Contemplation: March 25, 2020: Give Blessings

Contemplation: March 25, 2020: Give Blessings

Give Blessings

We are all blessed with life and all the opportunities it brings, though most of us forget to notice. But we also have blessings to give. In fact, the opportunity to give our blessings may be the greatest blessing of all. By bestowing our good wishes, encouraging, empowering others, we bless. And when we do, they return a thousand-fold. Bless and be blessed.

To be a trustee of God is to use all treasures well. 

When I understand that all that is mine is truly God's, I can use all that I have sensibly. I would not want to waste anything that I have - not my money, resources, thoughts or words and actions. I would use all that I have sensibly as an instrument of God. I would also be detached, whilst doing everything. Today I will take up one resource I have, for example, the resource of thoughts. I will remind myself throughout the day that I am a trustee and God has given me these so that I can look after it well and use them for the good of myself or others. When I do this, I will not let negative or waste thoughts to come in. I will only have those thoughts that are useful. So, each day I can keep check on any of the other resources that I have.

Dancing To God’s Flute Tune (Part 1)

Discovering a spiritual universe where God is a constant companion and all relationships are with this highest entity, who is the pole star of this universe, brings to the soul-star, that is me, a new dimension of learning when God himself comes down from his throne (not a physical one) in the soul world, everyday, to share with His angelic children (who take up the role of spiritual students); the tune of the flute of knowledge, to rescue his long lost but now found beloveds, and give them a new breath of life. These soul-students are the ones who have over many different births called out to God in different physical costumes or bodies, different names, forms, genders, roles and life situations and dreamt of an ideal heavenly existence, where God not only gives His supreme company in the form of a canopy of remembrance or meditation or a link between us and Him but also opens one of His most important characteristics of being an Ocean of Knowledge and makes us the rivers of knowledge who are connected to this source.

This role of God, the knowledge-giver, has been remembered in the complete physical world in the form of one of the most famous scriptures in the world – the Bhagavad Gita. The only difference is that in the Gita, mistakenly God has been shown as one with a physical form but in reality this physical form of God shown in theGita as Krishna is a remembrance of the old world physical costume or physical old chariot or physical body which God enters, to impart His knowledge at the time of extreme irreligiousness or impurity in the world, when the misuse of lust by humans is prevalent in the world. God has been accepted by all world religions as an incorporeal being of spiritual light and might and his point of light form has been worshipped in various traditions in different ways but His act of divine sustenance in the form of a knowledge-giver has remained incognito expect in Indian traditions where God is not only remembered as the Father but also as a Mother, in many hymns of worship, due to this act.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Soul Sustenance

Meditation For Experiencing Soul Consciousness

Read over the following words slowly and silently. Using the power of visualization, aim to experience them in your mind: 

I withdraw my attention away from the physical limbs and sense organs........ 
I focus on myself........ 
I am listening through these ears........ 
I am looking through these eyes........ 
This instrument of mine, the physical body, is a precious vehicle........ 
a valuable instrument, a medium........ 
But, that which is more valuable and more precious is the being (soul) making this instrument function........ 
Within this assembly of bones and muscles and amazing organs is a being of light........ 
In the centre of the forehead is a point of light …… 
I am this being of light........ 
I the being of light express myself through this body........ 
But the body is not I........ 
I am light........ 
I spread rays of peace in all directions........ 
I become aware of the power within this point of light........ 
Within I the being of light is everything that I am and everything that I have........ 
Within my own being are my qualities, my powers, my talents........ 
In the awareness of who I am I radiate this light within........ 
and in the awareness of this inner light........ 
I hold my head held high in self-respect........ 

Message for the day

Humility enables one to serve others.

Expression: The one who is humble is the one who is complete and full. So just like a tree which is laden with fruit, bowing down and offering all it has humbly, the one who is full is ready for service. He is available for others to take benefit from whatever resources are there with him. This humility earns respect from others and gives happiness to all. 

Experience: When I am able to bow down with the awareness of what I have, I am fully in the stage of my self-respect. The more I am able to bow, the more others also bow down with regard to me and respect my fortune. This enables me to be a giver to those around me and experience contentment - constantly. 


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: March 24, 2020: Live Fully

Contemplation: March 24, 2020: Live Fully

Preikestolen cliff Norway

Live Fully

They say 'only fools live to the full'. Because only fools go where most of us fear to go, only fools do what many of us spend our lives avoiding. You don't have to climb Mount Everest, or cross the world in a hot air balloon to live to the full. Simply enter each day with a commitment not to avoid anything or anybody who comes your way. Then your Everests will come to you, in the form of difficult people and challenging situations, and the only thing you will need to conquer is our own fear and evasions. And when you do conquer, you will know that you have lived fully, for there is nothing more exhilarating than overcoming our own obstacles which, if the truth were known, are always only in our own minds. When you turn to face these inner obstacles and challenges some people call this real courage and you certainly are no fool. 

relax7

No Expectations

Often, we offer suggestions to other people on how things should happen, how we would do it, or what we think works best.

If they don't follow our suggestions we may feel hurt and react, because we're expecting things to happen "our way." According to us, "our way" is the "right" way!

Try this instead: offer suggestions with no expectations attached. And if they don't follow your suggestions, you'll accept and respond more positively. Who knows, you might just discover that "a different way" is a "better way", after all!

Being A Good Transformation Agent (Part 2)

If you go inside yourself and observe, with sincerity, your feelings towards someone that you consider unbearable or intolerable, you will see that your perception (way of looking at them), your expectations and your bad feelings make you feel that the other is unbearable or intolerable. You have allowed the other to influence you in the creation of your bad feelings. You have lost compassion (kindness) and the capacity to accept and understand the other.

Being a good transformation (change) agent requires having full control over your inner world. If you are the victim of your rapidly moving mind, your bad feelings, your aggressive emotional states and of your not-very-healthy habits, you will easily feel yourself to be the victim of others, of circumstances, of time and of society. In relationships, the key is in living with your consciousness awake and not to do anything that your conscience does not agree with. In doing so, you don't have to fear the opinion of others. You don't have to feel insecure or doubt yourself. If not, we will continue to act against our own consciousness and we will feel ourselves to be victims. To avoid pain or the unhappiness that arises automatically when we act against our own consciousness, we look for guilt excuses: Because of... I haven't acted as I should. We blame or we make excuses. That way we suppress the voice of our consciousness until the suffering and unhappiness is such that our conscience scolds us, which increases our unhappiness even more. A good transformation agent will always obey the voice of the inner conscience. By remaining in tune with our conscience and creating right thoughts, words and actions, it becomes easier for us to move from victim consciousness to transformer consciousness (one who brings about change).

Soul Sustenance

Creating Positive Habits

Some habits do not upset us, but others can cause irritation, frustration and desperation. We want to rid ourselves of them: but how? When we look at the creation and fulfillment of thoughts, it looks like a closed system: the thoughts lead to actions, the actions create a series of impressions (sanskars), and these impressions are responsible for similar thoughts, which lead us to similar actions, this is a vicious cycle. If we want to change a habit, then where do we start? In other words, where do we change the system or how do we get out of the cycle? First of all, we can try changing our negative actions: for example, stop a mental negative habit like anger or a physical one like drinking. In many cases, although we change our behaviour, but because we have not understood deeply why we wanted to do it, is quite possible that one day we will go back to this old habit. 

We can try changing this system in our subconscious. By analyzing what is recorded in our subconscious, through different therapies, the results are not altogether satisfactory. There is always some traumatic event, or painful experience behind a fear which causes us to cling on to a negative habit. And although we can see and recognize our fears and anxieties, if we do not replace them with something better, with a more beneficial and healthier alternative, very often we will feel tempted to cling on to these old systems, even though they do not work and they make us unhappy. To eliminate certain things we have recorded in our subconscious, meditation and silence are the most effect non-violent methods. Another method is to try and change our beliefs with positive affirmations (thoughts) that strengthen our willpower, and thus introduce a new habit to replace the old one. It is vital not to repeat this affirmation mechanically, but to introduce it into the system of beliefs we hold, and act as if we already were what we express in this affirmation. 

Message for the day

Life's situations are a game for the one who is prepared to face challenges.

Expression: For the one who is a skilled player, every situation, however challenging it may be, seems like a game. Even the most difficult situation is faced bravely, knowing that it has come to teach something and increase the skill within. So such a person becomes a source of support to those around during difficult times. 

Experience: When I am aware of my own skills and specialities, I am able to face all life's situations with lightness and confidence. I enjoy everything that comes my way. I also am able to experience progress as I use all situations as a means for further increasing my own potential. 


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: March 23, 2020: Free Mind

Contemplation: March 23, 2020: Free Mind

Free Mind

A free mind is a mind that is open to everything and attached to nothing. Most people spend much of their time looking for reasons to be offended. An open mind is never offended because it is free of any attachments. It is never the self that is offended but always the illusion that the self has of itself that is affected by insult! If you can really understand this, deeply grasp it’s truth, live it each day, then pain will be no more. Next time you “feel” offended look closely within yourself at yourself and ask yourself what was offended? If you remain aware you will see that it was only an image of yourself which you had become attached to, and that image did not resonate with the image contained in the insult. If you weren’t attached, if you didn’t identify with the wrong image of yourself then there would be no offence taken. You would then remain free and therefore happy.

Excuses

Excuses are self imposed limitations. Excuses are the masks that cover up our fears.

So, the next time you catch yourself making excuses, why you can't or won't do something - stop!

Stop Finding Excuses And Reasons (F.E.A.R.) and figure out what's behind the excuse.

Uncover your fears (even if it's a bit scary) and break free of limiting beliefs. Then make a choice whether you can and will do something, or not.

Being A Good Transformation Agent (Part 1)

Often, we feel ourselves to be victims of different factors that seem to direct the course of our life without us being able to control them. The world does not seem to dance to our music and our will, and we feel ourselves to be victims because things do not work out or are not as we want. Therefore, we give up and decide to resign ourselves to this reality; to be victims of it and observe passively (non-actively), resisting what comes, getting frustrated and bad-tempered. However, we could position ourselves in another way: being transformation (change) agents (the ones who are able to change the external factors like people or situations) by creating a different reality. To do so we have to change our perception. Also, it is necessary to strengthen our capacity to tolerate, accept, let go and forget. Tolerance here also refers to understanding, love and compassion (kindness). Not to put up with people or things, but to remain above them, to go beyond them; to co-operate with trust and motivation. It is difficult for us to tolerate because we have expectations and pre-conceived ideas of how others should act and be. Then we create negative feelings towards them because they are not like that or don’t act in the manner that we want. This makes our relationship with them difficult.

When your vision towards others is positive, you see their qualities, their efforts and their values instead of their defects and their errors. You are open to listening to them and to understanding their intentions. That way it is easier to have good feelings towards them.Basing ourselves on a positive and objective vision and on good feelings, we do not have to put up with, or even tolerate the other - the relationship becomes streamlined.

(To be continued tomorrow…)

Soul Sustenance

Accessing Spiritual Power 

In the inner depths of the soul there is pure, spiritual power of peace, love, wisdom and un-conditional joy. This power provides us with the inner strength needed to change. But how do we access this power? Meditation is the method – it allows this power to come to the surface of our consciousness and into our minds and influence our thoughts, feelings and personality. In the same way as lava flows from the inner depths of the Earth to the surface through a volcano, we can also create volcanoes of spiritual power when we meditate. Note, though, that we want to use our power in a positive way: we are not seeking the kind of power that is physical in nature and may cause damage, we are seeking spiritual power. 

When we get access to our own personal source of the power of peace, love and happiness, we essentially become free of any dependency on external sources for feelings of the same. When we generate our own feelings of love and self-respect, we stop being dependent on others and our addiction to their acceptance and approval reduces and finally disappears. When we generate our own feelings of contentment and joy within ourselves, we become free from the need for substances, places or physical experiences in order to be happy. 

Using this inner power in the right way allows us to uproot or remove completely the old negative habits within our personality.  Any unwanted habit can be changed and the scars of all the negative habits, which have developed within the soul over a long period of time, during the journey of birth and rebirth, can be healed in a short time span.

Message for the day

Commitment for truth brings constant happiness.

Expression: For the one who is constantly with the truth, there will be no fluctuations in the happiness - experienced by the self and expressed to the others. So there is benefit for both the self and others through this. Only when there is no truth, the support of falsehood is taken to prove and defend oneself. So the happiness is not retained constantly. 

Experience: When I am committed towards living by the truth, I will not be influenced by the different situations that I am faced with, but will be able to experience constant happiness. I will never be influenced negatively by negative situations and allow myself to lose my happiness. Also I naturally find my happiness rising constantly. 


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: March 22, 2020: Embodiment of Success

Contemplation: March 22, 2020: Embodiment of Success

Embodiment of Success

May you become the embodiment of success by having the determination to make fruit grow even on infertile land. To become the embodiment of success in anything, a combination of determination and love is required. Just as scientists nowadays try to grow things in a desert, in the same way, continue to give the water of love with the power of silence and become fruitful. With determination, you can ignite the lamp of hope in those who are hopeless.

The way to be healthy is to have the nourishment of happiness. 

The best nourishment for both the body and mind is the nourishment of happiness. The one who is able to be in happiness under all circumstances is truly healthy. When I have the aim to be happy, I will start finding reasons to be so. Happiness brings a lot of other qualities that help me empower myself to face challenges. So, I become stronger mentally, thereby becoming physically healthier too. Today I will be happy whatever the situations or challenges I may have to face throughout the day. Instead of finding small little reasons to be upset, let me today find small little reasons to be happy. Even when everything seems to be going wrong, there is surely something that is going right or could go right with my
effort. 

Connecting To The Qualities Of Others

Meditation adds immense value and depth to my relationships. It also brings closeness in them. Many obstacles and barriers, both on a physical as well as a subtle level, come between me and others when my consciousness and as a result, my perception are struck primarily in the physical dimension. If I hardly know five to ten per cent of myself, and that too mostly on the surface, my relationships are going to be similarly superficial. With my self-respect built on very weak foundations, it will tend to be delicate and I'll be prone to trying to maintain it by thinking about and focusing my energies on others' weaknesses, sometimes real and sometimes even imagined. I'll also find it hard to realize and appreciate their qualities. Such is the state of so many human relationships today.

In meditation, I go into the depths of myself, and deep within my inner being, I find the beauty of peace, love and happiness that is there inside me. I also realize that this same beauty lies inside each soul. Then naturally and very easily, without any effort, I get connected to the same qualities in others. I also find the strength to do the same. I am no longer judgmental seeing others’ temporary sanskaras of negativity. I find qualities that are basically there inside every soul: the original qualities or sanskaras of each spiritual being. It’s like a basic prototype for the whole of humanity, which I deeply see and realize.

Soul Sustenance

Fulfilling the Criteria of Positivity (Part 2)

In yesterday’s message we defined positivity and negativity from a spiritual perspective. Further elaborating, negativity hides my truth, and causes me to take incorrect steps during the day, without realizing, hurting myself and others yet not knowing how or why. At the level of non-physical spiritual vibrations, we are all connected with each other, as a result of which if I help others to come close to the experience of truth, a state in which the other is an embodiment of the virtues of peace, love, joy, purity and power (as defined yesterday), I will also help myself: whereas if I bring others down into a state of falsehood, the opposite, that will also bring me down. Whenever I give another soul an experience of any of these virtues, the virtue first flows through me and then touches the other. As a result there is an increase in the virtue inside me first and then the other is benefitted.

In the entire day, my words and actions may be numbered, but my thoughts are in thousands. My mind works, even when I sleep, even though I am not active physically at that time. The quality of my thoughts at that time is largely influenced by the quality of my thoughts, words and actions during the day. So I need to be aware throughout the day as to how much is each thought, word and action of mine fulfilling the criteria of positivity i.e. bringing me and others closer to a state of truth. The more my thoughts, words and actions do so; the result is an increase in an experience of inner and outer lightness in the self and a similar experience from me to those who come into my contact or whom I interact with. 

Message for the day

The language of silence is more powerful than the sound of words.

Expression: When something is expressed in silence, it is with the power of thoughts. Such thoughts spread positive vibrations and reach out to the others, in such a way that even the words can't. Also when such kind of positive actions are added to the positive thoughts, the desired effect of that is seen. Then the words are not needed to express good intentions and good wishes. 

Experience: When I am able to express myself through the language of silence, I am able to be free from expectations for others to listen to what I am saying. I will only be silently communicating whatever I have to through my good wishes and inspiring others through my positive actions. So I am able to remain content and light, even when I have not yet seen the result of my communication.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: March 21, 2020: Within You

Contemplation: March 21, 2020: Within You

Within You

Anything you keep within you will automatically reveal itself. Therefore make sure you are always full of attainments in your character. These will be revealed through your eyes, your words and your behaviour and you will be capable of having great influence on others.

The method to be easy is to be busy in the mind with right things. 

If I don't keep my mind busy with the right things, it will just wander and maybe even go to those things that are harmful. The mind is like a child. I need to know the art of keeping it busy, so that it is not attracted to anything harmful. So, it is important that we keep a schedule for the mind too, just as we keep a schedule for the activities of the day. Today I will make a schedule for myself for the mind. My schedule for the mind would be that which inspires me to change my consciousness while I am doing what I am doing. I will remember one quality or specialty of mine and keep it as a background in all I do. For example, I take the thought, "I have a special role to play in the drama of life. I am a good actor using all my best qualities and abilities" It could also be a thought like, "I am contributing my sweetness (or any other value) in all I do".

Marrying Spiritual Practices With Actions

Spiritual practices and life are interconnected; so are my thoughts and actions. It is not possible to separate them. The immediate influence of any spiritual practice like meditation is on the quality of my thoughts.  The quality of my thoughts is then reflected in my day-to-day actions. As the quality of my actions improves, it starts influencing my thoughts positively and the quality of my spiritual practice also starts improving. When I really understand this, it becomes clear that the right way to live is to marry both these sides within my life - meditation and practical life, marry the process of improving the quality of my thoughts with my actions, because both are interconnected with each other.

Actions performed by being too action conscious, in a wrong, non-spiritual consciousness, have led to a monotonous and meaningless existence, an existence without permanent peace, love and joy, causing feelings of discontentment and an emptiness in many hearts. On the other hand, religious or meditation practices, which were done with the aim of bringing peace and happiness in our personal life as well as in relationships, but were performed in seclusion (by detaching or becoming aloof from society), did not achieve the desired objectives and was unable to influence life positively. This caused spirituality to become disconnected from reality.

I want my consciousness to become such that I can experience the richness of a life of actions, interactions and relationships of the world, but adorned (decorated) with the jewels of the energy and spiritual power that only meditation can provide.

Soul Sustenance

Fulfilling The Criteria of Positivity (Part 1)

What is the best way to define positivity? What, for you, is a positive thought, word or action? We could define positivity as something which leads me as well as others towards to a state of truth. A state of truth for me as well as any and every soul is a state in which it is an embodiment of the virtues of peace, love, joy, purity and power i.e. a state in which these virtues exist inside the soul to the fullest extent. As a result, in this state of truth everything that flows out of the soul or everything that it radiates or every thought, feeling, word or action that it creates, speaks or performs, is filled with these qualities. This state of truth is the original state of every soul. 

All these qualities are connected with each other. One quality attracts the remaining qualities towards itself automatically. So, when I, through any medium, bring myself and others, whom I interact with, close to this state, to whatever extent, then that is positivity. If my thought, word or action takes me and others away from this state of truth, then that is the opposite i.e. negativity. 

(To be continued tomorrow …) 


Message for the day

Mercy means to give courage. 

Expression: The one who is merciful is able to give courage to the ones who are weak, because of the ability to look at the positive qualities in them. The weak ones are never made weaker with negative and discouraging talk, but are encouraged to discover and use the strengths that are hidden within. So real mercy will give the courage to the other person to change too. 

Experience: When I have mercy on others, I will never lose hope on anyone, but will continue to have good wishes for everyone. Whatever the kind of person, even with the most negative situation, I will find my stock of good wishes to always be full. So I am able to be free from the expectation from the others to bring about a change immediately. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: March 20, 2020: Serving Others

Contemplation: March 20, 2020: Serving Others

Serving Others

The secret of finding deep fulfilment lies in serving others. The boss who looks after his staff and customers as he would his own family is a successful boss and a happy human being.

To leave weaknesses is to decorate with virtues. 

True decoration is to decorate ourselves with virtues. For example, happiness and peace brings decoration to my face. In order to be decorated, I need to leave attachment to weaknesses. When I am able to give up weaknesses, my virtues too are uncontaminated. In order to give up weaknesses, I need not give too much importance to them. Instead, I need to focus on working on my strengths. Today I will decorate myself with one virtue. I will start with happiness. When anything happens to take away my happiness, I will remind myself that I cannot spoil my decoration. I will do all that I can to make happiness a natural part of my life.

Success In Your Stride (Part 3)

When told for the first time, we all think that isn’t it a little natural to be a little snobbish when coming into contact with people who are connected to us in our roles of success and also sometimes some of us, in the wave of success, think it’s fashionable to order around people, either our family associates or people who come in contact with us at the workplace or in the spiritual service of humanity or for that matter any sphere of action. But do remember, the moment we try and control people, we will stop influencing them and our ability to bring about changes in them is left ineffective. And a successful person without the ability to influence people’s opinions and bring the same in the favour of a common cause is like a ship without a rudder, which is used to steer a ship or change its direction i.e. he cannot steer or change people as per the demands of the role of success and make it even more successful. Also, many people leave their inherent goodness after having achieved something. Often, we see many people, after having become successful, snapping at others or talking rudely, taking for granted the others’ good behavior and also seeing them as inferior. Success seems to bring for them, on the surface, the negative personality characteristics which were not a part of their natures before becoming successful. So, for them, success is temporary because a sweet natured individual, after having tasted success, can truly be called successful.

Also, success for some, takes them away from the Supreme, while for some a relationship with the Supreme is strengthened because he has blessed them directly or indirectly with the gift of success – that belief is strong. There are many examples of successful people who became better people after becoming successful. How do we remain egoless after success? Love for God is the deepest and purest love in which surrendering the ego becomes very easy. It is said commonly at the Brahma Kumaris – the return of the love and success that God showers on us is to turn or transform ourselves. So keeping praising the Sweet Lord in success and remain seated on the throne of pure pride or self-esteem and he will adorn your life with the jewels of more and more success, admiration, praise, respect, love and good wishes from each one.

Soul Sustenance

Understanding And Overcoming Ego (Part 2)

To conquer ego, humility and honesty are required. We need the courage to look into the self honestly and acknowledge that the characteristics of I know and I control exist and have to be removed, if there is to be truth and happiness inside. We need to remember the original - I am e.g. 

I am a child of the Supreme Soul, similar to him in qualities and powers, I am the soul which is seated on the Supreme Being’s (God’s) heart throne, 
I am a knowledgeful soul, 
I am a blissful soul who gifts everyone with the treasure of happiness etc. 

Through meditation and remembering the true - I am (shared above), the pollution of the selfish ego is gradually replaced by the remembrance and the experience of the pure self: the I that is not attached to anything, or anyone, but is completely whole within itself. The expression of this pure entity is not selfish but selfless and the person begins to share with others, everything that he/she possesses – knowledge, specialties, talents, virtues etc. where necessary, facilitating the awakening of the true potential of others, just like sunlight. Light is a great facilitator. It steps in, awakens and then moves on. An ego less person acts, interacts and expresses themselves in this way. 

Message for the day

Mercy means to give courage. 

Expression: The one who is merciful is able to give courage to the ones who are weak, because of the ability to look at the positive qualities in them. The weak ones are never made weaker with negative and discouraging talk, but are encouraged to discover and use the strengths that are hidden within. So real mercy will give the courage to the other person to change too. 

Experience: When I have mercy on others, I will never lose hope on anyone, but will continue to have good wishes for everyone. Whatever the kind of person, even with the most negative situation, I will find my stock of good wishes to always be full. So I am able to be free from the expectation from the others to bring about a change immediately. 


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: March 19, 2020: Six Ways to Overcome Procrastination

Contemplation: March 19, 2020: Six Ways to Overcome Procrastination

Six Ways to Overcome Procrastination

Procrastination is not only the thief of time, it is the creator of subtle inner tension. You know you are cheating yourself. There are three secrets to overcoming procrastination. One, don't wait till you feel like doing it - the feeling will come only when you start doing it. Two, list all the things you have to do and then prioritize the list. Three, create a vision of the result and be motivated by the vision of the outcome, not the thought of the process. And the options to those ideas? One - ask for help. Two - completely forget about it, you don't have to do anything! Three - if there is anything you can learn from the process then see it is action learning. Six ways to overcome procrastination ... but you may have other ideas.

Conflict Resolution

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

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

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

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

Success In Your Stride (Part 2)

Success stories across the world are measured for their worth not just by what was achieved in a particular life sphere but also by how the people excelling in their field took success in their stride or how much did they dedicate the success to the Higher Power with the wisest intellect and the one responsible for bringing them the success directly or indirectly. We commonly say Thank God in our thought prayers to him. This has been done since hundreds of years, but do we ever be an embodiment of that i.e. do we really, in our interactions with others and in our sacred space of our mind be completely sweet and humble in living our success. Our success should be filled with the fragrance of God’s love and a dignified and humble feeling of servant-ship dedicated to the Supreme. Only then, will we be called completely successful.

There was once a beautiful daughter of a farmer in a far off land, who won the hand in marriage of the richest prince of that particular time. She started ruling the kingdom with the newly crowned king with much pride and confidence. There was no one in the kingdom who did not look up to her. She controlled the treasure of the kingdom, which included not only gold and silver but also many far off lands. From a simple village girl, she had the whole kingdom at her feet with people around her giving her the respect and adulation (praise), reserved for the highest of the highest. All was good, until slowly over a period of time, she starting becoming arrogant and her relationship with the successful king and the people of the kingdom starting suffering. She forgot that this sudden change in her fortune was a gift of her noble actions that she had performed in her past births and also to maintain the rich fortune that she had earned, she had to continue her noble actions i.e. she had to remain egoless and sweet because that is the first sign of nobility. Also, she forgot that a humble leader, before ruling people had to rule their hearts, which is the sign of a true leader. When that happened, people of the kingdom starting distancing themselves away from the queen and she starting being seen in a poor light and she lost all that she had earned. So success can come crashing down in a few moments or days if not carried well and maintained by remaining noble and humble.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Soul Sustenance

Understanding And Overcoming Ego (Part 1)

Identification with the ego and the external self creates a false identity and extremes of feeling inferior, or superior, depending on the circumstances and people. It brings with it the thought of I am, which is based on gender, religion, nationality, achievement or talent, creating an attachment to the self, which always compares and competes with others. This insecurity leads a person into forcing others to act and think in the same way as them. An egoistic person, rather than recognizing that everyone is unique with a unique personality and has a right to express his/her respective personality, sees difference in personalities as a threat to himself/herself. 

Where there is such ego, only yes people (who have the same opinion as yours) are allowed to come close: anyone with a difference of opinion is rejected. With ego, the original uniqueness of the self is denied, unrecognized and buried deep in the layers of wrong identity. This is why, these days, there is such an identity crisis - humanity has lost its soul, or rather, sold its soul to external traditions and attractions. 

With ego, then: is the idea of I know best and consequently the misunderstood duty and right to control and manipulate others, in their best interests (supposedly)! This results in the spoiling of the creativity and uniqueness of others. 

(To be continued tomorrow…) 

Message for the day

The one with humility is the one who can be creative.

Expression: Creativity comes to the extent that the intellect is humble. Such an intellect is able to create something new. Because humility is a form of love, it brings the enthusiasm for creativity and the ability to bring newness in everything that is done. 

Experience: Humility gives me an experience of being a master, of being powerful. This power comes from the experience of being a constant learner, because I have no ego of what I already have. This mastery makes me creative, making me bring newness in every thing I do. 


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

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