BK STUDY POINT BRAHMAKUMARIES

कम बोलो, धीरे बोलो, मीठा बोलो सोच के बोलो, समझ के बोलो, सत्य बोलो स्वमान में रहो, सम्मान दो निमित्त बनो, निर्मान बनो, निर्मल बोलो निराकारी, निर्विकारी, निरहंकारी बनो शुभ सोचो, शुभ बोलो, शुभ करो, शुभ संकल्प रखो न दुःख दो , न दुःख लो शुक्रिया बाबा शुक्रिया, आपका लाख लाख पद्मगुना शुक्रिया !!!

Daily Positive Thoughts: May 12, 2016: Respect

Last Supper - By Leonardo da Vinci

Respect

True respect does not come from what we do, as much as how well we do it. This means we are shown respect according to the virtues and qualities revealed through our behaviour.

The Method Of Realizing Your Purpose (Part 1)

Throughout our daily routine right from the time we wake up till we go to sleep at night, we all always have something to think about, to say and/or something to do. We are occupied and are busy. The question is whether everything that we do forms part of our life purpose or whether we are simply occupying time spaces and using our mental, verbal and physical energy in activities, tasks and conversations that do not lead us to anything substantial or whole. We simply pass time doing and talking, but without a sense of purpose. Although the things we do and/or speak about are necessary to be done, if they do not make up part of our life purpose, they will tire us. We will feel an inner emptiness and dissatisfaction, as if we are missing something.

The most authentic purpose is that of fulfilling our ideal, our dream in life. What happens is that, sometimes, we haven't worked out what our true purpose or life dream is. We have to ask ourselves what our true purpose is. There are two purposes – one is a purpose related to the self and the other related to what we want to offer to the world. During the day we are exchanging energy - each one of us is different and can give something to the world during this exchange; each of us can play our musical note in order to contribute to the orchestra of the Universe.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

The soul has five primary qualities: (... continued)

Knowledge

To know and to be what I am eternally and truly, and to exist in this consciousness, is what we mean by knowledge. It is not knowing about the soul, peace, love, etc., but rather knowing is to be the soul, to be peace, to be love. This quality of true knowing is expressed through 'I am', the original awareness of the self that exists beyond the false self of ego.

Happiness

Happiness is the natural expression of joy in being alive and interacting with others. Happiness is only possible when I relate to myself and express respectfully what I am and allow others to share in what I am and what I have. I relate to people and nature and experience the fulfillment of human life through relationships.

In the Rajyoga meditation, we absorb the rays of these five primary qualities from the Supreme Soul by concentrating on his point of divine light form in the incorporeal world (“paramdham” or “shantidham”). The absorption and the harmony of these basic qualities (peace, purity, love, knowledge and happiness) lead to the development many more virtues inside us.

As we become aware of these five primary qualities, we gradually realize that each one of them has many characteristics.
e.g. we understand that love does not mean just a special feeling for one or two people.

Spiritual love is far greater; it means respect, tolerance, forgiveness, compassion and flexibility; there is a universal feeling of belonging, an openness of heart, a generosity of spirit that is all-embracing.

Message for the day

The method to bring about a permanent change is to bring about newness in thinking.

Expression: To bring about a permanent change for the better means getting the mind trained to new ways of looking at the same situation. Only with this new understanding will there be a new response. Trying to bring about change in a superficial way will not bring about a long-lasting change.

Experience: When I train my mind to think creatively I'm able to keep my mind busy. In this way I'm able to free it from thinking negative and waste. Also I find myself enjoying every scene that comes in front of me and I also find myself constantly progressing.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: May 11, 2016: 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.
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Experiencing Spiritual Growth Through Group Interactions (Part 2)

If you are living in isolation you don't become aware of the dimensions of your ego and, therefore, you cannot overcome it.

Also, the beauty of group interactions or being a part of a spiritual community or any other group, is that in groups, various powers like

the power to:

- adapt and mould oneself with people of different personality traits and as different situations in the group demand;
- tolerate;
- face negative situations in interactions;
- forgive and forget;
- become a detached observer of situations and people's actions, not to get over involved, in order to maintain one's stability and calmness;
- co-operate;
- communicate;
- see and absorb only specialties of each one (inspite of obvious weaknesses being visible) and spreading the specialties (not weaknesses) to the others in the group, by way of praising and not criticizing them;
- listen, understand and empathize;
- discriminate and judge different situations and people;
- go into inner silence, whenever required, amidst the actions and interactions of group activity;
- show respect to each one and remain in self-respect;
- remain content or satisfied and make the others content; etc.

are absolutely necessary to experience success in the groups, either within the relationships with others or even with the self. There is a difference between experiencing success with the self while staying alone and within a group. By bringing the above powers into practice in a group, they increase further inside us. This does not happen in isolation, or if it does, then the extent is quite limited. So basically, being a part of a group, brings about greater spiritual growth and empowerment.

The soul has five primary qualities:

We could say they are the primary colours of humanity with which we paint the picture of our lives. They are:

Peace

This is the original quality of the soul. Peace is serenity, the personal inner state of non-violence. In this state of peace, I harmonize with everything and everyone around me. The word 'shanti' means peace, and it is this thought (or word) we use as the key step in meditation. Purity

A state of honesty and cleanliness where I am the same inside and outside, not deceiving either myself, or others. Consequently, there is no room for artificiality. Purity is the state of original truth where no violence is committed against others, nor can violence be committed against me. When the self is in its original purity, others cannot damage or destroy it, even if they try, because there is a natural aura of protection that acts as an invisible barrier. When I achieve this level of purity, it means I respect all things.

Love

Perhaps the most difficult original quality to achieve because it has become so mixed up with attachment, possessiveness and dependence, deeply ingrained habits that have become accepted as normal. As a result, the human being finds it difficult to realize the true form of pure love, which is unconditional. The quality of love means "I care", “I share” and, in particular, “I liberate”. True spiritual love never creates that need, or dependence, where others cannot find, or be, themselves.

(..continued)

Message for the day

The method to finish waste thoughts is to deal with the mind with love.

Expression: When there are waste thoughts in the mind which one tries to stop, it becomes difficult to do that. There is discomfort and difficulty experienced. On the other hand, when the mind is taught to take the right direction with love, there is a quick and dramatic change.

Experience: When I learn the art of speaking to my mind with love, I am able to free myself from waste thoughts without any feelings of suppression. Concentration too becomes easy and all thoughts are directed towards the right direction.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: May 10, 2016: Detached Observer

Artist: Raphael - Cherubini Canvas

Detached Observer

It is far better to observe than to absorb every word, feeling and attitude, to get over-involved, or react too much. Observing gives us the patience and clarity to think, act appropriately. Observing creates an inner focus that allows us to see reality.

Experiencing Spiritual Growth Through Group Interactions (Part 1)

Anyone who is inclined towards growing spiritually will sooner or later feel the need to taking up a particular spiritual path, which provides him/her with an assigned code of leading a spiritual life and helps him/her to incorporate it in his/her life. This also means becoming a part of a spiritual group or gathering or community and participating in spiritual study, practice like meditation or prayer and perform service along with the group. But, on the other hand, there are also many spiritually motivated people who are not very interested in groups and communities and keep a distance from them. They are of the opinion that it is easier to work it out alone by collecting information from other alternate sources by books, the internet, the television, videos, etc. and progress spiritually. But the relationship between spiritual growth and being a part of or participating in a group is clear.

For the isolated and solitary person, growth is limited, since the personality is not activated to the same extent as when it interacts with others. In relationships and in living together, the various forms of hidden ego and the different shades of the personality, positive as well as negative, are stimulated, creating the possibility of being more aware and conscious about them, bringing about greater growth and spiritual development. After all, one of the main objectives of spiritual development is achieving victory over the ego and becoming soul conscious, getting rid of the negative shades of the personality and further enhancing the positive traits and skills, so that they can be used for benefiting the self and others.

Tomorrow we shall explain the various powers that are required to experience success in groups, which as a result, get enhanced in group activities and interactions.

Acceptance

Why write someone off because they've done something wrong? Accept that people are inconsistent, and embrace all variations of personality and behaviour. Remember, you have inconsistencies too. So, be kind and generous with your judgments.

Message for the day

The power of determination brings all thoughts into practice.

Expression: There are a lot of thoughts that come into the mind that should come into practice immediately. These thoughts come according to the demands of time or according to the kind of people that one comes into contact with. But the only way to bring all these thoughts into practice is to use the power of determination. Where there is determination there is the commitment to use all the resources for the realisation of that thought.

Experience: When I am able to use the power of determination, I am able to realise my inner potential and use it in the right way. So I am able to experience constant progress, because all my thoughts are for my own self progress and all these thoughts naturally come into practice. I never give up anything with temporary setbacks but am able to do everything for the constant progress of the self.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: May 09, 2016: Attitude of Gratitude

Artist: Masoud Salemi

Attitude of Gratitude

Gratitude means being thankful and appreciative for everyone and everything in your life.

Being grateful makes you happy. It stops you from taking life for granted. So cultivate an attitude of gratitude by taking time to focus on all the good things in your life.

Maybe even try holding a short gratitude session, weekly.

Internal And External Attachments (Part 3)

Each time we attach ourselves to anything which is external or internal (we have mentioned some common examples of both types of attachments in the last two days’ messages), we create fears, amongst which the main one is the fear of loss of what I am attached to. The attachment not only gives rise to fear but also brings with it emotions like anger, ego, sadness, jealousy, greed, comparisons, hatred etc. All these emotions have their roots in attachment, which gives rise to insecurity.

Any type of attachment out of the ones mentioned in the last two days’ messages or some other is a sanskar that is so deeply embedded inside us that it seems normal to us. It is just a sanskar but it has immense amount of power and it manages to imprison us completely, but most of the time we do not even realize we are imprisoned. The negative emotional states connected with this kind of attachment create a state of internal mental pressure or an inner emptiness and make us feel absolutely helpless at times. Over a period of many births, we have become so accustomed to these attachments and the various forms of suffering connected with it that we have started believing that these are an integral part of the human personality and human life since the beginning and are, therefore, natural. And so we continue with the sanskar and even keep strengthening it, never ever thinking that it should be removed. We do this with internal stress and unhappiness to the point that even our health gets affected adversely. The natural state of the self is free and not attached in this way to anything. Attachments, whether external or internal, are acquired at different points of time in birth-rebirth cycle and are not natural or there from the beginning. All the things mentioned in the last two days’ messages have existed from the beginning but attachment to them has not. The present suffering indicates to us that these types of attachments are something abnormal or not natural.

Respect for others enables them to strengthen themselves and progress.

When you have respect for others you are actually creating an environment in which they can strengthen themselves and grow. You are not caught up with their weaknesses but are encouraging them to use their specilaities. When you see someone working with his weakness think of one speciality in that person and relate to him with this speciality. Also draw his attention to it and slowly you'll find him getting stronger.

Message for the day

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: May 08, 2016: Happiness

Happiness

You are a fortunate soul who realizes that the path to happiness cannot be walked in someone else's shoes. Your happiness fits you alone - perfectly.

Internal And External Attachments (Part 2)

We had explained some common examples of external attachments yesterday.

Some common examples of internal attachments are attachments to:

- your ideas,
- your beliefs,
- your opinions or viewpoints,
- your memories,
- a certain way of thinking
- a particular virtue/virtues or specialty/specialties,
- a particular power/powers,
- a particular sanskar/sanskars - either positive or negative, etc.

Whether the attachment is external or internal, the act of attaching is always internal. e.g. if you attach yourself to your job, you will say my job. Your job is something external, but you hold on to it inside you - inside your consciousness.

(To be continued tomorrow...)

Master of the self

Do you have the confidence to turn your hand to whatever life throws up? Or do you only do things when you're absolutely certain you can do the required task? If you wait to be perfect before you try, you'll miss out on many promising experiences.

To master the art of everything:
- recognise your range of interests and abilities
- be motivated to go for it
- ask questions and be open to learning

The art of everything is more than being a jack-of-all-trades and master of none. It is being a jack-of-all-trades and master of the self!

Message for the day

Love creates the right environment for others' positive growth.

Expression: Where there is love, a natural environment for others' growth is created. Love gives the ability to perceive the positivity in others and gives the encouragement to others to bring about that positivity and use it for the benefit of the self and others.

Experience: When I have love for others, along with perceiving their specialities, I am also able to recognise and use my specialities and inner powers more and more. Knowing and using these specialities is naturally for the benefit of those around me. This gives me an inner experience of power which makes me a constant giver and a support for those around me.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: May 07, 2016: Angels

Angels

An angel is a guest for he cleans up behind him. Where there has been misunderstanding he returns to clarify; where there has been hatred he offers love. He is never without gifts and always without burden.

Internal And External Attachments (Part 1)

Attachment can be on two levels - either internal or external.

Some common examples of external attachments are attachments to:

- people,
- objects,
- your physical body,
- your position or role in your family, society or in your professional field,
- money,
- places,
- physical comfort/comforts,
- the way you look or dress up or carry yourself or your physical personality in general,
- a particular skill/skills,
- a particular interest or hobby like watching movies, online social networking, etc.
- your routine or a certain way of working at home or at the workplace,
- respect from others,
- how people see you or behave with you or what they think of you, etc.

(To be continued tomorrow...)

Where there is humility and self-respect, it results in selfless service.

When there is a combination of humility and self-respect you become a giver. Your humility enables you to put others forward and your actions will be ones that give happiness to others. When you are involved in some major task remind yourself of your humility and give the ones around you a chance. When you put others forward you will be able to ensure your own progress too along with that of others.

Message for the day

The one who is calm and cool is the one who makes the right decisions.

Expression: The natural nature of the human mind is to come under pressure and tension during negative situations. When there is a challenging situation, there is naturally the tendency to find it difficult to maintain an inner state of calm. But the one who has the ability to go within and find the inner calm is able to be clear in thinking and is able to make the right decisions.

Experience: When I am able to experience the inner state of calm, I am able to be clear in my thinking. With this clarity I find the right decisions and solutions emerging very naturally within my mind. I will never have the difficulty of having to make decisions, but all decisions are made with ease and they are right too.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: May 06, 2016: Unity Blossoms

Unity Blossoms

Unity is harmony within and amongst people. It is built with a shared vision for the good of all and a common goal. Unity is appreciating the value of each person and their unique contribution. When there is willingness to accommodate others, unity blossoms.

Believe It Or Not (Part 6)!

We are all today living in a world of multiple identities, multiple governments and also multiple religions and castes, which is a very different set up from the united set up which was the set up of the world in the beginning. Because of this kind of united setup, there was complete peace, love and happiness in that land which we call Jannat or heaven or God’s Garden where deities or devi devtas lived. Some of us, who are very advanced in our lifestyles and are more in tune with our fast paced technology driven lives, doubt the existence of such a world because it is not something we study in our educational curriculum or syllabus. Also, many of us at the Brahma Kumaris, especially those of us who have been brought up in advanced educational and family settings, found it difficult to believe at first in the existence of the world of deities or devi devtas. Butafter realizing God through the beautiful meditation taught at the Brahma Kumaris and developing a lovely and close relationship with God, our beliefs underwent a drastic change and what seemed something out of context earlier to us, suddenly became something we could relate to. Slowly we even went a step ahead by easily believing that this is our story and then becoming 100% sure that it is a hard core reality. Meditation also brought in front of us different sides of God’s personality and as God is called the truth, after realizing this personality of truth and believing that his knowledge about the world history is completely truthful, these facts became a part and parcel of our daily lives. On the other hand other people from similar backgrounds as us who had not experienced this personality found it difficult to believe this knowledge of who we were.

Some people ask us – why did our thought process about the world and its origins as well as its complete history undergo such a drastic change and why did we take up viewpoints which were not part of our belief system earlier? We remain silent, but our eyes tell them that believe it or not the story of the world starts with those who purify themselves now through God’s power and then go on to become deities or devi devtas. The world of deities has existed in the past and is being established again by the Supreme Father or God. This is the birthright of each and every soul in the world and is the property of God, the Supreme Father for all his children.

Sweetness

A bitter tongue makes life bitter; a sweet tongue makes life better. Instead of being forceful and bitter with the truth, allow the truth to be coated with kindness and compassion, make it sweet. Sweetness makes the truth more palatable, easier to digest. It softens the hard facts without disguising them. Make sweetness your natural nature, and then your words will automatically be filled with sweetness.

Message for the day

To pay constant attention towards positivity is to be free from tension.

Expression: To pay attention means not to think, speak or do anything waste, negative or even ordinary. The one who keeps attention in this way and also allows no negativity from outside to go within, is always free from tension. There is also the proper use of everything that is available.

Experience: When I am able to pay constant attention and also use the inner treasures within for a positive purpose, there is the use of the inner potential. When there is the recognition and use of this potential within in this way, negativity finishes; just as sunshine finishes darkness.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

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