FAITHFULNESS
The word "unfaithful" is heard far more often today than faithfulness. It's not just about being faithful to a friend or partner. It's also about being loyal to our beliefs and standing firm and steadfast regardless of what happens.
Is your faith being tested? Stay strong and learn from your experience. With people we love, we are trustworthy and they know that we will not abandon them or violate the sacred trust between us. A sign of lasting love is a faithfulness that survives life's changes and tests. Faithful friendship is one of life's greatest treasures.
Gautama Buddha said: "Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship."
HOW TO PRACTICE THE VIRTUE OF FAITHFULNESS
*stay committed to your beliefs
*look for the lessons in your tests and difficulties
*stand by your loved ones and friends
*create abiding relationships
*cherish and protect your friendships
Are you practicing your virtue of Faithfulness today?
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
What are virtues?
We have these wonderful minds. Needs arise in our world, and someone gets a wonderful idea about how to solve the need with this or that invention. The world had a need for unity in diversity, and the knowledge of computers, faxes, cell phones, blogs etc. etc. came through certain individuals minds. Knowledge is a virtue, and by its very nature, needs to manifest itself in the world of matter. Creativity is another virtue and we all enjoy its manifestations of music, art, theater and natural beauty. Virtues are spiritual. "In the world of existence there is nothing so important as spirit, nothing so essential as the spirit of man. The spirit of man is the most noble of phenomena. The spirit of man is the meeting between man and God. The spirit of man is the animus of human life and the collective center of all human virtues. The spirit of man is the cause of the illumination of this world." Bahá'i Faith How does our virtues illuminate the world? Through every act of kindness, gentleness, justice, honesty, forgiveness, compassion, courtesy, respect etc. There are over 400 virtues listed in the Holy Texts of the world's religions. My guess is, that there are many more, but that is for future generations to discover. If you are interested in having a list of 100 virtues, you are welcome to take contact with me and I will send a copy to your e-mail address.
Our virtues is who we really are. We are not stupid, lowly, horrible, unloved or unwanted people. There is an endless supply of love right in our own hearts, and we can tap into this love and never feel unloved again. We are compassion, we are beauty, no matter how our physical bodies look like, we are excellence, honorable, dignity and strength. We never need to look beyond our own hearts to find these wonderful spiritual qualities. They are endless and reflect the noble characters that we really are. Evil is just a dark emptiness of one or another virtue. If there is hate, it is an emptiness of love. If there is bitterness, it is an emptiness of forgiveness and acceptance. Choice is what turns the mirror towards the Light or towards the darkness. That is how we were created. There are ways of strengthening the will to choose virtues over evil, or darkness/emptiness. Are you interested?
Our virtues is who we really are. We are not stupid, lowly, horrible, unloved or unwanted people. There is an endless supply of love right in our own hearts, and we can tap into this love and never feel unloved again. We are compassion, we are beauty, no matter how our physical bodies look like, we are excellence, honorable, dignity and strength. We never need to look beyond our own hearts to find these wonderful spiritual qualities. They are endless and reflect the noble characters that we really are. Evil is just a dark emptiness of one or another virtue. If there is hate, it is an emptiness of love. If there is bitterness, it is an emptiness of forgiveness and acceptance. Choice is what turns the mirror towards the Light or towards the darkness. That is how we were created. There are ways of strengthening the will to choose virtues over evil, or darkness/emptiness. Are you interested?
Saturday, September 13, 2008
The virtue of justice
"Strive ye then with all your heart to treat compassionately all humankind - except for those who have some selfish, private motive, or some disease of the soul. Kindness cannot be shown the tyrant, the deceiver, or the theif, because, far from awakening them to the error of their ways, it maketh them to continue in their perversity as before." -Abdu'l-Bahá (from the Writings of the Bahá'i Faith).
We all have potentially, over 400 different virtues inside our hearts, crossing the boundaries (created by man) of all the different religions of the world. Love is love, no matter which heart it lives, and compassion is the same, world over. Here we meet, emerging into one heart. This seems to be the reason we are here on earth, to develop our virtues, in preparation for another journey into the invisible worlds. Only through suffering can we really understand our virtues. Forgiveness has no meaning without something hurtful to forgive. How would we know that we even have forgiveness, if we didn't experience the opposite side of it? How would we appreciate gentleness, if we hadn't experienced roughness? How could we experience the joy of self-confidence, if we hadn't felt alone and small first? The virtues are who we really are....not something negative and destructive. The virtues, or noble character, steers the ship of destiny and takes us where we were meant to be. Choice, however, can distract our journey and lead us into darkness, from where we can learn about the power of Light.
Recently, before an operation, I held the surgeon's hands in mine, and said to him: "I call upon the power of excellence" and he bowed his head in a humble gesture, and said: "I will do my very best for you". If you are having a difficult time with someone acting out negative character, name the virtue that you need/want from them. If a child is being aggressive, call upon his gentleness and calmness rather than screaming at him or blaming, calling him names etc. Look at one another, and see each other's virtues, acknowledge them and bring out the best in one another. You can change a disruptive, unpeaceful family into a wonderful world, where you can enjoy harmony, respect, love and forgiveness.
We all have potentially, over 400 different virtues inside our hearts, crossing the boundaries (created by man) of all the different religions of the world. Love is love, no matter which heart it lives, and compassion is the same, world over. Here we meet, emerging into one heart. This seems to be the reason we are here on earth, to develop our virtues, in preparation for another journey into the invisible worlds. Only through suffering can we really understand our virtues. Forgiveness has no meaning without something hurtful to forgive. How would we know that we even have forgiveness, if we didn't experience the opposite side of it? How would we appreciate gentleness, if we hadn't experienced roughness? How could we experience the joy of self-confidence, if we hadn't felt alone and small first? The virtues are who we really are....not something negative and destructive. The virtues, or noble character, steers the ship of destiny and takes us where we were meant to be. Choice, however, can distract our journey and lead us into darkness, from where we can learn about the power of Light.
Recently, before an operation, I held the surgeon's hands in mine, and said to him: "I call upon the power of excellence" and he bowed his head in a humble gesture, and said: "I will do my very best for you". If you are having a difficult time with someone acting out negative character, name the virtue that you need/want from them. If a child is being aggressive, call upon his gentleness and calmness rather than screaming at him or blaming, calling him names etc. Look at one another, and see each other's virtues, acknowledge them and bring out the best in one another. You can change a disruptive, unpeaceful family into a wonderful world, where you can enjoy harmony, respect, love and forgiveness.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
"From below the silence a strong, sweet feeling began to rise. I was meeting the center of the earth and she was love, a love which supported and embraced everything without exception. A love which drew back from nothing, no matter how horrible. I wept with gratitude as that love enfolded me. I understood with my whole body how ridiculous it was for me to strain to hold myself up. All my life I had been completely supported by this love at the center of the earth, but I hadn't noticed because I was always trying to rise above life. I could have surrendered to it. I could have nestled into this mother's arms and lived there safely. I felt compassion and pity for my lifetime of needless, exhausting striving."
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
The Virtues In Me
"Love is at the center of our being. It is the vital force that gives us energy and direction. It connects one heart with another. Love is irresistible attraction and affection for a person, a place, an idea, or even for life itself. Love is cherishing others, treating them with tenderness. Love thrives on acceptance and appreciation. It has the power to heal. It calls us to continually hone ourselves, while releasing the need to control or make someone in our image. Nurtured by commitment and seasoned by kindness, love is our greatest gift" Linda Popov
Welcome to the world of virtues and spirituality which I want to share with people who visit this site. Connecting hearts, sharing those noble qualities we each have within us, will create wonderful journies together. Welcome to my world.
Welcome to the world of virtues and spirituality which I want to share with people who visit this site. Connecting hearts, sharing those noble qualities we each have within us, will create wonderful journies together. Welcome to my world.
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