Excerpts from Events
Because You Are Alive [06:12 min]
Because you are alive, you will make a voyage and what will this voyage be like, no one knows, you are given a vessel, this human body and by the very fact that it exists, it will make a voyage, it will go truly where no one has been before. All the logic and reasoning precludes reality. And reality is what you have to deal with every single day. Even though you do the same job every day, No two days are alike. Every day is different. It is not just a question of good and bad. It is a question of how you view that. How do you make this voyage, how does it happen? Who are you and what is the purpose of this voyage?
Surprise event at Malibu, California [04:13 min]
Do you have the ability to look at every day anew? Yes you do. Do you? No, so, whats the point? Do you have the ability to recognize the value of a moment? Do you? No. You are perfectly satisfied being frustated. You would rather talk about all those things that went wrong. It's a nice point of conversation with your friends, with your family. All the things that happen that are good, no one wants to talk about. It's not interesting. It's not interesting to talk about that you are alive. It's taken for granted, till you die.The opportunity has been given to you because you have the ability to recognize what is good. So, do so.
If life was a canvas and a bunch of colors, would you paint? If life was a drum, would you play? Would you? Or would you say, I do not know how to paint. Or would you say, I don't know how to play. Or would you say, I do not understand. Or would you say, I don't know how.
I don't know how, is an excuse because if you really don't know how, then you would find out how it takes to search, takes to see, takes to understand that tool that you have been given, the tool called life.
The Heart Speaks [06:09 min]
Maharaji talks about the similarity in every human being: the want from the heart to be fulfilled. "Why not get in touch with that perfection that is within you?" he asks. "Why not understand what your heart is trying to say to you?"
King Janak and Ashtavakra [06:44 min]
Maharaji quotes a story from Ramayana. The story of King Janak, who was father of Sita. Sita was married to Ram of Ayodhya. The story speaks about King Janak’s dream, following which he made a declaration to give away his kingdom as a prize to the person who could answer his question. Through these unfoldings, King Janak met his young master, Ashtavakra.There was a king. I'll abbreviate this. This is an Indian story. There is this king and he is dreaming. He is dreaming that he has lost his kingdom. He is dreaming that he has been defeated. He is dreaming that he is running into the jungle. He is dreaming that he is really hungry. The jungle is cold and wet. He comes across this hut. He knocks at the door and says, "Do you have anything to eat?" An old lady says, "I don't have anything to eat. But I have some rice and some lentils, I will give it to you. You can cook it and satisfy your hunger."
The wood is all wet. He gathers the wood, lights the fire. The smoke is running into his eyes. I mean its a mess. Finally he gets enough of fire going. He puts the pot on. He puts the little bit of lentils, he puts the little bit of rice. Boils it together. It is too hot for him to eat, so he takes a big leaf and puts it on the leaf, to cool down.
In the meanwhile, while he is waiting for it to cool down, two bulls come, fighting, and take what he has made, and plough it into the dirt. In this desperation, the king begins to weep. And he weeps and weeps. And the tears rolling down his eyes, wake him up. When the dreams sometimes get so intense, you wake up. So, he wakes up. He looks. There are the guards. His bed, beautiful bedroom. And he thinks to himself, "What is real? What I was just feeling, was that real? Or now, that I am lying here, is this real?"
So, he gets up in the morning, goes to his court and makes a declaration. "Whoever can answer my question, I will give him half my kingdom." People come. I am sure dream readers must have come. But, nobody could satisfy him.
Then this young master comes, and he says, "Are you ready to listen to me? So, if you are ready to listen to me. then listen king. Let me tell you. What you saw in your dream, was not real, because that was a dream. But when you thought you woke up, and what you saw was also a dream. Both are dreams.
Thats the point of it, that all that we consider to be real, is not. Then we have those, whom we feel, we are related to, our relatives. Then we have those, whom we feel we love, our loved ones. Are these real? Are these relations real?
There is a time, when all these relations come to an end. So, it is. The loved ones, there is a time, when no longer can they reciprocate this love. So, why am I talking to you about relations, love and all that good stuff? My point is, if you are going to have relations, have a relationship with something inside of you too. And if you are going to have loved ones, then find the love that is inside of you too. Because this is the one that transcends the limitations of this world. I hope you understand what I am trying to say.
A call from within [06:15 min]
"How much money is spent developing arms so that they can destroy- efficiently! How much money is spent for peace? When I talk about peace, people are extremely skeptical. If we dont have peace, we have nothing to be proud of! If we have not accomplished peace, then we would have a fundamental problem. We will not understand what the meaning of life is, what it means to be alive. On one hand we feed the generations and on the other hand we prepare to kill them. Its a very strange dichotomy.
Have you felt that need? I cannot create the need for anyone. Do you understand what your calling from within has been? I have been looking for something all my life, I dont know what it is, but I’ve been looking for, all my life. Could it be peace? Could it be contentment?
When Socrates said "Know Thyself!" What was Socrates talking about? Now it has become a point of discussion and debate in universities. "Know Thyself!" Because you are the source of what you are looking for!
Do I have a vision for peace? No... I have something more! And very humbly, I say to you "What you are looking for, is within you!" That peace for you as a human being is entirely possible on the face of this earth. Not impossible- very, very possible. Turn within and you will feel it!"
Is there something worth appreciating? [06:00 min]
When we go to a restaurant and your bread is not warm, you say to the waiter "I would appreciate if you could bring me warm bread"
We use appreciate for every small thing, say if someone brings you glass of water, you go: "I appreciate that!"
Do you know what appreciation is? Do you have any idea what appreciation is?
Regardless of your age, this is one of the things that will not change- Appreciation! Even when you're 90 years old and you can't see so well. When your glasses are like binoculars!
The power of appreciation is not going to change. Hone in on it. Last year I was in Portland and I was coming back to the hotel after doing an event. I was looking out of the window, and there was this couple. For whatever reason, they were homeless and they laid down their bed in front of a shop. And she had biggest smile on her face. And I was like "Wow! You've lost everything. You're going to sleep outside and you're smiling!" - Appreciation!
Was that something she was looking forward too? to lose the home and sleep outside? Whatever the reason was- she was able to be happy and appreciate. That is the power of appreciation!
Is there something that is truly worth appreciating? And the answer is: Yes!
What is it? It is this moment in which this breath arrives. It is worth appreciating. The moment that you understand the simplicity of this existence, then it is worth appreciating. The moment you realize your desire to be fulfilled, then this is worth appreciating.
There is nothing you can do to remove the desire to be fulfilled. Nothing!
Your desire to be fulfilled.
Does God Test? [06:41 min]
This is your nature, this is how you are. You have a mind, but you don’t think it is limited. You think it is unlimited. It is very limited. It can think of incredible things, but can it think of obvious things? Not always. Mind can dream about tomorrow. Mind can remember all those things that happened yesterday. But can mind actually help you live in the moment called now? It can’t. It’s not capable. Its job, to either go backwards or forward. Its job is not to think of what is now. It’s only one thing in you that can understand the moment called now and it is your heart. Not your mind. That’s why you have a heart. That one place from where questions don’t come but inspiration does. That one place from where reasoning doesn’t come but gratitude does. Gratitude and understanding that gratitude. Not reasoning. Mind likes to reason. Mind likes to gloat. Human beings like to gloat.What does God do? In India, people believe God does nothing but test, test, test, test! I ask you a question. The God who tests, does this God know what the result will be? No, you think about this.. okay. People say, God is testing me. So, if the God is testing, that will imply that the God does not know whether you will pass or fail. Because if he already knows, you will fail, what is the point of testing you? If God already knows you will pass, what is the point of testing you. But you think God tests you. If you think that God tests you, then this God that tests you doesn’t know and why would you like to be tested by a God that doesn’t know.
There is a big hole in this theory of "God tests you". God does not test you. You allow yourself to be tested. Who gives you the test? The society gives you the test, your friends give you the test, because they don’t know. Why would God want to test. What would be the reason. It is quite the contrary, that every human being is blessed. The blessing already exists. To understand this that the blessing already exists, thats why you need knowledge. Because nothing shows it clearer. Every day that you sit down to practice it, nothing shows it you clearer that the blessing has already been given to you. Nothing.
How people portray God- Amusing [06:47 min]
Be in that joy, in that understanding, of what you have been given. The greatest of the gifts is coming and going of this breath that you receive. And this is the blessing. You want to be blessed? You are blessed. People say that to me "O Maharaji, I want to be blessed" and I say to them do you have any idea how many time you have already been blessed? Do you really want to know if there is a God. When I say God, I don't mean to say a God with a face, and two eyes and a Temperament. I mean the way people present or portray God - Touchy, Touchy, Touchy! You put this glass over here - that's it you're gone - Pitch fork and barbequed. You are toasted!
I don't know if you have ever watched Clint Eastwood movies- With cigarette in the mouth that twinkle in the eye, and hand on the Gun - Make my day! The way people portray God, is almost working for the devil. No, not the face, not make-my-day type of God. I'm talking of God who is truly Omnipotent, is Omniscient, and is Omnipresent. Doesn't need a face, doesn't need twinkle in the eye, doesn't need bad temperament. But passion and compassion, and in this Universe and the universes beyond, holding them all together. From dust creates the Sun, the moon, the earth. And for all of it to go on. from nothing to create everything. From nothing to create this earth. To create ceiling without the pillars. And you to have the ability to witness this, not just see. To see is one thing, but be able to admire.
Do you feel blessed? [04:45 min]
In India, I got this email from this person and he said, there is this couple in South India and the guy’s wife is dying of cancer, so they would like to see you. So, we worked it out. It was a young couple, a very young couple, and I walked into the room where they were sitting. And believe me I could’nt figure out who it was, that was sick. She looked just radiant. And her grandmother was sitting on one side, her husband was sitting there, and she was sitting, and I was like, "Who is it?". The doctors had said time-out. Yet I remember her face, because she was still filled with so much hope and so much joy. And it reminded me of the flower that I had seen coming out of the rock.The audacity - Why should you be so happy, why should you be so hopeful. Don’t you know what the doctors are saying? But there was a thankfulness, for having knowledge. For having been alive, for having this gift. And a hope, not formulated in some concrete numbers. But whatever will happen will be fine.
This I must tell you is a powerful thing. Why here, why are you using your time and energy to sprout here, go down further south, it’s better. But no, this is it. This is the place. When that flower sprouts from that rock, in the middle of the most incredibly barren land. What that flower is saying, "This is the place to be. Regardless of the consequences. And I am here and here I’ll grow, and it happens."
Hope, but hope cannot be the first thing. Knowing, understanding, and then that brings the truest hope. Let it be like that, the truest hope. Not in, "This is the specific result I want.", but in, "It will be fine." That there is indeed a blessing in my life. "Do you feel blessed?"
Blessed you are, the only thing missing, is for you to know it.
Virtual World [06:06 min]
There is this place but it's not really a place, it's virtual. And in this place, everything is virtual. It's not real, it's virtual. And you can create an alter personality of yourself. You can fly, and you can do all the things that you always wanted to do, but could never do. But virtually. Not really, virtually. When you fly in this virtual place, you don't actually feel like you are flying.But, here is the fun part. In this virtual place people buy apartments. Make houses. Buy clothes for their avatar. That's what they are called, "Avatar". And in this virtual place when you buy the apartment, it's a virtual apartment but you pay for it in non-virtual money. It's not like play-money. No,no. It's real Euros, real Dollars, real Rupees. People meet in this virtual place and get married.
I am here this evening, I am telling you this. And I bring you a message. That message that ran true for Kabir, for Meera, for Sahjo, for so many, about reality. On one hand, a message says, that what you are looking for is inside of you. On one hand the world is making a complete idiot out of you.
Don't you think that has to be this virtual thing that you pay in real money for, the biggest trickster game ever invented. Because if you paid with virtual money, it's not, it's a game. And I should be telling you, you should choose. You should choose reality over this.
What are we? Who are we? What is our core? This is the day and age where we need to know this more than I believe any other time. Otherwise our choices would be virtual and consequences will be real. Consequences are never virtual, unfortunately. And choices made would have been virtual. Make believe.
So, who are you? What are you? What is your forte? What do you do the best? What is your real potential? What is this life?