A talk by Shiva Rudra Balayogi
Perth, Australia in 2018

The world always seems to be into conflicts caused by selfish and immature thinking of human beings.

As Babaji clarifies in this beautiful public discourse given in Perth Australia in 2018, we all talk of peace but don’t practice peace. Since ancient times, spiritual exercises have been prescribed to keep our physical, mental and moral health intact. Meditation is one such method – by putting in dedicated, disciplined efforts and having patience, we can achieve peace for ourselves and become better human beings. Only through these self-efforts can a really civilized, harmonious world be achieved.

Discourse: Thus Spake Babaji – Talks by Sri Babaji Maharaj
To Have Peace You Need to Practice Peace
Recorded: June 2018, Perth, Australia

Start of discourse

Om Brahmanandam Paramasukadham Kevalam Gyanamurthim

Dwandwateetam Gaganasadrasham Tatvamasyaadi Laksham

Ekam Nityam Vimalam Achalam Sarvaadhi Saakshibhootam

Bhavaateetam Triguna Rahitam Sadgurum Tvam Namami

   Our prostrations with deep love and reverence at the lotus feet of beloved Master Shivabalayogi, I greet you all with my love and blessings. 

   As we are here to do another session of meditation practice and to know about this meditation, one of the basic things – though we call this world impermanent or a dream or whatever it is, illusion, but in this illusion also when we have to live, there is one thing, efforts.  So we can always put efforts in the right direction; we don’t have to simply leave the things to happen in its own way.  If we think a certain injustice is happening, uncivilized way of behavior amongst human beings is happening, unnecessary conflicts, innocent people are troubled, and so many things, we do feel sad when such a thing happens.  And we do have a choice in this world to put an effort, to create an awareness. We all can live harmoniously, at peace, provided we all can control our minds, means restraining to its moral values, upholding of moral ethics, consideration to each other, love and honor to each other, allow everybody to live happily, ‘let all of us live happily’. This type of thinking, it has to come to every human being. One or two or ten or even hundred, some of them think positively, if majority start thinking negatively.  And this positive thinking people are unable to put an effort and they lack any such courage or inspiration.  So then things all go wrong in this world. 

   Hundred years ago also people lived, thousand years ago also for quite some time which we recognize as civilization.  Much before that we tried to call primitive type of living.  The criteria was those primitive type of people did not know how to live harmoniously.  They applied violent methods for their gains, for their living, for their earning a livelihood, all these things.  Like an animal, if it is having its food or its children around, if somebody comes, anything comes it feels threatened.  When it feels threatened, it gets into a conflict, it attacks.  But if human beings also do like this, we call it uncivilized behavior. 

   Well, very, very ancient times in India, we call it as Rigvedic era, vedas, where people who lived were known as sages.  In monasteries they lived and they practiced spiritual austerities; they kept their minds at peace, controlled, and they could advise to the society also of a larger cause and happiness to all beings.  Not only in this world, they prayed to Divine, they tried to create such awareness that may all beings in all the worlds be happy.  So this, we call it as the highest form of civilization, when a person has that ability to love unconditionally everyone and to consider about everybody in this world.  When we see today’s world, after seeing about hundred years back, in my opinion sometimes we do tend to think very often majority behaving in an uncivilized manner.  See, in the livelihood, societies, when people have to earn, there is a cutthroat competition, means they don’t mind harming the others’ livelihood and rob ten others for their own livelihood.  So these type of tendencies and thinkings have come, and everybody justifies their actions, you cannot argue with anyone. “I had to do it.”  Even call a wicked person or a murderer or a robber, they will simply claim, “We had to do it, we had no choice.”  So they justify as if the whole world was wrong, not them. 

So like this, conflicts and wars, unnecessary conflict.  People who are fighting these wars, they don’t know for what cause they are fighting.  At one time, if a soldier is fighting for the country, and it was a pride moment, “We are defending our country, we are valiant soldiers” – that love, patriotism which was necessary because it was a larger cause. It protected a larger society of people, a larger culture where moral and ethical values are upheld and proper law and order is governed.  Everybody is able to live happily, feel safe.  That is what is the thing.  But today, people trying to call each other as terrorists everywhere, we do see. And those people seem to be misguided and don’t know for what purpose they are fighting, for what it is.  In the midst, there could be exceptional people fighting for their country or culture. So who are good boys, who are bad boys?  All these happen when we lose control over our mind. 

   Majority of humanity – we are unable to restrain ourselves, think properly by applying brains and wisdom – if we lack wisdom. So knowledge and wisdom I have told are poles apart. Example I used to give was – when you have a weapon, how to shoot that weapon, use that weapon is the knowledge. When to use, where to use, and when not to use is the wisdom.  So, not to be used on innocent people.  If we are defending a country that’s different thing.  So like this, the wisdom needs to be applied, but what happens to human beings? Everybody seems to get into confusion.  So, the reason is, we have forgotten spirituality, haven’t tried to understand the real meaning, why? 

   In fact, I have tried to explain the religion also.  Though it is misinterpreted, majority of the people in the world or younger generation might be wary of this word religion; nobody wants to do a religious practice, nobody wants to come for religious, many of them at least.  But if we try to understand, both religion and spirituality are same.  The terms used is – religion means obligation, your duties, and spirituality is study of Self as that spirit, infinite form when we study – so that is spirituality.  Just to tell that we are not this physical body, this meat and the bones, all these five elements that has made up this body, but we are beyond this, spirit form, infinite form, which is the form of the mind consciousness.  So, that’s why it is known as spirituality.  So in religion means, duties mean, like my Master said, having born as human beings, you have triple responsibilities, important, basic.  One is, everybody understand easily, to take care of the physical body.  If it is healthier, as long as possible if it is healthier, it will give us happiness and keep us in peace.  If anything happens to the physical body, it gives us suffering, physical suffering and resulting into mental suffering, and the dear ones also suffer, all these things happen.  So, as much as possible, our effort should be to take care of the health.  That is the first, then the mind. 

   We must take care of such exercises, which can help us to keep our mind healthier, into a purified consciousness state where our conscience is kept alive, means moral values are upheld, we are able to think of a larger cause, harmony of the entire world.  And we definitely work for that, not only simply talking.  This also I have told, “We don’t have peace because in this world we simply talk of peace, but we don’t practice peace.”  We will have a certain thing only when we practice.  If we simply talk of bread, we won’t have bread; we have to practice to bake.  So then only we can have a bread. That is the sadhana, that is what it is known as. Your efforts to achieve.  So this is what is important.  If we need to keep our minds healthier, we have to undertake such exercises.  The exercises that are prescribed in the religion originally – if it has been misinterpreted, misused, and wrong exercises are given that is different, that is not religion.  A religion is rightly prescribed exercises so that you control and keep your physical , mental  health.  When the mental health is there means if our minds are healthier, we can behave very civilized way as a perfect human being, considering each other and upholding moral values. 

   This upholding moral values is the third responsibility actually. This is necessary for all of us.  This is necessary for this world to have peace, full coexistence, in harmony.  This is what is needed.  This is possible when we practice these exercises that are prescribed in spirituality. 

   So, often we only use spirituality.  Because if people are upset with the word of religion, we don’t use it.  My Master also never wanted to be called as a religious teacher.  Means what He meant was not that He disliked religion.  He was sad that it is a misinterpreted and misused word often, and we don’t understand it properly. Means not that one’s type of thing is always taught, and that is the religious doctrine and we blame all others who practice in a separate way.  That is not the thing.  My Master was very unique and open.  Like for Divinity, for God, He said, “You can believe and have faith in God in any form, any name or any formlessness, there is no problem – it is your choice.  All you need is do not condemn others’ beliefs and others’ faith; everybody has a choice.”  So, this is possible when mind becomes totally purified and remains focused into single pointedness.  Then when such a mind applies the brain, uses the brain, when it thinks it is able to think in a more matured way, able to understand the other easily, we won’t misunderstand.  We will be able to understand. 

Like if a small child is troubling, it is not actually a troublesome thing for parents or for anything.  Though we would like to correct the child, not that we are going to cut the throat of the baby; that is not the way.  We would like that the child learns proper things and is put on the proper way.  That is all we would like, because we would love the child, we would understand in that age we all would have behaved in an immature way like that.  So we cannot blame the child.  But we would like to teach the child.  That’s what it is.  When a teacher is trying to teach, a teacher shall not lose temper often and behave very badly with the students.  Instead, should encourage the student, inspire the student, make them understand. If necessary, repeatedly explain to them to their queries so that it enters their head properly, so that they feel inspired to practice to achieve the thing – that that thing is very meaningful.  Like for example, meditation. We allow all participants to ask questions; even sometimes if it is an immature question also, it’s no problem.  We would like to entertain such questions, try to inspire, try to clear their doubts, try to explain elaborately in a much better way, try to give the truth as it is so that they also can practice and achieve that knowledge and wisdom to themselves, and achieve that Supreme Peace that the Master has achieved. 

So that is the basic idea of spiritual exercises, teaching meditation, encouraging some devotional songs.  If we understand this, then the need is understood -why we need this spiritual exercise of meditation? To keep our mental health and our peace, our better thinking in this world. We should be able to able to live like a better human being, more responsibly, more considerately, compassionately.  Well, while doing all these, everybody has a right to defend themselves.   These doubts arise.  There is a thin edge of difference.  People ask questions, based on these questions only I try to talk, whatever it is. But defense is different, going offensive is different; meaning changes.  So this is possible to uphold, this civilized…, then only we can call ourselves civilization, real civilization.  We call it modern times.  But as modern times is coming, more uncivilized behavior is happening, more selfish thinking, more narrow-minded thinking. 

   Selfishness means we consider this body as ourselves.  That is all we want to bother.  To help this body, we don’t mind cutting somebody’s head also.  That is uncivilized thinking which is not necessary.  All of us can live peacefully, happily.  For this, everybody must think in this direction.  Only then there can be harmony and peace.  If one person thinks, and ten others are ready to cut his throat also; if one saint comes in a certain part of the world, majority of the people in the society, they don’t take it kindly. If that person is teaching the truth, is teaching love and honor, compassion, consideration to each other, they won’t take it kindly.  “When we are behaving like this, why is he trying to teach this compassion?  We must finish him off.  Otherwise, he can be a threat to our own behavior, to our controlling the masses.”  So this thing happens, what we have seen historically, mythologically.  Any good person trying to teach good behavior, getting harmed. 

So, that is why we need this practice of meditation.  If we understand this fact, then we will seriously be able to take up practice of this sadhana, meditation.  In Indian philosophy, these paths are all known as like the path of knowledge, path of dhyana, path of bhakti, devotion.  Through these different ways, depending on the emotions and the control of emotions, arising above emotions and tapping the emotional energies into single pointedness, these things have been called as bhakti, devotion, knowledge, path of knowledge to know what it is, to know the need, why we need to practice and dhyana finally – paying attention to such a sadhana, to such a disciplined practice. 

   So then comes the dedication, discipline and patience.   When we have the best understanding that we need it, we all need it for ourselves, then we become dedicated to that cause.  We offer our best times.  We take out time and set a priority.  There is no chance to say, “We don’t have time.  How to do this?”  You are ill, you won’t say, you cannot afford to say, “I don’t have time to go to a doctor.”  It’s not possible.  Like that we need to understand; that is dedication. Then a disciplined effort, disciplined effort – we don’t give up, we must go for that, practice that. Then patience is necessary.  Nothing gets rectified overnight or in a moment.  If a thing has gone wrong for a long time, it takes that much of time to bring.  That too, mind is the most infinite thing which you cannot tie or rectify with the help of anything else.  Only the mind itself can cure itself.  That is the practice when the Master teaches the technique. 

This technique has been coming since very, very ancient times, time immemorial.  As I was trying to explain the Vedic era where many such sages, saints were around in monasteries who guided the masses, societies, the rulers, everyone listened to them, and the countries, the world used to be peaceful and happy.  But as the time passed by, these things have vanished, have become very few.  And often these things are also used as a marketing product to earn money, to earn fame, to control powers, instead of teaching the truth of knowledge and wisdom to people.  So this is what is needed to understand. 

   And now in a short while I will invite those who are here for the first time to come forward to receive the blessings of the sacred ash, vibhuti, as a mark of initiation.  This initiation in our Guru’s lineage is very unique.  My Master initiated as a friend, means He never imposed Himself or never claimed that “I am the only Guru.”  It shall not be binding upon anybody.   Even if you have been initiated by any other Guru, if you are practicing any other sadhana, still you can practice this sadhana, this technique also. 

   Well, my Master obtained by the manifestation of the Divine Shiva who came as a Jangama Sage coming out of a fruit when He was trying to squeeze out the juice.  Whatever it is – miracle, nobody else saw; other friends were all playing there.  At least eleven or twelve other friends of Him, they were all having bath in the canal bund and playing – they didn’t get to see anything.  So that is when some intellectual people asked the question, “What is the guarantee that He did have such an experience?”  No problem, nobody else saw.  But the world saw such amazing transformation in that young fourteen-year-old boy who was born to a weaver’s family, was trying to overcome the poverty, he was trying to do a small business, opening shop of vegetables and etc.  He wanted to help His mother, serve, and family.  But He was trying to squeeze out the juice and He felt His body trembling and that took shape of a Shiva lingam, and breaking into two pieces a Jangama Sage with the matted hair appeared before Him.  He jumped into it.  He sat in lotus posture.  And for twelve long years He practiced, He did it.  That’s what the world could see.  In that village, people saw.  As the word spread, people from distances came and saw Him.  They served, they helped Him, they built a small temple for Him to sit down and He completed tapas.  Then for thirty-three years He traveled around India and abroad in different countries sincerely teaching this meditation.  He never spoke colorfully on the microphone.  He gave darshan to people, He met people, He tried to give them counsel, blessed vibhuti.  He initiated anybody who came with an interest.  He never asked any question whether you are a graduate or academically qualified, whether you are rich or poor.  No question, nothing.  “You are interested, you sit down, you learn. This is the technique, follow this.  Practice and achieve the truth to yourself.  You practice and know yourself,” He said, “Meditate and know yourself.”  Because He said, “Everything you want to do it for yourself.  Good or bad, right or wrong, you’re looking for happiness.  And you would like to give that happiness to yourself.  So first, know yourself, then you will know what you need and what you don’t need.  You are much beyond the birth and death of the physical body.”  He said, “You are that immortal soul.”  But to know this you have to practice. 

It is not a thing that can be demonstrated.  Just like none of you can demonstrate your mind of its color or shape, anything, but everybody recognizes we have our mind; thoughts and visions are there.  When all these thoughts and visions get cleared through the practice of meditation, a Pure Consciousness is visible.   Visible means – don’t imagine your eyes; when a thing we talk of visible, that is the nearest terminology I can use, but not to the eyes.  It is visible to the mind, to your consciousness.  Mind is visible to the mind, consciousness is visible to the mind.  Why I repeatedly keep using mind, consciousness, mind, consciousness?  When thoughts and visions are there it is mind, bundle of thoughts.  When they all get cleared by this practice, when the mind is purified, that is Pure Consciousness.  That is where the consciousness of your existence, the awareness of Self is arising.  You will realize how immortal, how infinite you are.  But practice.  But in between also, even a little bit of one hour of practice can give you a beautiful life in this world, better life, a stress-free, no confusion; you are able to apply your brains and make better judgments and analyzations.  I have told not to analyze anything or make any judgment during meditation.  Because during meditation you have to make your mind quiet.  When you want to move the car don’t apply brakes, you have to press the accelerator.  That is what I’m telling you.  But when you want to stop the car, you apply the brakes, don’t press accelerator.  That’s what, don’t analyze or make judgments during meditation.  So that the mind can become quiet, come under your control, become purified and you will realize that Self that is actual Divinity, all pervaded, eventually. 

   In this world, you will be able to analyze properly about the right and wrong, real, unreal, permanent, impermanent.  And also you will be able to make better judgments.  You won’t simply go according to your imaginations.  So then your performance can become like a genius, beautiful – more focused efforts will be there.  Whichever field you want to be, is no problem.

End of Discourse