We have a program that is initiated by The Prem Rawat Foundation, TPRF. And one of the things that the Foundation puts out is the Peace Education Program, and we call it “PEP.” The PEP has just started a few years back, and it’s one of the most incredible programs around the world.
It first started from prisons. All of a sudden the prison officials noted that the inmates that had gone through the Peace Education Program had the lowest rate of return when they were released. So they started taking a look at “what is this?” And the University of Texas San Antonio, who specializes in monitoring all of this, became really, really fascinated by the program.
Since then, this program spread from India to South Africa, to America, to Europe, to the Pacific. And people write to me, and they’re saying, “If I knew about this before, I would not be here.” People ask us, “Please show this program to my children, so they don’t end up like me.”
What does this program really deal with? This program deals with people and their choices. It says, “What choice you made has brought you here, and what choice you make will get you out of here.”
This program, since then, is not now limited to prisons anymore. Now it has spread to the veterans—these are the soldiers coming back from the war—police, army, universities, colleges, libraries, hospice, hospitals, doctors, through the whole spectrum.
Maybe we have not gone through the Peace Education Program, but what choices do we make every day? Our choices, each one of us—our choices are going to have an influence on this world.
You know, I say—and I have said this at many, many events with hundreds of thousands of people there—and what I say is this: “All the major religions in the world, if they just did one thing, which is to tell their people, their followers, ‘If you want to go to heaven, first make it heaven here.’”
That’s all. That’s all—and nothing has to change. Just add one more thing, “If you want to go to heaven, make it heaven here,” and we would have a different world.
Because this is unique—this planet Earth is incredibly unique. If you remember back in the ´70s, end of the ´70s, they sent a spacecraft, and they put all these things in there—it was ´70s or ´80s, at the end of it—and they had pictures of the earth and recordings from different animals and different things, and people.
And the idea was that maybe some intelligent life force would intercept this craft and would try to contact us. So far, nothing. There are scientists; they’re looking for life outside, spending billions and billions of dollars looking for life. I would like them to contact me—because I know where there is life. It’s here.
First take care of this planet. That’s all. Because according to the scientists, one day this planet will not be here. The sun will not be here; the moon will not be here. You have all heard of Einstein. Einstein said, “Whatever has been created will be destroyed.” That includes this universe; it will be destroyed.
And so, what we have is unique, is precious, including our life, this one life that we have—and we have to make the most of it. And to make the most of it, it is not only the technology, but also the fulfillment from the heart, from inside.
Then, we will have a balance. Because right, now it’s incredibly imbalanced. Everything outside and little or no understanding of the human potential.
So, it’s my honor, my pleasure to be able to come here today, and to be able to address you, to tell you just my feeling, my message of peace. And I wish you the best of luck.
– Prem Rawat
