The Role Of My Intentions In Shaping My Future
The word karma has been given many negative meanings. In common language, most people almost always relate it to suffering, but the simplest meaning of karma is action. Newton's Third Law of Physics (every action has an equal and opposite reaction) is a physical law of motion. The Law of Karma is the metaphysical (non-physical) equivalent of the Newton's Third Law - it refers to action and its result (fruit) or, simply, cause and effect. The quality of my actions, thoughts more specifically determines my personal level of happiness. Our natures today are the result of everything we have thought; they are formed by our thoughts. It's not so much the act that determines the return or fruit but the quality of the motive or intention behind it e.g. in the simple task of buying a new car, the intention can be different in the case of three different people:
• I need to buy a good car; it’s an urgent need of my family. (concern) • What if I am not able to buy that car model which my wife so badly wants? (worry) • With me at the wheel of the brand new car, which I will be buying soon, I will be the talk of the town, my office colleagues will really be jealous of me! (ego)
Although the action is the same in each case, each of these attitudes will lead to a different result. This role of intentions become clear when analyzing the difference in guilt between an army officer who kills another while protecting his country and another person who plans for months to commit a murder out of personal enmity and hatred. The karma of taking the life of someone is the same in both cases, but the return or fruit of the karma depends on the intention.
Friday, July 31, 2015
Message of the day
Faith in one's progress brings contentment.
Expression: Even when the situation is not according to what is expected, there is contentment for the one who has faith in his own progress. Such a person will not just sit back waiting for things to change nor will he just curse his fate. Instead he'll do his best and use all his resources in bettering the situation.
Experience: The understanding that all life's situations are a training for me, automatically keeps me content in all situations. There is naturally an experience of constant progress and a feeling of having gained something from all situations.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Expression: Even when the situation is not according to what is expected, there is contentment for the one who has faith in his own progress. Such a person will not just sit back waiting for things to change nor will he just curse his fate. Instead he'll do his best and use all his resources in bettering the situation.
Experience: The understanding that all life's situations are a training for me, automatically keeps me content in all situations. There is naturally an experience of constant progress and a feeling of having gained something from all situations.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Thought of the day 30.07.2015
The main features of physical flowers are their colour, form and fragrance, by which we judge their beauty. All these characteristics have their own unique importance. Introducing oneself to spirituality is like giving oneself into the hands of the Supreme Spiritual Gardener or the Supreme Being (God). Like a physical gardener who possesses qualities of patience, tirelessness, love, far-sightedness, faith etc. on a limited level, the Supreme Gardener possesses these qualities on an unlimited level, which he uses to bring us up. As we remain under his sustenance and care, over a period of time, we blossom and are transformed into beautiful spiritual flowers, and our thorns fall away. When we look at ourselves as spiritual flowers, our colour symbolizes spiritual knowledge. Depending on how we imbibe the wisdom shared by the Spiritual Gardener and bring it in our day-to-day functioning; in our thoughts, words, actions and relationships; the more beautiful a colour we take. Our form is shaped depending on the quality of our connection with the Supreme Being, the Gardener. The deeper and stronger the connection, the more beautiful the form. Lastly, our fragrance refers to divine qualities like sweetness, humility, tolerance, carefreeness, purity and many more, which we develop. Physical flowers with a good colour, form and fragrance, attract everyone around them. Seeing and coming close to them, gives one an experience of joy. The same holds true for spiritual flowers.
Roses are considered the king of all flowers, with the best possible colour, form and fragrance. Spiritual roses are those souls which continuously remain in a spiritual consciousness and spread the fragrance of that consciousness to others. Their thoughts, words and actions get shaped according to this consciousness. They have a deep relationship with the Spiritual Gardener and are always eager to ensure that others also experience that relationship and become spiritual roses; which is a deep wish of the Supreme Gardener, for every spiritual being. They help him in fulfilling that wish.
Soul Sustenance
Awakening The Positivity Within (Part 3)
In yesterday’s message, we have already shared examples of situations which are self-created i.e. created by my own mind, sometimes triggered by an external situation and sometimes there is no external event responsible for the situation. Then there are other situations of the physical body, relationship based situations and situations related to my workplace and home. All these situations are partly external and partly internal i.e. there is an external event present which is a reality and cannot be overlooked except in many cases when the situation is perceived as a situation but that is just a perception of a person with a negative perception, but in reality the situation does not exist. In all other cases, the situation is present and that is a fact accepted by even a person with a positive perception. Depending on how we perceive the situation, how we react to it and what thoughts we create on seeing it, the situation becomes big or small in our own mind first. But there is another aspect – sometimes some life situations are threatening in nature and can disturb the most powerful of souls – of course the intensity of the fear varies from person to person depending on the perception. A calm mind with a powerful intellect can face all these situations and of course techniques like meditation which are taught by the Brahma Kumaris will help you in doing that.
Meditation is a process of thought training - just like a cricketer will practice very carefully how he will time each ball that he faces to achieve the desired result of a run or runs scored. In the same way, I learn how to give each thought of mine value and create only positive thoughts for those few minutes of meditation. These positive thoughts are based on spiritual knowledge and are thoughts about the spiritual self and the Supreme Being. These positive thoughts are created very slowly, step by step and carefully. This meditation practice of about a few minutes everyday is our training for actual negative situations, in which we, due to this practice, then remain calm and create only positive thoughts and keep the negative thoughts away which cause disturbances in our mind.
In yesterday’s message, we have already shared examples of situations which are self-created i.e. created by my own mind, sometimes triggered by an external situation and sometimes there is no external event responsible for the situation. Then there are other situations of the physical body, relationship based situations and situations related to my workplace and home. All these situations are partly external and partly internal i.e. there is an external event present which is a reality and cannot be overlooked except in many cases when the situation is perceived as a situation but that is just a perception of a person with a negative perception, but in reality the situation does not exist. In all other cases, the situation is present and that is a fact accepted by even a person with a positive perception. Depending on how we perceive the situation, how we react to it and what thoughts we create on seeing it, the situation becomes big or small in our own mind first. But there is another aspect – sometimes some life situations are threatening in nature and can disturb the most powerful of souls – of course the intensity of the fear varies from person to person depending on the perception. A calm mind with a powerful intellect can face all these situations and of course techniques like meditation which are taught by the Brahma Kumaris will help you in doing that.
Meditation is a process of thought training - just like a cricketer will practice very carefully how he will time each ball that he faces to achieve the desired result of a run or runs scored. In the same way, I learn how to give each thought of mine value and create only positive thoughts for those few minutes of meditation. These positive thoughts are based on spiritual knowledge and are thoughts about the spiritual self and the Supreme Being. These positive thoughts are created very slowly, step by step and carefully. This meditation practice of about a few minutes everyday is our training for actual negative situations, in which we, due to this practice, then remain calm and create only positive thoughts and keep the negative thoughts away which cause disturbances in our mind.
Message of the day
True freedom is to be from seeing negativity.
Thought to ponder: Sometimes, we do feel bound and helpless because of certain situations or people. We try hard to escape from it, but we are not able to. We tend to think a lot about it and waste our time and energy. Hence, we are further caught up in it. On the other hand, when we make the effort of seeing and working on some positive aspect in ourselves, the situation and people, we are able to be truly free, first in our own minds. We then would be in a state of mind to find the right solution.
Point to practice: Today I will invest my time and thoughts in seeing the virtues of people around me. I will give a thought of good wish to each and every one I meet. If I catch myself perceiving negative, I will stop and change my thoughts immediately. I will not waste my thoughts and time today in something which is no use anyway.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought to ponder: Sometimes, we do feel bound and helpless because of certain situations or people. We try hard to escape from it, but we are not able to. We tend to think a lot about it and waste our time and energy. Hence, we are further caught up in it. On the other hand, when we make the effort of seeing and working on some positive aspect in ourselves, the situation and people, we are able to be truly free, first in our own minds. We then would be in a state of mind to find the right solution.
Point to practice: Today I will invest my time and thoughts in seeing the virtues of people around me. I will give a thought of good wish to each and every one I meet. If I catch myself perceiving negative, I will stop and change my thoughts immediately. I will not waste my thoughts and time today in something which is no use anyway.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Thought of the day 28.07.2015
Spiritual education leads us back to the understanding and the experience of our holistic existence as human beings, to the knowledge that we are spiritual, as well as physical, mental and emotional beings.
A true spiritual education could be described as:
• learning from others
• growing through others
• integrating with others
• contributing to others
When we are genuinely learning, only then can we experience spiritual growth. When we grow, we integrate with others and it is in that integration that there is a natural and mutual contribution to nature and other souls. These four processes of education are constantly at work, but only happen in a way that is enjoyable and meaningful when the spiritual resources of the self like peace, joy and love are activated and creatively used.
These resources, along with the mind and intellect, enrich the way we see the world, the way we interact with it and the way we individually create our place in it. These resources are the original qualities of the self, which we have not properly used for a long time. By become spiritually aware, we start to harness and use these positive energies.
Soul Sustenance
Awakening The Positivity Within (Part 2)
Do you know that on an average we create a new thought every 2 seconds or even less that? This speed increases very regularly when we panic and are in discomfort or under the negative influence of an external situation. We call it external because the me or I which is internal is not the creator of the situation. Even the physical body is external. Except for situations from my own negative personality characteristics, which are completely the creation of the internal me or I, all other situations are external. Examples of situations in the form of negative personality traits which are completely internal are – on a particular day I feel gloomy or sad without any particular reason or on a particular day I experience thoughts of ego of my own nature or positive qualities or powers which are all internal. Sometimes I experience fear but there is no particular person or object or situation which I fear, it is just a passing phase and I am just frightened for no particular reason or on another occasion I feel I am unsuccessful although everything in my life is going fine. On another day I am worried about falling ill, although I am completely fit and nor have I met someone who is ill or listened to any news regarding poor health, but my worry is completely self-created. These are examples of situations created completely by me.
Then, there are situations from my own personality characteristics which are triggered by outside situations, where something that I read, saw or heard has caused a negative personality characteristic to emerge inside me. Examples of such situations are – my friend has been more successful in his or her academic career and seeing that causes thoughts of jealousy to emerge inside me. In this case, this is my self created situation but it was triggered by another person or external event. He or she did not cause me any harm and did not create the situation but I created the situation only because of my thinking. Another example of such a situation - I fear my boss at office solely because of his position being superior to me. He or she is a very nice person and is extremely polite with me and never tries to dominate me, but I feel dominated because of my thinking. Or another day, I heard a piece of news about how people are dying of heart attacks and this creates thoughts of fear inside me although I don’t suffer from any symptoms like uncontrolled high cholesterol or high blood pressure which could possibly lead to that.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
Do you know that on an average we create a new thought every 2 seconds or even less that? This speed increases very regularly when we panic and are in discomfort or under the negative influence of an external situation. We call it external because the me or I which is internal is not the creator of the situation. Even the physical body is external. Except for situations from my own negative personality characteristics, which are completely the creation of the internal me or I, all other situations are external. Examples of situations in the form of negative personality traits which are completely internal are – on a particular day I feel gloomy or sad without any particular reason or on a particular day I experience thoughts of ego of my own nature or positive qualities or powers which are all internal. Sometimes I experience fear but there is no particular person or object or situation which I fear, it is just a passing phase and I am just frightened for no particular reason or on another occasion I feel I am unsuccessful although everything in my life is going fine. On another day I am worried about falling ill, although I am completely fit and nor have I met someone who is ill or listened to any news regarding poor health, but my worry is completely self-created. These are examples of situations created completely by me.
Then, there are situations from my own personality characteristics which are triggered by outside situations, where something that I read, saw or heard has caused a negative personality characteristic to emerge inside me. Examples of such situations are – my friend has been more successful in his or her academic career and seeing that causes thoughts of jealousy to emerge inside me. In this case, this is my self created situation but it was triggered by another person or external event. He or she did not cause me any harm and did not create the situation but I created the situation only because of my thinking. Another example of such a situation - I fear my boss at office solely because of his position being superior to me. He or she is a very nice person and is extremely polite with me and never tries to dominate me, but I feel dominated because of my thinking. Or another day, I heard a piece of news about how people are dying of heart attacks and this creates thoughts of fear inside me although I don’t suffer from any symptoms like uncontrolled high cholesterol or high blood pressure which could possibly lead to that.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
Message of the day
To be victorious means to pass obstacles with ease.
Thought to ponder: The ones who aim to become victorious never think of not being faced with obstacles. Instead they look at each obstacle as a chance to use and express their own inner powers. So there is constant progress visible in them.
Point to practice: When I am prepared for the inevitable challenges that life brings, I will not experience fear, tension or anxiety but will always be confident and fearless. Apart from actually being victorious in the situation, I also experience winning over my weaknesses and discovering new powers within me.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought to ponder: The ones who aim to become victorious never think of not being faced with obstacles. Instead they look at each obstacle as a chance to use and express their own inner powers. So there is constant progress visible in them.
Point to practice: When I am prepared for the inevitable challenges that life brings, I will not experience fear, tension or anxiety but will always be confident and fearless. Apart from actually being victorious in the situation, I also experience winning over my weaknesses and discovering new powers within me.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Thought of the day 28.07.2015
Deficiencies inside us bring about a spiritual void or the lack of wholeness (fullness). As we lay the foundation of our lives on deficiencies or weaknesses, the result is suffering, sorrow and peacelessness.
If we act in harmony with spiritual virtues and qualities, the result is cooperation, happiness, peace, contentment and finally, wholeness.
A spiritual void leads to selfishness and causes the creation of greed inside us. We want to have more and possess more, which generates a state of expectation and stress. We fill our lives with things and objects to cover up deeper deficiencies. Then we are afraid of losing them. We generate expectations of all kinds, and when they are not fulfilled we react with anger, frustration, fear or disappointment. The inner emptiness makes us become greedy. We fill ourselves with objects, properties, things. We take and consume more than what we can give to the Universe in the form of positive thoughts, feelings, vibrations, actions etc. and this brings about imbalances in the self, in relation to others and with nature.
Something similar happens on a physical level. The body has a capacity to recycle and eliminate waste through different mediums. However, since we consume more toxins than the body can process, it leads to imbalance and we are more prone to feeling physically ill and unfit and developing diseases etc.
Soul Sustenance
Awakening The Positivity Within (Part 1)
Positivity is our nature which we sometimes lose in our busy lifestyles. It is like the necklace which is around our neck, but we don’t realize that and we search for it all around. When we start the day, we need to fill our minds with a positive source of points of information which strengthen our mind and protect it from the negatives which surround us. Very often like the necklace, positivity is lost temporarily and is very easy to find, but the negative influence does not let me think of the ways of becoming positive and regaining it.
There was once a rich trader who always found a reason to become upset because of the smallest of reasons during the day. Every morning he would decide to remain positive during the day and would promise himself that he would not let his mind be influenced by any difficult problem he faced, but as soon as he used to start his trade or business, because of the complicated nature of his work, he would fall prey to one or the other problem either from the work itself, or through the money he handled, or from his work associates or sometimes due to a problem created by his own mind. A mind that easily succumbs to difficulties can be compared to a home where a little problem in the form of a little mouse enters and brings disturbances in the whole house. When the house owner manages to get rid of the mouse and thinks everything is okay, a cat enters and adds her side of troubles and has the house owner go busy in trying to get it out of his premises. The cat is then followed by the dog’s entry and the whole day the house owner spends in this way. The moral of the story is - the one who remains disturbed attracts disturbances, which he keeps trying to send away and this process or mindset of trying to keep problems away and becoming over-involved in doing that, in turn attracts more problems. So,remaining calm when the first problem of the day comes and not becoming over-involved in trying to keep it away is the primary step to keeping problems away for the whole day. Calmness attracts a problem free environment around me and also keeps me content, powerful and peaceful.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
Positivity is our nature which we sometimes lose in our busy lifestyles. It is like the necklace which is around our neck, but we don’t realize that and we search for it all around. When we start the day, we need to fill our minds with a positive source of points of information which strengthen our mind and protect it from the negatives which surround us. Very often like the necklace, positivity is lost temporarily and is very easy to find, but the negative influence does not let me think of the ways of becoming positive and regaining it.
There was once a rich trader who always found a reason to become upset because of the smallest of reasons during the day. Every morning he would decide to remain positive during the day and would promise himself that he would not let his mind be influenced by any difficult problem he faced, but as soon as he used to start his trade or business, because of the complicated nature of his work, he would fall prey to one or the other problem either from the work itself, or through the money he handled, or from his work associates or sometimes due to a problem created by his own mind. A mind that easily succumbs to difficulties can be compared to a home where a little problem in the form of a little mouse enters and brings disturbances in the whole house. When the house owner manages to get rid of the mouse and thinks everything is okay, a cat enters and adds her side of troubles and has the house owner go busy in trying to get it out of his premises. The cat is then followed by the dog’s entry and the whole day the house owner spends in this way. The moral of the story is - the one who remains disturbed attracts disturbances, which he keeps trying to send away and this process or mindset of trying to keep problems away and becoming over-involved in doing that, in turn attracts more problems. So,remaining calm when the first problem of the day comes and not becoming over-involved in trying to keep it away is the primary step to keeping problems away for the whole day. Calmness attracts a problem free environment around me and also keeps me content, powerful and peaceful.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
Message of the day
To be seated on a powerful stage is to ensure right decisions are made.
Thought to ponder: A king or a judge is seated on a seat, weighs the pros and cons and only then makes decisions. In the same way while making any important decisions, I need to set myself on a powerful stage of confidence and self respect. Being in this stage, I need to look with detachment and make the decision. Even if I have already acted impulsively, I need to relook. Because decisions made with the wrong state of mind are usually wrong too.
Point to practice: Today I will first check the quality of my thoughts before I make any important decision. I am going to stop, change my thoughts, create a powerful stage and only then make decisions. This will make my decisions right and fruitful. I will be free from the negative impact of impulsive, hasty decisions.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought to ponder: A king or a judge is seated on a seat, weighs the pros and cons and only then makes decisions. In the same way while making any important decisions, I need to set myself on a powerful stage of confidence and self respect. Being in this stage, I need to look with detachment and make the decision. Even if I have already acted impulsively, I need to relook. Because decisions made with the wrong state of mind are usually wrong too.
Point to practice: Today I will first check the quality of my thoughts before I make any important decision. I am going to stop, change my thoughts, create a powerful stage and only then make decisions. This will make my decisions right and fruitful. I will be free from the negative impact of impulsive, hasty decisions.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Monday, July 27, 2015
Thought of the day 27.07.2015
You may find that the qualities & personality traits you like or dislike in others are likely to also exist in you.
Really? Yes, people really can be your mirrors.
They really can reflect back at you what you need to see about yourself - the positives & the shortcomings.
It's all more easily seen in others than in ourselves. So look in the mirror & see what the reflections tell you about yourself.
Soul Sustenance
Improving Your Responses By Moving From A State Of Doing To Being
This is a meditation exercise which you can practice anytime in the day when you are busy interacting with someone or a group of people. At that time, create the thoughts below, very, very slowly in your mind. Experience the essence of each thought -
I am a soul and at peace with myself and the world around me... This scene, in which I find myself in, is one of many scenes in which I play a role... Now, I disconnect for a few seconds from what is happening around me... Mentally (not physically), I take a step back and just watch, as an observer, what is happening... I make no judgments - I just observe... As I observe, I see that each soul in the scene is playing their own unique role, according to their capability and understanding, because of which I accept each one completely without any conditions...
I remain patient in allowing this scene to develop in a natural way... I wait for an invitation to participate - it always comes finally... I have no desires from the situation... But, at the same time, I am happy to contribute towards achieving the most positive and effective result... In the meantime I maintain my peace and share the energy of that peace with all around me as this is the most important contribution that I can make... I realize that simply by observing peacefully I am participating positively in this scene…
If you dedicate time to consciously practice the above meditation for a few moments in many actions during the day, you will finally find that you move into this state of just being (while yet doing) very, very naturally.You are not avoiding life or the world around you. Instead, you are learning to take control of your awareness and involvement, disconnect when you want, be more mentally sharp in understanding (what is visible as well as subtle or non-visible) all that is happening around you and give yourself the time and the personal space to respond accurately and positively.
This is a meditation exercise which you can practice anytime in the day when you are busy interacting with someone or a group of people. At that time, create the thoughts below, very, very slowly in your mind. Experience the essence of each thought -
I am a soul and at peace with myself and the world around me... This scene, in which I find myself in, is one of many scenes in which I play a role... Now, I disconnect for a few seconds from what is happening around me... Mentally (not physically), I take a step back and just watch, as an observer, what is happening... I make no judgments - I just observe... As I observe, I see that each soul in the scene is playing their own unique role, according to their capability and understanding, because of which I accept each one completely without any conditions...
I remain patient in allowing this scene to develop in a natural way... I wait for an invitation to participate - it always comes finally... I have no desires from the situation... But, at the same time, I am happy to contribute towards achieving the most positive and effective result... In the meantime I maintain my peace and share the energy of that peace with all around me as this is the most important contribution that I can make... I realize that simply by observing peacefully I am participating positively in this scene…
If you dedicate time to consciously practice the above meditation for a few moments in many actions during the day, you will finally find that you move into this state of just being (while yet doing) very, very naturally.You are not avoiding life or the world around you. Instead, you are learning to take control of your awareness and involvement, disconnect when you want, be more mentally sharp in understanding (what is visible as well as subtle or non-visible) all that is happening around you and give yourself the time and the personal space to respond accurately and positively.
Message of the day
To believe that destiny is in my hands is to create a positive future for myself.
Thought to ponder: It is easy to blame destiny when something goes wrong. But instead of just blaming, if we begin to understand that 'today is past for tomorrow, we will be able to act accordingly. With every action that I am doing today, I am creating a future for myself. I need to pay attention to do such actions which will create a better future for myself.
Point to practice: Today I will do something that will help me build a better future for myself. I will initiate one positive action that I will sustain. I will do this with the belief that I am the master of my destiny and that future is in my hands. This will help me create a fortune for myself.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought to ponder: It is easy to blame destiny when something goes wrong. But instead of just blaming, if we begin to understand that 'today is past for tomorrow, we will be able to act accordingly. With every action that I am doing today, I am creating a future for myself. I need to pay attention to do such actions which will create a better future for myself.
Point to practice: Today I will do something that will help me build a better future for myself. I will initiate one positive action that I will sustain. I will do this with the belief that I am the master of my destiny and that future is in my hands. This will help me create a fortune for myself.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Thought of the day 26.07.2015
The Thought-Destiny Cycle
The process by which we create our own destiny is quite easy to see in theory; however it requires some checking to see how it matches the reality of our practical lives. Here is the process in brief:
• As our intentions, so will be our thoughts.
• As our thoughts, so will be our feelings.
• As our feelings, so will be our attitudes.
• As our attitudes, so will be our actions.
• As our actions, so will be our habits.
• As our habits, so will be our personality.
As our personality in all our relationships on our journey through life, so will be our destiny. So watch your thoughts! Be aware of your intentions!
Our intentions are based on our beliefs about who we are, where we are and why we are here. If we believe we are the physical form, our belief will we be that we need to survive as long as possible. This leads to the intention to get what we think we need before others, which leads to competition, which leads to feelings of fear. Our destiny gets shaped accordingly. When you know you are the non-physical and immortal (which is neither created nor can be destroyed) energy, a soul, then survival is no longer an issue and your intention is one to include, connect and co-operate with and enlighten others. The service of others at a spiritual level becomes the highest intention in action. It is fully free from fear and can be seen as an act of love. This is why competition and authentic spirituality can never be found together.
Soul Sustenance
Playing My Part As A Hero Actor (Part 3)
In yesterday’s message we had discussed how some of us believe that our life script has been written by God and we do not play any role in the same. In this regard, it is very important to state that respecting, thanking and remembering God in good as well as bad times is obviously very very good and the right karma but submitting ourselves blindly to God’s will is an inactive response which prevents each of us from using our free will to make any choice at any moment and shape our future. While there is a master plan which is being played out on the stage of the world, a part of the plan is that we each have free will and an opportunity to decide our actions and responses. We need to realize that each one of us possesses an intellect, which absorbs the capacity to discriminate right from wrong, good from bad, from God and decides how to act on the world stage.
In this regard, there are two aspects. The first aspect is – God writes my life script completely for me without me playing any role in the same. The other aspect is - I perform actions and create my responses, based on God’s knowledge of good and bad karmas which he has given me, so as to shape my destiny and write my life script accordingly. There is a fine difference between these two aspects, the second aspect being the correct one. This knowledge given to me by God is stored in my intellect; I am the master of it and can decide how to use it to play my part.
In yesterday’s message we had discussed how some of us believe that our life script has been written by God and we do not play any role in the same. In this regard, it is very important to state that respecting, thanking and remembering God in good as well as bad times is obviously very very good and the right karma but submitting ourselves blindly to God’s will is an inactive response which prevents each of us from using our free will to make any choice at any moment and shape our future. While there is a master plan which is being played out on the stage of the world, a part of the plan is that we each have free will and an opportunity to decide our actions and responses. We need to realize that each one of us possesses an intellect, which absorbs the capacity to discriminate right from wrong, good from bad, from God and decides how to act on the world stage.
In this regard, there are two aspects. The first aspect is – God writes my life script completely for me without me playing any role in the same. The other aspect is - I perform actions and create my responses, based on God’s knowledge of good and bad karmas which he has given me, so as to shape my destiny and write my life script accordingly. There is a fine difference between these two aspects, the second aspect being the correct one. This knowledge given to me by God is stored in my intellect; I am the master of it and can decide how to use it to play my part.
Message of the day
The biggest service is to ensure that if any one comes to us, they don't go away empty handed.
Expression: When someone comes to me I need to ensure they don't go away empty handed. That is, I need to find something to give them that will make them feel benefitted. Something that will make them feel better. They need to feel that they have gained something from the interaction they had with us.
Experience: Today I will have special attention that if anyone comes to me, I will give them something that will make them better. This need not be any physical thing, but it could be an encouraging word, a pat on the back, a solution, a suggestion or even a good wish in the mind.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Expression: When someone comes to me I need to ensure they don't go away empty handed. That is, I need to find something to give them that will make them feel benefitted. Something that will make them feel better. They need to feel that they have gained something from the interaction they had with us.
Experience: Today I will have special attention that if anyone comes to me, I will give them something that will make them better. This need not be any physical thing, but it could be an encouraging word, a pat on the back, a solution, a suggestion or even a good wish in the mind.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Saturday, July 25, 2015
Thought of the day 25.07.2015
It can be difficult to learn who to trust. When we have had bad experience with people who betrayed our trust in the past, it can be difficult to let anyone else in. It can take some time to learn to trust anyone again.
Trust goes both ways. If I want to gain someone's trust, I have to show them that I trust them before he or she will open up to me. When I am truthful, this will be evident in everything I say and do. When others realise this, they will begin to trust me. From trust, love begins to grow.
Soul Sustenance
Playing My Part As A Hero Actor (Part 2)
In yesterday’s message we had discussed how we possess the potential in our hands to write the scripts of our lives, our destinies. Some of us do not like this idea because we have been taught since we were small that life is all about luck, but this incorrect belief does not let us realize the immense internal power or potential that we possess of shaping up our destiny, our future. By resigning ourselves to a life of luck, we do not use our potential and conveniently avoid doing the inner work of becoming awake and aware of who we are as spiritual beings and the masters of our own destiny. This is why waking up from the sleep of this wrong belief is the first step towards empowering ourselves, towards taking responsibility for our life, for our present, our future.
Also there are some of us who hold the belief that the course taken by each one of our lives is not written by luck but is decided by God, so it is egoistic on our part if we believe that we can write our own scripts, interfering with the plan that God has in his mind for us. So in times of challenges in our lives, although its not wrong to pray to God at those times, we commonly use words like - if God would like it, I shall overcome this obstacle or I will be successful in this particular task or my health will get okay or I will pass this exam etc. In times of happiness, although it’s not wrong to thank God at those times, we completely submit ourselves to God’s will, thinking that it is he and he alone responsible for what good that is happening in my life. In the case of the sorrow we forget that although God can help us to some extent, whether we will surpass the sorrow or not is very largely dependent on our past actions which are influencing the present situation. In the case of the happiness, we forget that though God’s blessings do help and work, our past actions are a very important dominant factor which is creating situations of positivity in our present lives.
(To be continued tomorrow…)
In yesterday’s message we had discussed how we possess the potential in our hands to write the scripts of our lives, our destinies. Some of us do not like this idea because we have been taught since we were small that life is all about luck, but this incorrect belief does not let us realize the immense internal power or potential that we possess of shaping up our destiny, our future. By resigning ourselves to a life of luck, we do not use our potential and conveniently avoid doing the inner work of becoming awake and aware of who we are as spiritual beings and the masters of our own destiny. This is why waking up from the sleep of this wrong belief is the first step towards empowering ourselves, towards taking responsibility for our life, for our present, our future.
Also there are some of us who hold the belief that the course taken by each one of our lives is not written by luck but is decided by God, so it is egoistic on our part if we believe that we can write our own scripts, interfering with the plan that God has in his mind for us. So in times of challenges in our lives, although its not wrong to pray to God at those times, we commonly use words like - if God would like it, I shall overcome this obstacle or I will be successful in this particular task or my health will get okay or I will pass this exam etc. In times of happiness, although it’s not wrong to thank God at those times, we completely submit ourselves to God’s will, thinking that it is he and he alone responsible for what good that is happening in my life. In the case of the sorrow we forget that although God can help us to some extent, whether we will surpass the sorrow or not is very largely dependent on our past actions which are influencing the present situation. In the case of the happiness, we forget that though God’s blessings do help and work, our past actions are a very important dominant factor which is creating situations of positivity in our present lives.
(To be continued tomorrow…)
Message of the day
To have a vision of seeing specialities is to pave the way for progress.
Thought to ponder: When I have a vision of seeing specialities, I am able to encourage people to do better. Firstly, I am free from negative or waste thoughts. And most importantly, I am able to help people discover their strengths and give them the power to use them. This ensures progress for them as well as me.
Point to practice: Today I will encourage at least one person with my positive words. I will observe something good in that person and appreciate. This practice will help us experience continuous progress, in spite of difficult circumstances or mistakes.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought to ponder: When I have a vision of seeing specialities, I am able to encourage people to do better. Firstly, I am free from negative or waste thoughts. And most importantly, I am able to help people discover their strengths and give them the power to use them. This ensures progress for them as well as me.
Point to practice: Today I will encourage at least one person with my positive words. I will observe something good in that person and appreciate. This practice will help us experience continuous progress, in spite of difficult circumstances or mistakes.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Friday, July 24, 2015
Thought of the day 24.07.2015
Pilgrimages may not be as common as they used to be but even today people go to places such as the Camino de Santiago, Mecca, Haridwar, Machu Picchu....
For some people, a pilgrimage is for religious purposes or for enlightenment. For some it's about taking on a challenge or taking stock. For some it's about having fun or enjoying a cultural experience.
Have you ever thought about embarking on a pilgrimage? Well, you can be a pilgrim everyday.
Simply infuse your everyday life with depth and meaning and everyday life becomes a life-changing sacred journey.
Soul Sustenance
Playing My Part As A Hero Actor (Part 1)
While just as beings we reside in the soul world, as human beings we play our many roles through many physical bodies in this beautiful world drama on this amazing, colorful and round stage called planet Earth. Each day is filled with multi-million scenes in different locations on this very big stage. Some scenes are directly related to us, some indirectly and a lot many aren’t related at all. Each scene that we are directly involved is an opportunity to not only play our role in the best possible way but also as a result shape the role in the most appropriate way possible. Therefore, we are all hero actors who by playing our roles as well as possible, create the script of our own life i.e. create our own destiny.
And do remember doing this has a positive influence on others’ scripts also, which rebounds back to us and in return helps us in our making our scripts better. While we have been given a role to live the entire birth right from childhood to old age, we possess the power, the remote control to dictate and control as to how exactly we will live the day, the year and each year of our present birth, our present role. Each day offers us multiple options as to not only how we act but also how we respond to the world around us and our script or destiny gets shaped up according to the options we make. Our destiny is decided not by what happens to us or around us, but by (i) how we act (sometimes the actions are responses to external events and sometimes they are not) and (ii) how we respond to a million events and circumstances which we encounter as we make this complete journey of life.
(To be continued tomorrow…)
While just as beings we reside in the soul world, as human beings we play our many roles through many physical bodies in this beautiful world drama on this amazing, colorful and round stage called planet Earth. Each day is filled with multi-million scenes in different locations on this very big stage. Some scenes are directly related to us, some indirectly and a lot many aren’t related at all. Each scene that we are directly involved is an opportunity to not only play our role in the best possible way but also as a result shape the role in the most appropriate way possible. Therefore, we are all hero actors who by playing our roles as well as possible, create the script of our own life i.e. create our own destiny.
And do remember doing this has a positive influence on others’ scripts also, which rebounds back to us and in return helps us in our making our scripts better. While we have been given a role to live the entire birth right from childhood to old age, we possess the power, the remote control to dictate and control as to how exactly we will live the day, the year and each year of our present birth, our present role. Each day offers us multiple options as to not only how we act but also how we respond to the world around us and our script or destiny gets shaped up according to the options we make. Our destiny is decided not by what happens to us or around us, but by (i) how we act (sometimes the actions are responses to external events and sometimes they are not) and (ii) how we respond to a million events and circumstances which we encounter as we make this complete journey of life.
(To be continued tomorrow…)
Message of the day
To have inner strength in all circumstances is to ensure progress.
Expression: To have inner strength is to be so powerful within that there is a capacity to mould myself in all the variety that life brings. The more I know how to pave my way forward and also have the power to do it, I ensure progress. Like a blade of grass I need to be rooted yet knowhow to mould myself according to the wind.
Experience: Today I will make the effort to find a way to deal with someone or something that I haven't been able to. I will find something in me that I can use to deal with what is difficult outside. There is surely something in me; I just need to find it. Even if I can't find something, let me at least take the thought that I have the power within me to do it. And as I keep practicing I will surely get success.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Expression: To have inner strength is to be so powerful within that there is a capacity to mould myself in all the variety that life brings. The more I know how to pave my way forward and also have the power to do it, I ensure progress. Like a blade of grass I need to be rooted yet knowhow to mould myself according to the wind.
Experience: Today I will make the effort to find a way to deal with someone or something that I haven't been able to. I will find something in me that I can use to deal with what is difficult outside. There is surely something in me; I just need to find it. Even if I can't find something, let me at least take the thought that I have the power within me to do it. And as I keep practicing I will surely get success.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Thought of the day 23.07.2015
Injustices And Suffering In The World – Applying The Law of Karma (Part 2)
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.
Soul Sustenance
Yoga - A Lifestyle (Part 3)
The practice of spiritual yoga or connecting the mind with a higher source of spiritual power i.e. God, causes His spiritual energy to enter our mind and fill our minds with the seven primary qualities - peace, joy, love, bliss, purity, power and knowledge. These qualities nourish all our body systems and make them free of illnesses. Each time we experience an impure or negative emotion, its negative effect travels to all these systems and this causes the birth of illnesses in these systems. Spiritual yoga, which at the Brahma Kumaris is called Rajyoga meditation and is karma yoga, because it can be done while performing any action, does the opposite. Because Rajyoga is a yoga with the Highest power existing in the universe, it is given that name. This Highest power is God and He is the Highest because He is an overflowing source of all these seven qualities mentioned above. So a link with such a source gives us an experience of these qualities and as a result these qualities flow to each cell of all the systems of the body and causes these cells to heal and become full of pure spiritual and as a result physical energy. Also, each one of us has a target organ or system which is most prone to disease. What this organ or system is for each one is connected with the karmas of the soul performed in this and previous births, which reflect in the systems of the body. Rajyoga meditation, as taught by the Brahma Kumaris, because of the mechanism explained above, helps in keeping this target organ healthy and also brings with it mental peace and a stress life.
Lastly, as you follow the path of spiritual yoga, take care that physical health issues are also addressed since a healthy body finds it easier to meditate correctly and also perform actions in the remembrance of the Supreme Being with comfort. On one side the meditation helps in clearing up the negative sanskaras of the soul which are created in the soul when a negative action is performed either in this or previous births, and are the primary cause of all our illnesses. At the same time, on the other side care should also be taken of the physical body through the mediums of a right diet, exercise and sleep, so that the spiritual journey is smooth and obstacle free; a journey on which we welcome all of you. P
The practice of spiritual yoga or connecting the mind with a higher source of spiritual power i.e. God, causes His spiritual energy to enter our mind and fill our minds with the seven primary qualities - peace, joy, love, bliss, purity, power and knowledge. These qualities nourish all our body systems and make them free of illnesses. Each time we experience an impure or negative emotion, its negative effect travels to all these systems and this causes the birth of illnesses in these systems. Spiritual yoga, which at the Brahma Kumaris is called Rajyoga meditation and is karma yoga, because it can be done while performing any action, does the opposite. Because Rajyoga is a yoga with the Highest power existing in the universe, it is given that name. This Highest power is God and He is the Highest because He is an overflowing source of all these seven qualities mentioned above. So a link with such a source gives us an experience of these qualities and as a result these qualities flow to each cell of all the systems of the body and causes these cells to heal and become full of pure spiritual and as a result physical energy. Also, each one of us has a target organ or system which is most prone to disease. What this organ or system is for each one is connected with the karmas of the soul performed in this and previous births, which reflect in the systems of the body. Rajyoga meditation, as taught by the Brahma Kumaris, because of the mechanism explained above, helps in keeping this target organ healthy and also brings with it mental peace and a stress life.
Lastly, as you follow the path of spiritual yoga, take care that physical health issues are also addressed since a healthy body finds it easier to meditate correctly and also perform actions in the remembrance of the Supreme Being with comfort. On one side the meditation helps in clearing up the negative sanskaras of the soul which are created in the soul when a negative action is performed either in this or previous births, and are the primary cause of all our illnesses. At the same time, on the other side care should also be taken of the physical body through the mediums of a right diet, exercise and sleep, so that the spiritual journey is smooth and obstacle free; a journey on which we welcome all of you. P
Message of the day
To make effort and get the fruit is to ensure real progress.
Thought to ponder: Sometimes, things come easy and sometimes they don't. When we put in a lot of effort and then get the result of it, there is double benefit. One is of course the result as a positive outcome and the satisfaction is much more because I have earned it. The other is the many trials that I had to make would let me gain many experiences and I end up getting richer with these experiences.
Point to practice: Today I will take up something I had started with enthusiasm or wanted to start. I will give my thought, time and energy to it and make sure that I make it happen. I will take a thought today not to leave it mid way but see it through till I succeed.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought to ponder: Sometimes, things come easy and sometimes they don't. When we put in a lot of effort and then get the result of it, there is double benefit. One is of course the result as a positive outcome and the satisfaction is much more because I have earned it. The other is the many trials that I had to make would let me gain many experiences and I end up getting richer with these experiences.
Point to practice: Today I will take up something I had started with enthusiasm or wanted to start. I will give my thought, time and energy to it and make sure that I make it happen. I will take a thought today not to leave it mid way but see it through till I succeed.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought of the day 22.07.2015
Injustices And Suffering In The World – Applying The Law of Karma (Part 1)
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, of many apparent injustices and suffering of individuals or groups of individuals. 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 …)
Soul Sustenance
Yoga - A Lifestyle (Part 2)
All of us are living beings with a mind and an intellect, which we use to connect to various objects, people and events throughout the day. This is called our mental energy. This mental energy travels extremely fast and can reach another person in much less than a second. Very often we focus our mental energy on the physical body for mental peace and physical fitness through the medium of yog asanas or yogic postures to attain the desired purpose. That for us is a way of letting go of our stresses and negative energies stored in the body. It makes our mind and body healthy. We also focus our mental energies on our breath through the medium of pranayamawhereby flawless and smooth breathing is experienced which benefits our physical body immensely and also gives us mental energy.
If you are new at the Brahma Kumaris, and if you are practicing yog asanas and pranayama for their physical and emotional health benefits, from before, you don’t need to stop them. This is because both these are extremely important mediums for this purpose and widely acclaimed and proven successful techniques which have saved many people from the most serious of illnesses and also reduced the intensity of many illnesses. There are lakhs of people all over the world who share their experiences confirming this. But the Brahma Kumaris add another dimension to this physical side of yoga – a spiritual yoga i.e. connecting the mind and intellect to the supreme source of spiritual energy or God, which is also called yoga or connection with a non-physical pure entity - God. So those who have been practicingyog asanas and pranayama, if they desire, can continue to do the same but add the spiritual yoga in their lifestyles. Those who have not been practicing yog asanas and pranayama concentrate only on the spiritual yoga, which not only purifies the soul but also has immense benefits for the physical systems of the body and helps in purifying them. This is because a pure mind means a mind full of the seven qualities of peace, joy, love, bliss, purity, power and knowledge, which in turn influences the main systems of the body and makes them free of illnesses. The mechanism of how the mind affects the different body systems, in further detail, will be explained in tomorrow’s message.
All of us are living beings with a mind and an intellect, which we use to connect to various objects, people and events throughout the day. This is called our mental energy. This mental energy travels extremely fast and can reach another person in much less than a second. Very often we focus our mental energy on the physical body for mental peace and physical fitness through the medium of yog asanas or yogic postures to attain the desired purpose. That for us is a way of letting go of our stresses and negative energies stored in the body. It makes our mind and body healthy. We also focus our mental energies on our breath through the medium of pranayamawhereby flawless and smooth breathing is experienced which benefits our physical body immensely and also gives us mental energy.
If you are new at the Brahma Kumaris, and if you are practicing yog asanas and pranayama for their physical and emotional health benefits, from before, you don’t need to stop them. This is because both these are extremely important mediums for this purpose and widely acclaimed and proven successful techniques which have saved many people from the most serious of illnesses and also reduced the intensity of many illnesses. There are lakhs of people all over the world who share their experiences confirming this. But the Brahma Kumaris add another dimension to this physical side of yoga – a spiritual yoga i.e. connecting the mind and intellect to the supreme source of spiritual energy or God, which is also called yoga or connection with a non-physical pure entity - God. So those who have been practicingyog asanas and pranayama, if they desire, can continue to do the same but add the spiritual yoga in their lifestyles. Those who have not been practicing yog asanas and pranayama concentrate only on the spiritual yoga, which not only purifies the soul but also has immense benefits for the physical systems of the body and helps in purifying them. This is because a pure mind means a mind full of the seven qualities of peace, joy, love, bliss, purity, power and knowledge, which in turn influences the main systems of the body and makes them free of illnesses. The mechanism of how the mind affects the different body systems, in further detail, will be explained in tomorrow’s message.
Message of the day
To have a powerful intellect is to take the positive and leave out waste.
Expression: I need to make my intellect powerful like a swan (it only takes jewels and leaves out the pebbles). I need to recognize and accept what is good for me and reject what is not good for me. With practice I find that it becomes a habit to see only that which is good for me. This will make me positive in all my future interactions too.
Experience: Today I will make a conscious effort to find some aspect of my life that is positive. This I need to remember consciously and remind myself from time to time so that I can carry it through the day. This will ensure a touch of positivity to all I do.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Expression: I need to make my intellect powerful like a swan (it only takes jewels and leaves out the pebbles). I need to recognize and accept what is good for me and reject what is not good for me. With practice I find that it becomes a habit to see only that which is good for me. This will make me positive in all my future interactions too.
Experience: Today I will make a conscious effort to find some aspect of my life that is positive. This I need to remember consciously and remind myself from time to time so that I can carry it through the day. This will ensure a touch of positivity to all I do.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Thought of the day 21.07.2015
Meditation And Physical Health
The state of the body is a result of the state of the soul not only because of past karmas (actions performed in this and previous births) but because of its present state also.
For example, when the emotion of fear passes through the mind, the endocrine system starts pumping adrenalin through the body to prepare it for a surge of energy. It is easy to note the cause-effect relationship between fear (cause) and adrenalin (effect). In the same way all of the mental ups and downs cause resulting secretions throughout the body. Internal rage is accompanied by heavy breathing, fast heart-beats, red face and so on. This relationship between body and soul is the reason most physical diseases arise from a psychological or mental origin. There is no doubt that any lessening of harmful secretions by reducing the emotional causes will bring about sound and lasting health. Health and order in the soul (mind) bring health and order in the body.
Of course there are other factors which give rise to health problems - pollution, unhealthy life-style, lack of exercise, wrong diet etc. Through Raja Yoga meditation (taught by the Brahma Kumaris) and its connected positive lifestyle and through a pure vegetarian diet, ill-health can be minimized. The removal of stress and tension has to be one of the most important advantages for a person who practices Rajyoga meditation.
Soul Sustenance
Yoga - A Lifestyle (Part 1)
International Yoga Day, which was declared by the United Nations General Assembly, was celebrated the world over on June 21st, 2015 with large gatherings participating. This is a special 3 part message on yoga -
All of us are constantly living a life of yoga, which in spiritual terms is called a link or connection between two entities i.e. the one which remembers and the other one which is remembered. Examples of what we have yoga with could be a person or God (called rajyoga) or your actions (called karma yoga) or spiritual knowledge (called gyan yoga) or bhakti (called bhakti yoga) or your breath (called pranayama) or your physical body (called hath yoga) or even a physical object like a candle flame. So, yoga is life and should not be limited to sitting in a particular posture for a few minutes at a particular time of the day. Basically, remembering anything or anyone is yoga. The word yoga should not be limited to exercise which is a narrow definition of yoga. Focusing on one’s own body is extremely important, but only one aspect of a yogi lifestyle. A complete or comprehensive yogi lifestyle is focusing on pure and constructive sources right through the day including God, because yoga means union or link, a union which will benefit the soul and body positively.
We all live our lives in search of peace, love and happiness and also inner powers which we as spiritual beings are lacking in. So yoga i.e. our mental energy correctly channeled and connected with something positive provides us with that. People also call performing actions as yoga which is called karma yoga, but only performing selfless actions with complete dedication nowadays with the stresses and strains of everyday living can be depleting on a mental energy level unless the karma yoga as it is called is accompanied by a mental union or link with the Supreme while performing the actions, which helps us in remaining unaffected by the stress caused due to being over-busy in those actions. That in the true sense is karma yoga i.e. selflesskarmas performed in the remembrance of God. This link between me, the spiritual child and God, the spiritual parent, nourishes me continuously and gives me the strength to perform actions with complete accuracy and get the desired success filled result.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
International Yoga Day, which was declared by the United Nations General Assembly, was celebrated the world over on June 21st, 2015 with large gatherings participating. This is a special 3 part message on yoga -
All of us are constantly living a life of yoga, which in spiritual terms is called a link or connection between two entities i.e. the one which remembers and the other one which is remembered. Examples of what we have yoga with could be a person or God (called rajyoga) or your actions (called karma yoga) or spiritual knowledge (called gyan yoga) or bhakti (called bhakti yoga) or your breath (called pranayama) or your physical body (called hath yoga) or even a physical object like a candle flame. So, yoga is life and should not be limited to sitting in a particular posture for a few minutes at a particular time of the day. Basically, remembering anything or anyone is yoga. The word yoga should not be limited to exercise which is a narrow definition of yoga. Focusing on one’s own body is extremely important, but only one aspect of a yogi lifestyle. A complete or comprehensive yogi lifestyle is focusing on pure and constructive sources right through the day including God, because yoga means union or link, a union which will benefit the soul and body positively.
We all live our lives in search of peace, love and happiness and also inner powers which we as spiritual beings are lacking in. So yoga i.e. our mental energy correctly channeled and connected with something positive provides us with that. People also call performing actions as yoga which is called karma yoga, but only performing selfless actions with complete dedication nowadays with the stresses and strains of everyday living can be depleting on a mental energy level unless the karma yoga as it is called is accompanied by a mental union or link with the Supreme while performing the actions, which helps us in remaining unaffected by the stress caused due to being over-busy in those actions. That in the true sense is karma yoga i.e. selflesskarmas performed in the remembrance of God. This link between me, the spiritual child and God, the spiritual parent, nourishes me continuously and gives me the strength to perform actions with complete accuracy and get the desired success filled result.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
Message of the day
To receive respect from others comes more with responsibility than as a right.
Expression: The one who gets respect is the one who becomes worthy of it rather than the one who just expects it. True respect comes from how well a task is done rather than what is done. The more one's speciality is expressed, the more one becomes worthy of respect.
Experience: When I go on giving my best in whatever is expected of me, I will start receiving respect from those around me. I will then never expect from others but will naturally be able to give respect to all. This further makes me earn their love and regard.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Expression: The one who gets respect is the one who becomes worthy of it rather than the one who just expects it. True respect comes from how well a task is done rather than what is done. The more one's speciality is expressed, the more one becomes worthy of respect.
Experience: When I go on giving my best in whatever is expected of me, I will start receiving respect from those around me. I will then never expect from others but will naturally be able to give respect to all. This further makes me earn their love and regard.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Monday, July 20, 2015
Thought of the day 20.07.2015
Resolving The Inner Identity Crisis (Part 2)
In yesterday’s message we had explained how the confusions, complications and problems that exist in our world today and the state of human relationships all over the world, are simply a reflection of our lack of inner clarity about who we are, what we are and where we are heading i.e. a lack of true self-identity. So how do we resolve this internal and external turmoil? There is an original, beautiful self, with characteristics of peace, love and happiness that exists within each one of us, the self from which we have been distanced since a very long time. This is a centre full of the spiritual resources of all virtues and powers. Reaching it is a journey of only one second and no distance. By identifying with this inner centre, a centre which is imperishable, unchangeable, constant and even eternal, my self identity becomes strong and stable, as compared to many false identities based on external realities like position, wealth and material possessions which are all perishable and subject to various ups and downs even in one single day, and if we over identify with them, we are bound to experience constant pain and discontentment.
This process of true self-identification is not a renunciation or avoidance of the way the outer world is but it is a healing process for your inner world. It is an internal correction process of identification, whereby you rediscover your true self as a complete being full of positive emotions that you always were and you start identifying with it, doing which very easily helps you let go of the wrong identifications. This process is commonly called meditation, the foundation of which is spiritual wisdom. Once this inner work is done, the outer world starts taking the shape of a reflection of that. Resolving the identity crisis first changes the way our internal and external world looks to us, as a result changing the way it works.
Soul Sustenance
Filling Myself And Others With Invisible Treasures (Part 2)
In yesterday’s message, we had explained how soul consciousness provides us access to the ocean of the qualities of peace, love and joy that lie hidden inside our consciousness. An important point worth noting in this regard is that along with quenching my thirst, I must also have a big heart, and pass on to others the qualities that I am receiving from my inner ocean. Otherwise, over a period of time my spirituality reaches a standstill and although I am making an effort to fill myself I do not feel as content and fulfilled as before. This is because; the vessel with which I fill from the ocean can’t be refilled unless I am also prepared to keep emptying it. That doesn’t mean I have to drain myself spiritually.
It is just that each time I give or donate a quality from my inner ocean with a positive intention to someone; it flows from inside me and then gets transmitted to the other. Before the person experiences and benefits from the quality, I experience getting filled with it myself. Also, each time the person benefits from or even remembers the benefit in the future, he or she sends me positive energy, which, according to the Law of Karma fills me with the quality that I had donated, further. Sometimes a person might benefit or remember the benefit after 10-15 years or even more than that. Even after such a long time has elapsed, I keep receiving a return from the pure donation I have made, and keep getting filled, even if I am not specifically or consciously aware of the same.
Message of the day
To give food for the mind is to nourish it and make it healthy.
Expression: Just as nourishing food is required for the body, the mind too requires nourishment. Through out the day, the mind is receiving a lot of things which are not so positive or outright negative. So, it becomes necessary to give the mind something positive. We need to make an effort to look out for this positivity and allow our minds to dwell on it.
Experience: Today I will spend some time with something or someone good. I will either read something which will enhance the quality of my thoughts, or spend time with someone who will enable me to see things in a new light. This will help me maintain my positivity throughout the day.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Expression: Just as nourishing food is required for the body, the mind too requires nourishment. Through out the day, the mind is receiving a lot of things which are not so positive or outright negative. So, it becomes necessary to give the mind something positive. We need to make an effort to look out for this positivity and allow our minds to dwell on it.
Experience: Today I will spend some time with something or someone good. I will either read something which will enhance the quality of my thoughts, or spend time with someone who will enable me to see things in a new light. This will help me maintain my positivity throughout the day.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Thought of the day 19.07.2015
Resolving The Inner Identity Crisis (Part 1)
At the present moment in human history, almost every individual has lost the awareness of its real or true self. This has happened very gradually as each individual has progressed in its journey of birth-rebirth and has kept on attaching itself to various different things and as a result losing its sense of self in things that it is not i.e. identifying with things that it is not. In a way it can be said that this took the self far away from itself. This personal, internal identity crisis has led to a universal, external identity crisis, which has resulted in an emotional crisis resulting in peacelessness and sorrow in our inner world as well as in the outer world.
This inner identity crisis is the root cause of the multitude of deformed emotions that exist inside us like anger, ego, lust, fear, comparison with others, greed, hatred, low self esteem, dependencies etc. all of which have brought us and keep on bringing us pain. We explain this with an example – suppose you have just constructed a new apartment. While making it and once its ready and you are using it, you have become excessively attached to it i.e. you have started identifying with it. Due to this false identification, the first emotion that gets created inside you is ego. If someone were to criticize the apartment even slightly, you would react immediately with anger. You constantly fear any sort of harm to the apartment. You even compare it with apartments that others possess. You also start looking down at people whose apartment is not as good as yours i.e. you create emotions of hatred for them. If something negative were to happen it, it affects your mental state immediately i.e. your happiness has become dependent on the material possession. Your temporary success along with the recognition that it brings you from others leads to the desire of more success of a similar type i.e. possess some more things - bigger and better, which is nothing but greed etc. The seed of all these incorrect emotions is my over-identification with this newly acquired possession. All of these wouldn’t exist inside me, if my relationship with was one of detachment with it. In this way, we identify with various objects and people in the whole day, which leads to the creation of such emotions inside us.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
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