Jiva Institute just released Daily Deliberations for Peace of Mind and Healthy Relations. It is an introspection workbook that one can use to stay connected to Babaji Satyanarayana Dasa’s wisdom daily and to apply it to one’s own life. It includes 30 inspirational quotes from Babaji, one for each day. Each day of this workbook includes his analysis of the quote, combined with introspective questions and writing space to journal. Through journaling, sincere seekers can look into their own mind and make a positive change. The workbook is designed to help you to become peaceful irrespective of the external situation. The introspection workbook is now available at the Jiva online store.
Importance of Introspection
Our time is limited and we want to maximize our peace and happiness and have loving relations. We cannot be experimenting with these things in ignorance. Besides learning from our own experience, we can also take help from the wisdom of scriptures and from the experience of wise persons. To achieve success, peace, and happiness, it is very important to understand the characteristics and functioning of the mind. When we don’t understand it, we are at the mercy of our own mind and the mind of the people with whom we deal. And, as we may have already experienced, this does not lead us to our goal but puts us in trouble.
Deliberation and introspection are crucial for your spiritual progress. In this way, you can become conscious of your personal obstacles on the path of bhakti. These obstacles will inevitably appear when you turn to the spiritual path and become aware of your material attachments. The first chapter of Bhagavad Gītā illustrates this phenomenon. In this section, Kṛṣṇa showed Arjuna his opponents on the battlefield of Kurukṣetra. Since Arjuna identified with them, seeing them as his relatives, this attachment made him weak-hearted and dejected. In addition, he rationalized his inability to fight for the right cause as righteousness.
The Daily Deliberations Workbook is designed to help shed light on your faulty thoughts, which are connected to unhealthy feelings and get to know your own blockages and enemies so that you can fight them effectively.
These deliberations, along with their introspective process, will help you to get out of your dysfunctional behavior and become peaceful, happy, and successful.
Organization of the Introspection Workbook
This workbook guides you through different areas of your life where you could make a positive change. The daily introspection exercises are organized in the following way:
- Quote: a part of Babaji Satyanarayana Dasa’s wisdom
- Analysis: an explanation of the quote
- Questions: multiple entry points for introspection and deliberation by yourself
- Insight: a space to write your thoughts, feelings, and behavior
- Positive Change: practical application to your life, based on your introspection
We highly recommend that every sincere seeker use this book because personal growth can only be accomplished by taking an honest look at yourself. No one else can do this work for you. This process may be emotionally painful at times since growth can involve pain. But if you take this opportunity seriously, you will experience spiritual progress.