Please define self-respect? What does it mean to value the self ?
Firstly, it meanse realization of the self as a soul, then knowing and accepting God from the heart. This creates the foundation of true self-respect. When constructing a building, the foundation is laid first. They dig deeply into the ground, replacing the ordinary landfill with the strong materials needed to make the foundation solid. Otherwise, with one storm, the building collapses. Why? Because its foundation is not strong.
In the same way, we need to go deep inside and remove the waste and negativities that have deeply penetrated the soul over many births. The attachment to and obsession with our body, bodily relationships, the atmosphere of the world, ego and arrogance - all these must be cleared out.
This is accomplished only through introversion, and the humility to recognize, "I, the soul, am a child of God." We need to travel deep inside to experience our self as a soul, then go up above and reconnect with God. This is the correct spiritual effort to be making now. This is what establishes and sustains our stage of self-respect.
Why is our self-respect so easily undermined ?
Most souls are still carrying around a lot of scars from the past. These spiritual wounds are always the result of ego-based action. Then, when something happens, it's like putting salt on the wound. The pain is out of proportion to the actual situation. When this happens, we need to understand that we have not properly 'cleared out' and 'refilled' the foundations of the heart. There are thoughts such as, "Why is this happening to me ?" , "What to do ?" , "How should I do ?" , "No-one cares about me" , "No-one ever helps me."
These thoughts weaken the heart further, and there are tears at the slightest provocation, anger at the smallest criticism. Pain like this is a sign that the heart is still blocked. The way to open the heart is to replace those thoughts of loneliness with thoughts of how "I, the soul, am separate from this body. I, the soul, am detached from the body, I, the soul am peaceful and loving by nature."
When we practice these thoughts in our daily meditation, self-realisation follows and our power is restored. The problem is that the soul has developed a nature of dependency. It is now in the habit of depending on external supports. This has destroyed any confidence in being able to do by myself. Courage is easily lost and the soul forgets that, "If I do, God will help." When God becomes aware of the soul's effort to awaken and heal, He becomes available immediately,
is not there a risk of becoming dependant on God in the same negative way we have with human beings? Doesn't self-reliance figure in this in some way?
God does not say, "Take my support and become dependant on me." He tells us that if we remain truthful and courageous, He will help. We need to be sensible in these things. Taking help from a human can easily lead to being trapped and possibly enslaved by another. However, God does not enslave. On the contrary, through Him we are made free. His power is that He enables the soul to become free and to fly Home to the Soul World. He helps by making us like He is.
We are not becoming dependant. We are becoming kings, which mean sovereignty over our own consciousness.
It is a matter of truly understanding who we are and then playing our part accurately. This type of honesty is what God likes. Then, even if we don't have a good intellect to begin with, or we are low on power or courage, He gives that. God is an enabler. He enables. There is no question of enslavement. When we have the sense to keep with us truth (of who we are), courage (to transform ourselves) and total faith in God, all our problems begin to dissolve.
Why is extroversion contrary to spirituality ?
Extroversion is the habit of losing the self in one or another aspect of the outer world. With extroversion, the mind and physical senses race outwards, wanting to know what is going on in everyone else. Introversion is a matter of going within, to understand and experience the self. We become extroverted because we have grown accustomed to satisfying our needs and desires through our physical senses. This is what happens when we lose our soul consciousness and become identified with the body.
Such physical satisfaction can only ever be temporary. This is why most of our needs reflect a spiritual emptiness.
Nothing physical can fulfill the needs of the spirit. Yet our habit continues, of looking outside the self to satisfy the needs of the spirit. People, places and possessions consistently attract and trap the intellect. Even if we wish to, we find that we cannot remain independent of them. Despite knowing it is a world of sorrow, we do not let go of any of it easily. We remain mentally attached.
This is the reason why many people embark on a spiritual search. There is a feeling that something within is being overlooked. There is a desire to explore this inner space.
How do you cultivate a more introverted state ?
Take time to sit down and observe the self objectively. Look at your own feelings with a lot of love and say, "Don't worry. Everything is alright." If you are feeling bad, you need to understand that these bad feelings are not the real you. Say to yourself, "I am a soul. I am peace. I am love. I will regain my original nature." Remember that peace is your eternal and original religion. By turning within and increasing your experience of it, you will come to understand and accept that this is, indeed, your truth.
Why do you emphasize silence so much ?
We all have a sacred space inside us. This is the silent space, which is the heart of the soul. To experience silence, we need to go into this inner world. This silence then informs our thoughts about the self, about God and the way we should behave. Learn to touch this silence, this deep inner peace, wherever you are. When you rediscover that peaceful space inside and remain there, it empowers you and all that you do. God Himself is always in silence, so if you want to meet Him, you need to go into silence too.
Why do you always encourage others to think about God all the time ?
Thought creates lines of connection, similar to the way that old telegraph wires used to connect people in conversation. The more you think about the qualities and personality of God, the more you make a subtle connection with Him and the more you are colored by His company. If you spend time contemplating and creating a silent conversation with God, you will experience the virtues of God. This is called Yoga.
There is a lot of power in God's virtues. When we learn to draw these in, we can change the self much more easily than if we try to do it on our own. A real experience of God enables us to recognize, in a flash, everything inside us that is false. The light received from this experience removes our darkness. This is the essence of a good Yoga practice.
Why do you stress the appreciation of values ?
Spiritual values create quality in our lives and relationships. They bring dignity to our species. They give life its sparkle. They are like a personal property that no-one can ever steal. Values can never be lost to the soul.
Values can, however, be neglected. They can get buried under the negative influence of others and the world.
Then, it is as if the soul loses personal meaning. Values do not grow easily in a mind filled with negativity.
When you focus on your values, you can make them fertile again by the water of good thoughts and pure feelings.
Then your values. Like seeds, will grow - from the inside out. We need to protect them from adverse influences, by stopping the tendency to blame or criticize others. Prepare your values well, so that whenever there is an opportunity to share them, you can do so with love. This is where honesty and altruism are needed together. When they are present within the self, others are served.
Which brings us to the subject of time, something we all value. Why do you continually stress that this is an important moment in time ?
This is the season to become good and do good. Just as the darkness of night is followed by day, so too this winter of humanity will give way to the blossoms of spring. When it is the season for planting, a farmer knows he has work to do. His attention goes to what seeds need to be sown. He makes no excuses. In the same way, now is the time to let our spiritual values emerge. Through them the value of life is increased.
A better life, a better world, can only emerge when we live our highest values so it's in our hands, no-one elses.
We are all of the same family and, when we emerge our spiritual values, we can move a mountain. It is not a big thing. Human beings can do whatever they set their mind to. It's happening now because more people are giving such attention to themselves.
For the last sixty years, I have witnessed a groundswell of authentic spirituality emerging in the world. It is not something you will read about in your newspapers, but it is a reality. The long winter of humanity, during which our spiritual values have been gradually lost to our awareness, is coming to an end, and the new spring is about to begin. Of this I am certain.
Dadi Janki is the co-administrative head of the Brahma Kumaris worldwide.