Journey to Enlightenment Part 02

Author(s): Chitrabhanu, Nirmala Hanke
Publisher: Create Space

Page 33

Are We “Antique” Collectors?
Summer 2006
Given at the Lighthouse Center, 13 May 2006
It's a new day. If you have courage to forget, it's a new day. People have attachments to old things. They collect antiques. People go and buy antiques. We love yesterday, what happened in life. We pick up bad things sometimes. The most confused beings are human beings. Animals don't have this problem. There are so many psychiatrists in this country. A millionaire friend of mine told me, "Every day I go to the psychiatrist." If this man could have the teaching of Reverence for Life, have respect for his body, he would not need to go to the psychiatrist. One day, the psychiatrist asked him, “Who gave you your spiritual name?” The man said he had gotten it in 1946, when he was meditating on a mountain in India. He said he was very happy then, but then he got very busy and lots and lots of money started coming.
So the psychiatrist called Gurudev and went to see him. The psychiatrist had problems, with alcoholic children, and his sister taking his inheritance; so the man's guide was full of problems.
You can be happy. It's a good day. From today decide to let go of the past. On the day you were born, you had no clothes, no shelter, no food; you didn't know your mother or father. But you made it. So why worry now? We were all born Digambara (like the Skyclad monks, with no clothes, no possessions). This meditation is nothing but coming to you, that's all. This is not a religion. Be with peace and quiet and be open with yourself. Nobody can make you as happy as you will be when get in touch with your pure Self. Most religions make you superior, and anyone who doesn't believe is inferior. This puts others down—this is the biggest violence. I will go to heaven because I embrace a certain belief system, but then I put down others who don't embrace this. Parents may do this with their own children. To put children down is the biggest harm you can do to yourself. Children come to you for love, kindness, and understanding. These children come to you because of your punya, your good karma, for you to nourish them with pure water. In this world with a plant you can give good water, earth and love, or you can put the plant in sand and give it alcohol. Then the plant will not grow. If a child doesn't grow in a
32 - Journey to Enlightenment - Volume Two