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Prem Rawat:
Hello, everyone. I hope you’re doing well. I’ve been busy trying to get things ready. Pretty soon we should be announcing the Peace Education Program—and that, I’m looking forward to it.
But we are coming very close to chapter three of this coronavirus thing. It’s, I figured the chapter one was when it all started—and most countries were just gobsmacked of what’s going on; didn’t do anything.
And the second chapter was, you know, when they all jumped on it and started to finally take notice of it. And chapter three, kind of is coming out of it—and that’s, of course, been very, very interesting. And I do realize that that will open up the possibility for me to travel....
Of course, it’s going to provide its own challenges. I’m not going to have meetings in any way, shape, or form, where this coronavirus, COVID-19 could spread. So, that’s, you know, just looking at what can be done and how things can be done—but we’ll figure it out.
The main thing is for you to be focused on what really is happening. And what really is happening, by the way, is not this COVID-19 thing; it’s not this virus taking over. What’s really happening—that’s unique—it’s been happening for a while but it’s still unique.... And that is that you exist, that you’re alive.
What are you doing to address that? That’s the issue; that’s the question. Because in addressing that, a lot of things get put right. (“Get put right,” like what?) Like an immense amount of joy, immense amount of clarity, immense amount of understanding, immense amount of focus.
Because this existence, this “being alive” is more than just doing what the world has told you to do. You realize that you do what you do, not because you want to do it—but these are the customs, traditions, rules that you simply grew up with, and when you were a little child, you simply accepted them.
Your mother, father, told you “Do this, otherwise, go to your room.” And you decided after a while, “Room is no fun; I’ll cave in; I’ll do what my mom and dad want me to do.”
So, is that a bad thing? Is that a bad thing to cave into these rules and regulations? Of course not. We have to have some rules—we’re going to have rules. Even if your rule is not to follow those rules, that’s a rule. So, we’re going to—well, you’re going to end up with a rule anyways.
But there is another kind of rule that you need to pay attention to—and it’s not a rule, but it’s an opportunity. And the opportunity is that you’re alive. And that that means something. That that’s the unique thing. All this other stuff, it’s happened before. Nineteen-eighteen, Spanish flu, virus, Ebola. Many things, bird flu.
So, will there be more? Of course. Of course. Were there more before, that people didn’t, you know, get savvy to—of course. But what’s unique is, you are alive. And when is this going to happen again? Nobody knows. No one knows.
When are you going to come back? No one knows—could be millions of years, could be billions of years. But right now, here you are. You exist. And this is how it is.
The other day I came out and I was headed downstairs. And I looked up—and then I could see the stars, and I could see the moon—there was still a little bit of light; the sun was setting. It was beautiful.
And it just gave me a pause, just to think, “These heavenly bodies, these stars, these—the moon, everything out there, they have existed and seen....” And I don’t know if I can use the word, “seen.” Because I don’t think there is, you know, anybody out there looking at it and going, “Yeah, well, there it is,” so maybe “seen” isn’t the right word.
But they’ve been there as all these dramas played out. And geologically speaking, this is just that. Just that—just a second. Just a bat of an eye—and it’ll be over.
And in this “bat of an eye,” there you are. And in your life, in your existence, it isn’t about a “bat of an eye.” It is about you wanting, wanting something, wanting to be happy.
You know, I’m not going to go into what happiness is—but wanting to be happy, wanting to be content. And if we just remove the word “happiness” and just say, “Basically, you want to feel good.” That you don’t want to be worried—worried about tomorrow, about the consequences.
But you just want to feel alive, feel good. You want to be able to look at the moon, and admire its beauty and take it in. You want to look at that beautiful sunset, admire its beauty and take it in. And feel a part of it—because that same dirt that that moon is made from, that that sun is made from, you are made from.
And you want to be free; you want to be free from all the encumbrances you feel, all the weight that you feel on you. And if somehow, this life could be, not about tomorrow, but about today—about where I give action to my thoughts.... And when I take those thoughts and convert them into actions, now they become irreversible, unchangeable.
And I just want to feel good—that I lived for contentment, that I lived for happiness, for joy—that I lived for those reasons that are worth living! And I understood why I am here. That it wasn’t a mystery; that I didn’t live in this mystery, but I lived in clarity.
And it was obvious. Huh? “Obvious,” yeah, that’s the keyword, obvious. Not that somebody told me—and so I believed it: “I read it in a book, so I believe it.” No, it became obvious—clear. And then, living this life is (taah) so simple—becomes full of joy.
So, is that the way it is for me every day? No. All of those other things, all of those things of this: “What’s going to happen here; what’s going to happen here; who said that, person said that; oh, well, what’s this; what’s that...?”
But when I am not in that, and I have that moment of clarity.... You see, clarity isn’t about hours, and clarity isn’t about minutes, but a moment will do—because its consequences are long; the effects of that clarity are long.
That I can feel that I am alive, that I live. And I regard that feeling of being alive as the most precious feeling. That it’s important to me. That I understand that my little world revolves around that, of being alive. Then I know. Then I understand. Then it’s okay. Now I don’t have to look.... And I don’t have to drown in the sea of “why.”
“Why, why this; why that; why that; why that; why....” Because “why,” it—hey, when I was little, maybe it started off as “Why, why, why do I have to do this; why do I have to do that; why is the moon there, why is the sun there; why is the earth round; why is this; why the….”
Oh, no, no, no, no, no, and then by the time I get older, it—all that changes to “Why, why am I sad; why...?” See, it gets—from wondering what moon is like—and “why the moon...?”
Because somebody asked that—that’s, somebody asked that question. And it’s like, “The universe doesn’t care. Why am I here?” Why are you here; you don’t know? Because obviously, there is a reason. This much you must understand.
The person actually wrote, it’s like, you know, “The universe doesn’t care.” It’s not about the universe, my friend. It’s about you looking at the universe that matters. This is what has been made possible—not the universe looking at you, you looking at the universe.
This is what it’s about. Me being alive; you being alive. Us understanding our existence. This is the beautifulness, the beauty, the joy! Every day, to wake up to this possibility. Every day, wake up—to wake up! Because everything else that we associate with, everything else that we give as a “meaning to our lives” with, that’s not it. That’s not it.
Somebody once brought a very expensive car. And I said, “Oh, what a nice car you have.” (And I, I’m into cars; I like cars.) And that person said to me, “So, should I be driving one of these?” (It was a, rather an expensive car.) And I said, “You look good in it. Why not? Absolutely, if that’s what you want to do, do it.”
But it’s not about that. That’s not the reason why your life is important. Because you run a big business, that’s not the reason.... Is there a problem running a big business? No. It’s all about all of that that you do—but also do that that has become a possibility because you are alive on the face of this earth.
So, what is that? That is you, (not your kin, not your friend), but you filled with joy.
Yeah, somebody, it’s like, “Oh, yeah, you know...?” But I see people—and sometimes they’re devastated because they’ve lost everything they had. This one guy, a long time ago, came to me and he says, “Oh, I’ve got a problem.” And I said, just said, “But yes, what’s your problem?” And he said, you know, “I lost my business.”
I said, “Umm, tell me something. You were born with this business?” And he goes, “No, no, no, I built it up.” And I said, “I bet you learnt a lot, building it up, huh?” He goes, “Oh, yeah, I learnt a lot; I made a lot of mistakes.” So I said, “Good. You learnt a lot—now do it again. Do it again—build your business up—and make sure you don’t make the same mistakes; you will do it quicker.”
So, he looked at me like, you know, “Okay.” And I said, “But there’s something else. You think you are here for this business? That your happiness is associated with this business? It’s not.
“Your happiness has something to do with you, with your resources that are within you. And if you can find them—and you can find the joy that resides in you, then you can run your business—and you will not be looking for that one thing that your business can never give you. You will not be looking at this world for what this world can never give you.”
And that is, my friends, that clarity, that joy, that fulfillment. This world, there’s nothing.... I mean, the world can give you a lot of good things. Umm-umm, you know, ice cream is pretty good. Oh, and yeah, samosas, those are good. Pecan pie, that’s great.
But there’s something greater than all of that. And it is buried in every breath that you take, in your existence. When you look up to this universe with bewilderment, with fascination, with “Wow,” that’s what it’s all about. When you can turn to the universe within—and go, “Wow,” then you got it. Then you have it. Then that’s what it is all about.
That’s what true freedom is. Free—because you know the source of you, of your joy. Now you’re free to choose. Ah, you’re free to choose. And choose wisely, my friend. Choose that which you are made for.
Live your life in that joy that has been made possible because you are alive—just that, because you’re alive. Be fulfilled because you’re alive. See that clarity because you’re alive. Know that beauty because you are alive. And be free from the slavery of ignorance. Ignorance—that you don’t know what you have buried within you, not knowing all the treasures you carry within you.
Pretty soon the Peace Education Program is going to be ready, so that’s going to be coming on. Again, looking at all the countries that are going to start opening up, looking at the possibility of traveling....
And I want to—I want to come and see you all. And I want to look into your eyes—and I want to see your smile; I want to see your smiling eyes.... And that would be wonderful. And this is what I am looking forward to.
Of course, I have to do it judiciously; I don’t want anybody to get sick from this. And not, certainly, from my actions—I mean, still it is the same thing: “Don’t give it to anyone and don’t get it from anyone,” just to exercise that caution.
And, you know, and it’s not a big deal. We can do things if we know where to look for that joy inside of us. And that you could be busy being happy. How’s that; how’s that? In this life, in this world, you should always, always, always be busy being happy.
So, thank you very much. And I’ll talk to you soon. Take care; be well; be safe. Most importantly, be.
