The journey from outer wealth to inner treasure reveals the master’s step-by-step guidance. A woodcutter, struggling to feed his family, received a sage’s blessing to dig for copper, then silver, gold, and diamonds. Each stage brought more comfort, yet the sage urged him to go further, to a clearing where something more valuable than diamonds awaited. The man delayed, and when he finally went, he found a tree and sat in meditation, discovering a peace surpassing all he had mined. This story mirrors the spiritual path: the master leads us from gross practices to deeper sādhanā. We begin with āsana and prāṇāyāma, then are pushed toward kriyā, mantra, and meditation. The core practice is ātma cintan—turning inward with mantra. All other methods are preparation. The mind, however, is a naughty monkey that can wreck the garden of peace in an instant. It is formless, ever-hungry, and moves faster than anything. To tame it, saints seize it by the nose and administer the medicine of knowledge and detachment. Satsaṅg is essential: it refreshes and purifies. The mantra is a fence protecting inner peace, a diamond of all diamonds. Its meaning unfolds in many directions—outward, inward, toward the self, toward the world. Daily effort to unlock its secrets is crucial. Satsaṅg must extend beyond gatherings; it must become an inner company with spiritual thoughts. This inner satsaṅg purifies, making one’s presence infectious. The aim is to live constantly in that satsaṅg, with awareness on the mantra and the path.
“Peace and bliss result from satsaṅg.”
“The mantra is like a fence you can put around yourself if you’re in a turbulent situation, so that your inner peace can remain intact.”
Filming location: Vienna, Austria