Brahma Kumaris

02.01.17 INTERLAKEN, SWITZERLAND Look Before You Leap Whatever actions you perform, check the consequences and then perform that action. Then you will never say I don't know how this happened. I didn't mean it to happen. If you do not pay attention, lines of tension then become visible on your face. Emotional Joy And Emotional Sorrow We commonly become emotional, either in times of sorrow e.g. at being separated from a loved one, at experiencing failure in an external event, on hearing a negative news, etc. or in times of joy e.g. when our child or spouse or even pet performs a warm act, while watching a movie, etc. While we have always believed that it is absolutely normal or natural to become emotional and some of us even believe that it is good to let go of our emotions and crying once in a while makes us lighter and stronger; on a spiritual level, becoming emotional comes under the realm of dependencies and dependencies always weaken us. This is because when we become emotional, instead of influencing our self on our own, we allow something or someone outside our self to influence us. We bring that something or someone or some event outside our self, inside, in front of the eye of our mind, attach our self to it, and lose our self in it i.e. we let the image hijack our internal world in a way, as we become subservient to it. As a result our thoughts, feelings, emotions, words, actions are influenced in a big way by the image. This is a spiritual definition of becoming emotional. Passing on the remote control of my internal world to the outer world in this way is a sign of a not so strong internal self. So what does one do instead? Instead of creating images of external events and people inside our minds and being influenced by them, we still watch these scenes, but instead of losing our self in them and taking from them, we contribute to them by giving them our internal energy, but at the same time make sure that while doing that, we are detached from them and not over-involved emotionally. Internal energy is given in the form of appreciation and love if it’s a positive scene and power, compassion and co-operation if it’s a negative scene, so as to help the scene to be corrected or resurrected. This is influencing instead of being influenced. This is a more empowering experience. In this way we regain the control over our inner world and rise above such emotional dependencies. My words are effective only when my actions match my words. Being detached I can see clearly the mistake of those around me and also give directions to them to bring about a change. I then expect others to listen and bring about a change immediately. Yet I don't find others changing so easily. Before I give directions to others, I need to check within myself if I am implementing what I am saying. Only when I first follow what I say, will my words be effective. Also I need to constantly have the interest to improve myself and others will do that too. Message for the day Concentration develops when the intellect is clean and clear. Expression: For the one whose intellect continues to wander, concentration becomes difficult or impossible. On the other hand, for the one who is focused on one thing there are no other distractions at that time and there is easy concentration. Experience: When I am able to remain focused, I am not troubled by distractions which lessen my concentration. Instead I am able to increase my discrimination power and am able to decide and judge well. This happens because my intellect becomes clean and gets cleared of waste.