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Gurujī Mahādev Kī Jai, Devādhi Dev, Deveśwar Mahādev Kī Jai, Ārādhi Bhagavān Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇ Mahāprabhujī Kī Jai, Ārādhi Bhagavān Satguru Swāmī Madhavānandajī Bhagavān Kī Jai, Śrī Sanātana Dharma Kī Jai. Good evening, my dear sisters, brothers, yogīs in daily life, all yoga teachers and students. Blessings of the Gurudevs to all of you, and to all people from different generations, different countries, and different religions. I respect everyone. Om Namo Nārāyaṇ, Deep Nārāyaṇ Bhagavān Kī Jai. A few days ago, a very great tragedy occurred in the Himalayas—massive floods, snow, and destruction. The whole world knows about it; it was in the newspapers. For those who passed away, for those still in hospitals, and for those who were displaced, we are praying. Please, everyone, hold hands. Let us pray to the cosmic consciousness. God, please bless the souls that have returned to cosmic life, and bless their families and all those who are grieving. Oṁ Namaḥ Śrī Prabhudīp Nārāyaṇam. Oṁ Śrī Prabhudīp Nārāyaṇam. Oṁ Namaḥ Śrī Dīp Paripūraṇ Nārāyaṇam. Oṁ Guru Brahmā, Guru Viṣṇu, Guru Devo Maheśvara, Guru Sākṣāt Parabrahma, Tasya Śrī Guruve Namah. Dhyāna Mūlam Guru Mūrtiḥ, Pūjā Mūlam Padmantra Mūlam, Guru Vākya Mokṣa Mūlam, Guru Kṛpā Om Namaḥ Śrī Prabhudīp Nārāyaṇam... Hamsabhādās Prabhu Śaraṇ Parāyaṇam, Hamsabhādās Prabhu Śaraṇ Parāyaṇam. Om Namah Śrī Prabhudīp Nārāyaṇam, Om, Om... Shanti, Shanti,... Hari Om. Many things are happening now, not only in the Himalayas but in other countries as well. There are earthquakes, and many people do not understand what is going on. People tell me that even within a single family, there are many disturbances. Parents are there for their children, but the children want nothing to do with them. There are many husbands and wives with peaceful, good relationships, but many others simply don't know what to do. Children no longer follow their parents. So much is unfolding, and what can we do? In this time of Kali Yuga, it will become much more difficult. For those of us who follow what is called Sanātana Dharma, or the Hindu Dharmas, Hindu Dharma means to do good things, and beyond that, to deepen our meditation. In Kali Yuga, the best path is to turn to the cosmic, and that turning is prayer. I have been in Western countries for nearly fifty-two years. I have visited many churches and seen how the priests and nuns pray to Jesus and the Holy Mother. Similarly, other countries have their own ways of worship according to their religions. So whether you are in Europe, America, India, or elsewhere—this is your choice, but as spiritual people, the dharmas, the gurus, the teachers, the holy saints—all worship deeply. There are many things that Western people may not understand, but if you observe them, you will say, “Yes, there is something there.” Throughout India and abroad, many Hindus inspire deep respect within me. When I see the faith of other religions, I bow in my heart, but the living religion, the one still vibrantly alive, is in India among the Hindus. Yet, it is not about saying, “I want only this God.” There are many gods, and many gods abide in the one God. Consider the small village where I am now. Here, different families have different deities they pray to: Śiva, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Hanumān, Lakṣmaṇ, Lakṣmī, Durgā, Gaṇeśa, Alakhpurījī, Devpurījī, Mahāprabhudīp Nārāyaṇa, and many, many more. The Hindu Dharm Samrāṭ, Satguru Svāmī Madhavānandajī, and so many masters and gurus continue to transmit this living dharma. For some other traditions, there is only one book and one focus, and I respect that deeply. It is fine, but we must follow our own path, and part of that path is meditation. For example, when a child is born into a family, we perform certain ceremonies. At the very least, we love the child. Someone in the family may worship Hanumān; another may pray to Lakṣmī, Durgā, or Sarasvatī; another to Gaṇeśa. In one family, the father meditates on Rāma, the mother prays to Gaṇeśa, their daughter prays to Hanumānjī, and the brother worships Śiva. And yet, all live under one roof and respect one another. They know. They know. Those Satgurus, our Gurudev and the Gurus of the Paramparā, are truth itself. So many worship the living God, and no one ever says, “Do not do this, do not do that,” because they know that all paths are good. Now it is said that in Kali Yuga, we should hold onto one thing—like the strong trunk of a beautiful tree, something to protect us. For example, when I visited the Indian embassy in Prague, there was a couple working there who were my disciples. They invited me for a meal and satsaṅg, and in the morning they would go to their house. What did they do? First, with their two children—a daughter and a son—they would bathe and change their clothes. Then everyone would pray to Rāma, Kṛṣṇa, Hanumānjī, Gurudev, and others. As the sun rose, the mother, after washing, would take a lotā (a small pot) of water and go outside to a Tulasī plant in a pot. She would offer water to Tulasī, facing the rising sun—even if clouds hid it, it did not matter. Then, putting the pot down, she would pray and re-enter the house. They would also perform a little pūjā, light agarbattī (incense), and a dīpak (lamp) with ghee or good oil, offering it to Lakṣmī or Tulasī at their home altar. Then everyone received prasād, including the children, before they had breakfast—coffee, tea, and so on. When the children left for school, they first went to the altar and prayed, “Please take care of us and give me the knowledge that I may learn well.” The husband and wife also went to work, but the mother, who stayed at home, would read from a holy book. It does not matter where they are or which country they go to; in India, too, they all worship in this way. So it is about our inner feelings, our faith. We must believe. If we lack belief and merely imitate what others do, it is not good. Often, the one performing pūjā in the house is the mother or grandmother—such people have a deep feeling, know who they are, and remain very pure. Many do not eat meat or eggs, although in some other countries people do, and when they are far from home they may begin to eat those things. Yet the majority of people are very religious. As I observe in Western countries, every month there is some festival, and every day something is dedicated to a saint or a divine name. They worship Jesus, pray before meals, and bow before their altar. When they eat, they first say a little prayer. That feeling is there, though now many have forgotten. This is why it is so important to return, because Kali Yuga has come. I do not want to tell you to follow this religion or that religion. I believe in all of them; you do whatever meditation or worship you feel is best. But in this Kali Yuga, we must turn to ourselves, to our religion. Why have people brought this current way of life? It is not good; we need to turn again to God. You know, when someone visits a graveyard and bows in the name of God, there is something there—even if the soul has departed, the feeling remains. And when something sudden happens, “Oh my God!” comes automatically. So this Kali Yuga is truly very, very hard, and it will become harder. Therefore, wherever your religion is, whatever you believe, or even if you don’t know where to go, you can always visit a church or a temple—a Śivamandir, Rāmamandir, Brahmamandir, Lakṣmīmandir; there are many. We have to turn in this direction now. Meditation. And that meditation dwells within our own self, because our God is inside. After any pūjā, we bow with our head or heart. Why? Because the seat of God is there. So the meditation is not about going outward; be thyself—in myself is that Myself. When something sudden frightens us, we instantly turn to God. This is why so many songs and spiritual practices are so important. You know that Brahmārī Prāṇāyāma opens the heart, step by step. Day by day, the heart opens, and Brahmārī Prāṇāyāma is very powerful and good; it brings happiness, joy, and lifts our consciousness. It is a very effective technique that raises our consciousness and brings peace. Therefore, it is called Nādharūpa Parabrahma—Nādharūpa Parabrahma. That sound, that vibration, is God. So today I want to share a little meditation. In meditation we do not go outside in our thoughts or feelings; we come to our own self, to the God within. We meditate from within, at the forehead where Iḍā, Piṅgalā, and Suṣumnā converge, and where we apply Tilak. Then we turn to the heart, then to the Nābhi, or the Sahasrāra—but the Master will guide you. There are certain centers in the body where you may concentrate. Perhaps today we will dwell in the heart. What does it mean to go to the heart? We relax the heart with good balance, so there is no trouble inside it or anywhere in the body. So we will now have a short meditation. I will not speak too much, because a beautiful flute will sound, and wherever you are in the world, that flute will resonate. From time to time I will give some instructions. Close your eyes, sit comfortably on the floor or on a chair—wherever you are at ease—and we will chant Oṃ from the navel. From the navel, the sound travels upward to the Anāhat, then to the Viśuddhi near the throat, then to the Bindu Chakra, and finally to the Sahasrāra Chakra. Stay aware of your body, feel inside, and silently repeat your mantra. When I prompt you, chant the mantra from the navel three times. Place your hands on your hips, index fingers and thumbs together, the other three fingers separated. You may rest them on your knees or raise your hands upward. Just be thyself, feel thyself within thyself—go ahead. From the navel to the top of the head, and from the top of the head back to the navel. Hari Om, Dīp Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān Kī Jai, Dev Purīṣa Mahādeva Kī Jai, Satguru Svāmī Madhavānandajī Bhagavān Kī Jai, Satī Sanātana Dharma Kī Jai, Hari Om, Śānti, Śānti, Śānti. Vishwagurū Mahāmaṇḍaleśwar Paramahaṁsa Śrī Svāmī Maheśvarānanda Jī Gurudeva Kī Jai. Place your palms on your face, open your eyes slightly between your eyelids, and bow down.