Recently I was driving in very thick fog. We had to drive slowly because the fog was so dense, we couldn't see very far ahead. We were on a winding road going uphill, and soon the fog had completely shrouded everything from view. It was like soup. It reminded me of what happens to us. When the fog comes, it obscures our vision. It stops us from seeing what we need to see to proceed on this path of life.

This is important because we have but one life. This life is everything. It doesn't help to make comparisons between my life and other people's lives, or to compare today with yesterday. I exist. I am alive. I need to understand my own passion, what my heart is telling me—in each moment, to be quiet enough so I can begin to hear what my heart is trying to tell me.

The world is a big place. A lot is going on, and many things call to me: "Do this; do this; do this." Other things disguise themselves as fun, and they call to me too: "This is fun. Do this; do this; do this."

But my life, my time, my existence is not about fun. It is about feeling contentment. It is about feeling joy. These are the needs of every human being. These are our desires, above and beyond everything else. How cleverly they get disguised.

What is true accomplishment? What is true reality? What is beyond the fog? When I woke up the next morning, the fog had lifted, and it was the most gorgeous sunrise you could possibly imagine. The light was incredible. What a contrast it was from fog to clarity, from what I couldn't see to what I could see.

People talk about noise pollution and air pollution, but there is another pollution. It's called thought pollution. We are constantly being bombarded by thoughts. It is so easy to allow yourself to get sucked into that river, just going with the flow. "Yes. This is important; that's important."

Yet everything will change. Nothing is exempt from the touch of change. Time has watched Earth being made. It has watched it cool down and watched the oceans appear. It has infinite patience. It has watched everything change and change and change.

Somehow, the human being was created and given the ability to feel. Of all the things I can feel, I can feel joy; I can feel peace. And I have in this life the possibility of not being affected by all the changes.

Without a worry about tomorrow or yesterday, I can feel fulfilled. When that fulfillment is there, it is timeless. Everything else is bound by time.

Most fortunate are those who say, "What I need to do today is to be in peace." For them no explanation is needed. They understand the possibility that they can be content.

Life is not a conflict. It's this beauty that is dancing for you. Witness this most marvelous dance. Witness the surprise. Witness the most amazing thing that will ever be. In your day, whatever else you do, be fulfilled. It is possible.

Maharaji            

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 31 – The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has held a special fundraising event that included an auction of works of art gifted to the Foundation by Prem Rawat. In total, the event raised more than $700,000, which will be used to further the efforts of TPRF, including supporting its humanitarian and philanthropic activities on a continuing basis.

All auctioned properties were gifted to the Foundation by Prem Rawat, also known as Maharaji, who made a financial donation as well and personally attended the event.

Shortly after the auction, Prem Rawat held a highly successful three-day event in Los Angeles, attended by more than 5,000 people who had traveled from 54 countries to hear his message of peace.

TPRF has raised more than $150,000 for victims of the tsunami and is using these donations to distribute daily food aid to tsunami survivors in Sri Lanka. TPRF regularly holds free medical clinics in northern India and recently sent batteryless flashlights to hurricane victims in Grenada. TPRF has made substantial donations of rice to refugees in war-torn Ivory Coast and recently gave a grant to Healing the Children, a nonprofit organization arranging for free surgery for children most in need.

Prem Rawat's message is simple and profound. Speaking at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok, Thailand, he expressed: "Peace needs to be in everyone's life. The peace we are looking for is within. It is in the heart, waiting to be felt, and I can help you get in touch with it. It is not the world that needs peace; it is people. When people in the world are at peace within, the world will be at peace."

Prem Rawat has presented his message to millions of people in over 250 cities and 50 countries around the world. The dissemination of his message is entirely supported by voluntary contributions and the sale of related materials. He supports himself and his family through independent means.

The Prem Rawat Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity that promotes the message of peace of Prem Rawat and helps improve the quality of life for people most in need.

To discover more: www.tprf.org

Source: The Prem Rawat Foundation

Translated from Hindi

When I talk about peace, many people ask, "What peace?" They don't understand the peace I am talking about. I'm not talking about a peace that has to be manufactured. I'm talking about a peace that has always been within us ever since we were born and will always be within us for as long as we live, until our last breath.

I am talking about you—personally. You are the one who experiences joy. You are the one who experiences pain. You cannot give your pain to someone else. And the joy that you experience cannot be experienced by anyone else, no matter who that person is.

Everyone's joy in this world is different. Everyone's joy is individual. When you feel hungry, it's you who feels that feeling. When you eat, that fulfillment, that satisfaction, comes to you. Another person can think about it, but the experience of hunger being satisfied can only be had by the one who is hungry.

It's a question of appreciation. In ancient times, when cities were constructed, it was essential that they be near a lake or river where water was available, because people realized the value of water. Water was needed for farming, to make bread, to grow food. A person needs water to drink, to take a bath, to wash, to put out a fire. Because people understood the importance of water, they acknowledged it. I ask people, "Have you ever thought about the water of peace that you desperately need?"

Many people say that if you want peace you must go to a mountaintop and become a hermit. Others say you can't have peace because you have to fulfill your responsibilities.

I'm not talking about sacrificing anything. Someone said to me, "I have a family. I have children. If I leave them, they won't be able to do anything." I said, "You don't need to escape your responsibilities—look after them as well as you possibly can. However, within you is a treasure of peace. No matter what is happening, no matter how much pain there is in your life, don't forget that the peace you're looking for is within you—always. It will be within you till your last breath. What is needed is that we turn inside and discover it."

Everyone, at least once in their lifetime, has felt incomplete no matter how much they have. There are so many misconceptions that what we are looking for is not within us, that it is somewhere outside and we have to look for it there. But the thirst is within us, and the water to quench it is also within us. Peace is a part of us. If we are able to recognize our thirst and reach that peace, we will find that we are complete.

When you recognize your thirst, that thirst will lead you toward quenching it. Peace will always be within you. If you don't want it, it is still there within you. If you want it, then you can fulfill your life.

Maharaji            

LANSING, Mich., Jan. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Jennifer M. Granholm, Governor of the State of Michigan, has issued a proclamation honoring "Prem Rawat's efforts to increase the public's awareness of inner peace and contentment; his exemplary career, life accomplishments, and many contributions to citizens."

Prem Rawat is widely known around the world as Maharaji.

The award reads as follows:

"On behalf of the citizens of Michigan, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm hereby honors Prem Rawat.

"Whereas, born in India, Prem Rawat began speaking to audiences at age three and gave his first published speech at the age of four; and,

"Whereas, at age eight, after the death of his father, Prem Rawat committed his life to teaching others about his father's message of peace; and,

"Whereas, since 1971, Prem Rawat has provided inspiration to millions of people and has increased the public's awareness of inner peace and contentment; and,

"Whereas Prem Rawat has traveled around the world speaking to a multitude of audiences, totaling more than 5.5 million people in over 250 cities and 50 countries; and,

"Whereas, honored with many awards and accolades from institutions such as National Geographic and the United States Library of Congress, Prem Rawat has become known as an international leader in the world's efforts for greater peace; and now therefore be it:

"Resolved that I, Jennifer H. Granholm, offer this certificate of tribute to Prem Rawat in honor of his exemplary career, life accomplishments, and many contributions to our citizens."

For Linda Pascotto, President of The Prem Rawat Foundation, "Maharaji has received many awards in the last three decades. However, Governor Granholm's tribute is particularly meaningful because she honors him specifically for his ability to bring people a message of hope and peace and to help them live fulfilled lives."

Maharaji and his message of peace have been receiving growing interest and recognition. During the last 12 months, more than 1.4 million people sought guidance and inspiration from him, and 53,688 people learned the techniques he shows for finding peace within.

The Prem Rawat Foundation has been holding free medical clinics in India and has sent relief supplies to refugees in Ivory Coast and to hurricane victims in Grenada. The Foundation is currently launching an aid program for tsunami victims in Southeast Asia.

To discover more: www.tprf.org

Source: The Prem Rawat Foundation

SANTA FE, N.M., Jan. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Bill Richardson, Governor of the State of New Mexico, has issued a tribute to Prem Rawat, also known as Maharaji, in recognition of his accomplishments.

The Governor's tribute says: "The Governor of the State of New Mexico, having learned of the outstanding achievement and exceptional accomplishments of Maharaji, does hereby extend congratulations and acknowledgement and further does herein direct that this official expression of pride be forthwith sent on behalf of the people of the State of New Mexico."

For Linda Pascotto, President of The Prem Rawat Foundation, "This award concludes another banner year for Maharaji. This recognition from the Governor of the State of New Mexico is a sign of the growing interest which Maharaji's message of peace is receiving all around the world."

More than 1.4M people sought inspiration and guidance from Maharaji in the last 12 months, and more than 53,000 learned his techniques for finding peace within. His message is now made available in more than 88 countries and 70 languages. A few months ago, he was invited by members of the Italian Parliament to present his message of peace, and a few weeks later, he addressed a capacity audience of faculty, guests, and students at Harvard University's Sanders Theatre.

The Brazilian Association of Community Channels recently bestowed its highest award to Words of Peace, the weekly television series featuring highlights from Maharaji's message of peace. The president of this association expressed that the award was given to Words of Peace for the quality of Maharaji's message and for the contribution made by this program to the cause of peace in Brazil.

In addition to helping make Maharaji's message of peace available throughout the world, an important role of The Prem Rawat Foundation, which Maharaji created, is to help improve the quality of life for people most in need.

The Foundation is expanding its capabilities in terms of providing food and medical relief to people most in need and is enjoying steadily growing public support. In the last two weeks alone, more than $120,000 has been donated to the Foundation by people all around the world to aid the tsunami victims in Southeast Asia.

Translated from Hindi

Almost everyone is looking for something, running after one thing or another. It can get really frantic. But the person who is longing for what the heart wants has everything. That person has no need to be sad. Good wishes come every day in every breath. The person who feels gratitude for that celebrates each breath, each moment.

Traditionally, we celebrate birthdays with a cake and candles. However old we are, we place that many candles. We get very excited to blow out the candles, but what is being represented? If you think about it, it is all the years that are gone that are being blown away. And it's not just one year that's gone, it's every day—every breath—that passed by. How many moments, how many breaths, have we saved and appreciated? What we lose, we lose for a lifetime. Those moments will never come back. And what we save, we save for a lifetime.

The whole world around us is made from what grew, not what didn't. Don't pay attention to what isn't. Pay attention to what is. So, what is? In the middle of our pain, our suffering, we have this life, this body. In the middle of all that, there is the breath that is coming in and out. We need to pay attention to that, to what is, not to the time that has passed. That's gone.

We don't have the time that hasn't come yet, either. We only have today. Tomorrow will come, and what will happen then? A breath will come and then another breath will come. The coming and going of this breath is the gift. It's not about what's gone; it's about appreciating this life, one breath at a time. It's about you—your life—not the life of the other people around you. It's just about you.

What is important is recognizing the gift you have. When you go to an airport or train station to meet someone, you wait until you recognize them before running up to greet them. Recognition is important. When there is no recognition of the heart's thirst to be fulfilled, what I am talking about doesn't make sense. When your heart starts to recognize that thirst, you can move toward joy in your life.

The greatest thing in life is that as human beings we can experience supreme joy. For people who want this joy, who want to fulfill their lives, there will be joy and more joy. Just relax and enjoy the journey of life.

Maharaji