Contemplation: March 11, 2019: Patience

Contemplation: March 11, 2019: Patience

Mount Fuji, Japan

Patience
Patience teaches you not to push, but rather to wait and appreciate the game of life, knowing that nothing remains the same and everything will change at some point.

Respect

Love is the strength that gives you life. When you receive love you
lose fear and you can give the best in you. The practical form of love
is respect. Respect means acceptance of the fact that we are all
different and unique and at the same time, we all have something
important and valuable to share.

Creating Positive Circumstances

Why do we find it so hard to create positive circumstances, a positive future in our life? One reason is we all have the tendency to spend most of our time in the past, reliving and replaying our memories. Look back on your average day and you may find that more than 3/4ths of your time is spent in the past (a lot of times without you realizing it). Not only do we try to relive the past, but we also attempt to change it! We attempt the impossible and, in so doing, we live in very small cycles where tomorrow tends to turn out similar to yesterday, and then we wonder why we do not have the power to change our lives. It feels like we do not have the will-power, we do not have the ability to change the circumstances in our lives, our destiny.

The past cannot be relived; it cannot be changed. The past is like a cupboard of old files.  When you arrive at work every day, do you step into such a cupboard and spend the day there?  The past is a great resource for learning and sometimes, a resource for useful information, but it is not a place to live.  We can build on the old, but we cannot rewrite it. The future is the result of what we think, feel and do today. If today is the same as yesterday (because of constantly thinking about yesterday) then tomorrow will look and feel like yesterday and in this way we feel we are stuck in a web and we get frustrated. We need to let go of the past if we want the future to shape up positively, different from yesterday, which is negative at times! The past is past. Drop it and keep dropping it.

Soul Sustenance

The Invisible Factor

The most powerful things are invisible. For example, the roots of a tree cannot be seen; they are underground silently nourishing the visible tree. A house is supported by its foundation deep within the earth. If the foundation is weak the building will fall when there is some kind of strong pressure, like an earthquake. The essence of matter is the atom; it holds a tremendous amount of energy but cannot be seen by the eyes.

Can we see the Supreme Being (God)? You will never meet someone who has seen Him. People have experienced, or felt God's presence but no one has actually seen a personal form, yet millions believe in such a Being! In the same way, when it comes to knowing the true self, we ask, 'What does the soul look like? Where is it situated?'

Spirituality leads us to the answers related to the invisible i.e. answers to what is the form, location and virtues of the soul as well as the Supreme Soul.

Message for the day

To use the gift that one has is to be powerful.

Expression: Each one has surely been bestowed with a special gift, a gift that is unique to each one. The one who recognizes this fact is able to use it for the purpose of bringing benefit to one and all. Under all circumstances there is the ability to bring out the best from within the self. So there is the influence of that on all around and everyone is benefited.

Experience: When I recognize my own uniqueness, I am able to remain free from comparison and competition. I am able to be in the state of self-respect of knowing who I am. This then keeps me content and peaceful. Along with this, I have a lot of enthusiasm to use this special gift of mine. So there is a constant experience of contentment along with progress.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: March 10, 2019: Simplicity and Royalty

Contemplation: March 10, 2019: Simplicity and Royalty

Vintage postcard, 1914: Antique Photograph; Portrait of an Edwardian lady.

Simplicity and Royalty

There's great beauty in simplicity. It's not plainness, however it is plain in the sense that words and actions are enacted with great royalty, full awareness and with so much significance. Simplicity takes us away from artificialities, it simply accepts and in that acceptance shows us grace and humility in every circumstance.

Balance

To be balanced is to have the ability to do the right thing at the
right time. It is the ability to use the head and the heart at the
same time. It is the ability to have love and discipline. There is
neither too much love nor too much discipline. There is an equal
quantity of both. When there is balance in my every act I am
successful in my relationships. Because of this I receive their
blessings too. I experience success in all I do and am able to enjoy
a life of bliss. I am not caught up with questions about anything but
am able to get the solutions in a second.

Innate (Basic) And Acquired Value

Everything we see has what can be called its acquired value and its innate or basic value. The acquired value is that which it has picked up by coming into contact with external objects throughout its existence or life. The innate value is what it always is irrespective of its external interactions. For example, the acquired value of gold changes with the fluctuations of its price in the market. Its innate or real value is that it's one of the most beautiful metals; very ductile, malleable, etc.

If we were asked about the qualities of any good, peaceful relationship with someone, we would quickly reply: love, trust, patience, respect, honesty, sincerity, tolerance, humility, sympathy, etc. How do we know this? Is it purely from experience? Can we remember having really experienced any of these qualities in any relationship completely and constantly? Probably no. Then how can we say it is from experience? In such a case, where does this urge for rightness come from? Our heart tells us it comes from a basic, inherent sense of what is true and good, of our innate value. Though these qualities are what we see as our ideal qualities; when I am in a weakened state, I'm unable to bring them into practice, when I want, according to the needs of the moment. They need to be strengthened inside. One of the most immediate benefits of the practice of meditation then, is to bring about this internal strengthening. My basic qualities are just waiting for a chance to emerge out in the open. Like a light bulb without current, possibility of lighting up my qualities exists, but they need to be connected to a source of power, which is exactly what meditation gives us.

Soul Sustenance

Providing Emotional Support To Your Loved Ones

What do we do when friends and loved ones come to us for, and expect emotional support from us? Spirituality teaches us the right technique of providing emotional support – the technique of detached involvement, which is the technique of not being overawed, of not being affected ourselves by the emotions of others. If a friend, colleague or any loved one is upset and we also get upset (because we love them – that’s what we normally say), we cannot provide them the necessary support or the assistance to see why they are reacting emotionally and how they might change the nature of their emotions by themselves. True love for someone would mean that I am able to provide them that. While being concerned is fine, but by becoming upset, seeing them upset simply aggravates the situation and adds fuel to their fire.

By remaining detached, we can be more effective in our ability to care, listen and help them think clearly about the situation, they find themselves in. Only if we are stable, and that can happen only when we are detached, will we be able to provide them stability. We can encourage and empower them to change their negative reaction to a more positive response, and thereby generate a healthier energy. If we become over-involved in someone else's problems, there is a risk that our own judgment will be affected negatively. This is why making decisions and choices under the influence of your own and others' emotions is normally ineffective. 

Message for the day

To understand the power of positivity is to finish negativity.

Expression: All it takes to finish darkness, is a little light. What is real is light and what needs to go away is darkness. In the same way, negativity is nothing but a lack of positivity. The one who is able to use positivity in situations, is able to finish negativity very naturally. There is a very powerful influence of this inner positivity, where no negativity of the self or the others remain.

Experience: When I am able to enable myself to use the power of positivity, I experience myself to be free from the influence of negativity. I am powerful in all situations, and deal with them with great ease. Others or situations don't have an influence on me. Instead I am able to influence others with my own commitment to positivity.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: March 09, 2019: Smile and Say "Hello"

Contemplation: March 09, 2019: Smile and Say "Hello"

Smile and Say "Hello"

In life you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say "hello".

Co-operation

If there is the thought that we can do things ourselves without other
people's help, it means that we have arrogance of our own potential or
we are not able to have trust for others. This lack of trust doesn't
allow us to use others' potential for the benefit of the task. So we
are deprived of a very useful resource and we will not be able to be
happy. We need to understand the fact that there is greater success in
cooperation. It is much more useful to invest our time and resources
in training and developing others' potential. This brings about the
best from people and so there is a greater contribution and hence
greater success in every task that we take up.

Limiting Ourselves In Comfort Zones

We are basically unlimited beings. But we limit ourselves in many comfort zones. We have a lot of conditionings which, in reality, are mental.

Some mosquitoes were put in a box and they kept jumping a lot. The box was covered from the top and each time they jumped they hit the top of the box, and when they jumped too close to the right or the left they hit the sides of the box. Slowly, to avoid harming themselves, they learned to jump just under the cover and without reaching the sides of the box. One day all the four sides of the box were opened. The mosquitoes were free, but they kept on jumping as far as the limit they had learned. The physical limits were no longer there. But they had become conditioned mentally. The same thing happens to us. We have to open the sides of the box and take off the top, or we can continue to live inside the box created by our own mind.

Given below are some conditionings under which we work, because of which we do not experience complete freedom.

* Beliefs, acquired since our childhood, which limit us.
* The negative images of low self esteem that we have created of ourselves.
* The damaging thoughts of doubt, which does not let the highway of trust to build up inside ourselves and does not allow the creative energy of positivity to flow from inside us to the outside.
* The fear of failure or not being to able to succeed completely. A lot of times the fear exists due to past experiences of failure or not having succeeded as much as you would have liked.

We need to become aware of what our pattern of thoughts is, which brings us under the negative influence of mental conditionings. When that happens, we will be able to become free of these conditionings. While we do not become aware, we will continue to remain under its influence.

Soul Sustenance

Meditation On Self-Forgiveness

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

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

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

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

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

Message for the day

As is the seed so is the fruit.

Expression: Several times we find things happening unexpectedly. Yet, there should be the understanding that nothing is unexpected or a matter of chance but everything depends on the seeds previously planted. When there is this understanding there is no passiveness but there is an ability to take responsibility and better the situation.

Experience: Every thing I do has a deep significance and an importance for what I have to attain. When I understand this fact, I am able to make the most out of what I have. I am never discouraged by the negative results that I get today, nor do I take myself to a great height for the positive things that I get. I remain stable and make the best use of what I have.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: March 08, 2019: Be Content

Contemplation: March 08, 2019: Be Content

Be Content

Wherever I am is wherever I am meant to be, whatever I am doing is whatever I am meant to be doing and whatever everyone else is doing is exactly what they are meant to be doing - this is contentment. If you do want to change where you are, or what you are doing, the first thing is to be content with wherever you are and whatever you are doing right now! Paradoxically that's what attracts opportunities and invitations to be somewhere else! Why? Because you are a living magnet, and contentment is one of your most attractive qualities. And the law of attraction says that according to your dominant thoughts so you will attract the people and circumstances into your life. Being content right now attracts the best possible future.

Enthusiasm

Whenever problems come my way, I tend to feel heavy with waste and
negative thoughts. At that time I am not able to feel free and light.
When there is heaviness in my mind, I can't move forward with
enthusiasm and thereby find it difficult to contribute for others'
progress too. Whatever the circumstances I am faced with, I need to
make special effort not to reduce my enthusiasm in any way. Enthusiasm
gives me courage and this courage in turn helps me use my own
specialties for others' benefit too. I begin to discover new resources
within me, which can be used for everyone's benefit.

Open Eyed Meditation

One of the special characteristics of Raja Yoga meditation (as taught by the Brahma Kumaris) is that I learn to meditate with my eyes open. The training of the mind, so that it creates thoughts, to give a positive experience, helps me in facing not only my daily routine, but specifically, in dealing with unexpected practical life situations that test my real power. Mastering the art of meditating with my eyes open can be of immense value to me in my practical life.

If I restrict myself to seated meditation with my eyes closed, then I am prevented from continuing the meditative experience in the course of my normal activities i.e. walking, eating, cooking, working in the office, moving around and so on.

Meditation is at the same time an incredibly relaxing experience as well as brings about an increase of perception (judgement) powers and sharper reaction response. In this way, I can be walking along the street in a meditative state and yet have a very quick perception (judgement) and reaction response to the surrounding pedestrians and traffic.

Soul Sustenance

Experiencing Positive Thoughts

Positive thoughts emerge from your values and may be experienced as:

Confidence
Contentment
Cooperation
Enthusiasm
Generosity
Happiness
Harmony
Honesty
Hope
Love
Mercy
Peace
Respect
Solidarity
Tolerance
Trust

Let's look at some examples of positive thoughts (with respect to the above values):


Happiness: Happiness raises the spirit of whoever possesses it, and brings out a smile in others.
Love: Be as enthusiastic with the success of others as you are with your own.
Honesty: If I am honest in all my actions, I will never be afraid.
Respect: The only way of receiving respect is to give it first.
Mercy: Do not lose hope in those that have lost hope.


Message for the day

To make big things small is to remain in peace.

Expression: Many times life brings situations, which are difficult and seem impossible to work on. But there should be the ability to transform something as big as a mountain into something as small as a grain of sand. To do this means to look for solutions instead of looking at problems. It also means to make effort to find the right answers for the problems.

Experience: When I have the ability to look at things lightly, I will be able to make even big things as small. This gives me the courage to deal with situations with ease. Then I am able to remain in peace. Such a state of mind is naturally able to bring out the best solutions under all circumstances.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: March 07, 2019: Take Time

Contemplation: March 07, 2019: Take Time

President Barack Obama with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

Take Time

Take time to laugh, it is the music of the soul.

Take time to think, it is the source of power.

Take time to read, it is the fountain of wisdom.

Take time to love and be loved, it is a God-given privilege.

Take time to work, it is the price of success.

Focus

While moving towards my destination, I tend to get distracted with
even the little things that happen. Even a small negative or positive
incident is enough to distract my thoughts from my destination. I am
sometimes so busy with such things that my vision moves away from my
destination and I stop moving forward. I need to first clarify my
goal. Once I have done this, I need to take care that my vision is
focused on it. Even when situations come by, trying to distract me I
need to remind myself that these are only side-scenes which are not
important for me. It is more important to keep my energies focused
towards the goal.

The Alphabet of Change

Awareness - First, become aware of what you need to change in yourself. What is preventing you from attaining contentment? What habits are blocking the way to realizing your full potential?

Belief - Many people think that a change in their personalities is extremely difficult. But in fact it is a reality that lies within your power. It might be useful to ask yourself questions such as * What has held me back from change in the past? and * What are the stages by which I can bring change about?

Commitment - Motivation is the key to commitment. We need to want to change, rather than feel it is a duty to ourselves. Try writing down a list of commitments in the form of statements beginning with "I will". They should come directly out of, and be connected with, your overall vision.

Discipline - We cannot change unless we are able to maintain a steady course over time. Think of each sign as a major landmark passed. Even if we find ourselves slipping into old habits, that achievement of even a little bit of change cannot be taken away.

Soul Sustenance

The Five Spiritual And Five Physical Elements (Part 4)

As we have explained earlier in this series, the Supreme Soul always remains an Ocean of the five spiritual virtues or elements peace, purity, wisdom, love and joy right through eternity. The soul is made up of three faculties - the mind, intellect and personality. Meditation is a direct connection in which a human soul, using the two faculties - the mind and the intellect, connects with the most powerful Supreme Source or Soul and draws spiritual power from it. This absorbed spiritual power then transforms the third faculty - the personality, filling it with the five virtues mentioned above. The more the spiritual power absorbed the greater and faster is the filling up of virtues. These virtues then become a balm which heals the many different types of wounds of ego, anger, hatred, hurt, jealousy, possessiveness, greed, criticisms, desires, etc. which have left their mark on the soul in this and many past births of the soul. They gradually restore in the soul the confidence to emerge from the shadows of negativity and to live in the light of its original nature. It is amazing, and heart-warming, when one rediscovers these qualities beneath all the other impressions formed during this and previous lives that have probably been peaceless and sorrowful at times. The journey of meditation bypasses all the negative tendencies and allows the soul to touch these original qualities, experience their truth, and express them in its life.

The other three factors which help us in understanding as well as experiencing peace, purity, wisdom, love and lasting happiness or joy are:
1. The understanding and inculcation of the complete spiritual knowledge of the soul, Supreme Soul and the eternal world time cycle.
2. Attention on the self and checking and changing the self during the entire day and also keeping a daily chart of the main weaknesses or negative personality trait in the self, which is filled every night before going to sleep.
3. Sharing the five spiritual virtues along with spiritual knowledge with others through thoughts, words and actions. Treasures shared with others will bring about a direct increase in the treasures in the self. Also, blessings received from others, by serving them help in the same purpose.

Message for the day

To understand is to be easy and light.

Expression: Life brings obstacles and difficulties. They do not come to stop or hinder progress. They can strengthen and help in bringing progress with more experience. To understand this is to keep advancing. Understanding this aspect means to know that it is not always necessary to find a solution, it is enough to keep moving forward, leaving the obstacle behind.

Experience: True understanding is to understand what the solution of the problem is and bring it into my own life accordingly. When I am able to understand this instead of focussing too much on the problem, I am able to remain happy. This brings a lot of inner lightness and ease and thereby I am able to use all my strength in bringing about solutions.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: March 06, 2019: The Weightless Mind

Contemplation: March 06, 2019: The Weightless Mind

The Weightless Mind

When your mind feels heavy, give yourself a moment to let go.  Like a bird, use the wings of your thoughts to take off, letting go of the branch, the things of the past, and the way you thought yesterday...

Rise up into open space and notice the weightlessness of the moment.  Notice how seconds don't weigh much as you enjoy the weightlessness and the lightness of your being.

Feeling light, slowly bring your thoughts back down to your surroundings and return your mind to the task at hand.

Expectations

Usually in relationships we begin to expect from people whom we get
close to. We feel that because we have love for them we have a right
over them. Because of our expectations we are not able to give the
other person freedom to move forward or progress. When we have true
love we are able to provide the right environment for people so that
they can bring about progress in their life. We will not hold on to
them and expect them to do everything according to our needs, but give
them real support.

The Three Mirrors For Inner Beauty (cont.)

The third mirror is the mirror of your own thoughts, words and actions - What you think and feel about yourself and others is invisible to others and only you know what it is. But you radiate your thoughts, feelings, emotions and attitudes through your facial expressions, your eyes, your words, your body language and your actions when you interact with others. That way your words and your actions act as a mirror in which to see yourself. You achieve this when you are a detached observer and you become aware of your responses, your reactions and how you express what arises from within you. This awareness of being an observer needs to be maintained sub-consciously throughout the day and consciously in the night by filling a daily chart before sleeping, on any three personality traits of your choice. Your main weaknesses or strengths you want to enhance should be included in the chart. We have explained the different types of traits that can be covered in a daily chart in our older messages. You could either evaluate these personality traits with a yes or no or perform a percentage wise evaluation like 50% or 80% for e.g. So it is a good practice to look into this mirror once in the night, before sleeping. This mirror will give you a review of the day that has gone by and make you careful for the next day. The daily chart is useful for this purpose. Filling a daily chart does not take more than a few seconds.

Finally and most importantly, always do remember that those who use these three mirrors actively and use them well to ensure that their internal self looks good and beautiful all the time become living mirrors for others. People who come in contact with them are able to see accurately what their internal self looks like. On seeing how beautiful and perfect they are, other people quickly realize their shortcomings or weaknesses and also take inspiration to become as beautiful, clean and virtuous beings as them.

Soul Sustenance

The Five Spiritual And Five Physical Elements (Part 3)

As explained in yesterday's message, in the hierarchy of the three entities around which the whole World Drama revolves – the Supreme Soul is right at the top, the human souls are in the middle and nature is at the bottom. So, the process of restoring the balance of the spiritual and physical elements has to be initiated from the top i.e. by the Supreme Soul. The human souls which are in the middle of the hierarchy benefit from this process directly. The human souls, by transforming themselves i.e. by filling themselves up with the five spiritual elements peace, purity, wisdom, love and joy from the Supreme Soul and restoring their balance in their personalities, then bring benefit to nature which is at the bottom of the hierarchy. This is because their doing this causes the positive energy of the five virtues to spread in nature, which results in the balance restoration of the five physical elements earth, air, water, fire and sky and the five spiritual elements or virtues in the personalities of animals, birds, insects (the same principle as explained yesterday). This entire process, explained above, takes place in the Confluence Age which is a small Age between the Iron Age and the Golden Age, which is again the present time. So, the Confluence Age is an Age in which positive transformation takes place. Thus, at the present moment of time, the two Ages - Iron Age and Confluence Age co-exist.

The Supreme Soul does not bring direct benefit to nature, He does that via human souls, who are intelligent enough to catch his directions and connect with Him and as a result transform themselves. So, the human souls when seen with respect to the Supreme Soul, who is the Creator; are the Creation, who benefit from Him. But the same human souls, when seen with respect to nature can be called the Master Creator and nature can be called as the Creation. Here the phrase Master Creator means children of the Supreme Soul, the Creator, but at the same time those children who possess the power to perform the task of balance restoration for the self as well as the Creation, similar to the Creator, under his guidance and by absorbing power from Him.

We shall explain the actual process of imbibing the five spiritual elements from the Supreme Soul in tomorrow's message, which is the last of this series.


Message for the day

To move towards perfection is to have commitment for goodness.

Expression: The one who has a desire to move towards perfection is constantly busy trying to add goodness and positivity to everything he does. The aim is not just to keep out negativity but it becomes more important to add positivity. So such a person finds constant progress in his life and slowly moves towards perfection.

Experience: When I find little excuses to bring about positivity, I am able to enjoy each and every moment. I never find anything ordinary or waste but everything is meaningful and beautiful. I am able to enjoy the richness of each and everything and discover the hidden treasures in each and every moment. I find myself slowly moving towards perfection.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: March 05, 2019: Healthy Expectations

Contemplation: March 05, 2019: Healthy Expectations

Iguazu Falls, Boundary of Brazil and Argentina

Healthy Expectations

Expectations are important.  They define our boundaries & ground rules on how we allow others to treat us.

But often we assume others understand our expectations, so when our expectations are not met, we're hurt & disappointed.

To maintain healthy boundaries, learn to communicate expectations clearly & adjust unreasonable expectations.

Hero Actor

Normally it is understood that to get the best role is to be a hero
actor. So we are more inclined towards a role where we can get
people's praise. If people praise us we feel good about it and if
they don't we are disappointed. We are usually dependent on people's
appreciation. Yet it doesn't come by so consistently. We can be a
hero actor at all times when we have attention on every act of ours.
We make sure that none of our words or actions are ordinary or waste.
Since we pay constant attention to everything we do, we find that we
are able to give our best. We are then satisfied with whatever is
happening since we know what we do is not as important as how well we
do it.

The Three Mirrors For Inner Beauty (cont.)

In the last two days' messages, we have explained the first mirror for inner beauty.

The second mirror is the mirror of meditation - In the silence of meditation which is a connection or the experience of a relationship with the inner self and the Supreme Soul, each day you come close to and dive deep into both of them. When you create powerful, positive thoughts about the self and you also visualize your true spiritual self, you feel and experience your true virtuous being, what you are - radiant and free of all influences. That experience helps you to see yourself as you really are and in contrast to how you are now. Perhaps you feel peaceless, disturbed and dejected today, but by creating thoughts of peace and contentment in meditation you quickly realize that in reality that is your true nature. In that way, it serves as a mirror for self realization and checking and changing. When you visualize the Supreme Soul during meditation and experience His virtues, it helps you to see and quickly realize yourself in contrast to Him and make the required changes in yourself because the child should reflect the qualities of the Father.

So a good practice then is to look into this mirror and check yourself once in the morning before the day's activities and once before sleeping for 10 minutes each time. Also, since this is the most powerful mirror, it is extremely vital to carry this mirror with you throughout the day and check yourself in it for one minute after every hour. This may sound too much time given to the inner self to many, but all of us are aware that like an untidy, unkempt external self is not pleasing to the self and does not create a favorable impression on those who come in contact with us, in the same way that applies to the inner self also.  So one minute spent in looking into this mirror and doing some self-introspection and checking and changing will keep us looking good for the next fifty nine minutes and if we do mess up internally during those fifty nine minutes, then corrections can be made quickly in the next one minute break - it's as simple as that.

(To be continued tomorrow ....)

Soul Sustenance

The Five Spiritual And Five Physical Elements (Part 2)

There are three entities around which the whole World Drama revolves – the Supreme Soul, the human souls and nature. Nature includes everything non-living like mountains, rivers, seas etc. and living things like plants, trees etc. It also includes living beings like animals, birds, insects etc. which are souls with a lesser evolved intellect than human ones. The human body also comes under the category of nature. These three entities are in the form of a hierarchy, the Supreme Soul is the most powerful at the top of the hierarchy, in the middle are the human souls and at the bottom of the hierarchy is nature. The Supreme Soul always remains an Ocean of the five virtues peace, purity, wisdom, love and joy and is the only entity in which the balance of these virtues is always maintained right through eternity.

In human souls, as explained yesterday, in the beginning of the world cycle, in the Golden Age, these virtues are in balance. As human souls come down in the birth-rebirth cycle and start becoming influenced by body-consciousness or the five vices - anger, ego, greed, attachment and lust, all spiritual building blocks or virtues - peace, purity, wisdom, love and joy start getting depleted. In each soul, some virtues get depleted more, some less. In each and every soul the depletion is different depending on its actions e.g. in some soul the depletion of peace is immense compared to the other because of picking up sanskaras of anger on its journey and bringing them into actions or in some soul the depletion of joy is immense because of picking up a lot of attachment on the way etc. This depletion of the five spiritual elements or virtues upsets the balance between them. This depletion and imbalance causes negative spiritual energy waves or vibrations of sorrow, anger, impurity, hatred, fear etc. from human souls to spread in nature and starts having a negative influence on the five physical elements earth, air, water, fire and sky and even the five spiritual elements peace, purity, wisdom, love and joy in the souls of animals, birds, insects, etc. upsetting the balance of both. This is because nature (as defined in the above paragraph) is lowest in the hierarchy, lesser powerful and easily influenced by the energy that human souls transmit or radiate. This double imbalance of spiritual and physical elements results in peacelessness, sorrow, illness, poverty, natural calamities, accidents, ecological imbalances etc. When all of these reach their maximum extent, that Age is called the Iron Age. This is an interesting principle which needs to be understood clearly.

How do we restore the balance of the spiritual and physical elements? We shall explain that in tomorrow's message. 

Message for the day

Cooperation creates space for learning and growth.

Expression: The one who cooperates and inspires cooperation is able to create a conducive environment for the progress of all. To inspire cooperation means to be able to relate to the positivity in those around. Relating to the positive aspect naturally inspires others to use their specialities for the success of the task. Their good wishes for the task too emerge very naturally.

Experience: Since I am able to relate to others' positivity, I find myself enriched with it. I subconsciously imbibe what I perceive. I get a chance and a space to learn and progress. The journey towards success in itself is a joyful experience and there is harmony in working with others. Thus I find success too easy to achieve as there is the contribution of each one's speciality for the task.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

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