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Soul Sustenance 11-05-2013
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The Relationship Between Virtues And Vices
When we are internally strong, our nature characteristics and skills are reflected,
from inside us to the outside, to everyone we interact in, in the form of virtues.
If we are internally weak, those same traits emerge and radiate as vices. Vices are
just qualities or virtues that have lost their focus and strength. For e.g.
if we take the quality of love - when a strong soul radiates love, it is unlimited
and without any conditions. Such a soul respects and has good wishes for everything
and everyone and under all circumstances, irrespective of whether love and respect
is coming from the other side or not. When a weak soul radiates love, he/she tends
to restrict the love to limits e.g. the love would vary from person to person and
from situation to situation. In a sense, if spiritual might (strength) and spiritual
light (understanding or knowledge) are taken away from the virtues, they get transformed
into the six vices, which make us spiritually unhealthy or weak:
Ego - developing an image of the self that is false, temporary or imaginary.
Greed - finding short term fulfillment by acquiring material goods, a role
in society or money or through the physical senses – eyes, tongue, ears, etc.
Attachment - finding security by developing a feeling of possessiveness over
loved ones and material objects.
Lust - using excessive satisfaction through the senses as a means of fulfillment.
Anger - the feeling of hatred and revenge when any of the other vices are
threatened or being taken away from us.
Laziness - becoming inactive on a spiritual, physical or mental level.
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Message for the day 11-05-2013
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The one who wins over situations with the power of one's own stage is a winner.
Projection: When difficult situations come our way, it is usually our own
stage that is affected. We feel disheartened, or frustrated which makes us feel
helpless in the situation. We can, then, do nothing to bring about any change and
lose out to the situation.
Solution: Whenever a difficult situation comes our way, we need to remind
ourselves that the situation is here only for a short time as a test for our own
stage and to give us a chance to progress. This thought will help us be stable in
the worst situations and will enable us to learn from what has happened in order
to improve ourselves.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris