peace education program illustrated article series 1 to 8

PEACE EDUCATION PROGRAM illustrated article series • workshop 1 PEACE

The mirror on the wall - by Prem Rawat

Once THERE WAS a remote little village. The people in this village were very simple. One

day, a tourist arrived. The next morning, he took out his mirror and put it up on a wall so he

could shave. He cleaned up and shaved, but he forgot to take the mirror off the wall before he

traveled on.

An elderly villager with gray hair, bright eyes, and a beautiful shining face saw the mirror on

the wall and looked into it. He had never seen a reflection of himself, so when he saw the

face in the mirror, he was mesmerized, and he said to himself, “Today, I have seen the face of

God.” He left — completely happy: “I have seen God.”

Then a young girl came along. When she saw herself in the mirror, she was taken aback. “I

have seen the most beautiful woman on the face of this earth. When I grow up, this is what I

want to look like!”

And then came along a man who had lost his father not too long before. He looked in the

mirror and said, “Oh, my God! I have seen my father again.”

Now, the three people who had seen themselves in the mirror started to get very upset. The

older man wanted the mirror, because this is where he had seen the face of his god. The

young girl wanted the mirror, because this is what she wanted to look like. And the third man

wanted the mirror, because in it he had seen his father again. They started arguing, and before

long, fights were breaking out all over the village. Everybody was unhappy, because whoever

went to the room and looked in the mirror on the wall — whatever they saw, they liked, and

they all wanted the mirror for themselves.

Finally, a wise man happened to come by. When he saw what was going on in the village, he

asked, “Why are you all fighting?”

Different people answered: “I want this thing because this is my god,” or “This is who I want

to be,” or “This is my father,” or “This is my this; this is my that.”

So he asked for the magical thing to be taken down from the wall and brought to him. He

looked at it and said, “Don’t you know what this is? This is a mirror.”

He called the old man, and he said, “You did not see the face of God. You saw yourself.”

He called the young girl, and he said, “You did not see the most beautiful woman. You saw

yourself.”

He called the third man, and he said, “You did not see your father; you saw yourself. You

look like your father, and that’s why you thought you saw him, but it was you.”

One by one, he called everyone and said, “What you see in this mirror, what you like in this

mirror, is not the mirror. It’s you!”

IT’S YOUR LIFE

Now, how does this story relate to peace? You see, peace begins with each one of us. We

have forgotten our own self, our own need. We like to talk about food, and we have become

very good at it, but does that mean that we don’t need to eat anymore? No. You can talk

about food all day long. No problem. But sooner or later you’ve got to eat. This is my little

bit of wisdom for you. Hunger does not look at anything else; it looks at being satisfied. And

the hunger for peace comes from within you. It is not an intellectual idea. Peace is the desire

of the heart. Your heart. And it is as simple as the coming and going of the breath. Breath.

This is how the movie of life begins. And how does the movie end?

Just recently, somebody’s father passed away, and this person said to me, “We were all

waiting till he had taken his last breath.” Once again — breath.

I know we’re fascinated by the in-between part. This is what we live for, this is why we exist.

That’s all fine. I’m not criticizing that. But you should never, ever forget the importance of

where your life began. And where it will end.

FACE OF PEACE

The gift of breath will be given to you freely and abundantly. And you will breathe day and

night. And you will think of many things. And the least will be about your breath, the coming

and going of this gift.

Within you lies the possibility of peace. For every single human being — that’s the place

where peace exists. Peace does not belong to any nation. Peace does not belong to any

society. Peace does not belong to any religion. Peace belongs to people — people like you

and me.

What is the face of peace? Some people will tell you that the face of peace is God. Other

people will tell you the face of peace is some temple. May I humbly suggest that the face of

peace is none other than your face when you are in contentment, when you are in peace —

when peace dances on your face.

Peace is not going to manifest in some giant cathedral. It will manifest in the cathedral of the

heart. That is the only pure place there is. That is the only place where peace is welcomed. It

is people like you and me who welcome peace in our lives, who want peace, who need peace.

And it is here in our existence that peace exists.

YOUR TRUE NATURE

Look at how much money governments spend on trying to make society amiable — so that

everybody is “friendly.” But when we are content, that happens automatically. When you are

content, and you are standing in a line to get your movie tickets, if somebody says, “Can I

stand in front of you?” you say, “Okay.” When you are content, and your child comes to you

and says, “I need new shoes,” no problem. “Let’s go.”

It is amazing that we have spent so much money, time, and energy and never realized this

simple, basic human quality — that when you are content, you are nice. You’re actually fun

to be with. But when you are not content, whew! Forget it. If somebody is in your lane and

just looks at you implying, “Can I get in front?” you will drive your car a little further ahead.

“Don’t even think about it!” You are no longer fun to be with. You become different.

This is the importance of contentment; this is the importance of peace. Without contentment,

we are so lost, so different. Without contentment, without peace in our lives, we are

unrecognizable. And with contentment and peace, everything begins to dance in the sweetest,

most beautiful way.

So many people tell us how we are different from each other. Let me tell you how we are the

same. People ask me, “What nationality are you?” And I have to laugh. What should I say?

Who am I? I am just like you — same aspirations, same ideas, same needs. We all look a

little different, and we have different languages. So we think that the difference is all there is,

but it’s not. The same engine drives us, the same aspirations. Our needs are not so far apart.

And ultimately, every breath that comes into us is the same that comes into every human

being in the world. Do you think there is anybody who breathes differently?

PROBLEM SOLVING

Seeing this similarity should unify us. We have gone to the moon. This was no easy feat, but

we thought that it was important, so we did it. We have not yet begun to think that it is

important to have peace. Why? Because we have become so good at living without it. The

whole world is out there convincing us: “We can solve your problems.” Because people think

if our problems are solved, we will be in peace. No. If we are not in peace, more problems

will come, and more problems will come, and more problems will come. Of course, there will

also be more problem solvers — but not less problems.

Technology will offer us solutions, but, ultimately, will life get easier? Life begins to become

easier the day there is the understanding of peace in our lives. That’s when it becomes restful;

that’s when it begins to dance; that’s when the symphony begins to play. That’s when clarity

begins to come in our lives.

Without that clarity, life is like walking with your eyes closed, bumping into things left and

right. As you have opened your eyes to the world outside, open your eyes to the world within.

Begin to understand, not what you are missing, but what you have in your life.

Today a miracle took place. The miracle was your existence. And it was made possible by the

most divine.

Today you have the possibility of being in peace, being content, being happy. Today you

have the possibility of being thankful because you felt peace, because you understood.

TRUE FREEDOM

What is true freedom? When I speak of freedom, I’m talking about a freedom that can be

experienced even if you are locked up in a prison. Hasn’t your freedom been taken away?

Yes, one freedom has been taken away, but there is another freedom that cannot be taken

away — even in prison. And that’s the real freedom.

Peace that can be felt in the middle of a battlefield — that’s the real peace, because that is the

peace that nobody can take away from you. Nobody can rob you of it. And that’s your reality.

That’s who you are.

What is your true nature? Look in the mirror of the heart, and you will see your true face.

And when you see your true face, you will realize what a miracle you are. You’ve been

created by kindness. You exist by kindness. The gift of breath is given to you by kindness.

And all that that you’re given every single day is a gift of incredible kindness.

THE RAIN HAS COME

In this temple that you are exists the truest peace. Not an idea, not a concept. When you can

turn within, you can feel the peace that dances in your heart. Every single day.

There are so many misconceptions about peace. “Oh, I just need to feel peace once.” No. Feel

peace every day that you are alive, because that is what makes you come alive.

You are a little seed waiting in the desert to flower. And I am saying, “Flower. Spread your

petals. Take in the sunshine. The rain has come, and the desert is not a desert anymore.” It’s

not about the length of time. It is about the opportunity of existence. This is what is given to

you.

Every day, every minute, every second, you can recognize the value of what it means to have

a second. Recognize that value while you’re alive. When it’s too late, and then you begin to

recognize the value — that is no fun. Recognize the value while you still have the time.

That’s wisdom.

When the heart calls for peace, do not ignore it. Respect it. When the heart calls for

contentment, do not ignore it. People say, “Isn’t that selfish?” No. When you quench your

thirst, is it selfish? When the sun shines upon you and you feel its warmth, is it selfish? When

the wind blows and cools you down, is that selfish? When you look up and see the blue sky,

is that selfish? And when the rain falls in the desert, and the flower awakens, is that selfish?

THIS LIFE!

Somebody put the thirst in you. And the thirst in you says, “Now drink. Drink the water!” Is

it selfish to drink the water?

No. It was not me, not my ideas, not my concepts that put this thirst in me. The thirst is

innate. Fundamental. There is an attraction to peace built into every single human being.

Respond to that need. Because if you don’t, no matter what you do, the story of your life will

be incomplete.

Will you get another life? I don’t know. And, frankly, neither do you. So, every day, live to

the fullest what life is offering you. Be in peace. Be in contentment.

illustrations by Premlata Rawat Hudson

“You did not see the face of God.

You saw yourself.”

“You did not see the most beautiful woman.

You saw yourself.”

Look in

the mirror

of the heart, and you will see your true face.

the hunger for peace comes from within you

it is not an intellectual idea it is the desire of the heart

as simple as the coming and going of the breath today miracle took place: your existence

today you have a possibility: being in peace being content being happy.

THE PREM RAWAT FOUNDATION

PEACE EDUCATION PROGRAM • illustrated article series

© All rights reserved according to the Berne Convention

PEACE EDUCATION PROGRAM illustrated article series • workshop 2 APPRECIATION

THE BUSINESSMAN AND THE MAGIC STONE by Prem Rawat

THERE WAS A BUSINESSMAN who had a small trade. Of course, being a businessman, his desire was

to make as much money as possible.

One day, somebody knocked on his door. When he opened it, there was a man standing there, a

very beautiful person. The man took a stone out of his pocket and gave it to the businessman,

saying, “Let me explain the power of this stone. If you take this stone and touch it to metal, the

metal will instantly turn into gold.”

Then the man gave him a warning. “I’m not giving you the stone,” he said. “I’m just letting you use it

for a while. One day, I will come back to collect it. When I come for the stone, there will be no

extensions. No negotiations. No tomorrows. You will have to give it back.”

For the businessman, his wildest dream had come true. Now he could be wealthy beyond his

imagination. All he had to do was touch this stone to metal, and the metal would turn into gold. So

he was very happy.

But he was a businessman, and he did not want to spend money unnecessarily. He wanted to be

very careful. So he called to find out the price that metal was going for on the market. That day, the

dealer said, “It’s a little expensive.” The price had gone up. So the

businessman thought, “I will wait till the price comes down.” And so he waited.

Every day, he called again to see if the price of metal had come down. But every day, the price kept

going higher and higher.

Then, one day, the businessman heard a knock on his door, and there was the man again. And the

man said, “I want my stone back.”

Startled, the businessman said, “Just one second. I’ll see if I can find some metal somewhere in my

house.”

But the man said, “No. Remember? This was our deal. I have come back, and you have to give me

back my stone.” And the man took the stone and left.

Who is the businessman? We all are. Someone came to us and gave us the stone — the gift of life —

and said, “With this, you can fulfill your dream. You can be happy. You can be content.” And what

have we said? “Not right now. I’ll wait. Maybe when I am a little bit older. Maybe when I have a little

more time.” But the amazing thing is, as we get older, we have less and less time.

Then one day, somebody knocks on our door, “I want the gift of life back.”

What do we say? “Oh, I wish I could have done this; I wish I could have done that. I feel terrible

about this; I should have done that.” But there is no negotiation. When the gift of life must be

returned, it must be returned. There is no tomorrow, no day after tomorrow, no day after that.

THE GOOD

We have a lot to do, many responsibilities to take care of in our life, but we have one more

responsibility. And that is to recognize the gift of life, to recognize the joy and the beauty of life.

Because that is the only thing that can truly fulfill us.

I go from country to country. I see different cultures. But I also see the similarity of each human

being wanting — from the heart — to be fulfilled.

We all have the same need. We all have the same want. We all need to be content, to be in peace. A

peace that is just a thought does not suffice. We need to have a peace that we can actually feel

every day. Every moment. Every moment of our lives is most precious. It cannot be wasted.

When will it become precious for you? The wisdom is not in realizing the preciousness of something

when it is gone. The wisdom is in recognizing the preciousness of what you have — not what you

don’t have.

In this world, the ambitions of people are based on what they do not have.

There is a beautiful saying: “The beggar dreams that someday he will become a king. And what does

the king dream of? In his nightmares, he dreams that he is becoming a beggar.” A king does not

dream of becoming a king. A beggar does not dream of becoming a beggar. The beggar dreams of

becoming a king, and the king dreams of becoming a beggar.

All that goes on in the world, all that changes and changes and moves and moves, is happening in

everyone’s personal life. Sadness. Happiness. Good times. Bad times. Richness. Poverty. And no

matter what culture we come from, we all want to avoid the bad.

In all cultures, people want to have the good, the auspicious. So the question is, What is most

auspicious in your life?

THE POT

It is the coming and going of the breath. Every time it comes, it brings you the gift of life. It brings

you your existence. Not tomorrow. Not yesterday. Now — in this moment. And in this moment that

the breath comes, there is no bad. It’s good. It’s good, and it is good, and it is good. Because of it,

you have life.

If we never understand the meaning of the gift that we have been given, we will try to look for

meaning in everything else. And we do. We look for meaning — the true meaning of this existence

— in everything else.

There is a saying: “You came into the world empty-handed, and you will leave empty-handed.” It’s

no accident that this saying exists. This is what people have observed — that all the things we do to

be fulfilled ultimately do not bring us fulfillment. Ultimately, everything has to be left behind.

Imagine a clay pot with a big hole in the bottom. You could pour the water of all the oceans into this

pot, and not a single drop would remain.

If we fail to recognize the value of our lives, then we are like that pot with a big hole in it. The hole is

our ignorance, and it doesn’t matter what you put in the pot. You can put all the gold, all the things

that are beautiful in it — it will not be able to retain anything.

Put even one drop of water in a pot that has no holes in it, and the drop will stay. Place the

understanding of this life in the pot. Place the beauty of your existence in it. Do you see what I am

saying? It’s very important. Many people think there is no difference between what happens on the

outside and what is on the inside. There is a big difference. Outside, you are always changing.

Changing, changing, changing. On the inside, there is no change.

I see people I know who have gotten old. Their faces look different; their bodies look different. But

their heart is the same, because the heart is timeless. The immortal that you seek on the outside is

on the inside.

THE HEART IS PART OF YOU

Within you is magic. Within you, the dance of life is unfolding. Within you, a beautiful play is

unfolding. Do you want to witness it? Do you want to see it? Do you want to understand what you

have been given? Not what you have created, but what you have been given?

There’s a beautiful Chinese saying: “It’s good intelligence to know your friends, but it is true wisdom

to know yourself.” Thousands of miles away, a Greek philosopher said, “Know thyself.” And in India,

someone said, “What you are looking for is within you.”

Is this an accident? Today, we hear somebody say, “What you are looking for — the true beauty, the

pure joy — is within you.” And people say, “Very wise. Very good.” And then… nothing.

Why not find out what is within you? Why not get in touch with the perfection that is within you?

Why not understand what your heart is trying to say to you? The heart is a part of you.

Would it be comfortable for you if somebody tied up one of your legs and said, “You cannot use that

leg — you can only use the other one”? You would have to hop everywhere. Then why do we ignore

our inner self and only try to do what the outer self wants? That inner self is a part of us. And if we

have not heard its simple request, then we have not heard the whole story of our life.

WHAT DO WE TAKE WITH US?

If it is true that empty-handed we came and empty-handed we have to go, then what is life all

about? Good times will happen and bad times will happen. Then more of the same, more of the

same, more of the same.

You get up in the morning. You leave your house to go to your office. You leave your office to come

back to your house. It’s back and forth, and back and forth, and back and forth. And what do you

think of? You think of your problems. “I have to do this; I have to do that.” Problems, problems,

problems.

There was another thing I read — a very interesting saying: “You work so hard to make money that

you lose your health. And then you spend that money to gain your health back.”

Not very good business, because you lose, lose, lose.

We know so much, but do we know the value of our breath? We know so much, but do we know

how to fly in the realm of the heart? If we don’t, then one day, the time will come when what we

know will be of no use.

FORMULA PEACE

There are two kinds of peace in this world. There is one peace that is a formula. And there is one

peace that has to be felt. The formula peace, many people have. Some say, “I have peace. I’ve got a

good family, I’ve got a good job, I’ve got a good house, so I’m happy. I’m fine.” But all that

disappears one day.

If you ask a rich person, “Do you have peace?” they say, “Yes, I have peace.” “Why do you think you

have peace?” “Well, I have this; I have that — I have peace. I’m okay.” If you ask a monk, “Do you

have peace?” they say, “Yes, I have peace because I don’t have this and I don’t have that.”

This is the peace of formulas. Everybody has formula peace, and that’s why there are so many wars,

because formula peace does not bring peace.

Even if you take a picture of the sun, you can’t pull it out at night and expect it to light up your

house. I wish it could — that would save a lot of electricity and a lot of money, but the picture of the

sun does not produce light. The sun does.

Conceived peace is just like that picture of the sun. People talk about peace and read about peace,

which is good, but at some point in time, you have to know it; you have to feel the peace.

If you want real peace, it has to be felt — not once, but every day of your life. You need to be able to

turn inside every day and feel that joy, that beauty, that serenity, in your life. Every day.

PEACE IN YOUR WORLD

People say that there needs to be peace in the world. I say there needs to be peace in your world. In

your world. Because if there isn’t peace in your world, there isn’t going to be peace.

There are so many people saying, “Peace, peace, peace.” Yet, every day, there is war, war, war. They

are talking about the wrong kind of peace. True peace is always inside of you. And when you can

experience that peace, there will be peace. In your world.

War does not grow on trees. War grows in the hatred in people’s minds.

Peace does not grow on trees, either. Peace grows in people’s hearts. That’s where you will find it —

within you. Look for it. Do whatever is necessary to find that real peace in your life and be content.

Peace begins not with countries, not with nations, and not with governments. Peace begins with

you. Peace begins with me. Peace begins with each one of us.

I just remind you about something you already know. You have known this since you were a little

child, but you forgot it because everything else became important. Now, maybe the time has come

for you to remember.

people say that there needs to be peace in the world I say there needs to be peace in your world

war grows in the hatred in people’s minds peace grows in people’s hearts within you is magic within

you the dance of life is unfolding do you want to witness it?

why not? find out what is within you, understand what your heart is trying to say

PEACE EDUCATION PROGRAM illustrated article series • workshop 3 INNER STRENGTH

JOURNEY OF LIFE by Prem Rawat

IN THIS LIFE you are a solitary traveler. And if you don’t understand the nature of the journey, you

will get lost, because life is the only journey that, by default, cannot go in a circle.

The agent that doesn’t allow you to go around in a circle is called time. Even if today you do exactly

the same thing that you did yesterday, it won’t be yesterday. It’ll be today. And if you plan to do

tomorrow exactly what you did today, it still won’t be today; it will be tomorrow. You can’t go

around in circles. So where are you headed? Where is this journey of life taking you?

THE RIVER OF LIFE

There are three major events that happen: One is birth. One is existence. And you know the third

one, right? Everybody knows the certainty of that one.

The river of life begins with a drop, and it stops when it merges into the ocean. I am not talking

about the first drop or about the merging. I am talking about the flow. In this journey of life, you’re

flowing.

I am talking about the solitary journey of a human being. This is just about you and the breath that

comes into you and fulfills you. I’m talking about the kindness that you have been given that you do

not see as a miracle.

It is so unfortunate that you do not see your existence as a miracle until it is too late. Bad habit. Bad

idea. You can change that. You can do something about it — start to witness it.

Here is the most normal thing that happens. The most incredible normal thing. It does not even take

an effort. Breath comes into you. And it fills you. With what? It fills you with life. You live. You exist.

You can think, you can see, you can admire. You can touch, feel, analyze, laugh, cry. You can be a

dad, a mom, a brother, a sister; you can be whatever you are. Courtesy of life. Incredible miracle.

Unbelievable. And it comes and it goes. Can you feel it? Can you capture its essence — as a

moment? Can you be fulfilled by it? The answer is yes.

WHAT YOU ALWAYS WANTED

Please, don’t start thinking, “I have to manufacture this. There is a mine somewhere that I have to

detect and get to.” No. Is it possible to feel the peace that is already within you? The answer is yes.

What you are looking for is within you — that’s the good news. “Know thyself.” That’s excellent

advice. It was rolled out a long time ago.

What is the longing in your heart that has always been there? What have you always wanted? Not

the glitzy present, but what have you really wanted? You have always wanted to be content. You

have always wanted to feel good inside.

How do I know? Have I been reading your diary? No. Have I been bugging your home? No. How do I

know? Easy. Because I am like you. Your aspirations and my aspirations are not any different. I, too,

long to be content. I, too, want to feel free. I, too, want to feel peace in my life. I, too, know my

agenda — that every day I need to make a little effort to court contentment in my life. It’s the same

for me and for you.

Get in touch with that longing. It must be a strong longing because we work so hard to make sure we

don’t listen to it. God forbid we have a moment of quiet. What we might hear! And when it is

perfectly quiet, a comment has to be made. “Oh, it’s so quiet.” What is the biggest punishment?

Solitary confinement. To be all by yourself.

ME WITH ME

I’d have thought that that would be a reward. Finally, you get to be all by yourself, “Oh, thank you!”

But it’s, “Oh, no! Me?! Me with me?! How many days?”

If I cannot actually be comfortable being with myself, then I am missing something. Then this

traveler is going somewhere that’s not pleasant. And when it is not pleasant, there is a justification

for why it is not pleasant. “Karma! I must’ve done something wrong in my last lifetime.”

No. Ask yourself, “What do I know now?” This is what is going to help you — not what you were

before. “What do I know now? What am I now?” I’ll tell you what I am now. I am a human being — a

seed that encapsulates within it every dreamable possibility. That’s who I am. That’s who you are.

And of all that is possible in this seed, there is one possibility that is incredibly special. That

possibility is being able to feel peace.

The journey is afoot. It is taking shape. There are no “wills,” “musts,” and “shoulds.” It is happening.

You and I are the travelers. And no one has the luxury of saying, “Hold on. I’ll just go around in circles

till I figure out where I want to go.” It’s all started. The journey has begun.

There’s only one life. There are many days but one life. Get it right so you can get every day right.

From the bottom of your heart, enjoy every single day. Enjoy the most priceless thing there is —

every breath that comes into you. You cannot buy it; you cannot exchange it. You cannot give it. It’s

yours.

this is about you and the breath that comes into you and fulfills you

breath: it fills you with life comes into you,can you feel it?

can you capture its essence as a moment?

can you be fulfilled by it?

the answer is yes

PEACE EDUCATION PROGRAM illustrated article series • workshop 4 SELF - AWARENESS

The Lion and the Sheep

by Prem Rawat

sometimes we forget who we are.

We get so caught up in our causes, in our definitions, that we don’t see that each human being has

the same ambition: to be happy, to be in peace.

A lot of people talk about peace. For many, peace is an absence of something. People go to a lake to

get away from the traffic, “Oh, it’s so peaceful.” Some people think that if you do something or

accomplish something in your life, then you will have peace.

WHAT IS PEACE?

What is peace? Is it something innate that resides in the heart of every single human being? Or is it a

state that can be brought about? I say that the desire for peace has resided with human beings from

time immemorial and continues today. This is what we have to listen to. This is not something that

belongs to a group of people or a country. This is about every human being, in their own way,

searching and trying to find that peace.

Do not squelch that voice, because that is the voice that sees no difference between the rich and the

poor, between an educated person and a non-educated person. That peace is an innate need of

every single person. Just like water, just like air, just like food. Like that, people all around the world

cry out for peace.

THE QUEST FOR PEACE

This is a fundamental need that people have. The quest for peace comes from within you, and peace

also resides within you. I’ll tell you a story.

One day, a farmer was walking through the jungle. He came across a poor, helpless little lion cub. So

he picked him up and brought him home and fed him. Now, the cub was feeling better, so he put

him in the barn with all the sheep. Every day, he would let the sheep out to graze, and the lion cub

would come out with them. This kept happening day after day after day—and years passed like this.

One day, a huge lion came out from the forest and roared. All the sheep started running around

hiding. And the little lion also started to hide, just like the sheep. The big lion, seeing the little lion,

came over to him and asked, “What are you doing?”

And the little lion said, “Aghhh! Please don’t eat me!” The big lion said, “Eat you? Don’t you know

who you are? Why are you acting like a sheep?” “Oh, please don’t eat me.” The lion said, “You are a

lion.” The little lion said, “Whatever—just don’t eat me!!” So the big lion said, “Come with me.” He

took the little lion to the pond, and he said, “Look. See who you really are.”

The little lion looked at his reflection, and he looked like the big lion. He said, “Really? Is that who I

am?” “Yes! That’s who you are!! Can’t you see? Now, roar with me because you’re not a sheep—

you’re a lion.” The little lion roared, and he thanked the big lion. And the big lion said, “I didn’t do

anything. I only showed you who you are.”

OUR FUNDAMENTAL NATURE

You might say, “What’s wrong with being a sheep? Somebody has to be a sheep. Sheep have been

around for so long, and sheep are so cute! They’ve got little tails, and they jump, and they’re warm

in the winter.”

I like that story because that is what happens to us. We forget our fundamental nature. And when

we cannot see who we are, how will we respond to the needs of all those that are around us? It’s

impossible. We are not what we think we are. We are each a precious gift.

PEACE EDUCATION PROGRAM illustrated article series • workshop 5 CLARITY

THE Sugar AntAND THE Salt Ant

by Prem Rawat

We tend to analyze everything.

But when I feel thirsty, I don’t want an analysis of water. I don’t want descriptions of water. All I

want to know is how to get water so I can quench my thirst. That’s the point—to quench the thirst.

Whatever we do—whether it is exploring space, mapping the bottom of the ocean, flying a kite,

bungee jumping, learning how to cook, designing new airplanes, inventing new technologies—we do

because we think it will benefit us. And we have a bad habit of jumping into things without ever

looking back and asking, “Did this really benefit me?” We just go on with new invention after new

invention.

I look at pictures of myself when I was a baby and wonder, “Where did he go? Did he die?” It’s a

weird question, because I know that baby was me and that I am alive. But I don’t look anything like

that baby. So, looking from there to here, I can’t help but ask, “Where did he go?”

We think we are the sum of all the things we do, and yet that picture of me as a baby was just one

snapshot in a life—my life—which now I understand is never constant. A picture of me three years

from now will look different. Ten years from now, it will look even more different, and twenty years

from now, it will look very, very different. I am constantly changing. I may not perceive the change as

it happens, but I am changing.

So who am I? Who are you? We have a singular quest to better ourselves—to evolve, to move

forward, to improve upon all that can be improved. To make it better.

My message is about the possibility of the ultimate betterment of a human being—not of mankind,

not of a country, not of a social belief, but of a human being. And it is not through religion or

doctrine, not through ideas or concepts. Neither is it through hearsay or repetition or through the

“sheep effect.” It is through each individual exploring and finding the beauty within themselves. And

all that is asked of a person is to clean their plate.

TWO ANTS

Once, two ants met. One ant lived on a hill that was made out of sugar. The other ant lived on a hill

made out of salt.

“Where are you from?” asked the salt ant.

“I live on the sugar hill.”

“Sugar hill? What is sugar?”

“Oh, it’s this wonderful, sweet-tasting stuff.”

And the salt ant said, “I’ve never heard of that. I’m from the salt hill. I eat salt, and it makes me

thirsty. But this sweet stuff sounds pretty good!”

So the ant from the sugar hill said, “Why don’t you come over one day, and you can taste it and see

if you like it?”

So the salt ant decided, “Yeah, a new taste. That’s a good idea.”

They agreed on a date. The day came, and soon the salt ant was getting ready to go. “Hmm,” he

thought, “I’m going all the way to this sugar hill. What if I don’t like it? What if it tastes terrible?

Then I’ll be hungry. I know what I’m going to do. I’m going to bring some salt with me, so I’ll have it

in case I don’t like sugar.” He put some salt in his mouth and took off.

When the salt ant arrived, the sugar ant was glad to see him. “Hey, how are you doing?”

“Oh, I’m good. I just can’t wait to taste the sugar! It sounds great.”

“Here. Taste it.”

The salt ant put the sugar in his mouth, chewed on it a little bit, and said, “It tastes just like salt.”

“Really?!”

“Yeah! It tastes just like my salt—there’s no difference. I guess you call it ‘sugar’ here, and we call it

‘salt’ where I live. It’s the same thing!!”

The sugar ant said, “I don’t think so. Open your mouth. Let me take a look.”

Sure enough, in the back of his mouth, there was some salt. So the sugar ant said, “Let me have

that,” and he took it out. “Now, taste the sugar.”

“Wow! Unbelievable. It’s so different, so amazing! I love this stuff!! I’m moving!”

This would not have been the outcome had the salt remained in the salt ant’s mouth. That’s why I

say, “Clean the plate and taste the dish as it should be tasted—not mixed with anything else. Taste it

so you will know what its flavor is.”

I am talking about something that is not a blend. It is not about your accomplishments. It is about

you—you being alive. I know one thing, and it is almost ridiculously simple: The coming and the

going of the breath is the most amazing thing happening in your life.

“What?” you might ask. “It isn’t my new job? My new wife? My new husband? My new girlfriend?

My new dog? It isn’t my new car, my new suit, my new house?” No.

You might think, “But there are a lot of wonderful things in this world.” Yes, I agree. There’s a lot of

beautiful scenery—beautiful mountains, clouds, lakes, oceans, beaches, and palm trees. There are

beautiful fruits, flowers, birds, animals. But you can only see, feel, touch, smell any of those because

breath is coming in and out of you. Without the breath being present, someone could place as many

flowers as they wanted under your nose, and they would get no response whatsoever.

WHAT IS GOOD FOR YOU?

If you have a bad memory, the problem is you don’t know what you forgot. In certain circumstances,

this can be blissful, but it’s mostly the other way around. All that is truly good for you, you forget. All

that is truly bad for you, you remember like it only happened two seconds ago.

Do you know what is good for you? Before you answer this question, I want to remind you that

when you were very young, you knew what was good for you. You didn’t think of it that way. You

just went about doing it. What was it? You wanted to be happy. You really didn’t care about

anything else. You just wanted to be happy. That’s all. It was a simple time.

It didn’t matter if you were born into a poor family or a rich family. You just wanted to be happy.

Then slowly, slowly, a lot happened. Step by step your attention was diverted from happiness to

becoming a slave of the world. You were being tempered so that the world would be able to

withstand you and you would be able to withstand the world. Responsibilities, discipline, and all

that. Do this, do this, do that, do that. But you were not being disciplined toward what was your

innate feeling from the beginning before anybody got hold of your brain.

I see this happening everywhere, and it irks me, but I can’t do anything about it. A lot of people think

things are not so bad. I’m not here to judge, but in my opinion, if ever a report card was given out on

this world, it would have an F on it.

THE ANIMAL KINGDOM

I was watching a TV show where they depicted all the things that happen when they film the show.

One guy was trying to get friendly with an elephant, and the elephant just picked him up with his

trunk and shook him. Now, I’d like to see that guy pick up the elephant and shake him. There would

be no contest. Porpoises can swim faster than we can. Sharks have evolved a perfect set of teeth.

They don’t ever have to see a dentist. If a tooth falls out, it’s not a problem—a new one will grow.

And sharks don’t even need teeth—they can gum you to death.

We needed to invent an airplane to fly, but birds and insects didn’t have to invent anything to fly.

And we’re so proud because we invented the GPS (Global Positioning System). Our sense of

direction is pathetic. A pigeon that has a brain no bigger than our earlobe doesn’t need a GPS. It has

one built in. In the old days, people actually used pigeons to carry messages. Wherever they went,

when the pigeons were released, they knew how to get back home.

Communication? We have invented cell phones. The whales must look at us and say, “I can talk

halfway around the world, and it’s free. I don’t need cell towers; the signal is always there.”

With so many of what we think of as our inventions, we are just barely reaching the minimal mark of

the animal kingdom. And yet, most of those creatures feel free to do what they have to do. With all

our inventions, we are so trapped that we have forgotten our basic fundamental desire to be

content.

NO INTERPRETATIONS

In your life, you need peace. You need to be content. You need to be happy. You need to feel like the

child that you once were, that you still are! No matter how many turns you have taken in your life or

how many changes have happened, these fundamentals have not changed. If you need to discover

something, discover your thirst to be happy and content.

Discover the joy that resides in the heart of every human being. Be fulfilled. Not by questions but by

answers. For some people, this sounds strange. “What? No questions? Just answers? Aren’t

questions and answers always paired?” No. They are not. That’s why people never find the answers.

They just keep finding more questions.

When I first came to Boulder, Colorado, back in the ’70s, people would come every day to ask me

questions. There was an Indian man who had studied the Bhagavad Gita. And every time he had a

chance, he’d ask questions about the Gita: “Why did this person say that? What does this mean?

What does that mean?” Again and again. So finally, I said to him, “In the Gita, Arjuna has questions,

and Krishna is answering them. And as the Gita progresses, Arjuna has fewer and fewer questions.

Finally, it gets to the point that Arjuna has no more questions.”

So I continued, “Don’t you ever wonder what happened to make him stop asking questions? That’s

what you need to find out.”

Do you know how much interpretation goes on in the world? I watch the news, and they give me

interpretations. They should just show me what happened and let me figure it out myself. But they

say, “This is what was said. Let me give you my interpretation. This is what was meant.” And I say,

“Do I look deficient to you? Like I can’t make up my own mind? Like I don’t have a brain? Like I can’t

think?”

The whole point of what I talk about is for you to be able to drink the water yourself—not for

somebody else to drink the water and tell you how good it was. You are the one who is thirsty, and

you need to drink the water yourself. No explanations, no interpretations.

YOUR OWN IDEA

There are a lot of ideas piled on our shoulders that are not ours. They were placed there by other

people. We love to pass on our ideas to others: “This is what it is; this is how it is.” Let go of these

ideas. They are not yours. What is your own idea? It is the same one you’ve always had—to be

happy. That’s your idea. And you don’t have to let go of that.

Maybe you have figured this out, but certain things make you feel really good. And if you made a list

of all those things, guess what would be on the top? Peace. Peace makes you feel the best. Watching

a good movie? That can make you feel okay. Comedy can make you feel good. Some people like

massage. That makes them feel good. Some people like to eat ice cream.

But of all the things that we do in our lives to feel good, peace makes us feel the best. Contentment

makes us feel the best. There are many things in this world that have strings attached. Contentment

doesn’t. Peace doesn’t.

Sometimes people fall in love, and they go around saying, “I’m in love; I’m in love.” Two months

later, they say, “I hate that person.” It can all just reverse itself.

Peace is not like that. Peace is always good. Where is it? It’s already within you. Let me show you

how to dig a well to access the water so that whenever you are thirsty, you will be able to quench

your thirst.

The whales must look at us and say,

“I can talk halfway around the world, and it’s free.

I don’t need cell towers; the signal is always there.”

I know one thing it’s almost ridiculously simple

the coming and going of the breath is the most amazing thing happening in your life

PEACE EDUCATION PROGRAM illustrated article series • workshop 6 UNDERSTANDING

THE ARCHER AND THE OIL MERCHANT

by Prem Rawat

ONCE THERE WAS A MAN who was a very good archer. He could shoot one arrow, hit the target, and

then with another arrow, split the first arrow. He would go from village to village demonstrating his

skills. And everybody would gather and applaud, because they had never seen anything like it.

One day, he came to a little village, shot an arrow from his bow, and everybody applauded, “Bravo,

bravo.” Then, after everybody had finished applauding, a voice in the back of the crowd called out,

“Agh. It’s only a matter of practice.”

The archer heard that, and it disturbed him, but he continued on. He took another arrow, shot it,

split the first arrow, and again everybody yelled, “Bravo, bravo, bravo.” And the same voice said,

“Agh. It’s only a matter of practice.”

After his show was over, the archer was upset. Here he was, demonstrating his greatest skill, and

this man kept saying, “Only a matter of practice.” So he went to the back of the crowd and found the

man. He was carrying a bamboo pole, with one pot of oil hanging from the front and another from

the back, trying to sell oil.

The master archer said to him, “How dare you say it’s only a matter of practice? What do you do?

You sell oil. Look at me. People come to see me from far away because my aim is so good.”

The man with the oil looked at the archer and said, “Agh, it’s only a matter of practice. Now, let me

show you.”

So the oil merchant pulled out a bottle, put a coin that had a hole in it on top, and poured the oil

from his pot through the small hole without spilling a drop. He turned to the archer and said, “Now,

it’s your turn.” And the archer didn’t even try. He understood that it is a matter of practice.

PEACE IS SIMPLE

Now, I want to ask you this question: What do you practice? Think about it. What do you practice?

Because whatever you practice, you will become good at it.

Sometimes we forget how simple the subject of peace is. Do you want to know the truth? The real

truth? Then here it is: What you are looking for is inside of you.

Maybe you want me to explain what I mean when I say that what you are looking for is inside of you.

I can’t, because I didn’t put the very thing that you are looking for inside of you. It has always been

there. And we — all of us — have always felt the attraction to know it. But we are too busy trying to

measure the immeasurable, to define the indefinable, to come up with solutions that are absolutely

nothing short of bewildering.

Some people say, “If you want true peace, then you must give up everything.” But how do I give up

everything? It’s easy to say, “Give up everything!” Give up what?

There’s a story about Buddha, who gave up “everything.” Sujata came to him and said, “What are

you doing?” Buddha said, “I am trying to be free of owning anything. I don’t want anything.” Sujata

pointed to him and said, “You are going to give up this, too? You still have this body. You haven’t

given up everything.” As the story goes, Buddha understood something.

There is a saying: “Nobody desires peace more than a soldier.” He is the last one to want to go to

war. He does it only because of duty, but he and his wife would be the happiest if, when he was

saying goodbye, orders suddenly came: No more fighting, peacetime. Go home.

We try to come up with solutions for having peace — even though we don’t know what starts war.

Oh, there’s always a reason. At least, some historian’s pen is going to sketch why each war was

started, and in none of that would be that something inside the human being is not content. Do you

know what contentment is? To feel the gratitude every day for being alive. For being alive!

THE RIVER IS A LOVE AFFAIR

When life doesn’t mean much to us, war and killing become a convenient solution. One human

being has no problem killing another human being. “I am more interested in your money than in

your life.” Boom! Why? Because he feels worthless. And as he sees another person, he thinks, “You

are worthless, too.” Wait, wait, wait. You have been given the most incredible gift — the gift of life.

Now you may ask, “Who gave this gift?” What do you care? If you have not accepted it, what

difference does it make who gave you the gift? First, accept it.

When you wake up in the morning, do you say, “Thank you for this breath, thank you for this day”?

Or do you say, “Oh, I have to do this, I have to do that”?

What do you practice every day? Do you practice kindness? If you do, you will become good at it. Or

do you practice frustration? How quickly do you get frustrated? Practice the peace that lies in your

heart, and you will become good at it. And when you do, you will understand what I am trying to say

to you.

People want solutions: “Tell us a practical way to get to this peace.” I would love to. Here is my

dilemma: that which you are looking for is within you.

It’s like you are wearing your glasses and you are saying, “Have you seen my glasses?” And I say,

“Yes, you’re wearing them.” “No, no,” you say, “I’m looking for my glasses. I looked everywhere, I

can’t see them.” “Yes, but you have them on.”

To us, everything is a puzzle. Look with sincerity, and you will see a simplicity. Have you ever stood

and looked at a flowing river? Just looked and looked? Do you know why the water is running? It’s a

love affair. The water is going back to the ocean it came from. And it’s going to run and run and run,

day and night, until it meets the ocean, and then it will have to run no more.

I was watching a documentary about this frog in Africa that, in times of drought, buries itself deep

down in the soil, where it survives for months. The scientists commented, “How fascinating! How

does it do that?” And I thought: What’s really fascinating is not all the things it does to survive buried

underground. Those are stopgap measures to stay alive until the next rain comes. What’s really

fascinating is that this frog has bet its life that it is going to rain again. How does it know it’s going to

rain again? Is it a meteorologist? No. But over millions of years of evolution, it has understood that it

will happen.

YOUR HOME

So much that you trust and believe in one day will no longer be. Scientists even predict that one day

this earth will be no more. “Aye-yi-yi. This earth won’t be any more? You mean all this will be gone?

What about my statue? What about my name? What about my record?” Yes, it will be gone.

You are a guest in the hotel. Don’t make it your home. Do you know what a home is? When people

get off work, most of them say, “I am going home.” When they are on their way home, they pass by

thousands of homes. But they don’t stop. Not any home will do. They will keep going until they get

to their home.

Have you found your home? Not the one out there, but the one within you? When you do, you will

begin to understand what peace is all about.

People make a lot of speeches about peace, but peace seems to elude them. There are even songs

about “peace, peace, peace.” Yet, what happens is another war, another war, and another war.

When does it end? We’ve been fighting for a very long time. And what do we want? We want

prosperity. What has the formula always been? Peace and prosperity. No formula says, “Prosperity,

then peace.” First peace, then prosperity.

Listen to the simplicity of your existence. Peace is related to the indefinable, to the simplicity and

power of the coming and going of the breath.

What do you understand about your breath? You have to practice simplicity in your life to

understand the simplest of all that resides within you.

Find that beauty inside of you, because that’s where peace is. Dig for the treasure until you find it,

because it’s there within you. Seek until you have found it. Do not take no for an answer. Dig, dig,

dig until you find what you have always been looking for.

what do you practice every day? do you practice kindness?

if you do, you will become good at it.

do you know why the water is running?

it’s a love affair. the water is going back to the ocean it came from.

what do you practice every day?

do you practice kindness? or do you practice frustration?

practice the peace that lies in your heart, and you will become good at it.

PEACE EDUCATION PROGRAM illustrated article series • workshop 7 DIGNITY

THREE BROTHERS FOUND GOLD

by Prem Rawat

THERE WERE THREE BROTHERS. They had been brought up quite well. But as they got older, their

parents died, they lost all their money, and they became very poor. So in their state of poverty, they

had to beg for food. Before long, the three of them decided that they would rather go to the rivers in

the mountains and pan for gold.

As luck would have it, all three found an equal amount of gold. They each took their gold back to

their own shack, and some time passed.

The first brother was very religious. He made a little altar for the gold he had found. Every day, he

would pray to the gold and sing its praises — how the gold had the power to totally eliminate his

poverty and his suffering, that he would never again have to beg or do anything he didn’t want to do

because he would have food and housing. And that’s all he did — pray.

The second one was very educated. Instead of praying to the gold, he would write essays on the

power of gold and write poetry in its honor. He would write about how the gold, so beautiful and

shiny, had the power to remove his hunger, give him clothes, and put a roof over his head.

We might think there is a big difference between what the first two brothers did, but at the end of

the day, we really have to question what the difference is.

The third brother sold his gold, and with the money, he bought himself a farm. He grew vegetables,

planted fruit trees, and ate whatever he wanted. What he didn’t need, he sold. From the money he

earned, he made himself a beautiful home. Amazingly enough, the things that the first two brothers

wanted, the third one got — food, shelter, and clothes.

At one point the brothers decided they wanted to come together again. It had been a long time.

When they met, they asked each other, “How are you doing?”

The first one said, “It’s beautiful. I pray every day. I pray and pray, ‘Almighty gold, please make

available to me clothes to wear, a house to live in, food to eat.’ And I am sure that someday in the

future — because of my sincerity — the gold will respond.”

The second one said, “I write beautiful essays about gold, and I am sure that someday, pleased with

my praises, the gold will bestow upon me all my wishes.”

Seeing their devotion and dedication to the gold, the third one kept very quiet.

The others turned to him and said, “And what do you do? We can see you have good clothes and

look quite healthy — not like us who have to beg and wear these torn clothes. What happened?

Were your prayers answered?”

The third one said, “I hate to tell you this, but I sold my gold, and with the money, I bought a farm. I

work on my farm, and somehow, that gold made it possible for me to have clothes, food, and

shelter.”

Then the first two realized that they had started with the same amount of gold, but they didn’t really

do anything with it.

WE DON’T ACCEPT THE GIFT

This story is loaded. You can have discussions about it for hours, I’m sure, because this is the

condition of the world: We have been given something, but we don’t understand its value. We sing

the praises of God, but we don’t accept his gift. Every day, we ask more from God, but we do not

accept what He gives us. We think that if we pray, if we do all those things, someday in the future

our wishes will come true. Excuse me, but we have confused God with a genie.

For the fulfillment of our wishes, we need a genie, not God. The difference is that God gives without

being asked. With a genie, you have to rub the lamp, and when the genie comes out, you get three

wishes. You have to think what you want and then ask for it cleverly. Maybe then the genie will

make the wish come true. But only in fairy tales, not in reality.

What we are given every day — the gifts of life, of breath, of awareness, understanding, clarity,

serenity — you can’t buy. These have to be given. There is no store with a sign that says, “Serenity

sold here” or “Clarity sold here.” They are given. There is no store with a sign that says, “Buy breath

here.” If there were such a store, there would be a very long line. People in hospitals who are

running out of breath would be making a beeline for it saying, “Me, too. Me, too.”

Your life has been given to you free of charge. All you have to do is do something about it. In the

literary world, people talk about peace, write books and essays about peace, create definitions of

peace, and imagine how nice it would be to have it. But very few do anything about it.

War, a lot of people do something about. There are huge companies doing research on how to blow

up a human being quickly and accurately. The point is to make a bullet that doesn’t miss, because

they want every bullet to be successful. They know the value of a bullet. They do not know the value

of a human life. And by the way, we are the ones who created the system, and we are the ones who

are paying for it. All you have to do is say, “Enemy,” and the response is, “Enemy? No problem. We’ll

go right at it.”

We have explanations, ideas. “Oh, yes. Peace. That would be nice.” But that’s all. Nobody’s doing

anything about it. What can we do about peace?

WHAT IS PEACE?

What do you think peace is? Everybody holding up two fingers — is that peace? Everybody wearing

long, white flowing robes, holding flowers, smiling. No more people jogging on the street. They’re

just picking flowers, passing them on to the next person. Is that peace? What is peace?

When I say peace, I’m talking about the peace that you can experience, because it is within you.

What does that peace look like? It looks like your face in contentment. In gratitude. In

understanding. In clarity. In serenity. Your face. That’s what peace looks like.

Peace dances on the face of a human being. When your face is filled with peace, that’s when you

look the most beautiful. You don’t need makeup. You shave, don’t shave, it doesn’t matter. Some of

you may be thinking, “Hmm. I don’t know if that’s true.” Well, let me explain. Once in a while —

when you are content, when you are happy — your whole nature changes. Completely. You become

all those things you aspire to be. You become kind. You become courteous.

When the father is in a good mood and the son says, “Dad, I need new clothes,” he responds, “No

problem.” Vaguely familiar? You’re standing in line at the movie theater, and somebody says, “Can I

cut in?” When you’re feeling good, you say, “No problem.”

It is when you feel good that you become a human being. And when you become a human being,

you care. When you’re feeling good, all the little things that bother you — and bother other people

about you — disappear. And when you’re not feeling good? Even your child knows not to come near

you. “Is Dad in a good mood or a bad mood?”

When you feel good, you become so different. You still have your integrity, and you shine. You’re the

most fun to be with. The most fun. And when that contentment is not there, nobody wants to be

with you — nobody. Not your wife, not your children, not your parents. This is how important peace

is, how simple peace is, and how beautiful peace is. And where is it? Within you!

Peace begins in the heart of all human beings. These are not my words. People write charters,

poetry, and statements like, “All men are created equal” in the U.S. Declaration of Independence,

but they don’t know what the words mean. Like the two brothers, they just pray and hope,

“Someday, it will happen.”

I go from person to person to person because if we want to light this world, we are the lamps. Each

one of us is a lamp, and each one of us has to be lit. One by one by one. And when we are lit, we give

light.

One little lamp, and the darkness removes itself. That’s what a lamp does. A little, tiny light

somewhere up on a mountain, and people can see it. Even though it’s dark, the darkness has to yield

to the light — all the darkness, all the ignorance. Ignorance yields to true knowledge. And what is

true knowledge?

IT BEGINS WITH YOU

Socrates said, “Know thyself.” That’s the ultimate knowledge. Why? I’ll explain it with a little joke.

A young man was walking along, and he saw a very old man sitting on the side of the road crying. So

he went up to the old man and asked, “What’s the matter? Why are you crying?”

The old man said, “It’s amazing. I just married a beautiful 25-year-old woman.” The young man says,

“Is that why you’re crying?” The old man says, “No, no, no. I just bought a beautiful new house.

Incredibly gorgeous. Two new cars, a new boat. My house is beautiful, my boat is beautiful, my wife

is beautiful.”

The young man says, “You’re very lucky. Why are you crying?” And the old man says, “I forgot where

I live.”

It is the same with the rest of us. We have all these gifts, but we forget who we are, what our true

nature is, and where we can find what we have been given. Then we wonder and we wander,

wonder and wander. This is what the whole world has been doing for a very long time: wondering

and wandering.

The formula for the world was laid out a long time ago: peace, then prosperity.

So it begins. This journey of a thousand miles begins with the very first step. And the very first step is

you in peace. That’s where it begins. You in peace.

Everybody looks for the answers on the outside. Everybody has formulas. When you talk to young

people, they sometimes say, “No, no. I don’t want to get involved with peace. Maybe when I retire.”

Everybody has a plan. And in our methodical plan, we die when we are really, really old. When a

young person dies, people say, “How can this be? He was so young.” Words uttered in ignorance.

THE MIRACLE

Do you know the greatest miracle that will ever happen in your life? The coming and going of the

breath is the greatest miracle. It happens right under your nose, and you don’t know it. The day it

begins to stop is when you will recognize its value. Then you will know how important it is.

From nowhere breath comes and brings the gift of life to you. Then disappears, then comes again,

and brings the gift of life again, and again, and again. This is your symphony. This is your story. One

breath at a time. Not two, not three, not five — one at a time. That’s your beat. That’s your rhythm.

Do you understand what a miracle that is? The miracle is your existence, your life. The miracle is the

joy that resides within you. The miracle is the peace that dances within you. You can understand and

feel that. The possibility of feeling this life like it is meant to be felt. Like it is meant to be lived.

Some people ask, “Isn’t that selfish?” When a flower blooms, is that selfish? When the sun shines, is

that selfish? When the moon shines, is that selfish? When a cool breeze blows on a summer’s day, is

that selfish? When a wave comes onto a shore, is that selfish? Your existence — is that selfish? Or is

it a gift?

If you think it’s not a gift, it’s selfish. But if you understand it’s a gift, it’s not. It becomes your

privilege and pleasure to accept every moment that you are given.

SEARCH FOR IT

The possibility is there. You need peace. Search for peace. Wherever you find it, good. But

remember, peace is not something you just experience one day. Peace, you need every day in your

life.

Whatever happens in your life, whether you search for peace or you don’t search for peace —

remember one thing: Even if you’re not looking for it, peace is within you. Even if you don’t want it,

even if you hate it, peace will always be within you. Wherever you go, you carry peace in your heart.

your life has been given to you free of charge all you have to do is do something about it

everybody is holding up two fingers is that peace?

The greatest miracle that will ever happen in your life happens right under your nose

From nowhere breath comes and brings the gift of life to you then disappears then comes again

and brings the gift of life again and again and again

one breath at a time

not two, not three, not five,

one at a time

that’s your beat

that’s your rhythm

this is your story

this is your symphony

PEACE EDUCATION PROGRAM illustrated article series • workshop 8 CHOICE

TREES IN THE GARDEN OF LIFE

by Prem Rawat

THIS IS A METAPHOR, but it’s true. When we come into this world, we’re given seeds, and the

question is: What will we do with these seeds? And what are these seeds?

There is a seed of anger, but there is also a seed of kindness. There is a seed of love and a seed of

understanding. And there is a seed of doubt and a seed of confusion. And whatever seed you have

sown in your garden of life ultimately determines the tree you’re going to sit under. How restful it

will be depends on what kind of seed you have sown.

Every seed has something that it offers. When it is sown, and it grows and becomes a tree, it will

have very particular characteristics that you may or may not like.

THE TREE OF ANGER

It is not only a question of sowing the seeds, but also nurturing them, watering them, protecting

them, taking care of them so that they grow.

Most of us have sown the seed of anger. There seems to be no hesitation to go near the Anger Tree,

but we don’t like the droppings from this tree. So you promise yourself you will never go near this

tree again. But either you forget or you have become so used to living unconsciously, that there is no

hesitation to go right back to that tree and get its sap all over you again. It’s disgusting, and

sometimes this sap is so nasty that it can take a lifetime to get rid of it. Two people love each other,

and then each one in turn visits their own little Anger Tree, and then it’s, “I hate you. I wish you were

never born.”

So, that is a good example of a seed and a tree. If you planted a seed and nurtured it, there will be a

tree. If you want to know what you have been nurturing, just open the window and look in your

garden and see the trees that are there.

THE TREE OF DOUBT

People plant the seed of doubt: “Is it really going to happen?” The tree of doubt comes. It is also

disgusting, because dust comes off of it that gets all over the place, and it takes what could be

beautiful and turns it into nothing.

In life, one of the biggest lessons you have to learn — and this is going to sound funny since we’re

talking about doubt — is that you have to give every single new day the benefit of the doubt. This is

a positive doubt. Negative doubt is, “Oh, my God. Something is wrong.”

The nature of the tree of doubt is that it doubts everything. It doubts your ability to understand your

experience, your life. All because a seed was sown — a seed of doubt.

ME AND MY SHADOW

If you look in your garden, you may not see a tree of understanding. So you might say, “Hmm. Which

tree is that?” But that is because that seed never got sown. But the beautiful thing is, no matter

when you sow these seeds, they will sprout. It’s never too late.

But what is the tree of understanding? We are taught to believe, to “take a leap of faith.” But you

don’t have to do that. It could be very risky. Instead of just believing, you can actually understand

what it means to be alive.

You might think, “I know what it means to be alive.” No, you don’t. You associate your life with your

job, with the things that happen around you. That is not your life.

There is a big difference between your shadow and you, is there not? Yes, you have a shadow, but

you are not your shadow. This is the distinction you have to remember. Some things exist because

you exist, but they are not your existence. They may appear and disappear, but you will still be.

The hub is your existence. Your life. Your understanding. Your steps, your journey. Your elation and

the process of filling your heart with utter and total contentment.

SATISFIED OR CONTENT?

Do you want to be satisfied? Or content? Which one? You can learn to be satisfied, but contentment

comes naturally.

Contentment is a feeling that emanates from within you — from your basic core. It is not the same

as being able to say, “I don’t need anything anymore.” That is being satisfied.

Somebody asks you, “Are you satisfied?” You can say, “Yes. I have a good job. I have a good family. I

have a good car. I have great friends. And even my pets listen to me. So I must be satisfied.” Ah. But

are you content? Did you sow the seed of contentment?

THE SEED OF LOVE

Did you sow the seed of love? I’m not talking about lust. I know you have sown that. Those are

among the first ones that get sown in your life. Anger begins early. Frustration, early. Lust? Early —

or semi-early.

Love is different. What is the difference between a butterfly and a kite? Both fly. A kite is tethered to

the kite string. Without that string, it will falter and fall.

A butterfly, on the other hand, is not tethered to a string, and it flies. And, if you were to tie it to a

kite string, it would falter and fall. Love is like a butterfly. Lust is like a kite. Big difference between

the two.

Love dances in the heart of the one who loves. Love not only makes the one who feels it feel good,

but all those who are around also begin to feel it. There’s a saying: “The world loves a lover.”

Because that is how love is.

SEEDS OF UNCONSCIOUSNESS

People look for reasons for everything. And the idea of karma becomes really popular with people

who are suffering. “Why is this happening to me? Must be my karma, something I did in a past

lifetime.” It wouldn’t have anything to do with what you have chosen to do in this life, would it? All

the unconsciousness that you bred? If your job is to milk venom from a king cobra, don’t be too

surprised if one day the cobra bites you. That is its nature. Maybe the cobra is agitated that day.

Maybe he knows what you’re going to do, and he doesn’t really want to donate his venom. Maybe

the last time you did it, you squeezed his head a little too hard, and he’s mad at you. Maybe he

thinks you’re bringing food. Who knows?

We breed unconsciousness, and then we wonder what happens to us in our life. It cannot be. Look

again at those seeds you have been given and make some simple decisions. Especially if you look in

your heart and find that a few trees are missing that you think should’ve been there, that you

assumed were there. No problem. It’s never too late. Seeds are in hand; sow them. Take care of

them.

FOR WHOM?

Nurture kindness in your life, and you will be rewarded with the gift of kindness. Sow the seed of

love, and you will be rewarded with that most incredible feeling of love dancing in your heart. Sow

the seed of understanding, and you will be rewarded with understanding. Sow the seed of clarity,

and you will be rewarded with clarity.

Then in this life, every day, a tribute of gratitude can be paid. Right now, you don’t have time. You

are too busy cleaning the sap from the Anger Tree, the Misunderstanding Tree, the Hate Tree.

However it is, do not sow seeds of unconsciousness anymore. Really nasty stuff. Stinks. Sow

consciousness, and the reward will be a simple and beautiful reality.

Enjoy this life, because that’s one thing you can do with it. And it’s good. It’s all very good. But not

through the eyes of doubt, not through the eyes of anger, not through the eyes of hate. I’m not

saying you should love everyone and walk around saying, “I love you, I love you, I love you.” That’s

not what I am talking about.

The tree of love is not planted in your neighbor’s garden. Don’t even try going to your neighbor’s

garden to plant that tree. The tree of love is planted in your garden. And why should you plant it?

Maybe you think you should become kind so that other people will be kind to you. That’s not the

reason why you should be kind.

To feel kindness. To feel true love. To understand what it is like not to be in doubt. To understand

that there is a place where there are answers — this is something you do for you, not for other

people.

Then, of course, some people say, “Isn’t that selfish?” Is it? When I understand something, am I

robbing somebody else of that understanding? Is there only a limited number of understandings, so

that if I get one, somebody else won’t get it? If that is how it is, then it is selfish, and you shouldn’t

understand something, because somebody else might need that understanding more than you do.

But that is not how it is. When you understand something, you’re not depriving anybody of that

understanding. When you receive an answer, you do not deprive anybody of that answer. The other

person can receive it, too. That is what is so beautiful. It is not at somebody else’s expense; it is just

about you. Your journey, your existence. Your heart, your contentment. Your life. And you are not

depriving anybody of anything by taking as much as you can.

Do whatever you have to do in your life. But do this, too: sow the seeds that you want to sow.

Nurture them. Garner them. Help them grow. And then you will be able to enjoy the trees in your

garden of life.

Sow the seed of love

and you will be rewarded with

that most incredible feeling of

love dancing in your heart

If you want to know what you have been nurturing

just open the window

look in your garden and see the trees that are there

Sow the seeds that you want to sow nurture them garner them help them grow

and then you will be able to enjoy the trees in your garden of life.

THE PREM RAWAT FOUNDATION PEACE EDUCATION PROGRAM

• illustrated article series © All rights reserved according to the Berne Convention