Contemplation: December 15, 2019: The Choice is Yours!

Contemplation: December 15, 2019: The Choice is Yours!

The Choice is Yours!

There are some things in life that can't be changed, but you still have some choices that are yours to make: 

     - to love or hate
     - to embrace or ignore
     - to accept or resist

Need to be always Right

Who doesn't enjoy being right? 

But it becomes a problem when the conversation turns into an argument where each one wants to prove that they are right.

Even when you know you're right, instead of trying to win the argument and prove the other person wrong, try to:
- let go of your need to be right
- stay open to other possibilities
- discuss for better understanding.

Going Beyond Others' Perception Of Us

Watch how many things you do during the day are dependent on how you imagine the other sees you: your husband, your friend, your child, your cousin, your aunt, your boss, the secretary or whoever. You imagine how they are going to look at you and, as a result, you mould yourself accordingly. If you depend on the look of the other, inwardly you will always feel fear. You want to please the other so that they continue to see you as you want.

Because of the dependence that we have on the other to appreciate us, value us and not to reject us, we want to please them. If, in spite of doing everything possible, they do not appreciate us or are not happy, how do we feel? Cheated. After having done everything out of wanting to please them! Inside, you want to please them because you want them to keep on loving you, or you don't want them to sack you from your job, or you are afraid of being different or not being accepted. That kind of dependency takes us away from our true authenticity. If you look at yourself well, in the end, others will look at you well and the one who does not look at you well will perhaps teach you something, but your value and self-esteem do not depend on the look of the other. In this state, you are open because you trust yourself and you have personal security.

The other entity can also be the Supreme Soul (God). We are afraid that God might judge us for being sinners or not. If I think God looks at me with that vision of whether I am a sinner, whether I am this or something else, I distance myself from Him. A judge like that does not help me to live with wholeness. In general, in society, there has been a distancing from the relationship and experience with God, because we have learned that He is a strict being and a judge. Actually, God is love; God looks at me well and sees my potential and my beauty (which reflects His), God embraces me and, in this embrace, He frees me: He does not allow me to depend on Him?

Soul Sustenance 

The Method Of Realizing Your Purpose (Part 2)

A question that can help you to find the purpose for your self is: when you feel absolutely on top of the world, very much content and full of enthusiasm, what is there in you? Who are you at that moment? What is the energy inside you at that time? What do you give to your surroundings and to others? This stage is something that you want to reach all the time and keep with you. Ask yourself that question. Visualize that moment, which at some time in life you must have experienced. If not, visualize what you would like to experience.

Second question to find your purpose related to the world: What is it that you want to radiate to others? What is it that you want to give? That is, what do you want to devote yourself to? This isn't limited to your job or a hobby or a sport for e.g., but rather applies to what you offer and radiate in the whole day, in relationships, with people through your thoughts, words and actions - in the family, at work, in the market, friends, acquaintances and even strangers.

To carry out this inner inquiry (in both the cases above) you need to go to its deepest part. What is your purpose? Not your purpose for this weekend you want to go for the club meeting or not, or that in the holidays you want to visit a hill station; all these are short term purposes. Your life purpose refers to what it is that you really want to reach. If you clarify it, it will help you to make decisions with clarity and determination in your life.

Message for the day 

You will continue to remain happy when your each action is such that it doesn't cause sorrow to anyone. 

Expression: In all that you do throughout the day check if any of your actions is such that there is suffering for anyone. Also check if you are yourself happy with what you are doing. Where the action is right, you will not experience unhappiness. 

Experience: Take a thought in the morning that you will do what is the best throughout the day. Also before you take any decision about any action ask yourself if it is going to harm anyone. Your decision to perform the action or not should be based on this. 


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: December 14, 2019: Radiate Happiness

Contemplation: December 14, 2019: Radiate Happiness

Radiate Happiness

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

To learn the art of controlling is to steer through life's situations easily. 

When I am driving, the road is not always straight. Yet, I know when to apply a brake or when to turn the steering wheel. In the same way, in life's situations I need to understand that everything will not go as I plan. Instead, I need to learn the art of knowing when to stop(apply brakes) and when to turn my thinking in a direction which is more constructive. Today I will have a mental traffic control system for myself. From time to time, I will have a signal for myself to stop and check if I am going in the right direction. If I find myself in the wrong way, I will immediately change my thoughts in the right direction or just postpone the thoughts.

The Two Dimensions Of Being A Detached Observer

There are two dimensions of being a detached observer - the inner dimension and the outer one.

Let us look at the inner dimension of detached observation. It is the ability or the technique to stand back from or observe in a detached way our own thoughts, feelings, emotions, attitudes and behavior.  We are creators and our thoughts, feelings, emotions and attitudes are our creation.  In fact, this is the first step to becoming a ruler of the self and making the self powerful. If we fail to detach from our thoughts and emotions then they will be our masters, they will go out of control and will, as a result, leak away or waste our energy.  Practice simply being the witness of whatever you are thinking and feeling. This is an important aspect of any good spiritual practice and after a while you will find it an experience that both, frees you and empowers you.

The external dimension of detached observation is the technique of being a witness to or an observer of the scenes, of the world around us.  As we stand back and watch the scenes of life being played, on the world stage around us, without being actively involved, we can see the big picture more clearly. This makes it easier to judge clearly what is the most suitable contribution that we can make and the most suitable role we can play - through our thoughts, words and actions.

Soul Sustenance 

The Method Of Realizing Your Purpose (Part 1) 

Throughout our daily routine right from the time we wake up till we go to sleep at night, we all always have something to think about, to say and/or something to do. We are occupied and are busy. The question is whether everything that we do forms part of our life purpose or whether we are simply occupying time spaces and using our mental, verbal and physical energy in activities, tasks and conversations that do not lead us to anything substantial or whole. We simply pass time doing and talking, but without a sense of purpose. Although the things we do and/or speak about are necessary to be done, if they do not make up part of our life purpose, they will tire us. We will feel an inner emptiness and dissatisfaction, as if we are missing something.

The most authentic purpose is that of fulfilling our ideal, our dream in life. What happens is that, sometimes, we haven't worked out what our true purpose or life dream is. We have to ask ourselves what our true purpose is. There are two purposes – one is a purpose related to the self and the other related to what we want to offer to the world. During the day we are exchanging energy - each one of us is different and can give something to the world during this exchange; each of us can play our musical note in order to contribute to the orchestra of the Universe.

Message for the day 

All problems can be overcome when you make a determined promise to yourself. 

Checking: When a problem comes up and you are working on it, check what kind of thoughts you are having. Check if your thought to overcome the problem is filled with determination? 

Practice: Each day reinforce the thought in your mind to overcome the problem that you are facing. Stamp the thought with determination and you will become victorious in overcoming your problem. 


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: December 13, 2019: Vibrations

Contemplation: December 13, 2019: Vibrations

Vibrations

Your thoughts don't exist in isolation, they affect the world.  

Every thought creates vibrations. 

Vibrations ripple out into the universe.

Send your thoughts and vibrations to:

a crisis somewhere in the world;

someone you know who's in difficulty, experiencing  illness or pain.

To be egoless is to learn from people. 

Each and every person I come into contact with has something to teach me. When I work with ego, I become deprived of this learning. I am not able to see the positive in people. Nor do I have the humility to understand that there is a lot to learn and improve. Being egoless helps me continuously learn and progress. Today I will learn something from someone really close to me. I will take one point that I feel that I should imbibe from this person. I will consciously work on imbibing this point into my life.

A Journey To Happiness Or A Journey Of Happiness (Part 3)?

It is said that the power of love can move mountains. We need to look at resources like love that exist in the universe, in our relationships which can uplift our spirits and reduce the tightness that exists due to unfinished tasks and objectives. It is said that any type of intoxication can reduce our stresses and make us optimistic in times of distress. Love is one such type of intoxication and here love can range from the love between two friends to that between a mother and her fledgling (young) child. Love can also be spiritual i.e. the love experienced from a strong relationship with a deity or God. For some even love for the self, nurtured by giving time to an art, music, a sport, a good book, a hobby or a meditation, can be energizing and liberating. For another set of people, love for a figure head who may be a politician, an entertainer, a sportsman or an actor can be an uplifting power.

So instead of becoming subservient (under the influence of) to time, instead of saying that time will telland time will heal, let's use the power of love to remain satisfied to the core in the present. Life is full of so many beautiful relationships (a few mentioned in this message) and the different shades of love that each relationship provides. By emerging these different shades of love in our consciousness at different types depending on the situation scenario, the clouds of unfulfilled expectations or expectations that are to be fulfilled sometime in the future (but uncertainty regarding them exists); will disappear. A roller-coaster life ride full of the rises of will happens and the falls ofwill not happens will get replaced by a smooth train ride in which you constantly experience the breeze of satisfaction and joy to the fullest. So do tap the power of love and enjoy every moment without losing focus of your aspirations (goals). This is the method of experiencing true happiness and this is our experience here at the Brahma Kumaris. So do give it a try!

Soul Sustenance 

Pure Cooking (Part 2)

1. First, it is essential to develop a positive attitude towards cooking. Before undertaking any food preparation, ask yourself. 'Do you consider the project at hand to be an enjoyable, creative activity or an unpleasant time-consuming boring, repetitive karma?’ Find a way of enjoying it, by playing spiritual songs or trying new recipes and having deep meditation while cooking.

2. Before cooking, make sure the kitchen is clean and in order. Take out all the things you will need to make the meal and place them where they will be used. This makes the process of cooking more smooth and enjoyable.

3. While cooking avoid doing other work in between. You will actually be saving time and the food will definitely turn out better.

4. As much as possible, remain in silence, paying attention to the quality of the thoughts you have. Try to have pure and peaceful thoughts. This creates a powerful atmosphere that fills the food with pure vibrations and brings personal benefits as well.

Message for the day 

To see good is the easy way to become good. 

Checking: In all the people that you are coming into contact with check to what extent you are able to see the good in them. Also check if you are able to see good in the situations too. 

Practice: Each day tell yourself that you are only going to see the good in people and situations, because the more you see good, you can become good too. Even when you find yourself seeing negativity, remind yourself of this thought and change your way of thinking. 


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: December 12, 2019: Withdraw

Contemplation: December 12, 2019: Withdraw

A 100 Year Old Tortoise at the Galapagos Tortoise Ranch

Withdraw

Just as a tortoise is able to withdraw into its shell at a moment's notice, we too can withdraw our attention away from what's happening around us.  We can step back from our senses...   and then step back again, from our thoughts and emotions.

Reconnect with the self, as a being…

A being, separate from the doing.

Inner Beauty

We all want to look our best but beauty is more than skin deep. So, no matter what we look like, we can enhance our outer appearance with our inner beauty.

We all have inner beauty. Develop your inner beauty and feel beautiful. 

Here's how:

- Beauty comes from liking yourself. 
  Know, affirm and express your good qualities.
- Avoid being negative about others. 
  Instead, notice that qualities that make them beautiful.
- Shift your focus to the world around you and give back to your community.

A Journey To Happiness Or A Journey Of Happiness (Part 2)

It is worth wondering that obstacles on the life journey can be temporary obstructions in our achievements, but not obstructions in our happiness. Only then the journey of life will be a journey of happiness and not a journey to happiness. One of the most important ways of remaining happy during the journey with many challenges co-existing at the same time is increasing the wealth of our thinking. The right type of thinking will make us happy even if there are unfinished tasks or goals or life events which we are keenly anticipating to get over. Raise the bar of your thinking on a challenging day and see how rich and full you feel internally which will make you pure happiness conscious and not challenge conscious and also not date conscious , the date when the challenge will be overcome which you cannot wait to see unfold in front of your eyes. The source of rich thinking is a choice for you to make which we will not thrust upon you but do make a good selection and feed that source every day to your mind before leaving for work or starting any day-long activity which keeps you occupied.

Also, have you heard the story of the woodcutter who used to work very hard the whole day but used to not cut much by the end of the day without realizing the reason for the same. This went on for many days until one fine day someone suggested to him that why don't you sharpen your axe? He did that and his tiring days got over. Likewise we go on and on the whole day in search of different life purposes without ever sparing a thought that our axe which is our strengths, specialties and skills, needs to be sharpened. Not a single day should pass without experiencing our strengths, positives and special personality traits including our unique talents. You might wonder how we will experience these? The path is simple - by bringing them into the playing field of practical action. This will not only make you fuller, but along with that, both - the practical application of these unique positives inside you and the pure happiness due to the high self-esteem experienced will pave the path for the faster fulfillment of your ambitions.

(To be continued tomorrow ...)

Soul Sustenance 

Pure Cooking (Part 1)

A significant part of our lifestyle is to consider the quality of our thoughts required while making food. Living in a family may make it more difficult to have that quiet and ordered state of mind while cooking. Also, children, friends, husbands and wives have the habit of coming into the kitchen while you are cooking. So, see if you can re-organize your timetable so you can cook at a time when they are busy, and then you can properly concentrate on giving pure vibrations to the food. It also helps if you play some gentle, soothing music which reminds you of the Supreme Soul or God while you are cooking. Even better sit in meditation for 4-5 minutes in the kitchen before starting to cook.

If you think of yourself while you are cooking then there will be a vibration of greed created. If you think of others while you are cooking there will be a vibration of attachment created. Think about the Supreme and there will be that feeling of deep love and freedom (liberation).

Physical cleanliness before cooking is important. Walking off the market or crowded roads, into the kitchen and cooking can affect the vibrations of the food. Washing, changing and meditating is a good start for preparation of satwic food. The ideal time for cooking is in the morning, the mind is quiet and if one has read a short paragraph of spiritual knowledge sometime after getting up, the mind is filled with new gems of spiritual knowledge, free of waste thoughts.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Message for the day 

To be merciful means to transform the pain and sorrow of others.

Expression: The one who is merciful always has the feeling of mercy and is able to help those who are in need or in distress. Such a person is able to bring about transformation in others too because of his own pure feelings. He is able to put in effort that becomes a contribution for the progress of others.

Experience: When I have mercy for others, I am able to accept their feelings, emotions and behaviour and provide them with the right kind of mental support. Then I am able to give them courage without being influenced negatively with their feelings of pain and sorrow. So my mercy influences myself positively too as I am able to keep myself positive under all circumstances.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: December 11, 2019: Saying NO

Contemplation: December 11, 2019: Saying NO

Saying NO

Say 'no', and mean it.  Saying 'yes' when you would rather say 'no' is stressful!  Saying 'no' is difficult when we confuse rejection of a request with rejection of the person.  Saying 'no' doesn't mean you don't like the person, just that you're refusing their current request.

Moods

Bad moods happen. You can stay in a mood or you can pull yourself out of the mood.

When you're in a better mood, make time to understand what put you in that mood. Understand how your thoughts shape your moods.

Choose think unhappy thoughts and you'll most likely be in a bad mood. Choose to think happy thoughts and think your mood away! It's as simple as that. 

Think: I choose to be happy, to feel good, no matter what.

A Journey To Happiness Or A Journey Of Happiness (Part 1)?

A commonly expressed misnomer (an inaccurate expression), in our everyday interactions is - "Wait till I achieve this particular goal, whether it be a promotion, success in a particular exam, marriage, retirement, a birth of a child or an end of a nerve wrecking (tight) situation and I will be happy". Why are all of these misnomers? Aren't these all life is all about? Isn't calling all of these misnomers unnatural? Try remembering a single moment in your life without these and you will be left wondering. In this message, we try and convince our readers the futility (worthlessness) of waiting for goals to be achieved and then becoming happy. So we argue is it a journey to happiness or is it a journey of happiness? The wait for happiness is futile because one goal is followed by another challenge; the challenge is followed by another unexpected phase, leaving us without any moments to experience our desired happiness amidst so many uncomfortable pressure points.

Happiness can be defined as a state of being created, while working towards a goal, not a feeling to be experienced after achieving the goal, simply because life is a journey with a series of goals, sometimes one after the other and sometimes with two or even more than two goals co-existing with each other. So should one anxiously wait for the goals to be achieved or should one take the wait for goals to be achieved, in one's stride accepting it as a part and parcel of our life journey. For very long, we have associated happiness with achievement and this has become an integral part of our modern day belief system, as the speed of life has become faster and more challenging with each day. We suggest a change in this ideology and associate happiness with experiencing each day - creative ideas; experiencing strengths, specialties and skills by bringing them in action and also experiencing beautiful relationships with others; the relationship with the self; and love by sharing and receiving it from others. 

(To be continued tomorrow ...)

Soul Sustenance 

Rediscover The Essence Of Happiness (Part 3)

When you feel stuck in a hard time, jump-start a pro-change attitude by letting go or shedding off your attachment to possessions and people (external attachments) and habits (internal attachments) that no longer work for you. When you get rid of your attachment to physical things and people and emotional habits that weigh you down, and start to feel lighter — you’ll witness how by letting go, you’re making room for new things, new values to enter your life. As a result, your subconscious will be relieved by letting go of emotional burdens or bondages.

To achieve the above purpose, try the short meditation below. Think as well as visualize alongside the following thoughts:

I become aware of myself as a tiny sparkling star of light, an energy, situated just above the eyebrows – a soul... In soul consciousness, I experience the beauty of the many qualities like peace, love and joy; of the spiritual being that I am... Now, with the medium of visualization, I, the soul, travel beyond the world of 5 elements to the soul world, a non-physical dimension of the subtle light of golden red hue (shade)… Over there, I visualize, in front of me – a sparkling Sun of golden light - God, the Father and Mother of me, the Supreme Soul, the ocean of peace, love and joy, which is His eternal nature... He radiates the immense spiritual energy of peace, love and joy... I turn my mind and intellect to His light... I feel the warmth of His presence and the light of His love for me gently healing the wounds of the past that are buried deep inside me, the soul... wounds left by ego, fear, sorrow, jealousy, hatred, anger that have reduced my happiness all this while… I feel a deep feeling of emotional freedom inside me, I feel light and my happiness is restored…

Fortunately, being happy is a cakewalk but it is not something that can be demanded from life, and if you are not happy you better stop worrying about it and see what treasures (whether your internal ones or the external ones i.e. from the Supreme and others) you can tap into. 

Message for the day 

The way to become victorious is to face and overcome obstacles. 

Checking: Throughout the day you would surely be coming across many situations where you have to face obstacles. Check your thoughts at that time. Is there a wish for the obstacle not to have come at all? If there are any such thoughts you will never be victorious.

Practice: Take a thought in the morning, 'I am ready to face all the situations that the day brings even if they seem like obstacles. It is the duty of obstacles to come and it is my duty to become victorious. And if the obstacle never comes I can never call myself victorious.'


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: December 10, 2019: Mind Management

Contemplation: December 10, 2019: Mind Management

Mind Management

Do you manage your mind or does your mind manage you?

What goes on in your mind affects all that you say and do. 

When working well, the mind is the source of ideas, inspirations and innovation, a creator of clear communication and high quality decisions.

When working badly it can be the sustainer of hopelessness, depression and fear. 

Start relating to your mind as the most precious asset and an essential tool.

To be detached is to experience freedom. 

Attachment is like a bondage. When I am attached to someone, I will not be able to fly nor will I let the other person progress. On the other hand, love empowers. I will be able to see what is lacking and provide accordingly. I will be able to enjoy the sweet relationship without feeling the bondage. Today I will check and see with which relationship I am experiencing sorrow. I will then see how I can change it into something more positive. I will work on the relationship in such a way that both will be able to experience freedom. There would be, then, be no expectations, but only the ability to give.

Meditation On Experiencing My Original Loveful Nature

I sit in silence, letting my thoughts go away from the outer world... I allow my mind to relax... to calm down... I focus my attention on the heart of my being... My heart is like a sacred silent place where I can feel what I really am... I am peaceful and light... a loving soul... strong... secure... kind...

I have many virtues and qualities that I can share with others... Now my attention is going towards the quality of love... I imagine love like a seed in my heart waiting to awaken... grow... and blossom... like a rose... For this, I only have to accept... believe... feel... that I am a soul full of love... child of the Ocean of Love... I am a spiritual rose flower... radiating the spiritual fragrance of love...

Letting go of the past... letting go of expectations... fears... negative feelings... forgiving... opening my heart... feeling that it is cleansed and this energy of love is as pure as the clean water flowing from a waterfall. Nothing and nobody have touched it... this is a love that asks for nothing in exchange... the love of a clean heart is unselfish... free of ego and expectations... It makes truth and sincerity grow... acceptance and understanding... I open my heart completely to love... I inhale deeply... I visualize my heart filling itself with this energy of pure love... I exhale slowly... and I visualize radiating this light of love from the deepest part of my heart towards the world... I am a beautiful soul of light radiating peace and love... I am love... I love myself and accept myself and others...

Soul Sustenance 

Rediscover The Essence Of Happiness (Part 2)

Loving your life is about trusting your instinct, taking the odd chance in difficult situations, loving and experiencing joy, enjoying memories of good actions and episodes of life and learning through life time experiences. The birds chirping on the tree, a child nibbling on her mother or merry children spilling out of their homes, all have the capability to make a person feel happy. We just neglect most of these. Nowadays, we try and look for joy in bonuses, promotions or any monetary gain. But can money really buy happiness? Sometimes you see poor people laughing carelessly while they play with their children and experiencing happiness. On the other hand, children from well off families are surrounded with technology today. Technology has created such an influence in an individual’s life that people have almost abandoned their family time. The time of the day that bought so much laughing and giggling in the house is now substituted with members glued to television or mobile phones. Festivals that were the major joyful events have now lost their essence. They are merely days of more worry and tensions because of the new trends of exchanging expensive gifts or celebrating them lavishly.

So what is real happiness - perhaps a better way to describe happiness in its true essence is contentment. This comes from a complete awareness and acceptance of the self as we are now at an internal level, and an acceptance of 'what is' at an external level. Sounds difficult? The highest happiness is bliss which can be experienced only when the self is totally free of all attachment and dependency. Sounds even more difficult? But this is a real understanding and definition of happiness, which is not difficult to accept and make a part of our life, once there is a deep understanding, absorption and appreciation of the divine wisdom of the self and others as well as the laws of action and time involving both of them i.e. wisdom which is accurate and complete in all aspects. Real happiness is a direct result of this divine wisdom.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

Message for the day 

When you are full you will be overflowing and will be able to bring benefit to others. 

Checking: Throughout the day, check if you are able to be a giver. Also when others are seeking support from you and you are not able to give what they are expecting, check if your own treasure is full.

Practice: Take a thought each day that you have to be a giver. In order to be a giver, continue to fill your own treasure store. Keep filling yourself with all that you are getting throughout the day.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

https://astudypoint.blogspot.com/

Contemplation: December 09, 2019: Make Up

Contemplation: December 09, 2019: Make Up

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

When words are sweet, there is a positive impact. 

Sweet words are like flowers, when given to others brings happiness and spread love. On the other hand, harsh words are like stones that hurt. Harsh words emerge when there is some weakness working within me. Harsh words means that in some way I am feeling helpless and am resorting to something which is not so constructive. Today I will not say anything that is not sweet. If a situation does arise where I have to say something not so good and nice, I will move away from there. Till I am sure that I will not speak such words, I will not come back to that situation. In fact, I will try and resolve that point in my mind so that I don't speak
anything negative.

To Be Aware But Not Judgmental

On the path of Raja Yoga meditation (taught by the Brahma Kumaris) there is a saying, "See, but don't see! Hear, but don't hear!" which means to remain aware of all realities, including the negative, but not to focus on them. We get caught up in the negative because we react and the reactions are expressed in the form of judgments, accusations, criticism, or labelling. As soon as we judge or criticise, we put everything into convenient boxes and, just as convenience foods are not always so healthy, such conveniences at the mental and attitudinal level are a great danger, because we mentally seal (close) the fate (destiny) of the person or situation: they are like this and so must be treated accordingly. Unfortunately, this is often done in an unconscious way, which is why Raja Yoga meditation is used to bring such attitudes and behaviours to the surface, conscious awareness.

When our vision and attitude remain judgmental or critical, they do so because there is no input of positivity from the self to encourage or allow a positive change.

There cannot be a positive output when there is a negative input.

We often work in this way, wanting others to be better in some way, but, instead of helping them, or having faith in them and seeing their good qualities, we hinder (obstruct) them by concentrating on their past, their weaknesses and their mistakes. Our focus is completely negative, but still we expect them to change for the better!

When our awareness is more detached, rather than focusing on what is wrong, we look at how we can put something right by contributing a positive feeling, or attitude. This anonymous (not known to anyone) contribution is a generous act, which offers a solution, instead of the usual complaints by critical and judgmental people.

Soul Sustenance 

Rediscover The Essence Of Happiness (Part 1) 

Have you ever wondered - what is the real essence of happiness, what is and what is not real happiness? Man is fond of counting his troubles, but he does not count his joys. If he counted them up as he ought to, he would see that he has enough happiness provided.Happiness, joy and love hold different meanings for each individual. A person may find happiness in shopping and another may find the same kind of pleasure in social work. But there are some aspects which have the capacity to at least put on a smile on every individual's face. Simple gestures like maybe a hug or a morning greeting. Going to each mate of yours at the work place or to each loved one at home every morning and greeting them with a huge smile on your face will bring you happiness as well as to the other person. 

So, real happiness is not an external stimulation by watching an action movie or eating out or buying a new dress; it is not the result of acquiring something – whether it be a new car or a position, or of receiving some good news. True happiness is not relief from suffering – whether from an illness or a difficult situation, nor is it the achievement of a goal – whether personal or professional. All these are externally dependent, where happiness is confused with stimulation, excitement, achievement, acquisition or relief. Happiness is not all of these. You commonly say "Well, what I like best," … just then stop and think. Because although each of the above episodes bring us happiness, there is a moment just before you begin to enjoy the episode which is better than when you are enjoying the episode, but you don’t know what its called or what it feels like to enjoy that. Each one of us can experience that joy, we just need to find it. Remember that happiness is not a future promise. It can only be experienced now, in each and every mundane action of the day. 

(To be continued tomorrow …) 

Message for the day 

When you have a strong aim you automatically receive the cooperation from others. 

Checking: When you take up a task, check if you are able to receive the cooperation from others. If not, check the strength of your own aim. The stronger your aim, you will find others coming forward to help you fulfill your aim. 

Practice: Each morning remind yourself of the aim that you have to achieve. List out mentally why fulfilling that aim is important for you. This will further help in strengthening the aim. 

In Spiritual Service,

Brahma Kumaris

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