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My reverence to our Guru Paramparā, without whom none of us would be here now. My gratitude to our Parambarā for the knowledge, the wisdom, and the very existence that brings us all a little closer to our own Self, that imparts to us this knowledge of what is true, what is honest, and what is reality. I am delighted to see so many familiar faces, faces I have rarely seen but have encountered repeatedly over many years. People with whom we share experiences, grow older, and perhaps also become somewhat more mature. Vienna is always an experience for me. Vienna lives above all from its history, from the many events and great people who have lived in this city and still live here, and who through their deeds have sown seeds which have now grown into a proper forest. Whether they are personalities from politics, public life, art, science, or spirituality. Many of these people led a spiritual life, perhaps without even realizing it. Of course, it is always interesting to say and also to recognize whether one is consciously leading a spiritual life or unconsciously. But ultimately, what matters are the fruits of our actions and deeds. Many of these personalities were situated in the field of what we today call psychology. I think of Freud, of Adler, and above all of a person who keeps coming to my mind because he led a life that is not necessarily considered spiritual, but if we look from another perspective, helped so many people and continued on his personal path. That was Viktor Frankl. His name alone, Viktor, the Victorious. He founded a school that is today known as Logotherapy or Existential Analysis. In his system, the human being is the center of the universe, of their universe. When one looks at the personal story of Viktor Frankl, one can only truly admire it. As a Jew during the Second World War, he was deported, his family was gassed, and he himself survived. The interesting thing is, after his return to Vienna, he held no resentment; instead, he took his life back into his own hands and continued on. Continuing means he did not see himself in self-pity or as a victim, but he stood up again. And he looked forward, he had a goal, and he saw a purpose in everything, a purpose in what had happened to him personally. He processed what had happened to him in a positive way and passed it on, thereby helping many people. I remember that he revealed four qualities that are important when one is in a crisis in life or when something has happened: forgiveness, gratitude, letting go, and moving forward. I also remember a song by a well-known musician who was always very expressive in his lyrics, who said: let it grow, let it flow, let it blossom, let it go. In Satsang—everyone here knows the term, Sat is truth, Sang is place, society—normally, the truth is spoken about or should be spoken about. But what is the truth? What is true for you and what is true for me? What is true for me today may perhaps no longer be true tomorrow. Truth is a very extensive concept. I fondly remember the passage where Mahāmaṇḍaleśvara Svāmī Nirañjanānandajī spoke. One phrase has remained particularly memorable to me, engraved in my brain, where he said: "Look for the truth, for the Self, search for the Self, inquire into the Self, and nothing else matters, nothing else, nothing else." The search for truth has been the concern since there have been human beings. Before I came here today, I did not exactly know what I should speak about. Because Satsang—yes, who can truly speak about the truth? Only the one who knows and recognizes the truth. I thought to myself, it’s better if I say I am giving a lecture. Since I didn’t know what to talk about, and as Svāmī Chāśaraj so likes to say, "Actually I don't know what I should talk about." And that is wonderful, that is honest. I also thought, well, if I am already coming to the Ashram and look around, I know that wherever I look, there is something that warms the heart. No matter where one looks, one finds something where an inspiration arises, a thought, a depth. So I was thinking as I sipped my tea. When I was finished, I looked into the cup. Next to it was a small card. I read: "The experiences of the heart are always true." Very well. But what are the experiences of the heart? And when we believe these are the experiences of the heart, are they truly experiences of the heart or something else? Then I thought, isn’t it also the case that when we meditate, when we look inward, we have experiences that no longer require justification, where we simply know: this is okay, this is good, that is true, that is real, that is genuine. And how often do we experience that these very experiences change again? Authenticity, truth, and reality are three entirely different things. But we must start from where we feel, embody, and recognize authenticity. In English, it is called truthfulness, honesty, authenticity. I remember an incident at the Kumbh Melā seven years ago in Allahabad. As if out of nowhere, I met a Svāmī whom I had known for a long time. When we met again, he spoke about the concept of truth, honesty, and trustfulness. I have already forgotten most of it. I thought to myself, since I have this card and believe it has something to do with today, why shouldn’t I remember a little of what he said? I have rummaged a bit in my loose consciousness, in my memories, and gathered some points that are relevant to honesty in daily life. It has nothing grand to do with spirituality, but I personally believe it is important to establish a foundation upon which we can build. As long as we do not have this honesty, this truthfulness, even when we express it in our love and compassion, if it is not truthful and honest, then everything is superficial. It has no foundation, no power; it is only temporarily limited. I have made some notes for myself. The first is, above all, honesty in keeping one’s word. How often do we say something in life, meaning it just one way, but the other person thinks, "This is what matters, he says it honestly, it comes from within." Many of our relationships are built this way. And how often do disappointments arise because one says, "You did say it like that," and then we say, "I didn’t mean it that way." This is very important because it is the foundation for self-respect. The second is honesty in the description of an event. That may sound simple, but it is not, because it is always subjective. How often do we hear Svāmījī say, "No chit-chat, no small talk"? Because we are all subjective observers; we perceive the observation subjectively. And when we pass it on, it already changes color. Not only do we all wear glasses—green, red, blue—this is how we see the world. But another thing is how we pass it on, how we share it further. The third hears it quite differently than it is said, and so on. Then this cycle of misunderstanding arises. So honesty in describing an event is not simple at all. Then, honesty in expressing one’s own thoughts and feelings. This is very challenging. Often we say something that we do not truly mean, and often we convey something that is quite different from what we actually feel. This is very strongly based on certain societal norms. How far can we take this in our lives? How deeply are we bound by certain norms in our profession, in the family, in our environment? The strongest expression of this bondage we know from earlier times at the court of a ruler. There was one at the court who could afford to speak—the court jester. Of course, he lived a dangerous life. But he was permitted to say it; he had the status. Today it is a bit different, but it is important to know with a certain discernment what I can say, what I should say, and how I can say it. And also, when should I say it, and when should I not say it? That requires courage for oneself. Then, honesty or genuineness in the struggle for justice. It is one thing whether one speaks and acts now, and another whether one remains silent. Where injustice occurs, where one withdraws and says, "This is none of my concern," or whether one stands up. The next is honesty in relationships. How honest are we in our relationships? In our relationship with ourselves? How often do we deceive ourselves? How often do we run away from ourselves? How often do we put something in front of us so as not to see what lies behind it? This is a very important matter. But honesty should not be confused with transparency. Certain things in life should not be accessible to the public; they are private and should remain private. The next is honesty in self-discipline. We know this very well from yoga. Everyone knows for themselves how we manage to do it or how we fail. This has to do with the control of desires, of our attachments. Self-discipline is an important factor upon which our success is built. Without self-discipline, nothing will work. And self-discipline is always an expression of our willpower. If we are not self-disciplined, what can we teach our children? This is very important. Then there is honesty in leading a disciplined life in our conduct. This is a clear, structural process in life. Very important for people who want to achieve something—athletes, artists, professionals. And also clear for people who practice yoga. It is about practice and the honesty not to say, "Oh, today I cannot practice." It is easy to speak about these ideals, but actually very difficult to put them into practice. Who among us truly has a regulated, disciplined life? How often do we find excuses? Then a very important point is honesty, being true to oneself. To be oneself. What does it even mean to be oneself? Who am I then? If I do not know this, how can I be myself? I can say, okay, I know my likes, my dislikes, certain qualities. But is that all? The question is, the more I know of myself, of my inner self, the more I can truly be myself. Being oneself simply means recognizing, understanding, and also accepting one’s own nature, and acting accordingly. Once upon a time, there was a mystic who loved to bathe in the Gaṅgā. It was noon, high tide, and he saw a scorpion struggling in the water, desperately fighting to save its life. The saint takes his hand, and naturally, he is pricked, lets it fall again. Next to him stands another man who sees all this and says, "How can you possibly? You should know what is going on there. You will be stung; it is the nature of the scorpion to sting." The saint takes a small cloth, goes under the scorpion, and brings it to the shore. He turns to the other man and says, "Well, if it is the nature of the scorpion to sting, why should I neglect my own nature?" So honesty, being true to oneself, also means letting go of false identifications. How much do we identify with what we would like to be, what we would become, or how we would see ourselves? All advertising, the entire economy, is designed to convey to us an image for identification: young, beautiful, successful. As long as we identify with these externalities, we will always end up falling flat on our faces somewhere. Then we have one more point: honesty and the maintenance of constant mindfulness regarding truth. Complicated, isn’t it? Mindfulness and truth. We walk through life. But how much mindfulness do we have? What is happening around us? Most of the time, we are blocked in our thoughts. The wheel runs 24 hours. When we are not speaking outwardly, we are speaking inwardly. This is mindfulness. The mindfulness that something is happening, that our mind is at work. And then mindfulness—what is working there? What am I thinking? What is being felt? And then also the mindfulness—what can I do about it? We all know about yoga, and we all practice it. Mantra, mindfulness, joyful awareness. If we practice these things and immerse ourselves in them, being honest with ourselves about where we stand, then it is a huge step towards what we perceive and see as our own Self. Not this self that we represent with our feelings, thoughts, values, but this Self is our own innermost Self. That which guides us, which leads us, which gives us light, which holds significance in life. Our teacher, our master, is an external representative of this Self. And He guides and leads us so that we turn inward and find the inner Master. First seek and then find. But for that, honesty is necessary again. Truthfulness. That means mindfulness arises only through truthfulness. There is this beautiful story of Śukadeva. Śukadeva was a young saint who believed he had already completed his spiritual development. He knows everything. And one day he heard there is someone who is even greater: King Janaka. So he goes to the king’s court. The king tests him, makes him wait at the gate, then in the first chamber, and so on. Ultimately, King Janaka receives Śukadeva and says, "I have heard of your greatness. How did you achieve such spiritual greatness?" King Janaka said, "Tomorrow morning I will come to this room." The next morning, King Janaka prepared a small bowl filled with water. He says, "Do you still want to know how I came to my greatness? Take this bowl and place it on your head. Then make a round around my palace. If a drop from this bowl is wasted, you are one head shorter." Śukadeva, brave and resolute, walks the path around the palace. When he returns, the king asks him, "What were you thinking all this time?" Śukadeva says, "The only thing is, I actually didn’t think anything at all. I have only directed my mindfulness to ensure that I do not spill a single drop." And King Janaka said, "And that is exactly what made me great. The mindfulness, which, as they say in English, is choiceless awareness, in everything I do, from morning until night, in every activity. I am mindful, I am vigilant, and my mind is always directed toward the Highest." That means it is honesty and the maintenance of constant mindfulness regarding the truth. His focus was on the truth, King Janaka’s focus was on the truth, mindfulness. But with an honesty. This mindfulness, this honesty is not easy to attain, because as human beings we always have excuses. We have a history, a karmic story. Of course, we can say, yes, our childhood, our parents. But by doing so, we make ourselves victims, and that is not okay. We should begin to be honest with ourselves. And being honest with ourselves means taking self-responsibility for our doing, for our actions, for our being. It is not easy to say, "Yes, I want to see the truth. I want to know what is true." It is not about lies, moral judgments, norms, or values, but rather it goes beyond all that—what is reality, what lies behind space and time. We all know the story when Arjuna is together with Kṛṣṇa on the battlefield. Arjuna, quite depressed, wants to know what is behind all this. He asks Kṛṣṇa to show him what is reality, what is the truth. And Kṛṣṇa blesses Arjuna, and Arjuna begins to see. Arjuna was a true warrior, revered even by the gods. And after a short time, as he entered the universe and saw which worlds exist, what all is happening, he began to tremble and pleaded, "Stop, stop, stop." This also shows that what is happening here on this planet is actually only a small part of what is occurring throughout the entire universe. Not truly tragic, but tragic for us, because we identify with it. But it is also important because through it we can develop, grow. If we truly knew what the truth is, I believe we would no longer find peace. There is a little story. Let's say Fritz. Fritz is walking through the city and sees a sign: "Truth Shop. Selling truths." Fritz goes inside and meets a kind saleswoman. He says, "I want to buy the truth." The saleswoman says, "Do you want to buy one truth or several truths or partial truths?" Fritz says, "No, I truly want to purchase the truth. Finally, once and for all." The saleswoman looks at him and says, "If you want to buy the truth, then I must ask you to go into the next room. With me, there are only partial truths." Fritz goes into the next room. The salesman looks at him compassionately and says, "You wish to buy the truth? The truth has its price. The price is the loss of your peace and serenity for your entire life." Fritz lowers his head; he can't give away that much. He leaves the shop and thinks, "I only ever wanted to attain peace and tranquility, to break free from all misunderstandings, lies, concealments." And Fritz realizes that he still needs the protection for his unexamined values and views. So, if we truly want to know what the truth is, it’s better we go step by step. We do all of this step by step, and we are all on a very good path toward it. Not only because we make an effort, because we practice yoga, but because we have someone who guides us there. No matter what we think or feel, when we know how to be in harmony, then we can move forward, then we can take self-responsibility, then we can become authentic. And every step brings us closer to who we truly are, not who we pretend to be. Just as it is in life, we enjoy playing cards. My favorite card game is Snap. I saw one card, and then there was a second card. With the first card, I said "snap," and with the second, "crack." And what was written there? "Mine is the light of wisdom that advises me not to ask for a lighter burden, but for a stronger heart." They are both heart cards. It is about the heart, it is about love, it is about compassion. It is enough if our heart is as big as the Vienna train station. That is sufficient for once. The only problem with the Vienna train station is that it is not very clean. Only through purity can we achieve this. And purity does not come from anywhere else but through practice, and through two factors: devotion, Bhakti, and surrender. We can achieve many things in life, but ultimately, we cannot bypass Bhakti, devotion. It cannot be done without it. And devotion is not something we do outwardly, but inwardly. Without it, we will not reach the goal. "The experiences of the heart are always true." We began with that. And we have come to the strong heart, because only a strong heart is capable of bearing the truth, the reality. Strengthening the heart means recognizing our feelings, recognizing our qualities, and experiencing why we are here on this planet as human beings—to surrender and to serve. This can take many different forms, but ultimately one cannot avoid it. According to a great saint, it requires some lifetime of sevā, of selfless service, and meditation, and Satsang. Those who are truly gifted and still have a Master to guide and lead them, for them, nothing really stands in the way anymore. Only in this way can one truly break free from this cycle. Vienna is wonderful and beautiful, and in Vienna there is something that is nowhere else. This is a great blessing, and it is something we owe to Svāmījī. We are grateful once again. In this spirit, many thanks for your attention, for your compassion, for listening, for truly hearing. I would like to introduce you to something else—a new edition of Yoga for Healthy Joints, revised with more pain in it, because we have not practiced. Now we should finally begin. Joints are an expression of our movement, our flexibility—not only our physical flexibility but also an expression of how long we have, if we experience pain, been doing something wrong or not quite right. So for all those who have joint pain or do not want to have it, this book is recommended, and for all who want to maintain their health, it is of course also recommended. In this sense, thank you very much.