Brahma Kumaris

Saturday, January 07, 2017

Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 07-01-2017

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Soul Sustenance 07-01-2017
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Crossing Negative Circumstances (Part 1)

There are periods of life in which it seems to us that there is someone or something who gets in the way of our path. Circumstances, instead of going in our favor, go against us. They are barriers that make it difficult for us to reach our objectives; they are interruptions that prevent us from feeling satisfied; they are situations that seem to reduce our feelings of success.

When we find ourselves with these scenes that appear to block our progress towards the aims and objectives that we have set out for ourselves, we tend to have negative thoughts; we feel anger and rage, or we feel sad and unenthusiastic, as if we don't have the strength to either overcome or transform the situation. Rather it is the situation that overcomes or overpowers us and leaves us exhausted. Some people are not prepared for this to happen and put all their strength into fighting the situation. They do so with feelings of anger, revenge and injustice. Often it becomes a process that wastes their energies and leaves them exhausted, without achieving a true solution.

It is possible to live through situations without them causing such an emotional energy loss. That does not mean that we become cold and insensitive to what happens around us. It is a question of living through situations without drowning into them. If we drown ourselves in them we won't be able to help others or ourselves. We will be lost, like the shipwrecked, at the mercy of the waves, the tides and the winds. We will have lost the control of the steering wheel of our ship – our life.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

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Message for the day 07-01-2017
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True spirituality is that which makes one practical.

Expression:Usually spirituality is perceived as something that has to be kept separate from the normal daily life. But true spiritual life is that which is very practical. The one who is able to fill himself with spiritual power is able to use this power for being better and better in his practical life.

Experience: When I am able to recognize the inner beauty and am able to give myself time to be in touch with this spiritual aspect, I am able to be powerful and beyond chaos in all situations. I am able to go within to find the immense power and use it in practical situations. So I find myself being successful in practical situations.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Friday, January 06, 2017

Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 06-01-2017

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Soul Sustenance 06-01-2017
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Awakening The Positivity Within (Part 3)

In yesterday’s message, we have already shared examples of situations which are self-created. These situations are created by my own mind, sometimes triggered by an external situation and sometimes there is no external event responsible for the situation. Then there are other situations of the physical body, relationship based situations and situations related to my workplace and home. All these situations are partly external and partly internal i.e. there is an external event present which is a reality and cannot be overlooked. This is true except in many cases when the situation is perceived as a situation but that is just a perception of a person with a negative perception, but in reality the situation does not exist. In all other cases, the situation is present and that is a fact accepted by even a person with a positive perception. Depending on how we perceive the situation, how we react to it and what thoughts we create on seeing it, the situation becomes big or small in our own mind first. But there is another aspect – sometimes some life situations are threatening in nature and can disturb the most powerful of souls. Of course the intensity of the fear varies from person to person depending on the perception. A calm mind with a powerful intellect can face all these situations. Also, techniques like meditation which are taught by the Brahma Kumaris will help you in doing that.

Meditation is a process of thought training - just like a cricketer will practice very carefully how he will time each ball that he faces to achieve the desired result of a run or runs scored. In the same way, I learn how to give each thought of mine value and create only positive thoughts for those few minutes of meditation. These positive thoughts are based on spiritual knowledge and are thoughts about the spiritual self and the Supreme Being. These positive thoughts are created very slowly, step by step and carefully. This meditation practice of about a few minutes everyday is our training for actual negative situations. Then, due to this practice, we remain calm and create only positive thoughts and keep the negative thoughts away which cause disturbances in our mind.

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Message for the day 06-01-2017
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To be strong is to be free from the influence of the body.

Expression:To allow the body to influence the mind is to be doubly ill. The one who allows himself to be doubly ill is not able to deal with the illness of the body. On the other hand, the one who is powerful in the mind is able to maintain the inner strength in spite of the disease and so has the power to put in effort to finish it.

Experience: Instead of being conscious of the disease of the body, all I need to do is to maintain the consciousness of being powerful internally. Then I would not be afraid of the disease of the body but will have the courage to deal with it. I am able to see the disease as something temporary and will soon find myself rid of the illness, as I am powerful within.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Thursday, January 05, 2017

Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 05-01-2017

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Soul Sustenance 05-01-2017
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Awakening The Positivity Within (Part 2)

Do you know that on an average we create a new thought every 2 seconds or even less that? This speed increases very regularly when we panic and are in discomfort or under the negative influence of an external situation. We call it external because the me or I which is internal is not the creator of the situation. Even the physical body is external. Except for situations from my own negative personality characteristics, which are completely the creation of the internal me or I, all other situations are external. There are various examples of situations in the form of negative personality traits which are completely internal. E.g. on a particular day I feel gloomy or sad without any particular reason. On another day I experience thoughts of ego of my own nature or positive qualities or powers which are all internal. Sometimes I experience fear but there is no particular person or object or situation which I fear, it is just a passing phase. I am just frightened for no particular reason or on another occasion I feel I am unsuccessful although everything in my life is going fine. On another day I am worried about falling ill, although I am completely fit and nor have I met someone who is ill or listened to any news regarding poor health. So, my worry is completely self-created. These are examples of situations created completely by me.

Then, there are situations from my own personality characteristics which are triggered by outside situations. Such situations include something that I read, saw or heard which has caused a negative personality characteristic to emerge inside me. Examples of such situations are – my friend has been more successful in his or her academic career and seeing that causes thoughts of jealousy to emerge inside me. In this case, this is my self created situation but it was triggered by another person or external event. He or she did not cause me any harm and did not create the situation but I created the situation only because of my thinking. Another example of such a situation - I fear my boss at office solely because of his position being superior to me. He or she is a very nice person and is extremely polite with me and never tries to dominate me, but I feel dominated because of my thinking. Or another day, I heard a piece of news about how people are dying of heart attacks. This creates thoughts of fear inside me although I don’t suffer from any symptoms like uncontrolled high cholesterol or high blood pressure which could possibly lead to that.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

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Message for the day 05-01-2017
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To have knowledge means to remain cheerful.

Expression:The one who has the right understanding based on accurate knowledge is the one who is able to remain content even during difficult situations. Since there is a clear understanding about situations and the people around, there is no difficulty in giving the best under all circumstances. Such a person uses all challenges to enrich his own capabilities.

Experience: When I am able to use knowledge as a weapon in a positive way, I am able to understand everything that happens. I understand that there is a reason for whatever happens and there is something to learn from every situation. So I am not upset with the varied situations I am faced with, but am able to remain cheerful enjoying everything that comes my way.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Wednesday, January 04, 2017

Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 04-01-2017

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Soul Sustenance 04-01-2017
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Awakening The Positivity Within (Part 1)

Positivity is our nature which we sometimes lose in our busy lifestyles. It is like the necklace which is around our neck, but we don’t realize that and we search for it all around. When we start the day, we need to fill our minds with positive points of information from a positive source. These points strengthen our mind and protect it from the negatives which surround us. Very often like the necklace, positivity is lost temporarily and is very easy to find, but the negative influence does not let me think of the ways of becoming positive and regaining it.

There was once a rich trader who always found a reason to become upset because of the smallest of reasons during the day. Every morning he would decide to remain positive during the day and would promise himself that he would not let his mind be influenced by any difficult problem he faced. But, as soon as he used to start his trade or business, because of the complicated nature of his work, he would fall prey to one or the other problem. These problems would be either from the work itself. Or problems would arise through the money he handled, or from his work associates or sometimes due to a problem created by his own mind. A mind that easily succumbs to difficulties can be compared to a home where a little problem in the form of a little mouse enters and brings disturbances in the whole house. When the house owner manages to get rid of the mouse and thinks everything is okay, a cat enters and adds her side of troubles and has the house owner go busy in trying to get it out of his premises. The cat is then followed by the dog’s entry and the whole day the house owner spends in this way. The moral of the story is - the one who remains disturbed attracts disturbances, which he keeps trying to send away. This process or mindset of trying to keep problems away and becoming over-involved in doing that, in turn attracts more problems. So, remain calm when the first problem of the day comes and don’t become over-involved or confused in trying to keep it away. This is the primary step to keeping problems away for the whole day. Calmness attracts a problem free environment around me and also keeps me content, powerful and peaceful.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

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Message for the day 04-01-2017
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Even the impossible becomes possible with determination and there is sure success.

Expression:The one who is determined is the one who never gives up in adverse situations. He is able to use all the challenges as a means for self-progress. He is never deterred with situations which seem difficult to handle, but is able to creatively bring out new ideas that help him to cross over the obstacles with ease.

Experience: Determination brings confidence in me and in my ability to achieve what I set out to achieve. I am able to remain confident and sure of my own success. This confidence gives me the encouragement not to let go half way through, but to do something till the end. With each obstacle that comes my way that seems to deter me from my path, I find myself improving and progressing, making myself better and better. So I am able to experience success constantly.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Tuesday, January 03, 2017

Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 03-01-2017

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Soul Sustenance 03-01-2017
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Filling Myself And Others With Invisible Treasures (Part 2)

In yesterday’s message, we had explained how soul consciousness provides us access to the ocean of the qualities of peace, love and joy that lie hidden inside our consciousness. An important point worth noting in this regard is that along with quenching my thirst, I must also have a big heart, and pass on to others the qualities that I am receiving from my inner ocean. Otherwise, over a period of time my spirituality reaches a standstill and although I am making an effort to fill myself I do not feel as content and fulfilled as before. This is because; the vessel with which I fill from the ocean can’t be refilled unless I am also prepared to keep emptying it. That doesn’t mean I have to drain myself spiritually.

It is just that each time I give or donate a quality from my inner ocean with a positive intention to someone; it flows from inside me and then gets transmitted to the other. Before the person experiences and benefits from the quality, I experience getting filled with it myself. Also, each time the person benefits from or even remembers the benefit in the future, he or she sends me positive energy, which, according to the Law of Karma fills me with the quality that I had donated, further. Sometimes a person might benefit or remember the benefit after 10-15 years or even more than that. Even after such a long time has elapsed, I keep receiving a return from the pure donation I have made, and keep getting filled, even if I am not specifically or consciously aware of the same.

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Message for the day 03-01-2017
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To consider oneself an instrument of God is to be light.

Expression:To be an instrument of God means to allow God's qualities to flow through one's life. It means to be available for God's task to happen. The ones who considers himself to be an instrument neither has ego of the work that is done through him nor has he any difficulty in dealing with situations. He is able to do everything well and with ease.

Experience: When I am an instrument of God, I am able to remain light even while being responsible. Being an instrument I would naturally consider myself responsible for God's task to be done through me. Also since I am God's instrument, I feel the responsibility of making myself more and more beautiful.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Monday, January 02, 2017

Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 02-01-2017

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Soul Sustenance 02-01-2017
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Filling Myself And Others With Invisible Treasures (Part 1)

Soul consciousness or the awareness of the soul is the key to the internal treasures of the original and eternal qualities of the soul. The moment I switch on the awareness of the soul, a spiritual point of subtle light or energy, situated at the centre of the forehead, I start accessing the qualities of peace, love and joy that lie hidden inside my consciousness. Since these are not physical treasures, they are limitless. It’s like suddenly I become an owner of an ocean of these qualities. The ocean is inside me and not anywhere outside.

When we hear the word ocean, the first characteristic that comes to mind is limitless. So suddenly I am the owner of an ocean of peace, love, power and bliss. I can draw and drink as much of these qualities as I want and these qualities will never get over, because an ocean is an unlimited, tireless and big hearted provider or giver, never expecting anything in return. The ocean will never refuse me, but, as stated above, the key to accessing the ocean is the awareness of the soul. It is a common experience of many that the moment we are in the consciousness of the body, we suddenly feel empty of these treasures and we experience emotions of peacelessness or sorrow or hatred or jealousy or powerlessness or fear etc., because in those moments, we have lost access to the ocean.

(To be continued tomorrow...)

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Message for the day 02-01-2017
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The one who is loving is the one who experiences freedom.

Expression:The root of suffering is attachment, because attachment makes one bound. To be truly free means to learn to love and appreciate while remaining independent. Others' state of mind or task does not negatively influence one's own responses to the outside environment. There is the ability to be free and express one's own specialities without being coloured.

Experience: If I cannot keep myself free from attachment I am constantly experiencing suffering. Because I am attached, I am dependent on someone or something I have created a space for in my mind. When that person or object is criticized, neglected or not with me, I feel pain in my mind and I experience a sense of loss. Then I am not able to be loving.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Sunday, January 01, 2017

Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 01-01-2017

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Soul Sustenance 01-01-2017
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Yoga - A Lifestyle (Part 3)

The practice of spiritual yoga or connecting the mind with a higher source of spiritual power i.e. God, causes His spiritual energy to enter our mind and fill our minds with the seven primary qualities. These qualities are - peace, joy, love, bliss, purity, power and knowledge. These qualities nourish all our body systems and make them free of illnesses. Each time we experience an impure or negative emotion, its negative effect travels to all these systems and this causes the birth of illnesses in these systems. Spiritual yoga, which at the Brahma Kumaris is called Rajyoga meditation and is karma yoga, because it can be done while performing any action, does the opposite. Because Rajyoga is a yoga with the Highest power existing in the universe, it is given that name. This Highest power is God and He is the Highest because He is an overflowing source of all these seven qualities mentioned above. So a link with such a source gives us an experience of these qualities. As a result, these qualities flow to each cell of all the systems of the body and causes these cells to heal and become full of pure spiritual and as a result pure physical energy also. Also, each one of us has a target organ or system which is most prone to disease. What this organ or system is for each one is connected with the karmas of the soul performed in this and previous births, which reflect in the systems of the body. Rajyoga meditation, as taught by the Brahma Kumaris, because of the mechanism explained above, helps in keeping this target organ healthy and also brings with it mental peace and a stress life.

Lastly, as you follow the path of spiritual yoga, take care that physical health issues are also addressed. This is because a healthy body finds it easier to meditate correctly and also perform actions in the remembrance of the Supreme Being with comfort. On one side the meditation helps in clearing up the negative sanskaras of the soul. Negative sanskaras are created in the soul when a negative action is performed either in this or previous births, and are an important cause of all our illnesses. At the same time, on the other side care should also be taken of the physical body through the mediums of a right diet, exercise and sleep. By doing that, the spiritual journey is smooth and obstacle free; a journey on which we welcome all of you.

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Message for the day 01-01-2017
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Cooperation brings easy success.

Expression:To work together is to allow the specialities of each and every individual to be contributed in the task to be done. There is an ability to appreciate others and their contribution. There is no ego of one's own specialities but a true and natural appreciation of everyone around. So there is success for the task and for the person too.

Experience: Whenever I am involved with others in doing something, the task is important in itself but when I understand the importance of cooperation I am able to recognise the specialities of each and every individual. I am able to have faith in the other person to make his own contribution and I give the space for him to do so.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris