Evening program before Shri Ganesha Puja, first part, Cabella Ligure Italy, September, 24, 1999

[After performance, on video at 2:51:29]

It was really very interesting to go through various programmes coming from different countries. I Myself was overwhelmed that Sahaja Yoga is spreading to all these countries where they have created such good artists and such good program. We didn’t even feel how the time passed.

Lastly, the critic – of course I always say, “Don’t criticize others”. But specially the art, when people start criticizing, the art is dying out. [Cut in the video]

… And is now only the critics are criticizing is a fact. If not, the art that will come up will be so hideous and heinous that we’d can never enjoy that art, because it will be only for money – cheap type, which can be sold in the market.

And this kind of intellectual analysis of everything is responsible also to the decline of pure art. We are doing it all the time. We all think we are very intelligent and we can criticize, all the time correcting these artists – is a common thing. It’s not only artists, but in every field of life we have become very much arrogant, and we think we know everything and we can criticize others. By which we stop their progress completely. Not only that, but we also stop our progress, because whatever you do with your mind, is not in any way global, in any way spiritual. So this mind has to be left alone and you have to go beyond the mind.

So many of these artists have done work through their torsion area, I can see that. Because they are so much spiritually developed that they can do this kind of a work. But when we start criticizing them, because people are not at all anywhere near torsion area and they don’t understand the beauty of torsion area, they start criticizing – by that they are bringing down the level of high-class art.

Artists are, of course, very much strangled, but also other areas where we are, we think it from the point of view of only money. And ultimately you find that even that point or that aim fails. Because after all, even money, which is the Lakshmi principle, has to have the art. If you don’t have the art of money, you are absolutely a useless fellow! I hear of so many people, today they are earning so much and tomorrow they are, just become bankrupt. How is it happening? What is the problem is that we don’t understand the art of money also. Everything is an art in a way, life also is an art – that is you have to make everything look very beautiful, very sensible, balanced and energy-giving.

Here now, I saw some very nice paintings, behind, of Shri Ganesha, done so perfectly well, in every angle, in every way. And it is so joy-giving to see such a nice painting. Instead of taking the joy out of that, people start putting it into words. In the words they get lost and we can never see the beauty and the poetry behind that painting. Same about poetry, same about literature, same about all those things which are poured out of your heart. As I said, even the money: if it has no heart behind it, it’s a horrible stuff. And you just can’t bear to see such money, it’s so gross, it’s so ugly, you can’t bear it!

So, in everything that you do, there has to be your heart. Without the heart, whatever is done has no meaning. You just, through your mental capacity, go on criticizing everyone, go on saying things about everyone. But how much do you enjoy, how much do you get that inside you, is only possible through your heart which must be open, which must be great, and which must be enjoying.

So, for all of us Sahaja Yogis, it’s quite an eye-opener when we see this. Because I have seen, even in Sahaja Yoga, people are very critical of each other, sometimes. Saying that, “You should not have done this, you should not have done that”. It’s not your lookout. You do it properly and others will also do it. There’s no ritualism in Sahaja Yoga.

One thing one should know, there is no blind ritualism. But all rituals that so-called are there are from the heart. If your heart is open, you will do all the rituals in a very sweet manner and the – I would say, result-oriented. Otherwise, whatever you do with such a mental tension, and thinking what are you doing wrong or right, you can never achieve any ascent with that.

I’m very, very happy, very much satisfied, and – I don’t know what to say – enamoured to see so many people, from so many countries, are Sahaja Yogis. And such good artists and such beautiful people. I didn’t know Sahaja Yoga would be everywhere so fragrant, but to see all this you don’t know how joyous I felt. I mean, compared to My – I should say – efforts, it is too much, really, it is too much.

And like a little seed becomes beautiful flowers, I see all of you coming up here, and showing this talent – not only the talent, but the talent of Sahaja [Yoga].

May God bless you all.

With all My heart, I bless you.