Maharaji’s tours started in 2006 with an event in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he addressed students and aspirants. 

The next day, he was on his way to India, where, in the course of four weeks, he attended 23 events in 12 locations, including the inauguration of the Food for People facility in Bantoli. Many of these events took place in the countryside and were attended mostly by people from villages. Five events were attended by more than 90,000 people; one was attended by 200,000.

Soon, Maharaji was in Barcelona, Spain, where he attended a two-day meeting held by people involved in helping to spread his message around the world. The meeting was followed by a public event with more than 2,000 people in attendance.

Two weeks later, Maharaji was at the United Nations in New York, where he delivered the keynote address at a special event held in honor of the support provided by TPRF to the United Nations Development Programme’s Community Water Initiative in Ghana and the National Council of Women of the United States’ Water Well Project in Ghana.

The event was attended by distinguished representatives of the UN in New York, as well as by government and civic leaders from the area. Presenting Maharaji with the Distinguished International Humanitarian Achievement Award, Mary Singletary, president of the National Council of Women of the United States, said,  “This award is given to you in recognition of outstanding leadership, profound commitment, and exceptional contributions to the quality of life for women, children, and families, and for the inspirational global influence of your message: Peace comes when we begin to look within.”

The next day, Maharaji was on his way to Montreal, Canada, where he attended an event and then on to Europe for an event in Hamburg. Two weeks later, an event in Los Angeles was followed by another in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Ten days later, Maharaji was in Malmö, Sweden. Responding to an invitation from the president of Rotary International, he delivered the keynote address at the pre-convention meeting for delegates of Rotaract—a division of Rotary International for people age 18 to 30. Rotaract has 182,000 members from more than 140 countries.

Next, on to Marseilles, France, where nearly 4,000 people heard his message of peace. A week later, Maharaji was in Cotonou, Benin, where he addressed people who had traveled from all over West Africa to hear him speak. He made his first visit to the Canary Islands, where people had been inviting him to come for years. He went on to The Hague, Netherlands, also for the first time, and five more locations for public events in Europe.

Shortly after that, 25,000 people under the age of 25 greeted him at an event in India celebrating the 40th anniversary of Maharaji bringing his message of peace. The vice president of India welcomed him, saying, “I want Maharaji’s message to reach the people around the world.”

After an event for students in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, he presented his message to the Chinese community at the invitation of the Chinese Malay Association. Maharaji was welcomed by the minister of health. The minister of education was also there to greet him.

After another event in India and one in Mauritius, Maharaji traveled to South America. In Florianopolis, Brazil, at the International University of Peace, Pierre Weil, the rector, appointed Maharaji Ambassador of Peace.

Two days later, Maharaji was in Argentina for an event with more than 4,000 people. The next day he was presenting his message at the Senate of Argentina, at the invitation of the United Nations’ White Helmets as well as the Forum of Human Rights and Humanitarian Action.

From Buenos Aires, Maharaji went on to Quito, Ecuador, where before an event with a capacity audience, he received the distinction of “Illustrious Guest” from the representative of the mayor.

On his way to a four-day event near Brisbane, Australia, he stopped in Wellington, New Zealand, to share his message of peace on the occasion of the UN International Day of Peace. The event took place at the Parliament of New Zealand. The United Nations Association of New Zealand and the member of parliament for Wellington joined forces with TPRF to help bring this event to life.

Before the year was out, Maharaji had spoken to over a million people in 21 countries, most of whom had come to hear him for the first time.

2006 Humanitarian Activities

In early 2006, TPRF’s humanitarian efforts were first directed to the victims of Hurricane Wilma in Cancun, Mexico. TPRF had helped rebuild roofs in 2005, and many people in other Mayan villages still needed help. TPRF funded the purchase of more roofing material to rebuild 250 more roofs.

Shortly after that, Maharaji inaugurated the first Food for People facility in a village called Bantoli, in a tribal area in northeastern India. The 10,000 square-foot custom-built facility was developed in consultation with local tribal elders and with full support of villagers. Each day, year-round, 1,000 free hot meals are distributed to children and another 500 meals to adults. Part of the food served is grown on the land around the facility. The facility is operated by Premsagar Foundation, a nonprofit organization, and funding is provided by TPRF.

Two months later, following mudslides in the Philippines, TPRF made a significant contribution to the Philippine National Red Cross for food packs. At the same time, a free vision clinic was held in northeastern India.

During a special event at the UN in New York, on behalf of TPRF, Maharaji gave significant contributions to the United Nations Development Programme and to the National Council of Women of the United States for water well programs in Ghana.

Following a series of earthquakes in Indonesia, TPRF made three contributions to Yayasan Dian Desa, the Indonesian Development of Education and Permaculture Foundation, and the World Food Programme to repair water wells and feed people.

After turmoil struck in the Middle East, the Foundation made a contribution to another reputable nonprofit organization, Oxfam, to bring clean water to people in need.

Last but not least, at the end of 2006, the Foundation entered into a three-year partnership with Oxfam to help improve the nutrition of indigenous Australian schoolchildren in northern Queensland.

 

Photo courtesy of WFP/Rein Skullerud

Technorati Tags: Prem Rawat, The Prem Rawat Foundation

Sometimes, even in my dreams, I’m talking to people, and sometimes I wake up, remember the dream, and write it down. This is a story I dreamed about.

There were three brothers—all very, very poor. They decided to sell whatever they had and buy some gold. And each one knew that this gold could give them everything they wanted. It could make them rich and give them nice clothes, food, a house—everything.

So they got the gold, and each made a little hut for himself far, far away. One was a very religious man. He put the gold on the altar, and every day he prayed to it, “Oh, please, gold, make me rich. Give me food and a house and new clothes.” And he would write beautiful prayers and sing beautiful songs: “Gold is everything. Gold, you will make me rich.”

The second one also made an altar, but it wasn’t called an altar. He was scientific, and so it was called “a display.” He would display the gold and write essays. He wasn’t religious, but he also prayed in his own way, “Oh, gold, you have the potential to remove my hunger, give me a house, give me new clothes, give me food.”

The third one sold the gold. In the opinion of the first brother, he would be sacrilegious. To the second one, he would be very impractical, very unscientific. To get rid of the very source? Very bad. But, anyway, he sold the gold. With the money he got, he bought a farm, plowed a field, raised vegetables, grew fruit. Whatever he needed, he ate, and whatever he didn’t need, he would sell in the market. With the money he made, he built a house, bought new clothes. And every season, he got more and more and more. Whatever he wanted to eat, he would. Whatever he didn’t, he’d sell. And he just kept getting richer and richer and richer.

After a few years had gone by, the three brothers decided to get together. The first one explained how he prayed to the gold every day, and one day the gold would answer his prayers. The second one, who was very scientific, said, “One day, this gold will fulfill everything that I have in my mind it can do. Its potential will come through.”

They both turned to the third one and said, “What do you do? You’re doing pretty well. You look bigger and have new clothes, a nice watch, nice shoes. What do you do?”

He was very shy and said, “Oh, well, I sold the gold. Out of that, I bought a farm. And, hey, come visit me! I’ve got a home, a beautiful orchard. I grow my vegetables and I’ll cook for you and give you some clothes.” And they said, “You sold the gold?”

Every time I think of this story, I find it to be deeper than I first realized. Those two couldn’t see the obvious—that what they were praying for had in fact happened for this brother. The only thing they could see was, “You sold the gold?!! You’re doomed now.” No. He wasn’t doomed. He had unlocked the potential of the gold and he has all that he needs.

You, too, have all that you need. It lies within you. Every day—even in sadness, in sorrow—there is a joy unparalleled inside of you waiting to be discovered. People think, “Does that mean that you don’t get upset?” Of course I get upset. But even when I am upset, I know that within me is unparalleled joy. Do bad things happen to me? Yes. Do good things happen to me? Yes. Am I any different from you? No. And if I am, it’s only one thing: In all that I do, I know that inside of me resides the One I have always sought; that when I feel lonely, I know that I am not alone; that when there is darkness outside, I know there is a lamp. I know. Not, “I think” or “I wish. . .” or “Wouldn’t it be nice. . .” No. “I know.”

The journey of being fulfilled is very simple. You. You have that whether you decide you want to experience it or not. Even if you decide you don’t want to experience it, you still have it. You have the possibility to be fulfilled. That is what the journey is all about. How do I know? I have felt it.

Maharaji

Technorati Tags: Maharaji, peace within, Prem Rawat

Maharaji talks about the difference between philosophies and a reality that each human being wants to know and is searching for: “A nature of a human being is to try to find. Always, always. Trying to find a comfort…a joy…a peace. A peace, yet undefined.”

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Technorati Tags: Maharaji, peace within, Prem Rawat

Maharaji, as Prem Rawat is widely known, talks about a fundamental need for peace that is innate to everyone. In a busy world where every minute counts, he says, of all the possibilities that exist, there is also the possibility for each person to be content.

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I’m here to talk about something very, very simple, but at the same time, it touches every one of us. What is it? It is about this journey, this life, this existence. Not an idea. Not a theory. Not rules. Not some printed pages. But about you and me.

The most incredible thing that is taking place is not what you read in the newspaper. It is not what is in your library. Don’t mistake me; I’m not putting them down. I’m just trying to lay forth an order of priority. What is the most important thing? The most important thing is: you are alive. Now what? What does that mean to you?

Sometimes we have interpretations of what it means to be alive. Because I am alive, I can do this, I can do that. The focus is not about all those things. The focus is your existence, you being on the face of this earth. This will never happen again. The house you live in, other people will live in, too. Right now, you say, “It’s mine.” One day, somebody else will say, “It’s mine.”

What is yours? What can you truly consider yours that no one can take away from you? All your life, you work very hard to collect things. But are they yours? All your life, you work very hard to become somebody—to have a name, a title. But is that really you?

Who are you really? Who am I? I have a lot of awards. Is that who I am? What is this journey I am on? I was born. Things have been happening. When I say “journey,” I’m not saying, “Let’s go on a journey. Let’s find out what we can do on this journey.” The journey has already begun. This is not about brochures or holiday packages. This is not about what you would like to eat. The journey has begun.

When you were in your mother’s womb, your parents had a lot of ideas about you. And being in love, they made their little plans for you. They may not have known if you were going to be a boy or a girl. But when you came into this world, there was a very short period of time in which they held their breath, waiting. In that moment, it was not about aspirations and your gender. They were only interested in knowing one thing: Are you breathing or not?

If you are breathing, then, “Ah! Congratulations, it’s a boy. It’s a girl! Oh, wonderful! Oh, so cute. Look at those eyes.” But before that, before the eyes and the face and the cuteness, there’s only one concern, and that concern was, “Are you breathing or not?”

And this happens again—at the end. At the end, they all wait. And they wait, and they wait, and they wait, and they want to know: Have you stopped breathing?

Everything you are is predicated on something so incredibly simple. And everything you do in your life seems so far removed from that reality. Is this reality ugly? No. It is beautiful. Welcome to the world of existence. Welcome to the world of clarity. Welcome to the world of understanding because this is what it is about—the peace that dances in your heart, not the doubts that wreak havoc in your mind. The reality of your existence is supremely sweet.

I’m not here to tell you about the good or bad, right or wrong. I’m only here to tell you that what you are looking for is inside of you. And this is not a puzzle. These are not empty words, because I have a way that you can feel the reality that is inside of you, the peace that is inside of you, the joy that is inside of you. In this life.

You think you are blessed when things go your way. But you are blessed—truly blessed—when breath comes into you. Could it be that the miracle of all miracles is the coming and going of this breath? Could it be that I have been living on top of a goldmine every single day?

The good news is that true joy is already inside every single human being. And you can experience it if you want to. Search for peace. And wherever you find it, great. And if you don’t find it, come to me. I can make it possible.

Maharaji