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Brothers and sisters

The language of relationship transforms impersonal address into a bond of responsibility. Using "brothers and sisters" establishes a personal, familial connection, whereas "ladies and gentlemen" maintains a formal distance. This cultural practice, observed in traditions like India's, is meant to be realized in daily life, fostering care and reducing problems. A historical example is cited where such an address notably impacted an audience, aiming to awaken a universal familial consciousness. Modern relationships often lack this feeling, with individuals separating themselves even within families, creating wounds through words. A healthy relationship requires responsibility born from genuine brotherhood, which is impossible under selfish interest or ego, states defined as an absence of good health.

"Brothers and sisters is very personal; there is a difference."

"If we develop this consciousness, then there will be no world war."

Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic

This is what we are saying, dear brothers and sisters. In India, even a politician begins to talk by first saying, "Mātāo, bahanõ"—mothers and sisters—"bhaiyo," brothers, and "mitra," friends. Only then will he give the lecture. Because that is a saṁskṛti, that is a culture. And that culture instructs us not only to say these words during lectures but to realize them in daily life. If people would act and realize this in their daily lives, problems would be fewer. So we say, brothers and sisters. Now, "ladies and gentlemen" is very impersonal. This is something very strange. "Brothers and sisters" is very personal; there is a difference. When I say you are my brother and sister, I will not do anything wrong because you are my brother, you are my sister—I will protect you. But if I say, "Ladies and gentlemen," then perhaps I will do something wrong? I can do wrong. I have not created a relation with you. I have kept you outside of my relation; you are still a stranger. But as soon as I say, "Brothers, sisters, and friends," that is something better. And so it is with the mantra—how the environment can change. One hundred and ten years ago, or one hundred and fifteen years ago, Swami Vivekanandajī gave his lecture in Chicago at a great multi-religious conference. When he said, "Brothers and sisters," the mouths of the people remained open, and they all began clapping. After so long a talk and so many speakers, he was the only one who said, "Brothers and sisters." And then the tradition began that we all, when we are talking, also say, "Brothers and sisters." Every speaker knows that when saying "brother and sister," the picture of Swami Vivekananda is there in his or her consciousness. He awoke this consciousness. He planted this thought in human consciousness: to say, "Brothers and sisters." Before, we were saying "Respected one," or so-and-so, "Ladies and gentlemen," "Your Holiness," "Your Highness," and so on. But from the soul, from a heart relationship, the entire world is the family of one God, and the entire world is my sister and brother. If we develop this consciousness, then there will be no world war. But in modern education, this relation is damaged. Between brother and sister, children and parents, children say very clearly to the parents, "This is not my coffee." And they say to brothers and sisters, "Es ist dein Kaffee"—"It is your coffee." How sad it is. "It’s not my problem, it’s your problem." Where is the relation? Where is the oneness? Where is the humanity? When a brother says to his brother, or a child says to the mother, or a mother says to the child, "My dear child, it is not my problem," where should this child go? When the mother or father says this, the disappointment that person receives creates a kind of wound in the heart that will never heal again. If you are cut with a knife, it may heal quickly. But those who are injured by words—that will not heal. So what we need is to create a healthy relation, and a healthy relation means responsibility. It means we do care about them, and we cannot do this unless we have a feeling of brotherhood. And again, to bring forth this human consciousness, we need good health. If there is a selfish interest, there is already no health. There is ego. That is not good.

This text is transcribed and grammar corrected by AI. If in doubt what was actually said in the recording, use the transcript to double click the desired cue. This will position the recording in most cases just before the sentence is uttered.

The text contains hyperlinks in bold to three authoritative books on yoga, written by humans, to clarify the context of the lecture:

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