Contemplation: Kindness
Kindness
Great souls take advantage of every moment and every opportunity to give happiness to others through kindness in their thoughts; such souls are willing to overlook weaknesses and mistakes and have the desire to help everyone reach their potential.
Move Forward
When we are faced with a
problem, we are caught up with the negative
aspect of it we continue to look at the negativity of the present or of
the past. There is also a fear for the future. Although we know all
situations are temporary, at that time we are not able to rise above
the situation. Instead of thinking only about the negative aspect of
the situation, we need to think about what we have to do to correct the
situation. Once we find a solution and bring it into action, we can
think about what learning we can take from the past situation. We can
then move forward more powerfully towards the future.
aspect of it we continue to look at the negativity of the present or of
the past. There is also a fear for the future. Although we know all
situations are temporary, at that time we are not able to rise above
the situation. Instead of thinking only about the negative aspect of
the situation, we need to think about what we have to do to correct the
situation. Once we find a solution and bring it into action, we can
think about what learning we can take from the past situation. We can
then move forward more powerfully towards the future.
Effort To Manipulate The Law Of
Action (Karma)
Human laws can be adjusted, manipulated and even ignored by some, but no one can do the same with the Law of Karma. On the physical level, there is no time interval between an action and its reaction. If I throw an object in the air, it falls back immediately with the same force. With the Law of Karma, however, there can be a delay between the action and its result or fruit. The seeds of certain actions (negative or positive) bring immediate fruit. Others can take years or even many births to bear fruit. If I eat too much ice-cream, I will see the result or karmic effect of the negative karma of greed within a space of ten-fifteen minutes in the form of a headache or after two days in the form of a cold and flu. This is an e.g. in which we realize the working of the Law of Karma, we realize clearly the cause and its effect, but on a subtle level, when we see the effects of actions, we do not realize that the cause may have actually been in a previous life. There is a total connection between the cause and the effect.
When we analyze a natural calamity such as a major earthquake that uproots buildings and trees, overturns vehicles and kills thousands of people. The physical cause may be tectonic activity associated with faults inside the earth's surface but at the same time, we realize that such a calamity could have its roots in a process initiated by human beings a few hours, days or months ago - an e.g. being testing of nuclear weapons. On a personal level, I can say that there is nothing which happens to me for which I am not responsible. Whether I remember what I did to make it happen or not, whether I realize it or choose to ignore it, I am ultimately responsible.
Soul Sustenance
Cooking and
Eating with a Spiritual Touch
Nowadays, we are continuously bombarded with details about the physical aspects of what we eat and the effects that different ingredients may or may not have on us, and naturally this is important. But in this heap of information, we tend to overlook one crucial factor: the consciousness (state of mind) of the person cooking and the effect that this will have upon the food, and thus also on those who eat it. A cook not only prepares food in a physical place, but also in a spiritual or inner space. And just as the physical surroundings are best kept clean and in order, so should be the state of mind of those in the kitchen. A simple and familiar example of this concept at work can be seen in the way that home cooking, especially that of one’s mother, holds a special place in our hearts. The love and care with which it is prepared sometimes gives us more joy than perhaps food eaten in a restaurant setting where food may be prepared with greater cooking and technical skills but where negative emotions related like anxiety, arrogance, stress, and greed (in the business like restaurant environment) may affect the energy of the food cooked over there, on a subtle or vibrational (non-physical) level.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
Message for the day
Nowadays, we are continuously bombarded with details about the physical aspects of what we eat and the effects that different ingredients may or may not have on us, and naturally this is important. But in this heap of information, we tend to overlook one crucial factor: the consciousness (state of mind) of the person cooking and the effect that this will have upon the food, and thus also on those who eat it. A cook not only prepares food in a physical place, but also in a spiritual or inner space. And just as the physical surroundings are best kept clean and in order, so should be the state of mind of those in the kitchen. A simple and familiar example of this concept at work can be seen in the way that home cooking, especially that of one’s mother, holds a special place in our hearts. The love and care with which it is prepared sometimes gives us more joy than perhaps food eaten in a restaurant setting where food may be prepared with greater cooking and technical skills but where negative emotions related like anxiety, arrogance, stress, and greed (in the business like restaurant environment) may affect the energy of the food cooked over there, on a subtle or vibrational (non-physical) level.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
Message for the day
The one who is detached is the one who is happy.
Projection: When difficult situations come our way we tend to overreact because of our attachment and expectations. Because of this we experience much more unhappiness than what the situation actually holds. The understanding lacks that it is not the situation, but our own thoughts that are giving us sorrow.
Solution: We need to look at the situation just as we would watch it happen to someone else - with detachment. When we learn to detach ourselves from the situation in this way and see what it holds for us, we will not experience unhappiness but will be able to remain happy under all circumstances.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris