When we find our inner harmony — when the head and the heart work together — we develop a quiet, sustaining energy that keeps us stable no matter what happens.
The past few months may well have felt like a roller coaster, with external ups and downs mirrored by inner, emotional turmoil. Many of us have experienced the challenge of trying to stay serene and stable during a time of great uncertainty.
Finding our inner wisdom is key. When wisdom guides our thoughts and feelings, and our reactions to events and people, we develop both strength of heart and benevolence of outlook. A benevolent attitude is one of kindness, generosity and positivity, maintained even in the face of difficulty and challenge.
When our words, actions, and even the vibrations of our thoughts, are filled with these qualities, the people around us will sense them and feel reassured, safe and comfortable.
We all possess innate wisdom. It is our intuitive intelligence — if only we could remember how to access it! When we reach deep inside, through silence and meditation, we learn to tap into this natural quality. And as we release it, we begin to use one of our most valuable treasures.
This is the way to untangle our thoughts and feelings, and to perceive accurately how we are reacting to situations and people. We understand that if we leave behind the temptation to judge, criticise or control others, then we start to uphold what is of benefit to all — ourselves included.
Allied to wisdom is inner strength, based on a profound understanding of who we are. Once we commit to the journey within, reflecting deeply on our true identity as beings of peace, love, wisdom and happiness, we are able to remove any internal fear and replace it with the qualities of resilience and strength.
Removing fear from our hearts allows us to develop a secure foundation for life, an unassailable strength that will hold fast even when we are faced with the ultimate test.
Other people’s opinions, or the roller coaster of events that we have experienced, or observed, recently — none of these will affect us. Returning home to the true self means stepping away from them and finding that everything we need — which we used to seek in the world outside — is there within.
And it is also a path to reconnect with our innate dignity. Once we rediscover our value as human beings, we feel such a sense of fulfilment that all emptiness and neediness inside dissolves. Interactions with others, founded on self-respect, are informed by a respect for, and appreciation of, their value. So we create an atmosphere of positivity, generosity and empowerment that draws others towards us.
There is no criticism, no negativity. Just benevolence founded on the strength of the heart. This is what we need so much in our world just now.
Maureen Goodman is the Programme Director for the Brahma Kumaris UK, and BK NGO representative to the United Nations in Vienna.