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Good evening, and welcome to our Yoga in Daily Life ashram in Dungong. Also, to our dear brothers and sisters around the world, good evening—or if it is morning, good morning. We are here in a very unique, spiritual, divine forest. The nearby place or village is called Dungong. Yogandhali Rai has this piece of land, about 600 hectares, so nearly the whole of a big mountain. It is untouched nature, and many different souls live here: spiders, snakes, kangaroos, koalas, humans, and what not. Our dear brother Sukhdev Purī has been living here for the last year, taking care of this property. He tried his best to prepare this place where we can put our tents, including this tent where we are sitting now. A few weeks ago, I flew over Dungong. There was no grass, and everything was cut, but I think he did a last-minute job and made everything nice. Here, as I said, is untouched nature, not only on our property but in the surrounding area as well. It joins our property; it is called the National Park, which spans several thousand hectares—very, very big. This means it unites with our property, so you can go there and walk anytime. The quality of the air here is far better than Sydney's. To spend one hour here is something great. That is prāṇa in the air—the life. Lucky are those who can come into such beautiful nature and have some peaceful, divine minutes. For yoga practitioners, for the yogīs, it is described as ekaṅt vās. Ekaṅt means alone, in the forest—all yogīs and nature. There you can meditate more, develop your spirituality more, concentrate better, and there is no pollution, what we call sound pollution. Also, there are no roads passing by, only a very small road. In the old times, they used to call the ṛṣis, and the ṛṣis were hermits living in such beautiful places, very happy and in great harmony with nature. So I welcome you here for this three-day retreat, where we will have two different kinds of programs for elderly persons and one program for our juniors—so, actually, three different programs. The advanced, long-year disciples who have mantras and so on are going to have, for the first time in history in Australia, a Kriyā Anuṣṭhāna. Many of you had to go to Europe, to Stiltī Āśram or to Hungary, to do a Kriyā Anuṣṭhāna. But this time, our dear Bhakti asked again and again, requested again and again: "Swamiji, all cannot go, because if all go to Sri Lanka, then who will take care of the ashrams here and do this Kriyā Anuṣṭhāna?" I agreed and said, "Okay, we will do it, but for one week minimum." But it is said, man proposes, and God disposes. We had this international Ayurveda and yoga conference in Sydney for the last four days, plus our programs in Sydney ashrams—Dengog Ashram and Kensington Ashram, and so on. It was beautiful and very nice. Sādhanā—only humans can do that kind of sādhanā. Sādhanā means practice. Humans know how to get inner peace, how to be content, and how to develop spirituality and come nearer to God. God said, "O my dear, where are you searching for me? I am with you. My heart is out of the cities, in the forest, like Dungong. But my residence is in your breath. Observe inhalation and exhalation and feel the presence of the Divine in your heart." The ānanda, the bliss of such a feeling, is indescribable, and we cannot compare it with anything. But only those who have the right feelings. Anuṣṭhāna is mostly done with mauna. Mauna means silence. It is not easy to keep the silent mauna. Many yogīs fail till today. I try in Europe; for the last 40 years, in every seminar I ask them for mauna. All are very happy and ask the question, "Swamiji, what does mauna mean?" and so on, and, "Oh, we would like to have it, please." After going away from the lecture hall, everyone is talking and talking, because to keep the mauna is not for everyone. Only a yogī can do it. Only a spiritual person can do it. Only one who has love, contentment, and peace in the heart. Yes, thanks to God, we do not even have mobile access here. That's good. Also, the newspaper man doesn't come here to deliver the newspaper, and we don't have the radio because the car battery is finished. So what a golden chance that you can observe the silence. That's beautiful. As soon as you begin to keep the mauna, inner energy will come out. Inner forces will come out. It will force you to talk, to say something, but you will say, "No, I have a mauna." To whom will you say it? To yourself. There are different kinds of mauna, but in mauna it is said that even you should not write on a piece of paper. "Please don't talk to me because I am having sādhanā, silent, and if you want to eat, you can go. I will come after, and you show the paper." There, you lost more energy than you would by just saying, "Sorry, I am in mauna, you can go and eat." So, some people indicate with the hands, sitting at the dining table having dinner or lunch or breakfast, and we are keeping mauna. And one says, "Mmm, mmm." Another says, "Mmm, mmm. Bread, mmm, potato." You see how hard it is. Sometimes, purposely, nature forces you to speak, but a yogī is content. He will stand up and take what he needs. Try this. Only two days are left. From after this lecture, you will not speak, except parents with small children. Also, in anuṣṭhāna, kriyā anuṣṭhāna, it is prohibited to touch someone. So, try to avoid body touch because the energy you will gain through this Kriyā Anuṣṭhāna, especially... Others, those who are going to a normal yoga class, they should keep the mauna but need not follow these instructions. So, we will all come there and Hargadās and sit there, okay? And the mauna people will see us and will be very jealous. So, I think it's good for you to keep mauna too, both groups. Experience it. Silent. Silent is the loudest, highest thing. You will listen to your inner voice, and you will realize your inner energy. So I wish that you will be successful for only two days. Such a chance you will not get so easily: to come to this divine forest, this retreat of yoga, in daylight—virgin, untouched nature—and be one with nature. And that kind of air which you inhale here, you can't get even in five- or seven-star hotels, no? And so, more prāṇāyāma, more conscious breathing. After programs, just stretch yourself. Look to the forest. Look at this beautiful landscape. Many different trees. The trees are standing together, but they don't talk loud like we do, and they don't fight like we do. Every branch finds the space to grow, and so you should also make your sādhanā. Sādhanā will give you what you need. Inner strength—you will come to know your inner strength. You will discover your inner strength. You will awaken your inner strength, and that inner strength means not to act negatively or unfriendly, but to work something more in the world. Now, when you will not speak, then you will dream. And in the dream, you are talking to someone and laughing. Sometimes the person who is sharing your room is sleeping, and you are laughing. And other people say, "What happened? That is nothing." The reaction of the mauna is that you cannot control your energy. Therefore, we need some vent to let this energy out. That is one direction of your mantra. Practice your mantra, and those who do not have a mantra, practice "Aum, Aum..." mentally: Aum, Aum. That repetition of the mantra will guide you safely. Or you have some other mantra from your master, or name of God, whatever you like. And if you don't want to repeat the mantra Oṁ, then you can just follow your breath. "I know I am inhaling, exhaling." When you walk, two steps inhale, three steps exhale. Be conscious about the ascending and descending breath process. Beautiful. So we will do this Kriyā Anuṣṭhāna here, and we will have the practicing of Āsanas, Prāṇāyāmas, and many other sādhanās as well. I will have lectures, and I will explain to you about the Kriyās and also any questions you have. You can ask me. Either write on a piece of paper, put it here, and I will answer, or just—we make one exception—that you ask your question. Not too long, very clearly. I know it's not easy for many to live in such a forest, because you are used to having a big bathroom, and hot and cold shower, and a big bathtub, and what not. That is all nothing. Beauty is here, joy is here, happiness is here, peace is here, the Divine is here. What do you want more? But still, there is something, so before it happens to you, better I tell you, okay? There is one story. One master announced a one-month yoga practice to get self-realization in one month. And we yogīs say it takes many lives to get that realization. It's not. Realization is not like some little profession or something. But who knows, maybe this is the last life where you ought to get self-realization. It's a lifelong work, but nowadays there are some people who give you self-realization in one weekend seminar. They write nicely, "One Weekend Seminar: Self-Realization." Book it immediately. Now or never, limited space. And when you go, there is space for two hundred people, and sitting five people. That's it. Self-realization in one weekend. And then the Master tells, "You are a divine ātmā. You are not the body, you are not the mind, you are not emotion, you are not intellect. You are ātmā, that's all." You've got self-realization, go home. But that is not self-realization. That's different, my dear. Well, a Master announced self-realization in a one-month course here, like in the forest, in the tents, sleeping in the tents on the floor. Somewhere the earth, the ground, is not equal; somewhere there is grass, somewhere some stones, sleeping. And the Master gave one principle, the rules: nobody will speak anything—Mauna. But, my dear, once a week you will have an opportunity to speak with me. For one week, you will not see me at all. You go and meditate, that's all. So, many people came. It was not so cheap; it was very expensive. It was only, how do you call them, $950,000. $950,000, not very much. Self-realization, my God. So one man, who was really not so practiced or did not know anything about this, also wanted to get self-realization, and he came also. Okay, Master said, "Here, bhaktas, spiritual seekers, these are the techniques you have to do. You have to come at the right time for eating, the right time for sleeping, and no talking, silence. In one week, I will come at 11 o'clock here, and you can ask a question. But your question should not be longer than two words, not a sentence. Ask your question in two words. The answer will also be only in two words." So that's self-realization. You don't need any questions or answers. One man was suffering so much: cold water, very cold, hard ground, and so on. Master came. After one week, all were sitting, and the organizers, like a bhakta, stood up and said, "My brothers, sisters, all welcome. They are very happy. Today Master is here, and please feel free to ask any questions. But be aware, Master said, not more than two words that you have to ask your question. And the answer will also be in two words. Any questions?" Silent. But that one man, who never came to any programs and so on, he stood up and Master said, "Yes, please." Two words, he said. "Eating cold." Master said, "I know." That's all for next question. Wait one week more. So he was sitting and sitting, and it was very hard. After one week again, disciples came together. Master came very seriously and with a great smile and laugh said, "My dear, my loving ones, how are you? You need not speak anything, I know." Master said, "Any question?" All are sitting peacefully, repeating mantra. The same man stood up. Master said, "Yes, please." He said, "Bed hard." Master said, "Very good." For a yogī, a hard bed is good. And if everybody sleeps on a hard bed, they will not have back aching and back problems. So many beds are so soft, and your spine is suffering the whole night. And you go in the office and sit also like this. Driving, also sitting like that. A hard bed is very healthy. So he said, "Bed hard." Master said, "Very good." Finished. If you want to tell anything, wait one week more. The third week came. He was waiting. He was waiting like when we are very cold and waiting for the sun rising, that we can warm our hands. Master said, "My loving ones, how are you? I know how you feel, but still, have you any questions?" Everybody sitting silently, no question. That man again stood up. So Master said, "Yes, please." He said, "I go." I will not stay here. I go. Master said, "Goodbye!" So don't be like that. Try to come to know thyself and your inner strength. Who will be the winner: your intellect, your emotion, or yourself, the jīvātmā? To awaken that inner strength to endure all difficulties of life and be capable of helping others. That's yoga sādhanā, which we are doing. That will be wonderful, beautiful. And I welcome all of you here for doing āsanas and prāṇāyāmas in our beautiful āśram retreat, which is a very beautiful place. So for today, that's all. I know.