Contemplation: September 20, 2018: Choose Courage

Contemplation: September 20, 2018: Choose Courage

                                    

                                     Choose Courage

When facing difficult situations it is a waste to think
'what will happen?' or 'how will things work out?'
With waste thoughts you're less likely to find solutions.

Instead, maintain courage. Courage comes from the thoughts you think. With courage you're more likely to find the best solution for the situation at hand.

So, whatever happens, choose courage.

Appreciation

We normally tend to measure our worth on what we do or how much people recognize and appreciate us. So we tend to get dependent on the
external environment for appreciating ourselves. Since what comes from
outside is not always stable, we find ourselves fluctuating in our
thoughts too. Sometimes we are happy and sometimes we are not. We need to understand that each and every individual has his own unique set of capabilities. When we are able to appreciate our own inherent worth we
can use our capabilities. So instead of wasting time, thoughts and
energy we can use our treasures to make our life worthwhile.

Overcoming Phobias (Fears) Through Meditation

A phobia is an intense (excessive), continuous and illogical fear of an object, situation, activity, person or animal that's generally considered harmless. Accompanying the fear is an excessive, unreasonable desire to avoid what you fear. When facing the object of his/her phobia, the person may experience negative feelings like excessive sweating, poor control of nerves, difficulty breathing, rapid heart rate, anxiety (worry), etc. In some cases, the avoidance or distress (anxiety) in the feared situation interferes significantly with the person's daily routine, social activities, relationships etc.

By practicing Rajyoga meditation regularly, a person suffering from any type of phobia, can erase (remove) negative thought patterns, which are the main cause of all phobias. It enables him/her to reprogramme his/her flow of mental tendencies.

(To be continued tomorrow....)

Soul Sustenance

Experiencing Yoga (Meditation) In Different Karmas (Actions) – cont.

To perform good and perfect actions we use both spiritual knowledge and power in a practical form (called karma yoga). Given below are some more examples of the same (we had explained a few yesterday):

While interacting with others, have the awareness of the soul, a being of light, situated at the center of the forehead, radiating rays of might or power towards other souls or beings of light.

While writing, have the awareness of the Supreme Soul or God speaking to you and making you work. And also practice, "I the soul am writing through these hands, my instruments."

While listening, in any situation, have the consciousness that I the soul, am listening through these physical ears.

While bathing,

have the consciousness of being the soul, the deity, cleaning the temple of the body.

We need to pay attention that we do not do any action that creates wasteful thoughts in the minds of others. The above karma yoga practice (and what was discussed yesterday) will help us in doing that. If our actions create wasteful thoughts, then this becomes a burden for us and as a result we cannot remain light. 

Message for the day

To have courage is to have the ability to bring easy change.

Projection: The one who has faith in the self, in others and in God is constantly courageous. To have courage means to ensure change even in the most adverse conditions. Situations help in bringing change and progress. To bring change means to finish complaints.

Solution: When I am courageous in difficult situations, I don't have any complaints for whatever is happening. I am also not caught up with the past. On the other hand, I am able to constantly use the present moment and move forward towards the future. My vision becomes clear and I am able to bring about quick and easy change.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: September 19, 2018: Doing the Right Thing

Contemplation: September 19, 2018: Doing the Right Thing

The Broadway Production of “The Wizard of Oz”

Doing the Right Thing

The world is a stage and we are all actors. Each actor plays a unique part and is responsible for his own actions. Responsibility means doing the right thing no matter how big or small the task may be. Each one of us has a special role to play in the making the world a better place.

No Procrastination

Ask yourself.....What is most important in my life? Keep that in front
of you and you will discover that most other things get solved by
themselves. Do not leave the important things until last, for then they
will become urgent. This feeling of urgency will then make you lose
your valuable treasure of peace.

Mind, Intellect And Personality

Just as electrical energy produces heat, sound or light depending on the device through which it passes, similarly, the energy of consciousness functions through three different but closely connected entities, the mind, intellect and personality. 


The Mind

With the power of the mind, one imagines, thinks and forms ideas. The non-physical mind should not be confused with the heart, the physical organ that maintains blood circulation. 


The Intellect

The intellect understands, reasons, memorizes, discriminates and makes decisions. The non-physical intellect should not be confused with the physical brain, which is the physical focus of the nervous system. 


The Personality 

Habits and sanskaras are all embedded in the soul in the form of impressions as a result of every action performed. The most fundamental feature of every soul, its personality, is determined by such stored impressions.

Soul Sustenance

Experiencing Yoga (Meditation) In Different Karmas (Actions)

To perform good and perfect actions we use both spiritual knowledge and spiritual power in a practical form (called karma yoga). Given below are some examples of the same:

If you are involved in a karma where you have to give full attention and concentration to your work e.g. working on a computer - in this situation, just for one minute concentrate your consciousness on the question "Who am I?". Concentrate on the thought of yourself as a peaceful, pure and loveful soul. Emerge your real consciousness. Try to do this once every hour. You could wear a digital watch, which will assist you in doing the same by reminding you after every one hour with a soft beep.

If you are involved in a karma where you do not have to give full attention and concentration to your work, practice, for as much time as possible, being the soul, a being of spiritual light, between the eyebrows, radiating vibrations of peace and purity towards the universe.

While cooking, have the consciousness of the Supreme Being, the Supreme Beloved, for whom I am preparing food.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Message for the day

To be tireless is to ensure success.

Projection: The one who is tireless is prepared for every situation of life and so is not afraid of anything that happens. To be tireless means to be able to understand the situation in an accurate way and to have the ability to move forward inspite of all the difficult situations. It also means to learn from each and every situation and move forward constantly.

Solution: When I am able to be tireless in all the situations of my life, I am able to understand things clearly. I don't experience any fear but am able to move forward with confidence knowing that I will surely be successful. With my tirelessness, I ensure success even when the worst challenges come my way.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: September 18, 2018: Best of Friends

Contemplation: September 18, 2018: Best of Friends

Best of Friends

The best kind of friend is the kind, you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say a word, and then walk away, feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.

Accommodation

Accommodation is perceived as something to do with accommodating
others' negativity or concealing someone's negativity. So the
consciousness is totally of the negative aspects and one finds it
difficult to hide negative things for long. So after sometime this is
revealed through one's own words and actions which even tend to hurt
the other person. True accommodation is to perceive exactly what the
person or situation requires. We are able to recognize what he needs
and give accordingly. For example, we are able to give water to the
thirsty and not diamonds and gold (he has no value for that at that
time). When we are able to give in this way we remain unaffected with
the negativity of the situation or the people around us.

Churning Spiritual Knowledge (cont.)

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.

Soul Sustenance

Self Purification

Each soul has become impure due its own actions during its various births. We ourselves became impure and peaceless because of losing our self awareness, so it is useless to blame anyone else. It is too easy to blame "so-and-so." Today, everyone blames someone else: * It's the religions, * It's the government, * It's the social pressures, * It's the Devil (Ravana), * It's my wife, * It's my boss. Few can see that their own unhappiness is because of their own weaknesses or actions under the influence of these weaknesses. The Devil is just a symbolic personification of these negative forces at work in every soul. The soul itself creates its accounts, good and bad, so the soul itself must balance them. No human soul can settle someone else's account of sins. In this respect many souls are being misled by those who claim to be able to change or interfere with the workings of the laws of karma. The ones claiming this have their own accounts of sins to settle. While they still remain in a physical body they are within the boundaries of the same laws that apply to all. The law of karma, of reaping and sowing, action and reaction applies to everyone.

The account of impure actions can only be balanced by pure actions on the part of the doer; the soul. Truly pure actions can only be performed when one is in a state of soul-consciousness and in remembrance of the one who is beyond action; the Supreme Soul (God). In burning love for the Supreme, sins can be rapidly burned. The soul need only increase its love for the Supreme Soul and remember him correctly.

Message for the day

True sweetness is to be peaceful in every thought, word and deed.

Projection: The one who is peaceful in thoughts is able to be sweet in words and positive in actions. Such a person is able to give others an experience of one's own positive qualities and those of others too. So there is beauty, positivity and sweetness perceived in such a person's life.

Solution: When I am ever ready I am able to be easy. Because I am easy, all tasks seem easy for me and effort put in for the success of the task also becomes easy. So I don't have to do a lot of effort but give my best. Thus I experience success every moment in all situations.When I am totally peaceful, I am able to experience my own inner beauty. In the silence of the mind, I am able to see everything in a positive way. So I have nothing that is a difficult situation, but only situations that bring out the best from within me. I experience the sweetness of life and continue to move on towards success


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: September 17, 2018: Life

Contemplation: September 17, 2018: Life

Life

Ignorance makes you believe that life functions haphazardly. Wisdom teaches you that everything that happens in this theatre of life has profound significance. What you see today is not the fruit of chance but a fruit from seeds planted in the past. Plant seeds of peace now and you will create a life of peace in the future.

Experience Peace

People usually look for peace in hill stations, places of worship or
pilgrimage places. A short or long break from the routine challenges
normally gives an experience of peace. But it is not always possible
to get such breaks. Also once the time spent in silence is over, the
challenges tend to make us lose that peace once again. So that too
becomes a temporary solution. It is important for me to understand that
peace is lying within me. The external stimulus just becomes an excuse
to emerge that peace. If I find time to spend with myself and
experience that peace at regular intervals as a practice I will be able
to find that peace within me. This practice will help me to maintain
my peace at all times, and keep me ready for the bigger challenges that
I face.

Churning Spiritual Knowledge

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's "Positive Reflection" 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 ...)

Soul Sustenance

Role Induced Stress (cont.)

It’s not at all wrong to treat what we do seriously, but it's a mistake to believe what we do is extremely extremely important and we are extremely busy people living an extremely busy lifestyle. This kind of consciousness makes us over-serious. A very common sign of this is carrying a lot of thoughts of one role into the other. E.g. Aarti, a young mother, switches roles from a software executive in the corporate sector, a role which she plays in the entire day, to a parent and wife in the evening. If she is over thinking about her day-role while playing her evening-role, it is a sign she is over-identifying with her day role and there is a lack of detachment. As a result she starts becoming over-serious and suffers from role induced stress as a result. There is a deep connection between seriousness and fear. E.g. In this case of Aarti, as a result of attachment to her role, there are lots of fears that she carries regarding her role of software executive – fear of loss of position; loss of love, respect and reputation – either in her company or in general in society, not succeeding, not getting promoted etc. because of which she is over-serious and she carries the role in her head almost all the time, even when she sleeps. That is why so called ‘extremely busy’ people sometimes complain of sleep problems.

This can happen with us, with any role we play. This kind of stress, just like in the case of the actor (explained yesterday) is generally made up sorrow, anger and fear – one of these three different negative emotions from time to time or more than one at the same time – phases of dejection or feeling low or a lack of enthusiasm or a general disinterest in life events; phases of frustration and experiencing a lack of control of events and people, due to which there are frequent outbursts of anger and phases of immense worry regarding the future, all of which affect our mind, our physical body, relationships and even success of our role; although it is our role itself (our over-identification with it) which is the root cause of this emotional turmoil inside us. So instead of benefitting our role, our over-concern for it starts affecting it adversely.

Message for the day

To be ever ready means to guarantee success.

Projection: The ones who are ever ready are active and so when a task comes up, they quickly understand it and attain success. They do not waste time and energy thinking too much about it. They recognize the importance of the task and involve fully in it and attain success.

Solution: When I am ever ready I am able to be easy. Because I am easy, all tasks seem easy for me and effort put in for the success of the task also becomes easy. So I don't have to do a lot of effort but give my best. Thus I experience success every moment in all situations.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: September 16, 2018: Happiness in the Heart

Contemplation: September 16, 2018: Happiness in the Heart

Happiness in the Heart

To have questions in your heart means to be distressed and to cause distress for others. Therefore, be one who has happiness in the heart, not questions in the heart.

Have Faith

Whenever one experiences deception in relationships, there is
disappointment and one tends to get disheartened. At such times
feelings are destroyed and one tends to reject people and move away
from them - mostly physically and always in the mind. When dealing with
others if exchanges with them are based on falsehood - on what is not
connected with the innate truth, then there is difficulty in being a
giver. When I have faith in myself I learn to love myself. This love
gets me in touch with my innate qualities. Thus my thoughts and
feelings are pure. Then I have powerful good wishes for others and
these good feelings reach them.

Natural Qualities and Acquired Qualities

When we look at ourselves from outside we can only see the surface of what we have become. We can't see or perhaps cannot even imagine the inner core (center), which, like in the example of the coconut, is the only part that really can nourish us and give us energy. The shell (in the case of the coconut) serves as a protection but we certainly can't eat it.

In our case, the core (center) consists of natural or inner qualities such as peace, love, power, truth, happiness and so on. The shell is the ego which consists of features or personality characteristics we have acquired through the journey of our lives such as experiences, abilities, memories, learning, habits and beliefs - in short, all that we are referring to when we say: 'I am so-and-so, from such-and-such family or organization or city'.

While we are limited to these acquired characteristics, our true qualities remain inaccessible. Through deep reflection and meditation we can break the shell and activate our inner qualities from which our values or principles are born.

Soul Sustenance

Role Induced Stress

A very common form of stress which has raised its head in recent years is stress induced due to one’s role. There was once a famous movie actor, well known as one of the best of all time and he was obviously very much aware of the same. One day as he was shooting for his new film; his director, a very prominent figure in the film-making arena, mentioned to him that there was a general perception spreading in the film industry as well as in the film going audiences that the actor was getting older with time and his performance was dropping and he needed to spruce up his performances if he had to compete with the younger actors. As soon as he heard this, he started taking his acting role and everything related to it over seriously and lost his happiness completely because he had been used to listening only to praises regarding his performances and reputation all his life. He also forgot all that the world had given him all his life, all the love, respect and adulation and became angry, bitter and resentful towards everyone he met, believing that they no longer held those feelings for him as much as before. Also a general sense of fear and nervousness started developed inside him regarding his next performance.

One piece of information had changed him altogether. What had gripped him – Role Induced Stress. His emotion of stress was made of three sub emotions - sorrow, anger and fear (or worry). What was the cause – he over identified with his role. He 'believed' he was an extremely famous hero actor. But was hero actor what he was? It's what he did. But he learned to believe it is what he is. Even we need to remind ourself that we get to play various roles on the world stage of action and that if we over-identify with any of the roles, which a lot of us do, then just like the actor, our creativity, spontaneity and lightness is reduced and we start to take things far too seriously, more than necessary, and as a result get stressed.

(To be continued tomorrow …) 

Message for the day

To be a self-sovereign is to be in control

Projection: The one who is a self-sovereign never finds difficulty in being in control. He doesn't have to go out of control and then bring himself back in control. The moment the order is given to the self, every thought, word and action is immediately in order.

Solution: To be a self-sovereign means to be aware of my own specialities and work with them. When I am a self-sovereign I experience myself to be free. This is because nothing binds me but I am able to win over my weaknesses too. Thus I find myself to be in total happiness in all situations.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: September 15, 2018: A Fortune to Share

Contemplation: September 15, 2018: A Fortune to Share

A Fortune to Share

We all have our own share of fortune. Take a closer look and realize that you are indeed very fortunate. When you appreciate the good fortune you already have, you stop expecting more or looking for something better and start being happy. The more you are aware of your own fortune, the more you will share it with others. The more you give, the more your fortune increases.

Make the best use of opportunities

Usually we give a lot of excuses for not doing things. Our words are
then 'if only...' or 'some other time'. So even if we have the
capability to do it, our capabilities are wasted, as they are not used
at the right time. And we don't really experience success at that
time. Whenever a situation demands something, which we feel is beyond
our capability, we need to tell ourselves that the situation has come
our way as an opportunity in order for us to use our capability. So
when we believe in ourselves and our capabilities in this way, we will
be able to make best use of opportunities.

Realizing The Form Of God (Supreme Soul)

The Supreme Soul is a soul, with the same form as human souls. The only difference is in the qualities, not in the size. We have rightly thought that he is great, but His greatness doesn't mean that He is expanded throughout the entire universe. The power of a soul has no connection with its physical dimensions at all.

Some people are of the view that the Supreme Soul is formless. Anything that exists must have a form. Qualities indeed are formless, but the source of those qualities cannot be without form. For example, fragrance has no form but the flower does. Just as the sun has form but the light and warmth it radiates do not. The Supreme Soul has a form, but the qualities radiating from Him do not. In other words the Supreme Soul is not love but the source of love; the Supreme Soul is not truth but the source of truth, etc. If he is formless then communication with Him is impossible. The very word yoga implies a meeting between two entities, both of which have a form, if not a physical one, a subtle (non-physical) one.

The Supreme Soul is a conscient (living) micro star just as I am. Knowing his form, I can bring that image onto the screen of my mind and begin immediately to experience his powers and qualities by associating them with that beautiful form. There is more benefit experienced in meditating (concentrating) on his form and qualities as compared to focusing on one's breath, candle flames, etc.

Soul Sustenance

The Law of Belief

Beliefs are concepts that you consider real and true, and you do not question them, even though they have no logical explanation. If we believe in something strongly, if we think that we can achieve something, then we will. What we believe will come true.

We can classify beliefs into five groups:

Beliefs about defects and weaknesses: These beliefs produce thoughts in our consciousness like: * I am no good, * I cannot do this, * I am useless, * I won't manage to complete it.

Beliefs of survival: These beliefs produce thoughts such as: * Life is short. Get whatever you can at any cost whenever you can. Life’s decisions are taken based on these beliefs without taking into the account the repercussions (effects) they may have on our health, our relationships and our future.

Beliefs that create blocks: When we label someone, we are no longer open to try and understand them. For example: * My boss is really egoistic. This type of belief blocks the flow of our positive energy and stops us from connecting openly with these people.

Beliefs that strengthen the self: For example: * I am capable, * I can do it, * There is nothing I cannot be or do if I really want to, * I will overcome the difficulties and meet the challenge.

True beliefs about ourselves: They are connected to eternal certain truths, such as: * I am a spiritual being, I am eternal. God is my spiritual father.

To assure us that a belief is true, we must first believe in it. Then we check it in our consciousness and if a belief is true it will become an experience. If this does not happen, we are doing something wrong or this belief is not correct. 

Message for the day

To be a self-sovereign is to be in control

Projection: The one who is a self-sovereign never finds difficulty in being in control. He doesn't have to go out of control and then bring himself back in control. The moment the order is given to the self, every thought, word and action is immediately in order.

Solution: To be a self-sovereign means to be aware of my own specialities and work with them. When I am a self-sovereign I experience myself to be free. This is because nothing binds me but I am able to win over my weaknesses too. Thus I find myself to be in total happiness in all situations.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: September 14, 2018: True Peace

Contemplation: September 14, 2018: True Peace

True Peace

True peace can be experienced only when we stop giving and taking sorrow. In order not to give sorrow we need a clear heart that has no ill feelings and for not taking sorrow we need a big heart that can tolerate and help other souls to get over their weaknesses.

Vision

Sometimes we find ourselves reacting to even small situations. Our
feelings are also dependent on the different situations we face. We do
try to change our feelings of negativity, if they do arise. But
sometimes we are not able to, either because of our personality as a
whole or the personality trait that we are working with at that time.
If we have to change our reactions to the different situations that we
are faced with, we need to change our vision, i.e we need to change the
way we see things. We need to understand the situation as it is and not
let it be coloured by our own personality traits. When we see things as
they are, we are able to act in situations instead of reacting.

Taking Charge Of  Your Responses In Close Relationships

In relationships with your loved ones, when looking at the other, sometimes positive emotions are generated and sometimes negative. On the one hand, joy, love and happiness is generated on being with them; but then attachment, dependency and expectations are generated. In such situations, you are more focused on others and are always looking at the other person's behavior, you stop seeing yourself and being aware of your reactions and taking the responsibility for the responses that you create. You get frustrated when the other person does not meet your expectations. As you depend on them, if they don't act as you would like, if they don't reach home or call you at the time you would like; all this frustrates you. You radiate this energy to the other: "they are not doing what they should be doing," and so you feel frustrated and discontented.

All the while that you hold the other one responsible for your frustration, you are not in charge of your own reactions, because you have given power to the other to dominate your emotional world. It is there that you lose your freedom. You lose your freedom because you give to the other, in the name of love, power over your own moods. You allow the other's energy to enter your inner world and cause inside you frustration, bad moods, irritation, sorrow and a mental and emotional dependence where you are constantly thinking about where they are, what they have to do, what they have to say, where they have to go, and all this consumes a lot of your mental energy. Wanting to control the other and the frustration that it brings with it uses up a lot of emotional energy.

Soul Sustenance

Open Spaces of Silence

One of the aims of meditation is not to stop your thoughts but to slow them down so that you may find and enter the silence between and behind your thinking. This is a little challenging at first but the more you practice the easier it becomes.

Think of your thoughts as trains, just as in the common saying we sometimes use the phrase, 'train of thoughts'. Each thought is a carriage of the train and in between the thoughts/carriages is a small gap, a space. The train can arrive at different speeds. Our aim is to slow the train down and become aware of the space between the carriages, in other words between our thoughts. You may even be able to increase that space so that there is the experience of no thought. In this moment you reconnect with the silence (and experience it) that exists always between and behind your thoughts. Don't try to hold it, or you will lose it.

Message for the day

The one who has faith is always victorious

Projection: The one who has faith, has total faith in the self and in the progress of the self. The one who has faith is always successful because he gives his best in everything he does. He is never deterred by obstacles but progresses constantly.

Solution: When I have complete faith, I am able to experience lightness even when I am faced with my weaknesses, because I have the faith that I am progressing. I am able to learn and improve from everything that happens.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/