Daily
Positive Thoughts: May 29, 2013 : Self-respect
Maitreya Buddha, southern Sichuan, China
Self-respect
Self-respect is not only a matter of what you are doing in your life, but also of how you are doing it. It requires that you bring goodness and virtue into each thought, feeling, word and action
Some people are of the view that the Supreme Soul is formless. Anything that exists must have a form. Qualities indeed are formless, but the source of those qualities cannot be without form. For example, fragrance has no form but the flower does. Just as the sun has form but the light and warmth it radiates do not. The Supreme Soul has a form, but the qualities radiating from Him do not. In other words the Supreme Soul is not love but the source of love; the Supreme Soul is not truth but the source of truth, etc. If he is formless then communication with Him is impossible. The very word "yoga" implies a meeting between two entities, both of which have a form, if not a physical one, a subtle (non-physical) one.
The Supreme Soul is a conscient (living) micro star just as I am. Knowing his form, I can bring that image onto the screen of my mind and begin immediately to experience his powers and qualities by associating them with that beautiful form. There is much more value in meditating (concentrating) on his form and qualities than in focusing on one's breath, candle flames, etc.
God As The Ocean Of
Knowledge
It is believed that God knows the details of every atom and every thought in the universe. It is because of God's ultimate, pervasive knowledge that He can be described as an ocean. Understanding this world does not necessarily mean to be aware of every detail of the movement of every single leaf or every single molecule. All that is required is to understand completely the conditions through which souls and matter pass.
One of the basic beliefs of Christians is that God created man in His own image. God, being the embodiment of knowledge, creates with knowledge. Being the wisest of all, He has the power to change the intellects of human souls. How? When we, the souls, having come in the process of birth and rebirth, become impure, God shares with us the knowledge of the soul and its births; the knowledge of Himself, the Creator; the knowledge of meditation i.e. the method of connecting with him and the beginning, the middle and the end of creation or the vast world drama, as a result of which we are able to appreciate this drama, and imbibe our true qualities of love, peace and bliss. As a result we are liberated from sorrow and a new world order is created. In order for him to perform His work as Creator it is not necessary for Him to listen to our every thought, our every secret. He is part of an eternal, predestined drama that He did not create but in which He finds Himself as the principal actor. Thus He is the only true philanthropist. Human actions, whether good or bad, are dictated by self-concern, whereas God has nothing to gain because He is complete in all respects. He is the perfect embodiment of spirituality. He alone has the right to give knowledge regardless of human arguments. His knowledge is purely spiritual.
Soul Sustenance
The Power Of Concentrated Thought (cont.)
One important component that doesn’t let us remain in the healthy and positive experience of concentrated thought is the many different types of influences we are exposed to in our life. There are two different types of influences – external and internal. These influences can also be called voices. Voices from outside as well as inside speak to us.
External influences or voices are of people whom we come in contact with at home, at the workplace, at school or college, at the club, in the media etc. or elsewhere. These people are those whom we either see as equals or look upto. They could be our friends, our parents, our spouse, our teacher, our guru, our doctor, our neighbor, our colleagues, our boss, actors or sportsmen whom we admire, even the daily newsreaders or writers, etc. We have been exposed to these influences right from the time we were born. The influences from all these people are not necessarily on a physical level, they can also be on a subtle level of mental vibrations from others. We interact with all or some of these people and spend time with them and whenever we do that they advise us or give us their opinion on a physical level and we also listen to their voices on a subtle, emotional energy level e.g. we spend a lot many hours in the office. We may not interact with our boss all the time but his personality is constantly influencing everyone in the office on a subtle level, including us. The office environment is shaped largely by the head of the office. In the same way, we may be taking care that we listen only to the positive voices of the media and we do not listen to the negative ones, but the all pervading negative atmosphere that exists everywhere due to everyone being exposed to the news of violence, sorrow and impurity from the media, definitely influences us on a subtle level, even though we might not realize it. As children, we have been listening to the subtle voices of our parents, even when we were taking shape in our mother’s womb.
In tomorrow’s message, we shall explain what our different types of internal influences or voices.
Message for the day
To check regularly means to bring about a change.
Expression: When there is any negative action performed, there is an immediate feeling of guilt and a desire not to perform it again. But the checking also needs to be at a level where it never repeats again. Maintaining a chart of one's own weakness means checking regularly. Such checking brings about a permanent change.
Experience: When I am able to maintain a chart where I could monitor my own progress, I am able to remain committed to my transformation. Adverse situations or people will never deter me, but I am able to bring about the desired change. I am able to continue the process of transformation even when what I seek to change is not harmful in the present phase of my life. Thus regular checking will prevent carelessness from creeping in.
The Power Of Concentrated Thought (cont.)
One important component that doesn’t let us remain in the healthy and positive experience of concentrated thought is the many different types of influences we are exposed to in our life. There are two different types of influences – external and internal. These influences can also be called voices. Voices from outside as well as inside speak to us.
External influences or voices are of people whom we come in contact with at home, at the workplace, at school or college, at the club, in the media etc. or elsewhere. These people are those whom we either see as equals or look upto. They could be our friends, our parents, our spouse, our teacher, our guru, our doctor, our neighbor, our colleagues, our boss, actors or sportsmen whom we admire, even the daily newsreaders or writers, etc. We have been exposed to these influences right from the time we were born. The influences from all these people are not necessarily on a physical level, they can also be on a subtle level of mental vibrations from others. We interact with all or some of these people and spend time with them and whenever we do that they advise us or give us their opinion on a physical level and we also listen to their voices on a subtle, emotional energy level e.g. we spend a lot many hours in the office. We may not interact with our boss all the time but his personality is constantly influencing everyone in the office on a subtle level, including us. The office environment is shaped largely by the head of the office. In the same way, we may be taking care that we listen only to the positive voices of the media and we do not listen to the negative ones, but the all pervading negative atmosphere that exists everywhere due to everyone being exposed to the news of violence, sorrow and impurity from the media, definitely influences us on a subtle level, even though we might not realize it. As children, we have been listening to the subtle voices of our parents, even when we were taking shape in our mother’s womb.
In tomorrow’s message, we shall explain what our different types of internal influences or voices.
Message for the day
To check regularly means to bring about a change.
Expression: When there is any negative action performed, there is an immediate feeling of guilt and a desire not to perform it again. But the checking also needs to be at a level where it never repeats again. Maintaining a chart of one's own weakness means checking regularly. Such checking brings about a permanent change.
Experience: When I am able to maintain a chart where I could monitor my own progress, I am able to remain committed to my transformation. Adverse situations or people will never deter me, but I am able to bring about the desired change. I am able to continue the process of transformation even when what I seek to change is not harmful in the present phase of my life. Thus regular checking will prevent carelessness from creeping in.
When one is no longer thinking only of oneself and takes pleasure in giving, it is possible to allow more space to others with compassion. This is really positive and dear to God. It is then possible to have more concentrated pure thoughts which naturally have the power to transform people. There won't be a single moment when you lack happiness and peace.
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