matrix. There is a moment where Morpheus fights Neo in a virtual simulation. Neo is struggling, using all his physical effort to land a punch, until Morpheus stops him to emphasize the importance of belief. He tells Neo:
"Stop trying to beat me and beat me!"
Morpheus wasn't asking for more effort; he was asking for conviction. He wanted Neo to realize that his reality was shaped by his mind, not just his muscles. "Trying" implies doubt, while "doing" implies belief.
This is exactly what the science of positivity is about. It is not just about smiling when you are sad. Positivity is a force that changes your body, your friends, and even the reality around you.
Let us explore this journey from our ancient Indian wisdom to the latest discoveries in Quantum Physics.
Shaping Body and Universe (Drishti-Srishti)
In our Indian philosophy, specifically in Advaita Vedanta, there is a powerful concept called "Drishti-Srishti Vada". Simply put, Drishti means perception (sight) and Srishti means creation (the world). Vedanta says: Your perception creates your reality.
Adi Shankaracharya explains this beautifully in the Dakshinamurthy Stotram:
Vishwam Darpana Drishyamana Nagari Tulyam Nijantargatam
"The universe is like a city reflected in a mirror, seen within one's own Self."
Just as a mirror reflects whatever is in front of it, your consciousness reflects your internal state. If your mind-mirror is dirty with negativity, the world looks dirty. If you clean it with Sattva (positivity), the world looks beautiful. The Maitrayani Upanishad confirms:
Chittam eva hi samsaram... yad bhavam tad bhavati.
"The mind alone is the world... what a man thinks, that he becomes."
Matrix being one of my favourite movie, This reminds another scene from matrix "it's not spoon that bends it is yourself"
Coming back to the point, This ancient rule works on two levels: Inside your body and Outside in the universe.
Yes you can change your physical reality and also outside world.
A. Inside: Belief Becomes Biology (The Science of the Cells)
First, let's see how this works internally. Lord Krishna explained in the Bhagavad Gita (6.6) that the mind can be your best friend or worst enemy. Modern science calls this Psychoneuroimmunology—the link between your mind and your immune system. Following are some of the evidences and theories around it.
The "Cold" Truth (Immunity):
Epigenetics:
The Nun Study (Longevity):
The Placebo Effect:
When you have a strong belief (Sankalpa) that "I am getting better," your Prefrontal Cortex signals the brain to release Endogenous Opioids (natural painkillers) and Dopamine. The relief is chemically identical to taking a real pill.
The "Placebome": Scientists found that people with a specific gene variation (COMT) are naturally better at using positivity to heal themselves. Your Drishti literally switches on your immune system.
Broaden-and-Build Theory (Growth Mode vs. Survival Mode):
Dr. Barbara Fredrickson’s famous theory explains why nature gave us happiness. It is not just to feel good; it is a survival strategy.
Survival Mode (Negativity): Negative emotions like fear have a specific job: to keep you alive. If you see a snake, your brain "narrows" its focus. You stop thinking about dinner, poetry, or friends; you only think "RUN." This narrow focus is good for emergencies but bad for living a full life.
Growth Mode (Positivity Broadens): Positive emotions (joy, gratitude, interest) are like switching on a floodlight. They "broaden" your mental aperture. You literally see more possibilities, creative ideas, and solutions that you couldn't see before.
The "Build" Effect (Your Life Bank Account): Because your mind is open, you start "building" durable resources like physical immunity, social connections, intellect etc. f for the future.
The Undoing Effect: Positivity also acts as a "reset button" for the heart. Research shows that positive emotions speed up cardiovascular recovery. If stress makes your heart race, a moment of joy "undoes" that damage instantly.
B. Outside: Mind Moves Matter
Now, let’s go beyond the body to Physics. Can your mind actually change physical matter? Quantum physics says yes
In the famous Double-Slit Experiment, scientists found something shocking. When they shot tiny particles (electrons) through slits, they acted like Waves (spread out, existing in many places at once). But the moment they placed a camera to "watch" them, the electrons stopped behaving like waves and instantly became solid Particles.
The mere act of observation changed reality. The electron "knew" it was being watched.
You might think, "I am not an electron, so this doesn't apply to me." But you and your surroundings are made of these particles! This suggests that at a macro level, our Consciousness affects the result of our surroundings. The universe is not a fixed, dead stage; it is a field of infinite possibilities waiting for an observer.
This is exactly what the Isha Upanishad (Verse 1) declared thousands of years ago:
Ishavasyam idam sarvam yat kincha jagatyam jagat
"All this—whatever moves in this moving world—is enveloped by one universal Consciousness."
Modern thinkers like Deepak Chopra and Robert Lanza call this Biocentrism. They argue that the universe does not create life; rather, life (consciousness) creates the universe. We are not just separate observers watching the world; we are creators. If you look for problems, you "collapse" the wave into a problem-reality. If you look for positivity, you collapse it into a positive-reality.
There even solid evidence around it i.e global consciousness project
The Global Consciousness Project (GCP):
This is the scientific proof that "we are all one." In a 20-year experiment, Princeton University placed machines called Random Number Generators (Eggs) around the world. Normally, these machines act like random coin tossers (chaos). But during massive global events where millions felt the same emotion (like intense prayer or hope), these machines stopped being random and became ordered.
Social Magnetism: The Science of Connection
We are not islands; we are social beings constantly influencing each other. Positivity works in two powerful ways here: it acts like a Magnet (attracting good people to you) and like a Transmitter (spreading your good vibes to change others).
A. Positivity Attracts Positivity (Like Attracts Like)
Have you noticed how we always like to be around happy, positive people? If you are positive, people naturally want to help you. The Rig Veda (1.89.1) gives us the ancient secret for this attraction:
Ano bhadra kratavo yantu vishvataha
"Let noble and positive thoughts come to us from all directions."
This is not just philosophy; it is a psychological rule called Reciprocal Determinism. It works in a loop:
You feel positive inside: You wake up thinking, "Today is a good day."
You act positively: You smile at your neighbor or help a colleague.
The environment reacts: Because you smiled, the neighbor is friendly. Because you helped, the colleague supports you later.
Feedback: Seeing the world be nice to you makes you feel even more positive!
In short: You teach the world how to treat you.
B. Positivity is Contagious & Changes Others (The Ripple Effect)
Positivity doesn't just stop at you; it physically changes the brains of people around you.
Emotional Contagion & Mirror Neurons:
We often say "moods are contagious," but now we know the mechanism. Deep inside our brains, we have Mirror Neurons. These cells fire just by watching someone else. If you walk into a room smiling and happy, the mirror neurons in your family or team will unknowingly copy that state.
This explains the Indian concept of Satsang (Good Company). As Goswami Tulsidas wrote in the Ramcharitmanas: "Bin satsang vivek na hoi" (Without the company of the good, wisdom/discrimination does not dawn). When you sit with a positive person, you biologically "download" their peace.
The Pygmalion Effect (Behavioral Confirmation):
Can your positivity actually change someone else's behavior? Yes!
If a teacher believes a student is a genius, they treat them with more patience and care. The student, sensing this belief, becomes more confident and actually performs better.
This is called Behavioral Confirmation. If you see the good in your spouse or employee, they will subconsciously rise to meet your expectation. Your belief creates their reality.
How Good Wishes Heal You
In India, our grandmothers always said, "Do good, and good will come to you" or chanted "Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu" (May all beings be happy). There is a Science behind it. It is discovered that when you think good for others, the first person to get healed is YOU.
Lord Krishna confirms this profound unity in the Bhagavad Gita (6.32):
Atmaupamyena sarvatra samam pashyati yo ’rjuna
"He is a perfect Yogi who, by comparison to his own self, sees the true equality of all beings, in both their happiness and their distress."
This changes how we view kindness. Helping another is not a moral favor; it is an act of self-care. Just as the hand applies balm to a wounded leg because they belong to the same body, the enlightened being spreads positivity to others because they recognize them as part of the same Cosmic Body (Virat Purusha). To harm another is to harm oneself; to bless another is to bless oneself. This realization dissolves the ego, which is the root cause of all fear and limitation.
Being selfish makes your body tense. Being selfless (Paropkar) makes your body relaxed and healthy.
So what should i do ? Call to Action
Knowledge without action is just entertainment. To truly change your life, you must practice these three steps daily:
1. Change Your Vision (The Solution Mindset)
Start seeing things differently. When problems come, do not panic. Expect a positive result. Even if things do not go your way, believe there is a hidden positive angle that will help you grow. This expectation switches your brain from "Fear Mode" to "Solution Mode," enabling you to find answers that others miss.
If getting worried is part of your personality. You can still trick your brain by giving false facial signal and emotional labeling helps you switch your brain towards solution mode
2. Bless Yourself (Self-Positivity)
Understand that you are gifted and divine. Do not criticize yourself. Improvise and strengthen your mind
3. Bless the World (Collective Positivity)
Expand your circle. Start your day by wishing good for everyone, not just yourself. This creates a powerful positive shield around you.
Conclusion
So friends, positivity is not small talk.
Philosophy & Physics say: Your inner vision creates reality (Drishti-Srishti & Observer Effect).
Biology says: Your belief becomes your immunity and extends your life (Epigenetics, Nun Study, Placebome).
Psychology says: You attract what you are (Reciprocal Determinism).
Neuroscience says: You change others by your presence (Mirror Neurons & Pygmalion Effect).
Next time you decide to be positive, remember: you are not just changing your mood, you are changing your universe.
Also try to do vedic rituals with more understanding to realise actual benefit not just with blind belief.
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