Our whole style sometimes takes us more outward than inside. So let us try to see how we can go inside. I think the only way is to achieve the state of thoughtless awareness, through collective living and through meditation, individually also: collective and also individual meditation. Try to come to a state where you are thoughtless. Try to put your attention on a thoughtless awareness level, then the growth starts, because that’s the present, not the past, nor the future.
So if you stop at, thoughtless awareness you start seeing something much beyond that exists. Now for example I see these flowers. Just see them. Now what does it relate to me? I should see, of course, the beautiful colour, the fragrance [but] immediately, the thought goes to the love, with which it is given – immediately. It jumps onto the essence of it. These are not given just for any expression of expectations but just to express the love. And I see that love immediately and that I enjoy. This is, a very important point that, in thoughtless awareness, you immediately jump onto a relationship with love. Say you see the nature around: immediately you feel, “Look at the love of God! How He has created this beautiful world for us. How He has given so many things to us!” And then this, horrible competitiveness just drops out. Because in the present only you can enjoy what you have achieved, not in the past or the future. Say you, buy a little carpet like this. You wanted to buy, you must have worried about it, you must have thought of saving money whatever it is. When you buy it there’s no joy. Then you want to buy something else. Like this it goes on. But supposing you are in the present: here now I’m sitting with you in the present. I know all of you, very well, like a picture. Even the folds of your clothes and everything, your sitting position, everything is like a picture. And it comes to you and what does it feel? Just like these flowers: a very abstract, feeling of joy.
So we should try to live in the present, not in the future and in the past.
I’ve got so many letters of confessions: “I did this, I did that…” I mean, I never read them, never. You should not waste your energy in confessing. That’s a wrong thing to do. I don’t want to know it. But they send you know for their own, maybe, satisfaction, whatever it is. So doesn’t matter. So I just burn them off or tear them out. So forget the past. That doesn’t mean that whatever has built you up to this level, you should forget. Whatever has been nourishing, your parents and your other relationships, your country, your reading: anything that has nourished you, you must know. But don’t think that, “My childhood was much better or much worse. My mother was bad.” This is psychology also [which] teaches, “Your mother was bad that’s why you are like this”. All blame goes to the mother poor thing! She has given you birth, she has looked after you. But they will blame your mother. Blame the psychologist than the mother, that they are putting funny ideas into your heads.
So when you think of your past, you have to more deal with the whole thing as if you are there for some sort of a treasure, for your nourishment. Not just to blame yourself: “I did this, I took drugs.” It doesn’t matter! What is it? Now you solve your problems. “I did other the things.” Forget it!
When you were in the water, in the sea, alright you were drowned, but you are saved now, you are on the shore. What’s the use of thinking about what was happening then? It’s useless!
But the one who saved you from there, or the one, the fish that brought you out, or whatever it is – those experiences [which] are nourishing you, should think of that. Then you won’t have this diffidence you won’t have this kind of a confused mind, but clear cut: “Now I am different!” When a fruit comes out of a flower it doesn’t think of the flower. In the same way we should not worry about what has gone wrong with us in the past, but what has gone good with us we can think of it, because that nourishes us.
Now for future also: we have to think about future. But not to extend your projections, mental projections. But in meditation you have to see for yourself: “What is the future for Sahaja Yoga? What can I do? How can I purify myself completely? What have I to do about it?”
In the beginning to get up in the morning was a very difficult task for the Western people. To get up in the morning, have baths, do meditation, is too much! It’s a punishment sort of thing. But you’re not forced. I mean if you can’t get up it’s all right. But some started getting up, putting their effort. Previous night they would decide, “Now tomorrow whatever may happen I’ll get up.” Try! What’s the harm? Let’s see if it helps you. Also they see somebody getting up in the morning meditating, [who is] so different: then they start doing.
The other day I was in Calcutta and there was one gentleman: a very learned lawyer, and a chartered accountant. Then he came to Sahaja Yoga. And he developed a personality, a security. And then seeing him, this gentleman changed; the one who was the chartered accountant. And I saw his face: I was amazed. Not the same person. So much, just like a blossom. I said, “What happened?” “It’s nothing. I get up in the morning, do my meditation. Evening I do my meditation, that has changed me.” Such a small thing [and] life has changed. But if you have to go for an interview people will get up at four o’clock in the morning! Then they get up. But if you have to meditate they don’t: then it’s a punishment to them. Especially in England it’s very much worse. But now gradually they have understood the value of it: how it helps you, to do meditation in the morning, and in the night. It’s only five minutes in the morning and ten minutes in the evening [needed]. Not much.
There’s no discipline about it. We don’t want to force anything on you. No way of forcing will help. Because that has never helped.
So we should know the principle of Sahaja Yoga. And one of the principles of Sahaja Yoga is that we have to meditate if we have to grow.
Meditation means at that time we are in thoughtless awareness: that time, neither future nor past. So we open out ourselves to the Primal Force, to this All-pervading Power, to fill us up with inspiration, with beautiful ideas. Actually like the nourishment of the tree which is achieved by the sap of the tree. And to feel the love of God. To feel how we are instruments of that love and how the love can flow through us.
So in the morning I have told them to meditate [for] about five minutes or for say ten minutes. But you shouldn’t put the watch: “Now five minutes!” And a bell rings. “Oh, finished!” That’s not the [way]. You should enjoy. I have told some people five minutes [but] they go on sitting for one hour in joy. It’s an enjoyment. It’s the inner enjoyment
of the inner beauty of your Self, the inner glory of your Self. Watching yourself within is beautiful.
So when I say ‘you meditate’ I do not mean that it’s a discipline for you, no, no way. But it’s a path, it’s a way out for you to get to your thoughtless awareness. Where you know yourself, means you know, not on your chakras, not the chakras of others, but you know that you are the Spirit, that you are the pure Spirit, and that you have been glorified.
Say Mother has said that, “You are beautiful, you are compassion, you are virtuous and that, you are, the Truth. You are the Spirit.” So why not we become that? Why not? So whenever your so-called intelligence starts telling you, “Oh it’s all right…” No escape from this is going to help you. I mean if you want to escape you are free to escape, no doubt. But why to escape this which is so important, which is so good for you?
And it’s a very easy way: Sahaja Yoga is the easiest. When I see what people have done to achieve their ascent, I get frightened really: you have to go to Himalayas, without any clothes you have to stay there, and exert yourself. That’s not the case. You don’t have to suffer. Every step you move, you get ten times the blessings, in every way, materially, physically, emotionally; but the greatest is the spiritual and in that, you become such a personality that, whatever may happen around, you enjoy yourself. It’s not a relative life any more, you just enjoy yourself, and others who see you also enjoy you. I want you all to get all the powers so-called that I have, and should be even more. That’s what I want you to have. That’s the desire of a Mother always.
12.02.1992
