Maharaj in Toronto E9 June 14 2000

Maharaj in Toronto E9 2000-06-14

Good morning everyone. Today is quite a full day and most importantly to be reminded again of what is important. Many ideas, many thoughts, it's a bit like being in a car driving on the road. You see this and you see that and all of those things are there and you can see them, you can even enjoy them. But you cannot become distracted. That is the fundamental thing. And at what point does all of that become a distraction? You're in a car, just imagine that, you're driving along and you see a deer, it's cute, it hops along and that's fine. But you have to have your focus in what you're doing, you're driving. You're going somewhere, there is a destination here. And then maybe you go along a little bit more and you see a hitchhiker. And you look at him and you go, nah, I'm not going to pick him up. Keep driving. And maybe you go a little bit more and you see a beautiful waterfall. And it's beautiful. And you look at it, wow, that's nice. You're still driving because your focus, your attention is what is important at that time. And to me, living this life, existence, is a little bit like that. I'm here.

I exist. And my journey has begun. As this breath comes in, as this existence unfolds, I am a traveler. And you see, traveling means many things. When you are traveling, you're going to go to new places. Now, the nature of a human being is to be in very familiar surroundings. Because then it's comfortable. It's like, I know where I am. That's okay. But you must remember that if you go for that comfort of knowing where exactly I am because I know that billboard there and I know that house there and I know that tree there and I know that apartment building there and I know that shop there, you may be going around the block. Again and again and again and again, which may be very comfortable. I know exactly where I am. I need any map. I need anything. I know. I've been here before. This is familiar to me. But really, if you're going to make any progress in this journey, you are going to end up in places where you have never been before. And how do you cope with that? How do you understand that? What is your dependency on what your expectations are? Oh, wherever it is that I'm going, I will have gas. I have to worry about that. Will you? And at what point in this packing up that you have to do for this journey do you end up with excessive baggage and just enough what you need? This is a very, very, very fine line.

When I travel, usually my traveling happens in the middle of probably 15 different projects. So it's I better bring this and I better bring that and I better bring this and I better bring that. And then one day I realized that the more I bring, the less I'm going to be able to accomplish. Even enjoying what I have to do, I won't be able to do that. So, quick solution, bring as little as you can. Just what you need. o more and no less. So in this journey of life, and first of all you have to understand, it's on. It's on. Now even if you have this great, incredible, smart thought, what should I do? That's not going to stop the journey. It's afoot. It's happening. You can try to sit there and dream of where you should end up. Oh, it would be wonderful to see a big, thick forest. You may or you may not. Look at this analogy of your journey. It is a road that you have never traveled on. Never. That's the nature of it. That is the nature of it. Every little change will bring another little change, will bring another little change, will bring another little change. Nothing is constant on the outside. There will be things that will please you. There will be things that will sadden you. There will be things that you will not like. There will be things you will like. To be a true traveler, you cannot stop for things you like and you cannot stop for things you like.

Journey ahead. Proceed. And in this journey, what would you like to hear about? Of course, everybody. Tell me how beautiful it's going to be. Tell me how incredible it's going to be. Tell me that everything is going to go fine. Tell me there will be no problems. My car will perform impeccably. Tell me I will have no flat tires. This is what we go and ask for blessings, you know. This is what we consider is a blessing. Yes, and now you can go and you won't get a flat tire. Wow, thank you. I have been blessed. I'm so blessed. I have to carry a spare and I'll never have a flat tire. And then, of course, if you accidentally get a flat tire, God, why me? You had told me, you had given me this blessing that I will never have a flat tire and here I am with a flat tire. What gives? This is actually a very interesting analogy because it is so much involved in this journey. It's not one thing. It's not one element. This life is a very, very special journey. It's a real dance. You must not become so comfortable that you fall asleep and you must not be so edgy that you miss what is out there. It's a real dance to see, to be alert, to be aware. To rest when you are tired. To again begin the journey with a clear understanding, a clear mind, with clarity. To proceed, to move on, to go, to see, to accept, to understand.

And, you know, I've been thinking about this one thing that I said. And I actually said it quite a while ago. And then I was writing some quotes. You know, for me it's kind of easy to write quotes. For other people it's very hard. But all I have to do is, yep, that's my quote. I wrote it. And I quote myself. It's easy. I just sit down in front of a computer. I've got whatever it is. If there's something I like, I just change it. That's still my quote. So, one thing I had mentioned or said at one of the events was there is distinctly a river of answers and there is a river of questions. So, that got my gears turning, too.

See, I read these things, it gets my gears turning. Because there is a process. And I'll give you another analogy. Before I go and learn how to fly a new airplane, I get as much material as I can. And when I read that material, superficially, it tells me, you know, this thing is this big and this thing is this big and it has this and it has that. But obviously I have some questions. And lots of them. How does that work? And can you do this with that? Can you do this with that? And can you do this with that? And then, whenever the time is booked, I will go in, in the school. And there, there's the whole presentation and the whole thing will start. And you sit down. You've got your books and you've got your color charts. And the guy comes along and, okay, we're going to do this and we're going to talk about this. And, you know, it all begins. And as that learning unfolds, you end up with answers that you didn't even have questions for. Because you didn't really understand the whole system, say if it was a hydraulic system or a fuel system. You didn't really understand all of it. It's like going to buy a new house. You may have questions. Does it have a laundry room? Does it have a kitchen? Does it have gas or electric stoves? But then you go and you see this house. And of course it has a laundry room. And of course it has a kitchen. And yes, it has both gas and electric stoves. And maybe it has something else that you couldn't even imagine. Maybe it has a whole another room that you didn't even think of, but it has it. And now you know. Because to have a question, you have to formulate. You have to have some idea of what it is that you are wanting to know.

Somebody says, I bought you a new car. Well, what color is it? Your assumption is that the car has a color. It's an assumption. What make is it? I mean, somebody could actually take an antique car, strip it, fix all the dents, prime it, go inside, rip all the interior out, clean the inside, refoam it, but not upholster it, take the engine compartment out or the engine out, rebuild the engine, repaint the engine, but not put it back in, and make a gift of it. And the intention here is you decide what paint you want. It's ready to go. It's ready to paint. But instead of assuming what paint, you get to decide what paint you want. And therefore, the engine isn't in, so you can decide what color you want the engine compartment to be. And you can decide based on your color what upholstery, what interior you want. And somebody could do that. And when this person comes to you and says, I have a car for you, I bought a present for you, and it's a car, your assumption, your questions are going to be based on what you are assuming in that moment. What is it? Ah, you know, it's a Studebaker. Wow. So it's not new. Well, no, they make those anymore. What color is it? Ah, none. What? Now I've got more questions. No color? Is it stripped? No. It's not stripped and it doesn't have a color? How can that be? Of course you can say, how can this be? Because you know. You haven't seen the thing and the guy hasn't even explained to you yet what the deal is here. So going back to it, I can only formulate questions about those things where I can see, where I have the concept. My eye of concept can take me. And then, of course, there is the reality. And the reality is, yes, there is a Studebaker, and yes, it has no paint on it, but it is primed. So it's not stripped metal. It is primed. It's ready to go. It's ready to receive its paint. What color interior it has? None. And once I understand that, all those questions that I had based on my assumption of what this is will dissipate, disappear, because they're no longer valid. The river of questions. Not necessarily implying that if I have the questions, I will automatically receive the answers.

Just because you have a question does not mean you will get the answer. No, it does not. And the river of answers. You've got the answers. No questions, but I've got the answers. I understand. I understand. Because what I now see, I see from my own eyes. I have to ask. It's not like I'm sitting in a black room. Somebody is in the other room looking out the window, and I am on some kind of a communication saying, what do you see? Do you see trees out there? Do you see buildings out there? Do you see a river out there? Do you see the ocean out there? But I have been brought from that room that is dark, no windows, to now the room where there is the big window, and I need not ask any questions because all I have to do is open my eyes and see for myself. Understand for myself.

I have to look at the person and go, so those things out there, they're trees? Hey, look. Some people are like that. You bring them in the room, there's the big window, they're seeing exactly what you're seeing, and their question is, so, are those trees out there? And you feel like saying, okay, back to the room.

You deserve to be in this room. Ideas, concepts, and reality. Your reality. Simple. Not complicated. Simple. Your reality. One breath. It comes. This is your reality. And one breath goes. This is your reality. Life comes. You're alive. And because you're alive, you can understand. This is your reality. Because you're alive, you can feel. This gift of understanding is because you're alive. This gift of feeling is because you are alive. The gift of satisfaction can only exist because you're alive. The gift of knowing can only exist because you're alive. The gift of joy can only exist because you're alive. Distractions come. We're the driver.

Oh, look at that deer. I gotta get a picture of that deer. Stop. In the middle of the road. Stop. Open the door. Here comes a samurai. Here comes another car. Can't they see the deer? And why are they continuing to drive? Shouldn't they all stop and also take a picture of the deer like I am? What is this? You know, in the example, in this analogy that I'm using of driving, that sounds stupid. Everybody should do exactly what I'm doing. I'm coming to a stop. I mean, when they say I'm the center of my universe, they're not kidding. The sun only came up because they got up that morning. Before that, it didn't exist. The world revolves around them. So I'm gonna take a picture of that deer. Everybody else should be taking a picture of the deer. And let me make it more apparent and clear. I'll put on my hazard lights. I'm still stopping in the middle of the road. I'm not gonna pull over. I'm gonna stop in the middle of the road, but I'm gonna let them know that they should stop too. I'm gonna put on my hazard lights. And I'm gonna get out and I'm gonna take a picture of the deer. And now I've got my camera in the back. So I open my trunk, start looking for my picture of my deer. Here comes a car, slams on the brake, almost hits me. And I look at the guy as, what, you idiot? Can't you see my hazard lights? I've got my hazard lights. I am exempt now from the responsibility of being in the middle of the road. And so I get my camera out. Where's the deer? The deer left! And what am I gonna say? Those poor dumb animals. They should have stood around. Didn't the deer know the trouble I was going through to get a picture of it? Oh, this isn't bad. This is not as bad as what is going to happen next, which is, now I've got to get my camera ready and I'm driving and there's only one thing I'm looking for. I'm back on my way. Hazard lights have gone off. I'm actually traveling now, but I'm only looking for one thing and one thing only. And that is a deer. So I can take a picture of the deer. Now you must realize one thing. You're alive. And all I want you to do is to recognize it. All I want you to do is accept this gift in your life, in your existence. This gift of clarity. This gift of life. This gift of joy. Because that is an incredibly profound, profound reality. Nothing can be greater. Nothing. Couldn't ask for more. And it's here.

Couldn't want any more. If you realized what you have, you wouldn't want any more. If you could fathom what it means to be clear. If you can fathom what it means to swim in the beautiful, crystal clear waters of the river of answers. It's clear. I know because I have seen it. I know because I have bathed in it. And it is simple. And it is sweet. And it is kind. And it is very, very real. That can be, can be your focus too. This is what you must strive for in your life. This is what you must strive for. This is the possibility that you have been given. This is reality. You journey. You look at this and you say, oh that's nice. And that's nice. And that's nice. And that's nice. And that's nice. Now, take a look here. Take a look here and really see what's nice. Go within. Go within. Not from concepts. Not from comparisons. But go within.

I was telling somebody this joke. I read it as a joke. There's two guys. They go up to Ayer's Rock. You know, it's in Australia. It's a big rock. It's an isolated rock. And they go up there and they sit down and the tourist guide says, now listen to the silence. And the one says to the other, I can't hear a thing. I think it would be great in a cartoon. I have left out nationalities from it purposely. But yeah, the tourist guide says, listen to the silence. And the one turns to the other and says, I can't hear a thing.

Do these two guys miss the point? You bet. They really miss the point. They really, really miss the point. When you go within, experience what is there. come up with, well, I would like. You're not going to watch a movie where you say, well, who's the actors in this? Oh, that's a good actor. I think I'll go watch it. I would like this to happen. And I would like that to happen. And I would like that to happen. And I would like that to happen. No. When you go within, go away from your concepts. Free from your concepts. Free from your ideas. And go as a witness to witness what is within. Because you have that capacity. Because you are capable. Because you can. You can separate yourself from your problems. Problems will come and go. You will still be there. And therefore, you are not your problems. You are who you are. Hone your effort. Your skills. Into increasing the capacity. For increasing the capacity to contain joy. Hone your skills. Hone your skills and seek the company of clarity.

There are so many people out there, and they get into it. And it's like you say the word truth, and it's like, well, truth, yes, truth. And they say the word truth, and it's just like, it must be this big flashlight. Coming down, all the light. I mean, it's just truth. It must be truth.

But did you know? And as a matter of fact, you do know. And that's the only reason why it makes sense. Somewhere, somewhere, deep, deep, deep, deep, deep inside of you, you do know that that truth, the truth that you're looking for, is within you. It makes absolutely no sense. Because most of us walk with one foot in the river of questions. And one foot in the river of answers. Either we get a question, and we look for answers. Or we get an answer, and we look for questions. It really is like that. Why did that happen? I mean, what made me feel so good? Something made you feel good, now you want to know what it was. Instead of, gee, I felt good. What did that? Oh my God, you know, I'm so confused, because all of a sudden I felt good, and I know what it was. To me, you do know. Because a part of you is swimming in that river of answers. It would be nice if the rest of it joined in. There are answers. There are answers. There is a sweet, simple reality. Not complicated. Void of confusion, void of doubts. Void of everything else that is so painful. There is a sweet, simple simplicity. And like this breath, it comes so quietly. So quietly. And if you want to welcome this guest, this gift, have a band waiting. Because if the band is playing, you will never hear the guest coming, and the guest leaving. Be quiet.

Be still. Be quiet. Be still. Be real. Be real in your journey of this life. Do not become distracted. start looking at all those other things and saying, oh, look at that. Because that's what's going to happen. And once you can accept that, once you can witness it, you see, I come here and I say to you, and you must believe that this is this way. No. Why go through the trouble of believing when you can feel it, witness it, and know it for yourself? Why go through that trouble? Not believe because you have read. Not believe because you have heard. Not believe because somebody told you so. But you believe, you know, you understand, because you have witnessed. It's a gift. And you know what gifts are, but do you know how to receive? In your life, do you really know how to receive a gift when it is given? Or you receive a gift and you start judging. Not accepting, but judging. Am I really worth it? Oh, this is too good.

It doesn't have to be like that. Trust when that gift is given and receive when that gift is given. Receive. Learn to receive. Some people have only learned to give. Not to receive. You've got to have both. Because if you learn how to give, but not to receive, you're going to be very empty. Very empty indeed. And then there is a lot of people who have learned how to receive, but not to give. And they're too full. Crowded. You must learn how to receive and how to give. Both. So. Incredible opportunity. Incredible, incredible. Again, to be reminded, there's the door, there's the key. If you need to go through, go. Enjoy it. Fall in love with that feeling that comes when you go inside. And all that noise. And all those thoughts. And all those ideas stop. And in that moment, it's just you and you. And nothing else. Nothing else. Where time goes, you know. And where time came from, you know. It is the time. It is as close as you're going to get to the infinite. And still be alive. This is as close as you're going to get.

That's the neighborhood. That's the neighborhood. That's what it is. That's what it is. You have to wait a lifetime. You didn't. Now, at least enjoy it for a lifetime. That you have. Changes. Oh, this will change, that will change. That's their nature. That's their nature. The road. Oh, sometimes it's surface, sometimes it's not surface. Sometimes there's rocks, sometimes there's petals. Journey. And if everything is starting to look very familiar to you, pull over. There's something drastically wrong here. They're going around the same block again and again and again. You know? Trust is very important. And if horrible things have happened to you, then use the power of trust to know it will be okay.

You've got that too. So trust. This is a beautiful journey. This is a beautiful painting. This is a beautiful song. spoil it. spoil it. It's a beautiful painting. You have to go there with your brush and say, let me fix that branch.. One life. And millions and millions of gifts.

The only thing is, are you going to become a little kid so you can go downstairs and open your presents? Or are you going to lie there on your bed like a big lug, going, well, you know, I can't really become a kid anymore. It's up to you. The others miraculously have gone down. It's not one. Many, many, many, many, many, many people. Open your gifts. Enjoy. No more. It's good news. It's not bad news. It's good news. Oh, how we hanker to hear good news. Well, any day, you're down and out. You want to hear good news? The real good news. It's here. The rest? Up to you. Your bed. You can lie there like a big lug, going, I want to go. I want to. I've grown up. I want to open little kids' presents. Fine. Your choice. Your choice.

It's very clear. Very simple. Thank you very much.