Daily Positive Thoughts: May 01, 2017: Nurture Nature

Daily Positive Thoughts: May 01, 2017: Nurture Nature

Nurture Nature

Many a philosophical debate arrives at the bottom line - are we naturally the way we are or is it nurtured? Are we all pure in heart, but blinded by the impurities of the world? Are we all enlightened souls who have simply succumbed to illusion? Most of us have an intuitive response which seems to acknowledge that there is goodness in everyone; it's simply sometimes hard to see. As we look at ourselves maybe we even find it hard to see the good in ourselves. Perhaps we've been taught to see only the dark, the negative. Perhaps we grew up with others whose vision always landed on the negative. But who would choose to live in the darkness? Who would choose to be a negative person? Who would choose pessimism? Probably very, very few, if only we could see the choice. That's why it is essential you find the good, however small within yourself, tend to it, nurture it, nourish it - just as you would the plants in your garden. When you focus on the good, the positive within yourself, you give it life, you give it permission to grow and to be restored to your nature. The good has been there all along, simply out of your inner sight, out of your awareness. Some say 'get a life' but this is how to give a life. This is how to give life back to yourself! Or do you prefer to live in the dark?

The Consciousness Switchover (Part 1) 

While we have explained in many of our past messages what body consciousness or attachment to physicality is and how it leads to a creation of lot many different types and shades of vices or weaknesses which tend to creep into our sanskaras, thoughts, feelings, attitudes, words, actions, etc. as a result of which we lose access to our pure, positive inherent nature; another process of subtle attachment to physicality that we get drawn into regularly, which leads to the same result, but on a more subtle level, is karma or action consciousness where there is no over consciousness of the physical body but one gets so engrossed in the role one is playing that one becomes role conscious and experiences bondage and burden and mental freedom is lost. As a result our inner comfort and contentment levels drop, others tend to become discontent with us and we become discontent with them, our relationships suffer, the efficiency in our actions drop, even our physical body is affected and we don’t know the reason for the same.

Most of us will experience body consciousness once in a while but we experience karma consciousness every day, something which we don’t perceive as negative but it gives a negative result because it is a subtle form of body consciousness, which can accumulate inside us over a period of time and cross the boundaries of subtlety and take a gross form. What is a simple solution for the same? A consciousness switchover from role or karma consciousness to soul consciousness at different points in the day and then returning to playing the part of karma with a revised consciousness. The role remains the same and is to be played, the soul cannot exist without it, but the consciousness is changed.

In tomorrow’s message, we will mention a few very simple methods which help us in doing that.

True Love

Love provides the environment for everyone's growth. 

When I experience true love I can provide the right environment for people so that they can progress in their lives. 

Today I will not hold onto those I love nor expect them to do everything according to my needs, but instead will give them real support.

Message for the day

To have control on the self is to be a winner in situations 

Thought to Ponder: Situations influence me and I get carried away. This means that the reins are not in my hands and I have given them to the people outside. I, then, have no control of my feelings, thoughts, emotions, words or actions. Everything becomes a reaction to what is outside. On the other hand, if I am able to keep things in control, I am able to respond in the right way to situations, making me a winner. 

Point to Practice: Today I will remember that no one can control me, but myself. I am the master, and seated on this seat of self-sovereignty, I can give orders to myself and keep myself in control. I will not let anyone or any situation influence me or take me away from what I have to do. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: April 30, 2017: Simplicity

Daily Positive Thoughts: April 30, 2017: Simplicity

Simplicity

Simplicity is being comfortable with all the circumstances which shape our lives without worrying or making matters complicated. Simplicity gives birth to inspiration. It is the quality of the very young and of the aged. One who is simple lives from the heart.

Creating A World Of Forgiveness (Part 3)

There is a saying in India that in a home where the fire of anger exists, pots of water also dry up. Anger is a name given to a large collection of desires that exist inside the human consciousness which prevent us from forgiving. Filling the emotions inside our mind with love and pacifying the emotions of subtle desires is the second step in creating an environment of forgiveness wherever we are. Imagine a world without the numerous desires that exist in our lives - I need, I want, I own, I expect, I am right, I envy – these are subtle fires that burn up the energy of pure soul-to-soul love, that exists inside us instinctively, because we are children of God, the Supreme Soul, who is an Ocean of love.

So waking up in the morning and starting the day with a warm Good Morning to this Ocean of love and having a heart-to-heart conversation and a deep loveful communion with Him and filling myself with the deepest pure love existing in this complete Universe, is paving the way for my heart to be cleansed of the various ego-based emotions. And also for it to become moulded as a forgiving one, because the more I fill my heart with God’s love, the more I am enriched with soul-to-soul love and the more sweet and humble I become. And such a transformed me, then is able to win the hearts of each one and create an atmosphere of love and forgiveness around me.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Be a little less self-conscious

A little bit of self-consciousness is OK, isn't it?  It keeps us on our toes and best behaviour.  But when we're overly self-conscious, we often miss out on opportunities and having a good time.

So the next time you want to do something, but don't, because you don't want to make a fool of yourself, be a little less self-conscious.  Loosen up, embrace embarrassment or awkwardness and go for it.

Message for the day

To understand that I am a creator of my thoughts is to have the power to control them.

Thought to Ponder: To control thoughts after they go out of control is really difficult or almost impossible. But when I understand that I create thoughts, I can have mastery over them. From time to time, I need to remind myself of this, keep a check on my thoughts, steer and stop them whenever and wherever necessary. 

Point to Practice: Today I will take one thought, "I am the master and creator of my thoughts. So, I have the reins in my hands and can guide them how I want.". Even if any other thought comes, I can have a control over them, instead of them controlling me. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: April 29, 2017: Pure Peace

Daily Positive Thoughts: April 29, 2017: Pure Peace

Crystal clear water, Kastellorizo, Greece

Pure Peace

Why do we find it hard to be at peace with ourselves, each other and the world? Imagine a lake that is flat and calm and pure - it is so clear you can see the bottom. Even when the wind blows it only ruffles the surface. All is still and peaceful in its depth. Then the first polluting chemicals of the new factory and farm come rolling down the hill and into the water. Immediately it starts to cloud over and bubble a little. Chemical reactions are taking place and the purity is lost. When purity is lost peace is lost.

It is the same with human consciousness. We are innately peaceful beings. Peace is our deepest inner state of being, our true nature. To be at peace is to be in our natural state, but only when our consciousness is pure and clean and true. As soon as the pollutants of any negative images are allowed in, or we allow old memories and experiences to disturb us into negative thinking, our purity and therefore our inner peace are gone.

It's not the external event or person that takes our peace away - it's because we give them permission to enter and give them life in our minds. Keep your mind and heart free of all pollution and peace will always be with you.

Creating A World Of Forgiveness (Part 2)

We are all very much aware that forgiveness is a healing balm for anger. But to forgive, the first and foremost power that is required is the ability to apply a full-stop on my rough emotions when provoked. The control of my emotions, one minute every hour, is like building a dam across the river of emotions which becomes rough, while coming into interactions with a variety set of personalities and while becoming busy in actions, both of which cause an expansion of thoughts. The situation becomes worse when the interaction or action, during the past hour, has been a negative one, filled with conflict. So, every hour, a short one minute meditation, to fill the mind with the power of peace, is the first preparation of the mind to forgive easily.  We suggest to you a few thoughts that you can create – I am a peaceful soul, a beautiful golden-white star situated at the center of the forehead. I spread the rays of peace to my surroundings. I am the child of the Ocean of peace, the Supreme Soul. All the people in my office or in my family or in the world at large are also children of the Ocean of peace, their nature is originally peaceful. We all together, collectively, have to create an atmosphere of peace at our workplace or home or in the complete world, so that we can all create a world of forgiveness.

Collecting 15 minutes of peace every day (one minute every hour), in this way, is extremely valuable. These 15 minutes are the bricks of the dam that you have to build for yourself inside your mind and keep the rough emotions in check. Try this for one month with an earnest heart and determination to transform the self.  This peace-brick building exercise will not only control your emotions but will also slow down the speed of the flow of the river of emotions by healing the origin or source of the river of emotions, which is your sanskara of anger and transforming it into a sanskara of forgiveness, because thoughts of peace not only fill our emotions with peace in the short term but also make our sanskaras peaceful in the long term.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

An Extra Boost

Mornings are an ideal time for solitude and contemplation. Not only do you create a feel-good feeling but you also create a reservoir of energy that you can draw on throughout the day.

So when you need an extra boost during the day, rather than reach for coffee or chocolate, you can slip into your reservoir of energy and refresh yourself.

Message for the day

To be powerful is to be a support for others at all times. 
Thought to Ponder: When we face challenges, we may not look for solutions from others, but we definitely tend to look for support from others. Yet, we find that most people today are unable to give support. We then tend to get disappointed, further increasing our negativity. Yet, we need to understand that each one has their own problems and they too are in some way looking for support. We need to be internally so powerful and self-reliant that we can become a support for others, instead of expecting from them.

Point to Practice: Today I will create a simple practice for myself. At least 5 times today, I will tell myself "I am powerful and self-reliant. I am the master, the creator and this situation is just a creation. So I the master will find a way to maneuver and change the situation". This practice will help me stop expecting from others, not even support. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: April 28, 2017: Giving is receiving

Daily Positive Thoughts: April 28, 2017: Giving is receiving

Artist: Emile Munier (1840-1895)

Giving is receiving

We live in a time of ‘take, take, take’. Something for nothing; buy one get one free. The truth of the matter is that simply by giving I will receive all that I need. Giving is receiving.

Today let me find a way to ‘give’ unconditionally and with love.
Give a smile; give a word of appreciation; give a thought of good wishes; give your co-operation for a task.

Make today a day of giving and tomorrow you will receive the fruits.

Creating A World Of Forgiveness (Part 1)

God wants us to create a world of forgiveness, a world where each one is uncritical and does not keep a negative eye on others’ mistakes and weaknesses, a world where there is complete peace and harmony between everyone, inspite of their different natures or sanskaras.

Based on spiritual knowledge and understanding, we are sharing with you few different virtues that are different colours of forgiveness and matching actions associated with them, which you could experience.

Generosity - Be Forgetful Of Others' Mistakes
Openness - Accommodate Others
Thankfulness - Give Blessings And Take Blessings
Warmth - Be Uncritical
Tolerance - Keep An Easy Eye On Others’ Weaknesses
Acceptance - Absorb Others' Virtues
Giving - Fill Others With Virtues

In order to experience these virtues, which means bringing these different colours of forgiveness into practice, we need the powers of peace, love and truth. These three powers together make up the healing balm of forgiveness, which heal our anger-filled emotions which in turn heal our peaceless words and actions.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Value time

Time is such a treasure yet so easy to waste.  Why not make it difficult to waste time.  

Think: every second is as valuable as a diamond.

Value time and you'll easily make smart choices about how and where to spend your time.

Message for the day

To understand the importance of time to use it well. 

Thought to Ponder: Each second is like a seed which gives rise to a tree. If that moment is used well, there is benefit for a long time. But, if that moment is lost, there is loss. So, the benefit or loss is in multifolds. Once we understand this, we are able to fully use the treasure of time for our own benefit and that of others. 

Point to Practice: Today I will keep a check on my daily routine to ensure I don't waste any time, but rather use it well. Not to waste time means I enjoy each and every moment, whatever is the task that I am involved in. such use of each moment of time helps me reap a lot of benefit not only for the present but for the future too. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: April 27, 2017: Contentment

Contentment

The more positive the thoughts flowing through my mind, the more contented I will feel. It is easy to feel contented when we are praised and appreciated but to remain contented when we are being criticized and rejected is the mark of real spiritual strength. The way to develop this level of strength is to learn about God's way of loving. Only when I am in deep contemplation can I see God showing me the kind of love I need to express so that I myself never reject or criticize and always generate good wishes for others. Then I will feel satisfied no matter what life throws at me.

The Gender Of God

In a large number of religious traditions, all over the world, God is always referred to as a male entity. But, just as the soul does not have a gender and is neither masculine nor feminine, God’s i.e. the Supreme Soul’s gender is neither male nor female specifically. Therefore, as a soul, a spiritual child of God, I can come close to God without any inhibitions or difficulty, which I may experience in any relationship in the physical world, due to the gender of the body I am occupying.

We need to take a look at the Supreme Being or God closely. The Supreme Being is the Supreme Mother who provides spiritual sustenance and whose love is full of unconditional acceptance. No matter what has happened, how my nature or personality may be, I experience unconditional acceptance from God. It's a love that strengthens me, as well as it purifies me. At the same time, God is also the Supreme Father, a very powerful entity, who provides protection and fills the soul with the inheritance of divine qualities and powers. It's a question of just being an innocent child and claiming that inheritance. These are the first two relationships that have to be experienced with God. The Supreme is a balance of being feminine, having the qualities of caring, giving and full of good wishes and masculine at the same time, having the qualities of power, authority and fearlessness. He is She and She is He. These two relationships with God, whereby God plays both the roles of both parents are the basis of my spiritual development. Spirituality introduces to us the concept of taking a new spiritual birth to the Supreme Father and Mother. This birth is based on a change of consciousness. One needs to let go of the negative, impure and sorrowful past and develop a new consciousness, based on the present introduction to spirituality, which is positive, pure and blissful. The awareness of the self as a soul changes my way of looking at things immensely, but the consciousness of being a child of God, who is the Mother as well as the Father and seeing others with that vision brings respect and love for myself. Then all these qualities start showing in my actions and interactions as well.

Boost your feelings

When we're feeling down, we get caught up in a cycle of negativity.

To break the cycle, take baby steps to boost your spirits.  

Read something uplifting, watch something funny, call a friend, or just do something you enjoy.

When you feel better, make time to understand why you felt the way you did in the first place and how to boost your feelings regularly.

Message for the day

To say yes is to receive blessings and to ensure progress. 
Thought to Ponder: Life brings certain situations that seem difficult and challenging. When such situations demand something from me (which I feel is beyond any capacity), there is a tendency to either say 'no' or to try and escape. On the other hand, when I say yes to the situation I will be able to discover skills and talents within me, that I never knew I had. I will thus be able to receive blessings from many.

Point to Practice: Today I will one thing that I have been avoiding to do. I will use all my skills and energies to make it happen. I will then automatically receive help and good wishes from others, which would help me further in succeeding. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris