TV Channel

Thank you to our Paramparā and Avatār Purījī for being here, to all the Swāmīs, and to all the disciples from all over Europe—and to those joining via webcast from around the world. I thank the Divinities, our Paramparā, Avatār Purījī, all the Swāmīs, and all the disciples present at the seminars and with us online. You can see I don’t have much practice at this. It is a blessed day to be here in such divine energy, having come from Australia, which is at least a 24-hour flight. To arrive and immediately feel you can be yourself is precious. Here, you are surrounded by like-minded brothers and sisters, spiritual guidance, and divine blessings. Theoretically, this is always within us, but it is a special, extra gift to actually be swimming in it. Australia is a beautiful country and continent. I went there over 38 years ago as a young person. I didn’t know Swāmījī then; he was already very busy in your countries, but I knew nothing about it. Still, he managed to find me. When I met Swāmījī in 1999, I knew my life could now have fulfillment. However, Swāmījī only came to Australia once a year, sometimes not even that. I knew that wasn’t enough for me, so I made a habit of coming to India or Europe every holiday. Thanks to God for that, I know so many of you and feel part of this family, even though we live "down under." Well, you are down under from Australia, and Australia is down under from you. After a couple of years, I had a personal consultation with Swāmījī in Salzburg. I asked if I could move to Europe to be more involved and closer to him. He said, "No, I have a job for you. Go back to the Sunshine Coast." So I did. He found a job for me, and I started the Yoga in Daily Life Sunshine Coast Center with a couple of people, though without much help. I put all my love and energy into it. Swāmījī’s visits were life-changing. Every time, he gave guidance—from the color of the walls to ensuring the karma yogīs were fed—and held beautiful satsaṅgs where we felt like we were in heaven. That was the petrol for my karma yoga. I used to say, "One second of Swāmījī’s smile or energy or attention has to last for a whole year." Now, things are a little different, as we know. I was a bit nervous about coming here and thought I might be sad, but I’m not. It’s wonderful and beautiful, and I’m glad to be here. Yesterday’s subject was karma yoga, and I can certainly confirm that was my main technique of yoga for over 20 years: being there for the students, growing the ashram, ensuring everything worked. It is a very practical way of surrendering to the divine because you must let go of your own problems, ego, and worries—you simply don’t have time for them. So, when Swāmījī gives you work, or in this case now, our Avatār Purījī simply said to me, "You better talk something," it is a way for us to grow and be part of everything. Thank you all for being here and for growing together. Coming here again after six years, I feel everybody has grown. Everybody is lighter; it feels more harmonious and smooth. It feels really great to be surrounded by beautiful people. When you have a little distance, both in time and space, and return, something is different in a good way. That’s all I want to say for now. Thank you very much for the opportunity and warning. This is good; I like it because I will be talking for six weeks, so in the morning sessions, I will find people. I learn from the best. At least she had three minutes to prepare. Amjī usually just goes, "You." So I’m keeping the tradition. Now you. Hari Om. What can I say? First of all, thank you for this opportunity to the great Paramparā and to this great successor in this Paramparā, Avatār Purījī, for giving us the chance to grow in spiritual engagement. As Holy Gurujī always said, all in one and one in all. So we are all in one and one in all. What came to my mind is a little story of how I came to Swāmījī and to Yoga in Daily Life. I was a young student studying law and also sports—which you cannot see now, but it was there in those days. Somehow, the wish to attend philosophy courses arose in my mind. We had many discussions with friends and professors. In those days, existentialism was prevalent, meaning to believe in nothing, that the world is just a coincidence. That was not for me. Somehow, I found a book speaking about the relationship between a master and his disciple. It was by Swami Muktānanda. I said to myself, "This is what I want." Then the search began in my mind. I had a strong wish to find a real, original Indian guru. Believe it or not, the very next day after this wish arose, I found a placard at the university in Salzburg. It advertised a seminar with a real, original Indian guru in Goldeg. Of course, I booked it. Who do you think was the leader? It was Swāmījī. I was in Goldeg near Salzburg, in a very beautiful castle. I was a little surprised by how the disciples were behaving, but I was deeply impressed by Swāmījī. This would be another funny story, but I will not talk too long. I went to him—like our Tapurījī is sitting here now—and asked, "Swāmījī, I am now looking for a guru. What shall I do?" Very kindly and lovingly, he said, "If you like, you can also come to me." He gave me the choice, and since then, I have been a disciple of Swāmījī. This was in 1988, so quite a long time ago. My first teacher in Salzburg—since Swāmījī was in Vienna most of the year—was Swāmījī. I also had the great opportunity to be a disciple of Swāmī Premanānjī. After one year, he went to India. Things went on, and I became more involved in the Yoga in Daily Life Society. Now we are here in Strelka, and I hope it will continue as long as possible. There are so many memories. I’m not so good in English, but many memories with him come to mind. The first remembrance I recall, with all our holy lineage, is what we will all do with our groups. I will tell you. When I was little, I grew up in a village in the Black Forest of Germany. The whole village was Christian. I loved to go to church, to pray and speak with Jesus. My grandma and mother gave me the example to pray, go to church, and follow tradition. I was really interested in politics and religion, and in how to be with people. I found that people did not live as the Bible and the priests spoke; they did not know how to live in peace, friendly and lovely. In my teenage years, I went to discos, skipped school, had heartbreaks with friends, and so on. Suddenly, in a deep moment—not the best moment of my life, but a very important one—a thought came to me. I think it was 2021. The thought came: why was I not living 2,000 years ago with Jesus? In that deep, hard moment, when I was about 20 or 21, I thought about why I wasn’t born then to live with Jesus. That thought had never occurred to me before, but in that moment, it came as an opportunity. Five, six, seven years later, I began to go to yoga. I was working as an occupational therapist, and my boss was struggling with me very much. I couldn’t stand it, so I thought I must do something. A good friend said to me, "Why do you not do yoga?" I had never heard this word before and became a little fearful. But when I did yoga, the teacher was so nice and sweet. I thought she could not tell me she had a master. But when I talked with friends about how she does yoga and goes to Czechia, and that she can do yoga all day, I thought, "Really?" Others told me she goes to Czechia and can exercise all day. I was so happy she talked to me, and I thought, "Yes, I will do yoga the whole day." She told me that in Czechia, there is Swāmījī and something more. I was not so interested in who was behind it. She said, "Yes, there is Swāmījī and something more." But when I went on the train to Vienna, I felt something change. I smoked my last cigarette. We went to the ashram—not in Chiganirakas, but in England. She was so nice to open the door for me. It felt so great, smooth, and fine to enter the ashram room for yoga practice. I saw the picture, I saw the hall. At that time, I thought there was something special. I looked for one color—not red, not yellow, not orange. I did not know. Then, behind the corner, there was an orange flag. When I saw it, I thought, "Yes, this is the color I’m looking for." I said to myself, that’s exactly the color. When we went by bus to Zlín with Indian music, I felt we were driving on clouds. I came to Zlín by bus, and when the week started, I was a thirsty soul. I drank all spiritual things, energy, everything—going at five o’clock to meditate and pray, to do āsanas and prāṇāyāma. When I came to the breakfast hall, it was like here, with all the windows, surrounded by nature. Everything was full of a feeling I cannot describe; it was like love, a warm-hearted feeling. I thought, "It’s like with Jesus. It’s like what Jesus did." Every day, every moment, every step with Swāmījī—sitting in the meadow, walking through the forest—it was like being with Swāmījī. After five days, I was so impressed, also to get a mantra and to be with him. When I went to the next seminar in Hamburg, I got mantra dīkṣā in Salzburg. That was the next step. Step by step, every month, I went to a seminar. The main point that changed my life was the second seminar. I went to Swāmījī with ten questions. I asked about my life, and then I asked, "Can I have some duty?" He said, "Yes, you can. You can make a yoga center." I was a little shocked because it was to be in Karlsruhe, near where I live. But I thought, yes, sometime it will be. After three years, I went to Karlsruhe, but I had a wish to be nearer to Swāmījī or in another country. It went on, and some questions came from Swāmījī about going to Klagenfurt in Austria to make an ashram. When I said yes, it was like a film where you are going to death. Maybe it’s like that for every person. In my heart, I said, "Yes, I can go." In one second, I decided. Swāmījī asked me, and that’s how I decided. I am so thankful for this. Now, it’s 27 years ago. We were in Vienna sometimes. I met Harry. Now we are a couple, and we can make it a little smoother than before. And one ashram. Thank you very much. These are Swāmījī’s pādukās from India, which I brought with me. Every satsaṅg, I will burn incense and place them here so you can take darśan afterward. I travel with them now, so you are most welcome to come later for darśan. Now we will do Mānasik Pūjā. Please close your eyes. Imagine Gurudev sitting right in front of you on his beautiful āsana. We are all walking in the hall; Gurudev is already present. He is saying, "Come here, my dear." We all go for darśan—it can be in the hall or in your house where he is sitting. You have your pūjā plate ready with tilak and mālā. We are doing the first Pādukā Pūjā, meaning we worship his lotus feet. With the ring finger of your right hand, dip into the tilak and apply it to his feet. Sahasra Mūrthaye, Sahasra Pādākṣiśro Ruhave, Sahasra Nāmne Puruṣāya Śāśvate, Sahasra Koṭi Yogadhārine, Namaḥ Kamalanābhāya, Namaste Jalasaṁhārine, Namaste Keśavānanta Vāsudeva Namaste, Vāsanāt Vāsudevasya Vāsanāṁ Bhavanātrayam. Sarvabhūtanivāsosi Vāsudeva Namosute. Now put the mālā on him. Nānāsugandha Poṣhpani Yathākālodhavaniṣha Poṣhpanjalir Mayādatta Gṛihāna Parameśhwarah. Now light the dīpak. Now we will do āratī. Now we have the opportunity to sit in front of him and do one mālā. We will go to the kitchen and bring food for Gurū Dev—food you all prepared with your own hands, full of love—and serve it to him. In India, we call it mānvar, meaning you continue serving and give more even if he says no; you still try to give more after he is done. We will wash his hands, then thank Gurū Dev for coming, make praṇām to him, and touch his lotus feet. He places his hand on your head, blessing all of us, as he is the most merciful, gracious, amazing Gurudev. We are very lucky and blessed to have him. He tells us, "You are mine and I am yours." He resides in all our hearts. He is always within us, with us, around us, everywhere. Sometimes times may feel hard, but we should know he is always there as an umbrella protecting us. We are in that bubble of protection so nothing can happen to us. The power of mantra is very powerful. You can open your eyes. The mantra we can also do mānasik, in our mind, Ajapa continuing. But our mind is very cañcal, very restless, always running around. That’s why we use the mālā to remind us what we are doing. The energy in the mālā, because it is blessed by Gurudev, is very powerful. That’s why I feel very blessed to be wearing and using Gurudev’s mālā, which he gave me last month. Gurudev is always present with us. We are always searching, asking, "Where to find?" We search outside, but when we search inside, we will truly see. Whenever you want, just close your eyes. You can have his darśan, talk to him, get your answers. Many times we close our eyes, try to find an answer or ask a question, and somehow, from somewhere, we get an answer. This means he is always listening. Even in his silence nowadays, there is always meaning. We are very blessed that for so many years we had the opportunity to listen to him. Many ṛṣis and sādhus sit in caves, meditate, and do tapasyā all their lives without a single word. So we can see how blessed we are to have had 30, 40, 50, 25 years of his satsaṅgs and talking. Even now, with not many words, the essence is always there: his presence, his blessings, his ashram—always present. We shouldn’t think, "Oh, what’s with Gurudev? He is not well," or such. The human body is a human body; it functions in its way. Whatever happens, happens for a reason. Gurudev always, from the beginning, told us how things are. Gurudev always says, "Gurujī is always, Holy Gurujī is always present." In the same way for us, Swāmījī is always present. When you go to Kathu Ashram in Nagore, to the banyan tree of Mahāprabhujī, you can still feel his energy. In the same way, in this beautiful Sri Lankan ashram, every tree, every path, everywhere you can feel Swāmījī because his whole life was doing this. This was his tapasthalī, where he did his tapasyā, where he was with all his family—our family. You can see the magic he did: he converted a pig house into nice accommodation for us. Ganga or Saṅgam was a pig house? Ganga was accommodation, but it was for cows. It is said Gurudev is the one who can make a king a beggar or a beggar a king. But we don’t need to be kings, queens, or beggars. We just need to be good bhaktas, which we all are. Everything is in His hands. We should never feel his presence or blessings are not there. I also feel that our whole lives we were so involved in small details: "Swāmījī, can I go from Jordan to the Jordan village?" or "Swāmījī, I want to go here," or "Swāmījī, I want to buy this," or "Swāmījī, I want new clothes." Every small detail—all of us, not only me. We had so many stupid questions for him, trust me. With that, you can see how patient, loving, and caring he was. I heard people asking, "Swāmījī, which color socks should I wear?" He didn’t get angry; he was always there for everyone, and he still is. His not talking doesn’t mean he’s not there. Ask the same questions in your mind, and you will still get answers. For me, I personally feel this is a testing period—at least for me, and I think for all of us. He is saying, "Now I will be silent and watch how these crazy people do what." In Jadoṇ, we have absolutely no clue what to do, and he’s just sitting. I believe this problem we don’t have only in Jadoṇ; we have it in all our āśrams now. Maybe outside you don’t see expressions, but inside he’s laughing. He’s saying, "Look at these guys." But I also know he won’t let us mess up in life that much. We should have that trust with him: he’s always there to protect us and save us from falling into some black, dark hole. But he wants to see if our vivekā will make us walk to that hole or if our vivekā will manage to skip it, because he was guiding and teaching us our whole lives how to use vivekā. As we all know, his forgiving, caring, and loving nature is such that even if we decide to go into that hole, he will still hold our hands and protect us. So, I feel—personally, at least—that this is a testing period. For me also, it is a period to get to know all of my family and for all of you to get to know me. I wouldn’t call it freedom, but let’s say such a period. That’s how I’m taking it personally. How you take it is up to you. Trust me, when I was younger, I used to think, "So much fun for Swāmījī, flying here, flying there, traveling to new places." Now I realize it’s not so easy. This very interesting question has started to come to me now. So it goes on. Whenever, I always say, you deal with it. I’m just your servant, just the instrument. I’m the puppet, and he has the strings; I just work how he wants. So just have faith in me, and all together we will move forward. Sometimes when you see me as a normal 25-year-old boy, that’s also normal. I am no guru; there’s only one guru. I’m the same as all of you. If I’m running around eating pizza, normally, no problem. When I sit here, then flowing. When I’m outside, then it’s me and normal. So it’s not like I’m becoming a guru or anything—no. Gurudeva is the guru. That’s why I brought this, so you don’t touch my feet; you touch here. You all are very good yogīs; you know how to sit straight. I like back support, that’s why I sit here. Guru is always going to be Gurudev, not me. GURU DEVA YASUDITTIM GURU AMNYĀYA. Kī Jai Haranāmāvā Pārvatī Pate Har Har Mahādeva Śambhu.