The Insecurity of Security
One of the things that fascinates me about being in relationship with Prem Rawat is the phenomenon of becoming increasingly conscious of what gets in the way of me being able to enjoy his gift of Knowledge. The "weeds in my garden", you might say -- more commonly known as concepts, assumptions, beliefs, and monkey mind.
While often uncomfortable to experience, becoming aware of this stuff is also quite liberating. At least I get to know what I'm dealing with -- the so-called Big Bad Wolf on my way to Grandma's house.
Case in point: Some years ago, at one of Prem's events, I had the good fortune to be part of his security detail -- one of eight volunteers whose task it was to stand near him for three hours and respond if there was a need.
Upon being asked to play this role, I assumed that "doing security" was going to be a blissful experience -- a kind of inner peace insurance policy.
I was wrong. Well, at least halfway wrong.
Fifty percent of the time I was around him, I found myself in heaven -- completely joyful, grateful, and fulfilled. The other half of the time, I found myself in hell -- uncomfortable, awkward, and painfully self-conscious.
This inner "battle of the bands" surprised me. I mean, Prem was the Ambassador of Peace, right? How could I not totally enjoy being so close to him? And yet, there I was, toggling uncontrollably back and forth between my inner Rumi and my inner Woody Allen.
What I've come to realize, over time, is that this battle of the bands inside me is very common. Indeed, Prem has spoken about the phenomenon a lot -- how there is 50% light within us and 50% darkness -- how there are two wolves inside fighting for my attention: the good wolf and the bad wolf. The one who wins is simply the one I feed.
In other words, I have a choice.
These days of the Coronavirus, the choice I have has never been as clear to me. Every day I have a choice of what to focus on, which "wolf" inside me I will feed. Prem, no matter how dedicated he is to reminding me of the choices I have, cannot make the choice for me. It is my choice -- a choice I need to make every single day or, more accurately stated, every single breath of every single day.
This moment? I choose life. I choose love. I choose kindness. I choose gratitude. I choose awareness. I choose compassion. I choose patience. I choose clarity. I choose possibility. I choose joy. I choose forgiveness. I choose letting go of whatever it is that might be in my way of becoming a fully conscious human being.
Photo: Courtesy of TimelessToday
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:45 AM | Comments (0)
November 24, 2017Happy Thanksgiving!
Excerpted from Prem Rawat's 11/24/13 event in Boston
Flower Prayer Illustration: Tim Gainey
TimelessToday.com
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:37 PM | Comments (0)
December 24, 201650th Anniversary Amaroo Gift Set Now Available on TimelessToday
GOOD NEWS! All nine of Prem Rawat's talks from the September event in Amaroo are now available for streaming on TimelessToday as part of a just-released 50th Anniversary Gift Set. These talks are also available as downloadable audio files. Click here to order.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:28 AM | Comments (0)
April 24, 2016Prem Rawat Coming to South Africa: May, 2016!
Prem Rawat, much beloved Ambassador of Peace and the Founder of the Peace Education Program, will be the featured speaker, in May, at two events in South Africa. Capetown, May 13th. And Johannesburg, May 15th.
Excerpts from Prem's 2012 event in Johannesburg
24-minute interview in South Africa
Peace Education Program in Soweto
PEP at Zonderwater prison
Prem Excerpts: Miami Beach, 4/9/16
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:33 PM | Comments (0)
April 14, 2016PREM RAWAT: Miami Beach, 4/10
Prem Rawat: Miami Beach Excerpts, 4/9/16
Prem Rawat in four minutes or less
PremRawat.com
Words of Peace Global
The Prem Rawat Foundation
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:32 PM | Comments (0)
May 20, 2015FOOD FOR PEOPLE Benefit in Asheville to Help the Nepalese
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:06 PM | Comments (0)
April 15, 2015A Clean Slate
When I was small boy, one of my favorite things to do was write and draw on a funky, little plastic tablet called "The Magic Slate". The cool thing about this "writing device" was that, at any time, I could lift up the little plastic sheet I had been writing on and all the markings I had made would immediately disappear, leaving me with a clean slate once again -- a state of mind the poet, Theodore Roethke, once referred to as perpetual beginner.
It was so simple. So easy. The process of getting rid of whatever I had created was guilt free with no regrets. Kids are really good at this. They don't cling to the past as much as adults do. They let go and move on.
In a way, this is one of the benefits I experience from having Prem Rawat as my teacher -- something I was very much reminded of again when I attended his recent talk in Miami.
When I really pay attention to what he is saying and practice what he calls "Knowledge", my slate becomes clean. All those markings, scribblings, and impressions I've been so feverishly making -- many of which merely clutter my experience of life -- vanish in a heartbeat. What I am left with is a fresh beginning, a new day, and a fabulous chance to start all over again.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:06 PM | Comments (0)
April 13, 2015Prem Rawat Miami Excerpts: 4/12/15
Bio of Prem Rawat
PremRawat.com
Prem Rawat videos
The Prem Rawat Foundation
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:29 PM | Comments (2)
February 06, 2015International Soy Latte Donate-to-Your-Favorite Charity Week
Every day I have a soy latte at my favorite cafe in Woodstock, NY. Sometimes, I also have a cranberry scone, thinking I should really order the oatmeal instead. I read the NY Daily News when I drink my latte and eat my scone, always starting with the sports section, even though the Knicks are 10-39, the Giants didn't make the playoffs, and the Mets lose more than they win.
The latte, which is always served with a heart in the foam, goes for $3.75 -- pricey, I know, but it's a morning indulgence I've grown to like, even though my nutritionally-minded friends keep warning me about the evils of soy.
Today, thinking about the independent fundraising campaign my friend, Stuart, and I are collaborating on to raise $50,000 for our favorite charity, The Prem Rawat Foundation, I did some quick math.
A week's worth of soy lattes runs me $26.25. Each month, that's $105.00. Being prone to cleverness, I thought of making a case for how everybody who reads this blog post should give up their soy lattes (or whatever) for a week and donate what they saved to the charity I'm fundraising for, but then I realized how bogus a request that would be. Guilt and pseudo sacrifice is not what life's about.
So I'm not going to say that. What I am going to say is that there are A LOT of really good charities in the world that need our support. Intellectually, we know this, but knowing it and acting on it are two very different things.
The Breast Cancer Society, for example, calls me every few months and asks for a donation. I often find myself squirming when they call. I mean, I should give, right? But the highly scripted way in which they make their pitch makes me cringe and I find myself judging the way the Breast Society rep is asking for a donation rather than realizing it would actually be a good thing to donate $25, especially since I've got a few good friends who've struggled with breast cancer.
My point? For all of us to pause for a moment and ask ourselves how we might support at least one worthwhile charity in the world. Not necessarily my favorite charity. But yours -- whatever it happens to be.
If you don't have a favorite charity, take a peek at the list below and find one to support. They all need our help, especially during these tough times when donations are way down and the need is way up.
American Heart Association
The Red Cross
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Pathways to Peace
Kum Pah Orphanage
Family of Woodstock
Haitian People's Support Project
The Prem Rawat Foundation (via Stuart and Mitch's fundraising page)
Charity Navigator (a guide to worthy charities)
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:54 PM | Comments (2)
February 12, 2014A Surprise Collaboration with Vivek
This morning I received a surprise email from Vivek, a young man from India I have never met.
Vivek told me that he had recently discovered my blog, The Heart of the Matter, and really enjoyed some of the visuals featuring excerpts of Prem Rawat's talks.
Since Vivek and his team were helping to promote the Youth Peace Fest (an event where Prem Rawat would eventually address an audience of 183,500 people), he decided to make a video of the slides, add some cool music, and show it at colleges, offices, and other venues around India to get the word out. Vivek noted, in his email to me this morning, that the show was a "big hit with audiences."
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:12 PM | Comments (1)
December 02, 2013Prem Rawat in Miami: MORE EXCERPTS
Big thanks to Pat Barrett for submitting the excerpts
Paintings: Lisa Dietrich
Other excerpts from the Miami event
Words of Peace Global Facebook page
Words of Peace Global website
Online videos of Prem Rawat
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:01 PM | Comments (0)
Prem Rawat in Miami: EXCERPTS
Paintings: Lisa Dietrich
Words of Peace Global
Words of Peace Global on Facebook
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:58 AM | Comments (0)
November 25, 2013Prem Rawat in Boston: Excerpts
About Prem Rawat
See Prem Rawat in Miami: 12/1/13
Words of Peace Global
Words of Peace Global on Facebook
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:01 AM | Comments (3)
