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Monday, October 30, 2006

Meditation Practice



This is what I normally do. First of all, create a meditation spot at home whichever you think is suitable, comfortable to sit. Make sure the place that you choose is quiet as well. Listen to soft music or commentaries (I prefer to use discman). Allow your body to relax by taking a few deep breaths. Keep your eyes open, gently focusing on a point in the distance. There is no need to look at anything in particular. Turn your attention inwards and concentrate. I know it is hard to do this at first, but after a while you will get used to it. You can still hear sounds, but there is no need to pay any attention to the outside world; just let any sounds wash over you. Similarly, you may see movement but don't let your eyes be drawn to anything. Raja Yoga Meditation is not about stopping thoughts so much as creating thoughts about your true spiritual identity. Concentrate on thoughts and feel what they mean for you. Take as much time as you wish. If your concentration lapses at all, just gently coax your mind back to the thoughts and re-focus. Meditation requires practice to achieve satisfying results like thoughts will slow down or mind becomes clear and so on. By doing a little meditation every day (10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening), it soon becomes a natural and easy habit, which generously rewards you for the effort it involves. Just as simple as that. What about you?

Friday, October 27, 2006

Way To Beat Stress

We all play losing games at times and do things that are self-defeating - like not eating well, not getting enough sleep, working excessively long hours and getting too little rest. Mis-managing time is another losing game. Procastination, leaving for work at the last moment and spending too much time on low priority tasks, can considerably heighten our stress levels.

Stress results from our reaction to our physical or emotional circumstances. Since we can control our emotions, it follows that we alone can rid ourselves of the stress which besets our life. We have the option to channel our energy towards the right activity. Stress, when allowed to gnaw at us, multiplies manifold. We begin to associate the stress caused by one event, with all past similar events or situations, thereby making our current problem much larger than it actually is!

How can we become stress-proof or at least be armed to handle tension? By prioritising activities. Do not worry if you are unable to carry out all the tasks planned. Use time in a worthwhile way. Be realistic about your own capability. Tasks which are beyond your capacity can be delegated to others, while you concentrate on those which you can manage well.

Taken from a book entitled 'Self-Empowerment' by Bridget Menezes

Monday, October 23, 2006

Positive Mind Heals Body Rapidly

When my mind is positive, my body heals rapidly. My positive mind influences the healing process of my body. I had mild ashma before, now it seems that my ashma is almost gone. Before I join Raja Yoga Meditation last year, I had a hard time, that is almost every night I had ashma attack. That is why I am saying that the positive mind heals body. It really happened to me and it really helped. If I complain and ask for attention, I make the lives of others miserable, whereas, if I remain peaceful and take my medication quietly, I get the good wishes of those around me. I practice yoga meditation because I want to remain in a state of positive mind. This is where I find my inner peace. When I'm at peace, I can think positively. When I have a positive mind, I can know the difference between good and bad. Our mind is so powerful. It controls our body. If we don't control our mind properly, a negative mind will start to control our mind, and we start to get sick and do negative things. Don't let it be... Mind and body are inextricably linked and we should learn to keep our mind peaceful and our nature simple. Locked within our minds are choices about happiness and pain and the choices we make affect our health accordingly.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Raja Yoga Meditation

Raja Yoga Meditation is the means to channel good thought energy into one's mood. It means to turn the thoughts away from those of anger, greed and frustration to a far higher level of peace and contentment. To get started on meditation, all we need is 10 minutes of time a day. It is practiced with our eyes fully open. People always have no time. But can we imagine that we can sit down and gossip on the phone for hours, go shopping for hours, go clubbing for hours and so on (no obligation, okay?). I am talking from experience. Meditation brings peace. Everybody wants peace. Who else in this world do not want peace? Meditation is like a tap flowing into a bucket of dirty water. Eventually the dirt will be washed away.

Before, I used to be very emotional and I would cry over small things. I used to be stressed at work and would get sick easily. I used to take "Prozac" that the psychiatrist (doctor) prescribed to me due to my depression. I used to be depressed and always think that I am useless and always think of wanting to end up my life. I was lost for nearly two years. I don't know where I belonged. It was a terrible time for me. When I think back, I feel so dumb. Who should I blame for my depression? Nobody... I should blame myself for taking all these suffering. Oh well, the past is past. Now, I just concentrate on the now and I practice meditation. I feel at peace everytime I meditate. I try not to think about the past and future too much. Sometimes, too much expectations can lead to disappointment. While too much thoughts of the past can lead to anger and vengeful feelings. I don't want to suffer like this anymore.

Now, I realise that my depression is caused by my own self. This is my biggest realisation that has changed my life. Through Raja Yoga Meditation, I learn to know about myself more. Questions like who am I, where I came from, and other unanswered questions, all have been answered.

During the initial stages of meditation many wasteful thoughts do come. This is due to the soul's longstanding habit of thinking aimlessly. The mind has been attracted or repelled by everything and everyone. The soul has been buffeted around from one experience to another, one scene to another. I must break the negative cycles of worry, doubt and confusion within, by recharging the soul with my own original attributes of peace, purity, love and joy. I must make sure the engines of my senses are not burning up the vital fuel of inner peace.

That's all for today. Thanks for reading.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Soul and Body Consciousness

The soul is conscient energy, aware of its own existence. Consciousness can be described as the feeling "I am" or "I exist". If you examine any thought-decision-action process, you will find that behind it, there is always the feeling: "I am something or the other".

Consciousness is thus the springboard for thought, decisions and actions. In other words, the soul reacts to external circumstances according to how it regards itself at that particular moment. For example, a surgeon is able to perform surgery when there is the consciousness of being surgeon. That very consciousness unlocks or gives the soul access to all the information and experience related to being a surgeon. The soul when it has the consciousness of being a soul is able to have instant access to its own original qualities.

There are two different basic levels of consciousness; "I am a body" or "I am a soul", the former, illusory and the latter, real. When the feeling is "I am a body", the thought process is trapped in the limitations, problems and vision of the physical identity. Its reaction to others is on the same level.

Friday, October 13, 2006

The Original Nature of The Soul

Today, I'm going to share with you about the original nature of the soul. As I mentioned earlier, the soul uses the word "I" for itself and the word "my" when referring to the body; "my" hand, "my" mouth, "my" brain, etc. "I" am different from "my" body. But, what has happened to the original nature of the soul?

I, the soul, am originally a star-like point of perfect peace and purity, twinkling in the golden-red expanse of the soul world. I am fully charged with spiritual evergy which naturally manifests as love, joy, peace and purity when I first come into this physical world. Gradually by taking many births, I become attached to the senses and the various sense objects and I forget my original attributes. Then I become a slave to five basic negative forces; ANGER, GREED, EGO, LUST and ATTACHMENT. These forces have their roots in body-consciousness, or the illusion that existence is entirely physical. My ability to control matter is supplanted by matter controlling me. Anytime I suffer disappointment, worry or anxiety, it is due to the effect of any one of these negative influences.

I forget the heights of spiritual attainment and the delights of supersensuous joy thinking myself to be a body and I search for peace and happiness through the sense organs. I mistakenly pursue worldly pleasures in an effort to regain my former state. I forget my true identity, nature, home and my Supreme Father. I know that while controlled by these negative forces, I cannot come back to my normal state of peace, happiness and bliss. They are not welcome in my internal "house". Until the vices have not control over the soul, I will never restore my original qualities of peace, bliss, love, purity and knowledge.

People afflicted by anger lose their temper and become excited at the slightest provocation. Yet, when the event is over they find 'peace' in reverting to their normal temperament. The same applies to all the other vices which are at the root of all emotional disturbances, strains, tnesions and imbalances.

If I contemplate on my original nature and do everything with the realisation "I am a soul, not a body", my original qualities reappear naturally. They are my basic attributes. It is worthless seeking them externally. It is like the musk deer running after the sweet smell of musk, unaware that it is coming from its own navel. Peace of mind is my property. It automatically flows from within me once I am soul-conscious.

Whatever thoughts are in my mind, that is the state I experience. Soul-conscious thoughts bring peace of mind. Body-conscious thoughts disturb me. It is I who decide what state of mind to experience. I can either be the essence of peace, or in a turmoil. It is I, the soul who has the power of decision. The situation should not dictate to me. Soul-consciousness is the mind's food that strengthens the intellect and keeps me beyond the influence of negativity.

That is all for today. Thanks for reading.

Monday, October 09, 2006

Causes of Anger

Ego (eg. I am right, I am perfect), arrogant, forget self original qualities, unfulfilled desires (eg. high expectations, demand), position (eg. my religion is better than yours), deception, deformation and judgemental (eg. I think you should/shouldn't...), betrayal of friendship, lack of consideration, lack of justice, insecurity, sensitivity, rejection, create principles, ignoring others view, comparing results, jealousy, stress, financial hardship, unhappy relationship, disharmony and so on.

And who causes all these? I, myself. It is because I have chosen to be angry. Nobody else. I allow the situation to control myself. Happiness is our right, nobody allow not to make us happy. Nobody can make us angry if we don't want to.

Saturday, October 07, 2006

Anger

I have attended an anger management course sometime in December, 2005 at Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga Centre. Mr. Arun Doshi, a retired CEO, who is also a meditator, shared with us how meditation can be used as a tool to effectively manage the force of anger. After I attended the course, I realised that anger is caused by our own self and not by other people. But how? Everytime I get angry, I check back with myself and ask myself why am I getting angry? It is I who wants to get angry. It has nothing to do with other people who makes you angry, right? It is I, myself... Anger comes in many forms and the damage done can last for years.

My sharing today is about anger. What is anger? Anger is the negation of love, which indicates that the angry soul actually needs love. It burns the soul and others in connection with it and disturbs the natural state totally. People mistakenly believe that anger can bring a situation under control thereby creating a "satisfactory situation". But when I am not satisfied with myself I cannot be satisfied with others nor can I satisfy others.

Anger is a spear that wounds feelings. When I react with anger, all I am really doing is damaging myself as well as the other. When there is preoccupation with selfish desires, plans and motives, the soul lays itself open to anger attacks or its related forms: envy, jealousy, impatience, annoyance, irritability, disgust, backbiting, sullenness, violence, contrariness, sulking and etc. Each time anger is expressed, harmful secretions flow through the metabolism causing many physical disorders, such as ulcers, heart trouble and psychosomatic problems.

Friday, October 06, 2006

Who Am I

"Human being" means the consciousness, the soul or "being" experiencing life through the body, the "human". The body is perishable and temporary, whereas the soul is eternal and without physical dimension. I give you few examples, the soul is the driver, the body is the car. The soul is the guest, the body is the hotel. The soul is the actor, the body is the costume. The soul is the musician, the body is the instrument. I can use a knife to cut a tomato. I can use the same knife to stab someone. The knife neither decides nor experiences, but can be washed easily under the tap.

Now look at the fingers which held the knife. They neither decide nor experience the actions. They too can be washed under the tap. It's easy to realise that the knife is an instrument, but it is more difficult to realise that the fingers are instruments too; not only the fingers but the arms also. The legs are instruments for walking, the eyes for seeing, the ears for hearing, the mouth for speaking, breathing, tasting, the heart for pumping food and oxygen around the body, and so on. Even the brain is an instrument used like a computer to express all thought, word and action programmes through the body and to experience the results. If every physical part of the body is an instrument, who or what is it that is using the instrument?

Very simply it is "I", the self, the soul. The soul uses the word "I" for itself and the word "my" when referring to the body; "my" hand, "my" mouth, "my" brain, etc. "I" am different from "my" body.

Arrogance and Ego

Today, I would like to share a story with you...

A mountain climber wanted to climb the highest mountain. He began his adventure after many years of preparation, and since he wanted the glory just for himself, he decided to climb the mountain alone.

He started to climb but it began to get very late, and instead of preparing his tent to camp, he kept climbing until it got very dark. In the darkness of the night, the man could not see anything and he slipped and fell. He kept falling at great speed and in those moments, fear gripped him All the good and bad episodes of his life came to his mind. All of a sudden he felt the rope tied to his waist pull him very hard. His body was hanging in the air. He screamed: HELP ME GOD!

All of a sudden, a deep voice coming from the sky answered: "What do you want Me to do" "Save me God!" "Do you really think I can save you?" "Of course I believe You can." "Then cut the rope tied to your waist..." "There was a moment of silence; and the man decided to hold on to the rope. The next day he was found dead and frozen. He was only 10 feet away from the ground.

How attached are we to our rope, that is, our ideas, possessions and way of doing things? And how strong is our faith? Just let go. Let us give up arrogance and ego and let God do His job.

Taken from a book entitled 'Self-Empowerment' by Bridget Menezes

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Dadi Janki - The Most Stable Mind in the World



Today I'm going to share with you about Dadi (meaning elder sister) Janki, a world-renowned spiritual leader and she is also the co-administrative head of the Brahma Kumaris. She travels worldwide, teaching and sharing her wisdom and deep knowledge of the science of spirituality. She has dedicated her life to the upliftment of humanity. She campaigns for truth and works tirelessly for world peace. She is a woman of wisdom - a woman who in her life, through understanding spiritual truths, has come to a position of personal peace and power. She, being companion of God, sees only the goodness of each human being, awakening people to fulfill their highest potential. She has pioneered, exemplified and shared with countless numbers of people a structured and disciplined method of spiritual development that has had a profound impact on the lives of millions across the world.

In 1978, Scientists at the Medical and Science Research Institute at the University of Texas, USA examined the brain wave pattern of Dadi Janki. She was described as the most stable mind in the world as her mental state remained completely undisturbed even while performing complicated mental exercises. The EEG (Electroencephalogram) of that lady continuously showed delta waves, while she was cooking, while eating, while giving lecture, while doing arithmetical calculations, while talking, while sleeping, all the time.

At the Royal Albert Hall, London, again on October 5, 1997, 5,000 people watched a unique programme. A spiritual encounter between renowned psychic Uri Geller and Dadi Janki. For over three decades, Geller had astounded the public and the scientific community with psychic feats, which had no conventional scientific explanation. Like changing the structure of matter, halting cable cars and escalators in Germany, wiping computer tapes, bending keys, fixing broken watches, etc. In this encounter, Dadi Janki relied more on her power of silence. They sat facing each other for 45 minutes, in deep concentration. Uri praised her psychic prowess and the audience experienced a state of rapt exhilaration. "Constant practice of RAJAYOGA MEDITATION" was the answer of Her Holiness.

 

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