Soul Connection

~~ Om Shanthi ~~

I

• Relationship is an interaction of one person with other person.
• Issues in relationships exist inspite of right doing and speaking with each other. This is because of lack of righ thinking towards the other person.

II

• Good relationships start with right thoughts towards the other person.
• Whatever we do for the person in relation, it is not for that person's happiness but it is for ourselves.
• Every action towards a person in relation should precede with self consolation regarding the action. If the result of the consolation is that this action will be for my happiness and I am doing this action with happiness - then only proceed with the action for the other person else don't.
• Every decision and action in relationships depends on an individula's capacity. So self consolation is the best guide. Hence, we need to increase our inner capactiy to cope with the situation.

III

• Avoid "Perfume of negativity" in relationships by good thoughts.
• Thoughts have to be good irrespective of while with a person or not.
• Before starting a good relationship with others, we need to have a good relationship with ourselves.
• Stop blaming others for your current state. Take the responsibility for your current state. It is our thoughts which are responsible for our state.
• It is we who create our thoughts. External world is just a stimuli. We have the power to choose and create our thoughts.

IV

• My mind the little baby I am parenting. Its mine and I have the power to nurture it the way I want. 
• There are lot of things that  have happened in the past for which I have been criticizing myself. But today I stop and I change the way I talk to myself.
• Look at my thought and gently change it to a powerful affirmation. The past is not in my control but I love myself and I can do this. I have the power. It doesn't matter what the world says. I have the power and I am using this to nurture my self. 

V

• The one relationship, which I have ignored and neglected for a very long time. Let me start looking at myself. I the being, creator of every thought and feeling. I now realise that I have the power to change and channelise my thoughts in the direction I choose. There are challenges, there is work to be done, there are situations waiting for me today and in the future. But whenever I think any of them, let me take care that my every thought is clean, positive, and powerful. However big the challenge may be, the outcome I create in the screen of mind is my choice. I am carefully teaching my mind to create a calm and positive response. The only energy that's in my control is me myself. Irrespective of whatever is happening around me, let me remind myself - I can only control myself and focus my attention on that which is in my control.

VI

• Let us look at one name, which I have been holding on the screen of my mind. My thought - they hurt me, they were wrong, they were unfair, and they are the cause of my pain. I now understand, they had a reason for what they did. I am the creator of my hurt and pain. Today, I choose to create love instead. I am a loveful being. I am a pure being. My every thought in this internal factory is a pure loveful thought. That's the only product I create and I send those vibrations of love and purity to them. Look at the energy the vibrations travel to them. Conflicts dissolve, energy blockage healed, relationships restored.

VII

• First thing to work upon in building a good relationship with myself is to accept myself as I am. This is followed by approve and empower myself. This is beginning of good relationship with myself and outer world.
• Let me take this moment to get to know myself. Labels, positions, identities, belief systems - I drop each one of them. Roles and responsibilities, they are just layers I have acquired. As I drop these layers and I ask myself, who I am I? Not the profession, not the relationship, not the responsibility. They are only what I do. Who am I? I start to see myself. Master of this body, the energy that creates, experiences, and expresses - I the being, the conscient energy, the soul, master of this body. I am a pure, peaceful, powerful being. This is my true nature. This is my personality. This is who I am. Whatever may be the situation, whatever others meant to, I am a pure, peaceful, and powerful being. My every response, my every thought and feeling ignites from this consciousness of  purity,  peace, and love.

VIII

• Soul is a package of three things - Thoughts, Intellect, and Sanskars (मन, बुद्धि, और संस्कार).
• I the soul. Playing the role of the parent. My relationship with my child begins with me. My every thought sends a message, a vibration to my child. Let me take care that my every thought is of acceptance, love, and power. Whatever may be my concerns, whatever may be the pressures - I can't afford to crate a single wrong thought, because my every thought is being consumed by the child. The child grows up consuming my vibrations, my vibrations are the emotional diet of my child. Every thought only of love and understanding.

IX

• I the being. I am a bundle of thoughts and feelings. Every thought I create, is a vibration that is travelling to the child coming to our family. Our energy is the energy that welcomes the child to this family. Whatever situations I may have, whatever challenges I are there before me - today I will choose I will respond to them in a new way, in a healthy way, which is healthy for me and the child. A new way of thinking and a new way of responding. Because my vibrations influence the vibrations of the child. My every thought arises from the consciousness of purity and love. Theses vibrations travel to the soul and help the soul to heal itself, forget the past and heal the pain. We are nourishing the soul and also helping the soul to heal itself. 

X

• Let me detach myself from everything around me and gradually detach from my own emotions. Just being myself. Conscient energy, creating every thought and transmitting to people around me. My thoughts, my belief systems, my vibrations, are transmitting to the children around me. Let me be very careful, because my every belief system creates my destiny and so every belief system of my child will create his destiny. Its my responsibility to empower the soul with knowledge, love, and understanding. Not a single thought of fear, anger, and resentment. Let me be very careful irrespective of whatever the child does - my role is empowerment and which means stability, understanding, and power to change. My vibrations travel to my child.

XI

• Feeling of rejection created as a child, becomes the sanskar of the soul. Then even in other relationships whether at home, work or friends, the individual tends to feel unwanted.
• Our sanskars influence our thinking patterns. Every time we respond in the same manner, we are deepening the sanskar. Then the slightest stimlus creates the same response.
• Our sanskars are the filter through which we perceive every situation, and then create thoughts in response to our perception.
• Self counselling is to gradually change our thoughts, then our responses to situations will change and thereby changing our sankar. Thoughts, action, sanskar is a cycle.
• You can't stop the thoughts. But you can replace the thoughts with the good one. So whenever you come across disturbing/bad thoughts create opposite and good thoughts by meditating and consoling yourself.
• Today's media is trying to control your mind and thoughts. Thus effecting on your attitude and belief systems. Finally on your destiny.
• Let’s look at the screen of our mind. Scene after scene, actors are playing their part. Let me remind myself, it’s only a drama and every actor is choosing to create according to their role. As I watch them play their role, let me be aware that my thoughts and feelings are my creations. I am the audience, I am only an observer and as I observe let me take care that I am not consumed by those emotions. As I am watching what is happening outside, I also take a moment to watch what is happening inside me and carefully choose only those thoughts and feelings which create happiness and love. As I do this, it’s my first step to becoming a detached observer.

XII

• Let me look at my family and my field of relationships. With everyone I meet its an exchange of energy. My responsibility is to support, empower, and heal my family. There are challenges, they have pressures. But they are looking at me for love, compassion, and support. Before taking care of them, I need to take care of myself. Let me look at myself in this situation and remind myself, I am the facilitator, a guide - my role is to empower and support, its only a situation and my child will be able to face it and cross it, all that the child needs is strength. Its my role to give him this strength right now. I the powerful being, send vibrations of power and love to my child.

XIII

• Let me look at my journey of life. There are challenges, there are situations, where I have to decide in which direction to move. What is my compass on this journey? The compass which will show me the direction so that I never make a mistake. Its the compass of my core values and principles. In the biggest crisis I just have to stop and check what my compass is showing me and then use that compass of values peace, love, power, truth. I use my compass and as I use my compass I strengthen myself. As I strengthen myself I empower those around me. Just watching me they learn that the compass works and with the compass in hand there will be no doubts, no confusions, and no mistakes. I will be heading in life only towards there where I have decided - a journey of bliss, purity, and happiness.

XIV

• See my relationship. A relationship between I the soul and my child another soul. Its an energy exchange between a soul and a soul. My every thought and feeling is energy that travels from me to the soul and this energy decides the direction in which the soul grows. The self esteem develops, self  respect created, its my vibration which is choosing his direction. Irrespective of whatever they do, my prime responsibility is their development and empowerment and so at every step my response to every situation and even to things that I thought were wrong, its a response of understanding and compassion, that they have a reason for what they are doing. They are right in their own perspective and I respect them.

XV

• Love, support, acceptance - words that were used but rarely expressed and experienced. Let me today take these words into my field of relationships. People around me will make mistakes. They are on their journey. They have taken decisions and the consequences of the decision have to be faced. My role is to support, guide, and empower. I am on the journey with them. A journey of unconditional acceptance and love. My role is to be a facilitator and a guide as they walk their path. My responsibility to strengthen the soul on the journey. Not decide the path for them. I am there to share not to dictate. I am there to love and support unconditionally.

XVII

• I the soul, creator of every relationship. Let me look at that one relationship where I always felt rejected, where I deserved love, expected acceptance - but always seem to get pain instead when others around are getting what I wanted. Let me try and see the same relationship in a different perspective. Its a karmic account between two souls. A carry forward energy exchange of pain and today I the soul have the awareness that I have the power to change the quality of the energy being exchanged. I do not expect and I do not want, I am now the giver , the sustainer of this relationship. I am a love-ful being, I have the power to unconditionally love and accept them. Its my choice. Let me look at myself with that, however they behave, whatever they say, the energy I send to them is my choice and from today I choose love and acceptance not to be received but to be sent out instead. Let me see myself with them, being the way I am comfortable, doing what I think is right irrespective of how they behave. As I do that I send them vibrations of love and compassion. I heal myself and change the quality of energy being exchanged. The quality of the relationship is my choice and today I begin a new karmic account.

XVIII

• Dependency reduces WILL power.
• I am trying to reconnect to my own self.  I the conscient being, pure and blissful. This is my original nature. My contentment is not dependent on anything and anyone outside. This is who I am. As I see someone around me going through pain I understand my role is to support and empower. But for that I first take care of my own inner state of contentment, remaining stable, I am non-judgmental and I am continuing to give them unconditional respect. I understand that they are in pain and my role is to heal with the vibration of love.

XIX

• Let me bring that one relationship which I have been resisting. I wanted them to change. I wanted them to become the way I thought they should be. Let me bring that person on the screen of my mind. As a detached observer let me try and see them as they are. No labels, no positions, just the being to who I am connected because my relationship is with the soul. Try and see the soul another pure conscient energy that has come into my field of connections. Different way of thinking, different belief systems but originally just like me  - pure, love-ful, and peaceful being. Come into my field so that I can experience another beautiful connection with them. A relationship in which I have to only give - love and understanding. When I the soul connect to another soul its a flow of purity. No fear, no threat, no struggle for power - we are all  the same connected in harmony.

XXI

• Let me take a moment to detach from the environment, the world around me, people around me, detached from my emotions and thoughts and just be with myself. I, the pure conscient being - this is who I am and this is my quality. There are people around me, who are in pain. They are relationships who are very near and dear to me. They need support and understanding. My responsibility - step back from the scene, stand as an audience in the drama and look at the role of the every actor, unbiased, detached. As I stand in the audience, I can see the scene in its right perspective. As I remain connected to my core being, powerful and in control. I send vibrations of love and power to the soul in pain. My stability becomes their strength, my compassion becomes empowerment for them. This is my responsibility in my relationships.

XXII

• Look at all those relationships and situations where the mind is entangled, still looking for answers, unable to take decisions, differences of opinion, conflicting energy. Let me just step back from the scene, detached from my idea of right, ready to LET GO, ready to understand. As an audience seeing the role of every actor and their opinions and ideas. As I let go of my idea I am able to see theirs in another perspective. As I let go I give up my ego and attachment. I am able to understand them. No rejection and no resistance, understanding and compassion. Giving my suggestion but open to the ideas of everyone around me.

XXIV

• Watch the drams of our lives. I the actor on the stage with all my co-stars. My family, my colleagues, and friends, the co-actors in my personal drama. As we play this drama of life, I understand that each one of us has our own unique role, unique style of  acting, and a different script. I accept and appreciate that the beauty of this drama is each one of us is different. There are no rights and wrongs, just that we are different. As I watch everyone around me, playing their role, I understand that we are different from each other. I appreciate the way they play their role. At the same time focus attention and concentration only on my role, and my script. That is the only one thing which is in my control. That is the only one thing where I have a choice. I am the creator of my script. The director of my role. I the pure, powerful, peaceful being. This is the personality of me the actor. As I speak every word and enact every scene my personality flows into action.

XXV

• Removing of negative thoughts is realization.
• Bring on the screen of our mind one relationship where I have cheated, made a mistake, and they have created hurt. Let me bring that soul on the screen of my mind. I understand today that my thoughts, words, and actions were stimulus which cause them to create pain. I, a pure love-ful being. Love is my original property. Love is the energy which heals. Love is the energy which empowers. I the soul sending them this constant vibration of love and purity, healing them. Let me see my vibrations, changing the quality of energy between two of us. Blockages removed, relationships healed. I understand, realise, and transform.

XXVI

• Look at ourselves. Master of this body. Creator of thoughts, feelings, our wishes and vibrations. Everything I think and feel are my wishes which travel to people around me. It is a constant flow of energy going from me to them. I understand they may have cheated me, they may have betrayed me, they may have done things which I thought was wrong. But I still have the power to choose what I send them. It is a karmic account which I have with this soul and what is coming to me today  is only a return of what I sent before. Today I the powerful being choose to change the quality of this energy exchange. I choose to change the quality of this karmic account. No more hatred and pain, its only understanding. I understand they are hurt and my love and understanding will help them heal themselves.

XXIX

• We have had a lot of relationships in the past. In some of them we have created pain. But today I choose a different way of thinking, I choose to break the old pattern and to heal my wounds. I do not need respect from anyone. Respect is the energy I create and send out. Because I am a pure being, complete and I accept myself as I am. All the pain that was created in the past was my lack of awareness about my own self and I used their words to hurt myself. Today I understand they were not aware of what they were sending me. But now I am aware of what I create and send out to those around me.

XXX

• Number of expectations from everyone around me. I wanted them to be and do what I think is right. I always wanted the world to be according to my control. A new way of thinking, I can choose what I think is right but I also choose to accept the result irrespective. I expect and empower them but remain stable if my expectations are not fulfilled. My expectation are for empowering them not pressurising them, irrespective of what they do and how they behave. My respect remains constant, unconditional. Because I respect the soul, I may not approve of the act, the words, but my respect for the soul, remains constant.

XXXI

• I the being, conscient energy. I am a love-ful being. Love that feeling for which I was searching outside. Stimulants, people, objects, I searched everywhere. This is me. I am love. I am complete. As I experience this, I understand that its my property that I transmit to people around me. Its a feeling which I transmit to souls around me. Its not something which I want, ask for or dependent on. Its my natural Sanskar and I can create this in the presence of everyone. Because this is who I am. As I know myself, I send vibrations of love to all the souls in relationships around me. I send vibrations of love to souls all over the world. Because I the soul, I am in connection through the energy of love.

XXXIV

• Look at our journey. My values, my principles, and my journey in life - this is my choice. My truth and my power of conviction gives me the strength to walk my path. Souls around me could be sending me all kinds of energy but I am sure of the road I have taken. At the same time, I understand what they are going through. I understand they are in pain and I empathise with them. I understand they need healing and they are doing what they are doing only because they have forgotten who they are. I send them vibrations of love and power. I am protected by my own truth and purity. Try and visualize a shield of white light all around me, nothing can permeate this, I don't absorb energies which are around me, I radiate energy to them.

~~ Om Shanthi ~~

Source: Brahma Kumaris
E-mail: awakening@bkmail.org

तार मन कि तुम्ही से जुडी ही रहे

तार मन कि तुम्ही से जुडी ही रहे,

आत्म ज्योति सभी कि जगी ही रहे,

आरजू है यही  कि तेरी गोद में, बाबा हसती हर एक ज़िन्दगी रहे ||

हो ह्रदय में नहीं बदले कि भावना,                                   

सब के खातिर सदा हो ये शुभ कामना |

उरमे प्रभु प्रीत सबके  बसी ही रहे,

बाबा हसती हर एक ज़िन्दगी ही रहे ||

विश्व सारा हमारा ये  अपना ही घर, 

सबके हम, सब हमारे ही आये नज़र | 

हर डगर फूलों से यूँ सजी ही रहे,

बाबा हसती हर एक ज़िन्दगी ही रहे ||

तार मन कि तुम्ही से जुडी ही रहे ||

भूलें भटकें उन्हें पास लाना हमें,

जो मिला है उन्हें भी दिलाना हमें |

ये लगन दिल में हर दम लगी ही रहे,

बाबा हसती हर एक ज़िन्दगी ही रहे ||

तार मन कि तुम्ही से जुडी ही रहे,

आत्मा ज्योति सभी कि जगी ही रहे,

आरजू है यही कि तेरी गोद में बाबा हसती हर एक ज़िन्दगी रहे ||

तार मन कि तुम्ही से जुडी ही रहे||

Moral Science

Currently we have so much negativity and conflict of values in the society. This leads to negative sanskars and impaired personality. These negative energy are so influential that we are growing with so many wrong belief systems.

Now, to circumvent all these wrong belief systems and install a pure and original belief system, we need to put an extra effort. My point here is, just before having wrong belief systems, why can't we start our life with right and pure belief systems. So this leads us to the starting point of learning "The School".


In our school days we used to have classes, usually on weekends, dedicated to morality in daily life, although it was not in the top priority subjects. The subject was named "Moral Science". Currently, not sure how many schools do have this kind of subject in their curriculum. The aim of this subject was to scratch good sanskars on the clean canvas of the children. This would have ultimately led to the good character and personality of a being. According to me "Moral Science" should be the top priority subject in all schools irrespective of cast, creed, and region.

Happiness Unlimited

~~ Om Shanthi ~~

I

• Happiness is not dependent on physical objects.
• Objects, possessions, gadgets are designed to give us comfort.
• Physical comfort is different from emotional comfort. Happiness is a feeling.
• Happiness is our internal creation and can be created irrespective of external comforts.
• We use the objects as a stimulus to create a response, but the response is our choice.
• Different people create different responses, using the same stimulus.

II

• Happiness is a state of being, created while working towards the goal, not a feeling to be experienced after achieving the goal.
• If we believe that happiness is after achieving, then we create stress, anger, and fear while achieving, and thus do not experience happiness.
• Before I take the responsibility of those around me, I need to take responsibility of my own thinking and feelings.
• When I am happy and take care of others, then they will be happy.

III

• Stress is a pain, which comes to tell me there is something I need to change.
• Stress is our creation of wrong thoughts, which has an effect on our efficiency, memory power, decision power and hence our performance.
• Stress has an impact on our physical and emotional well-being, and hence any amount of stress is damaging.
• Targets, Pressures, Deadlines, Exams are natural, but Stress is our CHOICE.
• Stress is equal to PRESSURE (Situations) divided by RESILIENCE (Inner Strength).
• My first responsibility in any situation is to first take charge of my state of mind, because that is the only thing which is in my control.

IV

• Our belief systems decide our way of living. We need to experiment what we are learning in order to change our old belief systems.
• I don't want peace, but I AM PEACE. Now I will be at peace and do things outside.
• Try a new belief system, I am a Peaceful Being, now experiment with it, when we experience the result, it is the truth.
• Every person I meet, every act I do, I will do it with awareness - I am Peaceful Being.
• Happiness is not dependent on people. No one can make me happy and I can't make others happy, till we want to do it for ourselves.
• No one is responsible for my hurt, pain, fear or anger. It is my own creation in response to their behavior. I have another choice.

V

• My responses to people need to be based - on my personality, not based on the behavior of others.
• The way we think and behave is not for other people, but first for ourselves, because we are the first ones to experience it.
• Let's take charge of our mind, instead of trying to control others and expecting that if they change then my mind will be in control.
• Let us choose how we want to think, feel and be in every relationship. We have always tried to make others happy, because we thought when they will be happy then I will be happy.
• When we do something for others, let us understand that we choose to do it because they matter to us, and so we are doing it for ourselves, then we will be happy.
• Taking our mind to TV, shopping and other distractions is only a deviation from the pain, it is not happiness, because the healing has not happened.

VI

• Our personality is a combination of 5 types of sanskars, i.e. habits or traits.
• Some sanskars we get from our parents and family, which we call hereditary sanskars. It is because we are in the influence of their vibrations.
• Then there are sanskars we create because of our environment, our nationality, religion, culture, and friends.
• A very important set of sanskars we carry from our past birth. A soul carries its personality traits created in one costume with it to the next costume.
• The fourth type of sanskars are the ones we create through our own will power. We all have the same will power, it is only for us to use it, because each of us is a powerful being.
• The fifth type of sanskars are the original sanskars of every soul, which are - Purity, Peace, Love, Bliss, Knowledge, Power, and Truth.

VII

• Self Awareness means just to watch my thoughts, able to see what I am thinking and to be aware that I am the creator of these thoughts.
• Second step is to check whether this thinking is the right kind of thinking for me. Third step is, can I change this thought.
• We create around 25 to 30 thoughts per minute, i.e. 40,000 to 50,000 thoughts in a day. These could be classified into 4 types of thoughts.
• One type of thoughts is pure, powerful, positive, selfless thoughts. There will be no attachment or expectations attached.
• Second type of thoughts is negative - thoughts of ego, anger, greed, hatred, resentment, fear, rejection, criticism.
• Necessary thoughts are thoughts related to action, neutral thoughts. Fourth types are Waste thoughts which are thoughts about Past or Future, both not in our control.

VIII

• If we change our thoughts, words and action will change. Hence Personality transformation begins with our thoughts.
• I the peaceful being am the actor, playing different roles of relationships and responsibilities.
• When we interact with people let us interact with the soul, the pure being, rather than the acquired body, positions, and achievements.
• When we talk through the conscious of our acquired things, then it is the ego of one talking to the ego of the other, and then there are ego clashes.
• In any situation, playing our role with so many actors, let us stop writing their script, because they are not in our control. Let us write only our script.
• When we keep thinking about what others are doing or speaking, we are only depleting our energy.

IX

• If people are behaving in a reactive manner, at that time to remain stable internally, is strength, and hence Peace is strength not weakness.
• Anger is not strength, It is a sign that I have lost control on myself. Even hurt, resentment, are silent forms of anger, and damage me the creator.
• My every THOUGHT is followed by FEELING. So if I am not feeling nice, I have to stop and check - what have I been thinking.
• My feelings over a period of time, created on the basis on my thoughts, develop my ATTITUDE - about people, situations, work or about the world.
• My attitude comes out into ACTION. Any action done repeatedly becomes my HABIT. All my habits put together is my PERSONALITY. At every step in life this PERSONALITY determines my DESTINY.
• I the being am an embodiment of 7 qualities - Purity, Peace, Love, Bliss, Knowledge, Power, and Truth.

X

• People predicting our future are only telling us a probability. It is only a prediction, a PROBABILITY, not a REALITY.
• We have the power to listen to the prediction, and still choose our response i.e. our thoughts and actions, and thereby create a reality of our choice.
• We always thought we need to do things outside to change the way we feel, but the reality is we need to change how we feel to change things outside.
• Happiness is not to be wanted from people, but is to be created and then shared with people when we meet them.
• We are not human doings, doing things to be at peace; but we are human beings, who be at peace and do things.

XI

• We always thought that anger internal is natural, so we created external measures to postpone our reactions. If we take care of our thoughts, we will not create the thoughts of anger even internally.
• Our thoughts are created based on our past experiences and the information that we take in through our sense organs.
• The first few hours in the morning, the absorption power of the mind is very high, we need to take care of the quality of information we take in.
• To protect ourselves from creating negative thoughts, we need to avoid news papers or news channels early in the morning.
• Let me try a new way of living. To be able to create pure, powerful, positive thoughts naturally, let me begin the day with reading or listening to pure and positive information.
• The last layer of information at night influences my quality of thoughts while sleeping. Let's finish the day with a few minutes of reading or listening to pure information.

XII

• Every time we think of the past we are making it the present, because we are creating the same emotions again.
• Past is Passed, Full stop. No why, what, how - full stop. Let it not repeat on the mind, it is like rubbing the wound and therefore not allowing it to heal.
• There is nothing to learn from the situation that happened. The only thing I need to learn is whether I had the choice of responding in another manner.
• Holding onto the past, not letting go - will only create pain in me. The situation is the same, but the longer we hold it, the pain increases.
• In relationships, no one is ever wrong, each other is right from their own perspective. Detaching from my own perspective and understanding the other's perspective is empathy.

XIII

• Our thoughts are created based on past experiences, the information we take in and most important our belief systems.
• Other's appreciation and acceptance has become the foundation of our self esteem, and so we are always dependent on their acceptance to feel good about ourselves.
• In interactions, when we get hurt, we are unable to see the perspective of the other, and hence are unable to understand them. So to understand others we need to remain stable.
• People who accept us today and make us feel good, may not be able to do it tomorrow, and then we feel low with the same people.
• Its important to take charge of how we feel, instead of being dependent on others. To be INDEPENDENT means to be dependent only on the inside.
• Let us be ourselves and not keep changing our behavior according to the way others behave with us.

XIV

• As we become aware of our thoughts, let's check the belief system from which these arise.
• Anger is needed to get work done. We have lived with this belief system and teach our children to grow up with the same.
• We like people to deal with us with LOVE, because each of us is a loveful being. So everyone around us would like the same.
• Every time we use anger as the tool, we experience the negative energy as we give it to them. They get hurt and their vibrations travel to us. So we get more than we give.
• Our responsibility is to take care of ourselves, then people and then get the work done. Let's try a new belief system - Love is needed to get work done.
• When we punish a child, the guilt the child creates dis-empowers the child. Pain can never bring about any realization, because there will not be the power of transform.

XV

• When we use anger, and others experience fear, we mistake it as respect. Fear creates pain and reduces efficiency of working.
• The ones who suppress their anger because of fear, then create anger in the presence of those weaker than them, only to make themselves feel powerful.
• Fear and respect can never be together. Respect is pure and positive energy, fear is deep negative energy. Therefore those who fear us, do not respect us.
• Ego is lack of Self Respect. In any situation, if we react aggressively or get hurt it is our ego, and if we remain stable and have faith in ourselves it is self respect.
• Self Respect means who I am and what I am doing is the best to my capacity up to the present moment and in the next moment I am ready to change.
• When we have a strong self esteem, the power to adjust, accept and mould ourselves in situations will come naturally.

XVI

• Spirituality is natural, simple, and a very practical way of living. Spirituality is not doing things or becoming someone, it is about just about being who we truly are.
• It is not necessary that what the majority believe - is the truth, it is only a belief. Let me experiment with the belief, till I am comfortable, and only then accept it as the truth.
• Let us clean our mind before we meet someone again, so that we do not interact with them through the perspective of our past experiences, because they could have changed.
• As soon as we start creating thoughts of hurt, let us take out a few minutes to be with ourselves and counsel ourselves with powerful, positive, and loveful thoughts.
• No one can hurt me, and I do not hurt anyone. My behavior can be a trigger for others, I need to change my behavior, but I cannot take responsibility of their hurt, it is their creation.
• Let us take care that we create the right thoughts, so that we can speak what we think, and do not need to pretend or be tactful in our relationships.

XVII

• No one can hurt me, and I do not hurt anyone. My behavior can be a trigger for the others, I need to change my behavior, but I cannot take responsibility of their hurt, it is their creation.
• People can hold us responsible for their pain, but if we create guilt, then it is negative energy, it depletes our power and hence we are not able to transform. Realization means a mistake once is not to be repeated.
• To bring about a transformation I need to know - Why I want to change? What about myself do I want to change? How do I change? Unless the Why and What to change is clear, the How will not get implemented.
• Everyone around me is an actor, and each one is playing their role. Each actor is a pure being. Let me the pure being interact with another pure being, not interact with them on the basis of their roles.
• When we are natural in our relationships, and accept others as they are, it gives them the freedom to be their natural selves.
• When I am soul conscious, my consciousness triggers the same consciousness in others, and they are able to experience their purity.

XVIII

• When we are peaceful and stable then we are happy and we accept others as they are, it means we love them, because love is unconditional acceptance.
• The energy of love is our natural quality. It gets blocked when we become judgmental about people.
• When we think about other's weaknesses, then their weakness becomes the quality of our thoughts, and very soon a part of our personality.
• Let us become aware and observe one quality in everyone we meet and interact with.
• Let us be in the awareness - 'I am a loveful being, and so are everyone I meet, and I accept each one as they are'.
• Accepting people means - their behavior does not create a disturbance in our mind. We tell them what is right but with the energy of love, not rejection.

XIX

• Criticism dis-empowers, demotivates people. Appreciation empowers and energizes them. Let us be aware that our thoughts should be as sweet as the words we use with people.
• We create 25 to 30 thoughts per minute. Speak but speak only a few sentences per minute. Thoughts are more in number and travel faster than our words.
• Let us be liberal with our appreciation, because it gives people the energy to realize and transform their weaknesses.
• We cannot make people realize their weaknesses. What to change and Why to change can be realized by each one only for themselves.
• Everyone has knowledge, they do not need advice. They need power to change their sanskars, that power comes from our love and appreciation.
• Every thought and word we sent out to a little child is being used by them to create an image of themselves, i.e. their self esteem.

XX

• Ego is attachment to a wrong image of myself. It is when we are not aware of our true identity, and identify ourselves with all that we have acquired.
• Our body, name, position, relationships, caste, nationality are all acquired. They are all mine, but they are not I. I am a pure conscient being and it is my body, name, family, and position.
•  A royal soul is the one whose state of mind is not dependent on others. Royalty means being a master of oneself, not a victim or a slave.
• Detachment means my state of mind is not dependent on others, and then I can remain stable and give unconditional love and acceptance.
• Worry is not Love. When we worry we create and send negative energy. In any situation let's create the right quality of thoughts, that is love, care, and concern.
• When we remain stable and then share with others - why they need to change, then it is only for their benefit and not for our happiness.

XXI

• When we learn something pure and positive, we need to take it as a tool and experiment it in the day. See how it works, check the obstacles, experience the benefits and hence empower ourselves.
• We have grown up with the belief system, that performances are appreciated by people. Hence our self esteem, i.e. we feel good only when we perform well, and our performance is accepted by others.
• Let us appreciate values and qualities in children and people around us, so that each of us is able to build our self esteem on our core values and are not dependent on performances or public acceptance.
• When we live our lives by our core values, principles and with integrity, then our energy of conviction will empower our children to live by those values.

XXII

• Our values and powers are ours property, we have the capacity to use them with everyone, in every situation and every time.
• The value of love and compassion is mine, if I can use it with my children, I can also use it with my team at work.
• When we go for a spiritual retreat, the environment and the people there, awaken the same peace and purity is us, but it is our own energy which we has emerged in their company. Now we can create it at home and work. We can't get peace from somewhere, we can learn the art of how to create it.
• Judging, criticizing, and controlling others depletes our energy of peace. Let us consciously choose not to criticize and be judgmental  about people.

XXIII

• The belief system - life is a competition, creates fear and insecurity and hence depletes our happiness.
• My life is my journey, to my destination, at my speed, using my capacity, and on the basis of my values and principles.
• Living by the belief system - life is a competition, creates stress, anger, jealousy, hatred and is one of the main reasons why we resort to unethical practices.
• We are not in competition with anyone. Our reference is only our own best, and we keep working towards getting better than our best. It is a journey of improvement and empowerment.
• Let us co-operate with everyone instead of competing. The positivity  that gets created within and the blessings we get from everyone, keeps us contented, happy, and successful.

XXIV

• When we compare and compete with others, we create fear, insecurity, jealousy, stress and this depletes our energy. Let us focus only on ourselves and use all our energy to push ourselves forward.
• Let us take this belief system today and experiment with it - life is a beautiful journey, which I travel according to my capacity and values. Once we experience the result, then we realise its the truth, and thereby change our destiny.
• When we set a goal, we visualise the goal. Visualisation enables us to create the right kind of thoughts to achieve the goal. We should not create any thoughts of doubt or fear.
• The mind does not understand the language of opposites. If we create a thought - I should not get angry - the scene that gets created is only of anger. Instead create the thought - I am a peaceful being, and visualise the scene of being at peace in every situation.

XXV

• Expectation means predicting the future behaviour of others. Letting our happiness be dependent on their behaviour and then feeling let down if they do not behave as we had predicted.
• People around us will behave and work according to their capacity, we can share with them what we feel is right, but cannot expect that they will always do it our way.
• Expectations from children to perform, becomes a pressure on them and creates fear of not being able to make their elders happy. This lowers their efficiency.
• When we do something for others, we do it according to our values and capacity. To expect the same from others is unfair to them. We need to understand they will behave only according to their capacity. Let us not give up our qualities because others did not respond the way we expected.

XXVI

• Each thought has an effect on the cells of the body. Wrong thinking manifests itself into a disease in the body. While we heal the body, let us also change our thinking so that we can experience total health.
• Visualization is a powerful tool along with Meditation - in which we use the power of the mind - sending vibrations of love and peace to clean and clear the blockages in the body.
• To heal the body, we need to heal our emotional blockages. Let us not hold on to anything of the past. Mistakes we have made, let's not hold the guilt. It is past. Let us delete that thought and feeling.
• If others have done wrong to us, let us understand - they had a reason for what they did. According to me they were wrong, but still my hurt is my creation, and now I have the power to let go, i.e. not keep those thoughts on my mind. Everything that happens to me is only a return of my past Karma, let me now settle it with dignity.

XXVII

• If we let people be the way they are, do not put the pressure of our expectations, then we liberate them. This is love and respect.
• Detachment means our state of being is not effected by situations and other behaviours. When we are detached, we are stable, and hence emotionally available to be there for others. Detachment creates strong relationships.
• Attachment, dependence, and possessiveness is not love. Because if one is in pain then the other also experiences the same pain, and hence is not available to help and heal.
• When we start being different, it inspires others to change. We don't ask them to change. When WE CHANGE the WORLD CHANGES.
• The energy of the food has an effect on the state of mind. So to create pure and positive thoughts we should consume satwic food, i.e. vegetarian, fresh food, prepared in a pure state of mind and clean environment.

XXVIII

• Spirituality means not just to know that 'I am a soul', but to 'Be the soul', i.e. to be with everyone in the consciousness of a soul interacting with another soul.
• Our consciousness now shifts from body consciousness, i.e. consciousness of body, name, position, relationships, to soul consciousness, i.e. awareness that 'I am a soul, and everything else belongs to me'.
• As is the consciousness, so will be the memory and so will be the thoughts, feelings, attitude, behaviour, personality, and therefore destiny.
• To begin the day in the right way, our FIRST thought should be elevated. The day can begin with wishing Good Morning to God, our Supreme Father.
• Before we begin the activity of the day, let's be 10 mins with ourselves, and create powerful pure thoughts reminding ourselves of our true identity.
• Plan the entire day, as to how we will be in every situation, visualise ourselves in charge of our thoughts, stable, and in control in every situation and interaction.

~~ Om Shanthi ~~

Source: Brahma Kumaris
E-mail: awakening@bkmail.org

Bhagvad Gita Shloka - 6.17

Dharma - Part II

Carrying forth the topic of last issue, we will try to present the conclusive definition of the Dharma according to the bona fide authority of Vedic Scriptures. Just to recap, Dharma doesn’t mean a system of faith (or beliefs) but the innate quality of an entity which cannot be separated from the possessor.

This can be illustrated by the example of fire. Heat and light are the innate quality of fire, thus dharma of fire is to heat and illuminate. Coming to Dharma of a person, we would have to delve into the nature or that quality which is common to each one of them. Upon careful analysis and rule of discrimination by exception, it can be safely concluded, that the dharma is Service. Each and every person is serving someone or other. There are so many examples. A wife serves a husband by keeping the house in order and the husband serves the other family members by earning money and livelihood. The children serve their parents by following their instructions. The executive serves the senior executive who in turn serves the area manager who in turn serves the zonal manager. This goes on to country head, regional head, global head, CEO, Chairman who in turn serves to the interest of shareholders whose numbers might spill on from few thousands to few lakhs. Doesn’t matter who one is serving, but without exception all are serving.

The svarupa, or actual identity of the living entity, is described by Lord Chaitanya as Jivera 'svarupa' haya-krsnera 'nitya-dasa': the real identity of the living entity is that he is eternally a servitor of the Supreme Lord.  Serve we must, whether dog or god, the decision rests on us. In the modern world of distant and cold relationships many are left without the loving care of family, no one to serve. Such people find solace to their heart by serving the animals. Keeping pets is one of the top suggestions given by psychologists to their mentally disturbed or depressed patients. Because by serving their pets, their dependents, they feel the fulfillment of their purpose of existence. The moment the realization that our eternal constitutional occupation is “service” dawns upon, the next question is “Who to serve?”. If our dharma is to serve then who is that person to be served which serves to our best interests. Knowingly or unknowingly we all are serving someone, but due to ignorance we do not know who to serve. The decision to select a master is a crucial one. An ideal master possesses qualifications like, merciful, affectionate, aware of our needs and desires, capable of providing livelihood, capable of providing protection and tolerance amongst others.

None other than the Supreme Lord fits this description. None other than him is capable of maintaining our lives, giving us protection, tolerating our repeated offences and mistakes since time immemorial.

bhoktaram yajna-tapasam
sarva-loka-mahesvaram
suhrdam sarva-bhutanam
jnatva mam santim rcchati
 (Bhagavad-gita 5.29)
Being the supreme controller of all the planets and the enjoyer of all, and best friend of all living entities, who better than Krishna to strike a deal with? Krishna Himself declares Himself to be our best benefactor. The same sentiment is expressed by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu when he says,

tomare loite ami hoinu avatara
ami bina bandhu ara ke ache tomara

"I have descended just to save you. Other than Myself, who else is your friend?"

The master-servant relationship in this world is based on exploitation. The master maintains the servant so that he can exploit the servant for his own nefarious or not-so-nefarious acts. The moment the servant is incapable of serving, the pay cheques stop. But the master-servant relationship between Krishna and his devotees is transcendental. It is not based on exploitation, but based on love, the intense desire to please each other without any motivation. In advanced stages, the love becomes so thick that the identity of the served and the server interchanges naturally.

There are many examples of this in our Vedic scriptures, where the Supreme Master, the master of infinite universes, kindly agrees to be bound by the love and service, and Krishna himself becomes the servant of his servant. This was illustrated by Krishna around the time of the great battle of Kurukshetra. First he became a messenger for his dear Pandavas. Remember the post of a messenger is significant, but nonetheless he remains the servant. But Krishna graciously accepted it. Further on he became the chariot-driver for his devotee and friend Arjuna who was devoid of any enviousness. Krishna also displayed this sentiment when he served his old friend Sudama Vipra in his capital city of Dwarka.

So who do we want to serve, the mean, business minded bosses of this world or the most benevolent and affectionate and capable boss – Krishna? The power to decide rests with us.

Dharma - Part I

Dharma is often a topic of debate or discussions among people. Different people have different interpretations of it. Some say it is humanity, some say it is Nationality and others say faith is Dharma. Yato mat tatho path. As many people are there, as many will be interpretations.

Dharma is a Sanskrit word, and the English word that comes closest to it is Religion. The dictionary meaning of religion is “a particular faith”. Let us see the original meaning of Dharma from the scriptures the authority on Dharma.

The scriptures say that Dharma is the intrinsic nature of an entity. By entity, it is meant living or matter. Dharma is that quality which cannot be separated from its possessor. In other words Dharma is the root of it’s identity. Srila Prabhupada used to give example of fire. The dharma of fire is heat and light because, heat and light cannot be separated from fire. In case these two qualities are not present then it is not fire, but something else. Similarly the dharma of sugar is sweetness. The two cannot be separated.

This brings us to the point that what is our dharma? If we go according to the dictionary meaning, that corresponds to Religion or faith. But we have seen and experienced shifts in our faiths and other’s faiths. It is not uncommon to read or hear about conversions. So possibility of change in one’s faith indicates it is not something innate or the very existence or identity of the person. Hence religion is not dharma.

Someone may question here that why are we denying the authority of dictionary here over the meaning of word Dharma. But there is a need to understand the significance of authority. When a Micro-biology researcher faces an obstacle in field work, who does he approach? One may approach an high-school biology teacher or even a college Zoology or Botany professor. But we see in real life one will take the most obvious choice of approaching the Subject Matter Expert on micro-Biology. Why? Because the SME is an authority in the chosen field. The high-school teacher or college professor may be able to give some pointers, but they would be as generic as the content taught in those levels. Similarly to seek out Dharma we should go to the authority on this subject, and that is Shastra - Scriptures. This Dictionary may give a meaning but it would be vague at best.

That Dharma is the innate nature or intrinsic quality of one’s very existence means it is transcendental to all situations. Since we are the soul which is eternal, it’s dharma is also eternal. Sanatana Dharma! – Dharma that is existing since time immemorial. The body, the external covering of soul is temporary; hence the dharma of body is also temporary. Therefore religion may be attributed to the body, because body is born in a particular family practicing one faith. but soul is transcendental to all such circumstances, hence it’s dharma is also transcendental.

Source: Gems of Wisdom

Where are we heading?

There was a time when elders used to encourage young to read newspaper and to watch news & talks on TV. By this they thought young can expand their thought horizons and knowledge and get positively inspired. And this was true for that period (80s and 90s). 

Now, by mistake also don't recommend children to read newspaper or watch TV. Almost all of media is filled with negative news and people. Very sorry to say India doesn't have a public figure whom youth can admire and follow as an ideal.  Ofcourse there are some but they are not in limelight. Only people who are in limelight are the corrupt bureaucrats, politicians, so called sages etc... 

Few days back was listening to BBC Hindi radio news, which I admire a lot. There was a report regarding appointment of successor to Osama. It was followed by the discussion on how his successor will perform. Will he perform to the level of Osama or not? Why we need to know whether he will perform to the level of Osama or not... These are the evils in the world which need to be eliminated. 

Just wanted to share thoughts on "where are we heading towards".