How Belief Systems Shape Consequences

In psychology, there is an equation:

A x B = C

• A stands for adversities.
• B stands for belief system.
• C stands for consequences.

The consequence of whatever you face in life—its impact on you, how you respond and react to it, the result of the original adversity, and the result based on how you react and respond to it—are all based on your belief system.

A x B means the consequence is a product of adversity and your belief system. It also means that the adversity is multiplied as many times by the belief system.

There are more ways to look at it. Let’s say A is not adversity—it is any situation that you face in life, pleasant or unpleasant. So if A is positive, but your belief system, B, is negative, then the outcome, C, will also be negative. If A is positive and B is also positive, the outcome, the consequence, is enhanced in quality.

Now, let’s say A is negative—an adversity or problem you have to face. Even if your belief system is positive, it doesn’t help; the outcome is still negative. -A x +B will still make C negative. So positive thinking or a positive belief system does not always help. Positive thinking is a temporary solution; it is only covering up the problem.

So, how do you make the outcome positive when facing a -A? Make B also negative. Minus into minus makes plus. Negative B does not mean negative thinking in the ordinary sense. Negative thinking is a negation of the world experience. Negation in the sense that affirmation is only mithya, unreal.

This is what Valmiki told Bharadwaja: asamsaktaya budhya. With an intellect that firmly believes that whatever I am facing is unreal. This is what Lord Rama and others with him demonstrated to us—how they faced adversities. This belief system is the correct belief system. All other techniques are just patchwork. The only solution is to correct and firm up your belief system. Acquire the correct perspective.

When you have this belief system, another change happens—whether A is positive or negative stops mattering to you. It stops bothering you because you are no longer worried about whether C is positive or negative. This is a gradual change that happens as you develop the right belief system and the right perspective. The right perspective that our Vedas teach us, our Upanishads teach us, and great scriptures like Yoga Vasishta teach us.

Now, don’t take this A, B, and C and positive and negative very seriously—I am just playing around with them. What is important is to acquire the correct perspective and the correct belief system.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi