Daily Positive Thoughts: November 27, 2016: Shake Hands

Daily Positive Thoughts: November 27, 2016: Shake Hands

 

Shake Hands

In the moment of shaking the hand of another, not only are we participating in a universal greeting, but we are acknowledging we are all connected in the game of life together. For what is life but a series of meetings, a gentle sequence of connectings! The touch of hands is a reminder of our unity, the squeeze of a hand says we care, and the shaking of hands says we are celebrating being together. What are we saying when our touch is too cold, our squeeze too firm or too soft, or our shake too limp? Sometimes words are inadequate, or just too difficult. Which is why we can always say with our hand what is in our heart. If you are not ready to look directly into your heart, but you'd like an idea of what's there, be aware of your hand when you next put it forward for a shake!

Try this experiment today. Enter the office with a straight face (not too straight). As you meet others who have a similar kind of straightness on their face, force yourself to smile. Then watch the other person return the smile - perhaps not to the same extent or for so long, or absolutely immediately - but it will return. This is the absolute and often instant proof of the 'ripple and reflect effect'. You get back whatever you put out. We know this, but we forget, and then wonder why everyone seems to give us a straight face, even a grumpy face, on a regular basis. Now learn to make the smile more real, deeper, smilier! Where does a real smile begin? From the heart. Can you smile at will from the heart? Why not? You need to find out soon, because you will live an unsmiling life if you don't find out what is stopping your heart reaching your face! No one else is responsible - there's only you in there! So don't go blaming others if you are not radiating from head and heart. What's blocking it? Take your time. Look in, listen in and see. You'll be surprised. You'll probably laugh, and say "How silly!"

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Making The Journey With The Right Realization

It’s so easy to become caught up in my physical role - my name, physical personality and looks; the social setup or  family I’ve been born into, my friend circle, the school I went to, the person I married, the organization in which I work, the various material objects I own or possess. I forget my true identity, the spiritual being, and that it is me, the spirit or soul, who is experiencing life through this physical body and surrounding circumstances. The physical, human side is essential, but it’s the spirit, the being, the energy, which makes the journey. The physical body is the vehicle through which the journey is made. The people who exist in my life are also energies making their journeys through their respective vehicles. Looking at myself and others, when I realize who is making the journey and I remember this and maintain this spiritual consciousness throughout the day, I'm able to access spiritual treasures of peace, of power, of love and joy and see the same in others. It is because of not remaining in this remembrance; I remember and identify with the vehicle and experience my false identity. That is why we find ourselves empty of these treasures today. As a result there is a tremendous increase in interest in meditation throughout the world. Unlike in the past when this interest was seen primarily in the East, today relaxation and meditation is a blooming industry in the Western countries.

The more I become trapped by a materialistic consciousness, and the more I lose contact with my inner self, the less freedom I experience. The search of happiness through the physical senses brings temporary, short-lived gains. My life lacks depth when the only things I know, realize and feel are related to the loads of information I receive from the physical sense organs, and I become disconnected from the spiritual dimension.

Relationship with the Unconditional Source 

There is one point of being in the universe who is not conditioned by any need, want or desire. Since He does not want anything, everything belongs t0 Him, but not in the sense of owning and controlling. Rather, all things naturally are attracted to the Unconditional Source (God) simply because pure love is given freely to all who come close. They feel that He selflessly serves, sharing all that He is, all that He has. Like a radiant Magnet beyond the limits of time and matter, beyond give and take and beyond measurement and calculation, the Source attracts all because nothing is desired and all is given. 

The love of the Unconditional Source is like spiritual sunlight. It is selfless, complete in itself: it always adds and never subtracts. What is unconditional is always cherished to the point of worship, which is why the entity God is respected and idolized in all parts of the world. Spiritual light from the Source reveals to us our forgotten realities, our hidden potential and our original goodness. It reveals our true selves. Then, if we wish, we can nourish and develop that awareness, but only if we maintain an open channel of communication with the Source. Otherwise, the current either short circuits, cuts, blocks, or discharges in other directions and, after a while, there is a blackout!

Message for the day

To see only problems is to become the one who only takes service. 

Expression: When there is the practice of seeing only problems in all situations there is the inability to find solutions and act effectively. All the resources that could be used for the benefit of the self and others remain hidden. Such a person becomes dependent on others for finding solutions and a source of pity. 

Experience: When I am caught up with problems and not able to see anything else, I am unable to experience progress. I find myself moving backward losing a lot of things I have. I would not be able to retain my self-confidence and would become dependent on others.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: November 26, 2016: Need Nothing

Daily Positive Thoughts: November 26, 2016: Need Nothing

Need Nothing

Everyone thinks they need to get something. But the truth is we don't need anything. We already have what we need. Trouble arises when we think we have to keep what we receive. It's the keeping that sustains our neediness. But whatever comes to us is not for keeping, it is for giving. And when you give, you get. Deep down we all know this eternal truth. It's one of those cast iron laws of the universe. But we are conditioned to think the opposite. No wonder there is a poverty of faith. Not religious faith, but the faith that the universe will bring us whatever we need, at the right moment in the right way. So start today - give, give, give - time, energy, assistance, care, and co-operation. On how many levels do you see the opportunity to give? It's good to be a 'just do it' person. Even better to be a 'just give it' person. And the paradox will make itself known - when you give you will realize you already have everything you need.

Resolving The Inner Identity Crisis (Part 2)

In yesterday’s message we had explained how the confusions, complications and problems that exist in our world today and the state of human relationships all over the world, are simply a reflection of our lack of inner clarity about who we are, what we are and where we are heading i.e. a lack of true self-identity. So how do we resolve this internal and external turmoil? There is an original, beautiful self, with characteristics of peace, love and happiness that exists within each one of us, the self from which we have been distanced since a very long time. This is a centre full of the spiritual resources of all virtues and powers. Reaching it is a journey of only one second and no distance. By identifying with this inner center, a center which is imperishable, unchangeable, constant and even eternal, my self-identity becomes strong and stable, as compared to many false identities based on external realities like position, wealth and material possessions which are all perishable and subject to various ups and downs even in one single day, and if we over identify with them, we are bound to experience constant pain and discontentment.

This process of true self-identification is not a renunciation or avoidance of the way the outer world is but it is a healing process for your inner world. It is an internal correction process of identification, whereby you rediscover your true self as a complete being full of positive emotions that you always were and you start identifying with it, doing which very easily helps you let go of the wrong identifications. This process is commonly called meditation, the foundation of which is spiritual wisdom. Once this inner work is done, the outer world starts taking the shape of a reflection of that. Resolving the identity crisis first changes the way our internal and external world looks to us, as a result changing the way it works.

Surprise!

Sometimes in the rush of life, we forget to look for opportunities to do something for others. At times we only do what we have to do and not more. 

Yet when we do something for others without being asked, not only does it brighten our day but it also builds stronger connections and creates a lovely surprise. And unlike some surprises, it doesn't have to be expensive or on special occasions!

All it requires is an interest in what matters to others. So, no matter how busy you are, pay attention and take the initiative to surprise the people in your life.

Message for the day

To have a balance between being a master and a child is to ensure success. 

Expression: To be in the consciousness of being a master means to have confidence in whatever has to be done and in the ideas that have to be put forth. Along with this if there is the consciousness of being a child, there is learning and improvement, because criticism is taken in the right spirit. 

Experience: When I am able to be open to criticism as a child, I am able to learn from it. I am able to gain further mastery without being troubled by ego. My learning would never be blocked by what other people think or feel. Instead I am able to experience constant progress and sure success. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: November 25, 2016: Everything's Fine

Daily Positive Thoughts: November 25, 2016: Everything's Fine

Hamilton: An American Musical about the life of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton,

Everything's Fine

To a truly contented and enlightened soul everything in the world, which means the way the world is right now, is just fine. To the unenlightened and discontented soul this will sound like a massive avoidance. But think about it. Does the masterful actor go to the theatre for their evening performance, and on entering the stage start shifting the backdrop, altering the scenery and moving the props around? Of course not, they are totally concentrated on the role they need to create and play to the best of their ability. And so it is with the world. The backdrop to our life is the way things are at this moment in time. The props are exactly where they are meant to be at this moment in time. Many people spend their whole lives trying to change the backdrop and move the props around, little realizing the futility of the exercise. Yes they may succeed in altering an angle here, a minute part of the picture there. But all at the cost of the focus and the energy needed to put on their best performance. Little did they realize that if they had fully focused on their performance and achieved their own highest standards of excellence, not only would those around them be immensely enriched, but the backdrop and the props of their life would have changed automatically, as the invitations roll in to perform their life elsewhere.  Excellence is a much more powerful influence in the world than discontent. So everything is fine out there. No one said it's perfect. But it is exactly the way it should be ...at this moment. So here is the paradox of effective change - if you want to influence change for the better, then the most effective way to begin is with contentment with the way things are. The way things are, are the way things are meant to be!

Resolving The Inner Identity Crisis (Part 1)

At the present moment in human history, almost every individual has lost the awareness of its real or true self. This has happened very gradually as each individual has progressed in its journey of birth-rebirth and has kept on attaching itself to various different things and as a result losing its sense of self in things that it is not i.e. identifying with things that it is not. In a way it can be said that this took the self far away from itself. This personal, internal identity crisis has led to a universal, external identity crisis, which has resulted in an emotional crisis resulting in peacelessness and sorrow in our inner world as well as in the outer world.

This inner identity crisis is the root cause of the multitude of deformed emotions that exist inside us like anger, ego, lust, fear, comparison with others, greed, hatred, low self-esteem, dependencies etc. all of which have brought us and keep on bringing us pain. We explain this with an example – suppose you have just constructed a new apartment. While making it and once its ready and you are using it, you have become excessively attached to it i.e. you have started identifying with it. Due to this false identification, the first emotion that gets created inside you is ego. If someone were to criticize the apartment even slightly, you would react immediately with anger. You constantly fear any sort of harm to the apartment. You even compare it with apartments that others possess. You also start looking down at people whose apartment is not as good as yours i.e. you create emotions of hatred for them. If something negative were to happen it, it affects your mental state immediately i.e. your happiness has become dependent on the material possession. Your temporary success along with the recognition that it brings you from others leads to the desire of more success of a similar type i.e. possess some more things - bigger and better, which is nothing but greed etc. The seed of all these incorrect emotions is my over-identification with this newly acquired possession. All of these wouldn’t exist inside me, if my relationship with was one of detachment with it. In this way, we identify with various objects and people in the whole day, which leads to the creation of such emotions inside us.   

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Be Cool!

Become a goddess of coolness and make all your physical senses cool and peaceful. Those who are masters of the self cannot be deceived by any of their physical senses. 

A goddess of coolness can never get angry. Some say that they don't have anger, but that they do have to have a little bossiness. 

However, even bossiness is a trace of anger. So, you are gods and goddesses of coolness, therefore traits of anger or bossiness cannot emerge even in your dreams.

Message for the day

It is on the basis of actions that praise is received.

Expression: The one who only talks but is not able to put his talk into practice does not become worthy of praise. On the other hand, the one who is able to bring his good thoughts and words into action becomes worthy of praise. Such a person's actions become inspirational for others and encourage them to follow him. 

Experience: When I am able to act according to my thoughts and words, I am able to take inspiration to do more. For every positive action that I do, I experience support and good wishes from others which encourage me constantly. My account of positivity is always full and it takes me further to a cycle of positivity making it a habit. So I find that I don't have to work hard for performing positive actions. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: November 24, 2016: Exercise and Diet

Daily Positive Thoughts: November 24, 2016: Exercise and Diet

Exercise and Diet

Unhealthy lifestyles are rooted in the mind and seeded in the soul. The spiritual exercise of the mind involves taking the mind out of the physical body and to the subtle, angelic body of light and then to our state of being a soul - a sentient point of light and power. As for diet control, pure thoughts are the healthy diet for the mind. Creative thoughts are like vitamins and positive thoughts provide proteins that build will power, while thoughts of serving others are like carbohydrates, which provide energy for the mind.

Motivation – The Life Driving Force (Part 4)

When surrounded by challenges, sometimes we all need a little extra nurturing, and that gentleness can come from loved ones, or just from ourselves. Also, enjoying watching television, enjoying the hot chocolate and the coffee, enjoying the cold drink and the ice cream, enjoying the brisk walk and the gym, enjoying the picnic and the party, enjoying the holiday - these are all things that help us replenish our energy and remain motivated to some extent when we've had a rough day. But remember that to remain constantly motivated you need to also take a look at the non-physical dimension of thoughts and feelings.Physical treatments, therapies and relaxation strategies will help you but they cannot change the way you think. Your thinking is the cause. And behind your thoughts, your beliefs are a deeper cause. We need to pay much more attention to our thoughts and feelings, learn to manage them, learn to fill them with peace and calm, and then our personality will change for the better, as we restore our mental and then physical well-being and learn to remain motivated and fearless amidst challenges. Remember no one else creates our thoughts and feelings, and they don't just happen, though it feels that way sometimes. When you learn to identify and assess the quality of your thoughts and feelings, you can begin to choose the ones you know are positive and that in turn keeps you motivated.

Also, remember there's virtually always something positive that can be found in the challenges we face. Bear in mind that the period of challenge is short and you will soon overcome the challenge. On a lighter note, spend a little time each day thinking of all the things you are looking forward to doing once you are free from these exams that life has to offer - though don’t daydream for hours about this! Also, when you long for life without difficulties and challenges and you want to keep yourself motivated when faced with them, remind yourself that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure. Challenges are not here to stay and while they are there, they bring about self-empowerment.

Empower

When we provide regular support and assistance to others, they come to rely on us and become dependent. Dependency can be unhealthy, for us and for them.

What if we were to make others less dependent on us, rather than more? Whether it's our children, colleagues, clients, we can learn to provide help or share skills in a way that allows the other person to feel more confident and capable to do things themselves.

Empowering others to be more independent and self-reliant also empowers us!

Message for the day

To check regularly means to bring about a change. 

Expression: When there is any negative action performed, there is an immediate feeling of guilt and a desire not to perform it again. But the checking also needs to be at a level where it never repeats again. Maintaining a chart of one's own weakness means checking regularly. Such checking brings about a permanent change. 

Experience: When I am able to maintain a chart where I could monitor my own progress, I am able to remain committed to my transformation. Adverse situations or people will never deter me, but I am able to bring about the desired change. I am able to continue the process of transformation even when what I seek to change is not harmful in the present phase of my life. Thus regular checking will prevent carelessness from creeping in. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: November 23, 2016: Radiate Happiness

Daily Positive Thoughts: November 23, 2016: Radiate Happiness

Radiate Happiness

Have you ever noticed that happiness is not a dependency, it is a decision? You don't actually need anything to be happy. It's not something that comes from outside, it comes from inside, and when you radiate a happy energy you'll be amazed what it attracts into your life. Don't worry, be happy...sound familiar? Decide now, be happy, and watch magic begin to enter your life.

Motivation – The Life Driving Force (Part 3)

Have you ever noticed some people only work a few hours a day and are hardly ever confronted by deadlines or other pressures, but they are more stressed and less motivated than those working long hours to tight deadlines. Have you ever watched two people doing the same or similar work, to the same deadlines? One tears their hair out with a lot of anxiety. The other is completely relaxed while doing it. Some people love challenges. They love it when they are occupied and bottled up with challenges at hand and passionate about overcoming them. They work hard on themselves to overcome challenges and are not overwhelmed by them. What really reinforces them to do that is the motivation that they have to overcome the challenge and become successful.  Challenges motivate them. At the same time, there are times when there are too many challenges to overcome and deadlines to meet and the same people who have overcome challenges earlier are not able to cope up with them and keep themselves motivated. That is the time when they realize that what they are going through is stress and challenges have affected their motivation levels adversely.

Why the difference between two people, why the difference from challenge to challenge or situation to situation? Perception. So it's not what you do, or when you have to do it by, that causes your stress and brings down your motivation; it's how you perceive the whats and whens of daily life that generates your stress and affects your motivation levels. It's how each one perceives what they do and the possible outcome. And your perception is based on your beliefs and beliefs don't come built into your genes. All beliefs are learned. We learn them, send them into our subconscious and they then pop up and out through our thoughts, emotions and words. The problem is we not only hold beliefs, we identify with them. But beliefs are not the truth.

(To be continued tomorrow ….)

Disappointed?

Do you frequently get disappointed? Did you know that disappointment has nothing to do with other people or situations? 

Disappointment is our emotional response to an expectation that we created.

So the next time you feel disappointed, check to see if your expectations are reasonable and realistic. 

If they're not, then consider shifting your expectations to something more appropriate.

Message for the day

To bring benefit to many is to give true meaning to life. 

Expression: Living for oneself is common. Then, from time to time, there will be hurt, anger and even sorrow. But life is truly worth living and great when I am conscious of what I am giving others. Because I have to give, I will take from life and others with what can fill me (positive), and not what empties me (negative). 

Experience: Today I will check if my every interaction with everyone throughout the day is mutually beneficial. Let no one go away from me empty handed (some positive experience). I will give a smile at least, if nothing else. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: November 22, 2016: Start Early

Daily Positive Thoughts: November 22, 2016: Start Early

Start Early

The best time to awaken both body and spirit is in the early morning. We are fresh, in solitude, and the vibrations of the world are at their calmest. It is not surprising that you will find all experienced meditators and yogis up with the dawn, inviting the sun of spirit to shine into the heart of their soul. The first half hour of conscious awareness will be the foundation of your day. Make an early start. Meditate, set the switch of your consciousness and calibrate your energy for the day. You'll be surprised the difference it makes.

Motivation – The Life Driving Force (Part 2)

Life throws different types of challenges at us. A difficult relationship with one particular person, we have all experienced, can at times have the potential to completely overpower our thoughts for days and even for years. Most of us will have endured the trauma of exams at some stage in our lives, usually at school, college or university. The looming prospect of having to answer questions on your most hated subjects often meant that even the most laid-back of personalities will have experienced feelings of anxiety, worry and exam stress. A sudden physical illness can at times have the destructive ability to not only bring about physical discomfort but make us dejected, discouraged and sorrowful for days until it subsides. A deadline at work or a sudden crash of the business market are types of challenging situations on the professional front. A difficult personality trait which constantly hinders our progress and harms our relationships is an example of a challenge on the personal front.

So challenges can be unpleasant, even scary, but they are important as in the process of overcoming the challenge, you work harder on yourself and they make you more determined and powerful. If you are not spiritually equipped to rise to these challenges, these tests of your internal strength, when they come about, it is unlikely you will be motivated enough to cross them. When faced with challenges, people can find that they are able to go the extra mile and pull from the backs of their minds answers to questions they did not realize they had ever learnt or ever knew. So, challenges can be helpful – but only if you turn the challenges into internal positive energy, you remain motivated while crossing them and by doing that you transform the challenges into blessings or gifts in disguise which will help you advance ahead and become more experienced and wise.

(To be continued tomorrow ….)

Look at Specialities

Nowadays it is a fashion and also a compulsion to wear glasses. So wear the glasses of seeing only specialities. Nothing else should be visible. 

For instance, when you wear red glasses, even something green will appear to be red. So when coming into connection with everyone, adopt the vision of seeing only their specialities and you will become special.

Message for the day

The one way to break an old habit is to create a new one. 

Expression: We take new year resolutions and try hard to break habits. But the more we are thinking of it and worrying about it, we are investing time and energy in it. This will only strengthen the habit we want to break. Instead, let me create an alternate habit which is good and that will replace the old one. It is more important to think of what I want rather than what I don't want. 

Experience: Today I will invest more time and energy in a new habit than what I am investing in old habit. I will ensure that, through this I will create a new habit, which will replace the old one, as there would be no longer any space for it in my life. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris