Calm
In tune with my inner rhythm, I draw wisdom from the
past, allowing the future to shape itself around me. My
mind is a sanctuary where shafts of golden sunlight laze
as though resting in the aisles of some great cathedral.
Everything is as it should be. I remain simple in the
midst of complexity, sure at times of unease, and clear
in the company of others.
Self Realization
The soul, originally a
star-like living energy point of perfect peace and
purity, twinkling in the soul world is fully charged
with spiritual energy, which it naturally displays as
love, joy, peace and purity in its actions when it first
comes into this physical world. Gradually by taking many
births, it becomes attached to the sense organs and the
various physical objects and it forgets its original
values. Then it becomes a slave to five basic negative
forces; anger, greed, ego, lust and attachment. These
forces have their roots in body-consciousness, or the
false belief that existence is entirely physical.
Any time it suffers disappointment, worry or anxiety, it
is due to the effect of anyone of these negative
influences. The soul forgets the heights of spiritual
attainment and the delights of super-sensuous joy (joy
which is not experienced through the sense organs)
thinking itself to be a body and it searches for peace
and happiness through the sense organs. It mistakenly
pursues worldly pleasures in an effort to regain its
former state. It forgets its true identity, nature, home
and Supreme Father.
While controlled by these negative forces, the soul
cannot come back to its normal state of peace, happiness
and bliss. These vices are unwelcome intruders
(entrants) into the soul's original texture of purity.
Until the vices have control over the soul, it will
never restore its original qualities of peace, bliss,
love, purity and knowledge.
(To be continued tomorrow ....)
Soul Sustenance
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.
Message for the day
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.
Newness
When
there is the ability to find new ways of responding to
life's challenges, there is no negativity or
unhappiness. Such a state helps one to fulfill one's
highest potential. This can be done when there is an
ability to see things in a new light, to work on things
differently. Thus thoughts that drain out positive
energy are set aside and the quality of life itself
becomes better. I experience a lot of happiness when
there is newness brought in responding to situations. My
own potential is channelized in a positive way so there
is an experience of fulfillment and satisfaction. My
mind is not caught up with negative or waste but is busy
trying for the best solutions in all situations.