Daily Positive Thoughts: September 30, 2015: Life

Daily Positive Thoughts: September 30, 2015: Life

Life

Your thoughts guide you to your destiny. If you always think the same you will always get to the same place. Think in a new way and you will be a new person.

Contentment brings discipline in life. 

To be content is to appreciate everything that is in my life. When I life live well, I will make use of everything that I have. At the same time, I will be open to new things without getting overly ambitious. This will ensure that I respect everything I do. This automatically sets a pattern and a discipline in my life and within this pattern itself there will be margin for new things. Today I will set up my routine for the day. While I set up a routine for the physical tasks that I do, I will also set up a routine for the mind. I will ensure that internally I appreciate everything that I do. That means, I am clear about the significance of the task and what quality I need to use while doing it.

Conquering The Emotion Of Jealousy (cont.)

Internal contentment or satisfaction is the antidote (neutralizer or healing agent) for jealousy. People with strong self-esteem and self-respect are the ones who remain satisfied or content and away from the emotion of jealousy while coming in contact with different people with their own unique specialties, virtues and attainments.

Self-respect or self-esteem depends on knowing who I am, knowing my eternal (ageless), internal self. When I have found that sense of internal identity, I feel I have a right to be here, to exist. Without this dimension, it is very difficult to really respect myself deeply. If I base my self-respect on identifying with the superficial (artificial) aspects of my being: my looks, personality, wealth, success, my friends, intelligence or my role, I will never have a stable sense of self-respect, because all these aspects are changeable. Thus I will end up fluctuating all the time. To stay stable in my self-respect, I need to have a deeper understanding of my internal self and tap into those riches that are within me forever, waiting to blossom, like the flower from the seed. As I become internally aware, those riches and resources start flowing out of me. The more stable I am in my self-respect, the more I radiate what I truly am. I feel a deep sense of contentment and I am happy to be me, however I am. I accept myself as I am.

Let us be honest a person who is jealous just cannot sit stably on the seat of self-respect - they keep moving i.e. fluctuating. Today they meet a person with lesser specialties or attainments than them and they are on top of the world - they rise above the seat of self-respect and enter the dimension of ego. Tomorrow they meet a person with more specialties or attainments than them and that is a bad day for them - they go underneath the seat of self-respect and enter the dimension of low self-esteem. What a shallow way of living! The ideal way of living - in both cases, remain in self-respect and give respect to the other. Remember that the jealous, the angry, the bitter and the egotistical are the first to race to the top of mountains. A confident and internally content person enjoys the journey, the people they meet along the way and sees life not as a competition. They reach the summit last because they know God isn't at the top waiting for them. He is down below helping his followers to understand that the view is glorious where ever you stand.

Soul Sustenance

Understanding The Mechanism Of The Virtue Of Peace (Part 3)

To experience the eternal peace of the soul world, I do the simple exercise explained yesterday and then go a step further. Having created the thought about myself that I am a sparkling star-like energy at the centre of the forehead, just above the eyebrows, visualized it and as a result experienced it, now my objective is visualizing my star like form in the soul world. With this objective in mind, I now create a simple thought that I the star-like energy will make a short journey to the soul world and back. So I create simple thoughts and visualize alongside that I, the soul am leaving my physical body and flying outside. Then I, see my star like form, slowly fly past the ceiling of the room I am in and see myself suspended in the sky (night sky makes the visualization more easy). I see myself as a point of radiant light high above many many buildings and lights. This is similar to what one would see from an aeroplane window while landing or taking off. I then see my light form going higher, past the atmosphere and going past a sea of stars and a few planets and the moon. I then take this visualization further and see myself entering the soul world, a region of soft orange-red light (this is similar to how it looks like at dusk). This region is multidimensional and unlimited in size or expanse. I see my star-like form suspended in this region, radiating rays of peace in all directions. I also see other white/golden star-like souls just like me in the same region. I spend some time in this region, in this experience. In this region my thoughts stop completely and I am only visualizing.

This is the eternal peace experienced whilst visualizing the spiritual self in the soul world. The peace experienced in this exercise is greater than in the exercise mentioned yesterday. Thus the sanskara of peace created in the soul in this exercise is deeper. After a few minutes of this experience, I see myself descending in the physical body in exactly the same way as I flew to the soul world. This is just a visualization exercise or experience and the soul does not actually leave the body and go anywhere. The two practical exercises explained in yesterday's and today's message can be used to experience the two types of peace mentioned. At one time, you can choose to either experience both types or only the first one. You can start with a few minutes and increase the time gradually. Continuous practice will create stronger sanskaras of peace and take you closer to your original state of peace.

Message for the day

The method to get help is to take the first step of courage.

Projection: When I set out to achieve something, I usually expect help from situations or people, but am not always able to get it. Then I tend to become disheartened and sometimes tend to give up the task altogether.

Solution: The right way to get help is to first take a step forward even in the most negative situations. With courage and faith when I start in whatever little way I can, I find the help coming to me. Then I will neither stop nor give up with the little setbacks that I am faced with.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: September 29, 2015: Being free from Desires

Daily Positive Thoughts: September 29, 2015: Being free from Desires

Peter Pan chasing his shadow

Being free from Desires

To be free from desires is to have the experience of attainment. The
 more there are desires, the more it becomes difficult to appreciate
what is there and what is attained. Life becomes a constant struggle
for attaining something else. One desire is fulfilled and before it
can be appreciated all energies are focused on the fulfilment of ten
other desires. When we continue to run after desires, we are not able
to have the experience of having attained anything. Running for
desires is like running after the shadow, we can never get it. But
when we turn our back on it, it runs after us. If we are free from
desires, we are rich because we are content with whatever little we
have and we are happy putting in effort to be better with that
little.

Humility is to put others first.

But surely, if you were to put others first in the workplace, you'll miss out on recognition & personal development.

Actually, humility is not putting yourself down or downplaying your own value. Humility says, "I have value; you have value." But because humility is not motivated to impress or dominate others, humility puts ego aside & puts others first.

So, go on, say 'you first' instead of 'me first'. Try this:
- At work, praise others for their accomplishments & share
the credit for group efforts.
- When driving, let a car out ahead of you at a junction
(at least three cars on every journey).

Conquering The Emotion Of Jealousy (cont.)

In the 21st century, there are so many mediums which inculcate the feeling of jealousy in a person. Social Media is one such platform. While Facebook and Twitter rule the roost, commonly people wonder * How does he get so many likes? * How is she so photogenic? * Again a 'check in'! * His life is so eventful. You never know how and when these thoughts start affecting your life, mental peace and behavior greatly.

Jealousy is a complex emotion, which often stems from insecurity or a fear of losing control. Everybody expresses and handles jealousy in a different way, but certain universal techniques can be used to help conquer it. Being aware of jealous feelings is the first step towards keeping it under control. Also conquering jealousy requires an honest conversation about how you feel. It's far healthier to talk about your negative feelings than to reveal them through your actions. The more you communicate with them, and seek reassurance the more your feelings of jealousy will subside.

Hold a strong and determined belief inside yourself that jealousy is an emotion you will never face. Your idol or perfect self just doesn't deserve the existence of the emotion.  For instance, if you have an acquaintance of yours who is extremely pretty and sometimes, you envy her. That is the time when you need to firmly tell yourself that this is just not your perfect self. You can't feel that way. Take a few minutes to stand back mentally from the person. The next step is to observe your thoughts as if you were an onlooker or a detached observer. Being as silent as possible, ask yourself as if the thoughts you are having are the ones you wish to keep, if they are going where you would choose them to go. In the resulting silence, steer (change direction) your thinking to where you want it to be; perhaps to personal affirmations (positive thoughts) you use to establish yourself on your seat of self-respect. The affirmations can be: * I am aware of myself as a special person with my own unique specialties or * I am aware of myself as internally rich, full of many invisible treasures, * I am aware of myself as a content being and overflowing with happiness, etc.  This technique changes our attitudes and feelings and influences us positively.

Soul Sustenance

Understanding The Mechanism Of The Virtue Of Peace (Part 2)

Yesterday we have explained how the virtue of peace works in human souls through the cycle of life. In today's message we explain (with reference to yesterday’s message) how we can experience our original state of peace experienced during the initial phases of the birth-rebirth cycle. Tomorrow we shall explain how we can experience the eternal peace of the soul world. To have both these experiences, the basic principle that I need to remember is that to experience peace, I need to concentrate on it – concentration means creating thoughts about it and visualizing it at the same time. Secondly to access peace, I need to separate myself from my body and surroundings. So how do I bring these two principles in practice?

The first chapter of the Rajyoga meditation course as taught by the Brahma Kumaris in each of its centers states a simple fact and makes me realize it that I am not this body but I am an eternal soul, a non-physical star like spiritual energy, situated at the centre of the forehead, just above the eyebrows, the original nature of which is peace. The body is my vehicle. Now, to experience the peace experienced during the initial phases of the birth-rebirth cycle, my mind picks the above fact or wisdom from my intellect, which is a reservoir of spiritual knowledge and where the above fact is stored. Then, my intellect, which possesses the decision making ability judges the thought as to whether it is a right or wrong one. If my intellect is convinced about the fact, it judges the thought as right. Next, I take this process further. Along with creating this thought I visualize this thought on the screen of my mind i.e. see my star-like white/golden light form just above the eyebrows radiating white/golden rays of peace in all directions. I do this exercise for a few minutes. This exercise then leads me to an experience of peace, as a result of which a sanskara of peace is created. This is the peace experienced whilst visualizing the spiritual self inside the body – it is the peace experienced in the initial phases of the birth-rebirth cycle.

Message for the day

Few words are required when thoughts are positive.

Projection: I sometimes find myself using a lot of words to convey what I feel or to give explanations to others. Yet I sometimes find that others are not convinced with my words. I am then at a loss about what is to be done.

Solution: Positive thoughts actually reach out to others and create the right environment. All I need to do is to create an atmosphere of positivity by maintaining my own positive thoughts. Then I will not have to use so many words to prove my point or to convince others.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: September 28, 2015: True Peace

Daily Positive Thoughts: September 28, 2015: True Peace

True Peace

True peace can be experienced only when we stop giving and taking sorrow. In order not to give sorrow we need a clear heart that has no ill feelings and for not taking sorrow we need a big heart that can tolerate and help other souls to get over their weaknesses.

Your 'Original'  Self

Take a moment whenever you remember just to stop. Be still and silent. Sense the quietness of that moment and visualise yourself stepping into an ocean of calm. Submerge your whole being in the quiet waters. As the waves of that calm ebb and flow, begin to unburden yourself. Slip into that place of no thinking and become completely still. Now, in that stillness, become aware of your 'original' self. This is the real, true you. Let it appear quietly but brilliantly. After some moments, emerge from the still waters and try to retain an awareness of the true you as you go back to your everyday affairs.

Conquering The Emotion Of Jealousy

Man was handed the master key of the knowledge of good and evil karma by God. He used the key to perform good karma for some time. That was the day of humanity. Over a period of time, while playing the game of different roles in the world theatre, the key was lost and man started to perform evil karma. The evil man started identifying with evil so much that he forgot his original good self and thought that evil is the eternal self. That was and is the night of humanity. That is why in the scriptures, mistakenly it is said that even angels used to sometimes feel jealous. In Indian scriptures, devis and devtas, the original good men and women, have mistakenly been shown to possess the emotion of jealousy at times. Poor perception of the evil men, who made the scriptures and temples in the remembrance of the good men and women, the angels, after they had ceased to exist! The good men and women were nothing but our early births as we started our journey of birth and rebirth as flawless beings.

Today humans are empowered beings who have the capacity to experience so many emotions, both positive and negative. Sadness, anger, happiness, sympathy and the list is endless. Out of all these one very powerful and dominating emotion is jealousy. When we see different players in this game of life playing different roles, sometimes while seeing them with the spectacles of role consciousness, feelings of jealousy or a desire to be like the other are experienced. Comparisons emerge in our minds.

While being competitive and having aspirations to succeed are absolutely fine and there is no doubt that to do that sometimes we have to look at the other or even others and this drive helps us meet life's challenges also, but when this look at the other is accompanied by comparisons and feelings of low self esteem as a result and takes the form of jealousy; it gets out of control and starts having an adverse effect on our relationships, that steps should be taken to curb those feelings.

(To be continued tomorrow ...)

Soul Sustenance

Understanding The Mechanism Of The Virtue Of Peace (Part 1)

Each and every human soul's original trait or characteristic is peace. Before each soul comes down on the earth to take its first physical body, the soul is in a state of complete peace, residing in the soul world. In the soul world, the two faculties of the soul – the mind and intellect are complete inactive or dormant and the third faculty, the sanskara or spiritual personality is only that of eternal peace and purity and no other virtue like happiness, love or knowledge. The mind is completely silent, not creating a single thought or emotion or feeling nor possessing an attitude. The intellect which possesses the power to discriminate right thoughts, words or actions from the wrong ones does not exercise its power because there are no thoughts, words or actions in the soul world, so there is nothing there to discriminate. The sanskaras (as mentioned above) are also inactive to a certain extent – there are no thoughts, feelings, emotions, attitudes, words or actions to be created or processed, which would be based on the sanskaras or personality.

When the soul first takes a physical body on the world stage, it creates thoughts and feelings which are few in number and they are only positive and its words and actions are also limited and completely positive. Its discrimination power is active and completely accurate and its sanskaras or personality come into an active mode (sanskaras other than peace also become active) but only for a positive purpose to create positive thoughts, words or actions. As a result of this, the soul experiences immense peace, but the extent of the peace is lesser than that of in the soul world, where it is completely still and experiences dead silence or peace. It is never peaceless though at this stage. As the soul starts coming into the process of birth and rebirth, its starts losing its energy slowly; its mind, intellect and sanskaras start functioning negatively or incorrectly, it begins to succumb to the vices, leading to the creation of thoughts, words and actions, which are not only large in number but they are mostly waste or negative in nature. As a result, the soul gradually begins to lose its peace, which it experienced in the soul world (eternal peace) and at the start of its journey on the physical world and starts becoming peaceless.

Tomorrow we shall explain how we can return to our original state of peace.

Message for the day

The one who takes inspiration from others keeps moving forward.

Projection: When I look at the specialities of others, I sometimes tend to get discouraged. At such times my own weakness(es) look very prominent and my specialities remain hidden. Such comparision might not actually lead to jealousy but subtly continues to have its influence on me in a negative way.

Solution: At all times I must make sure I am constantly moving forward. Looking at others's specialities I need to take inspiration from them. I need to see what aspect I can imbibe in myself too. When I do this I will be able to experience constant progress being free from negativity.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: September 27, 2015: Higher Than the Sky

Daily Positive Thoughts: September 27, 2015: Higher Than the Sky

Higher Than the Sky

Keep wearing virtues as your ornaments. Keep loving others. Keep giving regard. You have to go beyond the stars. Keep thoughts higher than the sky, and abundance of patience like the earth. Keep spiritual love in your eyes.

Contentment

When I am content I am able to have a state of mind that is creative. 

So I am able to tap the inner resources for my own personal growth. 

I am able to creatively work with my own inner virtues and am able to add them even to the little acts that I do. 

I am never satisfied to the point of laziness.

The Step Of Donation In Silence

Donating is the final step of silence. We have filled the self with a particular quality and it starts flowing out of us.  We allow this quality to touch the atmosphere around us and consciously donate this vibration to the world, enabling those in need to feel it and to absorb it.

This is the ultimate step of a true meditator, often referred to as the lighthouse stage. A lighthouse stands still and stable in one position in the rough sea and beams the light all around so that ships are shown the way. We are able to bring an original quality of the self into our consciousness, fill our self with it and then, very naturally, let it radiate from the mind.

One of the most important aspects in this step of silence is the link with the Supreme Energy. We make this link with the Supreme Source, we absorb from that Source, we fill the self from that Source and then donate all that the Source has given us.

This is called angelic or instrument consciousness. It is said that an angel is a human soul who has fallen so deeply in love with that Source of Light that it has transformed completely. It is totally filled with Light and Peace and its task is only to serve, to share Divine Love and Peace with others.

 Soul Sustenance

 Understanding The Different Types Of Thoughts That The Mind Creates (Part 6)

We have explained Positive Thoughts yesterday. Today we continue with the same:

Positive Thoughts (cont.)

Positive thoughts make you happy and as a result your expectations of others decrease. This does not mean that they do not matter to you, but that you no longer demand love, respect, recognition, or even calm, from them, and it makes your relationships that much easier. This is the best way to create long-lasting and harmonious relationships. When you have inner happiness, you have the strength to accept other people as they are without wanting them to be different. This acceptance produces more peaceful relationships. With the positive attitude you create, you can offer yourself to other people just the way you are, with your virtues and limitations, without pretence.

Your body also benefits greatly, since when you have a balanced, harmonious mind you are less susceptible to illnesses. A person who has many useless thoughts will often feel very tired because they are spending their energy in creating thousands of unnecessary and inefficient thoughts.

Your mind is strengthened and healed by being nourished with positive thoughts. A healthy mind is the basis of a balanced personality.

Message for the day

The right kind of support makes people independent.

Projection: When I provide help and support to others, sometimes I find that they become dependent on me. They continue to expect the same kind of support that they had got from me before, when I am not in a position to give. Then my good gesture becomes a bondage or difficulty for me.

Solution: When I am providing help to someone, I need to check the kind of help that I am providing. True help is to provide assistance in such a way that slowly the person learns to rely on his own resources and becomes independent. Then there will be no expectations from me.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: September 26, 2015: Let Go

Daily Positive Thoughts: September 26, 2015: Let Go

Let Go

Just as the bird has to find the courage to let go of the branch in order to fly, so we also must let go of our branches if we are to know the exhilaration of soaring to the highest potential of our life. The branches we hold to are our inner attachments - our beliefs, ideas and memories. And then there are the outer attachments - people, possessions, positions and privileges are a few. But as long as we hold on to them we will live in fear (of letting go and loss) and we will never be free. And just watch those birds, by letting go of one branch they are able to spend the rest of their life alighting on a million other branches, and they enjoy the view from each. Are you flying and soaring in your life, or are you stuck on one branch, cursing others as they fly past. Go on, try it ...let go!

relax7.com

Motivator

People can motivate other people. A book can motivate. Money can motivate. But the best motivator is an idea!

How to let your ideas motivate you? Capture the idea. Write it down - in a notebook, on a post-it-note, or on your digital gadgets.

And then give the idea time to percolate and build momentum. Visualise the end result, the benefits and the feeling of accomplishing the idea.

If you really believe in the idea then let it motivate you into action. Start working on it - do something, otherwise, the idea won't go anywhere!

The Search For Success

The false intention and assumption behind greed, in the form of a thought and feeling, is 'the more I have, the more I am'. It is a combination of trying to add to the value of the self through material possessions, position, role, talent or achievements and then becoming attached to these as a form of identity, finally leading to personal collapse. To try to add to the sense of self in this way has the effect of diverting oneself from the real self, which is why, in many cases, a person who has everything material is left with the feeling of being empty, disorientated and even fearful.

We cannot accumulate, or rely on the external, to create a sense of personal value.

People often try to fill the void of personal inadequacy or emptiness through greed, but this method goes against natural, universal laws. All that I am, all that I can be, all that will make me truly happy must begin from inside the self. We have to start from the inside out, not the other way round, otherwise we create desires that have no end, like the ten-headed Ravana - every time Ram cut off one of his heads, another grew in its place. Ravana did not die until Ram aimed for his heart. Desires are created from wanting one thing or another, believing that we will find achievement when those desires are fulfilled. This pattern of behavior keeps deceiving us and the proof of this is seen in the state of discontentment and emptiness a lot of people find themselves in today.

Soul Sustenance

Understanding The Different Types Of Thoughts That The Mind Creates (Part 5)

We have explained Necessary, Unnecessary and Negative Thoughts in the last few days. Today we explain:

Positive Thoughts
Positive thoughts are those thoughts which give us and others the experience of our original virtues like peace, love, bliss, happiness, etc. They enable you to accumulate inner strength and equip you to be constructive. Positive thoughts are always beneficial in all circumstances, without trapping you in the external appearance of a situation.

Thinking positively does not mean ignoring the reality of your world and living in a fantasy or longing to be another person. For example, if you were to repeat over and over again, "I am well, am well," when you were ill, this is not what we mean by positive thinking.

Thinking positively involves looking at problems and recognizing reality, but at the same time being able to find solutions without becoming obsessed or confused. This often requires tolerance, patience and common sense.

A person who thinks positively is aware of the weaknesses of others, but even then will direct their attention towards their positive characteristics.

(To be continued tomorrow …..) 

Message for the day

The power of positivity helps finish all negativity.

Projection: When I am faced with negativity in people or in situations, I too usually tend to have negative thoughts. When my mind is caught up with negativity of any kind-fear, anger or tension, I cannot think anything positive. I then find myself totally caught up in the situation finding no solution.

Solution: The only way to finish negativity is to work with positivity. I need to make a conscious effort to look at some positive aspect in the situation or person with whom I am facing difficulty. When I do this I can relate to them with this positivity which will slowly make the situation better again.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: September 25, 2015: Silence

Daily Positive Thoughts: September 25, 2015: Silence

Silence

It is when we silence the chattering of our mind that we can truly hear what is in our heart and find the still, clear purity that lies within the soul. Spiritual love carries us into the silence of our original state of being. This silence contains the power to create harmony in all relationships and the sweetness to sustain them.

Spread Fragrance

Some people say that it is very difficult to be positive in this highly negative world. But just as an incense stick spreads fragrance everywhere and dispels bad odour,  the power of constantly pure and positive thoughts can transform the negative attitudes and atmosphere of any person or place.

Consciousness

There are two different basic levels of consciousness; * I am a body (which is illusory (false)) or * I am a soul, (which is real). When the feeling is * I am a body, the thought process is trapped in the limitations, problems and vision of the physical identity. Its reaction to others is on the same level.

Given below is an awareness-thought-decision-action-result cycle in the case of a typical father-son relationship. You will notice the difference consciousness can make to the cycle.

Awareness
Body Consciousness: I am the father. I know the most.
Soul Consciousness: I am a soul. My natural state is love and peace.

Thought
Body Consciousness: My son should listen to me as he is my own flesh and blood.
Soul Consciousness: My son is a soul too. As a soul he is my brother.

Decision
Body Consciousness: I will teach him a lesson.
Soul Consciousness: I will respect his idea also.

Action
Body Consciousness: Father argues with son.
Soul Consciousness: Father and son discuss with respect.

Result
Body Consciousness: Ill feeling between father and son.
Soul Consciousness: Respect maintained.

Soul Sustenance

Understanding The Different Types Of Thoughts That The Mind Creates (Part 4)

We have explained Negative Thoughts yesterday. Today we continue with the same:
Negative Thoughts (cont.)

If your thoughts are based on the five vices or related emotions (as explained yesterday), it is as if you had poisoned your own mind and the atmosphere around you. However much you may be right, it does not matter. By thinking negatively you will always be the loser, since negative thoughts take away the respect you have for yourself and others respecting you. Generally speaking, people who think very negatively about others will often find themselves alone, even though they have many relationships. Other people will try to avoid someone who has angry thoughts since anger is like a fire that destroys and causes damage, and nobody wants to approach this fire.

A negative person who only sees the negative side of things causes disharmony in their immediate environment. These types of thoughts are more prevalent in people today, and are one of the causes of stress, fragmentation, aggressiveness and suffering in our current society.

At a practical level, negative thoughts make you lose energy and weaken you. They are a form of inner pollution that must be cleansed so that your mind becomes a more efficient tool.

(To be continued tomorrow …..)

Message for the day

The one who is free from desire is the one who is able to maintain positivity.

Projection: When I put forth my ideas to others I expect them to listen to me. My idea changes to desire and when it is not accepted I then tend to become irritated. And along with it also comes jealousy or dislike for the others and I find myself caught up in negativity.

Solution: I need to make sure that I share my ideas with others but at the same time I need to keep myself free from any selfish motive. When I put forth my idea in a detached way, I too will be open to learning and I will be able to accept any criticism or rejection that comes my way. Thus I will be free from negativity. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: September 24, 2015: Purpose

Daily Positive Thoughts: September 24, 2015: Purpose

Ludwig van Beethoven: 1770–1827. Pianist, Composer: He was an innovator, widening the scope of sonata, symphony, concerto and quartet, and combining vocals and instruments in a new way. His personal life was marked by a struggle against deafness, and some of his most important works were composed during the last 10 years of his life, when he was quite unable to hear.

Purpose

The purpose of our lives is to give birth to the best that is within us.

Reducing and Recycling

It's so easy to accumulate "stuff" - gadgets, clothes, appliances, shoes.... It not only takes up space in our home but also in our head. So, simplify your life by reducing and recycling. Just look around your living space and take stock of what stays and what you can easily live without.

How does the accumulating "stuff" begin? Shopping!
So, the next time you go shopping, question the "I need" items on your shopping list. Do you really need it?
Shop less and simplify your life.

Taking Time Off From Busy Lifestyles (cont.)

To rise above the monotonous and busy existence explained in the last two days' messages, we all require a regular dosage of newness to keep our hearts and minds fresh. How can we define newness? It is a change of thoughts, feelings, words, actions, circumstances - when all or some of these deviate from the normal or are new, they give us an experience of joy. On a physical level we go on a holiday or a party, watch a movie, etc., all of these and many more such activities explained earlier in this message series, achieve the purpose mentioned above. We then get back to our daily routine of thoughts and actions, with more freshness, which makes the routine more interesting.

On a spiritual level, to become silent, to be still in the ocean of hectic, noisy action is a choice many people are now making. When this is achieved, this stillness acts on the mind like oxygen, giving the breath to both understand and enrich life. Of course, action is a necessity, an expression of ourselves through time, relationships and the roles we play. However, if we do not sometimes stop and take a breath of silence, then the mind begins to suffocate, thoughts speed like bullet trains and the brain feels as if it is in a pressure cooker. Emotions erupt and react like volcanoes, eyes become dizzy with mountains of information and the head feels like a rollercoaster. This is stress. The mind needs to come up for air, to leave the jungle of pressure, deadlines and speed and slow down and find the point of silence within. Also a daily dose of new and different spiritual knowledge at the start of the day does the work of newness and helps us rise above the monotony. It rekindles our creative spirit. Newness in our thoughts then flows into our feelings, beliefs, attitudes, personalities or natures, perceptions, actions, interactions, relationships, etc. bringing newness in all of them and removing the stagnancy of the regular routine. Also feeding spiritual knowledge to the mind benefits silence or meditation immensely, because meditation, which is not just a process of reducing the mind to a nil stage but the creation of positive, constructive thoughts to take the mind to a positive experience of peace and bliss, can then become an interesting, new and creative exercise each time one practices it. Spiritual knowledge is the foundation of good meditation or silence.

Soul Sustenance

Understanding The Different Types Of Thoughts That The Mind Creates (Part 3)

We have explained Necessary and Unnecessary Thoughts in the last couple of days. Today we explain:

Negative Thoughts
Negative thoughts harm you and are not good for you. As well as the impact they may have on others, these thoughts disturb your peace and weaken your inner strength. If these thoughts occur on a regular basis, they can cause health problems, both physical and mental. They can even become destructive.

Negative thoughts are based on the five vices primarily – lust, anger, greed, ego, attachment. They are chiefly caused by selfish and harmful reasons, without taking into account the values and inner qualities of the person.
* If he speaks to me again in that way I'll beat him up (rage), * I think they should pay me more without having to do any more work to earn it (greed).

Negative thoughts also arise from unsatisfied expectations, in disagreements, in laziness, vengeance, racism, jealousy, criticism, hate and an excess of power.
* My boss never appreciates my work but he always values my colleagues more (jealousy). * An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth or * He who lives by the sword, shall die by the sword (vengeance).

(To be continued tomorrow …..)

Message for the day

The one who fulfills promises with determination is the one who overcome all problems.

Projection: When I see some weakness working within me I usually make a promise to myself with a lot of enthusiasm. But if I face even a little opposition or difficulty in fulfilling this promise, I tend to lose hope and usually give up trying altogether.

Solution: In order to bring about a change in me and fulfill my promise, I need to use the virtue of determination. Every time I find myself becoming careless in it, I need to remind myself strongly of the importance of the promise that I had made. Then I will be able to win over all the obstacles that come my way in bringing my thoughts and words to actions.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris