Daily Positive Thoughts: August 21, 2017: Optimistic Outlook

Daily Positive Thoughts: August 21, 2017: Optimistic Outlook

Optimistic Outlook

Optimism opens a door in difficult or hopeless situations. No matter what the crisis, an optimist maintains the outlook that it is a sign, time for a different way of thinking, or of doing things. Sometimes the signal has to be very clear even harsh, otherwise we may continue in self-delusion and not wake up. Of course if we lack optimism, instead of taking this signal as a step towards renaissance, complaint, resentment or even desperation will emerge.

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 other

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.

Appreciate what you have

It is much easier to note what one doesn't have than appreciate what
one has. So whenever challenging situations come our way, we tend to
see what we are lacking. When there is such an attitude we are not
able to make any effort to change the situation. We then tend to blame
others or give excuses. During challenging situations and even
otherwise, we need to make special effort to appreciate and use what
we have. When we continue to make effort in this way, every challenge
will allow us to discover and use hidden resources, thus making us
richer. So we would be able to experience constant progress.

Message for the day

To be a teacher means to touch the heart rather than the head. 

Expression: Teaching others means being subtle and explaining in such a way that the mind opens because the heart has understood. The one who truly teaches inspires rather than just becoming the one who teaches others. There is recognition of the positivity that is in each one and so no comparisons are made with others.

Experience: Once I am able to look at the positivity in another individual and have the pure desire of enabling progress within that person, I am able to feel the love for him. This is like a parent's love whose love for the child is that which makes him grow. So I become a teacher who inspires rather than the one who teaches. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: August 20, 2017: Creativity

Daily Positive Thoughts: August 20, 2017: Creativity

Creativity

Acts of virtue emerge from deep within, from an inner sanctuary of silence from which inspiration flows. Every action has its seed in a thought and every thought is a creation of the thinker, the soul. I choose what thoughts I want to create and as is my thinking so are my actions and also my experience in life. Going within, I touch the stillness and pure love that lie at the core of my being and every thought that I create is of benefit to myself and of benefit to humanity.

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.

The Canvas of your Mind

Every day is an opportunity to be creative - the canvas is your mind,
the brushes and colors are your thoughts and feelings, the panorama is
your story, the complete picture is a work of art called, 'my life'.
Be careful what you put on the canvas of your mind today - it matters.relax7

Message for the day

A pure state of mind brings tirelessness. 

Thought to ponder: A pure state of mind means being positive in spite of the situations. When the mind is clean and pure, there is energy in the mind and so the body too. Even there is exertion in the body, the power of the mind can recharge the body. On the other hand, negative thoughts drain us of energy and enthusiasm. 

Point to practice: Today I will keep my mind clean. I will not let any negative thought creep in. I will focus on what is positive. Even if I am exhausted physically, I will take some time off to make my mind positive, peaceful and powerful. This will help me rejuvenate and re-energize. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: August 19, 2017: Offer Up

Daily Positive Thoughts: August 19, 2017: Offer Up

Offer Up

Free yourself from forcing, expecting or wanting someone to receive what you think they should take - it could be your idea, opinion, or an opportunity you think they should accept - you can't make anyone take anything - your own experience probably confirms this. Offer humbly. Offer gently. Offer as if you are a master, and then let go, and retire like a shy child. When you can dance the dance between being master and child, you'll be surprised how much more others will accept what you have to say, and how much more they appreciate your offerings.

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...)

Keep sense organs under control

We are usually controlled by our sense organs. For example, whatever
our eyes see, we are distracted with that. Thoughts continue to wander
in that particular direction and we have no control over them. At that
time even if we do try to control, we find it very difficult. The
stimulus the sense organs get is not in our hands, but how we choose
to respond definitely is. So we need to give the training so that we
see only positivity in everything, i.e., we also have the power to
transform even negativity into positivity. Then at the right time,
this training will help us keep our sense organs under control.

Message for the day

To move forward is to be on a pilgrimage. 

Thought to ponder: When someone goes on a pilgrimage, there is only one thought of moving forward. Our life too is a pilgrimage of experiencing progress in all we do. When something uncomfortable comes up, my vision needs to be fixed only on the goal and nothing else. 

Point to practice: Today I will create an aim for myself of something I want to achieve. This could be even a short term goal or even imbibing a quality in myself. Every time I am faced with any difficult situation, I will focus my energies on achieving my goal instead of wasting time and energy worrying over what is wrong. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: August 18, 2017: Relationships are like a tapestry

Daily Positive Thoughts: August 18, 2017: Relationships are like a tapestry

 

 

Relationships are like a tapestry

 

Relationships are like a tapestry... The fabric is strongest when the threads are spun with openness, love and trust. Let me be the first to display these strengths.

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...)

Increase Inner Power

We do have a lot of thoughts to bring about a change in our lives. But
most of the times we find that we are not able to bring this thought
into practice. As time passes by the thought too loses its importance
and we find ourselves caught up with waste or negative thoughts. We
need to keep a chart of our waste and negative thoughts as well as our
powerful and positive thoughts. Only when we are consciously aware of
how much we are spending through our negative and waste thoughts and
how much we are accumulating through our positive and powerful
thoughts can we be determined. We also are able to increase our
accumulation and thereby increase inner power.

Message for the day

God's love brings out the perfection from within. 

Expression: The power of God's love brings about change internally. Through His love everything old and unwanted finishes. There is the natural tendency to bring about such perfection that the one who loves Him and gets His love becomes like a mirror - a mirror in which perfection of others too is visible. 

Experience: There is such inner strength that I get because of God's love that even if somebody does something to hurt me, I don't allow myself to get hurt. Even if people are saying negative things, they don't influence or touch me in a negative way. I am so full with God's love that it naturally flows out to those around me. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Daily Positive Thoughts: August 17, 2017:  Trust Grows From Faith

Trust Grows From Faith

 

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.

Absorbing Spiritual Light (Part 3)

Continuing from yesterday’s message, we should not keep the vices bottled up inside us like prisoners. Prisoners are always plotting to escape. If we change them into our friends they can help us. For example, the energy required to be stubborn is almost the same as that required to be determined except that one is positive and the other negative. The soul learns to transfer such energy. Anger becomes tolerance. Greed can be transformed into contentment. Arrogance, or the respect for false identity, can become self-respect. Attachment can be changed into pure love.

The more I inculcate the Supreme Soul or God’s virtues, the closer I feel to Him, but if I allow inner disturbances due to any vice, my high stage is grounded. All the power stored up until that moment will leak away. I must recognize that I really do not like being body-conscious.  As I wish for higher experiences I choose to live the life of a meditator with purity in thought, word and action. Obstructions come within and without, but through my connection with God I am drawing so much power so as to remain unaffected. This needs soul-consciousness. So in discarding the rubbish of the vices I have gathered over many births, I become my original form and maintain it through my closeness or companionship with God.

Make up

While we spend much time 'making up' our faces to ensure our
appearance is beautiful for others, we forget to make up our minds.
This is not about making decisions. Making up our mind means ensuring
that our thoughts are positive and our feelings towards others are
filled with good wishes. When we do, others begin to sense a deeper
beauty emanating from behind the skin! This is inner beauty. Don't
hide behind your face. Let the real you show through…

relax7

Message for the day

Royalty of personality lies in cheerfulness. 

Thought to ponder: A royal person maintains his royalty and poise in all circumstances. Cheerfulness in all situations is royalty. There might be situations challenging my state of self-respect and happiness. But I will continue to move forward with a sense of self-respect and positivity. 

Point to practice: Today I will remain seated on my secret of self-respect in all I do. I will order situations, my mind and my own sense organs whilst seated on this seat. I will not come down and get colored or affected by the negativity of the situation. 

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris