"I can't do everything, but I can do something."

"I can't do everything, but I can do something." 
- Edward Everett Hale 

When I saw that quote today, I felt a great sense of relief. It made me realize that I've been carrying around this 'I can do everything' ego. Worse than that, my ego more accurately says 'I have to do everything.' Such a burden we place on ourselves. This quote was grounding, freeing. Let me start with something. And let that something be useful. 

  Thank you for reading. For more information on Raja Yoga philosophy see www.bkwsu.org.

Should Have or Could Have?

Should Have or Could Have?

I've been playing around with words lately, and two words that make a huge difference in our language are should and could. Just listen to these two statements:

I should clean the house.

I could clean the house.

Say them out loud so you can really hear the difference. The difference being that one is an expectation and the other is an opportunity. When we couch statements as opportunities, we open up possibilities - we allow for choice - we create a positive outlook. When we have expectation, we make ourselves vulnerable to disappointment - we narrow our thinking - we create a judging outlook.

So, I've been playing around with these words. When I catch myself saying should, I replace it with could, I let it sink in, I celebrate the transformation that takes place.

For a long time, I've been saying that I should get back into blogging, and understandably feeling quite heavy about it. I now say, I could get back into blogging, and I feel so light about it, it comes easily.

Thank you all who have encouraged me to write again. I feel like I'm back on track.

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What Newness Will You Create?

What Newness Will You Create in the New Year?

I love this question. As I sit waiting to hear the New Year's message that every Brahma Kumar and Kumari will hear, I consider this question. Past is past. 2010 is now old news - ancient history, even. Lets look forwards to 2011 with zeal and enthusiasm.

Do I resurrect old failed resolutions? No, lets put those to rest and create something completely new. I'd rather celebrate renewed spirit rather than mourn my unfulfilled expectations.

With that in mind I thought I'd try these on for size.

1. Have a clear out - go clutter free. I'm not talking about my living environment or my desk space - already tried that. No, this time I mean to clear out the clutter in the head - the waste thoughts like rehashing the past, or endlessly going through my inventory of to-do lists. I don't need it.

2. Practice the art of giving. Research shows the happiest people are the givers. Why? To give, you have to first know what you already have. When you're in the attitude of giving, you have the awareness that 'I already have more than enough, I have enough to share.' It's an attitude that leaves you feeling full and rich.

3. Celebrate daily. Akin to 'count your blessings' - if I won the lottery, I would celebrate. A lot. But when I count my blessings, my fortune, it's as if I've already won the lottery. It's worth celebrating. To have such fortune and not to celebrate, well, that's akin to being Scrooge. Better to enjoy the fortune through celebration.

Ok, that's enough for now. May 2011 bring you multi-million blessings! And if you've not already found true happiness, may this be your year!

Om shanti.

Thank you for reading. For more information on Raja Yoga philosophy see www.bkwsu.org.

Duvet Day? No way!

Duvet Day? No way!

Remember Duvet Day? If you don't, you can read my earlier blogs on the subject (only a few blogs back). I basically got so moody and miserable I would declare a duvet day.

In the latest blog on duvet day (the one with all the cute monkeys) I mentioned that my doctor suggested I 'not indulge the senses'. So this time around I laid off the sweets, in fact I cut out snacking altogether, including dry roasted peanuts. You would think that cutting out snacks would be enough to make anyone moody, but actually, I had some interesting results.

1. I did not notice ANY mood swings.

2. I did not get the usual cramps.

3. I did not put on weight.

4. In fact, I lost a couple pounds - something I'd been trying to do for the past year.

5. I was generally feeling quite fit and not having the usual bloating.

Wow, could my doctor have been right?!

Have a Snack-free Christmas, everyone!

Thank you for reading. For more information on Raja Yoga philosophy see www.bkwsu.org.

From Golf to Spiritual Bliss

From Golf to Spiritual Bliss

My husband used to take me to the driving range in an effort to cultivate an interest in golf. He enjoyed it and I thought I might enjoy it with him. He always kept me on the driving range though, realising that to allow me to play some holes would only frustrate me, frustrate him, and frustrate those playing behind us! I never quite got the knack of it. But there were moments when I hit the ball just so, and it would fly. It would literally sing though the air. Those were magic moments. Form, contact, swing - everything - was perfect and resulted in a perfect delivery. Good golfers aim to make these moments a regular constant occurrence. I could only manage a few of these, probably by accident! Still, I know the feeling you get when it does happen, I know that it's possible for it to happen and I know that given the time, practice and effort I could become a decent golfer.

Now lets use the same model for seeking happiness, enlightenment, or spiritual bliss. We can experience any one of these in fleeting moments. They happen upon us accidentally. We know they exist. Probably we believe they are gifts, that we have no control over when they come and go. But some make it their life study to make these momentary experiences occur with greater frequency and consistency. And a few have been rather successful at it. Just like golf, it takes a certain practice or effort to increase these spiritual moments. How?

Meditation seems to be the most popular tool. If you consider that happiness, bliss, and enlightenment are stages of the mind, then learning to master the mind and thought processes would seem the logical practice for achieving these. So we light a candle, put on some background music and sit cross-legged verbalizing 'om'. Any results yet?

Meditation is a good starting point. But there is something more, something extra required. Something that takes us beyond a daily physical practice. What is that thing?

I'll stop there to let you think about that. Reply with your thoughts - what do you think that extra something is. Together we can explore and perhaps even answer this deep riddle. Om shanti.

Thank you for reading. For more information on Raja Yoga philosophy see www.bkwsu.org.

Do you know where you're going to?

Do you know where you're going to?

I've had two words rattling around inside my head - Aim and Objective. I was looking for inspiration for a blog and wondered why I couldn't get inspired to write. I often get an idea and can't wait to write it down, but lately I've not felt motivated by anything. So I asked myself, what is the Aim and Objective of blogging?

In Raja Yoga we're encouraged to have an Aim and Objective. Without it, without purpose, you wander around aimlessly.

As Lewis Carroll said,

“If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.” Many former down-and-outs swear by the benefit of adopting a purpose in order to turn your life around. Counsellors will suggest taking up a goodwill cause to grief stricken clients. An aim and objective will nourish the soul and give it the will to not only live, but thrive.

Raja Yoga teaches us how to work, play and dance in happiness. It teaches us how to build and maintain healthy relationships. It teaches us the deep secrets of who we are and where we come from. I'm a full time student of Raja Yoga because of the insights it delivers and I'm constantly refining what I've learned. So, I suppose my aim and objective in blogging is to give readers an introduction to these teachings so that they have the chance to work, play and dance in happiness, too.

Thank you for reading. For more information on Raja Yoga philosophy see www.bkwsu.org.

The Science of Happiness

This morning, feeling extremely happy, I wanted to share that feeling by blogging about it. However, a friend of mine has already written a wonderful and short article on the Science of Happiness which I will borrow from the Inner Wave newsletter, Issue 9 (

http://www.bkwsu.org/uk/newsletter).

The Science of Happiness, by Dr. Prashant Kakoday

The Greek philosopher Aristotle once said:

"Happiness is the meaning and purpose of

life, the whole aim and end of human

existence." Scientists today have also begun

to recognise its importance. So, what can

science tell us about happiness?

Many observations are contrary to commonly

held beliefs. For example, wealth beyond a

certain basic minimum doesn’t lead to happiness.

In fact, it’s been found that the happiest

are those who’ve discovered their own

strengths and virtues and use them for the

greater good.

Studies show a significant link between good

works and psychological wellbeing.

Motivated volunteers are happier, regardless

of personal circumstances. The link between

exercise and happiness is also recognised. In

some studies, regular exercise was shown to

be just as effective as anti-depressants.

There are also some insights into the chemistry

of happiness. Serotonin, a neurotransmitter,

plays a major role in our experience of

happiness - high levels of it within the

synapses are associated with a feeling of

wellbeing. Conversely, most people with

depression have low serotonin levels. If we

artificially raise the level of seratonin, the

body responds by lowering its natural

production. As a result, the ‘resting level’

goes down – when the external boost wears

off.

Things like coffee, chocolates and cigarettes

all artificially raise serotonin but with long

term ‘boom and bust’ results. The same can

happen with TV, Internet, sex, music, alcohol

and violence. A lack of serotonin leads to a

loss of self-control and increases negative

feelings like anger. By rediscovering our inner

source of happiness and freeing ourselves

from even one main dependency, we can

begin to raise our own serotonin levels.

Studies show that for many, one key relationship

in life is often the key source of happiness.

On the other hand, broken relationships

are the biggest cause of unhappiness. As

with other dependencies, we can use another

person like a drug: our serotonin level

becomes linked to the presence or absence

of that person.

So is there a formula for happiness? May I

suggest:

Happiness = Truth / Desire.

The fewer desires you have, the happier you

will be. Having the right information (truth)

leads to contentment. Having the right understanding

of the self, our purpose, our origins

and our true relationships should free us from

the cycles of boom and bust and lead society

to that ultimate happiness.

Dr Prashant Kakoday is a medical doctor,

who has been studying Raja Yoga meditation

for over 20 years. He co- rdinates Brahma

Kumaris activities in Cambridge and lectures

around the world on topics ranging from

science and consciousness to the holistic

principles of life and health.

Thank you for reading. For more information on Raja Yoga philosophy see www.bkwsu.org.