Maharaji: Public Presentation, Morristown New Jersey 15th March, 1986

I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE THIS EVENING

What I have to speak of is quite simple. One way to look at it is that it brings a whole separate set of ideas into existence or into place.

So many of us are trying to make it in this world– living, existing, whatever we have to do and getting on with what we have to do. And many of us start with an assumption that everything is really quite bad to begin with, and somehow it has to be improved, and therefore it's all our task–to improve it, to change it, to mold it, to fold it. We are analytical. Anything that comes in front of us will not go untouched. Somehow we will reach out, touch it, cut it up, do something to it. Because, after all, how is it that it can go unnoticed?

And yet, maybe this life is rather different at times. Maybe those assumptions we start with, that everything is really quite bad to begin with, don't need to be made. If that is the case, things change dramatically. Very dramatically.

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I1

IN VIEW

We have to try to understand everything. After all, everybody has this great question, "Why am I here?" If somebody doesn't have this question, we make sure that they hear about it and start asking it too. When you are in a situation in which you are enjoying yourself–for example, a party, you've been invited and nobody has told you anything about it, but you find yourself there and you're having a great old time–you're certainly not going to say, "Why am I here?" You would say, "Hey, I'm here. I'm having a great time." But if things start to go a little sour and not quite the way you want them to go, then yes, you will start asking the question, "What am I doing here?"

Let's examine this example for a minute: First, we need to understand why we are here if, and only if, things are not going according to our plan. Secondly, there is something inside of us which is saying, "Enjoy yourself." If we are not in a place in which we are enjoying ourselves, that something will request a change of environment, a change of circumstance where we can enjoy ourselves.

And we'll control whatever needs to be controlled. After all, technology doesn't happen by mistake. It takes an incredible drive in people to develop the technology to control the environment. Do we, through our thoughts, through our changes, through our metaphors, take into account what it is that's making us move like this? What is it that inspires me, what is it that pushes me, what is it that forces me to evolve? We get caught up in the answer. We are looking for the answer, but we never question the question.

Why am I asking the question I'm asking? Why am I sitting here wondering why am I here? What is going on that is forcing me to look at life, an incredible power in itself? When something becomes monotonous, and I think everybody experiences this, there is something inside that simply will not allow you to be monotonous. It comes along and says– go, move, it's time to go. Push. Everybody. I've seen it in everyone. Everyone. It's just this incredible power, this incredible force.

And this incredible power, this incredible force causes an incredible evolution to take place. Every being on the face of this earth is still in the making. We're not done yet. The improvement is constant. Just a touch here and a touch there. To see, to be able to see, to be able to recognize that kindness, that love, that feeling that we all have in our lives. That that power will not leave us alone until it has pushed us to such incredible levels of perfection. And it does. Everyone.

Every morning not only an incredible thing opens inside every being, but it never leaves you alone. It pushes you to move, to take those little steps, big steps, whatever it takes for you to evolve. To go on. To move. What does one need to do? One needs to appreciate. One needs to know. To know how beautiful it is.

There is this most incredible path that we all walk. We haven't got a choice. Walk it. It's the path of life. Catholics walk it. Moslems walk it. Hindus walk it. Jews walk it. Everybody walks it. I'm not getting into any religion. It's not my purpose to contradict religion or try to create another religion. I'm not talking hereafter. I'm talking about in this life.

I had a very powerful experience talking to this lady in a question and answer session. She got up and talked about understanding and about acceptance. How much she has to actually understand and how much she actually has to accept in her life. Then, when it was my turn to speak, I said, "I really understand what you are saying. But let me throw a third word in there. And maybe you can look at it for what it's worth." I said, "The word is 'to know.'"

There is understanding, and then there is acceptance, and then there is to know. To know, not by the aid of definitions, but to know by an inner conviction. So much conviction. From a place inside that says yes. And that is the judge. Not anything else. Not that it fits into somebody's mold, nor that it fits into somebody's definitions, nor that you can even understand it.

Because this life, my friends, mysterious as it may seem to be, it isn't. Its consequences are obvious and right there. It is there. It takes place every moment of your life. It's there for you.

To me, this enjoyment in my life has been made possible by digging into the experience that is already there. It is as if somebody had placed a gold mine within me. All I need are tools that allow me to go inside and dig into that gold mine.

And those are the tools I offer. This offering is being made from love, and not for any other reason. To enjoy. Because we are here, and we can enjoy it. I'm not talking about each other's company now I'm not talking about dramatic changes anywhere. I'm talking about you as an individual enjoying yourself. That's all I'm talking about.

And I definitely ask people to challenge what has been said this evening. Not to just sit there and call it a day, call it a mystery and say - "Wow, that was great." No. There's nothing mysterious about it. Something is being offered out of love. Come. Find out if this is for you.

Challenge. Absolutely challenge, because the whole thing comes from a conviction. What I have been able to say to you this evening did not come from a prepared speech. It did not come from a piece of paper. It comes from a conviction. Because there is a very beautiful feeling within. And all of us have it.

I'm not talking about transporting a feeling into you. Because you already have that. All I am saying is that there is a way to be able to turn on that feeling within you. No different than being able to dig into a gold mine. I am not offering the gold. All I am offering are the tools so you can go in and dig if you want to dig.

There is this life. It's precious. It's beautiful. It's a gift. Enjoy it. Thank you for coming this evening.