Living Wisely Living Well | With Asha Nayaswami

Forgive others, and life itself will forgive you. Any karmic blows you attract, then, will be deflected, or at least softened, by a protective aura.

If someone criticizes you, answer him, “I appreciate your advice, and will think about it.” Thus, you will not necessarily be saying that you agree with him, but you will show yourself open to improvement. Never let anyone put you on the defensive.

Think how many kinds of laughter there are! The “belly laugh” which proceeds from excessive body- and matter-consciousness. The gentle laugh that emanates from the cervical center behind the throat, and conveys a sense of calmness. Laughter that originates in the medulla oblongata (at the base of the brain), affirms ego-consciousness. Laughter that emanates from the Christ center between the eyebrows suggests clear discernment. When laughter suggests energy moving downward in the spine, it tends to be cynical, bitter, or sarcastic. The best laughter of all is that which directs energy upward from the heart to the brain, then becoming focused at the Christ center between the eyebrows.

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Live more within yourself. Always remain a little reserved, even when laughing. Be soft-spoken, respectful, and appreciative of everyone and everything. When you are alone, remain centered in the Self.

Don’t joke too much, lest you trivialize your relationships. Controlled merriment helps to release tension, but unrestrained jocularity keeps the mind light, and is a hindrance to deep thought.

Accept adversity calmly. In the cosmic drama, adversity is inevitable. Indeed, without tension there would be no drama. But the greatest trials can be turned to advantage if they are accepted calmly.

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In balance: The natural attraction between the sexes ceases to be compelling, and becomes merely a subject of interest. Men cease to feel obliterated by women. (Notice, at mixed parties, how often the men present remain silent). Women, in turn, cease to feel individually bullied by men. Men stop (in a positive way) feeling tenderly protective of women, and women stop depending on men for protection. Both sexes appear to each other as human beings, simply, equal in worth like the two sides of a coin.

Advice to women seeking balance: As you progress spiritually, your feminine nature will become balanced by masculine characteristics. You will find yourself becoming more affirmative; less personal; firmer in your step; more outwardly expressive as your energy becomes centered more at the point between the eyebrows. Your every gesture, then, will be more decisive.

Advice to men on the subject of balance: As men progress spiritually, they acquire certain feminine characteristics, becoming softer, gentler, more sensitively aware of others’ needs, and more willing to listen sympathetically to what others have to say (these being signs of feminine maturity, though many women exist who need still to mature in these respects!). The reason breasts are attractive is that they suggest tenderness of heart. Physically speaking, men too may, for this reason, develop slight breasts, and the sensitivity in them of a young girl entering puberty. At this point it may become difficult for men to conceal their softer feelings: they may weep easily.

Further advice for women: Because it comes more naturally to you to be personal, concentrate on developing an intimate, I-and-Thou relationship with God. Serve Him in personal ways. Create a beautiful altar; surround yourself with inspiring spiritual images. Enjoy Nature’s beauties as God’s gift to you, personally.