Daily Positive Thoughts: May 27, 2017: Mistakes

Mistakes

Expand your awareness a little and mistakes no longer need to make you feel guilty.

For example, if you saw your life as an Actor does his play, you would see one scene unfolding after another.

Each passing scene, having passed is now over. Wisdom says: "This is how to see it"

Letting bygones be bygone is easier if you remember you cannot change the past but you can definitely change the future.

The Car-Driver Comparison To Aid Self Realization (Part 1)

One of the comparisons which help in self-realization i.e. in strengthening the awareness that I, the soul, a non-physical energy am different from this physical body is that of the driver and the car, where the driver represents the spiritual energy and the car represents the body which is controlled by the spiritual energy.  The biggest reason why I do not have the desired control over my physical body, my vehicle, my sense organs today is that I lost the consciousness of being a driver which could control and rule the vehicle. Instead I developed the consciousness that I am this vehicle, this physical body. This consciousness disconnected me from the ability and the power I possessed inside me to control the vehicle.  If I want to achieve the desired control, I need to be in a driver consciousness i.e. in the awareness that I am a soul and my body is a vehicle, through which I experience life. Being in this awareness, in this consciousness awakens me and empowers me to regain the much required control over my body.

The car controls are the gears, brakes, accelerator and steering wheel which can be compared to the sense organs of the soul which are the mind, intellect and sanskars and those of the body which are the eyes, ears, nose, hands and tongue. A good driver is one who remains extremely alert and is able to use the gears, brakes, accelerator and steering wheel effectively and efficiently, in order to be fully in control of the vehicle and avoid any accidents. In the same way, as I move on the road of life, I need to keep my mental and physical sense organs (mentioned above) in complete control. If I do that, they will keep my journey enjoyable and take me to my desired destination of mental peace and happiness safely and successfully. If I don’t do that and let them overpower me, accidents will definitely occur, making me peaceless and sorrowful.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Putting your punctuation in the right place matters, right!  

Do you punctuate the thoughts in your mind?

Insert commas to separate & slow down your thoughts, question marks for contemplation & problem solving, exclamation marks to emphasize & accentuate, & most importantly, apply a full stop.  Put a full stop to end any unnecessary & unproductive thoughts.  Use a full stop to create closure when you go from one conversation, task, situation... to another.

Punctuate your thoughts & you'll develop better mastery over your mind.

Message for the day

To understand the uniqueness of every individual is to love unconditionally. 

Thought to Ponder: Everyone is unique with their own unique set of specialties. When I understand and appreciate the contribution they make, I will be able to value it. My love then becomes unconditional. I don't expect people to behave in a particular way because I know they are right in whatever they are doing according the part that they are playing. 

Point to Practice: Today I will appreciate and love unconditionally. I will think of one person I have been having problems with. I will remember this person and the expression of his qualities through the role that he is playing. I will also appreciate the contribution in my life. It is because of this person that I have learnt some quality or the other (maybe patience, harmonising or any other quality. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: May 26, 2017: Life Can Begin To Flow

Daily Positive Thoughts: May 26, 2017: Life Can Begin To Flow

Life Can Begin To Flow

As we grow in strength in our spiritual life, we give up the habit of worrying. It serves no purpose other than to make us feel tense and miserable. When I stop fretting about things that are beyond my control and focus instead on generating optimistic and kind thoughts, my life can begin to flow in ever more positive directions. Such a light and easy approach to life enables me to take everything in my stride.

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 consciousness 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.

Be a go giver

It's good to be a go getter!  But why not be a go giver as well as a go getter.  Take action and make things happen, but at the same time, give.

Give what you want to give.  Give your time, attention, ideas, knowledge, compassion, smile....  Give through your mind, words, actions, presence....

Just keep going, keep getting things done and keep giving.

Message for the day

The biggest service is to become the one who removes sorrow and gives happiness. 

Thought to Ponder: There can be no greater service than becoming instrumental in giving happiness to someone and removing their sorrow. When I see someone's pain, I need to see what I can do for making them happy. I need to pay attention that I don't experience pain seeing their sorrow. A person, who is unhappy, cannot give happiness to others.

Point to Practice: Today I will lend a helping hand to one person and do something that truly helps him. To help also means to empathize, to give good wishes, to listen non-judgmentally or even to be a support to them in some way without making them dependent on you. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: May 25, 2017: Listen In

Daily Positive Thoughts: May 25, 2017: Listen In

Listen In

Only when we find the quietness in our own minds can we begin to hear our inner teacher, so that we may receive some in-tuition. Only when we are ready to recognize and value the wisdom that we carry at the core of our being will we turn our attention inwards and 'listen in'.

But it's been a long time since we truly listened, so a little practice and patience will be needed. Sit down, be quiet and listen in at some point today and you might be surprised at what you hear. Then do it again tomorrow. All you need to do is remember that you are the listener and not the noise.

Experiencing And Maintaining A State Of Contentment
 

To reach, experience and maintain a state of contentment or fulfillment you have to first realize what true freedom is and then learn how to use it so that it strengthens you and also helps you to achieve the full potential of your individual self. Freedom is the key to contentment. You also need to check what brings you close to the state of fulfillment and what takes you away from it. Fears of different kinds are one of the main obstacles in experiencing contentment. Any weakness, inability to apply any virtue or spiritual power required in any situation, lack of focus, inner instability, etc. will cause a leakage of the energy of positivity that is required to feel content. Free yourself of any personality trait that hinders your progress and does not allow your inner being to manifest itself and express itself with all its potential.  To live in contentment, you should be in charge of your inner mental and emotional world. If not, you will only be able to experience temporary periods of fulfillment. 

To achieve fulfillment you not only have to have inner control, but you also need to check whether there is any door open to allow any weakness to enter the room of your personality. Because if you strengthen yourself on the one hand and on the other you are weakened, you will never reach the desired state of inner power. E.g. you keep a bucket of water under a tap of water. If it has even a single crack, however much water you pour into the bucket, it will never get filled completely. In the same way, this can happen to you. Because of this, you need to check, which cracks are present in your personality through which there are leaks of energy, because of which your efforts to become content do not give you the results you hope for.

When someone is complaining about someone else to you, you can:

- change the subject or try to lighten the mood

- stay quiet & not say anything

- step away graciously from the person complaining, without hurting their feelings

- share something positive to change their perception & feelings for the other person

What makes the difference is realizing that we don't have to engage in the complaining & add fuel to the negativity.  We can positively influence the person complaining.

Message for the day

To appreciate is to use the treasures of life well. 

Thought to Ponder: There can be hundred reasons to complain and there can be of course hundreds of reasons to appreciate. It is up to me whether I want to complain or appreciate. If I continue to find reasons to complain, I will never be happy. In such a state, I cannot use any of the treasures that I have. 

Point to Practice: Today I will not complain. Whatever happens throughout the day, I will find excuses to appreciate rather than complaining. Because when I complain, I will only make myself more and more sorrowful and less and less positive and enthusiastic. So, just for today let me be the one who uplifts the atmosphere rather than just being a victim to it. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: May 24, 2017: No One Is To Blame

Daily Positive Thoughts: May 24, 2017: No One Is To Blame

No One Is To Blame

"No one is to blame" is an aspect of humility that enables everyone to move forward.

Harmonizing The Mind And The Intellect

The intellect is the faculty of the soul that judges thought and determines its quality, its ethical purity, its truthfulness, its usefulness, its appropriateness, whether it is necessary, right or wrong. The intellect is backed by the conscience. In fact, the conscience expresses itself through the intellect.  If you have a positive thought, the intellect should approve it and allow it to be put into practice. If a feeling of doubt accompanies the positive thought, the intellect should take it into account and remove that doubt, before the thought gets converted into action. When the faculties of the mind and intellect are pure and strong, and they cooperate in harmony; they support one another and there is no inner conflict. If the intellect is weak, the mind feels confused and it will generate many unproductive thoughts. There will be an inner conflict and in the end the intellect will lose, because the power of influence of the intellect is less. Then, the intellect will not have the power to prevent them from going into action. Actions will be performed that are negative or unproductive, in opposition to the conscience, and they will as a result create negative habits.

The intellect is the most important faculty of human consciousness to bring about personality change. If the quality of the intellect is good, the capacity and quality of the intellectual processes through which you perceive and live reality will be higher. If the intellect is clean and pure, you will differentiate what is real and authentic from what is unreal and false. You will be able to judge if a situation is beneficial or wasteful, useful or useless.

Become Tolerant

When someone disbelieves us, we usually argue back and try to prove our point. Yet we find that the more we talk, the less people listen. Unable to convince them, we end up frustrated. 

Instead, when someone challenges the truth of my words, I should think about whether they might be right. Rather than stubbornly clinging to my point of view, I could embrace this as an opportunity to learn. Even if I am correct in my thinking, if I become able to understand someone else's point of view without getting angry or refusing to listen, I become tolerant.

Message for the day

To be in a state of self-respect is to use my specialties. 

Thought to Ponder: It's during challenging situations that I need to use my specialties. Although I do have a lot of qualities that I could use, I find that it is during such challenging times that I am not able to have access to them. A long time practice of remembering and using these qualities will make me access them and use them during such times of need. 

Point to Practice: Today I will remember my specialty. I will remember what my strengths are, what specialties others see in me and rely on me. I will use them throughout the day in whatever I do.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: May 23, 2017: The Rejuvenating Power of Silence

Daily Positive Thoughts: May 23, 2017: The Rejuvenating Power of Silence

 

The Rejuvenating Power of Silence

Silence has to be love-filled. Love actually inspires and moves all things towards their original freedom and happiness.

Keeping The Balance With Ease (Part 3)

We are all action-conscious at times, forgetting that all the actions are performed by the inner being or soul. Actions may seem to be performed by our hands; words may seem to be spoken by our tongue and everything we see and hear seems to done by our eyes and ears. But, always remember, to keep a balance of all our actions and to maintain a positive and powerful as well as detached state of mind which does not get disturbed, we need to remember one thing. The hands, tongue, eyes and ears, all of them are being controlled by the soul or the real me. I am not Mr. X or Ms. Y. That is the name of the physical body or the physical costume I wear. The real I is the invisible being of spiritual energy or non-physical light – the soul.

With this kind of soul-consciousness, I will look at all my actions and words from a distance and not be worried too much in their involvement. Things can go wrong at times. Work may go in the wrong direction, people can at times be negative towards us and our physical body can be ill at times. Also, there will be lot of actions to be completed at times. All this will happen at times. Also, there will be days when there is lots to do. But, if we remain soul-conscious, or in touch with the inner being, remembering our spiritual qualities and powers, we will be remain at peace and in control. So, work hard, have beautiful relationships full of love and happiness and excel in every sphere of life. At the same time, remember to keep the balance by remaining introverted and detached. This is the key to contentment and a stress free lifestyle full of calmness and self-esteem.

Good Morning!

What are your first thoughts when you wake up in the morning? Scattered, random...? Are you complaining, mapping out the day...?  

Our first morning thoughts set the tone for the day.  So don't overlook your morning thoughts.  Notice them as you brush your teeth or take a shower.  

If they're negative or unhelpful, curb them or turn them around.

Think positive, motivating, empowering thoughts and start the day right.

Message for the day

Real contentment spreads happiness to others too.

Expression: When one feels contentment but the others are not able to perceive that contentment, it means that it is not true contentment. Real contentment is visible in such a way that others too are able to feel the happiness that is created. When there is real contentment, all thoughts, words and actions are filled with quality. 

Experience: When I am content, others automatically recognize the contentment within me. They are able to take benefit from my state. Even in the most hopeless state, I find that I become a source of support for those around me. I am able to give hope to the hopeless and help them get back to a state of happiness. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris