TV Channel

Part 1: Active and Passive Meditation: Wisdom from Nature, Kitchen, and Inner Reflection Good morning, everybody. How are you? Was the program good? Very good. So we continue our program. Meditation. Meditations always have different aims and are of different kinds—active meditation and passive meditation. Active meditation is that you work honestly, with love. With love, it becomes the best meditation. So, meditation in action. Even if you walk, we observe a beautiful landscape, a beautiful desert. Hardly do you see green leaves, and you look down: there are some little, nice bushes, no water, but still you see kriyāchāras, lizards, birds, scorpions, snakes, and many others. They know how to survive. And mostly they get water from God. Early morning, what we call the dew or the water drops. And they survive twenty-four hours. So that is the inspiration: to survive in this world, to learn, to minimize our needs. According to that situation, we use a lot of water, but anyhow, the beauty of the desert, the hot sunshine, and in the far distance we see a beautiful lake—but that is only hot air and humidity from the earth. We call it mṛga-tṛṣṇā. Mṛga is the deer. And those deer living there, they have no water. They are standing in the hot sun. To run on the sand is like running on snow, tired and thirsty. So that horizon—only one explanation for the horizon: as near as you go, that far goes the horizon. So while running, running, the deer get tired, they fall down and finish life. So this is the saṃsāra. It is a fata morgana. And we humans see far into the future, something great—business or whatever it is. So our intuition and our imaginations, expectations... So this is one thing that we should learn: whatever we have, be content, be happy. This is very important. So this saṃsāra, this māyā—there you see the beautiful mountains, very beautiful, high mountains. And now we would like to be there. In imagination, in our mind, in our feelings, we are there. But physically to be there is a challenge. There, we know who will come to the peak of that point. We turn towards the beautiful forest, the nice trees; this is also an inspiration for us. This tree doesn’t ask for anything; this tree doesn’t travel, except its seeds go. But this tree remains here—rain, storms, hot sun, minus degrees cold, the ice on the branches, very heavy, the branch breaks, suddenly no rain. Still surviving, they are holding their roots with Mother Earth. Mother always has food for the children to eat. So the forest needs water, care—and what a meditative picture. Your lungs are happy. Your eyes are happy because of the nice, pleasant, green nature, the colour. When we look at the trees, we never have any kind of eye pressure. Every tree is of a different colour. It’s a meditation. Many thoughts become clear. It looks like this forest, or the desert, or the mountains, are talking to us. One Swami has written one book. It’s called Himalaya Speaks to You. There is meditation, then we come to the water. How nicely the water is flowing. All other kinds of noise in this world—man-made noise—are unpleasant. But the flow of the water, the fountains, springs, the flow of the creeks, rivers, and even the waves of the ocean are pleasant to our ears. How to live? There was some question that my partner divorced—I don’t know if he or she—and now what to do? So you were happy to marry, and you were unhappy or happy to divorce. So you have the experiences from birth till death, and now, how to live? Don’t marry anymore? Finish. That chapter is closed. So the decision of your life... You can’t tell someone now, “How should I live?” Live as God gives you. How nature is living, how it works. Those who have problems because they don’t work properly, and the major problem of humans which comes, and we are already facing, and the solution to this, a happy future for humans, is very simple. It is very simple: learn cooking. Yes. Many of you who are sitting here don’t know how to cook. Just to put beans in hot water and take out the salt and butter on it—that’s not cooking. Those who cannot cook have still seventy-five percent of their life not completed. Seventy-five percent! The other is your twenty-five percent. You are depending on others, so the one hundred percent is not useful. You must not cook, but you should know how to cook. That’s this. So if you cannot cook properly and have a knowledge of cooking and spices, then your life is completed, you are happy. And even if it’s a heavy drought, you will survive. Otherwise, you are that deer who is running towards the Fata Morgana lake. Life is incomplete. Again, I tell you, the future of humanity is to cook properly for yourself and for your children. First, the problem will be solved: health. Health is not everything, but everything is nothing without health, as some great person said. And if you cook at home, you will have a nice meal for the price of one person. Your economy is growing, so be on thyself. You could not become a saint, a sādhu, or a bhikṣuk monk. Until then, you cannot survive the shell for your stomach. Go to the forest, there are lots of mushrooms. But you don’t know how to cook. And you don’t know which mushroom you should not eat. So this knowledge is missing. You eat a mushroom, and you are immediately in samādhi. So, still I tell you, it’s not late. If you go to India, to the Himalayas, there’s some sādhu sitting under a big rock or cave. And you may have a little vegetable and some milk, or no milk. But he will invite you for nice tea, then give you some prasāda, and say, “Let’s cook something.” From where do things come? Two potatoes, some beans, two tomatoes, two green chilies, and a little oil. And this sādhu suddenly prepares such delicious food and chapati. I had not so much experience with Himalayan sādhus. But permanent they have. Yes, permanent travel through the Himalayas, and very simplest, simplest little cave or tent. One sādhu went, he visited, and he got nice things. Many will say, “Well, here is everything, please cook.” Enjoy and cook for yourself, and then the person will see. Swamiji, can I cook a little more so you will also get some with us? Yes. Dobře. So, your good future, happy future, it is on cooking. Otherwise, you will always be unhappy and angry inside. Angry at your mother? Why did she not tell me how to cook? Then your mother-in-law will every day tell you, “You don’t even know how to cook. What have your parents taught you?” You came just like a wild animal inside. So this is a fight between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. And that’s why nowadays, before getting married, they buy their own apartment. In the beginning, it’s very good, but such a wife will make that man, quickly, soon bankrupt. So, we should support the restaurants. Go to the healthy restaurant once every three months. So, for the sake of your children, for the health of your children, cook good food. Cook well. And milk. With milk, yogurt, butter, cheese, honey, and many spices, many things. You have nuts? Europe is a blessed land, blessed nature. Even in winter, you find good things in the forest. So this is called active meditation, creative meditation. When you cook, how much love you have, and you develop your knowledge: “Oh, this is for that, and this is not for that.” Otherwise, we put everything, whatever is inside, you eat and sleep. No question of waking up, the whole family is in nirvāṇa. So, such a person goes into the kitchen and begins to cook. Be careful. There is only one kind of protection: rescue yourself. Very great protection. “Thank you for the invitation. But I am fasting today.” The passive meditation within ourselves, that we coordinate together, that outer situation we transfer inside, and through our positive thinking, we wake up and dissolve everything. If it’s negative, we dissolve. “I have nothing to do with this. It is a world. It happens. Earthquake. We can’t help. But we pray to God that it should not happen again. Those creatures who lost their lives, our prayer is for them.” And if it is good, say, “Oh God, beautiful.” Lord, Thy beauty is the most beautiful. Thy being an artist, every tree has different kinds of leaves, different cuts, and different colours. So, I think God or Mother Nature must be very active. We have many, many seekers every day to save exactly the leaves. And blossoms come. Fruits come. So this is your beauty. God, what He has given to you, do not lose. Always you will be loved by God and by others. When we go through a forest, we get a lot of oxygen and good air, and there are many different kinds of trees. We observe all trees with one vision. Look at the Strilky forest; all the twelve months have different colours, every tree is different. Similarly, there was a question: “I was praying before to that God, now I am praying to this God, and I pray to Mahāprabhujī. What should I do now?” Oh yes, you do one thing. Prayer every day, same thing. The divine energy, divine is only one. If you like to put different pictures on the altar, if you feel it is holy, if you—no problems. Unless you put the pictures of some Rākṣasas. Then, when you are praying, you should not close your eyes. Every day I’m observing people praying with their eyes closed. And then, Mahāprabhujī is standing in front of you. But you closed your eyes, so he said, “For what am I here?” He just left. So, during the prayer, the eyes should be open. During the practice of āsanas, the eyes should be open. Especially in any posture you do while standing, you should be fully aware, because the eyes are very important for keeping balance. At the same time, balance on your muscles and the ligaments near the ankle joints and knees, so you are alert and aware. Be aware and balanced. When you close the eyes and release oxygen while practicing on the floor, and the teacher tells you there is no time to relax until we are finished, therefore open your eyes for Prāṇāyāma; then they are closed, because you touch your Ājñā Chakra, and now you observe your prāṇa. But in sitting, if you practice prāṇāyāma while walking, then don’t do like this; then you don’t see something. So walking Prāṇāyāma—it’s called Mantra Prāṇāyāma. Half part of the mantra while inhaling and half while exhaling. Or you do different prāṇāyāma, no problem, but be alert, open eyes. And take care, otherwise you are closing half eyes and doing... And fifty meters away, a bear is sitting. All the same. Now boxing begins. So when you meet the bear, there is only one protection. You make yourself big. How? Canadian says, “If you have a cloth shawl, you must always have a shawl. That’s why sannyāsīs always have one.” You go up, boom, and then the bear runs away. Or, if he runs towards you, then you do like this: you go behind the tree, and he comes from every side. So that is called self-protection. So, practicing āsanas, open eyes. And especially in standing. In standing, don’t practice the neck movement. And especially those who have lower blood pressure. Therefore, this head—front, back, side, left, right—and rotation is not good in standing. You can do the shoulder rotation, but with open eyes. So, passive meditation is two kinds of meditation. One is to observe the nature within ourself. And then, second, with your mantra and your personal God. If you see or not, the main thing is to repeat the mantra. Dhyāna Mūlam Guru Mūrti. What to meditate on? On the form of Gurudeva. Dhyāna Mūlam Guru Mūrti: the root of meditation is the divine form of Gurudeva. Vārṣī is lotus feet. Mantra Mūlam Guru Vākyam, and for a disciple, the instruction of the master is the highest mantra. And Mokṣa Mūlam Guru Kṛpā, so that Mokṣa, what we are longing for, is a blessing. So even a tiger comes and gives you a blessing. Be happy. Even the blessing of a tiger is very good. So we say, if your best friend is angry, it’s a blessing. And if your enemy gives you a blessing, that is the greatest. This is how saints are living life to protect. So finally, then it got Bayāmukhī, that we were all the time in the outer world. Then Antramukhī: we turn towards our inner self. Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa said clearly, a yogī is like a turtle. Any time, you can take limbs out or in. So if you meditate too much—when you meditate too much and are not able to become extroverted—then that is what we call depression. Depression is a deep rest near to the coma, so one is completely unconscious in the coma, and one is conscious in the coma. So, those who have depression know what it means. Part 2: The Active Path of Sumiran We are advised to engage in active meditations, not passive ones. There are those who organize programs or travel somewhere for one, two, or three weeks. Everything is silent—mauna—with little food and sitting, just “meditate, meditate.” But you do not know what will awaken within you. Do not touch a sleeping cobra; let it sleep. Similarly, you just go and do not look directly at the tiger snake. Tiger snakes are mostly found in Australia, and they can attack—that is why I call them “tiger.” So you simply avoid looking directly at such a snake. What do we do? We change our route, or we stay still and do not provoke it. Many countries have many snakes. They are reptiles. But what a life! No hands, no legs, no ears—only a mouth, and they still find something to eat. So in that sense, they manage better than those who know how to cook. Yet this snake existence is considered the lowest form of life, for you must always slide on your stomach. Therefore, just repeat the mantra. Keep your position on the border—like being in an airplane. Inside, everything is pleasant; outside the window, it is also beautiful and vast. So we dwell on the border, observing both sides. This is sumiraṇ. Thus meditation includes Kāyā Āsthairyam, Citta Vṛtti Nirodha, concentration on death, and then Ātmā Cintan—not that I want to go into Samādhi, but to inquire into the Ātmā. What is the Ātmā? I am Ātmā, but I do not know. Yesterday we spoke about Jīva. Jīva means life. Life is life; health is health. But if you add “unhealth” or illness, it becomes unhealthy. Health is simply health; life is life. So Jīva is life, that which is living. When life takes form, it is called Jīvan—thus we are living. Yet that soul is ever the same, the individual soul. Two people may sleep in one room; one ate a great deal, the other received nothing. Do not think that because you ate, the other’s stomach is full. Ab dhapa yug dhapa means you are full in your own stomach; it does not mean the whole world’s hunger has vanished. Therefore, balance. We need great balance on both sides. So the better meditation is this Sumeraṇ. Guru Nānak said, “O my mind, O my self, now, at least now, begin meditation, mantra, God’s name.” Terī bītī umar Hari nām binā—till now your life has passed without the name of God. Yet it is never too late. We should repeat Sumiran. While repeating, all our sins will be cleansed. We may think, “It is impossible for me now; I am already old.” Do not worry. Even in one second, you can be liberated. Karat karat abhyās pyāre, jaḍmatī hot sujān. Rasike āvat jāvat, śil par parat niśān. This is a beautiful poem: “Karat karat abhyās pyāre—while practicing, practicing, O dear one, jaḍmatī hot sujān—even those who lack discrimination can become greatly wise. Rasike āvat jāvat—like a rope coming and going, śil par parat niśān—even a stone can be cut by its rubbing.” Slowly, slowly, day by day. Otherwise, you might think the stone has the strength to sever the rope—many do not realize the opposite. That is why you should visit the seaside, especially a place like Rijeka. Rijeka is a major port, in the beautiful country of Croatia. Croatia is a country that, as they say, ties all people by the neck—the origin of the word is “kravata.” In Croatian, the original meaning relates to kravata, which in fact developed in Croatia. So Croatia is linked to the word “cravat.” Later, the French—those who worked with cows and horses—had a cloth tied just here, and when they rode, it would flow in the air. Then it came to the English. Not knowing what a cravat was, they saw a Croatian come and say, “Just tie it.” Aha—this is a tie! Thus they gained great reputation for wearing a tie. But this tie is a Croatian invention. So now all Croatians hang them around their necks every morning: first they do this, then they are nice and clean, nicely dressed. The final ceremony is this: it means we keep Croatia in our hearts. That is why the second thing is that Croatia is known as a big heart. You can find heart souvenirs in Croatia. Similarly, in Germany, Heidelberg has a heart symbol and a beautiful song. I once attended the Goethe Institute to learn German; I went at most for ten days. One day they showed a video and were singing a song that stayed in my mind: “I have lost my heart in Heidelberg.” Every country has a beautiful heart and beautiful songs. Now to complete the poem: In Rijeka, at the docks where ships berth, you will see thick ropes sliding over stone edges as they pull. There you will notice many holes cut by the rope. This also occurs in India, near wells with stone curbs where women pull water; the rope suffers, but the stone is cut. Karat karat abhyās pyāre—practicing, practicing, O my dear one, the stone bears the mark. Karat karat abhyās pyāre, jaḍmatī hot sujān—while practicing, even one who knows nothing becomes wise. Jaḍ means underground, a little dull, and mati means thoughts; sujān means the wise one. Rasike āvat jāvat—like the rope coming and going, śil par parat niśān—the rock is cut. If we do not know many kriyās and this and that, Sumiran Kālī Yoga Keval Nām Ādhāra, Sumir Sumir Nar Hoi Bhava Para. In Kali Yuga, the best path is Bhakti Yoga, Nāma—your mantra. Sumir sumir, nar hoi bhava para—while practicing, practicing, O human, you will cross this ocean of ignorance. Therefore, baḍā bhāga manuṣyatāṁ pāvā—we are the fortunate ones who have attained the human body. This is great. So let meditation be passive only in the sense of surrendering into the hands of God, while you actively practice your mantra. That is safe and best. You can believe in any god, any image of the Holy Mother. Which mother is not holy? Many mothers are sitting here; I would ask that mother: which is not holy? Please stand up. You see? We are all holy. If you are not yet a mother, you have no baby, no child; then you will later enter the list of the holy. We have the quality; it depends on how we perceive it. Ultimately, all these altars merge into oneness; they disappear and appear in the heart, finally dissolving into Brahmaloka. They become one with everything. So this jīva is searching for rest, longing for inner peace. “Mother, O Mother, Māto O Māto, where is a peaceful shore? I must go to a far, far distance. The ocean is vast, the waves high, dark clouds thunder and lightning, and my boat is sinking.” Surdhājī said, “I am the bird of that boat. O my lord, now the boat is in mid-ocean; I do not want this boat. I want to fly away, but it is thousands of kilometers, and I cannot fly. I see no shelter anywhere—only one, in the middle of that ocean, again that boat.” So I am that bird of the boat. Again and again, I fly back seeking a peaceful shelter. Likewise, after all our confusions, disappointments, and doubts, we finally return to Gurudev’s satsaṅg. How beautiful is this bhajan! There is a real story about a certain Swāmī. Once a conflict arose between him and his master. He said something to the master, and the master replied, “Now you disappear. Do not show me your face anymore.” He left, obeying guru vākya. The only time he could see Gurudev was when Gurujī went walking to the forest and returned. So he would hide behind the railway wagons—goods trains or others that always stood there. If Gurudev turned one way, he would move the other. Yet every day he had darśan. Then one day Gurujī did not come; he was very sad. The next day, again no Gurujī—Gurujī had gone somewhere for satsaṅg. Standing near the guard’s cabin of the goods train, he had not seen Gurujī for a long time. He then sang this bhajan: Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān, Kī Jai. Devaśvara Mahādeva, Kī Jai. Mādhav Kṛṣṇa Bhagavān, Kī Jai. Itrā to karnā Gurudev, darśan jaldī denā. O Gurudev, at least do this: be gracious and grant me your darśan quickly. I am caught in the nest of my doubts; I do not know how to escape. O Lord, please be merciful and give me your darśan. Your darśan is holy; it purifies all sins. I cherish this, I love this in my heart. Please give me your darśan swiftly. Your words are very pleasant to me—they destroy all my doubts. Please give me darśan; it removes or calms the three tapas, the inner fires present in our three bodies. These three tapas—Ādhibhautik, Ādhidaivik, and Ādhyātmik— are explained very clearly and beautifully in our book, “Hidden Powers of Humans.” Those who touch your holy lotus feet, dukh mūr jāya jarsi—all troubles go away with their roots; not a single root remains. Root it out. My ātmā rejoices. Please give your darśan soon. Sumirāṁ tumhārā nika—the repetition of Thy name is holy. Sarav dhyānka henti ka—this is the commentary of all meditations. Sab jagat lage mueh pīkā—now the whole world tastes insipid to me. Satguru ke guṇ jogāve—those who sing the glory of Satguru Dev, Bhāva Sindhu Bo Niyave—will not come again into this ocean of ignorance, this worldly ocean. Achal Ram Mokshpāve—the Swāmī who composed this bhajan, his name is Achal Ram. Achal Ram Mokshpāve—he attains liberation. That is, Sañjaldī Denā. So he sent this letter to his master, and the master called him. “Do you want to come out of this net of doubts?” “Please.” This is recorded in his biography. These are beautiful bhajans by Āchal Rāmjī—very profound, Brahmagyāna bhajans. Many times we learn in many places. Karat karat abhyās pyāre, jaḍmatī hot sujān, rasike āvat jāvat, śil par parat niśān. You have to go to Rijeka to see this; it is the best example. Then you will remember that what Swāmījī speaks is not nonsense. Some may say, “Oh, this is just Swamiji talking.” But my every word is authentic because it is Gurujī’s words. Rijeka has a beautiful ashram. Anyone from any country or village can go there for holidays and spend them there—sattvic food, very comfortable accommodation. Our Guru’s name is our ashram. From the roof you see the beautiful Adriatic Sea: on one side, large ships; on the other, a lovely beach, all within walking distance. Whenever you wish to hold any kind of seminar—for ten, twenty, fifty, five people, single or double—it is very nice, and it is our ashram. So, breakfast in Rijeka, lunch in the Zagreb ashram, then fly, and dinner at home. Wish you all the best and good appetite. And this evening, if it does not rain, satsaṅg will again be held on the beautiful meadow at seven o’clock. Siddha Pīṭha Paramparā, Viśvagurū, Viśvagurū, Mahāmaṇḍaleśvarānanda, Mahāprabhudīpa Paramparā, Viśvagurū, Viśvagurū, Mahāmaṇḍaleśvarānanda, Mahāprabhudīpa Paramparā, Viśvagurū, Viśvagurū,… Viśvagurū. Thank you for watching.