Consistency is a Virtue

by Aruna Ladva, practicing Raj Yogi of the BKWSU

     Consistency is a virtue. You may not be the number one student at school, but you will certainly get plus points for being steady and constant. Constancy or consistency creates order and discipline in your life that enables you to be stable and strong, firm and certain. But what is the key to this “constant” success?

     People who are non-committal, indecisive or vague and almost always let you down at the very last minute are not very popular! No one wants such friends in their circle. And they will very quickly find that invitations to parties and picnics will soon discontinue if they continue their sloppy ways.

     Also isn’t constancy a relief, especially when it comes to store opening hours or places of service such as the dry cleaners and the corner shop. They help you to plan and prepare and make your life easy—fewer thoughts are spent wondering or speculating. Imagine if the retailers opened the store only when they felt like it, or on a whim. Chances are they would become insolvent and lose customer goodwill.

     In marriage, constancy is fidelity. Knowing that your man is yours (and no one else’s!) wins deep respect and commitment and will strengthen the bond and devotion. If you are seeking an intimate relationship, look for a consistency in your partner. If he/she says one thing and does something else, or one day does one thing and the next day the opposite, chances are he/she isn’t very trustworthy and might pull the “Runaway Bride” (or groom) stunt on you!

     Whether it comes to work or family relationships, when people are consistent in their behavior and manner in which they respond to things, there is a safety net and a comfort zone and there are no pop up surprises and hence no anxiety or worry created. We too are prepared to respond appropriately.

     Apparently, it’s not that difficult to be predictable! Albert-László Barabási, Northeastern University physicist and his colleagues used data from 50,000 anonymous cell phone users to study human mobility, or where we are and when. Their work reveals that our movements follow a pattern, whether we are homebodies or frequent fliers. "The surprise was that we couldn't find unpredictable people," Barabási laughs. "We are all boring. Spontaneous individuals are largely absent from the population!”

     Trust is built with time and regularity; when your thoughts, words and deeds are always in alignment. If you undertake something, complete it without any excuses, even if it costs you a little. If you commit to a person, live up to your commitment—these are the signs of a strong, powerful and committed person. In today’s fast paced rat race, where time is of the essence, everyone wants a certain surety and continuity especially when time and energy goes into planning, organizing and soul commitment.

     Determination is the key. Once you agree to do something, JUST DO IT. Of course we are discussing positive concepts and ideas here. You could equally be determined about smashing up your neighbor’s car as payback for him running his engine idol every morning and disturbing your peace… ooops sleep, but that won’t win you good marks in the account of your soul (in fact you will be stripped of them).

     You build soul power through consistency. You build integrity and loyalty. You earn others blessings. Maybe even a promotion too. If you continue to provide a service on a consistent basis, you are one step ahead of others no matter how much your competition grows.

     Furthermore you will feel confident with a renewed self-respect. We dislike ourselves the most when we have let ourselves down by not living up to our own expectations.

     Consistency in your spiritual practice will also carry you a long way down your spiritual path. Even if it be a few minutes of meditation or positive thinking for a day, or waking up early and practicing mind over matter. Being consistent creates a pattern of discipline and order in your life. There is a natural rhythm that will allow you to create a tempo in your life. A steady coherent order is so important for peace of mind.

     Beware to not confuse this type of continuity with monotony. This kind of tedium wears away at the soul, whereas consciously exercised consistency energizes the soul. In monotony, I do things as a slave, and in consistency, I am a master, exercising choice at every step. There is a time to introduce change and a time to be consistent.

     Consistency can also have another meaning—what our bodies are made of. Our bodies are made up of order and discipline. Take for example the lungs, they respire continually. The heart always beats. Blood continuously flows throughout the body delivering oxygen and antibodies. In fact it is an illness when this pattern is interrupted. As soul beings, we are made up of peace and light. We are light beings. And light is a continuous energy.

     It’s time… to be more consistent. Ask yourself why you break the patterns when you do. Have you lost momentum or enthusiasm? Choose a positive action and act on it every day. You will feel the self control through this and experience the real meaning of Raja Yoga, mastery of the self. You will earn love and blessings for your constancy and most of all, because you will need to think less, you will feel a greater peace of mind.

                                                                                   —30—

About Aruna Ladva

Aruna is fortunate to have the blend of both cultures - the East and West! She was born in Nakuru (Kenya), educated in London (England), worked in Vancouver (Canada), and has lived in various other parts of the world and travels regularly to India. Aruna was exposed to spiritual truths from an early age; in fact she had her first meditation experience at the tender age of 8. By the age of 14, she had found her calling and decided to focus on what mattered most in life– the development of her soul journey. For the past 35 years, Aruna has been studying the gentle art of Raja Yoga Meditation taught by Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University (www.bkwsu.org). She is currently one of their experienced teachers, traveling regularly to promote the work of the university; running retreats; managing projects; teaching and facilitating in the areas of human development; and writing weekly articles. She has also helped establish meditation centers in Canada, Turkey, Bahrain and Kuwait. Aruna is a Certified Negotiator in Conflict Resolution and together with her education in natural health continues to promote a peaceful, natural and vegetarian lifestyle. Special thanks to Carol Lipthorpe and Melinda Hewitt for helping to edit the articles and bringing clarity when most needed. Thanks and Blessings to Viannie Chua for PR and Marketing of “Its Time”. Share these thoughts! These thoughts are indeed for sharing to help make the world a better place! Feel free to forward this wisdom, but to avoid any karmic rebound, please acknowledge its source.

To correspond with the Brahma Kumaris organization click here. Or visit the website at this link.