Maharaji, Admiring Existence ©2005 E117

Words of Peace - Maharaji: Admiring Existence ©2005 E117

Internationally renowned speaker Prem Rawat, also known as Maharaji, speaks to people around the world about the possibility of knowing inner peace and contentment. At the age of 13, he was invited to address audiences in London and Los Angeles [as Guru Maharaj Ji, The Lord of the Universe]. In 1972, he first visited Sydney and two years later came to Melbourne and Auckland, New Zealand. Speaking at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok, Thailand, he recently said, The peace that we are looking for is already in the heart. It needs to be felt, and I can help you get in touch with it. Maharaji's message is more than words. People listening to him express finding profound inspiration, a fresh perspective on life, and peace within themselves.

So, one more time, we have this chance to listen. And you know, this morning I was thinking, there was a book about this island. And in that they have the pictures and said, look how beautiful this place is. And I travel a lot and wherever I go, people have these books. I have been to the desert and they have pictures of the desert and say, look how beautiful this looks. You can have a jungle like, you know, with big beautiful trees and people say, look how beautiful this looks. You can have a jungle made out of concrete. And people say, look how beautiful this looks. Because everywhere you go, there is something innate in every human being that is trying to admire. Can't help it. Trying to find some beauty that satisfies them.

And yet, how many are there who are saying, look, look at this breath. How beautiful this is. Look at this existence. And see how beautiful this is.

Not the paradox. This is what gets us. The confusion, the doubt, the paradox, good, bad, right, wrong. This is what evolves around us. This is what we fight. We know we have certain strengths in our life. We know we have love. But do we understand the nature of love? We know that we have in our lives simplicity. But do we understand the nature of simplicity? In our lives, we have this feeling of contentment. But do we understand the nature of what contentment is? We have anger. We have fear. These things come to us easy. It's very easy for people to get angry. Something happens. Just like that. It doesn't matter who it is. It could be somebody you really love. And in fact, chances are that the person who will be on the other end of your anger's receiving will be the person who is closest to you. Anger sees no face. Anger sees nothing. It could be your own child. But why is it that these things come so easy to us? And those things that we know are beautiful, innately we know they are beautiful. It takes an effort. It takes a little bit of extra energy to be in that place where we can admire, where we can say, yes, this is nice, where we can say, yes, this is beautiful. Yes, this is what I want in my life. You can do so many things because you're alive. And one of the ones that can bring you great joy and satisfaction and beauty in your life, a simplicity in your life, an admiration, an admiration in your life, to admire.

This is one of your most incredible strengths. It's not anger. It's not fear. It's not jealousy. These are not your strengths. These are your weaknesses. Your strengths are to be able to admire, to be able to feel, to be able to enjoy, to be able to accept, to be able to understand, to be in clarity, to be able to love, to be able to love. These are your strengths. We as human beings have one of the most incredible powers. And you know, there are people who think if we had the power to be able to turn something into gold that would be incredible. That's nothing. Some people think if we had the power to turn the ocean into milk that would be incredible. That's nothing.

Because the power that we have is to appreciate. That's an incredible power. It's amazing. It's unbelievable. It is somehow what makes the sunset. I mean the Sun sets. It sets, it does its thing. Sun doesn't care about anybody, I'm sure. Doesn't even know there people exist on this planet Earth. But to have something, someone on this Earth who can look at it and say, that's magnificent. The sky is blue, it's blue, it's blue, it's blue for whatever the reason is. But then to have somebody on the face of this Earth that can look at it and say, that's beautiful. Appreciate. The power of appreciation. Because without that, what have we got? What have we got? Who are we? We, there's nobody on this planet Earth who lives long enough. It doesn't matter if you live for a hundred years, another ten would be great. If you live for twenty, another forty would be great. If you live for forty, another forty would be great. Without appreciation, we would wake up and we would go to sleep and that's it. And then one day, we would go to sleep and not wake up. And that would be the only difference. Just a flip. Because every day we would wake up, go to sleep, wake up, go to sleep, wake up, go to sleep. And then one day, we go to sleep and wake up. And that's it. It'd be nothing. It'd be nothing. Nothing.

But now, we have been given this gift. And it's this incredible gift. To be able to admire, to be able to appreciate. And now, in our lives, the ultimate question becomes, what is worth appreciating? What is it in this world that I can really look at, really appreciate, really appreciate that works? Not just a fantasy, not just an idea, not just a philosophy, not just somebody trying to whisper in my ear, you know, this is how it should be or this is how it could be. Not dreams, not fantasies, but really something that I can appreciate. And not just appreciate it one day or two days or three days. What is it that I can appreciate to my very last breath?

When you see a sunset, what do you see? What do you see? An orange ball? Do you look at the colors and you go beautiful colors? When you see a sunrise, what do you see? Now let me tell you, next time you see a sunset, check this out. Next time you see a sunset, look at the sunset, look at the sunset, and then remember you're alive.

You exist. You. You. There is no one like you on the face of this earth. Only you. Do you know? You could give your ideas to someone. You could give your jacket to someone. You could give your watch to someone. You can never give your breath to another person. You can never give this life to another person. It's not possible to transplant that. It's unique. And every moment is unique.

And every day there will be a sunset and every day there will be a sunrise, at least around the equator. They get too far north, six months, nothing. But around the equator there will be a sunrise, there will be a sunset. And those will, there will be people who will stand and they will admire the colors and then there will be those people who will admire something else because they can see a little bit beyond the sun. They can see a little bit beyond the color. They can see a little bit beyond the blue. They can see themselves. They will see a forest and they will see a little bit beyond the forest.

They'll see themselves. And they'll know that that is a gift too to be able to witness that because they are alive. And they will be thankful and they will allow their heart to be filled with gratitude. Gratitude.

Thankfulness. Not obligatory thankfulness, but a thankfulness comes from within you. That you are thankful. Gratitude. To know. Not because somebody has whispered something in your ear, but you know. To be thankful, not for the sunset, but for that breath that is allowing you to see the sunset. Because remember, there'll be many, many, many sunsets even after you're gone. Many. And you won't see them. There's something else going on that is allowing you to see the one that is taking place in front of you.

I was thinking, what would it be like if all that was unnecessary, and think about this, all that is unnecessary was taken away. What would it be like in this life if all that we were left with was the necessary for this existence? You know, a sieve, it's kind of different. It's like a coffee filter, maybe a simpler example for people. And all that's good, it lets it go. The real coffee, the stuff, the brew that you drink, it lets it go. And the bitter coffee grounds, it holds on to.

So much comes through in this existence, and so much that is good passes by. And so much that perhaps is so unnecessary is retained. What would it be like if one day I was to put down my bag of burdens? What would it be like if one day I was to throw away my bag of burdens and start collecting those precious things in my life that are necessary to me? What would it be like, what would it be like if every breath in my life started to take on a meaning? What would it be like if I became as dedicated to this joy as a moth is to light? What would it be like if I became addicted to clarity? What would it be like if I had the perseverance to seek the truth in my life, to persevere like does a river that flows day and night? Never wanting to break from it, never wanting coming to a stop, and saying, I am tired of flowing. What would that be like? If I, in earnest, in earnest, changed my attention from what isn't to what is, what would it be like if I could abandon my bad habit of appreciating those things that I have anymore, and accrued a habit of appreciating those things that I do have in this existence? What a surprise that would be. What a surprise it would be that I fell in love with simplicity, that I fell in love with that joy, that I fell in love with that peace, that I fell in love with that tranquility in my life. I'm not talking about creating these things.

I'm not talking about that these things need to be manufactured. They do not need to be borrowed. You see, this is the beauty. You will never, ever have to borrow clarity in your life. Never. You will never have to ever borrow happiness. When you have it, it will be your very own. These are the things that you can own. These are the things you can keep. These are the things you can have. And they will be there. They will be there for the rest of your life.

Look, if you have a jar at home, say you have a jar, and in this jar you've got, you put marbles, and you've got a few rocks, and once in a while you stick a flower in this jar. It's about this big, and that's what it's got in it. And it sits there in one corner and you look at it, and one day somebody comes along to you and says, oh my god, look at that jar. And you go, what? That? Oh, I've had that, oh god, I know, 10-20 years. Oh, no, no, you know. This is the rarest jar that there is. Can I look at this jar, please? This person examines the jar and says, you are very lucky. You're very fortunate. This jar is priceless, and it's one of a kind, and please take care of it. I know what's going to happen. I know what's going to happen. First thing, oh man, is that guy for real? Really? Maybe I can get a second opinion. Yeah, this jar is rare. Once it has been established how rare that jar is, guess what's going to happen to those marbles? They're coming out. That which was fine up till that point is no longer the same, because the value of the jar has been understood.

If you could only understand that very thing that admires love, then you would truly love something that was as precious as that vessel that was going to contain it. It changes, doesn't it? It changes. Now it has to be matched. Now. If you could understand the value of this vessel, you would place in it the most beautiful tranquility. That it is worthy of being, because you have understood that that which feels that tranquility, that that feels that joy, is the most beautiful thing, and most unique, of course, that you have. Unparalleled. Maybe all your life you have wondered how you can make yourself happy. Now start admiring that thing that is capable of containing the happiness. When can you start paying attention to those beautiful, simple details of this life? When the breath starts to mean something. Getting away from the habit of only appreciating those things which you have anymore. I know.

Somebody, you know, they're talking about their grandmother and they're complaining, she does this, she does that, and then the grandmother leaves, you know, forever. And it's like, oh, appreciation gear has kicked in. Because now, no longer is that person accessible.

Breath comes, goes, comes, goes. What are you doing? I'm jogging. What are you doing? I'm running. What are you doing? I'm busy. What are you doing? I'm preventing other people from cutting in front of me. What about your breath? Are you crazy? I have a time for my breath. I'm too busy. I'm a busy man. I want to be successful. I've got a goal. I've got a plan. I'm going to retire when I'm 32. I want to go on. Give me one more breath, one more breath, one more breath, one more breath, one more breath. Oh breath, oh breath, please come.

Let me be the perfect vessel of breath so I can welcome you every day. I will now live my life Just the right way. Oh, you know, I Have learned my lesson No, what you have learned is not your lesson You have learned to say you have learned your lesson and there is a big difference in that it is that day that you still have that breath when you have the Festival of breath going on you think about that People will go to places auctions Let me see if I can find a good deal.

Well, I'll tell you what your breath is the best deal and it's free And you even know how to make a good deal you even know to recognize a good deal So I am NOT here to give you assurances I'm here to tell you that there is that feeling that there is that breath that there is that Unwavering thing going on inside of you and listen to this heart what it has to say Because it is not a big agenda that it's going to come up with But it is the simplest and the want and the thirst the thirst is simple the thirst isn't remember now Remember what the thirst is saying thirst is saying quench me the mind is saying what do you want coke? What do you want water? What do you want Fanta? What do you want orange juice? What do you want strawberries? What do you want? What do you want? What do you want? And what do you think your thirst is saying quench me quench me quench me? quench me quench me That is the heart Not the big agendas, but be content be satisfied be in that place be in that joy

To me, in this life, there is the thirst that we have been given and we must feel that thirst. Maybe all your life you have worked very hard so you have to be thirsty. Maybe everywhere you turn you have installed a refrigerator where you can have cold water in it.

Maybe everywhere you've got a thermos and everywhere you've got a glass and everywhere you carry a bottle of water with you. That's fine.

But for the thirst of life, feel it. Because I tell you, it is sweet. It is wonderful. That there is a thirst. That there is a thirst place that every human being is no accident. It is not just something that just happens one day. That thirst is there so that you can find your way. You can find your way.

Yesterday, I got a watch from my youngest son. It has a compass in it. It's a nice little watch. It has a compass in it. I was playing with it. Because, you know, I gave him the watch and I was like, you know, it does this, does this. I said, well, you know, somebody's got to figure this out. I said, well, I'll figure it out, how it works. I was sitting there trying to figure it out. But I got the compass to work. Am I going to trust that compass? No. Because I have another compass. It's just a simple regular compass. And I want to compare the two. I want to make sure this thing works. You see, you can call that caution. You can call that doubt. Or you can call that wisdom. Which one is it? If I simply say that I'm not going to trust it, that's doubt. That's doubt. If I say, no, I'm going to compare it. And then once I see that, yes, it's fine. It is no longer doubt. That doubt has been converted into wisdom. I can trust it. I want to trust it. If we did not have a sense of this preservation. Because, you know, you go around using compass just for fun. At least not me. Compass to me is a standby instrument if I need to find my way. And I, when I'm in that situation where I need to find my way, I want to rely on something that's going to work. Because already being lost and then end up following a compass that's going to make me lose more is not a good survival strategy.

So I will compare. This is the same thing that is the thirst, that is the heart. Somebody comes to me and says, you know, your human life is precious. I can be stupid and say, no, it's not. But let me feel its preciousness. Let me verify from my heart, from my existence and there to do that very thing. A thirst has been provided to every single human being. You have been given a thirst and you have been given a thrust. No, no, I'm not using the wrong word. Thrust so that you will not become shy of evolving. So that you will continue to evolve. You will continue to understand. You will continue to grow.

You will continue to appreciate. Appreciation is nothing to be taken lightly. Appreciation is what makes the difference between somebody who says, I can't paint, to somebody who can paint so incredibly that you can look at it for hours and hours and hours. Why? Why do you think that is? What is the difference between somebody who just picks up a guitar and goes, and somebody who plays it and plays it so beautifully. What do you think it is? What do you think that made this person study this guitar for hours and hours and hours and hours and hours and hours and hours? What do you think it is? What do you think it is that takes that person and he sits there and he sketches that scene in front of him and he sketches it and sketches it and sketches it and sketches it and throws it and sketches it and throws it and sketches it. That is perfect. What do you think perfection is? Take away appreciation from perfection and do you think you will have anything that is perfect? Appreciation. The gratitude of that heart that is filled with that beauty, with that bliss, because it has heard the instrument play where the breath came in to this tool and it vibrated. Without that appreciation, you will never be able to understand the perfection of this instrument. Without that appreciation, you will never be able to understand the perfection of what it means to awaken.

If you could imagine a street, and on this street, there are all these different houses, and they're all beautiful houses. And as you drive by, some are particularly beautiful, and you can see them. The lawns are manicured, the trees are trimmed, and it looks beautiful. The flowers are there, there's light, there's the garden to augment the house, and there's the house to augment the garden. And as you drive by, and you see another house, and there's all this junk that is growing. Bushes and shrubs, and you can't really see the house, and the paint is all peeling off. And it looks terrible. Then you drive a little bit more, and there's another house, and maybe it's starting to fall in neglect. Neglect. What does that mean, neglect?

Who have we neglected the most? We are aware of other people's presence. Somebody walks into our living room and sits down, we know about them, we can see them, we can feel them. It's like, oh, so-and-so is here. If somebody has been invited to dinner, there you are making preparations, cleaning the house, preparing the food, doing all these things so that you could make a good impression on them. Question. When was the last time you did that for you? When was the last time that the acceptance of this breath was actually paid attention to? Like it should be.

You know, this world has tremendous amount of debates. This world has tremendous amount of opinions. What is good, what is bad, what is right, what is wrong? So much gets caught in speculation. So much gets caught in imagination, and so much is caught in concepts. Does reality have a chance? Does reality have a chance? What is real? I'll tell you what is real. The breath inside of you is real. This time that you have on the face of this earth is real. And the possibility that you can be fulfilled in this life, that is real. That you can have peace in this life, that is real. What will happen to this world? There are people who are ready for this whole world to end. And the people sit there and they make predictions on such and such day this world is going to... You worried about end? What about what you got right now? What about this breath? What about this time? What about this magic that is happening? This is magic. This is the magic. So the joy is in accepting this moment. The joy is in accepting this life. That is the greatest joy. Not on what's going to happen tomorrow. That is not joyful. What it is, what is joyful is when you say, I am going to accept what is happening to me right now.

This is real. This is the gift that I have been given. I have been given that house on that street. And I do not want my house to be neglected. I'm going to trim. I'm going to make it look beautiful. Because it is a gift that I have been given. The first thing I want to learn is how to accept. The most priceless things are raining down upon me. And I'm wondering, what's going to happen in my life? Every second, more and more. Every day, more and more. And here I am. And I am uncertain in the middle of the most certain ocean there is. How frail. How strange the situation is. To be uncertain in the middle of certainty. To be thirsty. To be in darkness in the middle of the light. To be cold in the middle of the summer. To be thirsty in the middle of the beautiful freshwater pond. Dilemma? Yeah, that's a dilemma. And somebody comes along and says, Oh, you know, by the way, it doesn't have to be like that.

So yes, I quote scriptures. So yes, I talk about, on and on, oh yes this is true because it is written over there, or this is true because it says, somebody said so. No, you must know. Can I drink a glass of water for you and quench your thirst? Never. As I cannot quench your thirst by drinking water, you must drink the water yourself. And that's what it's about. For each person to know for themselves, to feel for themselves, and find that fulfillment. Why? Why? Ask your heart. Not your mind. The mind will say, well you need it. It's okay. Get a better dog. Send the wife to a cooking school. More dishes. More happiness. Push the kids a little harder to get better grades. More pride. No. I would say, all that or none of that. It's irrelevant. The simplicity of accepting that gift every single day. This is what I'm talking about.

Come with an open heart. Come with an understanding that this is something about you. This is about as personal as it's going to get. This is about your breath, not somebody else's breath. This is about your understanding. This is about your joy. This is about your appreciation. To actually set yourself up so that you can appreciate this existence. The possibility is that every day with every breath, you can appreciate. That's the palette. That's the, if you would say, the extreme of it. A joy unparalleled. To witness this breath come in and have a means to be able to appreciate that. A gratitude that is 100% real. Because it comes from the deepest place within you. Nothing synthetic. Not a book that you have read that said you should look at this this way. No. Real. As real as drinking water. As real as witnessing a sunset. As real as your own breath is. This is the possibility. This is the human possibility.

I can look at a beautiful river. I can't take the river with me. I can't. But I can appreciate it. As one individual, I may not be able to change the course of the river, nor may I be able to change the shape of the trees, nor may I be able to make it a clear day. But I can appreciate. Whatever it is, I can appreciate. This is my potential. This is something I can do.