Maharaji: North American Convention, Miami 5th July, 1986

His speeches were not written or prepared but they are certainly not unrehearsed. The speeches preceding his current one are the rehearsals and his speeches following evolve gradually using the same store of tales, premie gossip, clichés, life events, recent tv shows, stock phrases and buzzwords.

IN VIEW

Prem Rawat's In View 1987 Newsletter

Prem Rawat's In View 1987 Newsletter HOW TO TALK ABOUT KNOWLEDGE

We're here to talk about something very exciting and important: how to be able to talk about Knowledge to other people. We enjoy the experience we have, and it's only natural that we want to communicate it to people interested in what's happening to us.

Basically, the instructors are trained to handle the situation. If you turn the ball over to them, it works a lot better.

I know you want to talk about it. I don't blame you. But there is a right way to do it, an almost-right way to do it, and there's the wrong way to do it.

The right way to do it has to do with your intent. Do you want this person to have the experience or do you want to talk about your own experience? And that, I think, is something you have to clarify in your own mind.

One of the things we deal with in the instructor conference is how a first impression is made. A first impression is made within the first few seconds and, believe me, it takes a lot of work to change it. People experience Knowledge in their own way. They are the sum of who they are, what they have done, and what they have learned. They have had different experiences than you. So there is no point in taking what is unnameable and indescribable and trying to describe it for hours on end.

I think it's time we should just let go of some of our own ideas. Because Knowledge works. And I'll tell you, it works on its own merit. It works because it works. I think the "do" attitude has to go sooner or later. The whole point is to just let it do its own thing.

For some reason I seem to come into contact with many people who are interested in Knowledge. But I don't feel that I'm capable of talking about it. I don't know what to do.

Why do you feel incapable?

Well, I have my own way of talking about the Knowledge. It's different than the way I've heard others talk about it.

What's really beautiful is that I think your heart is in the right place. And your intentions are great and wonderful. Now there can be a happy culmination of both by merely having an instructor's phone number on a card that you can give to an interested person.

I see these people on a daily basis and I feel that I'm constantly being watched. I feel that I have to be a certain way so I can represent you right.

No, no, no! Absolutely not. You just go about your business and be who you are and don't worry about it. If you're having an experience of Knowledge, it'll show. You don't have to work for it. It doesn't take an extra two bits - not at all. That actually ends up "un-impressing" people because they see you are trying extra hard for what doesn't exist. Just have a ball. That's all you need to do. Enjoy your life. Just be yourself. That's really, really important to me.

When I speak about Knowledge sometimes people ask me, "Who is Maharaji? Who is he to you?" I say "teacher" because you've taught me something. Is there something you would like us to say?

I am me. That's all I am. Someone gave you something very nice and you not

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IN VIEW

Prem Rawat's In View 1987 Newsletter

Prem Rawat's In View 1987 Newsletter continued from page 5

OPEN FORUM

only want to talk about it, but you want to talk about the person who gave it to you. Just say, "And if you would like to find out more about it, here is the phone number." It can be as simple as that.

The essence is: you love me, I love you - regardless of where you live or what you do. I love you. And in that love, labels don't need to exist. To me, that's something we really have to understand.

I feel there are still a number of people who received Knowledge and didn't have an experience right away. Do you have any plans for that?

Yes. There is, in fact, a very beautiful plan. It's what we're going to call "Knowledge Counselling." It's not therapy. It has nothing to do with psychology. It's one- to-one with an instructor.

Don't you feel that we should draw on our experiences of the early 70's?

No. Not even early 1986. It won't do you any good. The thing we're talking about is an evolution. There has been an evolution that has been going on and it's beautiful to feel a part of it, no matter what stage you may join it.

From time to time you've spoken of the importance of planning. What plans do you have for the future? And would you let us in on it if it would help us be in synch with you?

That's a very good question. There's something going on. Life is demanding that all of us evolve, and evolve we must. And as that evolution takes shape every day, we need to have our plans set to evolve in whichever way life asks us to evolve. To me, that is the plan. If we can be in synch with that, there is a long way we can go - rather than be stuck in our set ideas about what it is and what it isn't.

More than anything else, one part of my plan is to enjoy every part of my life as much as I can - every day, every hour. And it's happening. Propagation is happening in this world. People are receiving this beautiful Knowledge. And they're also enjoying it beautifully.

Sometimes I see a person in distress who isn't asking about Knowledge and I wonder about telling them. Maybe that's a kind of aggressiveness, but is it ever appropriate?

It's very easy to come from a place which has the flavor of "I've got a cure-all, something that will heal all wounds, fix all problems." But we need to understand that we're not knights in shining armor, saving every damsel in distress whether they want to be or not. Maybe their problem is that they have already had too much of knights in shining armor.

This is hard for people to grasp. We always come with this philosophy of "let's help one another." So far as love is concerned, I know I have a lot of love for people in this world. And if somebody came to me and inquired about Knowledge, I would be more than happy to sit down with them and talk about it. But I also know that on this path, everybody walks alone. And if you try to offer companionship, not only are you going to miss out on the beautiful view, but you are going to make the other person miss out, too. Even though it is a beautiful thing to talk about Knowledge, there is a right time for everything. Something done at the wrong time can be terrible. We need to be sensitive to that right time. That is the crux of the matter. Your intention to want to talk about Knowledge is greatly appreciated. You want to join in and help. That's beautiful. But you just don't stretch a baby to make it grow.

I've noticed that a lot of the false concepts I have about Knowledge is a result of the way Knowledge was presented to me. Why was Knowledge presented to me in boxes?

Knowledge was presented in a box, yes. But there is a tremendous amount of learning that has happened since that time. Back then, we had this incredible habit of lumping things together, of defining things. It seemed so much easier that way. In one sense, you can say, "How dare you present it to me in boxes." But you can also say, "I am glad it is being unboxed." It depends which way you want to go. What is beautiful is that not only will I teach you something, but I will also learn with you. If I remove myself from being able to learn with you, then I have failed as a teacher. Then I am just a person with a whole bunch of assumptions. I'll teach you because I can. But I will also


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IN VIEW

Prem Rawat's In View 1987 Newsletter

Prem Rawat's In View 1987 Newsletter learn with you. It's a reciprocating process. That's where the growth is.

What should I say to the people I meet who will not be satisfied by me handing them a piece of paper with an instructor's name and telephone number on it?

I know that every time somebody asks you why you're feeling so good you just can't reach silently into your pocket and hand them a number. Something needs to be said. But what is it that needs to be said? Even now, I am faced with a dilemma because I could actually say something that would put words in your mouth. What I want you to have is an understanding, rather than specific information. The understanding is: First, be who you are. And second, you don't have to put four cherries on Knowledge to make it look good. It's very easy to talk about Knowledge in superlative terms. But the more superlative terms you throw around, the more confusing it will be. Search in yourself what this means to you. Be yourself. It is important for you to be who you are. It's very important to me. Because if you lose yourself, what have I got? How can I, in the interest of doing something, undo what I took so much care to do?

For many years, people tried to protect Knowledge because they were so unsure about it. If you believe Knowledge works, then you don't have to use superlatives. You don't take the most beautiful diamond and encase it in plastic so it will look more beautiful. The diamond is beautiful because it's beautiful. So enjoy it. Enjoy its presence. If Knowledge is precious to you, it's precious because you have the experience. You must decide for yourself whether it works or not.

I find a conflict in myself between being solitary in my practice and wanting to offer something of myself, which means working with a group.

You, me, everybody in this hall has to have priorities. If we don't have priorities, nothing works out. What are your priorities? What exactly is it you want? That is a beautiful part of emerging and evolving. You have to make a specific choice and determine what exactly you have as a priority. And then, go with it, full throttle.

You want to do something for me? Wonderful. Now, is that a priority? You have to decide. Want to practice Knowledge? You like it? is that a priority? You have to decide. I'll help you, but you decide. And once you've got that down, go for it.

Prem Rawat's In View 1987 Newsletter


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