Prem Rawat - Timeline of Shame
RENTED ROOM at Nova Southeastern University - 22nd April 2003
What I have to talk about is something very simple because it has to do with each one of us, with our existence, with the feeling of being alive. We do so much in our lives to fulfill ourselves on the outside. We create massive structures and institutions, all so we can be fulfilled. But do we have fulfillment in our life?
Within our society we surround ourselves with niceties. And we also know that when it gets down to the sharp end of things, we must prioritize. My favorite color might be red, but if my house is on fire, any bucket will do. We all have dreams and aspirations, but what is our real situation?
For each person, one thing that is real is the cry of the heart to be fulfilled. And inherently in the heart of every human being lies the possibility to be fulfilled. There is both the thirst to be fulfilled and the water that can fulfill the thirst. This is our true nature.
So what is our priority? Often our priorities are the ones that the have established by the people we want to be like. But what is my own quest, my own desire, my own mission in life? As a human being I have a bias towards peace, towards joy. It is inherent, and it transcends the barriers of language and culture. Peace is not in far distant corners of this world; peace is within me. I don't need to go to a mountaintop to feel it, or to turn down the boom box, or to travel to distant corners of the world. My peace is within.
How do we connect with that peace? There is no formula. It begins with recognizing what it means to be alive, the importance of life itself. Peace begins with recognizing that the heart wants peace, that people have always wanted peace. This is not a new request. And peace is possible. Peace is a very possible dream, but it does not begin with nations or institutions. It begins with each one of us. When we start to say, "Yes, I need peace in my life, and let it begin with me," we begin to perceive life differently. We begin to take responsibility for our innermost priority. And if the heart can be placed before everything else, what we have is a winning life.
RENTED ROOM at University of Colorado - 25th April 2003
Whether playing golf, flying airplanes, or thinking about frying chilies - whatever we do is made possible by the courtesy of this thing called life. We can do very little if life is not there.
In this journey of life, we pick up a lot of luggage, and walking becomes miserably slow. Someone comes along and says, "Maybe you don't need to carry all of that. Look at the simplicity of your existence."
What is calling us? What is the aspiration of every single human being regardless of who they are, where they live, what they do, and what they think? What has our heart been saying through all the good and bad things that have happened?
We have had a thirst, a desire, since we were very young. And no matter how old we get, that child is still there with the same thirst. Hope is within the heart of everyone wanting the same thing - to feel peace, joy, contentment. "Show me a way to turn within and feel for myself. Not some theory or nice words, but feel for myself, as real as feeling water in my mouth when I am thirsty." Theory is great, but someday it has to become real.
Could it be that we go along in our lives looking at our future and our past, not paying attention to the present? Yet we are stuck in the moment called now, and this is where we will be for the rest of our lives. All our tomorrows will come as now. We can only go one step at a time on this journey.
We have the most priceless gift - breath. All the money and technology in the world can't touch it. We cannot give it to someone else, steal it or borrow it. Breath comes freely, day and night. Because it does, we can dance, look, talk, dream - all the things we do. Some people ask why. But to the thirsty person in the desert, it doesn't matter who built the well. All that matters is water and quenching their thirst.
For those who are thirsty, I can help. It is your journey. I cannot make it faster or slow it down. I can offer you a mirror so that when you want to see your self, you can. Someday you may feel a need for a joy. And when you do, look me up. I can help.
RENTED ROOM at University of California, Berkeley - 30th April 2003
I travel all over the world, but I don't go to see countries. I have never seen a place I could call a country. What I see is people. We may relate to ourselves by our language, our culture, or our religion, but we are essentially the same. We have the same aspiration. We all want peace in our lives.
We have thousands of explanations for war, but not one why we should have peace. We've got a problem here. When it comes to war, there is a lot of active participation. We create new weapons and train people to use them.
When it comes to peace, we wait for the clouds to part or a magic wand to be waved so then there shall be peace upon earth. I don't understand. If war requires active participation, which it does, then peace requires active participation as well. And that active participation is not going to happen by having a lot of debates. It is a matter of uncovering and looking at the reality of people, at what people want whether they are rich or poor. We have learned about how we are different, but we haven't learned how to look at another human being like ourselves.
We forget the nature of who we are and the treasure we have been given, and we cannot afford to do that. We cannot forget that our heart is knocking every day and calling to us, "Be in peace, feel joy, because that is a reality that can happen."
It takes active participation, and that begins with recognizing our own thirst. Once we can recognize our thirst, water becomes important. What kind of thirst is this? The thirst that says, Understand the preciousness of life, of each breath. How does that happen? It is like learning to ride a bike. You get on and you are told to pedal, look forward, and balance, but you can't do it all and you fall. Then comes a moment when you have it. You take off, and there is no looking back. From that moment on, you have achieved your sense of balance.
This is what I am talking about. Achieving that sense of balance in your life. The very thing that says, Get in touch with your self, or what Socrates calls, "Know thyself." Do. When you find that balance in your life, it makes a difference.
The section below is from a file called: 2003-It's about you, Berkeley - Prem Rawat.mp4 3.58MB which was reused in other Rawat media
What I'm talking about is very, very simple. In a way, it's about you, but not in a way that you have heard it before. Because people come and people address other people, and what is talked about is how it could be. And I'm not here to talk about that. I'm here to talk about how it is. See, there's a big difference in the two. Because we could sit here and we could dream, oh yeah, it would be nice if it was like that, and it would be nice if it was like that, and it would be nice if in my life I had this, and I had that, and you know, all those things. But what I'm here to tell you that it is better than your wildest imagination and everything you need to make that dream come true, you already have, and it is within you. And this is a wonderful and exciting reality. I'm not here to quote from books. Sometimes I do. I'm not here to tell you, yeah, you know, walk backwards three miles a day and everything will be fine. I'm not even here to tell you to lower your cholesterol. But recognize what you have been given.
University of Salamanca - June 30, 2003
It's an honor to be here to talk about a very simple subject - peace. There are a lot of ideas about peace and I'm not here to add more, but to present a very simple possibility.
When are we going to acknowledge the peace that we need in our lives? When are we going to take the first steps to fulfill the oldest dream that mankind has had? Peace is a fundamental desire of every human being. It needs acknowledgment, and it needs to be realized, fulfilled. We need to turn within ourselves to find the answers for peace. We're not going to find them outside. They are written in the very the pages that reside in the heart of every single human being regardless of who they are, what their belief is, or what they have done.
I have a dream that all civilizations, all people will be in peace. People say to me, "Isn't that an impossible ideal?" Then I say to myself, "If that is true, then it is the only ideal worth having. That is something I can try to help with." And that's what I do. The amazing thing is, that to have peace on the outside, you have to have peace on the inside. This is not new. Everyone knows this. And to find peace on the inside is the most simple process of all because it is already there. It does not have to be created. It is there to discover, to have, to enjoy.
The thirst for peace lies within all of us. Around the world, I have found the currency not to be common, language not to be common, clothing not to be common, food not to be common. But the desire to be fulfilled is common to everyone. That's what I am addressing.
I travel around the world bringing this message to people, and I hope people listen to it, that they get something out of it. I'm not preaching, nor am I teaching. All I'm doing is presenting a possibility. Peace is important to me, and I hope that peace is important to you. Because, after all, when I look at the horizon, if I have to imagine the world without peace, it is, indeed, a very grim prospect. When I see the light on the horizon, I certainly hope it is the light of the peace that dances, waiting to shine in my life, in my time.
Griffith University - 17th April 2004
What I offer is to turn your focus within, so that you can feel that peace in your life. What you are looking for is within you. When there is no peace within, then there is wars outside. Inside, has to much to do with expression of what takes place on outside. Express then, your sincere desire to yourself for peace. Find that thirst that will lead you to water. I have nothing to sell. My speeches are not make you feel good. If it makes you think "I am alive, possibility of peace is there, and I am richer than i can ever imagine." Then the thirst will take over and it will guide you to water. If you take nothing from this event, then take this one thing - you need to have peace in your life, period. With my help, without my help - i don't care. Find it! And if you can't find it - I can help. And thats what its all about. Thank you very much. And i hope you give it, some thought.
Griffith University is committed to high standards of scholarship, innovation, internationalization, social justice, ethical standards and lifelong learning. It consistently ranks high among Good University Guides, with the Griffith Business School ranking 11 in 2006.
Universal Forum Of Cultures, Barcelona - June 14, 2004
"So many people are waiting for other people to do something to bring about peace. But peace needs a very different process. Each individual needs to understand their own responsibility for it because peace is felt in the heart of every human being. This is the palette where the manifestation of peace takes place, not on the outside.
So often peace is defined as the absence of war. There is war that happens between two countries. There is war that takes place between two people. There is war that doesn't even require two people; it takes place inside of a person. For a war on the outside, maybe a cease-fire can be negotiated. Between two people, maybe an understanding can be negotiated. But even in the absence of those kinds of wars, there is a war that takes place inside a human being - a much more ferocious war that devastates the very elements that are the foundation of a person. Which of these wars will become absent so that one day we can stand up and say, "Now there is peace"?
Those people who have talked about peace in earnest have said, "What you are looking for is within you. You are the source and you are the resource for peace on the face of this earth. This is the realization, the understanding, and the challenge of feeling peace in this life, of not being distracted by all our agendas, but accepting and understanding the agenda we have been given with the opportunity to be alive."
Generally, we measure ourselves on a negative scale. Before we set up what we want to accomplish, we look at what we do not have. People come and tell us what we do not know, what we have not accomplished, all the things we do not have. Every window of a shop dares to tell us what we don't have. If the objects displayed were the things we did have, the whole purpose would be defeated.
So in a world where everything is judged on a negative scale, how can we even begin to talk about peace when peace can only be judged on a positive scale? Peace is one of the things we do have. It is one of the things we can have. It is one of the things that is innate within every human being. Like a lamp lit on the darkest night, it is waiting to be discovered.
We need peace in this world as we are. We need peace in this world with all our problems. We need peace in this world with everything that goes on. We need peace in this world because our heart desires it. Something very fundamental wants that peace. There has been an attraction to that peace since time immemorial.
When it comes to peace in my life, it begins with being ready and able to stand on my own feet. It doesn't end there, but it begins there. For too long, we have looked to world leaders. They try, but succeeding is another story. The noblest gesture we can make is to recognize the possibility of peace in our life and to find ourselves to be the source and the resource."
RENTED the Sanders Theatre at Harvard University - July 22, 2004
When it comes to theory, peace is a very complicated thing. I figured this out from pure deduction. I figured that it took a lot to put a man on the moon. It really did. It involved a lot of technology. And sure enough-on behalf of humanity-man was placed on the moon. But peace still eludes the world. So peace has to be really complicated-more complicated than going to the moon. If it's that complicated, I figured, then it's just like riding a bike-too complicated to explain. The only thing you can do is to inspire people to find the way to feel peace. And that begins with presenting the picture of a possibility.
Each person has a version of peace that applies to them. What is it? If you are a city dweller, you hear horns honking, sirens blaring, and everything going on all day and part of the night. Then on the weekend, when you go to that quiet little place and there are no sirens, you say, "Ah, this is so peaceful." That's not peace. Absence of sounds is not peace. Absence of taxicabs honking is not peace. Absence of screeching tires is not peace. But getting away from that situation seems peaceful. These are the individual variations of peace that people have.
If somebody has lost something precious to them, and they are going crazy thinking about it all the time, and you ask them, "What is your version of peace?" their answer will be, "If I found what I'm looking for, I would find myself in peace."
The resolution of conflict alone is not peace. You won't hear this other places. What you will hear is, "Peace is nice. We should all find it and get on with our lives." But it has to be very clear what it is we are looking for, because if somebody's version of peace is no more sirens, then it is a totally different thing.
So, what is real peace—peace that is common to every single human being on the face of this earth? The generic definition of peace is the absence of war, but there is a peace that has nothing to do with arguments and nothing to do with wars. There is a peace that resides in the heart of every human being on the face of this earth. There is a peace that is not temporary, not tied to politics, not found in the formulas of what the world thinks ought to be. It is not somebody's vision, but resides within the individual, whether they are rich or poor, good or bad, right or wrong—even in their darkest hour, even when they are surrounded by an ocean of confusion and doubt.
This peace is not the absence of anything. Real peace is the presence of something beautiful. Both peace and the thirst for it have been in the heart of every human being in every century and every civilization.
This is the good news: the thirst is within you, and the water that will quench that thirst is within you. The good news is that what you are looking for is within you and the means to get in touch with that is also within you. There is a reality that is so sweet—not buried in conflicts and pain, not buried in doubts and questions, but in fact dancing—dancing within every human being because you exist, because you are alive.
I propose that you take on that thirst. I propose that it is the sweetest and most wonderful thirst you have ever had in your life. That thirst is one of the noblest causes a human being can ever have. With all the things we can achieve in our lives, there is one more that is incredibly noble: we can be fulfilled.
A lot of people say, "Isn't that very selfish?" An extinguished lamp can never light anything. It can neither light the area around it, nor light another lamp. The prerequisite for either of these things is for the lamp to be lit.
Light your lamp. People say, "But if I light my lamp, then it'll go out." That is reality. It is going to go out, but while you have the chance, light it. Let there be fulfillment in your life. Let there be certainty in your life. Let there be clarity in your life.
You exist, and because you exist, you have the possibility of being fulfilled. It is incredibly simple—and simply profound. This is what existence is: this breath comes and this breath goes, and it comes again and it goes again. And I walk my life one step at a time.
A lot of people ask, "Tell us something that will give us peace. What can we do to get this peace?" We have a problem here. Usually when you hear about something nice, you want to go and get it. What I'm talking about, you already have. You already have peace inside of you. You don't have to go out somewhere and get it. You already have it. Discover it. Do you know what it is like to discover?
Look at this breath like you have never seen it before. Look at this life like you have never seen it before. Look at this existence like you have never looked at it before. Look at peace like you have never looked at it before. Look at this moment like you have never looked at it before.
Even in the middle of turmoil, peace exists. How does this affect this world? Do you know what this world is? It's a screen. You are the projector, and what you see as the world is just a big screen. So when you see things on the screen, don't look at the screen, look at the projector. That's where it's coming from. The display of the inner fight turns into the outer fight—it always has and always will. When there is tranquility inside, that is when peace begins. Peace here in my heart. That's the possibility.
How is it possible? I can help. Look around this world. If you are interested, search for peace. If you find it, good. And if you don't find it, look me up. I can help. This is what I do—I go around the world talking to people about peace. People say, "Nice words." And I say, "Do you want it? I can make it possible." How can I make it possible? I have that peace in my life. I am aware of that peace in my life. Does that mean I don't have problems? Of course not. I have problems. Does that mean I don't get angry anymore? Of course not. I get angry. Am I a vegetable? No. These are excuses: "If you have peace, then you'll completely change," or "You will have to change your religion." Why would you have to do that? Does your religion say you can't have peace? Of course it doesn't. Your communication to your God in your style, in your way, is beautiful. Why should that preclude the reality that peace lies in your heart? It's already there.
Parliament of Italy - 27th July 2004
In a world where so much is going on - where there are so many issues, ideas, inventions, and technology - why am I talking about peace? I talk about peace, not as an option in life, not as something that would be nice to have, but as a fundamental feeling that we all need to feel every day we awaken, every day we exist. When I say "we," what I'm talking about is each one of us despite our barriers or differences. We begin to believe our differences. Sometimes when I am piloting an airplane, I make an announcement, just for fun, that just below you can see the border between two countries. Amazingly enough, people start to look. The world teaches us differences and we begin to believe in them. "You are from this country and you are from that country; you speak this language and you speak that language; you like this and you like that." We forget that the fundamental thing that drives us all is the same. We forget that we may be speaking different languages, but what we are saying is exactly the same. "I am thirsty" can be said in many languages. It means exactly the same thing.
When the desire for peace is fundamental to each one of us, should it be such an alien thing? The question isn't whether we want peace. The question is: Do we feel the thirst for peace? The question isn't whether the treasure exists. The question is: Has it been discovered? Once the thirst for peace is understood in a human being's life, the person will look for water, for peace. They will look within.
I see thousands of labels in this world, and I don't know why they are there. Many labels were put on things way before I was born. People believe in them. Nobody questions these labels. When people hear that the definition of peace is the absence of war, they say, "Yes, that's true." There is a war that rages on inside of a human being that is far more ferocious than any war on the outside. This war continues way past the cease-fires. The outside war is the manifestation or the reflection of the inside war that we see. We have a sense of imbalance, but we don't recognize what is causing it.
I have to acknowledge what I need in my life. If I want peace, I have to acknowledge it. I have to say to myself, in the simplest of words, "Yes. I feel the thirst for peace." I can use fancy words to impress other people, but I cannot use fancy words to impress me. If I want to impress me, I have to speak the truth. Maybe to the world, truth is a scary word, but truth is what the heart wants to hear. That thirst needs to be quenched. Peace is what the heart needs to feel.
Indian Institute Of Technology Delhi, India - November 7, 2004
The other day I was asking someone who has also traveled a lot whether they had ever come across a thing called the world in their travels. He said, "No," and I said, "Neither have I." You come across countries, immigration, customs, people, taxis, animals - it depends where you go. But, world, I have never seen. It is people. It is people like you and me who need, not want peace in their lives. It is not a luxury. This is the missing piece of the puzzle.
What we cannot imagine today will happen tomorrow. Technology will move on. Things we could never imagine will happen. What doesn't change is the need. The wants change, but the needs do not. Maybe you are not comfordiv with your bed so you want a new mattress. The want may change, but the need is to go to sleep, and that does not change. Maybe you go shopping and you see a new water glass. You want the new glass, but why you need the glass does not change. That stays the same. Need and want.
A lot of people are under the misconception that they want peace. It's a misconception because peace is not something you want; peace is something you need in your life. Every day you wake up, something within you yearns to be fulfilled, to be happy, to be in joy. We create formulas for how to achieve that. Everyone has a formula: "I think if we do this, we can achieve it."
But how? Look at the thirst for peace. If the thirst for peace is within you, then peace is within you. If that want wanders in this world for different things, it is because the want is processed by necessities that are created on the outside. Look at your heart because that is a part of the puzzle.
I am not saying you should sacrifice one for the other. This is another wonderful excuse that people have: "I cannot engage in this search for peace because I have a family, and I have responsibilities." I say to them, "What makes you think for a moment that you have to sacrifice one for the other?"
Peace is inside you. Wherever you go, peace goes with you. When you climb on a bus, peace goes with you. When you are fighting, peace goes with you. When you are asleep, peace is within you. When you are frustrated beyond imagination, peace is in you. No matter what you do, there is no place you can go where peace will not come with you. Because it's within you.
Through technology, we want to improve our lives. What I am saying is that the real improvement begins with you. I am not saying to sacrifice technology or to sacrifice your responsibilities. Accept your responsibilities, and while accepting those responsibilities, find peace, find joy in your life.
RENTED ROOM at the United Nations Conference Center, Bangkok - 17th May 2005
It's a privilege and honor to be here this evening. And it's a greater privilege and honor to address the issue of peace.
Peace begins with every single human being.
It is not an issue of institutions. It is something that has to be felt. It is something that has to be experienced in the heart of every person.
We do so much in this world to try to make ourselves comfortable. We do so much in this world to make a better life.
Everyone who can, in his or her life, tries very hard to better themselves. And yet, we spend so little time understanding the dynamics of what causes this to happen.
What is it inside you and me, what is it inside every person in this whole world, that is pushing them, forcing them, to evolve into a better situation? To be more content, to be more joyous, to be more in peace?
Perhaps we need to understand the dynamics of this incredible thrust that comes from within, because I really feel that inside of every one of us-I'm not exempting anyone-peace is like a seed waiting in the desert to blossom.
It sees no distinction. It does not care if you are rich. It does not care if you are poor. It does not care what religion you belong to. It does not care if you are fat. It does not care if you are thin. And it does not care which country you live in.
But what it does care about is that water. Just like in the desert. All these seeds that are lying in wait. Waiting for that right time to come. Waiting for the opportunity when, indeed, water will come.
In your heart, in your heart also lies the seed, wanting and waiting for nothing else but to be fulfilled. To be fulfilled. For the thirst for peace to be quenched. To once again feel whole. And not segregated, not separated by all the other issues that penetrate our lives.
Breath comes, and each breath brings the possibility of being fulfilled.
To me, that breath coming into so many on the face of this earth, so quietly, so silently, is screaming a message so loud and clear. And what is that message? Now!! NOW!! In your life, be fulfilled. Now, in your life, find that peace. Now, in your life, find that joy. Joy! The joy that doesn't come from the catalysts outside, but that is triggered because one has found their fulfillment within. 'Cause that's what peace is. It's not on the outside. Peace is within the heart of each being.
Absence of war is not peace.
Because it is people, it is us - we're the ones who start the wars. When the differences become so great, and the intolerance - intolerance - reaches epic proportions, wars will happen. When I fail to see another being as I see myself, then wars will happen. When the causes and the reasons become greater than the sanctity of peace, wars will happen. When I fail to realize what is the value - the value - of being alive, wars will happen.
And believe me - believe me - ever that the war begins outside, it would have begun on the inside first. And the war on the inside is far more dangerous, because it is a fire that may never be quenched. And it can rage on and on and on and on. In the battle outside, at least you will hear a noise, but in the battle inside, you may not hear a peep. That battle outside may have strategies, but the battle inside may just be going on and on and on and on, and no one is even negotiating.
Hey! Stop! This is your time on the face of this earth. This is your opportunity to be alive.
For me, when peace begins within me, and has taken hold of me-when I have allowed it to blossom-then peace for me is also possible on the outside. Then peace for me is also possible-a reality-because I have felt it.
This is about appreciation. This is not about formulas. This is about waking up in the morning, and not because you have a label on some wall, going: "Be thankful for today!" You will read the label and you will go: "Ho. Hum. Right."
So, address the war here. Make peace here. And watch peace unfold.
Because, you know, of all the things we have tried in this world, there's one thing that we've never given a chance, and the one thing that has not been tried in this world is peace.
And I'm not going to say: "This is the time for peace." Because it is always time for peace. Always was, always is and, guess what, always will be. Peace is welcomed any time, because I am the seed lying dormant in the desert, and I am waiting, any second, any minute: Come rain, come. I am ready. If it doesn't happen in the morning, I have no agenda. I HAVE NO AGENDA. I am waiting for you. That is my agenda!!
Again, thankful is a feeling. Which one do you believe in? The feeling or the word? Because if you have the feeling, you don't need the word. Who cares? You feel!! And if you have the word, it doesn't mean you have the feeling. They have nothing to do with each other. That's why people go around saying: "Peace, peace, peace, peace - peace" and nothing happens.
Trust and faith. We have the intelligence. I don't know how big an intelligence that little seed could possibly have. You would think with all the intelligence, we would know what trust means. But we don't. So, we need to go to the seed to learn trust.
Because this thing is sitting in the desert. And there's only one evidence as far as it can see. No rain. Right? And guess what? That's what it's waiting for. Rain. And the only link there is is the trust. And it does. And somehow, the rain does come. It does.
I have a feeling that that seed knows more about that trust than I do. I've studied meteorology. I'm fascinated by it. I love that stuff. But I have a feeling that seed knows more abut the rain than I do. Because for me, it's just a topic of interest. For that seed, it's its whole life. For me, I'm just fascinated. For that seed, its existence depends on it.
So the seed is the expert, not me.
Like that seed, I want to learn too, about that rain of peace coming to my desert. Because ultimately, my life depends on it too.
And if I want to be an expert, maybe I should be an expert in peace. And if I want to study something, maybe I should be studying peace. And if I want to be fascinated by something, maybe I could be fascinated by peace. And have the trust in my heart, like as that rain does come, that peace will come in my life too.
That's my message. That's what I go around telling people: Look within you. And if you need help to look within, I can help. I can help. But the trust has to come from within you.
And yes, peace needs to be in everyone's life.
So, thank you very much. And it's been a great honor and a privilege to speak here to you tonight.
Thank you.
Miami Dade College - 16th June 2005
RENTED THE Herbst Theater in San Francisco - 26th June 2005
Maharaji speaking at the 60th Anniversary of the United Nations, at the Herbst Theater in San Francisco, where the UN Charter was signed sixty years ago.
You have heard about peace in many different ways. Maybe this is just one more perspective, but it is a perspective that comes from the heart.
Peace. We think, "Peace. Yes, something over here called peace." When I travel around the world and mention the word "peace," everyone has a different reaction. It ranges from "I've heard about that" to "It's a waste of time" to "I am interested in peace."
The most significant statement is: "I am interested in peace." I, as an individual, a person-not a label, not a box, not a globe-but a living, breathing, human being whose existence is priceless. This is the opportunity each one of us has been given.
Peace is a feeling-a feeling of non-duality, a feeling away from doubt, a feeling of me. Me understanding my existence. Feeling peace-not in turmoil, not in war, not in controversy, but in the serenity of existence.
There is more to you than you realize. There is another chapter here that hasn't been opened. Maybe there is a treasure trove that has not been tapped yet. Maybe there is another room to this villa, this mansion, this house, that has not been looked at.
The desire for peace transcends every barrier. Even those who have been incarcerated desire peace. Those who have little to eat also desire peace. And those sitting in giant mansions desire peace. Peace is one of those things: after a bowl of food, I still want to be in peace. The worst war is the war within a human being because there's no ceasefire to it. You can't put a brake on it; you can't negotiate with just one party. And the trouble with the war that rages inside is that, even if you win it, you lose because it's with yourself.
This is your life. Sometimes we forget what is being created here. This is no ordinary construction site. Done well, it will be better and more beautiful than the Mona Lisa, more grand than the Statue of David, more magnificent than the Sistine Chapel.
Who will be the admirer? Admiration and simplicity are the guardian angels of this beautiful experience called peace. They are the towers. In no uncertain terms, know the value of this existence, the value of this breath, the desire for peace that we carry in our hearts. There is a part of us that has beckoned us to be in peace again and again, that when we are in turmoil says, "This is no good. You don't want to be here. This is not acceptable."
I'm talking about the peace that can be even experienced in the middle of war. It's not about the new or the fancy. It's about the good old heart that's always been there. It's about the good old breath that is as old and fresh and new as nothing I've seen. I cannot compare it to dew or to the rising sun or to a new star, because when that breath comes into me, it is so new that it is incomparable. That's my potential. I can be fulfilled like you can.
RENTED ROOM at Oxford University - 28th July 2005 PHONY PR
What I have to talk about is really quite simple. It deals with one human being - one person, one individual, who breathes, thinks, wants to understand, wants to learn. Sometimes, in the pursuit of all that we pursue in this world, we forget about us. Who am I? Who are you? You are unique. There is no one like you. I cannot emphasize enough the uniqueness of every human being on the face of this earth.
Learning is a process that will happen for every single person. This is our nature. Learning will happen, but amongst all the things we learn, what is the most important thing to learn? Millions have come through these gates to learn, understand, and go on in their lives to be successful and prosperous. But there is one kind of prosperity that was talked about a very, very long time ago: Know thyself.
The idea of peace is not new. I've been talking about peace since I was a child, because I know that there is another face of peace. There is an idyllic face of peace that people paint in which nobody is fighting with anyone. But there is a face of peace that does not rely on boundaries. There is a face of peace that has nothing to do with obedience, nothing to do with your wishes. It is the face of peace that lies in the heart of every human being.
This is the possibility, the reality, that certain people have always envisioned: "Know thyself." The resource of the joy, the peace, you are looking for exists within you. You have the tools you need to accomplish the aspirations of your heart, regardless of all external circumstances.
Are you in peace? Are you content, not by thought, but by feeling? There cannot be a formula for peace: "I am content because I did this and I did that and therefore, everything is fine." It has to be a reality.
My message is not connected to a religion. My message is connected to getting in touch with your heart, to understanding the value and the preciousness of your existence. It is about addressing, rather than covering up, the fundamental needs that you have as a human being - needs that are the same for everyone.
RENTED ROOM at University of Tennessee, Knoxville - 28th August 2005 PHONY PR
"There is a peace, without which we would lose the very fabric of who we are," he said. "A peace that dances in the heart of everyone. That's the peace I am talking about. The reality. The beauty. The joy. The true peace - not an absence of something, but the very presence of something. That is what is possible, even in the middle of war."
Melissa Mann of nearby Maryville, Tennessee organized the event. The daughter of a former U.S. foreign service diplomat who served in several countries, Ms. Mann teaches English at a local college. "Knoxville responded very positively," Ms. Mann said. "People were very excited to hear that Prem Rawat had accepted our invitation, and a lot of people came to see him, not just from Knoxville, but Atlanta, Memphis, Birmingham - all over."
"The freedom I talk about is not the kind of freedom that people think is freedom. People think freedom is when you get away from your house for the weekend. 'Free - I'm free.' To teenagers, freedom is when they leave their parents' house. Freedom to parents is when their teenagers actually leave. Not just threaten to leave, but actually leave. 'Now we are free.' Is that freedom?
"Freedom from my troubles. Is that freedom? Freedom from my concerns. Is that freedom? Freedom from my responsibilities. Is that freedom? I talk about a freedom that can be felt in a prison. That's the freedom that no one on the face of this earth can take away from me. No one. That's freedom.
"Peace - a peace that cannot be disturbed. That is real peace. And one that cannot be taken away - that is real freedom.
"Often, people think they're free. And sometimes they're trying to free themselves from their concepts of freedom. 'Am I really free? If I think differently, I'll be free. If I am open to everything, I will be free.' This is our time to make that understanding happen. To begin to understand. And here is the concrete thing: To start to realize that all that we ever want, we have. We have that freedom inside of us.
"I go around giving people a mirror. A mirror that shows something that is real, that is true. Something that by its very existence is the most beautiful play ever written. You are the actor, and the most incredible script has been written for you. There is love, a little bit of action, a little bit of clarity, and a little bit of confusion. How well do we know this play? How well are we playing it?"
People leaving the hall were clearly enthusiastic about Prem Rawat and his message. For Russell G. from Oakridge, "I really enjoyed this opportunity to learn more about myself. I came at the invitation of a good friend. My faith is Christian based, but I am always eager to hear and listen to new ideas. I quickly realized that what this man had to say did not contradict my faith, but rather served to strengthen the ultimate message of love and happiness."
For Adriana T. from Asheville, "I recently had surgery for cancer and have asked what difference my life has made. The answer came in his address. I am unique. There is no other that brings the gifts I can to make a difference in life."
Mary W. from Asheville said, "This is the first time to see and hear him in person. Magnificent human being. Gives me much thought to proceed from this moment. I am a Christian, and I think I want what he is offering. His message is universal, and I see the possibility of connecting to me."
Debbie S., a Knoxville resident and physical therapist at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, has been familiar with Prem Rawat's message for years. She helped organize the Knoxville event. "It's the most exciting thing to invite Prem Rawat and to have him accept our invitation. It's a wonderful opportunity, not just for me, but for the people in the area to hear him speak and to hear his message, which is unique and very applicable to everyone regardless of background, education, or occupation."
RENTED ROOM at Parliament of Australia - 21st September 2005 PHONY PR
Rotary International Convention - 9th June 2006
*** Lions don't live in the jungle. In India, lions live in the Gir Forest, a dry deciduous forest. In Africa they live on the savanna plains. ***
Let me begin with a little story: There was a lion who was feeling very good one morning, very happy. He came out of his den, saw a little rabbit, immediately pounced on it, and said, "Who is the king of the jungle? And the rabbit, terribly afraid and shaking, said, "You are."
This made the lion even more proud. Bouncing along, he found a deer, jumped on it, and said, "Deer, who is the king of the jungle?" And the deer said, shaking, "You are."
Now the lion was feeling really, really good. He was the king. So he goes along, sees an elephant, jumps on it, and says, "Elephant, who is the king of this jungle?" The elephant spun the lion around his trunk, pounded him on the ground again and again till he was senseless, then let go of him. The lion looked at the elephant and said, "Don't get upset if you don't know the answer!"
Sometimes we accept other people's definitions of things, but forget about one simple thing, and that is you. What I am talking about is not what you can accomplish, not what you can do, not about your hopes, dreams, and ideas - but, you, as a gift that came into this world.
It was no mistake that Socrates said, "Know thyself." Know who you are. Understand who you are, your nature. Understand that if you do not feel peace, you may not be able to give it to anyone. If you want to quench the thirst of another, the least you need is water. The water of peace flows within you. The serenity of understanding flows through you - your life.
In all that you are trying to understand, add one more - understanding about yourself. In all that you're trying to complete, complete one more. And besides all those you are trying to help, help one more person - you. You need to feel content regardless of what is going on. You need to feel whole. Yes, you are the building block of your existence. And if that first step is missing, the next and the next and the next will also be missing.
It is not impossible. It is not mysterious. It is not strange. And, indeed, it is not selfish. To unwrap a gift that has been given is not selfish. If I do something at the expense of others, that is selfish. But if I feel an itch and I scratch it, not at the expense of anyone else, it's not selfish. The gift has been given; the gift is you. Life has been given; it is in progress. Your understanding is there, your thirst is there, and the idea of peace is at hand.
I invite you to take a peek inside to know what this existence is all about. The person who said, "Know thyself," didn't make it up to make your life more difficult. But, there was something there, some mystery that could be solved. Humanity will face many, many challenges, and one of the biggest challenges is to find the peace that is within every single being. That has been an incredible challenge. People say, "Peace is not possible." But the personal peace - the peace that you have inside of you - is very possible and has always been there, and that is why it is said, "Know thyself."
It begins with the simplest of understandings, to listen to what something simple is saying to you. It's not about your responsibilities, but about the chance to be fulfilled. The want.
I remind people that what you are looking for is inside of you - not outside. Always has been and always will be. Even if you decide not to discover it, it will always be inside of you. Always. The answers will come from within, not from the outside. The true sense of accomplishment will happen here, not somewhere else. Be who you are.
Be fulfilled every day so you can fulfill others. Be fulfilled every day so you can fulfill the responsibilities that are ahead of you. But it begins with you. What I talk about, you have, whether you decide to pursue it or not. Search if you must. Do whatever it takes to find that self and fulfill that self, so you may serve and serve well. Be fulfilled. Be happy. One lifetime. And only one like you on the face of this earth. You are unique. Shine with that uniqueness.
When you were born - who were you? A doctor, perhaps? A lawyer? No. There was one little moment of time when you were born when everybody held their breath to see if you were taking yours. Until that breath had been taken, nobody cared if you were a boy or girl. Nobody cared about your aspirations. Nobody cared about anything but that breath.
Once we are born, we start understanding our responsibilities. We start understanding the good, the bad, the right, the wrong. I'm not here to discuss those things. That's up to you. Those are the decisions you have to make. I'm here to remind you about that one simple thing called existence. Not what we do with existence, but existence itself.
We judge life by its external components, but is life just external components? Is life a bunch of happenstances in one's existence? Or is life something greater? The sum of it is greater than all of those things put together. One life is greater than all the things that are happening in this world, because all the things in this world can be replicated again and again, but that one human being dancing on the face of this earth will never be replicated. I am here to talk about the importance of your existence.
You will do many things, and hopefully, you will do incredible things for humanity, and I commend you on that. I also want to help as much as I can. People in this world need some help. And those who can, should provide that help, because it is about us human beings - us. It isn't about governments. I don't see that it's the responsibility of governments to bring peace on earth. It's the responsibility of individuals because peace on earth begins with individuals.
Know who you are. Understand your nature. Understand that if you do not feel that peace, you may not be able to give it to anyone. If you want to quench the thirst of another, the least you need is water. The water of peace flows within you. The serenity of understanding flows through you - your life. If you want to understand what it is like to be alive, listen to what your request has been all along to be fulfilled.
Be in peace, the peace that is within - not a manufactured peace. The peace that is inherent to every single human being on the face of this earth regardless of their circumstances. The peace that can be felt in the middle of a battlefield. That kind of peace.
A discontented person cannot bring contentment to another. An incomplete person cannot bring completeness to another. And a person void of happiness cannot bring happiness to another.
The desire for peace is noble in nature, and an effort towards that peace is also noble in nature. Discover what already exists inside of you. Within you is an infinite ocean of peace. Within you is an infinite ocean of joy. Within you is an infinite ocean of the potential to succeed - the ocean of success.
RENTED ROOM at Parliament of New Zealand - 21st September 2006 PHONY PR
Everybody wants peace, everywhere you go. Not long ago, I was talking to some prisoners, "Do you want peace?" "Of course!" You can speak to people in the Army, "Do you want peace?" "Yes, of course!" So everybody wants peace. And then, you ask, "What is peace?" And here, you get a surprising answer. Everybody has their own version of peace and everybody looks at it from a totally different angle.
The other day, I was talking to my niece, and she said, "Oh, I love that color." I said, "You love that color? Or you like that color?" She said, "What's the difference?" I said, "There's a very big difference. 'Like' is really what you want to say, and you can emphasize that, 'I like that very much,' but love is a little more interactive than that color can provide you."
And in the same way, when it is quiet, people say, "Oh, it is so peaceful." All it is, is quiet. People think the absence of war is peace. They have their ideas of peace. There are people who think peace is when everybody walks very slowly, wears flowing robes with flowers in their hair, and everybody is greeted by the peace symbol. You don't shake hands anymore. Perhaps you just touch two fingers and say, "Peace." Well there's no limit to it, is there?
Let me tell you a story. Once there was a queen, and she had a very beautiful necklace. One day, after her bath, she was on the balcony drying her hair. She took her necklace off and put it on a hook. A crow was flying by, saw the necklace shining in the sun, and flew off with it. But the crow dropped it in a tree, and it got caught on one of the branches.
Beneath the tree was a filthy dirty river. Now, when the queen reached for her necklace and found it missing, she threw a tantrum. "Who stole it?" She had everybody searching for it. Nobody could find it. She said to the king, "If I don't find my necklace, I'm never going to eat again." The king was very concerned and sent all his army and others looking for it - but nobody could find it. So the king finally made an announcement. "Whoever finds the necklace gets half of my kingdom." Then people started seriously looking.
One day, a general walked by the tree and saw the necklace in the river below it. He immediately jumped into the sewage-filled river because he wanted half the kingdom. The minister saw the general jumping in, and he, too, saw the necklace, and jumped in. The king saw his general and his minister looking for it, jumped in, and now all three were fishing for it. By then, more soldiers and the villagers had come, and they all jumped in.
Finally, somebody with a little wisdom said, "What are you doing? The necklace is not down there; it is up there. You're jumping after the reflection." And so the king said, "Since you found it, half of the kingdom is yours." And the wise man said, "I don't need your kingdom. You keep it."
Why did I tell this story? Because that's what we do, too. We just see the reflection of peace. It's nice when there are not wars, but that's a reflection of peace - that's not peace in itself. Peace begins with every single human being on the face of this earth. That's the necklace. Everything else is a reflection.
When the heart is full, when the human being is full, then automatically, the person is not in duality, is not in questions, but in answers. Not the complicated, but the simple - that we are. This is what we favor; this is who we need to be. This is our nature. When we are in that equilibrium where our hearts are full, our true nature shines. And the true nature that we have is beautiful. It's real. And that is the place of true peace. We look for it far away when it is so close to us. Even in the most hopeless of situations, there is hope. This is who we are. There is a resilience, there is an understanding, there is a strength to every human being. And that is the strength to march towards the gateways of inner peace.
Guildhall, City of London - 1st June 2007

The City of London Corporation Guildhall was made available to Rawat for a speech and PR spin on payment of a significant donation. The Prince of Wales and the Prime Minister did not attend. There may well have been some distinguished guests who weren't pwks and were expected to attend such functions. Rawat got his press releases this time honestly by paying for them in the time honoured fashion of publicity for charitable donations. Professor Ron Geaves, a long time worshipper of Rawat's, from a very minor institution added intellectual gravitas.