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Good morning once more to everyone. This is the final session for now, though you will often have access through live webcasting and YouTube programs—both practice and theory. I see that many people still do not understand, or do not want to understand. There are these three possibilities. Because the same mistakes are being made again and again. In this way, one cannot develop. You must be disciplined and also practice discipline. The biggest problem for humans is communication. Some people complain excessively about others. Do you know what you are complaining about? Do you think you are better than others? How much time have you spent in satsaṅg or in an ashram? Complaining about someone, some organizations, or some people is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. To point fingers at others, to blame the organization, to ride on the faults of others—that is the greatest error a person can commit. Whoever complains about others, criticizes, or thinks that others are not doing things right—that is a sign of your stupidity. It shows you are not capable of communicating, or not capable of helping, or that you are selfish. Do what you wish to do. Selfishness is one of the biggest enemies. Selfishness is the cause of conflicts. Selfishness is the cause of all troubles in the world. We know what we feel; others feel the same. What we would like, others would also like. So a person who is selfish, who wants more and more, and talks badly about others—that person is lost. Because within the stomach of selfishness, or in the womb of selfishness, lies dormant a very great anger. So when your selfishness is not fulfilled according to your wish, that selfishness turns into great anger and disappointment, and your best, dear one, you declare as your enemy. Because you are selfish. Because you cannot feel others. You cannot see others, and this is the problem. Therefore, practice in both ways: theoretical as well as practical. Theory means to lead life accordingly, according to those instructions. But we do not. We make our own rules, and we break rules. We make our own mistakes, and then we blame others for those mistakes, and that is wrong. So, this weekend, I gave you many, many examples of how to lead life. After so much talking—three or four lectures—I saw the same problem all the time. So what did you learn? This is my question: Yesterday, where you got some sweets and tea, you were so loud that the neighbors in the room couldn’t sleep. It was so loud that on the third floor I could hear it. Is this the nature of a yogī? Or is this what you learned? You see, you can drink your tea or coffee or juice, no problem. You can buy your cake, chocolate, biscuits, or fruits, no problem. You can share with your friends, no problem, but you must not scream there. That’s called sound pollution. Sound pollution is also very harmful. So, physical pollution, sound pollution, and mental pollution. Therefore, you have to learn. You have to learn to respect others. Can you imagine yourself being very tired and ill, wanting to sleep, while people are screaming in front of your door? If you feel disturbed, others also feel the disturbance. So, aṣṭāṅgayogānusāsana—yoga requires discipline. I hope that by our next meeting, you will better yourself by at least 15%. This is not against any one person. You will see, after finishing this session outside, how much noise you make. That would mean you didn’t learn anything. If you meditate at home and your neighbor is using a hammer, and the neighbor’s wife starts a noisy washing machine, and downstairs someone is playing loud piano, and another neighbor has a dog—how will you feel all the time? Others will feel the same if we make noise. So peace begins from one’s own heart. Charity begins from one’s own home. A better world begins from one’s own side. Speak what is necessary, and speak slowly. Don’t scream. Hardly anyone else can hear what you are saying because others also want to speak, and you are screaming. When one talks too loud, one loses prāṇa. Do you know how much prāṇa is lost when you speak? If you have to give a one-hour speech, you feel very tired. You have to prepare months ahead for a one-hour talk. When you come on stage to speak, your whole body asks, "My friend, what are you going to do now?" Your blood pressure rises, your heart rate increases. Some people get a nervous breakdown on stage. Someone cannot even begin to speak. Many circumstances exist because speaking requires a lot of energy, both during and after. Therefore, when you talk, you are consuming energy from the solar plexus and from your brain. A lot of energy is lost. That is why the technique of mauna—silence—is always welcomed. Therefore, meditate every day. If you wish to be happy, meditate. Meditation will make you happy because through meditation you will find your inner peace. Meditation will free you from stress. Meditation will make you aware of your mistakes. It is meditation that will open your heart to communicate. It is meditation that will develop your spirituality. Meditation will let you feel better and understand your life circumstances. Meditation will give you the strength to endure all the circumstances of this world. Meditate with a mantra. Without a mantra, you are lost. You listen every time I lecture, but still you haven’t learned. You have a lot of aggression within you towards others. A lot of complaints toward others, and a lot of jealousy toward others. Is this a yogic nature? No. So, for what did you come here? Just for the holidays? Then you could have gone somewhere else. So think: what did you get this weekend from the seminar? Think: with how many people are you angry? And why are you angry? What have they done? Yes, they have made mistakes. Now you have a chance to use your wisdom to forgive and understand them. Say, "You see, a mistake like this happens; next time we will do it like that." So now, in this minute, you should think of whom you don’t like here in this hall. Go around, stand up, and look around. Whom do you not like here? You can’t find anybody because the ego is so high, you don’t want to see. There are thousands of people sitting, and you don’t see anybody. At least I am somebody. So you have to look with those eyes with which you can see everyone. Try to learn to communicate. There is a story about two donkeys. Both donkeys were tied with one rope, about ten or fifteen meters long. One end of the rope was tied around the neck of one donkey, and the other end around the neck of the other. Between them was about four meters of space. They saw that the grass on both sides was drying. The donkey on the left wanted to eat the grass on the left side, and the one on the right wanted the grass on the right. They tried very hard to reach the grass, but they were tied with one rope. If one goes back, it has nothing to eat while the other eats. If the other goes back, the same happens. So they used all their strength so the other couldn’t pull away. Both looked at the grass and tried very hard but couldn’t reach it. Then a nice, clever, wise person came—like the lady translating. "Are you hungry, donkeys?" "Yes." "Why don’t you eat?" "Because of this one." Asked the other, "Are you hungry?" "Very hungry." "Then why don’t you eat?" "Because of this person." The person who was wise—more wise—didn't just ask, "Are you hungry?" That was not wise, asking a hungry person, "Are you hungry?" What greater hunger? Asking an angry person, "Are you angry?" Then the person said, "Yes, I am." So none of them could have. That is an inner conflict. Then a very wise person came, like a small guy, Gītā, Gāyatrī. She said, "Come on, I will make you eat there." You know, they both came together and then they could eat. When that side was finished, they both went to the other side to eat. So communicate. There should be no conflict. If there is conflict on both sides, you will lose. But if you have such negative thoughts, you can’t even communicate with your own mind. You are like popcorn on a hot pan. You put it on the hot pan, and it explodes. But you should use the Hungarian technique: put it on the hot pan and cover it. After a while, they will be calm again. That covering is a Guru Vākya—a master’s word. Someone has to tell you all this. First, try to communicate with yourself. We meditate to have inner communication, to understand our body, our senses, our feelings, our illnesses, our thoughts, and then our inner qualities. While making self-inquiry in meditation, you become so clear that you have no enemy anymore. You will understand. So, don’t say, "Ah, all is hopeless." One man came to Mahāprabhujī and said, "Mahāprabhujī, I don’t believe in God." Mahāprabhujī looked at him and said, "And what does God lose? If you believe in Him or you don’t, God doesn’t lose anything. But you lose. You need God." He said, "No, I don’t believe. There is no God." Mahāprabhujī said, "Yes, I can believe that you don’t believe. But do you know who doesn’t believe? Of course. For example, I don’t believe." Mahāprabhujī said, "Does a donkey believe in God? No. Does a pig believe in God? Does a snake believe in God? Does a lion believe in God? Does a cow believe in God? Does a dog believe in God? Say no. But does a human believe in God?" He said, "Yes." "So now you can judge where you belong. My wife believes." Mahāprabhujī said, "Of course. If she believes, she will get it. You will not." "Yes, Mahāprabhujī, I didn’t mean it like that. Of course I believe you, Mahāprabhujī. I have some belief. Sometimes I go to the temple also." You see, this telling by Mahāprabhujī slowly developed belief in him. "You know, Mahāprabhujī, when I was small, I believed very much. Of course, I pray to God when difficulties come." So Mahāprabhujī said, "It means you are a good human. Now you will begin believing." So, if one says, "I don’t believe," this is such an ego. That ego is not a vice; that ego is covered with dark clouds. Ego and ignorance make a man blind. But if you truly ask yourself, you do believe. There have been some situations where you lost your belief. So it is said: the cut trunk of a tree will grow again. You were disappointed in your belief; it will come again. Don’t think everything is senseless. Nothing is senseless. It has a sense, but you think it is nonsense. God wouldn’t create anything which has no sense. Poison can save our life, and nectar can kill our life—to know when and how. So everything has a sense. Even a small stone has its sense. There was a stone lying on a path in the mountains. Your girlfriend went for a walk, found this stone, took it, and put it in her pocket. The next month, when she met you, she said, "Look, from my walk I brought you a nice stone." You are not a stone lover. You don’t like stones, but you see in this stone the compassion and love of your friend, and you are happy. You put it in your office, and whenever you are telephoning and looking carefully, you look at this stone and remember the person. So you see, it has a sense. It awakens in you a memory. How a stone lying in the dirt became a stone on your own table, where you are a non-believer? That stone made you believe in the love of your friend. So you have to put love into things so that others will preserve them. You have to put love into understanding, communication, and harmony so that others will respect and adore your wisdom. But those who are always complaining and speaking great words, when you give them work, they disappear. They only talk; they don’t work. There is a story: There was a poor man with no great profession. He had two or three children, a wife, and old parents. Life was hard for him. Someone told him, "Go to the beach, meditate, and pray. God Śiva will come and bless you." "Okay, that is the most comfortable work," he said. "You just meditate, and God will give you everything. How nice." So he went and prayed and prayed and prayed. It is said God Śiva is so merciful that with little prayer He is happy and gives everything you want. "I pray now to Śiva to open a little window, to give us a little oxygen." Oh, He’s already there. Thank you, Śiva. So Śiva appeared and said, "I bless you, my son. What can I do for you?" He said, "Lord, I am very poor." What a hungry person wishes: just something to eat. Big family, no money. Śiva put His hand in the water. There was an old conch lying there, and He blessed it and gave it to him. "Take it home. When you need anything, clean this and ask. Say, 'We are all hungry, please bring us something to eat.'" And whatever he wished—prepared, ready food came, like catering. Clothes, money, anything. He was very happy. "Thank you, Lord Śiva. You made my life comfortable. I will not work anymore. I will feed the whole village. I will tell the whole village people, 'Don’t work. You will get everything you want.'" Śiva said, "Is that your choice? Bless you." And Śiva disappeared. The man was very happy. He took his conch and walked back home, a 200-kilometer distance—no car, no transportation. About 50 kilometers from his village, he had a friend. He decided to stay the night. Very tired from the long walk, he was happy to go to his friend. The friend was also happy to see him. The friend asked, "Where have you been? So many years you disappeared." He told the whole story: "God Śiva gave me this conch, and it gives me everything." "I don’t believe in God. Nonsense." "My friend, you don’t believe, but I believe. I saw with my eyes. On the way, I asked for food, and He gave me some." "Then ask for nice food now. We will eat all." So he asked for nice food: all fruits, vegetables, sweets, chapatis, pizzas. The friend asked, "Does it bring only food, or money too?" "Of course, money too. How much do you wish?" "Five thousand kuna." He asked Śaṅkadev, and five thousand kuna came. The friend thought, "This is something good. I don’t believe. All is nonsense, but here is some sense in it. What should I do to have this?" So at night, when his friend was sleeping, the host, who had a similar sack, put it in his friend’s bag and took the real one away. The next morning, he left. Two days later, he came to his village. The whole village was happy to see him. He said, "I got a siddhi. God Śiva came and gave me this blessing." Some people were curious. Someone said, "Ah, I don’t believe. There’s no God. And if so, why would He come here? It makes no sense to pray." But he invited the whole village. People stood on the stairs. A nice table was set. From his bag he took out the śaṅkha, washed it with water, put it on the table with flowers, and said, "O Śaṅkadev, O Lord, we pray to you, be merciful. All who are standing here should get very nice prepared food in our hands." Nothing came. He tried to clean it again. He asked that everyone should get one kuna. But the person who did not believe and said, "All is nonsense," said, "You see, I told you. It’s nonsense. God, there is no God. And he is stupid. He wants to make us stupid." This man said, "I am sorry, my brothers and sisters. I am disappointed. Thank you for coming." He took his conch and didn’t go home. He went straight back to the beach, 200 kilometers. He took it and threw it into the ocean and said, "Ocean and Śiva, here you are. If you don’t want to give me something proper, why did you? You should have said it will function only twice." "My son, something happened." "What? Something? Nothing happened." Śiva said, "I know. Then why do you ask me?" "You know what it means for me? There were hundreds of people standing, and someone said, 'There is no God. It’s nonsense.' And they proved it." Śiva said, "I was there, but I know what happened. The real one, someone has taken away and put the wrong one in your bag." Śiva told him everything. So he said, "What to do, Lord?" He said, "This time I will give you something, and you go again to that man and stay overnight there." "What is the specialty of this conch?" Śiva said, "If you ask for one kuna, he will tell you." "Why one kuna? One million. Take one million. He will give you double. He speaks to you." "Lord, that’s very good. And he will give everything?" Śiva said, "No, he will give you nothing. He will only speak. Ask for eating, he will say, 'Why only two chapatis?' Then you say, 'Yes, please give.' He will say, 'From where should I give?' Only talking, not giving the thing. So go to that man and tell him." "You got this time a very beautiful one, and the specialty is he is also an advisor and gives you double." He said, "I don’t believe so." He made a pūjā. "Śaṅkadev, today is cold, please give us one warm coat." Then Śaṅkadev said, "Why one? We are living in the time of fashion, every day different color, different cut. So three months winter, ninety days, why don’t you have to have ninety coats?" He said, "Thank you, Lord. Thank you. Next time." He put it back again. The host was full of temptation. "This is something. Otherwise, it is very boring. One ice cream, okay, you had. But this one will bring a big bucket." So at night, because he didn’t have a second conch at home—only the last one, which he stole—he took the last one, put it in the bag, and took it away. Then this man went home. The next day, that man asked Śaṅkadeva to bring food for the family to eat. He said, "Why one family? More families." "But we are only one family. Then why so little eating? What do you suggest to me, Śaṅkadeva?" "Yes, you should have some appetizer, then soup, and a salad, and then please, and then." "Good idea." "Yes." "Then give us, please." He said, "I give you the box. I am only a talker, not a giver. The giver was someone else. So you have given that giver to someone. What is your name, Śaṅkadev?" He said, "My name is a gush-up-er, who can gush up." Only chatter. So there are some people who have great ideas. They can tell you to do this, they can do that, they can do better than this. But themselves, they don’t move one finger to do. Such a person cannot solve conflict. Such a person can only create conflict, blackmailing. Therefore, try to solve conflict and meditate. Meditation will help you. Meditation will make you humble, very calm, wise, and spiritual. Then you will realize, "Oh yes, there is God. Yes, it has a sense." So it has a sense. How to get out this sense? It comes to research. Research that sense comes from science. So meditation is a science. It is there, but you have to realize, to research. Because you didn’t see, you said you don’t believe. At least you can believe that God gave you a healthy body. At least you can believe that divine nature gave you two good eyes. You who don’t believe and think there is no sense—suppose your small finger is cut off mistakenly. I ask you: you say there is no God and no believing, and you can do all. Can you create a new one, like this real small finger, on your own body? Not even a nail can you create, my dear. Not even you can create your eyebrows if you are losing them. Yes, you can go for permanent makeup. Someone told me, "Swamiji, you have so many hairs; we shall pull them out and make a permanent." And she told me, "Your beard is always too long. We can pull it out and make a permanent beard, you know. So from far, it looks like you have a beard, but in reality, there is nothing." So I said, "How will I look? Like what?" She said, "You will look permanent." So I said, "That’s boring. Leave it as it is." So we are not capable of creating a nail. Yes, plastic, yes, we can have what they call a plastic finger, but that’s permanent like this. So there is a sense, there is a divine sense, and there is a divine consciousness. Therefore, if you surrender, you will get it. So, don’t be a troublemaker. Don’t see negatives in others. Don’t blame others. Do not complain against others, and try to communicate. And don’t just talk—do something. I have experiences in the Vienna Ashram. We have a very nice team. They work, but there are certain persons. "Yeah, this could have been better, and that you should do like this, and we should do like this." And we ask that person to do it. "Yeah, of course, why not?" And then we organize something, and that person disappears for three weeks. So that person is like that dappled śaṅkha—you know, dappled means I didn’t want to tell you—stupid one, only promising. So please look within thyself, and leave all your conflicts of this old year here. Enter into the next year very pure and beautiful. I wish you a Happy New Year and a very divine, harmonious Christmas time. A good journey back home, and all the best. Thank you, Krishnan and the organizers, that we could be here.