Contemplation: December 05, 2018: Iceberg of Conflict

Contemplation: December 05, 2018: Iceberg of Conflict

Iceberg of Conflict

Conflicts are like icebergs. What you see or understand is only a portion of what's really happening.

So, take time to explore your iceberg of conflict.
Look below the words and actions that fueled the conflict.

Uncover your emotions, unrealistic expectations, preconceived preconceptions and everything else that lies beneath the surface.

Sort out what's going on inside before you sort things out externally to resolve the conflict.

Flexibility

When I plan perfectly for the day ahead, I sometimes find that I am not
able to implement all that I had planned for. Things seem to be coming
up unexpectedly spoiling everything for me. I am then not able to be
happy with what is happening and so find it difficult to do my best or
what is required for me to do. It is as important to be flexible in my
thoughts as it is to be particular about my daily schedule. Flexibility
allows me to accommodate the unforeseen situations that come up my way
and enables me to make the best use of everything. And so I enjoy
everything that comes my way.

Neutralizing Anger

What is a good neutralizer for anger? Peace you would say. It's not only peace, but a combination of truth, peace and love, in equal amounts. Truth and peace are the two inner states, which never ever leave us. Both remain permanently within each one of us. We already know, inside our subconscious and sometimes even consciously, the truth about anger and we can call our inner peace whenever we want - it's there to be used. But what happens in real life situations is that we lose awareness of what is true i.e. the truth that anger is harmful and the truth of 'who I am'. And we also forget the practice of peacefulness because some negative situation or experience temporarily blocks our access to the peace of our heart.

Peace is also deeply connected with love and we all have experienced many a times that it is impossible to feel loving and angry at the same time. Both cannot co-exist. In fact it is love that is the healing balm for our heart, that we our self have stabbed and wounded by indulging in many anger habits since we were young. But what happens is that we search for love and peace from the hearts of others. That means we have not yet realized that we already have what we search for, within our own hearts. To heal the wounds of anger, which can be in different forms like irritation, resentment, hatred, revenge, rage, etc., it is essential to rediscover the truth of who we are and the peace and love of what we are.

Soul Sustenance

Various Synonyms (Meanings) Of Peace

Peace has a number of synonyms, which all have slightly different shades of meaning:

Serenity
The feeling of contentment and being completely full with no need for further additions to the self; a feeling of satisfaction, of wholeness of the self.

Calmness
There are no disturbances or waves in the mind, like a pool of water that is clear and still with not even a ripple to disturb it.

Tranquility
Tranquility is the state of harmony in nature and in ourselves that keeps everything in balance naturally.

Quietness
In this state, there are no sounds of uncontrolled thoughts jumping around like a monkey in the mind; our thoughts become essenceful, returning to the point, with no expansion; it is an economy of thinking that creates quietness.

Stillness
There is no movement of thoughts. I remain absorbed in one thought and, in the stillness of silence, I am at rest, with a feeling of complete detachment from everything.

Peace has the meaning of harmony, balance, order and freedom: when we are free from waste and negativity, then we exist fully serene, fully at peace with everything.

Peace is my original energy and treasure and with the practice of meditation I step inside and experience it.

Message for the day

Concentration develops when the intellect is clean and clear.

Expression: For the one whose intellect continues to wander, concentration becomes difficult or impossible. On the other hand, for the one who is focused on one thing there are no other distractions at that time and there is easy concentration.

Experience: When I am able to remain focused, I am not troubled by distractions which lessen my concentration. Instead I am able to increase my discrimination power and am able to decide and judge well. This happens because my intellect becomes clean and gets cleared of waste.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: December 04, 2018: Die Alive

Contemplation: December 04, 2018: Die Alive

Die Alive

To the unenlightened, death comes but once a lifetime. To those who have chosen to become enlightened there are a thousand chosen deaths before it's time to leave the body and move on. This kind of death is the releasing off all our attachments, from false identity to opinions, from people to possessions. Cutting the subtle threads of attachment frees the spirit from fear, and when the time comes to move on, it's like 'shooting the breeze'. Dying alive is simply letting go of all you hold fast to in your mind. It doesn't actually mean losing anything, simply changing your relationship with the things in your life today. The greatest pleasure for every soul is the result of choosing the living death called detachment. Why? Because attachment is a form of slavery, and it all takes place in our own minds. And the result of detachment?  Real freedom.

Stability

When we are faced with difficult situations, we usually tend to have a
feeling that we have no resources or are not able to make the best use
of the resources within for best results. Thus we are not able to
experience real progress. On the other hand we only tend to experience
a lot of negative feelings. When we learn the art of being stable in
the most negative situations, we know how to use the treasures that are
hidden within ourselves. Our mind is no longer disturbed with waste or
negative thoughts and we find it easy to face and learn from each and
every situation.

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.

Soul Sustenance

Different Shades Of Attachment To Opinions And Ideas (cont.)

The attachment or detachment to one’s ideas not only comes into play while giving an idea or opinion, but even when accepting or receiving or listening to an idea from another person from the group. The more the attachment to one’s own ideas, the more will be the tendency to resist or reject the other’s idea. A particular person, with the objective or resisting or rejecting the idea:
* might try to do the same through different means like putting up a seemingly valid or even an invalid objection to the idea in front of the whole group which may seem very reasonable to the group and may be taken or accepted by the group or the person objecting may try to ensure that happens or
* he/she may quietly disassociate from the group if the group begins showing interest in the idea (sometimes the influence of the position of the person is such that this kind of disassociation very easily manages to reduce the energy of interest of the group in the new idea) or also
* might present a new idea to the group, which manages to divert the attention of the group, etc.

Sometimes the person rejecting the idea is aware of the fact that he/she is rejecting the idea because of the inner attachment to his ideas, but will not admit it in front of others and sometimes he/she might not even be slightly aware of the fact; the attachment is too subtle to realize. Others might realize their attachment, but they might not themselves. And if someone to point out their inner attachment, they might even react, because where there is attachment, there is fear that the other’s idea will be accepted and yours will not. Attachment to one’s ideas fills the energy of ‘I am right’ in any situation. Overcoming all sorts of attachment to ones ideas is one of the foremost steps that we can take to bring about harmony in all types of relationships.

Message for the day

To have tolerance means to be stable.

Expression: When one is faced with defamation or insult, tolerance gives the power to be stable and cool. And so there is the ability to smile even when there is negativity that comes. Tolerance means to see beyond the insults because of being stable in the stage of self-respect.

Experience: When faced with criticism, if I am able to be stable in my stage of self-respect, I am able to learn from every negative remark that comes my way. I will never become defensive, but will be able to see clearly what new learning I could take.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: December 03, 2018: I am Love

Contemplation: December 03, 2018: I am Love

I am Love

We seek it here, we seek it there, we look for love everywhere! We expect it to come to us, usually through another person. All our conditioning says it is something that happens to us. The mythology of our fables, legends and modern day entertainment industries say it is something we 'fall into'. And yet...and yet real love cannot be acquired, possessed or accumulated. It cannot be known when we think it comes from outside ourselves. The ultimate paradox is we are it. We are love. Each one of us is a source of love that has forgotten that 'love is what I am'. Say it now "I am love". Doesn't feel right does it? That's because it’s been so long since we knew and experienced ourselves in this true way. And yet we all know that the deepest trust and the purest love is known and experienced only when we give it, not take it. As we give love in whatever way is appropriate, we are the ones to experience it first, on the way out. Falling in love is impossible. It is only infatuation, obsession with an external object which appears to fill a gap in ourselves. As soon as the object or person is remembered when they are not present and when they do not need to be remembered, it is simply attachment which, if sustained, will become a dependency. And attachment and dependency are not love. But you already know that...don't you?

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Calm and Cool

It is so easy to speak negatively when we do not like something about
someone. Sometimes we do react to the situation and get angry. We
continue to find fault with that person. The person too responds
negatively to our negative thoughts. And so there is no hope of
creating a positive relationship. When something goes wrong in any
relationship, the first thing we need to do is to keep our mind calm
and cool. When we do this, we will not be caught up with the
negativity of the situation or the negative trait of the person at that
time, but we will be able to see something beautiful in that person. We
will be able to appreciate and connect to the uniqueness of that
person, thus creating space for rebuilding that relationship.

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 ...)

Soul Sustenance

Different Shades Of Attachment To Opinions And Ideas

Very often in a group or team, whether social or official, while moving towards a common goal or objective or purpose, different people in the group or gathering give their opinion to make the objective of the team possible. While giving their opinion, one very commonly sees two different categories of people. The first category contains type of people who are attached to their ideas (to different extents) while presenting them to the group and the other contains type of people who are extremely active, positive and authoritative in giving their ideas, when they are required to do so, but are able to keep a relationship of detachment with their ideas.

If someone is attached to his/her idea and it is not accepted, he/she might react emotionally (internally) or even physically (externally). He/she:
* might even start creating disharmony in the group by talking against or creating ill-feelings for the person who objected to his idea or
* might stop co-operating with the remaining members of the group or
* sometimes may just disassociate or distance himself/herself from the group, which is a quiet way of non co-operation and can cause ripples of negative thoughts and feelings in the others.
These and others are some of the common reactions of someone whose idea/ideas are not accepted.

So the right balance of authority (while giving the idea) and humility (while accepting the result of the idea, the result could be rejection or even acceptance of the idea) has to be maintained. Humility comes very naturally to someone who is detached to his/her idea.

(To be continued tomorrow…)

Message for the day

The one who is able to discriminate well is able to bring about real benefit.

Expression: Everyone naturally works for the benefit of the self and others. But the one who discriminates well is able to understand the other person's need and give accordingly. So whatever is done naturally brings benefit for others and also for the self.

Experience: When I am able to bring benefit for the right person at the right time with the right thing, I am able to win the trust of the other person. I expect nothing in return, but have the satisfaction of helping at the right time.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: December 02, 2018: Depth of Humility

Contemplation: December 02, 2018: Depth of Humility

This National Geographic winning photograph gives a whole new meaning to being in school (a large number of fish or aquatic animals of one kind swimming together)

Depth of Humility

Humility means to understand the self and through that to understand others as well. Humility is the attitude where a person is not attached to his or her opinion and feelings. Humility is the most natural expression of truth. It helps in better understanding of truth. Humility is the basis for maintaining self-respect. Humility does not mean bowing down and being subservient to others. Humility allows you to see benefit in everything. Developing humility brings a lot of comfort and ease into your life.

Forgive and Forget

Most of the times we are slaves of the past. Although the situation
has become past, we tend to think of it again and again. We are
neither able to forget the past nor are we able to forgive. We
continue to create the same thoughts and the same feelings again and
again. Thus we find that we are just caught up in the past, and we are
not able to learn from it. In order to move forward to the future, we
need to free our mind of the past. If we learn from the past, with
this learning we can move forward. We need to forgive and forget. We
can forget only when we forgive and we can forgive only when we learn.
When we take the learning from every situation, we are able to be free
from being a slave of the past.

A New Journey With A New Personality (cont.)

Famous personalities are constantly sought after, in demand and remembered by many due to their specialties, may they be actors, gurus, sportsmen, politicians, founders of religions etc. Even in our daily lives, we tend to remember people with more specialties much more than the rest. God is the most complete and perfect personality that exists, but not a physical personality, a spiritual one. There is no one who is more specialty and virtue-filled than him. That is the reason he is an entity or living energy or personality who is remembered the most by each and everyone all over the world.

The above types of personalities mentioned are physical personalities and are remembered by some or many but not remembered by the rest and along with their specialties, they definitely have shortcomings. Also, you might find it difficult getting to meet them even for a few minutes. God is one personality without any weaknesses and he is my constant friend, once I start my journey. He is one who, although being the highest personality, can be available to thousands making a similar journey at the same time, not because he is omnipresent (present everywhere) but because he is omnipotent (the most powerful) and the only being possessing this capability. So, a specialty of this journey is that the more I progress on it and the more time I spend with this new personality accompanying me in my new journey, I constantly see new facets of this new personality being revealed in my life, which keeps the journey constantly refreshing. This also keeps me wondering what is going to be revealed next. So, once this journey of exploration and discovery has started, there's no reason to stop even for a second and there is immense amount of motivation to continue and keep smiling!

Soul Sustenance

The Law of Surrender

According to what or whom your mind thinks consistently of, you will take on the form of the object or the person to which you have surrendered. We can see this in children, when they transfer their minds to actors they see on television, and then begin to behave like them.

What is the highest form to which we can surrender our self? There may be several answers to this question in our mind. Choose the truth from among them. So what is the truth?

Spirituality gives us answers to questions like: Who am I? Who is the Supreme Being? What is my relationship with him? Where do I come from? Where am I going? What is the purpose of my existence? What is the importance of the present time? How can the Supreme Being empower me at the present time?

The answers to these questions show us the way to surrendering our mind to the Supreme Being, which is the highest entity to which we can surrender. When we do that, gradually we get colored by his knowledge, virtues and powers. 

Message for the day

The habit of thinking positive finishes negative.

Expression: Just as it has become a habit of thinking negative, a positive habit when created will naturally bring about a change. A little practice and attention to form a habit of thinking positive will reveal its result of creating an influence of positivity. The situations will not change on their own, but the habit that has been formed will bring about a change in the response and will change the situation too.

Experience: Usually it becomes very difficult or sometimes impossible for me to think positive in difficult situations. At that time, although I want to, the response that emerges from within is based on the habit that is formed previously. So when I make the habit of constantly and consciously thinking positive, I then become free from the struggle of having to change my mind to positive in difficult situations.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: December 01, 2018: Harmony

Contemplation: December 01, 2018: Harmony

Harmony

Love dissolves hate.

Kindness melts cruelty.

Compassion calms passion.

Co-operation evokes love and when we bow, others bend.

This creates harmony.

Determination

When difficult situations come our way, we generally are not able to be
confident of our success. So although there is a chance to do
something, we are not able to give our best. Each new situation is
perceived as a threat. Once fear creeps in, the situation further
worsens and all chances of success are gone. When we are determined we become confident of our success. With this confidence we are able to
do everything necessary till we succeed. We never let go of anything
half way, but see to it that the task is completed. With every
obstacle our determination further increases, thus enabling us to
progress at every step. So we find ourselves getting better and better
and there is success for us constantly.

A New Journey With A New Personality

Anyone who shows an inclination in getting to know the Supreme Being closely has a fascinating journey in front of them. Spiritual knowledge is the vehicle in which I make this extremely interesting journey full of exploration. Without sitting in the vehicle, I cannot make the journey. As I sit in this vehicle, I am introduced to this new, multi-faced, peaceful, loveful and blissful character in my life, a character who is spiritually rich with treasures of knowledge, virtues, powers, happiness and blessings, a character commonly called God, by everyone.

He is a character who introduces himself as being just a point of conscient light, a form very simple and plain. Yet, hidden beneath that simple light, incognito form is an immense volume of experience, wisdom and depth, such that even a lifetime spent in this journey, in his company, does not bring you to knowing him completely. The more you dive into the ocean of knowledge contained within the light, the more you discover and the more treasures of knowledge and experiences you receive. Every time you make contact with this new found companion called God, there is growth inside you and there is an increase of peace, love, happiness and power inside you. It's just as if after you've begun this journey, you're never quite the same again. However much time you spend in his company during the journey, whether it be in imbibing knowledge from him or remembering him during meditation or even sharing the benefits of this journey to other friends and relatives so that they can also start this journey themselves and experience what you are experiencing; whether you do either of these for a few minutes or an hour, there's always an experience of subtle growth and development inside you.

(To be continued tomorrow...)

Soul Sustenance

Understanding  and Overcoming Fears (cont.)

Listed below are some of our common fears:

• Dying
• Getting ill
• The unknown
• Loneliness
• Other people
• Authority
• Being rejected
• Being hurt
• Failure
• Change
• The future
• Being
• Being free
• Thinking and being in a different way
• Losing control
• Dreaming and making our dreams real

From these fears many other fears and blockages emerge.

Message for the day

The one who is aware of one's fortune enables others to experience their fortune too.

Expression: To be aware of one's own fortune means to appreciate and use all that one has. Also when there is the awareness of one's own fortune, there is a natural tendency to help people become aware of what they have and how they can benefit from it. So the one who is fortunate becomes a giver.

Experience: When I am able to recognize my own fortune, I am able to have the joy of being a giver constantly. Whatever the circumstances, I am able to give knowing that I am fortunate. But never is there dependency created on me, because my help is to make them aware of their fortune too and make them independent.


In Spiritual Service,

Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: December 23, 2018: The Happiness You Give

Contemplation: December 23, 2018: The Happiness You Give

The Happiness You Give

The happiness you give makes you more happy than the happiness you receive.

Flexibility

When we plan perfectly for the day ahead, we sometimes find that we are
not able to implement all that we had planned for. Things seem to be
coming up unexpectedly spoiling everything for us. We are then not able
to be happy with what is happening, we were thrown off-balance and find
it difficult to do our best or what is required to be done. It is as
important to be flexible in our thoughts as it is to be particular
about our daily schedule. Flexibility allows us to accommodate the
unforeseen situations that come up our way and enables us to make the
best use of everything. And so we enjoy everything that comes our way.

Experiencing Self-Rule Through Meditation

Practicing meditation helps us to reach our goals of self change, because during meditation we link our soul self with the Supreme Energy (God), who fills us with power. The more mentally powerful we become through meditation, the more confident we are with the ability to respect our self more. We become more stable in our own self, we are able to control our reactions a bit better and we wait. We don't suppress the self. Rather, we wait, observe, clarify and then control our reactions (including, of course, our tongue!).

We don't want to be ruled by our negative emotions. We still meet them, acknowledge them, try to understand them and dissolve them. We cannot pretend that they are not there, but we are no longer a slave to them. As we follow our spiritual path more closely, we learn that we don't want to damage ourself, nor do we want to damage others. We become a little more careful. Sometimes we know what is the right thing to do, but still we are not able to control our reactions, or act correctly. We know, understand, agree but still can't do the right thing. Then we are filled with guilt and regret, having done the wrong thing. We lose our self-respect. What can we do then? Where do we find the strength to change? Spiritual knowledge shows us the way as to what is right and what is wrong and in silence through meditative practice, we are able to find the strength to be able to put this knowledge and our basic values as well as our conscience (inner voice) into practical karma and thus bring about change.

Soul Sustenance

Self Empowerment

Meditation, in practice, means to enter, and re-enter, the reservoir of peace inside us whenever we need to during the course of the day. This exercise increases self-control and prevents the explosions and reactions of anger that drain our strength. The easy method is not to expect but to accept: then tolerance and respect make our life far more comfortable.

There may be many shadows and pollutants inside us, but usually our pain is centered around these: I own, I need, I want, mine and I expect. If we learn to recognize the characteristics of such a consciousness, we are in a position to overcome difficult situations and thoughts before they overwhelm us. We simply have to remain awake, and that state of alertness stops these shadows from overpowering us and making us unconscious.

Our needs and wants are truly fulfilled in a healthy way by tuning in to the original resources of the soul, because their fulfillment is not dependent on anyone, or anything from outside. When we sustain ourselves from the inside, then our well-being is secure and progressive. As a result, when we express and show our original qualities of the self to others, whether it is peace, happiness or love, they naturally increase inside. The more we give unconditionally, the more we have. This miracle of 'quality being' is the result of natural purity, the original state of selflessness, which God always has and good meditators aspire to return to.

Message for the day

Real contentment spreads happiness to others too.

Expression: When one feels contentment but the others are not able to perceive that contentment, it means that it is not true contentment. Real contentment is visible in such a way that others too are able to feel the happiness that is created. When there is real contentment, all thoughts, words and actions are filled with quality.

Experience: When I am content, others automatically recognise the contentment within me. They are able to take benefit from my state. Even in the most hopeless state, I find that I become a source of support for those around me. I am able to give hope to the hopeless and help them get back to a state of happiness.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: November 30, 2018: Trustee Consciousness

Contemplation: November 30, 2018: Trustee Consciousness

A Beautiful house in Zell (Mosel), Germany

Trustee Consciousness

We all have a relationship with everything. Obviously the relationship we have with the people and objects in our immediate vicinity is more intimate than the rest of the world. For most of us the most common relationship is possession. In our minds we think we own and possess things like cars and houses and carpets and golf clubs etc. This thinking easily spreads into jobs and tasks and positions and perhaps even other people. "I want you", and "You are mine alone", is the essence of many romantic film scripts and song lyrics. What we forget is that this relationship is wrong. It is not possible to possess anything. Care for... yes. Use...yes. But possess... no. You can't take it with you when you go, so we say! And yet it's the idea of possession which lies at the heart of all fear, war and conflict. Can you see it? Fear of loss, fear of not acquiring what we have already decided is ours in our minds. So what is a better relationship we can choose which takes all the fear away? Be a trustee. Everything comes to us in trust, for us to use and then to set it free. The consciousness of trustee sets us free of the tension of grasping and guarding. To see ourselves as trustees of everything that we receive, including our bodies, encourages our innate capacity to 'care for with dignity'. It is a much more relaxing way of relating to the things which we are privileged to receive in life.
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Innate Qualities

When we face negative situations, we either become negative or we try
to move away from the situation. But that too becomes a temporary
solution, as the negative thoughts, feelings and emotions continue to
follow us. The only way we can come into positivity, even in the most
negative situation, is by connecting to our innate qualities. Deep
within us are the most beautiful qualities of peace, love and
happiness, which we mistakenly look for outside. Practicing with these
qualities help us maintain positivity under all circumstances.

Meditating With Open Eyes

It is advised to practice meditation with eyes open. When we sit to meditate, if we close our eyes, what we do is that we send a signal to our mind, intellect and our physical body that sleep is close and that signal, in turn, induces sleep. That is the last thing we want to induce inside ourselves, while meditating. Meditation is a way to wake up and stay awake, not only physically, but in terms of being conscious and alert about what is happening internally and externally. It is therefore good to practice with eyes open, so that during your meditation, you can become used to going beyond the physical inputs of what you see, hear, feel and smell and at the same time, remain exposed to these inputs.

By practicing with open or semi-open eyes, it becomes easier to create the accurate state of consciousness while still being faintly aware of our surroundings. This will be essential in day to day activities when we want to stay connected to our inner peace while others around us may not necessarily be very peaceful. It will also help us to move deeply into our peaceful consciousness during conversations which at the same time, require alertness to go into the depth of ideas and concepts. When we are established in our peaceful, spiritual state (as a result of meditating), it is as if we are keeping our third eye, the eye of our intellect, open, which gives us the ability to see, in actions and interactions, what is true and false, and to make the right decisions without being influenced by others or our own emotions. All the above abilities are required many times during the day. We obviously can't keep closing our eyes to meditate each time any of these abilities are required.

Soul Sustenance

Understanding And Overcoming Fears

We are all afraid of something. We all have fears at some point or other during our lives, and one fear brings about other fears. For example, the fear of death brings about the fear of illness or the fear of accidents. The fear of rejection comes from the fear of being perceived as different. The fear of success or standing out comes of the fear of relating to people. From the fear of failure comes the fear of making mistakes; the fear of taking on risks; the fear of taking decisions, the fear of not being recognized at work. The fear of others includes the fear of the anger and aggressiveness in others, fear that they might reject you, fear that they might judge you.

Eliminating fears and liberating the mind requires a broad knowledge of how our mind and spirit work. Our spiritual conscience has to awaken for us to realize what the origin of our fears is and how to overcome them from the root. Fears are like a tree; we can cut off a branch, but then other branches or fears will grow. We have to go to the root and, even, the seed, to overcome the fears.

Tomorrow we shall list out some of the common fears.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Message for the day

To be careless means to misuse specialties.

Expression: To be careless means that there is no awareness of one's specialties and so there is the inability to use them for the benefit of the self and for the good of others. On the other hand there is also a tendency to become overconfident because of these specialties and not to work on self -transformation. The one who is careless is not able to recognize the need for self change and so is not able to bring about transformation.

Experience: When I am able to be free from carelessness, I am able to understand the importance of the specialties that I have, and am able to use a particular specialty that I have, and am able to put them into use. So I find that the more I am able to use a particular specialty that I have, the more I am able to bring out and use the latent specialties that are within me. So I am able to experience quick transformation and constant progress.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

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