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Our experiences penetrate deep into the subconscious. Unfortunately, positive experiences do not linger long, while negative ones can disturb us for a lifetime. Life presents many kinds of negative happenings. They create fear, which sits very deep within us. We do not know in which part of the body fear resides—in the brain, the heart, the maṇipūra cakra, or different parts. Perhaps it is spread throughout the whole body. On the other hand, it is said that fear is a protection for life. That is why God gave us fear as well. Some people, or children, are born with no fear at all—not even of fire or of jumping from a height. Such children must be educated to feel fear. So, fear is somehow a protection for our life. As humans, we understand various life situations. There is a fear of existence, fear of family life or having no family, fear of getting a job, or passing examinations. There is also fear when we see a person who looks very strange and frightening, because we experience their anger; if someone is angry, that anger awakens fear in you. Sometimes little children do not know what anger is, but they see something and suddenly begin to cry. They are scared by it. So fear is given to us with birth, like intellect, love, emotion, happiness, the feeling of pleasure, understanding, contentment, and attachment. In this modern time, there are many television programs with films full of fighting, weapons, and killings. Unfortunately, they now make children's films with such things. Education is very important; it is a final judgment for the child. When they grow up with toy weapons, then watch weapons, killing, and fighting on television, they receive no other education. They learn that you must have a weapon, you should kill, you should fight. This becomes the aim of life. They are not taught to be kind, to be gentle, not to hurt someone, not to take weapons in hand, to love your neighbor, to love God. This education is lost now. Sometimes parents would like to educate their children, but in videos, on television, in the news—everywhere there is fighting. This also imprints fear very deep within us. Sometimes accidents happen. There are many kinds: if someone attacks you in a forest or on a dark street, a dog attacks you, a car accident, a fire, an electrical accident, or drowning because you cannot swim. Accidents come suddenly, accidentally. An accident never warns us it is coming; we only know when it happens. An accident means danger to our life, and since we love our life and do not want to die, the event happens and is finished. But the trauma remains in you. When certain circumstances recur, you become afraid. Such accidents can also awaken us inwardly, giving value to life, showing that life is very important and you do not want to die. It can give you motivation to achieve something, because what you did until now may not have been the mission of human life. Many people, after an accident, begin to pray, meditate, and think over the fact that human life and the life of others is very important. So, may God protect us from all kinds of accidents. But if it has already happened, the fear sits very deep. How to get rid of it? It is not an easy job. Normally, you may be sitting comfortably, have a comfortable walk, a happy family situation, good colleagues—but if suddenly something happens, that fear emerges again. Perhaps one brick falls from the roof, and that scares you. There is a therapy according to yoga that can be useful. One should think about the past, present, and future. To understand the past, present, and future means to be aware, to know this, and to call to mind the place, the situation, and the time. For example, let's say you were diving and suddenly your oxygen tank was empty. It was very hard for you to surface again. But, thanks to God, you managed and came out. Now you have a constant fear from this. You can tell yourself: it was in the past. It was my mistake that I did not check if there was enough oxygen. Where I am now, there is no water. I do not need this tank, and I need not be afraid. I have solid ground under my feet, so why should I disturb or torture myself psychologically by remembering that diving situation? Why should I torture myself now? Similarly, if you had a car accident—unfortunately, it happens many times—and you are sitting at home scared, seeing a car pass quickly in the street, you become afraid. Think: I am not sitting in the car. I am in my room comfortably, and an accident cannot happen constantly. It was, but it will not be. The past is past. There was some karma which was exhausted. You need not be scared now. Or, if you were a small child and someone attacked you, but you are still afraid, you should think: you are not a small child anymore, and that situation is not here anymore. So why are you afraid? In this way, you can help yourself by analyzing that it was a past situation, not a present one. But the past situation gave me a good lesson: I should be careful in the present so that my future will also be good. Therefore, Mahāprabhujī said in the golden preaching: the past is gone, the present is here, the future is not here. Your future will be like your presence. It means what you do now in this present time will shape your future life. We do try to take care; we do not want any accident to happen, but sometimes it happens. To overcome certain fears, Yoga Mudrā, Śaśāṅkāsana, Ujjāyī Prāṇāyāma, deep breathing, relaxations, and analyzing the surrounding situations are very good. Some people are still very afraid because of the First and Second World Wars. Those who experienced them are very scared of hunger, and they collect every day, every month, some rice and corn in the basement. There was a case where an old couple had two tons of rice in the basement because they were afraid they would have nothing to eat. They had stored sugar, rice, wheat, corn, coffee, tea, honey, and chocolates because they are still afraid; they experienced it. For those who experienced civil war, like in ex-Yugoslavia, it is easy for us to say, "Forget it and forgive." But family members were killed before their eyes. For example, someone's father or children were killed; five family members were killed and only one remained alive. For that one person, life is not easy now. He or she may forgive but will not forget. There will always be revenge in the blood, and fear. These are life situations. This is not only of the last two centuries; it has always been so since creation began and since humans have existed. There have been many cruel wars for kingdoms, very cruel wars for religions. We all know this very well. Therefore, finally, the great saints or wise ones said, "Ahiṃsā Paramo Dharma." Non-violence is the highest principle. Violence is not only towards humans but also towards animals. If you treat your house animal cruelly, it will be fearful all the time and may also try to take revenge. Animals never forget. It does not matter which animal. Some animals we do not understand; we cannot speak their language. Some do not want to be obedient; some are stronger than you. So we should know how to proceed. Thus it is said: "Ahiṃsā Paramo Dharma." To further touch the human psyche, they composed many prayers and mantras. "Sarve bhavantu sukhinaḥ"—may all be happy. How can you imagine that all should be happy if you run here and there with weapons, killing, fighting, waging war, exploding bombs? It cannot be. But the great person said if a human heart realizes that everyone would like to be happy, therefore we wish everyone happiness: "Sarve bhavantu sukhinaḥ." It is also said, "Asato mā sad gamaya"—lead us from unreality to reality. The reality is love. The reality is truth. The reality is understanding. The reality is happiness. Unreality is quarreling, fighting, killing. All holy books were written after deep thought about what we should put in the human brain. So "Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinaḥ" is not only a mantra to think about; it is your life mission to work so that all are happy. No one should be unhappy because of your cruelty, your ego, your selfishness, your jealousy, your disappointment, or your fear. No one should be hurt through these feelings. With this, I think of what they gave in the testament: when someone strikes you on the cheek, turn to them the other cheek. I have to this day not seen a single Christian who has turned the other cheek. It does not matter who wrote it—whether God said it, Jesus said it, or someone who wrote this book. They were definitely thinking: do not react aggressively. It is said if someone throws a brick at you, you answer with a stone. That should not be. If someone throws a brick at you, you should throw flowers. Are you capable of doing this? No, because we have not developed these feelings. "Asato mā sad gamaya, tamaso mā jyotir gamaya." Lead all from ignorance to the light of knowledge. If this happens, nowhere in the world will it be necessary to create war and fight; nowhere will you need to produce weapons. But many do not think like this. We say in India, "Chor ko se ghus," or "Kutte ko se bhus." They tell the thief, "Now you can enter the house." And then they tell the dog, "Now bark." So you send the thief in and then let the dog free. The poor thief will be caught. On one side, they make and supply weapons. And in another way, they say, "Do not fight, and we should strive for peace." So how to clean up your inner self of fear? Practice your mantra and prayers, and try to be good to yourself and to others. "Lord, whatever happens is my mistake, and forgive me." That will make you humble, and you will feel in the lap of God like a child feels secure in the lap of its mother. These are life circumstances you can only overcome through your buddhi and viveka. Lead life consciously; avoid the circumstances. It is not necessary that at two o'clock in the night you walk through dark streets. Two o'clock in the night is made for sleeping, not for walking, so you can avoid the situation. You are not forced to go to nightclubs; you are not forced to go late to restaurants. You are not forced to walk alone at night, so you can avoid it. You are not forced to drink alcohol and drive a car. It is written on the road: "Don't drink and drive." Drink and drive means you drive into death. So many situations we can save in our life. Recording location: Czech Republic, Strilky, Summer seminar