Contemplation: May 30, 2019: The Final Analysis

Contemplation: May 30, 2019: The Final Analysis

The Final Analysis

People are often unreasonable, self-centered:

Forgive them anyway.

If you are Honest, People may cheat you, but be Honest anyway.

What you spend years to build, someone could destroy overnight. Build anyway.

The good you do today, People will often forget tomorrow. Do Good anyway.

You see, in the final analysis it is between you and God; it never was between you and them anyway.

Look at Specialties

To look at specialties in each one is to ensure that cooperation is
given and received easily. Each and every individual has something
special. If we have the habit of seeing these specialties, we find
others too relate to us with these specialties and we can then easily
get their cooperation. We will also be able to cooperate with them
easily. When we think of someone we can't cooperate with, we need to
consciously think of some specialty in him. When we make sure, in my
daily interactions, to relate to this specialty, we will find that
our own your negativity will finish and cooperation becomes easy.
Others too will find it easy to cooperate with us.

Radiating Love To The Universe

I sit in a comfortable position... I relax my body...I breathe deeply and let go of tensions... I centre myself in the present moment... I concentrate my mind... I enter into the space of inner silence... The thoughts diminish and my mind relaxes fully... Now experience the following thoughts:

I am a non-physical being of light, full of love, centered on the forehead... I am a river flowing with love... my source is the Supreme Ocean Of Love, God; whose child I am... I experience myself sitting under his canopy of the light of love...

I love each part of my physical body which is my vehicle. I relax it... I love each thought that I create, it is my creation... I generate gentle thoughts, tender, relaxing... I feel the energy of love that radiates from within me towards the universe... I, the soul give off love towards what surrounds me... 

I give off love towards other souls... I look at everyone with the consciousness that each one, whatever their temporary nature may be, their innate nature is love... I give my spiritual assistance, my good wishes to them, so that they return back to their original, basic nature, which is love... I give off love towards each molecule of the five elements of nature - earth, wind, water, fire and sky and the planet as a whole. I am love... I channel this love towards everything I think, feel, do and transmit...

By performing the above meditation and sharing my unlimited treasure of love, I assist the Supreme Father, through my thoughts, in his task of creating a world full of love, where all souls and the nature co-exist in a loveful and peaceful manner...

Soul Sustenance

Improving the Quality of Different Areas Of My Karmas (Part 4)

Karmas as spiritual service of others
Service of others can be seen on a very basic level as physical charity but the real service is to uplift the souls of others by inspiring them to re-claim their state of self-respect. There is the old saying that if I give others chapattis, I feed them for a day. If I teach them how to cook chapattis, I feed them for life. In a spiritual way, this refers to the fact that instead of merely performing a positive karma like the donation of money, food, clothes, etc. if one can show others the understanding of karma and how it works and also teach them the ultimate, pure karma of coming closer to the Supreme on a spiritual level, they can make efforts to change their negative karmic situation and bring happiness, peace and positivity back in their lives. When there is a change at the mental and emotional level, then changes will begin to show at the physical level too. Over a period of time, due to understanding spiritual knowledge (as a result of which the soul starts performing positive actions) and a deep connection with the Supreme (due to which negative actions or sins performed in the past are burned up), the karmic situation of the soul, which has been served, starts improving.

Message for the day

The one who has the spirit of service is free from wasteful thinking.

Expression: It is usually thought of as an additional burden to think of serving others. The usual thought is to think of first serving oneself and when one is content to think of serving others. But this thought makes one miss out on the fact that both service to oneself and service to others are complementary to each other, one helping the other in a positive way.

Experience: When we take on the responsibility of bringing benefit to others, i.e., when we consider ourselves as a humble server we will be free from wasteful and negative thinking. We will not waste our thoughts and energy on something that is not worthwhile, something that is not going to bring benefit to anyone. So each thought, word and action of ours becomes elevated.

Contemplation: May 29, 2019: Determination and Patience

Contemplation: May 29, 2019: Determination and Patience

Bridge of Immortals, Huangshan, China

Determination and Patience

Determination is the strength that will enable you to pass the barrier of useless thoughts in order to create positive thoughts and to be successful in whatever you wish. It comes from within and its partner is patience. Patience teaches you not to push but rather to wait and appreciate the game of life instead, knowing that nothing remains the same, and everything will change at some point.

Share Information

When each one is working towards a common task, cooperation becomes
easy. To get others' cooperation we need to share the task and the
information regarding the task with others. When we communicate our
motives using easy and simple language, everyone can understand and
feel a part of the whole and they would naturally contribute their
best. Any new task that we take up we need to make sure we inform all
the details to everyone related to the task. Even the minutest details
when communicated to others, helps in creating a priority in them to
give their best to the task.

Frozen Perceptions

Like water, which over a period of time freezes and takes the form of frozen ice cubes, when kept in an ice tray; perceptions of different things, people and events, inside our consciousness, which come onto the surface of our consciousness regularly i.e. we shape our thoughts, words and actions based on them, regularly, take the form of rigid perceptions over a period of time. These rigid or 'frozen perceptions', which sometimes never liquefy in our entire lifetime, are commonly called our beliefs, which can stick in our consciousness like ice cubes and be difficult to uproot at times. One of the greatest harms that holding to a set of beliefs does is, that it doesn't let us see from other peoples' point of view.

Let's say two people look at the same painting from two different points in a room. One describes what she sees and how the painting looks to her. Then the other describes how the painting looks to him. Both perceptions are bound to be different to some extent. They are different because they look from different angles, different points (places) of viewing in the same room. So who has the right view? Neither. But what both of them see is right from their point of view. Another e.g. is, there is Mrs. A at my workplace, whom over a period of time, I have been seeing from a certain point of view and have started perceiving to be inefficient. Bringing this perception into my consciousness repeatedly has frozen this perception inside my consciousness and it has taken the form of a belief, which may be incorrect or correct, partially or completely. Now even if three different people who have all seen Mrs. A from three different points of view i.e. in three different set of circumstances, and have seen three different shades of the same virtue i.e. efficiency in her; come and share their different, but all positive and right perceptions with me, depending on their respective circumstantial view, I will not agree with them and not respect their perception because a person with unfrozen perceptions would at least give a hearing to others' perceptions, but someone with frozen perceptions, i.e. with fixed beliefs, is not able to that and is not able to empathize with or see from others' point of view.

Soul Sustenance

Improving the Quality Of Different Areas Of My Karmas (Part 3)

Karmas performed for leisure or entertainment
When someone says they don't have time for meditation or for their spiritual development, it generally reflects an unwillingness to face the self rather than an actual lack of time. The fact that average T.V. viewing time in many countries runs to more than 19 hours a week tells its own story. To the extent that I value my time, I value my life and make myself valuable. Valuing my time, energy and money is very much a part of the whole karmic story of give and take: what they are used for, how well they are used, whether they are wasted and so on. Difficulties with time, one's own bodily energy and finances are the fruits of past indifference or wastage of these resources (either in this birth or previous births). The world financial crisis is the karmic sum total of all such individual difficulties. Am I using all that I have in a worthwhile way? Am I just wasting it or am I using it for benefit for myself and for others? These questions, answered correctly, often spell the difference between success and failure.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Message for the day

Negative situations can be transformed into positive with the power of stability.

Expression: When faced with a negative situation, usually the mind gets affected. Lot of questions arise in the mind that don't allow me to be stable at that time. Because of the thoughts in my mind, Although it is in my hands to work at transforming the situation I don't make use of this opportunity but only end up adding to the negativity.

Experience: In a negative situation, it is necessary for me to maintain my own inner stability. I need to free myself from wasteful thoughts. Then the negativity in the situation will finish, first in my mind and then in the situation itself. My own internal stability will help in finishing the influence of the external situation.

Contemplation: May 28, 2019: Claim Victory

Contemplation: May 28, 2019: Claim Victory

The fiestas of San Fermin are celebrated in Irunea/Pamplona, in the region of Navarra, every year from the 6th to the 14th of July

Claim Victory

If you ever find yourself defending a position, explaining why, or justifying anything, it means you have been defeated. It means you have not been able to accept the others point of view, or the fact that you may be wrong. Fear has conquered your mind and your heart. Your defences are up and you are running scared. It's not that the other person has conquered you, it's the self-created fear that is in control. Until you can accept the other (you don't have to agree) and you are not threatened by the other, your victories will be delayed. It's a funny old world when true winning is accepting not resisting, when victory is found in the wisdom to stop fighting and to begin engaging.

relax7

Benefit of All

Cooperation comes when there are pure feelings and good wishes for all
involved in the task. Every task we take up needs to be for the
benefit of all. When we are working for something in which there is
common benefit, we are able to easily gain others' cooperation. This
also brings good wishes from all of them, which will naturally help in
the success of the task. When we take up something new and important,
we need to make sure that there is surely something that will bring
some benefit for everyone involved in the task. This attention helps
us get the cooperation of those around us for the success of the task.

Forms of Fear In Our Modern Lifestyle

Fear is a feeling that is generated by the lack of knowledge about a certain situation, place or person. In fear, one feels threatened by something real or imaginary.

Fear often shows itself in our lives in the form of stress, worries and anxiety. Stress is connected with feeling pressure, feeling pushed, forced, to meet deadlines, to do more. Having to produce more and more, and having to be better and better at it, generates tensions and worries that arise in the form of the fear of not being able to achieve those objectives or results on time. The materialistic values of achieving, obtaining, having, accumulating, and ambitions, competing and wanting to obtain a position, generate a lot of pressure and stress. When we are stressed, generally we are overcharged. We think, talk and react too much. All this affects the mind and body negatively. The worst thing is that it becomes a habit, often uncontrolled, so that the simple habit of stopping and relaxing is not considered a solution. Some even consider it to be a waste of time. You have to do more and more, without stopping.

We have taken on stressful attitudes as part of our daily life. When stress persists, corticoids appear, these are sometimes called the 'fear hormones'. When released continuously, they affect our immune system, increasing the likelihood of cardiovascular complications and the risk of cancer.

Soul Sustenance

Improving The Quality Of Different Areas Of My Karmas (Part 2)

Karmas performed for the self
If I, the soul, am the master of my body, then I have to look after its upkeep. The consciousness with which I feed and take care of the body has to be such that my actions don't bring me into further attachment to it. They have to be of such quality that they bring me closer to God and help to reduce my bodily ego or the pull towards physical desires. I have to work, cook, feed and wash the body but these activities can be done in such a way that they bring me closer to my destination of perfection, of freedom and of liberation.

Karmas in our relationships
There is specific energy that drives all relationships - that of credit and debit, give and take. These are the so called karmic accounts that have been created in the past (either in this birth or previous births) and which now determine the quality and quantity of all our interactions and their results, in terms of joy or sorrow, in all our relationships. It's not necessary to find out exactly what the karmic root cause of a problem in a relationship may have been. A very simple guideline to improve the quality of our interactions is:

Rather than take, let me give, so there won't be any further debts. Whether it is colleagues at work, family relationships or friends, let me see if there is a way in which I can fulfill my responsibility with integrity and honesty. If I am not doing that, if I am moving away from my responsibilities, I am adding to my karmic burden. In what way can I give or serve, so that there is no longer conflict, tension and struggle but just sweetness and respect in my relationships?

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Message for the day

The one who is aware of the attainments is the one who is content.

Expression: Sometimes, there is a tendency to compare ourselves with others and find ourselves lacking in some way. This creates unhappiness in us and we are not able to remain content. Comparing ourselves with others or having expectations makes us miss out on perceiving the attainments we have in our life. And we are not able to experience contentment.

Experience: Instead of looking at what we don't have, which is usually the practice, we need to make effort to see what we have attained or what we are attaining. Once we make this practice, we will be able to look at the positive aspect in our life, which will enable us to remain content under all circumstances, i.e., in both positive and negative situations.

Contemplation: May 27, 2019: Are You Directing Your Inner Orchestra Well?

Contemplation: May 27, 2019: Are You Directing Your Inner Orchestra Well?

Conductor Zubin Mehta, right, leading the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra at Carnegie Hall in New York,

on Feb. 22, 2011

Are You Directing Your Inner Orchestra Well?

Our inner orchestra is made up of different musical instruments. These instruments are our memories, desires, tendencies, mind, beliefs, emotions, feelings, fears, intuition, judgement, creativity, our imagination...
Who is the director of this orchestra? You. Who are you? You – the consciousness, you - the soul, you – the being. When you direct your inner orchestra well, you can remain unaffected by external influences. If you, the director of the orchestra, close your eyes for a few moments and cover up your ears, what happens to the orchestra? The music is not very harmonious or sweet; it is noisy, and you suffer. To make the orchestra play according to the inner voice of your being, according to your purest intentions and values, you simply have to be awake, alert and attentive, and listen with your heart, not with your physical heart but with the heart of your being.

Create Cooperation

The one who works with self-respect is the one who wins the
cooperation of others. When we do things while in our natural state of
self-respect, it creates cooperation. On the other hand, if we have
ego because of which we expect others to recognize our work and
appreciate it, it creates competition and jealousy. If someone is not
cooperating with me, I need to check within myself why I am performing
that task. If there is the slightest feeling of trying to prove
myself, I need to remove it. In its place, there needs to be the
thought in the mind that I want only success in the task and nothing
else.

Checking Myself On The Stage Of Action

Once we become aware of the possible types of thoughts that the mind creates at different times in the span of a particular day, then we are in a position to keep a check on our thoughts and understand where our energy is being wasted.   Once we realize that there are patterns of waste and negative thinking at some times during the day, which are usually triggered by certain situations or people, we can apply a brake on the pattern of habitual negative thinking, thereby transforming this energy wastage into something more positive.   

It does happen, that when we are informed about the benefits of meditation for the first time, perhaps in a course or a presentation either in the office, in a center of a spiritual organization or elsewhere; we realize the need for the same but we also feel that, in order to get the house of our minds in order, we need to leave our busy city lifestyles behind and head for the hills.   There, we think, we will find the time and the physical and spiritual environment to practice meditation and get our mental state in order, but this is absolutely untrue. While going on an occasional spiritual retreat is certainly useful and recommended for the development of the spiritual self, the real workshop is life itself. Even if I am able to maintain a positive and powerful state of mind in a retreat, it is in our daily actions and relationships with others where the challenge lies, it is on the stage of action or karma kshetra that we have to check whether we can remain soul-conscious i.e. in the awareness of our spiritual identity. It is here where we have to see whether we can apply the brakes on patterns of negative thinking, establish and maintain patterns of positive thinking and test whether we have reached the stage where, no person or situation, however negative, can disturb our state of mind.

Soul Sustenance

Improving The Quality Of Different Areas Of My Karmas (Part 1)

Karma yoga (experiencing meditation in practical life situations) functions in two ways:

• By filling the self with power, the transformation of action is possible. This in turn brings about change in my sanskars.
• By absorbing the qualities of the Supreme Being my sanskars change.

It's necessary to experiment with this to discover its validity. On one level, whatever I have done, I have to receive the return for that but, on another level, just simply pure love for God is the factor that purifies, cleanses and forgives. Whatever my past Karma may have been, the fire of God's love, the fire of a powerful connection with Supreme is able to resolve it and remove its impact from within the soul itself, in terms of negative personality sanskars and also in terms of negative karmic effects in real life situations. Thus it can be seen why yoga or the union of love with God is so crucial.

If one looks at the whole pattern of human life, there are four areas of Karma which need to be improved:

• Karma that I perform for myself, for my own sustenance and upkeep.
• Karma that I perform with or for others in terms of relationships.
• Karma that I perform, not out of need or necessity, but for leisure or entertainment.
• Karma that I perform as service of others.

In the next three messages, we shall explain how we can improve these four areas of Karma.

Message for the day

To share virtues along with knowledge is to encourage transformation in others.

Expression: When we have to give a suggestion/advise to someone we tend to share a lot of points of knowledge in order to make them understand. We try to prove logically why they have to change. Although the reasoning is right most of the time, the others don't seem to change either because they don't understand or because they don't want to understand.

Experience: When we want to bring transformation in others we need to make sure to share our own virtues along with the points of knowledge. To share virtues means to give them an experience of our love, peace, good wishes etc. When they experience our virtues, they'll be willing to bring about change quickly.