Birthday Puja. Calcutta (India), 21 March 1994. Every year we have birthdays of various people, and every year we make a vow that, “This year I will not do this or I will not do that.” This is a very good way of seeing how far we have come in life. Many people who really have achieved a very great height in their spiritual life did not need a birthday. But every day they felt it’s a birthday to start, to go ahead, to understand, to learn. Every day is a New Year for them.      In our own life we see that our surroundings change very slowly. Sometimes it is shocking; sometimes you are surprised how the surroundings are not changing. But, in a subtle way, there is a tremendous change that is happening within us and without. The whole atmosphere today is governed by human beings. I don’t know how far Paramchaitanya works it out, but it is for us to open ourselves to new dimensions in our lives. For example, if we find we still have, through our introspection, we locate that we have these old, subtle, nonsensical things still hanging around us, we don’t have to vow for it. You have to just witness it, and the destructive path it is taking you to. Immediately you will give up. You don’t have to worry as to put a vow upon yourself, because now you are “samartha” [capable], meaning now you are absolutely empowered. Whatever you think is Read More …