Prem Rawat: the Most Practical Tool 2018-12-19
Despite the overt reason for this 'event' - the number of young black men being knifed in London - Rawat is quite perky and energetic. Pastor Lorraine Jone is the mother of a young man murdered by another young black man with a knife. She is playing the tole of useful idiot" to give Rawat another positive press release news-bite. He provides the financess and the audience. The speech as recorded is mercifully short. Rawat is tone deaf and the very small audience must have thought he was insane. After his explosion of "I I I I Is he seems to realise he's gone too far and moves on into
- "When you keep doing the same thing, after a little while, it just becomes boring" - Rawat gets it wrong. He has been flying around the world making the same speech for decades and hasn't complained of boredom. Boredom comes from repeating activities that you don't enjoy.
Prem Rawat: Peace, the Most Practical Tool 19th December, 2018
Today's message is a message of hope and practical solutions in the face of tragic events in London. Even last night, I'm sorry to say, there was another senseless murder in North London. We hope today's event can bring a reversal of this brutal tide of violence and inspire peace and hope to the people of London and across the world.
The event is actually called Seeds of Peace and this particular initiative was sown through Prem and our event is Peace is Possible. It's an anti-knife crime event because knife crime doesn't just stop when the person has been killed, like my son was, but there's a ripple effect that it causes, a ripple effect of pain, a ripple effect of trauma, anxiety, it's devastating, but what our initiative is and what our aim is, is to reverse all of that negative pain into power and we're standing on Peace is Possible. It's possible and that's our driving force to combat the ripple effects of knife crime.
What we are here to talk about is not particularly a pleasant subject that's at the root of it, all this violence that's going on. So let me just spend a few minutes here telling you about a human being. A human being is someone who carries in their heart an ocean of kindness. A human being is someone who has in them a tremendous amount of strength. A human being is someone who carries within them an amazing amount of wisdom. This is who we are. The question is, if we have this tremendous amount of wisdom in us, if we have this tremendous amount of kindness in us, if we have this tremendous amount of joy in us, why are we not expressing it? Why are we not sharing it? Why are we here today talking about these heinous crimes that are taking place? We are the problem, by the way. That's good news. You know why that's good news? Because if it's us, we can change it. And what is it going to take? It's going to take collective effort. Nobody excluded. I'm not here to point fingers, because I still hold this to be true, that there is an ocean of kindness in each one of us. I still hold this to be true, that there is an ocean of wisdom in each one of us. And all it is waiting for is to be brought out. When I see in this world this despair, what is despair? It is the opposite of hope. When there is no hope, there is desperation. Desperation.
And I'll tell you what happens. The deafening sound of boredom. Boredom starts to take over. It's not just the youth. It's not just the youth. It's the adults, too. When you keep doing the same thing, after a little while, it just becomes boring. And that boredom becomes so loud. That boredom becomes so strong, so persuasive, that you will do anything to have a relief, even for a few minutes, even if it means to do something dangerous. That's not what life is meant to be. Life is not meant to be boring. Life, by the very nature of the planet that we live on, should be exciting. I mean, the sun rises. The sun sets. Never at the same time. On this planet Earth, somewhere, always, always, a sun is rising. And somewhere on this planet, always, the sun is setting. It never stops. It never stops. We live in the most dynamic, the most amazing place there is. And yet we don't acKnowledge that. But we're too busy concocting how we can hurt each other. Concocting all these wars. The same mind, believe me, that can create these wars is quite capable of pursuing peace. The same person who can carry a knife and plunge it into another human being is quite capable of not only stopping it, but giving kindness and attention and preventing it.
What do we want? What do we want? That's the question. What do we want? Do we want these wars? And I know there are people right now going, well, what can I do about it? I, I, I, I, I, I. The time to I, I, I, I, I. Stop it! The time to I, I, I, I, I is finished!
The time has come and rightfully so to acknowledge the possibility of a human being, what it means. Peace isn't the problem. Why is peace possible? How dare I do I say peace is possible? How dare do I say that? Should I not acKnowledge the condition of the world and say this is a pathetic world and we are warmongers? No yes we are warmongers but at the same token we carry in us an ocean of peace. Peace doesn't have to be created my friends. Peace doesn't have to be brought from Mars. Peace doesn't have to be generated. Peace is already within inside of us. It has to be discovered. We have discovered how to make wars now it is time to discover how to make peace.
Why am I addressing you? I'm addressing you because you can be that voice that goes out. You can be that voice that goes out and makes a difference. Now let me tell you something. This is what's weird about the good over the bad. You will hear in numbers all the people who have committed suicide. You will hear the numbers. And you will hear the numbers of all the people that have been unfortunately killed in kniving accidents. But you will never hear the numbers who weren't. Because somebody made a difference. Somebody said something to someone that in that moment they took that step back and said "Okay I don't have to do this." So my point is don't do it for patting your back. Because you won't be able to. Do it because your heart will applaud for you. Not for your mind but your heart will applaud for you. Again and again and again and again. Make a difference because you can. Make a difference in your little environment.
A mother says "What can I do?" A mother says "What can I do?" Love your child. You've made a difference. Love your child. Give that child the attention. Talk to that child. Engage that child. Be a part of your own life. Be a part of your own world. Be a part of your own family. Be a part of who you really are. Most importantly know thyself. Know who you are. That's all. That's all I have to say. Thank you.
So we have a lot of grief, pain, trauma and hopelessness. That some of our youth and families are facing due to the ripple effects of such tragic murders. How can people continue to live in a progressive life with such losses?
Well to me first of all grief is grief. And when there is a tragedy it's going to touch you. Because you care. Because this was somebody you loved. Because this is a part of you. And it's not so easy to just say oh it doesn't matter. No. That's not what it is about. Accept that grief.
Feel that grief. But at the same time don't make that grief take over what can be. To once again rise with the strength of the one you lost. And truly transform into the phoenix from the ashes to flight. Where you embrace the opportunity. And take not only your strength. But their strength in spirit. And make something happen that the two of you are the only ones could make happen. Then you're not a victim anymore. When I was in South Africa I was asked about forgiveness. What is forgiveness? And I said forgiveness is the day you decide not to be victimized anymore. Because that person who took that knife and committed that heinous crime with it. Still holds that knife. On you. And when you say no more. I will not give you the strength to hold this on me anymore. And take that strength. And fly free. Then that's the day you make the most remarkable of changes happen. From the tragedy there are those who learn to cry. And from tragedy there are those who make the world smile with them. This is possible. This is possible. Grief, yes.
Then rise, yes. Then move forward, yes. Stronger than you ever have. Stronger than you could ever imagine. My question is, I have two if you don't mind. My first question is, today everyone will talk about peace. But what's a practical tool that we can take away today. That we can do and act in our life. That isn't just about pride and how we present ourselves. But what can we do with another person. Or in our community. What can we do more. So a practical tool. And then another thing is a practical tool to find peace. Okay. So I like to say it this way. Say I'm a doctor. And this gentleman here comes to me. And he's, you know, he comes to me as a doctor. And he says, you know, I think I have cancer. And so now I have made a diagnosis and this and that. And I'm going to tell him something. I'm just going to tell him. Just going to tell him something.
And I say to him, no, you're fine. I just told him that, right? You think he'll be relieved? He will be. I'm the doctor. He came to me asking the question, do I have cancer. And I just told him, no, you don't. I did tests. I did the diagnosis. All the test results came back. You don't have cancer. You're fine. So I can say something to somebody. And that can make a huge difference. So let me tell you something. And that should make a huge difference. You have peace inside of you. Good news! But we don't take that as good news. We go, hmm? Huh? Why are we hiding? When somebody just said, you have peace inside of you. The fact that you have peace inside of you, wow. That's the best news I've heard. I don't have to go looking for it. I don't have to buy it. I don't have to beg for it. I have it in me. And wherever you go, you carry it within you.
And even in your darkest hour, in your worst moment in your life, you have peace in you. And nobody can take it away from you. And it's all yours. Nobody can steal it from you. Nobody can rob you of it. And that's the peace that you have in you. And that is the most powerful practical tool there is to first acKnowledge and begin to understand. You are not a pauper. You are extremely rich. You carry in you not one coin, not two coins, but a gold mine. Now, knowing that you carry in you a gold mine, you can be as wealthy as you want to be. And that's the first step to peace. Socrates called it know thyself. I call it acKnowledge. Socrates didn't say know that person or that person or know your local council member. Know thyself. You. You. Know you. That's the power of acknowledgement. That's the power of understanding. You understand that that's in you. You're well on your way to peace. That's the most practical tool. And then, if you want to, join the Peace Education Program because it makes a difference. Again, it puts the spotlight on you.