Humility brings learning.

Message for the day

Projection: Where there is humility there is willingness to learn. When humility is lacking, ego comes which doesn't let us learn from all situations and people. The power of humility enables us to learn and move forward.

Solution: When I'm faced with criticism, I need to see what I can learn from it, instead of feeling bad about it. Even things that go wrong have something to teach me, if I am willing to learn. With humility I continue to learn

The more one is humble, the more there will be success.

Message for the day

Projection: Humility gives wings to fly. It gives enthusiasm based on inner truth and we can easily move forward. When there is no humility we find ourselves being pulled back again and again by the difficult situations that we ourselves have created.

Solution: When I do something, I first have to ensure that I am enjoying it and keep reminding myself of the joy that I am deriving out of it. Then I am free from the desire for recognition or praise. Then I will find myself succeeding in the task that I undertake and I will be appreciated too.

Humility comes from an open and clean heart.

Message for the day 

Projection: Humility needs a good home to dwell in. When the mind is filled with negative feelings or biased ideas towards anyone, we cannot use humility. So we need to fill our mind with positive thoughts towards everyone.

Solution: If I have negative thoughts towards anyone, I need to make an attempt to remove them. I need to tell myself that what I don't like about a person is just one particular aspect and not the person himself. In this way I will be able to change my own attitude and also will help the other person also to bring about change.

Humility enables people to realize their mistakes and correct themselves.

Message for the day

Projection: Real humility results in so much power of truth that we don't need to say anything at all in words. The very power of our inner state of being will make the other person realize the error of their ways.

Solution: While giving directions or corrections to someone, I need to check my own attitude, reminding myself of the humility within and only then say what I have to say. With humility my words will be for their benefit and this will enable them to learn.

Soul Sustenance

God.s Three Roles In The World Drama (cont.)

God As A Sustainer

We need to understand God.s role clearly as a sustainer. We have to understand the difference between physical and spiritual sustenance. We may think that God is the sustainer in the sense that He gives us our goods, wealth, health, food, water, air and so on. If that were so, why should He give more of these things to some and not to others? Why do poverty, starvation and disease exist if God is a sustainer and provider of all in the physical sense?

Whatever I do or do not possess I have earned for myself. It is not God who pays us our salaries. Whatever fruits I earn are the results of my own efforts. As a spiritual sustainer, He fills us with His power and virtues like peace, bliss, purity and happiness. He also shares with us spiritual knowledge and bestows his love and blessings on us, all of which help us in our spiritual effort, so that we can transform (change) ourselves and does not provide us with food and wealth.

(To be continued tomorrow .)

In Spiritual Service,

Brahma Kumaris

True humility comes from self-respect.

Message for the day 

Projection: When we are full and in our state of self-respect, we will be able to remain humble in all situations. When there is no self-respect, any comments or criticism hurts the ego and we tend to lose our humility.

Solution: When I find myself getting affected by criticism, I need to check whether I am sure of what I'm doing. Let me look within myself and see what specialties I have that I can use in my daily life. So when I increase my own confidence in this way and do everything with this confidence, I'll be humble.

When there is a balance between easiness and reliability, there will be benefit for others.

Message for the day

Projection: When we understand our responsibility we would understand that what we do effects the lives of others too. So we will be cautious. Apart from this we will also know to take care of our own well-being because we would know that others will gain form our healthy attitudes.

Solution: Let this day be dedicated for removing some weakness within myself that is creating an obstacle for others and myself. When I do this I will not only be helping myself but there will be benefit for others too.

The one who works in coordination with others is the one who can fulfill responsibilities well.

Message for the day 

Projection: Responsibilities can be fulfilled well when there is the recognition that each one can contribute something to the task. It is also essential to create a cooperative rather than a competitive environment. Then there would be no feeling of superiority or inferiority in anyone.

Solution: When I am responsible to complete some task, I need to involve all the people who can help in it. When I do this I will find my task finishing faster. Also I would find that I would get the good wishes of all the people involved in the task.

The one who is responsible is the one who is satisfied.

Message for the day
Projection: When responsibility is taken up and fulfilled with commitment, there is efficiency and effectiveness in the work. This results in satisfaction and contentment at having made a significant contribution.

Solution: Each day let me take up the responsibility of contributing something significant to any task, even if it is a simple one. Having done this, I will find that I am able to be happy with whatever I am doing, for having made some contribution.

Responsibility is best fulfilled by the one who is detached.

Message for the day

Projection: When one is attached to the task that he is responsible for it leads to worry, doubt and fear. This can have a crippling effect on decision-making and result in difficult situations. On the other hand, the one who is detached is the one who is able to see things clearly and so fulfill all responsibilities with lightness.

Solution: When I have to take up some new responsibility I need to tell myself that I will do my best in fulfilling the responsibility. When I become detached from the result of the task I will find myself doing my best because there are no negative thoughts.

The one way to change others is to deal with them with love.

Message for the day 

Projection: When you have love for others, you will have good wishes for them. Your desire to change them will then be for their good and not for your own selfishness. Others will quickly respond to your unselfish love and you will find them changing.

Solution: Think of one person you want to bring about a change in. Before you think of changing that person let there be a lot of love for that person in your mind. Also make sure the change you want in the other person is for his own good and not for your own selfish reason.

Soul Sustenance 

Self Esteem

Self-esteem comes when I really value myself: When I place value on myself, then others, too, will value me. When I don't value myself, how can I expect others to value me? If I continuously put myself down, saying 'I'm no good' or 'I am not capable', other people who hear this will start believing it. So what do I do? The key word is 'consciousness'. As I start to become make my consciousness positive by creating positive thoughts many times in the day about myself like “I am the most fortunate soul in the universe” or “I am a victorious soul, I cannot experience failure in any step in life” or “I am a self sovereign soul, ruler of my sense organs” or “I am a destroyer of obstacles” or “I am a spiritual rose flower who spreads the fragrance of divine qualities” or similar thoughts, I become spiritually alert, then I am in a position to start valuing my life and as I start valuing myself, I develop self-confidence. The effect of this is that I start valuing others, understanding that everyone has their own position: not higher or lower, just different. Each one's uniqueness has its value.

In Spiritual Service,

Brahma Kumaris

The power to merge brings success in relationships.

Message for the day

Expression: The speciality of the ocean is to merge. The most beautiful pearl is made of the dirt that is thrown into the ocean. So also the power to merge actually allows one to look at the positivity in spite of the obvious negativity that is expressed by the other person. So the relationship with the other person is only with their positivity. Experience: When I am able to merge the negativity of others, and look at the positive aspect in them instead, I can automatically experience being light and positive within. Also I find others relating to me with their positivity. I am able to be successful in my relationship with others, however difficult the personality traits of the other person may be.

It is only when you have love for yourself that you can forgive yourself.

Message for the day

Projection: Love gives you the power to forgive. Just as you find it easy to forgive a person you love, when you have love for yourself you can forgive yourself too. It is only then can you find yourself learning and progressing without making yourself heavy.

Solution: When you find yourself making a mistake, remind yourself that if you have to progress you have to forgive yourself. Learn from your mistake in such a way that you never repeat it and forgive yourself. Then you'll be able to move forward with lightness.

Soul Sustenance 

What Shapes Our Perception? (cont.)

There are four main criteria that may influence how our perception of reality is distorted or altered (changed). We had discussed “Mental Limits” yesterday. Today we continue to discuss the same:

Mental Limits (cont.)

Trapped by mental limits, some of which were discussed yesterday, human beings in general only use 10 per cent of their inner potential, and the other 90 per cent is available but is not used due to oversight (overlooking) or the lack of awareness that they have it.

Meditating helps us to cross these mental limits. Meditation takes us to a higher dimension over our physical identity that releases us from these limits.

Throughout our lives, and especially during our childhood, many impressions are formed about ourselves, since at the very beginning of our lives we do not know who we are or who we should be, until we learn it from those around us, who are older, and who know more things and who presumably love us.

One of the biggest mistakes we can make in our lives is to refer only to the opinions of others to work out who we really are.

When a parent or a teacher tells a child, "You are very naughty", "You are ignorant", or "You are lazy", this child is creating negative and false images about himself. It is quite possible that the child has said or done something wrong, but this does not mean that because of this they are naughty. It was their behavior that was bad. It is important to establish the difference between, "You are a naughty child", and "It is not right to scold your younger sister".

Due to the fact that many people confuse behavior with the person, negative beliefs are created that are not based on what is true and genuine, and these beliefs may be dragged along throughout the person's life – which then function like mental limits in the life of that person.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

In Spiritual Service,

Brahma Kumaris

The one who loves is the one who gives.

Message for the day 

Projection: True love is free from expectations. When you discover the love within you, you can continue to give. Whether the other person gives or not, true love enables you to give unselfishly.

Solution: Let today be the day for discovering and giving others the love within you. Make sure you do at least one act that shows your love towards anyone around you. Feel the love flowing from within to the ones around you.

The one who is tolerant is the one who is successful.

Message for the day 

Projection: Tolerance frees the mind of waste thoughts, as there is no negativity towards anyone. Also tolerance frees us from questions about things that are going wrong. When we are free from waste thoughts, we can do our best and thereby ensure success.

Solution: When things go wrong or when someone is creating obstacles in my way, instead of worrying or having questions about it, I need to accept it with the power of tolerance. I need to see within myself what strength or speciality I have that can make me face this situation.

Soul Sustenance 

What Shapes Our Perception?

The factors that contribute to creating our perception (way of looking at the self, situations, people, etc.) are our memories, experiences, beliefs, values, people, places, situations and time. Out of all these factors there are two which are chiefly responsible for creating our perception: our beliefs and our experiences.

The first thing you should do is have a clearer perception of yourself. You should develop the perception of who you really are and what your true identity is. This does not refer to the image you see every day in the mirror. Your external appearance or physical beauty, your age, your gender, your occupation, your status in society should not be the basis for your self-perception. You may live with others or alone, have a family, run a business or have a job, which you undertake with responsibility. What is your conscience, however, while you are doing these tasks? This will lead you to a clear perception of yourself.

We have been brought up and conditioned to have a perception of everything that is external: perception of other people at the workplace or in the family, of other countries, of movies, of the country’s cricket team, of what our neighbors are doing, of the government and so on. However, the last thing we have a perception of is ourselves. We thus lose the internal link with our own happiness and our own peace. When we re-establish the perception of our true identity (the correct way of looking at ourselves) based on spiritual knowledge, we are capable of recognizing all the false beliefs about ourselves that have taken root in our inner selves. When we discover these beliefs we are capable of recognizing those ‘sanskars’ of ourselves we need to change.

In the next few days, we shall be discussing in detail a few aspects that shape our perception.

In Spiritual Service,

Brahma Kumaris

Tolerance enables one to learn from mistakes.

Message for the day 

Projection: When one is sure of what he is doing and he is in his stage of self-respect, criticism can be taken in the right way. This will give the ability to look within when something goes wrong. Instead of justifying mistakes there will be the ability to learn from them and improve.

Solution: When someone criticises me, I need to remind myself that I have something to learn from it. Let me ask myself if there is at least a small aspect that I could learn from and incorporate in my life. Let me take this aspect and leave the rest.

To maintain courage and faith is to ensure victory.

Message for the day 

Projection: To believe in one's own victory is to give ourselves the wings and the strength to fly. With just this belief we will have the courage to work on our obstacles with ease and win over them.

Solution: Before I restart anything that I had failed in before or even when I start a new important task, I need to make sure that I tell myself that I am victorious. When I remind myself again and again that 'victory is my birthright', I will automatically get the courage to succeed.

Determination can change even opposition and make things happen right.

Message for the day

Projection: When we are able to create faith and determination in whatever we have taken up, then automatically hurdles become opportunities. We will then receive cooperation from others making the task successful.

Solution: Each day I need to spend some time to check all those aspects that did not turn out right. Then I also need to see whether there has been a lack of determination in any of those tasks. If so, let me place in front of me the aim and its attainments and fill myself with determined feelings to accomplish the task.

A single step taken with courage brings a thousand fold help from God

Message for the day 

A single step taken with courage brings a thousand fold help from God.

Projection: If there is fear due to which we are not able to take the first step, we will never be able to achieve big things. Even if something looks impossible, with a single step of courage it can be made possible and we will then be able to receive maximum help. God of course doesn't do our work but he does the work of giving us help.

Solution: Let me start with something new after surrendering it to God not just as a ritual, but with firm faith in my mind that I will receive His help. When I do this, help will surely come from some or the other means.

Determination brings success.

Message for the day 

Projection: Determination gives us strength to go on trying in spite of seeming failures. It is with determination that we can achieve what we set out to achieve without giving up. It enables us to find resources and use them for our own success.

Solution: When I am working on something, even if I have setbacks, I need to remind myself of how important it is for me to accomplish the task. When I remind myself in this way I will not loosen my intention and with determination I can achieve what I want.

Soul Sustenance 

Understanding And Expressing Your Potential

A free being is the one who recognizes their potential; they care for it, nourish it, use it and express it. It is an awakened being. It has stopped blaming, complaining and making excuses. It has taken on its full responsibility and has an attitude of gratitude at each moment. It is a relaxed being, but it does not get too comfortable in comfort zones or laziness. Out of peacefulness and spiritual strength, it rises above beliefs that limit their potential to grow and shine.

Its energy is full of love, courage and determination. It is a concentrated energy that governs their mind and emotions; it is not distracted by the unimportant, it does not lose sight of the important and does not allow itself to be trapped by anything or anybody. Therefore, their energy is fully centred and has great power. Not the false power that comes from stress, adrenaline, pride and ego, but rather the power that arises from a being whose conscience, decisions and actions are aligned. From a being that knows that nothing or nobody can prevent it from being free and express their full potential.

A free mind is a mind without limits, open to everything and closed to nothing. It is a mind that clings on to nothing and, because of this, is relaxed with everything. A mind is closed because it gets stuck on something; it is blocked by fears or disturbed by worries. A person with a busy, closed and clinging mind will get disturbed, they will fluctuate, they will lose their emotional stability and they will be easily offended. This doesn't happen to a person with a free, open and relaxed mind because they never lose sight of the true meaning of who they are.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

In Spiritual Service,

Brahma Kumaris

Determination can change even opposition and make things happen right.

Message for the day 

Projection: When we are able to create faith and determination in whatever we have taken up, then automatically hurdles become opportunities. We will then receive cooperation from others making the task successful.

Solution: Each day I need to spend some time to check all those aspects that did not turn out right. Then I also need to see whether there has been a lack of determination in any of those tasks. If so, let me place in front of me the aim and its attainments and fill myself with determined feelings to accomplish the task.

Determination saves wastage of time.

Message for the day 

Projection: The one slogan that is good to remember is 'Now or never'. If we are not able to use the thought we have immediately we will never be able to, because the strength of the thought begins to gradually reduce till it doesn't seem important anymore. Also there might not be enough time for us in the future.

Solution: Let me think of something that I want to do and I need to take a thought, 'if I do it now it will happen or it can never happen.' When I think in this way I will not postpone but do what is required immediately.

Determination brings good thoughts into practice.

Message for the day 

Projection: We do have a number of thoughts that we would like to put into practice. Most of the times it doesn't happen that way and they remain merely thoughts. It is necessary to strengthen such thoughts with the power of determination and we will be able to make them practical.

Solution: First, let me think of something that I wanted to do but could not bring into practice. Now let me take this thought once again and see why it is important for me to bring it into practice. Once I understand this l will be able to be determined to put it into practice.

True maturity lies in getting introverted and getting in touch with one's own pure, perfect self.

Message for the day
Projection: To be mature is to be introverted. Introversion means to spend time in silence, enabling us to get in touch with our pure, perfect self. It helps us to go within and recognize our own inner truth. It is not just to stay within but to recognise one's own inner worth and deal with the world with it.

Solution: Even during the worst situations, it is necessary to become introverted, look within myself and see my own inner worth. I will then naturally be able to maintain my self-respect. This gives me the maturity to be stable and happy, whatever the situation might be.

To change others with love is maturity.

Message for the day 

Projection: To have love for others is to have good wishes for them. When we are mature we understand that our desire to change others would be for their good and not for our own selfishness. Then others will quickly respond to our unselfish love and we'll find them changing.

Solution: Let me think of one person I want to bring about a change in. Before I think of changing that person let there be a lot of love for that person in my mind. Also let me make sure in my mind the change I want in the other person is for his own good and not for my own selfish reason.

Maturity is to bring positive thoughts into practice.

Message for the day 

Projection: We do have a number of thoughts that we would like to put into practice. Most of the times it doesn't happen that way and they remain merely thoughts. True maturity lies in instantly bringing such thoughts into practice. When we determine in this way, we are able to use our full potential.

Solution: Let me think of something that I wanted to do, but could not put into practice. Now let me take this thought once again and see why it is important for me to bring it into practice. Once I understand this I will be able to put it into practice. With maturity let me do things immediately. The one slogan that is good to remember is 'Now or never'.

True maturity lies in maintaining courage and faith even in adverse situations.

Message for the day 

Projection: Maturity lies in not getting affected by the situations around but to believe in one's own victory to give ourselves the wings and the strength to fly. With just this belief we will have the courage to work on our obstacles with ease and win over them.

Solution: Before I restart anything that I had failed in before or even when I start a new important task, I need to make sure that I tell myself that I am victorious. When I remind myself again and again that 'victory is my birthright', I will automatically get the courage to succeed.

The one who is sincere is easy and carefree.

Message for the day 

Projection: The one who is sincere is enthusiastic and enthusiasm makes the biggest obstacle look like a very tiny one. Sincerity makes us put in our best and so we are able to understand and prioritize. So we are able to be carefree about the consequences too. It also brings the awareness that there's nothing that is difficult, so we can surely achieve what we want to.

Solution: I should be able to change my consciousness in such a way that I am prepared for all the difficulties that life brings. With sincerity I need to give my best to the situation. Then I will neither have fear nor will I worry. I will also be easy and carefree.

The one who is sincere receives easy cooperation.

Message for the day 

Projection: When we are doing something with a clear picture in our minds, and sincerely work towards it, others will naturally cooperate. If we ourselves are not sure of what we are doing and why, we will not be able to receive their cooperation.

Solution: When I want the cooperation of others in what I do, I need to make sure that I am sure of what I am doing and that I am sincere in my contribution. I first need to be committed myself and I will find others helping me automatically.

To be sincere with our own specialities is to achieve constant success.

Message for the day

Projection: We never need to prove what we are, but because of our sincerity our actions become an expression of our specialiites. Just like a diamond never needs to prove but its sparkle is its proof of the value it has. When we work with our specialities with sincerity, then we will never give excuses or have expectations, but use every situation as an opportunity to express our qualities.

Solution: If I ever find myself giving excuses for my wrong or negative behaviour or words, I need to remind myself of the goodness and specialities that I have. When I do this, I will be sincere for the use of my qualities under all circumstances.

To be sincere is to win the trust of all.

Message for the day

Projection: When there is sincerity, words and actions will become equal. We will only do what we say and say what we can do. Because of this sincerity we will continue to receive love and regard from everyone, and more importantly their trust.

Solution: Let me take up one thing that I have not been able to fulfill and today I need to take up this thought that I will do it. With this sincerity when I tell myself that I have the power within, it makes my words and actions equal.