Daily Positive Thoughts: August 15, 2017: Mindful Moments
Amola Shah
Daily Positive Thoughts: August 15, 2017: Mindful Moments
Mindful Moments
Most of us are of sound mind, but many of us have trouble maintaining a note of harmony and peace. Most of us know how to think, but few of us are able to control our thoughts. We all have the capacity to be creative, to image new ideas, but few of us are able to do it together and co-create in harmony with each other. We could all do with some mental training so that we may use the most powerful energy in the universe, the mind, which is always at our instant disposal.
We can begin with mindfulness. It's a simple way to gently help our mind go where it is best to go, do what is the best thing to do. It begins by simply being fully aware of what you are doing. Mostly we are not fully aware, as our minds wander into the past and then into possible futures. We spend most of our time watching others and so rarely fully focus on what we are actually doing ourselves.
Next time you sit down to a meal, watch yourself. Be aware of only what you are eating. Every time your mind wants to wander, bring it gently and lovingly back to the action and sensation of eating. Then do the same when cleaning, when writing, when working. The more you do it stronger and more focused and more rational will be your concentration, the more natural will be your actions, the more peaceful you will feel, and the more relaxed you will be, no matter what you are doing.
Absorbing Spiritual Light (Part 1)
Just as darkness is the absence of light,
negativity which manifests as vices and weaknesses inside us is merely the
absence of spiritual light. Through the
influence of negativity, the sense organs waste away the light. The question of
vice, or sin, has been of a lot of importance in religion. No matter how much
political or religious control has been imposed, nothing has been able to block
the internal wasting away of the light of the soul. Light has a
source but darkness does not. Darkness is not created by any source but is
rather the absence of a source. In the same way, the negative forces do
not emerge from the real nature of the self, but are simply symptoms of a lack
of spiritual power or light. As spiritual power declines, symptoms of
negativity such as anger, greed, ego, attachment, hatred, jealousy and related
vices appear. On the other hand, as the soul's power and spiritual light
increases through a union (meditation) with the Supreme, the vices
automatically disappear. In fact problems are not fundamentally caused by a
particular vice, it is a question of the extent of one's power. If I am weak,
the sanskars mostly related to vices dominate my experience. If I
am strong they do not have a chance to affect me.
The negative forces have often been personified
as Ravana, Maya or Satan but in
fact there is no such entity. Maya describes a level of
consciousness. There is no outside being whom we can blame. The vices are
symptoms of individual ignorance and loss of power, which appeared only when
our original creative powers subsided as we came into the process of birth and
rebirth. When the soul's power fell below the level necessary to
control matter and the senses; then the vices emerged inside the soul. The
soul was more and more propelled by them through many births, until today when
they appear to be a basic part of our real nature.
(To be continued tomorrow …)
Reaction & Response
The usual response to negative stimuli in the environment is to react
negatively. The impact of such stimuli on the sense organs is
negative, which brings out negative behavior too. The
one who is able
to spend a few moments in silence before responding to
situations is
to be a master who is free from negativity. When I am a
master I am
able to remain stable in all situations. I have the practice
of
calming my mind and looking at the situation in the right
perspective.
My mind grows strong in its commitment to peace and truth in
action.
I don't allow the sense organs work according to the previous
conditioning. Instead I consciously monitor, giving them right
direction.
Message for the day
A step of courage brings multi fold help.
Thought to ponder: One step of courage is enough to pave the way for something better. If we get disheartened and stop, we will be worse than what we are. So, whatever the situation may be we need to take one thought of making the situation better. This one thought will help us see the hidden opportunities. Also, we find help coming from others and situations too.
Point to practice: Today I will take up something that I have given up on, and see where I can start once again. With renewed courage and enthusiasm, I will create a plan and work on it. With the faith that I am going to find a way, I will work on this plan.
In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris