To stop negative thoughts, Vallalar would say, start with what feeds them. The mind reflects what we take in through every sense, including what we eat. Change what goes in and calm the mind with the Mahamantra when thoughts surge, and over time the thoughts change too.
This is not a mindfulness trick. It is a teaching about why the mind fills with fear and anger in the first place, from a Tamil saint who lived what he taught.
Why negative thoughts come
Vallalar (Ramalinga Adigal, 1823–1874) saw the mind as something that mirrors its inputs. What we watch, what we listen to and the words around us all leave their mark. When those inputs are full of fear, cruelty and anger, the mind gives them back to us as worry and self-criticism.
He paid particular attention to food. Food that comes from the killing of an animal carries that suffering, he taught, and it disturbs the one who eats it. This is part of why his whole path rests on compassion for every living being, Jeeva Karunyam.
So negative thoughts are not a flaw in your character. Often they are a signal about what you are taking in.
Step 1: Clean the inputs
- Food. Move towards a simple, plant-based diet, free of the suffering of other beings. Vallalar gives practical guidance on food in his daily discipline, the Nithya Karma Vidhi. Start with one meal a day.
- Sight and sound. Notice which news, feeds and conversations leave you agitated, and reduce them for a week. See what changes.
- Your own words. Speak to others, and about others, without harshness. The mind learns the language it hears most.
Step 2: Calm the mind in the moment
When a wave of thoughts comes, Vallalar’s tool is the Mahamantra:
Arut Perum Jyoti, Arut Perum Jyoti, Thani Perum Karunai, Arut Perum Jyoti.
Word by word:
- Arut is grace.
- Perum is vast or great.
- Jyoti is light.
- Thani is unique, without equal.
- Karunai is compassion.
In full: “The Vast Grace Light, the Vast Grace Light, the Unique Great Compassion, the Vast Grace Light.”
How to use it:
- Stop what you are doing.
- Breathe out slowly.
- Repeat the Mahamantra, aloud or silently, for one or two minutes.
- Don’t argue with the thoughts. Just keep returning to the words and their meaning.
It moves your attention from the content of the fear to the light and compassion it names.
Try it today
Before one meal today, sit for a minute and say the Mahamantra three times. Then eat slowly and notice how the food feels in your body: light or heavy? That one minute is the start of both steps.
When to get more help
If negative thoughts are constant, keep you from sleeping or working, or turn to self-harm, please also talk to a doctor or counsellor. Vallalar’s path and good medical care work well together.
Questions people ask
Can diet really affect negative thoughts?
Vallalar taught that it does: what we eat shapes the state of the mind, and food born of suffering disturbs it. Many people notice a calmer mind after moving to a plant-based diet.
What do I say when negative thoughts come?
Vallalar’s Mahamantra: Arut Perum Jyoti, Arut Perum Jyoti, Thani Perum Karunai, Arut Perum Jyoti. Repeat it slowly until the wave passes.
How long does it take?
Thoughts calm in the moment with the Mahamantra. Changing their roots through what you take in takes weeks of steady practice.
Is this a replacement for therapy?
No. If your thoughts are severe or persistent, please also see a professional.
For Vallalar’s own words on compassion, including the free Jeeva Karunya Ozhukkam, the Sanmarkkam Journey sends them straight to your inbox. The Sanmarkkam Journey delivers free teachings, health guidance, and translations of Vallalar’s works, directly to your inbox. We take you by hand, at your own pace. No pressure, no selling. Just value. Unsubscribe with one click. Join the Sanmarkkam Journey
Want Vallalar's wisdom
delivered free to your inbox?
All directly to your favourite email inbox.
We take you by hand, at your own pace. Step-by-Step.
- Free E-book: Jeevakarunyam Ozhukkam — Vallalar's Guide to Compassionate Living IMMEDIATE DOWNLOAD
- Free E-books, translations & commentaries
- Free health tips from Vallalar's manuscripts
- Free community
- Free Emporium items
- & Much More 🎁
🕯️ Welcome to the Journey
Look for an email from international@sanmarkkamlife.org. Check your inbox, spam folder and Promotions tab. Your first teaching and your free e-book are on their way.
🔒 We hate Spam. No Pressure. 0 Selling or Pitching.
1 Click Unsubscribe any time.
Privacy Policy · Sanmarkkam Life APS · GDPR compliant