Brahma Kumaris

23.12.15 Exploring Silence Human beings often think about things that don’t concern them and about other people. When you think a lot you will use the word 'why'. To become silent means to emerge wisdom from within. To move into dead silence means to go beyond the consciousness of the physical body. This is a very wonderful experience for the soul, it empowers and refreshes the soul. To be full of all powers is to be giving according to need. If I do not have all powers or if I am not able to recognize the need, I cannot provide what is needed. If I give even variety food to someone who is thirsty, he will not be satisfied. In the same way, I need to understand what power or virtue the other person needs and give accordingly. It is not what I think he needs but I need to understand and recognize what he really needs. Today I will give one person a quality, virtue or power that he needs. I will pay attention not to judge or have negative thoughts. Instead, I will give. This practice will help me give instead of just expecting. Improving The Quality Of My Actions (Part 1) Karma yoga (experiencing meditation in practical life situations) functions in two ways: * By filling the self with power, the transformation of action is possible. This in turn brings about change in my sanskars. * By absorbing the qualities of the Supreme Being my sanskars change. It's necessary to experiment with this to discover its validity. On one level, whatever I have done, I have to receive the return for that but, on another level, just simply pure love for God is the factor that purifies, cleanses and forgives. Whatever my past karma may have been, the fire of God's love, the fire of a powerful connection with Supreme is able to resolve it and remove its impact from within the soul itself, in terms of negative personality sanskars and also in terms of negative karmic effects in real life situations. Thus it can be seen why yoga or the union of love with God is so crucial. If one looks at the whole pattern of human life, there are four areas of karma which need to be improved: * Karma that I perform for myself, for my own sustenance and upkeep. * Karma that I perform with or for others in terms of relationships. * Karma that I perform, not out of need or necessity, but for leisure or entertainment. * Karma that I perform as service of others. In the next three messages, we shall explain how we can improve these four areas of karma. Soul Sustenance What Is Clean Communication? With the self covered by the clouds of so many external influences and many of its own negative beliefs and past experiences, the self is normally unclear about its own self. The light of spiritual knowledge brings clarity to the self, about the self. This helps me to communicate with others much more clearly than when I am not sure or clear about what is going on inside me. There is a direct connection between the quality of subtle activities in the form of thoughts and feelings going on inside me and the quality of my interaction and communication with others. Very importantly, relationships are also connected with attitude and vision. Sometimes, I may feel I have said and done the right things to someone, yet still someone is not behaving towards me as I would wish. At such times I need to check my attitude towards that person and the vision with which I am seeing them. I may find inside a slight feeling of disapproval towards that person, a feeling of discomfort, a resistance to something in their personality. Neither of us may be conscious of it, but my negative feeling casts a shadow on the other person. They are not receiving the acceptance or respect from me, that they should (on a subtle level), although externally I may be showing them a lot of respect. This subtle lack of acceptance and respect from my end influences their ability to hear me clearly (on a subtle level), and the way they behave towards me. The practice of meditation enables me to clean out my thoughts, feelings, attitudes and vision, ensuring that what I share with others on a physical and on a subtle level is positive. Then it is much easier for me to connect with others and for others to connect with me in a positive way. This is called Clean Communication. Message for the day Become the one who is special by seeing only specialties. Expression: Throughout the day, among all the people you meet check if you are seeing any negative quality in them. Also check if you are seeing specialties in others or not. Experience: Each day tell yourself, "I am special and I only see the specialties in myself and others." Then practice seeing only the good qualities in others and you will become good too.