Feelings
If your days seem filled with unwanted negative
feelings, there is only one cure. When they come, choose
them. Don't ask why, don't wonder how, don't fight them
and never put yourself down for having them. But most of
all never blame someone else for how you feel. If you
do, it means your choice is to be a victim. When the
feelings come, even big disturbing emotional feelings
say, "I choose this feeling" and know it comes because
of something you have thought or done in the past,
perhaps a certain belief that you have learned or an
attachment that is threatened. Choice does not mean you
want the feelings, but it does mean you are taking
responsibility for them. And that is the beginning of
self mastery. It is the first step to the healing and
resolving of your emotions. But only the first step. Try
this today and then ask yourself what the next step
might be. If you are really interested to know, you will
come to know!
True victory
Victory is usually associated with being victorious over
situations or people. We generally wait for situations
to change and for everything to get all right. We also
tend to expect people to behave according to our desire
and requirement. We tend to perceive victory in having
the last word. Yet we find that we are not able to
experience being victorious. True victory lies in first
winning over our own internal weaknesses. We can win
over situations or people only when we win over our own
negativity. Situations and people become instrumental in
enabling us to discover our own weaknesses. When we work
to remove these weaknesses, instead of blaming others
for what is happening, we can experience true victory.
Detached Observation
Detachment is the basis of our ability to be positive
and affectionate with others while we interact with
them. This is what is known as commitment and the
relationship of detachment and it begins with what is
known as a spiritual skill: the skill of being a
detached observer.
On needs to be a detached observer in two dimensions:
one within and one outside:
The inner art of detached observation is the ability of
separating ourselves from our own thoughts, emotions,
attitudes and behavior. On the external level, the art
of detached observation is the art of being witness to
the scenes that take place around us. While we detach
ourselves and observe how the game of life develops,
without being active participants, we are able to see
the "big picture" with greater clarity. That makes it
easier to see clearly what role we have to play and
where our contribution lies. We are creators, and our
thoughts, emotions and attitudes are our own work.
In reality, detached observation is the first step
towards personal strengthening. If we don't manage to
detach ourselves from our thoughts and emotions, they
will turn into our owners and will consume our energy.
Soul Sustenance
Is It Possible To Manipulate The Law Of Karma?
Human laws can be adjusted, manipulated and even ignored
by some, but no one can do the same with the Law of
Karma. On the physical level, there is no time interval
between an action and its reaction. If I throw an object
in the air, it falls back immediately with the same
force. With the Law of Karma, however, there can be a
delay between the action and its result or fruit. The
seeds of certain actions (negative or positive) bring
immediate fruit. Others can take years or even many
births to bear fruit. If I eat too much ice-cream, I
will see the result or karmic effect of the negative
karma of greed within a space of ten-fifteen minutes in
the form of a headache or after two days in the form of
a cold and flu. This is an e.g. in which we realize the
working of the Law of Karma, we realize clearly the
cause and its effect, but on a subtle level, when we see
the effects of actions, we do not realize that the cause
may have actually been in a previous life. There is a
total connection between the cause and the effect.
When we analyze a natural calamity such as a major
earthquake that uproots buildings and trees, overturns
vehicles and kills thousands of people. The physical
cause may be tectonic activity associated with faults
inside the earth’s surface but at the same time, we
realize that such a calamity could have its roots in a
process initiated by human beings a few hours, days or
months ago – an e.g. being testing of nuclear weapons.
On a personal level, I can say that there is nothing
which happens to me for which I am not responsible.
Whether I remember what I did to make it happen or not,
whether I realize it or choose to ignore it, I am
ultimately responsible.
Message for the day
The method to overcome weaknesses is to remind ourselves
of our positive qualities.
Projection:
When we make a mistake we usually realize the need to
remove that weakness but our identification with that
particular weakness is so much that we are not able to
overcome it.
Solution:
Instead of reminding ourselves again and again about our
weaknesses we need to remind ourselves of our positive
qualities. The more we do that we will slowly be able to
emerge these qualities and work with them and slowly
we'll be able to overcome our weaknesses.