How to experience true freedom

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Message for the day 20-08-2011
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True peace is an experience of freedom.

Projection: When challenging situations come our way, we are not able to be free from the use of our own negative habits and traits. We are then not able to give our best to the situation. Then there is both internal and external chaos. On the other hand working with our specialties help us experience freedom from negativity.

Solution: I need a long time of practice of being in a state of peace for being able to experience it naturally during the challenging time. So let me practice having an experience of some special quality of mine. This practice over a period of time helps me be with it in the difficult time too and I am able to be peaceful.   

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Soul Sustenance 20-08-2011
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Meditation – Obstacles Faced By Beginners

Tackling challenges in Life

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Message for the day 09-08-2011
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To become an embodiment of solutions is to be able to stay in constant peace.

Projection: Situations do bring a lot of challenges for us, but where there is fear or worry while facing them, there cannot be peace. As long as we continue looking at the problem instead of searching for solutions we cannot remain in peace.

Solution: Let me think of something that I consider as a problem, something about which I am thinking a lot. Now let me see if I can find a solution for it. If I feel I cannot, it is better to leave thinking about it rather than to worry about it. When I keep the mind free in this way, I will get the solutions automatically.
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Soul Sustenance 09-08-2011
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To become an embodiment of solutions is to be able to stay in constant peace.

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Message for the day 18-07-2011
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To become an embodiment of solutions is to be able to stay in constant peace.

Projection: Situations do bring a lot of challenges for us, but where there is fear or worry while facing them, there cannot be peace. As long as we continue looking at the problem instead of searching for solutions we cannot remain in peace.

Solution: Let me think of something that I consider as a problem, something about which I am thinking a lot. Now let me see if I can find a solution for it. If I feel I cannot, it is better to leave thinking about it rather than to worry about it. When I keep the mind free in this way, I will get the solutions automatically.

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Soul Sustenance 18-07-2011
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To experience peace is to be in one powerful stage

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Message for the day 15-07-2011
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To experience peace is to be in one powerful stage.

Projection: The more the thoughts we have, the lesser the peace that is experienced in the mind. When we are able to maintain a powerful thought throughout the day whatever the situations come our way we can experience constant peace.

Solution: Right in the morning let me take a thought that is positive and powerful. For example, 'victory is my birthright' or 'I am always fortunate'. Whatever the situations I come across, let me emerge this thought and I will be able to maintain peace.

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Soul Sustenance 15-07-2011
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Stepping Inside …

One aspect of meditation is that it teaches us to face life from the inside.

It takes us to that point of stillness where we find the strength to change and heal the inner self. In that silence, we are able to find perspective and insight. In a deep state of introspection, we clearly observe our thoughts, seeing our true motives and intentions behind our words and actions; when we understand that our intentions are perhaps not quite right, then we are in a position to say to ourselves, 'Hold on a minute!' When we use silence to check our thoughts at that level, then we begin to realize that many of the things we are thinking about are not really worth thinking about. At this point, we become spiritually economical, which in fact leads us to becoming very generous. A lot of precious energy is lost, both mentally and emotionally, on wasteful and negative thinking. Ninety-five percent of our time is wasted on thinking about others; we go on and on with a string of expectations from others, which becomes like a hammer of demand on other people's heads. Take a combination of expectations and demand, and what does it equal? Conflict!

When we learn to become silent and to reflect on our inner self, we start feeling satisfied with what we find inside, expectations from others gradually come down and there is a deep sense of contentment.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

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True peace is an experience of freedom.

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Message for the day 14-07-2011
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True peace is an experience of freedom.

Projection: When challenging situations come our way, we are not able to be free from the use of our own negative habits and traits. We are then not able to give our best to the situation. Then there is both internal and external chaos. On the other hand working with our specialties help us experience freedom from negativity.

Solution: I need a long time of practice of being in a state of peace for being able to experience it naturally during the challenging time. So let me practice having an experience of some special quality of mine. This practice over a period of time helps me be with it in the difficult time too and I am able to be peaceful

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Soul Sustenance 14-07-2011
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Keeping The 'Watchman Of Attention' Alert

All the religions and spiritual groups place a lot of importance on the virtue of discipline. Without discipline you do not manage to transform negative habits and you do not create a new state of awareness where the self is nourished through the experience of spirituality. Every day you eat, you brush your teeth, bathe, drink water and breathe, and all of this you do not consider a discipline; you have adopted them as something natural in order for your body to continue working. On a spiritual level you also need to nourish yourself and to have a discipline that, with practice, a time comes when it becomes natural because you incorporate it into your life. In the process of change you need to discipline yourself in order not to let old habits come to the forefront. Until you have 'burnt' them and they have 'died', you should keep the 'watchman of attention' alert in order to maintain your self-control, given that each time you use a negative habit in action, you strengthen it. When you do not use it, you allow it to die.

The path of the spiritual traveler is therefore one of waking (awareness of self as soul) and sleeping (under the illusion that we are our body), waking and sleeping. We tend to fluctuate between the two (like dawn and dusk) until we find stability in soul-consciousness. This is why it is important to awaken and stay awake, and why it's important to give our mind and intellect good spiritual food (knowledge) and exercise (meditation) every day to keep them fresh and alert. Being conscious of the soul, acting from that consciousness, the scars (habits and tendencies) left by past actions based on illusions of bodily awareness are healed. Discipline is necessary for growth and personal transformation if you want to obtain satisfying and permanent results. If not, the old habits continue to rule in your life. The evidence that our discipline in the practice of meditation is working is mental lightness and an increasing easiness in our interactions with others.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

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Become a bestower of peace

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Message for the day 10-07-2011
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To become an embodiment of peace is to become a bestower of peace.

Projection: People in the world only want peace and happiness. When we experience peace ourselves we can give others this experience too. Where there is peace there would naturally be happiness too.

Solution: People in the world only want peace and happiness. When we experience peace ourselves we can give others this experience too. Where there is peace there would naturally be happiness too.

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Soul Sustenance 10-07-2011
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Symptoms Of Stress

When we feel stressed our difficulty tends to be reflected in certain physiological (physical) and psychological (mental) symptoms, whose importance we may not fully understand. These are normal signs that we should re-check our priorities – our body, or our state of mind, is telling us that something in our lives needs to change. Listed here are some of the common signs:

1. Restlessness - We could have difficulty sitting still for even short periods of time and we may play with our hands, play with our thumbs or play with the rings on our fingers.

2. Impatience And Short-temperedness - We could find ourselves becoming angry at any moment for simple reasons; or we may snap at people, too quick to assume that they are accusing us.

3. Obsessive Working – Overworking can be a stress symptom, although stress can also cause some people to work very little.

4. Loss Of Appetite - Food doesn't interest us anymore. Either we don't eat, or we over-eat junk food, or whatever is in the cupboard or fridge.

5. Fear Of Silence - Silence may cause us discomfort, so that we "over-talk" when with other people or leave on the radio or television when alone. Sometimes we may not tolerate noise at all.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

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The power of silence can bring peace to any situation

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Message for the day 09-07-2011
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The power of silence can bring peace to any situation.

Projection: The instruments for the power of silence are pure thoughts and pure feelings. We can give others an experience with the power of our silence. When we understand and experience the power of silence we will become more powerful. We will then be able to experience peace that will naturally spread to others too.

Solution: When I have to correct someone in any situation I first need to remind myself that words will not work but silence based on pure feelings and love will surely work. When I accept the person as he is with love I will be able to bring about a change in him. The lesser I talk the more the peace that is created.

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Soul Sustenance 09-07-2011
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Stepping Inside … (cont.)

When we learn to become silent we become more compassionate (generous) in our outlook and start accepting others for who they are.

The more we are able to accept, the sooner we find that there is harmony (peacefulness) in our relationships. We start saving energy, sparing or reducing our thoughts and our words. This is accompanied by more patience, tolerance, flexibility, easiness and lightness. Silence teaches us the art of living. Silence can be misused to isolate oneself and go into loneliness, but true, positive silence gives us a balance between our inner and outer worlds. Having explored our inner self we collect our positive energy, become aware of our qualities, and then very naturally these are expressed externally. We move our concentration to the inner self and then to the external world. Then we go inwards again. It is a circular movement. As we go into silence, we recharge our inner energies, become one with the self, heal our self, relax and release our self from negativity. There are so many benefits by simply stepping inside to meet our true self. As we draw out our internal riches and resources, what do we do with them? We share them and give them out and in doing this we receive and we learn.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

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To experience peace is to be in one powerful stage.

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Message for the day 08-07-2011
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To experience peace is to be in one powerful stage.

Projection: The more the thoughts we have, the lesser the peace that is experienced in the mind. When we are able to maintain a powerful thought throughout the day whatever the situations come our way we can experience constant peace.

Solution: Right in the morning let me take a thought that is positive and powerful. For example, 'victory is my birthright' or 'I am always fortunate'. Whatever the situations I come across, let me emerge this thought and I will be able to maintain peace.

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Soul Sustenance 08-07-2011
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Stepping Inside …

One aspect of meditation is that it teaches us to face life from the inside.

It takes us to that point of stillness where we find the strength to change and heal the inner self. In that silence, we are able to find perspective and insight. In a deep state of introspection, we clearly observe our thoughts, seeing our true motives and intentions behind our words and actions; when we understand that our intentions are perhaps not quite right, then we are in a position to say to ourselves, 'Hold on a minute!' When we use silence to check our thoughts at that level, then we begin to realize that many of the things we are thinking about are not really worth thinking about. At this point, we become spiritually economical, which in fact leads us to becoming very generous. A lot of precious energy is lost, both mentally and emotionally, on wasteful and negative thinking. Ninety-five percent of our time is wasted on thinking about others; we go on and on with a string of expectations from others, which becomes like a hammer of demand on other people's heads. Take a combination of expectations and demand, and what does it equal? Conflict!

When we learn to become silent and to reflect on our inner self, we start feeling satisfied with what we find inside, expectations from others gradually come down and there is a deep sense of contentment.

(To be continued tomorrow …)

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

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The power to listen brings inner peace.

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Message for the day 07-02-2011
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The power to listen brings inner peace.

Projection: Sometimes I find myself hurt even though the other person did not mean anything. This is because I am hearing the words but not able to understand the meaning behind it. This brings misunderstanding and conflicts and even spoils relationships.

Solution: When someone is telling me something I need to listen to the other person rather than merely hearing to his words. When I am able to understand the intentions behind his words I am able to take something from them instead of just creating conflicts in relationships.

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Soul Sustenance 07-02-2011
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Understanding The Different Types Of Thoughts That The Mind Creates (cont.)

To have a positive outlook is to remain in peace.

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Message for the day 14-12-2010

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To have a positive outlook is to remain in peace.

Projection: The more one hears and talks about positive things, the more one is able to be free from negative influences. The environment today doesn't give much of a chance for hearing to positivity because of the continuous flow of news about conflict and violence. But changing the theme of conversation and talking about what life gives is to change the responses to the world in a more positive way.

Solution: When I have a positive outlook, it creates in me hope and enthusiasm for the future. I also have a more positive view of the present reality. I remain in peace, whatever the challenges or negative situations I may have to face. I am able to be in touch with the inner peace and maintain this state of mind under all circumstances.

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Soul Sustenance 14-12-2010
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What Are Some Of The Benefits Of Positive Thinking On The Mind?

To transform waste into something purposeful

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Message for the day 11-10-2010
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To transform waste into something purposeful and powerful is to remain light.

Projection: To successfully transform something waste into something powerful and meaningful is to look beyond the situation and see what it has to teach. When there is the ability to do this, there is the ability to go on in spite of the most challenging obstacles. There is the deep understanding that nothing happens without a purpose. There is no time or energy wasted in wasteful company.

Solution: When I understand the significance of everything that happens, I am able to transform in a second. So I am able to remain light because I am able to put in sincere effort and free myself from the burden of waste. I also find that there is no problem in my relationships too, as I am able to understand others and behave accordingly.

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Soul Sustenance 11-10-2010
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The Search For Peace, Love and Happiness

We are constantly searching for true values. In consciousness we mistakenly think that the physical world and physical relations can provide us peace, love and happiness. However peace, love and happiness are not the properties of matter, nor of the physical identity, but the true properties or characteristics of the soul. This has to be realized.

Imagine a scene in which you are surrounded by all your favourite things; food, music, fragrance, scenery and companions. Just about to enjoy your meal, the telephone rings and you are told that a person close to you has just died. Instantly, that scene of "favourites" melts into a distasteful and superficial experience. Something has happened that shakes the soul and it can no longer enjoy those things. At the same time it finds itself powerless in the face of the bad news as understanding and power are missing. Life is full of experiences such as this and it becomes clear that physical things are not the sources of peace, love and happiness, but that understanding and inner strength are.

One of the basic facts of human psychology is that we do not seek or desire something that has not been experienced previously. For example, if one has never tasted a mango, there cannot be a burning desire to have a mango. This suggests that desires might be arising from previous life experiences. In fact, it is impossible for a human being to act or desire outside the field of his or her own experience. The search for peace, love and happiness is so fundamental to the human spirit because these are the original and true qualities of the soul itself.

In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

The best way to change others is to remain peaceful.

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Message for the day 07-10-2010
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The best way to change others is to remain peaceful.

Projection: When there is behaviour seen which is not to my liking or approval, there is a tendency to get upset and worked up about it. So immediately, this is brought into words and actions also. Getting agitated or excited doesn't however solve the problem. When there is the ability to remain peaceful, the right solution is found and there is the right response to the problem at hand.

Solution: When I am able to maintain my inner peace under all circumstances and with all people, I am able to use the power of my thoughts to bring about a change in the mind of others too. I find myself discovering the power of my inner potential and am able to use it for my own benefit and that of others.

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Soul Sustenance 07-10-2010
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Meditation The Western And Eastern Perspective

The more we experience peace

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Message for the day 06-09-2010
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The more we experience peace within the more there will be positivity in our life.

Projection: We usually try to change ourselves and our negativities by working on each of them separately. We might be able to overcome them also but being connected to the other weaknesses we find that they reemerge again. Then we find that the negativity remains in our life influencing all our thoughts, words and actions.

Solution: We first need to make a promise to ourselves to maintain our own inner positivity. Once we do that we also need to make an attempt to practice relaxing our mind and remaining calm before we do any important thing. When we practice in this way we will be able to keep our mind calm and this calmness will bring contentment through which there will be positivity in all we do.

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Soul Sustenance 06-09-2010
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Self Responsibility (cont.)

To think of solutions instead of the problems is to be in peace.

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Message for the day 14-06-2010
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To think of solutions instead of the problems is to be in peace.

Projection:
When faced with difficult situations, we see such situations as problems. Thus we find ourselves anxious or tensed and our mind is full of negative thoughts. We can no longer think positive or keep
our mind in peace.

Solution:
In each difficult situation we need to see what solution we can find for the situation at hand instead of thinking unnecessarily of it as a problem. When we learn to think in this way our mind will be light and we will be able to maintain our own inner peace.

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Soul Sustenance 14-06-2010
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Anger Management And Prevention

Experience of true peace brings easy success.

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Message for the day 27-05-2010
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Experience of true peace brings easy success.

Projection:
Whenever things go wrong, we find ourselves worrying a lot about
the situation or the things that are going on. Then our mind is no
longer in peace but is busy worrying and breaking the situation into
pieces. We find that we don't find the accurate solution
immediately but are thinking in circles.

Solution:
While working to find solutions, it is more important to work at
our own inner peace before we make an attempt to try and find a
solution. With the right state of mind, we automatically find that the
right decisions are being made by us thus giving us the right results.

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Soul Sustenance 27-05-2010
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Experiencing Peace