Direct your actions for the common good (1 of 2)

Good morning friends. It’s said that, it is in our actions that we can direct ourselves to common good. It’s true that it depends to our self if we want to make it good or to make it bad. We have to clear our mind that we have to direct our actions for the common good all the time.

On many occasions we may have a feeling to perform a virtuous or meritorious act to instil ‘the feel good’ factor. This is a noble thing to do and one can increase the benefits arising from such actions by being mindful of a few things.

Often when actions of such nature are performed they may arise out of a feeling of guilt, of pride in doing good deeds, or to fuel ambitions in this life. While such feelings will bring no benefit at all, those that arise out of a pure mind, uncontrived, unconditioned and unconceptualized, the merits of such actions can be magnified.

Actions by themselves have no direction of their own; they have no capacity to bring merit unless the action is dedicated from an arising from the source, towards a particular person or people and the goal of directing the dedication.

One day, the residents of a town invited the Buddha to a meal. Soon after they left, 500 pretas – those born in the hungry ghost realm – arrived and requested him to dedicate to them the merit of the alms the people would offer to the Buddha. On asking the reason, the pretas said they were the parents of these residents and were reborn as pretas due to their miserly behavior. The Buddha agreed on the condition that they accompany him. On seeing them the people were horrified. On the Buddha’s explanation and reassurance to them they calmed down. The Buddha made a request for dedicating their sources of merit to the pretas. The people agreed unanimously.

Peace and harmony in daily living (1 of 2)

Good morning friends. We must always have peace and harmony in daily living. It has a big role in our life. Without this our life will not be a good one as we expected even if we tried a lot. Seems all our problem can’t be solve even if it is just an easy one.

There have been moments in almost everyone’s day-to-day living when one has experienced the true joy of living, with calm, peace and tranquility. What has usually disturbed these moments are memories of guilt and shame, carried by the ego and which resurfaces every now and then, causing discomfort. These feelings could be because of one’s own (mis) deeds or another’s.

What if you can be totally convinced that no action is anyone’s doing, that all action was merely a happening that simply had to happen?

This is what spiritual seeking is all about. Masters may talk about enlightenment or Self-realization, but what it means is to be able to experience the peace and tranquility that the sage enjoys in his day-to-day life.

A sage is considered a sage because he seems to be anchored in peace and tranquility while facing the pains and pleasures of day-to-day living in his chosen field of activity, like any other ordinary person.

'Self-realization’, to the sage, simply means the realization – the absolute, total conviction – that ‘events happen, deeds are done, but there is no individual doer thereof,” as Buddha put it. Both the sage and the ordinary person respond to their respective names being called. In both cases, therefore, there is identification with body and name as an individual entity separate from all others. The difference is that whereas the sage knows that “events happen, deeds are done, but there is no individual doer thereof,” the ordinary person has the conviction that each individual performs his action and is responsible for it.

How does self-respect contribute to our happiness? (3)

Every day of your life you make choices about what you will or will not do.

I've listened to countless stories in the counseling room of people who create tensions for themselves because of their own actions. No one knows their secret. But they know.

Consider what the Bible has to say:

Each one examine his own work…in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another (Gal. 6:4).

Want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise of the same…if you do what is evil, be afraid…for…an avenger…brings wrath upon the one who practices evil (Rom. 13:3-4).

I have found guilt is only a problem with people who pretend to be sorry for something they have done, but intend to do it again. Guilt is no problem to the repentant person, no matter what he has done, if there is a willingness not to repeat the mistake.

If you follow God's commandments, you will watch your self-respect grow, and you will be on the way to becoming indestructible. -Henry Brandt. Visit him at www.BiblicalCounselingInsight.com

Letting Go of Loss and Failure - 1

Good morning! I hope everybody out there were having a good day. This article inspired me a lot, that’s why I want to share it all with you. As we should accept everything what will happen, that wil lead us to have a peaceful mind and happiness.

My friend came to me to ask for advice regarding his problem. “My mother died when I was in my junior years; two years after, my father also passed away. My only brother has a broken family and does not lead a good life.

“These events hurt and make him depressed, especially since he feel he failed to guide his brother. He feel more bothered because he regard a good works and marriage as something to hold on for life.” “How can I get out of this depression and guilt feeling,” he asked.

Regarding the death of your father and mother, you As somebody said: “There are two inevitable realities: Death and taxes,” I have doubts about the second because not all pay their taxes honest! But death? That is inescapable.

While you must have to accept that everybody will pass away sooner or later. This is a reality of life. While you must have loved your parents very much – and all loved ones for that matter – we cannot cling on to them in this world forever. Sooner or later, we will part ways with them – hopefully not in the next life.

You can achieve tranquility and peace by accepting with resignation the dear of your parents.
In this connection, remember the serenity prayer which goes” “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference (between the two).

You have to accept the thing you cannot change – death of your parents. Commend them to the loving mercy of God.