Contemplation: February 16, 2020: Balance In Life
Dervish Whirling Dance, Sufi Whirling in Konya Turkey
Balance In Life
The indication of balance in life is a sense of well-being, optimism and a clear conscience. The foundation for achieving this is to look after myself spiritually - making my mind peaceful, loving and thoughtful at all times. Then I will instinctively know how much time to spend on my own well-being and how much on fulfilling other responsibilities. I can only give my best to others when I am myself at my best.
Control
When things go wrong, our first thought is often about controlling the situations or people involved. But since neither the situations nor people are in our hands, there is no success guaranteed with this way of thinking, which only increases the negativity. Instead of trying to control something I have no control upon, I need to start with myself. The more I am able to control myself with constant attention, checking and changing, the more I will have everything under control.
Overcoming Possessiveness And Complexes In Close Relationships (Part 2)
In yesterday's message, we talked about ailments like possessiveness and complexes existing in our family relationships today. Today we explain how meditation can cure these ailments with much ease. As I practice meditation, which is nothing but a practical exercise of experiencing soul consciousness, I carry that experience into my relationships. While interacting with each one of my closest of relations, I start becoming aware of myself as an eternal soul, an actor on the unlimited stage of the world, playing my act through the physical body costume and I see each one with the same consciousness. Also the realization grows that the role I am playing with others now is only one small part of the whole painting of life. I don't know where I was, in which part of the painting and with whom, before I took this birth, nor where I will be afterwards. The same is true for those with whom I am close. Depending on the type of relationship, I do have a particular responsibility towards each one of them whilst we are playing our parts together, but this only lasts a short time within this eternal timeline e.g. as father and child, each has a particular role today, but who knows about yesterday or tomorrow?
In meditation, I stabilize in the consciousness that I am an eternal soul, and that all human beings are souls, members of a huge spiritual family. Roles will change, but as souls, we only have an unlimited spiritual relation, we are brothers, but have no other permanent physical relation. Becoming aware of this spiritual wisdom protects me against limited feelings of my mother, my husband, my sister and so on, where such feelings cause possessiveness and a desire to control, rather than pure spiritual love filled with equality. All problems are reduced in relationships, when the personality trait inside me that tries to control others, or is controlled by others, is removed. Both of these are negative behaviors, caused due to lack of inner security, not true responsibility or concern. By knowing myself as a soul, my self-respect returns and by seeing others in the same light, my respect for others returns. From this strong soul-conscious spectator point, there is an inner detachment (but not a lack of love) inside me and I'll no longer feel a need to manipulate others or be manipulated by the other, but instead I will radiate pure feelings of genuine love, care and respect into my relationships. This causes the same energy to come back to me from my relationships.
Soul Sustenance
Being Impressed By Others – Is It Beneficial?
To keep our self-esteem intact, we need to make sure that we do not have an impressionable intellect. Being impressed by people, in itself, is not bad, but we can fall into the tendency of staying trapped in the superfluous (excessive and unnecessary) and in appearances. What impresses us influences us and even moulds our awareness at that moment. We lose the ability to create our thoughts and feelings and these are influenced by the impression that we have allowed the other person to leave on us. Sometimes the impression is such that we completely give ourselves to it. We give up our power to the other, and we allow them to dominate our emotional world. The results of allowing oneself to be impressed are varied and on different levels.
For example, when we are impressed by the other's position; it is fine to respect the authority and the position of the other, but when we allow their position to impress us, our ability to relate to the person in a smooth way is blocked. This can make it difficult for us to be the authority in our own life. Another example is when we are impressed by the achievements of the other and put them on a pedestal. We compare ourselves with him or her and have weak thoughts of ourselves, such as that we are not as good or effective as them, or we might feel jealousy or guilt. All of this acts as an obstacle on the path towards our own achievement. It is good to recognize and appreciate the achievements and skills of others, but when we allow them to impress us, in some way, we submit ourselves to their influence and we weaken our self-esteem and our respect towards ourselves. Without realizing, we use the other to fill a gap that we feel in ourselves. This will not always work. It will not strengthen us; rather it will create a dependency and dependencies weaken us.
Message for the day
To keep our self-esteem intact, we need to make sure that we do not have an impressionable intellect. Being impressed by people, in itself, is not bad, but we can fall into the tendency of staying trapped in the superfluous (excessive and unnecessary) and in appearances. What impresses us influences us and even moulds our awareness at that moment. We lose the ability to create our thoughts and feelings and these are influenced by the impression that we have allowed the other person to leave on us. Sometimes the impression is such that we completely give ourselves to it. We give up our power to the other, and we allow them to dominate our emotional world. The results of allowing oneself to be impressed are varied and on different levels.
For example, when we are impressed by the other's position; it is fine to respect the authority and the position of the other, but when we allow their position to impress us, our ability to relate to the person in a smooth way is blocked. This can make it difficult for us to be the authority in our own life. Another example is when we are impressed by the achievements of the other and put them on a pedestal. We compare ourselves with him or her and have weak thoughts of ourselves, such as that we are not as good or effective as them, or we might feel jealousy or guilt. All of this acts as an obstacle on the path towards our own achievement. It is good to recognize and appreciate the achievements and skills of others, but when we allow them to impress us, in some way, we submit ourselves to their influence and we weaken our self-esteem and our respect towards ourselves. Without realizing, we use the other to fill a gap that we feel in ourselves. This will not always work. It will not strengthen us; rather it will create a dependency and dependencies weaken us.
Message for the day
Set your mind on the seat of stability and you will never become upset.
Contemplation: In all that you do throughout the day, check if you are able to stabilize your mind wherever and in whatever thought you want at the right moment. If you are not able to you will find yourself getting upset.
Application: Each morning create a positive thought for yourself. For example, tell yourself "I am the one who is in control of my mind and I can set it the way I want to." Now practice focusing on this one thought. Stabilize in this thought for some time.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Contemplation: In all that you do throughout the day, check if you are able to stabilize your mind wherever and in whatever thought you want at the right moment. If you are not able to you will find yourself getting upset.
Application: Each morning create a positive thought for yourself. For example, tell yourself "I am the one who is in control of my mind and I can set it the way I want to." Now practice focusing on this one thought. Stabilize in this thought for some time.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
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