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Not too long ago, I went to a funeral. At the cemetery, there were these little headstones: "Here lies. . ." I just had to stop. This isn't just a headstone; this is a history. There was a person who was alive. Good things happened and bad things happened. There were rough days and smooth days; there were confusing days and clear days. There were days that went this person's way and days that seemed so opposed to him. A journey was made.
What is the difference between this headstone and me? Am I more than a headstone with a name, some dates, and a few messages chiseled on it? Isn't life more than that?
Isn't it that there is this thing called existence that rises above it all? Above all the good and bad, right and wrong - all the judgments? Isn't it that there is a kindness to be here? That this is a special moment called being alive? How much do I recognize this moment? What am I concerned about today? All the things that will happen? Am I the least bit concerned about something that is finer than the finest hair - that cannot be measured in width, height, or weight - and is the only difference between me and that headstone? Do you know what it is? It is this breath that comes in and out of you. That is the difference.
You cannot take a picture of it, paint it, make a statue of it; you cannot give it, buy it, trade it, or sell it. And it makes all the difference that you are. Because it comes, you are Mr. So-and-So, Mrs. So-and-So, Miss So-and-So, Dr. So-and-So, Captain So-and-So, Professor So-and-So. And because it comes, you have the capability to understand, to question, to reason, to observe, and to learn. Thanks to this gift of breath.
People say, "I'm a father, a mother." You're a human being. We don't see human beings; we see everything else. I'm talking about the presence, the beauty that is within you. Through which you have everything, without which you have nothing. That is real. That is simplicity.
There is a peace, without which we would lose the very fabric of who we are. A peace that dances in the heart of everyone. That's the peace I am talking about. The reality. The beauty. The joy. The true peace - not an absence of something, but the very presence of something. That is what is possible, even in the middle of war. A peace that cannot be disturbed. That is real peace. And one that cannot be taken away - that is real freedom.
Begin to acknowledge this existence in the simplest way possible - to go within. Not from ideas, but from understanding. Not measuring with the scales of "I do not have," but understanding what you do have. What you have is right here within you, and it is everything. I mean everything. And it will be there to the very end.
For me, this is my opportunity. This is my time, my chance, because I am alive. My journey continues, and I learn. I love to learn. I love to understand. I'm thankful for every day. It's my privilege, my joy, my honor, to remind people - to go around the world and tell people about the possibility of being in peace.
Maharaji
in Maharaji: Life, Maharaji: Peace Permalink
Every day that you exist, there is one wish from within that never changes—the wish to be content. No matter what you have gone through. No matter what you have had and not had. No matter what people have been in your life—loved ones who are there or have gone. With all the changes you have been through, that one inner desire to be fulfilled has never changed. And it will never change. You can count on that.
You have the ability to see; you have the ability to understand. Look at your life. Open your eyes. Open your heart. Open the gates of your understanding. It isn't a question of analysis. It's a question of observing what is. Understand what you have been given. You'll never be able to analyze it, but you can observe it. You can admire it. You can see its beauty, its simplicity.
If you're going to build your house, that is the place to lay your foundation. Don't lay your foundation in quicksand and then say, "What happened to my house?" Your house will be gone. Find that solid surface—the desire to be content. And build your house on that—as big as you want. Make big plans. Make it huge. It doesn't matter, because this is one ground that'll take anything you throw its way.
People think courage is required. It is, but what courage? Your ability to overcome your fear is your courage. There are thieves who have courage. Is that a good use of courage? There are people who climb buildings vertically. They overcome their fear. Is that what courage is? For what? There is an elevator. I can come up and down too.
This is how our world is set up. If somebody does something that most of us can't do, that's really special. Most people can talk, so if you hear somebody talking, it's not a big deal. But not all of us can sing, so if you hear somebody with a good voice, you think, "Wow! That's good." And it goes like that. If somebody went to the moon, you think, "Wow! You're really special; you went to the moon." Everybody wants to be special in their own way. They want to be different: "I can do something that nobody else can do."
But there is something that I can do and everybody else can do, too—that I can enjoy and everybody else can enjoy. I can find my satisfaction, my joy, my fulfillment in every breath. It is better than a song. It really is better than going to the moon. It is better than the best. And every human being on the face of this earth can accomplish that. That's what makes you special. Not just that you can sing, because one day you won't be able to sing.
Recently, I saw some old‑time singers. They were singing, but they were out of tune. I'm sure they were incredible once. When all that goes, what remains? There is a connection with something within that will be there till the very end. Then being old doesn't matter because the heart is full. Fill this existence with that. Fill your life with that beauty.
I've learned a number of things over the years, and one of them is that not much actually changes. There are people who love their life, but they still love to complain. They complain because this is what they have practiced, and they've gotten good at complaining. I just wish they would have gotten used to appreciating, to gratitude, and practiced that. It's really important.
Maharaji
in Maharaji: Life, Maharaji: Peace Permalink
Hopefully, we can let go of our problems, troubles, and tribulations, and focus on the one thing that this existence is all about—the one thing that pleases your heart.
We do so much in this world to comply. We are told, "You must comply—this is what being 'good' is." There is so much that we do that we know isn't real, but we do it because we need to comply. And we have a ton of justifications.
In the sea of unconsciousness, do we allow ourselves to be set adrift? What do we think about? What do we feel? What do we understand? Every day that we exist there is that movement of life inside of us. Everything begins with the fact that we have this existence, we have this life. This is not about creating. This is about understanding our assets.
When you hear the word "possibility," what does it mean to you? What is possible in your life? What would you like to happen? Think about it—what is it ultimately that you want? Some people say, "I would love to be rich." What are they trying to get? These are just interim bridges. People do many things for the "thrill" of it. Why can't a person achieve the same thrill by turning inside, finding the beautiful place within, and enjoying every moment?
True joy. When I say, "Enjoy your life," I'm not talking about a party. There is a fundamental enjoyment that lies within you. If you practice that, you will get good at it, and your life will change. If you find that your life is a bit like a cobblestone path going bump, bump, bump, this is no accident. Courtesy of you—you have placed the cobblestones.
People think, "No. Somebody else did it." "God placed the obstacles in my life. Now it is incumbent upon me to overcome them, and I'm having a hard time doing that. Why is God so cruel to have given me so many obstacles when other people don't have them?" Don't buy that. There is no shred of truth in that understanding. Everybody is born with their share of thorns and their share of flowers. The question is: what do you plant?
Sometimes when people are going through problems, I tell them the story of the phoenix. The phoenix is the mythical bird that rises from the ashes when everything is destroyed. But the spirit isn't destroyed. That's the most important thing. That power, that push, that want from the heart that drives a person toward contentment—when that is not destroyed, even if everything else is destroyed, the bird will rise. And it will be more powerful than ever.
Whatever you go through in your life, you have been blessed with an incredible spirit, an incredible power that drives you towards contentment. Let it rise. Trust in your ability to understand and truly trust in the reality of hope.
Do not mistake hope for wishful thinking. There is a real hope. That's why we exist. In the sea of impossibilities, we exist. And not only do we exist, we can think, we can feel. We have the ability to feel joy and fulfillment like nothing else. That's our forte. When your day is filled with confusion and doubt, there is something you can do about it: you can fill that time with joy and true understanding.
Maharaji
in Maharaji: Life, Maharaji: Peace Permalink
What I have to talk about is really quite simple. It deals with one human being—one person, one individual, who breathes, thinks, wants to understand, wants to learn. Sometimes, in the pursuit of all that we pursue in this world, we forget about us. Who am I? Who are you? You are unique. There is no one like you. I cannot emphasize enough the uniqueness of every human being on the face of this earth.
Learning is a process that will happen for every single person. This is our nature. Learning will happen, but amongst all the things we learn, what is the most important thing to learn? Millions have come through these gates to learn, understand, and go on in their lives to be successful and prosperous. But there is one kind of prosperity that was talked about a very, very long time ago: Know thyself.
The idea of peace is not new. I've been talking about peace since I was a child, because I know that there is another face of peace. There is an idyllic face of peace that people paint in which nobody is fighting with anyone. But there is a face of peace that does not rely on boundaries. There is a face of peace that has nothing to do with obedience, nothing to do with your wishes. It is the face of peace that lies in the heart of every human being.
This is the possibility, the reality, that certain people have always envisioned: "Know thyself." The resource of the joy, the peace, you are looking for exists within you. You have the tools you need to accomplish the aspirations of your heart, regardless of all external circumstances.
Are you in peace? Are you content, not by thought, but by feeling? There cannot be a formula for peace: "I am content because I did this and I did that and therefore, everything is fine." It has to be a reality.
My message is not connected to a religion. My message is connected to getting in touch with your heart, to understanding the value and the preciousness of your existence. It is about addressing, rather than covering up, the fundamental needs that you have as a human being—needs that are the same for everyone.Maharaji
