The Monkey with the Wooden Apple

There was once a happy monkey wandering the jungle, eating delicious fruit when hungry, and resting when tired.  One day he came upon a house, where he saw a bowl of the most beautiful apples.  He took one in each hand and ran back to the forest.

He sniffed the apples and smelled nothing.  He tried to eat them, but hurt his teeth.  They were made of wood, but they were beautiful, and when the other monkeys saw them, he held onto them even tighter.

He admired his new possessions proudly as he wandered the jungle.  They glistened red in the sun, and seemed perfect to him.  He became so attached to them, that he didn't even notice his hunger at first.

A fruit tree reminded him, but he felt but he felt the apples in his hands.  He couldn't bear to set them down to reach for the fruit.  In fact, he couldn't relax either, if he was to defend his apples.  A proud, but less happy monkey continued to walk along the forest trails.

The apples became heavier, and the poor little monkey thought about leaving them behind.  He was tired, hungry, and couldn't climb trees or collect fruit with his hands full.  What if he just let go?

Letting go of such valuable things seemed crazy, but what else could he do?  He was so tired.  Seeing the next fruit tree, and smelling it's fruit was enough.  He dropped the wooden apples and reached up for his meal.  He was happy again.

Like that little monkey, we sometimes carry things that seem too valuable to let go.  A man carries an image of himself as "productive"- carries it like a shiny wooden apple.  But in reality, his busyness leaves him tired and hungry for a better life.

The Courage to be Human

- Dadi Gulzar's Class in Germany

After almost exactly 10 years Dadi Gulzar graced Germany again with her royal and divine presence.  In the evening Dadiji gave a concise talk. Here's the essence of her talk : 

• Everyone is looking for love, peace and happiness in their lives but why does it disappear even more and more?

• It is because human beings have lost their connection with God. Therefore the spiritual power is missing which is the fourth power after the predominant powers present in today world: Science, politics and religion.

• This spiritual power is the power of realizing: Who am I? If I realise that I am a soul, a being of light, then I have access to the spiritual power of the soul.

• Because we no longer identify with the soul, the spiritual power is missing. Only by reconnecting with God can this power flow again, because God is the Almighty Authority. Being able to keep that connection is called “meditation”.

• The 2 requirements to keep that connection are the thoughts: 

        1.  I am a soul and 

        2. I am His child.  

• Why is our happiness not stable? What are the 2 doors through which it  disappears? Firstly it is when our desires are not fulfilled and secondly we take sorrow when someone is blaming or accusing us. Therefore, remain a detached observer and don’t think about the past but about what you can change in the future. Find a solution!

• If you are able to close these 2 doors firmly, you will constantly stay happy and also give happiness to your country.

• The method to keep that inner happiness is meditation, because that is how we receive powers from God. We need these because the outer world is constantly changing, so we need to have a variety of skills in order to cope with the situations. 

Becoming Free from Subtle Anger

by Dadi Janki

Dadi welcomed everyone with the words ‘Om Shanti’, explaining that these words mean: I am a being of peace.

Anger and peacelessness disappear with the words ‘Om Shanti’. Peace brings smiles and peacelessness makes us wilt. Anger is expressed in many different ways, through our faces, eyes, and mouths. Dadi asked if we gathered today to become free from anger and asked if it was possible to become free from anger.

The key is to remember God with your mind and then remember your highest form. Our minds are tools that get trapped. The symptoms of a tired mind is stress and confusion. Subtle aspects of anger express themselves in different ways and then it’s as if your mind becomes a dustbin, collecting rubbish and giving rubbish.

The medicine is ‘Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil and think no evil’. Then you will become like an angel. The face of angels sparkle so much. Their faces are peaceful. They have tolerance and are content.

Dadi said that she wears white, has empty pockets, but is happy. She asked if we got angry if we didn’t get what we wanted. Often we wonder what others will say if we don’t have something a certain way and we move forward in this way.

Desires manifest in thoughts. ‘I want this’ or ‘This should happen’. Often we think, ‘This should happen like this’ and, if it doesn’t, we might not be angry, but we won’t be happy, we will not be pleased. In relationships, even with children, this is what is happening these days.

If we’re not happy with each other, it isn’t a life. Since childhood, at the age of 11, I had a deep feeling I would be of use to God and to the world. I asked myself, even to this day, Is God pleased with my life? Is the world happy?

Why don’t you get angry with me? You don’t, because I don’t want anything from you and you don’t want from me.

Of the virtues, purity must come first and then peace. If there’s any impurity, or dishonesty, then there cannot be peace.

If pain comes to us, and we can come back into peace, the pain dissolves. We have stored a lot of pain inside, whether that pain is of the body or of the mind. When we cultivate pure thoughts, the mind begins to heal. With positive thoughts we experience peace.

We have to check our thoughts and ask why we don’t experience peace. Our heart is broken in many pieces. It’s taken sorrow from everywhere. Whose job is it to bring back what has been broken? Humans can speak bitter words that break a heart and yet the same mouth can also say sweet words that heal a heart.

What are we taking benefit from? I may have seen something or heard something, but did I experience peace, love, or good wishes for someone through that? To reform the self, I need constant attention not to see or speak of anything negative. Then I can feel energised.

There are two causes of the symptoms of anger: desires and attachments. With attachment, we are afraid to lose what we have, even if it’s unnecessary. We need to be simple and a sample.

When we accumulate a lot, we fall ill. We are stressed because of illness. Then, stress becomes the illness. Stress creates a loss inside. First, take care of the mind, the heart, and the intellect. Let my mind be free from desires, my heart be free from attachment, otherwise, my intellect cannot do what is right. It will be influenced from the outside. The intellect knows what’s true and what’s right and wrong, but it doesn’t have the feeling in its heart. And so, despite knowing what is good, what is charity, it cannot do it. The intellect cannot follow to do what is right.

Link your mind with God and your heart will start to feel. Then the heart will be able to converse with the mind. Then you can transform yourself and make changes. My wisdom and good wishes will support you.

Dadi shared a story of a person with three friends. One friend stayed with the person all of the time. The next one was around occasionally. And the third one was rarely around. When a difficulty came, the person asked each friend for help. The one who was always there said that he couldn’t help. The one who was there occasionally said he couldn’t help. But the third one said that he could help. Then Dadi asked the audience who the three friends were. The first one was the person’s body. The second one was the person’s friends and family. And the third one was the person’s good karma, good actions. We must ask ourselves, if we leave our bodies now, who will support us?

Our bodies cannot help us. Our friends and family will leave us at the crematorium and get on with their lives. It’s our good actions that will help us in our time of need and what we take with us.

When we keep our attention focused on performing good karma, we get God’s support. In the world, we get punished for performing sin. But the Supreme Soul is so good that He doesn’t punish. He gives understanding.

God helps us finish our accounts, the past, and create an elevated future.

We store the hurt we’ve taken and then one day it comes out, after years of suppression. Then we cannot tolerate any more. It’s strange that in this world we can train animals to be sweet, but we can’t train humans. But humans can transform themselves.

We must pay attention to the quality of our thoughts. A negative thought becomes a constant flow. They create storms in our minds. Whatever we suppress depletes us. Our mind and body doesn’t work well. We must also deal with weak and waste thoughts. These thoughts make us unable to deal with what is going on around us. We get irritated and develop arrogance. We need to develop pure, elevated thoughts. These thoughts generate humility. Then we can deal easily with life and have no complaints.

We cannot engage in giving or taking sorrow. We need to think in such a way that we bring blessings. Dadi said she doesn’t ask God for blessings or power. If we did, God would turn a stern eye and said, “You are a soul, a child of the Supreme. Don’t you think you have power?” There should be so much intoxication over all we have inherited - love, power, blessings, and courage. All God wants is for us to continue looking in His direction.

Whoever I remember is reflected in my eyes. If I remember them, I will draw their remembrance to me. Of our five fingers on our hand, only one indicates direction and can point to the Supreme up above. That same finger should also point to the self. It should not point outside of itself. If it does point outward, then you can be influenced by the outside. This is how you open the door to let rubbish inside. If you have that rubbish inside you, how can you belong to God? God tells us to let go of everything and pay attention to Him alone. Manmanabhav.

Then God will make the line of the intellect clean and clear.

There is one condition attached to having a relationship with the Supreme. It is either with the situation (bat) or God (Bap).What can we do when we cry out in distress? What can God do? We have to realise we are the authority. We can become like a jailbird, caught and trapped in situations and relationships. Birds are meant to fly away. When birds are in a cage with other birds they get comfortable being fed, just chirp, and don’t fly anymore.

Dadi inspired everyone there to achieve their goals of becoming free from anger. She asked people put their hand up if they wanted to accomplish this. (Everyone put up their hand.) She said that it was now or never.
It’s amazing what the power of a clean thought in a gathering can achieve. It isn’t a matter of time studying, some may study for 20 year and some for 20 days and if they’re touched, they will progress greatly. Dadi explained how and now. It is the qualities of truth, love, peace, humility, and patience that will enable us to become what we’re meant to be. We must be all of these qualities in a natural way.

When there is a fire, do we add fuel to the flames - or cold water? When someone gets angry, if I start to heat up and get angry myself, how will I help the other to become free from anger? We have to give good vibrations and good feelings to cool people down and dissolve a potentially negative situation. We must feel that nothing is difficult. We must see the specialities in others and nothing will be difficult. There is nothing to worry about.
Three virtues are essential: tolerance, patience, and contentment. If you have these three, you are free.

Om Shanti

Peace, Love and Wisdom: The Key to Happiness

by Dadi Gulzar, Muscat, Oman

Om Shanti. All of you say Om Shanti. Today’s topic refers to something that is necessary for every soul. It is essential because we all consider two things essential in our lives – one is happiness the other is power or strength. With regards to power, we want both power of the body and of the mind. In reality we see that happiness is our own property but it is seen when it is asked whether people are constantly happy or only sometimes people say that happiness does not stay constant. But if happiness is our property that we want to guard disappears under some circumstances, then it is as though circumstances which are guests come and take away our own property. Why does this happen? Why does happiness go away? There are reasons for this.

One, thinking of the past makes happiness disappear, the second is thinking about others and third – waste thoughts that storm the mind and make it weak. It is in the mind that we experience happiness and sorrow. So because of not having the powers to face, to tolerate, to accommodate in the mind, happiness disappears. The method for experiencing happiness is to engage in positive and pure thoughts; we have to make this method ours but as the mind does not have the power to make these our own, it first needs to be filled with power. So, the power that is not there in the mind, where will it come from?

Only the Supreme is known as the ‘almighty’. Therefore, to empower the mind, we have to develop a connection of the mind with the Supreme. And this is what we call meditation – by connecting the mind to the Supreme, the powers that the Supreme has, will come into our mind and thus we can always stay happy.

But to be able to connect with Him, we would need to understand Him. Because it is seen, there are many views on the nature of the Supreme. That is why it is essential to know what He is. He is our Father and we all have just one Father. And since all of us are children of that one Supreme, we become brothers and sisters and it is in this context that we are one family.

Even though we consider God as the Father and remember Him and call him the ocean of peace and bliss, yet we experience sorrow and peacelessness. Wherever we see in the world, we see an atmosphere of peacelessness. What is the reason for this? The main reason is that people have forgotten who and what they are. It is because of forgetting who we are, we become peaceless and unhappy. In reality I am the master of these sense organs, the spiritual being, the soul. Just as the supreme is light, so too the soul is light that stays in the centre of the forehead. The soul does not have any vice within it originally; the vices have entered the mind because of attaching our existence to this physical body and the experiences of this physical existence and it is these that give us sorrow.

So, to change from peacelessness to peace, I need this wisdom – I must understand myself, understand the Supreme, enable the mind to be connected to Him and I will experience His powers and experience happiness,

Today in all four directions there is an atmosphere of tension. We have received this method from the Supreme that whenever you feel tension, we should simply add an ‘a’ before tension, and then it would become ‘Attention. We get into tension when we lose power, the soul becomes weak, and we come under the influence of things that happen around us. So, let there be attention instead – attention to the fact that I am a soul and my Father is the Supreme. Just as when it becomes dark, you press the switch on and the darkness becomes light, similarly with this attention, the sorrow and peacelessness will be dispelled and will become happiness and peace. This attention will serve as a switch of consciousness.

So, now let us connect the mind with the Supreme so that the mind becomes powerful and strong.

Excuses

by Dadi Janki, Oxford

Recognize who is Dilwala (the Comforter of Hearts). Ask Him what He has in His heart for you. Have chitchat with Him about yourself and about Himself. Tell Him the things of your heart. It is dangerous to tell other people the things of your heart. No need to complain that there is no one who will listen to you. Spend time in Baba’s (God's) room. He is ready and waiting to tell you beautiful things. Speak with Baba (God) about loving things of the heart. Taste this and see. Then you will also find someone who is thirsty to listen to such things and will take benefit from this. These are private matters, but you can taste it and allow others to taste it too. Even though Baba (God) loves so many, He never stops loving me. Therefore, there is no need to have jealousy; in fact we can be happy that others are also receiving His love. Think about the beauty of such a heart where there is no jealousy and no limitations. Does the soul understand the things of Baba’s (God) heart and make itself good? Let your heart be touched by Baba (God).

God says, don’t just sing my praise, but steal the virtues of all and become praiseworthy.... those who are full of virtues (gunvaan), become those who make the donation of virtues (gundaan). You can enable others to become virtuous when you don’t see their defects. Make your eyes good and intellect refined....Simply take the goodness from people, maybe they don’t even realise that they have this.

Make the donation of knowledge, virtues, power and time. Give love and affection to the family and give time in service, then even time will become pleased. Even if you don’t have anything else, give people the donation of time. If you are giving someone time but they are not taking benefit from you then just keep giving but give in a subtle way. All you need to do is give love throughout the whole day. The things of the heart reach everyone. You may not be doing any physical activity, but consider each one to be very good, observe the uniqueness and goodness of each one. Collect this goodness and you will never become sad.

Some people wonder why sadness comes suddenly, without any obvious reason. Once a sad thought (oodasi) creeps into your mind it takes over. Its starts ruling you and so you become a slave (daasi). Such thoughts not only rule over you but they make you consider that to be okay. These thoughts then steal your happiness. You need to remain detached and loving. Everything is good. There are many methods to become free in a second and become successful.

It is a big mistake to catch hold of the situation or let it catch hold of you. You then make others your companions to listen to you and become surrounded by judges and lawyers. This is what wastes a lot of time. Judge yourself. You don’t need to hire a lawyer to win your case. Become such an example and embodiment of support for all so that they can be uplifted.

Ask yourself what you need to do. Become an example for others so that they can receive support and be uplifted.

When you just say ‘om shanti’ morning and evening, the path ahead becomes clear and you develop wings to fly. A bird never asks how to fly, it flies naturally. Put a full stop and the situation is finished. Fly and keep flying, this is service. Even if you feel that you are ready to fly but others aren’t, then become like an aeroplane. People automatically prepare themselves in advance to go in an aeroplane. They pack up, prepare their visa and wait for the flight. The aeroplane waits whilst everything is checked before the pilot and passengers arrive. Everyone is instructed to wear the seatbelt. The plane then taxis slowly before picking up speed and flying off. Make your effort the same. There is no need to see what is happening down below. If something is happening, you have to be detached, you cannot get off the plane and jump down. You have to reach your destination and stop worrying. Just keep giving good vibrations. It is now time to go home. We have packed already, become first class passengers and go with royalty.

Making excuses is what causes sadness. Happiness provides the wings of zeal and enthusiasm. When people see you fly, they too will want to come and see what is up there. They will also become free from fear. Zeal and enthusiasm enables you to fly.

You are all sensible. When you remain engaged/occupied, you won’t be confused about anything. There won’t be any sadness or depression. When all of you begin to fly, there will be great splendour. There is no need to do anything else.

Why do you love Peace?

Dadi Gulzar’s Meeting with VIPs 17 May 2010 Muscat Centre

Om Shanti. Say Om Shanti. All of you who have come, do you love peace or not? Or do you like things as they are, as life goes along. (Peace). Why do you love peace? (it spreads love). Everyone loves peace. Why? Why what is the reason? In reality our original religion is peace. In reality, this is what the human has forgotten and this is why we have become peace less. We have forgotten we are souls, spiritual beings and our original religion is peace and thus keep searching for peace in the world.

To understand that I am a soul – this is spiritual knowledge. God has given us this recognition, this understanding that I am not this human form, but am a spiritual being that resides in the centre of the forehead. The original religion of this spirit, the soul is peace. Why? Because the soul is the child of the supreme and He, our Father is the ocean of peace, so being His children, we too have the original quality of peace.

You understand this much do you not that the soul and body are separate entities? So, the reason we all love peace is because the original religion of the soul is peace, the Father of us souls is peace. Just as when we lose something we love, we keep searching for it, similarly because we have lost our peace which is dearly loved by us and we want to return to that original state, we keep searching for it.

Science has created many facilities that give us happiness but even when these inventions are created, they are done in silence. Even when we have to do an important task, we spend time preparing in silence. Silence is necessary for any invention. So, if we want to regain peace, to take back that which we have lost, what will we have to do?

According to the knowledge that we have received, if we are to regain our inner peace, we need to allow our mind to be connected to the Supreme. He is remembered as the ocean of peace, the one who has the power of peace. He is the bestower of peace. People call out to Him to give them peace. Thus if we want peace, then we need to connect our mind to the Supreme and this is what is known as meditation. Across the world hundreds of thousands have made their lives peaceful through the practice of this meditation.

The circumstances of the world are such that things are going into extremes. Peacelessness and sorrow are increasing and this will not cease. It is only when things go to the extreme, do they end. It is we who need to learn to be peaceful in the midst of all this through the practice of meditation.

In a household it is seen that even if one person comes home peace less, the entire household is affected and becomes peace less and when someone comes in great happiness, then the state of the household is similar. The vibrations of peace spread around us as also the vibrations of peacelessness. Peace is such a virtue that you can attain whatever you want to attain through it – powers such as of love, of discernment, of tolerance etc can be accumulated when we are peaceful.

As your spiritual sister, I wish that my brothers and sisters who have come here today should never experience sorrow. How can a sister see her brothers in sorrow and peacelessness? Always remember you are a soul, a child of the Supreme.

Om Shanti.

Become God's Right Hand - Messengers of Peace

Keynote Address of Dadi Janki- 6th June 2010, Inauguration Programme

Our message of peace should reach every corner of the world.

We are all messengers. Speak from the heart and the message
will reach another's heart - it will give an experience of peace.
This year, I found that there is an intense desire in everyone,
everywhere to understand what spirituality is. This is because
science gives only temporary experiences. However, if you
know how to go into deep silence, the attainments you will
be for long term - eternal!

Everything is filled with falsehood and violence - it has reach the
stage of unrighteousness. Now more than ever before, it is
important for religious and political leaders to understand that
we all have to learn to come together and unite. This is our
message. This new place is a place for everyone to come
together - to clear all differences between languages, religions,
colors. It is a tension free space - because there
is attention. Our attention is within, on our own self.

In this - we have to learn three things. To live in the world,

one needs to learn how about the things of the world - money,
houses, cars, etc...But we also need to learn how to take care
of this body and for this I need to understand that I'm the
driver and I will be able to manage the car well. Today, all
of you should leave with a driver's license to drive your own
car! Learn to pay attention on what to think, what not to
think, where the light is red and where it's green. Everything
should be done at the right time and in the right way.

Secondly, sometimes you say, OK, I don't want all those extra
things, but at least I need something. People who think like
that go to God with a list of things. Very few pray asking to
know how to experience peace or love.

Thirdly, there is too much thinking about others - this one
shouldn't be doing this or that. We fill our heads with this.
We create libraries of all different kinds of information. Now
it is time to make your brain and heart free. I don't need
anything. Combine east and west and become best. This is
not a message, it's a reality.

I don't want people to say that I am better than before. I
want us to change night into day - to dispel the darkness
and give sight to the blind. Then all types of desires will
finish. What do I have to do for this? Time gives signals
and God says - do this. What He says, should
become visible. In our eyes there should be spirituality
and love towards everyone. Become a practical example
of these teachings so that others see me and also want
to become like that.

We have to be like good machinery, free of weaknesses.
Where does the power to be like that come from? From
a good atmosphere created through our internal pure,

peaceful, elevated and determined thoughts. You'll
see wonders. Don't let anything from the outside touch

you and if there is emptiness inside, let God fill it. Then,
whatever God gives me, I should distribute to others.

The message of Raja Yoga is not difficult - become a master
of the mind and senses by realizing that you're child of God,
the Ocean of knowledge, peace, powers, virtues, etc... Just
be like Him. Look at God and only follow Him. It's not that
you have to follow a guru, no, follow God's directions. Make
your inner feelings like His - good wishes and
pure feelings for all. Constantly keep checking and changing
your feelings so that there isn't even a drop of pollution inside.

We need to create this kind of atmosphere for the world-for
our safety. Become clean inside and you will be safe. I myself

have to clean myself. Make this commitment to clean the self,

and keep the inner mirror of heart very clean. Then you'll see
God not only above but in front of you. When you look through
a glass, you see many but when you look at a mirror, you only
see the self. So become such mirrors so that others see themselves.

Do not have the ego of "my" and the attachment of "mine". Remain
free and become God's right hand - a light hand. Perform such
actions that it becomes easy for others to be cooperative with you.
If you are light, those helping you will never give excuses and say,

"I can't do this". Be light, take might and everything will work out

right. Don't compare yourself with others. Have the awareness that
I'm soul in a body and God is the one making me do things. With this
awareness you won't lose your happiness. Heaviness comes when you
think of yourself as a doer. Within one second become light and take
might from God.

Om Shanti