Public Programme, First Evening

The Koningszaal, Artis, Amsterdam

1st August 1991

I bow to all the seekers of truth. At the very outset, I have to say that truth is where it is. It is what it is. We cannot change it, transform it or conceptualise it. Also unfortunately, we cannot know it at this human awareness. We have to become a subtler being what we call the Spirit. Otherwise it is not possible to feel the truth. The truth is you are not this body, not this mind, nor this ego or these conditionings, but you are pure Spirit.

The second truth is that there is a subtle power of divine love that does all the living work. We have never felt it. Holland is a country of flowers but we never thought how these small seeds have produced such beautiful flowers, spontaneously. The seed had the potential to sprout and the Mother Earth had the potential to make them sprout. But we take it for granted. 

Look at ourselves. Look at the eyes that we have- it’s such a beautiful micro-camera. But we do not know how we have achieved this state of human awareness. From amoeba stage to this stage we have come, but we do not try to find out how. In the Zen system of Buddhism it is called as Tao, which means how. But as in every system they have lost their way to reality because of ignorance.

When we find that science cannot give answer to absolute questions we take to other things to find out the truth. Say for religion – we take to some religion, but if you find anyone from any religion can commit any crime; there is no binding force. They may claim that they are the chosen ones, but they don’t behave that way. So there is something wrong. We have missed the point. In every religion, at the beginning of it, it is said that you have to find your Self, “Know thy self!” The self knowledge one cannot achieve by reading books. It cannot be reality. By seeing a film about Holland I do not come to Holland. So you have to actualise the experience of spirituality.

Now whatever I am telling you today, you have to listen to it with an open mind of a scientist. Treat it like a hypothesis, and if it is proved, you have to accept it as honest people, because this is for the benevolence of human beings. These are the resurrection times, no doubt. These are the last judgements and we are going to judge by this force of Kundalini. We are going to judge ourselves. But unless and until we have our Self, how can we judge ourselves? If I say you pay attention to your Self you will not be able to do it. You can pay attention only outside. So something has to happen within you which should attract your attention inside. 

As you have already been told, that there is a system within us – a subtle system – that works out this last breakthrough of our evolution, because you are at the epitome of evolution but there is a little breakthrough needed to achieve that state of spirituality. All of you have got that divinity within yourself. It is not manifesting because you are not yet connected to the mains. Like this instrument is made very beautifully but if it is not connected to the mains it won’t work. As the seed has to outgrow  its roots to suck in the power of the Mother Earth to grow, in the same way we have to be connected to that all-pervading power which does all this living work.

It is not easy in this short time to tell you all about this subtle system within us but one can understand what is self knowledge, what is the Spirit. When this power pierces through your fontanel bone area and connects you to that subtle power then you can feel a cool breeze, the vibrations of cool breeze around you. So first time you start feeling this energy around you. Also you can feel, through your fontanel bone area, a cool breeze coming out of your head. 

This is the actualisation of your baptism, actualisation. It is not that I put some water on your head and say, “Now you are baptised.” No. It is a question of becoming; becoming the Spirit. And when this reality starts manifesting within you, you are amazed at your own glorious and beautiful life. This is a living process and it cannot be done by some sort of acrobatics, also through mental acrobatics, because this connection has to take place; this yoga has to take place. 

And how can you pay for it? How much do we pay to the Mother Earth for producing these beautiful flowers? She doesn’t even understand money or banking or anything. So you can’t pay for it and you cannot put in effort for it. Sahaja means – “saha” is with, “ja” means born with you, all of you. It is the right for all of you to be united, to be in yoga, with that divine power. 

When you are enlightened by the light of the Spirit then you start feeling the centres of your own being on your fingertips. For example, somebody is developing cancer or becoming mad, he does not know, he is not aware of what is happening inside. Nor does he know if there is a friend who is suffering from some malady. But after self realisation your fingers become knowledgeable. They can feel the centres of others also. So you jump into a new dimension of your awareness that we call as collective consciousness. (Carl) Jung has talked about it. 

In the scientific field, of course, it is a subject which is now being taken over by many medical practitioners. There are three doctors in India who have got their M.D. in Sahaja Yoga, in curing incurable diseases. Also there are seven doctors in London who are now recording all the maladies which have been cured by Sahaja Yoga. In Russia there are forty doctors who are practising Sahaja Yoga. 

There is one thing good that has happened to Russians; they are very well educated people. There are thirty to forty people who are not educated and who are doing ordinary work, and they ask for, say, American jeans sort of thing, but the rest of them are not only very well educated but very introspective. (Cameras are going off, so Shri Matai asks that photos be taken after the lecture) They are extremely introspective. And the character I have seen of the Russians, since long, has been very introspective. If you read Tolstoy or anyone you can find that they are very introspective. That may be the reason that in Russia it is spreading very fast. They are surprisingly sensitive to spirituality. 

There is a place called Tagliati which was established by an Italian who revolted against, I think Mussolini or something, and went down and settled in Tagliati. And there are now forty thousand Sahaja Yogis. And on My birthday they took a holiday, it’s very surprising, there was a holiday – a general holiday. Very surprising! So there’s a kind of a thing that is built-in in them that they can be controlled without any state control, because if the Self comes up it is all enlightenment, because Spirit is the source of absolute truth. 

But in the West the main ideas we have about our freedom that we cannot discriminate, and that is how we have fallen into the trap of evil. And many people don’t even believe that there is evil. But only after realisation you will understand that your hands will speak. Mohammed Sahib has said in his Koran that at the time of resurrection your hands will speak, and they will give witness against you. That is exactly what happens, and you start understanding what is right and what is wrong. Freedom doesn’t mean abandonment. 

The first time I went to America, in 1973, and I told them that they would get into AIDS, clearly – it’s on the tape, it’s on the television – and they got very angry with Me, because they thought that I was curbing their freedom which Abraham Lincoln had pictured for them. Abraham Lincoln himself was a realised soul and his idea of freedom was not abandonment by any chance. 

Then about six or seven years back I told them that if you go on too much on the right side, and go on becoming futuristic, you will develop a disease which will make you like a reptile. Your conscious mind won’t work. And now they are getting into a new disease, called ‘Yuppies Disease’, where a person really becomes like a reptile, like a big caught fish. You have to put them on your shoulder and carry them – they can’t walk.

So all intelligent people should try to see why we are in trouble, why we are having ecological problems, why our children are becoming so adamant, arrogant and wasteful. This dry industrialisation has really made us like robots. We have lost the source of joy that is our Spirit. We run after pleasures which have repercussions on us, but they are never joy giving. Moreover we are slaves of entrepreneurs, their ideas; we are slaves of the media; also we are slaves of so many weaknesses that we have. Even if we want very much to get out of it, we cannot because that strength is not there. So we are automatically moving the way atmosphere is, the way fashions are, the way we are led into. And we are living in a relative world. We do not know the absolute. 

But within us lies the Spirit, it is all there waiting for us and then you know the absolute. Like you have seen these Sahaja Yogis, they are very joyous people because the Spirit is the source of joy. On your fingertips you can feel the truth. This is actually what was called as ‘bhod’, or from Vedas the ‘vida’; that is to know on your central nervous system the truth. Whatever we know on our central nervous system is absolute. Supposing I touch this flame, I feel the heat; I mean everybody will feel the same. Also the early Christians were called as Gnostics; “gna” means the same. In Sanskrit “gna” means the same as to know on your central nervous system. 

That is why, because we are living in the relative world, we are fighting. Everyone thinks that he knows the truth and he is absolutely correct. But there cannot be a hundred truths. It has to be one. So it’s time for all of us to get to that state of Spirit and feel that you are part and parcel of the whole. The microcosm becomes the macrocosm. But again, it is a question of becoming. It is not some sort of a brand. And all of you are quite capable of becoming that. 

You don’t have to suffer, you don’t have to feel guilty, nothing of the kind. There’s no need to suffer. Christ has already suffered for us. Are we going to suffer more than Him? And you are not to feel also guilty about anything. These are all wrong ideas. After all you are a human being. You can commit mistakes; not God. But this all-pervading power is the ocean of forgiveness. It forgives everything. It sucks in all your karmas, everything. So only thing that is needed is an honest desire, a pure desire to become the Spirit.

I would like you people to ask Me a few questions – a few again I say – questions, before we start our meditation for our realisation. That will hardly take fifteen minutes. But it cannot be forced on you. I respect your freedom, and the Divine respects your freedom. But when you ask Me questions please remember that I have not come here to take anything from you, but whatever you have I want to just give you the key to that. But those who do not want their self realisation should really leave the hall. 

Now can we have the questions?

Question: Shri Mataji you say that we can feel the truth on our fingertips. What kind of truth can we feel with our fingers?

I told you there are two truths; that you are the Spirit, and that there is an all-pervading power which does all the living work. And through this new awakening you can discriminate between what is falsehood and what is truth about anything. But when you grow more within yourself, then you don’t have to use your fingertips, you just know it. We can say you are like a divine computer which is absolutely perfect and when your connection is established properly you know the truth.

Question: You have described what the Spirit is and about becoming and I have not clearly understood it.

You see it is a subtle subject no doubt. And it is the ocean of knowledge. Now for example there are so many lights in this room and when you want to put on the light, I would just tell you that you put that switch on and everything comes on, because it is built-in. It is all built-in. So the best thing is to put on the light first. If I go on telling you about the invention of electricity, how it came to Amsterdam, how this was built, it will be all boring and maybe you may not understand. 

So best thing is to first get your enlightenment, and then there… I think, I must have spoken on the Spirit… there must be at least ten or fifteen tapes, must be there, on the Spirit. It’s a very subtle subject. As you have to have a microscope to see the things in a cell, you have to become the Spirit to know fully well about the spiritual science.

Question: I have a very strong longing for Self Realisation but I also have a partner. Does the desire to be with this man go against the Self Realisation?

(Shri Mataji laughing) You see everything works out, don’t you worry. (People in the audience ask for the question to be translated.) It’s more personal she is talking. It’s personal. See how these flowers – how they are arranged on a bush or on the trees, just see – it’s a tremendous force.

Question: Is there a difference between knowing the truth and being the truth?

Yes, it’s like if you see King Kong in a film, you see it’s a film, but if the King Kong arrives here everyone will run away! 

(Laughter) 

Alright, I think now we should have our self realisation. 

Of course, there are a few conditions. First of all, I cannot force self realisation on you, as you cannot force the seed to get sprouted. I respect your freedom. 

Now the second thing, you all should know that you all are capable of getting self realisation. So you must have all self confidence within yourself.

Thirdly, you are not to feel guilty about anything. As I told you, that whatever is your past you better forget; it doesn’t exist at this time. We have to be in the present so forget your past as far as guilt is concerned. Also it’s a western mind which always has this guilt. Indians don’t have it. I don’t think any Indian feels guilty. (Laughing) Maybe the psychiatrists have put this idea into your heads, or maybe the church. I don’t know who. So no use feeling guilty; we must face our mistakes and clear it out.

The fourth [Shri Mataji actually says ‘third’] condition is that you have to forgive everyone in general. It is even more difficult. But logically, whether you forgive or don’t forgive, you don’t do anything; but if you don’t forgive then you torture yourself at the hands of wrong people. While those who have harmed you are enjoying themselves and you are torturing yourself in their place. So this is all mental torture for nothing at all. So you forgive them, do not think about them; they are not worth being remembered. Just in general say I forgive every one of them. Finished! You just will feel so much lighter actually. 

I think these are the only [three] conditions. It means, in short, that you must have respect for yourself because you are a human being. We are glorious.  Only we have to discover our glory and divinity. 

Self Realisation.

Alright, so for this you have to take out your shoes because you have to take the help of the Mother Earth.  Also, we have two energies working on us – Sympathetic – one is the left and another is the right.  The left one is the energy of desire and the right one is the energy of action.  So, first of all you have to put your left hand towards Me which is symbolically suggesting that you are desiring to have your self-realisation.  You have to just sit comfortably – not bending forwards or backwards, but comfortably – and put your left hand towards Me on your lap comfortably. 

Now, then we have to use the right hand for nourishing our centres.  You have to put your right hand on your heart.  First we show you and then we close our eyes.  In the heart resides the Spirit.  If you are the Spirit, in the light of the Spirit you get all the guidance.  So, you have to take your right hand in the upper portion of your abdomen, which is the centre of your mastery.  Then, you have to know that there is another centre in the lower portion of your abdomen on the left hand side – we are only working on the left hand side, please all of you do it.  Now, this is the centre of Pure Knowledge, knowledge by which you have got all divine powers.  Then you take your hand up in the upper part of your abdomen on the left hand side.  Then we take our right hand on our heart.  Then we take our right hand in the corner of our neck and our shoulder, on the left hand side, and turn our heads to the right.  This is the centre you catch when you feel guilty and it’s very dangerous because we get into diseases like angina and spondylitis.  Now you take your right hand and put it on your forehead, across.  And now bend your head – this is the centre to forgive everyone in general.  Now take your right hand to the back side of your head and push back your head.  Here, without feeling guilty, without counting your mistakes – for your satisfaction – you have to ask forgiveness from the All-pervading power.  Now, stretch your hand and put the centre of your palm on top of your fontanel bone area.  Now, please bend your head fully, stretch back your fingers so that there’s full pressure on your scalp and now move the scalp with pressure seven times clockwise.  Stretch back your fingers, put down your head.  That’s all we have to do.  Please remember to stretch back your fingers – only put the palm and move the scalp.  Stretch back, like that.  

Now, we have to close our eyes.  Until I tell you, please don’t open your eyes.  You can take out your glasses.  

Now, put the left hand towards Me, right hand on the heart and both the feet apart from each other – not for those who are sitting on the ground – and close your eyes.  Now please ask, on your heart centre, a question which is very fundamental.  You may call Me Mother or Shri Mataji – whatever you like.  So now, you have to say three times, ask Me a question, ‘Mother, am I the Spirit?’  If you are the Spirit, you are your guide, you are your master.  So now, take out your right hand on the upper portion of your abdomen on the left hand side and ask another fundamental question.  Here you ask, ‘Mother, am I my own master?’  

I have already told you that I respect your freedom and I cannot force Pure Knowledge on you; you have to ask for it.  So please take your right hand on the lower portion of your abdomen and here you ask six times – because this centre has got six petals – ‘Mother, please give me pure knowledge.’  As soon as you ask for pure knowledge, the Kundalini starts rising upward so we have to nourish our upper centres with our full confidence.  So now, raise your hand in the upper portion of your abdomen on the left hand side.  Here, you have to say with full confidence in yourself, ‘Mother, I am my own master.’  

I have already told you the fundamental truth about is, that you are not this body, this mind, this ego or these conditionings, but you are the pure Spirit.  Now raise your right hand on your heart.  Here, you have to say again, with full confidence in yourself twelve times, ‘Mother, I am the pure Spirit.’  

This all-pervading power is the ocean of love and compassion.  It is the ocean of absolute knowledge.  But above all, it is the ocean of forgiveness.  So whatever mistakes you commit is resolved by this power of ocean of forgiveness.  So please raise your hand on to your neck, on the left hand side and your shoulder in the corner.  Please turn your head to the right and with full confidence say sixteen times, ‘Mother, I am not guilty at all.’  

I have already told you that, whether you forgive or you don’t forgive, you don’t do anything.  But if you don’t forgive, then you play into wrong hands and you torture yourself.  So now, to avoid all this mental torture, please raise your hand on your forehead across and bend your head as far as possible.  Here, you have to say again with full confidence – not how many times, but from your heart – ‘Mother, I forgive everyone in general.’  

Now take back your hand, on the back side of your head and push back your head as far as possible.  Here you have to say, without feeling guilty, without counting your mistakes, just for your own satisfaction – from your heart, not how many times – ‘Oh Divine power, if I have done anything wrong – knowingly or unknowingly – please forgive me.’

Now, stretch your hand fully and put the centre of your palm on top of the fontanel bone area; it was a soft bone in your childhood.  Please now bend your head and push back your fingers so they can put pressure on your scalp.  Here again, I cannot cost your freedom, I respect it.  So please, move your scalp seven times.  I cannot force self-realisation on you, so you have to say seven times, ‘Mother please give me self-realisation.’  Please bend your head, push your scalp properly and ask for your self-realisation seven times saying, ‘Mother, please give me self-realisation.’  Please do it slowly.  [Shri Mataji blows 7 times into the microphone]  

Now please remove your hands.  Open your eyes please.  Put both your hands towards Me like this.  Put the right hand towards Me and put down your head, and put your left hand on top of your fontanel bone area and see for yourself if there’s a cool or a hot breeze is coming out. You should not put your hand on top of your head but away from it – some people get it very far away – and move your hand, to see.  Now, please put the left hand towards Me.  And now bend your head and put the right hand to feel the cool breeze out of your head.  It may be hot, so that means you have not forgiven, so please forgive now everyone. You are not going to miss your self-realisation for not forgiving.  As it is, you have tortured yourself too much.  Now, put your right hand towards Me again and see with your left hand if there’s a cool breeze coming out of your head.  If you bend your head, you can see it better.  

Now, raise your both the hands upward and push back your head.  Here you have to ask three times one question, one of these, ‘Mother, is this the cool breeze of the Holy Ghost?’ Or, ‘Mother, is this the all-pervading power of God’s love?’  Or, ‘Mother, is this the Paramchaitanya?’  Ask any one of these questions three times.  

Please take down your hands.  Put your hands towards Me like this and watch Me without thinking.  This is the first state, called as Thoughtless Awareness which in Sanskrit is Nirvikara Samadhi.  Nirvichara Samadhi.

All those who have felt cool or hot breeze from their hands or fingers, or out of their fontanel bone area, please raise both your hands.                          

Most of you have got it. I bow to all of you. Now you are becoming saints. 

May God bless you all. 

Tomorrow again I’ll be here, and some Indian musicians are coming to sing to you. And I’ll meet all of you tomorrow. Also call your friends and tell them to come along. Thank you very much. 

(Applause)