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There was a time when I was named “Prem”—and I couldn’t say “Prem.” I couldn’t pronounce my own name! Who was I, then? Somebody else? “Gaga goo-goo”? Can you imagine, all of us would be named “Gaga Goo-Goo.” We all said “gaga goo-goo”.

So, “Nice to see you, Gaga goo-goos.” But, it’s not that! It has nothing to do with it! “What is the reality?” Unless you can get to that, the rest doesn’t matter.

People in their lives: “Oh my God, I have this problem.” You know, you’re not that unique. You’re pretty unique. You’re not that unique. Let me explain something. This problem that you’re experiencing? It’s used. Somebody else had it before. And now you have it. And when it’s done with you, it’ll go find somebody else. They’re not unique! It feels like they’re unique, but they’re not unique.

Because in this life, in this existence, find that lake—the lake of serenity—and swim and feel. And that’s how gratitude comes. That’s the true gratitude. True gratitude does not have to be taught! We teach our kids, “Say ‘thank you.’”

My own daughter, with my grandson: “And what do you say?” And he goes, “Thank you.” And I was thinking about that one day...what is gratitude? So, gratitude truly is when somebody does something for you that is good, and because that made you feel good, you take some of that goodness and you give that in return to that person. That’s gratitude. Not “Thank you.”

This is what we need to teach—because gratitude is extremely important. But we have shortchanged it by these words called “thank you.” Indians have the similar word; it’s called “sorry.”

They say it for everything—“Sorry. Sorry? Sorry. Sorry-sorry-sorry! Sorry. Sorry-sorry-sorry, sorry, sorry-sorry, sorry.” It’s almost like “thank you” to them.

But we’re starting to teach words, where what needs to be taught is feeling. So, in the same way, peace is not this word, “peace.” Peace is something else; it cannot be described. And that’s what you need to feel every day in your life.
– Prem Rawat

What happens when a person is in peace? What happens? There is a recognition; there is a simplicity; there is an appreciation. There is a gratitude. This is what happens: recognition of each other; recognition that “my need is like yours.” That it isn’t about power. That it isn’t about destruction. But it is about preserving that which is precious. It is about appreciating the gift that we have been given. It is about being alive.

You think being alive is to walk? No! Being alive is that person that has a heart full of gratitude, that has an understanding, that has the aroma of kindness, a passion for peace, and a singularity—not confusion, but a clarity to the objective of being alive. That’s when the reason why sun is where it is makes sense. That is when being on this earth makes sense.

When I say, “The knowledge of the self, knowledge of the self,” this is connecting to the message, the very message that Socrates said. “Know thyself.” He could have said anything. He could have said anything. He could have said, “Dates are too expensive.” You know?

But he didn’t say that. What did he say? “Know thyself. Know thyself.”

What effort do we make in a day to know yourself? Everybody else? “Oh, I want to know that person, I want to know that person, I want to know that person, I want to.... Can I have your phone number?”

What is your phone number? What is really your phone number? The one that goes to you? That number that nobody else can pick up? That only goes to you? You don’t know, do you? Area code? “Human being.” Human being. Need? Peace.

That’s your nature. And when you understand that, then you begin to feel the thirst, the thirst for peace. And do you know, the day you find peace begins with the day you feel the thirst for peace. Once you feel the thirst, water is there.

You know, before you come into the desert, people go...people go with the tents into the desert. “Oh, look at the stars.” I’ve done this, see. “Look at the stars. Oh, look at the sand. Oh, look at the sunset. Oh, look at the sunrise. Oh, listen to the quietness.” But when you get thirsty, “Bye, stars. Bye, this. Bye, that. Water. Water. Water, water, water,” till you find it.

There’s good news. And the good news is that the peace you are looking for is inside of you, is inside of you. Always will be. And the day you recognize it, the day you experience it, you will start living.

– Prem Rawat

To be rich requires two things. To be rich requires two things: one is that you have something precious and the second part of it is you have a lot of it.

See, if you have gold about the size of a pinhead, that won’t make you rich. But if you had a lot of it, that’ll make you rich. Two things to be rich: you have something precious and two, you have a lot of it.

Now, the second question becomes: “Do you feel rich? Is there something that you have that is precious and you have a lot of it?”

And I will tell you that there is something that is incredibly precious, and you have a lot of it. And it is this breath that comes and goes in you. Is it precious? Of course! No monies of the world could buy it. And do you have a lot of it? Oh, yeah! Day and night, it comes, goes; comes, goes; comes, goes….

Every second, if you can understand its preciousness—and every second is precious—and do you have a lot of those? Yes! Yes! But do you know it? Not think it, know it?

Peace is for those who know. Peace is for those who know.

So, I’m talking about the real peace in your life. This is what people want. This is what you have to want. This is what you have to need in your life.

Do whatever is necessary to bring peace in your life, because when you bring peace in your life, not only will it bring you peace, it will also bring you an immense amount of happiness—and a gratitude: thankful to be alive.

– Prem Rawat

Do you know what today is to you? It’s the day that goes by too quickly—right?

People say, “I don’t have enough time during the day.” It’s not that you have enough time or not—because the days are exactly the same. It’s your wants, your wishes; they keep multiplying, multiplying, multiplying....

It is what takes you to the shop, “I want to see the dresses. Oh, yes, this blue one would look perfect.” You buy the blue one. By the time you get home, “I wish I would have bought the red one.”

How many of you have closets that are overfilled? Why? (Oh, me too, believe me.) But, yes! All these, all these, all these keep rotating and rotating, and the desires keep going: “The days get shorter.” Not the days get shorter; the desires get longer.

And all you have to do is then remember that which is important, that which will produce gratitude—not confusion and anger and fear and doubt—but gratitude, because a heart filled with gratitude will dance. And as a consequence, peace will reign in your kingdom. The drought will be gone, and prosperity will come.

There’s prosperity on the outside, and there’s prosperity on the inside. A person who prospers on the outside but not on the inside, that’s a house that’s going to fall one day. (Physics!) Termites, they eat the inside; then that house falls.

But when there is prosperity on the inside, then there will be prosperity on the outside. And when there’s prosperity on the inside and the outside, everything goes fine. Everything goes fine.

This is not about sacrifice. This is about discovery. This is not about confusion; this is about clarity. This is not about believing; this is about knowing—because that is the only way that peace will ever come to you—ever.

– Prem Rawat