The real source of our strength and well-being lies within us. 

The soul is an eternal, spiritual being whose original nature is pure, peaceful, loving, and joyful. These qualities are not something that the soul needs to acquire from the outside. They are already present within, but as the soul increasingly identifies itself with the body, its roles, possessions, and relationships, it gradually forgets its original identity.

The spiritual journey, therefore, is not so much about becoming something new as it is about remembering what we already are.

When we feel disturbed, unhappy, or empty, we may believe that peace or happiness has been taken away from us. We may search for better circumstances, possessions, or relationships, hoping that these will give us what we are missing. Such searching takes us outward, while the real source of our strength and well-being lies within.

In Rajyoga meditation, one of the first steps is to recognize the self as a soul rather than merely as a physical body. The body has a name, gender, age, nationality, and many social identities. These identities are necessary for functioning in the world, but they are not the deepest identity of the self.

The soul is a conscious, spiritual being. It is the one who thinks, chooses, feels, experiences, and directs the body. When we consciously shift our awareness from “I am this body” to “I am a soul, a spiritual being,” a subtle transformation begins.

Instead of measuring ourselves through external circumstances, we begin to connect with qualities that are deeper: peace, love, purity, and happiness.

The soul's original qualities can become covered by layers of thoughts, habits, and memories. Over time, we may start to believe that stress is natural, or anger is inevitable.

For example, when the mind becomes filled with unnecessary thoughts, worries, comparisons, and expectations, peace seems to disappear. Yet peace has not actually been destroyed. It has simply become obscured.

Similarly, when we experience conflict in a relationship, love may seem distant. But love itself has not disappeared. It has been covered by hurt, fear, ego, or attachment.

If we believe that peace has been lost, we will search for it outside. But if we understand that peace is an original quality of the soul, we can turn inward and reconnect with it.

The spiritual journey is therefore a journey from forgetting to remembering.

External situations may influence us, but they do not have to determine our inner state. This does not mean ignoring life’s realities or pretending that difficulties do not exist. Rather, it means developing the inner awareness and spiritual strength to respond to situations without allowing them to control our consciousness.

Love, peace, and happiness can then be experienced not as the results of a successful life, but as qualities that can be awakened whenever we want, for as long as we want, through a strong and stable spiritual awareness.

B.K. Usha is a Rajyoga teacher at the Brahma Kumaris headquarters in Abu Road, Rajasthan.