Daily Positive Thoughts: October 13, 2016: Count Your Blessings

Daily Positive Thoughts: October 13, 2016: Count Your Blessings

Pouring a Thermos of Hot Tea at -40°C near the Arctic Circle - Photographer Michael Davies

 

Count Your Blessings

 

Even when you feel as though things aren't going well in your life, you have reasons to be grateful. Today, take time to appreciate the gift of life and all its wonders. Count your blessings and cherish what you have.

Shedding Off The Attachment To A Positive Past (Part 1)

A very powerful mis-identification (incorrect identification) that each one of us indulges in, to different extents, is identifying with our positive or glorious actions of the past. This identification is so strong that almost every day it comes to the surface of our consciousness when we switch on the movie of this story of these actions on the screen of our minds. By rehearsing this story repeatedly we love experiencing the same emotions and feelings that we felt at that time, emotions that we had enjoyed very much. We not only re-experience that pleasure but we also love to share the pleasure by persuading others to see that movie by broadcasting that movie in front of whoever we come across. This is normally done in the form of words by speaking about our professional or personal achievements, our educational qualifications, our experiences, actions for which we gained recognition, our history, etc., all a thing of the past. But this is not talking about the real self, this is just a story, thus it is a false identification with something we are not. Every time we indulge in this type of identification, we strengthen the incorrect belief that we are talking about our self. We believe the past is us. This is the incorrect identification.

If someone were to ask us to describe ourselves in a few words, instead of talking with humility about our spiritual self, our virtues, powers, strengths, etc., which is the real self, we quickly mention all of the above features of our past, thinking this will give the other an impression of our credibility. Even when we communicate with people over email or some other mediums, we are quick to mention all these things in our signature, etc. believing this is our story and portraying that we are in love with it and other people should identify us with this story as we do and love us for the same. To remember and identify with any memory of action that we created yesterday is to identify with what we do. And we are not what we do.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Opinionated?

Most of us are quick to form opinions about others

Of course you have a right to think whatever you want. 

But you might want to add compassion to your opinions; whether it's your friends, family, colleagues or even strangers.

You can never fully comprehend people's choices or motivations. So just assume that they are doing the best they can in completely different circumstances to yours. 

Today, catch yourself as you start to form opinions, and be more compassionate.

Message for the day

To use resources well is to increase them.

Expression: If I put to use whatever resources I have, I will be able to increase them. Firstly, whatever I use, I become aware of them more and more. They become more and more available to me. Secondly, for having used them, they get sharpened and much better. It also brings back return from others in some way or the other.

Experience: Today I will recognize at least one special resource which I have not been putting to use. It could be the resource of a skill that I have; some specialty or even something more subtle, like the resource of my thoughts or time. I will start using it consciously, so that I use it more and more, thus increasing it. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris