Article Published in Free Press Journal

http://www.freepressjournal.in/peace-of-mind/how-to-stay-away-from-fearful-thoughts/1141877

What is Karma?

What is Karma? 

Buddha was sitting with his disciples. One of them asked him "What is Karma?"

Buddha said, "Let me tell you a story..."

A king was touring his kingdom on his elephant. Suddenly he stopped in front of a shop in the market and said to his minister, "I don't know why, but I want to hang the owner of this shop." The minister was shocked. But before he could ask the king why, the king had moved on.

The next day, the minister went to that shop dressed as one of the locals to see the shopkeeper. He casually asked him how his business was faring. The shopkeeper, a sandalwood merchant, reported sadly that he had hardly any customer. People would come to his shop, smell the sandalwood and then go away. They would even praise the quality of the sandalwood but rarely buy anything. His only hope was that the king would die soon. Then there would be a huge demand for sandalwood for performing his last rites. As he was the only sandalwood merchant around, he was sure the king's death would mean a windfall.

The minister now understood why the king had stopped in front of this shop and expressed a desire to kill the shopkeeper. Perhaps, the shopkeeper's negative thought vibration had subtly affected the king, who had, in turn, felt the same kind of negative thought arising within.

The minister; a nobleman, pondered over the matter for a while. Without revealing who he was or what had happened the day before, he expressed a desire to buy some sandalwood. The shopkeeper was pleased. He wrapped the sandalwood and handed it over to the minister.

When the minister returned to the palace, he went straight to the court where the king was seated and reported that the sandalwood merchant had a gift for him. The king was surprised. When he opened the package, he was pleasantly surprised by the fine golden color of the sandalwood and its agreeable fragrance. Pleased, he sent some gold coins to the sandalwood merchant. The king also felt sorry in his heart that he had harbored unbecoming thoughts of killing the shopkeeper.

When the shopkeeper received the gold coins from the king, he was astounded. He began to proclaim the virtues of the king who had, through the gold coins, saved him from the brink of poverty. After some time, he recalled the morbid thoughts he had felt towards the king and repented for having entertained such negative thoughts for his own personal goal.

If we have a good and kind thought for another person, that positive thought will come back to us in a favorable way. But if we harbor evil thoughts, those thoughts will come back to us as retribution.

"What is Karma?" asked Buddha

Many replied, "our words, our deeds, our feelings, our actions......"

Buddha shook his head and said

"Your thoughts are your Karma!

Happiness

*Happiness can be divided into 3categories:*

*1. Physical happiness;*

*2. Mental happiness;* 

*3. Spiritual happiness.*

These are brief summary of steps to take for achieving these in our lives:

*For Physical Happiness:*

a. Regular and proper *DIET*.

b. Regular and proper *REST*.

c. Regular and proper *EXERCISE*.

*For Mental Happiness:*

a. Minimize *Expectations*.

b. Minimize *Ego & Pride*.

c. Minimize *Negative Thoughts*.

*For Spiritual Happiness:*

a. Recognize your *SOUL* as a separate entity from the body. 

b. Do not live in the *PAST*. 

    Free yourself of past memories 

    and experiences. 

    Do not worry about the *FUTURE*.

    But, plan for IT. 

    Free yourself in *PRESENT* of 

    any attachments and hatred 

    *Raag Dvesh*.

c. Help all living beings without 

    any expectations.

d. Meditate regularly and surrender 

     to the Supreme Soul. 

           *BE HAPPY ALWAYS* 

Krishna and Karna

In Mahabharat, Karna asks Lord Krishna - "My mother left me the moment I was born. Is it my fault I was born an illegitimate child?

I did not get the education from Dhronacharya because I was considered a non-Kshatriya.

Parshu-Raam taught me but then gave me the curse to forget everything since I was a Kshatriya.

A cow was accidentally hit by my arrow & its owner cursed me for no fault of mine.

I was disgraced in Draupadi's swayamvar.

Even Kunti finally told me the truth only to save her other sons.

Whatever I received was through Duryodhana's charity.

So how am I wrong in taking his side?"

Lord Krishna replies, "Karna, I was born in a jail.

Death was waiting for me even before my birth.

The night I was born I was separated from my birth parents.

From childhood, you grew up hearing the noise of swords, chariots, horses, bow, and arrows. I got only cow herd's shed, dung, and multiple attempts on my life even before I could walk!

No army, no education. I could hear people saying I am the reason for all their problems.

When all of you were being appreciated for your valour by your teachers I had not even received any education. I joined gurukula of Rishi Sandipani only at the age of 16!

You are married to a girl of your choice. I didn't get the girl I loved & rather ended up marrying those who wanted me or the ones I rescued from demons.

I had to move my whole community from the banks of Yamuna to far off Sea shore to save them from Jarasandh. I was called a coward for running away!!

If Duryodhana wins the war you will get a lot of credit. What do I get if Dharmaraja wins the war? Only the blame for the war and all related problems....

Remember one thing, Karna. Everybody has challenges in life.

LIFE IS NOT FAIR ON ANYBODY!!!

Duryodhana also has a lot of unfairness in life and so has Yudhhishthir.

But what is Right (Dharma) is known to your mind (conscience). No matter how much unfairness we got, how many times we were disgraced, how many times we were denied what was due to us, what is important is how you REACTED at that time.

Stop whining Karna. Life's unfairness does not give you license to walk the wrong path...

Always remember, Life may be tough at a point, but DESTINY is not created by the SHOES we wear but by the STEPS we take...

Art of Sacrificing

Please find the link of  an article published in Free Press Journal. 

​http://www.freepressjournal.in/peace-of-mind/the-art-of-sacrificing/1138257

Question Answer with Guruji

Q:  What is Pitru Dosha, how does it affect our daily life and how do we correct it?

 

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Pitru Dosha comes out of torturing the parents or ancestors. If children torture the parents and do not understand them, then that is called Pitru Dosha. The parents have brought you up with so much love, taking pain they have given you a good life, they have been by your side and helped you grow, and then you don't give them love and inflict pain on them, that is called Pitru Dosh.

But I tell you, your meditation, your being on the spiritual path, keeping a clean heart and doing a selfless service, to some degree will eliminate the Dosha from your life. See, sometimes people are miserable not because you did something to them, but they are miserable because of their own ignorance. They expect things from you which you may not be able to deliver. Then you don't get Pitru Dosha. It happens when they are really pained by something you could do, but you did not do. When you intentionally inflict pain on the parents due to your selfish reasons then that is Pitru Dosha.

Then what happens? The progeny will have problems. Your children will give you problems. The impact of it is -- children are born with some special needs; some deformities. These are all the signs of Pitru Dosha. Somewhere in the ancestral line, parents were very unhappy with their kids, now you have to become unhappy with your own kids. This is the law of karma.

But there is a remedy for it, and the remedy is meditation. 'Om Namah Shivaya' chanting also helps. This is why it's called Maha Mantra. It can rectify any of these Doshas. 'Om Namah Shivaya' does not belong to only one religion. It is universal and it is for everybody.

Arjuna vs Karna

Arjuna asked Krishna, ‘Why Karna is known to be more liberal than me?’

Krishna showed a mountain of gold and asked Arjuna to give to people in a single day. Arjuna, went to the mountain and broke the mountain rock by rock to give to the people. It took him several days to complete it.

Now, same task was allocated to Karna. He gave all the people the required tools to break the mountain. He asked people to break the mountain and take what ever they wish. Everyone gathered and hit the mountain. They took away what they want and in few hours the entire mountain is vanished.

Krishna told Arjuna, ‘You want everything to be done by you. That is why it took you several days. You determined how much to be given. You didn’t used team work and required tools to break the mountain. Wanted credit for what you are doing. But Karna’s aim was only to break the mountain in a day and distribute it to the people. He used team work, required tools and never claimed credit of giving it from his hands’.

Leaders never claim the team’s credit, they stand in the front at the time of disaster, use right team member at the right place, use right tools and bring team together to complete huge task in short time.

KEY WORDS IN THE BIBLE FEAR Around the Year with Emmet Fox September 9

KEY WORDS IN THE BIBLE

FEAR

Around the Year with Emmet Fox

September 9

The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,

the beginning of knowledge.

This has misled many people,

because the truth is that fear is entirely evil

and is indeed the only enemy we have.

You can heal any condition if you can get rid of the fear attaching to it;

or sickness is nothing but subconscious fear

out-pictured in our surroundings.

It is true at all times that "we have nothing to fear but fear."

How then do we account for the texts quoted?

The answer is that in the Bible the fear of God means reverence for God,

fear in the usual sense of the word.

Reverence for God is the beginning of wisdom.

How do we show reverence for God?

seeing God everywhere; refusing to recognize anything unlike Him;

and by living the Christ life.

Confidence is worship. You worship whatever you trust.

Are you trusting more in fear or in God?

Are you worshiping? That is the test.

“Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace”

Job 22:21

*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~* September 10, 2017 RECOVERY BY PROXY?- Big Book

Good Morning!!!

God grant me the Serenity to accept

the things I cannot change; 

Courage to change the things I can; 

and Wisdom to know the difference. 

Thy will, not mine, be done.

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*

September 10, 2017

RECOVERY BY PROXY?

They [the Promises] will always materialize

if we work for them.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS p. 84

Sometimes I think:

"Making these amends is going too far!

No one should have to humble himself like that!"

However, it is this very humbling of myself

that brings me that much closer

to the sunlight of the spirit.

A.A. is the only hope I have

if I am to continue healing

and gain a life of happiness, friendship and harmony.

**********************************************

Free of Dependence

I asked myself,

"Why can't the Twelve Steps work

to release me from this unbearable depression?"

By the hour, I stared at the St. Francis Prayer:

"It is better to comfort than to be comforted ."

Suddenly I realized what the answer might be.

My basic flaw had always been

dependence on people or circumstances

to supply me with prestige, security, and confidence.

Failing to get these things

according to my perfectionist dreams and specifications,

I fought for them.

And when defeat came, so did my depression.

Reinforced by what grace I could find in prayer,

I had to exert every ounce of will and action

to cut off these faulty emotional dependencies

upon people and upon circumstances.

Then only could I be free to love as Francis had loved.

GRAPEVINE, JANUARY 1958
Copyright 1967 Alcoholics Anonymous 

World Services, Inc.

*******************************************

Real love pours itself out

upon the object of its affection,

without demanding any return.

--Florence Scovel Shinn
Loving another wholly, purely, with no strings attached

promises ecstasy, and yet seldom do we dare chance it.

Often we want the promise of love

in return if we're to offer it.

Our fragile egos are held tentatively intact

by the slim gestures and fleeting words of love tossed our way.

But when we bargain for love, we don't find it.

Real love will forever elude us

unless we put our own selves aside

and unabashedly love the self of someone else.
Freely spreading the warm glow of love to others

magically invites its return –

another of life's mysteries.

*****

Prayer under Pressure

Whenever I find myself under acute tensions,

I lengthen my daily walks and slowly repeat

our Serenity Prayer in rhythm to my steps and breathing.

If I feel that my pain has in part been occasioned by others,

I try to repeat,

"God grant me the serenity to love their best,

and never fear their worst."

This benign healing process of repetition,

sometimes necessary to persist with for days,

has seldom failed to restore me to at least

a workable emotional balance and perspective.

Bill W. Grapevine, March 1962

**********************************************

Perspective

Too often, we try to gain a clear perspective before it is time.

That will make us crazy.

We do not always know why things are happening the way they are. We do not always know how a particular relationship will work out. We do not always understand the source of our feelings, why we've been led down a particular path, what is being worked out in us, what we are learning, why we needed to recycle, why we had to wait, why we needed to go through a time of discipline, or why a door closed. How our present circumstances will work into the larger scheme of events is not always clear to us. That is how it needs to be.

Perspective will come in retrospect.

We could strain for hours today

for the meaning of something that may come

in an instant next year.

Let it go.

We can let go of our need to figure things out,

to feel in control.
Now is the time to be. To feel. To go through it.

To allow things to happen. To learn.

To let whatever is being worked out in us take its course.

In hindsight, we will know. It will become clear.

For today, being is enough.

We have been told that all things shall work out

for good in our life.

We can trust that to happen, even if we cannot see the place

today's events will hold in the larger picture.
Today, I will let things happen without trying to figure everything out. If clarity is not available to me today, I will trust it to come later, in retrospect. I will put simple trust in the truth that all is well, events are unfolding as they should, and all will work out for good in my life - better than I can imagine.

*****

Grapevine quote of the day

"I am feeling much better now 

and I thank God for AA and my good friends. 

I have learned how to accept their help."

Queens, N.Y., February 1971
"Carrying the Message" 
Emotional Sobriety II

**********************************************

Lies

Father Leo’s Meditation

"A liar needs a good memory."

– Quintilian

I lied to impress. I lied to hide my guilt and shame. I lied to cover my mistakes. I lied to bridge the silence. I lied to fantasize. I lied to hurt and destroy. I lied to hide the real me. Then I lied to cover the lies. Then I lied to cover the lies I told to cover the original lies! So it went on. Endless. Exhausting. Meaningless. A part of me always loathed the lies I told. Then I grew to hate myself.

Today, because I understand spirituality to be based on truth, I try not to tell lies. When I do lie, I make an effort to correct myself and apologize. Today lying is painful for me. Today I try to use my mind, imagination and memory for better things.

O God, who gave mankind the miracle of language and communication, let me not abuse Your gift with destructive deceit.

**********************************************

A Glum Lot I think not

GOOD SAMARITAN

A man walks in to a bar and orders a drink. He looks down the bar and sees another piss drunk man keep falling off his stool. The man finishes his drink watching the other man try to get back up on the stool. 

Feeling sorry for the drunk, the man tries to stand him up, but the drunk keeps falling. The man thinks that this drunk needs to be taken home, so he finds his address in his wallet. On the way to his car, the man had to practically carry the drunk man. 

After finally finding his house, the man carries the drunk man to the front door. He rings the doorbell and a lady answers. "Ma'am, your husband is drunk, so I decided to give him a lift home."

The woman replies, "Thank you sir, but I have one question...Where's his wheelchair?"

Please Lord

Teach us to laugh again but,

God don't ever let us

forget that we cried.

**********************************************

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
^*^*^*^*^
(\    ~~  /)
(   \ (AA)/   )
(_   /AA\ _)
  /AA\
^*^*^*^*^
Vision ^*^*^*^*^^*^*^ "Vision is, I think, the ability to make good estimates,
both for the immediate and for the more distant future.
Some might feel this sort of striving to be a sort of heresy,
because we AA's are constantly telling ourselves,
'One day at a time.'
But that valuable principle really refers to our
mental and emotional lives and means chiefly
that we are not foolishly to repine over the past
nor wishfully today - dream about the future. . .
Vision is therefore the very essence of prudence,
an essential virtue if ever there was one." 

Bill W., 1962
1962AAWS, Twelve Concepts for World Service, 

26th Printing, p. 40 ^*^*^*^*^* 

**********************************************

Thought to consider . . . 
The road to recovery

is always under construction.

~*~*~*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*~*~*~
O D A A T = One Day at a Time

**********************************************

~*~*~*~*~*^ Just For Today! ^*~*~*~*~*~

All I Could Think Of

From: "A Vision of Recovery"

While in a juvenile detention center about 500 miles from my home, I received word that my mother was dying of cancer. I was able to get a pass and return home to spend time with her. One evening my family asked me if I would stay home with my mother and give her the medicine she was required to take. I had already had a few drinks and was anxious to get out and party with my friends, but I reluctantly agreed to stay. Self-pity set in, and all I could think of was the good time I could have been having. I got very impatient with my mother, and when she refused to take her medicine, I almost forced it into her mouth; then I left to join my friends. The next morning I woke up in county jail, about 100 miles from home. I had attempted a break-and-enter, and was caught by the police.

That very evening, as I sat in jail, my mother died.

2001, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous, page 495-496

**********************************************

~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~

When and How to Give 
Men who cry for money and shelter as a condition of their sobriety are on the wrong track. Yet we sometimes do provide a new prospect with these very things -- when it becomes clear that he is willing to place his recovery first. It is not whether we shall give that is the question, but when and how to give. Whenever we put our work on a material plane, the alcoholic commences to rely upon alms rather than upon a Higher Power and the AA group. He continues to insist that he cannot master alcohol until his material needs are cared for. Nonsense! Some of us have taken very hard knocks to learn this truth: that, job or no job, wife or no wife, we simply do not stop drinking so long as we place material dependence upon other people ahead of dependence on God. 

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 98

**********************************************

*~*~*~*^Twenty-four Hours a Day^*~*~*~*

September 10

A.A. Thought for the Day

Here are answers to the question

of how a person can live without liquor and be happy:

"The things we put in place of drinking

are more than substitutes for it.

One is the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous.

In this company, you find release

from care, boredom, and worry.

Your imagination will be fired.

Life will mean something at last.

The most satisfactory years of your existence lie ahead.

Among other A.A.s you will make lifelong friends.

You will be bound to them with new and wonderful ties." 

Does life mean something to me now?
Meditation for the Day
Do you want the full and complete satisfaction

that you find in serving God

and all the satisfactions of the world also?

It is not easy to serve both God and the world.

It is difficult to claim the rewards of both.

If you work for God,

you will still have great rewards in the world.

But you must be prepared

to sometimes stand apart from the world.

You cannot always turn to the world

and expect all the rewards which life has to offer.

If you are trying sincerely to serve God,

you will have other and greater rewards

than the world as to offer.
Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may not expect

too much from the world.

I pray that I may also be content

with the rewards that come from serving God.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

*********************************************

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Qu