Friday, July 31, 2009

The Sun always shines !


There are times when negativity, nay-sayers or unexpected events cause us to momentarily lose sight of the light of our dreams and goals. It is at these times that remembering the sun can help us.

The sun always shines; even when it seems that it doesn’t. If a dark cloud obscures the light and warmth of the sun you can be sure that it will soon pass, and the light will shine through once again.

It’s good to remember that despite external appearances the sun is shining always, even right now as I sit on my desk at night writing this to you. We may not be able to see it at this very moment, but it is there and it’s shining bright. And it’s only a matter of time before it will shine on us again.

The sun has been seen as a symbol of true wisdom, from ancient times to modern myth. By its example it teaches us that even if life feels like it is at a standstill, sometimes all we need to do is be patient and wait for the time when things are better again.

We can also choose to follow the way of the sun and continue doing our work and shining our light, even when we can’t immediately see positive results. In doing so we exercise our patience, making sure we are prepared when opportunity knocks and all other elements are in their right and perfect places.

The sun also reminds us that our own shining truth is never extinguished. Our light shines within us at all times, no matter what else occurs around us. This is why I chose the sun as the symbol of SoulKids, our life-skills program for children which is changing so many children in Singapore and all over the world.

SoulKids encourages every child to shine his/her light as brightly as they can regardless of external circumstances. To live with a strong sense of self-belief and to have your happiness and success in your own hands – what greater training can you receive? This is the gift of SoulKids.

So whether you are a child or an adult, remember the sun today and shine your own light

Live an Inspired Life!
Vikas Malkani
www.vikasmalkani.com

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Always keep an open mind

A lot of people feel threatened if they feel they are being asked to question their cherished beliefs or their perception of reality. Yet questioning is what keeps our minds supple and strong.
Simply settling on one way of seeing things and refusing to be open to other possibilities makes the mind rigid.

Being open-minded means that we are willing to question everything, including those things we take for granted. A willingness to question everything, even things we are sure we are right about, can reinvigorate our minds, opening us up to understanding that was alien to us before. This alone is good reason to remain inquisitive, no matter how much experience we have or how old we get.

In the personal growth arena, this willingness to question is known as beginner’s mind, and it has a way of generating possibilities we couldn’t have seen from the point of view of knowing something with certainty. The willingness to question everything doesn’t necessarily mean we don’t believe in anything at all, and it doesn’t mean we have to question every single thing in the world every minute of the day. It just means that we are humble enough to acknowledge how little we actually know about life.

Nearly every positive change in the history of human progress came about because someone questioned some time-honoured belief and in doing so revealed a new truth, a new way of doing things. A commitment to staying open in our own individual lives can lead us to new personal revolutions and truths.

As I often state, only an open mind is a young mind, and will continue to grow up; a closed mind is only growing old, not growing up!

May you always live inspired,
Vikas Malkani
www.vikasmalkani.com