Daily Positive Thoughts: October 04, 2016: Spiritual Tolerance

Daily Positive Thoughts: October 04, 2016: Spiritual Tolerance

Spiritual Tolerance

 

Tolerance is based on going beyond the superficial things that divide us. It's the result of turning within and coming to know the Self. If I can deal with my own ego, then my own anger can be resolved. This goes a long way in resolving external issues, too. With my own ego out of the way I will be able to handle anything. Otherwise it's just the same old thing - you versus me, yours versus mine, etc - intolerance. If I am unselfish and honest in my heart, and am concerned about others' needs, then I will be full enough to give. 'I should be understood' changes to 'I should understand.' Not 'They should change' but 'I will give what's needed'. Patience, peace and maturity develop. Spiritual tolerance cultivates innate wisdom, the kind you can't get from books.

The Soul Realized (Part 2)

The soul is a non-physical energy which runs the physical body in a manner which can be compared to how electrical energy runs a television set. If there is no electricity, in spite of a complex machine which a television set is and with all its parts, big or small, it will not be able to show us images of the world and keep us updated about the world’s events. In the same manner, the physical body with its various parts and different systems cannot function without the existence of the soul inside it. Do you know that as soon as the soul leaves the body, the heart and other organs stop working, even the brain does not function? The soul is a prime mover of the body. The soul is located inside the brain near the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, which are parts of the brain. It controls the five sense organs – eyes, nose, ears, tongue and hands through the brain and with the help of the nervous and hormonal systems. The brain functions as a bridge between the soul and the different body parts.

The brain’s activity detected by various sensitive instruments that science has given is caused due to the existence of the soul. If there is no non-physical soul which actually thinks, inside the body, then there will be no activity detected inside the physical brain i.e. the brain will be silent. It’s the mind which actually thinks and not the brain. The mind is non-physical and is a part of the non-physical soul. We can also compare the soul and physical body relationship with a computer. The brain is like a CPU or central processing unit of the computer, whereas the soul is like a programmer of the computer. The brain expresses all thought, word and action programs received from the soul, through the body. The body is like the monitor of the computer which displays the final version of what has been processed by the brain. As we think, the brain, which is a physical organ of the body, picks up these signals from the non-physical soul. The signals or orders which the brain has detected are then converted into various actions performed by the body. Non-physical instructions of the soul are given a physical form by the brain and brought into action.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Faith

Doubt creates a mountain. Faith moves the mountain. When doubt blocks you from taking on new challenges, have faith.

Have faith in yourself, you are more than what meets the eye. Have the faith that anything is possible even if it is not visible in front of your eyes.

With faith, take a step forward and move the mountain.

Message for the day

Powerful thoughts dispel the darkness of the weakness of mind. 

Thought to Ponder: No one likes to be weak. But when weakness comes, we get more weak thoughts and this creates a vicious cycle. It is only long after the situation is over that we are able to come back to a normal state of mind. But we need to remember that positive thoughts (like light) are the only means by which we can finish the darkness of our mind.

Point to Practice: Today I will be prepared and alert. I will keep the light of positivity with me like a torch. This could be in the form of a small positive thought. I will keep it with me all the time wherever I go. So, even if I find negative or a weakness coming my way, I will recognize it immediately and replace it with the positive thought. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: October 03, 2016: Personal Change

Daily Positive Thoughts: October 03, 2016: Personal Change

Personal 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. First, you will feel better about yourself. Second, you will start to have positive feelings towards others and start to understand them. Third, others start having a more positive attitude towards you. There are many hidden benefits in personal change.

The Soul Realized (Part 1)

Have you ever wondered what your past is i.e. do you ever believe that life is eternal or in other words life is not only a one birth reality? We all know about what the soul is and hear about it but do we apply the knowledge that we hear in our personal life? Everything that we do, every action that we perform through the physical body is actually the spiritual energy or soul performing the action or speaking the words or even thinking about something, but because the soul cannot be seen, we think it is me, the physical form, which is doing everything. Even science today has started considering the immortality (beyond life and death) of the self and people have started believing how an invisible and non-physical source of peace, love and joy exists which is me, the soul, and this source consists of the mind which thinks. On the other hand, the brain is just a physical medium through which the soul functions and it is a medium which contains chemical and electrical activity corresponding to the entire thought activity of the mind, inside it. The thought activity is inside the mind and is non-physical and the chemical and electrical activity, which is caused due to the thought activity, is inside the brain and is physical. Do you know that every time you create a thought inside your mind, your brain produces weak but clear electrical signals corresponding to that particular thought? The method of recording and understanding these electrical signals is called EEG (Electroencephalography), which also gives us an idea of the thought activity that exists inside the mind. This is similar to the method of ECG (Electrocardiography) which records the electrical activity of the heart.

There is also a group of respected people around the world who are offering their services to spiritual organizations. There are many people from different fields of life like engineering, medicine, business, education and politics who have dedicated their lives to the spiritual upliftment of people, while serving in their respective fields, along with performing spiritual service.  All these people from various backgrounds have recognized and experienced that they are energies of consciousness or souls, who are running their physical bodies, which is the most basic principle of spirituality. Also, there are people in the world who have experienced themselves as separate from their physical body and brain in meditation and also through near death and out of body experiences.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Crack the glass ceiling

For most of us, the glass ceiling that stands in the way of success is our own self-limiting beliefs.

Identify what's holding you back. Determine the steps you need to take to move forward. Take the steps.

When you crack the glass ceiling, there are no limits, just potential and blue sky!

Message for the day

Positivity in the mind brings power in words.

Thought to Ponder: These days, there is a lot of importance for the words that we speak. Small little words can make or break relationships. But, in order to bring impact through our words, we need to have positivity in our mind. When positive words are combined with a positive mind, it brings positive results in interaction and relationships.

Point to Practice: Today I will appreciate someone with love. I will encourage him with positive words. But before that I will take a thought of good wish for this person. Then, whatever I say will have power in it and thus will create a positive impact. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: October 02, 2016: Thought Power

Daily Positive Thoughts: October 02, 2016: Thought Power

Thought Power

Through our thoughts, we are either gaining power or losing it. With pure thoughts power is generated, and with impure thoughts power is destroyed.

Pure thoughts are those that express our spiritual personality, impure thoughts are all the others. They have nothing to do with our truth. Thought is the vehicle which takes us from our non-spiritual self to our truth.

Pure Cooking (Part 2)

1. First, it is essential to develop a positive attitude towards cooking. Before undertaking any food preparation, ask yourself. 'Do you consider the project at hand to be an enjoyable, creative activity or an unpleasant time-consuming boring, repetitive karma' Find a way of enjoying it, by playing spiritual songs or trying new recipes and having deep meditation while cooking.

2. Before cooking, make sure the kitchen is clean and in order. Take out all the things you will need to make the meal and place them where they will be used. This makes the process of cooking more smooth and enjoyable.

3. While cooking avoid doing other work in between. You will actually be saving time and the food will definitely turn out better.

4. As much as possible, remain in silence, paying attention to the quality of the thoughts you have. Try to have pure and peaceful thoughts. This creates a powerful atmosphere that fills the food with pure vibrations and brings personal benefits as well.

Trust

Trusting other people is not easy because there's always a risk. People can make mistakes, let us down....

Maybe we need to learn to trust without being naive; 
give people the benefit of the doubt and be cautious when caution is called for.

Message for the day

Positive thoughts save time. 

Thought to Ponder: However hard I try to make plans to save time, unless I make a plan to organize my mind, I will continue to lose precious time with waste or negative thoughts. Even not following time schedules creates stress. So instead of focusing on organizing time, I need to save time, by using my thoughts well. 

Point to Practice: Today I will keep a check on my thoughts. I will spend at least 15 minutes throughout the day with something that will keep my mind positive. And I will sustain this for a few days so that I start observing the difference it creates. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: October 01, 2016: Here is an Angel

Daily Positive Thoughts: October 01, 2016: Here is an Angel

Here is an Angel

How can we serve others around us? By making our lives inspirational and interacting with tact and wisdom. We 

should be so cheerful, and our lives such examples, that they say 'Here is an angel.'

Pure Cooking (Part 1)

A significant part of our lifestyle is to consider the quality of our thoughts required while making food. Living in a family may make it more difficult to have that quiet and ordered state of mind while cooking. Also, children, friends, husbands and wives have the habit of coming into the kitchen while you are cooking. So, see if you can re-organize your timetable so you can cook at a time when they are busy, and then you can properly concentrate on giving pure vibrations to the food. It also helps if you play some gentle, soothing music which reminds you of the Supreme Soul or God while you are cooking. Even better sit in meditation for 4-5 minutes in the kitchen before starting to cook.

If you think of yourself while you are cooking then there will be a vibration of greed created. If you think of others while you are cooking there will be a vibration of attachment created. Think about the Supreme and there will be that feeling of deep love and freedom (liberation).

Physical cleanliness before cooking is important. Walking off the market or crowded roads, into the kitchen and cooking can affect the vibrations of the food. Washing, changing and meditating is a good start for preparation of satwic food. The ideal time for cooking is in the morning, the mind is quiet and if one has read a short paragraph of spiritual knowledge sometime after getting up, the mind is filled with new gems of spiritual knowledge, free of waste thoughts.

(To be continued tomorrow ...)

Optimism

Optimism opens a door in difficult or hopeless situations. No matter what the crisis, an optimist maintains the outlook that it is a sign, time for a different way of thinking, or of doing things. Sometimes the signal has to be very clear even harsh, otherwise we may continue in self-delusion and not wake up. Of course if we lack optimism, instead of taking this signal as a step towards renaissance, complaint, resentment or even desperation will emerge.

Message for the day

To begin the day with a powerful thought is to ensure the day is filled with positivity.

Thought to ponder:  Any machinery, once it is set, remains set and automatically continues to work according to its setting. To have the right thought right in the beginning of the day is to ensure that the whole day is filled with power and positivity. Every thought, word and deed will automatically continue according to that setting. Situations might come to disturb, but because the machinery is set, the influence of the situation would be less. 

Point to practice: Today I will begin my day with a one powerful thought. It could be even a simple thought like "I am happy today" or "Whatever I set out to do today, I will be successful" or "I am fortunate". Such thoughts act as magnets attracting positivity from everyone and everything around. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: September 30, 2016: Unity

Daily Positive Thoughts: September 30, 2016: Unity

 

Unity

Unity is harmony within and amongst people. It is built with a shared vision for the good of all and a common goal. Unity is appreciating the value of each person and their unique contribution. When there is willingness to accommodate others, unity blossoms.

False Attachments

Are you aware that whenever you lose your true self-awareness (soul-consciousness), you will identify with and get attached to something that is not you?   It could be another person, your work, or some material possession.   Let's say you are attached to your job and one day, due to rising costs, your company decides to downsize and starts laying off thousands of its employees - all of a sudden you are asked to leave.  The attachment to and identification with your position in the company, which has become a habit (sanskara), causes the creation of fearful and angry thoughts (e.g., I'm going to lose my job (fear related to the future) or How dare they downsize the company and damage my position (anger towards the company and its leadership)).  The destructive energy of these thoughts becomes emotion (energy in motion) which then invades your entire mind so you cannot have clear and calm thoughts (the prime requirement of that moment).   It hijacks your intellect so you cannot make correct, wise decisions and choices (also the prime requirement of that moment) for the future.  Any connection you had with your inner peace is broken.   All this happens because you forgot who you really are and had begun to think you are what you do.   When seen from the point of view of this example it sounds ridiculous that we should identify with what we do or what we have, but this is currently how the world and its people work.  So, never forget who you truly are!

Acceptance

Sometimes our perceptions can be like a stuck record. 

If they're not positive we end up losing out.

If you notice yourself having a negative perception about someone or something, just say to yourself: 
"Although it's not my preference, I accept".

Acceptance dissolves and releases whatever you were holding onto. It frees you up to be how you want to be and feel how you want to feel.

Message for the day

True knowledge brings humility. 

Expression: True knowledge inspires and encourages one to bring about a practical change in one's life. The one with knowledge naturally imbibes it, which is also revealed in his practical life, because he is humbly willing to learn from all situations. As much as there is knowledge, so much there is divinity revealed in all words and actions.

Experience: When I am able to humbly learn from all situations. I am able to enrich my own knowledge. This knowledge further enables me to become more and more practical. So during all difficult situations, I am able to remain light and internally stable. There will be no fluctuation experienced within, whatever the challenges may be. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: September 29, 2016: Truly and Permanently Happy

Daily Positive Thoughts: September 29, 2016: Truly and Permanently Happy

Truly and Permanently Happy

The secret to life's purpose is to be happy. In order to be truly and permanently happy, we have to fulfil our best intentions and act on them right away ... even if that means we start by just giving good thoughts to them.

What Are Thought Vibrations?

The word atmosphere has two meanings. One refers to the physical air around us and the other to the more subtle effect that thought vibrations create in a particular space. No one can deny that the atmosphere of a crowded restaurant is different from that of a temple. This is mainly because of the effect of different types of thoughts and feelings in that space. Even someone deaf and blind would have the ability to pick up the difference. Sound vibrations are invisible but their impact isn't. A pneumatic drill or a jet breaking the sound barrier jolt both our minds (non-physical effect) and the walls of our houses (physical effect). Thought vibrations can't be seen but their non-physical as well as physical impact is even more powerful and influential. The panic that people generate during a stampede or an earthquake and the euphoria (absolute joy) of victory in a World Cup final cricket game are examples of how thoughts create an atmosphere.

On a subtler level, many of us have the experience of basic telepathy - I was just thinking of you and you called. Thoughts connect individuals over large distances. Doctors inform us that over 90% of the physical body's illnesses have a psychosomatic (mental) origin i.e. they are a direct or indirect result of our state of mind. That makes the human body the prime example of how thoughts affect matter.

Since the world is made up of the collective, personal worlds of all individuals, then it's easy to see how the international political, economic and social atmosphere is nothing more than the collective effects of all our thoughts.

Reluctance

When "I have to...." do something, it can easily turn into an experience of continuous reluctance. 

If you keep thinking, feeling, saying and living with reluctance in one area of your life, it soon becomes a habit which starts turning up everywhere else in your life! 

Nothing productive, fulfilling or empowering ever gets created with the energy of reluctance. Are you ready to put the reluctance habit aside? 

Change "I have to...." to "I want to...." and go from reluctant to 'reluctantless'!

Message for the day

The power of thought has the power to create.

 

Thought to ponder:  A seed sown and tended to, gives fruits in plenty. In the same way, the seed of a positive thought, when sustained from time to time, has the capacity to create. I find that instead of situations controlling me, I am able to be a master and control the situation with ease. 

Point to practice: Today I will create a positive thought and sustain it throughout the day. Whatever else comes in my way to change this thought, I will not let it influence, but will continue to sustain this thought consciously. I need to start observing and appreciating small little positive results that I get with this practice. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris