The 3 Cs
Let go of the habits of criticizing, comparing and complaining about others. (Even if it's only in your mind!)
Become free from the stress and distress these 3 Cs create.
Saturday, January 30, 2016
Soul Sustenance
Communication (Part 1)
A great deal of our communication is non-verbal and we rarely realize the effect that it has on others. Our tone of voice, our body language (particularly our eyes and face), our attitudes and our feelings, are constantly in communication with others, expressing anger, fear, love, trust, rejection - in fact, all our feelings and emotions. We cannot hide what we mean; we may do so for a while, but finally the truth emerges.
Communication is not just with others, but also with the self, with the Supreme Being and even nature. Being still, focused and open enables us to tune in to others so that we can respond in an appropriate and meaningful way, not simply in a mechanical way.
Here are some common reasons for blocks to communication:
Too many thoughts, and an overload of words and actions, results in us being unable to think clearly. We lose the essence of what is trying to be conveyed (transmitted) by the other.
Being lost in our own feelings or ideas.In such a state we do not listen attentively to others.
Remembering the past in a negative way. This does not allow us to tune in properly to our present and future. When we do not communicate properly with the needs of the present time, we loose opportunities.
(To be continued tomorrow….)
A great deal of our communication is non-verbal and we rarely realize the effect that it has on others. Our tone of voice, our body language (particularly our eyes and face), our attitudes and our feelings, are constantly in communication with others, expressing anger, fear, love, trust, rejection - in fact, all our feelings and emotions. We cannot hide what we mean; we may do so for a while, but finally the truth emerges.
Communication is not just with others, but also with the self, with the Supreme Being and even nature. Being still, focused and open enables us to tune in to others so that we can respond in an appropriate and meaningful way, not simply in a mechanical way.
Here are some common reasons for blocks to communication:
Too many thoughts, and an overload of words and actions, results in us being unable to think clearly. We lose the essence of what is trying to be conveyed (transmitted) by the other.
Being lost in our own feelings or ideas.In such a state we do not listen attentively to others.
Remembering the past in a negative way. This does not allow us to tune in properly to our present and future. When we do not communicate properly with the needs of the present time, we loose opportunities.
(To be continued tomorrow….)
Message of the day
To be egoless is to learn from people.
Thought to Ponder: Each and every person I come into contact with has something to teach me. When I work with ego, I become deprived of this learning. I am not able to see the positive in people. Nor do I have the humility to understand that there is a lot to learn and improve. Being egoless helps me continuously learn and progress.
Point to Practice: Today I will learn something from someone really close to me. I will take one point that I feel that I should imbibe from this person. I will consciously work on imbibing this point into my life.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought to Ponder: Each and every person I come into contact with has something to teach me. When I work with ego, I become deprived of this learning. I am not able to see the positive in people. Nor do I have the humility to understand that there is a lot to learn and improve. Being egoless helps me continuously learn and progress.
Point to Practice: Today I will learn something from someone really close to me. I will take one point that I feel that I should imbibe from this person. I will consciously work on imbibing this point into my life.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Friday, January 29, 2016
Thought of the day 29.01.2016
Point of Entry
Each of us has a special path into quiet space. One of us might pick up a musical instrument; another will go out for a walk in the woods or along the beach. Become aware of your personal entry into silence.
Soul Sustenance
Emotional Joy And Emotional Sorrow
We commonly become emotional, either in times of sorrow e.g. at being separated from a loved one, at experiencing failure in an external event, on hearing a negative news, etc. or in times of joy e.g. when our child or spouse or even pet performs a warm act, while watching a movie, etc. While we have always believed that it is absolutely normal or natural to become emotional and some of us even believe that it is good to let go of our emotions and crying once in a while makes us lighter and stronger; on a spiritual level, becoming emotional comes under the realm of dependencies and dependencies always weaken us. This is because when we become emotional, instead of influencing our self on our own, we allow something or someone outside our self to influence us. We bring that something or someone or some event outside our self, inside, in front of the eye of our mind, attach our self to it, and lose our self in it i.e. we let the image hijack our internal world in a way, as we become subservient to it. As a result our thoughts, feelings, emotions, words, actions are influenced in a big way by the image. This is a spiritual definition of becoming emotional. Passing on the remote control of my internal world to the outer world in this way is a sign of a not so strong internal self.
So what does one do instead? Instead of creating images of external events and people inside our minds and being influenced by them, we still watch these scenes, but instead of losing our self in them and taking from them, we contribute to them by giving them our internal energy, but at the same time make sure that while doing that, we are detached from them and not over-involved emotionally. Internal energy is given in the form of appreciation and love if it’s a positive scene and power, compassion and co-operation if it’s a negative scene, so as to help the scene to be corrected or resurrected. This is influencing instead of being influenced. This is a more empowering experience. In this way we regain the control over our inner world and rise above such emotional dependencies.
We commonly become emotional, either in times of sorrow e.g. at being separated from a loved one, at experiencing failure in an external event, on hearing a negative news, etc. or in times of joy e.g. when our child or spouse or even pet performs a warm act, while watching a movie, etc. While we have always believed that it is absolutely normal or natural to become emotional and some of us even believe that it is good to let go of our emotions and crying once in a while makes us lighter and stronger; on a spiritual level, becoming emotional comes under the realm of dependencies and dependencies always weaken us. This is because when we become emotional, instead of influencing our self on our own, we allow something or someone outside our self to influence us. We bring that something or someone or some event outside our self, inside, in front of the eye of our mind, attach our self to it, and lose our self in it i.e. we let the image hijack our internal world in a way, as we become subservient to it. As a result our thoughts, feelings, emotions, words, actions are influenced in a big way by the image. This is a spiritual definition of becoming emotional. Passing on the remote control of my internal world to the outer world in this way is a sign of a not so strong internal self.
So what does one do instead? Instead of creating images of external events and people inside our minds and being influenced by them, we still watch these scenes, but instead of losing our self in them and taking from them, we contribute to them by giving them our internal energy, but at the same time make sure that while doing that, we are detached from them and not over-involved emotionally. Internal energy is given in the form of appreciation and love if it’s a positive scene and power, compassion and co-operation if it’s a negative scene, so as to help the scene to be corrected or resurrected. This is influencing instead of being influenced. This is a more empowering experience. In this way we regain the control over our inner world and rise above such emotional dependencies.
Message of the day
To have desire for something good is to finish unnecessary deires.
Thought to Ponder: When there is a desire for something good and elevated, all other desires get merged in that one desire. I start seeing opportunities to fulfill that desire. Since it is a good desire, there is benefit for everyone involved, including me. For example, just one desire of achieving something good and beneficial makes me forget everything else and work towards that.
Point to Practice: Today I will create a thought of what I want to achieve. I will then work towards it. I will also remind myself of this from time to time, so that I do not forget it. This will ensure that all my energy flows into it. All other waste, then finishes.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought to Ponder: When there is a desire for something good and elevated, all other desires get merged in that one desire. I start seeing opportunities to fulfill that desire. Since it is a good desire, there is benefit for everyone involved, including me. For example, just one desire of achieving something good and beneficial makes me forget everything else and work towards that.
Point to Practice: Today I will create a thought of what I want to achieve. I will then work towards it. I will also remind myself of this from time to time, so that I do not forget it. This will ensure that all my energy flows into it. All other waste, then finishes.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought of the day 28.01.2016
Fresh Start
If through some error yesterday was lost in grief, don't lose today by keeping it in your memory.
Soul Sustenance
Virtues / Values / Qualities
Take one of the following virtues or values (qualities) per day and spend five minutes thinking about its meaning and its application during the day.
Harmony (Unity)
Forgiveness
Trust
Flexibility
Courage
Gentleness
Freedom
Understanding
Benevolence (Kindness)
Patience
Enthusiasm
Tolerance
Serenity (Peacefulness)
Co-operation
Generosity
Humility (Egolessness)
Message of the day
The beauty of interactions lies in an exchange of virtues.
Thought to Ponder: Every interaction is an opportunity to exchange virtues. The more we have this understanding and aim; we will be able to give an experience of virtues through our mind. We will also be able to give an inspiration of virtues through our deeds. For having expressed and experienced virtues, we too will be benefited. We would get a lot of good wishes, blessings and virtues from others too.
Point to Practice: Today I will give an experience of one virtue to at least 3 people. I will use the interactions with them as an excuse to use and express my qualities. The more I do this, the more I find my interactions becoming harmonious and beautiful.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought of the day 27.01.2016
The Gift
Give everyone a gift. Through your mind give the gift of powerful thoughts, through your words give the gift of wisdom and through your actions give the gift of virtues. For this, pay attention that at every moment you can access your personal stock of powerful thoughts, wisdom and virtues.
Soul Sustenance
Radiating The Right Energy (Part 3)
The beautiful aspect of each one of our lives is that we all know what is good and what is bad, what is right and what is wrong but when it comes to implementing that in actual action, we find it difficult. What stops us from living according to what we know is lack of spiritual power, which is hidden inside us. So whenever you are about to perform an action, think twice whether you should perform the action or not. The same applies to your thoughts and words also. Don’t perform the action without thinking about the result of the action. After all, everything you do will come back to you one day, whether negative or positive. Also, remember that we not only send out energy to others, but we also receive energy from others. Here we are not talking about physical energy, but the non-physical energy which our mind radiates. The energy that we receive from others is largely dependent on what we have sent to others over many births and it keeps getting accumulated. All the energy, whether positive or negative, which we have radiated to others, does not come back to us at one time. It can take many years, even many births of our birth-rebirth cycle. Karma keeps getting accumulated and keeps coming back and there is no end to this invisible process. Creating positive or negativekarma is in our hands.
The beautiful thing about life though is that we get a chance from God at the end of the world time cycle, to improve our karma, based on the understanding that He gives us. And this change in destiny that we experience goes with us in the complete cycle after that. It’s not that we cannot improve our destiny during the world cycle. But the knowledge to create positive karma is given by God once and this knowledge has immense power that it can destroy all our negative karmas of the past and also help us create positive karma for the future. And that time in the world cycle is now, when the Golden Age of complete happiness is being established by God. In the Golden Age everyone enjoys a positive destiny based on the good karmas performed now when God is amongst us and is giving us the knowledge of good and bad karma.
The beautiful aspect of each one of our lives is that we all know what is good and what is bad, what is right and what is wrong but when it comes to implementing that in actual action, we find it difficult. What stops us from living according to what we know is lack of spiritual power, which is hidden inside us. So whenever you are about to perform an action, think twice whether you should perform the action or not. The same applies to your thoughts and words also. Don’t perform the action without thinking about the result of the action. After all, everything you do will come back to you one day, whether negative or positive. Also, remember that we not only send out energy to others, but we also receive energy from others. Here we are not talking about physical energy, but the non-physical energy which our mind radiates. The energy that we receive from others is largely dependent on what we have sent to others over many births and it keeps getting accumulated. All the energy, whether positive or negative, which we have radiated to others, does not come back to us at one time. It can take many years, even many births of our birth-rebirth cycle. Karma keeps getting accumulated and keeps coming back and there is no end to this invisible process. Creating positive or negativekarma is in our hands.
The beautiful thing about life though is that we get a chance from God at the end of the world time cycle, to improve our karma, based on the understanding that He gives us. And this change in destiny that we experience goes with us in the complete cycle after that. It’s not that we cannot improve our destiny during the world cycle. But the knowledge to create positive karma is given by God once and this knowledge has immense power that it can destroy all our negative karmas of the past and also help us create positive karma for the future. And that time in the world cycle is now, when the Golden Age of complete happiness is being established by God. In the Golden Age everyone enjoys a positive destiny based on the good karmas performed now when God is amongst us and is giving us the knowledge of good and bad karma.
Message of the day
When promise is combined with determination, there is transformation.
Thought to Ponder: When there is a desire for transformation, we make promises. But such promises are usually momentary are forgotten as time goes by. But when the promise is combined with determination, we are able to remind ourselves again and again of the promise made. We need to ensure promises are not forgotten. Only then will there be transformation.
Point to Practice: Today I will take up something that I want to change in myself. I will keep reminding of this again and again. And I will not give up till I achieve it. For this to happen, I will also make a checklist that will remind me of this change that I have promised to myself.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought to Ponder: When there is a desire for transformation, we make promises. But such promises are usually momentary are forgotten as time goes by. But when the promise is combined with determination, we are able to remind ourselves again and again of the promise made. We need to ensure promises are not forgotten. Only then will there be transformation.
Point to Practice: Today I will take up something that I want to change in myself. I will keep reminding of this again and again. And I will not give up till I achieve it. For this to happen, I will also make a checklist that will remind me of this change that I have promised to myself.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Thought of the day 26.01.2016
The Secret of Happiness
The secret of happiness is to be free of fear. Fear is like a toxin that runs through much of our thinking. It feeds on insecurity, feeling of loss, loneliness, inadequacy and attachment.
You are loveable and loving. Accept this as Truth. Appreciate and care for yourself - truly, deeply, intensely, in a way that reflects your real value. Then you will automatically have the same regards for all other living beings and things.
Soul Sustenance
Radiating The Right Energy (Part 2)
Whenever we perform an action, we carry an intention, which is behind the action. This intention as well as the action itself decides what the result of the action will be. E.g. You are on a train journey and you meet five different people on the journey and with everyone you have a different experience. It’s like we pass positive or negative energy to them and they take the energy with them even after the journey is over. In the same way, we come across different people in all our lives in different births. Some people we spend more time with and some people we just meet for a few minutes and after that we don’t even see them. All of them receive a certain quality of energy from us which gets stored in their consciousness. Even if they change physical bodies they do not forget what they have received from you on a sub-conscious level and at some point of time they will return what you have given them. This is the law ofkarma which applies to all our births.
No one can run away from this law and it does not require God’s intervention also. God is a silent spectator to this law. But what He does do is teach us how to live life and perform good actions and it is upto us as to how much we follow what He teaches. A basic and fundamental principle of what God teaches is that we are all souls and our original qualities are of peace, love, happiness, purity and power. All actions performed in the consciousness of the soul and by being full of these original qualities are positive actions. On the other hand, negative actions are actions performed in the consciousness of the body and under the influence of the many vices and weaknesses that arise out of body consciousness like anger, ego, lust, greed and attachment.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
Whenever we perform an action, we carry an intention, which is behind the action. This intention as well as the action itself decides what the result of the action will be. E.g. You are on a train journey and you meet five different people on the journey and with everyone you have a different experience. It’s like we pass positive or negative energy to them and they take the energy with them even after the journey is over. In the same way, we come across different people in all our lives in different births. Some people we spend more time with and some people we just meet for a few minutes and after that we don’t even see them. All of them receive a certain quality of energy from us which gets stored in their consciousness. Even if they change physical bodies they do not forget what they have received from you on a sub-conscious level and at some point of time they will return what you have given them. This is the law ofkarma which applies to all our births.
No one can run away from this law and it does not require God’s intervention also. God is a silent spectator to this law. But what He does do is teach us how to live life and perform good actions and it is upto us as to how much we follow what He teaches. A basic and fundamental principle of what God teaches is that we are all souls and our original qualities are of peace, love, happiness, purity and power. All actions performed in the consciousness of the soul and by being full of these original qualities are positive actions. On the other hand, negative actions are actions performed in the consciousness of the body and under the influence of the many vices and weaknesses that arise out of body consciousness like anger, ego, lust, greed and attachment.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
Message of the day
To be a light house is to show others the right path.
Thought to Ponder: A light house is one which is stable even in the worst storm. When I am able to have this quality of stability, I will be able to show others the right path in all kinds of circumstances. The negativity of the situation may trouble or affect others, but I continue to provide the right direction to all.
Point to Practice: Today I will give hope to someone who is hopeless. I will provide support, direction or encouragement to help this person move forward. I will also ensure that I am moving forward too, learning from all situations.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought to Ponder: A light house is one which is stable even in the worst storm. When I am able to have this quality of stability, I will be able to show others the right path in all kinds of circumstances. The negativity of the situation may trouble or affect others, but I continue to provide the right direction to all.
Point to Practice: Today I will give hope to someone who is hopeless. I will provide support, direction or encouragement to help this person move forward. I will also ensure that I am moving forward too, learning from all situations.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought of the day 25.01.2016
Life in the Ocean
Our life is like an ocean.
Can any ocean exist without waves?
There are big waves, medium waves and small waves. Situations are the waves that come into our life.
Some waves come to carry things deep into the ocean, other waves toss things out.
What do you choose to take from situations
and what do you toss out?
Can any ocean exist without waves?
There are big waves, medium waves and small waves. Situations are the waves that come into our life.
Some waves come to carry things deep into the ocean, other waves toss things out.
What do you choose to take from situations
and what do you toss out?
How do you handle others' success?
Do you justify others' success with some trivial reason and so, easily dismiss them to feel better about yourself?
Do you justify others' success with some trivial reason and so, easily dismiss them to feel better about yourself?
Soul Sustenance
Radiating The Right Energy (Part 1)
A very important feature of our life is building a strong relationship with God, in such a way so as to be able to live our life complete with trust and understanding and without any doubts in the help that God is ready to give us. God is awake every moment of our complete 24 hour day ready to provide us protection and care. All we need to do is remain connected with Him on a subtle level and never leave His protection of love and power. The moment we lack trust in God, God also distances himself from us and becomes unavailable to us. So it is upto us to reach out to God in a natural way throughout the day by talking to Him and keeping Him in a powerful bond with us and not letting Him go away at any moment. Although God can help us even if we do not keep Him with us in every action of the day, but this is not how God works and this is not His personality. He is the one Father and we are all His children and if He wants He can be with each one of us at one time. But the law of the world and its Father (God) is that if I remember Him, He offers help in return.
That does not mean God is not unconditional but we have to understand that God is our parent and for a parent, all children are equal but He also observes their actions and how much are they like His actions and then offers His help. This is the reason why so many souls in the world are in pain today and yet God is not always helping them or removing the sorrow from their life. A beggar on the street is also God’s child, but he is in sorrow. So can’t God send someone for his help and bring lots of money to the beggar, so that he could live life in happiness. Why does the beggar continue to be in sorrow? Because he has performed some negative actions in this or a previous life and as a result of the actions, today he is in sorrow. But if in the present, he remembered God a lot and continued to perform good actions, slowly over a period of time, God would help him and he would overcome the sorrow in his life. Also, by remembering God and performing positive actions, the influence of his past actions on his present would be reduced, so as to bring a positive change of events on his life which would make him happier. This is true for all of us.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
A very important feature of our life is building a strong relationship with God, in such a way so as to be able to live our life complete with trust and understanding and without any doubts in the help that God is ready to give us. God is awake every moment of our complete 24 hour day ready to provide us protection and care. All we need to do is remain connected with Him on a subtle level and never leave His protection of love and power. The moment we lack trust in God, God also distances himself from us and becomes unavailable to us. So it is upto us to reach out to God in a natural way throughout the day by talking to Him and keeping Him in a powerful bond with us and not letting Him go away at any moment. Although God can help us even if we do not keep Him with us in every action of the day, but this is not how God works and this is not His personality. He is the one Father and we are all His children and if He wants He can be with each one of us at one time. But the law of the world and its Father (God) is that if I remember Him, He offers help in return.
That does not mean God is not unconditional but we have to understand that God is our parent and for a parent, all children are equal but He also observes their actions and how much are they like His actions and then offers His help. This is the reason why so many souls in the world are in pain today and yet God is not always helping them or removing the sorrow from their life. A beggar on the street is also God’s child, but he is in sorrow. So can’t God send someone for his help and bring lots of money to the beggar, so that he could live life in happiness. Why does the beggar continue to be in sorrow? Because he has performed some negative actions in this or a previous life and as a result of the actions, today he is in sorrow. But if in the present, he remembered God a lot and continued to perform good actions, slowly over a period of time, God would help him and he would overcome the sorrow in his life. Also, by remembering God and performing positive actions, the influence of his past actions on his present would be reduced, so as to bring a positive change of events on his life which would make him happier. This is true for all of us.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
Message of the day
To be full of all powers is to be giving according to need.
Thought to Ponder: If I do not have all powers or if I am not able to recognise the need, I cannot provide what is needed. If I give even variety food to someone who is thirsty, he will not be satisfied. In the same way, I need to understand what power or virtue the other person needs and give accordingly. It is not what I think he needs but I need to understand and recognise what he really needs.
Point to Practice: Today I will give one person a quality, virtue or power that he needs. I will pay attention not to judge or have negative thoughts. Instead, I will give. This practice will help me give instead of just expecting.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought to Ponder: If I do not have all powers or if I am not able to recognise the need, I cannot provide what is needed. If I give even variety food to someone who is thirsty, he will not be satisfied. In the same way, I need to understand what power or virtue the other person needs and give accordingly. It is not what I think he needs but I need to understand and recognise what he really needs.
Point to Practice: Today I will give one person a quality, virtue or power that he needs. I will pay attention not to judge or have negative thoughts. Instead, I will give. This practice will help me give instead of just expecting.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Sunday, January 24, 2016
Thought of the day 24.01.2016
Inner Place of Silence
There is a part of you that is perfect and pure. It is untouched by the less than perfect characteristics you've acquired by living in a less than perfect world. It is filled with divine qualities, so is in a constant state of resourcefulness and well-being. Its total absence of conflict and negativity of any sort makes this part of you a Still-Point...a deep, enriching experience of Silence. Make time to practice reaching this inner place of Silence. It will bring you untold benefit
Soul Sustenance
Keeping The Watchman Of AttentionAlert
All the religions and spiritual groups place a lot of importance on the virtue ofdiscipline. Without discipline you do not manage to transform negative habits and you do not create a new state of awareness where the self is nourished through the experience of spirituality. Every day you eat, you brush your teeth, bathe, drink water and breathe, and all of this you do not consider a discipline; you have adopted them as something natural in order for your body to continue working. On a spiritual level you also need to nourish yourself and to have a discipline that, with practice, a time comes when it becomes natural because you incorporate it into your life.In the process of change you need to discipline yourself in order not to let old habits come to the forefront. Until you have burnt them and they have died, you should keep the watchman of attentionalert in order to maintain your self-control, given that each time you use a negative habit in action, you strengthen it. When you do not use it, you allow it to die.
The path of the spiritual traveler is therefore one of waking (awareness of self as soul) and sleeping (under the illusion that we are our body), waking and sleeping. We tend to fluctuate between the two (like dawn and dusk) until we find stability in soul-consciousness. This is why it is important to awaken and stay awake, and why it's important to give our mind and intellect good spiritual food (knowledge) and exercise (meditation)every day to keep them fresh and alert. Being conscious of the soul, acting from that consciousness, the scars (habits and tendencies) left by past actions based on illusions of bodily awareness are healed. Discipline is necessary for growth and personal transformation if you want to obtain satisfying and permanent results. If not, the old habits continue to rule in your life. The evidence that our discipline in the practice of meditation is working is mental lightness and an increasing easiness in our interactions with others.
All the religions and spiritual groups place a lot of importance on the virtue ofdiscipline. Without discipline you do not manage to transform negative habits and you do not create a new state of awareness where the self is nourished through the experience of spirituality. Every day you eat, you brush your teeth, bathe, drink water and breathe, and all of this you do not consider a discipline; you have adopted them as something natural in order for your body to continue working. On a spiritual level you also need to nourish yourself and to have a discipline that, with practice, a time comes when it becomes natural because you incorporate it into your life.In the process of change you need to discipline yourself in order not to let old habits come to the forefront. Until you have burnt them and they have died, you should keep the watchman of attentionalert in order to maintain your self-control, given that each time you use a negative habit in action, you strengthen it. When you do not use it, you allow it to die.
The path of the spiritual traveler is therefore one of waking (awareness of self as soul) and sleeping (under the illusion that we are our body), waking and sleeping. We tend to fluctuate between the two (like dawn and dusk) until we find stability in soul-consciousness. This is why it is important to awaken and stay awake, and why it's important to give our mind and intellect good spiritual food (knowledge) and exercise (meditation)every day to keep them fresh and alert. Being conscious of the soul, acting from that consciousness, the scars (habits and tendencies) left by past actions based on illusions of bodily awareness are healed. Discipline is necessary for growth and personal transformation if you want to obtain satisfying and permanent results. If not, the old habits continue to rule in your life. The evidence that our discipline in the practice of meditation is working is mental lightness and an increasing easiness in our interactions with others.
Message of the day
The art of giving happiness lies in being happy.
Thought to Ponder: If I am not happy with something or someone and I am not able to resolve it, I will not be able to give happiness to others too. If I am bringing about a change in myself for someone and am not happy about it, I will not be able to make a difference. Whatever I do for others, I need to do it with happiness.
Point to Practice: Today I will make a small change in myself or my life style for giving happiness to someone important in my life. This could be something that they have always been expecting, but it need not be anything big. But, while I am making this change, I need to first ensure I am not bothered or am not feeling heavy about it. When I do it with love, it will give me power and positivity.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought to Ponder: If I am not happy with something or someone and I am not able to resolve it, I will not be able to give happiness to others too. If I am bringing about a change in myself for someone and am not happy about it, I will not be able to make a difference. Whatever I do for others, I need to do it with happiness.
Point to Practice: Today I will make a small change in myself or my life style for giving happiness to someone important in my life. This could be something that they have always been expecting, but it need not be anything big. But, while I am making this change, I need to first ensure I am not bothered or am not feeling heavy about it. When I do it with love, it will give me power and positivity.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Saturday, January 23, 2016
Thought of the day 23.01.2016
Energy
If you speak badly of others, the negative energy that you put out into the universe, will return to you. The same is true of positive energy
Soul Sustenance
Living With A Purpose
How can we define heaven? Heaven could simply be described as the place to experience peace, joy and happiness.So, what is our heaven in our practical life? How can we experience it? Fulfilling our dream or true purpose or experiencing it being fulfilled is our heaven. Living out our dream and purpose is to live in our personal space of heaven here and right now.
If everything that we do during the day and in life is directed at fulfilling ourpurpose - our reason for being, for existing and for living - we will be much happier in everything we do, because everything will be channeled or focused towards what we really want. On the other hand, if we do a little bit of everything, but without knowing where we are going or what our true destination is, we will be like a ship that has lost its way in the ocean. The ship’s crew steers the ship – it now goes towards the left, now to the right, goes backwards, then forwards towards the north, towards the south and in the end stays in the same place and gets nowhere, although it’s crew is busy or is working all the time. The crew lets itself be carried by the currents, the tides, the waves in the ocean and the winds above the ocean. It has lost its bearings and doesn't know how to be guided by the stars, which would show the crew the right way. In our case, the stars being our intuition. Without our life’s course dictated by a true purpose, we let our consciousness asleep and don't listen to our intuition, which will reveal to us our purpose.
How can we define heaven? Heaven could simply be described as the place to experience peace, joy and happiness.So, what is our heaven in our practical life? How can we experience it? Fulfilling our dream or true purpose or experiencing it being fulfilled is our heaven. Living out our dream and purpose is to live in our personal space of heaven here and right now.
If everything that we do during the day and in life is directed at fulfilling ourpurpose - our reason for being, for existing and for living - we will be much happier in everything we do, because everything will be channeled or focused towards what we really want. On the other hand, if we do a little bit of everything, but without knowing where we are going or what our true destination is, we will be like a ship that has lost its way in the ocean. The ship’s crew steers the ship – it now goes towards the left, now to the right, goes backwards, then forwards towards the north, towards the south and in the end stays in the same place and gets nowhere, although it’s crew is busy or is working all the time. The crew lets itself be carried by the currents, the tides, the waves in the ocean and the winds above the ocean. It has lost its bearings and doesn't know how to be guided by the stars, which would show the crew the right way. In our case, the stars being our intuition. Without our life’s course dictated by a true purpose, we let our consciousness asleep and don't listen to our intuition, which will reveal to us our purpose.
Message of the day
As is our attitude towards others, so is the quality of interactions.
Thought to Ponder: Our attitude towards others influences our interaction with them. A negative attitude towards another person not only makes me behave negatively. It also makes the other person use that quality again and again when in interaction with us. We actually become a reminder to the other person about his own negativity. For example, if I continue to believe that some one is lazy and we keep expressing that, that person will only remember their laziness when they see us, and use it too.
Point to Practice: Today I will remind one person of some quality that I see in him. I will praise or use this quality of the person at least 3 times. Thus, I will be able to become a reminder for them, of their own specialty. This will encourage them to use this quality at least when they are interacting with us.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought to Ponder: Our attitude towards others influences our interaction with them. A negative attitude towards another person not only makes me behave negatively. It also makes the other person use that quality again and again when in interaction with us. We actually become a reminder to the other person about his own negativity. For example, if I continue to believe that some one is lazy and we keep expressing that, that person will only remember their laziness when they see us, and use it too.
Point to Practice: Today I will remind one person of some quality that I see in him. I will praise or use this quality of the person at least 3 times. Thus, I will be able to become a reminder for them, of their own specialty. This will encourage them to use this quality at least when they are interacting with us.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought of the day 22.01.2016
Name & Fame
Mistakes, Failures & Rejections
are the part of progress & growth.
Nobody ever achieved anything worthwhile
without facing these three things.
Soul Sustenance
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.
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.
Message of the day
The biggest help for the self is to forgive.
Thought to Ponder: When I carry negative experiences, I am not able help myself be light, easy and natural. There is a feeling of bondage and discomfort. But, when I learn the art of forgiveness, I am able to free myself from this bondage. I experience inner freedom and lightness and I am able to make the right judgement too, in future interactions.
Point to Practice: Today I will forgive someone whom I was not able to forgive all this while. I will not forgive because he needs forgiveness, but because I want to be free. Forgiveness is possible when I understand that everyone has a unique role to play on this world stage. I cannot expect another person to act or behave or think like me, because his role is different and unique.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought to Ponder: When I carry negative experiences, I am not able help myself be light, easy and natural. There is a feeling of bondage and discomfort. But, when I learn the art of forgiveness, I am able to free myself from this bondage. I experience inner freedom and lightness and I am able to make the right judgement too, in future interactions.
Point to Practice: Today I will forgive someone whom I was not able to forgive all this while. I will not forgive because he needs forgiveness, but because I want to be free. Forgiveness is possible when I understand that everyone has a unique role to play on this world stage. I cannot expect another person to act or behave or think like me, because his role is different and unique.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Thought of the day 21. 01.2016
See Light
We decrease the darkness in others when we see their brightness. Each of us is filled with weaknesses and flaws, however I can choose to see the light in everyone. When I make this my practice it helps others experience their own light. Today let me decrease the darkness in the world by
seeing light.
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Thought of the day 20.01.2016
Spiritual Development
Although the path of spiritual development is a private and
personal inner affair, its purpose is to transform me so I
live and work in complete harmony with others – the family
of humanity. Today let me balance a fast personal speed of
transformation with the patience and tolerance to walk with
personal inner affair, its purpose is to transform me so I
live and work in complete harmony with others – the family
of humanity. Today let me balance a fast personal speed of
transformation with the patience and tolerance to walk with
others while transforming.
Soul Sustenance
Qualities, Virtues And Powers
Innate or basic characteristics are properties that are unchangeable. It's impossible to take the heat out of the sun or sweetness out of sugar. Heat and sweetness are part of the unchanging make-up of the sun and sugar respectively; they are the basic properties of each of them. In the same way, in spite of whatever I have become as a human individual, my deep basic characteristics are still the same ones that have always existed in me. It's my inner core of qualities that in fact inspires me to seek the ideal in whatever I do. The impulse to seek and to dream comes from my own store of innate attributes that is just waiting to be found and brought into practical activity.
The innate qualities of the soul are those that are the most basic: Peace, Truth, Happiness, Love, Purity, Power and Bliss. They are so basic that they themselves are the foundation of all virtues and powers. They are like primary colors and virtues and powers are secondary colors. Just as orange (a secondary color) is made of red and yellow (both primary colors) and blue is made of yellow and green, virtues such as patience, tolerance, courage, generosity etc. and powers, are obtained by mixing the basic qualities e.g.
Patience - peace, love and, power
Humility – love, peace and truth
Courage - power and truth
The aim of meditation is to emerge and enhance my qualities so that my behavior becomes full of virtues andpowers.
Innate or basic characteristics are properties that are unchangeable. It's impossible to take the heat out of the sun or sweetness out of sugar. Heat and sweetness are part of the unchanging make-up of the sun and sugar respectively; they are the basic properties of each of them. In the same way, in spite of whatever I have become as a human individual, my deep basic characteristics are still the same ones that have always existed in me. It's my inner core of qualities that in fact inspires me to seek the ideal in whatever I do. The impulse to seek and to dream comes from my own store of innate attributes that is just waiting to be found and brought into practical activity.
The innate qualities of the soul are those that are the most basic: Peace, Truth, Happiness, Love, Purity, Power and Bliss. They are so basic that they themselves are the foundation of all virtues and powers. They are like primary colors and virtues and powers are secondary colors. Just as orange (a secondary color) is made of red and yellow (both primary colors) and blue is made of yellow and green, virtues such as patience, tolerance, courage, generosity etc. and powers, are obtained by mixing the basic qualities e.g.
Patience - peace, love and, power
Humility – love, peace and truth
Courage - power and truth
The aim of meditation is to emerge and enhance my qualities so that my behavior becomes full of virtues andpowers.
Message of the day
True cooperation is to have good wishes for even the one who harms.
Thought to Ponder: Everyone needs the cooperation of good wishes to overcome their weaknesses. Good wishes makes them realise their own true worth and empower them to bring about a change. So, even for the one who harms, I need to have a feeling of mercy and good wishes and not hatred. This will help them at every step. Point to Practice: Today I will think of one person who has not been good to me. I will work on my thoughts in such a way that I will have good wishes for this person. I will do something to have a thought of good wish for this person. The little help that I offer in this way, will return back to me too in the form of good wishes and blessings. In Spiritual Service, Brahma Kumaris |
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Thought of the day 19.01.2016
Art of Spiritual Intelligence
Think before you think. Each thought is the energy of my being. As I have thoughts, I am spending myself. To ensure that I spend myself well, I can think carefully about what I will think. To notice what I am thinking and to choose the thoughts I will invest in, is the art of spiritual intelligence. Today let me choose only high quality thoughts.
Soul Sustenance
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.
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.
Message of the day
Correction is to correct what is wrong and not to correct who is wrong.
Thought to Ponder: I need to correct the mistake and not the person. When I am caught up with correcting the person, there are a lot of negative feelings. Also, no one has the power or the patience to listen to corrections. But, when I am focused on correcting the mistakes, I use others' qualities and my own qualities to better the situation. So, there are positive feelings and emotions.
Point to Practice: Today I will see what I can do to change a situation when something goes wrong. I will not worry about who was wrong, but try and focus my energies on what could be done to better the situation. Thus, I will be able to contribute in the right way.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought to Ponder: I need to correct the mistake and not the person. When I am caught up with correcting the person, there are a lot of negative feelings. Also, no one has the power or the patience to listen to corrections. But, when I am focused on correcting the mistakes, I use others' qualities and my own qualities to better the situation. So, there are positive feelings and emotions.
Point to Practice: Today I will see what I can do to change a situation when something goes wrong. I will not worry about who was wrong, but try and focus my energies on what could be done to better the situation. Thus, I will be able to contribute in the right way.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Monday, January 18, 2016
Thought of the day 18.01.2016
Weathering Storms
Storms don’t leave a mark on the ocean. Although situations may arise, when I hold a consciousness as vast as the ocean they leave no mark on me. When I immerse myself in the ocean of peace and love everyday through meditation I grow my inner capacity to weather storms. They come but they no longer drown me. Today let me sit in silence and experience an inner ocean of peace.
Soul Sustenance
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, 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 …)
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 …)
Message of the day
To admire is to imbibe their qualities.
Thought to Ponder: It is easy to admire someone. But, when I admire I also need to understand what makes the person so great. What are the qualities that he has in his life, or what qualities he has developed during the journey of his life. I need to make an effort to imbibe these qualities.
Point to Practice: Today I will think of one person whom I admire and see what I can learn from his life. I will then focus on imbibing at least one quality from him, into my own life. This will be the real tribute I pay to the person whom I admire.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought to Ponder: It is easy to admire someone. But, when I admire I also need to understand what makes the person so great. What are the qualities that he has in his life, or what qualities he has developed during the journey of his life. I need to make an effort to imbibe these qualities.
Point to Practice: Today I will think of one person whom I admire and see what I can learn from his life. I will then focus on imbibing at least one quality from him, into my own life. This will be the real tribute I pay to the person whom I admire.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Sunday, January 17, 2016
Thought of the day 17.01.2016
Want Not
Next time you are waiting for anything, notice what you are wanting! This will be a source of your tension or impatience. All desire has fear built in - fear of not getting or losing, even before your desire is fulfilled. If you want to be free of fear in life, which is another way of saying if you want to be free of stress, the secret is to want nothing, and then magic happens, for lo and behold, all that you need and more, arrives in your life, at the right time, in the right way. Not what they told us in kindergarten was it?
Soul Sustenance
A Beautiful Vision Of Love (Part 3)
A beautiful vision of love is for me to practice the whole day with everyone I meet. Loving each one with a pure attitude and consciousness is a way of experiencing this vision. When you look at each one inculcate the habit of seeing the spiritual being, the soul, at the centre of the forehead and not the physical form, which will remind you of the many weaknesses that the other person has. Remember looking at the body reminds you of many negativekarmas or actions and other negative events related to the other person. So be aware of the other person’s physical personality and looks and the way they dress up when you come into contact with the other person but remember that the other person is a being of spiritual light or a soul first and a physical form later. Look at the beauty of the soul first and then come into contact with the other person as a human costume or body. This does not mean you are not aware of the other person’s nature, their specialties and their skills of any type and how they look and what role they play with the physical body and also what their educational qualification is. Be aware of all the physical characteristics and appreciate them a lot also. But don’t forget all that they are on a physical level is because they are a spiritual being or soul which has performed good or bad actions in their previous lives because of which they have got everything on a physical level, whether positive or negative.
A pure vision of love means not getting attracted to the physical form of the other person, which is God’s vision. The ones who are completely in love with God find it very easy to have such a vision, where there is no lust in their eyes when they come in contact with the opposite gender. Such a vision is the original vision of devi devtas or deities who are none other than our original births as we came into this world from the soul world, the same devi devtas or deities who are liked so much in the world and given a status as high as God.
A beautiful vision of love is for me to practice the whole day with everyone I meet. Loving each one with a pure attitude and consciousness is a way of experiencing this vision. When you look at each one inculcate the habit of seeing the spiritual being, the soul, at the centre of the forehead and not the physical form, which will remind you of the many weaknesses that the other person has. Remember looking at the body reminds you of many negativekarmas or actions and other negative events related to the other person. So be aware of the other person’s physical personality and looks and the way they dress up when you come into contact with the other person but remember that the other person is a being of spiritual light or a soul first and a physical form later. Look at the beauty of the soul first and then come into contact with the other person as a human costume or body. This does not mean you are not aware of the other person’s nature, their specialties and their skills of any type and how they look and what role they play with the physical body and also what their educational qualification is. Be aware of all the physical characteristics and appreciate them a lot also. But don’t forget all that they are on a physical level is because they are a spiritual being or soul which has performed good or bad actions in their previous lives because of which they have got everything on a physical level, whether positive or negative.
A pure vision of love means not getting attracted to the physical form of the other person, which is God’s vision. The ones who are completely in love with God find it very easy to have such a vision, where there is no lust in their eyes when they come in contact with the opposite gender. Such a vision is the original vision of devi devtas or deities who are none other than our original births as we came into this world from the soul world, the same devi devtas or deities who are liked so much in the world and given a status as high as God.
Message of the day
To be disciplined is to get the cooperation of all.
Thought to Ponder: When I am disciplined and use my time and energy well towards an aim, I find that people cooperate too. If I am not consistently disciplined, people too move me away from my aim. If I want cooperation from others for anything, I need to first focus on setting myself on track in the right way.
Point to Practice: Today I will check and see if I am using all my resources in the right way. I will first set my routine right. I will ensure that I am doing all that I have to do, in a disciplined way. This will help me get the cooperation of others too, as they would have respect for me and my routine.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought to Ponder: When I am disciplined and use my time and energy well towards an aim, I find that people cooperate too. If I am not consistently disciplined, people too move me away from my aim. If I want cooperation from others for anything, I need to first focus on setting myself on track in the right way.
Point to Practice: Today I will check and see if I am using all my resources in the right way. I will first set my routine right. I will ensure that I am doing all that I have to do, in a disciplined way. This will help me get the cooperation of others too, as they would have respect for me and my routine.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Saturday, January 16, 2016
Thought of the day 16.01.2016
Self-Mastery
Within each one of us there is a master of the universe. Not the universe out there but the inner universe of our thoughts and feelings, attitudes and actions. Most people realise too late what awaits within and how valuable it is. For too long we allow ourselves to be distracted and bewitched by all that is happening outside. To be the master of your inner world is to be the master of your own destiny. Are you going to be the master or a slave?
Soul Sustenance
A Beautiful Vision Of Love (Part 2)
Whenever you meet someone for the first time, make it a point to see atleast one characteristic in the person which you think is unique and different from others. Then begin to see that person regularly through the vision of this specialty which we commonly call perception. This type of vision will travel to the other person through your pure energy of goodwill and the other person will respond to this type of attitude with a positive vision themselves. Never say this person has no specialty or this person is ordinary because everyone is gifted with some specialty which sometimes we do not notice or do not realize because we tend to look at the weaknesses instead. This is our natural habit whereby we very easily slip into the habit of first seeing the weakness and then seeing the specialty in any particular person.
Have you ever wondered how does God look at each one of us? Does He see our weaknesses first and then our strengths? No, He will always look for the good in each one of us and will give us a lot of love because we are special and also see us with a vision of love. God is an Ocean of Mercy because of which He forgives us if we have made any mistake and instead will remember what is special inside us and praise us. Why is God able to forget the mistake or the weakness and not us? Why is He able to move His vision from the negative to the positive so easily and not us? We tend to move our vision from the positive to the negative as soon as someone says or does something negative to us. Before we decide what is right and what is wrong, we are judgmental and label the person based on the negative we have come across in them. This is because of a vision based on physical love for others which sees weaknesses as well as strengths, whereas God has a vision of spiritual love which sees the positive and is able to avoid or not see the negative.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
Whenever you meet someone for the first time, make it a point to see atleast one characteristic in the person which you think is unique and different from others. Then begin to see that person regularly through the vision of this specialty which we commonly call perception. This type of vision will travel to the other person through your pure energy of goodwill and the other person will respond to this type of attitude with a positive vision themselves. Never say this person has no specialty or this person is ordinary because everyone is gifted with some specialty which sometimes we do not notice or do not realize because we tend to look at the weaknesses instead. This is our natural habit whereby we very easily slip into the habit of first seeing the weakness and then seeing the specialty in any particular person.
Have you ever wondered how does God look at each one of us? Does He see our weaknesses first and then our strengths? No, He will always look for the good in each one of us and will give us a lot of love because we are special and also see us with a vision of love. God is an Ocean of Mercy because of which He forgives us if we have made any mistake and instead will remember what is special inside us and praise us. Why is God able to forget the mistake or the weakness and not us? Why is He able to move His vision from the negative to the positive so easily and not us? We tend to move our vision from the positive to the negative as soon as someone says or does something negative to us. Before we decide what is right and what is wrong, we are judgmental and label the person based on the negative we have come across in them. This is because of a vision based on physical love for others which sees weaknesses as well as strengths, whereas God has a vision of spiritual love which sees the positive and is able to avoid or not see the negative.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
Massage of the day
To order whilst being seated on the seat is to ensure obedience.
Thought to Ponder: Before I expect obedience from others, I need to check if my own mind and sense organs are obedient. For this, I need to be seated on the seat of my own self-respect (of the qualities I have). Thus seated, like a king, when I order, I find that orders are obeyed.
Point to Practice: Today I will practice a point of self-respect. I will recognise and appreciate one quality in myself. I will remind myself of this quality, from time to time, through out the day. If I find my mind wandering or my sense organs disobedient, I will give orders with the same consciousness of self-respect. Then, I will find positive results.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought to Ponder: Before I expect obedience from others, I need to check if my own mind and sense organs are obedient. For this, I need to be seated on the seat of my own self-respect (of the qualities I have). Thus seated, like a king, when I order, I find that orders are obeyed.
Point to Practice: Today I will practice a point of self-respect. I will recognise and appreciate one quality in myself. I will remind myself of this quality, from time to time, through out the day. If I find my mind wandering or my sense organs disobedient, I will give orders with the same consciousness of self-respect. Then, I will find positive results.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought of the day 15.01.2016
PRESS ON!
If you feel you just want to quit,Try again and again.
Never give up... Press On!
If you feel you don't have the patience,Try again and again.
Never give up... Press On!
If you feel you just can't win,Try again and again.
Never give up... Press On!
If you feel life is too hard,Try again and again.
Never give up... Press On!
If you feel "I Can't Do That",Try again and again.
Never give up... Press On!
If you feel you'll never reach your goal,Try again and again.
Never give up... Press On!
Never give up on something you want, You will build patience,
You will win and reach your goals,
Things will become easier,
You can do anything you want.
If you try again and again, never give up and...
Never give up... Press On!
If you feel "I Can't Do That",Try again and again.
Never give up... Press On!
If you feel you'll never reach your goal,Try again and again.
Never give up... Press On!
Never give up on something you want, You will build patience,
You will win and reach your goals,
Things will become easier,
You can do anything you want.
If you try again and again, never give up and...
PRESS ON!
Soul Sustenance
A Beautiful Vision Of Love (Part 1)
Loving people for their specialties is something we enjoy doing the whole day. There are many different people whom we meet and love and everyone has atleast one specialty which is different from the rest. This could be a quality or a particular skill of the personality like e.g. a way of talking, a way of presenting oneself when coming into contact with others or even a way of dressing up all of which are unique to the person. Also, some people possess skills like knowing a particular art or even being intelligent or good at a particular sport. Some people are just very good human beings and being with them gives you a feeling of positivity and if you meet them just for once in the morning, you will feel they have made your day. Some people just have a good way of carrying themselves in public and their whole personality has an aura which attracts people around them. Have you seen people who are good at say singing or painting or playing a musical instrument or some are gifted with a good voice or some have become big names in the corporate sector with their managerial skills and forming companies at a very young age, which are providing services to millions of people and giving people happiness in different ways. Everyone likes these people for what they have been gifted and there is no doubt that they have performed some good actions in their past lives or births, because of which they have got these specialties in this birth.
Do you know that even God is incognito filling many of us with specialties which are helping us succeed in our personal as well as professional lives as well as any other field of life in which we are involved and are aiming for success. So, realizing that we are all special in some way or the other, looking at everyone with the spectacles of specialties is a way of tying the knot of spiritual brotherhood with everyone and increasing a love based on purity in each relationship.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
Loving people for their specialties is something we enjoy doing the whole day. There are many different people whom we meet and love and everyone has atleast one specialty which is different from the rest. This could be a quality or a particular skill of the personality like e.g. a way of talking, a way of presenting oneself when coming into contact with others or even a way of dressing up all of which are unique to the person. Also, some people possess skills like knowing a particular art or even being intelligent or good at a particular sport. Some people are just very good human beings and being with them gives you a feeling of positivity and if you meet them just for once in the morning, you will feel they have made your day. Some people just have a good way of carrying themselves in public and their whole personality has an aura which attracts people around them. Have you seen people who are good at say singing or painting or playing a musical instrument or some are gifted with a good voice or some have become big names in the corporate sector with their managerial skills and forming companies at a very young age, which are providing services to millions of people and giving people happiness in different ways. Everyone likes these people for what they have been gifted and there is no doubt that they have performed some good actions in their past lives or births, because of which they have got these specialties in this birth.
Do you know that even God is incognito filling many of us with specialties which are helping us succeed in our personal as well as professional lives as well as any other field of life in which we are involved and are aiming for success. So, realizing that we are all special in some way or the other, looking at everyone with the spectacles of specialties is a way of tying the knot of spiritual brotherhood with everyone and increasing a love based on purity in each relationship.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
Message of the day
Repetition of positive thoughts lead to powerful thoughts.
Thought to Ponder: When ordinary and waste thoughts are repeated, they can become harmful and negative thoughts. On the other hand, when positive thoughts are repeated, they become powerful thoughts. When I take a simple positive thought and practice with it, I find myself becoming more and more powerful.
Point to Practice: Today I will take a simple positive thought and practice with it. This simple thought could be "I am happy today" or "I appreciate the people in my life". This will help me reinforce this thought and make it powerful. Such powerful thoughts are available with me, specially at a time when things are not so right.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought to Ponder: When ordinary and waste thoughts are repeated, they can become harmful and negative thoughts. On the other hand, when positive thoughts are repeated, they become powerful thoughts. When I take a simple positive thought and practice with it, I find myself becoming more and more powerful.
Point to Practice: Today I will take a simple positive thought and practice with it. This simple thought could be "I am happy today" or "I appreciate the people in my life". This will help me reinforce this thought and make it powerful. Such powerful thoughts are available with me, specially at a time when things are not so right.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Thought of the day 14.01.2015
Maturity
As we mature spiritually there is less need to have our self-respect bolstered by praise and special attention. As our thought processes become more compassionate and less self-obsessed, we feel increasingly satisfied with ourselves and with our lives. We relate to people more easily and feel no need to draw attention to our successes or complain about our problems.
Soul Sustenance
Bringing Your Dreams Alive
Each one of us has dreams that we nourish right through our lives. Some are short-term dreams and some long term ones. Dreams keep changing as we progress through different phases of our life. Some are achieved, some are not. Some of us possess the ability to realize our dreams more than the rest. The most important and influential factor in this process is how much we believe in our dream and believe that it will be realized. Some of the factors that hamper this belief are:
- The influence of the past - thememories of our past failures, which sow seeds of doubt in our mind; as well as successes, which keep us in an illusionary consciousness and distance us from the present moment and our present actions. Also, sometimes we associate present temporary failures or ups and downs which may come in our way, with failures of the past.
- Lack of inner strength or power, when faced with obstacles in your path.Tendency to get dejected very easily and creating weak thoughts like we do not deserve it or we are not capable of it or are we not lucky enough or it is not in our destiny or maybe it is our negative past actions which are influencing our dream realization process adversely, etc.
- The opinions or comments of peoplesurrounding you who sometimes, are not in tune with your consciousness and are not able to empathize with your purpose. Their comments easily de-focus you from your purpose.
- Lack of ability to mould or adjustduring the dream realization journey. Any journey is always full of twists, turns and sudden changes. A rigid state of mind, which is not able to change its tactics as required, may make the path seem more difficult than it actually is.
- It is very good to dream but excessive attachment to the dream also may make the journey towards the dream stressful and bring down your self-belief at times.
Each one of us has dreams that we nourish right through our lives. Some are short-term dreams and some long term ones. Dreams keep changing as we progress through different phases of our life. Some are achieved, some are not. Some of us possess the ability to realize our dreams more than the rest. The most important and influential factor in this process is how much we believe in our dream and believe that it will be realized. Some of the factors that hamper this belief are:
- The influence of the past - thememories of our past failures, which sow seeds of doubt in our mind; as well as successes, which keep us in an illusionary consciousness and distance us from the present moment and our present actions. Also, sometimes we associate present temporary failures or ups and downs which may come in our way, with failures of the past.
- Lack of inner strength or power, when faced with obstacles in your path.Tendency to get dejected very easily and creating weak thoughts like we do not deserve it or we are not capable of it or are we not lucky enough or it is not in our destiny or maybe it is our negative past actions which are influencing our dream realization process adversely, etc.
- The opinions or comments of peoplesurrounding you who sometimes, are not in tune with your consciousness and are not able to empathize with your purpose. Their comments easily de-focus you from your purpose.
- Lack of ability to mould or adjustduring the dream realization journey. Any journey is always full of twists, turns and sudden changes. A rigid state of mind, which is not able to change its tactics as required, may make the path seem more difficult than it actually is.
- It is very good to dream but excessive attachment to the dream also may make the journey towards the dream stressful and bring down your self-belief at times.
Message of the day
To invest rightly is to increase savings.
Thought to Ponder: How we spend is more important than not spending at all. When it comes to our biggest asset, our thoughts, we need to invest well. When we have positive thoughts, they become a saving for the future too.
Point to Practice: Today I will spend at least half an hour with something that gives me a feeling of positivity. Today I will also be careful to avoid anything that will create negative feelings in me. This will ensure that I will be investing my thoughts in the right way, without wasting them.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Thought to Ponder: How we spend is more important than not spending at all. When it comes to our biggest asset, our thoughts, we need to invest well. When we have positive thoughts, they become a saving for the future too.
Point to Practice: Today I will spend at least half an hour with something that gives me a feeling of positivity. Today I will also be careful to avoid anything that will create negative feelings in me. This will ensure that I will be investing my thoughts in the right way, without wasting them.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Thought of the day 13.01.2016
Happiness
It is the art of living, the purpose of our existence. Happiness is the true index of quality of life. Without happiness, life is dry and meaningless. With happiness, life immediately becomes fulfilling and wonderful. Happiness is an infectious feeling that immediately lifts the sagging spirits of people. Happy people keep themselves happy because they know the little ways to appreciate themselves and to see the humour and magic in each moment.
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