Return to Innocence Why is it hard to forgive others? Usually because we believe that they are 90% to blame for the problem, that I am not as bad as they are. So I start to carry the load of other people's actions. If my ego is too hurt, I will have the sense of correction, of justice: 'I know I am right', 'That is not fair'. But if I start to forgive from the heart, sincerely, then this kind of feeling and attitude begins to dissolve. I remain humble and this forgiveness will bring me closer to others. Then I do not carry regrets or anger, I just let go and remain light. Thinking Right Everything depends on our thinking. If I think in the right way I will be light. If I think in a wasteful way I'll be heavy. Waste thoughts are dangerous. They waste my time. They allow the past to come alive, then I forget the present and question the future. Living Life On The Surface In an ideal situation, the thoughts that run in my mind, should be exactly those that I would like and I want. We do exert this control, that we possess, over our thoughts, but it is not complete and it is only sometimes. The more we become completely engrossed in our daily routine, the more our thoughts tend to become reactions to what goes on outside us. That's when they go out of control and our lives move in an unfocused way. As a result things don't work out as we might have desired. Then we develop a habit of blaming other people and circumstances, or we justify our pain by telling ourselves we are not very worthy or powerful enough. Often, these two inner strategies go together. The trouble is, both are cover ups, preventing us from going for a long-term solution. In this way, we tend to live our lives on a very superficial level, without taking the time to find the solution to what is going on wrong inside. Deeper difficulties remain hidden inside. I move from one scene of life to another - eating, watching television, studying in college, getting married, changing jobs, buying a new car or house, etc. without ever stopping. All these are part of living, but if I make them my whole and sole, my foundation, it's as if I skate across the surface of life without being in touch with the core. As time progresses, an inner shallowness develops. Then the feeling keeps growing inside that 'there must be more to life than this'. I then, find that my relationships are not working out as I would have hoped and they are lacking in depth. Soul Sustenance Understanding Attachment Entertainment industries publicize the illusion (false belief) that in order to be happy we must acquire "things" and form relationships of attachment to them; that in order to find love we must possess or be attached to the other person. This confusion between love and attachment has entered into all our relationships in a number of ways. To our conditioned minds it appears to be a contradiction (error), but it is a basic spiritual truth - to be loving it is necessary to be detached. Attachment is the root of fear and fear and love cannot exist together just as day and night, winter and summer cannot. The idea and the practice of detachment are found in almost all the paths of wisdom, over the centuries. This is so because attachment is one of the deepest habits that we learn to develop, and we do not realize that anything we attach ourselves to turns into a trap for our consciousness, for the self, the being. We know we are attached when we begin to think about someone or something when they are not present and there is no need to think about them. Our mental energy exhausts itself and we have the sensation that we lack control over our thoughts and feelings. Each time that we automatically cling (hold on) to something, we invoke (call for or attract) the presence of fear - whether it be of people, position, power, money or even opinion, any form of attachment means that we will fear harm or loss. Fear takes on many faces (worry, anxiety, and tension); it prevents our spiritual growth and frightens us away from or blocks us from love. Message for the day The biggest gift is the gift of virtues. Expression: Throughout the day, each individual is involved in a series of activities. A simple thought to give the gift of virtues makes even ordinary actions special. Each act becomes special and the fragrance of this specialty spreads around and touches the lives of others too. Such an individual is able to contribute to every task with his own specialty and bring success in the task too. Experience: When I am able to express and give the gift of my virtues, I am able to attain satisfaction with whatever I get to do. This satisfaction brings in me the inner urge to contribute some more. I achieve success outwardly too since I have actually been able to experience inner success. My relations with others are also harmonious and whatever task I do along with the others brings a productive result.