Believing

When we help others to greater and greater freedom in living, we are helping ourself to greater living.

- Stella Terrill Mann

Wanting to do well may motivate me temporarily, but believing I can do well gives me the constant assurance I need in order to excel.

And I have learned that it is not so much my wanting freedom as it is my believing I can have it that sets my mind at ease and allows me to be creative and confident.  However, such a belief is based on the power and presence of God in me, rather than on my past performances or current circumstances.  Believing in God in me frees me to express inner strength and wisdom.

I have both freedom from negative habits and the freedom to express what fulfils me. As I let God in me come through in everyday living, I am free to be my very best.

The spirit of God within me is my source of freedom.

(From : 'Daily Word' magazine by Silent Unity, a world wide prayer ministry) 

GEM 752

Greater than all other forms of worship is seva (service to one's fellowmen) done in an unselfish and dedicated spirit.

(From : Garland of 1008 Gems, Bhagawan Shri Sathya Sai Baba's Sayings)

The Divine Mirror

The Divine Mirror When the first morsel of food Was placed on your tongue… Your eyes were alit… You tasted and retasted What was on your tongue… You reached toward your mother And loved her for sustaining Your body And Making you whole… But have you tasted the love for God…? Once you have tasted the love for God You shall smile as if The world has brought you gold… You shall learn to laugh at things That seem to you as trouble… You shall cry in remembering The wasted moments Of doubt and tension… You shall guard the peace That you feel within Just like a queen bee That guards the honey In the hive… The norms of society Shall no more call Your name… You shall be happy To be with your heart And spend day and night In filling and refilling The reservoirs of love For your beloved Lord… You shall see The stormy skies And smile as it stares… You will walk Through the gusty winds And fear not What you may have to bear… And when the sun shines In the skies… You shall turn to its lights And know that in its brilliance Your sweet Lord smiles and hides… In times of disease… In times of death You shall stay with the Lord And pray… And from your love for Him You shall draw the verses of wisdom And repeat their truth Until time passes away… The taste of love For the Lord Himself Remains for lives to come… And each time your body awakens… To a new birth… You smile and remember The food of love… In which your soul awoke… And the sweet nectar of truth Poured from within And made each dark night A day of God to live… Do not worry Of how you shall foster This love for God In your life… Just remember The loneliness Before the days Before you fell in love With Him… And you shall yourself Turn away From the gloom Of piercing fears. O when you have Tasted Peace for once… Your heart shall Tremble To draw the old world near… The strength To love God Comes When you see Him So very much Like yourself… The closer you go To His sweet good ways You my friend Shall see The mirror In His heart That reflects A picture Of this world In which God stands And gives His love Continuously…to you…and me… Yes! O Child You love God For He is you More than you And you…yourself… And the moment You place This Divine Mirror Upon your wall… You shall always see The truth of you… The truth in which He alone reflects Within your soul And the love for God For which you breathe Is the food Of that soul That keeps it full… And makes it complete! (Inspirational message received by Seema M Dewan, June 1st, 2011)

Pearl 16

The Lord's grace is conferred on each devotee according to the level of spiritual consciousness.  The ocean is vast and boundless.  But the amount of water you can carry from it is determined by the size of the vessel you carry to its shore.  If the vessel is small, you cannot fill it beyond its capacity.  Likewise, if your heart is constricted, Divine grace will be equally limited.  Broaden your heart by getting rid of narrow differences and thus recognize the truth that the Divine dwells in every body.

(TFD 3 Dec '04)

AS MUCH AS I CAN REACH!

My Lord,

At last,

You've come to reign,

every nook -

of my mind's domain!

At Your abode

I find

the mind

in twain.

Not wanting to go,

nor able to stay!

You've kept me far -

too far to reach,

Yet distance has its' charm!

Like silence shrouding every noise,

Distance draws You dear to me;

and silence has its' telling tale.

Vibrant - with its noiseless words,

- Gushing out of a smothered soul -

"At last - I've got a goal" - !

- to reach myself

- to You - within

- as much as I can Reach!

(By : Dr Vasantha Nair, Blossoming Love) 

Devotion

Renunciation

Renunciation is the real secret of happiness.  Everyone should share with others to the extent of his capacity his income and possessions and contribute to the well-being of others.  There are so many people who are destitute and suffering in various ways.  It is the duty of those who are better off to go to the help of these unfortunates.

(Sanathana Sarathi, November 1997, pg 284)

MESSAGE 16

The one that loves God is always light-hearted. Why? When we love someone fully, we place our full faith in Him. In the same way when we love God fully we place our faith that all He does for us is good for us. That faith keeps one free from anxiety, doubts, hatred, misunderstandings and desires.

Most of us are under the false impression that a spiritual life is a serious life. That is completely a misconception. A spiritual heart always concentrates on simplicity and simplicity, and in that focus he escapes a life of artificiality.

Simplicity is one’s natural response to one’s conscience. A simple person believes in the wisdom of the conscience and overcomes the tribulations of the mind by the sincerity of his reasoning. He reasons by not focusing on the desire but instead on the guidance of his conscience. With that he is always content…always happy!

We all wish to be light-hearted but we choose wrong ways. Often we choose ways that bring us to a loose way of thinking. As a result we are unable to receive guidance from within ourselves and rely on outside methods. The greater we rely on these outside methods the more cynical we get toward our own inner voice. The more we doubt ourselves the more we resent to rely on the outside guidance. It is indeed a vicious cycle that once one steps into, one is unable to get out of.

We often carry heavy loads in our minds. But none of us truly realize that most of these loads that we carry are born out of desire. They become a “must” only because we have desired them so very much. We are prepared to carry the burden of so much in our minds but we are not prepared to be simple. Simplicity to the ‘ordinary mind’ is ‘deprivation’. And ‘deprivation of these burdens’ to the ‘simple mind’ is contentment.

Be simple…be sincere…then only will you be content. If you wish to focus on being happy then realize the three things that you will need to carry are self-respect, self-confidence, and self-awareness.

Self-respect is the love for truth that is within you (bhakti or devotion).

Self-confidence is the love for carrying out that truth (karma or action).

Self-awareness is the love of the Self as that truth (jnana or self-revelation).
May you be blessed with all of them. May simplicity and sincerity bring you heart-filled contentment.
Part of the book: 'Inspiring Thoughts'
By Seema M. Dewan
Copyright reserved by author Please share the messages with no changes in the text

GEM 751

Few render service with Love and hence, few receive God's grace.

(From : Garland of 1008 Gems, Bhagawan Shri Sathya Sai Baba's Sayings)