What
faith
we
follow
and
what
we
believe
in,
is
not
worth
debating
or
arguing
about.
It
is
very
important
to
have
a
faith
and
more
important,
to
follow
whatever
we
deeply
believe
in
***
Wrong
means
standing
on
the
opposite
side
of
ones
own
beliefs.
***
“Right
&
Wrong”
is
about
how
we
conduct
ourselves,
and
not
about
how
others
conduct
themselves.
***
The
most
futile
arguments
in
life
are
usually
about
who
is
right
***
One
should
not
demean
another
person’s
belief.
Different
thoughts,
beliefs
work
for
different
people.
6
billion
people
and
yet
so
few
look
alike
!!
It
was
meant
to
be
this
way.
***
Never
judge
others,
unless
it
is
your
designated
job
to
do
so
***
St
Seraphim
is
one
of
the
most
venerated
saints
of
the
Russian
Orthodox
Church.
One
of
his
famous
quotations
is
“Instead
of
condemning
others,
strive
to
reach
inner
peace.
Keep
silent,
refrain
from
judgement”
***
Prevent
the
mind
from
producing
critical
thoughts
about
anything
and
everything
that
surrounds
us,
like
the
government,
the
church,
your
boss,
his
pet,
his
dog,
and
so
on.
This
is
the
first
step
in
stopping
ourselves
from
being
judgemental.
***
Bigger
our
ego,
the
more
judgemental
we
become
of
others.
Kill
that
ego.
***
Instant
judgement
is
the
hallmark
of
an
‘effective’
manager.
***
A
Indian
lady
once
told
me,
“Cows
are
Holy
to
us
and
we
should
participate
in
donation
of
cows
(gaudan),
as
it
is
the
cow
that
carries
us
across
in
our
afterlife
to
the
land
of
the
lord
(Baikunth).”
I
have
read
in
some
holy
books,
that
the
lord
has
said
“all
paths
lead
to
me”.
It
is
“strong
belief”
that
takes
us
to
the
lord
in
the
afterlife,
no
matter
what
faith
we
believe
in.
Donate
a
cow
or
worship
the
sunrise,
if
the
belief
is
strong
the
mountain
will
move
***
Belief
is
not
just
telling
one’s
self
that
“this
is
it”,
but
a
deep
sense
that
lingers
and
prevails
constantly
telling
the
body
what
to
do.
Each
one’s
conscious
guides
the
self,
one
must
train
to
listen
to
it
without
the
prejudice
of
earthly
things.
***
Rabbi
Hillel,
the
wisest
of
them
all,
once
said
"Do
not
do
unto
others
anything
you
would
not
want
him
to
do
unto
you.
This
is
the
Law.
All
the
rest
is
judicial
commentary."
***
A
bit
of
attention
in
our
dealing
with
others,
will
help
us
choose
to
be
patient
with
them.
A
lapse
of
attention
could
get
us
angry
and
very
aggressive.
In
moments
of
anger
we
loose
control
and
allow
emotion
to
overcome
wisdom.
***
It’s
the
complicated
nature
of
humans
that
makes
life
and
everything
that
surrounds
us
so
complex.
We
should
aim
for
Simplicity
in
everything
we
do.
***
Take
away
anger,
greed
and
vengeance.
Bring
in
forgiveness,
tolerance
and
generosity.
***
The
more
skilled
we
get,
the
more
intolerant
and/or
critical
we
get
towards
other
people’s
incompetence
in
the
same
area.
My
Golf
Instructor
once
said
“Anybody
who
hits
a
better
shot
than
you,
will
assume
that
they
have
a
right
to
advise
you
and
many
a
time
that
advice
will
destroy
your
swing
forever.”
Attempting
to
overcome
our
intolerance
towards
others
incompetence
will
prevent
us
from
behaving
in
a
self
righteous
way
and
judging
other.
***
I
have
read
a
few
times
that
‘What
we
do
NOW
is
the
most
important
thing,
the
person
we
deal
with
NOW
is
the
most
important
person
and
NOW
is
the
most
important
moment’
This
is
one
thought
that
can
make
us
and
our
actions
significant.
In
a
world
with
6
billion
people,
more
than
180
countries
and
in
a
lifetime
than
spans
an
average
of
70
years
it
is
easy
to
seem
extremely
insignificant.
***
Forget
about
all
the
other
places
and
all
we
have
is
HERE,
Forget
about
all
the
other
people
and
all
we
are
left
with
are
with
those
that
surround
us.
Take
away
all
the
other
moments
of
life
and
all
we
are
left
with
is
NOW.
Act
as
if
every
NOW
is
the
most
precious
moment
of
Life,
for
you
never
now
if
there
will
be
another
one.
***
“Survival
&
Happiness
depend
on
the
total
environment
of
here
and
now”
-‐Ken
Keyes
Jr.,
Handbook
of
Higher
Consciousness
***
Expression
in
any
form
should
be
practiced.
In
the
form
of
good
speech,
writing,
rendering
music
or
any
form
of
visual
art.
Expression
is
what
allows
us
to
see
our
own
souls
***
We
don’t
always
have
to
analyse
and
try
and
make
sense
of
everything
around
us.
Analysis
often
destroys.
Understanding
can
often
come
from
within,
from
the
inner
self.
Understanding
could
be
a
feeling,
it
does
not
have
to
be
a
logical
explanation
***
Self
development
starts
with
recognizing
and
then
accepting
one’s
own
capabilities
and
limitations.
***
There
is
a
lot
of
wisdom
in
the
ways
of
the
ancient.
Acceptance
of
knowledge
without
scientific
evidence
leads
to
faith
&
belief.
Many
a
time
it
is
the
faith
&
belief
that
work.
***
In
Ancient
India
knowledge
was
passed
on
from
Guru
(Master)
to
disciples
by
word
of
mouth.
Knowledge
was
accepted
without
seeking
scientific
evidence,
like
the
practice
of
Yoga
and
Homeopathy
for
example
that
had
been
handed
down
from
ancient
times.
These
things
became
accepted
and
practiced
in
western
society
only
by
gathering
scientific
evidence
about
their
effects.
***
When
you
can’t
hear
the
heart
clearly
enough,
only
then
put
the
rationale
of
the
brain
to
work.
This
practice
will
bring
you
closer
to
your
inner
self.
***
Grief,
despair
and
frustration
leading
to
anger
arise
from
our
reactions
to
unfavourable
outcomes.
Events
-‐
we
cannot
control.
(the
holy
books
of
Hindus,
The
Bhagwad
Gita,
stresses
on
this).
Reaction
–
we
can.
Not
getting
the
expected
fruits
from
our
labour
can
lead
to
despair,
unless
we
can
train
ourselves
to
react
in
a
more
accepting
way
to
the
dispositions
of
destiny.
***
Nothing
can
cause
us
to
be
upset,
if
we
choose
not
to
be
so.
It
is
after
all
the
way
we
choose
to
react.
***
We
are
constantly
under
attack
via
or
5
senses.
We
see,
hear,
feel,
taste
and
smell
things
that
offend
us.
This
cannot
be
changed,
what
can
be
changed
is
the
wey
we
react
to
it
***
Negative
thoughts
like
irritation
and
grief
can
lead
one
to
drown
in
an
ocean
of
despair.
Drop
the
negative
thoughts
and
you
will
find
your
mind
surfacing
back
to
normality.
***
Our
actions
(I
would
like
to
think
of
it
as
reactions,
as
everything
we
do
is
actually
a
reaction
to
an
event),
should
be
very
controlled
and
very
clean,
starting
with
out
thoughts,
words
and
then
physical
actions.
One
practicing
this
will
always
be
truly
balanced.
***
Start
by
thinking
very
carefully
about
what
is
happening
in
the
mind
and
by
being
careful
about
what
words
come
out,
eventually
it
will
be
of
second
nature
to
us,
something
like
driving
a
car
(which
we
know
can
cause
an
accident
if
we
aren’t
careful
enough)
***
Replace
the
reactions
of
fear
and
anger
with
love
and
gentleness.
It
is
difficult
to
train
the
mind
to
do
so,
but
with
constant
reminding
and
attention
to
our
behaviour,
it
is
possible
***
Fear
and
anger
can
distort
reality.
Situations
get
magnified.
Non-‐existing
or
minor
problems
seem
like
humungous
disasters,
creating
a
spectacle
that
feeds
on
our
paranoia.
***
Most
fears
arise
from
the
“What
if?”
question.
A
question
which
prompts
you
to
imagine
and
distort
reality.
What
if
I
loose
my
job?
What
if
I
loose
my
car?
What
if
I
cannot
pay
my
mortgage?
Firstly,
one
drowns
into
situations
that
have
not
happened
and
secondly
these
questions
have
killed
your
faith
and
belief
in
a
merciful
God.
A
man
who
has
lost
all
faith
has
already
lost
more
than
his
job,
house
and
car.
***
It
is
very
strange
that
as
humans
became
more
civilised,
their
locks
and
weapons
became
more
sophisticated.
Their
trust
in
other
humans
decreased,
the
size
of
legislation
has
kept
on
growing.
***
Be
very
wary
of
the
nature
of
this
materialistic
world.
One
in
the
grip
of
it
tends
to
have
his
mind
blacked
out
and
this
black
out
prevents
one
from
being
careful
about
thoughts,
words
and
actions,
leading
to
hatred,
abuses
and
physical
harm
to
others.
***
Things
in
nature
are
consistent.
At
extremely
large
scales
you
find
planets
revolving
around
a
star,
moons
revolving
around
planets
and
even
at
the
tiniest
level
of
atoms
you
find
electrons
revolving
around
a
nucleus.
Life
follows
certain
patterns
irrespective
of
the
scale
of
things.
***
Time
does
not
have
a
beginning
or
an
end,
nor
does
space.
Going
by
the
consistency
in
nature,
Life
should
be
eternal.
But
then
what
about
birth
and
death?
A
friend
once
told
me
of
a
story
where
a
green
signal
travelling
across
a
road,
on
foggy
winter
mornings
would
spook
motorists,
and
was
fixed
by
moving
that
signal
out
of
the
visible
range.
The
spectrum
of
Red-‐Orange-‐Yellow-‐ Green-‐Blue-‐Indigo-‐Violet
is
visible,
but
there
do
exist
frequencies
of
infra
red
and
an
ultra
violet
that
are
invisible
to
the
eye.
There
do
exist
sounds
that
are
inaudible
to
the
human
ear.
Buddhists
and
Hindus
believe
in
rebirth.
They
believe
that
the
body
manifests
and
perishes
while
the
soul
moves
on
into
another
body.
A
full
circle
comprises
of
several
thousand
re-‐births
as
every
possible
creature
and
the
sould
then
comes
back
to
the
Human
form.
It
is
only
in
the
human
form
that
it
is
able
to
achieve
“Nirvana”
(freedom
from
this
cycle)
***
“Love
everyone
unconditionally,
including
yourself.
A
loving
person
lives
in
a
loving
world.
A
hostile
person
lives
in
a
hostile
world.”
Ken
Keyes
Jr.,
Handbook
of
Higher
Consciousness
***
Attachment
or
over
involvement
in
a
situation
can
lead
to
frustration.
Yoga
teaches
stress
relief
via
detachment.
***
It
is
not
only
important
to
be
forgiving,
but
it
is
also
important
not
to
expect
the
same
from
others.
The
world
as
it
is
today
is
very
unforgiving.
***
Not
everyone
can
achieve
fame
and
wealth,
but
is
possible
for
every
human
being
to
be
as
good
as
a
“Mahatma”
(Mahatma
is
derived
from
the
words
Mahaan
Atma
–
meaning
Great
soul).
It
is
within
our
capacity
to
be
as
good
as
we
want
to
be.
***
-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐
Spiritual
Ponderings
Compiled
by
Dileepanand
Bharati
Recommended
Readings
1. Handbook
to
Higher
Consciousness.
Ken
Keys
Jr.
Living
Love
Publications
2. Being
good-‐
Buddhist
ethics
for
everyday
life
Hsing,
Yèun.