Contemplation: October 06, 2019: Making a Life

Contemplation: October 06, 2019: Making a Life

Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902) was a key figure in the introduction of the Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world, bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion during the late 19th century.

Making a Life

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.

To spend the day with God as a Companion is to add quality to all tasks. 

For the one who keeps God as a Companion in every task, there is quality and meaning in everything. Even when we are faced with something difficult, we still are able to do it with ease. Each task becomes special too. Today I will say "good morning" to God and make my day beautiful. I will start the day with this consciousness and throughout the day keep Him with me. This will keep my mind carefree and easy, whilst doing and facing everything. 

The Subtle Body Of Light

Apart from our physical form (body), each one of us also has a form of light - a subtle light body.  It is referred to as the aura, and can be seen by some sensitive souls. All of us might not be able to see it, but we can become aware of the aura of others' through the vibrations they emit. The purity of our subtle, light form is dependent on the purity of our thoughts or mental vibrations.  Given below are some thoughts for a meditation to help experience your subtle form and serve through it.  Think and visualize each thought alongside:

I become detached from my physical surroundings... I consciously create only the purest thoughts... Now I visualize my true form... I am a subtle being of pure spiritual light, a sparkling star situated at the center of the forehead... Gradually, I become aware of my subtle body of pure, white light surrounding my physical form... In my body of light, I, the soul, the sparkling energy, consciously stand up and step away from my physical form, which remains seated... I, the soul, inside my subtle body, observe my physical body in a detached way... Now I slowly fly outside the room I am in... I visualize myself, in the subtle form, suspended in the sky... White rays of spiritual light radiate from me, the soul, and my body of light into the world...  like that of an angel... In this pure awareness of myself in my form of light, I realize that the greatest gifts I can share with those around me are the light of love, peace and truth.

Sitting anywhere, this meditation exercise can be done to visualize oneself in a hospital, on the site of a natural calamity, accident, next to a friend or relative in pain etc., basically anywhere where vibrations  of positivity, peace and happiness are required - the location of visualizing yourself can be hundreds of miles from where you may physically be.  As you practice the art of being aware of your subtle body, you will begin to sense how you can have a positive effect on others simply radiating good wishes, pure thoughts and pure feelings.

Soul Sustenance 

Motivation – The Life Driving Force (Part 1)

Motivation is the driving force behind our thoughts, feelings, words and actions which transfers us from one reality to another, from where I am to where I wish to be. It is an inner positive energy, a combination of enthusiasm and clear perception that enables us to accomplish a task or overcome a challenge. It is the desire to be continually interested and committed to a task or to attain a goal or cross a difficult situation.

Our thoughts really do color our perceptions, and affect our motivation levels in many ways. What thoughts are serving you today? Which thoughts are weighing you down? Have you ever turned over the exam papers of life - challenging situations, overpowering situations, disturbing situations, de-motivating situations; looked at the questions that life throws at you and wondered if you are sitting the right test? Or glanced through these papers of life and only see questions or aspects you aren’t equipped at handling? Or worse still, know that you once knew the answers to these questions but frustratingly, those nuggets of spiritual wisdom, required to overcome these situations are now out of reach no matter how far into the back of your mind you grope, causing emotions of worry, frustration, fear, anger, discouragement, depression, panic and hopelessness to erupt inside you?

(To be continued tomorrow ….) 

Message for the day 

The beauty of things lie in the ability to appreciate them.

Expression: Nothing is positive or negative in itself, but the one who has the eye for positive things sees only positively even when there is negativity around. Such a person is like a swan which separates and picks up only pearls from stones.

Experience: When I am looking only at the positive aspects, I am able to remain happy. If I am able to appreciate everything that comes my way, even if it is visibly negative, I find nothing to be a problem, but everything becomes enjoyable for me.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: October 05, 2019: The Art of Doing Nothing

Contemplation: October 05, 2019: The Art of Doing Nothing

The Art of Doing Nothing

Do you find that your mind chatter follows you everywhere?  To work, to a party and even into sleep?  

So, why not practice doing a little bit of 'nothing' everyday.  Instead of 'Don't just sit there, do something' try 'Don't just do something, sit there.'  

Simply let all thoughts pass through your mind and gently replace that inner restlessness with inner calm.

To be mature is to understand the importance of the task in hand. 

The one who is mature would know what his duty is, according to the time. If an adult plays with toys, it would not be right. In the same way, the one who is mature would not get distracted with tasks that are waste or unnecessary. He would do the right thing at the right time. Today I will keep a check on my actions. I will check if I am wasting any time in matters that are not useful. I will make sure that I will do the required tasks according to the need and time.

Intentions Behind Actions

The word karma has been given many negative meanings. In common language, most people almost always relate it to suffering, but the simplest meaning of karma is action. Newton's Third Law of Physics (every action has an equal and opposite reaction) is a physical law of motion. The Law of Karma is the metaphysical (non-physical) equivalent of the Newton's Third Law - it refers to action and its result (fruit) or, simply, cause and effect. The quality of my actions, thoughts more specifically determines my personal level of happiness. Our natures today are the result of everything we have thought; they are formed by our thoughts. It's not so much the act that determines the return or fruit but the quality of the motive or intention behind it e.g. in the simple task of buying a new car, the intention can be different in the case of three different people:

* I need to buy a good car; it's an urgent need of my family (concern).
* What if I am not able to buy that car model which my wife so badly wants (worry)?
* With me at the wheel of the brand new car, which I will be buying soon, I will be the talk of the town, my office colleagues will really be jealous of me (ego)!

Although the action is the same in each case, each of these attitudes will lead to a different result. This role of intentions become clear when analyzing the difference in guilt between an army officer who kills another while protecting his country and another person who plans for months to commit a murder out of personal enmity and hatred. The karma of taking the life of someone is the same in both cases, but the return or fruit of the karma depends on the intention.

Soul Sustenance 

The Role Of Emotions In The Functioning Of The Soul

Inside the soul, there are four components – thoughts, feelings, emotions and sanskaras. Thoughts and feelings are present more on the surface of the soul in the conscious. Emotions and sanskaras on the other hand are less easily perceived and lie below thoughts and feelings.

Sanskaras can be defined as the traces left on the soul due to actions performed by it and also due to its interactions with others in relationships.

Emotions, on the other hand, are impulses associated with the sanskaras and are very close to these traces.

The internal functioning of the soul is cyclic - ‘thoughts gives rise to actions, actions give rise to sanskaras, and sanskaras give rise to further thoughts’. This description becomes complete, when we add an additional component – emotions. The deepest component inside the soul is the sanskaras. Next up from sanskaras are the emotions, above that are feelings and then finally the uppermost component inside the soul is the thoughts.

Thoughts can be caught instantly. Feelings can be seen and perceived if I stop for a moment and check. Emotions are deeper than both of them and are very close to the sanskaras, and just as its difficult to see all the sanskaras of an individual, we can't always see their emotions. Feelings, being more towards the surface, can be clearly identified, but you have to go deeper to see the quality of emotions a person is creating and the quality of his/her sanskaras.

 Message for the day 

Freedom means accepting the rules of freedom.

Expression: The one who wants freedom naturally accepts the rules that go untold. He is willing to take responsibility for all his decisions and choices. Such a person will never blame others but try to check his own mistakes.

Experience: When I take decisions with freedom and take responsibility for them, I am able to learn from anything that goes wrong. I'll feel light and free yet with a base from where I can work. Thus I find myself experiencing constant progress.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: October 04, 2019: Assertiveness

Contemplation: October 04, 2019: Assertiveness 

Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter Presidential Debate Oct 28, 1980:  In his closing statement, Reagan asked the American people a question that has resonated for over two decades: “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” 

Assertiveness

Assertiveness is the ability to directly and honestly express your opinions, feelings, attitudes and rights.  It is to do so without anxiety and in a way that doesn't infringe on the rights of others or violate another person's integrity.

Pressure

Often, it's not really people or having too much to do that creates pressure in life. It's your working and living habits that need tweaking.

No one and nothing can make you feel pressured without your permission!

Work out why you're feeling pressured and what easy changes can you make to take the pressure off.

Self Conversations

A very important subtle activity that we all indulge in for a lot of time in the day is having conversations with the self, sometimes consciously and a large number of times without even being conscious of it. We need to be extremely careful about what the quality of our conversations are because self conversations very strongly influence our perception i.e. the way we see ourselves, others, situations as well as our personalities and also mould them. If channeled properly, they can be constructive i.e. ones that empower the self; if not, they can be destructive i.e. ones that bring the self down or weaken it in some way or the other. They possess immense potential, both positive and negative, if we want we can use them to liberate us or they can even limit us.  We can judge, criticize and threaten ourselves or praise and encourage the self in a positive way. It's important to create thoughts of acceptance, respect and approval for ourselves, even if situations don't go the way we desire or expect. Such positive conversations help rise above the dependence on what how people see us and what they think and talk about us, making the self extremely powerful.

Positive self conversations are not fantasies or disconnecting from reality and a few minutes given to the activity do a lot of benefit and no harm at all. They can be done by detaching oneself from actions when we have an emerged conversation and our complete focus is on the conversation and we do nothing else at that time or whilst being involved in actions. Some actions like going on a drive, cooking, having a meal or simply taking a walk or going on a jog allow self-conversations to take place alongside. At these times we give less mental energy or attention to the conversations i.e. we can have a merged conversation so that the respective action is not affected adversely in any way. We can choose how much mental energy to give to the activity, depending on the karma alongside.

Soul Sustenance 

Benefits Of Realizing The Law Of Action

Suppose a person from India goes to America for the first time and rents a car over there. He then parks his rented car on the wrong side of the road. He will be charged a fine because parking laws are different in both countries. He cannot simply say ‘I didn’t know, I am ignorant’. It should have been his responsibility, if driving, to find out the laws of the new country but he didn’t take enough care.

In ignorance, we have done many things against the universal laws of creation – especially the Law of Karma. We did not have the complete knowledge of what are good/bad karmas, what are right/wrong karmas; what different types of effects different karmas would have on me, others and nature. But we cannot just say 'I didn't know'. It was our responsibility to know. If we look at the state of the world now, there may be a few sparks of light or spiritual enlightenment but, generally, there is a great amount of darkness. That gives us an indication of the sorts of karmas the vast majority of us have been performing, due to ignorance, to have produced the situations or circumstances in the world.

The complete knowledge of the karmic process, which we learn when we are introduced to spirituality, helps us:

• reduce the burden of the past
• remove any type of suffering or sorrow in our present life
• change our future as well as that of the world, to make it better and more positive
• experience a positive return from our spiritual efforts
• understand all the why’s, how’s, what’s and when’s which surround our life

Message for the day 

Speciality lies in experiencing one's fortune.

Expression: When there is the awareness of one's fortune, there is speciality seen in every word and action, because of wanting to make the best of everything. There is also the pure desire of sharing with others which also makes one special.

Experience: When I have the recognition of my own fortune, and am aware of what I have, I find myself content. I have no expectations but continue to make the best use of what I already have, for my benefit and that of others. So I find myself being special and making my own fortune.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: October 03, 2019: Build Bridges

Contemplation: October 03, 2019: Build Bridges

The Ambassador International Bridge:  Suspension bridge that connects Detroit, Michigan, in the United States, with Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

Build Bridges

Even when another person seems a world apart from you, don't stop looking for the bridge.

To get an opportunity to do something difficult is to gain a quality forever. 

Most times, when we are faced with a difficult task, we tend to get confused and afraid. But, this does not allow us to use the resources at our disposal in the right way. On the other hand, when we look at it as an opportunity, we are able to not only complete the task, but also discover a new quality of ours. Recognition by others, may or may not come, but that will not bother us. Today I will take up something that I have never done before. I will either do it by myself or will take the help of others. To take help from others itself is an art. So either way, I will be richer with one new quality by the time I finish the task.

Spiritual Vision

A simple definition of 'spiritual vision' is that I see the best in others. A parameter of proving to myself that I have a spiritual vision and I am seeing the best in others is that I naturally thank and praise rather than criticize those with whom I interact at home or at the workplace on a daily basis - even though I may see obvious negative characteristics in them and experience negative behavior from them. Keep a daily chart of the three points, for three people close to you, below for one week. Every night, fill this chart up for the day that's just gone by.

1. Name of person and relationship
2. How did I thank or praise him/her?
3. What was this person's response?

Remember that although you may be constantly positive with others, constantly seeing their original spiritual qualities, it may take time for your positive energy to transform them and for them to start transmitting positive energy back to you and start behaving positively with you. At the end of the week, check what benefits did you and others experience from this exercise.

Soul Sustenance 

Busy – Press The Stop Button! (Part 3)

To rise above the monotonous and busy existence explained in the last two days’ messages, we all require a regular dosage of newness to keep our hearts and minds fresh. How can we define newness? It is a change of thoughts, feelings, words, actions, circumstances – when all or some of these deviate from the normal or are new, they give us an experience of joy. On a physical level we go on a holiday or a party, watch a movie, etc., all of these and many more such activities explained earlier in this message series, achieve the purpose mentioned above. We then get back to our daily routine of thoughts and actions, with more freshness, which makes the routine more interesting.

On a spiritual level, to become silent, to be still in the ocean of hectic, noisy action is a choice many people are now making. When this is achieved, this stillness acts on the mind like oxygen, giving the breath to both understand and enrich life. Of course, action is a necessity, an expression of ourselves through time, relationships and the roles we play. However, if we do not sometimes stop and take a breath of silence, then the mind begins to suffocate, thoughts speed like bullet trains and the brain feels as if it is in a pressure cooker. Emotions erupt and react like volcanoes, eyes become dizzy with mountains of information and the head feels like a rollercoaster. This is stress. The mind needs to come up for air, to leave the jungle of pressure, deadlines and speed and slow down and find the point of silence within. Also a daily dose of new and different spiritual knowledge at the start of the day does the work of newness and helps us rise above the monotony. It rekindles our creative spirit. Newness in our thoughts then flows into our feelings, beliefs, attitudes, personalities or natures, perceptions, actions, interactions, relationships, etc. bringing newness in all of them and removing the stagnancy of the regular routine. Also feeding spiritual knowledge to the mind benefits silence or meditation immensely, because meditation, which is not just a process of reducing the mind to a nil stage but the creation of positive, constructive thoughts to take the mind to a positive experience of peace and bliss, can then become an interesting, new and creative exercise each time one practices it. Spiritual knowledge is the foundation of good meditation or silence. 

Message for the day 

To be free from wants is to be free from waste.

Expression: The one who is free from wants is the one who is free from expectations. When there are no expectations, there is not too much thought about what is not there or what should be there. Since the mind is free from all these kind of waste thoughts, whatever is done is the best.

Experience: When I am free from wants or desires, I am able to always remain content. I can then appreciate and enjoy everything that comes my way, and do not expect anything both from situations and people. So the mind is free from waste thoughts and questions.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: October 02, 2019: Balance

Contemplation: October 02, 2019: Balance

Balance

Maintain the balance of responding to situations with a cool head and to people with a warm heart.

Why do most of us find resolving situations quite difficult?

Because we're in the heart of the situation and part of the equation, we're carrying a lot of 'baggage'. This affects our ability to come up with the correct resolution.

So, learn to step out of the equation. Detach yourself from your emotions and your history with the story. Then you're more likely to see the equation clearly and, as a result, be able to resolve the situation.

The Power To Withdraw (cont.)

When I am too open to the world around me, it's as though the arrows of negativity that fly around can easily penetrate my being, so that I lose my power. What others say and do quickly affects me, and I become reactive. This causes a build-up of stress, and eventually burnout, which makes me feel my only option, is to retire from situations altogether, which is not always possible.

I don't want to react; I want to act with concern and reason and effectiveness. When I develop the habit of making a momentary withdrawal in situations of danger, I'm better able to achieve this. Turning within, I'm able to remember my link with the divine, the link of love, the link that fills me with peace and wisdom and good wishes. It's like an exercise: going inwards i.e. connecting with the self, then upwards towards the Supreme and then outwards (in the field of karma). Doing this repeatedly through the day as a discipline as well as at times of danger, I'll keep moving forward with stability and strength.

In order to maintain this power, I have to put a high value on introversion. If I'm too extrovert, I'll become caught up in external circumstances, and won't have power to withdraw available to me at the moment of need.

Soul Sustenance 

Busy – Press The Stop Button! (Part 2)

Technology can be our best friend, and technology can also be the biggest party spoiler of our lives. It interrupts our own story, interrupts our ability to have a thought or a daydream, to imagine something wonderful and create something beautiful, because we're too busy bridging the walk from the cafeteria back to the office on the cell phone, one of the favourite pastimes of our current lifestyle.

We’ve talked of being busy for so long that we’ve forgotten that being busy was never the goal. We are not on this earth to be busy. We are here to build relationships, experience life, go places, create things, help others, or whatever else you decide. Our reasons for being will all be different but if you reflect deeply, you will realize and also feel that none of us feel we are here simply to be busy. But this thinking has lead us to think being busy is good, no matter what we’re busy with. Being busy is not the way we should measure our worth and being busy is a not a worthy goal for any of us. Before you know it, you might get caught up being busy doing worthless things. Sadly the business world continues to train us this way as employees are expected to put in 8-10 hours of work a day even though on some days they might have only 2 or 4 hours of productive things to do. Poor training!

God's plan for enlarging and creating His beautiful kingdom of heaven, a new world order of peace, love and happiness of the future is so simple - one person telling another about God, the Savior and the Liberator i.e. giving the Supreme’s message of joyful, loveful and spiritual soul-conscious existence to each one. Yet we're busy and full of excuses. Just remember, someone's eternal destiny is at stake, that someone who is to receive the message from you. The joy you'll have when you see that person in a liberated and joyful state not only here but in that kingdom of heaven being created will far exceed any discomfort you felt in sharing the gospel or message with him by taking out time from your busy existence.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Message for the day 

To stamp every thought with the stamp of determination is to be victorious.

Expression: When there is determination in thoughts, there is naturally the ability to give the best in spite of all the obstacles. Situations will not deter such a person from achieving what he set out to. And so there is naturally constant victory for the one who is always determined.

Experience: When there is determination in my thoughts, I am never afraid, whatever happens. In fact obstacles only serve to strengthen determination. I never give up what I have started. It is determination that enables me to add power to my thoughts and make them practical.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: October 01, 2019: Are you a Fixer?

Contemplation: October 01, 2019: Are you a Fixer?

Dmitry Medvedev, Prime Minister of Russia  and Nicolas Sarkozy,  President of France, at the Washington Nuclear Summit, April 2010. 

Are you a Fixer?

Are you willing to correct a mistake, even if it wasn't your fault?  Rather than pointing fingers when errors occur, focus on solving the problem.  Then backtrack to identify what went wrong and how similar situations can be avoided.

Positivity

Affluent societies have put huge effort into improving physical facilities, but our minds have suffered neglect. Increased levels of negative states such as anxiety, addiction, irritability and depression have accompanied burgeoning desires. As well as undermining the health of individuals, these negative attitudes and emotions harm society and the environment by causing a loss of fundamental values in our actions. When we feel sad and empty inside, we become part of the problem. We comfort ourselves by blaming others and circumstances. Instead we have to learn how to make our mind strong. That means fill it with positivity.

The Power To Withdraw

The aim of Raja Yoga meditation is to strengthen ones nature so much so that situations which previously might have defeated us, we now find easy to handle. So, the power to withdraw does not mean running away from life, but the ability to find a safe space inside oneself, even in the midst of life.

An image used to illustrate this power is that of the tortoise. When there is danger, the tortoise instantly goes inside its shell, which it carries with it everywhere. In the same way, when I am faced with negativity or active hostility from people and situations around me, there is great strength in become introverted, even for a moment, so as to touch base with the point of peace inside my own being. In doing so, I find not only shelter, but also stability, so that I protect myself from any hostile reactions on my part.

(To be continued tomorrow .....)

Soul Sustenance 

Busy – Press The Stop Button! (Part 1)

Gone are the days when 'idle' was not just a word in the dictionary, but a practical reality and life’s inclusive component. The world is dazed and squinting and so are we. When did you last sit on the window pane looking out at the squirrels or the sunset? Or when did you last read a book on self development or spare a few minutes for spiritual relaxation? Or when did you last spend an idle weekend shopping or with your family? Or when did you meet your old friend for a lunch and laughed till your eyes dropped? If you were to ever pass through a busy market place, you will have plenty of time to observe the running men and women with blank faces. Who has the time to smile? To stop where you are and thank God for the life you have.

Being busy is now not just an activity but a disease. People who are working day and night have an obsession for it, also called workaholicism (being a workaholic). They can't sit idle and anxiety takes over when they do so. The day isn't far when humans will be called sheer machines. Today, the lifestyle of a child to that of an aged person is such that there is no scope for personal time. A student's timetable is like a train schedule. Just one after another. From school to tuitions, from tuitions to vocational classes, then to the sports complex and again to another tuition. A corporate professional’s day moves from one assignment to another revolving around the emotions of * I need, * I want and * I own, without ever thinking of rising above the monotonous existence. Is speed is what we are born for? We cannot only blame our lifestyle. There are more internal causes you would guess, like meeting expectations, pleasing everybody and reaching your idol self, your goals and ambitions is what makes you work like there's no tomorrow.

(To be continued tomorrow …) 

Message for the day 

To have equality in thought, word and action is to be successful.

Projection: With regards to what I want to achieve, my thoughts are usually high. I then speak about my high plans to others too. But to bring my plans into action it takes a long time and by then I find that they have lost their intensity.

Solution: I need to remind myself that if I don't implement my thoughts immediately, I will never do it. I also need to check if the thoughts that I have are practical. I need to then plan and speak about it according to my checking. Then I find that my thoughts and plans are not wasted away, but become practical.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: September 30, 2019: Life

Contemplation: September 30, 2019: Life

Life

Your thoughts guide you to your destiny. If you always think the same you will always get to the same place. Think in a new way and you will be a new person.

Contentment brings discipline in life. 

To be content is to appreciate everything that is in my life. When I life live well, I will make use of everything that I have. At the same time, I will be open to new things without getting overly ambitious. This will ensure that I respect everything I do. This automatically sets a pattern and a discipline in my life and within this pattern itself there will be margin for new things. Today I will set up my routine for the day. While I set up a routine for the physical tasks that I do, I will also set up a routine for the mind. I will ensure that internally I appreciate everything that I do. That means, I am clear about the significance of the task and what quality I need to use while doing it.

Conquering The Emotion Of Jealousy (cont.)

Internal contentment or satisfaction is the antidote (neutralizer or healing agent) for jealousy. People with strong self-esteem and self-respect are the ones who remain satisfied or content and away from the emotion of jealousy while coming in contact with different people with their own unique specialties, virtues and attainments.

Self-respect or self-esteem depends on knowing who I am, knowing my eternal (ageless), internal self. When I have found that sense of internal identity, I feel I have a right to be here, to exist. Without this dimension, it is very difficult to really respect myself deeply. If I base my self-respect on identifying with the superficial (artificial) aspects of my being: my looks, personality, wealth, success, my friends, intelligence or my role, I will never have a stable sense of self-respect, because all these aspects are changeable. Thus I will end up fluctuating all the time. To stay stable in my self-respect, I need to have a deeper understanding of my internal self and tap into those riches that are within me forever, waiting to blossom, like the flower from the seed. As I become internally aware, those riches and resources start flowing out of me. The more stable I am in my self-respect, the more I radiate what I truly am. I feel a deep sense of contentment and I am happy to be me, however I am. I accept myself as I am.

Let us be honest a person who is jealous just cannot sit stably on the seat of self-respect - they keep moving i.e. fluctuating. Today they meet a person with lesser specialties or attainments than them and they are on top of the world - they rise above the seat of self-respect and enter the dimension of ego. Tomorrow they meet a person with more specialties or attainments than them and that is a bad day for them - they go underneath the seat of self-respect and enter the dimension of low self-esteem. What a shallow way of living! The ideal way of living - in both cases, remain in self-respect and give respect to the other. Remember that the jealous, the angry, the bitter and the egotistical are the first to race to the top of mountains. A confident and internally content person enjoys the journey, the people they meet along the way and sees life not as a competition. They reach the summit last because they know God isn't at the top waiting for them. He is down below helping his followers to understand that the view is glorious where ever you stand.

Soul Sustenance 

Understanding The Mechanism Of The Virtue Of Peace (Part 3)

To experience the eternal peace of the soul world, I do the simple exercise explained yesterday and then go a step further. Having created the thought about myself that I am a sparkling star-like energy at the centre of the forehead, just above the eyebrows, visualized it and as a result experienced it, now my objective is visualizing my star like form in the soul world. With this objective in mind, I now create a simple thought that I the star-like energy will make a short journey to the soul world and back. So I create simple thoughts and visualize alongside that I, the soul am leaving my physical body and flying outside. Then I, see my star like form, slowly fly past the ceiling of the room I am in and see myself suspended in the sky (night sky makes the visualization more easy). I see myself as a point of radiant light high above many many buildings and lights. This is similar to what one would see from an aeroplane window while landing or taking off. I then see my light form going higher, past the atmosphere and going past a sea of stars and a few planets and the moon. I then take this visualization further and see myself entering the soul world, a region of soft orange-red light (this is similar to how it looks like at dusk). This region is multidimensional and unlimited in size or expanse. I see my star-like form suspended in this region, radiating rays of peace in all directions. I also see other white/golden star-like souls just like me in the same region. I spend some time in this region, in this experience. In this region my thoughts stop completely and I am only visualizing.

This is the eternal peace experienced whilst visualizing the spiritual self in the soul world. The peace experienced in this exercise is greater than in the exercise mentioned yesterday. Thus the sanskara of peace created in the soul in this exercise is deeper. After a few minutes of this experience, I see myself descending in the physical body in exactly the same way as I flew to the soul world. This is just a visualization exercise or experience and the soul does not actually leave the body and go anywhere. The two practical exercises explained in yesterday's and today's message can be used to experience the two types of peace mentioned. At one time, you can choose to either experience both types or only the first one. You can start with a few minutes and increase the time gradually. Continuous practice will create stronger sanskaras of peace and take you closer to your original state of peace.



Message for the day

The method to get help is to take the first step of courage.

Projection: When I set out to achieve something, I usually expect help from situations or people, but am not always able to get it. Then I tend to become disheartened and sometimes tend to give up the task altogether.

Solution: The right way to get help is to first take a step forward even in the most negative situations. With courage and faith when I start in whatever little way I can, I find the help coming to me. Then I will neither stop nor give up with the little setbacks that I am faced with.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/