03.12.2014

I am Love
We seek it here, we seek it there, we look for
love everywhere! We expect it to come to us,
usually through another person. All our
conditioning says it is something that happens
to us. The mythology of our fables, legends and
modern day entertainment industries say it is
something we 'fall into'. And yet...and yet real
love cannot be acquired, possessed or
accumulated. It cannot be known when we think it
comes from outside ourselves. The ultimate
paradox is we are it. We are love. Each one of
us is a source of love that has forgotten that
'love is what I am'. Say it now "I am love".
Doesn't feel right does it? That's because it’s
been so long since we knew and experienced
ourselves in this true way. And yet we all know
that the deepest trust and the purest love is
known and experienced only when we give it, not
take it. As we give love in whatever way is
appropriate, we are the ones to experience it
first, on the way out. Falling in love is
impossible. It is only infatuation, obsession
with an external object which appears to fill a
gap in ourselves. As soon as the object or
person is remembered when they are not present
and when they do not need to be remembered, it
is simply attachment which, if sustained, will
become a dependency. And attachment and
dependency are not love. But you already know
that...don't you?
relax7
Calm and Cool
It is so easy to speak negatively when we do not
like something about someone. Sometimes we do
react to the situation and get angry. We
continue to find fault with that person. The
person too responds negatively to our negative
thoughts. And so there is no hope of creating a
positive relationship. When something goes wrong
in any relationship, the first thing we need to
do is to keep our mind calm and cool. When we do
this, we will not be caught up with the
negativity of the situation or the negative
trait of the person at that time, but we will be
able to see something beautiful in that person.
We will be able to appreciate and connect to the
uniqueness of that person, thus creating space
for rebuilding that relationship.
Self Responsibility
There are certain laws which are involved in our
actions and interactions. They are not human
laws requiring lawyers to interpret or the
police to put into action. They are natural laws
which are constantly operating in every
relationship. They are often called the Laws of
Karma (action): briefly
described by the saying, "As you sow, so you
shall reap", described by Isaac Newton as the
Third Law of Motion i.e. for every action, there
is an equal and opposite reaction. The Laws of
Karma remind us that whatever quality of energy
we give out, we get back. This might not be
exactly 'tit for tat', but if we give happiness
to someone, it will come back to us; if we give
pain or sorrow, it will come back, perhaps not
today or tomorrow, but at some time in the
future.
Most of us are conditioned by the idea that we
are responsible for some of our actions, but not
all of them. For example, we would consider
ourselves responsible for the actions which
improved our company's business butwould not
consider ourselves responsible for not being on
good terms with our spouse. If, as parents, we
worked hard in educating our children and they
grew up to become well placed and successful
individuals in their lives, we would consider
ourselves responsible. If on the other hand they
don't make it to the top and are not so
successful, we will blame our children for not
putting enough effort or maybe the education
system for the same. So we are selective in
taking responsibility for our actions.
Through spirituality, we are reminded of the
unchangeable laws of cause and effect, which
awakens our awareness of our true responsibility
for each and every action that we perform.
(To be continued tomorrow ...)
Soul Sustenance
Different Shades Of Attachment To Opinions And
Ideas
Very often in a group or team, whether social or
official, while moving towards a common goal or
objective or purpose, different people in the
group or gathering give their opinion to make
the objective of the team possible. While giving
their opinion, one very commonly sees two
different categories of people. The first
category contains type of people who are
attached to their ideas (to different extents)
while presenting them to the group and the other
contains type of people who are extremely
active, positive and authoritative in giving
their ideas, when they are required to do so,
but are able to keep a relationship of
detachment with their ideas.
If someone is attached to his/her idea and it is
not accepted, he/she might react emotionally
(internally) or even physically (externally).
He/she:
* might even start creating disharmony in the
group by talking against or creating
ill-feelings for the person who objected to his
idea or
* might stop co-operating with the remaining
members of the group or
* sometimes may just disassociate or distance
himself/herself from the group, which is a
quiet way of non co-operation and can cause
ripples of negative thoughts and feelings in the
others. These and others are some of the common
reactions of someone whose idea/ideas are not
accepted.
So the right balance of authority (while
giving the idea) and humility (while accepting
the result of the idea, the result could be
rejection or even acceptance of the idea) has to
be maintained. Humility comes very naturally
to someone who is detached to his/her idea.
(To be continued tomorrow…)
Message for the day
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.