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Soul Sustenance 31-12-2012
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Emotional Joy And Emotional Sorrow
We commonly become emotional, either in times of sorrow e.g. at being separated
from a loved one, at experiencing failure in an external event, on hearing a negative
news, etc. or in times of joy e.g. when our child or spouse or even pet performs
a warm act, while watching a movie, etc. While we have always believed that it is
absolutely normal or natural to become emotional and some of us even believe that
it is good to let go of our emotions and crying once in a while makes us lighter
and stronger; on a spiritual level, becoming emotional comes under the realm of
dependencies and dependencies always weaken us. This is because when we become emotional,
instead of influencing our self on our own, we allow something or someone outside
our self to influence us. We bring that something or someone or some event outside
our self, inside, in front of the eye of our mind, attach our self to it, and lose
our self in it i.e. we let the image hijack our internal world in a way, as we become
subservient to it. As a result our thoughts, feelings, emotions, words,
actions are influenced in a big way by the image. This is a spiritual definition
of becoming emotional. Passing on the remote control of my internal world to the
outer world in this way is a sign of a not so strong internal self.
So what does one do instead? Instead of creating images of external events and people
inside our minds and being influenced by them, we still watch these scenes, but
instead of losing our self in them and taking from them, we contribute to them by
giving them our internal energy, but at the same time make sure that while doing
that, we are detached from them and not over-involved emotionally. Internal
energy is given in the form of appreciation and love if it’s a positive scene and
power, compassion and co-operation if it’s a negative scene, so as to help the scene
to be corrected or resurrected. This is influencing instead of being influenced.
This is a more empowering experience. In this way we regain the control over our
inner world and rise above such emotional dependencies.
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Message for the day 31-12-2012
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To be seated on the seat of self-respect is to use virtues in life.
Expression: It usually seems very difficult to use the virtues within us
when the people around are not doing so. At such times using negativity seems much
easier. In spite of not having that particular weakness predominantly, say of anger,
when there is provocation from the outside we tend to react with that weakness.
Experience: In order to free ourselves from weaknesses and work with the
virtues within us we need to make sure we are seated on the seat of self-respect.
For this we need to recognise and appreciate some speciality within us. When we
are in the awareness of this speciality of ours, we will be able to stabilize ourselves
in the state of our self-respect.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Monday, December 31, 2012
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 30-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 30-12-2012
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Practical Ways of Changing Old Habits or Beliefs (Part 5)
Exercises of Silence
Exercises of silence help you concentrate your mind and intellect, and go within yourself to recover the positive and eternal energies. With the appropriate concentration of the mind and intellect towards your constructive inner forces of peace, love and happiness, you can strengthen yourself. Being strong means staying positive when faced with negative situations, peaceful when everything around you is chaotic: in other words, not being influenced negatively but influencing the situation with your positivity. When you stay calm in your inner power of peace, you can transmit this to others and help them to calm themselves. When you begin exercises of silence, concentrate primarily on peace. This is the basis of the practice, as when there is inner balance and harmony it is easier to build over these the other values love, happiness, truth and sincerity. The experience of deep peace calms you, clarifies you and fills you with energy to think and act positively and achieve your purpose that you have set for yourself.
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Message for the day 30-12-2012
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The more we experience peace within the more there will be positivity in our life.
Expression: We usually try to change ourselves and our negativities by working on each of them separately. We might be able to overcome them also but being connected to the other weaknesses we find that they reemerge again. Then we find that the negativity remains in our life influencing all our thoughts, words and actions.
Experience: We first need to make a promise to ourselves to maintain our own inner positivity. Once we do that we also need to make an attempt to practice relaxing our mind and remaining calm before we do any important thing. When we practice in this way we will be able to keep our mind calm and this calmness will bring contentment through which there will be positivity in all we do.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 30-12-2012
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Practical Ways of Changing Old Habits or Beliefs (Part 5)
Exercises of Silence
Exercises of silence help you concentrate your mind and intellect, and go within yourself to recover the positive and eternal energies. With the appropriate concentration of the mind and intellect towards your constructive inner forces of peace, love and happiness, you can strengthen yourself. Being strong means staying positive when faced with negative situations, peaceful when everything around you is chaotic: in other words, not being influenced negatively but influencing the situation with your positivity. When you stay calm in your inner power of peace, you can transmit this to others and help them to calm themselves. When you begin exercises of silence, concentrate primarily on peace. This is the basis of the practice, as when there is inner balance and harmony it is easier to build over these the other values love, happiness, truth and sincerity. The experience of deep peace calms you, clarifies you and fills you with energy to think and act positively and achieve your purpose that you have set for yourself.
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Message for the day 30-12-2012
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The more we experience peace within the more there will be positivity in our life.
Expression: We usually try to change ourselves and our negativities by working on each of them separately. We might be able to overcome them also but being connected to the other weaknesses we find that they reemerge again. Then we find that the negativity remains in our life influencing all our thoughts, words and actions.
Experience: We first need to make a promise to ourselves to maintain our own inner positivity. Once we do that we also need to make an attempt to practice relaxing our mind and remaining calm before we do any important thing. When we practice in this way we will be able to keep our mind calm and this calmness will bring contentment through which there will be positivity in all we do.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 29-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 29-12-2012
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Practical Ways of Changing Old Habits or Beliefs (Part 4)
Visualization
Visualization consists of creating positive images by means of the ability to imagine, and in this way reinforce positive thoughts and strengthen your will to achieve positively what you affirm for yourself in your mind. With visualization you manage to intensify experiences of positive affirmations and self-motivation, and it also helps you to specify and clarify your goals. The basic principle of using images in our mind is to act as if the desire we have in our mind has already been achieved. If we place images of success, health, wellbeing or inner peace in our mind, these will materialize in positive situations and experience, and this image of success will become real in our lives.
(To be continued tomorrow …..)
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Message for the day 29-12-2012
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To keep the aim in front of us is to move forward with contentment.
Expression: Several times there are situations that are negative where we have to face things that are not really what we are expecting or wanting. At such times we tend to get disheartened and experience discontentment. Our state of mind becomes such that we can no longer experience peace.
Experience: The solution at such times is to keep our vision clear on our aim. When all our thoughts and energy are concentrated on our aim, we will be able to consider any negative scene that comes our way as only a side-scene. We can easily ignore all such situations and so our mind is at rest or peace.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 29-12-2012
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Practical Ways of Changing Old Habits or Beliefs (Part 4)
Visualization
Visualization consists of creating positive images by means of the ability to imagine, and in this way reinforce positive thoughts and strengthen your will to achieve positively what you affirm for yourself in your mind. With visualization you manage to intensify experiences of positive affirmations and self-motivation, and it also helps you to specify and clarify your goals. The basic principle of using images in our mind is to act as if the desire we have in our mind has already been achieved. If we place images of success, health, wellbeing or inner peace in our mind, these will materialize in positive situations and experience, and this image of success will become real in our lives.
(To be continued tomorrow …..)
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Message for the day 29-12-2012
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To keep the aim in front of us is to move forward with contentment.
Expression: Several times there are situations that are negative where we have to face things that are not really what we are expecting or wanting. At such times we tend to get disheartened and experience discontentment. Our state of mind becomes such that we can no longer experience peace.
Experience: The solution at such times is to keep our vision clear on our aim. When all our thoughts and energy are concentrated on our aim, we will be able to consider any negative scene that comes our way as only a side-scene. We can easily ignore all such situations and so our mind is at rest or peace.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Friday, December 28, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 28-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 28-12-2012
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Practical Ways of Changing Old Habits or Beliefs (Part 3)
Conscious Disassociation
A useful method for transforming habits is that of conscious disassociation. This involves avoiding the situations that give rise to the habit occurring automatically. For example, if you often smoke after a coffee, you have to make sure there is no coffee. By breaking your habit, you will be less likely to have a craving to smoke. Instead of your habitual coffee, you can create a new pattern and have a cup of herbal tea and sit down to think or read, instead of smoking.
Rajyoga Meditation
Rajyoga meditation is an efficient method for transforming habits. By connecting with the Supreme Soul (who is the purest conscient energy) in the incorporeal (non-physical) world of divine light, which is called paramdham or shantidham, the soul purifies itself and one experiences a natural disinclination from negative habits that we have been trapped in for a long time.
(To be continued tomorrow …..)
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Message for the day 28-12-2012
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To be a donor means to give at each step and increase one's own stock.
Expression: Usually it seems very difficult to be a donor - to give from whatever resources we have. The thought often arises in the mind that we cannot give because we are ourselves not complete or full. We find ourselves constantly trying to fill ourselves and we then have no time or thought for giving to those around us.
Experience: We have a lot of treasures within us which we can give to those around us, our virtues, our specialities etc. Even if we have just a little and give to the others, we will find ourselves benefitting. For having given from whatever we have, we find that these treasures begin to increase within ourselves too.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 28-12-2012
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Practical Ways of Changing Old Habits or Beliefs (Part 3)
Conscious Disassociation
A useful method for transforming habits is that of conscious disassociation. This involves avoiding the situations that give rise to the habit occurring automatically. For example, if you often smoke after a coffee, you have to make sure there is no coffee. By breaking your habit, you will be less likely to have a craving to smoke. Instead of your habitual coffee, you can create a new pattern and have a cup of herbal tea and sit down to think or read, instead of smoking.
Rajyoga Meditation
Rajyoga meditation is an efficient method for transforming habits. By connecting with the Supreme Soul (who is the purest conscient energy) in the incorporeal (non-physical) world of divine light, which is called paramdham or shantidham, the soul purifies itself and one experiences a natural disinclination from negative habits that we have been trapped in for a long time.
(To be continued tomorrow …..)
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Message for the day 28-12-2012
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To be a donor means to give at each step and increase one's own stock.
Expression: Usually it seems very difficult to be a donor - to give from whatever resources we have. The thought often arises in the mind that we cannot give because we are ourselves not complete or full. We find ourselves constantly trying to fill ourselves and we then have no time or thought for giving to those around us.
Experience: We have a lot of treasures within us which we can give to those around us, our virtues, our specialities etc. Even if we have just a little and give to the others, we will find ourselves benefitting. For having given from whatever we have, we find that these treasures begin to increase within ourselves too.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 27-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 27-12-2012
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Practical Ways of Changing Old Habits or Beliefs (Part 2)
Positive Affirmations
Affirmations are promises that we make to ourselves. They are helpful for breaking negative habits or weak thoughts that have been created as a result of mistaken attitudes. Affirmations help to strengthen the mind, although to be effective there must be acceptance and understanding behind them. It is interesting to begin experimenting with them and, later on, we can begin to create variations of new affirmations, according to our individual needs.
Here are some examples:
* Today I will experience peace through positivity. I will see what is good in others and will not think about what is negative or harmful. I will see others in the way I would like them to see me.
* From now on I will not judge others.
* Today I will speak peacefully and share peace with everyone around me. I must speak as softly as I can.
* Today I will make the past the past and look towards the future with a new vision.
* Today I will not react angrily. I will stay calm and in peace and will not sacrifice this for anyone or any situation. I must not allow anything or anyone rob me of my peace.
For the affirmation to be effective, we must repeat it to ourselves often, so that it becomes recorded in our subconscious. It is also important to proclaim the affirmations with feeling, believing in them and not in a monotonous and impersonal voice. As a minimum, you should repeat each affirmation at least five times a day. If we listen to something repeatedly, we begin to believe in it. In reality, this is the origin of the majority of our beliefs, when as children we heard our parents tell us things over and over again. Advertising uses this technique constantly. They create a phrase, a slogan, and repeat it over and over again in the media until, finally, people believe it. To be able to control your life, first you must know and dominate your beliefs. One way of doing this is through affirmations.
(To be continued tomorrow …..)
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Message for the day 27-12-2012
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Patience brings harmony in relationships.
Expression: When there is a misunderstanding in a relationship we hardly put in any effort in order to understand the other person. We tend to become impatient and we don't listen to the other person to understand them. Because of which we start inventing things about them. This only further increases the misunderstanding.
Experience: When we have a difference of opinion with someone, we need to give some time to understand and listen to the other person. Only then will we be able to understand the other person's point of view. This practice will enable us to finish any misunderstanding we have with others and bring harmony in relationships.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 27-12-2012
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Practical Ways of Changing Old Habits or Beliefs (Part 2)
Positive Affirmations
Affirmations are promises that we make to ourselves. They are helpful for breaking negative habits or weak thoughts that have been created as a result of mistaken attitudes. Affirmations help to strengthen the mind, although to be effective there must be acceptance and understanding behind them. It is interesting to begin experimenting with them and, later on, we can begin to create variations of new affirmations, according to our individual needs.
Here are some examples:
* Today I will experience peace through positivity. I will see what is good in others and will not think about what is negative or harmful. I will see others in the way I would like them to see me.
* From now on I will not judge others.
* Today I will speak peacefully and share peace with everyone around me. I must speak as softly as I can.
* Today I will make the past the past and look towards the future with a new vision.
* Today I will not react angrily. I will stay calm and in peace and will not sacrifice this for anyone or any situation. I must not allow anything or anyone rob me of my peace.
For the affirmation to be effective, we must repeat it to ourselves often, so that it becomes recorded in our subconscious. It is also important to proclaim the affirmations with feeling, believing in them and not in a monotonous and impersonal voice. As a minimum, you should repeat each affirmation at least five times a day. If we listen to something repeatedly, we begin to believe in it. In reality, this is the origin of the majority of our beliefs, when as children we heard our parents tell us things over and over again. Advertising uses this technique constantly. They create a phrase, a slogan, and repeat it over and over again in the media until, finally, people believe it. To be able to control your life, first you must know and dominate your beliefs. One way of doing this is through affirmations.
(To be continued tomorrow …..)
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Message for the day 27-12-2012
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Patience brings harmony in relationships.
Expression: When there is a misunderstanding in a relationship we hardly put in any effort in order to understand the other person. We tend to become impatient and we don't listen to the other person to understand them. Because of which we start inventing things about them. This only further increases the misunderstanding.
Experience: When we have a difference of opinion with someone, we need to give some time to understand and listen to the other person. Only then will we be able to understand the other person's point of view. This practice will enable us to finish any misunderstanding we have with others and bring harmony in relationships.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 26-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 26-12-2012
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Practical Ways of Changing Old Habits or Beliefs (Part 1)
Motivation for Change
An important factor to start positive change in our lives is for there to be a passion, a powerful force that leads us, a final goal that keeps us motivated. It is important to set yourself goals, to be convinced and to have the confidence and faith that one can reach them, since in this way we will make a daily effort to achieve those goals. There needs to be a clearly defined sense of purpose to your existence, clarifying the values that must guide your life in order to achieve these goals and establish the steps you must take for inculcating these values. If, at a subconscious level, you allow a mistaken purpose to be created, or there is a lack of true purpose in your life, then you will not be motivated to know and change yourself. Many people think that the purpose of their life is to survive and they use the language of survival in this way: "Life is hard out there. You must get whatever you can". They are not aware that they have chosen this purpose, but subconsciously it is what they believe they are here for, and this makes them think that they must accumulate, take, create barriers to protect themselves and compete with others.
(To be continued tomorrow …..)
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Message for the day 26-12-2012
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Where there is humility there is the give and take of love.
Expression: Usually we don't even know when we are working with our ego because it is deeply concealed. Even when someone points out our ego, we don't want to accept it and we continue to work with it. Ego finishes the ability to learn and negatively effects our relationships because there is no give and take of love.
Experience: The method to overcome ego is to develop humility. Humility means to be strong within yet to be gentle and flexible. This enables us to bend i.e., to bow. When we bow it doesn't mean we are defeated, but reveals our own victory. It is only when we bend and forgive that we will be able to allow the flow of love in relationships.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 26-12-2012
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Practical Ways of Changing Old Habits or Beliefs (Part 1)
Motivation for Change
An important factor to start positive change in our lives is for there to be a passion, a powerful force that leads us, a final goal that keeps us motivated. It is important to set yourself goals, to be convinced and to have the confidence and faith that one can reach them, since in this way we will make a daily effort to achieve those goals. There needs to be a clearly defined sense of purpose to your existence, clarifying the values that must guide your life in order to achieve these goals and establish the steps you must take for inculcating these values. If, at a subconscious level, you allow a mistaken purpose to be created, or there is a lack of true purpose in your life, then you will not be motivated to know and change yourself. Many people think that the purpose of their life is to survive and they use the language of survival in this way: "Life is hard out there. You must get whatever you can". They are not aware that they have chosen this purpose, but subconsciously it is what they believe they are here for, and this makes them think that they must accumulate, take, create barriers to protect themselves and compete with others.
(To be continued tomorrow …..)
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Message for the day 26-12-2012
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Where there is humility there is the give and take of love.
Expression: Usually we don't even know when we are working with our ego because it is deeply concealed. Even when someone points out our ego, we don't want to accept it and we continue to work with it. Ego finishes the ability to learn and negatively effects our relationships because there is no give and take of love.
Experience: The method to overcome ego is to develop humility. Humility means to be strong within yet to be gentle and flexible. This enables us to bend i.e., to bow. When we bow it doesn't mean we are defeated, but reveals our own victory. It is only when we bend and forgive that we will be able to allow the flow of love in relationships.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 25-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 25-12-2012
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The Invisible Impressions That Shape Me
While the mind and intellect are two faculties of the soul which play their role on the surface of our consciousness; at a deeper level, hidden beneath these two faculties, there lies a third faculty commonly called the sanskaras. The sanskaras is not only a store house of personality traits, as we commonly know it to be, but a store house of millions and millions of impressions or imprints. Such a large number of impressions are created by millions of experiences that I go through my sense organs not only in this life but in all my lifetimes. Everything that I hear, see, touch, taste, etc. I process or analyze or summarize in my own unique way; basically I give the experiences a unique form depending on my personality, before this form gets stored in the form of impressions inside me. I even process my subtle experiences, which are in the form of thoughts and feelings.
This process of experiencing and processing takes place during each and every second of my life including the time I sleep, when my mind may not be experiencing a lot but it is busy processing the physical and subtle experiences of the day that has gone by and storing the processed information in the form of impressions. From this, one can get an idea of the magnitude of the database of impressions stored within me, the being. These imprints which are unique to me, make up my sanskaras, and shape up my unique personality in a cyclic process. My personality shapes what type of impressions are created out of my experiences and the impressions in turn shape my personality, my thoughts, words and actions e.g. if I constantly keep the company of people who gossip, a large number of respective impressions based on the experience of gossiping keep getting stored inside me, which in turn influence my personality, the personality characteristic gets stronger and over a period of time I do not find anything wrong with it and indulge in it more and more. As a result more such impressions get stored. Thus it is a cyclic process.
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Message for the day 25-12-2012
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The one with true mercy fills hope even in the ones who are hopeless.
Expression: When we see someone who is in need or who is totally negative, a case that is totally hopeless, there are a lot of feelings aroused within us. What we feel is pity or hatred, which are only negative feelings. Such negative thoughts don't help in anyway and the person remains as he is, unable to take any benefit from us.
Experience: Instead of having pity or hatred we need to develop true mercy for others. To have mercy means to have good wishes with love - combined with hope for them. It is our hope that enables them to develop faith in themselves too. This is the method to bring progress even in the most hopeless case.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 25-12-2012
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The Invisible Impressions That Shape Me
While the mind and intellect are two faculties of the soul which play their role on the surface of our consciousness; at a deeper level, hidden beneath these two faculties, there lies a third faculty commonly called the sanskaras. The sanskaras is not only a store house of personality traits, as we commonly know it to be, but a store house of millions and millions of impressions or imprints. Such a large number of impressions are created by millions of experiences that I go through my sense organs not only in this life but in all my lifetimes. Everything that I hear, see, touch, taste, etc. I process or analyze or summarize in my own unique way; basically I give the experiences a unique form depending on my personality, before this form gets stored in the form of impressions inside me. I even process my subtle experiences, which are in the form of thoughts and feelings.
This process of experiencing and processing takes place during each and every second of my life including the time I sleep, when my mind may not be experiencing a lot but it is busy processing the physical and subtle experiences of the day that has gone by and storing the processed information in the form of impressions. From this, one can get an idea of the magnitude of the database of impressions stored within me, the being. These imprints which are unique to me, make up my sanskaras, and shape up my unique personality in a cyclic process. My personality shapes what type of impressions are created out of my experiences and the impressions in turn shape my personality, my thoughts, words and actions e.g. if I constantly keep the company of people who gossip, a large number of respective impressions based on the experience of gossiping keep getting stored inside me, which in turn influence my personality, the personality characteristic gets stronger and over a period of time I do not find anything wrong with it and indulge in it more and more. As a result more such impressions get stored. Thus it is a cyclic process.
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Message for the day 25-12-2012
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The one with true mercy fills hope even in the ones who are hopeless.
Expression: When we see someone who is in need or who is totally negative, a case that is totally hopeless, there are a lot of feelings aroused within us. What we feel is pity or hatred, which are only negative feelings. Such negative thoughts don't help in anyway and the person remains as he is, unable to take any benefit from us.
Experience: Instead of having pity or hatred we need to develop true mercy for others. To have mercy means to have good wishes with love - combined with hope for them. It is our hope that enables them to develop faith in themselves too. This is the method to bring progress even in the most hopeless case.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Monday, December 24, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 24-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 24-12-2012
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Spiritual Education
Spiritual education leads us back to the understanding and the experience of our holistic existence as human beings, to the knowledge that we are spiritual, as well as physical, mental and emotional beings.
A true spiritual education could be described as:
• learning from others
• growing through others
• integrating with others
• contributing to others
When we are genuinely learning, only then can we experience spiritual growth. When we grow, we integrate with others and it is in that integration that there is a natural and mutual contribution to nature and other souls. These four processes of education are constantly at work, but only happen in a way that is enjoyable and meaningful when the spiritual resources of the self like peace, joy and love are activated and creatively used.
These resources, along with the mind and intellect, enrich the way we see the world, the way we interact with it and the way we individually create our place in it. These resources are the original qualities of the self, which we have not properly used for a long time. By become spiritually aware, we start to harness and use these positive energies.
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Message for the day 24-12-2012
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True fortune comes to the one who recognises and uses his treasures with an honest heart.
Expression: Sometimes we might be faced with certain situations where we find that we are not very fortunate. We find ourselves thinking about all those things that we need to have in order for us to be able to bring a positive outcome. Because of this kind of thinking, we tend to miss out on perceiving those treasures that we can make use of.
Experience: There are a lot of treasures within us that we can use in our practical life. These treasures could be our talents, skills, or some specialities of ours. Under all circumstances we need to have an awareness of these treasures. When we are aware of them we will begin to use them in our daily life instead of just expecting things to happen right. This is what will create a good fortune for us.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 24-12-2012
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Spiritual Education
Spiritual education leads us back to the understanding and the experience of our holistic existence as human beings, to the knowledge that we are spiritual, as well as physical, mental and emotional beings.
A true spiritual education could be described as:
• learning from others
• growing through others
• integrating with others
• contributing to others
When we are genuinely learning, only then can we experience spiritual growth. When we grow, we integrate with others and it is in that integration that there is a natural and mutual contribution to nature and other souls. These four processes of education are constantly at work, but only happen in a way that is enjoyable and meaningful when the spiritual resources of the self like peace, joy and love are activated and creatively used.
These resources, along with the mind and intellect, enrich the way we see the world, the way we interact with it and the way we individually create our place in it. These resources are the original qualities of the self, which we have not properly used for a long time. By become spiritually aware, we start to harness and use these positive energies.
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Message for the day 24-12-2012
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True fortune comes to the one who recognises and uses his treasures with an honest heart.
Expression: Sometimes we might be faced with certain situations where we find that we are not very fortunate. We find ourselves thinking about all those things that we need to have in order for us to be able to bring a positive outcome. Because of this kind of thinking, we tend to miss out on perceiving those treasures that we can make use of.
Experience: There are a lot of treasures within us that we can use in our practical life. These treasures could be our talents, skills, or some specialities of ours. Under all circumstances we need to have an awareness of these treasures. When we are aware of them we will begin to use them in our daily life instead of just expecting things to happen right. This is what will create a good fortune for us.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 23-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 23-12-2012
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The Thought-Destiny Cycle
The process by which we create our own destiny is quite easy to see in theory; however it requires some checking to see how it matches the reality of our practical lives. Here is the process in brief:
• As our intentions, so will be our thoughts.
• As our thoughts, so will be our feelings.
• As our feelings, so will be our attitudes.
• As our attitudes, so will be our actions.
• As our actions, so will be our habits.
• As our habits, so will be our personality.
As our personality in all our relationships on our journey through life, so will be our destiny. So watch your thoughts! Be aware of your intentions!
Our intentions are based on our beliefs about who we are, where we are and why we are here. If we believe we are the physical form, our belief will we be that we need to survive as long as possible. This leads to the intention to get what we think we need before others, which leads to competition, which leads to feelings of fear. Our destiny gets shaped accordingly. When you know you are the non-physical and immortal (which is neither created nor can be destroyed) energy, a soul, then survival is no longer an issue and your intention is one to include, connect and co-operate with and enlighten others. The service of others at a spiritual level becomes the highest intention in action. It is fully free from fear and can be seen as an act of love. This is why competition and authentic spirituality can never be found together.
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Message for the day 23-12-2012
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The one who is detached is the one who is happy.
Expression: When difficult situations come our way we tend to overreact because of our attachment and expectations. Because of this we experience much more unhappiness than what the situation actually holds. The understanding lacks that it is not the situation, but our own thoughts that are giving us sorrow.
Experience: We need to look at the situation just as we would watch it happen to someone else - with detachment. When we learn to detach ourselves from the situation in this way and see what it holds for us, we will not experience unhappiness but will be able to remain happy under all circumstances.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 23-12-2012
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The Thought-Destiny Cycle
The process by which we create our own destiny is quite easy to see in theory; however it requires some checking to see how it matches the reality of our practical lives. Here is the process in brief:
• As our intentions, so will be our thoughts.
• As our thoughts, so will be our feelings.
• As our feelings, so will be our attitudes.
• As our attitudes, so will be our actions.
• As our actions, so will be our habits.
• As our habits, so will be our personality.
As our personality in all our relationships on our journey through life, so will be our destiny. So watch your thoughts! Be aware of your intentions!
Our intentions are based on our beliefs about who we are, where we are and why we are here. If we believe we are the physical form, our belief will we be that we need to survive as long as possible. This leads to the intention to get what we think we need before others, which leads to competition, which leads to feelings of fear. Our destiny gets shaped accordingly. When you know you are the non-physical and immortal (which is neither created nor can be destroyed) energy, a soul, then survival is no longer an issue and your intention is one to include, connect and co-operate with and enlighten others. The service of others at a spiritual level becomes the highest intention in action. It is fully free from fear and can be seen as an act of love. This is why competition and authentic spirituality can never be found together.
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Message for the day 23-12-2012
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The one who is detached is the one who is happy.
Expression: When difficult situations come our way we tend to overreact because of our attachment and expectations. Because of this we experience much more unhappiness than what the situation actually holds. The understanding lacks that it is not the situation, but our own thoughts that are giving us sorrow.
Experience: We need to look at the situation just as we would watch it happen to someone else - with detachment. When we learn to detach ourselves from the situation in this way and see what it holds for us, we will not experience unhappiness but will be able to remain happy under all circumstances.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the 22-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 22-12-2012
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The Original Ingredients Of The Soul
Our original resources are very simply - peace, love, purity, knowledge and happiness. In Raja Yoga meditation these are called the five original qualities of the soul. When we return our consciousness to these five qualities and remember them, then the following feelings arise in us, which finally get reflected in our actions:
• Love: I care and I share.
• Peace: I harmonize and reconcile (adjust).
• Purity: I respect and I honour.
• Knowledge: I am and I exist.
• Happiness: I express and I enjoy.
To understand and remember these qualities, we need to recognize the heavy deep shadows or personality traits (sanskars) which have blotted them out, or polluted them. Sometimes we don't recognize the pollutants because they have ingrained themselves so deeply into the personality that we say ‘I am this’. True, complete spiritual knowledge, makes us aware of these pollutants and the practice of meditation empowers us to dilute them and get them out of our consciousness.
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Message for the day 22-12-2012
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True love is felt by all who receive it.
Expression: Sometimes we do find ourselves in situations where others are not responding to the love we are giving. We are trying to be understanding and accepting as much as possible but others don't seem to be recognising it. In such a situation we begin to blame others and their lack of feelings and concern.
Experience: Instead of blaming others when our love and concern is not being reciprocated, we need to check the quality of the love that we give. If there is even a trace of selfishness or if it is mixed with expectations, our love will not be able to reach out and touch the hearts of others. So we need to make sure that our love is pure and unselfish.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 22-12-2012
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The Original Ingredients Of The Soul
Our original resources are very simply - peace, love, purity, knowledge and happiness. In Raja Yoga meditation these are called the five original qualities of the soul. When we return our consciousness to these five qualities and remember them, then the following feelings arise in us, which finally get reflected in our actions:
• Love: I care and I share.
• Peace: I harmonize and reconcile (adjust).
• Purity: I respect and I honour.
• Knowledge: I am and I exist.
• Happiness: I express and I enjoy.
To understand and remember these qualities, we need to recognize the heavy deep shadows or personality traits (sanskars) which have blotted them out, or polluted them. Sometimes we don't recognize the pollutants because they have ingrained themselves so deeply into the personality that we say ‘I am this’. True, complete spiritual knowledge, makes us aware of these pollutants and the practice of meditation empowers us to dilute them and get them out of our consciousness.
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Message for the day 22-12-2012
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True love is felt by all who receive it.
Expression: Sometimes we do find ourselves in situations where others are not responding to the love we are giving. We are trying to be understanding and accepting as much as possible but others don't seem to be recognising it. In such a situation we begin to blame others and their lack of feelings and concern.
Experience: Instead of blaming others when our love and concern is not being reciprocated, we need to check the quality of the love that we give. If there is even a trace of selfishness or if it is mixed with expectations, our love will not be able to reach out and touch the hearts of others. So we need to make sure that our love is pure and unselfish.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Friday, December 21, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the 21-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 21-12-2012
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The Subtle Role Play Of Thoughts And Images (Part 2)
What the quality of a soul’s thoughts and images (or scenes) that it creates, depends on the soul’s sanskaras. Depending on the quality, the soul experiences the various different emotions, whether positive or negative. When the soul first incarnates on the physical world stage from the soul world, the quality of this role play of thoughts and images is high, pure and positive, hence it experiences only positive emotions. As it plays its different roles and comes down in the birth-rebirth cycle, this quality reduces, leading to the experience of emotions like sorrow, peacelessness, etc.
A point worth noting is that the key to any deep emotional experience, whether positive or negative is the creation of thoughts as well as images related to that particular emotion at the same time e.g. think and visualize at the same time, the death of a close relative that took place ten years ago and you immediately have a deep experience of sorrow. Think and visualize together, a loving hug of your mother that took place in your childhood, and you immediately experience deep happiness. This type of co-ordination between these two subtle processes is true concentration. The key to any type of spiritual upliftment is the upliftment of these two processes. The meditation that is taught at the Brahma Kumaris is nothing but a spiritual thought process accompanied by a spiritual visualization process, whereby thoughts and images of the subtle, spiritual self (or soul) and the Supreme Being (or Supreme Soul) are created together to experience the original qualities of the spiritual self and the eternal qualities of the Supreme Being – purity, peace, love, happiness and power.
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Message for the day 21-12-2012
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Success comes to the one who understands the importance of time.
Expression: When we are working at a task, success doesn't come as much as it should because we have not been able to recognise the importance of time. Because of this sometimes carelessness sets in which makes us lose valuable time and interferes in what we are doing. Then we cannot give our best to the task.
Experience: We need to recognise the importance of time so that we never postpone what we can do now. We will then always have the slogan 'now or never' in our mind. Knowing that what we can do now, we cannot do it as well in the future, we'll give our best to all we do right now. This will enable us to use our time in a fruitful way and success will come very easily to us.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 21-12-2012
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The Subtle Role Play Of Thoughts And Images (Part 2)
What the quality of a soul’s thoughts and images (or scenes) that it creates, depends on the soul’s sanskaras. Depending on the quality, the soul experiences the various different emotions, whether positive or negative. When the soul first incarnates on the physical world stage from the soul world, the quality of this role play of thoughts and images is high, pure and positive, hence it experiences only positive emotions. As it plays its different roles and comes down in the birth-rebirth cycle, this quality reduces, leading to the experience of emotions like sorrow, peacelessness, etc.
A point worth noting is that the key to any deep emotional experience, whether positive or negative is the creation of thoughts as well as images related to that particular emotion at the same time e.g. think and visualize at the same time, the death of a close relative that took place ten years ago and you immediately have a deep experience of sorrow. Think and visualize together, a loving hug of your mother that took place in your childhood, and you immediately experience deep happiness. This type of co-ordination between these two subtle processes is true concentration. The key to any type of spiritual upliftment is the upliftment of these two processes. The meditation that is taught at the Brahma Kumaris is nothing but a spiritual thought process accompanied by a spiritual visualization process, whereby thoughts and images of the subtle, spiritual self (or soul) and the Supreme Being (or Supreme Soul) are created together to experience the original qualities of the spiritual self and the eternal qualities of the Supreme Being – purity, peace, love, happiness and power.
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Message for the day 21-12-2012
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Success comes to the one who understands the importance of time.
Expression: When we are working at a task, success doesn't come as much as it should because we have not been able to recognise the importance of time. Because of this sometimes carelessness sets in which makes us lose valuable time and interferes in what we are doing. Then we cannot give our best to the task.
Experience: We need to recognise the importance of time so that we never postpone what we can do now. We will then always have the slogan 'now or never' in our mind. Knowing that what we can do now, we cannot do it as well in the future, we'll give our best to all we do right now. This will enable us to use our time in a fruitful way and success will come very easily to us.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the 20-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 20-12-2012
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The Subtle Role Play Of Thoughts And Images (Part 1)
The human soul is a subtle (non-physical) stage on which a subtle role play of thoughts and images constantly takes place throughout the day and even while sleeping. We have explained in our older messages how thoughts are of 4 main different types - positive which are based on virtues, necessary related to day-to-day activities, waste which are mainly unnecessary and related to the past and future and negative which are related to vices and other weaknesses. In the same way, we also constantly create images or scenes, which are of the same 4 types, which is why we commonly use the term ‘the eye of the mind’. The mind not only thinks or speaks subtly but visualizes or sees subtly too, almost all the time.
These two processes function, sometimes independent of each other as well as sometimes dependent on each other i.e. influencing each other e.g. think of peace and that leads to visualizations related to the same. Visualize an unpleasant scene of anger and hatred, and your thoughts are led in that direction. Sometimes these two processes function at the same time and sometimes one at a time. Sometimes neither functions at all, which happens much more frequently while sleeping as compared to when we are awake. This subtle, physically invisible role play is the foundation of the physical role play of words and actions that is visible to the self and everyone else around you.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
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Message for the day 20-12-2012
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The one who is powerful shows the practical proof of success instead of just talking about it.
Expression: It is usually very easy for us to talk about how to do things best, it is as much easy to tell others and give directions. But the one who is powerful is not just satisfied with mere words or proving to others about his success. He is more concerned more about being successful.
Experience: We need to check if we are applying in our life what we are talking about. We need to see to it that whatever we speak about, we must put into practice. Only then will we find improvement and progress in our life. Then there will be no more the need to talk about our success but our life will reveal how successful we are. We will then be an inspiration to many.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 20-12-2012
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The Subtle Role Play Of Thoughts And Images (Part 1)
The human soul is a subtle (non-physical) stage on which a subtle role play of thoughts and images constantly takes place throughout the day and even while sleeping. We have explained in our older messages how thoughts are of 4 main different types - positive which are based on virtues, necessary related to day-to-day activities, waste which are mainly unnecessary and related to the past and future and negative which are related to vices and other weaknesses. In the same way, we also constantly create images or scenes, which are of the same 4 types, which is why we commonly use the term ‘the eye of the mind’. The mind not only thinks or speaks subtly but visualizes or sees subtly too, almost all the time.
These two processes function, sometimes independent of each other as well as sometimes dependent on each other i.e. influencing each other e.g. think of peace and that leads to visualizations related to the same. Visualize an unpleasant scene of anger and hatred, and your thoughts are led in that direction. Sometimes these two processes function at the same time and sometimes one at a time. Sometimes neither functions at all, which happens much more frequently while sleeping as compared to when we are awake. This subtle, physically invisible role play is the foundation of the physical role play of words and actions that is visible to the self and everyone else around you.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
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Message for the day 20-12-2012
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The one who is powerful shows the practical proof of success instead of just talking about it.
Expression: It is usually very easy for us to talk about how to do things best, it is as much easy to tell others and give directions. But the one who is powerful is not just satisfied with mere words or proving to others about his success. He is more concerned more about being successful.
Experience: We need to check if we are applying in our life what we are talking about. We need to see to it that whatever we speak about, we must put into practice. Only then will we find improvement and progress in our life. Then there will be no more the need to talk about our success but our life will reveal how successful we are. We will then be an inspiration to many.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the 19-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 19-12-2012
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The Location Of The Soul Inside The Body
The soul has the following basic functions to perform:
• to give life to the body and to maintain life inside it,
• to express and experience its role through the body, and
• to receive the rewards or fruits of past actions performed in previous births, through the body.
These functions are controlled and monitored by the soul via the nervous and hormonal systems from a particular point in the area of the brain which contains the thalamus, hypothalamus, pituitary and pineal glands. This region is known as the seat of the soul, or the third eye. The connection between the physical (body) and the non-physical (soul) is by the medium of thought energy. Many religions and philosophies place great importance on the third eye, or eye of the mind. When viewed from the front, this region appears to be between and slightly above the line of the eyebrows. It's for this reason that Hindus use a tilak, a dot in red or sandalwood paste in the middle of the forehead. Christians also make the sign of the cross in this region. Even when one makes a mistake or expresses tiredness it's to this region that we put the hands in the gestures of self-dismay or exhaustion. After all the soul subconsciously knows that it makes the mistakes and not the body. When people are concentrating deeply in thought it is this area of the forehead where creases or lines are formed on the skin.
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Message for the day 19-12-2012
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To become worthy of blessings means to make success easy.
Expression: Thinking of benefit for the self increases to such an extent that it sometimes takes on the form of selfishness. When we are selfish we stop thinking about others or the effect that our action is going to have on them. Then we are not able to move forward with lightness because the good wishes and blessings of others are not with us.
Experience: In each and every action of ours we need to first check if it is going to be beneficial for us as well as for others. As much as there is benefit for others too in the task that we are doing, that much the good wishes of others will be there for the task. With these good wishes we will be able to move forward much faster and achieving success will be easy.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 19-12-2012
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The Location Of The Soul Inside The Body
The soul has the following basic functions to perform:
• to give life to the body and to maintain life inside it,
• to express and experience its role through the body, and
• to receive the rewards or fruits of past actions performed in previous births, through the body.
These functions are controlled and monitored by the soul via the nervous and hormonal systems from a particular point in the area of the brain which contains the thalamus, hypothalamus, pituitary and pineal glands. This region is known as the seat of the soul, or the third eye. The connection between the physical (body) and the non-physical (soul) is by the medium of thought energy. Many religions and philosophies place great importance on the third eye, or eye of the mind. When viewed from the front, this region appears to be between and slightly above the line of the eyebrows. It's for this reason that Hindus use a tilak, a dot in red or sandalwood paste in the middle of the forehead. Christians also make the sign of the cross in this region. Even when one makes a mistake or expresses tiredness it's to this region that we put the hands in the gestures of self-dismay or exhaustion. After all the soul subconsciously knows that it makes the mistakes and not the body. When people are concentrating deeply in thought it is this area of the forehead where creases or lines are formed on the skin.
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Message for the day 19-12-2012
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To become worthy of blessings means to make success easy.
Expression: Thinking of benefit for the self increases to such an extent that it sometimes takes on the form of selfishness. When we are selfish we stop thinking about others or the effect that our action is going to have on them. Then we are not able to move forward with lightness because the good wishes and blessings of others are not with us.
Experience: In each and every action of ours we need to first check if it is going to be beneficial for us as well as for others. As much as there is benefit for others too in the task that we are doing, that much the good wishes of others will be there for the task. With these good wishes we will be able to move forward much faster and achieving success will be easy.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the 18-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 18-12-2012
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Bringing Your Dreams Alive
Each one of us has dreams that we nourish right through our lives. Some are short-term dreams and some long term ones. Dreams keep changing as we progress through different phases of our life. Some are achieved, some are not. Some of us possess the ability to realize our dreams more than the rest. The most important and influential factor in this process is how much we believe in our dream and believe that it will be realized. Some of the factors that hamper this belief are:
* The influence of the past - the memories of our past failures, which sow seeds of doubt in our mind; as well as successes, which keep us in an illusionary consciousness and distance us from the present moment and our present actions. Also, sometimes we associate present temporary failures or ups and downs which may come in our way, with failures of the past.
* Lack of inner strength or power, when faced with obstacles in your path. Tendency to get dejected very easily and creating weak thoughts like we do not deserve it or we are not capable of it or are we not lucky enough or it is not in our destiny or maybe it is our negative past actions which are influencing our dream realization process adversely, etc.
* The opinions or comments of people surrounding you who sometimes, are not in tune with your consciousness and are not able to empathize with your purpose. Their comments easily de-focus you from your purpose.
* Lack of ability to mould or adjust during the dream realization journey. Any journey is always full of twists, turns and sudden changes. A rigid state of mind, which is not able to change its tactics as required, may make the path seem more difficult than it actually is.
* It is very good to dream but excessive attachment to the dream also may make the journey towards the dream stressful and bring down your self-belief at times.
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Message for the day 18-12-2012
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Wisdom is to learn from one's experiences.
Expression: Things do not always go smoothly. In spite of the difficulties that we are faced with, the wisdom within us enables us to learn from all that happens. Naturally with this learning we would experience progress. If not, we will only be caught up with the past and lose the present too.
Experience: When we find ourselves thinking about the past, or caught up with it, we need to redirect our thoughts towards a more constructive goal. We have to see if we have benefited in some way with the particular experience of the past. Our wisdom enables us to learn from everything that happens.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 18-12-2012
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Bringing Your Dreams Alive
Each one of us has dreams that we nourish right through our lives. Some are short-term dreams and some long term ones. Dreams keep changing as we progress through different phases of our life. Some are achieved, some are not. Some of us possess the ability to realize our dreams more than the rest. The most important and influential factor in this process is how much we believe in our dream and believe that it will be realized. Some of the factors that hamper this belief are:
* The influence of the past - the memories of our past failures, which sow seeds of doubt in our mind; as well as successes, which keep us in an illusionary consciousness and distance us from the present moment and our present actions. Also, sometimes we associate present temporary failures or ups and downs which may come in our way, with failures of the past.
* Lack of inner strength or power, when faced with obstacles in your path. Tendency to get dejected very easily and creating weak thoughts like we do not deserve it or we are not capable of it or are we not lucky enough or it is not in our destiny or maybe it is our negative past actions which are influencing our dream realization process adversely, etc.
* The opinions or comments of people surrounding you who sometimes, are not in tune with your consciousness and are not able to empathize with your purpose. Their comments easily de-focus you from your purpose.
* Lack of ability to mould or adjust during the dream realization journey. Any journey is always full of twists, turns and sudden changes. A rigid state of mind, which is not able to change its tactics as required, may make the path seem more difficult than it actually is.
* It is very good to dream but excessive attachment to the dream also may make the journey towards the dream stressful and bring down your self-belief at times.
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Message for the day 18-12-2012
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Wisdom is to learn from one's experiences.
Expression: Things do not always go smoothly. In spite of the difficulties that we are faced with, the wisdom within us enables us to learn from all that happens. Naturally with this learning we would experience progress. If not, we will only be caught up with the past and lose the present too.
Experience: When we find ourselves thinking about the past, or caught up with it, we need to redirect our thoughts towards a more constructive goal. We have to see if we have benefited in some way with the particular experience of the past. Our wisdom enables us to learn from everything that happens.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Monday, December 17, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the 17-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 17-12-2012
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Taming (Conquering) The Mind
In ancient times, the mind was understood to be extremely difficult to control. It was said to be like the wind: you could never catch it, or hold it - it went where it wished and no human being could become its master. In other instances, it was said that the mind was like an elephant: extremely powerful but equally gentle and patient, able to do a lot of work for its master. However, when an elephant turns wild, its gentleness and patience completely disappear and it destroys and damages everything in its path. When the mind is under stress, it resembles a wild elephant; it has no control and cannot be controlled.
Taming the mind is regarded as a great art requiring time, attention, practice and, above all, a sincerity of heart where individuals truly want to change their way of thinking. To relax, to be positive, to be peaceful and kind all require a change in our thought patterns and this can only happen when we look deeply within. However hard they try, other people cannot change us; we must have personal realization and the desire to make changes through our own effort. Permanent and positive change cannot be imposed from outside; it is something that we choose.
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Message for the day 17-12-2012
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Wisdom is to recognize an obstacle from a distance and be prepared for it.
Expression: Our wisdom enables us to recognize the obstacles in advance and be prepared for them. In this state there'll be no fear even while seeing these obstacles. Also, wisdom is not just to go on hoping things will be all right but to make preparations knowing well the dangers ahead.
Experience: We should make our mental state in such a way that we are always alert. Our preparation should be such that whatever the situation we might have to face, we are ready. When we make preparations in this way we will be able to handle every situation that comes up without any fear.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 17-12-2012
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Taming (Conquering) The Mind
In ancient times, the mind was understood to be extremely difficult to control. It was said to be like the wind: you could never catch it, or hold it - it went where it wished and no human being could become its master. In other instances, it was said that the mind was like an elephant: extremely powerful but equally gentle and patient, able to do a lot of work for its master. However, when an elephant turns wild, its gentleness and patience completely disappear and it destroys and damages everything in its path. When the mind is under stress, it resembles a wild elephant; it has no control and cannot be controlled.
Taming the mind is regarded as a great art requiring time, attention, practice and, above all, a sincerity of heart where individuals truly want to change their way of thinking. To relax, to be positive, to be peaceful and kind all require a change in our thought patterns and this can only happen when we look deeply within. However hard they try, other people cannot change us; we must have personal realization and the desire to make changes through our own effort. Permanent and positive change cannot be imposed from outside; it is something that we choose.
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Message for the day 17-12-2012
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Wisdom is to recognize an obstacle from a distance and be prepared for it.
Expression: Our wisdom enables us to recognize the obstacles in advance and be prepared for them. In this state there'll be no fear even while seeing these obstacles. Also, wisdom is not just to go on hoping things will be all right but to make preparations knowing well the dangers ahead.
Experience: We should make our mental state in such a way that we are always alert. Our preparation should be such that whatever the situation we might have to face, we are ready. When we make preparations in this way we will be able to handle every situation that comes up without any fear.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the 16-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 16-12-2012
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Injustices And Suffering In The World – Applying The Law of Karma (Part 2)
An understanding of the laws of action reminds us that whatever we give we get, and whatever we get is the result of what we have given. When we apply this understanding into our awareness while we watch apparent injustices in the world, it reduces our outrage, lessening our pain. It's not that we sit passively and allow people to bring about suffering upon others, but it helps us to see that the greatest or highest contribution that we can make, to both the victim and the sinner, is to help them remember who they are and help them rise above their anger and fear towards each other. Only in this way can we help them to liberate themselves from an exchange of energy that has perhaps been going on for centuries.
But before we can effectively do this for others, it is necessary to try and do it for ourselves. Instead of taking the law into our own hands (the desire for revenge and justice), we can benefit everyone around us by first understanding and living ourselves according to the invisible laws of cause and effect which define all human relationships. Sometimes this is referred to as 'practice what you preach', and it often requires moments of reflection before action in order to judge the consequences of any path of action. This capacity to stop, reflect and consider, in a state of mental calm and with clear intellect, is an essential characteristic of all effective leaders. It is also what makes us all potential leaders in life, every day, who can bring about world transformation through self transformation.
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Message for the day 16-12-2012
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Flexibility makes problems into teachers.
Expression: Flexibility enables us to move with time, slipping through life as gently and strongly as possible. When problems do come, instead of stopping with fear, we will be able to learn from them and move on, experiencing constant progress.
Experience: In any problem that we are faced with we need to remind ourselves that the situations around us will not remain the same, things might get worse too. If we are able to be flexible now we will be able to adjust ourselves to any kind of situation that we might be faced with in the future too.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 16-12-2012
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Injustices And Suffering In The World – Applying The Law of Karma (Part 2)
An understanding of the laws of action reminds us that whatever we give we get, and whatever we get is the result of what we have given. When we apply this understanding into our awareness while we watch apparent injustices in the world, it reduces our outrage, lessening our pain. It's not that we sit passively and allow people to bring about suffering upon others, but it helps us to see that the greatest or highest contribution that we can make, to both the victim and the sinner, is to help them remember who they are and help them rise above their anger and fear towards each other. Only in this way can we help them to liberate themselves from an exchange of energy that has perhaps been going on for centuries.
But before we can effectively do this for others, it is necessary to try and do it for ourselves. Instead of taking the law into our own hands (the desire for revenge and justice), we can benefit everyone around us by first understanding and living ourselves according to the invisible laws of cause and effect which define all human relationships. Sometimes this is referred to as 'practice what you preach', and it often requires moments of reflection before action in order to judge the consequences of any path of action. This capacity to stop, reflect and consider, in a state of mental calm and with clear intellect, is an essential characteristic of all effective leaders. It is also what makes us all potential leaders in life, every day, who can bring about world transformation through self transformation.
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Message for the day 16-12-2012
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Flexibility makes problems into teachers.
Expression: Flexibility enables us to move with time, slipping through life as gently and strongly as possible. When problems do come, instead of stopping with fear, we will be able to learn from them and move on, experiencing constant progress.
Experience: In any problem that we are faced with we need to remind ourselves that the situations around us will not remain the same, things might get worse too. If we are able to be flexible now we will be able to adjust ourselves to any kind of situation that we might be faced with in the future too.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 15-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 15-12-2012
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Injustices And Suffering In The World – Applying The Law of Karma (Part 1)
We are presently living in a closely connected world where everyone knows what everyone else is doing, as they are doing it. Each day brings scenes and images, through the media, in front of us, of many apparent injustices and suffering of individuals or groups of individuals. Whether it's in the office, or in the market or on the television news, we hear and see reports of people suffering tremendous pain and sorrow at the hands of others. At these moments, our sense of injustice is stimulated and it becomes easy to rise in outrage against the sinners. In the process we ourselves suffer from our own self-created anger and perhaps hate. This process then becomes a habit and an inner pattern we begin to repeat, not only when we encounter scenes of global peacelessness, but the moment someone in the family or at office does something similar. A panic button is pressed and we react with the same pattern.
What we forget in both global and local contexts, is the history and geography of karma. Every scene and situation has a variety of related causes in both time (history) and space (geography) e.g. emotions of hatred and revenge amongst various countries and religions (in different parts of the world) and the actions connected with these emotions has underlying hidden causes, related to the Law of Karma (Law of Cause and Effect) which go back sometimes to hundreds of years – X is doing something with Y because Y had done something similar with X sometime in the past, but in different physical costumes, sometimes quite some time back in history – this is the reason, we often fail to take these causes into consideration when viewing these negative scenes and situations, because we see the situations with a limited perspective of present physical costumes and circumstances.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
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Message for the day 15-12-2012
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With humility and love, flexibility becomes natural.
Expression: In order to be flexible we need to have the virtue of humility. With humility we will be willing to understand the people around and their behaviour. Then we will also be able to have love for them. This automatically brings flexibility within us.
Experience: When we come across people who are not being cooperative, we need to become humble and try to understand what the they are communicating, if not through words at least through their actions. When we are able to listen with love and understanding, we will no more be rigid but can easily adapt ourselves.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 15-12-2012
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Injustices And Suffering In The World – Applying The Law of Karma (Part 1)
We are presently living in a closely connected world where everyone knows what everyone else is doing, as they are doing it. Each day brings scenes and images, through the media, in front of us, of many apparent injustices and suffering of individuals or groups of individuals. Whether it's in the office, or in the market or on the television news, we hear and see reports of people suffering tremendous pain and sorrow at the hands of others. At these moments, our sense of injustice is stimulated and it becomes easy to rise in outrage against the sinners. In the process we ourselves suffer from our own self-created anger and perhaps hate. This process then becomes a habit and an inner pattern we begin to repeat, not only when we encounter scenes of global peacelessness, but the moment someone in the family or at office does something similar. A panic button is pressed and we react with the same pattern.
What we forget in both global and local contexts, is the history and geography of karma. Every scene and situation has a variety of related causes in both time (history) and space (geography) e.g. emotions of hatred and revenge amongst various countries and religions (in different parts of the world) and the actions connected with these emotions has underlying hidden causes, related to the Law of Karma (Law of Cause and Effect) which go back sometimes to hundreds of years – X is doing something with Y because Y had done something similar with X sometime in the past, but in different physical costumes, sometimes quite some time back in history – this is the reason, we often fail to take these causes into consideration when viewing these negative scenes and situations, because we see the situations with a limited perspective of present physical costumes and circumstances.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
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Message for the day 15-12-2012
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With humility and love, flexibility becomes natural.
Expression: In order to be flexible we need to have the virtue of humility. With humility we will be willing to understand the people around and their behaviour. Then we will also be able to have love for them. This automatically brings flexibility within us.
Experience: When we come across people who are not being cooperative, we need to become humble and try to understand what the they are communicating, if not through words at least through their actions. When we are able to listen with love and understanding, we will no more be rigid but can easily adapt ourselves.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Friday, December 14, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 14-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 14-12-2012
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Meditation And Physical Health
The state of the body is a result of the state of the soul not only because of past karmas (actions performed in this and previous births) but because of its present state also.
For example, when the emotion of fear passes through the mind, the endocrine system starts pumping adrenalin through the body to prepare it for a surge of energy. It is easy to note the cause-effect relationship between fear (cause) and adrenalin (effect). In the same way all of the mental ups and downs cause resulting secretions throughout the body. Internal rage is accompanied by heavy breathing, fast heart-beats, red face and so on. This relationship between body and soul is the reason most physical diseases arise from a psychological or mental origin. There is no doubt that any lessening of harmful secretions by reducing the emotional causes will bring about sound and lasting health. Health and order in the soul (mind) bring health and order in the body.
Of course there are other factors which give rise to health problems - pollution, unhealthy life-style, lack of exercise, wrong diet etc. Through Raja Yoga meditation (taught by the Brahma Kumaris) and its connected positive lifestyle and through a pure vegetarian diet, ill-health can be minimized. The removal of stress and tension has to be one of the most important advantages for a person who practices Rajyoga meditation.
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Message for the day 14-12-2012
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Habits break easily when there is flexibility.
Expression: The more we work with a habit the more it will be strengthened. When we hold on to our habits because of our rigidity, we will never be able to change them but will only be strengthening them all the more. On the other hand if we are flexible we will be able to give up unwanted habits very easily.
Experience: If we are working with any habit which we want to get rid of, we have to remind ourselves that we must not strengthen the habit any more but have to break it. We only need to emerge the flexibility within us and tell ourselves that we needn't act in the same way that we have always done, instead we can think of something new.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 14-12-2012
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Meditation And Physical Health
The state of the body is a result of the state of the soul not only because of past karmas (actions performed in this and previous births) but because of its present state also.
For example, when the emotion of fear passes through the mind, the endocrine system starts pumping adrenalin through the body to prepare it for a surge of energy. It is easy to note the cause-effect relationship between fear (cause) and adrenalin (effect). In the same way all of the mental ups and downs cause resulting secretions throughout the body. Internal rage is accompanied by heavy breathing, fast heart-beats, red face and so on. This relationship between body and soul is the reason most physical diseases arise from a psychological or mental origin. There is no doubt that any lessening of harmful secretions by reducing the emotional causes will bring about sound and lasting health. Health and order in the soul (mind) bring health and order in the body.
Of course there are other factors which give rise to health problems - pollution, unhealthy life-style, lack of exercise, wrong diet etc. Through Raja Yoga meditation (taught by the Brahma Kumaris) and its connected positive lifestyle and through a pure vegetarian diet, ill-health can be minimized. The removal of stress and tension has to be one of the most important advantages for a person who practices Rajyoga meditation.
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Message for the day 14-12-2012
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Habits break easily when there is flexibility.
Expression: The more we work with a habit the more it will be strengthened. When we hold on to our habits because of our rigidity, we will never be able to change them but will only be strengthening them all the more. On the other hand if we are flexible we will be able to give up unwanted habits very easily.
Experience: If we are working with any habit which we want to get rid of, we have to remind ourselves that we must not strengthen the habit any more but have to break it. We only need to emerge the flexibility within us and tell ourselves that we needn't act in the same way that we have always done, instead we can think of something new.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 13-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 13-12-2012
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Resolving The Inner Identity Crisis (Part 2)
In yesterday’s message we had explained how the confusions, complications and problems that exist in our world today and the state of human relationships all over the world, are simply a reflection of our lack of inner clarity about who we are, what we are and where we are heading i.e. a lack of true self-identity. So how do we resolve this internal and external turmoil? There is an original, beautiful self, with characteristics of peace, love and happiness that exists within each one of us, the self from which we have been distanced since a very long time. This is a centre full of the spiritual resources of all virtues and powers. Reaching it is a journey of only one second and no distance. By identifying with this inner centre, a centre which is imperishable, unchangeable, constant and even eternal, my self identity becomes strong and stable, as compared to many false identities based on external realities like position, wealth and material possessions which are all perishable and subject to various ups and downs even in one single day, and if we over identify with them, we are bound to experience constant pain and discontentment.
This process of true self-identification is not a renunciation or avoidance of the way the outer world is but it is a healing process for your inner world. It is an internal correction process of identification, whereby you rediscover your true self as a complete being full of positive emotions that you always were and you start identifying with it, doing which very easily helps you let go of the wrong identifications. This process is commonly called meditation, the foundation of which is spiritual wisdom. Once this inner work is done, the outer world starts taking the shape of a reflection of that. Resolving the identity crisis first changes the way our internal and external world looks to us, as a result changing the way it works.
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Message for the day 13-12-2012
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The one who has the balance of flexibility and discipline is the one who is constantly successful.
Expression: It is of course necessary to be flexible but if we are so flexible that others take advantage of us it is not right. So we need to have a balance of flexibility and discipline i.e., to be flexible within the rules and code of conduct.
Experience: It is necessary to take care that the flexible nature within us doesn't waste our time or other resources. We have to be able to say no if the situation demands. But whatever we say has to be told with love, which comes when our nature is that of flexibility.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 13-12-2012
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Resolving The Inner Identity Crisis (Part 2)
In yesterday’s message we had explained how the confusions, complications and problems that exist in our world today and the state of human relationships all over the world, are simply a reflection of our lack of inner clarity about who we are, what we are and where we are heading i.e. a lack of true self-identity. So how do we resolve this internal and external turmoil? There is an original, beautiful self, with characteristics of peace, love and happiness that exists within each one of us, the self from which we have been distanced since a very long time. This is a centre full of the spiritual resources of all virtues and powers. Reaching it is a journey of only one second and no distance. By identifying with this inner centre, a centre which is imperishable, unchangeable, constant and even eternal, my self identity becomes strong and stable, as compared to many false identities based on external realities like position, wealth and material possessions which are all perishable and subject to various ups and downs even in one single day, and if we over identify with them, we are bound to experience constant pain and discontentment.
This process of true self-identification is not a renunciation or avoidance of the way the outer world is but it is a healing process for your inner world. It is an internal correction process of identification, whereby you rediscover your true self as a complete being full of positive emotions that you always were and you start identifying with it, doing which very easily helps you let go of the wrong identifications. This process is commonly called meditation, the foundation of which is spiritual wisdom. Once this inner work is done, the outer world starts taking the shape of a reflection of that. Resolving the identity crisis first changes the way our internal and external world looks to us, as a result changing the way it works.
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Message for the day 13-12-2012
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The one who has the balance of flexibility and discipline is the one who is constantly successful.
Expression: It is of course necessary to be flexible but if we are so flexible that others take advantage of us it is not right. So we need to have a balance of flexibility and discipline i.e., to be flexible within the rules and code of conduct.
Experience: It is necessary to take care that the flexible nature within us doesn't waste our time or other resources. We have to be able to say no if the situation demands. But whatever we say has to be told with love, which comes when our nature is that of flexibility.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 12-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 12-12-2012
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Resolving The Inner Identity Crisis (Part 1)
At the present moment in human history, almost every individual has lost the awareness of its real or true self. This has happened very gradually as each individual has progressed in its journey of birth-rebirth and has kept on attaching itself to various different things and as a result losing its sense of self in things that it is not i.e. identifying with things that it is not. In a way it can be said that this took the self far away from itself. This personal, internal identity crisis has led to a universal, external identity crisis, which has resulted in an emotional crisis resulting in peacelessness and sorrow in our inner world as well as in the outer world.
This inner identity crisis is the root cause of the multitude of deformed emotions that exist inside us like anger, ego, lust, fear, comparison with others, greed, hatred, low self esteem, dependencies etc. all of which have brought us and keep on bringing us pain. We explain this with an example – suppose you have just constructed a new apartment. While making it and once its ready and you are using it, you have become excessively attached to it i.e. you have started identifying with it. Due to this false identification, the first emotion that gets created inside you is ego. If someone were to criticize the apartment even slightly, you would react immediately with anger. You constantly fear any sort of harm to the apartment. You even compare it with apartments that others possess. You also start looking down at people whose apartment is not as good as yours i.e. you create emotions of hatred for them. If something negative were to happen it, it affects your mental state immediately i.e. your happiness has become dependent on the material possession. Your temporary success along with the recognition that it brings you from others leads to the desire of more success of a similar type i.e. possess some more things - bigger and better, which is nothing but greed etc. The seed of all these incorrect emotions is my over-identification with this newly acquired possession. All of these wouldn’t exist inside me, if my relationship with was one of detachment with it. In this way, we identify with various objects and people in the whole day, which leads to the creation of such emotions inside us.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
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Message for the day 12-12-2012
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The one who has the power of realisation is the one who can bring transformation.
Projection: When something goes wrong we immediately begin to look for excuses why that mistake happened. This finishes our power of realisation and we will not be able to recognise our own mistake. Then we will not be able to work at improving ourselves and we will not be able to bring any transformation.
Solution: Instead of looking for excuses for what happened, we need to take the opportunity to check within ourselves and see our own mistake. When we recognise our mistake, however small it may be, we will be able to work on it. Only when we are able to realise our own mistake, will we be able to bring about transformation in ourselves.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 12-12-2012
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Resolving The Inner Identity Crisis (Part 1)
At the present moment in human history, almost every individual has lost the awareness of its real or true self. This has happened very gradually as each individual has progressed in its journey of birth-rebirth and has kept on attaching itself to various different things and as a result losing its sense of self in things that it is not i.e. identifying with things that it is not. In a way it can be said that this took the self far away from itself. This personal, internal identity crisis has led to a universal, external identity crisis, which has resulted in an emotional crisis resulting in peacelessness and sorrow in our inner world as well as in the outer world.
This inner identity crisis is the root cause of the multitude of deformed emotions that exist inside us like anger, ego, lust, fear, comparison with others, greed, hatred, low self esteem, dependencies etc. all of which have brought us and keep on bringing us pain. We explain this with an example – suppose you have just constructed a new apartment. While making it and once its ready and you are using it, you have become excessively attached to it i.e. you have started identifying with it. Due to this false identification, the first emotion that gets created inside you is ego. If someone were to criticize the apartment even slightly, you would react immediately with anger. You constantly fear any sort of harm to the apartment. You even compare it with apartments that others possess. You also start looking down at people whose apartment is not as good as yours i.e. you create emotions of hatred for them. If something negative were to happen it, it affects your mental state immediately i.e. your happiness has become dependent on the material possession. Your temporary success along with the recognition that it brings you from others leads to the desire of more success of a similar type i.e. possess some more things - bigger and better, which is nothing but greed etc. The seed of all these incorrect emotions is my over-identification with this newly acquired possession. All of these wouldn’t exist inside me, if my relationship with was one of detachment with it. In this way, we identify with various objects and people in the whole day, which leads to the creation of such emotions inside us.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
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Message for the day 12-12-2012
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The one who has the power of realisation is the one who can bring transformation.
Projection: When something goes wrong we immediately begin to look for excuses why that mistake happened. This finishes our power of realisation and we will not be able to recognise our own mistake. Then we will not be able to work at improving ourselves and we will not be able to bring any transformation.
Solution: Instead of looking for excuses for what happened, we need to take the opportunity to check within ourselves and see our own mistake. When we recognise our mistake, however small it may be, we will be able to work on it. Only when we are able to realise our own mistake, will we be able to bring about transformation in ourselves.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 11-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 11-12-2012
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The Triangle Of Spiritual Energy (Part 4)
Referring to yesterday’s message, in the triangle of harmonious energy, all three points (the self, the Supreme and others) need to be equidistant - not too much one way or the other. The equidistant triangle in ancient mathematics was the symbol of harmony. Harmony, peace, order and balance is what is natural in human life and if we wish to return to that condition, we need to realize the importance of equidistant relationships. It requires constant attention to keep the three points in balance and in working order. Otherwise, when we get over-focused on any one of the three, we become inflexible. This inflexibility causes us to go out of balance and the result is disharmony and disunity, which can also be called 'violence', an unnatural condition, or even hell when it reaches an extreme point.
In order to maintain a balance between the three, I need silence: times of introspection when I can check the flow of three of my relationships – with the self, Supreme Source and others. This checking mechanism protects, sustains and develops the qualities of these three points.
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Message for the day 11-12-2012
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True help is to give support in such a way that people become independent.
Checking: Think of those people we are giving some kind of help or support. Check if we are helping in such a way to make them independent or is our help making them dependent on us.
Practice: We should remind ourselves that our aim in helping is to make people independent and strong in such a way that they are able to support others too. Our help should never make people weak.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 11-12-2012
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The Triangle Of Spiritual Energy (Part 4)
Referring to yesterday’s message, in the triangle of harmonious energy, all three points (the self, the Supreme and others) need to be equidistant - not too much one way or the other. The equidistant triangle in ancient mathematics was the symbol of harmony. Harmony, peace, order and balance is what is natural in human life and if we wish to return to that condition, we need to realize the importance of equidistant relationships. It requires constant attention to keep the three points in balance and in working order. Otherwise, when we get over-focused on any one of the three, we become inflexible. This inflexibility causes us to go out of balance and the result is disharmony and disunity, which can also be called 'violence', an unnatural condition, or even hell when it reaches an extreme point.
In order to maintain a balance between the three, I need silence: times of introspection when I can check the flow of three of my relationships – with the self, Supreme Source and others. This checking mechanism protects, sustains and develops the qualities of these three points.
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Message for the day 11-12-2012
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True help is to give support in such a way that people become independent.
Checking: Think of those people we are giving some kind of help or support. Check if we are helping in such a way to make them independent or is our help making them dependent on us.
Practice: We should remind ourselves that our aim in helping is to make people independent and strong in such a way that they are able to support others too. Our help should never make people weak.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Monday, December 10, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 10-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 10-12-2012
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The Triangle Of Spiritual Energy (Part 3)
Referring to the last two days’ messages, all three points of connection (connection with the self, of the self with the Supreme and of the self with others) are necessary for good emotional and spiritual health.
If I am only connected inwards, there is a great danger of arrogance and being lost in only myself. If I am only connected to the Supreme Source with little reference to myself, or others, there is the danger of becoming rigid, fanatical and unrealistic. If I am over-focused on others and on my relationships with others, thinking I will receive my happiness and sense of purpose from them, then a dependence is created, which results in conflict and disappointment.
When I do reconnect with the outside world, it can only be done effectively from the point of advantage of connection with the self and with the Supreme Source.
This three-point connection can be depicted in the form of a triangle with the self as a point (A), then the vertical movement upward to the Supreme Point (A to B), then the horizontal connection to others (A to C). Others need to have their own independent and personal connection with the Supreme Point to revitalize and renew their own consciousness (C to B). In this way, the triangle of harmonious energy (ABC) becomes complete.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
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Message for the day 10-12-2012
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To know that the seed of selfless action will surely bear fruit at its own time is to be light.
Expression: Sometimes when involved in a task, we tend to get carried away with the result. We become so result-oriented that we begin to expect the fruit of what we have done immediately. Without the recognition of the fact that the result might take time to come, we begin to get caught up with our own expectations. This creates a lot of heaviness in our mind and we might even give up what we are doing.
Experience: When we make a contribution for something, we must develop faith that whatever has to happen will happen at the right time. We don't have to eat unripe fruit, i.e., not get carried away with immediate results but have to wait patiently knowing that the fruits of our actions will ripen at their own time. With faith this is possible and we will be able to free ourselves from negativity and heaviness.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 10-12-2012
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The Triangle Of Spiritual Energy (Part 3)
Referring to the last two days’ messages, all three points of connection (connection with the self, of the self with the Supreme and of the self with others) are necessary for good emotional and spiritual health.
If I am only connected inwards, there is a great danger of arrogance and being lost in only myself. If I am only connected to the Supreme Source with little reference to myself, or others, there is the danger of becoming rigid, fanatical and unrealistic. If I am over-focused on others and on my relationships with others, thinking I will receive my happiness and sense of purpose from them, then a dependence is created, which results in conflict and disappointment.
When I do reconnect with the outside world, it can only be done effectively from the point of advantage of connection with the self and with the Supreme Source.
This three-point connection can be depicted in the form of a triangle with the self as a point (A), then the vertical movement upward to the Supreme Point (A to B), then the horizontal connection to others (A to C). Others need to have their own independent and personal connection with the Supreme Point to revitalize and renew their own consciousness (C to B). In this way, the triangle of harmonious energy (ABC) becomes complete.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
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Message for the day 10-12-2012
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To know that the seed of selfless action will surely bear fruit at its own time is to be light.
Expression: Sometimes when involved in a task, we tend to get carried away with the result. We become so result-oriented that we begin to expect the fruit of what we have done immediately. Without the recognition of the fact that the result might take time to come, we begin to get caught up with our own expectations. This creates a lot of heaviness in our mind and we might even give up what we are doing.
Experience: When we make a contribution for something, we must develop faith that whatever has to happen will happen at the right time. We don't have to eat unripe fruit, i.e., not get carried away with immediate results but have to wait patiently knowing that the fruits of our actions will ripen at their own time. With faith this is possible and we will be able to free ourselves from negativity and heaviness.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Sunday, December 09, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 09-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 09-12-2012
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The Triangle Of Spiritual Energy (Part 2)
Today, when human beings seek love, meaning and purpose, they first connect horizontally (with others) rather than vertically (with the Supreme Source). This leads to a greater loss of energy and eventually dissatisfaction and emptiness. The vertical connection liberates the self from becoming dependent on someone else and from having too many expectations.
After the vertical connection, there can then be the horizontal connection with others, that is, with the outside or external.
The horizontal movement can be called 'reconnection'. When we have taken the first two steps (first inwards i.e. connection with the self and then upwards i.e. connection with the Supreme), we reconnect with others on the basis of openness and sharing, rather than selfishness and need. At this point, there are real relationships that are respectful and balanced, rather than a relationship of wanting, taking, or exploiting. We have come to understand that when we are well with ourselves, we will be well with others.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
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Message for the day 09-12-2012
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True love is felt by all who receive it.
Expression: Sometimes we do find ourselves in situations where others are not responding to the love we are giving. We are trying to be understanding and accepting as much as possible but others don't seem to be recognising it. In such a situation we begin to blame others and their lack of feelings and concern.
Experience: Instead of blaming others when our love and concern is not being reciprocated, we need to check the quality of the love that we give. If there is even a trace of selfishness or if it is mixed with expectations, our love will not be able to reach out and touch the hearts of others. So we need to make sure that our love is pure and unselfish.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 09-12-2012
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The Triangle Of Spiritual Energy (Part 2)
Today, when human beings seek love, meaning and purpose, they first connect horizontally (with others) rather than vertically (with the Supreme Source). This leads to a greater loss of energy and eventually dissatisfaction and emptiness. The vertical connection liberates the self from becoming dependent on someone else and from having too many expectations.
After the vertical connection, there can then be the horizontal connection with others, that is, with the outside or external.
The horizontal movement can be called 'reconnection'. When we have taken the first two steps (first inwards i.e. connection with the self and then upwards i.e. connection with the Supreme), we reconnect with others on the basis of openness and sharing, rather than selfishness and need. At this point, there are real relationships that are respectful and balanced, rather than a relationship of wanting, taking, or exploiting. We have come to understand that when we are well with ourselves, we will be well with others.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
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Message for the day 09-12-2012
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True love is felt by all who receive it.
Expression: Sometimes we do find ourselves in situations where others are not responding to the love we are giving. We are trying to be understanding and accepting as much as possible but others don't seem to be recognising it. In such a situation we begin to blame others and their lack of feelings and concern.
Experience: Instead of blaming others when our love and concern is not being reciprocated, we need to check the quality of the love that we give. If there is even a trace of selfishness or if it is mixed with expectations, our love will not be able to reach out and touch the hearts of others. So we need to make sure that our love is pure and unselfish.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Saturday, December 08, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 08-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 08-12-2012
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The Triangle Of Spiritual Energy (Part 1)
Harmony within the self and with others is based on the accuracy of three aspects of remembrance: the ability to disconnect, connect and reconnect.
When I disconnect my thoughts from outside influences, stepping back from actions and words, then I can go into silence and connect with the self. To plug into the self, l use the thought: Om Shanti or “I am a peaceful soul”. This thought is the current that activates my eternal resource of peace and the qualities that emanate from this peace. The first step in meditation is always to connect with the self: what we call the inward step.
The next step in meditation is vertical, where, within one second, my concentrated thought connects my mind with the Supreme Source of Peace.
Silence and love give the mind wings to break the pull of gravity and to fly and unite with the One, who is the purest point of energy in the universe. This vertical connection from the point of the self, the soul, to the point of the universe, the Supreme Soul, gives the mind fresh new energy. This fresh energy is divine spiritual power and cannot be found in, or taken from, a human being. Therefore, if I wish to recharge myself, to rediscover and restore the original balance and harmony within myself, the second movement made by my mind must be vertical.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
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Message for the day 08-12-2012
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The one who is free from wasteful words is the one who can be light.
Expression: Sometimes when something only needs a few words to explain, we continue to speak and expand on it for a long time. We actually use more words than necessary thinking we are clarifying things. We give the justification to ourselves that it is necessary or the other person does not understand. These words sometimes disturb the other person and spoil our relationships too.
Experience: We constantly need to pay attention to the words that we speak. We need to check if we are using any more words than we actually need to. When we remind ourselves of a simple slogan, "speak less, speak softly and speak sweetly", our words will never be those that disturb others. We will then be able to maintain our own lightness and that of others too.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 08-12-2012
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The Triangle Of Spiritual Energy (Part 1)
Harmony within the self and with others is based on the accuracy of three aspects of remembrance: the ability to disconnect, connect and reconnect.
When I disconnect my thoughts from outside influences, stepping back from actions and words, then I can go into silence and connect with the self. To plug into the self, l use the thought: Om Shanti or “I am a peaceful soul”. This thought is the current that activates my eternal resource of peace and the qualities that emanate from this peace. The first step in meditation is always to connect with the self: what we call the inward step.
The next step in meditation is vertical, where, within one second, my concentrated thought connects my mind with the Supreme Source of Peace.
Silence and love give the mind wings to break the pull of gravity and to fly and unite with the One, who is the purest point of energy in the universe. This vertical connection from the point of the self, the soul, to the point of the universe, the Supreme Soul, gives the mind fresh new energy. This fresh energy is divine spiritual power and cannot be found in, or taken from, a human being. Therefore, if I wish to recharge myself, to rediscover and restore the original balance and harmony within myself, the second movement made by my mind must be vertical.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
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Message for the day 08-12-2012
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The one who is free from wasteful words is the one who can be light.
Expression: Sometimes when something only needs a few words to explain, we continue to speak and expand on it for a long time. We actually use more words than necessary thinking we are clarifying things. We give the justification to ourselves that it is necessary or the other person does not understand. These words sometimes disturb the other person and spoil our relationships too.
Experience: We constantly need to pay attention to the words that we speak. We need to check if we are using any more words than we actually need to. When we remind ourselves of a simple slogan, "speak less, speak softly and speak sweetly", our words will never be those that disturb others. We will then be able to maintain our own lightness and that of others too.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Friday, December 07, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 07-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 07-12-2012
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Are You A Compulsive Complainer (Part 2)?
The person who almost never complains has realized that every time they complain they focus on something negative, and the first person to suffer is, in effect, themselves, since it reduces their energy level and they feel worse. The person who never complains accepts what is as it is, what comes as it comes, and what happens as it happens. However, if they consider that something has to be changed, they put their energy into making it happen.
Given below is a clear example of the reaction of a compulsive complainer and of someone who never complains in the face of the same situation:
Two people visit a restaurant for a cup of tea. When the tea arrives, it arrives cold on both tables. The complainer suffers and reacts immediately by making a great complaint to the waiter. He gets into such a bad mood because of the cold tea that it generates a really unhappy feeling inside him. The waiter, of course, gets a bit defensive. The person who doesn't complain does not remain quiet and drink the tea. He calls the waiter and informs him that the tea is cold and asks for it to be warmed. He doesn't get angry or into a bad mood; therefore, he doesn't suffer. He accepts that, at times, such things happen! To inform and ask is not to complain; it is to give feedback and to make a request. The difference between both is the difference between an emotional reaction and a proactive response.
If there is something that doesn't go as you would like it to go, use mental energy to construct, create, transform or solve but do not complain.
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Message for the day 07-12-2012
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Faith enables the creation of elevated fortune.
Expression: Usually there is a tendency to leave things to destiny. When something goes wrong, we blame fate for it. Then we feel the situation to be totally out of our control, which prevents us from taking responsibility for our own life. And we will not be able to work in any way for bringing about a change and improving the situation.
Experience: Instead of blaming fate for whatever is happening, we need to take up responsibility for creating our own fortune for the future. When we have faith in ourselves we will take up responsibility for our own life. We will then be able to work at making our each thought beneficial, contributing to our success, making a better future for ourselves.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 07-12-2012
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Are You A Compulsive Complainer (Part 2)?
The person who almost never complains has realized that every time they complain they focus on something negative, and the first person to suffer is, in effect, themselves, since it reduces their energy level and they feel worse. The person who never complains accepts what is as it is, what comes as it comes, and what happens as it happens. However, if they consider that something has to be changed, they put their energy into making it happen.
Given below is a clear example of the reaction of a compulsive complainer and of someone who never complains in the face of the same situation:
Two people visit a restaurant for a cup of tea. When the tea arrives, it arrives cold on both tables. The complainer suffers and reacts immediately by making a great complaint to the waiter. He gets into such a bad mood because of the cold tea that it generates a really unhappy feeling inside him. The waiter, of course, gets a bit defensive. The person who doesn't complain does not remain quiet and drink the tea. He calls the waiter and informs him that the tea is cold and asks for it to be warmed. He doesn't get angry or into a bad mood; therefore, he doesn't suffer. He accepts that, at times, such things happen! To inform and ask is not to complain; it is to give feedback and to make a request. The difference between both is the difference between an emotional reaction and a proactive response.
If there is something that doesn't go as you would like it to go, use mental energy to construct, create, transform or solve but do not complain.
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Message for the day 07-12-2012
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Faith enables the creation of elevated fortune.
Expression: Usually there is a tendency to leave things to destiny. When something goes wrong, we blame fate for it. Then we feel the situation to be totally out of our control, which prevents us from taking responsibility for our own life. And we will not be able to work in any way for bringing about a change and improving the situation.
Experience: Instead of blaming fate for whatever is happening, we need to take up responsibility for creating our own fortune for the future. When we have faith in ourselves we will take up responsibility for our own life. We will then be able to work at making our each thought beneficial, contributing to our success, making a better future for ourselves.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Thursday, December 06, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 06-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 06-12-2012
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Are You A Compulsive Complainer (Part 1)?
We live in a world full of imperfections, and, luckily, we are not perfect either. Luckily, because being imperfect offers us the possibilities of learning, change and hope. It inspires us to make an effort and it prevents us from getting bored. However, for the one who complains it seems that the world should be perfect. With such a habit it becomes something natural to think how things should or shouldn't be or could or could not be.
When you complain, your energy and clarity reduce and your unhappiness increases. You don't accept what there is or what is, as it is. Your complaints lead you to criticism and to useless gossip. In these kinds of conversations time and energy are lost and mistrust and unhappiness are generated. Relationships are harmed and then require a good investment of time and energy to get back the lost trust.
Someone who complains regularly expects the world to make them happy and the Universe to dance to their music. As things are almost never as they want, they are in a state of constant complaint. They don't realize that happiness comes from within and is cultivated within. They expect situations and others to make them happy. And, as this does not happen, they complain constantly.
The person who often complains feels disappointed and gets discouraged. They feel that they cannot do anything to change what they would like to change. They feel weakened inside.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
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Message for the day 06-12-2012
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With benevolent feelings and good wishes we can free people from worrying.
Expression: When we come across people who are faced with a difficult situation because of which they are worrying, we too usually tend to think about it. Instead of helping the other person to be free from worrying, we too begin to worry. This doesn't help either of us in anyway but only adds to the negativity of the situation.
Experience: We need to develop such benevolent feelings for the ones who are going through the situation that the power of our positive feelings will spread to them too. It will act like the light of the lamp, which helps to dispel the darkness around. Only when there is positivity in the mind will they be able to think of some solution.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 06-12-2012
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Are You A Compulsive Complainer (Part 1)?
We live in a world full of imperfections, and, luckily, we are not perfect either. Luckily, because being imperfect offers us the possibilities of learning, change and hope. It inspires us to make an effort and it prevents us from getting bored. However, for the one who complains it seems that the world should be perfect. With such a habit it becomes something natural to think how things should or shouldn't be or could or could not be.
When you complain, your energy and clarity reduce and your unhappiness increases. You don't accept what there is or what is, as it is. Your complaints lead you to criticism and to useless gossip. In these kinds of conversations time and energy are lost and mistrust and unhappiness are generated. Relationships are harmed and then require a good investment of time and energy to get back the lost trust.
Someone who complains regularly expects the world to make them happy and the Universe to dance to their music. As things are almost never as they want, they are in a state of constant complaint. They don't realize that happiness comes from within and is cultivated within. They expect situations and others to make them happy. And, as this does not happen, they complain constantly.
The person who often complains feels disappointed and gets discouraged. They feel that they cannot do anything to change what they would like to change. They feel weakened inside.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
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Message for the day 06-12-2012
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With benevolent feelings and good wishes we can free people from worrying.
Expression: When we come across people who are faced with a difficult situation because of which they are worrying, we too usually tend to think about it. Instead of helping the other person to be free from worrying, we too begin to worry. This doesn't help either of us in anyway but only adds to the negativity of the situation.
Experience: We need to develop such benevolent feelings for the ones who are going through the situation that the power of our positive feelings will spread to them too. It will act like the light of the lamp, which helps to dispel the darkness around. Only when there is positivity in the mind will they be able to think of some solution.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Wednesday, December 05, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 05-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 05-12-2012
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Frozen Perceptions
Like water, which over a period of time freezes and takes the form of frozen ice cubes, when kept in an ice tray; perceptions of different things, people and events, inside our consciousness, which come onto the surface of our consciousness regularly i.e. we shape our thoughts, words and actions based on them, regularly, take the form of rigid perceptions over a period of time. These rigid or 'frozen perceptions', which sometimes never liquefy in our entire lifetime, are commonly called our beliefs, which can stick in our consciousness like ice cubes and be difficult to uproot at times. One of the greatest harms that holding to a set of beliefs does is, that it doesn't let us see from other peoples' point of view.
Let's say two people look at the same painting from two different points in a room. One describes what she sees and how the painting looks to her. Then the other describes how the painting looks to him. Both perceptions are bound to be different to some extent. They are different because they look from different angles, different points (places) of viewing in the same room. So who has the right view? Neither. But what both of them see is right from their point of view. Another e.g. is, there is Mrs. A at my workplace, whom over a period of time, I have been seeing from a certain point of view and have started perceiving to be inefficient. Bringing this perception into my consciousness repeatedly has frozen this perception inside my consciousness and it has taken the form of a belief, which may be incorrect or correct, partially or completely. Now even if three different people who have all seen Mrs. A from three different points of view i.e. in three different set of circumstances, and have seen three different shades of the same virtue i.e. efficiency in her; come and share their different, but all positive and right perceptions with me, depending on their respective circumstantial view, I will not agree with them and not respect their perception because a person with unfrozen perceptions would at least give a hearing to others' perceptions, but someone with frozen perceptions, i.e. with fixed beliefs, is not able to that and is not able to empathize with or see from others’ point of view.
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Message for the day 05-12-2012
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The one who is aware of the attainments is the one who is content.
Expression: Sometimes, there is a tendency to compare ourselves with others and find ourselves lacking in some way. This creates unhappiness in us and we are not able to remain content. Comparing ourselves with others or having expectations makes us miss out on perceiving the attainments we have in our life. And we are not able to experience contentment.
Experience: Instead of looking at what we don't have, which is usually the practice, we need to make effort to see what we have attained or what we are attaining. Once we make this practice, we will be able to look at the positive aspect in our life, which will enable us to remain content under all circumstances, i.e., in both positive and negative situations.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 05-12-2012
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Frozen Perceptions
Like water, which over a period of time freezes and takes the form of frozen ice cubes, when kept in an ice tray; perceptions of different things, people and events, inside our consciousness, which come onto the surface of our consciousness regularly i.e. we shape our thoughts, words and actions based on them, regularly, take the form of rigid perceptions over a period of time. These rigid or 'frozen perceptions', which sometimes never liquefy in our entire lifetime, are commonly called our beliefs, which can stick in our consciousness like ice cubes and be difficult to uproot at times. One of the greatest harms that holding to a set of beliefs does is, that it doesn't let us see from other peoples' point of view.
Let's say two people look at the same painting from two different points in a room. One describes what she sees and how the painting looks to her. Then the other describes how the painting looks to him. Both perceptions are bound to be different to some extent. They are different because they look from different angles, different points (places) of viewing in the same room. So who has the right view? Neither. But what both of them see is right from their point of view. Another e.g. is, there is Mrs. A at my workplace, whom over a period of time, I have been seeing from a certain point of view and have started perceiving to be inefficient. Bringing this perception into my consciousness repeatedly has frozen this perception inside my consciousness and it has taken the form of a belief, which may be incorrect or correct, partially or completely. Now even if three different people who have all seen Mrs. A from three different points of view i.e. in three different set of circumstances, and have seen three different shades of the same virtue i.e. efficiency in her; come and share their different, but all positive and right perceptions with me, depending on their respective circumstantial view, I will not agree with them and not respect their perception because a person with unfrozen perceptions would at least give a hearing to others' perceptions, but someone with frozen perceptions, i.e. with fixed beliefs, is not able to that and is not able to empathize with or see from others’ point of view.
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Message for the day 05-12-2012
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The one who is aware of the attainments is the one who is content.
Expression: Sometimes, there is a tendency to compare ourselves with others and find ourselves lacking in some way. This creates unhappiness in us and we are not able to remain content. Comparing ourselves with others or having expectations makes us miss out on perceiving the attainments we have in our life. And we are not able to experience contentment.
Experience: Instead of looking at what we don't have, which is usually the practice, we need to make effort to see what we have attained or what we are attaining. Once we make this practice, we will be able to look at the positive aspect in our life, which will enable us to remain content under all circumstances, i.e., in both positive and negative situations.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Tuesday, December 04, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 04-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 04-12-2012
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Open-Eyed Meditation
One of the special characteristics of Raja Yoga meditation (as taught by the Brahma Kumaris) is that I learn to meditate with my eyes open. The training of the mind, so that it creates thoughts, to give a positive experience, helps me in facing not only my daily routine, but specifically, in dealing with unexpected practical life situations that test my real power. Mastering the art of meditating with my eyes open can be of immense value to me in my practical life.
If I restrict myself to seated meditation with my eyes closed, then I am prevented from continuing the meditative experience in the course of my normal activities i.e. walking, eating, cooking, working in the office, moving around and so on.
Meditation is at the same time an incredibly relaxing experience as well as brings about an increase of perception (judgement) powers and sharper reaction response. In this way, I can be walking along the street in a meditative state and yet have a very quick perception (judgement) and reaction response to the surrounding pedestrians and traffic.
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Message for the day 04-12-2012
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Negative situations can be transformed into positive with the power of stability.
Expression: When faced with a negative situation, usually the mind gets affected. Lot of questions arise in the mind that don't allow us to be stable at that time. Because of the thoughts in our mind, though it is in our hands to work at transforming the situation, we don't make use of this opportunity but only end up adding to the negativity.
Experience: In a negative situation, it is necessary for us to maintain our own inner stability. We need to free ourselves from wasteful thoughts. Then, the negativity in the situation will finish, first in our mind and then in the situation itself. Our own internal stability will help in finishing the influence of the external situation.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 04-12-2012
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Open-Eyed Meditation
One of the special characteristics of Raja Yoga meditation (as taught by the Brahma Kumaris) is that I learn to meditate with my eyes open. The training of the mind, so that it creates thoughts, to give a positive experience, helps me in facing not only my daily routine, but specifically, in dealing with unexpected practical life situations that test my real power. Mastering the art of meditating with my eyes open can be of immense value to me in my practical life.
If I restrict myself to seated meditation with my eyes closed, then I am prevented from continuing the meditative experience in the course of my normal activities i.e. walking, eating, cooking, working in the office, moving around and so on.
Meditation is at the same time an incredibly relaxing experience as well as brings about an increase of perception (judgement) powers and sharper reaction response. In this way, I can be walking along the street in a meditative state and yet have a very quick perception (judgement) and reaction response to the surrounding pedestrians and traffic.
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Message for the day 04-12-2012
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Negative situations can be transformed into positive with the power of stability.
Expression: When faced with a negative situation, usually the mind gets affected. Lot of questions arise in the mind that don't allow us to be stable at that time. Because of the thoughts in our mind, though it is in our hands to work at transforming the situation, we don't make use of this opportunity but only end up adding to the negativity.
Experience: In a negative situation, it is necessary for us to maintain our own inner stability. We need to free ourselves from wasteful thoughts. Then, the negativity in the situation will finish, first in our mind and then in the situation itself. Our own internal stability will help in finishing the influence of the external situation.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Monday, December 03, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 03-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 03-12-2012
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Saying Goodbye To Anger
'I expect' is the great illusion, which converts itself into demanding rights without due respect for others.
Anger in all its forms is a direct result of an expectation not being fulfilled and brings cries (although sometimes silent ones) of “They should have done this, Why did this happen? or Don't you know better?” Disappointment, accusations and demands are violent energies, which we throw around very naturally and easily in our daily life when our expectations are not fulfilled. They are like a burning fire that eats away at our original spiritual qualities, turning them to a dust that pollutes the self and others.
Instead, let us continue to practise returning our thoughts to the self and remembering our original source of peace. In that experience of deep, natural peace, we will find balance and clarity and the ability to tolerate and adjust to the unexpected.
One of the keys of meditation practice is to quickly gather our thought energy and take it inside to connect to our original qualities, no matter what may be happening outside, or even inside!
Let me disconnect from the external and plug in to the internal energies that support me and then I will be able to say goodbye to anger very easily.
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Message for the day 03-12-2012
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Where there is honesty there is flexibility.
Expression: When someone challenges the truth of what we are saying we generally tend to argue and prove our point in order to prove ourselves right. When we argue in this way, it only shows our own stubbornness and doesn't help in anyway to reveal the truth. Where silence doesn't help in revealing the truth, argument never will because the other person is not in a position to listen to us at that moment.
Experience: We need to realise the fact that when the other person is not able to recognise the truth, our arguing will not help in any way. When the truth is with us we need not argue but we only need to wait for the right opportunity to talk what we have to say. When we try to talk when the other person is not in a position to listen to us, it only reveals our lack of flexibility.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 03-12-2012
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Saying Goodbye To Anger
'I expect' is the great illusion, which converts itself into demanding rights without due respect for others.
Anger in all its forms is a direct result of an expectation not being fulfilled and brings cries (although sometimes silent ones) of “They should have done this, Why did this happen? or Don't you know better?” Disappointment, accusations and demands are violent energies, which we throw around very naturally and easily in our daily life when our expectations are not fulfilled. They are like a burning fire that eats away at our original spiritual qualities, turning them to a dust that pollutes the self and others.
Instead, let us continue to practise returning our thoughts to the self and remembering our original source of peace. In that experience of deep, natural peace, we will find balance and clarity and the ability to tolerate and adjust to the unexpected.
One of the keys of meditation practice is to quickly gather our thought energy and take it inside to connect to our original qualities, no matter what may be happening outside, or even inside!
Let me disconnect from the external and plug in to the internal energies that support me and then I will be able to say goodbye to anger very easily.
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Message for the day 03-12-2012
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Where there is honesty there is flexibility.
Expression: When someone challenges the truth of what we are saying we generally tend to argue and prove our point in order to prove ourselves right. When we argue in this way, it only shows our own stubbornness and doesn't help in anyway to reveal the truth. Where silence doesn't help in revealing the truth, argument never will because the other person is not in a position to listen to us at that moment.
Experience: We need to realise the fact that when the other person is not able to recognise the truth, our arguing will not help in any way. When the truth is with us we need not argue but we only need to wait for the right opportunity to talk what we have to say. When we try to talk when the other person is not in a position to listen to us, it only reveals our lack of flexibility.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Sunday, December 02, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 02-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 02-12-2012
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Improving The Quality Of Different Areas Of My Karmas (Part 4)
Karmas as spiritual service of others
Service of others can be seen on a very basic level as physical charity but the real service is to uplift the souls of others by inspiring them to re-claim their state of self-respect. There is the old saying that if I give others chapattis, I feed them for a day. If I teach them how to cook chapattis, I feed them for life. In a spiritual way, this refers to the fact that instead of merely performing a positive karma like the donation of money, food, clothes, etc. if one can show others the understanding of karma and how it works and also teach them the ultimate, pure karma of coming closer to the Supreme on a spiritual level, they can make efforts to change their negative karmic situation and bring happiness, peace and positivity back in their lives. When there is a change at the mental and emotional level, then changes will begin to show at the physical level too. Over a period of time, due to understanding spiritual knowledge (as a result of which the soul starts performing positive actions) and a deep connection with the Supreme (due to which negative actions or sins performed in the past are burned up), the karmic situation of the soul, which has been served, starts improving.
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Message for the day 02-12-2012
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The one who has the spirit of service is free from wasteful thinking.
Expression: It is usually thought of as an additional burden to think of serving others. The usual thought is to think of first serving oneself and when one is content to think of serving others. But this thought makes one miss out on the fact that both service to oneself and service to others are complementary to each other, one helping the other in a positive way.
Experience: When we take on the responsibility of bringing benefit to others, i.e., when we consider ourselves as a humble server we will be free from wasteful and negative thinking. We will not waste our thoughts and energy on something that is not worthwhile, something that is not going to bring benefit to anyone. So each thought, word and action of ours becomes elevated.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 02-12-2012
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Improving The Quality Of Different Areas Of My Karmas (Part 4)
Karmas as spiritual service of others
Service of others can be seen on a very basic level as physical charity but the real service is to uplift the souls of others by inspiring them to re-claim their state of self-respect. There is the old saying that if I give others chapattis, I feed them for a day. If I teach them how to cook chapattis, I feed them for life. In a spiritual way, this refers to the fact that instead of merely performing a positive karma like the donation of money, food, clothes, etc. if one can show others the understanding of karma and how it works and also teach them the ultimate, pure karma of coming closer to the Supreme on a spiritual level, they can make efforts to change their negative karmic situation and bring happiness, peace and positivity back in their lives. When there is a change at the mental and emotional level, then changes will begin to show at the physical level too. Over a period of time, due to understanding spiritual knowledge (as a result of which the soul starts performing positive actions) and a deep connection with the Supreme (due to which negative actions or sins performed in the past are burned up), the karmic situation of the soul, which has been served, starts improving.
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Message for the day 02-12-2012
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The one who has the spirit of service is free from wasteful thinking.
Expression: It is usually thought of as an additional burden to think of serving others. The usual thought is to think of first serving oneself and when one is content to think of serving others. But this thought makes one miss out on the fact that both service to oneself and service to others are complementary to each other, one helping the other in a positive way.
Experience: When we take on the responsibility of bringing benefit to others, i.e., when we consider ourselves as a humble server we will be free from wasteful and negative thinking. We will not waste our thoughts and energy on something that is not worthwhile, something that is not going to bring benefit to anyone. So each thought, word and action of ours becomes elevated.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Saturday, December 01, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 01-12-2012
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Soul Sustenance 01-12-2012
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Improving The Quality Of Different Areas Of My Karmas (Part 3)
Karmas performed for leisure or entertainment
When someone says they don't have time for meditation or for their spiritual development, it generally reflects an unwillingness to face the self rather than an actual lack of time. The fact that average T.V. viewing time in many countries runs to more than 15 hours a week tells its own story. To the extent that I value my time, I value my life and make myself valuable. Valuing my time, energy and money is very much a part of the whole karmic story of give and take: what they are used for, how well they are used, whether they are wasted and so on. Difficulties with time, one's own bodily energy and finances are the fruits of past indifference or wastage of these resources (either in this birth or previous births). The world financial crisis is the karmic sum total of all such individual difficulties. Am I using all that I have in a worthwhile way? Am I just wasting it or am I using it for benefit for myself and for others? These questions, answered correctly, often spell the difference between success and failure.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
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Message for the day 01-12-2012
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True service is to spread the light of happiness to all around.
Expression: In any negative situation, the usual reaction is to feel disheartened and unhappy. With this reaction to the situation, the people around too are affected as the unhappiness spreads around. Focusing this way only on the problem creates such negativity that it doesn't inspire anyone to work for a solution.
Experience: Instead of spreading unhappiness in a difficult situation by seeing the negative aspect, we need to think of how to bring a solution. Even if we can't, we need to look at some positive aspect in it that will enable us to maintain our own positivity. When we keep ourselves happy in this way, we will be able to spread this happiness to others too.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 01-12-2012
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Improving The Quality Of Different Areas Of My Karmas (Part 3)
Karmas performed for leisure or entertainment
When someone says they don't have time for meditation or for their spiritual development, it generally reflects an unwillingness to face the self rather than an actual lack of time. The fact that average T.V. viewing time in many countries runs to more than 15 hours a week tells its own story. To the extent that I value my time, I value my life and make myself valuable. Valuing my time, energy and money is very much a part of the whole karmic story of give and take: what they are used for, how well they are used, whether they are wasted and so on. Difficulties with time, one's own bodily energy and finances are the fruits of past indifference or wastage of these resources (either in this birth or previous births). The world financial crisis is the karmic sum total of all such individual difficulties. Am I using all that I have in a worthwhile way? Am I just wasting it or am I using it for benefit for myself and for others? These questions, answered correctly, often spell the difference between success and failure.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
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Message for the day 01-12-2012
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True service is to spread the light of happiness to all around.
Expression: In any negative situation, the usual reaction is to feel disheartened and unhappy. With this reaction to the situation, the people around too are affected as the unhappiness spreads around. Focusing this way only on the problem creates such negativity that it doesn't inspire anyone to work for a solution.
Experience: Instead of spreading unhappiness in a difficult situation by seeing the negative aspect, we need to think of how to bring a solution. Even if we can't, we need to look at some positive aspect in it that will enable us to maintain our own positivity. When we keep ourselves happy in this way, we will be able to spread this happiness to others too.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
Friday, November 30, 2012
Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 30-11-2012
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Soul Sustenance 30-11-2012
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Improving The Quality Of Different Areas Of My Karmas (Part 2)
Karmas performed for the self
If I, the soul, am the master of my body, then I have to look after its upkeep. The consciousness with which I feed and take care of the body has to be such that my actions don't bring me into further attachment to it. They have to be of such quality that they bring me closer to God and help to reduce my bodily ego or the pull towards physical desires. I have to work, cook, feed and wash the body but these activities can be done in such a way that they bring me closer to my destination of perfection, of freedom and of liberation.
Karmas in our relationships
There is specific energy that drives all relationships - that of credit and debit, give and take. These are the so called karmic accounts that have been created in the past (either in this birth or previous births) and which now determine the quality and quantity of all our interactions and their results, in terms of joy or sorrow, in all our relationships. It's not necessary to find out exactly what the karmic root cause of a problem in a relationship may have been. A very simple guideline to improve the quality of our interactions is:
Rather than take, let me give, so there won't be any further debts. Whether it is colleagues at work, family relationships or friends, let me see if there is a way in which I can fulfill my responsibility with integrity and honesty. If I am not doing that, if I am moving away from my responsibilities, I am adding to my karmic burden. In what way can I give or serve, so that there is no longer conflict, tension and struggle but just sweetness and respect in my relationships?
(To be continued tomorrow …)
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Message for the day 30-11-2012
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Real positivity is being positive even in negative situations.
Expression: It seems very difficult, if not impossible, to maintain positive thoughts when we are faced with a negative situation. Even with a strong intention to be positive, challenges come in the form of relationships, physical illness, difficult circumstances etc and we find ourselves weakening.
Experience: A long time of practice of maintaining inner self-respect is what will help us in a difficult situation. To maintain self-respect means to understand and appreciate our own uniqueness. With this practice of self-respect we will not be dependent on the external situation but will find the strength within.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Soul Sustenance 30-11-2012
----------------------------------------------------------
Improving The Quality Of Different Areas Of My Karmas (Part 2)
Karmas performed for the self
If I, the soul, am the master of my body, then I have to look after its upkeep. The consciousness with which I feed and take care of the body has to be such that my actions don't bring me into further attachment to it. They have to be of such quality that they bring me closer to God and help to reduce my bodily ego or the pull towards physical desires. I have to work, cook, feed and wash the body but these activities can be done in such a way that they bring me closer to my destination of perfection, of freedom and of liberation.
Karmas in our relationships
There is specific energy that drives all relationships - that of credit and debit, give and take. These are the so called karmic accounts that have been created in the past (either in this birth or previous births) and which now determine the quality and quantity of all our interactions and their results, in terms of joy or sorrow, in all our relationships. It's not necessary to find out exactly what the karmic root cause of a problem in a relationship may have been. A very simple guideline to improve the quality of our interactions is:
Rather than take, let me give, so there won't be any further debts. Whether it is colleagues at work, family relationships or friends, let me see if there is a way in which I can fulfill my responsibility with integrity and honesty. If I am not doing that, if I am moving away from my responsibilities, I am adding to my karmic burden. In what way can I give or serve, so that there is no longer conflict, tension and struggle but just sweetness and respect in my relationships?
(To be continued tomorrow …)
----------------------------------------------------------
Message for the day 30-11-2012
----------------------------------------------------------
Real positivity is being positive even in negative situations.
Expression: It seems very difficult, if not impossible, to maintain positive thoughts when we are faced with a negative situation. Even with a strong intention to be positive, challenges come in the form of relationships, physical illness, difficult circumstances etc and we find ourselves weakening.
Experience: A long time of practice of maintaining inner self-respect is what will help us in a difficult situation. To maintain self-respect means to understand and appreciate our own uniqueness. With this practice of self-respect we will not be dependent on the external situation but will find the strength within.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris
Posted by
Brahma Kumaris
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