Do not discuss anything personal with your co-workers, especially about your income, home life and personal beliefs (religion, politics, etc.) It is okay to discuss general things, such as current events. You will see that when disputes arise your co-workers are not your friends.
When you are working with your co-workers be aloof and cautious; you must keep your personal life to yourself. Never tell others your age as you get older. If you do they will associate your age with diminishing vitality and health. You can devitalize yourself with the thoughts of advancing years and create anxiety. For this reason keep your age a private matter. Let them climb up the curiosity ladder and go find out on the internet if they want to.
If you do this, your co-workers will not try to pry into your personal life. Be evasive but always in a friendly manner. Never try getting along with others by adopting artificial mannerisms. This takes some discipline because some people talk too much and familiarity breeds contempt. You can be friendly and sociable and talk about general things on your lunch break. This attitude of being cautious also applies to management.
I will explain this so even a 1st grader can understand. Keeping personal beliefs from your co-workers, besides your income and home life includes whether your Pro Choice, Pro Life, believing in Global Warming, Climate Change, Politics and Religion.
Those who can’t help themselves who suffer diarrhea of the mouth from talkativeness say words as useless and ineffective as plastic bullets shot from a toy gun will certainly regret they can’t keep their mouths shut and stay silent. Remain a mystery with your co-workers and you will gain their respect. Always avoid anyone who tries to discourage or sabotage your technique on selling or puts down what you are trying to do. Most of the time arguments stem from disagreements over sales.
Lets be reminded that small minds talk about people all the time; average minds talk about events; great minds talk about ideas, and the wise man doesn’t talk. The wise man learns and does not talk because he knows that no one will understand him. The wise man becomes quiet and silent. He becomes acutely aware of all the motions of life and he never complains. He realizes that all things sub serve a divine purpose. When you stop complaining, wisdom begins to percolate into your being and you begin to understand what is actually happening.
The worst of all and the cancer of the workplace is “gossip.” Each time you criticize anybody you are automatically in tune with that person and you are pulling out the bad karma from him or her. You are taking to yourself the very bad qualities of that person. You have no idea how you are being connected. We have all heard that the mind is like a radio but that basic knowledge is for the uniformed. We are all connected with our brain with fibers of energy and we are one with this creation and we share the good and the bad according to how we tune in.
The affection for gossiping is the affection for meanness to harm the souls of others. Even though the criticized is harmed, the one who criticizes is harmed even more. While the unjustly criticized becomes untainted, the evil wrongdoers are fated by the inescapable law of karma and are condemned by their own conscience. They are convicted to live in mental anguish in their own self-inflicted jailhouse. Constructive criticism when not done in a hurtful way is acceptable. People who criticize and gossip are the detective eyes always watching what everybody else is doing. Instead of transforming themselves, they find faults in others. Those of you just starting out or are at the bottom of the food chain keep this article as you move up in the ranks to remind yourself not to discuss any of your personal information with co-workers.
COMPLAINTS ARE FOR THE WEAK
Not only is complaining a bad idea but unless it is a legitimate complaint about a co-worker or a serious situation, you are only affirming a negative state of affairs. Be careful when you complain about your co-workers. When you point one finger at them, two fingers can be pointed back at you so you must pick and choose your fights and complaints very carefully. Management never looks favorably at people that complain a lot. You will be looked at as a pain in the butt if you complain too much. If you become sad, moody or go to pieces because someone has criticized you, know that this is one of your weak links. Circumstances are brought into our lives to give us the opportunities to recognize and heal all of our psychological weaknesses. For example, when business is very slow never affirm that to yourself or to your co-workers because it reinforces a negative condition and you do not want any negativity emanating from you.
Bhaktananda Getting Along With Roommates7/18/84
Before you take one on, discuss and decide:
Issues related to noise (harmonium, TV etc)
Cleaning – for example drying dishes and putting them away, or leaving them out to dry on “their own”. Either way is OK, but “I personally prefer putting them away each time.”
Exercise
Talk – Don’t let issues build up.
To always be happy, just do what is right.
If we allow others to take and take it weakens them.
We all have to learn to serve.
Everything in life is a test. We should have this attitude all the time. Every emotion, thought and circumstance.
Use a Calendar to mark duties – alternate kitchen cleaning with cleaning the rest of the house or apartment.
Do not divide duties in half. This will cause arguments. Go 60% of the way.
Relax and have faith in one another. Respect our fellow devotees as we respect Master. Play your harmonium softly. Place a blanket on top to mute it.
———————————————————————————————————–
Bhaktananda How to Control the Vital EnergyLR Class date unknown (80’s)
Goal and ideals – we must have. We are not perfect yet.
Celibacy for all?
Master said “No”.
It is not necessary in the early part of marriage. Later, yes, for liberation.
Thoughts of sex draw evil companions and create repression. They are our most powerful enemies – any kind of evil thought.
Thoughts of sex and fantasies should be eliminated.
Saints, Master said, have a hard time finding spiritual births. Many saints were born in not-too-spiritual families. It is necessary.
Never talk about someone else’s sex life. The karma will come back to you full force. You will find you are not as strong as you think.
RE quoting Brother Bhaktananda: Do not quote him without asking him. It is easy to misquote. It is a popular pastime. It is an ego game with some individuals.
Those who live near the Temple: do not ever talk about other’s weaknesses, especially their sex weaknesses.
How to transmute:
Inhale and exhale deeply and affirm: “I want to turn my energy Godward”
We are all magnets, either worldly or spiritual.
It is better to be single than to go through hell-fire, as many people do, who are worldly and attract a worldly mate. After the senses are satiated then come arguments over every little thing.
Marriage is often misused.
In marriage – the true purpose of marriage – both partners should bring up the faults of the other. You need to have that neutral – not stiff – attitude so that you can move in any direction you need to move.
You cannot be in Cosmic Consciousness and create physically.
Aids controlling the vital energy:
Avoid overeating
Avoid too much spicy foods
Avoid meats, alcohol, tobacco
Avoid lack of exercise, idleness – wrong pictures of exposed bodies
Avoid being in the company of sex-minded people