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We have spoken so much. Helga has spoken, Bremen has spoken, Gabi—Jai Devī has spoken, Kriyā Nancy has spoken. And we have guided our memory backward, in what is called regression. Thirty-five years is not a short time; it lies between many experiences, the beautiful and also the not-so-beautiful. This is life. But Mahāprabhujī, in his golden wisdom, spoke these wise words: "Do your work with firm determination. Success is assured for you." We are still on the way; we have not yet reached the destination. But we have many milestones behind us and have come closer to our goal. It brings a thought to mind. A person wonders in life, "Lord, what will become of me now?" Many of you participated in the seminar at a place called Reichgenau in Lower Austria, near the Raxberg. The group was large, about 40 to 70 people. On the ground floor of that building was an elderly gentleman, about 80 years old, in a wheelchair. A nurse would help him from his bedroom onto the wheelchair and into the morning sun. We would all come and go, and I would always say, "God bless." He would agree, but seemed so dejected. After a few days, I paused and asked him, "How are you?" He said, "Nothing good." When you ask someone how they are and they say nothing is good, you cannot simply walk by. It is human to stop and ask what is going on, what you can do. He took my hand and said, "Young man, please sit next to me." I sat with him. I was younger then, with a fresh beard; to him, I was like a grandchild. He said, "I was a director of a large company; about 2000 people worked under me. I had two company cars, and a favorite Mercedes I owned myself. I had two or three houses, one wife—and back then it was common to have a daughter. I didn’t have any time at all. People called me until midnight, came, visited; the director here, the director there. Even the Federal President invited me. My wife has passed away. I am retired, have grown old, and ended up in an old age home, then a nursing home. I know nothing. What happens to my houses? Where are my friends? No one calls me; no one invites me. My only daughter lives in Germany. She calls on my birthday and at Christmas to say, 'Papa, are you well? I will come by sometime. Take care of yourself.' And I had it all. I don’t even know what happened to my bank account. I am completely dependent. If this man moves me from the bedroom, I can come to the bedroom. I was an athlete—a swimmer, tennis player. Now I ask myself, what was all of this for? And what will become of me now? That is why I say I am not feeling well. Physically, I have pain. Mentally, I am completely confused and in pain from memories. I feel alone, suffering. I ask God, what more does He want from me? Why am I here, and what will happen to me afterward?" His words went so deeply into my heart and touched me profoundly. This is a case that applies to all of us. Perhaps it is better to die early than to be physically dependent. We will all grow old one day. About eight or ten years ago, a good acquaintance of Premanent in the Salzburg area—an elderly lady who was physically unable to move much—was sitting next to a radiator during a cold winter. The radiator fell onto her legs. She was not able to lift it or move her legs away, and she was thoroughly burned alive. We wish this upon no one, not even ourselves. Try to create friends who will accompany you until the last step, the last breath of your life. You may believe your children are the best, that they will do it for you. Unfortunately, some children are like the daughter of this old man—they only occasionally say hello, and that is all. It is said this made him feel discouraged. She had taken everything. The second experience was given by an old Swāmījī. Until his last breath, his disciple cared for him, always holding him in his hands—like a bubble on your hand, and you keep your hand like that continuously. Spiritual friends, good friends. There are many friends who are selfish. Finding a true friend is the greatest blessing. A woman or a man cannot be your true friend either. Friendship should never end. True friendship should never waver. True Friendship. So health, illness, happiness, unhappiness, money, no money—these are everyday matters. Practice, do not practice, but constantly practice mantra and cultivate good friends. Once I had a vision. I was high in the Alps, where a single tree stands with very little vegetation, very little grass. I sat there, comparing my life to this tree. How brave this tree is, having fought through and still standing there through every kind of weather. An old tree: cold, snow, frost, rain, heat, storm, lightning strike, animals. It has even experienced war; we have certainly experienced two world wars. But it always stands there for everyone. Beings come and go. In the vision, many students were sitting beside me, and suddenly one after another stood up and walked away. I sat there alone. I did not understand why. They did not say anything at all—just as if offended, disappointed, or simply no longer willing to stay. A student walks 30 meters away, then looks back at me, walks further, and looks back again. I sat and watched everyone as they walked away. Then one looks, makes a curve from above, and our gaze is lost from each other. Then the curve comes again, and he sees me. He steps back. And what does he do? He comes back. He comes back and sits beside me and says, "Gurudev, I am yours. I love you. I want to leave, but I cannot." And that is friendship. That is it. In no difficult times should we disappoint our friends. And we constantly think, "What will become of me?" We have only one hope: "Gurudev, I take refuge in You. Please dispel my worries. Gurudev, Your aura dispels all my worries. By showing compassion and kindness, You transcend the dualities." In a similar state was the world-famous Nobel laureate from Vienna in poetry, Tagore. He was composing a poem at sunset as he passed through his garden. The sun was dispelling the worries. He thought, "My time has come for me to pass away. But who will take on my task?" In the Śiva temple, a bell rang. He turned around and saw a beautiful little ghee lamp, just like the one on the altar. And the lamp said to the sun, "I will try. I cannot be the sun like you, but I will show the path that leads to me. I will burn myself to ashes, but I will carry on the task." And so the lamp is there, and the oil is its power. When the oil is finished, it continues to burn down to the ashes. Then it says, "I can no longer continue; you must rise again and take over." And so it is with an organization, with the people who are to continue nurturing a great work. If there is no lamp, then there is a lack of light. Through ignorance, selfishness, ego, anger, hatred, people group together and then begin to argue: "He is bad, and she is bad, and I don’t like that, and I won’t go there; there are only bad people." That means you are a disturbing factor. There are no bad people; if anything, only you are that. And you must surrender to them. We cannot yet say we should celebrate the day too early. The question follows: after me, will you stand together? Or will suddenly so many Gurus emerge? "I am Swāmījī's disciple, an elder." "I am Swāmījī's female disciple; I am the master." "The other one does not exist; Swāmījī always scolded it." Such things cause the system to fall apart. And so the tree must be strong. We are all one. Whoever thinks otherwise and divides the group, it is a pity. One begins to form factions and portray oneself as the greatest. This means that now this mightiest, strongest tree is being attacked by termites. They may be your favorite student, but their thoughts and their behavior are the durmānas (evil-minded ones). And we must find a means to liberate the durmānas. That is then success. So, this is the wisdom, the teaching, the divine light from Alak Purījī to Deo Purījī, Mahāprabhujī, and Holī Gurujī. And now we are here. How we proceed from here depends on us. No matter what I have done, and no matter what I still do, I immediately look back to Holy Gurujī. What will He say to me? This very thought is the greatest protection for me. It is the greatest defense when I think about what the Holy Guru will tell me. The Holy Guru is not gone. He is present. And so, my good wishes for your yoga in daily life, your activity, and good wishes to you all. May Mahāprabhujī bless you with abundant love, devotion, grace, health, harmony, and spiritual energy for your self-realization. Keep preserving. Be like this, no matter who comes and who goes. Everyone stood up and left. But one backed out, left, and the steps of the two people were so heavy. He did not want to leave. The thought was: "Gurudev, I will be Thine always.... Devotees may come, devotees may go, but still, my Lord, I will be Thine always. Gurudev, I will be Yours always. I may go far, farther than the stars. But still, my Lord, I will be Yours always. Gurudev, I will be Yours always. Even if I die, look into my eyes; they will silently say, 'I will be Thine always.'" That's it. True friendship should never waver. And in the end, it goes like this: "When death takes my life, I cease to be faithful to you." That is very wrong; it is a great disappointment. And so I have corrected it a little: "If death takes my life, I will not cease to be faithful to you." That is it. But as soon as negative thoughts arise through various situations—gossip, words—suddenly your heart is torn apart, divided. Then it burns away like a spark of fire. So preserve in the heart the preservation, the light, the star. Let it come, constantly radiating into your thoughts, consciousness, and your heart. So we have stood together for 35 years, and we will continue to do so. I am not the doer; Prabhudīpa is the doer; Mahāprabhudīpa is indeed the doer. Oṁ Śāntiḥ, Śāntiḥ,... Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇ Bhagavān, Śrī Śrī Dev Purīṣa Mahādeva, Śaṭguru Svāmījī Madhavānānjī Bhagavān, Victory to Satya Sanātan Dharma.