In order for thought power to make any sense, you’ll have to go beyond “mere technique” as well as “mere psychology.” You’ll need a minimum viable metaphysic.

To render a first sketch of this metaphysic, let’s begin by distinguishing between what’s inside of me and what’s outside of me, what’s internal and what’s external. Start with the internal. You’ll need to grant that there’s an inner reality–an Intelligent Self, an Intuition, or an Indwelling Spirit–that’s higher and more powerful than the mental body (manomaya kosha).

By the latter (manomaya kosha), I mean some subtle package consisting of likes and dislikes, pleasures and pains, desires, emotions, and the ego-sense. If you’re not willing to grant, however provisionally, that there’s a higher inner reality, then there’s no way to get positive thinking off the ground: there’s, on that mistaken account, nothing from which positive thinking is drawn and to which it’s pointing. Every up would be met by a down; every moment of confidence by doubt; every yes by a no. Division, not unity, not simplicity, would reign. This, of course, is our ordinary experience.

By contrast, when you’re open to the possibility that there’s Intuition within, an Intuition that’s higher than the mental body, you can start to grok the point of positive thinking. The idea is that positive thinking is coming from Intuition–which is itself clear, simple, undivided, and strong–and is flowing up to Intuition. Higher inner grounds lifts “you” up and gives “you” strength.

“I am strong” or “I’ve got this,” on this interpretation, is not referring to ego but to Intuition. Therefore, “thought training” is nothing but the process by which tuning into Intuition is occurring more and more frequently.

We can’t leave the matter here since we need some thin metaphysical account of the world as well. Roughly, we need to be open to the possibility that the world is sanctified, redeemed, or blessed. How? For this, we turn to the outer and, in particular, to God’s goodness.

You, at least, need to accept two axioms: first, that God exists; and, second, that creation is fundamentally good. Once you do, then thoughts pertaining to gratitude (more below), to the fundamental goodness of appearances, and to bountifulness or abundance start to make sense. It makes no sense to be grateful for what you’ve received unless there’s That which is giving. Nor does it make any sense to formulate positive beliefs about worldly goods–like health, prosperity, or loving relationships–unless you’re willing to see that creation or manifestation is, at the most basic level, good.

We can now put together the inner and the outer of this bhakti teaching. To tune into Intuition is, at the same time, to see the world as being good, full, or blessed. “As you stand, so you see.” You are tuning your Higher Self (or Intuition) into the goodness of God. Perhaps you’re feeling, even, that this Higher Self is “a part” of God.

Already, we have experiences of what could be more readily our understanding. Babies and certain animals suggest that there’s something fundamental good at the heart of all creation. How is this assessment possible unless we’ve ascended to Intuition from whose perspective babies are sweet and dogs innocent?

What I’ve written raises a question: “How do I tune in?” It’s just here where thought power comes in: to formulate a positive thought and to utterly affirm it in your heart is to “see manifestation through the eyes” of this thought. With “the eyes” of Intuition, your heart is open and, from this perspective, the world is regarded as basically good.

One example could be illuminating to conclude with. A gratitude practice (perhaps you journal every night about all the things–large and small, pleasant and unpleasant–that you’re thankful for) is helping you to tune into God’s Grace during the course of the day. Slowly, you come to operate from Intuition. Sure, you notice the dog shit while you’re out walking, but the thought passes and soon you exclaim, “What a wonderful afternoon it is.” And this time you mean it.