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Consider this place where we are now sitting. Once, there was nothing here—not even water. Then water came, then the earth, then vegetation, creatures, and jungles. Humans lived like jungle people, slowly becoming civilized. Someone occupied the land, then someone sold it, another bought it, and a house was built. Now this is a yoga room, a center; there is an office over there and another room here. All are separate, but the space is the same. If you take away the walls, the same space will remain. Before the walls existed, it was also the same space. All this separation is a projection of ignorance. In truth, it is not there, yet we see it as being there. It is said this is divine will, the will of God: Eko'haṁ bahusyāmi—"I am one, and I shall become many." This manifestation is the exhalation of that supreme existence, and one day it will be inhaled back; everything will again exist in the Self. So it is there, yet it is not there. What we must realize and be sure of is that we are only that Ātmā and nothing else. In the present, we are not truly realizing this. We know it theoretically, very well. But theoretical knowledge is nothing compared to a single gram of practice. In theory, we say: we are Ātmā, we are immortal, we are everlasting; no one can kill us, nothing will happen to us. But imagine if there were only the body, and though I say I am above the body, suddenly three wild tigers enter this room. What would you do? Would you remain seated, thinking, "I am Ātmā"? No, we would search for the emergency exit. We might even break the glass window to get outside. That is our present reality. How far are we from true knowledge? We are still very much connected to the body. These feelings of fear and reaction will persist as long as the body is here. Because inside, there is fear. And without fear, you cannot exist in this world. Without fear, you cannot live. If you had no fear, you would simply walk across a busy highway. Many cars are there; an accident would happen. If you were not afraid, you might just step out of a window—finished. So, God has given all these things to us. Fear is one of the greatest protections for us to exist, to work, to develop, to take care. Thus, there is fear, and there is anger too. All these principles are healthy in their measure. But to be excessively afraid, to have too much fear, is not good. If something happened in childhood and you are still afraid, that is not good. That fear is lodged in your psyche, and you should remove it. So, finally, if you are working for Ātmā Jñāna, you will attain Ātmā Jñāna—definitely. Recording location: Australia, Perth, Australian tour