Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 01-10-2013

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Soul Sustenance 01-10-2013
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Reaping The Benefits Of Meditation

Rajayoga meditation gives the intellect the power to select those positive sanskaras which lead to the higher emotions, calm and clear thoughts, and the pure desire to enjoy life in such a way that no sorrow is experienced for the self and no sorrow is given to others.

The practitioner of meditation calms the mind and experiences sanskaras which in most people surface only occasionally as they are deeper than the superficial (shallow) memories of worldly experiences. These are the pure and powerful sanskaras relating to the original nature of the soul - peace, purity, power and contentment. Consciousness (the soul) has the same property as light; a powerful force with distinct qualities yet having no gravitational mass. In fact, the only pull or burden on the soul is the result of its own impure thoughts and negative actions.

When the above mentioned original sanskaras are experienced then love and happiness are also experienced automatically. After some regular practice, the practitioner has the intellectual power to consciously emerge these sanskaras into daily life at any time. In a situation which would lead most people to experience negative moods or emotions such as fear, depression, anxiety, boredom, fatigue, hatred or aggression, the practitioner becomes detached and emerges the inner powers of contentment and tranquility (peacefulness). This of course is beneficial not only for the self but also to others.

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Message for the day 01-10-2013
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To have the balance of being a master and a child is to experience constant success.

Projection: To have the right balance means to know when to be a master and when to be a child. When one gives an idea or makes a contribution, it is as a master - with total authority. But while the idea is heard by others and is being criticised I become a child. There is no attachment to the idea, but the mind is open to receive new thoughts in order to enrich what is already there.

Solution: When I am able to maintain a balance between being master and a child, I am able to experience constant happiness I am able to put forth my creative ideas with confidence. Yet I am not upset when someone criticises my ideas. On the contrary, I am constantly learning and moving forward. So I constantly experience success.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 30-09-2013

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Soul Sustenance 30-09-2013
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The Origin of Addictions: How to Overcome Them (cont.)

In order to change an addiction, we need to work out what need lies behind this addiction. What is the spiritual desire that we are trying to satisfy?

If we smoke for relaxation (by smoking we breathe deeply and this relaxes us), perhaps what we really need is peace of mind. Any doctor will tell you that mental peace cannot be found in a cigarette. On the contrary, instead of calming your stress, it makes you more irritable and nervous, especially when going through withdrawal symptoms. We can learn to find relaxation and peace through meditation and will not have the need to smoke.

The same applies to all the other qualities that we need to experience in our lives so that we feel satisfied and happy: it is in our inner self where we can turn to discover what we need. Although our mind often asks for visible and material things, its needs are deeper and nothing superficial can satisfy it. Meditation leads us to what is genuine and eternal.

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Message for the day 30-09-2013
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Simplicity enables one to become an example.

Projection: Simplicity is free from the complications of waste questions, doubts and expectations. The one who is simple is naturally accurate and inspiring in his actions. He is able to understand the demands of the environment and mould himself accordingly, so he himself has no demands. And he is able to move forward to his satisfaction.

Solution: When I am simple in my thoughts, I am also able to be simple in my responses to the outer environment i.e., to both situations and people. So internally I am able to remain content. This contentment further brings newness and creativity in the way I respond to situations, and I naturally experience further progress.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 29-09-2013

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Soul Sustenance 29-09-2013
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The Origin of Addictions: How to Overcome Them

Today, the number of addictions and addicts is growing fast. It seems that today human beings can become addicts of almost anything: credit cards, eating, drinking, sweets, lust, smoking, relationships, television, the internet and computer games, football, earning money, spending money, power, work, arguing, war.

In some ways, this shows the presence of an inner void (emptiness) that people try to fill with external things. While a person becomes an addict to any of the above aspects, their willpower is gradually weakened. And if one does not realize what is happening or does not put a stop to it, it is possible to fall into a spiraling series of automatic and compulsive actions that gradually limits our freedom to decide what we want to do with our lives, causing a loss of self-esteem and a state of depression, anxiety and dependency.

The origin of many addictions is due to a desperate need to solve a problem or a spiritual need (which may be a lack of respect, love, peace, attention, consideration) of a materialist form.

Here are a few examples:

* In a cigarette: one looks for peace, calm and relaxation.
* In alcohol: one looks for confidence, determination and security.
* In sugar and chocolate: one looks for love, sweetness and tenderness.
* In coffee and tea: one looks for energy and inner strength.
(To be continued tomorrow….)

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Message for the day 29-09-2013
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True knowledge brings humility.

Projection: True knowledge inspires and encourages one to bring about a practical change in one's life. The one with knowledge naturally imbibes it, which is also revealed in his practical life, because he is humbly willing to learn from all situations. As much as there is knowledge, so much there is divinity revealed in all words and actions.

Solution: When I am able to humbly learn from all situations. I am able to enrich my own knowledge. This knowledge further enables me to become more and more practical. So during all difficult situations, I am able to remain light and internally stable. There will be no fluctuation experienced within, whatever the challenges may be.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 28-09-2013

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Soul Sustenance 28-09-2013
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The Journey Of Time (cont.)

In yesterday’s message, we had explained how the Law of Entropy works on a physical level. When the Law of Entropy is applied to spiritual energy, our virtues, to the quality our thoughts, words and actions, we can perhaps begin to see why, as individuals, we feel tired and old in virtues, irrespective of whether we are young or old physically. We can also understand why we succumb to negative thoughts, words and actions more easily than being influenced by the positive. In fact, the entropy of our virtues i.e. the spiritual entropy has followed the same pattern as the entropy of the physical world or the physical entropy (explained yesterday) i.e. the spiritual energy or the energy of the virtues of the world has been reducing (as the world has become older and older) because it has not been renewed or re-energized from a source outside the system. When we accept this movement from new to old, we understand the journey of time in a completely different way.

As we look backwards into the journey of time, we find that although there have been very important scientific discoveries and global communication has improved immensely, which have all contributed to the give everyone an illusion of progress, everyone accepts that we are not enjoying healthier, more loving and peaceful relationships with ourselves, each other or the planet Earth. The reason for this is understood easily by applying the second law of time i.e. everything new becomes old. At the present moment, the source from outside the world system (on a spiritual level) which is required to re-energize it and restore it to its original new stage is the Supreme Soul or God or the Spiritual Sun, who is an ocean of spiritual energy and divine values or virtues. In meditation we, as living beings, who are part of the world system, can absorb this energy or divinity from him and contribute to this process.

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Message for the day 28-09-2013
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Cleanliness of the intellect brings accurate decision making.

Projection: When the intellect is not clear, it is constantly wandering and it becomes tired. A tired intellect is not able to concentrate properly and so whatever decisions are made at that time are not so accurate. When there is cleanliness within there are no waste or negative thoughts and the entire thought power is used in the right way and so the right decisions are made.

Solution: When I am clean within, I am able to experience lightness. Because I am clean and clear within, I find that I do not have any conflict or difficulty in making decisions. Instead I will be able to find the flow of thoughts moving in the right direction very naturally. So I find things also moving in the right direction.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 27-09-2013

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Soul Sustenance 27-09-2013
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The Journey Of Time (cont.)

We also see in nature that everything new becomes old. Nothing ever starts old and becomes new. All material possessions including the human body, all political movements, religious movements, different philosophies etc. move from a state of newness to a state of oldness or decay. This is on a micro level. When we apply this principle and process on a macro level to the world as a whole, we can then easily understand why we live in an 'old world' – a world with scientific progress but overused, misused, tired and where many sectors are simply worn out. This process is sometimes known as entropy. The Law of Entropy states that a closed system moves from order to disorder or chaos, when the energy inside it reduces because it is not renewed or re-energized from a source outside that system. On a physical level, the sun sustains and re-energizes the systems of nature on the physical Earth every day. But in the recent past our exploitation of the world has started to become faster than the world’s ability to renew or re-energize. We now use the trapped energy in our physical world much faster than the sun can replace it.

Tomorrow, we shall explain how the Law of Entropy can be applied to spiritual energy and our virtues.

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Message for the day 27-09-2013
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The one who understands God's love is himself loving too.

Projection: The one who understands that God has love for all children, never hates anyone, however negative the other person's charactersitics might be. There is the understanding that it is not the person who is negative, but it is only a negative quality working within that person at that time. A loving person's love discourages the other person to use the negativity and encourages to use the positive qualities instead.

Solution: When I am connected with God, I am able to experience His love. Once I understand and experience His love, I am able to remain loving too - even with the most difficult people. I am then able to have good wishes for all, understanding that my love will make them positive too. I am never caught up with anyone's negativity, but am always happy as I only interact with positivity.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 26-09-2013

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Soul Sustenance 26-09-2013
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The Journey Of Time

There are two laws governing the journey of time in this world.

• Firstly, the movement of time is cyclic i.e. without a beginning or an end. It is not linear i.e. a straight line with a beginning and an end, and

• Secondly, everything new undergoes degradation and becomes old at some point of time.

These two laws help us to understand the journey of time and why the world is in its present state.

We use time to attempt to measure change. One day is measured by the time taken by the earth to rotate around its axis. One day is our basic unit of measurement of time. One year is measured by the time taken by the earth to revolve around the sun. So the movement of time in our physical world is always cyclical. The cycle of the day, from dawn to daylight to dusk to night, is a movement that repeats with absolute constancy. A larger cycle is that of the seasons - from spring to summer to autumn to winter - which also repeat in the same way. When we become a detached observer and look at the 'big picture' of human history, we see an even larger cycle, the eternal world cycle of time – a cycle that moves from the day of humanity (where everything is positive on a physical as well as spiritual level) to the night of humanity and then back to the day of humanity to repeat again. But to believe and understand that picture completely, we first need to understand the second law of time and also connect it with the first law.

Tomorrow we shall explain the second law of time.

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Message for the day 26-09-2013
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The right solution is found by the mind which is free from worry.

Projection: No matter how hard one worries about a problem, there can be no solution found. When the mind is free from worry, it is able to be calm. Then there will be no struggle but very naturally the right decision is made, which would be for the benefit of the self and that of others too. On the contrary, a mind that is worried would make decisions that are harmful, even after a lot of thinking and rethinking.

Solution: When I keep the mind free from worry in the most difficult situation, I am able to experience inner calm, inspite of the outer disturbance, because there is no disturbance in my natural thinking process. There is a lot of peace within, which enables me to be free from negative feelings for everyone. I also naturally have good wishes for myself and others, so whatever I do would be for everyone's benefit.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 25-09-2013

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Soul Sustenance 25-09-2013
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The Power Of Concentrated Thought (cont.)

Yesterday we had discussed external influences. Some of the internal influences or voices include the influence or voice of:

* selfish or impure desires of name, fame, revenge, greed, remaining in control of a situation or a person or dominating a situation or a person;
* the ego;
* the past;
* our inner conscience;
* pure desires;
* the Supreme Being or God;
* our worries of the present or of the future;
* temporary negative sanskars or personality traits;
* original or inherent positive sanskars or personality traits;
* attachments to people, situations, material objects, etc.;
* jealousy or dislike for a particular person, etc.

We are exposed to some or all these influences, whether external or internal, all the time. If we are not strong, our mind weakens under so many influences, which as a result, becomes unclear, confused and unfocused. Because of all of this, on the one hand, we need to have good judgment power to remain connected to what is essential, important and true, and on the other hand, you have to strengthen your thought, that is, think less; think more slowly; more concentrated and clearly with focus, a sense of purpose and positivity. That thought is like an arrow; it has positive force and clarity and it always bears powerful fruit. This kind of thought is called concentrated thought. The practice of introversion or meditation for a minute or few minutes at regular intervals during the day helps us remain above all influences and constantly feeds our mind with the power of silence, which helps us remain in this experience of concentrated thought easily.

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Message for the day 25-09-2013
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A powerful stage is like a switch which finishes darkness of negativity in a second.

Projection: Darkness is dispelled when a light is switched on. Similarly, a powerful stage is also a light switch. When this switch is on, one can put an end to all wasteful darkness and no longer have to labour to stop any wasteful thoughts. By becoming powerful, one can naturally become a donor, as there is nothing waste within.

Solution: When I am aware of my positive qualities and what I can contribute to others, I am able to be powerful. This naturally enables me to be light and spread the inner light to others. I am never influenced negatively with any kind of waste or negative, but am always able to maintain my own positivity and that of others too.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris