Daily Positive Thoughts: May 30, 2017: Courage

Courage

It is natural to feel worry and tension in a difficult situation - or to run away from the situation altogether. Although this may work for a short time, it is not a solution.

We have to draw upon inner courage in order to meet the challenges head on. When we do this, we often realize it is not as bad as it first appeared.

Spreading The Fragrance Of Happiness (Part 2)

Whenever you begin your day, fill your mind with some happiness filled thoughts. Those thoughts could be – Today, in the entire day, I will gift a smile to each one I meet or Today, throughout the day, I will keep each one’s specialty in my mind and experience joy. They could also be - During the entire day, today, I will touch each one I meet with my positive good feelings for them. We could also think something like - All through the day, today, I will bring different virtues in action and experience lightness and give the same to others.

It’s these types of thoughts which will make everyone around me happy and they will give me happiness in return. This in turn will make the atmosphere around me full of happiness. Happiness begins with the self and happiness given to others is happiness experienced by myself first. When you meet someone in the whole day, ask yourself and check yourself – Did I just meet the other person and interact with the person in a common manner? On the other hand, did I share happiness with the other person and make the person free from worries and burdens? After all, it’s my duty towards each and everyone I meet - giving unlimited happiness to others. This is the common emotion that binds all of us together - happiness. Giving and sharing happiness will make life beautiful and our existence meaningful. Very often, whether it’s in our work or any other activity, we tend to become busy. We may not perform any negative actions during that time. But because we lose touch with our inner virtuous self, our happiness reduces.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Reflections

You may find that the qualities & personality traits you like or dislike in others are likely to also exist in you.

Really?  Yes, people really can be your mirrors.

They really can reflect back at you what you need to see about yourself - the positives & the shortcomings.

  

It's all more easily seen in others than in ourselves.  So look in the mirror & see what the reflections tell you about yourself.

Message for the day

To have faith that things will work out for the best means to ensure that they will. 

Expression: To have faith that things will work out for the best means never to give up. Even if situations don't support and people don't give encouragement faith gives the ability to go on. Because of this there is recognition of even the not so visible resources and they are used for successfully completing the task. 

Experience: When I have faith I am never discouraged by temporary failure, but am able to have the courage to move on towards success. I have constantly the satisfaction of giving my best. Because of my commitment and sincere effort, I find that situations and people too cooperate with me, bringing me success in whatever I undertake. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: May 29, 2017: Thought Power

Thought Power

Spiritual knowledge is like a sieve through which we can filter out the untrue.  Running our thoughts through it constantly ensures that we are heading in the right direction.

When thoughts are brought into action, they can be seen immediately. When the mind is filled with virtues, they will be revealed in our actions. By elevating our thoughts, we can literally end up purifying the self, inspiring others to do likewise. Our life will be the inspiration for them to change. There won’t even be the need to say anything.

Our vibrations of pure thought can reach out and touch the whole world. Our very life can do the work of a lighthouse.

Spreading The Fragrance Of Happiness (Part 1)

A beautiful aspect of each one of our lives is living a life full of enthusiasm and joy.  Also we keep spreading the same to others through our entire personality and through our actions and attitudes. It is one thing being happy yourself and another to share that happiness with each one at every step. For some, it is a hobby to start the day with wishing everyone with greetings of happiness and give them a feel of love filled joy. By doing this, they spend the entire day ahead free from the tensions that they might face and full of lightness filled thoughts and feelings.

Also, give a new flavor to each day, of different experiences filled with different types of qualities. Qualities such as cheerfulness, contentment and lightness, which are all different colours of happiness will make life a beauty filled journey. It is journey in which you are accompanied by others. Also, you along with others will share and receive these beautiful experiences. This giving and receiving will make this complete life journey full of something you look forward to and enjoy to the fullest. These experiences are like gifts that we share with each other and gifts always bring happiness. Physical gifts are limited to particular days and particular people. But these invisible gifts of different positive happiness emotions are unlimited and can be shared with each and every one. We can do this in our homes, at our workplace, with your close friends or in society in general.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

It can be difficult to learn, who to trust.

When we have had bad experience with people who betrayed our trust in the past, it can be difficult to let anyone else in. It can take some time to learn to trust anyone again.

Trust goes both ways. If I want to gain someone's trust, I have to show them that I trust them before he or she will open up to me.

When I am truthful, this will be evident in everything I say and do. When others realize this, they will begin to trust me. From trust, love begins to grow.

Message for the day

The power of good wishes enables disheartened ones to experience happiness. 

Expression: The usual reaction to the negativity in another person is to behave negatively too, i.e., to express negative qualities. This continues although this does not bring about the desired change in the other person. On the other hand, when there is the ability to see the positive qualities in the other person and have good wishes based on that it becomes a source of power to bring about a change to positivity.

Experience: When I have the ability to give positive feelings and good wishes to the other person even when they are negative, they are able to get the power to change the negative to positive. I find that the change that I seek for in others is much quicker and easier than if there is the emphasis just on negativity. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: May 28, 2017: Humility Reveals Truth

Daily Positive Thoughts: May 28, 2017: Humility Reveals Truth

Humility Reveals Truth

Humility comes from the understanding that the force behind whatever help you give to others comes not from you but from the power of love.

It is not true that if you are humble others will walk all over you. It is when there is no humility that you can easily be influenced by others and things seem difficult.

But when there is humility, there is also the power of truth. You know internally that you will achieve your aim, regardless of what others say or think.

A humble person never feels they are bowing to others. The head is held neither too high nor low - it just faces straight ahead, like an angel. Humility reveals your truth.

Car-Driver Comparison To Aid Self Realization (Part 2)

If a good driver, while driving a car is distracted by the negative and disturbing scenes which he comes across and his attention is pulled in many different directions, he will make his journey unsafe increasing the probability of meeting with accidents.  When the same principles are applied to the soul and the body, I also need to take care that, while traveling on the road of life, I am not distracted by scenes that are not useful to me e.g. when looking out through my eyes and I don’t have to take in all the images, scenes and information along the way, otherwise I may meet with an accident. When listening through my ears, I don’t have to take in all the words and everything that people say, otherwise I may meet with an accident. I can choose to take in what is useful for me, but I do not have to register distracting, negative and harmful images and words. Just like a driver, I see and understand situations, too I keep my eyes and ears open - it would be unsafe to ignore them completely, I need to be aware of them - but I look only for the positive in them, so that I remain focused and am not deflected from my goal of experiencing inner contentment and bliss, while making the journey.

I, as the driver in charge of this vehicle, the body, also need to take care that I do not drive rashly i.e. I learn to monitor the feelings and attitude that are transmitted outwards through my eyes, my words and my complete body language. Driving rashly i.e. transmitting negative energy in this way could harm any co-traveler on the road of life. When these feelings stay positive, filled with sweetness, purity and respect, that too helps to ensure that my journey passes smoothly and enjoyably. When I stay alert and aware in a driver conscious and drive carefully as explained in this and yesterday’s message, my actions bring me closer to my spiritual truth and I am able to share my positivity with others around me. When I lose awareness for even a moment, there's danger either from me to others or vice versa.

Understanding the Mind and Its Functioning 

The mind is a faculty of the soul, the main function of which is to produce thoughts. The thoughts we create are energy. In one day we produce an average of thirty to forty thousand thoughts. How much energy does this represent? What do we do with it? 

The mind works constantly, even when we are sleeping. We cannot separate ourselves from it, it is our inseparable companion. If you study your mind you will see that, as well as thinking, it imagines, remembers, dreams, associates, desires and even produces your feelings. 

If you think about some incident that made you unhappy ten years ago, you will feel that unhappiness again, perhaps even more deeply than before. If you think of something that made you happy, you will also feel that happiness when you repeat the event in your mind. 

If you create positive thoughts about yourself, you will feel good and your self-esteem will be strengthened, and if you create negative thoughts, you will feel depressed, with low self-esteem. The mind opens up the way to the self. By creating the right type of thoughts you can open up your inner potential again, and rediscover that as people we are full of positive qualities. 

Message for the day

Love and cooperation bring success in all tasks. 

Expression: Love is reflected in the love that there is for the person and also for the task. When there is love for the person, there is the ability to give cooperation without any expectations or demands. And when there is love for the task there is the commitment for completing the task, whatever the obstacles that come up in the process of doing things.

Experience: When I am able to have love, I am able to receive hundred percent help and commitment from others too and so I am able to have the satisfaction of moving forward constantly. There is nothing difficult for me and I do everything with great ease. Not only is the task easy but also there is a spread of happiness and joy experienced by all who are involved in the task. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

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