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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
