Choose your battles wisely

"Choose your battles wisely" is important in living a happy and contented life. It suggests that life is filled with opportunities to choose between making a big deal out of something or simply letting it go, realizing it doesn't really matter. If you choose your battles wisely, you'll be far more effective in winning those that are truly important.

Certainly there will be times when you will want or need to argue, confront, or even fight for something you believe in. Many people, however, argue, confront, and fight over practically anything, turning their lives into a series of battles over relatively small issues. There is so much frustration in living this type of life that you lose track of what is truly relevant.

The tiniest disagreement or glitch in your plans can be made into a big deal if your goal (conscious or unconscious) is to have everything work out in your favor.

The truth is, life is rarely exactly the way we want it to be, and other people often don't act as we would like them to. Moment to moment, there are aspects of life that we like and others that we don't. There are always going to be people who disagree with you, people who do things differently, and things that don't work out. If you fight against this principle of life, you'll spend most of your life fighting battles.

A more peaceful way to live is to decide consciously which battles are worth fighting and which are better left alone.

A higher power is at work in our lives

A higher power is at work in our lives

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.

Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect himself from the elements, and to store his few possessions. But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky.

The worst had happened - everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger.

"God, how could you do this to me?" he cried.

Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him.

"How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers.

"We saw your smoke signal", they replied.

It's easy to get discouraged sometimes when things appear to be going badly. But we shouldn't lose heart, because a higher power is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering.

Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground, it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of that higher power.

Expectations and Frustrations

Expectations and Frustrations

We have to understand the link between our expectations and our frustration levels. Whenever we expect something to be a certain way and it isn't we're upset and we suffer.

On the other had, when we let go of our expectations, when you accept life as it is, we're free. To hold on is to be serious and uptight. To let go is to lighten up.

A good exercise is to try to approach a single day without expectations. Don't expect people to be friendly. When they're not, you won't be surprised or bothered. If they are, you'll be delighted.

Don't expect your day to be problem free. Instead, as problems come up, say to yourself, "Ah, another hurdle to overcome." As you approach your day in this manner you'll notice how graceful life can be.

Rather than fighting against life, pretty soon, with practice, you'll lighten up your entire life.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year again!!

A fantastic message from Sri Sri this new year -  Jan 1st/2011

The year gone by has taught us many lessons; what we should be doing and what we should not. Every pain that we went through in 2010 brought us some depth, and all the joy and pleasure gave us a new vision of life and hope for the future. Welcome 2011 with a genuine smile, and reflect the true sign of the prosperity that lies inside. Here are 11 ways to do that.

1) Identify your limitations: Every time you are unhappy or miserable, you are just coming in touch with your own boundaries! It is a test of the moment, when you come in touch with your limitations, your boundaries. Turn the whole situation into a prayer. Just feel thankful and say, "My Lord, You made me aware of my boundaries.  You bring peace.  I am giving it all to You." That very moment you will start smiling. However hopeless the situation is, you will walk through it, sing through it, dance through it!

2) Feel that "I am blessed": There is so much talk about success. Have you ever thought what success is? Success is simply ignorance about one's capabilities, about the power of the self. Because you assume you can do only this much. If you feel the obstacle is too much, deep prayer can work miracles. Know that failures are stepping stones for greater success.  The feeling that "I am blessed" can help you overcome any failure. Once you realise that you are blessed, then all the complaints, grumbling, insecurities, a sense of not being loved or wanting love disappears. There is a saying: Behind every successful man is a woman. I will modify this to- Behind every success there is the Divine saying "I am behind you".

  3) Implement changes if needed: Sorrow simply means that viveka (discrimination) is overshadowed. Viveka means knowing that everything is changing. Your body, your emotions, the people around you and the world-everything is changing. Time and again you have to awaken to this reality. You are often fearful of change. You know there is a need for change to improve your life, but you feel secure in the old pattern. You have to see whether that gives you short-term joy and misery in the long run or short-time pain and joy in the long run. So, use your intelligence and have the courage to implement changes whenever it is necessary. 

4) Communicate effectively: Learning to communicate effectively with everyone is a skill worth possessing. Communicating without prejudice is vital for success. If you are faced with someone who knows more than you, be like a child and keep your ears and eyes open for learning. If you are faced with someone who knows less than you, be humble and strive to make them as good as or better than you. Play with a small child as you played when you were a child. Talk with an elderly person remembering that one day you will be like that. Communicate with a person of your age group like you are his/her best friend. When you are centred, you become a powerful communicator. And when your communication improves, your life improves

 5) Don't be afraid to make mistakes: Your knowledge of a mistake comes to you when you are innocent! Mistakes of the past are past. When this knowledge comes, you are again perfect. Knowledge of the self, truth and skills can bring out the best in you. So, don't be afraid to make mistakes, but don't repeat the same mistakes. You have got to be innovative even in your mistakes!

6) Do not lose your friends: To correct mistakes you need authority and love. Authority and love seem to be contradictory, but in reality they are not. Authority without love is stifling. Love without authority is shallow.  When you allow room for mistakes, you can be both authoritative and sweet. That is how the Divine is, the right balance of both. A magnanimous person will not pick on the mistakes of others and make them feel guilty; he will correct them with compassion and care.

 7) Have a sense of humour: You are endowed with certain naughtiness as a child. Keep it alive. Humour will grease all tough situations. One who has humour can sail through any conflict. Humour is the buffer that saves you from humiliation. If you refuse to be humiliated, you become invincible. Humour brings everyone together, while humiliation tears them apart. In a society torn with humiliation and insult, humour is like a breath of fresh air. Humour should be coupled with care and concern because humour without wisdom is shallow. Humour is not just words; it is the lightness of your being.

8) Dream the impossible: Unless you have a dream, you cannot realise it. Every invention has come out of a dream.  Dream the impossible. We are all born in this world to do something wonderful and unique so give yourself the freedom to dream and think big. Have the courage and determination to achieve those dreams that are dear to you. Many a time people who dreamt big were ridiculed, but they remained strong to achieve their goals. Do something creative. Not a year should pass without doing something creative.

   9) Overcome your prejudice: Your prejudice against gender, religion, caste and class does not allow you to mingle with everyone around you.  Often, you don't sit with people who are not economically or socially at par with you. You have to learn to break that barrier. Also, there is age prejudice. Teenagers don't like to have fun with elderly people and vice versa. Gender prejudice is more prevalent in rural areas. Caste and Religious prejudice is well known. There are good people and bad people in every community, religion and every section of society. Don't be prejudiced against them.  At the same time don't be shy about your identity. When you overcome prejudice, you will be very natural, and your quality of life will improve.

 10) Better the world around you: Today, most people are confused because there is no direction in life. The way to overcome personal misery is to share universal misery! The way to expand personal joy is to share universal joy. Instead of thinking "what about me?" and "what can I gain from this world?", think "what can I do for the world?" Make a commitment to make this world a better place to live. Greater the commitment you take, greater the energy, power and resources will come to you.

11) Compare your performance: As we flip the calendar, we need to keep flipping our mind as well. Often, our diaries are full with memories. See that you don't fill your future dates with past events. Allow the space for creativity to dawn. Turn back and remember the whole year. Do not run away from anything. Do not reject anything. Do not go away from anything. At the same time, let your attention be on the self. This is a delicate balance. Review the year while you celebrate. Learn and unlearn from the past, and move on.
 Let the New Year bring into our life a determination to create a violence-free, stress-free society. Don't feel shy to speak about human and spiritual values. Take this decision: "Whatever happens I will be grounded, I will never go down. God's protection is there on me." Keep your mind in peace in all situations. The rest will be taken care of. May your life be filled with peace, joy and happiness! Happy New Year!




--

Sincerity

In sincerity alone lies the certitude of victory

 

Sincerity means more than mere honesty. It means that you mean what you say, feel what you profess, are earnest in your will.

 

Because sincerity is so rare a virtue in the world, one must bow down before it  with respect when one meets it. 

[Sri Aurobindo and the Holy Mother]

Practicing humility – Do not try to prove yourself to others

Practice humility – Do not try to prove yourself to others

Humility and inner peace go hand in hand. The less compelled you are to try to prove yourself to others, the easier it is to feel peaceful inside.

Proving yourself is a dangerous trap. It takes an enormous amount of energy to be continually pointing out your accomplishments, bragging, or trying to convince others of your worth as a human being. Pride and arrogance actually dilutes the positive feelings you receive from an accomplishment or something you are proud of. To make matters worse, the more you try to prove yourself, the more others will avoid you, talk behind your back about your insecure need to boast, and perhaps even dislike you.

Ironically, however, the less you care about seeking approval, the more approval you seem to get. People are drawn to those with a quiet, inner confidence, people who don't need to make themselves look good, be "right" all the time, or steal the glory.

Most people love a person who doesn't need to show-off, a person who shares from his or her heart and not from his or her ego.

Hear with an open mind

Hear with an open mind

Nan-in, a Japanese master received a university professor who came to inquire about the Absolute Truth.

Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor's cup full, and then kept on pouring.

The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. "It is overfull. No more will go in!"

"Like this cup," Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you the Absolute Truth unless you first empty your cup?"

Hence it’s very important when we hear or take association from seniors; we go with an empty cup and hear with an open mind, keeping aside our own opinions and speculations.