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To understand the meaning of life, to become happy and successful, to overcome the suffering of past lives, to become free from karma, and to find peace from all three types of suffering (tāpa), Satsaṅg is the best way. One should listen to the Satsaṅg and accept its words into one's life. In the Kali Yuga, many things are possible, but Satsaṅg is rare. How fortunate we are to be here in this beautiful place, under the trees in this beautiful weather. This picture, and these words of wisdom, will remain forever in your consciousness. Every creature wishes to be happy, and we are no different. But what is it within us that wishes to be happy? Have you ever considered or asked yourself what in you desires happiness? Who feels happiness within us, and who feels unhappiness? There must be someone within who likes to be happy, and that is our real Self. That is our true Self—not the body, not the mind, not our desires, not our consciousness, but our very essence. That real Self is a part of God. God means happiness; the quality, nature, or principle of God is happiness. That is why our inner Self also wishes to be happy, because it is a part of God. What lives in all creatures, desiring always to be happy, is that part of God. Other creatures are not aware of this, but humans are more aware. Yet, though humans are aware, they still lack self-knowledge. Sometimes it seems very peculiar: the Self is searching for the Self; I am searching for myself. If the Self is searching for the Self somewhere outside, it will never find it anywhere. The Self can only find the Self if it is in two parts somewhere. So you will not find the Self if that Self is searching elsewhere. The other part of our Self is God. And that God is also very different and difficult to realize and accept as God. To understand God and oneself, we must go to Satsaṅg. To understand God and oneself, we must look into the Holy Scriptures, those scriptures known as Dharmaśāstras. Śāstra means where the truth is described; that is Śāstra. Śāstra means where the thousands of names of God are described; that is called Śāstra. Dharma means where the dharmas—the duties—are described. This we can learn in Satsaṅg. We come to Yoga. We have begun our yoga path. We are practitioners of yoga; we are Yogīs. And we have found something in this. So what do we now understand yoga to be? You are not here only for physical exercises; that is not all of yoga. Yoga means union—that which unites our Self to the Cosmic Self, which unites our thoughts with the Cosmic One, our feelings with the Supreme. We should make ourselves happy, we should liberate ourselves, we should bring ourselves into the light. We should bring ourselves to God. Therefore, what we are doing, this Satsaṅg, is a part of yoga. It is done with a feeling of freedom, so that you may believe in God in that form and in that way which allows your heart. In believing, we should be free. We are bound to many things, but where the question of God arises, there should be freedom and happiness. The human mind is very complicated. It is educated in different ways, in different languages, cultures, traditions, and methods. The human intellect has become very complicated. There are very difficult situations in the human mind: to accept or not to accept, to become or not to become. This is because humans have lost touch with reality. You will know the truth, and then there will be no arguments. Because of human attitudes, behaviors, and desires, God also has to come and show us the right way again. This is the cosmic law. It does not matter who is who. Whoever manifests in physical form must go through certain suffering. The body has its dharma. The dharma of the body is to be born, to grow, and to die. And when you have to walk through a coal mine, there will definitely be some black spots. So it does not matter if it is a normal person or God; incarnates must go through certain difficulties. The difference between God and us is this: we came into this world according to our karma, while God comes by His own free decision. Yet, though He has free will, He still must accept certain conditions. For that purpose, for that reason, God has to incarnate from time to time. We spoke much yesterday about curses. A curse is the most terrible thing. May God protect us from curses. A curse can also affect God Himself, and He has to accept it as well. No one gives a curse without reason. Sometimes God does something purposely because He knows there is no other way. So He has to suffer for some time, but He has to do it. Thus, though He did it purposely, and He knows what He is doing and why He is doing it, that is why He is also ready to accept that He did it, and for that reason He had to suffer. Recording location: Hungary, Vep, Summer seminar