by BK Sister, Aruna Ladva, submitted by Etta Stevens
The theme we are focusing on at the Brahma Kumaris this month is contentment. There are lots of valid points being raised to inspire the cultivation of contentment, yet I wonder if I also need to address or should I say, fill the hole of discontentment in the soul before that. I need to do some deeper work, instead of just putting on band aids to hold in those emotions with a superfluous idea of contentment.
Contentment is something that needs to be finely tuned, it does not appear simply like that. I need to honor the beauty in my life, to see the fortune and blessings that my life is filled with. I count my blessings with a greater sense and appreciation of all my attainments. I am grateful for the many things that come effortlessly to me. This attitude of gratitude enables the river of happiness to run constantly through and throughout my life.
All that can be easier said than done. Maya, the illusion, comes up with a great number of things to make us feel half empty…constantly. We might have saved up for that one special thing we believed we needed to complete us and make us totally content, and before we know it, that vicious cycle of desire begins again. Then what follows is another illusion and another…that we chase after as we attempt to fill that inner void.
Discontented people look for lots and lots of temporary gain, just to feel happy and content. So, they fill their lives with things to do, places to go, and people to meet because at least for a few moments they feel some satisfaction of being. How much of our discontentment comes from an inner sense of disconnection?
And because I am dissatisfied with myself, inside, I am looking outside, for things to validate my feelings and my life. Then my belief is … if things outside are not great, then how can I expect to be feeling great? So, I now have reasons to not be feeling great! And that seems better, because the problem is not in me, here, it’s out there! What is REALLY stopping me from being happy and content?
Discontentment makes us restless and peaceless from the inside. Nothing and no one are ever enough. I am constantly on a mission (negative) and in “critical mode”. Nothing out there is perfect for me, because I am not feeling perfect inside. The problem with trying to make myself content inside, by using the support of things from outside, simply does not work because the inside is permanent, and outside is fleeting. The two energies do not synergize, it is like trying to mix oil and water.
Contented people are contented with everything because, the deepest form of happiness is contentment. In meditation we simply accept things for the way they are. Not to fix them or experience anything different. Just to accept. It is a humbling experience, because in this sense we are powerless. Or better said, we consciously choose to ‘channel’ our power and not waste it with the energy of resistance. That does not mean that we do not strive to make ourselves and things out there better wherever we can. I believe this is an excellent way to foster inner contentment.
My first job is to accept what I cannot control, what I cannot fix. So, it cools and calms me down. I relax into it, because I have stopped fighting the – “it” – in whatever form that “it” may appear in my life. I am rebuilding myself from the inside out. And once I am strong from the inside, then things begin to shift outside. My placid energy of inner stability begins to bring stability and calm to my surroundings.
When we start seeking happiness on the outside, we are discontented. As we stop looking (out there), we become content. All our ‘contents’ are really within the soul, we are made of virtues, powers, and beautiful qualities… there is nothing more to look for outside. Remind yourself of how beautiful, special, powerful and …….(you fill in the blanks with more of your specialties). The outer world is simply a reflection of my inner world and so if I am not in touch with my inner world, then I cannot get to grips with my outer world. If I do not see any beauty in me, I will not make that connection to see the beauty outside of me. How can I, I have no reference. Thus, it is through the inner lens that we experience the outer physical beauty.
When I get the inner environment of my inner world balanced, then this will naturally affect what is drawn into my life, at the outer level. My inner world gets reflected in my environment around me too. With this power we find we can more easily and simply control our own emotions and feelings and find the JOY, PEACE and CONTENTMENT that has been missing from our daily lives.
The way to do this is to perform a daily MEDITATION practice even for just a few minutes each time you sit in silence and contemplate the negativity that enters your mind. The more you do this practice, the easier it will be to chase the negative emotions out of your mind and replace them with a positive outlook on life in general. Life is extremely difficult now with so many things to complicate the joy and peace we want to attain. Everyone is in the very same position now but with MEDITATION in our lives we can at least see the relief that is coming and learn the proper way to relax our minds and our bodies.
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