Different perceptions

What a day its been heard some painful news from different quarters, I hope God bless them all with peace, safety and health.

Maintaining one’s peace amidst of challenging situations becomes a challenge in itself. When you hear any of the spiritual teachers speak they would say that one’s peace is more of an internal matter independent of any person or situation.

There can be tears in your eye but in the background it shall always be peace, and ultimately that inner peace takes over the apparent sadness. It takes time and lot of practice with patience to achieve this state of being though.

Yesterday I heard my favorite spiritual teacher Marianne Williamson speak on OWN TV with Oprah about some deep spiritual matters. Two things that fascinated me the most.

Marianne spoke about forgiveness and how it negatively affects us if we keep a grudge or anger against somebody. Even though that person had hurt us in some way or took advantage of us or deflected our love. 

In all those situations she suggested that the aggrieved person should pray 5 minutes a day for thirty days for the person who hurt them. In the end of the exercise either that person will change with you or you wouldn’t be affected by them.

I agree that it is nearly impossible to pray for the jerk who created nuisance in your life, but then what do you prefer to do. Do you prefer to always carry anger and hatred with you or do you want to move on in peace as if that person never mattered to you. The person who is stake here is You, our hatred will hardly affect them but it would harm us in all possible ways.

This is the most conclusive evidence of forgiveness; that the person who hurt you would not matter to you. You will not feel angry or bitter any longer.

Second thing that touched me was the answer that I have been on a search for. In every religion it is believed that our fate has been already decided by God and we only get what is in our destiny. My question was similar to Oprah that, what is the point in doing anything when its all already written.

Marianne said that God in His Magnificence has written all the wonderful things for us in His computer, He wants us to be peaceful and happy. Now its our responsibility to download the right document. If we are bitter then what we download is bitterness. Similarly if we are hopeful and grateful then what we would download is peace and prosperity.

May the joy be with you all….

Sonya. (Day 339)