Daily Positive Thoughts: December 03, 2016: Mindful Moments

 

 

Mindful Moments

 

Most of us are of sound mind, but many of us have trouble maintaining a note of harmony and peace. Most of us know how to think, but few of us are able to control our thoughts. We all have the capacity to be creative, to image new ideas, but few of us are able to do it together and co-create in harmony with each other. We could all do with some mental training so that we may use the most powerful energy in the universe, the mind, which is always at our instant disposal.

We can begin with mindfulness. It's a simple way to gently help our mind go where it is best to go, do what is the best thing to do. It begins by simply being fully aware of what you are doing. Mostly we are not fully aware, as our minds wander into the past and then into possible futures. We spend most of our time watching others and so rarely fully focus on what we are actually doing ourselves.

Next time you sit down to a meal, watch yourself. Be aware of only what you are eating. Every time your mind wants to wander, bring it gently and lovingly back to the action and sensation of eating. Then do the same when cleaning, when writing, when working. The more you do it stronger and more focused and more rational will be your concentration, the more natural will be your actions, the more peaceful you will feel, and the more relaxed you will be, no matter what you are doing.

God And I - The Relationship We Share (Part 6)

Keep in mind some form of remembrance of God once you start performing actions like getting ready in the morning, cooking food, driving to work, taking a walk in the evening and going off to sleep. Do you know that God is not present in every molecule of the world or is not omnipresent or sarvayapi in Hindi, as we think. What that means that He is not actually present everywhere but His remembrance is present in every human being’s heart and that is why we think He is everywhere. There is a difference between what the two ways of expressing the same thing mean. So, we say – God, we love youand we experience His warmth and love immediately at that time. The complete world’s more than 7 billion population can do this at one time and God can respond to each one’s loveful thought with love in return. This is God’s power and because of this power, we thought that God is in each and every molecule of the world. So, we at the Brahma Kumaris, do not deny God’s remembrance in 7 billion hearts but do deny God’s actual presence in those same hearts. There is a difference between remembrance and actual presence.
If God was actually present in the hearts of 7 billion people, they would all be happy and there would be no spiritual ignorance in the world. Also people would never give any sorrow to each other and there would be no misuse of lust or impure physical attractions in the world. If God was present in every molecule of nature, there would be no natural calamities like earthquakes, floods and droughts in the world which give sorrow to everyone. Also, the complete animal and plant life would be in order which is not the case. Are ecological and climatic disturbances which are threatening the safety of human beings a sign that God is present everywhere? Wherever we see, negativity in the world at all levels is increasing, human values and qualities are reducing. All show that God is not actually present everywhere, but His remembrance still exists in human hearts, but not equally in each one’s heart, because of which the world is not a very nice place to live in at the present moment. Our remembrance of God will bring peace, love and happiness back in the world and that is why this remembrance is a lifeline for the world.

Do you find some meetings a waste of time?

We do need to work together & make decisions, share information & generate ideas. 

So how will you make meetings more effective?

Hold a walking meeting, if you can, or a stand up meeting to keep it short.

Alternatively, try a different environment to make things creative. 

Stick to agreed start & end times, & by the end of the meeting identify clearly who will do what, by when.

Go from "Not another meeting!" to "That was a good meeting."

Message for the day

Fortune is in one's own hands.

Expression: To have fortune in one's own hands doesn't mean to have it in the lines of one's hands. It means to have the ability to make the best use of all the resources available. When they are put to the best use, they naturally increase. Through right actions one can draw the line of fortune as long as desired. 

Experience: When I understand the significance of my actions and create an elevated fortune for myself through right actions, I am able to experience constant progress in my life. I also naturally become an inspiration for others too, so that they can discover their inner resources to create an elevated fortune for themselves. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: December 02, 2016: Heroic Behaviour

 

Christ the Redeemer, Brazil

Heroic Behaviour

The main quality of a hero is courage – not a reckless bravado, full of impulse and ambition, but a quiet, introspective courage.

In that quietness, the hero is able to discern and then decide on a particular course of action. He might see that it is better to let go of another person’s past rather than hold it against them or constantly remind them of it. With humility and courage the past is forgiven; the hero completely lets go.

Only heroes can do such things.

God And I - The Relationship We Share (Part 5)

A companionship with God is incomplete without starting the day with His pure remembrance in your heart and that means experiencing one’s true self and the form of the true self, which is the same as God’s form. Only then can we experience God closely. At the Brahma Kumaris we say realize yourself as a soul or a pure being of light and then connect with the Supreme Being of spiritual light or God. This is called Rajyoga meditation. This is the first connection of the morning. At the Brahma Kumaris, we perform this mental exercise every day at 4 am in the morning, because this is the time when nature is extremely pure and silent. Also at that time a large number, in fact most people are sleeping because of which the overall spiritual atmosphere of the area around you and in your region or country at least is pure, with very little negative activity in the form of thoughts, words and actions which are based on the sanskaras of lust, anger, greed, ego and attachment, which are the five primary vices which influence the spiritual vibrations of the world negatively.

As a newcomer to the Brahma Kumaris, for some, the early morning meditation is the most beautiful experience which they went through over here. They also share their life changing experience of how they connect with God through the medium of spiritual knowledge, with their friends and family members to make them aware as to how one can, with the power of thought and the eye of the mind, experience a spiritual union with God in His home, the soul world which is up above the skies and the sun, moon and stars. So, something which has drawn thousands of people to the Brahma Kumaris is the technique of Rajyoga meditation. It is called Rajyoga because it is a simple union with the Highest being that exists – God. It does not involve any particular posture or difficult physical exercises and is an exercise of the mind and can be done by anyone, whether old or young.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Most of us have the habit of interfering in other people's lives. 

Mostly it's out of concern and care, but sometimes it's because we enjoy meddling or we think that we know what's best.

Is your interference successful, useful or even necessary?

There are times to step in and make a situation better and times to step back and let others handle things their own way and find solutions.

So know when to interfere and when not to interfere. And maybe instead of interfering, try intervening!

Message for the day

As is the consciousness, so are the thoughts, words and actions. 

Expression: To have the right consciousness means to identify oneself with one's own specialities and powers and not to work with weaknesses. When there is such an elevated consciousness, then there is power in all thoughts, words and actions. Effort need not be put for specially making them powerful and effective. Even if they are tried to be made powerful without changing the consciousness the effort put goes in vain.

Experience: As I have a powerful consciousness and I am set firmly on this seat, no outside situation or person can disturb me or my internal state of mind. I am free from negative and waste and also from being ordinary. I am free from labouring and of having to fight with my thoughts in order to maintain the right thoughts. And I find that there is only speciality within. Others too are able to take benefit from this speciality.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: December 01, 2016: Perseverance

Daily Positive Thoughts: December 01, 2016: Perseverance

 

Perseverance

Learning to enjoy the present moment and give my best, no matter what the situation, protects me from becoming jaded by life.

If when my stamina begins to diminish I remind myself to enjoy whatever I do and pour love into every task, then my energy will be replenished.

God And I - The Relationship We Share (Part 4)

A relationship with God is incomplete without His remembrance in the right way. Of course, there are millions of people in the world who love God and keep Him in His heart in different ways. But as a student of the Brahma Kumaris, we have learnt a lot about God and as many people all over the world share their experience that what they learnt here was a complete description of who they are and also about God and His spiritual form, His qualities and extremely importantly His role of the present time.

You might say that we already know God in some way or the other but don’t forget that there is always room for more to learn, which should not be ignored. So keep your minds and hearts open to new knowledge of the world and the world Father and Mother, whom we call God. God has opened many secrets about Himself, which many people all over the world have learned and made a part of their life by being a part of our introductory course that we offer here at the Brahma Kumaris, which is held for one hour every day and lasts for a week. After that, it is upto you to make a choice whether you continue inculcating more knowledge or you do not but this course will open your mind and give your inner thinking a different point of view and for some it can be a life changing experience. We invite you to any centre of the Brahma Kumaris, which are present in 115 countries of the world and all over India. The course is conducted free of charge and the Brahma Kumaris offer this course to people from all the different religions and irrespective of age, gender and occupation. What that means is that anyone and everyone can take up the course and a time can be fixed up as per your convenience and the convenience of the centre and the teachers at the centre. This will give you an idea of God’s personality and also His present task of world change which is known to a few people only and is something which is being learnt at a fast pace by a large number of people who have taken this first step.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Plan Downtime

We all need a bit of downtime, and if it's getting relegated to the sidelines, here’s a reminder to reserve time for downtime.

How you use your downtime depends on what you need at that time.  Nap, read, sketch or just sit and do nothing, but do give yourself the space to recover and recharge your batteries.

Carve out some time daily, weekly or monthly, perhaps plan for some downtime when you come out of a busy period or finish a big project.  

Just remember, downtime isn’t wasting time, so enjoy it, guilt free - you deserve it!

Message for the day

To end waste means to be free from defeat. 
Expression: The one with faith in the intellect always remains at a distance from waste, whether it is waste thoughts, waste words or waste actions. To move away from waste means to be victorious. The one who is free from waste is busy with the positive and useful. Such a person is constantly searching for solutions and trying to make the best out of the situation. 

Experience: It is because of waste that I sometimes experience defeat and sometimes victory. If I am able to finish waste, I am able to finish defeat. Because whatever the situation may be, however challenging it may be, if I am able to finish waste I am able to recognise the benefit that is merged within it and so I am able to experience being constantly victorious. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: November 30, 2016: Touch the Stillness

Daily Positive Thoughts: November 30, 2016: Touch the Stillness

Touch the Stillness

Every action has its seed in a thought and every thought is a creation of the thinker, the soul. I choose what thoughts I want to create and as is my thinking so are my actions and also my experience in life. Going within, I touch the stillness and pure love that lie at the core of my being and every thought that I create is of benefit to me and of benefit to humanity.

God And I - The Relationship We Share (Part 3)

A beautiful relationship with God does not mean that we stop having beautiful relationships with everyone else because the love experienced from God is used to give to others without which life would be without any meaning. People who have tried to connect to God alone and forgot the beautiful people in their lives which make life a joyful journey did not reach the destination of peace, love and joy successfully. A loner or someone who disconnects with people will never feel as satisfied as one who connects with people and their specialties. God is to be included into your life and given the highest status but not at the cost of relationships which you share with others. Love God a lot but love others too. In fact, it is God’s love which will fill our relationships with others full of love. This is the triangle of spirituality. Take from God and give to others and also love others to bring them closer to God. This is the objective of true spirituality. Spirituality does not mean only remembering God to purify oneself but to serve others with that pure love which you receive from God. Service, as stated in all religions, is one of the primary objectives of a beautiful spiritual life and service is nothing but purifying others with the help of a love filled connection with God.

Loving God with a pure heart is another aspect of spirituality. Remember it’s the humble and the sweet who will win God’s love and closeness. The egoistic and the critical lose God’s love and as a result are not able to fill their relationships with it. A loveful bond with God means being happy in His company and sharing that happiness with your eyes, face and your words and actions with others. A remembrance of God at the Brahma Kumaris in meditation is often done in a gathering to share the vibrations of peace, love and joy with others sitting with you through your eyes or vision. That is why we at the Brahma Kumaris meditate with open eyes. So taking and giving go side by side, remembrance of God and serving others go side by side.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Be Happy!

Being overly critical of ourselves & others robs us of our happiness. It can be so quiet that we don't even realize we're doing it.

But if your aim is to be happy at all times, then consciously notice your inner & outer criticisms. Inwardly smile at them & let them go. Notice how freeing this is.

Let go of your inner & outer criticisms, & you're free to think supportive, uplifting & affirming things about yourself & others.

Message for the day

To be in the unlimited is to be free from getting trapped in the limited. 

Thought to Ponder: In any situation, I need to go beyond what is visible. If I see that I will be able to see the larger picture instead of getting caught up in the triviality of the situation. Everything becomes clear and meaningful when I have the consciousness of seeing it in the context of the larger picture. 

Point to Practice: Today I will make an effort to understand the context of the situation rather than getting caught up with the situation itself. For example, if someone is shouting at me, I will try and understand why he got upset and try to give him what he wants or at least the feeling that I understand. Also, I will try and understand that the anger is temporary, but the person as a friend is permanent. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: November 29, 2016: Self-confidence

Daily Positive Thoughts: November 29, 2016: Self-confidence

Self-confidence

Self-confidence is to know your way around yourself so instinctively that you always have a strength to draw on. Somewhere inside, from the stillness, you always find something that can meet your need.

God And I - The Relationship We Share (Part 2)

Taking God with you to your office, having Him with you while having lunch, sleeping in His lap, talking to Him when faced with a challenge, putting your head on His shoulder when in trouble and taking support, are some of the common experiences of God and His children here at the Brahma Kumaris. These are the same experiences which you might also have gone through even if you are not attached to a particular spiritual organization. But the one important thing that we would like to share with you is that even we, in our journey with the Brahma Kumaris, define being with God in a different way as we spend more and more time with Him. So say 5-6 years ago, we used the same words – we love God and enjoy being with Him throughout the day, but the same words mean a lot more now than what they meant 5-6 years ago. Today we experience God much closely than we did say a few years ago, even though we were with a spiritual organization like this one at that time also. God keeps revealing Himself more and more as we become cleaner and purer even at the most subtle level of the consciousness.

So it’s the same God and it’s the same me but our consciousness has changed in say 5 years because of which God is inspired to fill us more and more with His divine experiences and a walk with God with His hand in our hand today means something much more beautiful than what it meant at that time. Also don’t forget the same experience will be much more deeper after the next 3-4 years. So God does not change but because He reveals different characteristics of His personality from time to time we grow closer and closer to Him and a companionship with God at all levels of thought, word and action takes a newer meaning every day. Based on this type of spiritual life which keeps becoming more and more beautiful every day, we welcome you to the centers of the Brahma Kumaris to learn meditation and join us in these life changing experiences of seeing God as closely as what you might ever be able to imagine.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Tired?

Tiredness can often be like a cloud of feelings that we just need to push & move through. 

Disperse the clouds of tiredness with rejuvenating thoughts. 

Let the current of your rejuvenating thoughts pass through your mind, like a rocket; leaving you feeling revived & alert.

But if you're feeling tired all the time, then you might want to examine your current lifestyle. Catch the culprit & make easy changes to improve your energy levels.

Message for the day

To fill the ones who are hopeless with hope is the greatest service. 

Expression: To have faith by seeing the positive qualities even in the most negative person is to fill them with hope. Also to fill hope means to encourage others to move forward in the most negative situation. When this is done they are able to use their potentials for a positive purpose and slowly bring about a change for the better.

Experience: When I am able to see positivity under all circumstances, I am able to have the courage and enthusiasm to make the best out of every situation. This also naturally makes me an inspiration for those around me too and makes me an image of support for those who want to make effort. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris