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Our dear Dayāmātā has been a disciple for many long years. We met in Canada, where she also resides. As you can see, she is originally Chinese. Of course, she speaks perfect English and is already a sannyāsī of five years. We call her Matajī, and she now teaches Yoga in Daily Life in various places, including China. We also have two other students, my disciples in China, who are teaching yoga in their lives. So, we also have Yoga in Daily Life in China. We also have about four disciples teaching in different places in Japan. And, as you know, I was in China in 1983. So, I think today Matajī will give us a very good lecture. Praṇām Gurudev. Praṇām Gurudev. Brothers and sisters, I am so happy to be here. When I am away, I truly miss all of you. I see this big, big family in Europe. When Gurudev was telling the story of Vivekānanda going to America—the story of East meeting West—I realized that now, with Yoga in Daily Life, we are bringing together West and East, meeting in China. Through Yoga in Daily Life, we are bringing everybody together. I think I need all of your help, perhaps to expand hospitality to Asia, or maybe some of you will come one day to help spread Yoga in Daily Life in China and, after China, perhaps more Asian countries. I remember many years ago when Gurudev told me I should go to China. I was very nervous. Who would I go to? I knew no one, although my ancestors came from China. I did not know how to start and was troubled, thinking about it for a whole year. Then, suddenly, the avenue opened—of course, through Gurudev. Just before Christmas, everything happened. Gaṅgā Purī and Ratan Purī from Croatia happened to be in Shanghai, and I also met with Yaśodā, who was teaching in India before she lived in China. We all met together, and that was the start in 2015. Of course, this journey seemed very nice in the beginning, but as I went on, I found it was not as easy as I thought. There were many obstacles along the way. There is lots and lots of yoga in China, but everywhere I went, people were expecting some kind of gymnastic or circus-type yoga. When I was invited, I saw all these straps, balls, and equipment. On the walls were pictures of very extreme yoga. The type of yoga learned in China is gymnastic, almost artistic circus yoga. It is completely different from what we practice. But gradually, the people who started coming to us found they became more relaxed, less stressed, and stronger. So, I hope more will join. At least now we have Chanda—that is what I will call her. She has come from China, very bravely, to meet all of you and has taken her mantra. I hope our group will gradually expand. We have another from China in Vancouver, but coming directly from China, she is the number one. We must all embrace her. I truly hope she will find this is her family in Europe. She is quite overwhelmed by the hospitality extended to her. This is her first time out of China, and in the beginning, she was quite perplexed and a little nervous. But I hope that after one week, she will be much more relaxed and find all the love surrounding her. I thank you all, and I also hope some of you would like to come to China to give me a hand. With government rules, it is not so easy at the moment, but of course, everything is possible with Gurudev. Whatever I do, it is all Gurudev’s grace. Thank you, Gurudev. Thank you all. I really need all of your support. Without you all and without Gurudeva, I would not be here. Thank you very much. I will try my best to express myself. This is my first time in Europe, and it is a long distance from China. But I think distance is not a problem if I have a strong desire to be here. Before coming, I met some troubles due to bad weather and a typhoon. My first flight was delayed, and my sixth flight was cancelled. At that moment, I cried a lot. I thought, "I won’t come. Why shouldn’t I come?" I felt nervous and sad. But at that moment, I focused my mind here. I just said the name of Swāmījī. I thought, "Viśva Gurujī, you must let me go there. I really want to go. It is my big desire." Later, I thought all things that happen are the best things. Maybe I need to face and overcome these situations. I really thank my yoga teacher, Matajī. We call Matajī in Chinese "Yù Jiā Māma," like our mother. In China, with so many people, there is so much pressure in life. When Matajī came to China, she faced many different situations from Europe and her own country. Of course, many people in China wanted to earn money from her and cheated her a lot. I felt so sad. I just thought, why couldn’t we use our pure heart to learn this system? It is so nice, so perfect for our life. It is the best thing I have met in my 25 years. From the bottom of my heart, our Yoga in Daily Life system, and the way I met her, is the best thing that has happened to me. Matajī came to many cities in China: first Chongqing (my hometown, though I did not meet her there), then Wuhan, Shanghai, and finally Hainan, where I met her. Matajī spent a lot of time with us, giving so much love and care—so much that I cannot explain, but I can feel it. She has several hundred students in China. Many come, perhaps because we lack this kind of faith in China. Most people in China do not trust themselves, not gods, not others. The two most important things for them are money and fame. There are many problems. The most important trouble is we are not even conscious of the problem. We think we are fine; we have a nice life. Why do we need a guru? Why do we need God? They think it is their own destiny, that karma is okay. They think, "I can follow my karma; it is my fate. I love to do that." They think it is not a problem. I practiced yoga before, but it was more about flexibility. Many people do this kind of yoga in China all day. They think, "Oh, I am so beautiful, so flexible. I am successful in yoga. I am good." People in China practice yoga with excitement to be the most beautiful, flexible, and amazing. One student in China, whom Matajī taught for maybe a year or a few months, started to try to take over her place. How could she do this with so much confidence? But Matajī taught me many things about yoga and explained many things, like here. She taught me we have such a big center in Europe, with so many people. She said, "You must come and see. You will see all the family waiting for you here. They are all your family." Matajī—Yù Jiā Māma, yoga mother—now many students treat her like their mother. I feel a lot and learn a lot from my yoga mother. I think I am a selfish girl sometimes because of the situation in China, where one family has one child. We grew up without brothers and sisters. Many times, we just play by ourselves. We do not want to share our experiences, our success, or many things with others. We do many things by ourselves and only for ourselves. We are not used to sharing. Even as a student, in our university, many students only did research by themselves. We did not like to share or work in a group. Most of the time, we close our hearts. I closed my heart for maybe 25 years. I did not want to share my sadness, happiness, or feelings. I felt very lonely many times. But the yoga mother process is more about sharing—sharing love. You can share everything of yourself with others. You can give more. Slowly, I think I need to open my heart. I feel energy in my heart. It is the first time I have met this kind of system. Before meeting Yoga in Daily Life, I had a very strong desire in my heart. Before, I was a Buddhist, and I thought about if there was a yoga system with a master where we could find the truth of life. With this desire, I met our yoga mother and had the chance to practice with her. I really thank my yoga teacher. She brought me a lot. Sometimes I am loyal, sometimes I am bad, but my yoga teacher can always understand me. I am very grateful. Thank you. I also thank all of you and Gurudev. From my heart, this time I really feel I opened my heart. I will try to open it more and more with my mantra. Thank you all. Everyone has an immense amount of love and brotherhood. We are together like brothers and sisters. Many who are above age we call as mothers, fathers, or brothers. When they are younger, we can call them son or daughter. There is a bhajan you sang yesterday, written by our beloved Satguru Swāmīmādhavānandajī Bhagavān: "Prakāś, Puñj, Amṛt, Keśavar." Prakāś means the light. Puñj means the source of life—light, like the light of the sun. The sun itself is like Mahāprabhujī, amṛta ke sāgara, the ocean of nectar. "Prakāś puñj amṛt ke sāgar dīp, Harī Mahā Dhani hai." Lord Bhagavān Śrī Dīpnār Mahāprabhujī is the giver of blessing. Throughout the whole world, guñjā means the glory. Deep Hari Mahadani and Mahāprabhujī are among the greatest givers. You know this bhajan well. So, Yoga in Daily Life is the light of Devpurījī, Alagpurījī, Mahāprabhujī, and Gurujī. This light is everywhere: in China, Africa, Russia, Europe, America, Mexico—everywhere is the light of Mahāprabhujī. He came there, and Mahāprabhujī protected him. He blessed me to give these seeds of immortality in every country. The sun is all the time around the earth. The light, the prakāśa, and the warmth of the sun are more in the earth. If you go closer to the sun, it is cold. As far as we go, we have no gravity. The sun does not have the capacity to catch us as far as gravity. As far as we come there, it is cold. As close as we come to the earth, it is hot. All the heat of the sun is preserved in the earth. It does not matter which hour it is; if not this side, then it is that side. If you sit in front of a fire, you feel heat here. If you turn the other side, your back is full of heat. That is the sun's energy. Mostly, the energy of the sun is in our earth, and it becomes so hot—what we call the volcano. From where does that heat come? Stones are melting, flowing like water; irons and everything melting. As I spoke a few days ago, we should get more contact with our Earth. We should walk without shoes and socks for at least a few minutes, or one or two hours, and touch and work with the earth. Even if there is nothing to do, just go and play like little children. They play with the sand automatically. Do you know how happy they are? If we will work here one week, or with five days left, at least one hour you should walk without shoes or socks and clean some of the roots of the earth near the trees or under our apple trees. Many apples are falling; we can collect them for the kitchen. Go to the vegetable garden. Try for one week, in these few days you are here, to work in the earth. Children will immediately go work with the earth automatically. Also, dogs, cats, all animals, and birds bathe in the sand. The miracle is not some magic, but it is Mother Earth. Do not worry about nails. You should have earth and dance. On the last day, you can clean and say, "How nice it was." You will feel how good your experiences are, and your health will develop because this spot of earth has never seen chemicals. Before 20 or 30 years, there were not so many chemicals. In communist times, it was also not so much, and the forest was much better. The grass, herbs, and bushes were healthier than now. This ashram soil is virgin soil. You can touch it; you can even put a little in your mouth. Under a tree, take a little earth, put a little water, take it on your finger, and brush your teeth. All your bacteria will be gone. You will see how strong your teeth will be in one week. Try. Brush more the roots of the teeth on the gums. See what will happen. Two things can happen: either the teeth fall down or they become very strong. Back to nature, back to Mother Earth. I can promise you nothing wrong will happen with your gums, mouth, or teeth. Take that soft earth, not sandy. I called him to talk about something, but I am giving him perspiration. From India, they make a toothpaste now, worldwide known from Rāmdevjī, Patañjali. There is a toothbrush. Since I have this toothbrush, I have no bleeding from the gums; otherwise, blood was coming from paradentosis. On it is a picture of a Neem branch. In India, we mostly used a toothbrush from two trees: either neem or babool. Still now, if you go to a big city like Mumbai, people bring little branches, cut nicely, and sell them in the market. First, they bite it, then brush. They have no paradentosis. This toothbrush from Rāmdevjī is called Dantkranti. Who has one? Others do not know. I will ask Rāmdevjī for a commission. Babool is very good in every aspect. For women, it is the best. For men also—always I have to support the men. It is the time of the women, so somehow we should keep our dignity as men. But now we do not know if it is a man or a woman. The creator, God, said, "Be very careful if this is a man or a woman, because no one has a beard." So God is looking to see if there is a man. That is why often I have to make it like this so God's heart is peaceful that there are still men. A joke, but it is something. Around the whole world, we call him Sūrya Nārāyaṇa. This element of fire is from the sun. The sun is directly connected to us through our navel. It does not matter how much clothing we have; through any part of the body, the sun's rays come to the navel. That amṛt is there. Immortal amṛt is in the navel. Everything is from our navel. First was the navel because that is the soul, the seed of our self. Then our limbs develop. So we must take care of our navel. Therefore, there is a very strong, powerful yoga technique. Through that, we can be protected against cancers and many other diseases. We can practice. If someone has cancer, try this. The bubble water and this very powerful technique is very expensive. Of course, I can tell you everything, but for some techniques, I must charge money. You promised me; you gave me already so much money, so now I must tell you. It is called Agniṣār Kriyā. Who knows? Raise your hand. Who is doing it every day? Others are lazy. This Agniṣār Kriyā activates our solar plexus, which is the pancreas. If the pancreas is powerful, all disease is gone. That point also comes over what we call kāya kalapa. After about six months of doing it every day, you will see what kind of power and energy you have, and how healthy you will be. But not only a little bit; you have to learn. With an empty stomach, morning is best after the bathroom. It is most powerful. If you cannot practice one day of yoga, do it for five minutes only: Agniṣār Kriyā. We have power from whom? From the sun. The sun has a direct connection, even when we are underground in mines. It is everywhere. Touch a stone; it is full of fire. Hug a tree—oh, immense power. Take positive. More work with the hands without gloves. This technique, yoga, is the science of the body: physical, mental, social, spiritual in every aspect. But one thing: practice exactly what yoga is. Not like that. Just now, Chandra was telling. Every day, this is not yoga. I saw today somewhere when exercising, doing yoga, my disciple. I did not teach her, but she was doing something called acrobatic and aerobic and said, "Aṣṭāṅga Yoga." We are sitting in the Czech Republic, and you will say we are in Africa. It is not Africa; it is the Czech Republic. In Africa, we cannot say we are in the Czech Republic. One should know, but now it is like this: enjoy whatever you like. Do whatever you like. Otherwise, you are lost. It does not matter if we die or not. Let's take the drug. If you use drugs, it means you are doing self-murder; that is called silent dying. It is a kind of self-suicide. There are many things; do not try. I think in Japan and China, there are no drugs? They have a drug of money. But for young people, if someone says, "Oh, are you stupid? We are in a new age. We are free. Just try. You never tried? What kind of human are you?" And then you say, "No, I do not want." You are one of the stupid. Next day, okay, I will try. The chicken is already in the case. Therefore, there are many different kinds of drugs. A habit is also a drug. Laziness is a drug. Not doing anything is a drug. Drug means not only hashish. Alcohol is the biggest drug. How many people are suffering from alcohol? Whole families are destroyed. On the airplane, they ask, "Do you want to drink more? Can I give you?" When I am on the airplane, they say, "Sir, what would you like to drink after take-off?" Water. "After that, sir, what would you like to drink now?" Mineral water. "Before eating, sir, what would you like to drink?" Mineral water with bubbles. "After eating, would you like to drink wine, sir?" I say, "You know what wine means? In German, we say 'nine.' So I like to have nine, not wine." How much are they offering? Anyhow, practice. We shall do real yoga. They should have training. Our Yoga in Daily Life teachers number more than 1,000 or 2,000, and still they are learning more. That is why many systems broke, but our Yoga in Daily Life is blossoming. Yoga in Daily Life means, not me. If you do not like me, okay. I do not like you, but the system, the techniques—that is the real technique of yoga. Practice, and we will have beautiful programs. I welcome you all. We will have more programs this whole week. Some are only for the weekend. Wish you all the best. Friday, Saturday, Sunday—three days you can enjoy. Three days, three lokas: material earth loka, physical, mental, and subtle body. In three days, you are in the subtle body, but work with the Earth. Really, tell me day after tomorrow. We have our brother Divya Purī, the pillar of Yoga in Daily Life in New Zealand. He is working very hard. In New Zealand, we have three centers: one in Auckland, one in Wellington, and one on the Kapiti Coast, all under Yoga in Daily Life. In Auckland, they have a very big center. Our Madhuram is working in Kapiti. For the first time, our Divya Purījī came here. Are you here for the first time in Štrelka? I let him experience it for one week. Before, it was a shock: "Is this yoga? So many people? It is nearly half of New Zealand." I think our dear Divyā Purī would like to say hello. Chandra will be a very hard act to follow. She spoke so well; it was quite inspiring and a little daunting. It is a great pleasure to be here. I am reminded of a joke: most people have a greater fear of public speaking than of death. I think I am counted among those. But with Swāmījī here, I am ready to face anything. We have been blessed in New Zealand with Swāmījī’s regular visits for many years, and with the generosity of Swāmījī and all of you in allowing bhaktas and teachers from here to come share their experience and teach us. We have Bhajānand, Premjyotī, Sevā Devī, Kāmlā Devī, and Swāmī Madhurām. Others, like Sadhvī Hiradayā Kamal, did a lot of work years ago setting up in Auckland and Christchurch. I started with another yoga teacher more in line with the Sivananda tradition, similar to Yoga in Daily Life. When she left Wellington, I looked around and found Yoga in Daily Life on Jessie Street. I started taking classes and have stayed since. I have come to appreciate the breadth and depth of the yoga traditions carried through this lineage and the amount of wisdom and knowledge still to be gained. As Sadhvi Umapurī said this morning, there are the four paths of yoga. Personally, I prefer karma yoga. I find bhakti yoga great in an environment like this, but the devotional aspects still challenge my intellect at times. Slowly, over the years, going to India, Kumbh Melā, and now Štrelky, to feel the love—or as we call it in New Zealand, the aroha—in this community is a great blessing, along with Swāmījī’s guidance and love. It is great to be here, a great inspiration. Last week I was at an Anuṣṭhāna; this week at a teacher program. I am very grateful. Thank you. We also have someone spreading our yoga in life, now in San Francisco: Amṛtsāgar. She is a great yoga practitioner and teacher. After Amṛtsāgar, there is someone who brought yoga into my life in Brazil and brought me into the rainforest. How beautiful. Brazil is very big. In the center of the United Nations in Brazil, on the grounds, we planted a beautiful World Peace Tree. There are many bhaktas: one is a judge, and her husband is a great singer. With Patañjali... yes, he was in Jaipur. Amṛt, please. I am very happy to be at home among you. For 28 years, I have been living in a part of the world changing so much it is difficult to see all those changes. I live in the San Francisco area in California. There are many fires and a strange or interesting energy there. It is interesting to see how people in the West feel nature and the elements, and what they bring. Meanwhile, I heard in the news that all forests should be cut down as a prevention for fires. Children are taught nature is dangerous and they should not go into nature because they can make fire. Imagine teaching in such an environment, teaching yoga, love for nature, love for each other, and compassion. The environment keeps giving me lessons. The role of yoga teacher is inspiring in a way I did not expect. Our group in San Francisco has about 10 or 12 disciples; some come, some go. We had a beautiful ashram in a commercial space. A year and a half ago, we had to move because prices are unimaginably high. When we were relocating, Viśvagurujī told me, "Take the floor with you." I looked at the beautiful wooden floor and wondered how to take it out. We had discussions about how to do it. Then I realized Swāmījī was not speaking about the wooden floor but about the light of Swāmījī, Viśvagurujī, Mahāprabhujī, and the whole lineage, and how we would spread the light forward. We continue our activities. I teach yoga to Indians in a beautiful ashram, with classes for children and adults. I still learn cooking and sometimes cook for them; they ask what I put inside because it is so tasteful. We have a beautiful little house there; Umapurījī knows it, and Viśvagurujī was there every time he came. When I thought about the floor, I put all furniture away from our living room, and now I have yoga classes there. We keep gathering. Thank you. The situation teaches me a lot. We have mental ideas of how things should be, but when we open ourselves to other possibilities, it goes in the way it is meant to be, in unimaginable ways we must let go of. I thank you. It is a very nice story. She was born here in the Czech mountains, Beskydy. She went to America, read about the Yoga in Daily Life book, looked on the internet, and found it available in New Zealand. I was in New Zealand, so she came from San Francisco to buy that book in Wellington and met me there. You see how karma works? For many years, I was here in a neighbor's house. Thank you. Paris from Brazil. She has worked many years with American Airlines as a hostess. Thank you. Hello, brothers and sisters. First, I want to say thank you. Every time Swāmījī calls me to the podium, I say thank you. Especially this ashram—I have been here in Štrelka for a month and a half, and everyone was so nice to me. Thank you so much, Swami Parvatī. Swāmījī went to Brazil a couple of years ago. He went to Rio de Janeiro and also to my hometown. What a big gift—he came to see my family, my city. I think it is time you go back soon, Swāmījī. It is such a big country; we should go back again. How many trees did we plant? In a beautiful park in Rio, we planted about twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five trees. In my hometown, São Paulo, and at the United Nations park officially, we gave two trees the names Ṛddhi and Siddhi. Also, one in the rainforest. In Rio+20, Swāmījī was the only swāmī there. The only light in Rio was Plus. The media loved him; they followed him everywhere. He was in all the news. Swāmījī, I am sorry. Such a big country, but his light is there. We should go back soon. All our brothers and sisters, once again, thank you so much. Where did you meet me? I met Swāmījī in Alexandria. I had never heard about him. I was practicing there. As he mentioned, I am a flight attendant. I saw his posters. That day, my flight was cancelled. I did not feel like going home, so I drove by the ashram. I was embarrassed; I was late. I went inside, and Swāmījī just spotted me with a big smile. My heart was pulsing really fast. He asked, "What is your name?" I answered, "Deborah." That is how we met. I could not leave the ashram; I could not leave Swāmījī. Right away, he invited me to go to Slovenia for the World Peace Conference in 2006. Even being a flight attendant, I did not know where it was. I looked it up on a map and went. My life changed for the best. Again, I say thank you, Swāmījī. Many of you have visited Brazil. It is a big country with the biggest rainforest. Unfortunately, they are chipping away the rainforest per day, many hectares, and planting eucalyptus trees, which is not good for nature. It is commercial wood for buildings. They said, "For what is this forest used?" Many animals and birds died. Even at the United Nations, they asked to stop destroying the rainforest. I was invited to that forest. It is also Paras' relative who takes care of it. He has a history: he had a hobby of hunting. The first animal he saw, he would shoot for many years. One day, God changed his mind, and he gave up. From that day, no more killing. Now he is a protector of animals and beautiful, colorful birds. There are many different monkeys, including hugging monkeys. Before sunset, monkeys come from here and there. The eldest monkey sits, and all monkeys come, hug him, and give him a kiss. They sit together. It is beautiful. We do not know what they are talking about, but they make sounds. Unfortunately, they lost their forest. We planted one tree there called Brazil wood. The colony from Portugal came and cut these trees. When you cut this tree, it bleeds exactly the same color as human blood. They chipped many trees and brought them here for coloring fabrics. What humans have in their mind is non-productive, not good. Now they take cheap trees; there will be no fire. There is a nice poem Holī Gurujī wrote: a beautiful forest on a hill with many different trees. There grows one bamboo. When the bamboo grows, the whole forest cries. Why? They said one day will come, and the whole forest will be burned. The bamboo, with the wind moving, creates fire, and the whole hill burns. On another hill grows chandan (sandalwood). The whole forest is very happy, celebrating. They said, "Why are you so happy? Because the chandan is growing." Where chandan grows, the whole forest is happy because the day will come when the whole forest will be protected, and their value will go high. So, when one person in our village, city, or country is like chandan, they make a great name for our country. Or one is like that who will destroy everything. Nowadays, humans are destructive. We are born for protection but are destructive. We must love our nature. As I was talking about earth, soil: go on a hill with no chemicals. Sit there, and when tired, touch your hands on the earth. Sit automatically like this, and tiredness goes. We get energy, prāṇa. That is why we call her Mother Earth. It is very important. Food is not only for eating; it is our life. We should love, even worship our food. Some people have love for food: to prepare it, bring good grains and vegetables, and give healthy food to humans and animals—not killing. Some people talk and talk, telling others to eat human food, not dead animal food. We can pray for you. After death, we can pray. But if you eat meat, it does not matter if it is your father or mother; we cannot help them. Only one thing is good: when they die, you do not see in which condition they will be. Still, we can do something as innocents. Life in Brazil, such beautiful forest, trees, animals. Now you see only eucalyptus trees. Nothing grows under them; no animals can live there. Maybe some bird. You see all animals because trees grow up, and people hunt them. Finally, one day, humans will shoot humans because there will be nobody else to kill. Let us do something; we should save ourselves. In India, on highways, there is a sign: "Government: Protect is in protect." You should protect others so you will also be protected. If you make an accident, they will die, and you will also die. Protect in protect. If you protect others, you are protecting yourself also. Alakpurījī Mahādev Kī.