Thought for Today

Human beings have original qualities that are values which define our human and spiritual nature. The original qualities of each person are similar. The only difference is to be found in the intensity with which they are expressed. There are seven intrinsic qualities in human nature: peace, love, purity, happiness, power, bliss and truth.

These qualities, that we all possess, are expressed in our life, relationships and activities in the form of different virtues. Any virtue that we express in our life and day-to-day interactions is not usually a unique quality; normally these virtues are a variety of qualities (listed above) that work together and express themselves. If we blend some primary colours, we get a wide range of colours. While we are expressing these original qualities in action, they mix together and become virtues.

For example, patience is not an original quality of the self, but it is an important virtue, necessary for keeping calm in today's world. Patience possesses a little of the quality of love, wisdom and peace. If these original qualities are missing, in the sense that we have lost our contact with them, then impatience and irritability will arise. The virtue of tolerance requires inner strength, love and peace.

From the moment we are born, we are subject to many negative influences from our family, society, religion, education, the media, culture, social class and ethnic background, that tarnish our basic values and often restrict our ability to express them in the form of different virtues in our daily actions and interactions. Spirituality helps us to revive these basic values.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 30-08-2011

The one who is simple is the one who is free from pain.

Projection:

When I am simple I am able to be free from pain or hurt even in adverse situations. I am able to take benefit from the wealth of experiences accumulated over the past without feeling the pain. With simplicity I know that I need to remember the past only to the extent that I have to learn from it.

Solution:

When something goes wrong and I find myself thinking about it again and again, I need to remind myself that all the past experiences are only for me to learn from them. The past is finished and I don't have to undergo the sorrow again thinking about the past repeatedly.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

The Key To Mental Freedom – Spiritual Knowledge

The world is full of many wonders; incredible works of art and architecture, of science and invention, but the greatest of them all by far is the human mind. It is the mind's play that brings about all activity in the human world. The outline of everything people construct is first formed in the mind and then filled in with matter to assume a concrete shape. History, science, culture, trade and commerce, in fact all knowledge and systems of our day-to-day world, are but the projection and fulfillment of thoughts born in the mind. If the mind, by concentrating itself on matter, can bring about such wonders and attain such miraculous physical powers as we have, what can it not attain if it concentrates on itself and on the Supreme!

Disorder and tension on the individual level and as a result on the social level are the result of ignorance of the self and the world around, such that the mind stays without rest. It runs, jumps and churns aimlessly, lashed by waves of feelings and emotions. Like a spider caught in its own web, the individual becomes entangled in nets which are the consequences (results) of this ignorance of the self and the fundamentals of life. When we receive spiritual knowledge from the seed of the tree of humanity, the Supreme Being or God at the present time, we begin an upward journey that takes us through deeper and deeper levels of understanding and experience which create freedom from these nets. This freedom, as a result helps us create a positive future, not only for ourselves but we also take up the responsibility of creating the same for the complete tree of humanity, which is primarily the purpose why God shares this knowledge with us.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

Have the power of realization and you will be able to change yourself easily. When something goes wrong, check if you are only blaming others for the mistake. Also check if you are able to realize your own mistake, however small it may be. Each time something goes wrong, make sure you make time to look at yourself. Realize your own part in the situation and tell yourself what you should be doing to make the situation better, for only when you change does the situation change.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 29-08-2011

Simplicity sharpens the power of perception.

Projection:

When there is simplicity within me, the clouds or layers that prevent my perception begin to fade away and I can see the situation clearly. With simplicity I find that there is nothing to colour or change my perception and naturally the decisions that follow become accurate too.


Solution:

Before I take any important decision I need to stop for a while, detach myself from the situation and see it with a cool mind. With this my thoughts will become free from all kind of associated memories and unnecessary attitudes and I will be able to make the right decision.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

The Life Jacket Of Hope

In the midst of the constant changes of life and confusing or chaotic situations, hope, becomes our life jacket, which helps us to keep afloat and not to drown in the hurricane that at times causes unexpected or sudden changes. Without hope, we expect the worst. Our vision gets cloudy; we do not find or see any ray of light to see by. The mind fills with questions, allowing it to be overpowered by doubts and insecurity. Fear takes control of us and everything turns into a mountain or an un-climbable wall. It seems to us that we will not be able to get out of the difficult and critical moments, or it will be difficult for us to get out of the "hole". We feel incapable of going forward. Fear and doubt paralyze us and prevent us from deciding with clarity and acting with determination. We need to find support or help and, when we don't get it, we go even further down.

Living with hope keeps us awake. With hope we are open to the opportunities that life offers us. We overcome fear and expect the best. With hope our forces are joined in order to deal with and overcome difficulties. We maintain the vision that everything will get better and things will streamline themselves, giving out benefits to all. Hope helps us to keep the meaning of our life alive.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

In order to bring about a fundamental (major) change three elements need to exist simultaneously:
Focus: A clear sense of purpose in life and clear goals to guide your life's activities.
Will: The motivation and enthusiasm to introduce and sustain the actions.
Capabilities: The skills and abilities to fulfill your purpose and goals.

But where do you start? There is definitely a right place to begin and that is with your focus. Why? Because if your focus is powerful and based on a very deep sense of your inner most purpose in life, then that will provide you with the will power you need to keep going. Then if you have a clear driving focus in life and lots of will power to back it up, you will soon develop the skills and capabilities you need to make it happen. You may not have them yourself, but your enthusiasm and passion will certainly inspire others who do have them to join you.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 27-08-2011

Detachment brings stability.

Projection:

When we use the facilities we have with detachment, we will not be influenced by them but will make full use of them. When we are attached to the instruments we will not be able to remain stable if those instruments are not available for us.

Solution:

If I ever find myself in a situation where some facility which I use is not available for me, I need to remind myself that the facilities that I use are my creation and I need not be dependent on them. In this way I can maintain my stability.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

Experiencing God.s Presence

I need to understand that God is a person (although the Supreme Person), like us, and not some formal or non-personal energy, with whom we cannot communicate and have a relationship. If I know God's form, location and .sanskars., I can direct my thoughts towards that One and immediately start experiencing the connection. The sentiment expressed in the phrase, .O God, wherever I am, you are with me', indicates the closeness of the soul and God. It expresses the experience of the presence of God, in a similar way to two lovers who carry each other in their hearts. In this way God's presence is a spiritual experience that I can have wherever I am. It doesn't mean literally that the Supreme Being is present in everything. It's a feeling and not a fact. The sun is the source of our physical necessities. It purifies the water, makes the plants grow to produce food and oxygen and provides a suitable range of temperatures for our life here. To give life it doesn't need to be present in every particle. Its effect in the form of light and heat is felt throughout the solar system. In the same manner, for the effective practice of Raja Yoga meditation (as taught by the Brahma Kumaris) God is seen as a sun of perfect .sanskars., the source of spiritual qualities and powers and, as such, doesn't need to be present in everything. Even though His residence is the soul world, God can be with me since the sense of closeness is beyond physical dimensions. One thought and I can experience Him in the soul world and be in His presence!

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

When your feelings are pure and elevated, even negative becomes positive. Check how much of negativity you find in your life during the whole day. Also when you come across something negative, in the form of a situation or a person, check your own thoughts. Are they negative or positive? In order to transform negative to positive, take such a thought that is beneficial to all. When you change your thoughts in this way into pure and elevated ones, you'll find your own situation changing from negative to positive.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 26-08-2011

The one who considers himself as a server is the one who can remains stable in all situations.

Projection:

In all that we do, if we have the consciousness of being a server i.e., the one who is available for bringing benefit to those around us in one way or the other, we can be stable. When we have this consciousness, we would naturally have no expectations either from people or situations and we will be stable.

Solution:

Each day it is necessary for me to take the thought that each person I meet should take something (even if it is a good wish) from me and no one should go away empty-handed. When I do this, I will be able to be free from expectations and I can naturally be stable.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

Injustices And Suffering In The World . Applying The Law of Karma (cont.)

An understanding of the laws of action reminds us that whatever we give we get, and whatever we get is the result of what we have given. When we apply this understanding into our awareness while we watch apparent injustices in the world, it reduces our outrage, lessening our pain. It's not that we sit passively and allow people to bring about suffering upon others, but it helps us to see that the greatest or highest contribution that we can make, to both the victim and the sinner, is to help them remember who they are and help them rise above their anger and fear towards each other. Only in this way can we help them to liberate themselves from an exchange of energy that has perhaps been going on for centuries.

But before we can effectively do this for others, it is necessary to try and do it for ourselves. Instead of taking the law into our own hands (the desire for revenge and justice), we can benefit everyone around us by first understanding and living ourselves according to the invisible laws of cause and effect which define all human relationships. Sometimes this is referred to as 'practice what you preach', and it often requires moments of reflection before action in order to judge the consequences of any path of action. This capacity to stop, reflect and consider, in a state of mental calm and with clear intellect, is an essential characteristic of all effective leaders. It is also what makes us all potential leaders in life, every day, who can bring about world transformation through self transformation.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

Closely linked to the power of tolerance, the power to accommodate means having a heart so big and generous that I am able to rise above all differences of character and personality while interacting with other soul actors, knowing that every actor in the enormous drama of existence has a unique personality, contribution and role to play. Whereas tolerance heals wounds and removes hurt, accommodation accepts and values differences, observing them and ultimately absorbing them in my love, as an ocean absorbs the rivers that flow into it. While completing my own part as a river, I also need to be aware of God as the Ocean of Love and the Ocean of Wisdom and I as the master Ocean of Love. When I enter this consciousness through meditation, the goodness of all other soul actors becomes clear to me very naturally, and it is no effort for me to go beyond conflict and clashes of opinion.

I become like my father, the Supreme Soul who is an Ocean of Love. My father sees every actor in this world drama as his child and his love is the same for each one of them (even though they have different personalities and roles) because he has the spiritual knowledge that every soul's original nature is loveful and the present nature is just an artificial one which has been acquired while coming into the process of birth and rebirth. In the same way, I too, experience myself to be a master Ocean Of Love and see all souls as my brothers and absorb their different natures. This is the power to accommodate which I can inculcate inside me through the practice of meditation.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 25-08-2011

Stability is to remain unshakeable, without any fluctuation in all situations.

Projection:

If we have no stability, even small things begin to upset us. When we have the power of stability, we can be unshakeable in all situations. Stability helps us to be firmly set in our position even in opposition i.e., even in unfavourable situations.

Solution:

When things are not going very smooth, it is necessary to remind myself that nothing is permanent. When I have the faith that things will surely change, I will be able to maintain my stability in all situations.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

Injustices And Suffering In The World . Applying The Law of Karma

We are presently living in a closely connected world where everyone knows what everyone else is doing, as they are doing it. Each day brings scenes and images, through the media, in front of us, of many apparent injustices and suffering of individuals or groups of individuals. Whether it's in the office, or in the market or on the television news, we hear and see reports of people suffering tremendous pain and sorrow at the hands of others. At these moments, our sense of injustice is stimulated and it becomes easy to rise in outrage against the sinners. In the process we ourselves suffer from our own self-created anger and perhaps hate. This process then becomes a habit and an inner pattern we begin to repeat, not only when we encounter scenes of global peacelessness, but the moment someone in the family or at office does something similar. A panic button is pressed and we react with the same pattern.

What we forget in both global and local contexts, is the history and geography of karma. Every scene and situation has a variety of related causes in both time (history) and space (geography) e.g. emotions of hatred and revenge amongst various countries and religions (in different parts of the world) and the actions connected with these emotions has underlying hidden causes, related to the Law of Karma (Law of Cause and Effect) which go back sometimes to hundreds of years . X is doing something with Y because Y had done something similar with X sometime in the past, but in different physical costumes, sometimes quite some time back in history . this is the reason, we often fail to take these causes into consideration when viewing these negative scenes and situations, because we see the situations with a limited perspective of present physical costumes and circumstances.

(To be continued tomorrow .)

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

Being gentle isn't being weak but a power that doesn't force or disturb. Gentleness comes from the heart and requires awareness and sensitivity. If being gentle doesn't come easy to you, start by being gentle with yourself first.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 24-08-2011

To be connected to one's own specialities is to be enthusiastic.

Projection:

To think of one's own weakness again and again is to lose enthusiasm. When we are able to know our own strengths and make effort to work with them consciously, we are able to be enthusiastic constantly. We are able to see difficult or challenging situations as a means of bringing out our own specialities.

Solution:

I need to work on myself in such a way that I consciously use my own specialities for adding value and beauty to whatever I do. It is not just important to do special things to use my specialities. But it is also important to use my specialities even in the most ordinary tasks. Then enthusiasm never fades.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

Self Empowerment

Our internal strengths create the foundation on which we make our decisions in life, how we relate to others and how we understand ourselves. For most people their strengths are understood but never made very conscious. They lie below the surface and are not openly talked about. Bringing them into our conscious understanding improves our process of self-empowerment.

To realize and review your strengths, sit comfortably in a pleasant atmosphere and answer silently the following questions:
A. Look back into the past and remember the times when you experienced your greatest successes. List the unique talents or strengths, which you made use of at those times.
B. List the specific features, which you admire in yourself.
C. If you were to take the opinion of your family, friends and colleagues, what strengths would they say that you have?
D. List your most valuable assets.
E. Now examine your answers and summarize. What are your main strengths?

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

Instead of looking at situations, look at yourself and you will progress. When something goes wrong, check your thoughts. See if you are blaming the situation or if you are looking at yourself and checking if you have gone wrong in any way. Each day pick out at least one thing that went wrong and take the lesson from it so that you could use it for the future. In this way, whatever happens you will be able to see yourself and progress instead of blaming the situation.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 23-08-2011

Enthusiasm makes even difficult things easy.

Projection:

Enthusiasm makes the biggest obstacle look like a very tiny one. It makes even a storm(toofan) to be like a gift(tohfa) and makes us enjoy each situation like a game. And when we have the awareness that there's nothing that is difficult, we can surely achieve what we want to.

Solution:

I should be able to change my consciousness in such a way that when obstacles come my way, I should automatically be filled with more enthusiasm to work at and overcome these obstacles. With my enthusiasm I will surely find a way to make things happen.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

Relationship With The Unconditional Source

There is one point of being in the universe who is not conditioned by any need, want or desire. Since He does not want anything, everything belongs t0 Him, but not in the sense of owning and controlling. Rather, all things naturally are attracted to the Unconditional Source (God) simply because pure love is given freely to all who come close. They feel that He selflessly serves, sharing all that He is, all that He has. Like a radiant Magnet beyond the limits of time and matter, beyond give and take and beyond measurement and calculation, the Source attracts all because nothing is desired and all is given.

The love of the Unconditional Source is like spiritual sunlight. It is selfless, complete in itself: it always adds and never subtracts. What is unconditional is always cherished to the point of worship, which is why the entity God is respected and idolized in all parts of the world. Spiritual light from the Source reveals to us our forgotten realities, our hidden potential and our original goodness. It reveals our true selves. Then, if we wish, we can nourish and develop that awareness, but only if we maintain an open channel of communication with the Source. Otherwise, the current either short circuits, cuts, blocks, or discharges in other directions and, after a while, there is a blackout! Humanity, at the moment, is in the blackout phase.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

You will experience all attainments when there is faith. At the end of each day, check if you are aware of and experiencing the things that you have attained for the day. If you are not able to experience the attainments, it means you do not have sufficient faith in yourself or in the things that are happening. Tell yourself each day that you have the faith in yourself and in things that they will ultimately turn out to be the best. When you practice in this way you can begin to experience your attainments.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 22-08-2011

Looking at the virtues in others fills them with enthusiasm.

Projection:

The best way of filling others with enthusiasm is to look at and relate with the virtues of others. Even if they are disappointed with themselves, when you relate to them with their virtues, you actually encourage them to use them and they are filled with enthusiasm too.

Solution:

It is good to check my behaviour through out the day, if any of my words or actions are hindering others' progress or if I am able to help others through my words by filling them with enthusiasm. I must always keep an aim of filling others with enthusiasm.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

The Two Companions Of Happiness – Peace And Love (A Meditation)

Sit comfortably and relax… Remind yourself of your spiritual form as a soul - a point of subtle light (non-physical light), a sparkling star, situated between the two eyebrows...

Now visualize your star-like form and emerge the feelings of peace looking at this form… experience stability in this inner value of peace, peace is your own treasure... Fully release all your concerns, tensions and worries and allow all of yourself to become deeply peaceful...

Now, feel the vibrations (energy waves) of your peaceful light form radiating outwards into the world... First into your body... then into the room... then into your neighbourhood... and then into the outside world...

Be aware that the vibration of your peaceful form is like a gift... Consciously give this gift of peace with the intention of calming and relieving the peacelessness of others...

As you radiate the power of your peace into the world you do so with great love... As you give the gift of peace, with love, you are aware that you are able to serve others, help others, in this subtle but extremely important way...

This awareness invokes a new sense of meaning in your life and you experience deeper feelings of happiness within your heart... It is a happiness which takes the form of contentment... This contentment of the heart flows through your whole being...

You realize that your happiness does not live alone... True happiness always has with it two of its closest companions... an experience of peace and an intention of pure love…

Our basic spiritual attributes of peace, love and happiness are values that can be compared to the primary colors of the soul. While the soul can experience these values, it is only when they are mixed together (to give different shades) that they emerge though our attitudes and behaviors as virtue. Virtuous thoughts, words and actions restore balance and harmony to our inner life and to our external relationships.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

Within us we have the possibility of observing and intervening (interfering) when we wish to; that is, maintaining the balance between being an observer and acting; playing between forming part of the audience and being the actor. On being actors, sometimes we can lose ourselves in the acting of the other in his or her or their dramas; we get in so deep with what is happening to the other that we lose distance. We get mentally and emotionally involved in the other's stories. When our awareness gets lost in those stories, we stop being the creators of our own life and of our own story. This habit exhausts us; we lose energy; we lose our concentration and control over our thoughts and our emotions. We lose our inner peace and we begin to look for it again.

We can choose to observe the dance of ideas, images and acts of others, and not get involved in their complications. Only thus will we be at peace with ourselves and with the world. Remember that you create your own story. If you want to live in peace and exercise a positive influence on the people around you, don't try to control or to change the stories of others. In order to enjoy a painting you do not poke your nose onto it; you remain at a certain distance so you see it with greater clarity. The same thing occurs with the painting of life. By learning the art of being a detached observer and then intervening, of keeping a healthy distance, we manage to be connected with what is essential without losing ourselves in the waste and superfluous (excessive). That way, our intervention does not arise out of a reaction which has shades of frustration, anger and negative judgements. We are then the creators of spaces of trust and love in relationship

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 21-08-2011

The one who is enthusiastic makes others enthusiastic too.

Projection:

The one who has this one speciality of enthusiasm, will be instrumental in bringing many other specialities. The words of such a person will fill others with courage and fill with hope, the ones who are hopeless.

Solution:

When I find someone who is not able to maintain his enthusiasm, it is good to remind myself that I am responsible for creating enthusiasm in others. When I take up responsibility in this way I will be able to finish laziness and carelessness within me and I will be enthusiastic too.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

The Psychosomatic Effects (Effects On The Body) Of Fear
The human being is psychosomatic by nature – what that means is that our health is deeply influenced by our behavior, thoughts, emotions and social relationships. Therefore, in order to experience good health, we should care for our life style, our mental, sentimental, emotional and relational world, as well as our communication. Fear is bad for our health. It manifests itself in the form of anger and promotes coronary diseases. Fear suppressed for a long time ends up producing diseases such as cancer. Apart from cancer and heart attacks, there are other illnesses brought on by fear: addictions, anxiety, arthritis, asthma, irritability, nervous breakdowns, memory loss, gastritis, back pains, baldness, diarrhea, sciatica, crying attacks, alcoholism, constipation, hypertension, cystitis (bladder inflammation), vomiting, menstrual problems, palpitations, digestive disorders, ulcers and migraines.

When we get old, our neurons do not die, but rather the connections between them disappear, that is what recent scientific research suggests. The neuronal connections or synapses keep us lively and young. When we have pleasant experiences, such as during meditation or when we are on a holiday or are surrounded by friends or while working in a team, some examples of activities in which we feel happy, the neuronal connections are more fluid. However, the lights go out when we feel fear. It is an emotion that is capable of slowing down and blocking the electrical impulses between the neurons. With fear we are less creative and we get older more quickly. If we do not want to suffer illnesses (or want our illnesses to get worse) we should learn to manage and overcome fear.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

You can become successful when you have humility. In all that you do, check if you are experiencing pleasure irrespective of whether you attain success or not. Where there is humility you automatically experience happiness.Before you take up any task make sure you remind yourself to put in your best. At the same time remind yourself that you are only trying for the success of the task that is good for all. When you take a thought in this way you will find yourself succeeding.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 20-08-2011

The one who is aware of his fortune is the one who is constantly enthusiastic.

Projection:

Sometimes there are situations in which we don't really get encouraging results. When we are aware of what we have and what we have achieved, we can be enthusiastic even when things are not going right.

Solution:

In order to maintain my enthusiasm, what I need to do is to remind myself of my fortune. When I am able to do this, I will not become disheartened in any situation. Instead I will be able to make the best of the situation.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

Focus, Will Power And Capabilities

In order to bring about a fundamental (major) change three elements need to exist simultaneously:
Focus: A clear sense of purpose in life and clear goals to guide your life's activities.
Will: The motivation and enthusiasm to introduce and sustain the actions.
Capabilities: The skills and abilities to fulfill your purpose and goals.


But where do you start? There is definitely a right place to begin and that is with your focus. Why? Because if your focus is powerful and based on a very deep sense of your inner most purpose in life, then that will provide you with the will power you need to keep going. Then if you have a clear driving focus in life and lots of will power to back it up, you will soon develop the skills and capabilities you need to make it happen. You may not have them yourself, but your enthusiasm and passion will certainly inspire others who do have them to join you.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

Be light by checking and changing at the same time. When something goes wrong, check if you are able to find your own weakness in that situation. Also after finding that weakness in yourself, check if you are getting disheartened. If you only check, but do nothing to change yourself you will find yourself becoming heavy. As soon as you find a weakness, make sure you make out a plan for yourself so that you can bring about the necessary changes immediately to overcome that weakness. In this way you will be able to remain light even when you find your weakness.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 19-08-2011

True peace is an experience of freedom.

Projection:

When challenging situations come our way, we are not able to be free from the use of our own negative habits and traits. We are then not able to give our best to the situation. Then there is both internal and external chaos. On the other hand working with our specialties help us experience freedom from negativity.

Solution:

I need a long time of practice of being in a state of peace for being able to experience it naturally during the challenging time. So let me practice having an experience of some special quality of mine. This practice over a period of time helps me be with it in the difficult time too and I am able to be peaceful.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

Meditation . Obstacles Faced By Beginners

Concentration has been described as holding the mind to one thought so that it takes the shape of that thought.

Raja Yoga meditation (as taught by the Brahma Kumaris) means to collect together the scattered forces of one's thoughts, establish them in the real self and then connect with the Supreme Soul. Initially when a practitioner begins to practice Raja Yoga, it can be difficult to concentrate the mind on the self and God for more than a few seconds, because thoughts are easily distracted. This happens naturally. During the initial attempts, the moments of concentration are bound to be few, short and erratic, but even a single moment of concentration is extremely valuable because it gives a taste of that inner bliss which sustains further concentration. This should be treated as a period of test and trial.

Negative .sanskars. will come to the surface. Thoughts of one's physical identity and burdens will create hurdles. Any attempt to drive them out will merely encourage them more intensely. The practitioner should take it cheerfully and transform the interfering thoughts by thinking about positive points of spiritual knowledge. When the mind experiences a flow of powerful, pure thoughts, then the pure experience of the soul's qualities is possible. Some meditation practitioners try to forcibly create a mental void by driving out all thoughts in an attempt to control the negative and excessive ones. Such a mental vacuum is only temporary and expels the good thoughts also along with the bad ones. Pure thoughts are nourishment for the soul which leads to a practical meditation experience.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

One aspect of practical spirituality is the practice of values such as tolerance, patience, flexibility, humility (egolessness) etc. Another is for the meditator actually to experience the highest level of consciousness. It is said that when this highest level of consciousness is experienced, there is the strength to practice those values that create well-being. How can we go beyond the stages of information, knowledge and even wisdom to experience the original state of being, that is, truth?

One way to describe the above process is to compare it to the game of the pole-vaulter. The pole-vaulter has a long pole to help jump over the barrier. The athlete runs for a short distance, and then quickly fixes the pole into the ground, enabling the body to be lifted up. When the athlete reaches a certain point in the air, the very pole that was used to get to that point is discarded; if the athlete fails to let go of the pole, then the body will be propelled backwards and it will be impossible to accomplish the task of jumping over the barrier.

The same mechanism of the pole-vaulter is involved when a person wishes to attain realization of the self and an experience of a higher state of consciousness. To experience realization, we have to run some distance, collecting the necessary information. Then we use the pole of knowledge and wisdom to lift us off the ground of ordinary consciousness. But, we must then let go of the very pole of knowledge that we used to elevate our minds and take a jump of faith, flying over the barrier of 'ordinary consciousness' to experience a new and higher level of consciousness. If there is no faith, then there is not enough trust to let go of the pole and jump.

Many people do not let go of the pole of knowledge and, as a result, fall into the spinning of speculation and the habit of analysis and discussion – the experience of spiritual consciousness eludes them. The pull of the ego draws the consciousness back to the ground. The irony is that they think they have jumped over the barrier and regard themselves as being in the privileged position of knowing. Then they think that from this privileged position they are in the position of judging and being better than those who 'know' in a different way or in other words those who are truly spiritually enlightened.

The ones who have let go of the pole can be characterized by their wider, creative perspective and their benevolent strength.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 18-08-2011

Peace is found within but not outside.

Projection:

We are peaceful beings but external situations pull us away from our peace if we let them. When there is not a very positive situation that we are confronted with, we need to save ourselves from the pull of the outside situation and rely on the peace within.

Solution:

Every morning let me practice being a peaceful being, who is totally in charge of myself. When I make this practice firm, when difficult situations do come I will be able to rely more on my internal peace instead of getting carried away by the external situations.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

What Is And What Is Not .Real. Happiness?

Real happiness is not an external stimulation by watching an action movie or eating out or buying a new dress; it is not the result of acquiring something . whether it be a new car or a position, or of receiving some good news. True happiness is not relief from suffering . whether from an illness or a difficult situation, nor is it the achievement of a goal . whether personal or professional. All these are externally dependent, where happiness is confused with stimulation, excitement, achievement, acquisition or relief. Happiness is not all of these. You also know that happiness is not a future promise. It can only be experienced now.

So what is spiritual happiness - perhaps a better way to describe spiritual happiness is contentment. This comes from a complete awareness and acceptance of the self as we are now at an internal level, and an acceptance of 'what is' at an external level. Sounds difficult? The highest happiness is bliss which can be experienced only when the soul/self is totally free of all attachment and dependency. Sounds even more difficult? But this is a spiritual understanding and definition of 'happiness', which is not difficult to accept and make a part of our life, once there is a deep understanding and absorption of spiritual knowledge, but spiritual knowledge which is accurate and complete in all aspects. Spiritual happiness is a direct result of spiritual knowledge. Without complete knowledge of the self, one cannot remain .ever and truly happy. (happy as per the definition above).

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

Become a self-sovereign who has full control over your self and you'll become a giver. In any conflicting situation, check if you are in control of your thoughts. Check if you are expecting others to understand you or if you are trying to understand others. To understand others is to be a giver. Practice telling yourself, 'my thoughts are in my control and I can mould them as I wish. I am in full control of my thoughts.' When you practice in this way you can become the one who controls your own thoughts instead of expecting others to understand you.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 17-08-2011

To become an embodiment of peace is to become a bestower of peace.

Projection:

People in the world only want peace and happiness. When we experience peace ourselves we can give others this experience too. Where there is peace there would naturally be happiness too.

Solution:

It is very important to spend a few moments each day in solitude. During this time I need to practice stabilising myself in one powerful thought. Let the experience of peace from me flow to others too. During interactions too, let me keep my mind free from waste thoughts and I will find that others will be free from them too.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

The Physical And The Non-Physical

In life many happenings cannot be explained only in material or physical terms. At certain points of crisis (negative) or inspiration (positive), there are deep emotional and spiritual experiences which separate us from the world around. We look inwards at such times; we look into religious or philosophical books, into rituals or symbols, in order to understand these experiences. We are subject to a continuous commentary on life around us from our own thoughts, feelings and deductions. These faculties of thinking and forming ideas, desiring and deciding (and all the different aspects which constitute our individual personality) are non-physical, yet nevertheless real . we cannot deny their existence. Indeed, anything perceivable to us comes from two sources; that which is detected by the physical senses and that which arises from impressions recorded on these subtle (non-physical) faculties (mentioned above). The things that we can see, taste, hear, smell and feel, as well as the body itself are formed of matter. But the subtle faculties of mind, intellect and personality make up what we call .consciousness..

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

At the end of the day, on the wings of your thoughts, go beyond the cares and troubles of the world. Remove your mind from everything and everyone, and become blissfully detached, like a star. Like a star, be free to radiate light, for your essence is light and peace. Enjoy the simplicity of the night sky, the peace. And then, when you want to, you can shoot down to earth.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 16-08-2011

The power of silence can bring peace to any situation.

Projection:

The instruments for the power of silence are pure thoughts and pure feelings. We can give others an experience with the power of our silence.When we understand and experience the power of silence we will become more powerful. We will then be able to experience peace that will naturally spread to others too.

Solution:

When I have to correct someone in any situation I first need to remind myself that words will not work but silence based on pure feelings and love will surely work. When I accept the person as he is with love I will be able to bring about a change in him. The lesser I talk the more the peace that is created.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

Motivation

The example of an iceberg shows the need to see under people's surface behaviour; the need of a deeper insight.

Only 10% of an iceberg is visible on the surface, 90% is under the waterline, invisible, but yet prominent. If there is a wind coming from left to right, just by seeing the visible mass, we think it will move the iceberg to towards the right. If, against all expectations, the iceberg moves in the opposite direction (left), it is because, under the waterline, there is a strong current running towards the left.

Sometimes you, as a leader, try to move people in a certain direction by giving them orders, instructions, explanations and encouragement, but you do it on the basis of what you see above the surface. The visible part represents what is at the surface such as appearance, behaviour, manners etc. You do not see what moves them under the surface so you become surprised and maybe frustrated seeing them move in the opposite direction. The main part, which is the 90% not visible, is within the subconscious. Under the surface (subconscious) you will find emotions, fears, attitudes, deeply held values etc.

If you want to move people, if you want to motivate others for a project or even just to reach others, you need to be aware of these kinds of things that you find under the surface. The key to understanding others better is to be more aware of your own feelings and under-currents, because, at a deep level, we are very much alike. If you understand your own fears and strong motivators, you will understand others much better.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

Sometimes no matter how hard and fast you work, you still miss a deadline. Is it the end of the world if a deadline is missed, especially if the deadline is self-imposed? Maybe, the next time there's little chance in meeting a deadline, ask for an extension and re-schedule the deadline. Give yourself permission to relax and lower your stress levels. Then you'll have more energy to get back to working harder and faster.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 15-08-2011

To become an embodiment of solutions is to be able to stay in constant peace.

Projection:

Situations do bring a lot of challenges for us, but where there is fear or worry while facing them, there cannot be peace. As long as we continue looking at the problem instead of searching for solutions we cannot remain in peace.

Solution:

Let me think of something that I consider as a problem, something about which I am thinking a lot. Now let me see if I can find a solution for it. If I feel I cannot, it is better to leave thinking about it rather than to worry about it. When I keep the mind free in this way, I will get the solutions automatically.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

Understanding The Difference Between ‘Hatha Yoga’ and ‘Raj Yoga’
‘Hatha yoga’ uses force and discipline in an attempt to unify the energies of the body with those of the consciousness. Through physical postures and breathing exercises, which are sometimes quite difficult, through ‘hath yoga’ one is able to achieve considerable control over the body metabolism and attain a remarkable level of physical health - that is beyond doubt, and to a limited extent bring about spiritual benefit. If the soul is able to achieve that posture mentally, as done by a ‘Raja Yogi’ (one who practices ‘Rajyoga’ med itation as taught by the Brahma Kumaris), then sitting the body in a certain position to achieve the same becomes less important. In fact, with practice the soul is able to adopt a mental posture according to whatever situation it finds itself in.

Perhaps the most famous posture of all is the "padmasana" or lotus posture. ‘Raja Yogis’ put themselves in the "padmasana" mentally. Besides, when the soul is fixed in the loveful union with God, the physical posture is not so important. “Padam” in English refers to the lotus flower and is a symbol of detachment. Just as the roots of the lotus grow in the bed of the pond but the flower is a thing of radiance and beauty, floating on the water untouched by the mud and slush, the ‘Raja Yogis’ live in the world but beyond it. Even though their "roots" are in the muck of society, they maintain a mental posture of detachment and mental purity. Living in the thick of things, they remain pure observers and a source of beauty and radiance for others. Those who concentrate only on ‘Hatha Yoga’ believe that by first disciplining the body, they will be sufficiently relaxed and controlled to undertake the practice of meditation. ‘Raja Yogis’ on the other hand are able to easily enter the state of meditation with the thought, "I am a peaceful soul, the child of the Supreme Soul, the Ocean of Peace", which makes the attempt to reach self-realization by performing physical exercises less important – especially for spiritual upliftment. Furthermore, ‘Raja Yoga’ can be practiced by anyone of any age or physical state because all that is required is the subtle power of thought. This is a clear contrast in the approach of ‘Raja Yoga’

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

With the right balance between discipline and love you will not waste your energy through words. When you have to give directions to others or correct someone's mistakes, check if you are using more words than necessary and if you have the right balance between discipline and love. The right balance is to use words in a firm way, at the same time to have an attitude of love. When giving directions to someone, make sure you have the practice of having the right attitude towards that person. Where the attitude is of love, you'll find yourself accomplishing what you have to with few words.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 14-08-2011

Love for God gives us faith and makes us powerful in all situations.

Projection:

When we have love for God, we are able to experience His companionship in everything we do. Where there is love there is never a moment of loneliness. Thus we will be able to move forward being powerful in spite of all the challenges that life brings.

Solution:

Let me think of one situation where I had an experience of failure. Now let me bring the consciousness that God is with me to help me in this situation. When I believe this, I will find that I have the power and courage to accept and face the situation. So I am also able to work and bring about a change in the situation.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

Taking Responsibility, Overcoming Guilt (cont.)

If there are people or situations that lead you to fall over the same stone i.e. they lead you to make the same mistake, which was committed earlier, again, perhaps you will have to avoid them for a few days or a time, until you have strengthened yourself and have the inner security that they will not influence you. This is not running away; it is wise knowing your weaknesses and knowing that to get into similar situations with the same people is only to repeat the same errors and to worsen your wellbeing and that of the other. Trust in yourself. You can overcome these mistakes and stop making them. It is a question of loving yourself and living. Out of love, you stop hurting yourself and hurting the other.

Crying over past mistakes, you don't mend anything. Open yourself to forgiveness. Raise the level of your thoughts so that they don't keep you in a state of sadness and loss of hope. Don't allow your inner judge to sentence (punish) you each time that you act, since that way you won't feel free. Your judge that you carry within makes your life bitter; however, it is you that gives this judge the capacity to exist. If the inner judge is in harmony with our conscience, it is good, because it wants to protect us. On creating guilt it warns us that we have broken a rule of our code of beliefs, values or behaviors. It alerts us to the fact that we are acting against something important of ourselves. At those moments it helps us to observe and question what is real, true, important and even sacred in our life and for us.

(To be continued tomorrow .)

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

Become the one who flies forward with blessings from everyone. Throughout the day check if you are moving forward with ease in whatever you do. Also check if you are performing any activity that enables you to get blessings from others. Each day take a thought right in the morning to work in such a way that automatically gets you blessings from others. Remind yourself of this at least thrice a day and you will find your own progress easy.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 13-08-2011

Fearlessness comes when there is the power of truth.

Projection:

Fearlessness comes when there is the power of truth within us. When we are constantly truthful, we will have nothing to fear. In all the challenges we face everyday we will be able to maintain our faith and courage because of our power of truth.

Solution:

Let me make sure my actions are based on truth and when things go wrong, I will still be able to fearless. I need to keep reminding myself that I have the power of truth with me and I will be victorious, whatever may be the challenges that come my way.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

Taking Responsibility, Overcoming Guilt

When you free yourself of guilt, you live in peace within. You take on responsibility and stop sentencing (punishing) yourself internally with feelings of guilt. Taking on responsibility is constructive; it allows all your potential to remain awake and flow. You feel free and unburdened. When you get it wrong, you can find different methods to relieve yourself of the burden that it might imply. For example, being sorry for or feeling sad for something that you have done means that you are aware that you have acted against your own wellbeing or that of another. Realizing it is good; it is the base for any positive change. The important thing is not to sentence (punish) yourself. Learn the lesson. Say sorry, if it is the right thing. Put it right.

Remember that yesterday has already passed. The past cannot be changed. You can't swallow the words that you said, since you already said them. You can't repeat the scene from yesterday in a different way because it already happened and stayed recorded on the film of this world drama. Therefore, don't repeat the words or the scene in your mind over and over again; doing that, you keep alive something that is dead, since yesterday already stayed behind. Learn from the error and commit yourself to you and to your life, promising to yourself that you will not fall over the same stone again. You will think about it before speaking or acting.

(To be continued tomorrow .)

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

Humility dismisses nothing, rather, it takes even small things into consideration.
It recognises that whatever life presents, needs to be respected. Small things are easily found in something big, but inside little things there is often greatness.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 12-08-2011

To experience divinity is to experience the power of silence.

Projection:

The instrument for the power of silence is to be connected to our own inner divinity. We can spread the fragrance of our virtues to all we meet. So the mind is silent and carefree under all circumstances. When we experience the power of silence we will become more powerful. We will then be able to experience peace that will naturally spread to others too.

Solution:

When I have to correct someone in any situation I first need to remind myself that words will not work but silence based on an experience of my own divinity will surely work. When I accept the person as he is with love connecting to his inherent divine nature, I will be able to bring about a change in him.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

Reflection (cont.)

To be dictated to by external situations, which make us run around without stopping internally, brings about unnecessary stress on the mind, which keeps us tied to the strings of the external, like a puppet pulled, pressed and pushed by circumstances.

To break free from this force, to relieve the mind of the weight of stress and waste and routine, I need to step inside and reflect (think) on who I am and where I am going and reassess my value system.

Otherwise, life becomes like a wheel that keeps spinning faster and faster until we become dizzy - we want to get off but it is going so fast we do not know how.

Reflection and taking time to understand spiritual knowledge bring us to the essence of everything.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

Change is in the air. As autumn winds begin to blow, you can begin to let go of what was, release what is not relevant and make way for what will be. Autumn is also your time to harvest your creations, to make plans and to create new dreams. Slowly but surely the cycle turns.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 11-08-2011

To be sincere in removing weaknesses is to have the power to overcome them.

Projection:

While it is important to recognize strengths, it is also important to recognize and acknowledge weaknesses. With honesty, when we understand our weaknesses, with sincerity we are able to work and have the power to overcome them. We are then able to find the right method too.

Solution:

Let me take a positive thought connected to my weakness and remind myself of that thought at least 5 times a day. For example, if my weakness is anger, let me remind myself of my inherent peace with thoughts like 'I am a being of peace' 'peace is inherent within me'. When I practice sincerely with this I find that the power within emerges emerges strength finishing weakness (peace emerges finishing anger).

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

Detachment

Read the following words slowly and go into the experience of each suggested thought:

What is the "I"?
I am a soul...
I am the force...
I am the driver...
I, the soul...a tiny star, have no size...
I am really just a pinpoint of light...
I can easily detach from the world around me…from my throne between my eyebrows…
I am the ruler of all my sense organs...
I feel far away from the problems of the day...
I am just a peaceful soul... loveful soul...
All others are souls like me...all tiny shining stars...all are my fellow souls...
I feel far away from the physical world...
I am just a soul...mind, intellect and a set of personality traits (sanskars)…
I am peaceful…

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

When you have a strong aim you automatically receive the cooperation from others. When you take up a task, check if you are able to receive the cooperation from others. If not, check the strength of your own aim. The stronger your aim, you will find others coming forward to help you fulfill your aim. Each morning remind yourself of the aim that you have to achieve. List out mentally why fulfilling that aim is important for you. This will further help in strengthening the aim.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 10-08-2011

Awareness of inner power brings the capacity to use the inner treasures.

Projection:

We have within us a lot of treasures - the treasures of thoughts, time and virtues that we have not been using fully. The power within us enables us to recognise and use these treasures in a worth while way. The more we are able to work with them we find them increasing.

Solution:

I need to remind myself of the treasures within me and try and discover which treasure I have that I can work on. Even if I think of a simple speciality of mine which I could make use of, I would find it increasing and I would find others benefitting too.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

Positive Thinking

It is important to clarify some misconceptions regarding positive thinking, since some people think that a positive thinker always goes round with a good-natured smile on their face thinking that everything is hunky-dory. Whatever happens, they will just tell you to keep smiling. Others believe that positive thinking turns us into timid and weak people.

It is not like that though. The more we understand and experiment with our own inner qualities and powers, the stronger we become and less we depend on others. Knowing our own weaknesses can also help us to become stronger and more stable people.

Why do we want to be positive? Because being positive means being in harmony. Just as our bodies are 80 per cent water and this is the element that we most need daily, so our inner selves also need positivity, because that is what it is.

We spend our lives in search of peace, happiness, love, truth and knowledge, our most genuine qualities. What we are looking for in our lives, what we are longing for, we already possess in our inner selves. We simply have to rediscover it through reflection and meditation.

Positive thinking is a mental attitude. It is a way of seeing life. It means doing things with assertiveness. It is a way of behaving and taking a position before events, situations and people.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

When you remove the weaknesses within you, you will never become an obstacle for your own or others' progress. Check if anyone considers you an obstacle in any task. If so check if this is because of your own weakness. Also check if there is any weakness within you that is stopping your own progress. Each day take a thought, " I am the one who helps others to progress. I have no weakness that stops or retards the progress of others. When you practice in this way, you will find yourself free from the weakness.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 09-08-2011

To become an embodiment of solutions is to be able to stay in constant peace.

Projection:

Situations do bring a lot of challenges for us, but where there is fear or worry while facing them, there cannot be peace. As long as we continue looking at the problem instead of searching for solutions we cannot remain in peace.

Solution:

Let me think of something that I consider as a problem, something about which I am thinking a lot. Now let me see if I can find a solution for it. If I feel I cannot, it is better to leave thinking about it rather than to worry about it. When I keep the mind free in this way, I will get the solutions automatically.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

Understanding The Difference Between ‘Hatha Yoga’ and ‘Raj Yoga’
‘Hatha yoga’ uses force and discipline in an attempt to unify the energies of the body with those of the consciousness. Through physical postures and breathing exercises, which are sometimes quite difficult, through ‘hath yoga’ one is able to achieve considerable control over the body metabolism and attain a remarkable level of physical health - that is beyond doubt, and to a limited extent bring about spiritual benefit. If the soul is able to achieve that posture mentally, as done by a ‘Raja Yogi’ (one who practices ‘Rajyoga’ med itation as taught by the Brahma Kumaris), then sitting the body in a certain position to achieve the same becomes less important. In fact, with practice the soul is able to adopt a mental posture according to whatever situation it finds itself in.

Perhaps the most famous posture of all is the "padmasana" or lotus posture. ‘Raja Yogis’ put themselves in the "padmasana" mentally. Besides, when the soul is fixed in the loveful union with God, the physical posture is not so important. “Padam” in English refers to the lotus flower and is a symbol of detachment. Just as the roots of the lotus grow in the bed of the pond but the flower is a thing of radiance and beauty, floating on the water untouched by the mud and slush, the ‘Raja Yogis’ live in the world but beyond it. Even though their "roots" are in the muck of society, they maintain a mental posture of detachment and mental purity. Living in the thick of things, they remain pure observers and a source of beauty and radiance for others. Those who concentrate only on ‘Hatha Yoga’ believe that by first disciplining the body, they will be sufficiently relaxed and controlled to undertake the practice of meditation. ‘Raja Yogis’ on the other hand are able to easily enter the state of meditation with the thought, "I am a peaceful soul, the child of the Supreme Soul, the Ocean of Peace", which makes the attempt to reach self-realization by performing physical exercises less important – especially for spiritual upliftment. Furthermore, ‘Raja Yoga’ can be practiced by anyone of any age or physical state because all that is required is the subtle power of thought. This is a clear contrast in the approach of ‘Raja Yoga’.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

The mind is a faculty of the soul, the main function of which is to produce thoughts. The thoughts we create are energy. In one day we produce an average of thirty to forty thousand thoughts. How much energy does this represent? What do we do with it?

The mind works constantly, even when we are sleeping. We cannot separate ourselves from it, it is our inseparable companion. If you study your mind you will see that, as well as thinking, it imagines, remembers, dreams, associates, desires and even produces your feelings.

If you think about some incident that made you unhappy ten years ago, you will feel that unhappiness again, perhaps even more deeply than before. If you think of something that made you happy, you will also feel that happiness when you repeat the event in your mind.

If you create positive thoughts about yourself, you will feel good and your self-esteem will be strengthened, and if you create negative thoughts, you will feel depressed, with low self-esteem. The mind opens up the way to the self. By creating the right type of thoughts you can open up your inner potential again, and rediscover that as people we are full of positive qualities.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 08-08-2011

To be generous with one's own specialities and virtues is to ensure success.

Projection:

Deep within, each and everyone have treasures of virtues and specialities that could be used. The more we are generous with these treasures and use them for others' benefit, we find that they are available for us too. This ensures success in our life.

Solution:

In order to achieve constant success, I need to be in constant touch with my virtues and specialities and virtues. Each day let me think of one speciality or good quality that I have that can be put to use. The more I use my speciality, the more it will get strengthened and will be available for me even in the worst situation. Thus I can move towards success.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

Connecting With The Supreme Source

The Supreme Source (Supreme Soul) has the power to remind us of what we were because His original state of being is permanent; He never forgets Himself, is never polluted and remains forever true to Himself in the state of spiritual or soul consciousness. As a result, He is the copy of what we were, of what we are to become. Very simply, the qualities of peace, love, purity, happiness and truth are there in Him, visible and available to those who wish to tune in and receive.

What we remember, we become, and so it is important to remember the right things. Number one on the list is thoughts of the original self and the Supreme Source.

Imagine two points of energy (light): one here on the earth, in time and matter, and the other beyond the earth, in another world of silence and peace. When these two points connect through the power of thought and feeling there is a union, which allows for a flow of energy and the experience of our true being. 'I, the soul, the point, am here and the Supreme Soul, also a point of energy (light), is up there'. However, love and remembrance bring such closeness that there is no feeling of distance or separation.

To achieve remembrance that empowers (strengthens), we need to plug in every day to the Supreme Source in silence, in a way that is beyond ritual or sound. It is a personal connection, which requires no audience and no rules, only an honest heart. When a person has a positive intention (purpose), the plug of love fits into the socket and the self receives whatever it needs, whatever is useful for it to create and sustain a life of quality.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

Use the weapon of knowledge instead of using anger, which is the weapon of ignorance. When something goes wrong check if you think first and act in the situation or just react immediately and repent later. Also check the reason why you generally seem to be getting angry. Once you have discovered the general cause of your anger, practice each day in such a way that you can accept things as they are. When you understand why things are happening the way they do, you can stop yourself from using anger as a weapon.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 07-08-2011

The one who is generous gets everything and is yet free from desires.

Projection:

When we are generous we would have no expectations from others or situations. Then we are able to appreciate all the good things that life brings our way. Also the more we are able to be beyond desires the more we find that what is right comes to us.

Solution:

When I find myself expecting something, I need to tell myself that I will surely get what is right for me. So I need not ask for anything, but enjoy and use everything that comes my way for my benefit and for the benefit of others.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

Overcoming Suffering By Regaining My Original Texture Of Purity

Unless the soul regains its original .sanskars. of purity, it cannot escape suffering and grief. Purity is the foundation of peace and bliss. And for purity the soul requires the removal of every trace of negativity. Souls are burdened with the accumulated negative .sanskars. of their previous births, the extent of which varies from soul to soul. According to the law of karma, the soul has to experience suffering as a punishment for its wrongful acts, or "sins." A pure soul does not suffer. The evidence that most human beings are bearing grief and suffering in some form shows that nowadays souls are carrying a load of negative .sanskars. resulting from sins committed in this and their past lives.

A question can be asked, "Can a soul be relieved of all its past sins through suffering for the same in its present life?" Not really, because due to the cyclic nature of the thought process there is a cumulative effect of negative .sanskars. which forces the soul to perform more negative actions than it can clear through suffering. That is why the degrees of purity of the soul decrease continuously. The downfall becomes steeper due to the cumulative effect of vices. Negative .sanskars. give rise to negative thoughts which lead to negative actions, resulting in the formation of still more negative .sanskars.. Thus, souls are caught in a downward spiral from which they are unable to release themselves. Meditation, however, opens the door to God, and through rising above all physical laws, one can set oneself free from the effects of sins. Through connection with the purest Supreme Soul, the .sanskars. of the soul are automatically purified and it moves further towards its original state of purity, peace and bliss.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

We can rant on and continue to complain and criticise throughout the day. However, if everything appears negative, maybe it's our perception. We can always find positivity in everything, if we choose to look for it. So, let's cultivate the art of seeing the glass as half full.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 06-08-2011

The one who is generous is able to be free from negativity.

Projection:

When one is generous, there is the ability to give. Then there will be no expectation of anything from anyone. Thus we will always be free from such negativity like jealousy, hatred, inferior feelings etc

Solution:

Let me first identify one person for whom I have negative feelings. I then need to spend a few moments each day giving good wishes to this person. When I become a giver I will automatically find myself wishing the best for that person and my negativity will fade away.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

Identity Crisis

The primary quality or the original condition of a pure mind, a pure self, is peace. Initially there was no confusion about 'who I am'. As time passed by, and we came in the process of birth and rebirth, we began to identify with what we are not, starting with our own physical form, and then with external things like lands, positions, material possessions and people. These multiple identities generated the first confusions. In those moments, our inner peace was broken. This is why today so many people suffer from an identity crisis, but are so used to living in this crisis that they are not even aware that it is a crisis. They are not sure what they should be. They are constantly comparing themselves with others. They regularly aim to be like others. They even imitate (copy) the lifestyles of others: all signs that they don't know who or what they are. And if they think they are sure about who they are, the stability it brings does not last for long, as it is almost always based on 'something' external to the 'self., something that must therefore be subject to change. In other words each and every one of us has learned to identify with something we are not.

This loss of true self-identity, at the most deep level, the spiritual level, is what gives rise to fear. And when what we fear might happen actually does happen, we get angry and try to control what we cannot control, so that it doesn't happen again.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

Become an embodiment of solutions by discovering the cause of waste thoughts. Throughout the day, when faced with any problems check if you are having waste thoughts. Also check the cause of the waste thoughts. Usually the cause would be either because you see your own weakness or because you perceive the negativity in either another person or situation. Instead of trying to avoid waste thoughts, make the practice of transforming the thoughts after you have discovered the cause. In this way you will be able to find solutions to all situations.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 05-08-2011

There is happiness in distributing the fruit of your fortune with generosity.

Projection:

The more you remember your fortune of what you have attained, the more you will enjoy sharing it with others. And the more you give your own treasure it increases too.

Solution:

Each one has his own share of fortune. Think of all those things that you have for which you would consider yourself fortunate. When you begin to look at these things you will stop expecting but make the best use of what you have.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

God As The Ocean Of Knowledge

It is believed that God knows the details of every atom and every thought in the universe.
It is because of God's ultimate, pervasive knowledge that He can be described as an ocean. Understanding this world does not necessarily mean to be aware of every detail of the movement of every single leaf or every single molecule. All that is required is to understand completely the conditions through which souls and matter pass.

One of the basic beliefs of Christians is that God created man in His own image. God, being the embodiment of knowledge, creates with knowledge. Being the wisest of all, He has the power to change the intellects of human souls. How? When we, the souls, having come in the process of birth and rebirth, become impure, God shares with us the knowledge of the soul and its births; the knowledge of Himself, the Creator; the knowledge of meditation i.e. the method of connecting with him and the beginning, the middle and the end of creation or the vast world drama, as a result of which we are able to appreciate this drama, and imbibe our true qualities of love, peace and bliss. As a result we are liberated from sorrow and a new world order is created. In order for him to perform His work as Creator it is not necessary for Him to listen to our every thought, our every secret. He is part of an eternal, predestined drama that He did not create but in which He finds Himself as the principal actor. Thus He is the only true philanthropist. Human actions, whether good or bad, are dictated by self-concern, whereas God has nothing to gain because He is complete in all respects. He is the perfect embodiment of spirituality. He alone has the right to give knowledge regardless of human arguments. His knowledge is purely spiritual.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

The leaving of one body and the taking of another is nearly always confusing and soon the details of the old life are erased by the new. Just in one day we forget so much. Death of the body is a great shock to the soul, especially if there was great attachment to that body, and the new set of circumstances in the new body is bewildering (confusing). Because the body and brain are not developed, the soul cannot express its memory, so it laughs and cries when it cannot recognize anyone, or when it wishes to express itself. By the time the body is developed, the soul has forgotten its past birth and has become accustomed to the new conditions and the new parents. The prominent “sanskaras” developed in past lives soon begin to manifest (show) themselves with new details (in the new birth).

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 04-08-2011

Your generosity in putting others forward will automatically place you in front.

Projection:

When you say 'you first' instead of 'I first' you will be placed forward. For having done the selfless service of putting others forward and encouraging them, you will get plenty of blessings. This will take you forward very quickly.

Solution:

When there is a conflict with someone, become generous. Instead of expecting the other person to understand you and do according to what you want, listen to what he is saying. When you give a chance in this way you will move forward very quickly.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

Aligning Your Action With Your Purpose (cont.)

What our self or being wants and seeks at bottom is connected to living some values in an authentic way in all areas of life. What happens is that we have disconnected from our true, original and authentic spirituality, and we live the day-to-day routine from our defenses and our fears. So we do things only from a sense of duty and compulsive perfectionism, which weakens the imagination, sensitivity, spontaneity, and the pleasure of enjoying the path of human action.

We have to decide that we want to have time. The decision to have time for human tasks like playing, reading, thinking, reflecting, learning, meditating, innovating, having friends, loving, spending time with the family or simply being is essential in order to give meaning to life and to provide pure happiness, above the mundane (ordinary). It has to be facilitated on a practical level from the different degrees of power and management that each person has in life. Don't wait for someone to magically appear to make you happy. You have to know that nobody will come as if by magic to rescue you from your essential emptiness. It has to be you yourself who decides to live with a purpose and fill yourself in order to overcome your deficiencies and enjoy your life.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

To search for solutions is to use resources for the right cause. Usually a lot of energy and time is wasted to find the cause of something that goes wrong. But thinking about that only wastes the resources that could be used for finding solutions. So it is not necessary to understand the causes but to find solutions. So the one who understands this fact is able to make the best use of available resources to correct the situation. Being focused on the solution rather than on the problem, I am able to use all my inner resources in the right way. I am free from complaints and am able to put in effort to do the best in the given situation. I am constantly happy and content because I know that there is a solution for every problem.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 03-08-2011

To be generous hearted is to bestow others with specialities and virtues.

Projection:

When you are generous you will become cooperative and enable others to become virtuous through your virtues and fill others with your specialities. The more you use your specialities in this way, the more you will find them increasing.

Solution:

Think of something that is very special in you. Today take the thought of using this speciality of yours for someone's benefit. Not only will others benefit with this, you will find yourself improving too.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

Aligning Your Action With Your Purpose

In the day-to-day routine you can have different desires and want different things: what you want for today; what you want to do at the weekend; what you want to achieve with your professional career; the results that you want to get this year; what relationships you want to focus on. But, at the bottom of all this, what is your purpose? What are you doing here? What do you want? Where do you want to go and how far do you want to get?

When you open yourself within to answer these questions, you will see that the inner voice that answers you is the voice of your own consciousness and is connected to some value: what you want is to discover how to live in the truth and not appearances, what you want is to live from an inner space of love, what you want is to be free, you want peace. If you listen to and follow this voice, you will come close to your wholeness and your contentment, because you will then align your energies: your vision, your intention, your motivation, your consciousness, with your action and your life. Each morning, on looking at yourself in the mirror, ask yourself: "If today was the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do?" And if for various days in a row the answer has been "no", then it is a sign that you have to change something, given that your action is not aligned with your purpose.

(To be continued tomorrow .)

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

You receive respect from others when you inspire them with your actions. Check if you are using words like, 'no one listens to me when I want them to do things or no one cares for me or my words...' Also check if your actions are such that they inspire others. In all that you do, let there be the awareness that you are the one who has to teach others through your actions. When you continue to inspire others in this way you will get their respect.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 02-08-2011

Introversion brings empowerment of the self.

Projection:

Just as a tortoise withdraws from the external environment after its work is done, we too need to find time for ourselves. Amidst the activity of the day, we need to make time to look within and find the beauty that is hidden there. When we do this as a practice it brings a positive experience that empowers the self.

Solution:

I need to give myself a little time everyday at regular intervals. During this time, I need to look within and find my own uniqueness and I will find that I am able to have access to my own positivity. This practice will help me during a difficult time too and I will be able to use these qualities under all circumstances. So I will not be a victim to situations but will be able to give what is required at that time.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

Going Back To My Original Nature (Personality)

Our present personalities are basically the combined habits of this lifetime (birth), built on the combined habits of previous lifetimes (births), all of which have left their mark (sometimes deep and sometimes not so deep) on our consciousness. It may well be that habits such as becoming angry, upset, anxious, stressed, sorrowful or scared, have been with us for so long that, they feel a natural part of our inner world, so natural that when someone says our true nature is not anger but peace, not fear but love, not aggression but acceptance, not anxiety but calm, it does not feel right. And even if it did feel right for a moment, we have become so attached to our old habitual moods, emotions and behaviors that we do not really want to change. It may even be the case that we have become so weak that we need help to change. It seems much easier to stay the way we are.

As we begin to meditate and develop our spiritual practice, our views on the above subject will fluctuate. When that does happen, imagine you are having a conversation with yourself and teaching yourself. Give yourself permission to be peaceful by nature, full of love and joy by nature, naturally content by nature, wherever you are and in whatever you do. After a while, you won't need to give yourself permission and you will find these states of being are there within you quite naturally at every moment. They are our original and eternal nature. Everything else is acquired or learned. In so many ways introduction to spirituality, like many other approaches to inner awakening, is as much about unlearning (the acquired beliefs) as it is about learning (new beliefs).

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

Perform every action after careful consideration of the past experience, present situation and the future consequence and you will be successful. At the end of each day, in all the situations that you have faced and in all the decisions you have taken check if there were any feelings of regret, repentance or any other waste thoughts. When the action is performed after careful consideration, there will be no waste thoughts. Before you make every major decision, make sure you do it after careful consideration. Let there be the practice of spending time and thoughts before the action than wasting time and thoughts by regretting after the action has already been performed.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 01-08-2011

Introversion helps to manage thoughts better.

Projection:

With introversion we can very easily manage our thoughts since our mind will be free from waste and negative. Also when we are introverted, we find that there is no need to think as much as we do, but the thoughts required emerge effortlessly. Thus we are able to use our thoughts powerfully.

Solution:

When I find myself having a lot of thoughts due to some situation, I only need to sit in silence and practice going within myself instead of thinking too much about the situation. I need to make an attempt to experience the peace deep within myself and I will find myself getting calmer.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

Quality Transformation (Change) (cont.)

.Quality transformers' can be compared to the oyster. When a tiny foreign particle invades (enters) the oyster.s home, it secretes a liquid that combines with the particle to finally create a pearl. The pearl can live in the oyster's home for the rest of the oyster's natural life without causing any disturbance.

In the same way, rather than react negatively to people and events, we can include them and mould with them. Through acceptance, our consciousness jumps to another level of perception (understanding) and we realise that what we might have previously regarded as a problem can, if handled correctly, be a means to develop our strengths and remove our weaknesses. Whether a situation is a problem or a gift depends on our perception. The choice is ours.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

If we think, speak and act in an angry way, we leave an impression or memory of anger within our own consciousness which results in sanskara of anger to be born. Within the sanskara is the recorded emotion and experience of our expression towards the object of our anger. The object is a particular person or situation. If we encounter the object of our anger the next day, it will trigger the emergence the recorded anger from within the sanskara. We then deepen the sanskara as we express more anger, even if we only 'think' anger. The emergence of this emotional energy from within our consciousness then stops us from interacting in a positive way. It clouds our mind and confuses our intellect, weakening and distorting our thoughts, decisions and behaviour. This often explains why we find it harder to connect and communicate with certain people in our life. Essentially we are carrying a negative image of the other person within our sanskara from a previous interaction with them. And when we see them again it emerges the energy within the sanskara, which then influences our ability to respond to them.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 31-07-2011

To be stable means to be firmly set on the seat of self-respect.

Projection:

When we are stable in the seat of self-respect, we will be able to take criticism in the right way. If we work with ego, we will be upset by even a little criticism that comes our way. On the other hand, our stage of being in a stage of self-respect will enable us to learn from all situations.

Solution:

When someone criticises me, I need to tell myself that I am a leader, for it is only a leader who is criticised. I should check and see if I can learn something from the comment that I get and incorporate it in my life. If there's nothing for me to learn I just have to set myself in my seat of self-respect.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

Quality Transformation (Change)

The easiest way to understand quality change is to consider the example of roses. These beautiful flowers, although nourished by smelly manure, do not take any of its odour (smell) or colour. They are truly like kings of gardens, in their pink, gold, red and white robes, filling the air with such a fragrance that people who come to the garden do not even notice the manure. The roots of the roses are able to transform (change) the manure to such an extent that the best is taken without any negative side effects. This is an example of quality change.

The human world is like a garden. We are like a variety of flowers surrounded by lots of manure, that is, negativity in all its forms, such as ego, fear, anger, attachment, mistrust, etc. People who are 'quality transformers' can accept all these negative things and use them for their personal growth without the negativity penetrating (entering) them; they do not get spoilt, or even touched by it. With understanding and the natural, loving detachment that comes from silence, they realise that the negative person, or situation, in front of them is the Universe.s way of giving them an opportunity to create a tiny, silent miracle in their lives. Quality transformers become the spiritual roses in the Garden of Humanity: they display all their beauty and provide inspiration for all those who see them.

(To be continued tomorrow .... )

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thought for Today

Being lost in thought, thinking about things to do, what's been done, what could have been done... is not only tiring but also a brilliant way to waste energy. It diminishes your peacefulness and clouds your clarity. Every time you become lost in thought it means exactly that - you are lost! To find yourself, allow your mind to become quiet, to become utterly tranquil. In the quiet depths of every being, there is a stillness that contains a deep inner peace and wisdom that can guide you in your life.

www.brahmakumaris.com
www.bkwsu.org

Message for the day 30-07-2011

Detachment brings stability.

Projection:

When we use the facilities we have with detachment, we will not be influenced by them but will make full use of them. When we are attached to the instruments we will not be able to remain stable if those instruments are not available for us.

Solution:

If I ever find myself in a situation where some facility which I use is not available for me, I need to remind myself that the facilities that I use are my creation and I need not be dependent on them. In this way I can maintain my stability.

Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

Experiencing The Subtle Body Or Body Of Light (Meditation)

I feel comfortable... peaceful... I focus my eyes on a specific point and let them rest there... My hands are in my lap... I am aware of my breathing... I begin to breathe deeply, inhaling and exhaling... When I inhale, I imagine an energy filling my lungs that relaxes me... it makes me peaceful... it calms me... On letting go of the air, I feel that all the tension, worries, confusion... are leaving me...

After some moments of deep breathing, I centre my attention on my feet, where I feel a gentle light energy... like a vibration that relaxes my feet... I mentally withdraw this energy that connects to my feet... I visualize how a white light goes slowly up my ankles... my legs... like a light current... I feel as if my feet, legs... were to disappear... become light... weightless... I carry on bringing my attention upwards, slowly through my body through my pelvis, until my chest... I feel that current of warm white light running through this part of my body...

Now I look at my hands... I separate them... I move my fingers... I relax them, feeling how that white light withdraws, going up my arms... My arms relax... my hands... my arms are weightless... This gentle light energy now goes up my neck and envelops my face... Waves of light and peace run over my face... the muscles of my face are relaxed... I feel very light... a pleasant feeling of wellbeing is filling my entire body...

I experience a very deep peace within me... I concentrate this light energy at the centre of my forehead... I visualize this light energy as a star floating between my eyes... that radiates energy and light... I am live energy... I am light... my form is light... I am a being of light... I am free... different from my body... I feel incorporeal (non-physical)... beyond the awareness of my body...

I feel at peace... free... completely free of the limitations of this body and the physical world... I am a being of peace... I radiate this energy of peace in the form of vibrations that spread outwards... to the place I am in... to my surroundings... and all the atmosphere becomes peaceful and calm. I enjoy this state of being light.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance

Experiencing The Subtle Body Or Body Of Light (Meditation)

I feel comfortable... peaceful... I focus my eyes on a specific point and let them rest there... My hands are in my lap... I am aware of my breathing... I begin to breathe deeply, inhaling and exhaling... When I inhale, I imagine an energy filling my lungs that relaxes me... it makes me peaceful... it calms me... On letting go of the air, I feel that all the tension, worries, confusion... are leaving me...

After some moments of deep breathing, I centre my attention on my feet, where I feel a gentle light energy... like a vibration that relaxes my feet... I mentally withdraw this energy that connects to my feet... I visualize how a white light goes slowly up my ankles... my legs... like a light current... I feel as if my feet, legs... were to disappear... become light... weightless... I carry on bringing my attention upwards, slowly through my body through my pelvis, until my chest... I feel that current of warm white light running through this part of my body...

Now I look at my hands... I separate them... I move my fingers... I relax them, feeling how that white light withdraws, going up my arms... My arms relax... my hands... my arms are weightless... This gentle light energy now goes up my neck and envelops my face... Waves of light and peace run over my face... the muscles of my face are relaxed... I feel very light... a pleasant feeling of wellbeing is filling my entire body...

I experience a very deep peace within me... I concentrate this light energy at the centre of my forehead... I visualize this light energy as a star floating between my eyes... that radiates energy and light... I am live energy... I am light... my form is light... I am a being of light... I am free... different from my body... I feel incorporeal (non-physical)... beyond the awareness of my body...

I feel at peace... free... completely free of the limitations of this body and the physical world... I am a being of peace... I radiate this energy of peace in the form of vibrations that spread outwards... to the place I am in... to my surroundings... and all the atmosphere becomes peaceful and calm. I enjoy this state of being light.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris