Contemplation: February 17, 2020: Soul Reflections

Contemplation: February 17, 2020: Soul Reflections

Soul Reflections

Turn your mind away from distractions and have it face inwards to the inner being.  Like a perfectly calm lake when all whispers of wind have stopped, the inner being shimmers, quietly reflecting the intrinsic qualities of the soul.

Mastery over mind is the ability to concentrate thoughts. 

The practice of concentrating the mind on one thought even whilst being busy is being truly victorious over the mind. This practice helps in using all powers and qualities that are in me. Today I will take a thought and remind myself of it from time to time. A simple thought like "I am the creator of my thoughts and so the master of my mind" or "I am powerful" or "I am special". Such thoughts, when reminded from time to time in my busy schedule, helps me practice mastery.

The Power To Transform Emotions (Part 1)

As with feelings, when emotions are aroused, there are physical changes inside the body in the form of chemical and electrical activity. In fact, strong emotions don’t just affect the body; they also have an impact on the soul. When the soul suffers emotional trauma, from which there is lasting impact, the emotional trauma brings about an immense strain on the brain and body. Brain chemical production is likely to be affected, and there may also be feelings of depression and tiredness. But the real trauma at the root of these physical effects is at a deeper level within the soul itself, and the resulting emotional sensitivity will also arise from the soul.

e.g. I suffer a series of losses or setbacks in my business that causes a lack of confidence and self-respect inside me. A sanskara of low self-esteem is created inside. As a result I become emotionally unstable and sensitive. I'll show a tendency to react emotionally with extreme sorrow (may be in the form of depression) or extreme anger (sometimes in the form of an outburst) whenever there is a similar setback that touches this sensitivity. A person who has not suffered similarly in the past and does not have a sanskara of low self esteem, and as a result does not have this tendency, will not react in a similar fashion under similar circumstances.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Soul Sustenance

Experiencing The Stage Of Being A Detached Observer 

Experience the stage of being a detached observer by gradually creating the following thoughts: 

I am aware of the present moment and of time... The whole world is out there... I let go for a moment of what is happening around me... It is as if the world continues to turn, but I have stopped for a few minutes and turned into an observer... Mentally, I take a step back... I look around me as if I were in the inside of a room... the room of my mind... In this place, I can be with myself... at peace... calm... free... Here I do not have pressures, or worries, or fears... Nothing and nobody can influence me... I can think... see things as they really are... 

I am sitting like an observer, seeing through two windows... These windows are my eyes... I am not my eyes... I am aware of who is looking through these eyes, a tiny sparkling star like energy, the soul... I am different from everything I am seeing... I perceive that separation between the observer and the observed... I observe the things that surround me without judging, without analyzing... I simply observe, remaining at peace with myself... 

I see this world as a stage of a great unlimited theatre play... each human being is an actor, a soul playing their own role via their physical body... I simply observe from my inner room... things come and go... nothing is permanent... I do not need to worry about anything or anybody... I let things be... flow... I am at peace... calmed... I share this vibration of peace with all that surrounds me. 

Message for the day

When you have the faith that things will turn out to be the best you can enjoy whatever life brings your way.

Contemplation: Throughout the day you will come across a lot of seemingly difficult situations. But if you have the faith that whatever happened was good, and whatever is happening is better, you will be able to enjoy each and every moment. You will also be able to learn from your mistakes. 

Application: At the end of each day think of all those things that happened wrong and see what you have learnt from them. When you are sure that you have learnt something you will understand what has happened was for the good. 


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

 https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: February 16, 2020: Balance In Life

Contemplation: February 16, 2020: Balance In Life

Dervish Whirling Dance, Sufi Whirling in Konya Turkey

Balance In Life

The indication of balance in life is a sense of well-being, optimism and a clear conscience. The foundation for achieving this is to look after myself spiritually - making my mind peaceful, loving and thoughtful at all times. Then I will instinctively know how much time to spend on my own well-being and how much on fulfilling other responsibilities. I can only give my best to others when I am myself at my best.

Control

When things go wrong, our first thought is often about controlling the situations or people involved. But since neither the situations nor people are in our hands, there is no success guaranteed with this way of thinking, which only increases the negativity. Instead of trying to control something I have no control upon, I need to start with myself. The more I am able to control myself with constant attention, checking and changing, the more I will have everything under control.

Overcoming Possessiveness And Complexes In Close Relationships (Part 2)

In yesterday's message, we talked about ailments like possessiveness and complexes existing in our family relationships today. Today we explain how meditation can cure these ailments with much ease. As I practice meditation, which is nothing but a practical exercise of experiencing soul consciousness, I carry that experience into my relationships. While interacting with each one of my closest of relations, I start becoming aware of myself as an eternal soul, an actor on the unlimited stage of the world, playing my act through the physical body costume and I see each one with the same consciousness. Also the realization grows that the role I am playing with others now is only one small part of the whole painting of life. I don't know where I was, in which part of the painting and with whom, before I took this birth, nor where I will be afterwards. The same is true for those with whom I am close. Depending on the type of relationship, I do have a particular responsibility towards each one of them whilst we are playing our parts together, but this only lasts a short time within this eternal timeline e.g. as father and child, each has a particular role today, but who knows about yesterday or tomorrow?

In meditation, I stabilize in the consciousness that I am an eternal soul, and that all human beings are souls, members of a huge spiritual family. Roles will change, but as souls, we only have an unlimited spiritual relation, we are brothers, but have no other permanent physical relation. Becoming aware of this spiritual wisdom  protects me against limited feelings of my mother, my husband, my sister and so on, where such feelings cause possessiveness and a desire to control, rather than pure spiritual love filled with equality. All problems are reduced in relationships, when the personality trait inside me that tries to control others, or is controlled by others, is removed. Both of these are negative behaviors, caused due to lack of inner security, not true responsibility or concern. By knowing myself as a soul, my self-respect returns and by seeing others in the same light, my respect for others returns. From this strong soul-conscious spectator point, there is an inner detachment (but not a lack of love) inside me and I'll no longer feel a need to manipulate others or be manipulated by the other, but instead I will radiate pure feelings of genuine love, care and respect into my relationships. This causes the same energy to come back to me from my relationships.

Soul Sustenance

Being Impressed By Others – Is It Beneficial?

To keep our self-esteem intact, we need to make sure that we do not have an impressionable intellect. Being impressed by people, in itself, is not bad, but we can fall into the tendency of staying trapped in the superfluous (excessive and unnecessary) and in appearances. What impresses us influences us and even moulds our awareness at that moment. We lose the ability to create our thoughts and feelings and these are influenced by the impression that we have allowed the other person to leave on us. Sometimes the impression is such that we completely give ourselves to it. We give up our power to the other, and we allow them to dominate our emotional world. The results of allowing oneself to be impressed are varied and on different levels. 

For example, when we are impressed by the other's position; it is fine to respect the authority and the position of the other, but when we allow their position to impress us, our ability to relate to the person in a smooth way is blocked. This can make it difficult for us to be the authority in our own life. Another example is when we are impressed by the achievements of the other and put them on a pedestal. We compare ourselves with him or her and have weak thoughts of ourselves, such as that we are not as good or effective as them, or we might feel jealousy or guilt. All of this acts as an obstacle on the path towards our own achievement. It is good to recognize and appreciate the achievements and skills of others, but when we allow them to impress us, in some way, we submit ourselves to their influence and we weaken our self-esteem and our respect towards ourselves. Without realizing, we use the other to fill a gap that we feel in ourselves. This will not always work. It will not strengthen us; rather it will create a dependency and dependencies weaken us. 

Message for the day

Set your mind on the seat of stability and you will never become upset.

Contemplation: In all that you do throughout the day, check if you are able to stabilize your mind wherever and in whatever thought you want at the right moment. If you are not able to you will find yourself getting upset. 

Application: Each morning create a positive thought for yourself. For example, tell yourself "I am the one who is in control of my mind and I can set it the way I want to." Now practice focusing on this one thought. Stabilize in this thought for some time. 


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: February 15, 2020: Equanimity

Contemplation: February 15, 2020: Equanimity

Equanimity

In the face of:

Compliments & insults;

Regard & disregard;

Profit & loss;

Maintain Equanimity.

Make time to create the moments you need for silence.

To create a time of silence takes just a second. 

A second is a drop of time ... a drop of time through which I step to renew myself deep inside. 

So I stop, for a second, and say to myself, "Now I shall go inside." In the space of a second, I pass beyond all the muddle and find myself in my original state of peace.

Overcoming Possessiveness And Complexes In Close

Relationships (Part 1)

We are all aware and we all experience also that close knit family relationships are a constant source of happiness and love. But these relationships, many a times, also possess the capacity of bringing along with this love and joy, many different negative shades of possessiveness and domination, and complexes and dependencies. These are widespread ailments existing in our family relationships today, but which can be cured. Meditation is a very positive healing process which can cure the causes of these ailments, which exist inside the human souls. Once the causes are cured through meditation, relationships become extremely healthy, which provide the self from others and from the self to others, only and only positive energy, in the form of positive and empowering thoughts, feelings, words and actions.

A common sign of these diseases is lack of respect for people close to us. As a result of a disrespectful consciousness, we sometimes behave with our nearest and dearest ones, like maybe our spouse or children or siblings (brothers or sisters) or parents, in such an offensive manner  which we normally never and would not ever even think of showing towards people with whom we are not very close. It's not just a question of mannerisms, but of inner respect for the other. So often in families, a particular fixed order in relationships, positions of higher and lower, positions of senior and junior, become established, leading to feelings of superiority and inferiority, the effects of which start penetrating  in the relationships e.g. the mother-in-law is very dominating and takes it for granted that she will be listened to by the son and daughter-in-law. Or an older brother or sister orders around a younger sibling, not giving him/her enough space in which to speak his or her own mind and express himself/herself, leading to an inferiority complex in the younger sibling. Or a wife is extremely possessive of the husband, not giving him enough personal freedom. Once established, these behaviors become permanent sanskaras and tend to be carried with us through life, so that even when we have left the original family relationships and circumstances in which these behaviors existed, we bring the same personality traits into our new  relationships and circumstances.

(To be continued tomorrow ...)

Soul Sustenance

A Journey To Happiness Or A Journey Of Happiness (Part 3)?

It is said that the power of love can move mountains. We need to look at resources like love that exist in the universe, in our relationships which can uplift our spirits and reduce the tightness that exists due to unfinished tasks and objectives. It is said that any type of intoxication can reduce our stresses and make us optimistic in times of distress. Love is one such type of intoxication and here love can range from the love between two friends to that between a mother and her fledgling (young) child. Love can also be spiritual i.e. the love experienced from a strong relationship with a deity or God. For some even love for the self, nurtured by giving time to an art, music, a sport, a good book, a hobby or a meditation, can be energizing and liberating. For another set of people, love for a figure head who may be a politician, an entertainer, a sportsman or an actor can be an uplifting power. 

So instead of becoming subservient (under the influence of) to time, instead of saying that time will tell and time will heal, let’s use the power of love to remain satisfied to the core in the present. Life is full of so many beautiful relationships (a few mentioned in this message) and the different shades of love that each relationship provides. By emerging these different shades of love in our consciousness at different types depending on the situation scenario, the clouds of unfulfilled expectations or expectations that are to be fulfilled sometime in the future (but uncertainty regarding them exists); will disappear. A roller-coaster life ride full of the rises of will happens and the falls of will not happens will get replaced by a smooth train ride in which you constantly experience the breeze of satisfaction and joy to the fullest. So do tap the power of love and enjoy every moment without losing focus of your aspirations (goals). This is the method of experiencing true happiness and this is our experience here at the Brahma Kumaris. So do give it a try! 

Message for the day

When you look at the specialities in each one you can easily cooperate with others and receive their cooperation.

Contemplation: Each and every individual has something special. If you make the habit of seeing these specialities, you will find that others are able to relate to you with these specialities and you can easily get their cooperation. You will also be able to cooperate with them easily. 

Application: Think of one person you are not able to cooperate with. Now think of one speciality of that person. Make sure you relate to this speciality whenever you come into contact with this person. As you continue this practice you will find your negativity vanishing away and cooperation becomes easy. 


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: February 14, 2020: Look for Goodness

Contemplation: February 14, 2020: Look for Goodness

Artist: Oleg Shuplyak-Hidden Images

Look for Goodness

There is goodness in everything.  Our goal is to find it.  In every person, the best is there.  Our job is to recognize it.  In every situation, the positive is there.  Our opportunity is to see it.  By seeing the goodness, we'll be naturally enthusiastic and our lives will be richer.

To be content and make others content is the best way to get good wishes. 

 Whether others are good to me or not, I need to develop the art of being content. I can be content when I appreciate what I have rather than just expecting from others or situations. When I am content, I can provide others too from my own reservoir. Thus, I will be able to give the experience of contentment to others too. This is a simple way to earn good wishes from others, filling me more. Today I will not let anyone go away from me empty handed. I will ensure that every person that comes to me, gets some positive experience or is connected to something positive in his own life. This will keep me busy giving and will make me free from expectations too.

Switching On The Consciousness Of The Soul To Experience Peace

During the initial stages of meditation many wasteful thoughts do come. This is due to the soul's old habit, since many births, of thinking aimlessly. The mind has been attracted or repelled by everything and everyone. The soul has been pushed around from waves of one experience into another, exposed to different scenes. So, after such a long journey, in the present moment, it finds itself stuck in negative cycles of worry, doubt and confusion, which it must break by recharging itself with its own original characteristics of peace, purity, love and joy. Meditation is this recharging process with which we channel good, constructive and positive thought energy into our moods.

I must make sure the engines of my senses are not burning up the vital fuel of inner peace.  The soul does not grow or diminish but only experiences change in its happiness or unhappiness, peace or peacelessness etc. The very word peaceless suggests that I was at some stage peaceful. I now know that I had peace in the soul world. I can see how peace is the real oxygen for the soul. When I do not have it, I choke and become spiritually breathless and look for it everywhere. I am a soul and I have my own inner store of peace from which I can draw at any time. I do not need to practice complicated breathing exercises or difficult physical postures for the same. I can experience peace by switching on the conscious of the soul wherever I am, driving, cooking at home or when busy at work. Thus meditation is a continuing experience rather than a static one.

Soul Sustenance

A Journey To Happiness Or A Journey Of Happiness (Part 2)?

It is worth wondering that obstacles on the life journey can be temporary obstructions in our achievements, but not obstructions in our happiness. Only then the journey of life will be a journey of happiness and not a journey to happiness. One of the most important ways of remaining happy during the journey with many challenges co-existing at the same time is increasing the wealth of our thinking. The right type of thinking will make us happy even if there are unfinished tasks or goals or life events which we are keenly anticipating to get over. Raise the bar of your thinking on a challenging day and see how rich and full you feel internally which will make you pure happiness conscious and not challenge consciousand also not date conscious, the date when the challenge will be overcome which you cannot wait to see unfold in front of your eyes. The source of rich thinking is a choice for you to make which we will not thrust upon you but do make a good selection and feed that source every day to your mind before leaving for work or starting any day-long activity which keeps you occupied. 

Also, have you heard the story of the woodcutter who used to work very hard the whole day but used to not cut much by the end of the day without realizing the reason for the same. This went on for many days until one fine day someone suggested to him that why don’t you sharpen your axe? He did that and his tiring days got over. Likewise we go on and on the whole day in search of different life purposes without ever sparing a thought that our axe which is our strengths, specialties and skills, needs to be sharpened. Not a single day should pass without experiencing our strengths, positives and special personality traits including our unique talents. You might wonder how we will experience these? The path is simple – by bringing them into the playing field of practical action. This will not only make you fuller, but along with that, both - the practical application of these unique positives inside you and the pure happiness due to the high self-esteem experienced will pave the path for the faster fulfillment of your ambitions. 

(To be continued tomorrow …) 

Message for the day

When each one is working towards a common task, cooperation becomes easy.

Contemplation: To get others' cooperation you need to share the task and the information regarding the task with others. When you communicate your motives using easy and simple language, everyone can understand and feel a part of the whole and they would naturally contribute their best. 

Application: Any new task that you take up make sure you 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. 


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: February 13, 2020: Take a Moment

Contemplation: February 13, 2020: Take a Moment

Take a Moment

Let go of your accumulated thoughts and feelings.

Access your inner tranquility, stillness and clarity. 

Feel full, refreshed and at ease with yourself. 

Now, return to the field of sound and action.

Appreciation

We all want to be appreciated by others but we don't always receive what we want.

Try to appreciate others' appreciation, without depending on it.

Whilst people's appreciation counts, what counts more is that you appreciate yourself first. 

Be proud of who you are and what you do.

Entering Into A Land Of Forgiveness (Part 4)

The Land of Forgiveness cannot be created without the power of truth. While peace and love transform our emotions, we cannot forgive someone or not get angry at someone who has wronged us without rock solid self-esteem, which is the energy of truth in action. There are some who tolerate and forgive, but they give in to the pressure associated with it by indulging in occasional outbursts. Doing the same with pleasure and not with pressure requires regular inputs of true spiritual wisdom from the Supreme and their inculcation. Over a period of time, such an individual becomes filled with the power of truth and is able to withstand the pressures of coming into contact with a difficult personality. He is able to not only remain introverted while connecting with such a person but also radiate good wishes to the other person and smile softly in the process of doing the same.

There are some common sayings in the everyday teachings of the Brahma Kumaris based on truth - the one who is truthful dances in joy, the boat of truth will rock (shake) but will not sink, the one who is truthful will emerge victorious – such a person, who is an ocean of truth, is the one who wears the different hearts of forgiveness (explained earlier) gracefully and is an instrument in creating a Land of Forgiveness and earns the sweet blessings of the Supreme Father.

 Soul Sustenance

A Journey To Happiness Or A Journey Of Happiness (Part 1)?

A commonly expressed misnomer (an inaccurate expression), in our everyday interactions is – “Wait till I achieve this particular goal, whether it be a promotion, success in a particular exam, marriage, retirement, a birth of a child or an end of a nerve wrecking (tight) situation and I will be happy”. Why are all of these misnomers? Aren’t these all life is all about? Isn’t calling all of these misnomers unnatural? Try remembering a single moment in your life without these and you will be left wondering. In this message, we try and convince our readers the futility (worthlessness) of waiting for goals to be achieved and then becoming happy. So we argue is it a journey to happiness or is it a journey of happiness? The wait for happiness is futile because one goal is followed by another challenge; the challenge is followed by another unexpected phase, leaving us without any moments to experience our desired happiness amidst so many uncomfortable pressure points. 

Happiness can be defined as a state of being created, while working towards a goal, not a feeling to be experienced after achieving the goal, simply because life is a journey with a series of goals, sometimes one after the other and sometimes with two or even more than two goals co-existing with each other. So should one anxiously wait for the goals to be achieved or should one take the wait for goals to be achieved, in one’s stride accepting it as a part and parcel of our life journey. For very long, we have associated happiness with achievement and this has become an integral part of our modern day belief system, as the speed of life has become faster and more challenging with each day. We suggest a change in this ideology and associate happiness with experiencing each day –creative ideas; experiencing strengths, specialties and skills by bringing them in action and also experiencing beautiful relationships with others; the relationship with the self; and love by sharing and receiving it from others. 

(To be continued tomorrow …) 



Message for the day

You receive cooperation from others when you have a clear aim.

Contemplation: When you are doing something with a clear picture in your mind others will naturally cooperate with you. If you are not sure of what you are doing and why you will not be able to receive their cooperation. 

Application: When you want the cooperation of others in what you do make sure that you are sure of what you are doing. Be clear in your mind of what you want to achieve and you will find others helping you. 


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

 https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: February 12, 2020: Greed

Contemplation: February 12, 2020: Greed

Hope Diamond

Greed

Diamond alone can cut another diamond and a thorn alone will have to be used to remove another thorn. The tendency to be greedy can be cured by another facet of greed. Instead of showing attachment towards worldly objects, one's attention should be directed towards divinity. We can be greedy to acquire spiritual knowledge. Let me possess a deep desire to develop forgiveness, politeness, straightforwardness and peacefulness.

To be a trustee is to use all treasures well. 

We do have a lot of treasures. But we need to understand that we are entrusted with these treasures so that we can bring benefit to others too. When we put into use treasures like our thoughts, values, skills etc for the benefit of others, we are benefited too. So, we need to use all these treasures as a trustee. Today I will say everything that is mine belongs to God and is meant for His service. This ensures that I don't waste or misuse any of the treasures entrusted to me. I use it well for others, as well as for myself.

Entering Into A Land Of Forgiveness (Part 3)

There is a saying in India that in a home where the fire of anger exists, pots of water also dry up. Anger is a name given to a large collection of desires that exist inside the human consciousness which prevent us from forgiving. Filling the emotions inside our mind with love and pacifying the emotions of subtle desires is the second step in creating an environment of forgiveness wherever we are. Imagine a world without the numerous desires that exist in our lives - I need, I want, I own, I expect, I am right, I envy– these are subtle fires that burn up the energy of pure soul-to-soul love, that exists inside us instinctively, because we are children of God, the Supreme Soul, who is an Ocean of love.

So waking up in the morning and starting the day with a warm Good Morning to this Ocean of love and having a heart-to-heart conversation and a deep loveful communion with Him and filling myself with the deepest pure love existing in this complete Universe, is paving the way for my heart to be cleansed of the various ego-based emotions and for it to become moulded as a forgiving one, because the more I fill my heart with God’s love, the more I am enriched with soul-to-soul love and the more sweet and humble I become. And such a transformed me, then is able to win the hearts of each one and create an atmosphere of love and forgiveness around me, which is my vow (promise) to the Supreme.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Soul Sustenance

Simple Exercise For Experiencing Inner Peace And Compassion (Kindness)

Sit comfortably and relax. Now focus your attention on your breathing… let it find its own calm rhythm… gently breathe in peacefulness and breathe out any negative feelings. 

Allow your mind to slow down… do not judge your thoughts as good or bad, accept them and let them go. 

Now focus on your inner peace…that place that is deep within yourself… that is peaceful… where your inner compassion (kindness) and forgiveness lies… here you are patient, tolerant, generous, understanding… all these qualities are here which make up your inner compassion. Experience the feeling of compassion… and see it focused as a point… a point of light…situated at the center of your forehead. 

Now raise your awareness beyond yourself… to a place of unlimited peace… see it first as a small point of light. As you move towards it, it becomes brighter… it is like an ocean of peace… a space of calm, of love, of compassion… you feel connected to that ocean of deep peace and love… it surrounds you like a shawl, it fills you up, absorbing every part of you with a comfortable warmth. 

Rest in that feeling of being loved… it is like energy… a vibration… a light filling you… until you overflow… 

Now, slowly you move away from the ocean – as a point of light. You still have the memory of being loved… and can reconnect at any time you want. 

Gradually become aware of your body. 

Message for the day

Perform every task while in your self-respect and others will continue to cooperate with you.

Contemplation: When you are doing something and you are in your self-respect, it creates cooperation. On the other hand if you have ego because of which you expect others to recognize your work and appreciate it, it creates competition and jealousy. 

Application: When you find someone not cooperating with you, check within yourself why you are performing that task. If there is the slightest feeling of trying to prove yourself, remove it. Let there be the thought in the mind that you want only success in the task and nothing else. 


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/