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Life Is a Dream
Excerpts from a satsang
with Swami Kriyananda at Ananda Italy
Nothing in our lives really changes; nothing happens. There is nothing in this universe; Everything is based on the principle of vibrations. When an electric fan or the propeller of an airplane rotates fast enough, it looks solid. This is the explanation of this world: This earth, this body, this chair, the whole world are only vibrations. There is no time, no space, nothing; everything is an illusion. And our brain, too, vibrates when we think. It, too, is a vibration.
People today are very agitated—it's such a nervous life, so tense. And I think especially for this reason the world will have to undergo a time of tests. There is something within us that is saying, "I don't like all this," but it doesn't know how to make things change. If you are on a wagon coming down a hill faster and faster, in the beginning you can still jump off. But once it's going fast, who wants to get off? You could hurt yourself more. So you have to go with this movement until the end, until, perhaps, the hill becomes flat. But that's not how things usually work out in life!
There are things that today's world needs to learn in order to go forward. There needs to be a kind of explosion, of economic breakdown. This is not bad, you only need to learn to live as we did at the beginning of Ananda. On the land I bought to start the community there was nothing: no water, no buildings, nothing. But looking back we see that it was our golden age Living simply is beautiful, you only need to adjust to what is. Whatever happens can be an opportunity to learn a lot of things. Don't be upset, don't suffer if you see that you have to give up certain things, because it's not that difficult. In the end, nothing happens anyway, it's all an illusion. It's a movement that gives you the impression of something real. But your desires, your plans, what you do—it's an illusion.
He Is Dreaming Us
A Zen Buddhist once said to me, "When I die, everything will disappear, nothing will remain, because it's all an illusion." But I thought, "This is not our dream! It is a dream, but not ours. There are so many things that I don't know how to do, that I am not good at: I am totally incompetent as far as fixing a car is concerned; I could have never written Shakespeare's plays, I could not build the Empire State Building, nor many other things."
We are part of a great infinite dream and He is dreaming us. But He has given us the power to awaken from this dream, to be not compelled to remain always in the delusive reality of this world.
It's very interesting to see the point of view of the great Indian yogis. The definition of yoga that Patanjali gives us is "the neutralization of the vortices of feeling." Many books say "the neutralization of consciousness," but actually it is that part of consciousness that feels, that feels pleasure, pain, etc. This is yoga. When you think of uniting your soul to God, you think of joining one thing to another But this is not what happens. Rather, you remove the obstacles to the vision of truth and you realize, "I am already that." That's why the Vedas, the Indian Scriptures, affirm: "I am He." You are He, you are That. Aham Saha: I am He.
Live More in Your Center
When one reaches the vision of Samadhi, the vision of God, one sees that all the lives we have lived, all the things we have done, were all a dream that went by in half an hour, in a minute. Future, past, and present, everything is an illusion. But you must eliminate the vibrations of your being, those movements of desires, of restlessness. Don't get agitated about anything. You must remain unshaken even when planets and stars are crashing about you.
If you are in your center, nothing can touch you. Everything you are looking for is already here, in your body, in your mind. Everything starts with yourself. Even in suffering there is some joy, and in joy there is some suffering. If a mosquito bites you, it hurts, but you scratch yourself because that also gives you a little pleasure. And such is life. But we can choose not to react to life, not to think, "How beautiful! How ugly!" It's much better to say, "Whatever happens, happens, it doesn't matter. And if I must die, it's fine."
Give Everything to God
Every evening, before going to bed, give everything you own into the hands of God: everything—people, tasks, responsibilities, everything! Say to God: "I live only in Thee." And you'll see that in this way you will feel freer every day, and little by little, after years, you'll find yourself freed from these things. You won't care anymore. Misfortunes in life are not really such. They pass. The victories that come are not victories either Even when you lose everything, don't worry, because nobody can take from you your love for God. Nobody but you can take away your inner peace. This is your wealth—all else is superficial, and of no value.
Therefore, live more in God, live in this neutralization of the vortices of feelings. Think always that you live in your center, and that everything that comes is like a play—it doesn't exist. You'll see then that you can have peace.Don't get excited, don't suffer. More and more remove from your heart all desires and attachments, and little by little you will be ever freer. Let nothing upset you, because you have everything you'll ever have, now, in yourself.
For information and reservations:
info@ananda.it Tel: +39 0742-81.36.20 Fax: +39 0742-81.35.36
Ananda is located in the tranquil hills of Umbria, Italy on “Strada Statale 444” between Assisi and Gualdo Tadino. It is the largest retreat center in Europe for Yogananda’s teachings.
Ananda Associazione • Via Montecchio, 61 • I-06025 Nocera Umbra (PG) • ITALY