Contemplation: Mind Matters

Contemplation: Mind Matters

Mind Matters

The most important part of you is your mind (not your brain - the brain is the hardware and the mind creates the software). Care for your mind, make friends with it, always feed it healthy food, engage it in positive activity, exercise it with knowledge and wisdom. Like a garden returns fragrance and beauty according to the care invested, so your mind will repay you with thoughts, ideas and visions of great beauty when tended and invested with care. Your mind is not made of matter but it does matter what you give it and what you create with it. Where your mind goes, you go. What your mind creates becomes your destiny.

To be free from negative thoughts is to be free from punishment.

Whenever there is a negative situation I tend to react very negatively

to it. I tend to have a lot of negative thoughts and experience a lot

of difficulty at that time. I then begin to blame the situation and

feel that I am facing punishment because of it. I need to understand

the fact that the biggest punishment I experience is through my own

negative thoughts. The more I can free myself from these kind of

negative thoughts I can free myself from experiencing any kind of

punishment.

Unloading Your Pressure Baggage (cont.)

Sometimes the pressure we are carrying is related to the situation we are in, sometimes we even carry a pressure of one situation in another situation i.e. it is unrelated pressure. All this continues throughout the day, day after day. What all this pressure does is increase the quantity of thoughts that we carry in our mind, which in turn reduces our efficiency and discriminating and judging power. The words and actions coming out from such a state of mind are improper and lacking in power, conviction and clarity. To ensure that we do not carry pressure baggage on our emotional back, as per our pressure equation (shared in the first message of this series), we need to change the incorrect beliefs that we carry, which are the root cause of our pressure and at the same time increase our ability to bear the different life forces. We carry thoughts that are determined by our belief of what success is and what failure is, what winning is and what losing is. Although we perceive such beliefs to be true, they are not true; they are like a facade that influence our perception of reality and generate in us feelings of pressure. The truth, on the other hand, is deeper than beliefs.

While meditation will serve as an important tool to increase our inner power to tolerate or resist life forces; spiritual knowledge, understanding and wisdom will serve as an immensely important tool which will help us in correcting our beliefs. So in times of pressure, stopping yourself for a minute and assessing your thoughts, then going backwards, and checking the beliefs which are the root cause of the thoughts at that particular moment and then changing them requires strength and clarity, which we will obtain through the medium of spiritual wisdom. Once the beliefs are corrected, the thought patterns will change. Thoughts like - * Maybe I won't arrive on time, * If I don't finish this assignment successfully, I will lose my next promotion, * If I lose my money in this financial investment, my family will stop appreciating me etc. which we create all the time - will be replaced by more positive thoughts of security, fearlessness, patience, peace, faith, determination, certainty etc.

Soul Sustenance 


The Faculties Of The Soul (cont.)

The intellect is used to assess thoughts. This is the faculty (energy) of the soul used for understanding and decision-making which stands out as the most crucial faculty of the three. With the deepening and broadening of the intellect, clear understanding and realization of knowledge becomes natural, and the power to decide and reason becomes clear. It is the intellect which remembers, discriminates, judges and exercises its power in the form of will-power.

Sanskaras is a Hindi word which best describes what we could call impressions. They are the record of all the soul's past experiences and actions. Sanskaras can take the forms of habits, talents, nature, personality traits, beliefs, values or instincts. Every action performed by a soul either creates a sanskar (this is how a habit begins) or reinforces an old one. Whatever impression is etched in the soul remains within the soul, forming a complete collection of all the experiences that the soul has had. When we speak of defects, specialties or virtues we are referring to the sanskaras. The sanskaras are the basis of the soul's individuality.


Message for the day 

To be a master is to be able to experience freedom.

Projection: Usually whenever things go wrong we find ourselves caught up with our own weaknesses. We give in to them and find ourselves totally bound. This, in turn, makes us feel heavy as we feel helpless. Then we will never be able to overcome them.

Solution: We need to remind ourselves of our own powers and the fact that our weakness is our creation and we are the master. The more we remind ourselves of this, the more we will be able to experience freedom and use these powers.

Contemplation: The Secret Of Good Health

Contemplation: The Secret Of Good Health

The Secret Of Good Health The secret of good health is good nourishment and exercise. We need daily nourishing food and exercise to maintain a healthy body and it takes care and attention to fulfill this responsibility. Making the effort underlines our value and importance as a human being. However, the human spirit needs the same attention in the form of the thoughts we have and how the mind puts them to use. Feeding both body and mind with nourishing food gives a powerful and consistent message to respect and co-operate with one another. This is holistic good health.

To be a master means to experience inner power in a practical way.

Each one has a lot of powers within, which we can use in our daily

life while dealing with practical situations. Knowledge of these

powers is of course there within each one. And along with it there is

an intention to use them too. But during the time when it is necessary

to use them, it becomes difficult to make them practical. So the

powers within are just wasted away. We need to learn the art of using

the right power at the right time. With the recognition of the powers

within us we also need to develop the consciousness of being a master.

As a master we just need to order whatever power we need at that time

and these powers will surely come to serve us. We will then surely be

victorious in all situations.

Unloading Your Pressure Baggage (cont.)

Can we experience freedom only when there is an absence of outside pressure? We feel pressured from many sides. At work, we feel the pressure to do tasks as per fixed guidelines of set systems and within boundaries of time, of keeping up our performance as per others' expectations and as good as our compatriots. In relationships, we feel the pressure of experiencing success in them, of satisfying others and gaining respect from them. In studies, we feel the pressure of having to excel in them, not only because that is instrumental in building our future but because of the desire to be seen in a positive light by others. We feel the pressure of having to earn more and more wealth to satisfy the necessities, comforts and luxuries of the family and to maintain a certain image in society. In the face of problems, we feel pressure when we are not able to solve them quickly or in the way that we want. Failure or its fear, in any sphere of life, generates pressure in us. Sometimes we experience pressure because the mind is not functioning as per our desires or directions or we are not able to transform our negative personality to a positive one as much as we want. When we believe that something harmful can happen if we don't reach our set objectives on time or in a certain manner, we feel pressured. Physical illnesses or their fear can also create pressure for some of us. 

And so life turns into an endless amount of pressure crests, like speed breakers that appear one after the other, unsettling us and not giving us time to relax. When we feel pressured, it seems that the life forces rule our life and we do not feel free. In the long-term, this repetitive habit of creating feelings of pressure and carrying such baggage ends up leaving us exhausted on an emotional and spiritual level.

Soul Sustenance 

The Faculties Of The Soul 

When the soul is in the body it functions through three faculties (non-physical entities). Although each faculty (entity) can be given a different name, it is actually the same energy, the soul, functioning on three different levels simultaneously. These are the mind, the intellect and the sanskaras. 

Mind is the thinking energy of the soul. It is the mind that imagines, thinks and forms ideas. The thought process is the basis of all emotions, desires and sensations. It is through this faculty that, in an instant, thoughts can be projected to a far off place (one can travel to a far off place on the thought level); past experiences and emotions can be relived or even the future anticipated in less than a second. It is the mind that experiences the variations of moods. The mind is an energy of the non-physical soul, not to be confused with the heart or even the brain. 

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Message for the day 

As is our thought, so we will become.

Projection: When we are faced with our weaknesses, we usually think of our own negativity and are caught up with it. We can no longer think positive and we continue to work with our own weaknesses. We will, then, find no improvement in ourselves. 

Solution: We need to create a very elevated thought for ourselves based on any of our strengths or specialities. When we do that we will be able to bring about a positive change in ourselves without being caught up with our own weaknesses.

Contemplation: Bliss

  Contemplation:  Bliss

Bliss

Desires will never end but our sense organs will be worn out. The state of Bliss cannot be experienced by a wandering mind seeking sensuous pleasures. It can be achieved by self-knowledge, self-realisation and meditation with the Supreme.

We live in the age of ‘busy’.

Busy people not only do a lot, they think a lot. Being lost in thought, is not only tiring and a brilliant way of waste energy, it’s as if we have forgotten the very ground of our being which is still and silent. Learn to meditate and turn the

eye of your attention and awareness within, let your mind be quiet and

allow your being to be still.

-relax7

Unloading Your Pressure Baggage

On a spiritual level, pressure can be defined as an external force acting on us divided by our ability to bear the force or resist it. Thus, force and resistance capacity are two variants in the equation of pressure. Everyone has different resistance capacities. Two people with different resistance capacities will experience different amounts of pressure on being subjected to the same magnitude of force. A feeling of pressure absorbs our freedom and gives us an experience of being ruled by an external entity. There are a lot of people who hold the belief that they can experience freedom only in the absence of an external force, which is almost impossible, since there is almost some force or the other exerted on the soul by ups and downs that takes place in the role that it plays through the physical body; which includes the physical body itself; profession; family; wealth, all types of relationships, etc. Even our own personality, thoughts, feelings, emotions etc. exert pressure on us at times.

Apart from the resistance capacity, the other variant in the equation of pressure is not only force but our perception of what the magnitude of the force is. This depends primarily on the beliefs that we carry. Two people will perceive the same situation in their role (as explained above) as forces of different magnitudes. While we hold the belief that life events, people and their expectations from us, are the forces that are the causes of our pressure, we will be able to do little to change the habit of being pressurized. It is we who pressurize ourself and allow the outside to pressurize us. We can either go through our life journey while experiencing feelings of being emotionally imprisoned, confused, rushed and hurried, or we can do the same with the power of faith and determination, at the same time remaining patient and maintaining our inner emotional stability. In some cases, some of us put pressure on ourselves, because we carry the belief that a bit of pressure is good in order to achieve what we want; it provides us with positive energy and motivates us. So this is an example of perceiving a force in our life, a force which does not exist. Such kind of pressure can deceive us and give us a feeling of being beneficial in the short term but it can have harmful effects on us in the long term. Some others might not experience this pressure because they do not carry this belief at all and don't invite this force.

(To be continued tomorrow...)

Soul Sustenance

Overcoming The Loss/Separation Of A Loved One (cont.)

How quickly could a person get over the loss of a loved one and begin to feel fine? We have the capacity to do it the same day or the next day. But our beliefs and conditioning, our attachments and lack of will and inner capacity, prevent us from getting better rapidly and feeling fine. Independent of the kind of mourning that you have to go through, it is a matter of preventing your memories from invading your spirit, your mind and your heart. Circumscribe them, limit them and put them in their place: in the past. Yesterday has already passed.

On the level of action, now, in the present, use your time, your talents and your thoughts for creative tasks. Help your friends and other close ones. It will help you to come out of your aloneness and to relate. Share, dialogue and involve yourself in serving. With respect to your accumulated experiences, meditate to gain mastery in managing your memories. Clean out the cupboards of your inner self, so that the stored memories do not cause upsets, interference or suffering in the present moment. Meditate to accept and let go. Give thanks to the past. Learn from it. But now let go and free yourself. Live this moment in wholeness. It depends on you to create the right thought for it to be like that.


Message for the day 


Where the mind is free from worry, the biggest task becomes light.

Projection: We sometimes find ourselves in such situations, which make our mind heavy. We are not able to work well in such a situation, as the smallest thing need to be done seems very big and difficult.

Solution: We need to learn the art of looking at the brighter side of things, because even the most negative thing has something positive in it. When we develop this art we will be able to be light and give our best to the task at hand. Then even the most difficult task will seem very easy.

Contemplation: Getting on with it...

  Contemplation:  Getting on with it...

Getting on with it...

Worrying about how everything will get done or whether I am capable of doing it limits my ability to respond to challenges considerably. The less I think about doing something and the faster I just get on with it, the fewer problems I cause myself. Good planning is always helpful, but time spent fretting and procrastinating is a major drain on my energy. The more willing I am to respond positively to opportunities, the more my capacity will grow.

It takes more energy to hate or hurt than it does to forgive.

Forgiveness doesn't mean minimising, justifying or excusing the
wrong. Forgiveness is a powerful choice that helps you to release
your hurt feelings, move on and move forward.

Spiritual Vision

A simple definition of spiritual vision is that I see the best in others. A parameter of proving to myself that I have a spiritual vision and I am seeing the best in others is that I naturally thank and praise rather than criticize those with whom I interact at home or at the workplace on a daily basis - even though I may see obvious negative characteristics in them and experience negative behavior from them. Keep a daily chart of the three points, for three people close to you, below for one week. Every night, fill this chart up for the day that's just gone by.

1. Name of person and relationship
2. How did I thank or praise him/her?
3. What was this person's response?

Remember that although you may be constantly positive with others, constantly seeing their original spiritual qualities, it may take time for your positive energy to transform them and for them to start transmitting positive energy back to you and start behaving positively with you. At the end of the week, check what benefits did you and others experience from this exercise.

Soul Sustenance 


Overcoming The Loss/Separation Of A Loved One (cont.)

In mourning, regret or remorse may emerge. Let's look at some feelings that are born in relation to these questions:

* Did I do everything I should have?
* Could I have avoided it?
* Did I tell them everything I had to tell them?
* Did I give them everything that they needed?
* Was I there when they needed me?

These questions converge into a feeling where sometimes one feels responsible for the death of the other. It is a mourning difficult to overcome. What is required is an inner control that does not allow these questions and their answers to go on for a long time. If we don't achieve this capacity we fall into a regret for what might have been and was not, and the present escapes before our very eyes.

Mourning in relation to the separation from someone with whom you have shared moments of beauty and wholeness, of love, requires an effort of peaceful acceptance. Not to remain trapped in feelings of guilt, bitterness or hate, given that these feelings take us in a past that is no longer alive except in our consciousness, because we don't allow it to die. The images and memories of experiences of the past emerge again and again onto the screen of the mind, causing different kinds of feelings that range from sadness to frustration.

Tomorrow we shall explain some simple ways to get over the loss of a loved one.


Message for the day 


Words are effective when they are short and sweet.

Projection: Many times we find that although we say the right thing to others, it has no effect on them. We, then, begin to blame them and feel that they are not listening to us. But the words spoken with such an attitude do not have any effect on others.

Solution: When we speak to others esp. in a delicate situation we need to make sure that our words are filled with love. When we talk with love, our words will be filled with sweetness and we naturally speak only to the extent necessary. Then whatever we say will have its effect on others.

Contemplation: An Angel's Face

Contemplation: An Angel's Face


 

An Angel's Face An angel's face is still because there are no lies inside. Truth makes it a straight, simple face whose beauty lies not in its form but in the feeling it gives you.

Where there is peace there is patience.

My usual reactions to the stimuli around me are programmed, so I tend
to be impulsive or react quickly to situations, I don't give myself
time to think or understand. Because of this lack of patience I lose
out on many things and I don't realise that I am losing out too. At
all times I need to make a conscious effort to keep my mind peaceful
and calm, more so when there is a difficult situation. With this state
of mind I am able to deal with situations patiently because peace
brings power which in turn brings patience.

Taming (Conquering) The Mind 

In ancient times, the mind was understood to be extremely difficult to control. It was said to be like the wind: you could never catch it, or hold it - it went where it wished and no human being could become its master. In other instances, it was said that the mind was like an elephant: extremely powerful but equally gentle and patient, able to do a lot of work for its master. However, when an elephant turns wild, its gentleness and patience completely disappear and it destroys and damages everything in its path. When the mind is under stress, it resembles a wild elephant; it has no control and cannot be controlled.

Taming the mind is regarded as a great art requiring time, attention, practice and, above all, a sincerity of heart where individuals truly want to change their way of thinking. To relax, to be positive, to be peaceful and kind all require a change in our thought patterns and this can only happen when we look deeply within. However hard they try, other people cannot change us; we must have personal realization and the desire to make changes through our own effort. Permanent and positive change cannot be imposed from outside; it is something that we choose.

Soul Sustenance 


Overcoming The Loss/Separation Of A Loved One

Living trapped in the memory of a loved one who left us, or in the memory of a situation that no longer exists, or in the memory of someone who is alive but who we no longer see (since we have physically separated), does not allow us to enjoy the present moment with freedom.

What is required during the mourning period is the capacity to make peace with the memories recorded in our consciousness. It is to reach a point where these memories do not upset us or cause us pain. It is to acknowledge that the memory of what was and no longer is, no longer generates desires, dissatisfaction, frustration or sadness.

You don't get over the mourning of a loved one or a lost child, because you allow the memory to continue alive, in a way that it invades the consciousness and imprisons the soul. The memory suffocates the present; there exists a desire to relive a past that no longer has the possibility of existing.

Tomorrow, we shall look at some at the questions that arise in the mind in a mourning period.

Message for the day 


When the mind is healthy the body is healthy too.

Projection: When we have some difficulty with our body, we usually find our mind becoming dull, too. When the mind becomes dull we no longer can fight the sickness. It, thus, takes a long time to get well and the time during the sickness seems long and painful.

Solution: We need to make sure we keep our mind happy under all circumstances. Where the mind is healthy no illness will attack us. Even when we fall sick we will be able to be stable which will help us to fight back and overcome the illness very soon.

Contemplation: Grain Of Sand

  Contemplation:  Grain Of Sand


 

Grain Of Sand

It is not the mountains ahead that wear you out. It's the grain of sand in your shoe.

You are a source of the most powerful energy on the planet

because you  have a mind and an intellect, which has the capacity to create
thoughts, ideas and actions. If however, there is no purpose (aim and
objective) to your creativity, no focus or direction, your energy and
your power will leak out in a variety of directions. You will be left
with a drained feeling and the subtle guilt that you wasted precious
time and energy. Just as a light bulb focuses and radiates the energy
of electricity, so a clear purpose focuses and radiates the power of
the self. Take time out to consider your purpose in life and then how
you can translate that purpose into your day, every day. You will see
your purpose in your mind’s eye. One day it will occur to you, perhaps
unexpectedly, perhaps in one single thought, or a clear single image
of stunning clarity (accuracy), but you will know it with a certainty
that needs no questioning.

The Internal Voice Of Our Conscience (cont.)

An angerholic (one who gets angry repeatedly) hears the internal voice telling him to stop creating mental unrest, harming his body, hurting others and being addicted to the habit and the hormones that get created inside the body due to the habit, but then ignores the voice or drowns it out. This only adds to the inner disharmony (peacelessness) already present and both self-respect and self-esteem are slowly reduced. Any action we do which springs from forgetfulness (body-consciousness) will trigger this inner, spiritual discomfort. Following the action, we might feel guilty for doing something we internally knew was wrong. Any form of guilt except the one that is caused by another person i.e. except the case when guilt is caused inside you because another person is emotionally blackmailing you, is the voice of our conscience calling to say that we are acting against the essence, something is out of sync. Our level of guilt acts like a thermometer (an indicator). It shows us when and to what extent we are not aligned to truth. If we learn to pay attention, listen closely to this inner discomfort and the message it conveys, we will also hear why and how to make corrections, so that we no longer create negative karma.

Soul Sustenance 


Symptoms Of Stress

When we feel stressed we experience certain physiological (related to the body) and psychological (related to the mind) symptoms, whose importance we may not fully understand. These are normal signs that we should re-check our priorities – our body, or our state of mind, is telling us that something in our lives needs to change. Listed here are some of the common signs:

1. Loneliness – We may feel isolated (lonely) from friends and family, or experience a lasting sense of being "lonely in a crowd".

2. Insecurity – We may suddenly feel shy or exposed around people with whom we are usually filled with confidence. Or we may believe that we are always being judged or criticized.

3. Loss of concentration and memory – We may find it hard to recall recent conversations or promises. We may often feel confused, so that understanding and remembering information could also be very difficult.

4. Fatigue (Tiredness) and sleeping difficulties – Although we may feel constantly tired, we could also find it impossible to get to sleep.

5. Tears and mood swings – One of the most common symptoms is that we cry easily. We may also experience mood swings – joyousness followed by sadness or vice versa.


Message for the day 


The method to overcome fear is to keep giving power to others.

Projection: In difficult situations, the first reaction is that of fear- of the consequences, of one's own power to face the situation. With this comes the expectation that others should understand and help.

Solution: We need to take a thought to continue to give others even in difficult situations. Then, we will be able to overcome our fear. Since our mind is busy giving others we will be free from any negative

Contemplation: Write Often

  Contemplation:  Write Often

 

Write Often

Make it a point to write something every day, even if it's only to myself. In fact, it is mostly to myself. How else do I get to know me? And how else do I get to know what I know until I hear what I have to say? The most important conversation in all our worlds is with ourselves. One way to converse is to take two words and then let your mind flow into them, around them and through them, and then out through your pen on to a blank white page. It doesn't matter what comes -but be sure that you will reveal yourself to yourself, and if you keep doing it I can guarantee you will be astounded by revelation. Start your journal today.

relax7

Imbibing (Absorbing) Spiritual Knowledge

The first step into experience, particularly the meditation
experience, is knowledge. What does it mean to 'know'? Knowing
involves four steps, which ultimately give the meditator the
experience of realization:

The first step of knowing is information. With information, our
intellect opens to new ideas and opinions.

The second step of knowing is knowledge, when we begin to reflect and
think on the ideas and views that we have listened to. At this point,
we often have to select only a few of the ideas we have heard, as it
is not always possible to reflect (think) on all the information that is
fed to us. In order to deepen our understanding, we reflect on the
information and sometimes discuss our findings and thoughts with
others.

The third step of knowing is when we move from thinking to doing, that
is, from knowledge to wisdom. Wisdom is gained when we commit
ourselves to 'doing'. Knowledge translated into our everyday
behaviour is called wisdom, which, in turn, is called quality life. A life of
quality is where personal values are not only realised but also lived
and experienced through our practical actions.

Doing, or practice, naturally brings us to the fourth and final step
of knowing, which is called Truth.

The Internal Voice Of Our Conscience

At the heart of our consciousness, we have a conscience. Our conscience is essentially our basic awareness of truth. From a spiritual point of view, the truth of who we are as spiritual beings is core and eternal truth. If we consider ourselves to be anything other than soul or spirit then we will be thinking and acting against our conscience, against our truth, which is like going against the essence of spirit. We will feel something is not quite right. If one of the pistons in our car engine is out of sync with the others, the engine will sound slightly different from normal. We immediately have it fixed, because we know that if it continues it may destroy the engine. If we do something that is out of sync with the truth, the voice of our conscience speaks to us. But we tend to ignore or suppress it, especially if we are having a seemingly pleasurable experience - we then create the sanskars or habit of ignoring our own conscience. As a result we keep repeating the negative karma and the sanskars of the negative karma are deepened, further ignoring the voice of our conscience. It is a vicious cycle, to come out of which is extremely difficult.

Soul Sustenance 


Being a Lighthouse For The World (Meditation)

Sit in silence and visualize the following thoughts:

In a deep meditative state see yourself sitting in front of the Supreme Soul, the Supreme Being of Light, in the soul world. I a point of light, experience golden rays of spiritual light and bliss descending on me... and through me into the whole world (globe) below... I feel these rays charging the atmosphere with vibrations of purity, love and spiritual calm... I am bathing in golden light... strong currents of spiritual might are radiating from me in all directions... I am a spiritual lighthouse... I have the deep realization of being separate from my body. .. I feel that I am a brilliant point of light with rays of very high intensity bursting and darting forth from the soul for the service of the whole world. .. There is no feeling of my body and no conscious thought except that of being absorbed in the peace and bliss of the Supreme’s love... I feel completely filled and that I have obtained the ultimate... the final and highest destination – satisfied that through this stage of fulfillment, I serve others.


Message for the day 


To judge others is to take law into our hands.

Projection: When we see anyone doing something wrong, we immediately begin to think about it and judge them based on whatever we have seen. When we bring any such negative thoughts we will not be able to help in any way to overcome the weakness.

Solution: We need to remind ourselves that we have no right to judge others. The only thing we need to do is to see if we can help them out in anyway to overcome their weakness. If not, we need not think or talk about it, i.e., we need not take the law into our hands.

Contemplation: Barriers to Love

 Contemplation:  Barriers to Love

Barriers to Love

Whatever is in your heart that is not clean, not true, will ultimately begin to act like a wall, obstructing the natural flow of love. People who say that there is no love in their life, are being blocked by this wall. Actually there is love, but they just cant accept it. Ego is the clearest example of this. Ego limits the flow of love by placing conditions on the love you give and receive. Ego uses love to satisfy its own needs and desires. It produces a love which is deceptive, one which brings only temporary satisfaction. Ego does not allow you to experience true love or share it. If fact, ego is capable of destroying your ability to feel love altogether

The one who recognises the needs of others is the one who gives real
happiness.

I usually make a lot of effort to give in some way or the other to
those around me. Yet I sometimes find that people are not able to be
happy with me. What I give is usually based on what I feel the other
person needs. I continue to give in this way and begin to expect from
others too, and find myself disappointed when I am not appreciated. I
need to be a giver in the true sense. Before I think of giving, I need
to recognise the needs of others. The more I keep myself tuned to this
I will enjoy what I am giving and the impact of it will be there on
the others too. I will then find that others are pleased with me too

Understanding What Is Real Happiness

Real happiness is not an external stimulation by watching an action movie or eating out or buying a new dress; it is not the result of acquiring something - whether it be a new car or a position, or of receiving some good news. True happiness is not relief from suffering - whether from an illness or a difficult situation, nor is it the achievement of a goal - whether personal or professional. All these are externally dependent, where happiness is confused with stimulation, excitement, achievement, acquisition or relief. Happiness is not all of these. You also know that happiness is not a future promise. It can only be experienced now.

So what is spiritual happiness - perhaps a better way to describe spiritual happiness is contentment. This comes from a complete awareness and acceptance of the self as we are now at an internal level, and an acceptance of 'what is' at an external level. Sounds difficult? The highest happiness is bliss which can be experienced only when the soul/self is totally free of all attachment and dependency. Sounds even more difficult? But this is a spiritual understanding and definition of happiness, which is not difficult to accept and make a part of our life, once there is a deep understanding and absorption of spiritual knowledge, but spiritual knowledge which is accurate and complete in all aspects. Spiritual happiness is a direct result of spiritual knowledge. Without complete knowledge of the self, one cannot remain ever and truly happy (happy as per the definition above).

Soul Sustenance 

Effect of Food On The Mind (cont.)

Three categories of foods are defined corresponding to the particular energy that exists in them.

The first is Satwik or sentient food (explained yesterday).

The second group is Rajasik or mutative food - it contains a mutative energy of restlessness, constant movement or change. When this force is consumed, the mind and body become agitated and nervous, unable to calm down and relax. These foods include caffeinated drinks such as coffee and many teas, hot spices, fermented foods and some medicinal drugs.

The third group is Tamasik or static food - this type of food has a static force of dullness, inertia, intoxication, and attraction towards sensuality (body-consciousness), decay and death. Death occurs when the other two energies (sentient and mutative) are spent and the static force is the only dominant force. Static foods include meat, fish, eggs, alcohol, mushrooms, onions and garlic.

Message for the day 

To be a master is to be free from one's own weaknesses.

Projection: We are usually under the control of our own weaknesses in a negative situation. We first respond to the situation with our weakness and then try hard to change our thoughts. But we don't find ourselves succeeding and the weakness gets the better of us.

Solution: We need to develop the consciousness that we are a master and the weakness within us, our creation, and so it is totally in our control. When we develop this consciousness we will be able to win over our weaknesses easily.