Prem Rawat: Peace Is Looking For You
This speech was distributed on 2 DVDs, one under the name Maharaji, titled "Value of a Moment" and this one under Prem Rawat, "Peace Is Looking For You." At this time Rawat and his minions were starting the process of transferring the teachings and infrastructure from 'Maharaji' and 'Elan Vital' to 'Prem Rawat' and 'Words of Peace Global' which was less groups of volunteers and more a virtual internet cult. This process was obviouisly planned years beforehand unlike the sudden and deleterious death of Divine Light Mission and the disappearance of 'Guru Maharaj Ji.' This process ended circa 2010. There are no ongoing websites with connections to Prem Rawat available on the internet after that period that mention Maharaji. Naturally the faithful devotees who paid for all this had no input and I'm not sure they were even informed of the process beforehand.
There were signiicant cuts done to the Prem Rawat version. No mention of 'aspirants.' All words of the 'aspirants' was removed and othe cuts made so the the Rawat version was more introductory. The cuts are highlighted in bold print. In the Rawat version, the speech was more concise, much of Maharaji's unfortunate phrasing was removed and it was much shorter.
Mr Prem Rawat or Maharaji as the audience thought of him, was greeted with wild applause which lasted longer than usual despite his weird up and down flutterng movements of his hands hands saying "stop, but not immediately."
- Rawat always likes to throw in a Catch 22 put-down of audience skeptics. "I don't come here to say nice words, inspiring words, something you can go and sit and talk over coffee and go, 'Well, thirst, now that's fascinating.' " His other Catch 22 is "If you don't feel thirsty, whatever I've said to you this evening makes no sense whatsoever" ie translate into English: "If you don't feel desperate, you won't be attracted to my bullshit."
- He also expresses an unwarranted satisfaction with his own speeches. "So maybe you said 'I have heard this before. This is good pretty good inspiring stuff.' " He must know that these speeches inspire only his existing long-term audience. They do not have much success in attracting new people in the "west" but may be doing better in less sophisticated areas.
Prem Rawat: Peace Is Looking For You DVD 03V1PILFY (39:40)
Prem Rawat speaks to people around the world about the possibility of finding inner peace and contentment. Speaking at the United Nations Conference Center 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. He delivered his first public address in India when he was only four years old. At the age of 13, he was invited to address audiences in London and Los Angeles. Since then, he has presented his message to over 4.5 million people in more than 50 countries. For those who wish to make such peace a reality in their lives, he offers a practical way which he calls Knowledge.
So tonight, I'd like to begin a little reference to a little drop from the ocean as vapour. And by the way, you're not going to be tested on this. So you can actually just sit back and listen. As vapour to form clouds, to move over land, to rain down upon the mountains as snow, and then slowly begin the process of melting. One drop at a time, and collecting, and collecting, and collecting. And then all the drops somewhere joining together to make a mighty river. When you look at that river, and you look at its might, you get a clue that this began with a drop.
How can you? Drop, a drop can change the shape of the mountains, form canyons that are unbelievably deep. A drop can take large boulders, stones, and toss them like they were a little toy. Break them down to make sand. Create civilizations and destroy civilizations. A drop does this. And then, mysteriously, to go and join the ocean again. And lose all of its identity as if it did not exist. No more flowing, no more ebbing, no more turning, nothing. To go and join the ocean again.
Why am I talking about a drop? What has this got to do with inner peace Well, wait a minute. Let's just take an inventory of what we've got. What have we got? A few seconds come together and make a minute. And before you know it, a few minutes come together and make an hour. And before you know it, a few hours come together and make a day. And before you know it, a few days come together and make a week. And before you know it, a few weeks come together and make a month. And a few months come together and make a year. And a few years come together and make a lifetime. A lifetime.
But forget, as those seconds came together, forget what it is that is sewing this fabric of creation, sewing this fabric of life. What is it that's making it evolve? What is it that's making it change? What is it that's making it transform? What is that wish? What is that desire to transform? And whether you like it or not, you transform. Coming here, driving, it was very interesting. Come through one area and it was very nice. Nice houses, clean, wonderful. Then you come through another area, disrepair. Dirty, garbage everywhere, graffiti on the walls. People walking around not caring. Drive a few more yards, it seemed like, and somewhere else. So I asked my driver, I said, what is it? Why is this place in such disrepair? Oh, terrible things happen here.
I can see that. I can see that. But can I also see it in my life? Are there places that I have forgotten all about? Those places that have fallen in disrepair? Have I forgotten those little things that mattered the most to me? The most.
Those seconds. I know that there are children who get into this mode of asking why, why they won't stop. And if you are a parent or you've been a parent, you will know that when it comes to trying to explain to them about tomorrow, it is such an alien concept for a child. I want my toy now. But no, you'll get it tomorrow. Why? Why? What is tomorrow? We all know about tomorrow. Why is it the child doesn't understand that concept? Food, yes. Water, yes. Sleep, yes. Awake, yes. Need, yes. But no theories, please. No theories. Something real has to be woven into this life. This life cannot be just a bunch of speculation of what it might be like or what it must be like. A theory, a philosophy, no. Somebody asked me that question, what is the difference between what you teach and philosophy? And I said this is not about questions, this is about answers. Because it is.
Your life is about answers. Your life is about feeling. Your life, your existence is not like a mantra repeating "peace, peace, peace." No, it is about having the peace manifest in this life. Pick up a newspaper and see a little article, yes. And I feel very good after jogging. All my tensions are relieved. Is that what life is about? Is that what existence is about? Is that what you were given? Is that what manifests in one second? Is that what that drop is all about? That one drop. That's who you are. And no matter how fast the river flows, no matter how strong the river gets, it will be the composition of those drops. And you know what? When the drops slow down, so will the river. That relationship will never change.
And when the drops dry up, so will the river. When you cease to acknowledge the value of each moment in your life, then that desire, that want to transform, carries no meaning. Because now it is just a meld of a bunch of seconds coming together, coming together, coming together, coming together. Forming that hour. And the hours coming together and forming that day and so on and so on and so on. And just one lifetime.
And then we sit. We plan. Yes, I want to retire at this age and this is what to do. And the question becomes, you retire. And the question becomes, you retire. Why do you retire? You ask people, why are you retiring? So I can do what I've always wanted to do. So what is it that you have always wanted to do? Always wanted. That you wanted to do when you were three. And you were four. And you were five and you wanted to do. And you didn't think you could do it. So you said, oh maybe when I'm ten. And you asked little kids. Little kids, little children like to round up their age. It's really interesting. I'm almost ten. Why are you in such a hurry to grow up? I'll tell you why. Because the idea is that if I grow up. Then I can do what I have always wanted. But it didn't get done. It didn't get done. But I know.
Interesting. I know what I have always wanted to do. And I know that there is something that I want to do. And then the aspiration is to become sixteen. Sixteen. Then I can do what I want to do. Sixteen it gets to be twenty-one. Twenty-one I'll be able to do what I want to do. Thirty. And you know once you get to that zone. The figures start rolling back. You ask a person seven years later they're still thirty-five. Then from there it goes I'm in my thirties. And then once they are almost past forty I am in my late thirties. A reluctance to have become older. Without having done what you have always wanted to do.
Not yet. And then sixty-five I will retire and then I can finally do what I have always wanted to do. And at your retirement you realize you still haven't done it. And then by some chance you come across that ten-year-old. Or the nearly ten-year-old. And you look into that ten-year-old's eye. And what do you see? What do you see? Why is that ten-year-old, why is that eight-year-old so attractive? Well let me refresh your memory. You see in those eyes the same passion that you once had. And the same thirst and the same desire. To do what you have always wanted to do. Common ground. It's common ground. And you've been through your journey and you've experienced this and you've experienced that.
And you've seen the world and you've seen this and you've seen that and now you're back to yourself And you're back to that place which says Do what you have always wanted to and what is that? Should I tell you? If I tell you, you will say "No That's not it." So I won't tell you. But I know you know. I know you know that something within you thirsts to be content. That something within you thirsts to trade curiosity for knowing.
Curiosity. Curiosity. What is that" what is that" what is that" what is that" what is that" what is that" and not once does the curiosity satisfy the heart And people think that if they keep with their curiosity, maybe one day they will have it No that you see you must understand The nature of curiosity is not to be satisfied Because if curiosity satisfies it disappears it goes poof gone So it preserves itself through whatever you do it preserves itself as curiosity.
**** Aspirants *******
So here, what I am referring to is not thinking. It's feeling. You know why? Because that is the first greatest gift you have. That is one of the most incredible powers you have because you can feel and when you place in front of that power to be able to feel doubt. Then you feel doubt. It's very simple and when you place in front of that power to be able to feel confusion. Yes, you feel confused and when you place in front of that power anger. You feel angry and when you place in front of that power ignorance, you feel very ignorant. But but when you place in front of that power, peace. Ah. Yes, then you feel peace. When you place in front of that power, Knowledge. And yes. You feel Knowledge. When you place in front of that power, to be able to feel understanding, then yes, you feel understanding.
It's not really that difficult. Peace is within you, always has been and always will be. What you are looking for is within you, always has been and always will be. Are you kidding
me? (laughter) What I've been looking for all my life. I've had it within me "Well, yeah." Because that's what's beautiful that
Yes, there is a thirst and
Yes, there is the thirsty and
Yes, there's water,
Yes, there is the seed and
Yes, there is the soil, And
Yes, there is the plant,
Yes, there is the breath,.
Yes, there is this existence and
Yes within this existence is the thirst to want to know, to be fulfilled and yes, yes,
Yes, there is the desire for joy and
Yes there is joy
Yes, there is that want to be in that tranquility
The world is looking for solutions. Solutions for problems that exist. What is the nature of darkness? Why does that exist? Darkness irks you. What's so inconvenient about the darkness? Let me qualify this, nothing if you want to sleep. Darkness becomes rather inconvenient when I want to go somewhere. When I want to circumvent my obstacles and I can't see them. Because you see I have any problem circumventing my obstacles provided I can see them. Then darkness becomes an issue. Flashlights come into play, dim lights come into play, automatic lights come into play. And it is the same for us .If we want to understand the value of each one of those drops that is falling. Because that's our true identity. Our true identity is in each breath and each moment called now. You will not find your identity in tomorrow and you will not find your identity in the past. Those two are the biggest illusions that you just happen to believe in like crazy. In fact, you know more about tomorrow than you did about today and your entire lifetime is going to be spent in today. Not in tomorrow. You even know this. But you're stuck in this narrow moment called now. You're stuck and there's nothing you can do to escape it. So are you a prisoner or are you free? If you could understand what this moment called now is, you will understand how free you are. You are more free than you ever understood. Now is the most freeing there is? Because tomorrow has bars and Yesterday is a definite prison. Do you know how many people are trying to liberate themselves from yesterday? Just be free. Freedom. You're all freedom fighters. Whether you know it or not. Why does that is your nature. Your nature is to want that peace and in this moment called now there is that … There is that tranquility. There is that joy and it is now and you know what? Now is your forever. That will be as forever as the forever will ever get. Home is here. Here. Understanding is here
The joy is here. The place without a doubt is here. The ocean of answers is here, the ocean of peace is here. I know you have always heard, "You know, I'm looking for peace." But if I told you peace has been looking for you? Hasn't it? Now how many times have you crossed paths? Any? Doesn't matter where I go in this whole world I do not have a problem when I say "Peace." I do not have a problem people understanding when I say "Tranquility." Yeah, I have a problem when I say "Joy," everybody seems to understand it just fine. I Have a big problem when I start speaking about one set of principles over other. I have a problem if I get into philosophy, I try to stay away from it. But I have a problem when I say to people "Now is the time, this lifetime is the time. This is your magic."
This is your miracle. Lot of people say, "You know, so tell us what is the difference between what you say and religion?" Religion after death, this before death. I'm Not here to change people's ideas of what's going to happen to you after you die. I know. My philosophy on that is well, I'll find out. I care." That's not the day I'm waiting for. I'm not fascinated by that. I'm fascinated by life. To see it, to feel life. Not live it in some mental element. But to feel life to feel to breathe, to see, to know, to be fascinated by the one thing that will continue to happen all your life till it is no more. And you know what that is within will within you will come this incredible gift of life with every breath and it'll touch you and you will go on another moment in another moment in another moment. forget.
It's just but a drop and a drop and a drop that accounts for the mighty river of your life. One moment at a time it comes be ready. Be ready to welcome this life. Be ready to welcome this existence. Be ready to say come and when you can be in that place perhaps someday, someday you'll be able to say "Thank you for coming, thank you for this existence, thank you for this moment." To most people this is asking too much. Is it? Having been in this world, having been given this gift. The gift that will never repeat itself. It is not the day my friends that will not come back. It is the moment that is not going to come back. If you can understand the value of that moment. It is as this breath comes, it is not this one again. That is coming again and to know, not to take my word for it, tto know
So maybe you said "I have heard this before. This is good pretty good inspiring stuff." This is what I have to tell you this is the news if you are thirsty I …
If you don't feel thirsty, whatever I've said to you this evening makes no sense whatsoever. Just like to a person who's not thirsty, you offer them water, no, it's okay, I understandd. When you are just a little bit thirsty, water is a good idea. What water should I get? Let's go. Let's go to the supermarket. French water, Australian water, glacier water, roaring forties water, New York City water. New York claims it's the best. Water from the spring. Okay. Pure rainwater. I know which one to buy. Let me check the mineral content, salt, sodium content. I've done that because I wasn't thirsty. I'm just playing games. What about that person in the desert who's dying of thirst? Which water would you like? Give me water. That's what I want. I'm thirsty. Give me water. Not water that quenches the thirst of my mind, because that thirst is never going to get quenched. That is its nature. But the thirst of my heart is what needs to be quenched. And that requires the sweetest water. And that is what Self-Knowledge is all about.
********** Aspirants *******
The need of your heart, of your thirst, of your life. You are the only one who is privy to that. No one else knows. And no one else needs to know. But the day you have felt that thirst and the day you have decided, you have decided that in your life, you want this thirst quenched, look me up. I can help. That's what I do.
I don't come here to say nice words, inspiring words, something you can go and sit and talk over coffee and go, "Well, thirst, now that's fascinating." The possibility is real. But, but before you can begin to take even the smallest step, you have to be thirsty. If you feel the thirst, go looking for water. You're going to get lost. You know why? Because you're not thirsty. You're going to look at something and go, nice car, nice this, nice girl, nice boy, nice house.
You see, because you're not thirsty, all those things make a lot of difference. And pretty soon you're going to find yourself on some crossing, scratching your head. Why did I come out here anyways? And then maybe you would have gone for so long that you would become thirsty. And then your search would begin. Because without saying it, there is something… You know what it is that you have always wanted to do? Here is your time, now is your opportunity. Do it. And that's my message.
Is it simple? Yes, because life is simple. How simple is it that this breath comes? How simple is it that this breath goes? And how simple is it that it comes again? How simple it is that every second that comes together to form the minute, the minute to the hour, the hour to the day, the day to the week, to the month, to the year. Before you know it, it's a lifetime. It's a lifetime.
Embrace the joy in your heart. And let me tell you this too. Maybe you're not interested in Self-Knowledge. Maybe you don't want to see my face again. I don't have a problem with that. But wherever you go, whatever you do, whatever you decide to do, live this life a little consciously. See if you can strike that place in you where you can be thankful for each breath, for each day. You know why? You should be. You know why? Because there's something you've always wanted to do. Do it.
Thank you very much. Good evening. Thank you. Thank you.