Timely Wisdom

Under his forming hands a creature grew,
Man-like, but different sex; so lovely fair
That what seemed fair in all the world, seemed now
Mean, or in her summed up, in her contained,
And in her looks; which from that time infus'd
Sweetness into my heart, unfelt before,
And into all things from her air inspir'd
The spirit of love and amorous delight.
She disappear'd, and left me dark; I wak'd
To find her, or for her ever to deplore
Her loss, and other pleasures abjure:
When out of hope, behold her, not far off,
Such as I saw her in my dream, adorn'd
With what all Earth or Heaven could bestow
To make her amiable: On she came,
Led by her Heavenly Maker, though unseen,
And guided by his voice; nor uninform'd
Of nuptial sanctity, and marriage rites:
Grace was in her steps, heaven in her eye,
In every gesture dignity and love.

JOHN MILTON, Paradise Lost



GREAT WOMEN HAVE SAID..............................

"We have too many high sounding words, and too few actions that correspond with them."
-Abigail Adams
(1744 - 1818)

"The surest test of discipline is its absence."
-Clara Barton
(1821 - 1912)

"If I can stop one heart from breaking I shall not live in vain."
-Emily Dickinson
(1830 - 1886)

"The triumph can't be had without the struggle."
-Wilma Rudolph
(1940 - 1994)

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
-Maya Angelou
(1928 - )

"I attribute my success to this - I never gave or took any excuse."
-Florence Nightingale
(1820 - 1910)

"A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees."
-Amelia Earhart
(1898 - 1937)




“Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words, or He will rebuke you and prove you a liar!!!!!"
– Proverbs 30:5-6 (NIV)













Meditation – The Art Of Thought Training::::::::::::::::

There is a common impression that meditation means to empty the mind of all thoughts in order to experience the stillness or peacefulness of the mind. The mind is not to blame for our existing distress or confusion. It is really only a screen upon which thoughts are projected. The waywardness and naughtiness of the mind is due to the quality of thoughts that arise in it and not due to some problem inherent in the mind itself.

Though this emptying of the mind may bring temporary relief, it's not a natural part of living to have no thoughts. Instead, the mind has to be trained to create the types of thoughts that lead to harmony and peace. Thus, each session of Raja Yoga meditation (as taught by the Brahma Kumaris) can be seen as one of thought-training in a similar way to a tennis player who, seeking perfection, practices his serve, back-hand and volley in order to improve them.

Meditation is the journey towards soul-consciousness and god-consciousness guided by the use of the thoughts created in the mind and the deep and inner memory of the original and basic state and virtues of the soul. I first have to withdraw my attention from all outer circumstances and direct it within towards inner dialogue.








Motivation:::::::::::::::::::

For a process to happen effectively, I need to prioritize, that is, to make the best use of my time, energy and resources.

To prioritize, I also need to recognize and refuse clever excuses (for example, 'there is no time') and create a timetable that is realistic and functional. As I prioritize my values, then the type of motivation I have becomes clearer. Is my motivation materialistic or spiritual? The results of one and the other are very different.



Materialistic motivation is based on ambition, competition and a desire for position. Often we believe we cannot succeed without these and so think and act on the basis of these values. Often the results include conflict, fear, attachment, jealousy, possessiveness and over-identification of the self with a role, a position, which makes us feel threatened by anyone who is more talented or more praised. For example, when motivation is materialistic, there is always the fear of loss of something that, in turn, creates uneasiness, stress and worry.


Spiritual motivation is based on enthusiasm for a task, rather than blind ambition, co-operation with the uniqueness of others, rather than being in competition with those differences. Finally, the feeling to serve through whatever talent, position, or role I have.

The results of spiritual motivation are respect, harmony, individual and collective well-being, a sense of purpose and the feeling of a deep fulfillment in one's being.