Contemplation: November 08, 2018: The Secret to Being Content

Contemplation: November 08, 2018: The Secret to Being Content

 

The Secret to Being Content

To be peaceful is to be free from expectations and to want nothing from anyone. Take the initiative and be generous. Lead the way and do something. This is the secret to being content in all circumstances.

Attachment

In life we get attracted and become attached to a particular object,
person, relationship or situation. Attachment seems to be the normal
state of our living experience. We seek it without a second thought. Is
attachment a desirable state? When a person develops a strong
attachment, he is likely to become sorrowful when the attachment is
broken or diminished. His emotional and mental state suffers. The
broken hearted, the vindictive behavior, the hatred, the jealousy and
sometimes suicides are the result of broken attachments. It is a risky
business to make the happiness of others our total happiness; to
experience the difficulties of others as our difficulties. We should
not build our life to such an extent around someone else's life or any
object so that when anything goes wrong we cannot function or we fall
apart. It is healthier, stronger and much more in wisdom to love
everything and everybody, play our roles and perform our duties to the
maximum with everybody and still remain detached. We will be able to
provide more help to others when we ourselves are strong from within.

 Inculcating Powers Through Rajyoga Meditation -
The Power To Tolerate (cont.)

For most people today, if someone insults them, they'll immediately become angry or upset in return, so the situation not only remains unresolved but infact becomes more complicated. Those who are virtuous may be able to remain content and smile for a while, responding with patience, but repeated insults and repeated efforts by the other person to bring them down will tire them until the point come where their tolerance levels are crossed and they will react.

If, however, through my power of spirituality and meditation, I am receiving immense amount of strength from the Supreme Being, my heart will remain open and I won't count how many times the other person has harmed or insulted me. This may sound extremely difficult and may look like an impossible thing to do. Meditation, however, makes the impossible possible. Meditation gives me an experience of a very deep, personal relationship with the Supreme and helps me keep the Supreme as my constant companion, which gives me such power. It's immensely useful for anyone then to move towards that goal.

True tolerance is made possible by openness and acceptance. It doesn't mean clenching my teeth and carrying on, come what may. Suppression of my feelings can cause me internal, physical as well as emotional damage, and end in an outburst which can damage others too.

(To be continued tomorrow ...)

Soul Sustenance

Where Do Our Thoughts Arise From?

A large percentage of your thoughts are determined by what you perceive through your senses. Everything you see, listen to, smell or feel causes some reaction or other in your mind. See how your senses are connected to your mind. Any negative thing that they pick up or produce will disturb the mechanisms of your mind. If you want to have spiritual peace, then use your eyes, ears and mouth with caution. Other thoughts arise from the impressions that have been recorded in your subconscious (identity, personality and/or character), and they may be positive or negative. The negative ones are often due to deep marks and/or habits caused by past events or experiences, and also everything that is deeply established and settled in your inner self (belief system).

The sight and hearing senses are those used most in human beings, with as much as 80 per cent of the information we receive being processed through these two senses. We should always be on the alert to ensure that nothing negative enters these two doors that might contaminate our mind. We need a guardian to ensure that does not happen. This guardian is our intellect, the part of our conscience that contains the wisdom (knowledge) and capacity to discriminate between right and wrong, beneficial and harmful, truth and falsehood. Observing the mind, we can be aware of the thought patterns that originate in our subconscious. It is important to understand that you are separate from your thoughts. You are not your thoughts, but your thoughts are created by you. With regular practice of meditation you will be able to choose at any time which thoughts you are going to focus your attention on and which ones you wish to disregard. 

Message for the day

The method to finish waste thoughts is to deal with the mind with love.

Projection: When there are waste thoughts in the mind which one tries to stop, it becomes difficult to do that. There is discomfort and difficulty experienced. On the other hand, when the mind is taught to take the right direction with love, there is a quick and dramatic change.

Solution: When I learn the art of speaking to my mind with love, I am able to free myself from waste thoughts without any feelings of suppression. Concentration too becomes easy and all thoughts are directed towards the right direction.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: November 07, 2018: Self-Confidence

Contemplation: November 07, 2018: Self-Confidence

Nik Wallenda broke two world records on November 2, 2014, with two high-wire walks between Chicago skyscrapers without a net or harness, doing the second walk blindfolded. As he approached the end of the first walk he said, “God is in control.”

Self-Confidence

Self-confidence is to know your way around yourself so instinctively, that you always have a strength to draw on. Somewhere inside, from the stillness, you always find something that can meet your need. Self-confidence runs much deeper than nerves.

A Thinker

Who are you that lives in the body? You are a thinker, and what you
think creates the atmosphere in the 'temple', and the atmosphere
determines how much love there is in your life. A poor thinker in a
smart machine attracts friendship with a motive; a rich thinker in a
temple attracts love. And the love that you attract today is the
foundation of your future, so though it is earned slowly, its depth is
worth it.

Inculcating Powers Through Rajyoga Meditation -
The Power To Tolerate

Visualize a tree with lots of fruits hanging from its branches. When I throw a stone at it, what does it do? It bends its branches low and offers its sweet fruit to me. I enjoy eating the fruit, which gives me inner satisfaction. What happens as a result? My respect for the tree increases.

This is a beautiful image of the power of tolerance and I have lots to learn from it. It shows me that if I want to imbibe the characteristics of the tree, I must become full of the fruits of the spiritual attainments from the Supreme Soul. When I am filled internally with fruits like joy, love, wisdom, beauty and peace through spiritual knowledge and meditation; even when the stones of difficult circumstances come my way I'll still be able to respond positively and creatively, with courage and humility. If I'm empty, the stones will injure me, and I'll react with anger or fear or ego or some other negative emotion.

Also, although many stones have injured me in the past, I must remove any hurt in my heart, which may have developed as a result of injuries experienced from them, when I did not have the Supreme Soul with me. These will prevent me from sharing the unlimited fruit made possible by the company of the Supreme.

Real tolerance means tolerating with pleasure and not with stress. It does not just mean putting up with a difficult situation, and at the same time counting how many times I have had to tolerate it. Tolerance means that no matter what stones come my way, I realize completely that those throwing them are souls not full of attainments, and so my duty is to continue to share my internal attainments with them.

(To be continued tomorrow ...)

Soul Sustenance

Meditation – A Process Of Renewal (Recharging)

Meditation is an internal process of renewal (recharging) and liberation. When you control the process of moving through the following states of consciousness: 

choose a response, detach yourself and go beyond;

You get back the spiritual power, which was trapped or hidden. You learn to channel your energy in order to unblock yourself. You control better what you think and you think better. You free yourself of bad feelings, bad energies and bad influences.

On the one hand, you have to learn to generate positivism; on the other, you have to learn to protect yourself from energies that are unhealthy, sick, weakening, on an emotional level. Meditation helps to do this, to digest situations when they have to be digested and not to consume what they offer when it is not necessary. On a physical level, if you know that something will make you ill, you don't eat or consume it. On the level of relationships, you learn not to allow certain situations, scenes or words to influence you. That way you stay renewed (recharged) and your energy flows without blockages. 

Message for the day

Self-respect brings constant learning and an experience of success.

Projection: Where there is self-respect, there is naturally a positive and elevated state of mind. There is openness and enthusiasm to bring about progress in one's life. Everything that is done is towards this end. So, the one with self-respect naturally reveals one's speciality in all thoughts, words and actions.

Solution: When I am able to maintain my own state of self-respect, I am able to enjoy the beauty that life brings. I'm able to understand, accept and make use of all situations in the right way. So, whatever the situation may be, for me there is a constant experience of progress.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: November 06, 2018: A Real Diamond

Contemplation: November 06, 2018: A Real Diamond

A Real Diamond

To spread the sparkle of your pure and elevated vibrations into the world is to be a real diamond.

A Temple

You live in a body and that has to be known, not physiologically, as a
machine, but spiritually, as a temple. When you know it
physiologically, you cure it with chemicals; when you know it
spiritually you cure it with thought. And when its health is based on
thought, it becomes a thought, it becomes a source of health to others
- a refuge. When its health is based on medicine, it becomes an
attraction to others and so a trap.

The Gender Of God

In a large number of religious traditions, all over the world, God is always referred to as a male entity. But, just as the soul does not have a gender and is neither masculine nor feminine, God's i.e. the Supreme Soul's gender is neither male nor female specifically. Therefore, as a soul, a spiritual child of God, I can come close to God without any inhibitions or difficulty, which I may experience in any relationship in the physical world, due to the gender of the body I am occupying.

We need to take a look at the Supreme Being or God closely. The Supreme Being is the Supreme Mother who provides spiritual sustenance and whose love is full of unconditional acceptance. No matter what has happened, how my nature or personality may be, I experience unconditional acceptance from God. It's a love that strengthens me, as well as it purifies me. At the same time, God is also the Supreme Father, a very powerful entity, who provides protection and fills the soul with the inheritance of divine qualities and powers. It's a question of just being an innocent child and claiming that inheritance. These are the first two relationships that have to be experienced with God. The Supreme is a balance of being feminine, having the qualities of caring, giving and full of good wishes and masculine at the same time, having the qualities of power, authority and fearlessness. He is She and She is He. These two relationships with God, whereby God plays both the roles of both parents are the basis of my spiritual development. Spirituality introduces to us the concept of taking a new spiritual birth to the Supreme Father and Mother. This birth is based on a change of consciousness. One needs to let go of the negative, impure and sorrowful past and develop a new consciousness, based on the present introduction to spirituality, which is positive, pure and blissful. The awareness of the self as a soul changes my way of looking at things immensely, but the consciousness of being a child of God, who is the Mother as well as the Father and seeing others with that vision brings respect and love for myself. Then all these qualities start showing in my actions and interactions as well.

Soul Sustenance

The Eternal World Cycle

This world is a vast amphitheater of action in which souls, in their respective bodies, play their various parts. Planet Earth exists in an extremely tiny portion of the physical universe and is governed by well-defined physical, chemical and biological laws.

In India, the world, which we inhabit, is called karma kshetra (the field of action), because it is here that we sow the seeds of actions and reap their fruits. It is here that the soul takes on flesh and bones and expresses the role that it has hidden within itself, causing variations in the material environment. The state of the material world at any given moment is a direct reflection of the state of consciousness of the human beings, which inhabit it. If there is peace and harmony within the soul this is reflected in nature. If there is conflict and confusion, nature responds accordingly.

It is a world of three dimensions of space and one of time. Its principal characteristics are sound, movement, colour and form. On this immense stage of deserts, forests, mountains and seas; illuminated by the sun, moon and stars; the world drama is enacted. In the drama, the actor-souls move from pleasure to pain, purity to impurity, happiness to sorrow, new to old, positive to negative. A point is finally reached when the process is renewed i.e. all souls and the elements of matter are purified by the Supreme Soul and they move back to their points of origin, only to start again. This is called the eternal world cycle.

Message for the day

The power of determination brings all thoughts into practice.

Projection: There are a lot of thoughts that come into the mind that should come into practice immediately. These thoughts come according to the demands of time or according to the kind of people that one comes into contact with. But the only way to bring all these thoughts into practice is to use the power of determination. Where there is determination there is the commitment to use all the resources for the realisation of that thought.

Solution: When I am able to use the power of determination, I am able to realise my inner potential and use it in the right way. So I am able to experience constant progress, because all my thoughts are for my own self progress and all these thoughts naturally come into practice. I never give up anything with temporary setbacks but am able to do everything for the constant progress of the self.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: November 05, 2018: Look for the Silver Lining

Contemplation: November 05, 2018: Look for the Silver Lining

Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Look for the Silver Lining

Seek to 'see' the benefit in all events. That's not to say, ignore the downside. See the 'reality' but, at the same time, deliberately look for the upside. Find that silver lining.

Look for the lesson. Realize, nothing happens TO us but everything happens FOR us. Shift, "Why is this happening TO me?" to "What is the lesson here FOR me?"

Love

Live in such a way that love informs every action! When we have learned
to live like this, nothing will disturb us. Our contentment and good
feelings towards others remain constant. We become free. The power to
live like this comes from inside, not from outside. That is why we stay
free, with no expectations from others, no frustrations. To live like
this requires us the let go of certain beliefs and habits that drain us
from this strength and interfere with our ability to love. Sometimes
they become so deep-seated in us, that we are not aware of its
presence.

The Car-Driver Comparison To Aid Self Realization (cont.)

If a good driver, while driving a car is distracted by the negative and disturbing scenes which he comes across and his attention is pulled in many different directions, he will make his journey unsafe increasing the probability of meeting with accidents. When the same principles are applied to the soul and the body, I also need to take care that, while traveling on the road of life, I am not distracted by scenes that are not useful to me e.g. when looking out through my eyes and I don't have to take in all the images, scenes and information along the way, otherwise I may meet with an accident. When listening through my ears, I don't have to take in all the words and everything that people say, otherwise I may meet with an accident. I can choose to take in what is useful for me, but I do not have to register distracting, negative and harmful images and words. Just like a driver, I see and understand situations, too I keep my eyes and ears open - it would be unsafe to ignore them completely, I need to be aware of them - but I look only for the positive in them, so that I remain focused and am not deflected from my goal of experiencing inner contentment and bliss, while making the journey.

I, as the driver in charge of this vehicle, the body, also need to take care that I do not drive rashly i.e. I learn to monitor the feelings and attitude that are transmitted outwards through my eyes, my words and my complete body language. Driving rashly i.e. transmitting negative energy in this way could harm any co-traveler on the road of life. When these feelings stay positive, filled with sweetness, purity and respect, that too helps to ensure that my journey passes smoothly and enjoyably. When I stay alert and aware in a driver conscious and drive carefully as explained in this and yesterday's message, my actions bring me closer to my spiritual truth and I am able to share my positivity with others around me. When I lose awareness for even a moment, there's danger either from me to others or vice versa.

Soul Sustenance

The Circle of Influence and Worry

Make a list of the things that worry you most and decide if they are in your circle of influence or worry. Think about what you can really do to have an influence on each of them in an effective way. By determining which of these two circles is the centre around which most of your time and energy revolves, you can discover a great deal about your level of positivity. Positive people focus on the things they can do something about. If necessary, they change their attitude. They are aware that perhaps they cannot change the circumstances but they can improve their inner attitude. This is what positive focusing is all about: being creative, thinking differently, being open to listening, being more understanding, more communicative and showing more solidarity.

Reactive people focus on the problems of the circle and on the circumstances about which they have no control. They react to the defects found in other people. From this worrying, accusations, destructive criticism, feelings of blame, a reactive language and feelings of weakness and frustration can arise. They want others or the circumstances to change first and when that happens, then they will change. Whenever they think that the problem is on the outside, this thought is the problem. The negative energy produced as a result of this approach, combined with the lack of attention to the areas in which they could do something to improve the situation, means that the area of influence decreases in size. They give power to what is external so that it dominates them. In other words they think that change must come from "outside towards the inside"; they think that something that is outside must change before they themselves change.

Message for the day

Love creates the right environment for others' positive growth.

Projection: Where there is love, a natural environment for others' growth is created. Love gives the ability to perceive the positivity in others and gives the encouragement to others to bring about that positivity and use it for the benefit of the self and others.

Solution: When I have love for others, along with perceiving their specialties, I am also able to recognize and use my specialties and inner powers more and more. Knowing and using these specialties is naturally for the benefit of those around me. This gives me an inner experience of power which makes me a constant giver and a support for those around me.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: November 04, 2018: Be Punctual

Contemplation: November 04, 2018: Be Punctual

Be Punctual

Be punctual. To arrive early, or right on time, is a sign of respect for yourself and others.

By being punctual you reduce your stress levels and
avoid causing inconvenience to others.

The key is planning. Allow extra time in your preparations and for any delays.

Remember, getting ready, even locking the door,
catching the lift, walking to the car, the tube... all takes time.

Maybe, the secret to punctuality is as simple as waking up when you're supposed to wake up!

Power of Silence

Sometimes you are trying to remember something, its within your reach,
on the tip of your tongue, but it is just isn't coming out. Everyone
around is suggesting something or trying to help, but in reality not
helping at all. You wish for a moment of silence, so that you can dive
into your memory bank, for you know that is the only way you will be
able to remember. This is the power of silence in action. Many, not
recognizing its power, do not value it. They turn their heads away from
the thought of a few moments of silence. They feel it a punishment.

When we find our thoughts moving in many directions because of external
demands on our attention, we need to stop, take a rain check on
everything and experience silence. This power of silence is essential
when we want to plan for the future, we should silence unnecessary
thoughts and think of a point in question. So when you get an
opportunity of a moment's silence, don't waste that precious moment.
Use it to store the strength within that is so necessary for dealing
with the world without.

The Car-Driver Comparison To Aid Self Realization

One of the comparisons which help in self realization i.e. in strengthening the awareness that I, the soul, a non-physical energy am different from this physical body is that of the driver and the car, where the driver represents the spiritual energy and the car represents the body which is controlled by the spiritual energy. The biggest reason why I do not have the desired control over my physical body, my vehicle, my sense organs today is that I lost the consciousness of being a driver which could control and rule the vehicle. Instead I developed the consciousness that I am this vehicle, this physical body. This consciousness disconnected me from the ability and the power I possessed inside me to control the vehicle. If I want to achieve the desired control, I need to be in a driver consciousness i.e. in the awareness that I am a soul and my body is a vehicle, through which I experience life. Being in this awareness, in this consciousness awakens me and empowers me to regain the much required control over my body.

The car controls are the gears, brakes, accelerator and steering wheel which can be compared to the sense organs of the soul which are the mind, intellect and sanskars and those of the body which are the eyes, ears, nose, hands and tongue. A good driver is one who remains extremely alert and is able to use the gears, brakes, accelerator and steering wheel effectively and efficiently, in order to be fully in control of the vehicle and avoid any accidents. In the same way, as I move on the road of life, I need to keep my mental and physical sense organs (mentioned above) in complete control. If I do that, they will keep my journey enjoyable and take me to my desired destination of mental peace and happiness safely and successfully. If I don't do that and let them overpower me, accidents will definitely occur, making me peaceless and sorrowful.

(To be continued tomorrow ...)

Soul Sustenance

Carrying Feelings Experienced In Meditation Into My Interactions

If I keep close contact with my internal self, to check what my feelings are like and I maintain the ‘meditative’ awareness at many moments during the day, even if it is for very short periods of time, I will find that the good feelings I have experienced through conscious choice, in meditation, I carry them with me into my interactions with others. Then, in any exchange, although the other person's thoughts, words or actions may not be as I would like them to be, I'll be better equipped to maintain a good feeling towards that individual, and towards myself.

For example, I meditate in the morning and then leave home and find myself in a situation in the office where two of my colleagues are arguing over an issue. When I try and intervene, one of them gets aggressive with me as well, but the feelings of peace I experienced in my meditation a couple of hours ago are still with me, using which I do not reacting angrily or fearfully. In fact, if my peace is powerful enough, it will make the other one also peaceful.

So the key is to emerge and collect positive feelings through meditation at regular intervals during the day. And then become a donor of positive feelings to negative situations as discussed above is an invaluable achievement. It is good for my own wellbeing, and for contributing to the creation of a peaceful atmosphere wherever I am, whenever required.

Message for the day

The one who is calm and cool is the one who makes the right decisions.

Projection: The natural nature of the human mind is to come under pressure and tension during negative situations. When there is a challenging situation, there is naturally the tendency to find it difficult to maintain an inner state of calm. But the one who has the ability to go within and find the inner calm is able to be clear in thinking and is able to make the right decisions.

Solution: When I am able to experience the inner state of calm, I am able to be clear in my thinking. With this clarity I find the right decisions and solutions emerging very naturally within my mind. I will never have the difficulty of having to make decisions, but all decisions are made with ease and they are right too.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: November 03, 2018: Heads and Hearts

Contemplation: November 03, 2018: Heads and Hearts

Heads and Hearts

To handle yourself, use your head. To handle others, use your heart.

Independence

Liberate yourself from the bondages of the mind. It is wasteful
thoughts that won't allow you to attain true freedom. True
Independence is to be, in dependence of only GOD.

Understanding The Difference Between Physical Yoga and Spiritual Yoga

Hatha yoga uses force and discipline in an attempt to unify the energies of the body with those of the consciousness. Through physical postures and breathing exercises, which are sometimes quite difficult, through hatha yoga one is able to achieve considerable control over the body metabolism and attain a remarkable level of physical health - that is beyond doubt, and to a limited extent bring about spiritual benefit. If the soul is able to achieve that posture mentally, as done by a Rajyogi (one who practices Rajyoga meditation as taught by the Brahma Kumaris), then sitting physically in a certain position to achieve the same becomes less important. In fact, with practice the soul is able to adopt a mental posture according to whatever situation it finds itself in.

Perhaps the most famous posture of all is the padmasana or lotus posture. Rajyogis put themselves in the padmasana mentally. Besides, when the soul is fixed in the loveful union with God, the physical posture is not so important. Padam in English refers to the lotus flower and is a symbol of detachment. Just as the roots of the lotus grow in the bed of the pond but the flower is a thing of radiance and beauty, floating on the water untouched by the mud and slush, the Rajyogis live in the world but beyond it. Even though their roots are in the muck of society, they maintain a mental posture of detachment and mental purity. Living in the thick of things, they remain pure observers and a source of beauty and radiance for others. Those who concentrate only on hatha yoga believe that by first disciplining the body, they will be sufficiently relaxed and controlled to undertake the practice of meditation. Rajyogis on the other hand are able to easily enter the state of meditation with the thought, "I am a peaceful soul, the child of the Supreme Soul, the Ocean of Peace", which makes the attempt to reach self-realization by performing physical exercises less important - especially for spiritual upliftment. Furthermore, Rajyoga can be practiced by anyone of any age or physical state because all that is required is the subtle power of thought. This is a clear contrast in the approach of Rajyoga.

Soul Sustenance

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. 

Message for the day

To pay constant attention towards positivity is to be free from tension.

Projection: To pay attention means not to think, speak or do anything waste, negative or even ordinary. The one who keeps attention in this way and also allows no negativity from outside to go within, is always free from tension. There is also the proper use of everything that is available.

Solution: When I am able to pay constant attention and also use the inner treasures within for a positive purpose, there is the use of the inner potential. When there is the recognition and use of this potential within in this way, negativity finishes; just as sunshine finishes darkness.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: November 02, 2018: Freedom

Contemplation: November 02, 2018: Freedom

Freedom

Freedom is a state of mind. Understanding the self is the key to freedom. The more one understands the self, the easier it is to be liberated from the chains of waste and negativity. Freedom is to be uninfluenced and unaffected, to be at peace with the self. Real freedom is to experience the true essence of one's being.

Disappointment

A disappointment is never easy to surpass. I work hard towards a goal
giving it all I have and still end up empty-handed. 'Where did I go
wrong, what's the use of being diligent and conscientious? May be
everything depends on luck, God didn't help me...' A vision that
was initially strong and focused takes a sharp detour into the by-lanes
of disheartened thinking. On the other hand, by looking at the
situation with a calm, detached attitude, I can locate the faults or
leakages. Even if my attempts were faultless, to refuse to learn from a
set-back is a sign of ego. God helps me back on my feet when He sees
that I haven't closed the doors of my mind to new experiences.

Experiencing And Maintaining A State Of Contentment

To reach, experience and maintain a state of contentment or fulfillment you have to first realize what true freedom is and then learn how to use it so that it strengthens you and also helps you to achieve the full potential of your individual self. Freedom is the key to contentment. You also need to check what brings you close to the state of fulfillment and what takes you away from it. Fears of different kinds are one of the main obstacles in experiencing contentment. Any weakness, inability to apply any virtue or spiritual power required in any situation, lack of focus, inner instability, etc. will cause a leakage of the energy of positivity that is required to feel content. Free yourself of any personality trait that hinders your progress and does not allow your inner being to manifest itself and express itself with all its potential. To live in contentment, you should be in charge of your inner mental and emotional world. If not, you will only be able to experience temporary periods of fulfillment.

To achieve fulfillment you not only have to have inner control, but you also need to check whether there is any door open to allow any weakness to enter the room of your personality. Because if you strengthen yourself on the one hand and on the other you are weakened, you will never reach the desired state of inner power. E.g. you keep a bucket of water under a tap of water. If it has even a single crack, however much water you pour into the bucket, it will never get filled completely. In the same way, this can happen to you. Because of this, you need to check, which cracks are present in your personality through which there are leaks of energy, because of which your efforts to become content do not give you the results you hope for.

Soul Sustenance

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 Soul Sustenance 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 …) 

Message for the day

The virtues of honesty and courage bring success.

Projection: The one who is courageous is never deterred by challenges, but moves on towards success. Combined with courage, is the virtue of honesty which allows one to be consistent, sincere and true in the efforts put in. So success comes with proper effort and there is also humility visible in such a person.

Solution: When I am courageous, but at the same time honest in my efforts that I put in for achieving success, I'll never have ego. I will be able to get the cooperation and good will of all, and especially the protection and the help of God. I will find myself moving slowly towards success with everything I do.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/