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Soul Sustenance 28-05-2012
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The Mental Kaleidoscope

A kaleidoscope creates beautiful patterns from chaotic bits and pieces, which are scattered everywhere. When the kaleidoscope is turned, disorder becomes order, chaos becomes beauty and symmetry. The Drama of Life is constantly turning and we are part of its cyclic movement; sometimes this cyclic movement of life is supportive, comprehensible (understandable) and enjoyable and, at other times, it is tense, fearful, stressful and incomprehensible (not understandable). There is confusion and fear because we do not understand what is happening, why it is happening and how it will get better. Things not only appear chaotic but also hopeless. If the intellect is able to go beyond the questions of 'Why?', 'What?' and 'How?' and just be still, without judgements, or pressure, for some period of time, then things do work out. To do this requires faith.

The power of faith means that we know that somehow and somewhere right solutions and answers will come in their own time.

(To be continued tomorrow…)

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Message for the day 28-05-2012
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To bring newness into actions means to contribute for the betterment of the self and others.

Expression: There is a constant desire to do something better that makes a contribution to oneself and to others too. So the one who thinks of newness can bring about such a contribution. There will not be something different that can be done. But the same thing can be done in such a way that there is benefit visible.

Experience: When I am able to bring newness in the way I do things, I am able to experience constant progress. There will also be the satisfaction of bringing about newness and creativity even in ordinary actions. Along with this will also be the satisfaction of making a contribution in every action of mine.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

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Soul Sustenance 27-05-2012
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Transforming “Reaction” To “Response”

In its original form, anger was not anger, not a negative reaction; rather it was the energy of a positive response to people and situations, but the response gradually changed to reaction. When we return to our spiritual identity, we begin to rediscover that capacity to be still, stable or centred, and we are they able to respond positively even to negative situations, or people. With spiritual consciousness, the energy of this negative reaction is transformed into being able to accept, understand and deal wisely and peacefully with whoever, or whatever, is encountered.

In order to extinguish (overcome) anger, one has to use peace and silence, to understand that peace is the original state of one's being; to remember that 'I am a peaceful being' means to emerge the consciousness of non-violence.

Silence, that is learning to put a brake on the mind and tongue, helps us to think before speaking and, as a result, saves us from many confrontations with others.

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Message for the day 27-05-2012
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True royalty lies in humility.

Expression: The one who is humble never reacts but responds in the right way to situations or challenges. Thus there is royalty visible in all words, actions and behaviour. So there is newness visible in the way of responding to situations.

Experience: When I am humble I am able to be beyond the influence of praise and defamation. This is because I am stable in the state of my self-respect. Also because of this I am able to bring about newness and I am able to be creative in responding to situations too.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

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Soul Sustenance 26-05-2012
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A New Journey With A New Personality (cont.)

Famous personalities are constantly sought after, in demand and remembered by many due to their specialties, may they be actors, gurus, sportsmen, politicians, founders of religions etc. Even in our daily lives, we tend to remember people with more specialties much more than the rest. God is the most complete and perfect personality that exists, but not a physical personality, a spiritual one. There is no one who is more specialty and virtue-filled than him. That is the reason he is an entity or living energy or personality who is remembered the most by each and everyone all over the world.

The above types of personalities mentioned are physical personalities and are remembered by some or many but not remembered by the rest and along with their specialties, they definitely have shortcomings. Also, you might find it difficult getting to meet them even for a few minutes. God is one personality without any weaknesses and he is my constant friend, once I start my journey. He is one who, although being the highest personality, can be available to thousands making a similar journey at the same time, not because he is omnipresent (present everywhere) but because he is omnipotent (the most powerful) and the only being possessing this capability. So, a specialty of this journey is that the more I progress on it and the more time I spend with this new personality accompanying me in my new journey, I constantly see new facets of this new personality being revealed in my life, which keeps the journey constantly refreshing. This also keeps me wondering what is going to be revealed next. So, once this journey of exploration and discovery has started, there's no reason to stop even for a second and there is immense amount of motivation to continue and keep smiling!

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Message for the day 26-05-2012
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Accuracy brings perfection and speciality in all that is done.

Expression: To be accurate means to take up full responsibility for every task and do it to the best of one's ability. That means all resources that one has are used in the best possible way for the best result of the task. This naturally brings perfection in everything that is done.

Experience: When I am accurate in everything I do I am able to be free from carelessness and negligence. I find myself bringing speciality and uniqueness in what I do. For having done things with accuracy, I also find myself becoming trust-worthy and I am also able to be satisfied with myself.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

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Soul Sustenance 25-05-2012
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A New Journey With A New Personality

Anyone who shows an inclination in getting to know the Supreme Being closely has a fascinating journey in front of them. Spiritual knowledge is the vehicle in which I make this extremely interesting journey full of exploration. Without sitting in the vehicle, I cannot make the journey. As I sit in this vehicle, I am introduced to this new, multi-faced, peaceful, loveful and blissful character in my life, a character who is spiritually rich with treasures of knowledge, virtues, powers, happiness and blessings, a character commonly called God, by everyone.

He is a character who introduces himself as being just a point of conscient light, a form very simple and plain. Yet, hidden beneath that simple light, incognito form is an immense volume of experience, wisdom and depth, such that even a lifetime spent in this journey, in his company, does not bring you to knowing him completely. The more you dive into the ocean of knowledge contained within the light, the more you discover and the more treasures of knowledge and experiences you receive. Every time you make contact with this new found companion called God, there is growth inside you and there is an increase of peace, love, happiness and power inside you. It's just as if after you've begun this journey, you're never quite the same again. However much time you spend in his company during the journey, whether it be in imbibing knowledge from him or remembering him during meditation or even sharing the benefits of this journey to other friends and relatives so that they can also start this journey themselves and experience what you are experiencing; whether you do either of these for a few minutes or an hour, there's always an experience of subtle growth and development inside you.

(To be continued tomorrow...)

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Message for the day 25-05-2012
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True honesty to the self brings the power to bring about change.

Expression: To be honest is not just to be truthful. It is more to be honest with the self. The one who is honest with the self constantly has the aim of bringing about a change for the better. Each situation is used as a chance for the betterment of the self. So there is always the aim not to repeat the mistakes that are committed once.

Experience: When I am honest with myself I am able to feel the constant progress and experience the happiness of moving forward under all circumstances. I have the power to understand the situation, not just from my point of view, but more in a detached way. So I am able to understand and accept whatever the situation holds for me and learn from it humbly.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

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Soul Sustenance 24-05-2012
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From Knowledge To Experience (cont.)

The same mechanism of the pole-vaulter which was explained yesterday is involved when a person wishes to attain realization of the self and an experience of a higher state of consciousness. To experience realization, we have to run some distance, collecting the necessary information. Then we use the pole of knowledge and wisdom to lift us off the ground of ordinary consciousness. But, we must then let go of the very pole of knowledge that we used to elevate our minds and take a jump of faith, flying over the barrier of 'ordinary consciousness' to experience a new and higher level of consciousness. If there is no faith, then there is not enough trust to let go of the pole and jump.

Many people do not let go of the pole of knowledge and, as a result, fall (like the pole vaulter) into the spinning of speculation and the habit of analysis and discussion – they are unable to experience spiritual consciousness. The pull of the ego, which does not let them have faith, draws the consciousness back to the ground. The irony is that they think they have jumped over the barrier and regard themselves as being in the privileged position of knowing or being knowledgeful. Then they think that from this privileged position they are in the position of judging and being better than those who 'know' in a different way or in other words better than those who do take the jump of faith and are truly spiritually enlightened.

The truth is that the ones who let go of the pole and cross the barrier are the ones with the more wider, mature, creative and humble intellect and are filled with spiritual strength, because of reaching the stage of experience.

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Message for the day 24-05-2012
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The one who has the courage to face is the one who can bring about a change.

Expression: When there is a challenge which brings out a negative response, there is an immediate desire to move away from the situation so that the negativity finishes. But the real challenge is not the situation itself, but the expression of a weakness within. The one who has the courage to face this weakness and work on it is able to bring about a change accordingly.

Experience: When I am able to face the challenge of working on my own weaknesses, instead of moving away from the situation I am able to experience progress at every step. Then there will be no feeling of helplessness but I will be able to have full control on the situation. So there is the ability to learn from each situation and move forward constantly.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

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Soul Sustenance 23-05-2012
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From Knowledge To Experience

One aspect of practical spirituality is the practice of values such as tolerance, patience, flexibility, humility (egolessness) etc. Another is for the meditator actually to experience the highest level of consciousness. It is said that when this highest level of consciousness is experienced, there is the strength to practice those values that create well-being. How can we go beyond the stages of information, knowledge and even wisdom to experience the original state of the soul, that is, truth?

One way to describe the above process is to compare it to the game of the pole-vaulter. The pole-vaulter has a long pole to help jump over the barrier. The athlete runs for a short distance, and then quickly fixes the pole into the ground, enabling the body to be lifted up. When the athlete reaches a certain point in the air, the very pole that was used to get to that point is discarded; if the athlete fails to let go of the pole, then the body will be propelled backwards and it will be impossible to accomplish the task of jumping over the barrier.

We shall explain this comparison tomorrow.

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Message for the day 23-05-2012
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To have the awareness of being God's instrument is to bring about a positive change.

Expression: When there is the awareness of being an instrument of God, there would be the desire to do the best and be the best. So each and every thing I do would be for the improvement for the self. Due to this there would be divinity and speciality seen in every thing that is done. This would also bring the awareness of all the resources and they would also be used in a worthwile way.

Experience: When I am aware of my own role and what I contribute through my specialities, I recognise the fact that I am a beautiful instrument of God. This awareness naturally helps me be in my state of self-respect under all circumstances. I find myself giving my best and making myself more and more beautiful within. So I find that I am able to bring about a positive change with great ease.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

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Soul Sustenance 22-05-2012
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The Power Of The Imagination

The power of the imagination is extraordinary. The imagination is one of our greatest resources. It offers us many options and, with the clarity of our intuition and the power of our intention, we can use it to bring about abundance and success in our lives.

It is a matter of using the art of the imagination in a constructive way so that it does not betray us. The imagination should be used for our more healthy and positive intentions.

When the imagination is influenced by our limiting fears and beliefs, our mind begins to imagine the worst; it creates fearful scenes that end up generating phobias and blocking us. Then we turn the imagination into an instrument to create negative fantasies that distance us from what is real. We believe in the fantasies that we have imagined.

The imagination has to used to help us overcome our limitations and not the other way round, which would be when the imagination is influenced by our limiting beliefs and our fears, with which it weakens us and keeps us locked into the cages created by our own mind. From a grain of sand it imagines and creates a great mountain that prevents it from advancing, and this mountain only exists in its own mind.

When the imagination is used in a positive way, it is capable of turning a great mountain, a difficult situation, into a grain of sand.

There is nothing too big that the human being cannot overcome.

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Message for the day 22-05-2012
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The method to bring about a permanent change is to bring about newness in thinking.

Expression: To bring about a permanent change for the better means getting the mind trained to new ways of looking at the same situation. Only with this new understanding will there be a new response. Trying to bring about change in a superficial way will not bring about a long-lasting change.

Experience: When I train my mind to think creatively I'm able to keep my mind busy. In this way I'm able to free it from thinking negative and waste. Also I find myself enjoying every scene that comes in front of me and I also find myself constantly progressing.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris

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Soul Sustenance 21-05-2012
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Re-Discovering Inner Treasures

Whenever the situation or atmosphere becomes polluted with tension, sorrow, or negativity of any type, withdraw immediately into the self and dive deep into the ocean of sanskaras, picking up the pearls of peace and contentment. Come back to that situation feeling refreshed, calm and clear, with the strength to deal with any circumstances. The process of self-introspection (self observation) need only take a few moments.

Meditation
Let the intellect focus on the following thoughts and reading over them slowly, go deeply into the experience of each state being described:

The soul is a point of energy, weightless and light situated at the center of the forehead... Let the intellect see deeper into the self and emerge the memory of the stillness of the original state of the soul, a state full of love, peace and bliss... Let the outside world continue on its way, but for a few moments be detached from it... turn within, and enjoy the inner treasures... of calmness, of peace, a very pure experience... the peaceful soul can more easily gather together its inner powers... Peace itself is a rare power... just sitting and feeling still, experience the refreshment and restoration of strength to the intellect... the cleansing of the mind.

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Message for the day 21-05-2012
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The method to finish waste thoughts is to deal with the mind with love.

Expression: When there are waste thoughts in the mind which one tries to stop, it becomes difficult to do that. There is discomfort and difficulty experienced. On the other hand, when the mind is taught to take the right direction with love, there is a quick and dramatic change.

Experience: When I learn the art of speaking to my mind with love, I am able to free myself from waste thoughts without any feelings of suppression. Concentration too becomes easy and all thoughts are directed towards the right direction.


In Spiritual Service,
Brahma Kumaris