We, in turn, are teachers for others. We become teachers by teaching.

One of the most important talents anyone can develop is the ability to teach. However, there are several barriers to overcome, before one can become a teacher. There are schools that prepare the students to become teachers of philosophy, education, communication, arts, science, religion and economics. But that is not enough. We need teachers who can explain the Laws of Nature, such as the Law of Economy, the Law of Cause and Effect, the Law of Right Human Relations, the Law of Energies, the Law of Ethics, the Law of Equilibrium, the Law of Understanding and Peace, the Law of Tolerance and Patience etc.

Our schools and universities teach us how to secure a good job and make money. They may not describe their mission or goals of educating the students in that manner; nevertheless, the object is to make the student worthy of a diploma or a degree and then he/she can go out in the world and find gainful employment and live a good life.

There are many colleges and universities giving degrees and diplomas in various fields. Our magnificent libraries are full of books, videos and computers . The internet has become an invaluable tool for the progress of our society.

Is this increasing our values and expanding our thinking for beneficial results?

Why do we have increased pollution, increased crime, insufficient education, contaminated air, food and water and economic turmoil? Why do problems of humanity continue to multiply? Obviously the education is lacking something. It does not teach how to live life abundantly, how to produce better quality of food, how to be parents, how to create a world without hunger and poverty, how to communicate effectively, how to prevent disease of greed, selfishness and hateful living, how to be tolerant of all religions, races and color etc.

In this sense, education is failing us. Getting a degree or a diplomas does not eradicate ignorance and improve human behavior. We have not learned how to fully understand the future effects of our present thinking, discoveries and actions.

Where are the teachers who can teach the students how to be good citizens of this planet? Teach the students to apply the knowledge for improving the economic life of humanity. They must teach how to practice inclusive thinking and prevent pollution of our air and water. They must teach right human relations. They must teach that the world has become interdependent and each person can contribute his/her talents so that the others can also benefit.

A teacher should realize that he/she can be a fundamental influence on every student. A true teacher deserves respect and adoration for a dedicated life of sharing and giving.  Teaching is an act of great service. To be a teacher means never to  stop learning and practicing the art of teaching, because a  good teacher transmits knowledge that can lead to wisdom.

In a battle both sides want to be victorious, because we think that victory is progress. There are battles between groups, religious factions, between families, between the law and the criminals, between the polluters and environmentalists etc. But such battles are endless and repetitious showing the individuals and their zeal for the cause seldom changes.

So when do we really declare victory? Is there a measuring unit we should use to declare that we have achieved victory?

All our educational systems are engineered to teach us the art of victory (or  psuedo-victory); because the training is only for satisfying our personal urges, power, positions, accumulation of properties, gaining wealth etc. Such victories bring us only fleeting moments of happiness. Most people with power live in fear of losing their influence. The possessions can be taken away due to natural disasters or via legal proceedings. Money is a fungible item and rich people still get sick and die just as the poor, except the rich stress more about their money than the poor. Basically, we can’t take it with us!

Let me suggest that the real meaning of victory is very profound and requires serious investigation.

Victory is gaining power over that which prevents us from improvements in our health, environment, morality, ethics, emotional reactions, thinking ability, and continuous striving. A victory is a true victory only when there is an identifiable progress.

This process requires discipline, focused persistence, genuine efforts and even then the actual progress may not be noticeable for many years. Just like a tree that develops its blooms and fruits only after months and perhaps years. A student gets the diploma after years of hard work. An artist completes the project after many hours of concentrated work. An airplane flies successfully only because many engineers and workers have assembled and tested its systems for many months so that all parts work perfectly in unison.

All worthy decisions are the results of dedicated will power, which in many research studies have explained as power of mind at work. Indeed, the power of mind is immense and limitless. But it must be used to produce the right beneficial and constructive solutions.

Victory also requires vigilance. One must be ready for the right opportunity and cease the moment. Astronomers work day and night to find a star or a galaxy which may be visible for a short period. They must be ready for that moment. For example, a scientist labors to design an apparatus that will help many people purify water; or a farmer grows food that supplies pure nutrients very economically, etc. These are victories. Such victory brings joy not only to the scientist or the farmer but also to the consumers.

A great Sage says, “Pure joy is experienced in a life of labor. Everyone performs deeds of self-sacrifice, and one should learn to gather his best memories. The individual knows in his heart whether he was worthy of humanity.” When we know that we are worthy, we can declare that we are victorious.

A true victory is preceded by actions or discoveries/inventions which benefits a group, a nation or all humanity.

Some people want to achieve small victories over themselves and they often do. For example, they work to achieve victory over their habits. A person knows that smoking is a form of suicide, or drinking or taking drugs etc. Overcoming these vices is a victory. When we commit a criminal act or hurt someone to gain something, we may feel victorious for few moments but we know in our hearts that it was a shameful act even if we don’t want to admit it. That feeling of victory evaporates. Some people get angry over small matters or lose patience just because the work is not done in a particular way, etc. these are examples of physical, emotional and mental bad habits that are embedded in our psyche and cause repetitive reactions. Everyone can point to one or more of their bad habits that can be eradicated. Bad habits expend and waste our energies and prevent us from discovering opportunities for personal growth in our evolution.

A free man is not a slave and therefore should not be chained by habits. However, many  are slaves to inanimate things such as tobacco, drugs, alcohol, urges and drives to commit crimes, use greed, fear, violence, revenge and exploitations. Bad habits prevent us from progressing into the future. Tennessee Williams produced great works and it is alleged that he was an alcoholic. Imagine the quality and quantity of his works if he was sober and in full control of all his faculties. Habits produce toxins in our bodies that destroy its harmony and integration.

You can ponder on everyday topics influenced by the power of victory. But let me suggests just a few (of the many) topics which may not have come to your attention.

Carelessness: This causes great harm. It exits in our society. Intellectuals hide from getting into this topic for fear of exposing their lack of ethics. It is much easier to hide behind ideas that are familiar and thus preserve their lack of concern. They may say, “If we have faith, the rest will follow.” This is a cunning way to create indifference while under delusion. Faith by itself seldom leads one to achieve noble goals. Faith with striving and care creates a sound foundation for a victory. Our nation and our world can be a better place if every one cared justly about the welfare of others.

Fear: While many fear their past actions, there are also those who are afraid of achievements. Fear is the result of ignorance. Fear weakens our will and makes us defenseless. But it is the man himself that invites fear by not fortifying his/her knowledge through learning. Only man can overcome his fear. Fear is the most prominent obstacle that prevents victories.

Past History: Historians are either investigators of truth or slave to preconceived ideas. An average person wants to be told printed history and does not want to investigate causes and effects. Our dogmas, doctrines, traditions, beliefs, prejudices and dislikes are the ‘filters’ through which we ingest some or most of our information. Such actions impede human progress. One who is enslaved by the past cannot think about the future and thus does not advance. Just observe the quarrels that have lasted centuries and decades between religious groups, nations and societies. The amount of wasted time, money and energies is incalculable and no one wants to think about it or do anything to stop it.

We must learn to accept the past with a sensible attitude and learn to pursue solutions that will lead us toward the future. However, for some, the past incidents become an excuse for persecution. Humans make mistakes but mistakes should be the building blocks of bridges to go forward and should not be an obstacle to progress. One needs to develop courage to turn mistakes into beneficial deeds.

Ignorance: Advantages of increasing and broadening our consciousness have been stated in previous articles. Learning is the best medicine to destroy ignorance. In some traditions it is called the ‘torch of victory’. Learning requires labor; a constant and persistent effort to learn is the best way to remove ignorance.

The current conditions in politics, education, finance, religion and science clearly indicate that our learning is inadequate, unbalanced and is directed towards selfish interests of individuals, groups and of course all nations.

Conclusion: Now you have a taste of the flavors of the power of victory. The depth and the wisdom that is contained in this article can best be discovered through further thinking and finding ways to apply the results in our daily lives. As we sow, so shall we reap and as we learn & think so we shall grow.

Real victory requires high discipline, true labor and an inclusive attitude. If we let disorder or confusion prevail, we cannot be free to achieve new heights in our quest for happiness, prosperity and joy which is our birth right.

We are all linked together in some sort of a magnetic symphony. In fact all creation is linked to each other in the same fashion. The all inclusive Nature exists in multi-dimensions.  And the various links originate from the core of each created form. It is this link that allows communication between various members of the same kingdom or at an advanced level, between members of other kingdoms.

This then is the basis of limitless relationship potential that exists for human beings to explore, understand and then assimilate. Communication is then the way of creating such relationships and maintaining the link alive, healthy and strong. Obviously at the coarser level there are a lot of interferences from external sources and therefore the communication is not always clear and precise.

On the emotional level communication is hindered by our emotional hang-ups, likes dislikes, lack of discipline, and polluted environment. On the mental level, the obstructions are due to prejudices, our mental capacity and development, hate, fanaticism, separativeness, selfishness, material attachments and many other qualities that we inherit, develop and absorb due to our ignorance.

It is possible that the objects that we presume are inanimate, also communicate. For example, the spread of diseases in the plants are easily spread to a vast area, even though the infection is initially in a particular tree. Another example is that of a cell that refuses to cooperate with the body organ and becomes a tumor. Later this tumor become cancerous and has to be eliminated. This is mostly because the cell refuses to communicate with others and therefore does not get adequate and total nourishment.

And we can think of many other examples to illustrate that communication is essential from the micro level to the macro level. There are human beings who have made tremendous efforts to discover and establish communication between the micro-organism and the macro-organism.

Such ability requires lots of efforts and can be achieved by the spiritually advanced members of humanity.

There are examples of human beings that can communicate with birds and other animals. And the animals themselves communicate with each other during times of danger, by making sounds and with their body movements.

Another interesting observation is that animals and birds are able to ‘learn’ many activities. For example, your pet knows how to get in and out of the house; or the bird knows how to get its food that is apparently hidden. We dismiss such behaviors as animal antics. But in reality it shows a tremendous ability that is developed due to repetitions and curiosity.

The great personalities in human history, such as Buddha, Christ, Moses, Socrates, Plato and many others, created a wealth of written philosophies that were meant to wake up the communicative abilities. These great ones knew that the communication is not limited to our physical existence. There is emotional and mental communication also. And just as a child starts out by learning the basics of talking and writing, so also the growing being has to discover ways and means to develop emotionally and mentally.

The lack of such development is evidence of discontent, misery, suffering, wars, pestilence, starvation, criminal activities and corruption of morals.

Communication is hindered not by the lack of proper mechanism, though it does play a part in the process; the flow of information, feelings and mental thought is often not clear or the other person to whom we are speaking may not be open to what we say, or we shut off, create a barrier between our own being and others. Further the power to communicate means to have a two-way flow of insights, understanding, and appreciation. All that can also be blocked.

That is why Great Sages and Saints did not instruct by telling people. They were so wise that they found a method of creating the flow of their philosophies through inter-active methods. For example, in The Republic by Plato and the discourses of Socrates we can see the ingenious framing of questions to the student by which the student through introspection was able to arrive at the right answer and this resulted in the student’s increased consciousness and wisdom.

Today, we live in a world in which communication is at the forefront of our livingness and beingness. But this is often limited to verbal communication, which has its own limitations. For example, such communication depends upon the health, environment, emotional stability, mental acuteness and external influences. We sometimes use the wrong choice of words, or improper enunciation or that our communication is with words that have a different meaning to the listener.

Hindus believe that it is one of their Holy Books. But in reality the meaning and the wisdom of Bhagvad Gita is available to everyone regardless of the religious affiliation or practice. Whether one is seeking to enter the path of spirituality or improve the quality of life or acquire psychic wisdom, then one should not miss reading, understanding, absorbing and applying the advice found in the Bhagvad Gita. It is one of the most important books of all times.

Its basic teaching goes beyond its literal words. Its message is universal and everlasting. The reader finds out that the setting in which the wisdom is given is a field of war – Kurukshetra which is also the field of righteousness where the battle between the good and evil is about to take place.

The dialog is related by Sanjaya, a great Sage of the blind king, Dhritirashtra, and takes place between Krishna and Arjuna.

Krishna is symbolically the Spirit which is advising Arjuna, the striving human being, who has so many questions to ask and difficult decisions to make.

Arjuna also represents a person who is despondent and paralyzed due to many stresses and crisis that he constantly faces in his physical life, emotional conflicts and mental anguish.

The many verses of the Bhagvad Gita are a source of healing, solution to our everyday conflicts and solace for our troubled minds.

Krishna advises that everyone can achieve the knowledge required to become a Yogi.

To be a Yogi means to find a way of living, thinking and acting that makes you closer to God. Yoga is a Sanskrit word that means union with God. If you pursue the path through knowledge you become a Jnana Yogi; those who pursue the path through actions follow the path of a Karma Yogi; those who dedicate their lives through devotion and love for God, are on the path of Bhakti Yoga.

There are many paths to reach God. And if one is unable to follow any of these paths, the one can still reach God via faith and genuine love for God.

Krishna brings to our attention many times that the unbreakable bond between a human being and God is love and by practicing it with humility and sincerity, one can transcend the pain of everyday existence.

“God dwells in the heart of all beings.” Say, Bhagvad Gita. But to understand that love we must see Him in all His creation which includes other human beings, animal kingdom, vegetable kingdom, mountains, oceans, rivers and every living thing.

Once this vision becomes a part of our living, we can no longer hate or wish evil on others. God is Love and love is harmony. Harmony produces beauty and healing.

Unfortunately, man cannot see the beauty or experience harmony due to his ego, vanity, illusions and selfish desires. Once the man is trapped by these, he becomes indifferent to the path of spirituality except when he is in trouble or suffering or has a loss of his possessions. Then he hastily prepares himself to submit to God and His Will.

But just as one cannot cram knowledge on the day before a final exam and get passing grade, so also it is impossible and illogical to expect help upon promising his transformation into a new person on the eve of his death. The promise could be construed as an attempt at “quid pro quo”. That is to say, “I will do this if you will help me.” What a foolish way to secure help?

The transformation of the person must be conscious and has to be continuous activity of striving towards good.

The idea that to pursue God, one may have to withdraw from the material world and the problems of daily living is an orthodox and a misguided notion.

Every cell in our body is active always, whether we accept it or not. Therefore, man cannot live without right action. Right action means to do our duty and take responsibilities for and towards ourselves, our family, our group, our country, the entire humanity and most importantly towards God.

Therefore, it is how we act that is more important. Our actions must be righteous and truthful. They must have a beneficial effect and create right human relations, understanding and unity.

The problems start because we are trapped by our imperfect senses. We identify with simple solutions rather than effective ones. Then the ego and the selfish desires strengthen the ‘prison’ of our ignorance and misery.

This is only a very brief explanation of the wisdom of Bhagvad Gita.

There is so much richness in its symbolisms and personifications.

This wisdom is spread partly in the Teachings of Saints and Prophets in all the great religions. In Bhagvad Gita it is concentrated, exhaustive and endless.

It is only by studying the text with deep concentration that one can understand its real meaning.

The teaching of Gita cannot be comprehended without applying its wisdom in our lives. For a true seeker of wisdom, contemplation on Bhagvad Gita is a joyfully unending search for the beauty and happiness.

We all have a physical body, an emotional nature and a mental mechanism. Each part has a purpose. For example, the physical body gives us impressions of the world around us through our senses. We try to keep our bodies healthy otherwise we will not be able to function effectively; similarly we labor to control and improve our emotions and educate our minds so that we continue to live a happy life. But who is the one who decides to do all these? Well, we do. More accurately, it is the Thinker within us that decides and until we ‘grow’ up to the level of the Thinker in our consciousness, we will not realize this. This is also true, if we are attached to our physical, emotional and mental bodies.

In the New Testament there are mystical references to reincarnation. (Mathew 11:11; John 9:34; Romans 9:10-13) By deep scientific thinking on the written words of the scriptures, one is able to decipher the real wisdom in the words of the Lord.

Even in Bhagvad Gita, Chapter II, there is information given about reincarnation.

In 2:20 – “The Soul is never born, nor does it die. Nor, after having been, does the Soul cease to be. Unborn, eternal, unchanging, ancient, the Soul dies not when the body dies.”

In 2:22 – “Just as a man casts off his worn-out clothes to wear new garments, so too does the Soul cast off its body to embody itself anew.”

Next, consider the fact that there are cycles in Nature. In all the kingdoms we find the early years, growth, blooming, and then a slow turn towards death and decay. Humans have a similar cycle of life. So after the end of our life cycle, what is the next cycle? We are going to be born again in flesh and start the cycle all over again, except with one important point. That point is: ‘Cycles, Karma and Reincarnation go together, each with its own qualities and properties’. Karma works 24/7 without stopping for anyone, anybody or any event. This means at every minute of our lives we are creating Karma. So the Karmic Law was working when we were born and throughout our everyday or our progressing lives. We incarnate because of Karma. As a result, the very body that we have earned depends upon our Karma; and so it goes with our families, the place of birth etc. Every characteristics of our physical, emotional or mental nature has been earned by our past Karma. Even the lasting friendships we encounter might have started in our past lives. For example, there are times when something good or bad happens, we say, “I must have done something right at one time to deserve this.”

We even bring back with us our characters, dispositions, selfishness, unkindness, deceit, laziness and temper. However, we do not bring back our houses, lands and other material riches of every kind. That is why we have the body we have now. In retrospect, knowing these facts, this is the time to cure all the bad qualities we have so that the next incarnation we will be better human beings.

“But I don’t remember anything about my past lives!” One may be tempted to say, without any appropriate research and knowledge. First of all, do we remember all the days and events of our current life from the day of our birth? Do we even remember our birth? We should be able to, because we were born. The fact is, there are many people who have been known to remember places they have lived before by recognizing special landmarks or events.

The surest way of all is by our emotions. Our brain does not tell us that we love our mothers. We know that we do, because we feel the love for her. When we meet someone new, we may feel that we have always known them; and the other side of the coin also is that we dislike someone for no apparent reason. There are instances of children talking another language that is found to be a foreign language. For instance, how does a child of 6 or 7 or 8 years knows how to play a musical instrument perfectly or play music of Mozart or Beethoven or other great composers? There are many other instances in all areas of our lives that can further illustrate this point.

Now suppose that we could remember all about our past lives? It is possible that the pressure of the things we did wrong such as unjust actions, inflictions of pain and sufferings etc. would create such a stress on us that we would stop functioning as we are meant to. We might forget our daily duties towards ourselves, our family, community or our main duties to God. Nature has intended for us to forget our past lives. When we realize that our “today” was made up by our actions and thoughts of “yesterday” and simultaneously our “tomorrow” is being created by us “today” we might be more careful of our thoughts, actions and words. In truth like a tail that we are knitting onto ourselves every thing that we do, think and say will be stashed in our Karmic records or bank account and someday in this life or the next, they will affect our lives for better or worse based on what we have accumulated in our bank account; i.e. Do we have sufficient ‘amount to pay’ the karmic debts or not.

Bottom line, as many prophets try to tell us again and again, do good, be good, think lofty thoughts and say good words. The road to eternity is paved by the diamonds or the rocks that we pave it with on our path to becoming a five pointed star (sign of a perfect man) and reaching Nirvana.

“MAN, KNOW THYSELF” is an appropriate sign to remember.

Nature bears evidence of the law of reincarnation for all who can observe. The subject of reincarnation is not only for the Hindus or the Buddhists. It is a law of the Universe and can be incorporated in many areas of our daily activities, learning and in our pursuits on the path of spirituality.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. Corinthians 13:11

We understand many things because we know, we think and we have experiences. But each one of us does so according to his/her levels, whether it is in our daily lives or business or in our pursuit of a balanced life. For example, a teacher gives the same instruction to the whole class, but each student ‘understands’ the subject matter according to his/her level. Some will begin to think about the content and do research for greater insight. Others will simply let the class material stay in their notebooks and never read it again.
Suppose a group hears a news program on the television or say they all read the same book. It is not surprising that at the end of the activity, every one may have their own understanding of what they saw or read and sometimes there are meanings hidden in between words/lines that are ‘caught’ by very few people, if at all.
In reality, our science has failed to create any method or procedure to determine the levels of man. In our schools we have tests and exams which essentially separate those students who can advance to the next grade or stage of their education and in a sense their lives. For us adults, if there is any measure of our levels of existence, it is the earning power that we can achieve in our life. It comes down to the measurement in terms of wealth. Sometimes the position of power that an individual occupies influences their measurement. This is not an accurate or a reliable scale since it only considers outward forms, qualities and talents of the individual. Further some people may become infamous or their social standings may change.
For example, a person may be physically fit, and have an average control of his/her emotional being but have a poor mental mechanism. In such cases, the use of a particular level is limited by the development of that level. So he/she in effect operates with a discord or unbalance in his/her constitution and for them the chances of a long lasting successful, happy and prosperous life are doubtful. The reason being there is little integration and co-ordination between the three forms (physical, emotional and mental).
Also, it is possible that the outward appearance of a person may only manifest the stereo-typical image, but they can leave a lasting legacy of goodness, righteousness and spiritual values just as Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Socrates and many others did.
These great personalities demonstrated that the ‘tools’ of measuring the value of a person, were not precise and needed to be redefined, but their inner convictions and integrations produced long lasting values that people have embraced in all civilized countries/regions of the world. They had to overcome many persecutions, difficulties and obstacles during their lives and yet they learned very important lessons, which they proceeded to share with all humanity.
Similarly, we can learn to change, modify or improve our levels of existence when we are subjected to crisis, problems and suffering. This change comes about because we are forced to face many challenging situations in our daily lives. Our actions/reactions originate because we engage in problem-solving thoughts and actualize them in our environment.
If the problem-solving process involves physical, emotional and mental mechanisms, the changes will be lasting and beneficial. The person involved in such a transformation will most likely be more watchful of his/her actions, thoughts and interactions while simultaneously making efforts to change his level of beingness. We improve our skills with regular practice of the skills. For example, the teachers improve when they teach, musicians improve when they play music and technicians improve by learning new techniques through practical experiences and education.
One of the most important aspects of improvement in our levels is to remember that our presence in this life has a purpose that is in the realm of ‘un-measurable’. Though this part is more important than the ‘measurable’, few people even can cognize it. The ‘un-measurable’ part is the major part of the human being. This can be ascertained when the person engages in sincere, selfless and sacrificial service to others. Once again, this is evident from reading the biographies of those human beings who served humanity in that fashion.
Service is an activity that comes natural to a human being who wants to care more about others than his own self. It is a sharing of talents, time and resources without expecting anything in return. This is the easiest way to change our levels. The greater the field of service, greater is the opportunity to raise our levels. Sometimes this involves some suffering, sacrifice and forbearance; but that can be a sign of the change in our levels.
Many criticized Gandhi. They persecuted him and put him in jail. He was subjected to racial prejudices, hatred and anger during his struggle for the independence of India. He persevered through it all. Ultimately he gave his life for the noble cause and proved that his levels of nobleness, thoughts and actions were far more advanced than the rest. He not only served the people of India but all of humanity. It is believed that in spite of his struggles and sufferings, his deep thinking led him to know and understand the science of service.
It is only through lofty thinking and consciously living a life of service, that we can gain true wisdom to change our level. Therefore we must live a conscious life of love for others and always try to serve in whatever field that life presents us.

There are twelve, sometimes thirteen, full moons every year. These full moon days are opportunities for development for each human being. What is he or she developing? The human is developing the quality of thinking, quality of discipline, quality of improvement of the physical body, emotional being and mental nature, and the quality of virtues hidden within every human being.
At the exact time of the full moon, an alignment of great bodies of energy takes place.
Our sun is in a certain constellation and the energy of that particular constellation is beaming towards the earth via the sun. However the potency of energy is reduced by the earth’s satellite, namely the moon. During the full moon, the sun illuminates the moon with its own solar energy and thus prevents the moon from absorbing or polluting the energy of the constellations. Therefore, at the exact time of the full moon, the earth receives the maximum impact of that energy. This is an optimum time for human beings to utilize the energy to increase their health, happiness and prosperity.
Some people, either consciously or unconsciously, are sensitive to the energy during the full moons. It is believed that 48 hours before and after the exact time of the full moon are the most powerful. Some people have observed that there is an increase of strange behaviors in people during these times and notice an increase of energy in their bodies during such periods. We will leave it to the scientists and psychologists to figure out the cause and effect of such incidences. They could discover that the strong energies play a significant role.
Esoteric astrology conveys to us that every full moon period has a keynote or key words. That is quite true but esoteric astrology also gives us a different keynote. The difference in the two is that the former is oriented more towards an average person, i.e. one who is only interested in his/her bodies, materialism, selfish living, acquiring possessions, emotional gratification and solutions to mundane problems. The latter is most important for the spiritually advanced human beings, who partly or completely have renounced the pleasures and comfort of their bodies and are more interested in developing virtues for furthering their spiritual growth.
The keynotes (also called the key words) are important because they give us the seeds for deep scientific thinking.
They are given by Alice A. Bailey as follows: (X = exoteric) and (E = esoteric).
ARIES: (X) Let Form again be sought.
(E) I come forth and from the plane of mind, I rule.
TAURUS: (X) Let struggle be undismayed.
(E) I see, and when the Eye is opened, all is illumined.
GEMINI: (X) Let instability do its work.
(E) I recognize my other self and in the waning of that self, I grow and glow.
CANCER: (X) Let isolation be the rule and yet —- the crowd exists.
(E) I build a lighted house and therein I dwell.
LEO: (X) Let the other form exist. I rule.
(E) I am That and That am I.
VIRGO: (X) Let Matter reign.
(E) I am the mother and the child, I, God, I, matter am.
LIBRA: (X) I choose the way which leads between the two great lines of force.
(E) Let choice be made.
SCORPIO: (X) Let Maya flourish and let deception rule.
(E) Warrior I am and from the battle I emerge triumphant.
SAGITTARIUS: (X) Let food be sought.
(E) I see the goal. I reach that goal and then I see another.
CAPRICORN: (X) And the Word said, ‘Let ambition rule and let the door stand wide.
(E) Lost am I in light supernal, yet on that light I turn my back.
AQUARIUS: (X) Let desire in form be ruler.
(E) Water of life am I, poured forth for thirsty men.
PISCES: (X) Go forth into matter.
(E) I leave the Father’s Home and turning back, I save.
During the 12 months’ journey of the Sun through the constellations, the earth feels the energies of both. We don’t know the source of their energies, but such energies are invisible and they manifest through the forms. Of all of the above the most important full moon times are during the periods of Aries, Taurus and Gemini. The exoteric keynotes are an indication of where the general humanity is in their consciousness. The esoteric keynotes indicate the challenge that lies before the traveler on the path of higher consciousness and spirituality.
In order to receive the energies at various times, the most important preparation one can do is purification. The simplest purification is that of the physical body. Eating healthy food, cleanliness of the outer and internal parts of the body and regular exercise etc. are some of the ways we keep our body clean. Do we need some other purification? The purification of our emotional nature is not so easy. Cleansing of hatred, jealousy, and many such negative emotions, is not easy. It takes observation, discipline and practice. Then we need mental purification of bad thoughts, of revenge, prejudices, bias etc.
The process of thinking is a very deep subject that needs a separate treatment. But let us say that thinking positively, thinking lofty thoughts and thinking objectively is a learned science. Many have achieved it and most of us are still trying to achieve it.
We can only receive energy proportional to our success in purifying our bodies. Think of your bodies as vessels. Until the pollution is cleaned out there is not much space left for the energies. Actually we are energy bodies. If our bodies contains impurities, they get loaded and just as the nutrients in the soil feed the weeds or the unwanted vegetation, so also our impure qualities grow to block the movement of vital energies. Is it any wonder that we feel lazy and depressed after a stressful period in which our emotions and mind are feeding the ‘weeds’?
How to remove the unwanted ‘weeds’?
There are some books which describe visualization and other exercises that can help in the purification process. Some other practical suggestions are:
Supply pure foods to our bodies.
Develop virtues and then actualize them in our daily lives.
Establish right human relations.
Serve sacrificially without any selfish motives.
Learn how to think scientifically.
Actualize goodness, truth, beauty, justice, joy and freedom in our environment.
The above list is not complete but it can be the starting point for those who choose to improve their lives.

Our positions in a family, organization, profession, community, or a leadership position on a national or international level indicates that responsible actions and thinking are required of us. At the same time when we strive to increase our social standing or our position in any organization we also increase our responsibilities.

Duty is not responsibility. Duty is imposed on us by virtue of the choices we have made. For example, our job requires us to do certain activities. That is the duty we have contracted for, in exchange for fair compensation. Our responsibility is to have a focused mind when we are on the job and give 100% effort to finish the job at all times.
The difference between an average worker and a good worker is in the quality of their job performance. The first one does his duty and the latter feels responsible for the results of his work. Both get paid the same, but the responsible one has a better future.

The developed sense of responsibility is achieved by knowing the difference between your self imposed duties and the every day work duties. The former leads you to an improved sense of responsibility but the latter is just the work you do for the pay you get.

Did you observe that when you were growing up or were promoted in your job your responsibilities were also increased?
Growth of every human being is the result of accepting responsibilities and faithfully meeting the needs of our responsibilities however large or small.
Progress in life is achieved by taking on increasing responsibilities. Therefore, never attempt to escape responsibilities. As we proceed on the path of life, we should realize in our hearts that we have greater responsibilities. Such responsibilities are entrusted to us to create a balance in our life at that level. Any action that makes us insensitive to our duties is an action that will unbalance our bodies and disturb the harmony.

Suggested steps to become a responsible human being:

1. Everyday for few minutes, recollect the thoughts, words and actions of the previous day and try to improve for the rest of the day; e.g. did you do or say something to hurt anyone? If so, resolve that today you will be watchful and conduct yourself differently.
2. Inspire yourself and others, if there are forth coming challenges. Try to create conditions in which the others feel hopeful, safe and energetic.
3. Improve your work all the time. Since none of us are perfect beings, there is always room for improvement. Success is the result of steady improvement. Actually if you do not improve and advance, the life current will destroy you; for example, we are all required to be computer literate at some level, otherwise we become functionally obsolete.
4. Be an example to others, through acts of kindness, generosity and righteousness.
5. Do not slander, humiliate or hurt others.
6. Help people to make any kind of progress in their lives. Sometimes the smallest gesture can be a life changing event.
7. Encourage and support those who discuss ideas that will lead humanity towards goodness, truth and beauty.
8. Find ways to expand your own consciousness and of those near you. For example read inspiring books; listen to inspiring tapes and attend group gatherings such as schools, churches or community programs where the focus is on helping others grow. Get involved in such groups and serve selflessly in any way you can.

In summary, responsibility means that we are responsible for our thoughts, words and actions. Many young men and women are assuming responsibilities for the environment such as pollution, recycling, economizing water & utility usages, preventing waste of our precious commodities, protecting animals and nature etc. This is the result of increased sensitivity which is a part of and a great example of the sense of global responsibility. We may not agree with their methods or their arguments. At least they are creating awareness of our deteriorating way of living, our exploitation of the limited planetary resources. A great percentage of the population in this country and the world are blinded by the profiting oriented individuals, corporations and leaders interested mainly in pursuing their selfish interests. But a part cannot benefit if the whole, to which it belongs, is not healthy and functioning well.
The philanthropists of the world are doing a tremendous service so that mankind can enjoy this planet and live in health, happiness and peace. And a responsible person should make a concerted effort to help them in any way possible. We are all on the same ship after all; and the name of the ship is the planet Earth.

Responsibility is the ability to respond to the needs of the present and the future.
To be responsible means to respond to the commands, the needs and the expectations of yourself, your environment, your relationships and your future.

In some cultures, people believe that whatever place we are born and in whatever family and condition we find ourselves in, we have to realize that an opportunity has been given to learn, to assimilate and to grow. Astrologers will tell you that you choose your parents/family in which you choose to be born and it just may be that this choice is based on your past incarnations. Mercifully, nature blocks out that knowledge during the process of incarnation. It is for us to find out what the opportunities are, by pursuing our duties faithfully and honestly and by doing our best to progress in life in a satisfying manner. If we try to get out from under such responsibilities, we miss an important step in learning about life and the future.
Of course there are those who design ways to escape from the situation due to laziness, ignorance, carelessness or making wrong decisions; but they complicate their lives and create obstacles in their relationships, health and happiness. This is due to the perpetually active law of cause and effect.
Consider these questions. Can you meet the needs and demands of your family, your friends, your community and your co-workers? Are we put on this earth only to eat, drink and seek health, happiness and prosperity without taking care of our duties & responsibilities? Are we selfishly satisfying the needs of our bodies at the expense of urgent demands by our responsibilities? And then there is this question that should be sounded by our conscience, “What is our responsibility towards the Self?
The word ‘Self’ as used here needs a little more elaboration. Therefore, let me explain.
In the Trans Himalayan traditions, the Self is described as “the spirit within the heart”.
It is the electrical presence in us that visualizes, wills and meditates. It is the inner core of every atom, man, solar system and the cosmos. It is the inner space within us that is able to communicate with the outer space around us. It is what we essentially are. It is the ‘image of God’ that is referred to in the holy books.

Next, we need to examine this thought, “If I am to respond to the demands of the Self within me, what about the Self in other people”? This will inevitably lead to the conclusion that if I can respond to the demands of others and they are doing the same, then we have an environment of understanding, peace and harmony. Responsible people contribute towards the opportunity to live in peace, prosper and enjoy life, because the ability to respond can create changes in us and others.

Everyday life creates many needs in people. At the same time the burden of work, money, relationships, friends, families, day to day obligations create a tremendous emotional and mental stress. There are times when one wants to just get out and start a new life. People tell you that you should not be in that environment and it is affecting your physical health. Most of such advice is incorrect and wrong. You have to face up to your obligations, duties and responsibilities. Remember you chose your environment before birth and there are many lessons you still need to learn this time around.

A wise teacher says, “… Flee not from life…..”
The life being referred to here is the life of responsibilities.
Advanced persons look upon responsibilities as an occasion for some sort of a test. No one can plan for the testing period. But we can observe our emotions and our mind. For example, if fear or insecurity start to increase, we must immediately use our mental faculties to find the reason and stop it. Such conditions indicate weakness in us. So we must try to rectify them with help from others or with scientific observations and thoughts.
………… continued in part 2

Labor is the ability to use materials, matter and energy to produce results that will be useful and beneficial. We can also define Labor as the action of the will of a human being to master his/her thoughts, words and actions. The intent of any labor should be to demonstrate the mastery of the object through which you are expressing yourself.

True labor follows a plan. For example, labor to design and build a new machine that will help the medical science. It is easy to see that a lot of research and experiments go into creating a good design. Next the right materials and parts are needed. But then if the technicians are not told about the plan, they will build it into an incomprehensible object. Therefore, a supervisor is necessary to explain the design and the drawing in a manner that the workers can understand. Further, if they are told how that machine is very important, the workers will be watchful in their construction. They are now using their minds.

You might say that there are many people who do routine jobs every day. For example, does a homemaker labor when she is taking care of the home and the children? She certainly does, if she is concentrated and aware of the work that is done and its effect. When she becomes mechanical, she is liable to make one or more mistakes and some of them can produce bad results.

In the definition above, we read ‘thoughts, words and actions’. What about those items.
With words great wise men and women have influenced and inspired many people. Scientists and philosophers start to think of the implications of their words and ideas and begin work on projects that will be helpful to humanity. Words have changed many minds and caused many to discover new methods of research. Painters, sculptors, poets and specially writers have created beautiful works to describe the effects in the future.

There are many kinds of labor.
1. Daily labor. This is the most common type of labor.
2. Personal labor. This labor is done for your own self, such as education, self- development, disciplining your mind, changing your personality, etc.
3. Group labor. This is a contribution towards the progress of a group or an organization. If you consider the group as one entity, then the individual members are expressions of it.
There are higher labors such as planetary labors and higher.

When the labor is mechanical, it is our urges and drives that are performing the labor. For example, the urge can be due to hunger, shelter, jealousy, hatred, prejudice, bias etc.

One cannot perform satisfactory labor without a healthy physical body, a purified emotional nature and a developed mind. All are important, especially when we consider the labors performed by leaders and those in influential positions. You can see the effects of their labor affecting the economic conditions and our lives for many years(.)?

Labor connects the object of labor with the subject of labor.
Who is the subject? i.e. the doer of labor. If we are doing labor following our mind’s reactions or responses, then the mind is the subject and almost always the labor is mechanical. For example, as an employee, you are expected to do certain tasks and you do it, sometimes without thinking and at other times solving minor problems. But at the end of the day it is your mind that decides if your work was satisfactory or not.
Now consider that you are behind the mind and are telling it to find the ways to overcome some obstacles and then you do the labor. This time the consequences are going to be different.
Therefore behind all our actions, being there is very important. When you inject yourself in the expression of labor, that labor is enhanced and more productive. A very simple act of shaking hands can demonstrate to the other whether you are behind it or not.
Now we can say that labor means a search to find your self in yourself and others.