Daily Positive Thoughts: June 24, 2017: Peace, love and wisdom

 

Artist: Ali McNab

Peace, love and wisdom

There is an immaculate eternal and constant space within you hidden under different appearances. In that space there is only peace, love and wisdom. Let go and free yourself from the layers that cover that space and you will uncover the secret of a life of fullness.

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.

Reacting and Responding

Something is going wrong, it looks like there is a disaster in the making, and chaos is emerging fast. 

In the West we say, "Don't just sit there, do something!" In the East they say, "Don't just do something, sit there!" Now why is this? Intuitively we know that unless it's a life threatening situation, wisdom lies in the Eastern approach, because sitting still in body and mind, even if only for a moment, allows us to discern the right thing to do. It is the difference between reacting and responding. It allows new intuitions to overcome old instincts. Watch for such opportunities today.

Message for the day

To have the right intention while performing actions is to bring success. 

Though to Ponder: When the heart recognizes the need to do something, there has to be reasoning in the intellect, why I want to do it and with what intention. Without the right intention, feelings can make me get carried away, not able to contribute my best. For example, if I want someone to change (feeling) because I want to be more comfortable, it will not work. But, if I bring the thought that I want them to change, because they would be happier. This is the right intention, which would bring success to my feeling. 

Point to Practice: Today I will do actions with the right intention. All the major tasks that I do, I will first take a thought about why I am doing it. I will then do that action. This will enable me to bring quality to the actions that I do. So, whatever I do, I will be successful in that. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: June 23, 2017: Kindness

 

 

 

Kindness

Kindness in words creates confidence.

Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.

Kindness in giving creates love.

Regaining The Lost Paradise (Part 3)

 

We all know about the day night cycle and the cycle of four seasons. Day is always followed by night and then day after that and the four seasons always repeat every year. In the same way, the day of happiness of the world has existed in the past and was followed by the night of sorrow. In fact the world has also passed through four stages – the morning, afternoon, evening and night. And as the world passed through these stages, sorrow kept increasing and happiness kept reducing. In fact, the first two stages of the world history, which is the unrecorded history, the knowledge of which is known only to God, have been of complete happiness. These two stages are called heaven or paradise or often referred to as the day of humanity. The last two stages saw negative karmas or actions being performed and the fall of human virtues happened, not all of a sudden but gradually. These two stages are often referred to as hell or the night of humanity.

As souls went through the process of birth and rebirth, they forgot their original spiritual identity and instead started considering the physical body as their identity. This wrong identification caused souls to come under the influence of different types of weaknesses or negative personality characteristics. I am a soul was forgotten and I am this body which I occupy became our incorrect belief. This is how we started falling down over the steps of the sorrow and sin and came to the end of the night of humanity, which is the present moment. Today, inspite of immense scientific advancement, there is enough sorrow of the mind, body, relationships and role in the world. Lot of people feel that we cannot go further down anymore. It’s at this moment when God is performing His role of changing the world and bringing the day of humanity back because the cycle of time repeats itself. Day was followed by night and night will be followed by day. This is also the objective of the Brahma Kumaris – to change the world, make it a beautiful and joyful place to live in and regain the lost paradise.

Enthusiastic Greetings

Have you noticed how enthusiastically most dogs greet?  

The tail wagging, leaping, jumping, bounding around you, it's bound to put a smile on your face.

Let's all try and improve how we greet and meet people.  

Be more dog and greet with more enthusiasm, more smiles, more heart, more hugs, more nods.

Message for the day

To have the right intention while performing actions is to bring success. 

Though to Ponder: When the heart recognizes the need to do something, there has to be reasoning in the intellect, why I want to do it and with what intention. Without the right intention, feelings can make me get carried away, not able to contribute my best. For example, if I want someone to change (feeling) because I want to be more comfortable, it will not work. But, if I bring the thought that I want them to change, because they would be happier. This is the right intention, which would bring success to my feeling. 

Point to Practice: Today I will do actions with the right intention. All the major tasks that I do, I will first take a thought about why I am doing it. I will then do that action. This will enable me to bring quality to the actions that I do. So, whatever I do, I will be successful in that. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: June 22, 2017: Get Grateful Now

Cordoba, the City of Flowers

Get Grateful Now

Even when you feel as though things aren't going well in your life, you have reasons to be grateful. Today, take time to appreciate the gift of life and all its wonders. Count your blessings and cherish what you have.

Regaining The Lost Paradise (Part 2)

Let’s go back into the history of the world. We are not talking about only recorded history. Let’s talk about those moments of the world which are not in our history books. Who is the one who knows those moments the best and with complete accuracy? Not any of us, but only the One who has seen those moments without playing a part in them. God has seen those moments. He has seen us play a role in those scenes which took place in the world. Those moments are called by different names – Paradise, Heaven, Swarg, Garden of Eden, Garden of Allah, Bahist in different religions and countries of the world. This world existed before our recorded history. It was a world where the seven basic virtues of humans – peace, joy, love, bliss, purity, power and truth existed in abundance. Also, because human souls were full of these qualities, they never experienced sorrow because no negative actions were performed. This is the world, where richness and health were also present in complete positivity with no trace of poverty and illness.

This is the world that was created by God and that is why God is also called the Heavenly God Father and the world that He created is called heaven. In this world, there was complete unity and love amongst humans and no wars were fought and no natural disasters ever took place. This is because nature was complete pure. Also, the physical bodies made of the five elements of nature were not only very beautiful and pure but also completely free from any type of disease or illness. Even animals lived in complete harmony and peace amongst each other. Also, everyone in this world was holy. This is our unrecorded history which is never spoken about so much. It is only mentioned in our scriptures or shastras.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Finding Solutions

When something is going wrong for someone.... we often start providing solutions, simply because we want to help them work things out.

However, what they may need and what may work best is our support, not our solutions.

That doesn't mean you can't help them.  Ask questions that lead them towards a solution.  Help them find their own solutions and they're more likely to apply those solutions and work things out.

Message for the day

To water seeds of positive thoughts is to bring it to fruition. 

Though to Ponder: Every seed needs the right amount of water at the right time to help it grow. In the same way, when I have a good thought, I need to provide with what it needs to take it fruition. Understanding it in a deeper way, by churning about it; adding it with good wishes and pure feelings; reminding of this thought again and again... these are the things which help the seed grow fully. 

Point to Practice: Today I will take up a good thought and provide the right environment for it grow. I will not do anything that will take me away from that thought. On the other hand, I will do every possible thing to help it grow. I will repeat that thought to myself, not only as a reminder, but also as an experience. This will help me sustain it. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: June 21, 2017:  Subconscious Mind

 

Subconscious Mind

Our subconscious mind has no sense of humour, plays no jokes and cannot tell the difference between reality and an imagined thought or image. What we continually think about eventually will manifest in our lives.

Regaining The Lost Paradise (Part 1)

We live in a world full of different types of people belonging to different countries and religions. All of us aspire to create an existence for us, which is very beautiful and completely free from any sorrow and peacelessness. We all want to live united and share peace and happiness with each other. Also, all of us want to live like a big family, where there is no difference of opinions amongst people and everyone loves and respects each other a lot. Sometimes, many world leaders, in the world’s history have tried to create a world of peace and joy and even today many countries aspire for that. Even organizations like the United Nations aim for that. 

So, one thing is certain that the desire is there in everyone’s hearts. Most importantly God is the world’s Spiritual Father, who wants His every child to be happy and free from any sorrow or the pressure of difficult circumstances. But it is also true that there are certain factors like the existence of many people with very negative personalities in the world, natural disasters and also terrorism which stop this from happening. Also, wars are being fought in certain corners of the world along with the existence of other anti-social elements, which prevent this from happening. Along with that, the deteriorating natures of people in general, where anger, ego, greed, jealousy and hatred have become a part of the personality of a lot of people is also not letting this purpose to be achieved. So, what should be done so that what we want, we are able to fulfill. This dream cannot become a reality without spiritual power. And the only one who can provide spiritual power is the One who is completely full with it i.e. our Supreme Father or God. He is called the World Almighty or the most powerful one and here we are referring to spiritual power and not physical power. Physical power cannot achieve this purpose, as we have already seen happen in the world in the past.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Smile  

A smile from the heart is the best accessory you can wear.  

So if you're not smiling from the heart - why not?  What's stopping your heart reaching your face? 

Add that warm, wholehearted smile to your appearance and it will make you feel good, look good, and do good!

Message for the day

To watch with detachment is to give the best performance. 
Though to Ponder: Any actor would like to portray his best on stage. He would have utmost attention to every small action or expression. When I become an audience to my own act, I would be able to give my best performance too. Then, I also need to watch my act as the audience. Then, I can applaud my best performance and improve upon what is not good. 

Point to Practice: Today I will imagine being photographed at every step. I will see myself as a camera would see me. This detached perspective will give me a clear indication of what my behavior, actions and expressions are and what I would like them to be. Then, I would be able to make an attempt to portray my best. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: June 20, 2017: Simplicity

Pagudpud Ilocos Norte, Philippines

Simplicity

Peace is simplicity. Simplicity is beauty. Choose a day as your day of simplicity. Speak little, and listen with attention. Do something incognito and nice for a person you are close to. Eat simple and natural food. Create time periods for not doing anything - just walk, look around, live the moment. Have your mind open to a more profound and silent sensitivity. Appreciate each scene and each person as they are.

Overcoming The Subtle Desire For Revenge

Ask yourself very honestly how many times in your life did you feel joy, even a slight trace of it, when something negative happened with someone who had harmed you or hurt you or insulted you in any way in the past – either in the immediate or distant (far-away) past. When this kind of joy, which is an impure form of joy, is seen inside you, even if it is at your extremely subtle thought level (if not in your words or actions), you need to remember that this is nothing but a feeling of subtle revenge, even if physically you haven’t got back at any point of time at the person who has harmed you, when he did so. It may not sound very nice, but this kind of joy is enjoying the pain of others and is obviously an extremely low grade form of joy. Sometimes, as a way of justifying our joyful revenge, we call it justice.

The driving energy or fuel behind this kind of revenge is hatred or anger. It is a feeling of:  I really enjoyed it when what they had done to me came to them - I was so happy to see them suffer for what they had done, this is their punishment … tit for tat. It is a type of joy that only increases our accounts of negative karmas with the other person, which as a result, increases our sorrow, instead of decreasing it, although it may give us an impression for a while that it is decreasing our sorrow. This kind of joy will only cause the radiation of a negative form of energy to the other person, which will not only give pain to the other person, but will also cause the radiation of the negative energy of hatred from the other person to us that will never bring us long term joy. Imagine someone meeting with an accident on the road and in a lot of pain and instead of helping that person immediately we smile at that person happy with what has happened to him or her. What energy will such a person send us in return? This example is on a physical level, but the same principle applies on a subtle level. So the next time something like this happens in our life, we need to remind ourselves only if we don’t have the slightest trace of joy inside us that we can safely say that we are free from any desire for revenge, even though it may be very subtle.

Hand Shake

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!

Message for the day

To be ready before time is to be able to give the best in situations. 

Expression: Each situation has something new to teach and there is something to learn from it. For the one who learns from every situation, there is progress. Such a person is able to be ready before time. So when the challenging situation does come up, he is well equipped with whatever is necessary and he is able to give his best. 

Experience: When I am able to understand the fact that all life's situations are just training for me, I am able to learn from everything that happens. I am able to build up and use my inner powers more and more and I find myself moving towards perfection with each passing moment. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: June 19, 2017: An Angel's face

Daily Positive Thoughts: June 19, 2017: An Angel's face

An Angel's face

An angel's face is still because there are no lies inside. Truth makes it a straight, simple face whose beauty lies not in its form but in the feeling it gives you.

Seeing With Spiritual Eyes

My eyes are the most powerful medium through which I, the soul, not only absorb information from the outside to the inside but also express myself to others from the inside to outside. All that the soul possesses inside it or is made up of in the form of thoughts, feelings, attitudes, positive virtues, even weaknesses, in fact all personality traits, are expressed through my eyes to others and shared with others. As I look towards others, my eyes can be used to shower others with pure love, peace, joy, power etc. and the same eyes, if not used appropriately, can shower others with anger, jealousy, criticism, hatred etc. My eyes also express whatever wisdom or knowledge I possess inside.

When I stay in the awareness that I am a soul, a spiritual being of subtle light, situated at the center of my forehead, my eyes are used to see others in the same way with a spiritual vision. This leads to my spiritual upliftment. When I stay in the awareness that I am a body, my eyes are used to see others in the same way with a non-spiritual or a body-conscious vision. This brings me down on a spiritual level. A spiritual vision helps me see others with a sense of equality, instead of with feelings of comparison or competitiveness. Usually, on a physical level, I create all sorts of impressions of another person from just one glance through my eyes, about their age, gender, looks, position in society, job, how rich they are, their dressing sense, caste, nationality etc. and many a times, very commonly, I make various assumptions about their personality or behaviour. In the state of soul-consciousness, that changes. Looking out I see souls, and I see them as my brothers, on exactly the same level as me, neither higher, nor lower. A spiritual vision reminds me of the original, positive qualities of each soul, instead of their present personality. It also reminds me that each soul has incarnated from the soul world to play its various roles through different physical costumes in this unlimited drama on the world stage. Age, gender, appearances, status etc. which are visible to me today are just temporary ones. The same soul has been in the past and will be in the future in different physical costumes or roles, where all these have been and will be different and the same applies to me too. This makes me rise above comparisons and I am no longer judgmental about the other.

Negative feedback

Receiving negative feedback is not pleasant or easy to hear, but it is part and parcel of life.  So we may as well handle it effectively.  How?

1. If possible, try not to respond immediately.  Give yourself a few seconds, minutes or more to cool down and to process the feedback.

2. If it feels right, say "Thank you for your feedback."

3. Assess the feedback.  Is there any truth in it?  Is it highlighting any blind spots?  If you take the bits that seem useful for self-improvement, you flip negative to positive.

Message for the day

To forget the mistakes of the past is to win the game. 

Expression:  To forget the mistakes of the past means to take the learning from them and then forget them. When there is the ability to do this, there is also the ability to make the best use of the resources available in the present. There is a clear vision for the future and constant effort to move towards it. 

Experience: When I am able to forgive my own mistakes after understanding how to correct them, I am able to forget them. This keeps me mentally free and I am able to move forward with lightness. Whatever situations come my way, I am able to enjoy them like a game.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris