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Part 1: Inspiring Environmental Action at Rio+20: Swami Maheshwarananda’s Message First, may we offer prasāda and sing a bhajan? Then we will watch a video from the summit in Rio, Brazil. But first, let’s sing the bhajan. Where is it? The one from 2012. If we do not change this alarming situation, the consequences of our current lifestyle on the entire ecosystem of Mother Earth will have to be addressed. Thanks to such efforts, today the situation is openly discussed in the media as well as at a high political level. An international conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was a milestone in efforts to promote human awareness about the urgency of our ecological problems. The 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development was called Rio+20. It marked the 20th anniversary of the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio, which aimed to raise public consciousness of environmental issues. The experts say, and even politicians are saying, that our planet Earth may be standing at a tipping point. How we fare depends upon how we act; we may fall to the side of prosperity, or we may fall to disasters. That is why real prosperity is very important. The conference focused on seven critical issues needing priority attention, such as green jobs, food security through sustainable agriculture, and water. In compliance with Agenda 21, the outcome of the 1992 Earth Summit, the UN opened its doors to civil society to participate in the Rio+20 conference. As members of the so-called nine major groups, representatives of NGOs had the opportunity to directly participate in official government negotiations and request bold action to save the environment. Since the first Earth Summit in 1992, people have been realizing that sustainable development cannot be achieved by governments alone. It requires the active participation of people from all sectors of society. Many people are becoming aware that if we really want to change the current state of our environment, we must not wait. As Mahatma Gandhi said, be the change you want to see. In this documentary, we will give you a glimpse into the work and effort of His Holiness Paramahaṁsa Śrī Svāmī Maheśvarānanda, author of the system Yoga in Daily Life, and two organizations which he established: the Yoga in Daily Life Society and the Śrī Svāmī Madhavānanda World Peace Council. These organizations, together with other NGOs, companies, and governments, reinforce their worldwide voluntary commitments toward improving the environment. Swamiji was invited to Rio+20 as the founder and head of two NGOs holding consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council: the Australia Association of Yoga in Daily Life and the Śrī Svāmī Madhavānanda World Peace Council. Swamiji’s participation in the conference was part of his ongoing commitment to environmental efforts. He collaborates with other religious and spiritual leaders to infuse ethical and spiritual principles into UN decision-making processes. Swamijī’s goals at Rio+20 stress promoting paths to sustainability that go beyond standard solutions, ones which include a return to harmony with the planet and all of its inhabitants. Swamiji introduced the media to various activities and projects led by Yoga in Daily Life and the Śrī Svāmī Madhavānanda World Peace Council, aimed at solving some of the very environmental problems which were highlighted by the UN. The Desert Rainwater Harvesting Initiative, as an example of the successful implementation of a project inspired by previous UN conferences, gained high interest and recognition from the media and conference participants. This is an ongoing project which provides drinking water for surrounding villages and cities during the drought season. It also supplies water to domestic animals and wildlife. Swamiji provided journalists, editors, and television crews with a few dozen interviews. Interest by the media was huge, and some articles and interviews were already published and broadcast before the conference officially finished. Swamiji, Yoga in Daily Life, and the Śrī Svāmī Madhavānanda World Peace Council representatives met and talked to people with mutual goals. They presented the Desert Rainwater Harvesting Initiative and other recent environmental projects to other NGOs, as well as to government delegations. Yoga in Daily Life members participated in a workshop featuring a speech by Shazoo Kang, Under-Secretary-General of the UN and Secretary-General for the Rio+20 Conference. Swamiji attended and met with speakers of a session called “An Ethical Framework for Global Governance,” an event organized by Earth Charter International and other groups. The Director General of the Hungarian National Institute for Environment, Dr. István Teplán, invited Swamiji to attend the Tajik-Hungarian side events on water cooperation, where he personally met the President of Hungary, His Honourable Dr. János Áder. Swamijī was also invited to a side event which raised questions about how indigenous people and local communities could better manage the land and sea. The session was organized by the Australian government and hosted by the Honourable Julia Gillard, Prime Minister of Australia. Ms. Gillard genially acknowledged Swamījī’s forestation endeavors, especially the peace tree planting in Adelaide, Australia. Those first few seedlings have been followed by millions of newly planted trees. Swamiji had the opportunity to meet the Minister of Environment of New Zealand, the Honourable Amy Adams, and Mr. Brett Hackett, the Ambassador of Australia to Brazil. As a result of the high level of interest and recognition of the value of his projects, Swāmījī secured an invitation to speak at a daily press briefing and webcast on the topic of critical water and energy issues. Today’s discussion will be on two critical issues that have been left significantly unclear. The two issues are water and energy. The question and the challenge is providing them for the one to two billion people on this planet. Mahāprabhujī Karatā, Mahāprabhujī Karatā... And this can be part of the solution. I think we all understand that water is very, very important. Water is not only for drinking, but it is also food. Our next speaker will give a very distinct and, for a change, positive report on how projects can succeed and what successful policy can look like. Param Swami Maheshwarananda is the author of Yoga in Daily Life, a science-based system of yoga. Mahāprabhujī Karatā, Mahāprabhujī Karatā... We are taking this rainwater from the roof. From the roof, and now the government of Rajasthan is also supporting that everyone should collect the water from the roof. We have two kinds of roofs: one is concrete, and one is made of tin. Second, what we are collecting is the surface water which flows during the time of rain. And we put it in some kind of ponds, and in some places we made a very big kind of lake. Also, we help the people to make the water tanks underground. For example, through this water harvesting project, this big project in Jadan, Pali, Rajasthan, India, there was a village where the water was salty and you couldn’t drink it. And for the last 10 to 15 years, our water harvesting has made the water quality so good that not only that village, which is a village with about 3,000 or 4,000 people, but the water is so drinkable that we are supplying the water to many other villages. Mahāprabhujī kī karuṇā, Mahāprabhujī kī karuṇā... We supply that water to reforest all the trees that died because there was no water. So we have a great success. We supply water to the villages with tankers. The case was that if there is a fire somewhere, they telephone the government office, but the government’s fire tankers are empty. So, from where should they go for firefighting? So we supply the water, and we have our own fire brigades so we can help the neighboring villages. Dear brothers and sisters, water is our life. Jal jaha jagatīś, where there is water, there is life, and where there is life, there is God. Without water, we cannot imagine this planet and our life. Thank you very much for inviting me here. God bless all of us. The day before the heads of state were scheduled to convene the plenary session, Swāmījī conducted a warmly received meditation, reflecting on how every individual can contribute to helping the planet. Salutation to the cosmic light. Welcome, and I am very happy and thankful to God that you come with positive thinking to help our Mother Earth. The meditation which we will have is self-inquiry meditation of Yoga in Daily Life. It means that I shall ask myself, “What do I contribute as my service to Mother Earth? Who am I, and what would I like to do?” Not only for myself, but for the entire Earth. Each and every living entity, the ocean, the lakes, mountains, forests, meadows, and all the visible and invisible creatures. This is a living planet, and we are also a part of it. We can do only one thing: that we pray, and we send our love and blessings to this Mother Earth. Though she is a mother, we all still have a blessing in our heart to bless all creatures who are living on this planet. Love each and every entity. If not more, then at least that much, as much as you love thyself. With these thoughts, I will begin to give instructions for meditation. My dear, we shall begin. Take the whole body from the toes to the top of the head. Feel the thankfulness that you are human. Let me be the instrument of your love and light, that I may serve thy creatures. Imagine the whole globe in your hands. Peace and love are in your hands. You are the light around the whole globe. Your heartbeat is the heartbeat of Mother Earth. Our breath is the breath of Mother Earth. Yes, you can help. You have love, blessing, and mercy. The meditation was a practical guide on how each individual can help Mother Earth. About 70 participants left deeply touched and inspired to continue the practice. Up to today, Swāmījī has planted 61 peace trees around the world to promote peace, harmony, and understanding. Just several days prior to the conference, Swāmījī planted peace trees in São Paulo and Mexico. During the peak of official state negotiations, Swāmījī showed another simple and practical example of how to help nature. With the support of the UN and Brazilian authorities, Swāmījī planted a peace tree on the conference center grounds. Be the whole world happy, including all the creatures. Brazilian government representatives, as well as several NGO leaders, spoke at the gathering. Many dignitaries, reporters, and onlookers gathered to join Swāmījī in planting a Pau Brasil, the tree after which the country was named. This was part of his tradition of planting peace trees around the world to promote peace and harmony on the planet. This tree will symbolize the lasting commitments made at the historic UN conference. Articles and photos of this ceremony soon appeared in Brazilian media and websites. Our question is, there have been many commitments made on sustainability throughout the Rio+20 conference in Brazil, and I would like to hear your kind comments on the commitments that Yoga in Daily Life and the Śrī Madhavānanda World Peace Council take. Thank you. Thank you for the question. The Rio+20 with the millennium goals, now they have changed from the different nine goals to the sustainable world. Nearly the whole world is collected here. About 13,000 NGOs and more than 50,000 government delegations from 180 countries. What is very interesting is this, that all people, mostly who came, civilians, civil societies, or what you call the NGOs, they came with such great expectation and love, with a great positive will to do something for our beautiful earth. When you look at them, when you see their posters and flyers, the heart begins to be happy, and the eyes fill with tears. How the people love our planet and would like to do positive work for the whole world. So, all the nations here who would like to have common ground found the common ground as a united nation. Now it’s like this, that no one should depend on the government. That’s my opinion. The government will not do more than just shake your hand and say, “Oh, very good.” Mahātmā Gandhījī said, “Be the change you want to see.” Therefore, the best would be that individually we take responsibility and, like what we call a grassroots project, give individual people some duties to do something positive. It can be once a week: go through the lake, channels, or streets and clean the plastics and cups away. That’s also very good for the environment. Plant a few trees wherever you can, whether in the forest, in front of your house, or in gardens. Also, try to clean the lakes. There is no caste; we are human. And there is only one caste, and that is human. And there is only one God. That is the highest one, and there is only one religion: that is humanity. And humanity’s duty is to protect all creatures, and to protect the ocean, rivers, lakes, ponds, forests, and the wildlife. It is very sad that wildlife is disappearing. The people should stop hunting, and my concern and my request is this: that hunting, whether of birds or other animals, should not be acknowledged as a sport. In this field, especially the Yoga in Daily Life system around the world, for the last 42 years, 42 years tirelessly, I am trying to bring the message of love, understanding, harmony, and protection of the environment, ahiṃsā. At the same time, for the last 25 years, the Śrī Svāmī Madhavānanda World Peace Council has been working on this project. So, I think we have a lot of opportunities to do something as long as we are alive. Thank you very much, and God bless you. On behalf of governments, businesses, civil society groups, universities, and others attending Rio+20, the conference registered more than 700 declarations of voluntary commitments aimed at helping the environment. Likewise, Swāmījī and Yoga in Daily Life submitted a voluntary commitment describing their future actions to improve the environmental situation. Thank you very much. The conference was very good. Super love is very good. We are all blessed. It is not too late. Start now. Be the change you want to see. The practice of Yoga in Daily Life cultivates awareness of the ethical and spiritual principles of sustainability. To protect the planet’s wildlife, forests, and water requires the awakening of awareness in human consciousness. The primary goals of the commitment include practical steps to protect water and forests by building volunteer teams to plant trees and clean up waterways and forests. It also emphasized promoting respect, understanding, and tolerance among cultures, nations, and religions. This approach goes beyond the common understanding of sustainability to promote living in harmony with Mother Nature and all living beings. Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān, Kī Jai. It’s quite inspiring and beautiful. I guess all of you are aware from Guru Pūrṇimā of Swāmījī’s request that everyone make the saṅkalpa to plant trees, that everyone plants eleven trees during the next year. And as you can see, it’s also there as one of the commitments from the summit. In Strilky, there were some people giving some wonderful ideas about the plans they had regarding the trees and the planting. So, I guess tomorrow also, when the meeting is of the fellowship, that if people share their practical ideas, it can be very helpful for other people to also get inspired. Something Swamiji said there, and it reminded me of something he said in Jadān last year. At one point in Jadan, I honestly don’t remember if it was in a satsaṅg or just while walking. And he said, “I just wish that everybody would care for the ashram like it’s their own.” And it was a very small thing that he said, but there was so much power inside it. There’s so much to think about inside that. Part 2: Our Planet, Our Practice: From Small Acts to Sacred Duty After he said it, every day I usually go for a walk around the ashram, along the whole boundary wall in Jadan. That walk became quite disturbed, because whenever I saw a piece of paper on the ground or a piece of plastic, I felt I had to pick it up. You may try it yourself: if you start taking care of every place you go as if it were your own, you cannot ignore it. Swāmījī said, when he spoke about what he thought of the conference resolutions, “This is our planet, and it’s up to everybody to do something about its condition.” That attitude comes from seeing it as your own, as ours. There are no problems of the government, no problems of the United Nations, no problems of the EU. On one level they are, but on another level, it is our problem. We can do something on our own, on a small level. And when you consider what Swāmījī has said with the saṅkalpa of eleven trees—eleven trees does not sound like a lot, but when you think how many guru brothers and sisters we have, that is an incredible amount of trees. Rada was telling me that in Slovakia, ten thousand people will be planting trees. That is more than a hundred thousand trees. Spread that around the world, and it becomes something huge. It is not something you just accept with, “Oh yes, yes, I will do it,” and then put off until later. It is something to be done. Who knows—you may plant eleven trees, and your neighbor may see and be inspired to plant three trees or five trees, and that may inspire the next neighbor. Who knows where it actually ends up. Last year I told everywhere the story of the tree planting that was referred to in the video, where Swāmījī planted a priest tree in Adelaide. And somehow, through Swāmījī’s telling that minister to plant millions of trees, it moved on to become up to a billion trees around the world. As Swāmījī began with that government to plant millions of trees, it has become billions worldwide. It was a beautiful story, but last year in Strilky there was one addition. Sometimes children can be the best inspiration we can ever get. When I told that story, a small girl—I think six or seven years old—was there. Her father came to me the next day and said, “I’ve got an addition to your story about the trees.” That morning the little girl had been eating a peach, and her father asked her for the seed so he could put it in the garbage. She said to him, “You know, no, no... It’s like that story yesterday with the trees. I’m going to plant this seed, and then a peach tree will come. And from that peach tree will come more peaches, and then I’ll get more seeds, and I can plant more trees.” The thinking of a six- or seven-year-old girl—but that is how it functions. You start with some trees, and it goes on and on. Yogesh Jī said in Jadan, “Now, when it rains, trees come up by themselves in Jadan.” It seems a certain point has been reached where nature takes care of itself. It has been given help, and now it is thriving again. The mountain in Jadan, which some years ago had nothing on it, is like a jungle at the top. Ninety percent of the trees there were not planted; they have come up because of the other trees. Whether it comes through trees giving the seeds for the next trees, or through your inspiration inspiring someone else to plant trees—in the beginning, it takes an action, an initiative, someone to start. It may be with trees, it may be with water, it may be with other projects where people clean the waterways or the environment. I can tell one story from Sydney. About twelve years ago, one man was fed up with the condition of the river near where he lived. He decided he would make one day in the year when he would go and clean up a little bit of that river. He told his local community that he was going to go on that day to clean the river. When the day actually came, some extra people came, more than he expected. After about three or four years, everybody in Sydney knew that it was Clean-Up Day for the rivers. Over the whole city, wherever there were waterways, there were crowds of people, and people coming with trucks to pull out tires, all cleaning up the waterways. Somehow it became like a day on the calendar—like you have Women’s Day and Children’s Day, and you have Clean-Up Day in Sydney. But it started with one man and then just a small group of his local community. I wanted to speak just a few moments for those doing the exams tomorrow—some inspiration from Jadan. We have a lot of children in Jadan, and they have many creative ways of trying to pass exams, so I thought I would give you some help. Every year, exam time can be quite entertaining in Jadan, especially when it comes to marking the papers afterwards. I saw one girl try; she wrote, “I’ve answered all of these questions wrong,” on her exam paper. “But can you please pass me anyway? Because if I don’t pass, I’m going to be in trouble with my mother.” We have seen others where someone wrote their phone number and said, “Please call me if you need some help to pass me.” But the prize winner of all was a boy, I think in the ninth class as I remember, and it was a mathematics exam. He did not know much about mathematics, judging by his first answers, and he had obviously seen that he was not going the right way to pass that exam. He started to draw an incredible picture on his answer paper. There was a picture of the altar, with Mahāprabhujī’s picture and Devpurījī’s picture, and Swāmījī and Gurujī. There was agarbattī, and even the smoke coming up off the agarbattī, and the dīpak was there. At the bottom he had written, “Please, God, help me to pass this exam.” The whole page was filled, and this teacher showed it to me and said, “Look at this, it’s fantastic.” He did not pass, but it was worth a try. Satta Gurū Rākho Lājahamārī. To those who are doing the exam tomorrow, I do not think luck is the appropriate thing to wish you, but may Swāmījī bless everybody so that the answers will flow through you. It is such a special gift that everybody has, that they can be a teacher. We are getting the chance to be, somehow, the conveyor of Swāmījī’s wisdom, of Swāmījī’s teaching. This exam you are doing is not just a formality. The responsibility you have as a teacher is huge. For everyone who is teaching, you are a medium for Swāmījī’s knowledge. It is the responsibility of all teachers to refresh their knowledge, to make sure they know as much as they possibly can, to be dedicated in the class, to be dedicated to the students you have. Somehow, at all times, we have to live as if we are taking our lives as a preparation for that teaching we do. It is not gymnastics or sport that we are teaching; it is Swāmījī’s Yoga in Daily Life, Swāmījī’s life teachings—something divine. And for everyone who will do the exam tomorrow and pass, and get their certificate without having to draw the picture of the altar—these are just requests: just because you have a certificate, that does not mean that study should not continue with the same intensity with which you have been doing it for the last month. If we are teaching, it is our responsibility to study for the whole of our lives while we teach: to do our sādhanā, to study ourselves, to study the scriptures, and to continuously learn—not for ourselves, but so that we can pass on that information. It is as if Swāmījī puts a light in your hands, and it is just our job to take care of it. It is like if Swāmījī would give us something in our hands, and we simply give it to someone else. To those who have come here this week for the seminar, tomorrow morning we start. I would request you to do the same thing we requested in Strilky: pack all your troubles, all your problems, as much as you possibly can, in a bag and leave them in the reception. You can collect them when you go next week. We promise that they will take care of them very well, and they will not be disturbed, and they will still be yours. This is a time you come here to go inward, to refresh yourself, to practice, to rejuvenate, and to be with Swāmījī inwardly. I think those who were in Strilky last week saw on the last day when we had a Skype with Swāmījī. He was there all week, because in five minutes during the Skype, he gave a general review of every subject that had been discussed during the week. It was as though he had been there listening the whole time. This is our time. This is really a special time, if you are here for a week, to be in practice. For many people, perhaps it is the one chance in the year to do that practice intensely for one week. And especially for those who do the anuṣṭhāna, to have the chance to do that special practice which Swāmījī gives—it is beyond gold; it is more valuable than that. Try as much as you can during this time to be there mentally. Physically we are here, but mentally, just to be here, just to be doing that sādhanā—that is what I mean by leaving your troubles outside. Those things can all wait. This is just a time for you and for the group to be with Swāmījī. Gajananjī will talk more tomorrow about this point, but if you have the chance, keep mauna as much as you can while you are here. We are not asking too much about that tonight because there is such a group of people here preparing for different things. But for tomorrow, after the exams are finished and the meetings are finished, it would be very nice if you can bring yourself inward as much as you can. Last night, yesterday, was Janmāṣṭamī. It is said of Janmāṣṭamī that Kṛṣṇa was born at midnight, in the middle of the night. Because it is at that time, when you withdraw from the senses and go inward, in the time of least disturbance, that meeting occurs with Kṛṣṇa, with God, with your Master. So this is the time to be quiet, if you are here for the anuṣṭhāna, or if you are here for the week to do the practice. Enjoy being with yourself, enjoy taking care of yourself, enjoy re-establishing your relationship with yourself. It is a very special chance. Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān, Kī Jāī, Satya Guru Deva, Kī Jāī. And just one bhajan for the people doing their exams—just the one line that Gurujī says in that bhajan: that always these bhaktas have been helped by the guru, but now it’s my turn. If you are here for the week and you are practicing, every moment try and believe that it is your turn for a special practice, your turn for Swāmījī to give you the blessing. In the bhajan, Gurujī is a little bit demanding: “Now it’s my turn, now it’s my turn.” Of course, we do not go up to Swāmījī and say, “Swāmījī, it’s my turn.” But through our practice, through being aware, through being present, through doing it with intensity, that demand already comes. So now it is your turn. Have a great week. Enjoy. Are there any announcements? Yes. I have to warn the organizers: I refuse to end a satsaṅg with announcements. So firstly, announcements, and then we’ll say a mantra. We know that there is a minimum of one bhajan after the announcement; that is why we thought we would ask Jasrajīś to inaugurate our new harmonium, newly brought from India. Then, if Jasrājjī thinks the timescale is right, the schedule should be the same as in Strilky: Kriyānāsthan begins at 5:30 at the gym hall, and here group A at quarter to six. I heard that the fellowship meeting will commence at ten o’clock. The fellowship meeting will be in room L154, but it is not necessary to remember this number, because there are signs everywhere in that building where the swāmīs are staying. The exam will be at the same place in the afternoon. The further program will be on posters in every part of the ashram. I do not really like listening to announcements, but there is always something: no one should park here in this part. You have to park your car in Mentulamara. There are still a lot of places in the hotel part. If we go back a little, at least fifty to sixty cars have already left. Swāmījī asked that cars should never park here, so let us follow his request. I myself do not like to listen to announcements, but there are still important announcements, and one of them is to never park cars here near this big hall. There are plenty of places near the hotel. Swāmījī always asks not to park the cars here. Thank you for your attention. Novi Pek, Pek. Remove the cover of the new harmonium. First, Gajānand is going to tell one story. Just as Purījī gave some examples for those who have to pass the examination tomorrow, on how not to do it: there was a boy who had a math examination in school ahead, and he somehow forgot about it, so he was not properly prepared. When he realized, it was actually too late to learn. He remembered there is always some higher help. So he made a serious prayer: “Please, God, help me to pass the examination.” But then he remembered the principle: when I request something, I should also offer something—like we do, for example, now offer our sādhanā. So he made a saṅkalpa. He said, “If you really help me to pass this examination, then I promise I will give a big pot full of wonderful halvā to the temple.” The next day, the examination came, and the teacher distributed the papers with the questions. When he glanced through, he immediately saw that these were exactly the few points he knew, and in that moment he said, “Already, thank you.” Exactly these questions were there, so he could quite easily answer all of them. They had one hour for the test, but in half an hour he was ready. But now he had to wait, and he got a little bored. He remembered his saṅkalpa. Then he took a second paper and started to make a realistic calculation about what he needed for the halvā and the cost. So much flour, that is the price; so much sugar, that is the price. But when he came to the ghee, he was shocked. It was really expensive. And some raisins and some nuts—raisins and walnuts. All together, much too much, so he just crossed it out. “Áthūzta,” he said, “no, no, I must reduce a little bit, you know. It can be a little less of this, and a little less of that.” That was still too much, so again he crossed it out. Then he started thinking: actually, instead of this expensive ghee, we could also take some oil. He was still in the middle of these calculations and recalculations when the bell rang. The hour was over, and the teacher came to collect the papers. The boy was happy because he was sure he had passed the examination. Next day, the teacher came and distributed the results. The teacher said, “It seems it was a little bit too easy yesterday, because nearly everyone passed.” Then he looked at the boy; only one had not passed, and the boy was shocked. The teacher said, “You didn’t answer a single question. You did not answer any single question. There is something written with ‘gi’ and so on, but this has nothing to do with the questions.” So he had given the wrong paper because he had started doing something else—that did not work. So that is another way not to pass the examination. Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇa, Bhagavān, Kī Jaya! Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇa, Bhagavān, Kī Jaya!