Every life comes with joys as well as trials and tribulations. Every day is full of pleasure as well as pain. Every person has good and bad inside them. There is no such thing as a ‘perfect life,’ ‘a perfect person’ or a ‘perfect day.’ The onus is on you to actively seek something great about your life, your day and every person in your life.
Rather than looking at the shortcomings of your brother, your wife or your boss, try to see the good in them. Look at your challenges as opportunities and see your failures as pathway to success. Don’t waste time regretting what could have been or should have been. Be fully present in the here-and-now. Everything in life is unfolding exactly as it should. Don’t you see the hand of the Supreme Father in your life? Know that He is perfect and that His plan is always the best.
On a cloudy day, when everything seems dull and dreary and you find nothing to be happy about, take solace in knowing that the sun is just waiting for a chance to peak through. You have seen this scenario unfold in the past but you have forgotten. In the meantime, find something that fulfills you. Extend help to another person. Do what brings a smile to your face. Are coloring books only for children? Is kite flying only for special occasions? Isn’t your backyard a great place for a picnic?
Don’t wait for happiness to come your way. As a human, you have the most powerful tool that can give any shape you want to your day and your life. That tool is your mind. Use it to create your own sunshine.
Spiritual Points to Ponder
You expect everyone you meet to agree with you, but not even one single person in your life will be pleased with you all the time.
You are a traveler in the world; you are not here on a permanent basis.
The mind is like a wooden log and anger is like a lit match.
The funeral pyre burns the dead but worries burn the living.
Develop the habit of finding your own faults.
Keep the window of your heart open for the sunshine of God’s grace to enter.
Be in competition with yourself, striving to become better and better.
Don’t envy others. Admire them and be inspired by them.
Don’t be afraid of failing; you have learned through your failures.
The body is getting weaker by the day while worldly desires are getting stronger by the moment.
Childhood is the best time to start devotion.
Concentrate on pleasing God; don’t worry about pleasing the world.
It was always between you and God; it was never about you and the world.
Schedule your daily devotion time instead of planning to do it after finishing your work for the day.
Four kinds of people
We see many types of people living in the world, and every individual is a unique child of God. Yet, all the people of the world can be generally divided into four categories.
Firstly, there are those who are both materialistically well-off and spiritually inclined. You will not find too many in this category.
Secondly, there are those who are neither spiritually inclined nor do they possess any material wealth. There are very few in this category also.
Thirdly, there are those who possess great material wealth and are completely devoid of spirituality. It is generally seen that possession of abundant material wealth causes arrogance, making the wealthy one feel that there is no need for God in life.
The intoxication of wealth is so powerful that not even God can make the intoxicated one come to his senses. He can come to his senses when the cause of his pride, his material wealth, is taken away from him.
Fourthly, there are those who are deprived of material wealth but are spiritually inclined. This is quite natural, because when an individual has no worldly possessions to be proud of, he generally turns towards God. But for an opulent individual to be interested in spiritual matters is a rare occurrence. However, there is an exception to every rule.
The exceptions are individuals who have already accumulated 95% spiritual power in their previous births, and have had to take birth in order to acquire the remaining 5%. It is only such fortunate souls who remain unattached to the world even while being in the possession of material wealth. Likewise, there are also those who remain indifferent to God even in the absence of material possessions. This is again unnatural, because the lack of material property generally turns a person to God, even if it is just to beg Him for material possessions.
Be Inspired by Nature
Nature is powerful. Nature is wise. Nature is an endless source of inspiration. Nature is a silent teacher. Observe Nature and gain inspiration.
Be like the Chinook winds that bring instant heat to a cold place, warming up the weather instantly by anywhere from 25 to 50 degrees. As these winds bring heat to the region, bring warmth of friendship to a lonely person who is in desperate need of it. To the person who is experiencing the world to be a cold place, a friendly face is more valuable than you can imagine. A little warmth goes a long way, especially when it is least expected.
Be like a Rainbow. Rainbows bring excitement; they eradicate sadness and fill the mind with a sense of wonder. No one can feel sad while looking at a rainbow. Be the kind of person who brings a sense of adventure, awe and beauty to the world.
Be like the gentle Rainfall. Listening to sounds of falling rain brings peace to the mind. Those who find it difficult to sleep often fall into slumber when they listen to recorded sounds of rainfall even in the dry season. Be like the rain that brings a smile to hard-working farmers and their families. Be like the rain that makes children squeal with delight. Be like the rain that makes ordinary people into poets and dreamers.
Be like a Mountain. Like the strong and steady mountain, be strong in your faith and remain steady in all circumstances. Do not fall to pieces when being tested. Discover the strength within as a child of the most loving and merciful God who loves you more than you can ever imagine.
Measure your Spiritual Level
As a seeker, you may be wanting to know the level of your spirituality. If you ask yourself about how you are faring in spirituality, your mind will provide a favorable answer. It will tell you that all is well and that you are second to none.
Do not trust your mind.
Measure your spiritual level by asking yourself the following questions:
Do I see God in everyone?
While it is very easy to see vices in others, their virtues are rarely visible to us. Always thinking good of others indicates that you are seeing, or at least trying to see God within everyone.
Do I make an attempt to control my desires?
A seeker on the spiritual path grasps the truth that desire for the world is insatiable and that nothing of this world will travel with him to the next life. Therefore, he learns to deny himself many of his material desires.
Do I need to be with people or gadgets all the time?
Solitude is a great companion of the individual wishing to pursue the higher truths of life. A seeker enjoys spending time alone with his mind.
Do I delight in speaking and hearing about God?
As the seeker makes progress on the devotional path, he loses interest in talking or hearing about mundane matters, whereas the topic of God becomes highly interesting.
Have I become kinder, gentler, and more compassionate?
As God enters more and more into the heart of the aspirant, his mind starts to reflect the divine qualities of God, such as gentleness, kindness, peace, and compassion. Use these guidelines to measure your spiritual growth.
Connect at: s_didi@radhamadhavsociety.org
