Contemplation: The Flow

Contemplation: The Flow

Sunset at Horseshoe Bend, Colorado River, Grand Canyon, USA

The Flow

Everything that comes to us, comes to pass or, more accurately, for us to pass on. Not just the money in our pocket, but wisdom, objects, ideas, even opportunities, all come to us, so that, at the right moment, we can pass them on. This is called flow. Being in the flow means being aware that the river of life is flowing to us at every moment. Being in the flow means accepting whatever comes and putting it to good use, before passing it on. Going with the flow means allowing whatever comes to move on freely, without holding on to it in any way.

Overcoming The Fear Of Interaction Or Socializing

There are various activities that you are perhaps afraid of doing, but that you know they are very useful activities to indulge in e.g. if you are afraid of socializing or interacting with people, either on a one-to-one basis or in a group. In a party or a situation where lots are people are enjoying the company of each other or in a meeting with your boss for e.g., you feel out of place and uncomfortable.

The problem might lie in a negative image of the self or low self-esteem, lack of confidence, fear of the other's opinion about you, lack of spiritual strength, past failure in having done so, being influenced by the other person's role or position etc. How do you overcome this fear? By interacting with more and more people. The more you interact and mix up with them and express your viewpoint fearlessly, you realize that it is not a problem. Even if you make a mistake or you feel unsure, with practice you will see that there is no problem.

Most of our fears are overcome with the practice of doing what you are afraid of. If you do not make a brave step forward in order to overcome the fear of expressing yourself, you will continue to be the victim of this fear. This fear is then a negative energy that paralyses your intellect as a result of which your concentration and your decision-making power reduces. It also disorganizes your ideas, and confuses you whenever you express yourself in front of a person or people. What is more, fear produces clumsiness in your words, body movements and actions and makes you lose your image of credibility. It gives an impression of nervousness and low self-respect to the other.

You have to overcome it, and you will manage to do it with practice and by changing the vision that you have of others: they are not a threat, they are not judges who are going to pass a judgment against you, they are offering you the opportunity to express yourself. If you value yourself, you will not be afraid of not being appreciated by them and others will finally appreciate you. If you do not value yourself, the opposite will happen.

Happiness

Many believe that happiness is achieved through material wealth. It is
true that it gives a temporary sense of well being. A rich person is
not someone who has more but someone who desires less. Happiness is the result of total appreciation of all that life gives you at every
moment.

Soul Sustenance

A Basic Meditation For Beginners

Sit comfortably in a peaceful place which you have chosen for your meditation practice, at a fixed time or when you find the need or time to meditate...
Close your eyes and, for a minute or two, bring your body and mind from an active state to a dormant one, slow them down, by remaining still and quiet...
While keeping your eyes closed, take your attention to your feet... relax them consciously for a few moments...
Relax all your body parts consciously… do this for your legs, abdomen, etc... work slowly upwards till the entire body is relaxed…
Be aware that your whole body is now at peace in the chair and that all your attention is focused in the centre of the forehead, just above the eyebrows...
With your attention focused only on your thoughts and feelings, experience that your thoughts and feelings are like bubbles floating to the surface of your mind, now imagine that these bubbles are dissolving...
Allow quietness and peace to fill your mind – listen to the silence inside the temple of your mind...
If any thoughts come to distract you, simply let them pass through your mind...
Then return your attention to the quietness in your mind...
Create a quiet thought inside your mind "My mind is now relaxed, and I feel more peaceful", so that the subtle sensation or experience of inner pure peace sinks in…
After a few minutes, bring your awareness back to the room in the present moment.

Tomorrow we shall explain some of the precautions one can take while doing this meditation, to make it successful.

Message for the day

The more there is contentment the more there is progress.

Projection: Usually contentment is associated with lack of ambition. So, we find that we think we are content when we are not having any aim in life, which, in fact, is carelessness. On the other hand, we have so many wants and desires that we are never content with what we have. Either way, we find that it is difficult to progress because of the negativity.

Solution: We need to be content with whatever we have or attain. That is, we need to appreciate each thing that we have in our life, big or small. Only when we are content will the mind be at peace and it is this peace that will help us to achieve what we aim for with our full potential. Thus, we experience progress.

Contemplation: October 31, 2017: Peace

Contemplation:  October 31, 2017: Peace

Happy Halloween!!!

Peace

Weapons by themselves are not dangerous; it is the anger within people that is harmful.

Positivity

It is said that the mind can be your best friend or your worst enemy.
At every moment we have the opportunity to choose our company: thoughts which bring oxygen to the spirit or those who bring pain. If I am
loyal to myself, I will continually strive to go back to my inner core
of positivity again and again. I will be patient and loving, and
increasingly my mind will reside in this positive inner truth. When I
am able to be loving and loyal to myself, I can then help others in
this same unconditional manner.

Characteristics Of The World Stage

There are three things that we all have in common;
awareness - of ourselves and others
relationships - the sharing and exchange of energy with others
creativity - the ability to produce thoughts, ideas, concepts and feelings and express them.

The purpose of our life is nothing more than living life itself - to be self-aware (awareness), to be creative, to express ourselves to our highest potential (creativity) and to exchange the energy of love with those around us (relationships). But this cannot happen in the incorporeal, silent home of the soul (commonly called paramdham or shantidham). These characteristics of life require action, a costume (physical body) through which to express ourselves and a stage on which to act. The physical world provides the stage on which we can move, bring to life, create, relate and express all that is within us. For each of us the possibilities are infinite.

The moment we take birth in a physical form, we are constantly doing one of three things: acting, reacting, or interacting - sometimes all three together.

Soul Sustenance

Experiencing Self-Rule through Meditation

Practicing meditation helps us to reach our goals of self-change, because during meditation we link our soul self with the Supreme Energy (God), who fills us with power. The more mentally powerful we become through meditation, the more confident we are with the ability to respect our self more. We become more stable in our own self, we are able to control our reactions a bit better and we wait. We don't suppress the self. Rather, we wait, observe, clarify and then control our reactions (including, of course, our tongue!).

We don't want to be ruled by our negative emotions. We still meet them, acknowledge them, try to understand them and dissolve them. We cannot pretend that they are not there, but we are no longer a slave to them. As we follow our spiritual path more closely, we learn that we don't want to damage ourself, nor do we want to damage others. We become a little more careful. Sometimes we know what the right thing to do is, but still we are not able to control our reactions, or act correctly.

We know, understand, agree but still can't do the right thing. Then we are filled with guilt and regret, having done the wrong thing. We lose our self-respect. What can we do then? Where do we find the strength to change? Spiritual knowledge shows us the way as to what is right and what is wrong and in silence through meditative practice, we are able to find the strength to be able to put this knowledge and our basic values as well as our conscience (inner voice) into practical karma and thus bring about change.

Message for the day

Responsibility is best fulfilled by the one who is detached.

Projection: When one is attached to the task that he is responsible for it leads to worry, doubt and fear. This can have a crippling effect on decision-making and result in difficult situations. On the other hand, the one who is detached is the one who is able to see things clearly and so fulfill all responsibilities with lightness.

Solution: When I have to take up some new responsibility I need to tell myself that I will do my best in fulfilling the responsibility. When I become detached from the result of the task I will find myself doing my best because there are no negative thoughts.

Contemplation: Glasses of Seeing Only Specialties

Contemplation: Glasses of Seeing Only Specialties

  

Glasses of Seeing Only Specialties

Nowadays it is a fashion and also a compulsion to wear glasses. So wear the glasses of seeing only specialties. Nothing else should be visible. For instance, when you wear red glasses, even something green will appear to be red. So when coming into connection with everyone, adopt the vision of seeing only their specialties and you will become special.

Acceptance

To attain peace when something unfortunate happens, we have to open up
to the possibility that there may be benefit and good hidden in that
situation. Accept and learn, then your feelings will be positive and
you will find solutions. You will have transformed defeat into victory.

In-Dependence; Swa-Rajya is our birthright

Our mind appears to be dependent on people and situations for how it feels. We are living as victims and slaves to situations and people's behaviours. Are we really independent, or living a life of complete dependency, where a single word from a close one can leave us in pain for hours or even years. When there is an external stimulus, a situation or someone's words, we react automatically without being fully aware of the choices we have to respond or of the consequences of our reactions. We think on an autopilot and then blame others for how we feel.

Freedom is being capable of choosing our thoughts and feelings and responding in every situation without being conditioned by external factors or the negative tendencies of our personality.

In-Dependence means dependent only on the One Inside. Dependent on the qualities of the inner being, Soul, the qualities of love, peace, power and purity. The more we start using our qualities and strengths; we will experience liberation from hurt, anger and pain. The more we become In-Dependence, our dependence on outer situations and people will start reducing. We will become the master of our thoughts, feelings , emotions, words and actions. We will take complete responsibility of how we are feeling and not blame anyone for it. This is Swarajya, which means Swa (Self) par Rajya (ruler), ruler over the self, ruler over the mind and sense organs. Each of us has the power to experience this Swarajya.

Let's free ourselves from our old patterns of thinking and behaving, clean past hurt, resolve conflicts, let go of everything that we have held on to which only addicted us to pain.

Freedom is just one thought away. Let's create that thought today.

Soul Sustenance

Forms of Fear in Our Modern Lifestyle

Fear is a feeling that is generated by the lack of knowledge about a certain situation, place or person. In fear, one feels threatened by something real or imaginary.

Fear often shows itself in our lives in the form of stress, worries and anxiety. Stress is connected with feeling pressure, feeling pushed, forced, to meet deadlines, to do more. Having to produce more and more, and having to be better and better at it, generates tensions and worries that arise in the form of the fear of not being able to achieve those objectives or results on time.

The materialistic values of achieving, obtaining, having, accumulating, and ambitions, competing and wanting to obtain a position, generate a lot of pressure and stress. When we are stressed, generally we are overcharged.

We think, talk and react too much. All this affects the mind and body negatively. The worst thing is that it becomes a habit, often uncontrolled, so that the simple habit of stopping and relaxing is not considered a solution. Some even consider it to be a waste of time. You have to do more and more, without stopping.

We have taken on stressful attitudes as part of our daily life. When stress persists, corticoids appear, these are sometimes called the fear hormones. When released continuously, they affect our immune system, increasing the likelihood of cardiovascular complications and the risk of cancer. 

Message for the day

Regard for others makes them our helpers.

Projection: Working with others we usually find ourselves expecting others to cooperate with us. And sometimes we are not able to get their cooperation. We are, then, disappointed and look for help from elsewhere or seek to change the place of work. But we find that it is just a temporary solution.

Solution: Each and every individual has a contribution to make for every task at hand. We need to give a chance and allow them to make their contribution. This is possible when we provide them with the right environment of love and regard. When we respect them for what they are, they will naturally continue to provide us support and help.

Contemplation: A Wise Soul

Contemplation: A Wise Soul

 

A wise soul opens the window to the future by closing the doors to the past.

Influence

Anything you keep within you will automatically reveal itself.
Therefore make sure you are always full of attainments in your
character. These will be revealed through your eyes, your words and
your behaviour and you will be capable of having great influence on
others.

Living Life On The Surface

In an ideal situation, the thoughts that run in my mind, should be exactly those that I would like and I want. We do exert this control, that we possess, over our thoughts, but it is not complete and it is only sometimes. The more we become completely engrossed in our daily routine, the more our thoughts tend to become reactions to what goes on outside us.

That's when they go out of control and our lives move in an unfocused way. As a result things don't work out as we might have desired. Then we develop a habit of blaming other people and circumstances, or we justify our pain by telling ourselves we are not very worthy or powerful enough. Often, these two inner strategies go together. The trouble is, both are cover ups, preventing us from going for a long-term solution.

In this way, we tend to live our lives on a very superficial level, without taking the time to find the solution to what is going on wrong inside. Deeper difficulties remain hidden inside. I move from one scene of life to another - eating, watching television, studying in college, getting married, changing jobs, buying a new car or house, etc. without ever stopping. All these are part of living, but if I make them my whole and sole, my foundation, it's as if I skate across the surface of life without being in touch with the core.

As time progresses, an inner shallowness develops. Then the feeling keeps growing inside that 'there must be more to life than this'. I then, find that my relationships are not working out as I would have hoped and they are lacking in depth.

Soul Sustenance

Meditation and Health

Each original quality of the self or soul is specially required for nourishing and empowering one human body system. The quality of peace is responsible for taking care of the respiratory system, joy for the gastrointestinal system, love for the circulatory system, bliss for the endocrine system, knowledge for the brain and nervous system, purity for the immune system and the five senses and power for the muscular and skeletal systems.

Each one of us has at least one body system, which is most prone to disease. When our mind is under the influence of stressful emotions, there is a decrease in the flow, from the soul to this body system, of that quality which is required by it for its nourishment, which leads to the development of disease in this system over a period of time e.g. when an individual with a weak respiratory system is in a negative state of mind, there is a decrease in the flow of the quality of peace to the respiratory system which in turn can lead to a disorder like asthma. 

Message for the day

The one who gives constantly is a true bestower.

Projection: We usually find ourselves giving only to those who give to us. When someone gives us love or happiness, we too are inspired to give. So we find that unless we get from others, it becomes difficult to give.

Solution: We need to have the aim of not letting anyone go from us empty handed. That means we give them an experience of love or happiness or whatever they need at that time. When we have that aim, we will be able to give even when we don't get anything. And then, we find that only when we give do we get.

Contemplation: Anyway

Contemplation:  Anyway

  

Anyway

People are often unreasonable and self-centered: Forgive them anyway. If you are Honest, People may cheat you, but be Honest anyway. What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight. Build anyway. The Good you do today, People will often forget tomorrow. Do Good anyway. You see, in the final analysis it is between you and God; it never was between you and them anyway.

Change

When you do not upset yourself thinking about how others must change
and instead you concentrate on your own change, good things start to
happen. You will feel better about yourself. And you will start to have
positive feelings towards others and start to understand them. Others
start having a more positive attitude towards you.

The Circle Of Influence And Worry

Make a list of the things that worry you most and decide if they are in your circle of influence or worry. Think about what you can really do to have an influence on each of them in an effective way. By determining which of these two circles is the centre around which most of your time and energy revolves, you can discover a great deal about your level of positivity. Positive people focus on the things they can do something about. If necessary, they change their attitude. They are aware that perhaps they cannot change the circumstances but they can improve their inner attitude. This is what positive focusing is all about: being creative, thinking differently, being open to listening, being more understanding, more communicative and showing more solidarity.

Reactive people focus on the problems of the circle and on the circumstances about which they have no control. They react to the defects found in other people. From this worrying, accusations, destructive criticism, feelings of blame, a reactive language and feelings of weakness and frustration can arise. They want others or the circumstances to change first and when that happens, then they will change. Whenever they think that the problem is on the outside, this thought is the problem. The negative energy produced as a result of this approach, combined with the lack of attention to the areas in which they could do something to improve the situation, means that the area of influence decreases in size. They give power to what is external so that it dominates them. In other words they think that change must come from "outside towards the inside"; they think that something that is outside must change before they themselves change.

Soul Sustenance
Stepping Inside … (cont.)

When we learn to become silent we become more compassionate (generous) in our outlook and start accepting others for who they are.

The more we are able to accept, the sooner we find that there is harmony (peacefulness) in our relationships. We start saving energy, sparing or reducing our thoughts and our words. This is accompanied by more patience, tolerance, flexibility, easiness and lightness. Silence teaches us the art of living. Silence can be misused to isolate oneself and go into loneliness, but true, positive silence gives us a balance between our inner and outer worlds.

Having explored our inner self we collect our positive energy, become aware of our qualities, and then very naturally these are expressed externally. We move our concentration to the inner self and then to the external world. Then we go inwards again. It is a circular movement. As we go into silence, we recharge our inner energies, become one with the self, heal our self, relax and release our self from negativity. There are so many benefits by simply stepping inside to meet our true self. As we draw out our internal riches and resources, what do we do with them? We share them and give them out and in doing this we receive and we learn. 

Message for the day

Knowledge and faith bring the ability to be positive

Projection: Whenever things don't happen according to what we expect we begin to look at everything negatively. We are caught up with the negativity to such an extent that we are not able to find anything that might be positive in it.
Solution: We need to understand and develop the faith that behind everything seemingly negative there is something positive. It is up to us whether we want to see positive in negative or negative in positive and be influenced accordingly.

Contemplation: Strength

Contemplation:  Strength

  

Church in the Middle of No Where - Austria

Strength

Contentment is a great strength. It comes when a person lives in honesty and simplicity. Contentment means we have overcome useless desires. It is said that you can discern a person's truth from their level of contentment.

Self-control

Self-control is not about suppressing emotions or tolerating the
pressure of circumstances. Self-control is to be the creator of your
thoughts and feelings, to be creative and find new answers. This helps
you to remain calm and cool.

Understanding What Is An Angel - cont.

In Christian mythology, angels are commonly shown as small children with wings - this is symbolic of the fact that angels are very innocent and pure, untouched by vices like anger, greed, lust, ego, hatred, jealousy, etc. (so are children). The purity of an angel is depicted in mythology in the form of an aura of subtle light or a halo around the head.

An angel's love for humanity is unlimited, yet it is completely detached as the Supreme. An angel experiences that whatever comes through it in the form of thoughts, words or actions has the effect of blessing other souls, as if it is able to perceive or judge immediately or instinctively what each soul needs and cater to their needs. This act of blessing others is depicted in the form of a magic wand. Angels are commonly shown with magic wands in their hands, with which they shower blessings on others.

An angel's thoughts, words and actions are all serving others. An angel is a lighthouse, mighthouse, connected with the Supreme; it radiates the spiritual rays of light and might, the love, peace, happiness and power of the Supreme Soul, to others.

  

Soul Sustenance

Stepping Inside …

One aspect of meditation is that it teaches us to face life from the inside.

It takes us to that point of stillness where we find the strength to change and heal the inner self. In that silence, we are able to find perspective and insight. In a deep state of introspection, we clearly observe our thoughts, seeing our true motives and intentions behind our words and actions; when we understand that our intentions are perhaps not quite right, then we are in a position to say to ourselves, 'Hold on a minute!' When we use silence to check our thoughts at that level, then we begin to realize that many of the things we are thinking about are not really worth thinking about.

At this point, we become spiritually economical, which in fact leads us to becoming very generous. A lot of precious energy is lost, both mentally and emotionally, on wasteful and negative thinking. Ninety-five percent of our time is wasted on thinking about others; we go on and on with a string of expectations from others, which becomes like a hammer of demand on other people's heads. Take a combination of expectations and demand, and what does it equal? Conflict!

When we learn to become silent and to reflect on our inner self, we start feeling satisfied with what we find inside, expectations from others gradually come down and there is a deep sense of contentment.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Message for the day

The one who is a special flower keeps spreading the fragrance of virtues.

Projection: Being in situations that are not always positive it seems very difficult for us to be positive. As is our environment and the situations, we find, so are our own responses, too. That is, we find ourselves reacting negatively in a negative situation and positively in a positive situation.

Solution: We need to remind ourselves that we are a special flower with our own specialities. The more we remind ouselves of these specialities, the more we are able to spread the sweetness of this fragrance to all - whatever the situations may be.

Contemplation: Quiet and Simple

Contemplation: Quiet and Simple

Peaceful Netherlands

Quiet and Simple

We tend to see things not as they are but as we are. Becoming quiet and simple inside is a first step to seeing things truly.

Secret of Newness

It is easy to create new things, change places or do something
different. To sustain that sense of newness that creates enthusiasm is
more difficult. The secret of newness in life is not to do new things
constantly, but to see everything you do with new eyes, new insights
and a new perspective.

Understanding What Is An Angel

When I have the consciousness that I am a soul, a non-physical being of light, acting through the physical body, even others begin to notice. This is what the angelic stage is. By remaining in this angelic, soul-conscious stage, others will also feel a sense of lightness and upliftment in my company.

Angels are thought to be mythical creatures who have a human form with wings, who are always in the company of God and help Him in guarding and protecting other souls. Actually, angels are human beings with divine qualities.

Angels are always shown with wings. One of the wings of the angel is symbolic of spiritual knowledge, which it has received from God; the other is symbolic of spiritual qualities and powers, which it has inculcated, through the power of meditation or a spiritual connection with God.

The wings of an angel also symbolize the lightness and freedom of such souls. With such wings the angel flies constantly in the company of God. Its lightness and freedom is because it has no bondages or attachments in the physical world; all the chains have been broken. Because angels has the absolute and constant support of the Supreme Being they can be the support and protectors of many others, by sharing with them, spiritual knowledge, qualities and powers, which they possesses.

An angel is the 'right hand' of God in the task of world transformation (change). The language which it uses to bring about this transformation is spiritual silence; positive, powerful and pure thoughts along with sweet words full of spiritual knowledge, all of which have the effect of uplifting others.

(To be continued tomorrow...)

Soul Sustenance

We need to make sure that we have a gift for everyone we meet; it could even be a smile or a kind word. When our focus is on what we have to give, we will be free from expectations from others. This will make us truly special.

A good meditator is one who has a mental link or union with the internal self and the Supreme Soul or God who is the source of all goodness. This, along with an understanding of the laws of action or the laws of karma, which govern the behavior of souls, means that one does not have to renounce or leave society in order to achieve enlightenment. Rather, the soul filled with spiritual illumination faces society directly with understanding and the generosity to serve it and to elevate (improve) it.

The soul becomes elevated not by the renunciation of responsibilities or worldly duties but by a renunciation of the negativity that exists within the role being played by it in society. A good meditator does not try to escape social obligations (duties) but rather purifies those duties by becoming filled with light, love, peace and happiness. The stage of self-awareness and God-communication injects a subtle richness into one's life-patterns.

There are those who believe that the elevated state is beyond society and its duties. They find a quiet spot in the jungle or an ashram and contemplate (think about) deeper things. There are others who are stuck in the quicksand of their problems, and believe that those who leave society and take up a spiritual lifestyle are saints. However, holiness and virtue are qualities attained in one's life situations , not in running away from them. The elevated state is not merely a matter of elevated thoughts (which can be experienced in a sanyas), but elevated actions also, for the benefit of the self and the world. We are what we do and not so much what we imagine ourselves to be.

Message for the day

Honesty brings progress.

Projection: Honesty is usually associated with telling the truth or being open with others. Even when we have such honesty, we sometimes don't experience progress because we are always honest with ourselves.

Solution: More than anything else we need to be honest with ourselves. That means we need to introspect and check within and change ourselves. Such internal checking without cheating ourselves, i.e., without giving excuses to ourselves helps us to experience progress.