Think before you think

Think before you think

Imagine owning the finest instrument in the world and not knowing how to maintain or operate it at its optimum? This is the irony we face with nature's most valuable gift: the mind. It is a fertile piece of land, which does not discriminate between good and bad seeds, or thoughts. Whatever I the soul sow (or think), the field of my mind will automatically nurture and reap fruit accordingly. Just as choosing a career is not taken lightly, when I value my thoughts and 'think' before I think I can save myself a lot of energy and time.

Be Like a Cloud

Before you can give to others, you need to give your mind some space to rest and re-energize. Let your mind relax and become light and easy. Like a cloud, just float in the sky. When you feel relaxed, let your mind open up to the sun and reenergize. Then fill yourself up with positivity. Like a cloud, gather water from the ocean. When you become full, share your positive energy with the world. Like a rain cloud, shower droplets of rain onto the earth.

The Journey Of Purpose

All of us, at some point of time, in fact almost right through our life, keep different types of long term or short term goals - personal goals, professional, financial, social, relationship goals; goals related to physical well being and health, spiritual goals etc. Sometimes we are not even aware ourselves, but we are passing through the journey of life with some purpose or the other at all times, the purpose may be a higher purpose or something connected to our day-to-day living. Whatever actions we perform then, our aimed at fulfilling this purpose. Also these actions are full of lots of expectations, the expectations of achieving some results. These results which we desire or expect arrive at times and sometimes they don't. If they don't, which is a very common aspect of any such journey of purpose; they generate emotions of worry inside us. Even if the results are achieved, the nature of journey, prior to those results is stressful as compared to a journey which is purpose filled but expectation free, which some might argue is not possible. Worry and stress not only harm the spiritual and emotional self but even our physical body and relationships, making the journey difficult and tiring. It is not incorrect to be action oriented and having some clear objectives in progressing towards our purpose, but we need to be capable of aiming ourselves at our dreams without becoming date conscious and the expectation of them being fulfilled now, or on a specific date, in a particular way or form. If not, we live in a tomorrow consciousness and tend to get upset or discouraged easily and we don't enjoy today. It is not incorrect to be happy when we achieve something, but if our happiness is dependent on our achievements, we will always delay it. Happiness is not later, it is always now. It is commonly said - * Happiness is a journey, not a destination. Here we say - * Happiness is not only in reaching your purpose, your destination, but also in the journey of purpose. Also, it's important to note that a carefree and detached intellect will always attract positive circumstances which serve as bridges in reaching one's purpose, much more, as compared to a worried intellect.

In order to change an addiction, we need to work out what need lies behind this addiction. What is the spiritual desire that we are trying to satisfy? If we smoke for relaxation (by smoking we breathe deeply and this relaxes us), perhaps what we really need is peace of mind. Any doctor will tell you that mental peace cannot be found in a cigarette. On the contrary, instead of calming your stress, it makes you more irritable and nervous, especially when going through withdrawal symptoms. We can learn to find relaxation and peace through meditation and will not have the need to smoke. 

The same applies to all the other qualities that we need to experience in our lives so that we feel satisfied and happy: it is in our inner self where we can turn to discover what we need. Although our mind often asks for visible and material things, its needs are deeper and nothing superficial can satisfy it. Meditation leads us to what is genuine and eternal. 

Simplicity is free from the complications of waste questions, doubts and expectations. The one who is simple is naturally accurate and inspiring in his actions. He is able to understand the demands of the environment and mould himself accordingly, so he himself has no demands. And he is able to move forward to his satisfaction.
 Solution: When I am simple in my thoughts, I am also able to be simple in my responses to the outer environment i.e., to both situations and people. So internally I am able to remain content. This contentment further brings newness and creativity in the way I respond to situations, and I naturally experience further progress.