Thought for Today
15.02.2018

 

Make a list of the things that worry you most and decide if they are in your circle of influence or worry. Think about what you can really do to have an influence on each of them in an effective way. By determining which of these two circles is the centre around which most of your time and energy revolves, you can discover a great deal about your level of positivity.

Positive people focus on the things they can do something about. If necessary, they change their attitude. They are aware that perhaps they cannot change the circumstances but they can improve their inner attitude. This is what positive focusing is all about: being creative, thinking differently, being open to listening, being more understanding, more communicative and showing more solidarity. Reactive people focus on the problems of the circle and on the circumstances about which they have no control. They react to the defects found in other people. From this worrying, accusations, destructive criticism, feelings of blame, a reactive language and feelings of weakness and frustration can arise. They want others or the circumstances to change first and when that happens, then they will change. Whenever they think that the problem is on the outside, this thought is the problem. The negative energy produced as a result of this approach, combined with the lack of attention to the areas in which they could do something to improve the situation, means that the area of influence decreases in size. They give power to what is external so that it dominates them. In other words they think that change must come from "outside towards the inside"; they think that something that is outside must change before they themselves change.


Self Empowerment

Meditation, in practice, means to enter, and re-enter, the reservoir of peace inside us whenever we need to during the course of the day. This exercise increases self-control and prevents the explosions and reactions of anger that drain our strength. The easy method is not to expect but to accept: then tolerance and respect make our life far more comfortable.

There may be many shadows and pollutants inside us, but usually our pain is centered around these: 'I own', 'I need', 'I want', 'mine' and 'I expect'. If we learn to recognize the characteristics of such a consciousness, we are in a position to overcome difficult situations and thoughts before they overwhelm us. We simply have to remain awake, and that state of alertness stops these shadows from overpowering us and making us unconscious.

Our needs and wants are truly fulfilled in a healthy way by tuning in to the original resources of the soul, because their fulfillment is not dependent on anyone, or anything from outside. When we sustain ourselves from the inside, then our well-being is secure and progressive. As a result, when we express and show our original qualities of the self to others, whether it is peace, happiness or love, they naturally increase inside. The more we give unconditionally, the more we have. This miracle of 'quality being' is the result of natural purity, the original state of selflessness, which God always has and good meditators aspire to return to.



Message for the day

Freedom starts in the mind, not by cutting ropes.

Projection:
Usually we experience some kind of bondage through situations and people. We then feel uncomfortable and try to break free from them. Yet we find that it is not easy to do so. We rarely ever can think of looking within if there is any bondage in our own minds.

Solution:
I need to understand the fact that the bondage is in fact not outside but within my own mind. I also need to realise the fact that nothing is forced on me but whatever happens to me is my own choice. When I take responsibility in this way I will not complain but will make the best out of every situation and I will find myself experiencing true freedom.