The Heart of the Matter
November 21, 2023
THE CHALLENGE OF COMMUNICATING THE INEFFABLE

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Ever since I received the gift of Self-Knowledge from Prem Rawat in 1971, I have been trying, in various ways, to communicate something about the experience he reveals, how the practice of what he teaches benefits a person's life, and what his ongoing role is in the grand adventure of "knowing thyself."

As a poet and writer, I have a high regard for the power of language to convey and evoke that which is difficult to translate. But beyond that, I know deep down inside myself that, ultimately, it is not really possible -- not unlike the way my Zen friends describe the phenomenon of trying to speak truth into existence.

"It's like a finger pointing at the moon."

Prem Rawat has spoken of this phenomenon, as well.

"It's like trying to describe the taste of a mango to someone who's never experienced it."

Bottom line, words are finite, no matter how they are strung together or how impassioned the writer or speaker may be at any given moment in time. The menu is not the food. The finger is not the moon.

When it comes right down to it, I take my cue from the Chinese sage, Lao Tzu who once said: "Those who know don't speak. Those who speak don't know.

Hmm... a most provocative quote, indeed. And yet... drum roll please... Lao Tzu SPOKE this unspeakable truth. So... we can either conclude that the illustrious Mr. Tzu didn't know anything about the truth (because he spoke) OR he spoke, anyway, because there was something deep inside of him that needed to be said, no matter how paradoxical or imperfect his expression was.

Inspired by his choice and the undeniable fact that a finger pointing to the moon is better than no finger at all, I am going to take one more whack at this impossible task.

In other words, I am going to take a few leaps, using words as springboards, catalysts, and approximations.

What does enjoying the gift of Self-Knowledge that Prem Rawat reveals feel like?

Like coming home... like being on home base in a game of tag... like landing on Free Parking in Monopoly... like the bridge over troubled waters... like the trail of rice Hansel and Gretel left behind to find their way out of the forest... like Christmas morning... like an unexpected snow day... like finally finding love after looking for it in all the wrong places... like a sanctuary city for all of the refugees inside you... like realizing the promised land is (and has always been) beneath your feet... like being happy for no reason... like falling in love with life itself.

Catch my drift? I hope so.

Of course, each of the above figures of speech are imperfect. Every one of them is flawed.

For the moment, look at it this way: there is no perfect perfume or cologne in the world, but a really evocative scent will move you across the room to connect with the person who is wearing it -- or, at least, LOOK their way.

If any of the preceding has piqued your interest, I invite you to follow the scent wherever it may lead you. Towards that end, I have included links, below, to some Prem-related websites.

Sniff around if you'd like.

Hear Yourself: Prem's New York Times bestselling book
Prem's Official YouTube Channel
PremRawat.com
TimelessToday
TPRF.org

Photo: Courtesy of TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:05 AM | Comments (0)

October 17, 2023
Fill Your Bucket Now and Drink

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Everything on the outside changes -- our lives a kind of time lapse photography from the moment we are born to the moment we exit, stage left.

A seed is planted. It sprouts. It flowers. Bees come. Night comes. The flower closes and eventually its petals fall to earth, nourishment for whatever comes next.

But while we're here (and we are here!), let your flower bloom. Let it open to the sun. Be as beautiful as you are. Enjoy the sky overhead and the ground below. Indeed, enjoying this moment is what it's all about -- not what happened before or what you think will happen next. This is the moment we were born for -- to enjoy it in full glory, to sprout, to bloom, to let go.

Whatever helps you appreciate this moment, embrace it all the way. Whatever doesn't, let it go.

One of the extraordinary services that Prem Rawat provides, as far as I can tell, is ushering people into this moment.

"Step right up, ladies and gentlemen. Step right up! Welcome to the Greatest Show on Earth -- YOU!"

No matter where you're from or what your plans might be for tomorrow, this is the moment -- the field beyond right-doing and wrong-doing that Rumi wrote about. The peace that passes all understanding. Or, as a very bald Zen Master once said, "What is there at this moment that you lack?"

HINT: Nothing.

There is nothing that you lack -- especially not the stuff on your bucket list. It's fine, of course, to have a bucket list, but it's also fine for that bucket to be full right now.

It's raining! It's pouring! Fill your bucket now and drink!

PremRawat.com
TimelessToday
The Prem Rawat Foundation

Photo: Lubomirkin on Unsplash

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:17 AM | Comments (0)

September 17, 2023
Sweeping the Path

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As a middle class American male with a healthy dose of resistance to household chores, the broom has never been one of my favorite tools.

While I've certainly appreciated its timeless design and universal appeal, the act of sweeping has always felt like somebody else's job.

This belief radically changed for me one fine Spring day in 1980. That was the day I got word that Prem Rawat was coming to visit the house I was living in -- a funky old dwelling on Detroit Street in mile high Denver, Colorado.

Clearly, my housemates and I weren't ready. The kitchen was dirty. The bathrooms were a wreck. The lawn needed mowing. Mucho stuff needed to be done.

My task? To sweep.

Grabbing a broom like some kind of over-caffeinated Clint Eastwood on steroids, I pushed open the front door, surveyed the scene, and got busy.

The porch was a piece of cake. A few flicks of the wrist, a few energetic downward strokes in both directions and I was done -- leaves, twigs, and dust sailing over the edge onto the waiting lawn below.

Now it was time for the front walkway.

A sweep to the left. A sweep to the right. A sweep to the left again -- me a human metronome in tune with something beyond time. Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.

I paused to view my handiwork. "Not bad, not bad at all," I thought to myself.

But though the porch and walk were much cleaner than before, my increasingly perceptive sweeper's vision was seeing things it hadn't noticed just ten minutes ago: a pebble stuck between cracks, a rusty bottlecap, a flattened piece of wax.

Whoosh to the left. Whoosh to the right. Whoosh to the left again.

It felt good getting ready, good preparing the way for the man who, nine years ago, had shown me -- in a heartbeat -- what the core of my life was really all about.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

Ta da! The porch was clean! The path was clear! All was right with the world! But wait! The sidewalk, in front of the house, was a complete mess. Bits of paper were everywhere. Plastic spoons. Shards of glass. And dirt, dirt, dirt.

Obviously, I had more work to do.

Whoosh to the left. Whoosh to the right. Whoosh to the left again.

I closed my eyes. I took a breath. I opened my eyes again. But wait! The road in front of the house was a wreck -- the very same road the person I loved the most in the world would need to cross if he parked his car on the north side of the street. Cigarette butts, oil spots, and leaves were everywhere. My hands began to twitch. My mind began to race. Wherever I looked, nothing was ready to receive him. Nothing was good enough. The world, it seemed to me, was one gigantic mess.

I wondered how far onto Detroit Street I needed to sweep -- how far I needed to go to prepare the way. At this rate, I might never come back.

And then, like one of those moments I used to read about in Zen Buddhism books, it hit me.

It wasn't the front porch that needed sweeping. It wasn't the path... the sidewalk... or the street. It was me. I was the one that needed to be swept -- swept of my clutter, swept of my assumptions, swept of whatever junk stood in the way of being able to receive Prem Rawat in a way that was as impeccable as possible.

Here's what I understood: I didn't need to sweep the porch. I didn't need to sweep the street. I didn't need to shine my shoes... or cut the grass... or buy a suit... or lose five pounds... or iron my shirt... or paint the house... or wash the car... or buy a dozen roses. I could, of course, if I wanted to.

I could if these things really needed to be done. But something else deep within me was going on -- something way more central to my life than what things appeared like on the outside.

And that's what I wanted to be as clean as possible.


PremRawat.com

i4Joy.com
TimelessToday.tv

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:09 AM | Comments (0)

November 30, 2022
KIM O'LEARY: Find the Endless Love

Kim's website

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:41 PM | Comments (0)

September 14, 2022
ON MY WAY BACK FROM AMAROO: Knowledge in Action

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Here is the beginning of a real life "Knowledge in Action" story about my mythic journey back home from Amaroo -- beginning with the curious phenomenon of my first leg of the return flight from Brisbane to Sydney NOT EXISTING! There was no Qantas flight 503 and my phone didn't work and there were no Qantas employees on duty (it being 2:29 am) and there was no obvious way to get any assistance.

But that was just the Fellini appetizer.

The LA to Newark flight sat on the runway for two hours. Then we "deplaned" -- waiting for another, much older, plane to be cleaned and "catered." The caterers, apparently, onboarded enough peanuts, but they forgot the air!

There was no air conditioning! There was no circulating air on the plane!

It got so bad on the second plane, still on the runway after one more hour, that the too-cheerful flight attendant advised us all to find the laminated safety card in our seat back pocket and FAN ourselves with it.

I shit you not.

The uncirculated air kept getting hotter and hotter and we again deplaned while the ground crew (a caffeinated guy named "Clarence" trying to get the air flowing) did his/their best to fill the plane with something to breathe while a few hundred of us -- some having "traveled" 30 hours from Australia -- sat at Gate 72A and waited for the next chapter of United Airline's Mahabharata to unfold.

The good news?

I got a chance to practice Prem Rawat's gift of Knowledge, post-Amaroo -- a chance to walk the talk -- a chance to stay in my heart, be in the moment and adapt as needed, staying connected to gratitude, not just theoretically, via bumper sticker memes, but real-time, breath by breath.

One of the things I love about what Prem Rawat teaches is that it's very practical. It's a lifeline to the moment and the kind of perspective that enables a person to BE wherever they are.

THIS JUST IN! The "missing part" that United was searching for to get the air going has apparently arrived! Soon the plane will be boarding (for the third time today) and if all goes well and no one hi-jacks the plane to Cuba, I should be back home by 3:30 am.

Oh, one more thing: I will be writing a very loooooong letter to the CEO of United Airlines, requesting a free round trip to anywhere in the world.

Power to the People and a big shout out to whatever YOU do to keep you present and maintaining your perspective about what's really important -- no matter what's going on in this great play of life.

PS: I just reboarded the plane. The air is just as hot as it was before we deplaned. But there were BLANKETS on each seat.

PEAK: Prem's free online course
PremRawat.com
TimelessToday

Photo: Tim Gouw, Unsplash

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:49 AM | Comments (0)

July 19, 2022
Prem Rawat's Livestreamed Milan Knowledge Review

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"Your need for joy, to be fulfilled -- for that you have to turn inside. That's where you will find it -- in you!" - Prem Rawat

The human need for joy and fulfillment is universal, independent of nationality, language, or religion. When it comes right down to it, everyone wants to feel good and get the most out of life. This is Prem Rawat's work. This is what he's all about. And this is what he was focusing on in his July 16 Knowledge Review in Milan, Italy.

Read more about it on his website.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:16 PM | Comments (0)

July 03, 2022
Your Best Self

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Prem Rawat's Official YouTube channel
The benefits of practicing Self-Knowledge

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:53 AM | Comments (0)

March 23, 2022
How Has the Practice of Knowledge Changed Your Life for the Better?

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Dear Friends:

I have an invitation for you -- one I hope you will find inspiring. Here goes:

For those of you who have received Knowledge from Prem Rawat, in 35 words or less, please email me a testimonial about how it has changed your life for the better. In other words, how would you describe the impact/benefit of Knowledge in your life?

The audience for your testimonial will be the general public.

Some of the testimonials will be included in a future article about the value of Knowledge that will be published on PremRawat.com.

If your testimonial is used, it may be edited for length and readability. If so, I will send you the edited version before it is published so you have a chance to sign off and give permission for it to be used.

If you are willing and able to respond, please forward your testimonial to editor@premrawat.com by April 1. And be sure to include your first and last names. Thank you!

All the Best,
Mitch Ditkoff
Content Editor, PremRawat.com

Photo: Zac Durant, Unsplash

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:09 AM | Comments (0)

March 22, 2022
Draw a Breath, Not a Line

Throughout history and even last Thursday, inner-directed people on the so-called "spiritual path", have had a tendency to perceive the world as "maya" -- the fancy sanskrit name for "illusion."

I used to feel this way a lot.

Back in the early days of my adolescent quest for meaning, I had a curious habit of drawing lines in the sand. On one side of the line was the "inner life" -- the place where God lived (or if not lived, at least vacationed). On the other side of the line was "the world." You know -- the laughable detritus of life on planet Earth: relationships, shopping malls, money, politics, ego, organized religion, high school geometry, taxes, Frosted Flakes, and anything I didn't understand, agree with, or like.

Somehow, it made me feel good to draw these lines -- not unlike the way Democrat and Republican spin doctors strut their stuff on CNN after each political debate.

Well... I would like to take this late night blogospheric moment to humbly apologize to all of those whose lives I somehow judged by my habitual line-drawing behavior.

I see things differently now -- kind of like that old Zen story...

Two young monks, one fine day, found themselves existentially arguing over whether it was the wind or the flag that was moving. Unable to agree, they sought the counsel of their teacher.

"Master, oh Master" they asked, "is it the wind or the flag that is moving?"

"Neither," the Master replied. "It's your mind that is moving."

And so, dear friend, if you find yourself judging anyone these days, including yourself, chill. It's a total waste of time -- especially when you could be enjoying the very thing you were born for.

Draw a breath, not a line.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:22 AM | Comments (8)

February 07, 2021
The First in a Series of Prem's Quotes on Self-Knowledge (excerpted from "Hear Yourself")

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Prem Rawat doesn't just talk about personal peace. He offers a practical way to access it. He calls this experience "self-knowledge" and it is the core of his message. What follows are excerpts from his new book that will help you better understand the nature of what he offers. As you'll note, after each excerpt, there is a question to reflect on -- a simple way for you to apply Prem's message to your own life. Enjoy!

"Gaining knowledge about the self is a process of discovery, of uncovering who we are."

What are you committed to discovering?


"I find there is a lot of confused intellectual noise around the topic of understanding the self, but the purpose of gaining self-knowledge could hardly be simpler; it's about us experiencing that refreshing clarity, deep fulfillment, and profound, immeasurable joy -- and many, many other wonders -- by being at one with the universe of peace within us."

What does "peace" mean to you?


"Every day brings a new opportunity for us to express ourselves -- a new blank page waiting to be filled. Self-knowledge can help us write something memorable, something joyful, something true to who we truly are. Something full of meaning."

What do you think "self-knowledge" is?


"Self-knowledge is a route to personal peace... Practicing it enables me to stay centered and grounded ... With Knowledge, there's no need to be anywhere else or think anything else. No need for an awareness of anything other than the sweet delight of being."

What do you already do to center yourself?


"Self-knowledge is like music -- as you start to understand yourself, you begin to hear the many beautiful sounds this life can play for you. It's as if your ears are becoming attuned to more and more frequencies."

What would you like to be more attuned to in your life?


"Only I can write the story of my life and only you can write yours. Each day we need to pick up our pen and write what is in our heart. Let the ink flow."

If you were going to write the story of the rest of your life, what would the title be?


"What's at stake when we allow our inner self to remain hidden -- when we live unconsciously? Well, we forsake the most precious thing we have: our experience of life itself. We can also suffer all sorts of mental and emotional pain. And we might also project our pain onto those we love, and on the world around us. Self-knowledge connects us with the opposite of all this: all that is good in us.”

Take a few minutes now to acknowledge some of good things about yourself


Prem's new book
12 Ways to Learn More About Prem Rawat's Message of Peace
An introduction to Prem's online course (PEAK)

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:57 PM | Comments (0)

May 27, 2017
The Supreme Art of the Teacher

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TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:08 PM | Comments (0)

November 30, 2013
Dancing on the Inside

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There's something inside of everyone that is fully alive, joyful, and dancing. Find it in yourself!

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Where Peace Dances
Words of Peace Global

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:42 AM | Comments (0)

January 27, 2013
It's About Awakening

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Excerpted from Amaroo, 9/14
Online videos of Prem Rawat
Schedule of Prem Rawat on TV

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:51 AM | Comments (0)

October 16, 2012
YO, I Say Unto You...

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Confirmed events with Prem Rawat
Videos of Prem Rawat
The Ten Commandments for Visiting a Spiritual Retreat

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:22 AM | Comments (0)

August 19, 2012
A Word to the Wise

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More goodies
Words of Peace Global

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:24 PM | Comments (0)

July 14, 2012
Texas Prisoners Find Inner Peace

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Here's an extraordinary fact: There are more people living in US jails than live in the entire state of New Mexico.

Based on the latest data, the combined inmate population of correctional facilities in the United States is currently about 2.35 million.

The cost to the US Government? $74 billion dollars. That's $30,600 per prisoner. Those are staggering numbers. But even more staggering are the recidivism rates. 60% of all prisoners released from jail eventually return.

Clearly, the prison system is broken -- not just in this country, but in the world. Attempts at rehabilitation -- and there have been many -- have simply not worked. Until recently.

The Prem Rawat Foundation's (TPRF) Peace Education Program, now being piloted in Texas' Dominguez State Prison, is getting extraordinary results. Here is the story (be sure to watch the video).

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More about the program in Spanish.
More about the Peace Education Program
Inmate expressions
Letters from Prison officials
Recent PEP news
TPRF
Words of Peace Global

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Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:00 AM | Comments (0)

January 25, 2012
Spread This Knowledge

More
Hear him speak on 1/29

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:20 PM | Comments (0)

January 24, 2012
Prem Rawat in Long Beach, 1/29

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Long Beach, California, located 20 miles south of downtown Los Angeles, is the 36th largest city in the US and the 7th largest in California -- with a population of 465,000.

On Sunday, January 29th, its population will increase by another 2,000 or so -- at least for the evening -- as people from far and wide will be flocking to the Long Beach Convention Center, at 6:00 pm, for an inspired presentation by Prem Rawat, widely known as "Maharaji". Admission is free, but if you want to attend, please click here to request an invitation. The event is open to everyone.

Short video clips of Prem Rawat
Longer videos of Prem Rawat
More

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:10 PM | Comments (0)

January 20, 2012
Longing for Long Beach on 1/29!

Turn up the volume! Go full screen! Here is a fun way that Stuart Hoffman, Jennifer Edwards, and Hannah Blake are getting the word out about Prem Rawat's upcoming Long Beach event on 1/29. Forward it to family and friends! Dance! Sing! Breathe! Do whatever it takes to get there on 1/29. And if you can't, watch it two weeks later here.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:42 PM | Comments (1)

January 17, 2012
Introducing the Premium Channel!

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Words of Peace Global
has just launched an exciting, new service -- the Premium Channel, which will make Prem Rawat's most recent talks available online within two weeks of his public presentations.

Premium Channel broadcasts will be high quality, full length, and available every Friday night (give or take a few). This new feature is a departure from previous WOPG "Lifestreams", insofar as the Premium Channel will be pay-per-view. WOPG.org will continue offering lots of videos, online, for free.

More info about it here.
Watch the premiere

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:53 PM | Comments (0)

January 16, 2012
The Unchain Letter

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Unless you've been in a coma for the past 20 years, chances are good you've received more than your share of "chain letters" -- those quirky communications that start off singing the praises of something or other, but end up warning you that if you don't forward the letter to ten people in the next 24 hours your nose will fall off.

This is not one of those letters.

It is not a chain letter. It's an unchain letter -- a communication about something with the power to free you from whatever is holding you down... or back... or upside down.

This letter is an experiment, my curious way of finding out whether my intention to let people know about Prem Rawat's upcoming events in Miami Beach and Long Beach, CA is strong enough to find its way to one million people by next Saturday.

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I don't know if it's possible.

But what I DO know is that if YOU and the other 10 people I forwarded it to are willing to forward it to another 10 who, in turn, forward it to another 10 (with no one ever fearing their nose will fall off), good things will happen.

Bottom line, I want to let everyone know that Prem Rawat (aka Maharaji) will be speaking at public events on 1/22 and 1/29.

What's he going to talk about? What really matters.

Here's what some of my friends who saw Maharaji in Woodstock for the first time had to say about their experience of seeing him.

Deborah Cohen
Barbara Schacker
Evelyne Pouget
Richard and Mary Ann Erickson
Ron Brent
Ilfra Halley
Mary Jane Fahey

OK? Want to play? All you need to do is forward this link to 10 people.

Hey, in these days of meltdown, heartbreak, and war, we all need something with the power to inspire, uplift, and liberate.

Here's your shot.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:37 AM | Comments (0)

December 31, 2011
Don't Go Without, Go Within!

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More
The Keys

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:46 AM | Comments (0)

December 06, 2011
Just in Case You're Interested

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For those of you are intrigued by Prem Rawat's message, I'd like to direct your attention to some resources that will give you more of a sense of what it's all about. In a time when too many people are down, deflated, and depressed, this man is showing a simple way to access what's real, joyful, and timeless within the human heart.

A FEW SIMPLE WAYS TO FIND OUT MORE

Words of Peace Global
Special videos
The Keys
Event videos
Mobile apps
Recent news
On the road
TV schedule
Blog
Publications
How to volunteer
Introductory cards
Become a sponsor
Online store

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:30 AM | Comments (0)

November 25, 2011
Duck!

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When I was a young boy, I loved to swim in the ocean in a place called Jones Beach. Happy to be out of the suburbs for the day, I'd run into the water, make my way out to the biggest waves, and body surf as far as possible into shore. Again and again and again. I wasn't a great body surfer, but good enough to have a lot of fun.

Of course, there were always those moments, standing out there in the shifting sands beneath my feet, when a monster wave would appear, gathering force like some kind of outtake from a 1950's Japanese disaster movie.

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It didn't take a whole lot of smarts to realize that those waves were way too big for me to ride -- forces of nature not only over my head, but entirely out of my league.

I had only one choice: duck.

So duck I did, holding my breath and feeling torrents of water swarming over my head.

When I think about the Knowledge that Maharaji reveals, I think about my boyhood ocean adventures.

The world, with all it's gathering force, often feels like a wave -- the rising stuff of life sometimes just too intense to ride, even for the most athletic and trusting among us.

Sometimes you just gotta duck and find the place inside you that is free of the pulls, free of all the tidal ups and downs.

Please don't get me wrong. I am not talking about avoidance, retraction, or refusing to engage in the dance of life. Far from it.

I'm talking about having the option and the know how to slip beneath the rising tide of madness often swirling all around you. On the streets. On the job. And ultimately, in your own oceanic mind.

What John Lennon had to say about it
Words of Peace Global
The Keys
Humanitarian Aid

Photo
Photo

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:25 PM | Comments (0)

November 07, 2011
The Bridge

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Source

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:46 PM | Comments (1)

November 06, 2011
The Debate Goes On

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Click
here
for a
wonderful
article
on the
Words
of
Peace
Global
blog
by Glen Whittaker.
Inspiring message.
Well written.
Takes three minutes to read.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:04 AM | Comments (0)

August 18, 2011
"Inside, I Am a Good Man"

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Here is an inspiring article, from the Words of Peace Global website, about the impact of Maharaji's message of peace in a South African prison. Thanks to San Francisco Jim for the heads up!
More

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:45 PM | Comments (0)

July 02, 2011
Join the Participation Party!

If you are enjoying the gift of Knowledge and want to help out in any way, there are tons of opportunities to do so. No matter what your schedule, skills, or location, there is something for everyone. Join in the fun. Turn theory into practice. Be part of the inspired effort to help Maharaji spread his message of peace.

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"The most important thing is that the feeling of participation has to come from your heart. It cannot be a mandatory thing. It has to come from your heart." - Maharaji

More
About Maharaji (aka Prem Rawat)

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:43 AM | Comments (0)

June 02, 2011
Stone Walls Do Not a Prison Make

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Inmates in correctional facilities around the world are listening to Prem Rawat's message of peace... and responding in extraordinary ways. Like this, for example, from a prisoner in Texas:

"Thank you for providing a perspective that has given my life significance, meaning, and most of all, peace applied directly to the wounds of my life that personally, privately, and powerfully give me the direction I longed for."

More

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:23 AM | Comments (0)

March 06, 2011
The Axle of Creation's Wheel

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Here is
a really nice blog posting
on Words of Peace Global
by Alan Roettinger
on what's
really real --
the "thing"
you can
depend on
when everything else
is
slip sliding away.
A very good reminder...

Source
Illustration: Sara Shaffer

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:13 PM | Comments (0)

February 26, 2011
Strokes of a Hammer

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Here is a
very rich posting,
newly published on the
Words of Peace Global blog
by one of my favorite people
on the planet --
Julian West.
If you haven't seen
the wopg blog yet,
now's your chance --
a selection of juicy
first person expressions
by a cross-section of
people who love Maharaji
and practice his techniques
for tapping into
the wellspring of peace within.

More.
Illustration: Sara Shaffer

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:52 AM | Comments (0)

February 25, 2011
It's Like Water

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One thing I love about Maharaji's message is this: it's for everyone -- these women from India, truck drivers from Ghana, doctors from Australia, housewives from America, waiters from Germany. And everyone in between. The experience he reveals is like water, he once said. It doesn't matter if you're a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian. Both kinds of people need water. And that's what he's offering.

On the road with Maharaji
Peace Cards
Inspiring videos
Photo from wopg.org

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:19 AM | Comments (0)

February 10, 2011
Take Me Home

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Last night, exhausted from a long day's work, 150 miles from home, I found myself sitting in my car in a darkened New Jersey parking lot, dreading the ride home.

Yes, my wonderful wife and kids were waiting for me at the end of the journey. And yes, I had a chocolate covered protein bar, water, and 5 CD player. But I also had a sinking feeling that, out here in the boonies, many miles from the interstate, the chances of me getting home without getting lost were slim to none.

I glanced at the directions written on a 3x5 card by my trusty assistant. They read like some kind of Hammurabi's code. "Go 0.73 miles and turn right at the fourth light after the second hardware store."

My eyes glazed over.

Here, in the boonies, I knew every wrong turn meant more time away from home and the endless turning into gas stations asking baffled attendants how to get back on the highway.

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Then I remembered my GPS stashed in the glove compartment.

I plugged it in. I powered up. I waited. Take Me Home flashed on the screen. Take Me Home! Like the little kid in ET, I pointed and pushed.

And then? The reassuring voice of the GPS lady filled my car with comfort, letting me know I needed to turn right... then, in 100 feet... turn left at Buckley Boulevard."

And all I had to do was drive.

This, metaphorically speaking, is the situation we're all in -- trying to find our way home with the least amount of wasted effort.

For me, the Knowledge Maharaji reveals is a wonderful GPS. When I'm plugged into it and paying attention, it guides me home in the simplest of ways. No driving in circles. No missed exits. No wondering if I'm on the right road.

My wish for you today, dear friends, is a simple one: that you find your GPS. If it's stashed in the glove compartment, I hope you take it out. If it's installed in your dashboard, I hope you turn it on. And if you don't have one, I hope you get one soon.

I can't tell you what kind of GPS works best because I haven't tried them all, but I can tell you that you don't need to waste your time squinting at directions. Getting back home is simpler than you think.

Bon voyage!

More about my GPS

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:03 PM | Comments (3)

January 23, 2011
Words of Peace Global Website

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As most of you know, I am a big fan of Prem Rawat and have been his student since 1971. He is, quite simply, the most amazing person I have ever met -- a man with an extraordinary gift of love to give the world.

What you may not know is that his website is a great way to learn more about his work and what the essence of his message is...


About Words of Peace Global

About Prem Rawat

Lifestream (video premieres)

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Special videos

Event videos

Videos in languages other than English

On the road with Maharaji

Around the world

Humanitarian aid

Event schedule

Events map

Maharaji on TV

Exploring the Keys

Keys: frequently asked questions

Video clips

Audio clips

Maharaji's words set to music

Stories excerpted from Maharaji's talks

Virtual Peace Cards

Publications (read online or order hard copy)

Introductory cards (download and print)

iPhone app

Materials in languages other than English

Volunteer opportunities

How to donate

Gallery of photos from events

Blog

PS: If you know people who may be interested in Maharaji's message, please feel free to forward them this link.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:45 AM | Comments (0)

December 28, 2010
Snow Day!

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Growing up in New York, there were three things I found utterly amazing: the accents of people from other places, baseball, and snow days.

If you're from California, Mexico, or Hawaii, you probably know what the first two are all about. But the third? Allow me to explain.

A snow day, for those of you who have never experienced winter, is an unexpected day off from school granted by a benevolent universe. You go to bed at night, dreading your history test the next day, and wake up with three feet of snow outside your window -- your mother telling you (having just heard it on the radio) that school is closed.

It's a snow day!

Somehow, while you slept, the whole world shut down. Everything came to a halt. The only thing you can see out your window is a solitary bird looking for food and the kid next door, arms outstretched, making snow angels.

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You jump for joy! Yahoo! Hallelujah!

Gone is the need to rush through breakfast. Gone is the need to catch the bus. Gone is the need to perform.

All bets are off. Your time is your own. You are free!

You look out the window and everything is white. The jagged edges of the world have been softened, curved, and relaxed. Everything is still, as if the God you've heard so much about in Sunday school has just hit the pause button.

You have time to slow down, time to do nothing at all -- and feel really good about it. After all, this isn't a sick day, it's a snow day -- a complete and utter gift... an unexpected bit of grace... an inheritance you didn't realize was on its way.

For me, the gift my Teacher gives is a bit like that.

And the ultimate beauty of the whole thing? You don't have to wait for an "Act of God," while you sleep, to enjoy its benefits. It's with you every second of the day, every breath.

More
Photo
Photo

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:54 AM | Comments (1)

December 13, 2010
I Want to Tell You About My Master

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A few nights ago, I was sitting in my kitchen with my wife, Evelyne, and our good friend Hudson.

Hudson had recently been diagnosed with cancer and the sobering reality of life's fragility was upon us. As we sat there, we started talking about how our lives would change if we knew we only had another year to live. We each took turns reflecting on what we would do differently -- what we'd stop doing, what we'd start doing, and what would guide our choices. For me, a few things became clear: 1) I'd take the practice of Knowledge more seriously; 2) I'd stop worrying about all the crap that now occupies my mind; 3) I'd dive a lot deeper into writing about the beauty of having a living Master in my life.

Towards that end, here's a little something I wrote a few years ago. I want to share it with you now, while I'm still alive. Enjoy!

I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT MY MASTER

I want to tell you about my Master,
the one who teaches from within,
that like a heartbeat longing to be heard
becomes the twin I never knew I had.
Him! That one!
He is calling me,
not with music, that would be too easy,
but with silence --
that's his choir!
I cannot describe him,
my words only exclude.
Better simply to say, "The one I love,"
answer to a prayer much too subtle
for anyone else to hear,
keeper of the flame,
who I am, was, and will be
when there's no one around to remember my name,
why you like candlelight,
want a child, dream,
the one with no other master plan but love.
I have met this man,
or should I say observed,
struck dumb by his simplicity
and the unspeakable glory of seeing
what these eyes first opened for.

More

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:27 PM | Comments (1)

November 07, 2010
Plain Sight

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Click here
for the second
in a series
of weekly blog postings
- this one by Joel Metzger -
now being
published by
Words of Peace Global,
the always evolving website
that communicates
all about the message
of Prem Rawat (aka Maharaji).
Take a look.
Joel deftly describes
the phenomenon of
how what we're looking for
is right in front of us.

Illustration: Sara Shaffer
(Can you find the parrot)

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:11 PM | Comments (1)

September 30, 2010
The One Minute Seeker

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In days gone by, classic seekers had to endure a ton of trials and tribulations to find what they were looking for.

They walked across deserts. They fasted. They hunted for the One in faraway places.

No more. Those days are over. The game has changed. Things have heated up, big time.

Now, that which you are looking for is looking for you. Your inner questing for something timeless, pure, and full of love has been responded to.

Really. Click here to find out more.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:01 AM | Comments (2)

May 19, 2010
Falling in Love?

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There's a phrase in the English language that makes no sense to me even though I've used it hundreds of times: "Falling in love."

Falling? Really?

Certainly there must be a better way to describe one of the sweetest feelings a human being can have. Falling isn't exactly the word we associate with great experiences.

The stock market falls. The temperature falls. Civilizations fall. Adam fell from grace. Nobody in their right mind really wants to fall.

Falling is all about coming down, descending.

Love, on the other hand, is an elevation, a rising, a being uplifted.

Then again, if you stop to think about it, the phrase "falling in love" makes some sense -- because the act of falling ends in "hitting bottom."

The phenomenon is all too recognizable. You meet someone special. Your heart opens. You're flying, you're free, you're feeling no pain -- not unlike the feeling of weightlessness that comes from falling.

Eventually, however, the falling ends. You land. Hard. The object of your devotion, proves less than unconditional. Their attentions drift. Their flaws become apparent. And so begins the painful process of falling out of love.

But it doesn't have to be that way.

There IS a love that is unconditional. There is a love that only gets better with time -- a love that neither disappoints or disillusions.

Human beings have been searching for this love from the beginning of time.

That's what Maharaji talks about. And that's what he reveals to those who truly thirst to experience it.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:31 AM | Comments (0)

March 22, 2010
Find the Key

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Find Out More

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:45 AM | Comments (0)

May 30, 2009
In Plain Sight

This 3D animation, by Joel Metzger, is quite lovely -- a simple story that communicates the basic need we all have to discover what often seems hidden from sight. Joel worked on this project for a year and "would love to see everyone expressing their best discoveries in their own medium." Well then, what IS your medium? And how can you use it more effectively to help make visible that which often seems hidden from sight?

Plain Sight from Joel Metzger / JoelM3DM on Vimeo.

Related story

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:21 AM | Comments (1)

November 29, 2008
Diving In Deeper

If you are new to Heart of the Matter, chances are good you've only seen a small percentage of what's available to you here -- more than 200 postings of all kinds: videos, slide shows, excerpts and reports from Maharaji's events, stories, personal reflections, poetry, humor, a talking puppet, links to cool resources, and much more.

You can always access the most recent 30 postings by logging onto the site and scrolling down. For the rest of the content, you'll need to click on the archives (in the sidebar beneath "Recent Entries"). But since you're already here right now, all you need to do is click the link below for a hot-linked list of all past postings. (If you find something you like, please feel free to forward it to friends, acquaintances, family, or neighbors. That's how word about this blog is getting out.)

Heart of the Matter Monthly Archives

October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

Photo by Durango99

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:12 PM | Comments (0)

November 19, 2008
EXPONENTIAL TIMES: The Avalanche

A few years ago, Maharaji spoke about something he called "The Avalanche" -- a phenomenon that would enable people all over the world to hear about his message and, with the availability of The Keys and a growing number of Knowledge Session facilitators, find it easier than ever to receive his gift. How will that happen? I don't know. But the video below, produced by Sony, may offer some clues. QUESTION: In what ways might you and your community use technology more effectively and creatively to communicate what's in your heart?

Thanks to Alan Roettinger for the link.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:07 PM | Comments (0)

September 30, 2008
Thirst Quench Thirst

Hello... You can hear nothing but the sound of my voice.

You are lovingly placing your cursor over the hotlinked phrase below, clicking once and buying at least one copy of my new book of poetry, Thirst Quench Thirst.

Do not concern yourself about whether or not you actually like poetry, read poetry, or have ever heard of me. Those concerns, while certainly understandable, are beside the point. Sometimes you just need to trust your instincts. Like now, for instance.

Some of the poems in this blog are excerpted from the book, so if you're still not sure, simply scroll around and read.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention, the book is only $15.00. At 72 pages, that's only $20.8 cents a page (1/18th the cost of a Starbuck's Frappucino). Such a deal!

Still need proof it's worth the money? Click below and check out the reviews:

Thirst, Quench Thirst evokes a memory of the deepest longings of the soul. Reading Mitch's poetry reminds me of what I already know, but often forget." -- Joan Apter

"This poetry has touched the deepest recesses of my heart." -- Dermott Philpott

"Mitch's poetry touches a universal human longing; the ache for internal connection to the divine. He speaks in a personal, simple, accessible way about things that are ancient and deep." -- Erika Andersen

"Most great love poetry baffles the mind, but delights the heart. And great love poetry cannot be written without great love. Mitch Ditkoff's poems are intoxicating." -- John Adorney

"This is the kind of nourishment that penetrates to the core of Divine Love, and if deeply imbibed, its sweet nectar can be savored for a lifetime." -- Jamie Delay

"Mitch mixed the most profound -- almost indescribable -- with the kind of simplicity that somehow manages to capture a feeling. Lovely stuff!" -- Candice Wilmore

"This book of poetry, delightful and charming, takes me right to the heart of the matter gently, often with wonderful humor! I read and re-read these poems just to take the ride." -- Kim Greene

"Not bad, but buy this book anyway so I can get a higher allowance." -- Jesse Pouget Ditkoff

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:23 PM | Comments (0)

September 25, 2008
If You Have the Thirst to Learn More About What Maharaji Offers...

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If you have the thirst to learn more about what Maharaji offers and know you want to receive Knowledge, there's a simple, practical way to prepare -- The Keys.

The Keys are a set of DVDs to help people, in the privacy of their own home, learn more about his method for tuning in to a deep place of inner peace. If you've already been viewing introductory DVDs or listening to introductory CDs, you may want to take your next step and view THE KEYS.

If you have friends interested in learning more about Maharaji and Knowledge, but are not yet committed to viewing The Keys,
forward them this link.

Or click below. It will take you to a set of other links, mostly from this blog, any one of which may help your friends on their way...

1. The One Minute Seeker

2. Home Base

3. VIDEO: Introducing Maharaji

4. Snow Day

5. Happy For No Reason

6. At The Threshold

7. VIDEO: What Is Maharaji's Role?

8. Looking for the Real

9. Words of Peace.org

10. Keep It Simple

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:40 PM | Comments (1)

September 24, 2008
The Temple of Your Heart

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I just came across these inspiring words from Maharaji on innerlink.tv. A timeless message, indeed...

"Look in you. Look in your heart. And you will find the truest essence of your existence. Look within you and you will find the most beautiful waters. Look within you and you will find your solutions. Look within you and you will find your answers. Answers to which you don't even have questions to yet.

The holiest of all scriptures that ever will be, will be in the temple of your heart."

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:11 PM | Comments (1)

August 01, 2008
NEWS: Maharaji's Broadcast to One Million People in India, Nepal, and Mauritius: 7/31/08

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Thanks to Dagmar Zierer, Cath Carroll, Jan Buchalter, and others for forwarding their recollections and impressions of the Derby, UK broadcast.

On July 31, from The Assembly Room in Derby, England, a broadcast of an event with Maharaji went live to more than one million people in India, Nepal and Mauritius in 4,000 centers and countless other locations.

Having completed his recent European tour of Madrid, Ljubljana, Glasgow, Birmingham, Warsaw, Corleone, Palermo, Gothenberg, Barcelona, Belfast, Berlin, Calpe, Bilbao, Torquay, Hinkley, Leicester and Tel Aviv, Maharaji was responding to an invitation for a broadcast event from people in India -- and beyond -- who hadn't yet seen him this year.

Before a local audience of about 1,200 people, mostly from Derby's Hindi speaking community, Maharaji spoke on a number of topics, including the role of the Master, recognition, and Knowledge.

The broadcast was recorded and will soon be available to Hindi speaking communities.

During his talk, Maharaji noted that when he goes to India later this year, events will be done in a different way -- something even more enjoyable than in the past:

"All I want is for you to experience the joy of Knowledge in your life," he said. "Events are not a social thing. Even if you lived on a desert island and experienced this, I would be happy. These are not just empty words. What I say, I back up. I can take you to a place within."

What follows are a selection of additional excerpts from the Derby broadcast. These excerpts are not verbatim, but are the paraphrased recollections of a few people who attended the event. Enjoy!

"That which can bring light in your darkened life is the Master --
the one who takes you out of unrest and brings you to peace."

"As soon as you get up in the morning, you remember that which preoccupies you -- be it your worries or your problems. If you worship your problems, they will increase. Instead, if you want to worry, worry about remembrance. 'May I have time today so I can practice'. But if you are really going to worship, this can only happen through the heart."

"The coming and going of my breath is my blessing."

"The true Master connects you with the inner feeling. If illusion is your Master, then the opposite happens. The consequences of devotion to the mind is a multitude of reasons which you end up using to justify any action."

"Whatever the Master says, the student should listen. Truth resides in the heart. If you want to be saved from the age of darkness, go within."

"The Master knows what you are looking for. The Master brings light into your darkened life. We have made the mind our made-up guru. Mind will have you look for God or peace everywhere -- except in the place where it is. Our nature is to get stuck in the mind, which promises joy, but never fulfills."

"The Master is the one who doesn't mind reminding you again and again. The Master reminds you to go towards your heart."

"The Master can only be recognized by one thing: not by his face, not by his physical appearance, but by what he gives: Knowledge.
This is a living Knowledge -- not bound by culture or anything at all."

"The Master sees a human being as a human being -- nothing else. The Master gives us Knowledge of the self."

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:24 PM | Comments (2)

June 18, 2008
PASSAGES: A Video Retrospective of Maharaji's Message

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Billy Fairchild just sent me this link to a fabulous series of eight online videos (repackaged for the internet from the original PASSAGES video produced by Kate McGowan and John McNelly in 2001 to celebrate Maharaji's 30th anniversary in the West). These 9-10 minute videos capture the essence of Maharaji's message, his spiritual roots, and the evolution of the way in which he's communicated his message since arriving in the West in 1971.

Includes engaging interviews with some of the people who were on the scene in the very beginning: Ron Geaves, Joan Apter, Charananand, Glen Whittaker, Peter Lee, Tim Gallwey, John Hampton, and others.
Enjoy!

(And if you haven't had a chance to respond to the recent Heart of the Matter poll click here. Will take you three minutes.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:40 AM | Comments (0)

June 03, 2008
The Book I Wanted to Buy My Mother

For many years I wanted to buy a book for my mother -- a book that would explain everything... what I hadn't or couldn't explain since I had been old enough to notice my mother wasn't all that happy and, Lord knows, I wanted my mother to be happy and if not "happy" per se, then at least aware of what it was that made me, her son, happy -- the "thing" that for so many years she thought was a phase I was going through and, even worse, some kind of heartless rejection of her and her way of life.

Yes, I wanted to buy my mother a book that would explain it all -- the whole "New Age thing," the whole "Guru thing," the whole "it's OK that I don't eat your veal parmagiana any more because I'm a vegetarian thing." Somebody must have written it. Somebody must have noticed the market niche of "mothers over 60 who worry why their high performing sons have gone spiritual."

And so, I went looking for this book. Like some people look for God. And though I never found it, I did find some reasonable facsimiles -- cleverly titled books displayed by the check out counter, conceived by marketing geniuses who somehow knew my need -- the need a son has to make his mother smile and nod her head approvingly... the book that would keep my mother company during those long nights when her husband was working late and her children were asleep and there was nothing good on TV. The ultimate self-help book that would remove her worries, her doubts, and her exponentially growing fears of thinking her son had gone off the deep end for "receiving Knowledge" from that young boy from India.

I wanted my mother to know how beautiful life was and how simple it could be to experience that beauty. I wanted her to know there was something timeless within her, something beyond the stress of aging and the clipping of coupons.

Maybe it was selfish of me, but I wanted to buy my mother a book that, like the tooth fairy, would deliver some proof that love was the name of the game... and that (bite your tongue and spit three times) the act of "receiving Knowledge" from Maharaji was as natural and healthy as chicken soup.

Eight years ago my mother died from a four-year bout with emphysema. During my six-day stay with my father after the funeral, I discovered the books I had given her all these past years. Most of them had never been opened. Like some strange mix of Stonehenge rubble, they lay in piles all around... on her night table, on her desk, stuffed behind cookbooks, in the garage. Some, when you opened them, still had that new book crackling sound. All of them had this fortune cookie like quality -- like no matter what page you turned to, some kind of bite sized wisdom was waiting.

I don't think I was sad she didn't read them. Just disappointed. Or maybe it was more like resignation -- the kind teenagers feel when they realize their parents just don't get it.

Looking back, I realize now that no book would have been sufficient to have given my mother. No. I wanted her to have the experience the books were describing, not the description of the experience. As my teacher, Maharaji, has said many times, if you are thirsty, you need water to drink, not the description of water.

Ultimately, that's what Maharaji's offer is all about: helping people find the water -- the naturally occurring well of well-being inside us all. It's something my dear, sweet, canasta playing, veal parmagiana making mother would have definitely appreciated.

Photo by Weeping Willow

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:53 AM | Comments (1)

May 07, 2008
In the Time It Would Take You to Brush Your Teeth, Watch This...

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:57 PM | Comments (0)

April 24, 2008
The Inner Game of Life

Tim Gallwey, author of the Inner Game of Tennis, the Inner Game of Work, and a number of other brilliant books on what abides at the core of a human being, speaks about his experience of meeting Maharaji and the value of Knowledge. Well worth viewing. Six minutes is all it takes.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:58 PM | Comments (0)

Welcome to Mitch Ditkoff's blog about what's really important in this life: Peace, gratitude, love, joy, clarity, and the effort required to wake up and smell the roses. Enjoy!

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