Daily Positive Thoughts: March 28, 2017: Truly Precious

Two Humanitarians for the Ages: 

Saint Teresa of Calcutta: 

 Died September 5, 1997 &

Diana, Princess of Wales: 

Died on August 31, 1997

Truly Precious

More valuable than the things we give to each other are the gifts of virtues we pass on quietly to others through our selfless and noble actions. These gifts are truly precious because they are imperishable and they multiply the more we share them.

Breaking The Cycle Of Negative Energy Exchanges (Part 5)

To conclude, we all know that every individual is inherently good. A little shade of the incorrect or improper personality exists inside each one, however light the shade is. We also know that this shade was not there originally in the soul but is an acquired one. And also the person with the shade does become aware of it in times of solitude and also is making an effort to remove it so that no discomfort or sorrow is caused to anyone because of it. Along with the negative shades every person possesses many positive personality traits which are their strengths. Now when we are having an exchange of negative energies with such a person, what does a spiritually sensible person do, look at those light shades of negativity which are coming into action at that time or focus on so many positive colours of the personality of the other, colours that we have seen or heard about from others many times in the past. Also, an accompanied realization that even I have my share of negative shades which I am working on erasing, makes this vision easy to practice.

Practiced consistently, this kind of positive vision accompanied by a deep hearted appreciation of the positive personality colours of the other person is mercy in action, which is a shade of pure soul-to-soul love. Such appreciation makes it easier for others to reflect on and see what they need to do to change. But the first impact of this appreciation is on me, in keeping me free of negative and waste internally. So appreciating the other’s strengths in my mind and emerging them in my consciousness at such a time is very important as this not only keeps my perception, which is susceptible to being influenced by the negative at that time, clean, but also reaches the other person on a vibrational level and he/she is inspired and empowered to bring those strengths into action, as a result playing his/her part to end the negative energy exchange. This is spirituality at its most magical. I'll not only have removed a source of pain, which is the negative shade of the other’s personality in this case, which is coming into action; I'll have grown spiritually as well.

Make the problem smaller and you'll find solutions easily.

Problems come and go.  Keep thinking about a problem again and again, and you make it bigger and more challenging than it really is!

So instead of magnifying, downsize your problems.

Think: The situation will pass.  I am bigger than whatever is happening.  I can handle it.

Message for the day

To learn the art of controlling is to steer through life's situations easily. 

Thought to Ponder: When I am driving, the road is not always straight. Yet, I know when to apply a brake or when to turn the steering wheel. In the same way, in life's situations I need to understand that everything will not go as I plan. Instead, I need to learn the art of knowing when to stop (apply brakes) and when to turn my thinking in a direction which is more constructive. 

Point to Practice: Today I will have a mental traffic control system for myself. From time to time, I will have a signal for myself to stop and check if I am going in the right direction. If I find myself in the wrong way, I will immediately change my thoughts in the right direction or just postpone the thoughts. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: March 27, 2017: Making Peace

Daily Positive Thoughts: March 27, 2017: Making Peace

Making Peace

There is something that you can do to help create peace in the world, and that is to make yourself peaceful.

The first step in this is doing some real soul-searching to find out what has made you peaceless in the first place. Turning your mind within allows you to discover, underneath the many surfaced emotions of everyday life, a deep, undisturbed pool of spiritual well-being. You need to explore that part of the self, not just to understand it, but to experience it again and again. This is a very satisfying experience, one that refreshes the soul and fills it with peace. From this vantage point, it becomes easy to recognize the kind of thoughts and feelings which are self-destructive.

The power of self-realization will work wonders in transforming these destructive mental habits. You will stop blaming others for your peacelessness, and get on with the work of cultivating your truth.

Breaking The Cycle Of Negative Energy Exchanges (Part 4)

One of the root causes of negative energy exchanges between any two people is a clash of personalities or also called clash of sanskaras in spiritual parlance (language). This can happen between two people who are wrong or between two people, one of whom is right and the other is wrong and also not very uncommonly between two people who are both right in their own unique way. This happens simply because sometimes personalities of two people are correct, their ways of working are correct, their ways of thinking are correct but they differ. This clash of personalities causes irritation on both sides, which becomes dislike, which becomes anger, causing hurt on both sides. How does one correct this? An important method for this is the sacrifice of the ego. Very often the cause of negative energy exchanges between two people who are both right is subtle ego on both sides, which ends when one of them sacrifices his/her ego. It is often said that the one who sacrifices his/her ego, is worthy of receiving the garland of blessings in a gathering of people of varying personalities as he/she brings about harmony in relationships.

The one who sacrifices the ego is mature and humble enough to realize that the responsibility to bring to an end negative energy exchanges with a particular person lies with him. Such a person has a soft intellect and realizes the significance of moulding or adjusting himself as the situation demands and how that can bring to an end the exchange. Such a person is like an ocean of good wishes. He will sacrifice his own interest, sacrifice the - I am right consciousness, sacrifice the - Things should be done the way I like consciousness and put the interest of the other first; he will renounce his own name and glorify the name of the other. Such a person will very commonly praise the other and his way of working as well as his personality either individually or in a gathering. Such a person becomes a teacher and friend for the person with whom he was exchanging negative vibes prior to that, becoming an instrument to bring to an end the negative exchange of energy.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

The 3 R's of Relationships. 

Here are the 3 R's to make the relationships that matter most, easier: Roles, Rules, and Rituals.

Roles clarify what is expected of you.  Otherwise there's frustration and confusion when roles are unclear.  Know your specific role in each relationship and play your part well.

Rules are boundaries that outline what your limits are and where you stand.  For healthy relationships, it's good to discuss and review your rules regularly, and know when to compromise.

Rituals are simple things that build meaningful connections, such as making eye contact as you say 'good morning' and 'goodbye'.  Make up and keep up with rituals that work for you.

Message for the day

To learn the art of controlling is to steer through life's situations easily. 

Thought to Ponder: When I am driving, the road is not always straight. Yet, I know when to apply a brake or when to turn the steering wheel. In the same way, in life's situations I need to understand that everything will not go as I plan. Instead, I need to learn the art of knowing when to stop (apply brakes) and when to turn my thinking in a direction which is more constructive.

Point to Practice: Today I will have a mental traffic control system for myself. From time to time, I will have a signal for myself to stop and check if I am going in the right direction. If I find myself in the wrong way, I will immediately change my thoughts in the right direction or just postpone the thoughts. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: March 26, 2017: I wish to be me

Daily Positive Thoughts: March 26, 2017: I wish to be me 

  

I wish to be me

How fast can life become? How much can we do in the corporeal amount of time we have. There are only 24 hours in the day, but we're trying to fit 26 hours into it. If we could watch a movie of our average day we'd probably be amazed at all the things we try to do.

And then there is the exact opposite. Some of us spend our lives watching others doing and achieving, and from these images we build such high expectations of our own life, and then sit around feeling utterly powerless in our attempts to meet these expectations. That powerlessness becomes hopelessness and hopelessness becomes depression. If we can just see this process and release these expectations! If we can at least be detached from any expectations, we will get back some of our inner power and self-motivation.

It helps to stop watching others and their lifestyles, especially in the media, and then comparing yourself to them. It helps to eliminate all but one 'I wish' from your mind. There is only one valid and useful 'I wish' and it is simply "I wish to be me". For that is all you can ever be. It is all you can ever have. It is all that you are. And when you know it, you will be free of all expectation and desire, and able to enter the most relaxed state of being, at will.

Breaking The Cycle Of Negative Energy Exchanges (Part 3)

A simple pro-active response in breaking the cycle of negative energy exchanges with another person is the deep inner realization that the other soul is at that point of time lacking in the treasures of peace and love, although the foundation for the realization should be a humble consciousness. Very often this realization is based on an egocentric consciousness, which instead of cooling the situation can serve to make it more volatile on a subtle level. So based on this realization is an inner reminder to the self of my duty at that point of time - serving the other soul with the infinite treasures of God's love and peace, which I am an embodiment of.

So, pure donations at that time in the form of constructive positive and powerful thought vibrations for 5 minutes, once a day, at a fixed time, does the work of a soothing balm of love and peace for the other person. Through this method, your feelings of lightness, contentment and goodwill reach the other person, with whom you have a problem. By doing that, these positive feelings transmitted to the other person pave the way for a realization inside the other person, of the negative that exists inside him/her in the form of shortcomings and misdemeanors (incorrect actions) committed, if any. The realization serves as a motivator for change. Also coming into contact with the other person with a cheerful face and colouring the other person with your enthusiastic company, a company full of the feelings of sweetness, happiness and contentment brings about transformation in the other as our actions become teachers for the other and the other is humbled and is inspired to become likewise. Also donations in the form of humble and soft words, words that are numbered (few) but invaluable, help in bringing to an end the negative energy exchanges and winning the blessings and good wishes of the other as well as people connected with the situation.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Drop the comparisons.  

"Yesterday was such a good day!"  "The food yesterday was really tasty!"  Does that mean today isn't a good day?  The food today isn't tasty?  Compare one moment to another & you don't enjoy the present moment.

Understand: every day, every moment, everything is different, unique & special.  And then you'll experience contentment in the present moment & enjoy what is.

Message for the day

To be egoless is to learn from people.

Thought to Ponder: Each and every person I come into contact with has something to teach me. When I work with ego, I become deprived of this learning. I am not able to see the positive in people. Nor do I have the humility to understand that there is a lot to learn and improve. Being egoless helps me continuously learn and progress.

Point to Practice: Today I will learn something from someone really close to me. I will take one point that I feel that I should imbibe from this person. I will consciously work on imbibing this point into my life. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: March 25, 2017: Que Sera, Sera

Daily Positive Thoughts: March 25, 2017: Que Sera, Sera

Que Sera, Sera

Resistance leads to persistence. Whatever you resist or push against simply persists and pushes back in equal measure. Instead, transform resistance into acceptance by practicing "Que Sera, Sera ... whatever will be, will be..."

Breaking The Cycle Of Negative Energy Exchanges (Part 2)

The foremost method to break the cycle of negative energy exchanges with another person is one of self-transformation.

The most basic level of self-transformation is that I don’t react verbally to the other person with words. But, I mention the negative energy received from the other, in the physical forms of negative expressions, vision, words and actions, to others and create an atmosphere of negativity and also give birth to negative perceptions of the person in others’ minds. In such cases, damage occurs on a physical level and damage control has to be done later, which sometimes is too late to do, since relationships have already been harmed. This is because those who we pass on negative information to pass on the information received from us, to others and sometimes even to the person who seemingly harmed us in the first place.

The second and little deeper level of self-transformation is where I not only don’t react but I don’t talk against the person to anyone, even to people who are close to me, but I continue to think negatively about the other person. In such cases, damage is reduced but still happens, unknowingly and invisibly, behind the curtains of physical eyes and ears, as my thoughts and emotions are not completely under my control and they are led to a direction, which is incorrect as per the basics of spiritual wisdom – sometimes willingly and sometimes I do not want them to be led there but they go in that direction unwillingly due to a lack of inner strength. These negative thoughts and emotions do reach the other person on a subtle level, harming relations with that person.

The third and deepest level of self-transformation is where I develop the power to change the quality of my thoughts and feelings as well. I am emotionally empowered enough to remove the flaw (weakness) in my own character that was at the root of my reactions, so that what used to pinch me so much will not do so anymore. Also, relationships get protected by doing that, which is something each one of us desires.  This is the power of accommodation and self-transformation in action, at its best and possesses the potential to stop negative energy exchanges with the other.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Many of us have the option to work anywhere, anytime.

Assess how you currently manage your tasks and how you could increase your productivity.  Maybe you could prepare specific tasks that can be done online and offline.  But be disciplined about maintaining your wellbeing and all your priorities, otherwise you might end up working everywhere, all the time.

So make working anywhere, anytime work for you.

Message for the day

To have desire for something good is to finish unnecessary deires. 

Thought to Ponder: When there is a desire for something good and elevated, all other desires get merged in that one desire. I start seeing opportunities to fulfill that desire. Since it is a good desire, there is benefit for everyone involved, including me. For example, just one desire of achieving something good and beneficial makes me forget everything else and work towards that. 

Point to Practice: Today I will create a thought of what I want to achieve. I will then work towards it. I will also remind myself of this from time to time, so that I do not forget it. This will ensure that all my energy flows into it. All other waste, then finishes. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: March 24, 2017: Help others grow.

To help others to grow is to enable ourselves to grow.

It is easy to raise our voices and complain when we encounter someone else's negativity. This disturbs our own inner calm and we become caught up with that negativity, When thrown off balance in this way, we are unable to give the other person the support he or she needs.When someone is doing something wrong, I need to see what I can do to help that person, There is surely something I can contribute toward the growth of each and every human being. When I focus on how best is it to offer my help, I do not become caught up with negativity and I can transform the situation into one that benefits us both.

Breaking The Cycle Of Negative Energy Exchanges (Part 1)

A common term that we use in relationships is: the following person manages to always ruffle my feathers. There are always those one or two people in our lives, just being in the company of whom, makes us uncomfortable and they will almost all the time do something or we will perceive their doing something, in such a way, so as to irritate us. Instead of simply accommodating the other person’s nature, we find our self pinched by their nature and actions based on that nature repeatedly, although that may not be the intention of the other person at all at times. The effects of these negative feelings, in the form of reactions, created by us in return, would be limited if they were restricted to us and were to cause discomfort only to us, but what these feelings do is that they start a cycle of negative actions and reactions inside us, whereby such harmful feelings keep reaching the other person. On receiving this energy, the other person in turn starts perceiving us negatively and reacts or thinks about us in a similar way and an emotional cold war begins between us and the other person; negative thoughts, feelings, attitudes, words and actions are exchanged with each other from time to time and negative karmic accounts or bondages are created with the other person, which keep getting stronger and stronger. In such a scenario, even if we or the other person, from time to time, act or react in a positive way on a physical or non-physical level, that does little to break the negative bond and make the relationship positive, because a little bit of positive is accompanied by a lot of negative, and what it can do is only dilute the negative a little bit but not remove its effects completely.

So, how do we break this vicious cycle of negative energy exchange? We shall discuss some methods for that in the next few days’ messages.

For most of us, self-acceptance isn't as easy as it could be!  

If you feel that you're not good enough, realize: you are enough.  

If you rate yourself against others, realize: there's no one else in the world quite like you.

Believe in your worth & uniqueness, & accept the whole package, flaws & all.  

Have self-acceptance & you put yourself in a better position to improve yourself & the quality of your life.

Message for the day

The beauty of interactions lies in an exchange of virtues. 

Thought to Ponder: Every interaction is an opportunity to exchange virtues. The more we have this understanding and aim; we will be able to give an experience of virtues through our mind. We will also be able to give an inspiration of virtues through our deeds. For having expressed and experienced virtues, we too will be benefited. We would get a lot of good wishes, blessings and virtues from others too. 

Point to Practice: Today I will give an experience of one virtue to at least 3 people. I will use the interactions with them as an excuse to use and express my qualities. The more I do this, the more I find my interactions becoming harmonious and beautiful. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: March 23, 2017: Unique Gifts

 

 

Unique Gifts

Becoming aware of own gifts and those of others fills life with beauty. When I am aware of others' unique gifts, I can encourage them to develop them. Using my own gifts enriches others as well as myself. At times of need, I am able to draw on these qualities.

The Physical And The Non-Physical

In life many happenings cannot be explained only in material or physical terms. At certain points of crisis (negative) or inspiration (positive), there are deep emotional and spiritual experiences which separate us from the world around. We look inwards at such times; we look into religious or philosophical books, into rituals or symbols, in order to understand these experiences.

We are subject to a continuous commentary on life around us from our own thoughts, feelings and deductions.  These faculties of thinking and forming ideas, desiring and deciding (and all the different aspects which constitute our individual personality) are non-physical, yet nevertheless real – we cannot deny their existence. Indeed, anything perceivable to us comes from two sources; that which is detected by the physical senses and that which arises from impressions recorded on these subtle (non-physical) faculties (mentioned above). The things that we can see, taste, hear, smell and feel, as well as the body itself are formed of matter. But the subtle faculties of mind, intellect and personality make up what we call consciousness.

True respect does not come from what we do,

as much as how well we do it. 

This means we are shown respect according to the virtues and qualities revealed through our behaviour.

Message for the day

When promise is combined with determination, there is transformation. 

Thought to Ponder: When there is a desire for transformation, we make promises. But such promises are usually momentary are forgotten as time goes by. But when the promise is combined with determination, we are able to remind ourselves again and again of the promise made. We need to ensure promises are not forgotten. Only then will there be transformation. 

Point to Practice: Today I will take up something that I want to change in myself. I will keep reminding of this again and again. And I will not give up till I achieve it. For this to happen, I will also make a checklist that will remind me of this change that I have promised to myself. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris