A journey of Self - Discovery : Spritual practices - the origin and growth

These days meditation is commonly practiced by all. How it was discovered by a human originally? An introspective question. I heard about people used to tell, necessity is the mother of invention. I think struggles are the father of discovery of meditation and other spritual practices. I too experienced struggles and experience struggles also now. But i take struggles as challenges to grow myself. I don't take it personally. Since i am a soul with human body i can feel the struggles. But i use these struggles as challenges. I think about strategies to break the challenge or chain. I will not run away from the struggles. If i think it is a struggle i will run away. Since i take it as challenge i face it bravely with some strategies. Even a small step is appreciated. I also used to appreciate myself when i achieve small goals. It gives me confidence and console to mind. 

For example i illustrate my experience here. People were speaking behind me. It was very hurting. I can not go and tell all people about myself. I was sad & helpless. Then i took it as a challenge. I decided to overcome the problem without help of others. I created a strategy to overcome this struggle as follows. It is a longer one. But it is a useful one. If you have time read it patiently.

How to overcome the concern for others' opinion? 

Mindfulness is an excellent tool to help to achieve it. Here are some other strategies to support the journey. 

1. Chant mantra or phrase repeatedly

(1) if i don't understand, who else can understand?

(2) my understanding is enough

(3) i trust my own insights

2. Breathing in & Breathing out at every conversation to come to awareness at the Very Moment.

3. Reframe your thoughts. Other person's words and actions often reflect their own fear, struggles and limitations. This is not true in my point of view. BTW i can't ask them to change their perspective.

4. Focus on my own values rather than others' expectations. (In case if point no.3 is not fully satisfied go by point no.4. If other's thought is right sometimes, let's focus on my own values rather than concentrating others' expectations. Another view)

5. Practise Self care : Nurture your physical, emotional and mental well being. This will help me to develop a stronger sense of Self and completely eradicate dependence on external validation. (Imagine Self validation for my signature in my letter or a bond)

6. Celebrate small wins. Acknowledge and celebrate each time i overcome the need of others' approval. It also gives sense of Self. Stronger feel of Self. Stronger validation of Self.

* A small tip which will help to develop self - acceptance, self - validation and self - care :

* Observing thoughts without judgment. Imagine yourself by sitting near to a river watching the water flow. You can watch the flow of thoughts and emotions, but not jump into the flow of river. 

* Each step is a journey. Start with single step...

Later i developed a habit of self validation. Why should i expect others to speak about me rightly? Because we wrongly perceive that our value is determined by others' thoughts on us. But it is ourselves to determine the same. 

This is the way how i overcome my struggles. We can remove and free from our struggles and worries by ourselves.

People think spritual practice is one which is connected to god. But it is indeed connected to you. It is your peacefulness. 

This time blog seems to be lengthy. I have more thoughts on this. Let's continue the topic on some other day.

Until then..

"Thank you for joining with me on this inner step .. Evolve" 

Please note: Kindly put your thoughts in comments. We can grow. 

A soul's journey in self realization

We all are one. We are appearing as many. How is this possible? Yes. Do you see you in a mirror? Your body is real. Your reflection in a mirror is not real. Your body is real. Your image in a photo is not real. Your body is real. Your shadow on a wall is not real. 

I got a spark of self realization at my age of 3-4 years. Can you believe it? When i was child, i was playing in my house. My mother was cooking in kitchen. I was running around a room unintentionally. It was late in the evening. Suddenly lights were switched off due to power shut down. But i didn't stopped my play. I continued running. A candle was lighted at the middle of the room. Its light gave some brightness in the dark room. I saw my shadow on the wall incidentally. I rushed to catch it. But i could not. I was seriously thinking how it was slipping out of my hands! Someone was telling me, child it is your shadow, you can not catch it. A sudden spark of thought arisen in my mind. If it is (thinking about my physical form) is i, then who is this? (Shadow of body on the wall) I think it is a reverse perspective of who am i? I didn't have any answers then. Later when i grow up, i was blessed with lot of struggles & some knowledge in my life. People call it by self realization.

Ok. Let's continue our introspection about how oneness appears as many. So your body is real. But your reflections, images and shadows are not real ones. But it seems to be a real one in the view of a child. Similarly, we're all one. But an ignorant thinks it as many. 

Another thought is arising in mind. Anyone who just hears the words like self realization, who am i? , oneness will start their journey on the same nearly. One more thing i want to blog is I am not a believer of time. 

"Thank you for joining with me on this Inner Step..Evolve"

Soul's Home: Finding the Inner Peace & Awareness

Meditation. This is not just a practice. This is not just a spritual path. This is a shield protecting me from unwanted or diverting thoughts. This is not escapism. This is the path to attain our goals. In our path to goal, we meet obstacles. Main obstacle is our own thoughts. I often use meditation as a 'Tent'. It is an invisible tent covering me from thoughts. If you know to come to this invisible tent whenever needed you can protect yourself  from negative minded people also. I am practicing to cover me by this tent. 

This meditation is not about concentrating on something. Indeed it is concrntrating on nothing.When i think of nothing, my heart is melting. My eyes are filled with tears. Because nothing is the ultimate truth. Nothing.  I born from nothing and going to nothing, my everlasting place. It is waiting for me always. I am waiting for it. Actually it is with me always. I need to see it. That's all. I think all the obstacles in the world is given to divert us to know this. To divert us inside. In tamil it is கட உள். Go inside. Ignorant people misinterpreted the same as god and polluted original. 

So our meditation is about thoughtless. Thoughtless is peacefulness. Peacefulness is go inside. Peacefulness is not god. It is misinterpreted. There is no god. It is only go inside indeed. Go inside.

"Thank you for joining with me on this inner step..Evolve"

My take on 'The Alchemist' : Paulo Coelho

'The Alchemist' book is written years ago. But it is not dead. It is alive like my heart & soul. Because my heart & soul are alive and they're existing in the said book. 

No need to explain more. The author's words are self explanatory. 

"Thank you for joining with me on this Inner 

  Step...Evolve"

My take on 'The Alchemist' : Paulo Coelho

The author of the book tells he doesn't lose his hope of the growth because his heart, soul and the existence are in his book. 

This is the secret of growth & success. Keep your heart, soul & existence in something you love will lead you to growth & success. You need to listen to your heart is the essence. You know? You can not do otherwise if you listen to your heart. What else can be complement self love! 

"Thank you for joining with me on this Inner Step..Evolve"

My take on 'The Alchemist' : Paulo Coelho

But jesus replied to Martha : Martha,  you're worried about many things. But maria chose a good one. It will not be removed from her. 

We will know to pick a right one at right time. Enlightenment is important than anything else. This life too important than anything else. Your life is precious. Your life is given to get enlightenment. Life is too short. You need to get enlightened within the short span of time. Both enlightenment & life are important. This life is given for enlightenment. Enlightenment is goal of a life given. Thus both complement each other. 

"Thanks for joining with me on this inner

 step..Evolve"

My take on 'The Alchemist' : Paulo Coelho

Dear Sandiago

Hope you're living in thousands of hearts. I came to know i didn't read you. I have been living with you since i met you first time. After closing the book 'The Alchemist' , i got the feel of missing someone in my life. So i decided to start from the beginning. Now i know you dear sandiago. Let's start our journey. 

"Thank you for joining with me on this Inner Step.. Evolve"