Letting go
Letting go is simply making a decision to no longer
allow something from the past to influence your life in
the present moment or to reduce your inner sense of
peace and well-being. It is when we hold on to things or
to the past that we prevent ourselves from growing. Like
a bird, we have to find the courage to let go of a
branch in order to fly and discover the true
exhilaration of soaring to our highest potential. The
less you carry, the further you go. So let go!
To Be Aware But Not Judgmental
On the path of Raja Yoga
meditation (taught by the Brahma Kumaris) there is a
saying, "See, but don't see! Hear, but don't hear!"
which means to remain aware of all realities, including
the negative, but not to focus on them. We get caught up
in the negative because we react and the reactions are
expressed in the form of judgments, accusations,
criticism, or labeling.
As soon as we judge or criticize, we put everything into
convenient boxes and, just as convenience foods are not
always so healthy, such conveniences at the mental and
attitudinal level are a great danger, because we
mentally seal (close) the fate (destiny) of the person
or situation: they are like this and so must be treated
accordingly. Unfortunately, this is often done in an
unconscious way, which is why Raja Yoga meditation is
used to bring such attitudes and behaviors to the
surface, conscious awareness.
When our vision and attitude remain judgmental or
critical, they do so because there is no input of
positivity from the self to encourage or allow a
positive change. There cannot be a positive output when
there is a negative input.
We often work in this way, wanting others to be better
in some way, but, instead of helping them, or having
faith in them and seeing their good qualities, we hinder
(obstruct) them by concentrating on their past, their
weaknesses and their mistakes. Our focus is completely
negative, but still we expect them to change for the
better!
When our awareness is more detached, rather than
focusing on what is wrong, we look at how we can put
something right by contributing a positive feeling, or
attitude. This anonymous (not known to anyone)
contribution is a generous act, which offers a solution,
instead of the usual complaints by critical and
judgmental people.
Soul Sustenance
The Pledge Of
Responsibility
A very important aspect of progress in the self and my
relationships, which we all desire is restoring a sense
of responsibility in my inner world, so that by doing
that, I and others around me are benefited. Even on a
physical or non-spiritual level, someone who is
responsible while playing his/her role or performing
his/her duties either in the family, at the workplace or
in some other setting e.g. a club group or a team in a
particular sport or a social service group, not only
feels content with his/her actions himself/herself but
spreads ripples of contentment to others and receives
similar energy from each one he/she is involved with. In
the same way on an emotional or spiritual level, when I
start my day I need to remind myself of my
responsibility towards myself. I need to remind
myself that I am responsible for the choices I make in
my life which influence and color everyone around me. So
do my thoughts, feelings, the way my personality
functions internally and externally the whole day and my
responses to people and situations, for all of which I
am responsible.
It is like taking a pledge of responsibility with
the self in the morning that today I will not create a
single thought, word or action which is against the
texture of my innate, positive nature i.e.
irresponsible. And what will provide my pledge the much
required strength of determination? An injection of
positive thoughts, emotions and sanskaras within me in
the morning, using a suitable technique of self
empowerment like meditation or spiritual study or some
other. By taking such a pledge of responsibility and
by watering it with the energy of my attention from time
to time during the day, I am able to implement it and
can make a difference to not only the people around me,
but to a lot more than that. In this way, as I
change, the world around me changes, because the energy
I create in my inner world starts flowing into my
circumstances, my interactions, my sphere of karmas,
etc. to make them positive, which benefits me in return
in the form of a cyclic process. As I take this pledge
and abide by it for a few days, I start realizing the
immense potential that it possesses.
Message for the day
Determination enables elevated thoughts to become
practical.
Expression:
When
we have an aim in our life and are working for it, we
sometimes are not able to bring into practice all that
we plan to do. We then tend to become disheartened and
give up after trying for some time. Thus we lose out on
the benefit that our thoughts can bring in our life.
Experience:
In order to put into practice the good thoughts that we
get i.e., in order to make our thoughts practical we
need to stamp it with determination. Our words should
never be 'I'll try', but must always be 'I will do it'.
Where there is determination there is victory.
Live in the Present
Usually the present is lost in thinking about the past.
The past keeps coming back again and again in the mind,
influencing the present too. So there can be nothing
done to enjoy the present. All words and actions then
are totally colored by the past. On the other hand, the
one who is able to free himself from the influence of
the past is able to move positively towards the future.
To be free from the influence of the past it is
important to have a powerful consciousness of the
present. It means to forget the past, because the past
is no more. Also there is no worry about the future.
When I am able to learn to live in the present I am able
to discover how full it is of peaceful moments. I am
able to experience my own inner potential.