Daily Positive Thoughts: April 12, 2017: Holiday Everyday

Daily Positive Thoughts: April 12, 2017: Holiday Everyday

Holiday Everyday

How do you feel when you're about to set off on a holiday? Can't control the smiles, can't hold in the anticipation of discovering new landscapes, and the promise of exciting adventures!

How exciting would life be, if you set off on your morning commute, every day, with that same holiday feeling!

Set off with a smile, an anticipation of discovering something new, a promise of an adventure, and make every day feel like a holiday.

Performing A Spiritual Audit At The End Of The Day (Part 1)

Our normal day at the office or and at home is filled with lots of actions and interactions. On a normal day, without realizing consciously, we create almost 30,000-40,000 thoughts. So, not only are we active physically but extremely active on a subtle or non-physical level also.  Imagine sleeping with all this burden of thoughts, words and actions which have been created throughout the day, many of which have been waste and negative in nature. What would be the resulting quality of my sleep? So it is extremely important to perform a spiritual/emotional audit or evaluation at the end of each day.

In a lot of professional sectors of life today, people recognize the need for reflection and audit, not only of financial records but also a general evaluation of the respective sector, to maintain and improve both the service to customers and the job satisfaction of people working in the sector. Checking my own behavior, as a daily exercise; not just checking, but also bringing about respective changes for the next day, enables me to continue to develop and grow, as a human being and in the quality of my work and personal and professional relationships. Have gone through the self-evaluation, it is also advised to become completely light by submitting the mistakes made and heaviness accumulated in the day to the Supreme Being. Doing this helps me put a full-stop to the same and settle all my spiritual accounts at the end of the day. I need to put an end to all commas (when looking at scenes that caused me to slow down and reduced the speed of my progress), question marks (when looking at scenes which caused a why, what, how, when, etc.... in my consciousness) and exclamation marks (when looking at negative or waste scenes, which were unexpected and surprising) which were created in the day's activities. Along with remembering what all good happened during the day, what did I achieve and what good actions did I perform, there is lots to forget at the end of the day, which should not be carried into my sleep at any cost. Disturbed, thought-filled, unsound sleep, will result in a not so fresh body and mind the next morning, which will cause my mood to be disturbed, adversely affecting the following day.

(To be continued tomorrow...)

Love what you do

Approach everything you do, with love.  And when you come across any difficulties or tasks that you don't like to do, remind yourself: I love what I am doing!

Do things with love and you begin to develop an interest, a love for what you do.

Love just makes things seem easier, more like a game to be enjoyed.  With love, even difficulties stand aside to let love in.

Message for the day

Wisdom lies in being strong, rather than being vulnerable. 

Thought to Ponder: When something happens that is not to my liking, I need not get caught up with it. The situation tends to colour my thoughts and I become negative because of the situation. Wisdom lies in being strong, uninfluenced. I need to become a source of power rather that becoming vulnerable to the weaknesses. 

Point to Practice: Today I will smile at everything that happens. Every scene in the drama of life, as it unfolds in front of me, has something beautiful in store for me. It has a gift (maybe in disguise). Today I will appreciate the gift that it brings and move forward. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: April 11, 2017: Dream On

Dream On

Why have we forgotten how to dream? With our innocence gone, and the entertainment industry doing all the work for us, we quickly lose our capacity to dream possible futures. Stop. Close your eyes. And dream again. Put the stars in your dreams. And then reach for them. No need to struggle. Simply nurture the dream, sustain the vision, and watch it come true. It must, it's the law.

Churning Spiritual Knowledge (Part 2)

We had discussed a few benefits of churning spiritual knowledge yesterday. Some more are as follows:

3. The knowledge that we have becomes more real: and so can give more effectively to others. We can use the jewels of knowledge in serving others. This knowledge will have much greater power and be of much greater help to others than any form of scholarly or bookish knowledge.

4. Our personality changes: Limited views and thought patterns which give birth to various obstacles can be finished by churning. Our outlook towards life becomes very broad and we become completely content internally so that name, fame, respect, insult, etc. don't affect us, they seem totally insignificant.

5. Natural bliss: By churning, spiritual knowledge becomes a source of bliss. Because of the spiritual happiness and intoxication that comes from churning, our faces will become radiant and we become instruments to attract other people towards spirituality.

6. Our concentration power increases: By acknowledging and not suppressing impure thoughts we will easily clear negative thoughts within a short period of time. Our concentration power will increase. We will be able to clear and burn impure or waste thoughts, and easily become an embodiment of positivity.

When someone upsets you, it's so easy to react.

But if you want to stop the relationship from a downward spiral, first, take care of your upset feelings.  Then extend yourself and see things from the other person's perspective.

This doesn't excuse why they upset you, but it does give you a starting place to try and mend the relationship.

Message for the day

To race with myself is better than trying to compete with others. 

Thought to Ponder: I can really excel when I try each day to be better than what I was yesterday. Instead of trying hard to compete with others, I need to compete with myself. This will ensure that I am moving forward in the direction of my own specialties. This will bring excellence in what I do. 

Point to Practice: Today I will work on one quality of mine and use it consciously. This quality could be a simple skill or a virtue. When I recognize and use it consciously, I will find it increasing. So, today I will put into use one quality of mine. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: April 10, 2017: Self-Mastery

Daily Positive Thoughts: April 10, 2017: Self-Mastery

Self-Mastery

Within each one of us there is a master of the universe. Not the universe out there but the inner universe of our thoughts and feelings, attitudes and actions. Most people realize too late what awaits within and how valuable it is. For too long we allow ourselves to be distracted and bewitched by all that is happening outside. To be the master of your inner world is to be the master of your own destiny. Are you going to be the master or a slave?

Churning Spiritual Knowledge (Part 2)

We had discussed a few benefits of churning spiritual knowledge yesterday. Some more are as follows:

3. The knowledge that we have becomes more real: and so can give more effectively to others. We can use the jewels of knowledge in serving others. This knowledge will have much greater power and be of much greater help to others than any form of scholarly or bookish knowledge.

4. Our personality changes: Limited views and thought patterns which give birth to various obstacles can be finished by churning. Our outlook towards life becomes very broad and we become completely content internally so that name, fame, respect, insult, etc. don't affect us, they seem totally insignificant.

5. Natural bliss: By churning, spiritual knowledge becomes a source of bliss. Because of the spiritual happiness and intoxication that comes from churning, our faces will become radiant and we become instruments to attract other people towards spirituality.

6. Our concentration power increases: By acknowledging and not suppressing impure thoughts we will easily clear negative thoughts within a short period of time. Our concentration power will increase. We will be able to clear and burn impure or waste thoughts, and easily become an embodiment of positivity.

Make your words count

Words can hurt or comfort.

Words can encourage or discourage.

Isn't it great to hear words that are free from aggression, words that leave you with renewed vitality?

  

Today, as you utter words, choose your words carefully and make your words count.

Message for the day

To understand uniqueness is to be free from expectations. 

Thought to Ponder: When I continue to think of others and wanting them to think like me, I will not be able to be free from expectations. I need to understand that each one has his own unique set of experiences. So, everyone has their own uniqueness of expression. That's what makes the drama of life so beautiful. 

Point to Practice: Today I will appreciate the uniqueness of everyone. I will at least tell 2 people how special they are and what difference their life has made. This will help me not only appreciate them, but also keep me free from any kind of expectations. Others, too, would be able to use their best qualities. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: April 09, 2017: Smile and say "Hello"

Daily Positive Thoughts: April 09, 2017: Smile and say "Hello"

Smile and say "Hello"

In life you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve 

your attention and care, even if all you do is

 smile and say "Hello".

Churning Spiritual Knowledge (Part 1)

Churning spiritual knowledge or thinking deeply about it makes us a complete authority of that knowledge. What are some practical ways of implementing churning in our lives?

Take 15 minutes out of your daily routine every day to think deeply on any topic related to spiritual self progress (like e.g. each day’sPositive Reflection message or something else). You do not need to disconnect yourself from action to do this. You could do this while taking a walk, while driving to office, while cooking food, etc. By churning this way in isolation, the mind is able to concentrate immediately. Secondly if you read some spiritual knowledge and afterwards write down the essence (summary) of it for 5-10 minutes as it has influenced the mind, then you will find that essence will remain with you and deepen during the day.

The benefits of churning spiritual knowledge are as follows:

1. Churning makes the soul feel powerful: it makes you aware of your powers and increases your self-respect. Any inferiority complex ends and one experiences oneself as a great and powerful soul. Self-confidence awakens as weak thoughts diminish: I won't be able to do this. Will I succeed or not? Strong thoughts emerge instead: The Supreme Being himself is with me. I will definitely be successful. Such confidence and bravery is experienced which strengthens the soul to undertake any impossible task.

2. Natural and unruffled peace in my outlook: Churning takes us to the depths of the ocean of knowledge. The depth of knowledge finishes all our attractions. In the depths there are no storms, but only the peace and bliss of unlimited treasures.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Make change easy

Throughout the year, we adapt and change our eating habits, activities.... according to the seasons.  

We changed the clocks when the clocks turned back.  We're going to put that big coat on and wrap up warm when it starts to get chilly.  We're not going to resist, are we?

Come on, be practical.  Quickly accept and adapt to any new changes in your life and make change easy.

Message for the day

The power of transformation brings all attainments.

Thought to Ponder: When there is the ability to transform negative into positive, and waste into useful in a second there is the ability to be useful for the self and others. There would not be just complaints against the situation, but the best would be made out of all situations and move on to the aim set out. 

Point to Practice: When I am able to use the power of transformation to finish negative and waste, I am able to experience being free from obstacles. So I am able to experience contentment under all circumstances for having made the best use of everything available. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: April 08, 2017: Spiritual Love

Daily Positive Thoughts: April 08, 2017: Spiritual Love

Spiritual Love

Just as a kite flies high, held only by a string, our intellect can rise to the heights of wisdom, pulled only by the thread of spiritual love.

Identify The Filters In Your Life

Like different types and different colour filters on a physical level; on a spiritual level, there are many different types of filters that work in our lives e.g. the jealousy filter, hatred filter, attachment filter, fear filter, greed filter, etc. and many more. Due to these filters, we do not see people and things as they are, but as we are, because the filters are our own self-created ones.   If we want to see people and things as they are, we need to check which filters are working most in our lives. Each one of us has different filters working to different extents, depending on our personality e.g. someone might have the jealousy filter working more regularly as compared to the fear filter in his/her life.

Because of these filters, everything that we see is not only coloured by the colour of the filter we are using at that time, but our look is also biased as we choose what to see, what to give more importance, what to be affected by more, what to let through the filter etc. and what not to. We have and form a deceptive vision of the things and people that surround us inside our minds. And the longer this deformed vision lasts, the more we will convince ourself that that is the true image of the world, because our filters continue to process new data depending on what they see that make the image stronger. This reinforcing of the incorrect image builds up our database of incorrect beliefs based on different filters and makes them stronger and stronger as we go through our life journey. Beliefs are fixed ways of looking at reality. Thus, the world that we perceive is no longer the real world, but a world created by our own mind. So in a way we become deaf and blind on a spiritual level towards the world. To heal this deafness and blindness, we do not have to remove each filter one after the other, which may become a difficult task; but we have to discover the  pure, original internal self and start seeing everything without the filters, based on the pure-self point of view. As a result of that, gradually our incorrect beliefs start dissolving and correct beliefs start setting in based on our clean unfiltered view.

Why is the grass always greener on the other side?  

Wanting to be somewhere other than where you are creates discontentment.  

Think: Wherever I am, is where I am meant to be!  This creates contentment.

Even if where you are, is not where you want to be, be content with where you are.  

Then you'll create the best possible opportunities, to be where you are meant to be.

Message for the day

To see things with the right vision (third eye) is to ensure that I am not blind to the opportunities that life offers.

Thought to Ponder: Wisdom is to see what is not seen. When I only see what is visible to the two eyes, I miss out important details. To open the third eye of wisdom and see through to the reality of things is to create opportunities for oneself. Wisdom is to see benefit, positive and opportunity in everything. I need to give this training to the third eye.

Point to Practice: Today I will look at things differently. When something happens to me that I am uncomfortable with, I will see what positive there is, hidden in the situation. Negativity remains even after a situation is over, when I think negative about someone, myself or something. So today I will make sure I change my thinking to positive in these three aspects. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: April 07, 2017: True Happiness

 

True Happiness

True happiness comes when my mind and the senses have become quiet and peaceful. In that state, there is spiritual power; we are performing actions, but free from desires and free from attachment to what we do. Such happiness finishes any sorrow that comes to us.

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

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

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

Do you feel like a pressure cooker?

Most of us are used to living under pressure but when the pressure intensifies, do you feel like a pressure cooker, about to explode?

Why not take something off your plate & turn the heat down.  Loosen the lid of routine & unwind.  Gradually let the steam out, release the pressure & breathe.  Once you've cooled down, think about how to stay cool under pressure & avoid becoming like a pressure cooker again.

Message for the day

Where there is faith, there is greatness.

Expression: To have faith means to recognize the positivity in the self, in others and in situations. It also means a deep connection with God. The one who has faith is able to bring out the greatness in everything and everyone. So such a person reveals his greatness wherever he is.

Experience: When I have unbroken faith, I have the understanding that everything that happens is for some good cause. So, I am satisfied with everything that happens in my life. So I am creative in my responses to the environment, which in turn, makes me truly great. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris