| Baba has announced that the 19th
of each month is Ladies' Day. This is a splendid
chance for all of us to take the 19th of the month
as our own Spiritual Rededication Day. |
| Swami has given us the answers to
all life's issues and concerns. While all of us
have heard them, we may not have really paid attention
to them. Some times, it takes certain circumstances
for us to appreciate their full impact. He has provided
so many simple but powerful statements - which are
in effect guidelines on how to face the challenges
in life without stress and frustration. |
| Being a mother, wife and having a
full time career can be physically and mentally
exhausting - not only do you have the daily household
chores - cooking, cleaning, washing, caring for
your children; you also have to put in 30-40 hours
a week at work where you have to face work related
challenges - busy schedules, and aggressive deadlines
. |
| It can become extremely difficult
to juggle all these aspects of daily life unless
you have some good coping SAI skills There is one
saying of Swami that is extremely powerful , "The
secret of happiness lies not in doing what one likes,
but in liking what one has to do". This is a statement
on how to live our lives and it has to do with having
a positive attitude. Applying this guideline is
extremely helpful . |
|
Swami has said
"Wherever women are honored, there is prosperity
and happiness. Women should never be slighted
or treated with disrespect. A home in which the
housewife sheds tears will be bereft of all prosperity.
"Respect for women is a sign of real culture."
|
| In HIS November 96 ladies day discourse
Swami said: "It is not my view that women should
not get educated. They should have education. You
may also take up jobs. But you should live up to
the obligations and glory of womanhood." |
| 'Modesty and devotion to God are
real 'jewels' for women to wear." The first title
given to a woman is Grihalakshmi (the goddess of
Home). A woman is expected to confer all prosperity,
honor and good name on the home and the family.
She is characterized as Grihalakshmi and not Office-
Lakshmi. |
| On another ladies day discourse,
Swami said "A lady must look after the home first
and then work outside, if necessary. A house without
a mother is like an empty choultry. A lady should
serve as an ideal to her children, look after her
husband and then do outside work. She can study,
get degrees, enter politics or do any other work
but she should not neglect the home, which is the
very foundation of her life". |
| Because of the fact that working
women simply do not spend as much time with their
families as they would like, the key to creating
and maintaining a strong foundation and sense of
family is to spend as much quality time with them
as possible. Because time is a precious commodity,
we have to make sure that when we do spend it with
our family, it is productively spent. |
| We should avoid getting into petty
quarrels with our spouses, or children, we should
strive to maintain as harmonious a home as possible
keeping lines of communication open with all members
of the household. Caring for our children is one
of our important responsibilities. Swami says: "Even
the mother should not compel her children to accede
to her wishes. Through love and sincerity she should
put the children on the proper path. She should
aspire that her children be good, they need not
be great." |
| Work or lack of time
must never be an excuse not to ensure that our children
are brought up to be good adults. Coming to bhajans
on a fairly regular basis is certainly one way to
bring some spiritual awareness to your children
- they love to hear the songs and clap hands - enrolling
your children in the SSE program will bring them
much needed spiritual education. |
| one of Swami's teachings that I think
will serve us, women, well, in the context our tensed,
hurried, lives today,is "The secret of perfect health
lies in keeping the mind always cheerful - never
worried, never hurried, never borne down by any
fear, thought or anxiety". |
| Let us continue to be Grihalakshmi's,
to be an inspiration to our children and society
and continue to practically apply Swami's teachings
in our everyday life. |
| 'If women are given due recognition
and encouragement, they will shine with brilliance
in all fields, and will serve the house, country
and the entire world gloriously, contributing to
the welfare of the entire humanity.' BABA |
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