BRAHMA KUMARIS WORLD SPIRITUAL UNIVERSITY
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23.01.2015 Vrikshasana- Tree Posture Harmonious Balance We all know the old adage - what you give out you get back, or what goes around comes around. But we forget this cast iron law which is found everywhere in the universe. The energy of life is constantly moving at physical, mental and spiritual levels. And if we stand back and just observe, we see it moving in the process of exchange. In the context of our relationships, we give and receive energy, and when we are truly giving and receiving positive energy there is harmony and balance. But when we do what we are taught to do, which is to take and to keep, then we destroy the harmony and the balance of our life. When we say possession is nine tenths of the law we give life to the illusion of ownership which blocks out the truth. It is possession itself which is our attempt to break the law and it is that illusion which lies at the heart of all human pain, discomfort and disharmony. While many 'things' will come to us, we possess nothing. We intuitively acknowledge this when we say to each other, "You can't take it with you when you go." Can you? Royalty In spiritual terms, royalty refers to an inner state of dignity and an attitude of service to humanity. Before taking charge of others, let us learn to rule our own heart and mind with love and compassion. Let us focus not on other people's weakness, not demand anything of anyone, and always be available to support and encourage. A leader of this kind does not chase after power and position, or expect anyone to obey; yet others naturally want to follow. Cooking And Eating With A Spiritual Touch (cont.) When the subtle, spiritual aspect of cooking is taken into consideration, the role of the cook extends from simply creating tasty, nourishing meals with fresh ingredients, to including a spiritual connection with those who will be eating that food. The aim will be to touch and fill the heart as well as the stomach. The love of the cook, and his or her motivation to offer sustenance, will nourish as much as the physical components of each dish. Food cooked by a person who is angry, depressed or full of arrogance or hatred will have a different effect from food cooked with feelings of love, peace and the pure desire to serve. In other words, we are what we eat but also the thoughts, feelings and attitudes that go into what we are eating. Even in today's hectic lifestyle, when there sometimes seems to be hardly enough time to cook, let alone do so peacefully and caringly, it is therefore definitely beneficial to develop a positive attitude towards cooking. Before undertaking any food preparation, remind yourself that the task at hand can and should be an enjoyable and creative activity or experience, rather than an unpleasant, time-consuming activity. A good practice, then, is to meditate before cooking and then to let preparing the meal itself be a creative, meditative experience which yields a balanced, health-promoting diet for the body as a temple for the soul deity. Food always tastes better when it has been flavored or with love and happiness. (To be continued tomorrow ...) Soul Sustenance The Mental Periscope This is the ability of the intellect to come out, observe, understand and initiate appropriate action and, when necessary, go back inside and be calm and still. This act of taking the thoughts inside is called introspection and in this introspective state the self can re-energize, examine, reflect and refine, or just be completely still - whatever it may wish to do in that state of silence. When the intellect uses its capacity as a periscope, it is able to find a balance between the inside and outside worlds. Effective meditation means to gather the positive resources of the inner self and then use them in the outer world. It is important to remain neither too much inside, nor too much outside, but constantly to create a balance between the inner and outer realities. Meditation resembles the cyclic path of energy: going from the inside out and then from the outside in, gathering information, or experiences that we need to reflect on, or understand better. On other occasions, it may be a question of recharging our minds with positivity and peace: we go inside and, with the practice of silence, the battery becomes re-energized. Message for the day True love for others enables them to be free from their weaknesses. Expression: The sign of good wishes is that the negativity is not described to anyone else. When there is true love for the other person and there is a desire to see them improve, their negativity is not repeated again and again to oneself or to others. There is also genuine love and concern revealed in the words and so it helps the other person recognize his own specialties and he is encouraged to use them for his own benefit. Experience: My desire for perfection enables me to become a source of support and encouragement for the other person, when I am able to see their strengths and relate to these strengths and specialities. Under no circumstance do I give others an experience of negativity or discouragement. I also get the love and good wishes from others as a return for what I have given.