Brahma Kumaris

Thursday, September 07, 2017

Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 07-09-2017

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Soul Sustenance 07-09-2017
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5 Tips For Overcoming Mental Fatigue (Part 1)

We all require regular periods of silence and solitude in our lives in the midst of a fast lifestyle with busy days, where most of us, have a lot of actions to perform. So, a good question to ask oneself is that do I like a mind which is full of thoughts or do I like it with fewer thoughts and greater spaces between them. Once upon a time, there was a group of people travelling from one country to another on foot. They had great loads to carry on their backs and it was a tiring journey. By the time, they reached their destination, they had lost a lot of energy and their enthusiasm was at its lowest. They were people whose task was to carry stuff from one place to another. Who would not like a life with lesser weight to carry? In the same manner, our emotional carriers are our minds which carry the weight of our thoughts. The fewer the thoughts and the lighter they are, the more our minds will be light and always enthusiastic. Let’s look at five techniques to keep our minds flying in joy always:

1. Create One Thought At A Time – A mind which is anxious and full of fear thinks excessively and faster than what is required at that point of time. Also, such a mind sometimes creates false future realities, which increase the number of thoughts, as it anticipates and then tries to solve non-existent problems that have not yet occurred, but the mind fears that they may occur. This is what we commonly negative thinking. On the other hand, positive thinking is the visualization of positive scenes for the future, with complete hope and determination. When we do this regularly in all types of situations, our mind slows down and every thought is like a little atom which sits inside the mind and keeps us relaxed and comfortable.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

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Message for the day 07-09-2017
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The one who is able to discriminate well is able to bring about real benefit.

Expression:Everyone naturally works for the benefit of the self and others. But the one who discriminates well is able to understand the other person's need and give accordingly. So whatever is done naturally brings benefit for others and also for the self.

Experience: When I am able to bring benefit for the right person at the right time with the right thing, I am able to win the trust of the other person. I expect nothing in return, but have the satisfaction of helping at the right time.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Wednesday, September 06, 2017

Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 06-09-2017

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Soul Sustenance 06-09-2017
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Instruments/Tools To Perceive God

Perhaps I have been avoiding coming close to God because of the extraordinary confusion surrounding the subject. Maybe I have just lacked the tools with which to be able to discover God. The whole universe of things going on within a tiny drop of blood can be instantly revealed by the use of a tool or an instrument like the microscope. In the same way, the secrets behind realities of the self, the non-physical, spiritual self and the reality of God remain hidden until undiscovered by the appropriate instruments or tools. With which tools or instruments then, can I perceive or experience God? Since God is non-physical, the tools would also definitely be non-physical in nature.

That I haven't been able to understand myself is amply demonstrated by the periods of confusion and inner turmoil I go through. Sometimes I don't understand those with whom I share the same room or house, let alone my neighbors next door! The word misunderstanding occurs frequently even in the closest of my relationships. It indicates that the quality of my mind, consciousness or even conscience hasn't been sufficiently clear to establish real rapport between myself and others. The realization and experience of God remain even further out of reach.

There's a very specific methodology involved in firstly understanding and organizing myself, and from that, coming to terms with God. I already have the most powerful of all instruments, the energy of my own mind, to work with. The extent to which I am able to research into the subject of God-realization depends on the quality of my thoughts and feelings.

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Message for the day 06-09-2017
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The one who is aware of one's fortune enables others to experience their fortune too.

Expression:To be aware of one's own fortune means to appreciate and use all that one has. Also when there is the awareness of one's own fortune, there is a natural tendency to help people become aware of what they have and how they can benefit from it. So the one who is fortunate becomes a giver.

Experience: When I am able to recognize my own fortune, I am able to have the joy of being a giver constantly. Whatever the circumstances, I am able to give knowing that I am fortunate. But never is there dependency created on me, because my help is to make them aware of their fortune too and make them independent.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Tuesday, September 05, 2017

Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 05-09-2017

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Soul Sustenance 05-09-2017
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Becoming Aware Of What Is Ego

All of us are familiar, to different extents, with the emotion of ego. All of us don’t even define it in the same way. We are also aware to different extents, about the negative repercussions (effects) of the emotion of ego on us and on others. Depending on how aware we are about the effects, we work to eradicate the emotion from our daily lives, so that it neither disturbs us nor others. Some of us even consider it a positive emotion and feel it contributes positively to our personal and professional progress. To be aware completely of the negative effects of ego and to realize clearly whether it is a positive emotion or not in the first place, it is important to first become aware of what it is exactly. So, how can we define ego?

Ego is attachment, inside my consciousness, to an incorrect image of my self which I then mistake for myself. When the attachment takes place, you lose your sense of identity in the image of the object of attachment which you create on the screen of your mind. That object can be something physical like your body, your physical personality, a relationship, a material possession, your status, money, a particular skill, respect from others, etc. or something non-physical like a belief; an opinion; a mindset, a memory, a particular virtue, specialty, power or a sanskara (positive or negative), etc. Therefore ego is the self attaching to and identifying with an image that is not the self. This process takes place entirely within our consciousness many times in the day, on the screen of the mind. E.g. When we say this is my salary package (something physical) or my opinion (something non-physical), we are (without being aware about it) creating an image of the salary package or the opinion inside our consciousness and becoming attached to it, so that we lose our self identity in the salary package or the opinion, believing that I am the salary package or the opinion. So at that time, the salary package or the opinion becomes an incorrect image of the self to which I am attached. This is ego. If while thinking, feeling or speaking about my salary package or my opinion, we do not become attached to or do not lose our self identity in either of the two, then that is not ego.

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Message for the day 05-09-2017
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To be careless means to misuse specialities.

Expression:To be careless means that there is no awareness of one's specialitites and so there is the inability to use them for the benefit of the self and for the good of others. On the other hand there is also a tendency to become overconfident because of these specialities and not to work on self -transformation. The one who is careless is not able to recognize the need for self change and so is not able to bring about transformation.

Experience: When I am able to be free from carelessness, I am able to understand the importance of the specialities that I have , and am able to use a particular speciality that I have , and am able to put them into use. So I find that the more I am able to use a particular speciality that I have, the more I am able to bring out and use the latent specialities that are within me. So I am able to experience quick transformation and constant progress.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Monday, September 04, 2017

Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 04-09-2017

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Soul Sustenance 04-09-2017
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Simple Exercise To Identify Your Hidden Fears

If you want to overcome and overpower fears that exist inside you, you have to first take a look at your feelings and hidden emotions. After realizing your feelings and emotions, you have to know how to manage them and finally correct or overcome them. Given below is a simple exercise that will help you to achieve that. This exercise will help you identify the conscious and sometimes sub-conscious (very subtle) fears that lie inside you.

Choose an area of your life that you feel is negative and needs some improvement. Now, ask yourself these three questions:

1. What do I really want, what is my aim and objective?
2. What obstacle/obstacles are stopping me from achieving my objectives?
3. What prevents me from dealing with or overcoming that obstacle?

For each fear that comes to you in response to the question no. 3, ask yourself the following questions:
A. What is the worst that can happen, if what I fear occurs?
B. What is the best possible result for me and for others, if I do it even though I feel afraid of doing it?
C. Keeping in front of you the answer to question B and comparing it with the answer to question A will inspire you to overcome the fears that lie inside you.

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Message for the day 04-09-2017
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The habit of thinking positive finishes negative.

Expression:Just as it has become a habit of thinking negative, a positive habit when created will naturally bring about a change. A little practice and attention to form a habit of thinking positive will reveal its result of creating an influence of positivity. The situations will not change on their own, but the habit that has been formed will bring about a change in the response and will change the situation too.

Experience: Usually it becomes very difficult or sometimes impossible for me to think positive in difficult situations. At that time, although I want to, the response that emerges from within is based on the habit that is formed previously. So when I make the habit of constantly and consciously thinking positive, I then become free from the struggle of having to change my mind to positive in difficult situations.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Sunday, September 03, 2017

Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 03-09-2017

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Soul Sustenance 03-09-2017
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Breaking The Cycle Of Negative Energy Exchanges (Part 5)

To conclude, we all know that every individual is inherently good. A little shade of the incorrect or improper personality exists inside each one, however light the shade is. We also know that this shade was not there originally in the soul but is an acquired one. And also the person with the negative shade, in most cases, does become aware of it, in times of silence and self-reflection and is also making an effort to remove it so that no discomfort or sorrow is caused to anyone because of it. Along with the negative shades, every person possesses many positive personality traits which are their strengths. Now when we are having an exchange of negative energies with such a person, what does a spiritually sensible person do? Be aware of those light shades of negativity of the other person, which are coming into action at that time. But also at the same time, he or she focuses on so many positive colours of the personality of the other, colours that he or she may have seen or heard about from others many times in the past. Also, an accompanied realization that even I have my share of negative shades which I am working on removing, makes this vision easy to practice.

Practiced consistently, this kind of positive vision accompanied by a deep hearted appreciation of the positive personality colours of the other person is mercy in action. This mercy is a shade of pure soul-to-soul love. Such appreciation makes it easier for others to reflect on and see what they need to do to change. But the first impact of this appreciation is on me, in keeping me free of negative and waste thoughts internally. So appreciating the other’s strengths in my mind and emerging them in my consciousness at such a time is very important as this not only keeps my perception, which is susceptible to being influenced by the negative at that time, clean, but also reaches the other person on an energy level. Also he or she is inspired and empowered to bring those strengths into action, as a result playing his or her part to end the negative energy exchange. This is spirituality at its most magical. I'll not only have removed a source of pain, which is the negative shade of the other’s personality in this case, which is coming into action; I'll have grown spiritually as well.

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Message for the day 03-09-2017
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The sweetness of the mind brings sweetness in words and interactions.

Expression:There is an understanding of the need for being sweet in words and interactions. But this sweetness can be expressed only when there is sweetness in the mind. Sweetness of the mind means there is not even a trace of negativity. Such a mind is further open to all that is nice and beautiful and expresses its own freshness and beauty in interactions.

Experience: When I am able to keep my mind sweet, i.e., free from any kind of bitterness or ill-feelings, I am able to experience the beauty of life. There is no feeling of sorrow or negativity but the mind is nurtured to further positivity with everything that comes its way. I am then able to experience constant growth and progress.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Saturday, September 02, 2017

Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 02-09-2017

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Soul Sustenance 02-09-2017
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Breaking The Cycle Of Negative Energy Exchanges (Part 4)

One of the root causes of negative energy exchanges between any two people is a clash of personalities or natures. This can happen between two people who are wrong or between two people, one of whom is right and the other is wrong and also not very uncommonly between two people who are both right in their own unique way. This happens simply because sometimes personalities of two people are correct, their ways of working are correct, their ways of thinking are correct, but they differ. This clash of personalities causes irritation on both sides, which becomes hatred, which becomes anger, causing hurt on both sides. How does one correct this? An important method for this is the sacrifice of the ego. Very often the cause of negative energy exchanges between two people who are both right is subtle ego on both sides, which ends when one of them sacrifices his or her ego. It is often said that the one who sacrifices his or her ego, is worthy of receiving the blessings in a group of people of varying personalities as he or she brings about harmony in relationships.

The one who sacrifices the ego is mature and humble enough to realize that the responsibility to bring to an end negative energy exchanges with a particular person lies with him. Such a person has a soft intellect and realizes the significance of moulding or adjusting himself as the situation demands and how that can bring to an end the exchange. Such a person is like an ocean of good wishes. He will sacrifice his own interest, sacrifice the I am right consciousness, sacrifice the Things should be done the way I like consciousness and put the interest of the other first. Also he will give up his own name and glorify the name of the other. Such a person will very commonly praise the other and his way of working as well as his personality either individually or in a group. Such a person becomes a teacher and friend for the person with whom he was exchanging negative vibes prior to that, becoming an instrument to bring to an end the negative exchange of energy.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

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Message for the day 02-09-2017
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To be free from weakness means to have the power to mould.

Expression:When there is a weakness, it becomes difficult to mould according to the needs of the situation. Weakness creates hardness and rigidity not allowing the situations to create internal beauty. So the one who is constantly working with one's own weakness finds it difficult to stop the negativity from being expressed immediately. The weakness is revealed inspite of making effort not to and there is unpleasantness created.

Experience: To have the ability to mould means to become real gold. I become as flexible and beautiful as pure gold, which is ready to take beautiful shapes when it comes under the influence of the heat of the situation. So I have no hard feelings for having to adjust, but I am able to enjoy the beauty I create and the joy I spread.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

Friday, September 01, 2017

Soul Sustenance & Message for the day 01-09-2017

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Soul Sustenance 01-09-2017
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Breaking The Cycle Of Negative Energy Exchanges (Part 3)

A simple positive response in breaking the cycle of negative energy exchanges with another person is the deep inner realization that the other soul is at that point of time lacking in the treasures of peace and love. The foundation for the realization should be a humble consciousness. Very often this realization is based on an egoistic consciousness, which instead of cooling the situation can make it more volatile on a subtle level. So based on this realization is an inner reminder to the self of my duty at that point of time - serving the other soul with the infinite treasures of God's love and peace, which I possess.

So, pure donations at that time in the form of constructive positive and powerful thought vibrations for 5 minutes, once a day, does the work of a soothing balm of love and peace for the other person. Through this method, your feelings of lightness, contentment and goodwill reach the other person, with whom you have a problem. By doing that, these positive feelings transmitted to the other person pave the way for a realization inside the other person, of the negative that exists inside him or her. This negative is in the form of weaknesses and incorrect actions committed by the person, if any. The realization serves as a motivator for change. Also coming into contact with the other person with a cheerful face and colouring the other person with your enthusiastic company, a company full of the feelings of sweetness, happiness and contentment brings about transformation in the other. This is because our actions become teachers for the other and the other person becomes more humble and is inspired to become like us. Also donations in the form of humble and soft words, words that are few but invaluable, help in bringing to an end the negative energy exchanges. Also, they win the blessings and good wishes of the other as well as people connected with the situation.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

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Message for the day 01-09-2017
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Feelings change intentions, thus changing actions too.

Expression:When there are negative feelings like jealousy or hatred towards another person, those feelings naturally create misunderstanding. Even if the other person has a good feeling while doing something, a negative intention is attributed and this naturally changes one's own behaviour or response making it negative too.

Experience: When there is the slightest bit of negative feeling within me for someone, it naturally creates further negativity from others too. I find everything I come across to be negative, like the one who wears coloured glasses sees everything to be of that particular colour.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris