Contemplation: December 15, 2018: Creating a Peaceful Character

Contemplation: December 15, 2018: Creating a Peaceful Character

Creating a Peaceful Character

To be peaceful you have to see yourself as a peaceful being. It means to think about being peaceful. It means that you have to be able to describe it in words. You must be capable of experiencing the feelings you would have if you reached that peaceful state. Now believe in it. If you feel it, it's real. Simply work on it and keep it uppermost in your mind. Make it yours and it will become your natural behaviour.

Stability

When we are faced with challenges, we usually experience that there are
not sufficient resources or we are not able to make use of our
resources for best results. So instead of experiencing progress, we
experience a lot of negative feelings. When we learn the art of being
stable in the most negative situations, we know how to use the
treasures that are hidden within us. Our mind is no longer disturbed
with waste or negative thoughts and we find it easy to face and learn
from each and every situation.

The Art Of Tolerance (cont.)

Someone who has the power of tolerance will never be afraid or think: "Why is this happening to me too?" As they are constantly full, they will go deeper into the knowledge and the memory of what is essential in life. The one who is full of fear is not capable of going deeper. That's why there is depth in something that is full (wholeness). The one who has expansion is empty; for this reason, something that is empty resounds and that person devotes him or herself to muttering (talking excessively) away.

The one who has wholeness is silent; the one who is empty speaks a lot. Someone who lives in expansion will be constantly murmuring saying things like: "Why this? What is this? This should not be like that but rather in this way. It shouldn't be like that". This person will continue talking in this way in their thoughts and in their words, and also while interacting with others. What happens when you chatter away, beyond the limits? Your murmuring leaves you dry, out of breath and you tire. Those who are tolerant are saved from all these things and for this reason they always feel enjoyment and bliss, they do not chatter but rather fly in the wholeness of their inner silence.

(To be continued tomorrow ...)

Soul Sustenance

Rajyoga Meditation for Beginners

Let us practice the steps of Rajyoga meditation:

1. I hold in my mind the words Om Shanti, ‘I am a peaceful soul’: Let us reflect on this statement, or mantra. A mantra is something that frees the mind from wasteful and negative thoughts, stress and worry. A mantra is usually repeated over and over again in order to get the desired results. However, in meditation it is not a matter of repeating words over and over again without truly understanding them. Otherwise it becomes forced concentration. Concentration of the mind should be natural because, when it is so, the mind can remain in a state of peace and relaxation for a very long time. The result of this is a recharging of the battery of the self, a renewal of energy from inside.

How do we achieve this state of natural concentration on the thought, I am a spiritual being, I am a peaceful being.

2. I reflect on OM; the consciousness of I am.
What does I am mean? In this thought, the attention is drawn only to the present moment. I have no need to go into I was, I will be, I hope to be or I should be. To go deep into the self, I need to be completely in the present. This thought of I am takes me into the consciousness of self-realisation.

3. I focus and concentrate on the thought until I stop thinking about it and experience it.

These are the primary steps of silence and must be mastered correctly.

Message for the day

To be set on the seat of one's own position is to be free from the opposition of situations.

Expression: To be set on the seat of one's own position means to remain stable and beyond fluctuation even in challenging situations. This comes when there is an experience of the inner qualities and strength. So during difficult times, it is this inner strength that is revealed. So there is no opposition from even the challenging situations that come up.

Experience: When I know my own inner qualities and strength and have this awareness in a conscious way, I am able to set myself on an elevated position. No opposition, however powerful it may be, can shake me from my seat of self-respect. In fact, I experience becoming firmer in my position with every opposition that comes.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: December 14, 2018: Strengthen Your Willpower

Contemplation: December 14, 2018: Strengthen Your Willpower

Strengthen Your Willpower

Willpower is what keeps you on track. 

Willpower is what stops you from giving in to temptations.

So, strengthen your willpower, not by removing the temptations but by facing them and choosing not to give in!

The next time you find yourself lacking in willpower, refocus on your aim and why you want to achieve it.

Remind yourself: I am in control of my choices.
I am in charge of my behaviour. I am the master of my life.

Inner Positivity

There is usually attention on the self not to perform any negative
acts. There is also considerable attention not to speak any words that
are harmful or negative. But very rarely is there that attention on the
thoughts. Because of this a lot of negative thoughts tend to remain in
the intellect causing trouble for me. I need to understand the fact
that my thoughts form the basis for my words and actions. The more I
pay attention to make my thoughts positive, the more it will have a
positive impact on my words and actions too. Constant awareness of a
positive thought enables me to maintain my own inner positivity.

The Art Of Tolerance (cont.)

In the Ramayana, Mahavir Hanuman has been portrayed as carrying a great mountain in his hand as if it were a ball. It does not matter if the problem, obstacle or storm seems like a great mountain: one need to turn something that appears as big as a mountain into a small toy, and overcome it as if it were a game. Making something big very light makes you also feel light. Don't turn a small stone into a mountain; turn the mountain into a ball. To take the expansion to its essence is tolerance.

Expanding obstacles and problems in your mind or speaking of them to others means to create mountains. Don't go into expansion: put a full stop and turn over the page of life and that way you will advance. A tolerant person is always capable of taking expansion, problems and obstacles to their essence with knowledge, meditation and silence. When you choose the longest road, doing so consumes more and ends up by exhausting your time and energy. Expansion is the longest road and the essence is to take a shortcut. Both work in order to get to the other side, but those who take a shortcut are able to save their time and energy, they do not get discouraged. They constantly enjoy themselves and overcome everything with a smile. That is being tolerant. When you have developed the power of tolerance, you do things with pleasure. We are not referring to the physical pleasures but rather to living a life with pleasure in your heart, and that way you will be able to transform any situation or task from confusion into pleasure.

(To be continued tomorrow ...)

Soul Sustenance

Uprooting the Emotion of Worry from the Consciousness

 (Part 2)

In yesterday’s message, we had explained how worry is the wrong use of the imaginative capacity of the mind and intellect. On the other hand, imagining possible positive outcomes or results will have a double effect of not only keeping the negative outcomes away from us (even if there is a possibility of them occurring), but will also attract the positive results towards us. But to ensure that both these processes happen, it’s important not to attach possible negative results to the same, even to the minutest extent, otherwise the probability of positive futures becoming a reality reduces. Worrying is another word for this attachment process.

Worry is a type of mental habit, which arises from the belief that it’s good to worry. This belief gets acquired during our childhood. And then it keeps getting strengthened from our life experiences. We start from this belief. That attracts negative circumstances; as a result the belief gets strengthened further, because you think that with life full of so many negative circumstances, it’s important to think of negative outcomes beforehand. You don’t realize that these negative situations occurred in the first place largely due to this belief. When we are faced with a negative situation, again we worry because we hold that belief. Again it’s the same result. In this way, we are caught in a vicious cycle. How do we come out of this cycle? By changing this belief to – ‘it’s not good to worry’. Once we do that, there is no guarantee that negative situations will completely stop arising in our life, because we have performed negative actions in the past (either in this birth or past births), which need to be settled in our present, but the extent of negative situations will be minimized. And even if they do come, they will bid goodbye sooner, if we have a worry-free consciousness.

Message for the day

Cleanliness means no waste within.

Expression: To be totally clean means there is not a trace of negativity or waste within. Even in the most complicated situations there is clarity within. The mind is clear and clean so there is clarity in words and actions also. Every decision is taken with a clear mind and so whatever is done is naturally accurate.

Experience: When there is cleanliness in the heart, I am able to win the love of those around me and also of God. I find that I become a mirror for the others and they are able to see their own perfection through me. I also find that I am able to save a lot of time as I am able to see things for what they are and because there is clarity in my thoughts.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: December 13, 2018: Good Wishes

Contemplation: December 13, 2018: Good Wishes

Good Wishes

If someone behaves negatively towards you, can you have good wishes for them? When you get affected by other people's negativity, your positivity depletes.

Try to work on creating good wishes for all (especially for the negative people in your life). Your good wishes can help, support and empower the other person to bring about a change for the better.

Best wishes to you!

Forgiveness

We sometimes find it very difficult to forgive the mistakes committed
by others. We do try to understand but are not able to understand the
other person's behaviour and so find it difficult to forgive them. When
I have love for myself and am able to learn from all that happens, I am
able to forgive myself. When I know to do this, I can understand the
other person too from his perspective and can easily forgive him.

The Art Of Tolerance

It is important to understand that to overcome problems you need, on the one hand, inner power, and, on the other, the capacity to tolerate. Tolerating does not mean to put up with. To tolerate is to accept, understand and know how to face things. That is, to tolerate is not to put up with and then explode at a later stage. In tolerance you dissolve that which, otherwise you would be putting up with. Tolerance is like the ocean, which is an example of tolerance, because we throw a lot of dirt into the ocean, the ocean absorbs it and, over time, transforms it. Tolerance is being like the ocean, that is, knowing how to absorb and dissolve, and finally to make it disappear.

Tolerance has to be balanced with the capacity to face things, which is based on bravery, courage and personal security. Having the power to tolerate gives you security and trust that you will be able to, you will achieve it, and you will advance. Tolerance is necessary for shared living, to be and allow to be. With the virtue of tolerance, you will continue to smile, you will never be discouraged. To smile when someone praises you is not to be tolerant. However, when someone turns into an angry enemy and insults you, but you do not have even the slightest sign of dejection on your face, not even in your thoughts, that is to be tolerant. To look, to speak and to enter in contact with feelings of compassion, patience, comprehension, love and respect, with a person that you do not have a good relationship with, is to have tolerance.

(To be continued tomorrow ...)

Soul Sustenance

Uprooting the Emotion of Worry From The Consciousness (Part 1)

What is a good definition of ‘worry’? Worry is a process of imagining the worst possible outcome or result or future in a particular situation and creating a living and active image of it in front of the eye of your mind, and then using the energy of that negative image to flow inside your consciousness so as to completely overpower or weaken your spiritual and as a result your physical self to evoke fear in the self.

When people are asked about this process, a person who is attached to this process and is involved in the process very regularly the whole day in different types of situations, one who is a habitual worrier, responds "But it’s important t0 worry, it’s good to worry. If we don’t think of different possible negative outcomes, how will we prepare for them?" It’s important to realize that the belief, that by worrying, we prepare for the worst in the future is a false one. This belief causes us not to realize the truth that all worry is simply an incorrect and fruitless creation. It is a wrong use of the positive, constructive and imaginative capacity of our mind and intellect which, instead of empowering the mind and intellect, weakens it. Preparing for the future is important and necessary, but very often while doing that, we enter the territory of worry, which leaves us, defeated or weakened. There is an extremely fine line between proactive preparation (necessary preparation in advance) on the one hand and worry on the other. The preparation can be done without creating an excessive number of possible negative outcomes in the mind.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Message for the day

The method to bring about change is forgiveness.

Expression: Forgiveness means to have good wishes, cooperation, love, respect and faith. This becomes like a blessing for the one who needs to bring about change. Words spoken will then be powerful and easy. This will naturally bring faith in the other person in order to bring about natural transformation.

Experience: When I give only correction I forget to forgive. But when I first forgive I am able to remain cool and easy. I am also able to forget the intensity of the mistake. So when I forgive and forget in this way, my forgiveness itself becomes a correction for the other person.


In Spiritual Service,

Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: December 12, 2018: A Moment Of Solitude

Contemplation: December 12, 2018: A Moment Of Solitude

 

A Moment of Solitude

When I start the day with a moment of solitude and contemplation, even the most crowded schedule runs more smoothly.

Acceptance

Would you reprimand a young child for their mischievousness or
mistakes? Though it's important to be firm in teaching discipline, a
good parent or care-giver realizes that the child is innocent of how it
should behave. Therefore, the approach is patient and loving. But what
happens when we see adults making big-little errors? Our mature self
makes us react, comment, argue and say "But they should know
better..." It's true that adults have to be more responsible for
their actions but that's not always the case. It's in our best
interest to accept that no matter how much we correct people, they are
likely to change at their own time. At times, we all come under the
influence of our sanskars which compel us to act against better
judgment. As we are in the same boat, keeping faith and good wishes for
others (and ourselves) is the best way to guide and bring about good
transformation.

Reversing The Flow Of Love In Relationships

If we ask someone who do they think has caused them the most sorrow in life, most will point out to someone they love or had loved a lot. Why is it so? It happens like that because we believe that the energy of love will come from the outside and will fill us inside. The energy of love from the other will fulfill our inner desire for the experience of love. Due to our own need, we attach ourselves and hold on to a particular person whom we love a lot, believing that they will fill us with the love that they possess inside them, which will make us stronger, fuller and more content. So we start depending on the other person for this need. When he/she is not able to fill us, which happens many times, we experience sorrow. Love is an energy, which exists inside us. It always goes from the inside out and reaches out to the other and brings benefit to the other. It does not come from the outside in.

If we try and reverse the flow of love i.e. we make the energy of love come from outside in, we start depending on the outside for love, which results in the vacuuming effect. When you vacuum to clean your living room, you absorb the good and the bad. If you have dropped something very small, but valuable and of utmost importance to you, on your carpet, the vacuum cleaner absorbs it or takes it away, together with the dust, which is negative and of no value to you and which you do not want inside your home. When you live with the vacuuming effect on an emotional level, you absorb the love, care, concern, virtues, powers, specialties, energy, etc. of the person you love but you also end up absorbing their weaknesses, their worries, their fears, etc. That way, a dependency is generated that is counter-productive and causes emotional pain. That does not mean we become cold and stop accepting love from others, but we are no longer dependent on it for our inner well-being and happiness. Also, on the other hand, we keep radiating or giving love. When we give love, we experience it ourselves first and that's what we want - an experience of love, isn't it?

Soul Sustenance

Experiencing And Maintaining A State Of Contentment

To reach, experience and maintain a state of contentment or fulfillment you have to first realize what true freedom is and then learn how to use it so that it strengthens you and also helps you to achieve the full potential of your individual self. Freedom is the key to contentment. You also need to check what brings you close to the state of fulfillment and what takes you away from it. Fears of different kinds are one of the main obstacles in experiencing contentment. Any weakness, inability to apply any virtue or spiritual power required in any situation, lack of focus, inner instability, etc. will cause a leakage of the energy of positivity that is required to feel content. Free yourself of any personality trait that hinders your progress and does not allow your inner being to manifest itself and express itself with all its potential. To live in contentment, you should be in charge of your inner mental and emotional world. If not, you will only be able to experience temporary periods of fulfillment.

To achieve fulfillment you not only have to have inner control, but you also need to check whether there is any door open to allow any weakness to enter the room of your personality. Because if you strengthen yourself on the one hand and on the other you are weakened, you will never reach the desired state of inner power. E.g. you keep a bucket of water under a tap of water. If it has even a single crack, however much water you pour into the bucket, it will never get filled completely. In the same way, this can happen to you. Because of this, you need to check, which cracks are present in your personality through which there are leaks of energy, because of which your efforts to become content do not give you the results you hope for.

Message for the day

To work with joy is to be free from tiredness.

Expression: When there is the happiness and joy of doing something, one can go on putting in effort even in the most difficult circumstances. For having done everything with happiness, there will be the inner quality revealed in each and every task. The happiness within will spread around to others too.

Experience: As I never leave my inner joy, and am constantly in touch with my inner qualities, I am able to enjoy everything that life brings. Nothing will then be experienced as work, but I feel everything to be entertainment. I will be able to enjoy the richness of life even when there is something actually difficult.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: December 11, 2018: Rise above the Noise

Contemplation: December 11, 2018: Rise above the Noise

Rise above the Noise

We're surrounded by noise. Then there's our noisy

thought - thinking head that never seems to cease.

Raise your focus out of the noise and float effortlessly above it all! Rise above the noise to enjoy inner peace.

Focus on your inner peace and the noise in your
thought-thinking head will subside.

Speak Less

We learn a lot about someone's personality simply by listening to
them. On a gross level it reveals a person's background, education,
intelligence, wittiness etc. However it also brings to light one's
attitude and sanskars (personality traits): How much do we live in the
past or future and not the present, do we appreciate the positive
aspects in situations and people, are our words spoken with arrogance
or humility, does my lax nature make me speak inappropriately or does
my intellect first judge the situation, time, person, and consequences
before I allow words to emerge? It pays to 'Speak Less, Speak Slowly
and Speak Sweetly' as it creates a place for me in other's hearts
in no time.

Understanding The Birth Rebirth Cycle (cont.)

We subconsciously know that we are souls. Birth, life and death are just stages in existence. In fact all natural processes can be found to have a beginning,  a middle, an end and a new beginning to continue the cycle. The soul takes a bodily form, gives life to it and after a period of time, long or short, leaves it and takes another suited to the continuation of its role. As long as the soul is in the body, the body grows like a plant from baby to child, youth to maturity. It then begins to decay and finally becomes unusable. The moment the soul leaves the body, the body becomes like a dead log of a tree. It immediately starts to decompose and eventually goes back "to dust".

Again the soul moves into a fetus inside the womb of a mother. After time it emerges as a newborn baby and immediately begins to show the sanskars it had developed in its previous life. It is the same soul but in a new physical situation. Thus death is merely the means by which a complete change of circumstances and environment for the soul takes place. Time never kills the soul, but the body, being a part of nature or matter, obeys the law of decay that everything new becomes old and eventually finishes. The molecular components of this body disintegrate only to re-integrate as another form (body) some time later.

The process of birth-life-death-rebirth is also eternal (without a beginning or an end). It has always been going on and will continue. The soul comes into the body, expresses a role and experiences the results of that for a certain time, then leaves it, and the process starts again. Similarly, souls come into this world, remain here as actors for a number of births and then return to the region from which they come, for rest. This process also starts again. The pattern is a cyclic one. This is called the eternal world cycle.

Soul Sustenance

Meditation to Experience My Inner Beauty

Experience the following thoughts one after the other:

I sit in a relaxed position, I am comfortable… I let my body relax, keeping my back straight, my legs supported comfortably on the floor, I breathe deeply... Now I begin to carefully observe my mind… What kinds of thoughts arise in my mind? Are they positive, negative? How are they moving? Slow, fast...

I carefully observe my mind and remember that I can choose my thoughts… Consciously, I begin to redirect my thoughts... I create positive thoughts about myself... I think about my good qualities, I identify a specific quality that is special to me and which I feel makes me a unique being… Perhaps the quality is being tolerant, sweet, patient or affectionate…

I create a space in my inner self to discover my best quality, and for a few moments I think about it… In my mind I see the beauty of this quality and observe how I feel... I am sweet, I am kind, and as I experience these special qualities, I begin to feel better about myself…

Now I imagine using this quality in my interactions with others. How do I feel when I express and put this quality into practice? Using a quality makes me grow, at the same time the good feelings I have about myself as a unique human being also makes me grow…

I enjoy these feelings for a few moments and little by little, breathing deeply, I am aware that I am here; I express my inner beauty…

Message for the day

To fail means there is the need to work a little harder.

Expression: To fail doesn't means to be a failure but it only means that it will take a little longer before success can be reached. It gives an indication that more effort has to be put in. So when things are done in a different way, it becomes possible to move towards success. Failure in a particular task is a process of strengthening that leads to success.

Experience: During the time of failure, when I understand the significance behind the incident, I am able to be free from negative feelings of fear or disheartenment. Then I am able to learn the right lesson from it and move ahead. So in the worst failures I am able to experience constant progress and thus I find that I am moving on towards success.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: December 10, 2018: Work Well

Contemplation: December 10, 2018: Work Well

Work Well

Work is only work if you prefer to be somewhere else. Work tends to be a negative perception of a task which we reluctantly approach. Work is only labour when we forget to see our life as it truly is - an opportunity to be creative, enrich others and be enriched ourselves. When we are able to see work in this way, we find something called enthusiasm inside. When we are enthusiastic we work well and we are valued. We are used as a role model. When we work well it is much easier to say no when we need to, for we know our own value, and we are not dependent on others' approval to feel good about ourselves. When we put love and enthusiasm into what we do, it rebounds in the form of opportunities and blessings, two of the most important ingredients of a truly wealthy life.

Attention to Expression

Our words can either spiritually sustain souls or damage their
self-esteem. Whether we are talking about someone's faults or
weaknesses, passing comments on a situation that does not concern us,
or giving private information we create an atmosphere that could
suffocate any soul in the vicinity and reduce chances of improvement or
productivity. Remember that it's very difficult to trust someone who
speaks without thinking of the consequences. We can save a lot of time
and energy by paying attention to how we interact and express ourselves
in relationships.

Understanding The Birth Rebirth Cycle

The realization of the self as a soul, an eternal (always existing) energy, naturally leads to the following questions:

* Where is the soul before it comes into a physical body?
* Where does the soul go after it leaves it?
* What is the purpose of the world drama?

These are questions that deeply concern human beings, yet until now there isn't 100% conclusive proof of life after death.

The images of "fires of hell" and a heavenly world beyond the clouds are talked about in the world's religions. Yet to the rational and logical minded, the states of living forever tortured in holes of fire (hell) or on the other hand relaxing in complete happiness in a fairy-tale kingdom (heaven), seem far away from the reality of the present.

Most accept that there is some order to the world creation, but viewing our drama through spectacles of body-consciousness it is impossible to see it, as the soul is imprisoned by bodily needs and sensual desires. In body-consciousness the soul is unable to see anything clearly. Only when we are at the point of death does one think about life after death. At funerals, everyone faces the new absence of a loved person, the departure of the personality and the temporary nature of the physical body. Everyone wishes that the person who has died will go to heaven and not to hell.
(To be continued tomorrow ....)

Soul Sustenance

The Power to Co-operate (cont.)

The more I practice meditation, and develop and live with the consciousness that I am a non-physical soul, a being of light, the quicker the ego associated with all the physical factors (explained yesterday) melts away. Coloring myself with the Supreme or God's company, I see others as the children of the Supreme Soul. I know myself as part of the family of human souls who have the same original qualities as me. In soul-consciousness, there is no way I can feel superior to others, though I'll value their specialties. We are brothers - equal yet different.

In this consciousness, a natural humility or egolessness develops, a genuine respect for each other. There is a strength and happiness in the awareness of being a child of God, but I'll see others also as the same. There is neither the ego of feeling superior, nor the inverted ego of an inferiority complex. I am not negating myself, I am recognizing the value of the self, but I'm also appreciating the value and qualities of all others around me. In that spirit of mutual respect, it becomes easy to work together.

The future of the world and the transformation of the planet actually depend on this transformation in each one of us, from ego and self-glorification to humility, respect and co-operation. Meditation, by lifting me beyond the factors that divide us, makes me deeply aware that we are one family, sharing one home, this beautiful planet, for which we have a common responsibility. In the awareness of where we are, and to whom we belong, there also comes the recognition of what we as a family must do together - create a world which is filled with the virtues of the Supreme Soul, by first imbibing those virtues inside us. 

Message for the day

To fill the ones who are hopeless with hope is the greatest service.

Expression: To have faith by seeing the positive qualities even in the most negative person is to fill them with hope. Also to fill hope means to encourage others to move forward in the most negative situation. When this is done they are able to use their potentials for a positive purpose and slowly bring about a change for the better.

Experience: When I am able to see positivity under all circumstances, I am able to have the courage and enthusiasm to make the best out of every situation. This also naturally makes me an inspiration for those around me too and makes me an image of support for those who want to make effort.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: December 09, 2018: Your Imagination

Contemplation: December 09, 2018: Your Imagination

Your Imagination

Do you let your imagination run wild and create worse-case scenarios?

Imagining the worst strengthens the possibility of creating the very situation you do not want. Instead, why not increase the possibility of creating the best!

Harness your imagination and create best-case scenarios.

Managing Thoughts

A great number of us wish we weren't forgetful or careless. But
interestingly enough, the mind generally forgets normal, routine things
but can't get away from contemplating on the past or future (could be
my own or others). It's not surprising that my mind finds it hard to
remember what I need for today, when it's trying to manage the
traffic jam of thoughts pertaining to yesterday and tomorrow. We could
argue that the past has many good things to adopt or that we need to
plan for the future, but along with that I end up encouraging the past
or future to weigh me down. Let me guard my thoughts carefully and not
allow any leakage of the mind power.

Quality Transformation

Quality change is the capacity to transform negative situations, or circumstances, into something beneficial for one's self and others. 'Quality transformers' are people who can turn walls of resistance into bridges of understanding and keep crossing them, who can change any obstacle into a stepping stone of success and can reverse the troubling, paralyzing dragon of doubt and insecurity into radiant self-confidence, dissolving the thought impossible from the mind.

Such people work with the undercurrents of life that determine the external reality, of human interaction. These undercurrents are their attitudes, thoughts and feelings. If these undercurrents are filled with resentment, anger and selfishness, then, despite being polite and cooperative externally with people, relationships will be subject to damage and deterioration. On the other hand, when the undercurrent is filled with trust and sincerity, then the quality of life and relationships is enhanced. The fundamental source of quality is the existence of a positive undercurrent. It is not a matter of our words, actions or role (which is the external reality), but rather the foundation, the undercurrent i.e. the thoughts and the activity of the mind.

Meditation enables the mind to tune in to that undercurrent of thoughts, feelings, and attitudes, which is the invisible creator of our human reality. The nourishing power of silence, attained through meditation and spiritual knowledge, gives us the means to bring about quality transformation (change) in this undercurrent. Such change enhances our self-confidence and the capacity to creatively and positively relate to life as it is and face situations easily.

Soul Sustenance

The Power to Co-operate

In India, there is a saying that when everyone gave a finger of co-operation, the mountain of sorrow was lifted. If we look with open eyes at the world of today, and at current social, financial and environmental trends, it's clear that there is widespread suffering and sorrow, that it is likely to get worse, and that to remove this sorrow will be a task like lifting a mountain. Meditation ignites a conviction inside us that the task will be done. Although we have such different backgrounds, cultures, personalities, and so on; meditation shapes our personalities in such a way that it becomes easy for us to share our resources, work together, and give our own finger of co-operation in the task.

The way meditation achieves this is interesting. Look at the other side - at what prevents co-operation: it is ego, where I am in a state of self-glorification, hungry for personal praise or fame, and not concerned about the wellbeing of the team. In ego, I think I am the only one who knows, the one who is right. Ego kills co-operation. Ego is closely connected to body-consciousness. An enormous 'I and my' factor comes in when I think of myself as this body, and lose sight of the soul. My race, my color, my gender, my physical appearance, my education, my family, my job, my position, my possessions - all these become part of the build-up of ego. Working with others with co-operation, who may at any moment challenge my ego with their own different agendas and needs, then becomes stressful.

(To be continued tomorrow ....)

Message for the day

The power of transformation brings all attainments.

Expression: When there is the ability to transform negative into positive, and waste into useful in a second there is the ability to be useful for the self and others. There would not be just complaints against the situation, but the best would be made out of all situations and move on to the aim set out.

Experience: When I am able to use the power of transformation to finish negative and waste, I am able to experience being free from obstacles. So I am able to experience contentment under all circumstances for having made the best use of everything available.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

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