--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we cling to a thought or follow its…" description: "\"“When we cling to a thought or follow its track, we are performing a mental karma, and that, in turn, is the seed of all physical actions.”\" — Om Swami" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/734/om-swami-10558_psychology_when-we-cling-to-a-thought-or-follow-its_1905016.jpg" --- # When we cling to a thought or follow its track, we are… ![“When we cling to a thought or follow its track, we are performing a mental karma, and that, in turn, is the seed of all physical actions.” quote by Om Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/734/om-swami-10558_psychology_when-we-cling-to-a-thought-or-follow-its_1905016.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/734/om-swami-10558_psychology_when-we-cling-to-a-thought-or-follow-its_1905016.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/734/om-swami-10558_psychology_when-we-cling-to-a-thought-or-follow-its_1905016.jpg) > ““When we cling to a thought or follow its track, we are performing a mental karma, and that, in turn, is the seed of all physical actions.”” [Om Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-swami/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Thoughts act like mental karma, planting seeds that become physical actions. **In simple terms:** Thoughts seed actions Key Takeaway Cultivate positive thoughts to influence behavior Themes mindfulness karma cause and effect Mood contemplative motivational Type spiritual philosophical When to use this quote - meditation - decision making - habit formation Key Concepts philosophy spirituality psychology Questions to Reflect On - What thoughts do you nurture? - How do you translate thought into action? A Different Perspective Thoughts alone may not guarantee outcomes ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cling Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cling-thought-493271/) [Karma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/karma/) [Mental Karma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-karma-408769/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Physical Actions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical-actions-240566/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Thought Follow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-follow-1155409/) ## Related quotes > [The karma that is most interesting is the mental karma because ultimately it generates physical action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-karma-that-is-most-interesting-is-the-mental-karma-because/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“not to cling to any thought—to let all thoughts flow by, detach ourselves from them, so allowing them to fade away into nothingness from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-callery/not-to-cling-to-any-thought-to-let-all-thoughts-flow-by-detach/) [Terence Callery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-callery/) > [I think that physical actions are always hard to describe, to translate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-goldstein/i-think-that-physical-actions-are-always-hard-to-describe-to-translate/) [Ann Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-goldstein/) > [“(Novelists, when their characters drive cars, never feel compelled to describe precisely what the physical actions are of hands, feet, eyes, knees, elbows. Yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-e-westlake/novelists-when-their-characters-drive-cars-never-feel-compelled-to/) [Donald E. Westlake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-e-westlake/) > [“I'm here, he thought. Find me. Follow me. Make this inevitable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/i-m-here-he-thought-find-me-follow-me-make-this-inevitable/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [...you're waiting because you thought it would follow, you thought there would be some logic, perhaps, something to pull it all together but here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-siken/you-re-waiting-because-you-thought-it-would-follow-you-thought-there/) [Richard Siken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-siken/) > [You can't just have a thought. You have to follow the thought through. But everything starts with the thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/you-can-t-just-have-a-thought-you-have-to-follow-the-thought-through/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/life-will-give-you-whatever-experience-is-most-helpful-for-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Mooner was walking around laying his hands on the cars, divining karma. "this is it", he said, standing by a small khaki-colored jeep."this car…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/mooner-was-walking-around-laying-his-hands-on-the-cars-divining-karma/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [“If one does not know how to read the account (karmic) book, then he will start to have doubts, and doubts lead to unhappiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/if-one-does-not-know-how-to-read-the-account-karmic-book-then-he-will/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [If good things come to those who wait then I must have something ridiculously awesome coming!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/if-good-things-come-to-those-who-wait-then-i-must-have-something/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Karma means changing planes of reality or changing fields of attention. There will be perhaps a resulting physical action stemming from the change of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/karma-means-changing-planes-of-reality-or-changing-fields-of/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [If you leave someone for another person, don't be surprised if that person leaves you for someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-leave-someone-for-another-person-don-t-be-surprised-if-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To catch you're elusive dreams you must be prepared to track it to the ends of the earth. Let nothing stop you're pursuit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truth-devour/to-catch-you-re-elusive-dreams-you-must-be-prepared-to-track-it-to/) [Truth Devour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truth-devour/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) ## More by Om Swami > [“One of the most outstanding aspects of Ayurveda is its teaching that nothing is absolute. The utility, value and effect of anything is relative.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-swami/one-of-the-most-outstanding-aspects-of-ayurveda-is-its-teaching-that/) [Om Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-swami/) > [“In one form or the other, the consequences of any action don't perish. Nature registers every little karma. I had this faith that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-swami/in-one-form-or-the-other-the-consequences-of-any-action-don-t-perish/) [Om Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-swami/) > [“The consistent and persistent man of average intelligence is more likely to succeed than an erratic and lazy genius.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-swami/the-consistent-and-persistent-man-of-average-intelligence-is-more/) [Om Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-swami/) > [“When you speak about matters of concern or pain, their imprint softens. No”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-swami/when-you-speak-about-matters-of-concern-or-pain-their-imprint-softens/) [Om Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-swami/) > [“Havishya-anna means food that is fit for the gods. Literally, it means food that is fit for oblations. Your body is the temple, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-swami/havishya-anna-means-food-that-is-fit-for-the-gods-literally-it-means/) [Om Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-swami/) > [“The tree laden with fruits is always a bit bent. Not because of any burden but because it has something to offer. Humility”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-swami/the-tree-laden-with-fruits-is-always-a-bit-bent-not-because-of-any/) [Om Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-swami/) > [“The kingdom of consciousness is under siege by the desires of our mind. All”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-swami/the-kingdom-of-consciousness-is-under-siege-by-the-desires-of-our/) [Om Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-swami/) > [“you consume foods that are light on your digestion and alkaline in nature, you naturally remain healthier.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-swami/you-consume-foods-that-are-light-on-your-digestion-and-alkaline-in/) [Om Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-swami/) > [“All meats, intoxicants, condiments, processed and canned foods are very acidic. Modern science considers dairy mostly acidic, but Ayurveda considers all dairy products generated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-swami/all-meats-intoxicants-condiments-processed-and-canned-foods-are-very/) [Om Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-swami/) > [“Here’s the simple practice: sit down at the table. Take a few deep breaths. Remind yourself that you work hard and do most things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-swami/here-s-the-simple-practice-sit-down-at-the-table-take-a-few-deep/) [Om Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-swami/) > [“The basis of all remedies and treatments in Ayurveda is your constitution. Once”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-swami/the-basis-of-all-remedies-and-treatments-in-ayurveda-is-your/) [Om Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-swami/) > [“Your physical health is almost entirely dependent on how your body accepts and processes food, which in turn is affected by your mental and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-swami/your-physical-health-is-almost-entirely-dependent-on-how-your-body/) [Om Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-swami/) > [“The most important thing to remember, though, is that thoughts are devoid of any essence. In their own right, they have neither meaning nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-swami/the-most-important-thing-to-remember-though-is-that-thoughts-are/) [Om Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-swami/) > [“It refers to the concentration of hydrogen ions. The fewer the hydrogen ions, the greater the pH level; the greater the pH level, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-swami/it-refers-to-the-concentration-of-hydrogen-ions-the-fewer-the/) [Om Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-swami/) > [“First, anything that afflicts the inner being is a disease. The inner being is the one that experiences pain and pleasure, joy and sorrow;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-swami/first-anything-that-afflicts-the-inner-being-is-a-disease-the-inner/) [Om Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-swami/) [Explore all 64 Om Swami quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-swami/) ## More Karma quotes > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [To catch you're elusive dreams you must be prepared to track it to the ends of the earth. Let nothing stop you're pursuit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truth-devour/to-catch-you-re-elusive-dreams-you-must-be-prepared-to-track-it-to/) [Truth Devour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truth-devour/) > [If you leave someone for another person, don't be surprised if that person leaves you for someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-leave-someone-for-another-person-don-t-be-surprised-if-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Karma means changing planes of reality or changing fields of attention. There will be perhaps a resulting physical action stemming from the change of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/karma-means-changing-planes-of-reality-or-changing-fields-of/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [If good things come to those who wait then I must have something ridiculously awesome coming!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/if-good-things-come-to-those-who-wait-then-i-must-have-something/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“If one does not know how to read the account (karmic) book, then he will start to have doubts, and doubts lead to unhappiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/if-one-does-not-know-how-to-read-the-account-karmic-book-then-he-will/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Mooner was walking around laying his hands on the cars, divining karma. "this is it", he said, standing by a small khaki-colored jeep."this car…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/mooner-was-walking-around-laying-his-hands-on-the-cars-divining-karma/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [Cant have your cake and eat it too. Reap what you sow, practice what you preach. Good karma, bad karma. life is not fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/cant-have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too-reap-what-you-sow-practice-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The measure of space & time creates an echo of haunting distance between us, yet we are close, we are united in the love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truth-devour/the-measure-of-space-time-creates-an-echo-of-haunting-distance/) [Truth Devour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truth-devour/) > [You are new at every moment. You are an extension of the previous moment of your awareness. You can radically change, if you unhook…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-are-new-at-every-moment-you-are-an-extension-of-the-previous/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/life-will-give-you-whatever-experience-is-most-helpful-for-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“There is a big park in the middle of the locality. Surrounded by at least 50 houses. That those residents got to live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-paula/there-is-a-big-park-in-the-middle-of-the-locality-surrounded-by-at/) [Andy Paula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-paula/) > [Karma-yoga is a supreme secret indeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhagavad-gita/karma-yoga-is-a-supreme-secret-indeed/) [Bhagavad Gita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhagavad-gita/) > [KARMAS a bitch it will get you time and time again so fuck off](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everyone-knowthis/karmas-a-bitch-it-will-get-you-time-and-time-again-so-fuck-off/) [EveryOne Knowthis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everyone-knowthis/) > [The karma that is most interesting is the mental karma because ultimately it generates physical action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-karma-that-is-most-interesting-is-the-mental-karma-because/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) [Browse all 1,951 Karma quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/karma/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When we cling to a thought or follow its track, we are performing a mental karma, and that, in turn, is the seed of all physical actions.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Om Swami" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-swami/when-we-cling-to-a-thought-or-follow-its-track-we-are-performing-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Karma" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-swami/when-we-cling-to-a-thought-or-follow-its-track-we-are-performing-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/734/om-swami-10558_psychology_when-we-cling-to-a-thought-or-follow-its_1905016.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/734/om-swami-10558_psychology_when-we-cling-to-a-thought-or-follow-its_1905016.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/734/om-swami-10558_psychology_when-we-cling-to-a-thought-or-follow-its_1905016.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When we cling to a thought or follow its track, we are performing a mental karma, and that, in turn, is the…” — Om Swami", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Om Swami", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-swami/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“When we cling to a thought...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-swami/when-we-cling-to-a-thought-or-follow-its-track-we-are-performing-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-swami/when-we-cling-to-a-thought-or-follow-its-track-we-are-performing-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```