Contemplation: Love

Contemplation: Love

Love

If I learn to create love in my heart and silently share it with everyone I meet, love will grace every corner of my life.

Remove Weakness

We do want to help others and be a support for them, but sometimes we
find ourselves unable to do this as much as we would like to. If
others are not able to take help from us constantly, it is because of
the weakness that is working within us which makes us look for support
from others. As we are caught up with our own expectations we remain
unavailable for others. We need to work at checking and removing our
own weaknesses. When we recognize and work at removing our weaknesses, we'll become a source of strength and support for others. We will not look for support from others but will be able to allow people to rely
on us.

Meditation On Self-Forgiveness

Sit comfortably and relax. Recall the feelings associated with some mistake or mistakes you have made in the past. Connect with any feelings of hatred and revenge; connect with any feelings of guilt and how you felt you had let others and yourself down; the shame and the humiliation you may have felt...

Now ask yourself:
'What good is it doing me or others by holding onto these feelings...?
What benefits does it bring me? How does it help me, or the other people affected...?' (pause for 30 seconds).

Now, say the following to yourself inside your mind:
'I decide that I have held onto these feelings long enough and it is time to let them go... This is a matter of reason as they no longer serve me, and a matter of my will at a deep level to release them... I feel all these negative feelings and let them go... I release them... let them go...'

Now, unconditionally, forgive yourself... you have made a mistake... you have learned from that mistake... there is nothing to be gained from having feelings of guilt or shame... let them go... forgive yourself... forgive everyone else who may have contributed... it is time to let it go...

Now focus on your true self - a divine being of spiritual energy situated at the center of the forehead... focus on your inner feelings of peace... Think of and feel your inner qualities of honesty, tolerance, kindness and generosity. Focus on them, as this is who you truly are... a peaceful, compassionate, forgiving being of spiritual light... radiating these qualities to the world...

Soul Sustenance

The Significance Of Spiritual Energy (cont.)

Humans live and express themselves by means of four energy forms. We had explained two (physical and mental) yesterday. The other two are:

Emotional:
This is related with how you feel, moody or happy, anxious or nervous. If your feelings are negative, it will end up affecting your body. Feelings of irritability, anxiety or tension can cause stomach ulcers. Along the same lines, with positive feelings you will be able to overcome any illness much more easily.

Spiritual:
This is related to our original qualities and values. It is the energy of the soul. Our perspective of the world will depend on the state of our conscience. Spiritual energy guides and provides quality to our thoughts, and that is why it is the highest in the hierarchy.

These energies (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual) form a hierarchy, in which physical energy is the lowest and spiritual energy the highest. If we are able to correctly channel the spiritual energy it will influence all the others in a positive way, beginning with our conscience, our feelings, and ending with our body.

Message for the day

The ones with pure thoughts experience safety in all situations.

Projection: When there are negative situations, we usually get negative thoughts very easily. Such negative thoughts take us further into negativity. We get caught in this circle of negativity and we then can't make our thoughts positive.

Solution: We need to take care that we don't blame anyone when we are going through any negative situation. We need to maintain whatever positivity we can in the situation, and we will find our mind changing towards positive too. It is this positivity that acts as a means of safety for us.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: Acceptance

Contemplation:  Acceptance

Acceptance

See through God's eyes and feel through God's heart and you will appreciate the value of every soul including yourself.

Lightness

When we are in a position where we are held responsible for something
or people expect us to be answerable for something, we tend to feel
heavy because of these responsibilities. With this feeling of burden,
we are not able to fulfill our responsibilities to the best of our
ability. Whatever responsibilities are given to us are according to our
capabilities. Also the more we are able to maintain our internal state
of lightness, it is easier for us to recognize and use our inner
resources well. When we remind ourselves of this we'll be able to be
light and give our best to fulfill all our responsibilities.

Choosing Peace Over Anger

Making the choice of peace is a simple choice, which lies in the hands of each one of us, at every moment right through the day, every day. A lot of people would choose a world, the world out there, made of peace but spend most of their time remaining peaceless in their own inner world, and then in their next door world, i.e. in their personal interactions. A lot of us would prefer a life of peace and we try to shape up such a life, only to be influenced by the old belief about how it's absolutely fine to get angry once in a while, without which it's difficult to get things done. We also get influenced by those people around us who continue to get angry for the shallowest of reasons. These people could be either at home, at the workplace, in the friend circle, the world at large or people who do not matter too much to us but whom we encounter every day - at the vegetable market, on the highway, or even in the movies for that matter! Unaware of the root causes of their anger, all these people around us will find a thousand ways to justify it, and will keep continuing with the habit in their lives. Their emotional un-clarity is so deep and addiction to the emotion of anger is so powerful that they will probably laugh at the idea that anger is a negative emotion and is form of weakness or suffering. They will, on the other hand, say that peace is timidity and a form of weakness or suffering. So, if you do choose peace over anger in your life then you are also choosing to be in a state of power and becoming free from suffering as a result. However, after having made that choice, to experience it in every moment of your life, it is necessary to rediscover where your peace is located inside you, it's true nature or essence, how to access it through meditation and finally how to use it or apply it in your daily life.

Soul Sustenance

The Significance Of Spiritual Energy

Humans live and express themselves by means of four energy forms:

Physical : You breathe, eat and drink, and through this process you exchange atoms and molecules with the external environment and the inner environment of your body. A part of this energy will be used for growth and another part for physical movement.

Mental :The energy and power of thought. This energy has a big influence over the origin of many illnesses, so much so that it has been estimated that as many as 85% of them are psychosomatic (directly or indirectly influenced by our state of the mind) in nature. Your thoughts are also the seeds of your feelings, your mood and your attitudes.

(To be continued tommorow …..) 


Message for the day

The one who serves with the balance of the head and the heart is the one who is successful.

Projection: We usually give directions to people when they go wrong. We also use a lot of logic when we give such directions, but it doesn't always have the desired effect. We then begin to consider the other person to be wrong.

Solution: What we need to do is to have a balance of both the head and the heart while giving our suggestions to others. That means we need to have a lot of love while giving our suggestions to them. Then whatever we say will have its effect on them.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: Positive Thoughts

Contemplation: Positive Thoughts

Positive Thoughts

Positive thoughts are like good software that helps us to perform to the best of our abilities.

Bring Benefit

We usually take care not to speak negative words, but are not so
cautious about waste words. When we hear something interesting or unusual, we tend to repeat it to others. We repeat it to a lot of
people who have no concern with it. We also add up a lot of things and make it an interesting story for others. But, in reality, these words bring no benefit for others. Whatever words we speak, we need to check if they are bringing benefit to anyone. We need to speak only if there is likely to be any benefit. When we have attention not to speak anything negative, waste or even ordinary, others will experience sweetness through our words.

Quality Transformation (cont.)

'Quality transformers' can be compared to the oyster. When a tiny foreign particle invades (enters) the oyster's home, it secretes a liquid that combines with the particle to finally create a pearl. The pearl can live in the oyster's home for the rest of the oyster's natural life without causing any disturbance.

In the same way, rather than react negatively to people and events, we can include them and mould with them. Through acceptance, our consciousness jumps to another level of perception (understanding) and we realise that what we might have previously regarded as a problem can, if handled correctly, be a means to develop our strengths and remove our weaknesses. Whether a situation is a problem or a gift depends on our perception. The choice is ours.

Soul Sustenance

Being An Observer And An Actor – Maintaining The Balance

In relation to the other, we have the possibility of observing and intervening (interfering) when we wish to; that is, maintaining the balance between being an observer and acting; playing between forming part of the audience and being the actor. On being actors, sometimes we can lose ourselves in the acting of the other in his or her or their dramas; we get in so deep with what is happening to the other that we lose distance. We get mentally and emotionally involved in the other's stories. When our awareness gets lost in those stories, we stop being the creators of our own life and of our own story. This habit exhausts us; we lose energy; we lose our concentration and control over our thoughts and our emotions. We lose our inner peace and we begin to look for it again.

We can choose to observe the dance of ideas, images and acts of others, and not get involved in their complications. Only thus will we be at peace with ourselves and with the world. Remember that you create your own story. If you want to live in peace and exercise a positive influence on the people around you, don't try to control or to change the stories of others. In order to enjoy a painting you do not poke your nose onto it; you remain at a certain distance so you see it with greater clarity. The same thing occurs with the painting of life. By learning the art of being a detached observer and then intervening, of keeping a healthy distance, we manage to be connected with what is essential without losing ourselves in the waste and superfluous (excessive). That way, our intervention does not arise out of a reaction which has shades of frustration, anger and negative judgements. We are then the creators of spaces of trust and love in relationships.

Message for the day

The one who is truly fortunate is constantly enthusiastic.

Projection: When we find things going wrong with us, we immediately find ourselves losing all enthusiasm. We then do nothing to change our situation but just begin to curse our fate. With such an attitude we can do nothing to change our fortune.

Solution: When things go wrong, we have to recognise the fact that it is the present that is in our hands. We don't need to think of what happened in the past and curse our fate. Instead we need to fill ourselves with enthusiasm to make the best use of the present to make our future the best.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: Cheerfulness

Contemplation: Cheerfulness

Cheerfulness

The one who possesses cheerfulness becomes like a magnet of goodwill.

See Positivity

When something goes wrong, it is very natural for us to think of the
negative aspect. We experience negative feelings and as we continue to
think about it, we tend to feel more and more heavy in the mind. This
does not bring lightness either in our daily activities or in our
interactions with others. There is surely something positive in
everything that happens. We need to make conscious effort to see
positivity in everything that happens. This habit helps us be carefree
even when something unexpected or unwanted happens. Even if we cannot see the positive aspect at that moment, we need to maintain the faith that whatever has happened is for the best.

Quality Transformation

The easiest way to understand quality change is to consider the example of roses. These beautiful flowers, although nourished by smelly manure, do not take any of its odour (smell) or colour. They are truly like kings of gardens, in their pink, gold, red and white robes, filling the air with such a fragrance that people who come to the garden do not even notice the manure. The roots of the roses are able to transform (change) the manure to such an extent that the best is taken without any negative side effects. This is an example of quality change.

The human world is like a garden. We are like a variety of flowers surrounded by lots of manure, that is, negativity in all its forms, such as ego, fear, anger, attachment, mistrust, etc. People who are 'quality transformers' can accept all these negative things and use them for their personal growth without the negativity penetrating (entering) them; they do not get spoilt, or even touched by it. With understanding and the natural, loving detachment that comes from silence, they realise that the negative person, or situation, in front of them is the Universe's way of giving them an opportunity to create a tiny, silent miracle in their lives. Quality transformers become the spiritual roses in the Garden of Humanity: they display all their beauty and provide inspiration for all those who see them.

(To be continued tomorrow .... )

Soul Sustenance

Experiencing The Light, Power And Love Of The Spiritual Sun

Experience of the Supreme Soul (God) – the Spiritual Sun as an energy that heals and cleans the self with his light, power and love :

I relax. I calm my mind and breathing… I imagine a beautiful beam of white light coming out from the centre of my forehead... It leaves me and goes beyond this room towards space... I feel that I am a sparkling star floating... detached from my body and surroundings...My consciousness is transported in that beam of light towards a space without limits... beyond the sun, the moon and the stars... It is a dimension of infinite light, beyond time... where there is silence and absolute quietness… I see myself, a star like energy floating in that ocean of light... In that ocean there are many different kinds of waves... waves that are not of water, but rather waves of light... Some waves carry peace... others love... others happiness... I bathe in these waves... I allow myself to be carried by these waves... I feel how my mind is filling up with so much light and strength... On the screen of my mind, I can visualize where those luminous waves come from…

In front of me there appears a Being of Light that is silent and strong like the sun in a clear sky... It is a generous light... sweet... and loving... There is nothing to be afraid of... It sends me rays of light that melt my fears and weaken my resistances... It is like a magnet that takes me towards the depth of that ocean of Light... I feel that my nature is light... All the thoughts of the physical world disappear. Only this world is real... I feel a healing energy of love that penetrates my thoughts... It penetrates my feelings... I feel bathed by that love... revitalized by that love... Love... Power... Light... All these beautiful waves... intense... come to me from this Spiritual Sun, the Supreme Soul who resides in that infinite space of silence...

Message for the day

To keep the aim in front of us is to move forward with contentment.

Projection: Several times there are situations that are negative where we have to face things that are not really what we are expecting or wanting. At such times we tend to get disheartened and experience discontentment. Our state of mind becomes such that we can no longer experience peace.

Solution: The solution at such times is to keep our vision clear on our aim. When all our thoughts and energy are concentrated on our aim, we will be able to consider any negative scene that comes our way as only a side-scene. We can easily ignore all such situations and so our mind is at rest or peace.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: Think Big

Contemplation:  Think Big

Burj Khalifa, Dubai-The tallest skyscraper in the world. Height: 2,717' (828 m), 2,722' (830 m) to tip

Think Big

Rise above little things. Be a big thinker. You are what you think. So just think big, believe big, act big, dream big, work big, give big, forgive big, laugh big, image big, love big, live big. Carry that list and you'll start feeling big. Be a believer and you'll be an achiever.

The Art of Listening

When I hear something negative about someone, I usually get influenced
by it. In spite of the fact that I may not have had any negative
experience myself, I still tend to get influenced negatively. This
brings about a change in my attitude and behaviour towards that person.
I need to learn the art of listening which enables me to respond in the
right way. When someone describes something, which involves the
negativity of another person, instead of getting influenced by it, I
need to understand his feelings and emotions at that time. When I do
this I will be able to provide support to him without adding my own
negativity to it.

The Negative Shade Of Respect In Relationships (cont.)

In yesterday's message, we had looked at the incorrect and negative side of respect (the energy of fear) in relationships. Today we look at this kind of relationship from that person's perspective from whom respect is demanded. When the boss or the parent or the spouse (please refer to yesterday's message) tries to induce respect inside you for him or her, in return you fear him or her, most of the time thinking it is respect. But, at that point, you need to remember it is impossible to give respect to another if we, at the back of our own minds, fear them. If you are scared of someone or something, it means there is an absence of self-respect, there is a lack of a true realization of your own value, your specialties, your skills and the virtues and powers that you possess. And if you do not respect yourself, you cannot truly respect another. It is only when you are firmly established in your own self-respect that you have no fear of others and are then capable of giving genuine respect to others. Sometimes we are not comfortable with being seen as fearful, because our image will take a beating, so we try to avoid admitting we fear someone by saying we respect them, but internally we are in awe of that person and being in awe is not respecting him or her.

Many a times, two prominent people e.g. two actors or politicians or sportsmen are not on good terms. They accuse and bring down each other publicly and are known enemies in the press. While they do that, they also carry a subtle fear of each other, a fear that the other will outperform them; the other will be more popular, the other will be more powerful etc. This normally happens because of a lack of self-respect. They both will probably hide that and will pretend that they are confident and established in their self-respect. But if their self-respect were genuine, they would not be scared of each other, and they would have the courage and the patience to talk and work with each other and listen to and offer the hand of friendship to each other, whom they perceive to be an enemy. But when they don't have the strength of their own self-respect and when they are unaware of their lack of self-respect, subtle fear for the other creeps in, which they don't realize and if they realize, they do not admit the same. And that's why the restoration of self-respect is only possible when the ego is recognized and no longer nourished. Because, fear always comes from the ego and ego is nothing but an excessive attachment to one's false image.

Soul Sustenance

Self Responsibility (cont.)

Because we have forgotten the principle of karmic returns (discussed yesterday), we have learned to avoid taking responsibility for many of our actions. We fail to see the impact of our actions upon others and we fail to see that the real meaning of responsibility is 'responding correctly'. Life can be seen as a series of responses which we each create in our interactions with other people and events. As is the quality of our ability to respond (energy given), so will be the quality of the return (energy received). The Laws of Karma also serve to remind us that the situations in our life, the quality of our body, wealth, relationships etc. and the type of person we are today are the result of what we thought and did yesterday, last month, last year, perhaps in our last birth. Many people do not like this idea or find it difficult to accept because most of us have been taught that our destiny lies in someone else's hands or in the hands of fate or luck, about which we can do nothing. The Law of Karma or the Law of Reciprocity teaches us that there is no such thing as luck and that whatever happens to us today is the result of our positive or negative actions in the past. If you spend a few moments reflecting on events in your life, without being judgmental, you will begin to see connections between actions and results, causes and effects. When you see how all effects have their causes, you will then be convinced that this universal law is at work in your life at all times.

Message for the day

To be a donor means to give at each step and increase one's own stock.

Projection: Usually it seems very difficult to be a donor - to give from whatever resources we have. The thought often arises in the mind that we cannot give because we are ourselves not complete or full. We find ourselves constantly trying to fill ourselves and we then have no time or thought for giving to those around us.

Solution: We have a lot of treasures within us which we can give to those around us, our virtues, our specialities etc. Even if we have just a little and give to the others, we will find ourselves benefitting. For having given from whatever we have, we find that these treasures begin to increase within ourselves too.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: Think First

Contemplation: Think First

Crop Circle at Stanton St Bernard, near Alton Barnes, Wiltshire UK  Reported 29th June 2012

A crop circle is a sizable pattern created by the flattening of a crop such as wheat, barley, rye, maize, or rapeseed. Crop circles are also referred to as crop formations because they are not always circular in shape. The scientific consensus is that most or all crop circles are man-made, with a few possible exceptions due to meteorological or other natural phenomena.

Think First

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Whatever I do, when all is said and done, I do for or to myself. Perhaps I should think before I perform actions because after the seed of action is sown I have to reap the fruit. Moreover, I do not receive only one fruit for every seed sown, I often get a whole crop, good or bad according to the action or seed.

A Kinder Gentler Approach

Trying to change or influence other people can be a thankless,
exhausting task - after all, few of us like to be told by others what
we should do. With a sense of humility and an open heart, however, we
can find the best way to connect with others. So, if you would like
others to adopt a kinder, gentler approach towards you - in the hope
that this will take some of the stress out of your life - adopt a
kinder, gentler approach to others. If you are just talking about
things they fall apart. The best way for people to learn is through
example.

The Negative Shade Of Respect In Relationships

Many a times in offices, we find the dominating boss who wants everyone in the office to fear him or her. The boss may not necessarily be a person with a negative personality, but this desire exists inside the boss because he or she holds a negative belief that people fearing him is the same as respecting him and respect is something that any boss would naturally yearn for. This can happen in homes also, with a dominating father or a dominating mother doing the same with the other members of the family.

The main reason why this happens is because the boss or the father or the mother is normally lacking in self-respect, although he or she is unaware of it. Due to this, he or she, without realizing again, is looking for it from others and in fact over a period of time, as the need builds up or increases, he or she will start demanding the same from others, which takes a form of the negative energy of fear in the relationship. The boss or the father or the mother starts feeling that the sign that he or she is successful in achieving in getting the respect he or she wants, would be the other fearing him or her. Simply getting someone's attention or the other being in awe of him or her or the other being under his or her negative influence which are all subtle forms of fear is then mistaken for being respected, and if he or she does not receive respect in this incorrect manner, he or she will even try and bring about the creation of respect in the other and try and pull it from the other using various methods which are violent in a subtle way, harming the relationship in a big way.

In tomorrow's message, we shall look at this type of relationship from the other's i.e. the employee's perspective or the perspective of the other people in the family in the case of the father or mother.

Soul Sustenance

Self Responsibility

There are certain laws which are involved in our actions and interactions. They are not human laws requiring lawyers to interpret or the police to put into action. They are natural laws which are constantly operating in every relationship. They are often called the Laws of Karma (action): briefly described by the saying - As you sow, so you shall reap, described by Isaac Newton as the Third Law of Motion i.e. for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. The Laws of Karma remind us that whatever quality of energy we give out, we get back. This might not be exactly tit for tat, but if we give happiness to someone, it will come back to us; if we give pain or sorrow, it will come back, perhaps not today or tomorrow, but at some time in the future.

Most of us are conditioned by the idea that we are responsible for some of our actions, but not all of them. For example, we would consider ourselves responsible for the actions which improved our company’s business but would not consider ourselves responsible for not being on good terms with our spouse. If, as parents, we worked hard in educating our children and they grew up to become well placed and successful individuals in their lives, we would consider ourselves responsible. If on the other hand they don’t make it to the top and are not so successful, we will blame our children for not putting enough effort or maybe the education system for the same. So we are selective in taking responsibility for our actions.

Through spirituality, we are reminded of the unchangeable laws of cause and effect, which awakens our awareness of our true responsibility for each and every action that we perform.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Message for the day

True progress brings progress in others as much as for the self.

Projection: It is usually believed that self-progress and progress of others are totally separate. It is believed that where there is thought for the progress of the self, there is selfishness and there is no benefit for those around. In fact, selfishness in an extreme form can also have a negative influence on those around.

Solution: In whatever we do we have to check and see if there is any benefit for others along with whatever benefit we are getting. If there isn't we can check to see if there is a better way of doing what we are doing which could have a positive influence on at least one person. Then we will find ourselves benefitting doubly. We will get the blessings from others along with the personal benefit we get.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: Strength

Contemplation: Strength

Strength

If things are not turning out right, even when you feel you are doing all the right things, then just consider it a way to make you strong.

Be inspired

With all the stresses and strains of modern life, and the feelings of
inadequacy and cynicism these can generate, it is easy to forget the
good things of which human beings are capable, such as friendship,
charity, and selflessness, and to forget how resilient we can be.
People's hearts have become so hard they are not able to feel. Human
beings have become so sensitive and delicate they are not able to
tolerate the slightest thing. But this is not what human beings should
be. Human beings are so clever, they can make the impossible
possible. If someone does something with insight and faith and trust,
it is going to work out. Be inspired by others and remember that all
human beings are capable of great things - including you.

Self Esteem

Self-esteem comes when I really value myself: When I place value on myself, then others, too, will value me. When I don't value myself, how can I expect others to value me? If I continuously put myself down, saying * I'm no good or * I am not capable, other people who hear this will start believing it. So what do I do? The key word is 'consciousness'. As I start to make my consciousness positive by creating positive thoughts many times in the day about myself like * I am the most fortunate soul in the universe or * I am a victorious soul, I cannot experience failure in any step in life or * I am a self sovereign soul, ruler of my sense organs or * I am a destroyer of obstacles or * I am a spiritual rose flower who spreads the fragrance of divine qualities or similar thoughts, I become spiritually alert, then I am in a position to start valuing my life and as I start valuing myself, I develop self-confidence. The effect of this is that I start valuing others, understanding that everyone has their own position: not higher or lower, just different. Each one's uniqueness has its value.

Soul Sustenance

Consciousness

There are two different basic levels of consciousness; * I am a body (which is illusory (false)) or * I am a soul, (which is real). When the feeling is * I am a body, the thought process is trapped in the limitations, problems and vision of the physical identity. Its reaction to others is on the same level.

Given below is an awareness-thought-decision-action-result cycle in the case of a typical father-son relationship. You will notice the difference consciousness can make to the cycle.

Awareness
Body Consciousness: I am the father. I know the most.
Soul Consciousness: I am a soul. My natural state is love and peace.

Thought
Body Consciousness: My son should listen to me as he is my own flesh and blood.
Soul Consciousness: My son is a soul too. As a soul he is my brother.

Decision
Body Consciousness: I will teach him a lesson.
Soul Consciousness: I will respect his idea also.

Action
Body Consciousness: Father argues with son.
Soul Consciousness: Father and son discuss with respect.

Result
Body Consciousness: Ill feeling between father and son.
Soul Consciousness: Respect maintained.

Message for the day

Patience brings harmony in relationships.

Projection: When there is a misunderstanding in a relationship we hardly put in any effort in order to understand the other person. We tend to become impatient and we don't listen to the other person to understand them. Because of which we start inventing things about them. This only further increases the misunderstanding.

Solution: When we have a difference of opinion with someone, we need to give some time to understand and listen to the other person. Only then will we be able to understand the other person's point of view. This practice will enable us to finish any misunderstanding we have with others and brings harmony in relationships.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/