Sometimes, we think that one idea or concept can provide us with all-inclusive understanding of what life is about. But this is not always true. We grow in our knowledge of life by looking at it from different angles, by finding out how seeming opposites make one harmonious whole.

Most of us heard about importance of “going with the flow”. This phrase implies that life moves on, and we are to move along with it. Many people believe, that this attitude helps them to avoid wasting their energy in useless battles with life. They come to awareness that the universe is their friend, that it is generous and supportive to those who are non-resistant to its abundance. The concept of “going with the flow” gives them the peace of mind they need so much.
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To become free from sufferings, an individual need to know and to use the universal law. The law is impersonal and impartial, and it works well for all those who are willing to become aligned to it, rather than trying to go against it. Until people reach this understanding, their freedom will always be at danger.

When some people manifest this truth in their life, they immediately begin to teach others that they can become free, too. However, we need to bear in mind that an enlightenment from within, not from without. Suffering individuals will receive our words only when they will become ready. I order to help them we need to be friendly and supportive, but to share our understanding of truth only when it is appropriate, especially when we are asked to do so.
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All the great mystics of all ages accepted a notion that the world is a great Whole. They were talking about the underlying Unity beyond all apparent divisions, differences, and even conflicts. They also taught that the real personal development includes recognition of this universal wholeness and acting upon it. Herein lies the spiritual meaning of compassion.

Compassion is often defined as genuine concern for the sufferings of others. To be compassionate is to be able to feel what others feel – and to relate to their feelings. Compassion allows us to be channels of positive channels in the lives of others, as well in our own life. It brings us closer to the realization of what we are and what others are. If we would like to grow and to unfold our innate divinity, we should not neglect compassion.
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Time management is about you — it is not about the things you do, or the things you can do and should do. Once you make it clear, you will get the best use of your time, energy, and the resources.

I’ve noticed that this is the reason why many people say that time management techniques don’t work, that after trying to implement them they feel even more tense and stressful. Their problem is that they put their work ahead of themselves.

It is not a question that work is a vitally important part of our lives. However, we always should put our day-to-day routine in a lagrer context. How does our work relate to our long-term goals? How does it relate to our deep desires? How does it relate to what we are and what we want to become? Having this attitude, we will see our daily life and our work as an exciting path of self-development.

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Honest self-analysis often brings us to the realization that our life is filled with useless and meaningless stuff. The most natural thing to do in that situation is to declutter our life — to get rid of everything we don’t need.

To begin with, look around your home and find the things which you aren’t using and probably will never use. You still keep it because you are accustomed to it, or somehow emotionally attached to it. When you look at such thing, ask yourself: «Do I really love it? Do I really need it?» If both your answers are no, get rid of it.
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There is a simple tip which can help you to make your life more meaningful, more productive, and happier. Every time you are about to do something, ask yourself: «Why am I doing it?» Ask, and quietly listen to what your heart will have to say.

Most of us are looking for meaning of our life. Often we assume that this meaning has to be something great and outstanding. Yes, in a sense this is true. But let me tell you a secret few people know: You cannot live a meaningful life in a lagre way if you are doing a lot of little meaningless things. You need to discern these things, and then either to stop doing them, or to give them a new meaning in a context of your large goals and dreams. This is possible only through daily and honest self-analysis.

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Gratitude is not just about being nice and polite. It should come from deep understanding of the nature of things. Gratitude is meant to be the way we perceive our relationships with whole life.

So, what is gratitude? It is joy and rapture which we experience when we discern inherent goodness of a thing, a person, or an event. Gratitude is powerful. It is one of the most important life’s dynamics which contributes to our happiness and fulfillment.

In order to bring tangible results in our life, gratitude should be all-encompassing. It is easy to be thankful for our blessings – yet a mature person is thankful for problems and difficulties as well, because they help us to grow in power and wisdom. Challenges brings us gifts. Let us recognize them and be grateful for them.

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Have you been accused of being selfish? Do you accuse yourself of being selfish once in a while? I think, most people will answer «yes» to both questions. This being so, would you like to know the meaning of selfishness and how to deal with it?

Let me begin by saying that I don’t like the word «selfishness», and it is not a part of my everyday language. For a long time, people used this word to put others down and to manipulate them. When we called ourselves selfish, we only reinforced our low self-esteem. I don’t want to have anything in common with this type of negativity.

We need to remember that we won’t help others by judging them. At the same time, we won’t become better persons by judging ourselves. The best way to bring positive changes is to treat ourselves and others with love and compassion.

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It seems that some people have an inborn faith in friendliness of the universe. They don’t want to be saved from this world into another world. They feel that the world is their home, and they do their best to make this home better. Certainly, these people aren’t problem-free. But they are better able to adapt themselves to the flow of life and to understand its laws at a deeper level. After they fall, they quickly rise up and move on.

But even if you don’t have that innate conviction that the universe is friendly, you can always change your attitudes and mental patterns. Our conscience is more plastic than we often think. However, we need to be firm and decisive about what we want for ourselves.

It has been said that every tree is known by its fruits. As we experiment with different thought patterns, we might notice the ones which are the best for us — the ones which brings forth «fruits» we really want. We can give our whole attention to them, and drop everything else. There are no reasons to embrace ideas which aren’t beneficial for us.

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Why it is difficult for some people to accept friendliness of the universe? Mostly, it is a matter of their receptivity. They don’t notice that which is evident for others. In so many ways they are like those individuals who close their eyes and wonder, why it is so dark.

We are convinced that we see the world objectively, just like it is. However, it is not always so. All the information which comes to us is filtered by our consciousness. For this reason, we tend to see that which we want and expect to see. It is our mental habit to ignore or misinterpret new and uncommon data, that which doesn’t agree with our preconceived ideas. That’s why a person’s opinion about the world usually tells us more about this person than about the world.

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