Obstacles on the spiritual path
The spiritual search is conducted within, not in the external world. We possess everything we seek, yet we search outside like a mother frantically looking for the child she already holds. Spiritual blindness is like a fog or a blind man missing an open door while feeling along a wall. The path involves purification of body and mind through gradual practice, not competition. The guru awakens inner knowledge but cannot walk the path for the seeker. Disease originates in impure thoughts and nourishment. Reduce consumption gradually, not austerely. Serve others before yourself.
"Everything is with us."
"The guru has given that knowledge; the guru has given that spirituality."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
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In the home of the soul
Space builds beings, and beings build space.
A true ashram is a space for retreat and contemplation, enabling renewal of physical, mental, and social health. It fosters balance and leads toward self-realization. Yoga is the paramount method for this, requiring only the body, breath, and consciousness. It is the science of conscious movement and stillness, a road to original wholeness. A Guru is one who has cognized oneness, from which all arises and returns. Such beings live for others. The relationship between guru and disciple is supreme, pure, and meaningful. The guru's essence is what he is—Sat Chit Ānanda—and he serves to cure the disease of ignorance, which divides us from ourselves, others, and the divine. Sādhanā, the practice of yoga, is the source of strength to help others and ourselves. Liberation comes through knowledge and the Guru's grace.
"Yoga is the science and art of conscious movement. It is the science and art of conscious stillness."
"The essence of a guru is not what he says, not even what he does. The essence of a guru is what he is."
Filming locations: Jadan Ashram, Rajasthan, India.
DVD 171
Gurujis Anniversary Memories
I have seen the divine embodied. My spiritual master was the divine incarnate, possessing complete awareness and power.
He once warned me of a shooting that had already occurred exactly as described. On another journey, my vehicle failed dramatically, yet I reached my destination. After his conscious departure from the body, his divine power remained active. A child suffered a severe eye injury from a pencil. His parents prayed to the master. Doctors repeatedly delayed removing the bandage, and when they finally did, the eye was fully healed. The soul is not lost; the same divine power persists from when he was in the body. Therefore, engage in worship to awaken and progress by this power.
"He told me, 'Colonel Sāhab, today some bullets are going to be fired at your stomach.'"
"After 15 days... they removed the bandage. That child... can see with both eyes—something only Bhagavān can do."
Filming location: India
We need peace in the whole world
Peace is the essential state and practice.
The word "Śāntiḥ" encompasses perfect happiness and is invoked to conclude prayers. The world desperately needs this peace. Our practice and mantras are good and must be shared. Life is like a flame sustained by energy; when that is gone, the flame goes out. Our bodies contain the five elements. We should begin the day with reverence for earth and water. Observing nature, like birds and dogs greeting the sun, reveals a shared vitality. Dietary choices, like abstaining from meat, can bring more peace and clarity. Personal rituals, like morning Pūjā, connect us to this energy. We should send prayers for others from our own prāṇa. The flame of a lamp is powerful; showing it to a child can aid sleep. Our practices and words are a spiritual wealth to be given to all. We will face difficulties but should build and give goodness. Practice Trāṭak by gazing softly at a flame's clean light, then closing the eyes.
"Śānti is both a feminine principle and the state of perfect happiness and joy."
"Life is like this fire. When everything, like ghee, is consumed, it will go away."
Filming location: Vienna, Austria
Bhajan singing from Villach
The text is a devotional chant invoking a divine lineage. It consists of a series of repetitive salutations and praises. The structure is liturgical, not narrative. The variations in spelling reflect common transliteration differences. The core purpose is veneration through repetition. The chant honors a succession of spiritual figures. It serves as an invocation and blessing. The focus is on devotion, not logical exposition.
"Viśvagurujī Paramahaṁsa Gurudevam, Kī Jai."
"Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān, Kī Jai."
