Rawat Legitimacy Project: One Giant Step to Phony Respectbility
$100,000 Grant to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) HQ
New York, April 21st 2006
The Prem Rawat Foundation made a grant of $100,000 to the UNDP for the digging of wells in 9 Ghanaian villages and $20,000 to have Mary Singletary, the black chairwoman of the National Council of Women of the United States, the oldest non-sectarian women's organization in the United States thank Rawat and present him with a phony Distinguished International Humanitarian Achievement Award. This phony award has only ever been given once: to Prem Rawat from Prem Rawat. Ms Singletary who read from a script prepared by PWKs, called him Prem Rawat, Maharaja reading the final vowel incorrectly. The rented room in the UNO building was filled with devoted PWKs of Rawat's who paid $100 for the privilege and were admonished to dress to impress as they sat behind signs designating the country they were supposedly representing. A female PWK sprayed her flower essences around to strongly influence all future world leaders assembling in that building to be irresistibly swayed by the forces of peace from inhaling the particular specific "Peace" flower essence.
In 2006, the Prem Rawat Foundation made further grants of $300,000 for charitable causes, one-fifth of what they spent promoting Rawat as Maharaji, the cult guru and flying him around the world in luxury. They made grants to 7 other projects so it seems the money granted to UNDP provided the maximum VIP status publicity of all their projects that year. They maximised the bang for the buck by donating it through the National Council of Women of the United States. So woke. Ms Singletary appeared to have no idea who Rawat was but read her script as best she could. She quipped "I am very excited about this experience [$20,000] and I hope it happens again soon" (laughter - it didn't) TPRF had their video and photo-shoot in the can and they weren't going to spend any more money there.
By 2006 Rawat had not been making many speeches to ordinary members of the public (though the audience was 95% his followers) and he still carried on like a rabid dog at times, shouting or whispering and flailing his arms around, losing his trail of thought, using repetitious phrases and non-sequiteurs. He stresses "the most magnificent gift of this breath comes and goes" and how we have been given the most incredible planet. He starts with a joke which kills as the audience are his PWKS. He tries a joke again 3 weeks later at a Rotaract Convention to non-PWKs and dies on stage.
Rawat was about 50 years old and age hadn't yet started to thin him down. His face was bloated and he looked unwell unlike the Indian Ranchi boys who showed no signs of years of hunger. Rawat rhapsodised over the poor boys and the prisoners, something that becomes part of his shtick. The boys had done nothing to deserve extra food but Rawat "could see in their eyes a thankfulness that is unique." Apparently Rawat only has to visit a prison and you can "see the peace dance in the eyes of these people. He makes a poor fist of his talking about peace since he was three storyline but the MC has already read out a potted version of the Prem Rawat story by Prem Rawat. I think this was probably the second most prestigious event that TPRF pulled off in those years. It wasn't totally phony."
Your Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. It is a privilege to talk to you about something that is maybe a little bit different, but very familiar. And what I'm talking about here is peace. Perspectives are sometimes necessary to be synchronised. Let me begin by telling you a little story. After a long, hard day, the Sergeant and Lieutenant finally came back. Lay down and were getting ready to go to sleep, when the sergeant looked up and said "Lieutenant. What do you see?" Lieutenant looked up and said "I see the heavens. I see stars that no longer exist, but the light is still travelling. I see the magnificent drama of nature unfolding itself in these beautiful, these beautiful, beautiful lit skies. Sergeant, what do you see?" And the sergeant said, "Sir, I see that somebody stole our tent."
So really becomes a question of what it is. For me and this is a personal quest, that there is an importance of peace. A peace not of consequences, but a personal peace and individual peace for every single human being on the face of this earth. People want to stop wars. People want to stop conflicts but nobody addresses the individual from where the peace has to begin before one can even imagine or dream of stopping the wars and conflicts that exist in this world. Who are we? What are we? We live on this planet Earth. It's unique. We have an incredible place in the neighbourhood. We have luxuries. We really do. And we have an opportunity to do something so unique on the face of this earth that it cannot even be imagined. We, all of us on the face of this earth, I mean, what have we got? The most incredible planet around. That's what we've got. This is what we have got. This is what we have been given. And yet it is so sad to see that people don't have clean water.
When in this world, that's what rains down. Nature in its infinite wisdom. Because that is what you need. You need clean water. You need food. You need the sun. You need the earth. You need air to breathe. These are the things, you, I, everyone needs. And these are easy to see and obvious. But placed in the heart of every human being is also a want, a wish. A wish to be content. A wish to be in peace. After the food. Food is important. But so is peace. Water is important. But so is peace. Clean air is important, but so is peace and all the things that we need to strive for. Those basic necessities are important, but so is peace. Because without that peace you can see it again and again and again. Whatever structures are built? They come. The fighting decimates. It's a disease. This conflicts they're a disease. Just like any disease. Anybody who is involved with them, it kills. It kills. And you are never the same afterwards. And the only solution does not come from words, does not come from ideas. Does not come from debate but the solution comes from within the heart of every single human. This is our humanity. This is who we are.
One of the examples that I recently gave in Barcelona. What's like an alligator? Like a fierce crocodile that on one hand has this jaw that can tear an elephant apart, the same jaw, the same teeth are used gingerly to pick up its babies and transport them. The same minds that can put man on moon. The same minds that can put man on moon, can those same minds not change the condition of those poor people in this world who so desperately need those simple things in their lives now. Not luxuries.
Just recently we have a Food for People Project in Ranchi, India. Bantoli, India actually a little village on the outskirts. Tribal land. Poor as kids you can possibly imagine. And Prem Rawat Foundation just opened up a Food for People Programme there so that they can be given hot meals. I could see in their eyes a thankfulness that is unique. They didn't do anything to deserve this. They didn't run a marathon. They didn't have a diploma. But somebody came in their neighbourhood and gave them an opportunity to have some food that they obviously thought was tasty because the first day they were back in line with empty plates. "More." When you understand what this humanity is about. When you understand that there is a cry from within every single person that has been there since time immemorial, wanting to reach, wanting to say "Let there be peace." Personally, individual peace, peace for every human being being felt.
What kind of peace am I talking about? I am talking about the peace that can be felt on a battlefield. I am talking about the peace that can be felt in a prison. That's the peace. Last year I was in a prison addressing some people. It was very sweet. I'm not a judge. The judge has done his job and of course they have been incarcerated. But they're human beings. So I went to see them. They invited me and to see the peace dance in the eyes of these people. Hey, we take so many things for granted. They don't have it. You think they decide when they get up? You think they decide when they get asleep? They decide what they are going to eat today? And I tell you, here they are in a place where not one single one would like to be. If the walls fell down, they'd be all out of there.
And I'm sure that on more than one occasion they have talked about or thought about pulling that wall down. You think this person can have peace? You see, there's one formula that people have of what they define it as peace. In their formula it is the end of wars. Every neighbour is neighbourly. No road rages. Everybody gets along with everybody. This is peace. As spoken was by a very wise customs officer. When I was on my way back from Canada to America one time the customs officer asked me where you coming from? Canada. What were you doing there? I was talking about peace. They said forget it. There cannot be peace So far people keep doing what they're doing, there can be no peace. And I was very quiet because you do not argue with a customs officer. And I thought about it and I thought about it and I thought about it. Is it just a dream? Personal peace is just a dream? A concept, an idea? Or is it a reality? Can it happen?
I'm just gonna ask the question. I'm not gonna get the answer. Why? Listening to this thing. The answer is within you. Ask yourself that question. Is there something more to you than the sum of all that you see? Is there something more to you than the sum of everything you project? Somebody just recently asked me, "What is your name?" I said "Me." He said "No, no, really. What's your name?" I said, "No, no, me." He said that, "Come on. What's on the passport?" I said "Prem Rawat" I said "Let me explain something to you. This is all a question of (nice)necessity." He said, "What do you mean?" I said "No. Let me explain. I'm in a building and I'm Prem Rawat. I've got my badge. I've got my this and I'm this and this and I people are coming down the "Prem Rawat, Prem Rawat, Prem Rawat, Prem Rawat, Prem Rawat" everywhere "Prem Rawat." Then the earthquake hits and the building shakes and it falls down and I find myself quite alive but trapped. I hear some people outside and I know they're the rescuers. I think you get my point. And the voice comes not "Help Prem Rawat. Help me." All of a sudden I have switched to me because all those things that I project all day long that I tend to be all day long, that this is who I am, all of a sudden I'll disappear.
When I like to go in public I like to be very presentable. I have my tie, I have my jacket I look in the mirror before I leave and you know everything is good. When I am in that condition I don't really care. Just come and get me even if I am half naked, just come and get me, help me, relationships change and that relationship that you need to have with yourself - a relationship of reality, a relationship built on fact not fiction. A relationship built on bricks that you can hold in your hand, not dreams and imaginations in midair. And that is called experience. Not theory, experience. Because we could sit here and imagine all this water being made available to people. But as I was hearing about this, my mouth started watering. Because when a thirsty person gets good clean water in their mouth, it is automatically sweet. It just is. Sweet without sugar. It becomes sweet. The experience of peace also has a very sweet taste in this life.
We try to be good and we say let me resolve all my problems but here's an analogy. The baby is crying and the mother is saying "Don't cry" and the baby keeps crying and the mother says "don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry." And the baby keeps on crying. Are you surprised? Are you surprised? No. That's how it's gonna be. Maybe it's gonna keep on crying till the problem has been resolved. Then when the problem has been resolved, the baby will stop and the baby will in fact start cooing. That's for a minute. Think coolng is peace. People feeling something real within, not something that has been created. There's something inherent to everything, human being on the face of the Earth. A man said to me. "I am poor. I am uneducated and I am old. You think I could have peace? "And I said "Of course. Of course you can." After that I started thinking, this man holds three strikes against him. One he thinks he's old, he thinks he's old. Two, he thinks he is uneducated and three, he thinks he is poor. And what is he asking for? He says you think I could have peace in my life. You think that's such a luxury? I'll get to why I'm giving you this analogy. It's not really an analogy. This is really what happened. And then few weeks ago, a man who was quite articulate, very well educated and quite rich and young was also standing there asking me exactly the same thing.
Do you think? I could have? And I hit. You see, we are playing a little game and we're saying Oh all those people who have really simple lives they're in peace and all those people who really do have those simple lives are looking at the other ones and going you know all those super rich and super complicated and super this and super that, they have peace. It's one of these unspoken formulas, you know who has peace? All those simple ones. (9:51) You know who has peace? All those rich ones. The secret is out neither, nor, both want it, both want it. Why do both want it? This is not a thirst that is created. This is inherent to every human. I have been from country to country and I have seen cultures change. I have seen people try to be different. "I am so and so I am so and so I am so and so I am so and so" and yet I have seen a remarkable similarity amongst every single person. "Who are you?" I go to people and I say to them ask yourself this question "Who are you? Don't be afraid. Don't be shy. Ask yourself the question "Who are you? Who are you? Who are you that lives in this incredible place? Who are you in whom the most magnificent gift of this breath comes and goes. Who are you that can imagine who are you? I can thank you. Who are you that can feed? Who are you can understand? Who are you that can question? Who are you that can answer? Who are? Who are? You are here and that means something.
You are here and of all the accomplishments that you can accomplish. There is one more. and that one more has something to do with you. Not about this one. Generations will … down the road they will look at us and they will scrutinise us like we do. I goodness the documentaries they're gonna make and the things they're gonna say and they're all carried this little box around that kept beeping and beeping and beeping and amazing that whenever they gathered one of the announced was announcements that was made is turned that box off and it was all the places they gathered, movie theatres and the big gatherings "Turn it off" and they talked and they're gonna look at us and they're gonna look at our wars and they're gonna look at our failures and they're gonna look at our success and they're gonna say "Ohh they were so excited when they got to the moon. Ha so sweet" and then will they say and one most important thing that they pursued in their lives this peace.
The face of peace has not changed. It has nothing to do with technology. It was talked about by the Greeks. It was talked about by the Romans. It was talked about by the Indians. The idea of people being in a state where they feel real joy. Real joy is different. There is a forced smile and there is a natural smile. There is a difference and you know the difference. When you are obliged to show your teeth and go "How are you?" especially to a person. who looks like he's walking towards you and you are running your little computer at 2GIGAHERTZ per second trying to say "Who is this person? Do I know him? Have I seen him before? What's his name?" And as he gets closer you look at him and smile, and then he passes you to a person on the other side. Now you feel stupid. But I'm not talking about that You. You know when that smile is expression of frustration, is distinctly different. Because this is how you are manufactured. This is your programming. The expression of frustration is distinctly different than the expression of joy. What do you want? The expression of peace is distinctly different than the expression of anger of conflict.
Self conflict is a war that rages and when it is brought to that end, something beautiful can begin to happen and to bring it to an end, only one thing can and that one thing happens to be the individual peace. Felt and understood. This is such a noble effort being made. Small, but nobleness is not measured in large and small. That is not a valid measurement of nobleness. The effort being made to reach to people to bring themselves a benefit so that they in their lives they can have something which is considered very basic. It is wonderful. It is incredible. More of that effort needs to be made in so many fields. And one more and that field is the field of peace. Peace. Personal Peace. The time has come. The time is here to do it is incumbent upon our generation and generations to follow to pick up, to pick up this banner and to bring peace to this world.
This is a subject that is very, very close to me. The years [old] and stand in front of people and you speak. What can you say? Be happy. Be content. Be in joy. I'm so fortunate that the even today 40 years after. I'm still saying that since I have been doing this, that be happy, be in joy. This is your life, your life, your responsibility. You're understanding. So it is wonderful to be able to come and speak to you today about this subject, subject very close to me, close to my heart and thank you very much for the opportunity of being here today and I want to thank everyone once again. Thank you. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. Thank you. (APPLAUSE)
Linda Pascotto: Thank you. Carlos, it's really, truly a pleasure for me to be here today. This is just such a wonderful audience and to be able to hear such an inspiration and such informative addresses its truly, truly s pleasure for me and what makes this occasion so particularly special is that today, the Prem Rawat Foundation has the exciting opportunity to help people who are really in need, and to improve the quality of their lives, in some way. We are proud to be able to contribute to the community water initiative of the United Nations development programme and to help the National Council of Women of the United States further their efforts to bring water to the people and villages in Ghana.
We trust that the support provided by the foundation to these noble efforts will very rapidly materialise into wells, bringing fresh, clean water where is most needed. Prem Rawat and Mary Singletary, please come up. (Applause)
Mary Singletary: Thank you very, very much. I am very excited about this experience and I hope it happens again soon (laughter - it didn't)
And now it is my pleasure to introduce you to you, the Director of the Capacity Development Group within the Bureau for Development Policy of UNDP. We are honoured to have him here today to receive this donation. Please welcome Terence Jones.
An extremely large in dimensions cheque is presented.
Terence Jones: That is certainly the largest cheque I will ever receive.