This Moment
If I fill this moment with happiness and peace, it will
increase the chances of the next moment being like that
also.
Factors That Shape Our Perception (cont.)
There are four main criteria that may influence how our
perception of reality is distorted or altered (changed).
We had discussed "Mental Limits" yesterday. Today we
continue to discuss the same:
Mental Limits (cont.)
Trapped by mental limits, some of which were discussed
yesterday, human beings in general only use 10 per cent
of their inner potential, and the other 90 per cent is
available but is not used due to oversight (overlooking)
or the lack of awareness that they have it.
Meditating helps us to cross these mental limits.
Meditation takes us to a higher dimension over our
physical identity that releases us from these limits.
Throughout our lives, and especially during our
childhood, many impressions are formed about ourselves,
since at the very beginning of our lives we do not know
who we are or who we should be, until we learn it from
those around us, who are older, and who know more things
and who presumably love us.
One of the biggest mistakes we can make in our lives is
to refer only to the opinions of others to work out who
we really are. e.g. When a parent tells a child - * You
are extremely naughty, * You are ignorant or * You are
lazy, the child is creating negative and false images
about himself (or herself). It is quite possible that
the child has said or done something wrong, but this
does not mean that we label the child negatively. It was
their behavior that was bad. It is important to
establish the difference between - * You are a naughty
child and * It is incorrect to fight with your sibling.
Due to the fact that many people label others based
on their behavior, negative beliefs are created that are
not based on what is true and genuine, and these
beliefs may be dragged along throughout the person's
life - which then function like mental limits in the
life of that person.
(To be continued tomorrow ...)
Listen
Sometimes when someone says
something, there is a tendency to feel hurt even though
the other person did not mean anything. This is because
only the words are heard but the meaning behind it is
not understood. This brings misunderstanding and
conflicts and even spoils relationships. When someone is
telling me something I need to listen to the other
person rather than merely hearing to his words. When I
am able to understand the intentions behind his words I
am able to take something from them instead of just
creating conflicts in relationships.
Soul Sustenance
Practical Ways of Changing Old Habits or Beliefs (Part
3)
Conscious Disassociation
A useful method for transforming habits is that of
conscious disassociation. This involves avoiding the
situations that give rise to the habit occurring
automatically. For example, if you often smoke after a
coffee, you have to make sure there is no coffee. By
breaking your habit, you will be less likely to have a
craving to smoke. Instead of your habitual coffee, you
can create a new pattern and have a cup of herbal tea
and sit down to think or read, instead of smoking.
Rajyoga Meditation
Rajyoga meditation is an efficient method for
transforming habits. By connecting with the Supreme Soul
(who is the purest conscient energy) in the incorporeal
(non-physical) world of divine light, which is called
paramdham or shantidham, the soul purifies itself and
one experiences a natural disinclination from negative
habits that we have been trapped in for a long time.
(To be continued tomorrow …..)
Message for the day
To be a donor means to give at each step and increase
one's own stock.
Expression:
Usually it seems very difficult to be a donor - to give
from whatever resources we have. The thought often
arises in the mind that we cannot give because we are
ourselves not complete or full. We find ourselves
constantly trying to fill ourselves and we then have no
time or thought for giving to those around us.
Experience:
We have a lot of treasures within us which we can give
to those around us, our virtues, our specialties etc.
Even if we have just a little and give to the others, we
will find ourselves benefiting. For having given from
whatever we have, we find that these treasures begin to
increase within ourselves too.