Brahma Kumaris

27.04.17 Contentment The more positive the thoughts flowing through my mind, the more contented I will feel. It is easy to feel contented when we are praised and appreciated but to remain contented when we are being criticized and rejected is the mark of real spiritual strength. The way to develop this level of strength is to learn about God's way of loving. Only when I am in deep contemplation can I see God showing me the kind of love I need to express so that I myself never reject or criticize and always generate good wishes for others. Then I will feel satisfied no matter what life throws at me. The Gender Of God In a large number of religious traditions, all over the world, God is always referred to as a male entity. But, just as the soul does not have a gender and is neither masculine nor feminine, God’s i.e. the Supreme Soul’s gender is neither male nor female specifically. Therefore, as a soul, a spiritual child of God, I can come close to God without any inhibitions or difficulty, which I may experience in any relationship in the physical world, due to the gender of the body I am occupying. We need to take a look at the Supreme Being or God closely. The Supreme Being is the Supreme Mother who provides spiritual sustenance and whose love is full of unconditional acceptance. No matter what has happened, how my nature or personality may be, I experience unconditional acceptance from God. It's a love that strengthens me, as well as it purifies me. At the same time, God is also the Supreme Father, a very powerful entity, who provides protection and fills the soul with the inheritance of divine qualities and powers. It's a question of just being an innocent child and claiming that inheritance. These are the first two relationships that have to be experienced with God. The Supreme is a balance of being feminine, having the qualities of caring, giving and full of good wishes and masculine at the same time, having the qualities of power, authority and fearlessness. He is She and She is He. These two relationships with God, whereby God plays both the roles of both parents are the basis of my spiritual development. Spirituality introduces to us the concept of taking a new spiritual birth to the Supreme Father and Mother. This birth is based on a change of consciousness. One needs to let go of the negative, impure and sorrowful past and develop a new consciousness, based on the present introduction to spirituality, which is positive, pure and blissful. The awareness of the self as a soul changes my way of looking at things immensely, but the consciousness of being a child of God, who is the Mother as well as the Father and seeing others with that vision brings respect and love for myself. Then all these qualities start showing in my actions and interactions as well. Boost your feelings When we're feeling down, we get caught up in a cycle of negativity. To break the cycle, take baby steps to boost your spirits. Read something uplifting, watch something funny, call a friend, or just do something you enjoy. When you feel better, make time to understand why you felt the way you did in the first place and how to boost your feelings regularly. Message for the day To say yes is to receive blessings and to ensure progress. Thought to Ponder: Life brings certain situations that seem difficult and challenging. When such situations demand something from me (which I feel is beyond any capacity), there is a tendency to either say 'no' or to try and escape. On the other hand, when I say yes to the situation I will be able to discover skills and talents within me, that I never knew I had. I will thus be able to receive blessings from many. Point to Practice: Today I will one thing that I have been avoiding to do. I will use all my skills and energies to make it happen. I will then automatically receive help and good wishes from others, which would help me further in succeeding.