The Heart of the Matter
March 16, 2024
"What Ever Happens, Don't Stop Being Thankful for Being Here"

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Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:37 PM | Comments (0)

January 04, 2024
Still Feeling Cranky?

Based on my observations over the past six decades, there seems to be a big fat concept that is very common among peace-seeking individuals -- well-meaning, heart-centered people engaged in some kind of "consciousness practice".

When push comes to shove (or namaste comes to the mall) it doesn't seem to matter all that much what path these peace-seeking people walk. The same big fat concept seems to show up everywhere.

And here it is: peace-seeking people should somehow, always be in a state of bliss, oneness, equanimity, and gratitude.

Nice concept, wrong universe.

Yes, of course, all of us are capable of the above -- a most worthy aspiration. But to assume we should always be there (and that there is something wrong with us if we're not) is just a bunch of BS. Even the Dalai Lama gets angry.

Big-time enlightened beings have bad moods and bad days. Shit happens. We are all human beings. And all human beings, no matter how committed they are to experiencing the highest states of consciousness have a tendency to get into their heads from time to time.

This is not a problem. This is life. The problem happens when we think it's a problem and then affect some kind of smiley face, bobblehead doll "beyond it all" persona.

The following story from my own life speaks to this phenomenon.

Two years ago I was invited to be part of a team of people to facilitate online Zoom break out sessions as part of a training program that Prem Rawat was putting together. Our role was a simple one -- to provide a safe haven for participants to express themselves and process what they'd been experiencing after listening to Prem.

The standard protocol for kicking off our weekly meetings was for the coordinator of the project to facilitate a "personal check-in" process -- one that gave each of us a chance, in 30 seconds or less, to let the rest of our teammates know how we were doing.

If you've ever been on a Zoom call, the visual for this should be well-known to you by now -- a few screens of "video thumbnails", along with each person's name, in small type, beneath their image.

At this particular session, I noticed that at the bottom right-hand corner of the screen was Prem Rawat's thumbnail -- a placeholder photo of him and his name. I thought this was a very nice touch and a simple way for everyone on the team to remember who our client really was.

In a way, Prem's photo at the bottom right hand corner of the screen felt like setting a place for Elijah at the Passover table. No one actually expects Elijah to show up, but it is a respectful thing to do and an effective way for everyone to maintain a bigger perspective.

One by one, the project coordinator asked each of us to check in and let the rest of the team know how we were doing. The answers were fairly predictable -- usually something like, "I'm very happy to be here today" or "I'm feeling really grateful" or "I'm so thrilled to be part of this wonderful project."

When it was my turn to respond, my answer surprised me and everyone else.

"I'm feeling cranky," I said -- which was absolutely true, even though I realized it was not the kind of response likely to make my teammates feel all warm and fuzzy.

For some reason, at that specific moment in time, that's exactly how I was feeling. I wasn't feeling blissed out, grateful, happy, appreciative, or peaceful. I was feeling cranky. So that's what I said.

There was a bit of silence after that and then I noticed that the photo thumbnail of Prem at the bottom right hand corner of the Zoom screen was morphing into his actual face. Like the rest of us, he was on the call and, apparently, had been listening to the proceedings for a while.

Noticing this, the facilitator graciously welcomed Prem and gave him the floor.

"Still feeling cranky, Mitch?" was the first thing he said.

"Not at this particular moment," I replied with a laugh.

That moment was a memorable one for me. It confirmed something I had always known in my bones, but didn't always live full out -- that all I needed to do was be myself, that I wasn't here to perform, pretend or be anything I'm not. On the contrary, I'm here to be as real as I am, even if that includes admitting, publicly, my own less-than-ideal state of mind.

Here's the reality: Sometimes I'm blissed out and sometimes I’m not. Sometimes I'm grateful and sometimes I complain. Sometimes I'm savoring each breath and sometimes I'm just blowing my nose.

One of the wonderful things I've learned from my relationship to Prem Rawat over the years is "I am that I am." I don't need to pretend, perform or promote. I don't need to be a model of anything. Too much pressure. Not real.

All I need to do is be myself.

With the practice of Self-Knowledge as my bottom line, I always, eventually, return to my true nature. I may have ups and downs along the way, but I always return to core of my being.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:58 AM | Comments (0)

July 21, 2023
It's Not That Difficult a Question

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Prem Rawat has been speaking to people, all over the world, about peace, for the past 53 years or so. He is always in great demand and his audiences, in India, have sometimes been as large as 300,000. So, when I found out, in 2010, that he was coming to my little town of Woodstock, NY, I was quite surprised -- especially since the biggest venue in town, the Bearsville Theater, had a capacity of only 350.

No matter. His is not a numbers game. He goes where the love is and there was a lot of love in Woodstock drawing him there.

A few days before he arrived, I received a phone call from a woman whose role it was to select the MC and the backstage security person for the event.

Since I had MC'd some of Prem's events before, she thought it might be a good idea if I was available to MC the Woodstock event, but she told me she was also going to ask another person, Joan Apter, to be available, and then, on the day of the event, she would make her decision.

The person, she explained, who was not chosen to MC would do back stage security. Our responsibility, she went on to say, was simply to show up at the hall an hour early and then, at that time, she would tell us who was going to MC and who would do back stage security.

But I already knew the answer.

Joan was going to MC the event and I was going to do back stage security -- because, I reasoned, if I was backstage, I'd have a better chance of having a moment or two with Prem as he waited for his cue to take the stage. And besides, I sort of had a cold (sniff, sniff) and Joan, glorious Joan, would absolutely nail it as the MC.

Getting to the hall a bit earlier than Joan, I explained to the MC-selector lady that, today, I would NOT be the best choice to MC, given my cold (sniff, sniff, achoo!).

She agreed and I gleefully took my position back stage.

My role, I soon learned, was a simple one. When Prem entered the building, all I had to do was press a large red button on the wall to alert the sound and lighting guys that he had arrived. That's it -- notice when Prem walked into the building and push a big red button. No experience needed.

While Joan did her mic checks on stage, I practiced pushing a big red button back stage, hoping in my heart of hearts that somehow, I would have a moment with Prem -- not wanting, of course, to crowd him or get in his way or be goofy or uptight or screw things up.

After all, the back stage waiting area at the Bearsville Theater was small. The more I stood there, waiting for Prem's arrival, the more it dawned on me how just how small a space it was -- just big enough, for him and... um...er... me, the security guy with a cold, having just pressed the red button 20 times.

Get the picture?

As the hall filled up, so did every ounce of my being with a feeling I had become delightfully familiar with over the past 48 years -- the feeling of anticipating Prem's arrival -- the one person in the world who astounded me the most.

Usually, I was sitting in the audience, back in row ZZ or up in the mezzanine, but today... this sunny day in Woodstock... in the iconic Bearsville Theater once owned by Bob Dylan's manager... I was going to be closer, much closer, to the main attraction.

Time passed. And some timelessness, too. Then, walking up the stairs from the Green Room, I see Prem approaching, radiant, buoyant, and smiling.

"Hi Mitch," he says.

"Hi!" I reply.

"So why do you live in Woodstock?" he asks.

"Um..." I say, not at all certain that I know why I live in Woodstock. "Because it's so beautiful."

"No," he responds. "I know why.... because it's so remote."

Then he wanders away and just stands there, eyes closed, in what I imagined to be his way of getting ready to go out on stage. But then, with no warning, he pivots and walks back in my direction.

"So what's up?" he says, looking me straight in the eye.

And that's when I kind of lost it. Stunned as I was to be talking to him so casually, I could not, for the life of me, process his question.

Suddenly, his two words, "What's up?" took on a kind of cosmic Zen-Koan-like quality. A gigantic space opened up inside me. Time stopped. My mind, like some kind of drunken sailor, stumbled around, searching for something to say, but couldn't find the words. I mean, I could have talked about my work...or my family.. or my writing...or my whatever... but it all seemed so silly... so distant... so not what I wanted to say.

Somehow, I found myself floating, disappearing into his eyes. He just stood there, absolutely still, saying nothing. I kept drifting. The space that had opened up was very large and I had no access to language, me having entered a kind of Stevie Wonder-land of intoxication.

I'm not sure how much time passed. I'm guessing only a few seconds, but it seemed like forever. Then Prem smiled, leaned closed, and spoke six words I will never forget, "It's not that difficult a question."

Boom! I was back.

I said something that seemed to make sense. He said something that seemed to make sense. Then I said something. Then, he said something. Then the moment passed and he went out on stage and shared his message of peace with 350 locals, eager to listen to what he had to say.

I stood backstage, leaning up against a wall, feet on the ground, head in the clouds, and very, very glad to be alive.

Responses to Prem's talk from Woodstock locals

PremRawat.com
Photo: Courtesy of TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:50 PM | Comments (1)

July 13, 2023
The Simplicity of Breath

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Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:58 PM | Comments (0)

June 22, 2023
The Relaunch of PremRawat.com

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If you google the word "peace" you will, in less than a second, be presented with 2 billion ways to learn more about it. I'm sure many of them will take you to great places -- informative, engaging, and inspiring articles and websites that dive deeper into this most important topic.

One of those links will take you to PremRawat.com, a newly refreshed and redesigned website that is worth at least a few minutes of your time.

There you will discover a wide variety of videos, podcasts, photos and articles that elaborate on the work and message of the person for whom the website is named -- Prem Rawat -- a man who has dedicated his entire life to helping people connect with a genuine experience of peace within themselves.

Maybe you've heard of him and maybe you haven't. It doesn't matter. If you are interested in self-discovery, joy, love, gratitude, peace and the experience of living fully in the present moment, there's a very good chance you will find his website well worth the visit.

"Be in that beautiful place. Enjoy. Be conscious. Be aware. And take full advantage of the time that you have." - Prem Rawat, Cape Town, South Africa, May 28, 2023

About Prem Rawat

A Path to Peace

The Practical Peace Library

Hear Yourself: How to Find Peace in a Noisy World

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Photo by KOBU Agency on Unsplash

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

June 06, 2023
The Name Game

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I first heard about Prem Rawat in 1971. He was 13 then and known as "Maharaji." I was 24 and known as "Ditty." A long-haired, seeker of Truth, I was astounded by what this young boy from India had to say and how he said it, stunned by his clarity, wisdom, and ability to engage my attention in such a heart-opening way.

Now it is 52 years later. He is 65 and I am almost 76. I am still astounded by him.

In the early days, I used to refer to him as a "Guru" -- a Hindi word that translates as "the dispeller of darkness and the revealer of light."

I liked that word a lot. It had a nice ring to it and satisfied my need to think of myself as a deep soul on the spiritual path.

But soon I realized that word carried way too much baggage, conjuring up stereotypical images of the East: incense burning, saffron robes, and little red dots on the forehead.

My experience of Prem was none of these. But it didn't matter what I thought. The real deal was how my family, friends and neighbors related to the word and, if they didn't, the word "Guru" had to go. And so it did.

Realizing I needed a better way to refer to him, I moved on to "Master." I liked that word a lot, especially since I experienced Prem as someone with a whole lot of mastery. And besides, I reasoned, the concept of "Master" was known to many people.

Hey, there were Master carpenters, right? And Master musicians. And Master chefs. And Master mechanics, too. Using the word "Master" to describe someone with extraordinary abilities was not hype or a con job. It was both fitting and accurate.

Be that as it may, I noticed that the word sometimes made people uncomfortable. For example, they assumed I was referring to a person who thought he was superior to the average bloke -- someone who wielded mastery over others.

This was not my experience of Prem. No way. Not then. Not now.

But hey, if my choice of the word "Master" created doubt and fear in the minds of others, it was time to let it go -- or at least only use it in the company of people who were not triggered by it.

Which brought me to the word "Teacher" -- a descriptor, which, for most people, was far less polarizing than Guru or Master. Everyone, somewhere along the line, has had a teacher, no?

Then again, for some people, even my closest friends, the word "teacher" carries negative connotations -- old memories of boring Professors or cranky elders giving too much homework.

OK. No "Guru", no "Master", no "Teacher". Hmmm... anything else in the thesaurus?

Well, then, how about "Guide" -- a word that's about as non-threatening as they come -- simply a title for someone who helps you get to your destination. Is that such a bad thing? I don't think so. Unless, of course, it conjures up are images of slick tour guides quoting robotically from prepared scripts and extending their hand in your direction for a tip.

Bye-bye "Guide".

Which brings us, I guess, to the increasingly popular "Friend", or more specifically "The Friend", a phrase the Sufi poet, Rumi, often used to describe Shams of Tabriz, his ___________ (fill in the blank, folks).

Personally speaking, I've always resonated with the word "Friend", not just because I love Rumi's poetry, but because everyone knows how important it is to actually have a friend -- someone you can count on, someone who's there when you need them, someone you are so connected to that even if you don't see that person for 10 years it feels like no time has passed.

Then again, when most people think of "Friend", they usually assume it's someone you have lunch with regularly or text five times a day. Since none of these behaviors come close to describing my relationship with Prem, I guess I'll need to retire that word, as well.

For the past few years, it has become very fashionable to refer to Prem as a "Global Ambassador of Peace." This makes a lot sense to me, especially since his work is global, his message is about peace, and the position he takes is a very respected one. All true, except for the fact that many people associate the word "ambassador" with a political stance and Prem is, in no way, a political person. His message goes far beyond nations, ideologies, and governments.

Most recently, I am hearing the word "educator" or "peace educator" being used to describe Prem.

Hmm... very intriguing.

An educator, as I understand it, is a person who facilitates the process of learning, making it easier for people to acquire knowledge, skills, values, and develop their full potential. And its etymological roots are quite compelling, going all the way back to the 16th century Latin word "educare", meaning "to bring out or lead forth" -- which, for me, describes a huge aspect of Prem Rawat's value -- his ability to bring out, in people, their innate thirst to learn, grow, and experience the best of life.

Could it be, that after 52 years of looking for the perfect noun for Prem I have found it?

For some people, the answer is YES. But for others, the word "educator" is just too mental -- conjuring up an overly intellectual person in a book-lined office thinking about "pedagogy" or government grants. And while, it is true that Prem does have an approach to his work -- his approach is not "pedagogical", not lockstep, formalized, pre-cut and dried. No, his approach is way more organic than that. More emergent, spontaneous, and in-the-moment.

So there you have it. Seven imperfect nouns -- Guru, Master, Teacher, Guide, Friend, Global Ambassador of Peace and Peace Educator -- none of which really describe Prem Rawat.

When it comes right down to it, perhaps Shakespeare said it best: "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

In the end, the words used to describe Prem Rawat are secondary -- descriptors -- but not that which is being described. The menu, not the meal.

What's more important than the words is the impact he is having -- the way that he and the tools of Self-Knowledge he teaches are helping millions of people around the world live fuller, more peaceful and fulfilled lives.

Water? It doesn't matter what you call it. When you're thirsty, you drink.

PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:21 AM | Comments (0)

March 30, 2023
The Umbrella

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PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:19 PM | Comments (0)

December 04, 2022
What a Good Educator Does

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"I don't know you. I don't know your name. But I do love you because you are a human being. That is sufficient for me to open up my heart and bring forth to you all that I know." -- Prem Rawat

When people ask me who Prem Rawat is, I usually describe him as an "educator". Which makes me, I guess, his student -- though he has no school, no curriculum, and no exams. What he does have is an extraordinary knack for accelerating a person's education. About what? About life and how to get the most out of it.

A clue about Prem Rawat's approach comes from the word itself. "Education" comes from the Latin word "educare" -- meaning "to bring out." That's what a good educator does -- brings out, from the student, the desire to learn, the thirst to know.

A good educator does not stuff the student with facts, formulas, and information. A good educator unstuffs and helps remove the obstacles that get in the way of learning -- then finds a way to encourage, inspire, and guide his students to find out for themselves.

What Prem Rawat brings out of a human being is innate wisdom -- direct contact with the inner experience of knowing or what some people refer to as "knowledge of the self."

Here's the paradox: Even though Prem Rawat teaches and has a lot to say, he'll be the first to admit that what his message is about goes far beyond words -- words, amazingly, that have been translated into more than 70 languages and are considered daily by thousands of people worldwide who pay no tuition, only attention.

Because what he teaches is free. Which makes perfect sense when you stop to consider that what he's teaching is all about the fine art of becoming free.

Learn more about what Prem helps people learn
Prem Rawat's Official YouTube Channel
TimelessToday
His humanitarian foundation

Photo: Courtesy of TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:06 AM | Comments (3)

July 15, 2022
Excerpts of Prem Rawat's Glastonbury "Key of Avalon" Acceptance Speech

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Just published on PremRawat.com.

Photo: Courtesy of TimelessToday

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

July 02, 2022
A Simple Way to View New Content on PremRawat.com

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OK. I know you're busy. You know you're busy. Even people who don't know you know you're busy. Which is why I am offering you this easy peasy way to check out the latest postings on PremRawat.com. All you need to do is click and read.

Expressions from 15 People Who Attended Glastonbury Fair in 1971
Hear Yourself Soon to Be Published in German
How the Practice of Knowledge Has Changed My Life for the Better
Prem Rawat Awarded the "Key of Avalon" Award at Glastonbury
Highlights of Other Recent Content on the Site

Illustration: GapingVoid

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:32 AM | Comments (0)

June 30, 2022
1971 Glastonbury Expressions from 15 People Who Were There

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Just published on PremRawat.com, 15 expressions from people who attended the 1971 Glastonbury Festival -- the one where Prem Rawat, as a 13-year old boy newly arrived in the West from India, spoke from the Pyramid Stage to 12,000 surprised festival-goers.

The following people are featured in the article: Ron Geaves, Glen Whitaker, Lynne Trine, George Blodwell, Paul Parker, Charan Anand, Sandy Collier, Maggie Draper, Janet Wallace, Carol Hurst, Barbara Roche, Lynne Armistead, Ann Savell, Lesley Cooper and David Roupell.

PremRawat.com
TimelessToday.com
TPRF.org

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:49 PM | Comments (0)

June 21, 2022
Glastonbury Council Presents Prem Rawat with "Key of Avalon" Award

Watch Prem Rawat, on his official YouTube channel, receive the "Key of Avalon" from the Mayor & Council of Glastonbury. Other speakers include Ron Geaves, Lynne Trine, Peter Parker, and George Blodwell -- each sharing their recollections of listening to Prem, as a 13-year old boy, at the 1971 Glastonbury Festival.

PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:46 PM | Comments (0)

Prem Rawat Receives the "Key of Avalon" Award from the Town of Glastonbury

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Read all about Prem Rawat receiving the "Key of Avalon" from the town of Glastonbury -- commemorating 50+ years of service to humanity.

PremRawat.com
Photo: Courtesy of TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:38 PM | Comments (0)

June 14, 2022
A Special Ceremony with Prem Rawat to be Livestreamed on YouTube

On Friday, June 17 at 5:00 pm UTC (1:00 pm EST), on PremRawat's official YouTube channel, Prem will be featured in a special ceremony. Looks like it will be interesting.

More about Prem Rawat's Official YouTube channel

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:56 PM | Comments (0)

May 30, 2022
The Latest and Greatest from PremRawat.com

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If you haven't logged onto PremRawat.com in a while, you've missed a wide variety of informative and inspiring content. What follows are links to some of what's been posted since November, 2021.

Upcoming articles include coverage of the May 28th UK event, the publication of the German edition of "Hear Yourself", a colorful update about Amaroo, the upgrade of PEAK (Peace Education and Knowledge), the impact of the "Inside Peace" documentary, testimonials from people whose lives have changed for the better from practicing the techniques of Knowledge, fascinating interviews and much, much more.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
About Prem Rawat
12 Ways to Learn More About Prem Rawat and his Message of Peace
"Hear Yourself" Continues Having Impact
Prem Rawat Visits Zimbabwe Prison
Johannesburg Knowledge Session and Knowledge Review

Prem Rawat's Official YouTube Channel
TPRF's Empowering People Booklet
The Event Gallery: A Hidden Pearl
"Hear Yourself" Book Unveiling in Mumbai
TPRF's Humanitarian Aid for Ukraine
One Person at a Time (a story about Shri Maharaji)

The Wisdom Quotes of "Hear Yourself": Part One
The Wisdom Quotes of "Hear Yourself": Part Two
The Wisdom Quotes of "Hear Yourself": Part Three
The Information Overload Phenomenon

A Shout Out for "Hear Yourself" from Bordeaux
TPRF's Peace Education Program
TPRF's Sponsorship of Peace Themed Events
How You Can Support TPRF's Food for People Program

A Practical Way to Celebrate TPRF's 20th Anniversary
About TimelessToday Subscriptions
Putting the Human Back Into Humanitarian
"Hear Yourself" Debuts on the New York Times Bestseller List

If you want to send a message to Prem Rawat, ask him a question, or share your thoughts about your own experience of personal peace, it is very easy to do.

If you would like to receive monthly updates about new PremRawat.com content, feel free to subscribe to the PremRawat.com newsletter. Simply log onto the website, scroll down to the bottom of the page, and subscribe.

Stay tuned. In the next few months the site will be redesigned for an even better user experience.

PS: If you have suggestions for future articles, send them to editor@premrawat.com.

Photo: Courtesy of TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:45 AM | Comments (0)

March 21, 2022
We All Need More Courage

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Let's face it. These are challenging times for all of us. As if Covid-19 wasn't enough to rattle our bones, now there is the Russian invasion of Ukraine and millions of refugees seeking shelter, not to mention climate change, supply chain issues, shaky economies, and whatever personal issues you and your loved ones are facing.

At times like this, there is no magic pill, but there IS an alternative to suffering under the apparent weight of it all -- and that alternative begins by tapping into your own courage. Yes, courage!

Below are five short audio clips of Prem Rawat holding forth on this most important topic. Find your courage, friends. And help others, do the same.

Defeat the dragons (3:45)
Lord of the jungle (2:50)
A most memorable event (4:00)
You (2:10)
It's up to you (2:51)

Excepted from PremRawat.com
Photo: Courtesy of TimelessToday

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

March 16, 2022
The Source of Agitation

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PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:12 PM | Comments (0)

March 13, 2022
Prem Rawat in India

PremRawat.com
Prem Rawat's YouTube channel

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:38 AM | Comments (0)

March 04, 2022
Photos and Excerpts from Prem Rawat's 50th Anniversary Events

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Click here to see photos and excerpts from Prem Rawat's 50th Anniversary Celebration events in Los Angeles and Birmingham -- part of the Event Gallery section of PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:45 AM | Comments (0)

January 29, 2022
Words of Wisdom for Anyone Dealing With a Life Threatening Health Challenge

If you or any of your loved ones or friends are dealing with a life-threatening health-challenge, this five-minute video of Prem Rawat talking with a woman dealing with cancer is a breath of fresh air. Excerpted from one of his events in 2015.

PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:12 PM | Comments (0)

January 20, 2022
One Person at a Time

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Just published on PremRawat.com -- a fascinating story about Prem Rawat's father, Shri Hans Ji Maharaj.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:54 PM | Comments (0)

The Latest from PremRawat.com

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If you are interested in Prem Rawat's message of peace, one good resource for you is his website. What follows are some recent postings in case you missed them. If you find any particularly moving, please feel free to share them on social media or forward them to friends.

12 Ways to Learn More About Prem Rawat's Message of Peace

The Wisdom Quotes of Hear Yourself, Part 1
The Wisdom Quotes of Hear Yourself, Part 2
The Wisdom Quotes of Hear Yourself, Part 3
The Information Overload Phenomenon
About TimelessToday subscriptions
How You Can Support TPRF's Food for People Program
TPRF's Peace Education Program Continues to Make a Difference

OTHER LINKS OF NOTE
PremRawat.com
Photo: Courtesy of TimelessToday
How to subscribe to his newsletter: Scroll to the bottom of the page

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:51 AM | Comments (0)

January 19, 2022
The Seventh Noun

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"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." -- William Shakespeare

I first heard about Prem Rawat in 1971. He was 13 then and known as "Maharaji." I was 24 and known as "Ditty." A long-haired, earnest seeker of the Truth, I was astounded by what this young boy from India had to say and how he said it, stunned by his clarity, wisdom, and ability to engage my attention in such a heart-opening way. Now it is 50 years later. He is 64 and I am 74. I am still astounded by him.

In the early days, I used to refer to him as a "Guru" -- a Hindi word that translates as "the dispeller of darkness and the revealer of light." I liked that word a lot. It had a nice ring to it and satisfied my need to think of myself as a deep soul on the spiritual path. But soon I realized that word carried too much baggage, conjuring up stereotypical images of the East: incense burning, saffron robes, and little red dots on the forehead. My experience of Prem was none of these. But it didn't matter what I thought. What mattered was how my family, friends, and neighbors related to the word and, if they didn't, the word "Guru" had to go. And so it did.

Realizing I needed a better way to refer to him, I moved on to "Master." I liked that word a lot, especially since I experienced Prem as someone with a whole lot of mastery. And besides, I reasoned, the concept of "Master" was known to many people. Hey, there were Master carpenters, right? And Master musicians. And Master chefs. And Master mechanics, too. Using the word "Master" to describe someone with extraordinary abilities was not hype or a con job. It was both fitting and accurate.

Be that as it may, I noticed that the word sometimes made people uncomfortable. For example, they assumed I was referring to a person who thought he was superior to the average bloke -- someone who wielded Mastery over others. This was not my experience of Prem. No way. Not then. Not now. But hey, if my choice of the word "Master" created doubt and fear in the minds of others, it was time to let it go -- or at least only use it in the company of people who were not triggered by it.

Which brought me to the word "Teacher" -- a descriptor, which, for most people, was far less polarizing than Guru or Master. Everyone, somewhere along the line, has had a teacher, no? Then again, for some people, the word "teacher" carries some negative connotations -- old memories of boring Professors or cranky elders giving too much homework.

OK. No "Guru", no "Master", no "Teacher".

Well, then, how about "Guide" -- a word that's about as non-threatening as they come -- simply a title for someone who helps you get to your destination. Is that such a bad thing? I don't think so, unless, of course, it conjures up are images of slick tour guides quoting robotically from prepared scripts and extending their hand in your direction for a tip.

Bye-bye "Guide".

Which brings us, I guess, to the increasingly popular "Friend", or more specifically "The Friend", a phrase the Sufi poet, Rumi, often used to describe Shams a Tabriz, his ___________ (fill in the blank, folks).

Personally speaking, I've always resonated with the word "Friend", not just because I love Rumi's poetry, but because everyone knows how important it is to actually have a friend -- someone you can count on, someone who's there when you need them, someone you are so connected to that even if you don't see that person for ten years it feels like no time has passed.

Then again, when most people think of "Friend", they usually assume it's someone you have lunch with regularly or text five times a day. Since none of these behaviors come close to describing my relationship with Prem, I guess I'll need to retire that word, as well.

Most recently, I am hearing the words "educator" and "peace educator" used to describe Prem. Very intriguing. An educator, as I understand it, is a person who facilitates the process of learning, making it easier for people to acquire knowledge, skills, values, and develop their full potential. And its etymological roots are compelling, going all the way back to the 16th century Latin word "educare", meaning "to bring out or lead forth" -- which, for me, describes a huge aspect of Prem Rawat's value -- his ability to bring out, in people, their innate thirst to learn, grow, and experience the best of life.

Could it be, that after 50 years of looking for the perfect noun for Prem I have found it? For some people, the answer would be YES. But for others, the word "educator" is too mental -- conjuring up an overly intellectual person in a book-lined office thinking about "pedagogy" and government grants. And while, it's true that Prem does have an approach to his work -- his approach is not "pedagogical," not lockstep, not formalized, pre-cut and dried. No, his approach is way more organic than that -- more emergent, spontaneous, and in the moment.

So there you have it. Six imperfect nouns: Guru, Master, Teacher, Guide, Friend, and Educator But wait! There's more! Why limit it to six, especially since last night, while showering, a seventh noun came to mind. Ready?

Marigold.

What? Huh? Really? Marigold? Like the flower? Sure, why not? A marigold is not only beautiful to look at, but positioned next to a tomato plant, it radically increases the odds of that plant ripening all the way to fruition. Marigolds, by their very nature, keep aphids, mosquitoes, nematodes, beetles, and even rabbits away. In other words, just the proximity of a marigold protects a tomato plant from common obstacles to growth.

"Companion planting" it's called -- nature's way of pairing two forms of life in a way that ensures the best possible result. The marigold does its thing and the tomato plant gets the benefit -- having a much greater chance of growing to its full potential.

A few mozzarella slices. A little salt. A glass of wine. Yum!

PremRawat.com
Photo: Courtesy of TimelessToday
Letter photo: Sven Brandsma

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January 10, 2022
The Information Overload Phenomenon

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Click here for a new article on information overload just published on PremRawat.com. Please feel free to forward it to friends of yours you think might find it useful.

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December 21, 2021
12 Ways to Learn More About the Message of Prem Rawat

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If you or someone you know are looking for ways to learn more about Prem Rawat and his message of peace, all you need to do is click this link. Once done, you'll find yourself on a newly created landing page on his website -- one that provides you with access to a wide variety of videos, websites, books, podcasts, and live streams that feature his message.

Bottom line, there are many ways to tune further in to what Prem's message of peace is all about (and how it might be of value to you).

PremRawat.com
Photo: Courtesy of TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:46 PM | Comments (0)

October 13, 2021
Prem Rawat Speaking at the Italian Senate on October 12th

Prem Rawat joins Italian officials and journalists at the Italian Senate in Rome, on October 12, to talk about how peace education can advance individuals and communities. His talk begins at 15:40

PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:58 AM | Comments (0)

October 09, 2021
What Has Already Happened

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Every once in a while, something happens in my life that leaves me totally stunned, amazed, and electric with life. All of us have had these moments, somewhere along the line -- small, medium, and large. Sometimes we remember them, years later, and sometimes we don't. And sometimes, when we remember them, like glancing at an old photo of a friend, we remember that which was behind and beyond that particular moment --the core of who we are, that which abides at the eternal essence of our being.

I had one of these moments, in 1988, backstage at an event with my long-time teacher, Prem Rawat.

If I was going to tell the full story of that moment, it would stretch back a long, long time ago, before I was "Mitch", before there was a somebody to tell the story, before there was language -- and so, in honor of the fact that I know you have a lot on your plate and may even feel late for a very important date, I will do my best to cut to the chase to the pearl inside the oyster of that moment.

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Here goes:

I had traveled to the Miami Beach Convention Center from New York City two days earlier, with only one thing in mind and that was to sit in the audience and enjoy Prem Rawat hold forth, fifth, and sixth for two days -- sharing his deeply inspiring message of peace with 10,000 people, me being one of them sitting in the balcony, super grateful to be there. That was it. And that was plenty.

Somehow, someway, on the second day of the event, while I was standing in the lobby not doing much of anything, one of the event coordinators approached me and explained, with very little segue, that Prem has picked my name from a list of "potential speakers" for the following night and I was to show up at the hall, tomorrow morning, at 8:00 am for a brief meeting with him and the other two speakers, Joan Apter and Charanand.

Huh? What? Really?

What I was hearing at that moment I found totally impossible to process. Dumbfounded. I was dumbfounded, stunned, and about as disoriented as I have ever been in my life. WHAT?

Not wanting to dwell on my state of mind for very long (knowing all too well where that would take me), I just went with the proverbial flow and showed up at the hall bright and early the next morning, was ushered backstage by someone with a badge, and taken to a room backstage. Standing there was Prem, Joan, and Charanand. After some welcomes, laughter, and a few words of encouragement, Prem handed each of us a vomit bag.

"Just in case", he laughed, as he exited the room.

And with that, my day began.

Fast forward, 11 hours later. I am now sitting back stage, on an aluminum folding chair, next to Joan and Charanand, sound and lighting technicians moving briskly all around us -- doing my best to figure out what in the world was happening. The best I could come up with was this: I was the warm-up act. Yes, I was definitely the warm up act. Clearly, of the three of us, I was the least experienced at public speaking and the last substantial. I mean, it was Charanand who had accompanied Prem to the West in 1971. And Joan was one of the first Westerners to have ever met Prem, playing a huge role preparing the way for him to come to America. And then... um... er... there... was... me -- the other guy.

As I had been accustomed to doing my entire life, I quickly found myself doing the hokey pokey, trying to figure things out -- trying to get clear about WHAT WAS HAPPENING, and, in a nano second, I did. I got it. I mean, it was not all that difficult to do. I was the warm up act. Yes, I was the warm up act -- the "man of the people". Yes, I would speak first. Then Joan would follow. Then Charanand. And then Prem would take the stage. Voila! It made perfect sense and I had absolutely no problem with any of it. Fine with me. Whatever worked.

But that was not what happened.

Joan was asked to speak first, which left just two of us sitting there. Mahatma-Ji and me. It was precisely at that moment that I realized I had two choices. I could either sit there, scrambling around in my head, trying to figure things out or I... could... just... let go and be in the moment.

It was not that difficult a choice.

And so I closed my eyes and turned my attention inward, doing my best to find my way back to the placeless place within me where I could rest and renew -- the oasis where I could be free of distraction, thought, and projection.

About a minute later, I heard someone whispering in my left ear. It was Prem. And what he whispered is something I will never forget.

"Hey Mitch," he said, "Joan just used all your good lines."

Bingo! It was so true! Joan did just use all my good lines. Because even as I sat there, eyes closed, doing my best to find the place of peace inside me, I was ALSO making an effort to conjure up my opening line -- you know, the first thing I would say when I walked out on stage in front of 10,000 people -- a beginning... some way to be prepared.

In just one sentence -- and a very funny one at that -- Prem popped my little bubble of self-preservation. A kind of psychic surgery was performed. A magic carpet had pulled out from beneath my feet. Mastery at work.

With nothing left to lean on in my repertoire of shtick, I was now completely present. And then, Prem whispered the following to me:

"You don't have to talk about what's SUPPOSED to happen. All you have to talk about is what's ALREADY happened."

And with that, he turned and walked away.

Badaboom! Badabing! It was all so simple! I didn't have to be profound. I didn't have to inspire an audience. I didn't have teach, uplift, be wise, or be amazing. All I had to do was talk about what had ALREADY happened to me -- the experience I had been enjoying since the moment I first received Prem's gift of Knowledge. That was it. Just talk about that -- what was REAL for me. All stress left my body. All nervousness. All need to prepare for "my big moment".

And then, I heard my name being called, rose from my chair, mounted a few steps, and walked onto the stage.

Photo: Courtesy of TimelessToday
PremRawat.com

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August 02, 2021
What Makes You Truly Happy?

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June 20, 2021
A LITTLE HEAVEN

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June 14, 2021
Choose Every Day

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Photo: Ira Meyers

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June 12, 2021
FLY

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May 12, 2021
THIS IS THE PERFECT MOMENT

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These days, I am doing a lot of reflecting. "Unhurried consideration," is how the dictionary defines it. "To think deeply or seriously about," which, I might add, is not the same thing as being "nostalgic" as some people might assume.

When a person looks at their self in a mirror, they see their reflection -- their appearance. Our reflection, however, only reveals our body. The reflection I am talking about reveals another part of us -- that which is beyond the body. And though, this kind of reflection isn't always accurate, filtered as it might be by perception, bias, and faulty memory, it is an important element of what makes us homo sapiens -- "the ones who know."

Reflection helps us learn, grow, and become more self-aware. And while it is always possible that reflection can devolve to nostalgia or obsessive analysis, done consciously it is a great boon -- a wonderful opportunity to wake further up.

From what I can tell, one of the silver linings of Covid-19 has been the opportunity for billions of us to reflect more deeply on our lives. With more time on our hands than ever before and many of our life patterns disrupted, opportunities for reflection abound. And I count myself as one of those billions, having used at least some of my socially distanced, quarantined, all-bets-are-off time to take a good, long look into the mirror of my life.

Sometimes I like what I see. Sometimes I don't. But I always learn something -- however subtle, an insight with the potential to help me live a more conscious life.

Two days ago, deep in reflection mode, I remembered something about my past that I had not thought about for many years -- a curious behavior of mine that has much application to my life TODAY, some 40 years later.

Here goes:

As a young student of Prem Rawat, in the 1970's, I did my best to attend as many of his events as possible -- large group gatherings where, for a weekend, sometimes as many as 10,000 of his followers, having traveled long distances, would convene to listen to him speak.

At some of these events, on the second day, there would be an opportunity to get on line and come before him -- a kind of receiving line -- known, back then, as a "darshan line". This experience, for me, was always astounding in a way that compared to nothing else in my life. Always it was radiant, deepening, soulful, timeless, renewing, and very much beyond words.

With thousands of people in the audience wanting to enjoy this experience, some kind of logistics were required -- a way to facilitate the "people moving" process. And so, whoever the ushers were, at the time, would signal a section of the audience to stand and make their way to the back of the line that had already formed. The rest of the people in the hall would simply remain in their seats, looking forward to the moment when their section would be called.

Now, here's the curious thing -- the memory that, two days ago, surfaced for me as I was reflecting on my life. More often than not, when my section was called, I would move to ANOTHER section in the hall -- a section that had not yet been called. Logically speaking, one would think I'd be "chomping at the bit", or "raring to go" -- thrilled for the opportunity to make my way closer to Prem. But logic was not the driving force at that moment. Something else was. And for me, that particular moment always brought with it an accompanying feeling that I WASN'T QUITE READY to approach Prem -- that I needed to be deeper... or more receptive... or more devoted... or more whatever.

And that's why, when my section was called, I would move to ANOTHER section of the hall that had not yet called. You see, I wanted to be sure I was REALLY "in the right place" to have my special moment with him.

And while, as I look back at that time, I can appreciate that my intentions were "good", now, many years later, there is something very revealing about that particular behavior of mine that has great resonance with my life today. Just like some people believe they never enough degrees... or money... or time... or friends -- the ruling experience that something is lacking -- I, too, back in the early days of my soul's aspiration, was coming from a place of lack -- my assumption being that somehow I wasn't READY to fully appreciate the brief moment I was about to have with Prem.

Hmmm...

I am happy to report that those days are over. It took a while, but I finally got there -- the understanding that life is a "come as you are" party -- that there is no special way to be... or act... or think... or feel... and that each and everyone of us are perfect as we are in THIS moment.

Indeed, one of the extraordinary gifts I have received from Prem Rawat is precisely this recognition -- what sometimes has been referred to as "I am that I am." Selfhood. Pure being. Presence. In other words, whoever we are in THIS moment is enough. The imagined "perfect self" that we dangle in front of ourselves like some kind of spiritual carrot is not only a waste of time, it is totally unnecessary.

As Lao Tzu once said, "he who knows he has enough has enough." And it's corrolary is also true, "He who knows he IS enough, is enough."

Not only do I have enough, I AM enough. And not only am I enough, I AM, which is, basically, the whole deal.

No matter what path we walk, skip, hop, run, leave, return to, or write about, we are here, now, alive, and well. AS WE ARE. Yes, we are enough -- you, me, and the other 7.7 billion people on planet Earth. AS IS. In THIS moment, breathing one breath at a time. Rich, poor, young, old, single, married, known, unknown and everything in between.

Indeed, this is one of the great teachings I have received from Prem Rawat. Even more than a teaching, it is an EXPERIENCE -- that THIS moment, right here, right now, today, wherever I happen to be, regardless of the circumstances of my life and how I stack up in relationship to my concepts of what would be better, is the PERFECT MOMENT. God is here now. Life is here now. Breath is here now. Love is here now. Gratitude is here now. Freedom is here now.

And there you have it, my friends, no matter what section of the audience you are sitting in.

Ready to stand?

Photo: courtesy of TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:49 AM | Comments (0)

May 10, 2021
FEEL

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May 09, 2021
Be Free of Expectations

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May 08, 2021
The Heart's Embrace

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February 06, 2021
FLASHBACK FRIDAY: Prem Rawat Excerpts from Amaroo

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Think Living 18.jpg

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Excerpts from 9/7/15
Excerpts from 9/8/15
Excerpts from 9/9/15
Excerpts from 9/10/15
PremRawat.com
Words of Peace Global
The Prem Rawat Foundation
Rawat Creations
TimelessToday

Amaroo Photos: Chris Corbett #3, 6, 19, 23
Photo #12: Ira Meyer

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:20 AM | Comments (2)

November 08, 2020
Long Before Words

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Being of the Jewish persuasion, I'm not exactly the kind of person given to confession, but allow me the ecumenical luxury of confessing at least one thing in this first paragraph of what may well turn out to be the Mahabharata of blog postings:

Writing about Prem Rawat and the gift that he offers is not easy.

It's not easy for a few reasons.

First off, what I want to say existed long before words -- long before nouns and verbs and the leaky vessels we construct to float our shaky boats of babble. Secondly, words are approximations of the real thing at best. Like menus, they indicate something's cooking in the kitchen, but they are not the food itself. And thirdly, the dog ate my homework.

I don't know how it works, but there are years of my life I can barely remember, but seconds with Prem that remain a vast eternity, indelibly impressed on my heart like some kind of rock 'n roll Rosetta stone.

I never laugh so hard or cry so long as when I'm in his company. I never feel so good.

The first time I heard about him, I was both ecstatic and afraid -- ecstatic at the thought I might finally experience what I'd been born for -- afraid that somehow, grand impostor that I was, I would be the only person on the face of the Earth not to get it. Forget it. I got it.

Yes, that moment happened -- the moment of oooh, the moment of ahhh -- the moment of finally coming into my own after years of imagining my own was someplace very far away -- in a forest, cave, or future lifetime.

What has he taught me? How to wake up -- and stay awake. How to appreciate. How to feel. How to simply be.

What Prem Rawat offers is not so much a teaching as it is transportation to the place we've either been seeking our entire lives or have given up on long ago -- the place of no judgment, the place of no doubt, the place of no worry, no fear, no problem.

Here! The place of remembering. And what we remember here is love -- plain and simple. For love is the name of the game. Always was and always will be.

Photo: TimelessToday
PremRawat.com
VIDEO: The Most Precious Diamond

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:46 PM | Comments (3)

September 12, 2020
Prem Rawat in 3 Minutes or Less

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There's a lot of things you can do in three minutes. You can check your email. You can channel surf. And you can boil an egg. You can also watch one of videos below featuring Prem Rawat talking about something beyond time. Hmmm...

The Greatest Form of Prayer (:24)
This Blooming Called Peace (2:39)
Hang on to the Good (:50)
Simple Yet Valuable (1:09)
Singular in Nature (1:49)

Photo: Courtesy of TimelessToday
PremRawat.com

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August 15, 2020
THE GRAND ILLUSION, part 1

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August 03, 2020
YOUR TRUE NEEDS

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July 25, 2020
ONE 2 ONE: Back to Perfection

Here's the first in a new series of talks by Prem Rawat, featured on his recently launched YouTube channel.

EXCERPT: "This moment called now is where my breath is happening, where I am, where what I need to be aware of -- is. This is not only easy, it's incredibly enjoyable. Then, all the wisdom of the world -- all the wisdom of the world becomes related to me."'

Prem's YouTube Channel

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June 22, 2020
LOCKDOWN DAY 90: "You Have Everything You Need"

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Prem Rawat speaking at the Wolston Correctional Centre in Wacol, Queensland, Australia. 18 minutes. Very powerful. "You have everything you need."

The entire Lockdown series -- 90 talks

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:43 AM | Comments (0)

May 22, 2020
A 15 Minute Oasis For You

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Got 15 minutes? If so, you might enjoy this presentation of Prem Rawat's. In my estimation, Prem is one of the brightest lights on the planet these days. Big perspective. Heartfelt. Encouraging. Inspiring. Wise. And a great sense of humor.

Other Prem Lockdown videos
Photo: Courtesy of TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:05 PM | Comments (0)

May 11, 2020
It's Just a Matter of Paying Attention

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Prem Rawat's 50th Lockdown talk. 50! When this series began, I thought it might max out at 20. Another concept bites the dust. Might it go to 100? 200? Who knows? What I DO know is this is a good one -- and includes some updates on the upcoming release of the new PEP program which, by the way, will be called by some other name for a reason Prem will speak to down the road.

Photo: Courtesy of TimelessToday
The entire Lockdown series

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:32 AM | Comments (0)

May 08, 2020
Vinny from Brooklyn

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So there I am, in 1988 or whatever, sitting in my office in Brooklyn (and when I say "office", I mean the too small second bedroom in my funky, railroad apartment) when the phone rings. Since it's a business day, I figure it's a business call, but it's not a business call. It's a guy with an Australian accent -- Ray Belcher, to be more exact, Prem Rawat's Production Manager calling all the way from Fiji in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Ray explains that Prem has just asked him to call me. What? You gotta be kidding! Prem asked Ray to call me? Huh? I mean, the last time something like this happened was...let's see now... like never. But Ray wasn't kidding. He was serious and, with very little segue, asks for my fax number so he can send me a 24-page transcript of one of Prem's recent talks -- what devotees, from India, at that time, commonly referred to as "satsang" -- holy discourse.

My mission, Ray tells me, is to read the transcript through the eyes of a street smart guy from Brooklyn -- somebody with no concepts of who Prem Rawat was. But not just read it. Critique it. Apparently, Prem wanted to know what people really thought about his message -- not just appreciative, head nodding students of his, but regular people on the street.

A few minutes later, the 24-page fax comes through and I start reading, looking for words and phrases that didn't play all that well on the streets. You know, spiritual stuff -- stuff that wouldn't go over all that well at the local pizzeria.

I could feel Joe Pesci rising from deep within me. DeNiro, too. And the entire cast of the Sopranos.

So, after a cappuccino, I write up my street smart response to Prem's talk through my alter ego, Vinny. You know, badabing, badaboom Vinny. Yeah, THAT guy. Then I email it to the still very Australian Ray Belcher.

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A week goes by. Then Ray calls me again.

"Hey, Mitch," he begins. "I got your commentary. Thanks for that, mate, but it seemed a bit heavy to me. Too rough around the edges. Could you write up a second draft and soften it up a bit?"

"Sure Ray," I reply, not really sure where I missed the boat, but happy for the chance to be of service. So that's what I do. I write up my second critique. "Vinny Lite", you might say.

Actually, I thought my first draft was better, but, hey, what did I know? Maybe Ray knew best, right? I mean, after all, Ray was a lot closer to Prem than I was. He worked side-by-side with him, every day. Me? I sat in the mezzanine and talked to Prem maybe every seven years or so. And rarely for longer than a minute.

So I stay up late and rewrite the thing, softening it up just like Ray asked and email the whole kit and caboodle in the morning.

Three weeks go by. The phone rings. It's Ray again, explaining that he gave my Vinny-infused commentary to Prem. But not the second, lighter version I had so diligently edited. He gave the first -- the too heavy, inappropriate version.

Suddenly, I'm not feeling so good. All I can see is Prem reading it and cringing, forever associating me with its off-putting content and disrespectful tone.

"I am totally screwed," I think to myself. "I can't believe Ray gave him the first draft! What was he thinking? I see myself on the permanent bongo list, never again being allowed into any of Prem's events. I have butterflies in my stomach. My butterflies have butterflies.

Then Ray, savvy filmmaker that he was, paints the picture for me in no uncertain terms.

"There I am," he explains, "in a small room with Prem after handing him your first draft. He's totally focused on reading it. Totally. He doesn't say a word. Nothing. He's just reading it with great concentration. And I'm just standing there, across the room, watching him. A long time passes. Then he looks at me."

"This is absolutely right," he says. "This is what people actually think."

I don't remember the rest of my conversation with Ray that day. I don't remember what I did after I hung up. All I remember is his last sentence reverberating in what was left of my mind: "This is absolutely right. This is what people actually think."

Suffice it to say that my Vinny-from-Brooklyn experience deeply weeded my garden of concepts. My spiritual persona dissolved. My left brain left the building. My shoulders relaxed. In their place? A pepperoni pizza for my soul and a renewed respect for just how committed Prem Rawat is to finding out what he wants to know.

Photo #1: William Krause, Unsplash
Photo #2: Courtesy of TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:26 AM | Comments (0)

May 07, 2020
"YOU ARE NOT YOUR PROBLEMS"

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Prem Rawat speaking in Soweto, South Africa -- the 45th episode in his recent series of Lockdown talks (23 minutes).

PremRawat.com
Photo: Tim Goedhart, Unsplash

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:30 AM | Comments (0)

May 06, 2020
The Insecurity of Security

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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.

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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)

April 23, 2020
LOCKDOWN 33: A Weak "I" Cannot Understand the Concept of "We"

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There's a lot of things you can do in 20 minutes -- go for a walk, stare out a window, or take a nap. For now, may I suggest you click this link and feast on Prem Rawat's Lockdown talk #33 -- a breath of fresh air, no masks required.

The rest of the series
PremRawat.com
Photo: Courtesy of TimelessToday

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

April 21, 2020
"Know How to Turn Inside"

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Inspiring 14-minute Metro FM interview of Prem Rawat in South Africa.

Photo: Courtesy of TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:13 PM | Comments (0)

April 18, 2020
The Three Faces of God

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When my mother and father, Sylvia and Barney, decided to sell their house on Long Island -- the one I grew up in -- and move to Florida, they invited my sister and me to take anything we wanted before they made their big move to West Palm Beach.

My sister, five years older and a mother of three, showed up with an 18-foot U-Haul truck. I showed up with a Volkswagen.

As I walked from room to room, exploring my choices, it soon became clear there was nothing I wanted. Not the blender. Not the toaster. Not the TV. Nothing. And so I spent the rest of the day, helping my sister carry out stuff to her truck.

I'm not exactly sure how long it took us to load it up, but by the time the last item was in -- a red, plastic silverware tray -- the sun was going down.

But I didn't leave empty-handed. I didn't. There was ONE thing my parents had that I wanted -- most definitely -- a wood carving they'd bought in Thailand on one of their rare vacations. It was hanging on the wall right behind the card table where my mother played canasta once a month with her four best friends -- Shirley, Blanche, Selma, and Ellie, each one of them a second mother to me.

Sprayed a nice shade of gold, the wood carving featured what spiritually-minded people from the East believed to be the three forms of God -- Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva -- the Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer of all things. Brahma, on the left, was praying. Vishnu, in the middle, was dancing. And Shiva, on the right, looked as if he was just about to kick somebody's ass.

I found it astounding that my parents, they of the bagel and lox school of Judaism, chose to hang this particular piece of art in such a featured place in their home. Neither of them had any interest, whatsoever, in Eastern cosmology. They read the Sunday New York Times, not the Bhagavad Gita. "Om" was a misspelling to them. And their favorite mantra for me? "As long as she's Jewish" -- referring, of course, to their wishes for me, as their only son and carrier of the family name, to never marry outside the religion. For my mother and father to have placed a wood carving of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva just above the canasta table made absolutely no sense to me. But there it was in all its ancient glory. Noble. Pristine. Powerful. And calling to me on this most auspicious day of downsizing.

"Hey, Ma," I said. "Can I have the woodcarving?" pointing to the wall.

"THAT?" she replied. "That's all you want? That?"

"Yup. That's all I want."

My mother shrugged and mumbled something in Yiddish as I reached up and removed the piece from the wall, then positioned it carefully, in my suitcase, in between my pajamas and favorite t-shirt.

When I got back to Denver, the first thing I did was hang it in my living room just above my record player. Every time I left my bedroom and headed towards the kitchen, it was the first thing I'd see.

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A month later, I got word that a fundraising campaign had been launched to help my teacher, Prem Rawat, get his message of peace out into the world -- an effort I very much wanted to be part of. The only problem? Unemployed, I had no money to give. That's when I began cruising my apartment in search of "items of worth" to sell.

The first thing that caught my eye was my record collection which, I reasoned, might fetch about $200. Bye bye Otis Redding! Bye bye Rolling Stones! Bye bye Dave Brubeck! But I wanted to give more than that, so I kept on cruising. That's when it dawned on me that my most valuable possession was my newly acquired woodcarving. Clearly, it was time to let it go, so I reached up, removed it from the wall, and made my way to the finest antiques store in town where I hoped to sell it on consignment.

The owner, a nice Jewish man, loved it, and told me it would fetch a "pretty penny". Yes, he would get his commission, but I would get the rest -- probably, I figured, at least $500. Hooray! Yippee! Yahoo! Let's hear it for Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva! Let's hear it for Sylvia and Barney!

A week passed. Then a second. Then a third. Every time I called the owner of the antiques store he gave me the same response. No one was interested in buying my woodcarving. Did they admire it? Yes. But no one wanted to buy it. No one, he explained, even tried to bargain. Apparently, there wasn't a single person in the Mile High City of Denver who had room for Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva in their living room -- so I returned to the antiques store and fetched my woodcarving, hanging it, once again, over my record player (though, now, I had no more albums to play.)

Part of me was glad it didn't sell. Part of me was sad. And part of me felt bad -- aware that my deep-seated need to GIVE SOMETHING of value to my Prem did not bear fruit.

It was precisely at this moment that I had a revelation. "Why not give it to him? Why not give it to the one has given me everything? Nobody ELSE liked it. Maybe HE will!"

So I asked a carpenter friend of mine to make a box for it, asked another friend to gift wrap it, and gave it to a third friend, a gardener at Prem's residence, to hand-deliver it later that day.

A week passed. Then another. And another, yet. I got no response. Absolutely none. It felt like the antiques consignment store saga all over again. Unwanted. No one wanted what I had to offer. Not even my own Guru.

And then, in the fifth week of this outtake from my own Mahabharata, I got a call from the gardener friend of mine who'd hand-delivered the woodcarving a few weeks ago. Prem, he explained, after a month in Denver, had traveled back to his home in Malibu. A few days later he called the Denver residence and requested that someone ship him the woodcarving immediately. Which they did.

As the story was told to me, he hung it in a place of honor in his living room.

Prem's recent series of Lockdown talks
PremRawat.com
TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:54 PM | Comments (1)

April 12, 2020
Grateful for Another Chance

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Sitting here in semi-isolation in an AirBB in Epping, Australia (where?), I am feeling particularly grateful to Prem Rawat whose endless guidance, encouragement, graciousness, care, humor, love, storytelling, and wisdom continues to buoy me up at a time when there is so much that could easily bring me down. And though I feel the heaviness of the world in distress, more than that I feel grateful for yet another chance to meet my own Maker within -- the spark of life, the oasis in the middle of the desert of unknowns. What a great gift this man is. What a blessing on the Earth.

If you haven't had a chance to watch his recent series of daily Lockdown talks, you're in for a treat. Breaths of fresh air they are. Goodness. The long view. Light at the end of the tunnel (and the beginning, too) -- simple reminders of that which thrives even in midst of difficulty and tough times.

PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:21 AM | Comments (0)

April 02, 2020
LOCKDOWN #12: Resting and Boosting Your Immune System

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Prem Rawat continues his series of daily talks in response to the Coronavirus situation. Also includes a very informative conversation between Prem and Dr. John Horton. HINT: Boost your immune system, decrease your fear.

Photo: Courtesy of TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:13 AM | Comments (0)

March 31, 2020
LOCKDOWN #10: Be Like Water

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Here is the tenth in a series of Prem Rawat's talks in response to the challenges so many people are facing in this time of the Coronavirus. His request for people to be fluid and adaptive, like water, I found especially helpful.

Photo: Courtesy of TimelessToday
The entire Lockdown series

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:10 AM | Comments (0)

March 29, 2020
LOCKDOWN #8: Give Everybody Space. Give Everybody Respect

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Prem Rawat's most recent response to what it takes to thrive during these challenging Coronavirus times.

Photo: Courtesy of TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:21 AM | Comments (0)

March 27, 2020
LOCKDOWN #6: An Incredible Reset to Get Back to the Basics

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Here's Prem Rawat's Lockdown #6 talk in response to the Coronavirus challenge we are all facing. Inspiring. Encouraging. Timely. And timeless, too.

Photo: Courtesy of TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:30 PM | Comments (0)

March 25, 2020
PREM RAWAT: Lockdown Talk #4

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Here's the fourth in a series of spontaneous talks by Prem Rawat -- his noble effort to spread some love, inspiration, and perspective at a time when a whole lot of other things are spreading on planet Earth. I had the great good fortune of hearing about Prem in 1971. It is now 49 years later. A lot has changed in my life and in the world since then, but his inspiring message of peace, consciousness, and gratitude remains the same -- perhaps never more needed to be considered than these crazy-making days. Enjoy! And don't forget to wash your hands.

PHOTO: Courtesy of TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:53 AM | Comments (0)

March 24, 2020
PREM RAWAT: Lockdown Talk #3

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Prem Rawat's daily talk in response to the Coronavirus challenge. Words of wisdom, perspective, and one more chance to connect with your own courage and clarity.

PHOTO: Courtesy of TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:10 PM | Comments (0)

LOCKDOWN #2: It's Not What We're Faced With, But How We Handle It

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Here's the second in a series of talks by Prem Rawat in response to the coronavirus calamity we are all facing. Somehow, he's able to step back and see the big picture, providing a healthy perspective for unhealthy times. Enjoy!

PHOTO: Courtesy of TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:35 AM | Comments (0)

March 22, 2020
A Dream about Storytelling

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I had a wonderful dream last night. I was in my hometown (wherever that was) and felt a need to go to the local library. When I walked in, I noticed that Prem Rawat was sitting at a low table with four children and reading them a story. I was very excited to see him, but didn't want to disturb the moment and call attention to myself, so I sat down at a nearby table, doing my best to be casual and not stare in his direction. Prem immediately looked up from his book, smiled, and waved to me. I smiled and waved back, feeling very, very happy, as he continued reading. Then, the four kids he was reading to stood up and started dancing. I stood up, too, joined them, and started dancing as well -- all of us together. Not wanting to tower over the kids, I bent my knees so I would be the same height as the childen, thinking, "I'm really just a big kid."

Then Prem stood up, walked over to me and began showing me the story, page by page. The writing, I could see, was in Italian and I realized it was a children's book he had written six months ago -- one I had never read. I mentioned that to Prem and he just smiled, continuing to turn the pages. Then it was time to go. So I left.

One reason why storytelling matters to children
A six-year old loves outer space
Helping children understand the moral of a story
PHOTO: Courtesy of TimelessToday

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

February 02, 2020
FOCUS!

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Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:48 AM | Comments (0)

December 04, 2019
Home Is Where the Heart Is

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When I was a small boy, I used to look up at the sky a lot, sigh, and think one basic thought: "I want to go home."

Though my parents tried their best to love me (allowance! grilled cheese! dog!), I was sure I came from someplace else. I felt like an orphan. It wasn't that I was unhappy. I wasn't. I just felt displaced -- certain that my real home was very faraway.

As I grew up and translated my boyish sky-prayers into a more classical spiritual quest, I began to notice a pattern in the books I was reading. Beyond the jargon and the all too common habit of implying that their way was the only way, a central theme was emerging -- the home I was looking for was within me.

My seemingly unquenchable thirst to have the experience of arriving was not going to be a matter of traveling to exotic places worthy of my pilgrimage. It was going to be a matter of turning within. But how? How does a person turn within?

Well, that's what Prem Rawat's work is all about. In a very simple way, he has a knack for helping people enjoy what they already have -- the experience of their true home. Yes, home is where the heart is, but where is the heart?

Photo: Courtesy of Timeless Today

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:44 PM | Comments (1)

November 26, 2019
WAFA: Water Air Food Awards

If you haven't heard of WAFA yet (Water Air Food Awards), here's your introduction. Based in Denmark, WAFA is a global volunteer organization that recognizes our world's silent heroes -- people making a difference in their communities with low cost, high impact, environmentally friendly innovations and initiatives. Prem Rawat is one of WAFA's four patrons.

WAFA's vision and mission
WAFA's patrons
A sampling of WAFA success stories
How to volunteer
WAFA's new 2020 Youth Climate Award

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:25 PM | Comments (0)

November 22, 2019
The Greatest Truth of All

Excerpts from one of Prem Rawat's books from 2013. Music: Stuart Hoffman.

PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:15 PM | Comments (1)

October 24, 2019
Michelangelo's Reply

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When asked how he created his iconic statue, David, Michelangelo's response pretty much sums up one way in which Prem Rawat has helped me become a human being.

"I simply took away everything that wasn't."

The statue, you see, was always in the stone. All it took was the sure hand of a master sculptor to remove whatever wasn't the masterpiece. Simple? Yes. But not necessarily easy.

In my brief time here on planet Earth, I have never met anyone quite as masterful as Prem Rawat in the fine art of removing the unnecessary. Listening to him speak in ways that are utterly soulful, enchanting, and magnificent, the inconsequential falls away and what remains is the Masterpiece -- who we truly are behind the stone surface of our lives.

And as if that wasn't enough, he provides a simple way to stay connected to this experience wherever we happen to be at the time.

PremRawat.com
Photo: Courtesy of TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:29 PM | Comments (0)

October 04, 2019
The Clear Path

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PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:32 AM | Comments (0)

August 23, 2019
The Impact of a Living Master

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Friends sometimes ask me what the impact is of having a living Master, or, in my case, Prem Rawat. Every once in a while, in response to their questions, I try my best to quote from one of his talks, not wanting my words to be interpretations of anything he's said, knowing how easy it is to confuse the people I love with my own, imperfect translations.

There are other times, however, when words, even his, will not suffice -- when the feeling is so absolutely radiant that I am taken back to the time before language, the time when not even a single song had yet been sung. And often this happens at one of his events.

There, I see people from many different countries having traveled great distances to see this man. These people are being lifted by something lighter than air, unseen. After hearing Prem speak, they do not want to rise from their seats. They just sit there, beaming, breathing, beholding something sacred within themselves. They have nothing to say. They have nothing to do. They have nowhere to go, having already arrived.

If it wasn't for the ushers on the evening shift, they might still be sitting there, smiling, soft eyes focused on nothing in particular. I watch them stand and walk, eyes to the ground like divining rods tracking an invisible current of love. Others feel their way forward, slowly adrift, it seems, in some kind of all-pervading buoyancy.

They are not so much moving as being moved.

And while they clearly notice others on their way to the exits, they are not engaging in the usual conversations. Why speak of 9-5 when you are, through no effort of your own, abiding in the timeless?

Out the door they go, into the night, surrounded by friends, known and unknown, equally enjoying the gyroscopic center of every dervish's dance since the beginning of time. Home base. The alchemist's stone. The sword. And the rock from which the sword was unsheathed.

Much laughter. Huge embraces. A hearty round of ordering something everyone shares, remembering a word, a phrase, a story told just minutes before -- a word, a phrase, a story that continues reverberating, at such a rate, that at least one waitress wonders, aloud, why the drinks she is carrying to her guests, on the tray above her head, all seem to be swirling from the inside out.

Photo: TimelessToday
Prem Rawat
PEAK

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:48 PM | Comments (1)

July 01, 2019
PREM RAWAT'S PRACTICAL PEACE LIBRARY: Short Videos and Audios

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Here it is

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:28 PM | Comments (0)

June 25, 2019
Prem Rawat's Conversation with a Cancer Patient

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June 23, 2019
What Do You Want?

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PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:02 PM | Comments (0)

May 30, 2019
ANNOUNCING the Release of Prem Rawat's "Peace Is Possible"

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Prem Rawat's new book, Peace Is Possible will be published on September 1st, but it is available now for pre-order on Amazon. Here is the description of the book on Amazon:

"Global peace ambassador, Prem Rawat, has spent his entire life traveling the world to deliver one timeless message: Peace is Possible.

Conflict, he explains, takes place at three levels: between countries, between people, and finally within each of us as individuals. These levels are all interconnected. Hence the conflict that rages within a person will lead them to seek out conflict with another. Similarly, conflict between people of one nation is likely to result in conflict between many nations. So the first step to world peace is a simple one: we must first find peace within ourselves.

Peace is Possible draws together age-old stories which, as they have been passed down over generations, inspired and transformed the lives of millions. From the power of adaptability, to the importance of trust, to the sticking-place of courage, these are the messages that will change the world. For good."

Order the book here
PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:47 AM | Comments (0)

May 05, 2019
Begin Your Day With Focus

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Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:58 PM | Comments (1)

February 07, 2019
The Students of Prem Rawat Speak

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Six years ago, I posted the following question on Facebook: "If you are a student of Prem Rawat, what would you say is the one thing you've heard him say, over the years, that has had the most impact on you?" What follows is a sampling of the responses I received:

"Let me show you what is keeping you alive." - Daniel Light

"Everyone knows the drop is in the ocean, but very few know that the ocean dwells in the drop." - Jan Buchalter

"Peace is the perfume of God." - Stuart Hoffman

"Water the root." - Jennifer Boire

"Be true to your own heart." - Julia Howe

"Everything you need for complete fulfillment is inside of you. The thirst is within and the quenching is within. We are each complete!" - Alla Rogers

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"Peace is already inside of you, and I can help you get in touch with that." - Paul Pilcher

"Peace on Earth begins within you." - Sharon Blatt

"Be true to this breath." - Tim Hain

"The angel you are looking for is you!" - Sally Richman

"Peace is as close as your breath." - Linda D. Miller

"Be a true human being, the one who is filled with kindness, who's filled with love, who's filled with peace, who's filled with joy. And to know this, you need the knowledge of the self." - Cintra Hardy

"I can help." - Michael Taylor

"Belief is like an unlit candle. When you light it, it transforms into knowing." - David Klamph

"Wherever one spark of this Knowledge goes, it hits and makes it perfect. Perfect." - Jane Bennett

"Love the love like it's never been loved before." - Larry Lustbader

"Trying to describe this experience, this self-knowledge, is like trying to describe a mango. The only way to know a mango is to taste it." - Joyce Gerber

"Let me introduce you to you." - Gabriele Regan Gfeller

"Life is a one-seater car." - Jule Kowarsky

"Enjoy your life." - Fran King

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"It is not the words. Peace is a feeling." - Jan Scoular

"Many ask me are you a guru or a guide or a friend. The way I like to see it is I just hold up a mirror, keep it nice and shiny so you can see just how beautiful you truly are!" - Jeff Schreiber

"This is not a path of suffering." - Marcia Loft

"Everything you are really looking for is already inside of you." - Claudio Pollero

"Give me your love and I will give you peace." - Otto Vlach

"There is an ocean of joy and there is an ocean of sadness." - Stella Neary Sharpe

"An ocean of love is inside of you." - Rita Rubin Long

"Don't be a victim of circumstance. Be a human being." - Maggie Flannagan

"You get good at what you practice. Practice peace and you get good at that!" - Sigrid Eleonora Ariana

"Let your heart embrace you." - Cindy Lategan

"Live, live, live until there is no more." - Josephine Leslie Jackson

"Go in peace. Stay in peace. And come back in peace." - Kathy Sisler Soffer

"Longing is a beautiful experience." - Celia Jennings

"You are going to die." - Sharon Jeffers

"When you die, they will ask you two questions: 'Did you find peace?' and 'Did you help others find peace?'" - Bill Slater

"What you are looking for is within you." - Lucinda Brown

"Come closer." - Bhatta Sagar

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"And I want you to be among the very few who know." - Maryvonne Louise Segalen

"You are not a human doing. You are a human being." - Maggie Flanagan

"Knowledge. Understanding. These are the only things that can remove uncertainty from this life so that I can begin to welcome what tomorrow is." - Denise Cartwright

"Find the friend within. This is a friendship that can last forever." - Kim E. Scott

"You wear peace well." - Annie Tresidder

"If you don't like the altitude you're flying and it's too bumpy, change it. If you don't know how to change it, I can help you with that." - Sylvia Flyer

"Just do it." (way before Nike said it). - Alan Roderick-Jones

"It is what it is." - Buffy Black

"Remain in holy company." - Mimsy Bouret

"Meditate. This Knowledge will give you peace." - Geraldine Larson

"Be still, be very, very still, and let peace find you." - Paula Rosenblum

"Can you do this? Of course. Of course." - Helen M. Waters

"Know the infinite that resides in you." - Monika Winslow

"Thirst is everything." - Christy Hodgson

"Be free of concepts." - Mary Foxen

"You cannot bring in the light by scooping out the darkness." - Evee Danneburg

"Just stay on the boat." - Rainer Poulet

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"We get good at what we practice. So when we practice anger, we get good at that, but if we practice peace, then we get good at that." - Glenna Dumay

"Come to me and I will give you peace." - Joseph Rosenblatt

"You are the Angel that can solve your problems." - Laura Perez Velasco

"The only thing you have not done is accept, accept what is." - Janet Bloom

"You are greater than the sum of all your successes and failures." - Liz Westbyrd

"I can show you." - Howard Luckman

"Stay in the boat. Sit back and relax. That's all I ask. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride." - Joy Winnel

"It is all within." - Alaya Love

"Knowledge is your best friend. It's the sword that cuts clean the ambiguity." - Anna Luthi

"Come home." - Candice Wilmore

"Alan." (It's just my name, but of all the profoundly inspiring and helpful things I've heard him say, that one word meant the most to me. No one has said it with more love and respect). - Alan Roettinger

"Don't leave. If you can't express yourself here, where are you going to be able to do it?" - James Eartheart

"I will love you if you meditate or if you don't meditate." - Tara Lee Planett

"You are looking for peace, and peace is looking for you. Be still and let the peace find you." - Larry Mergentime

"The infinite resides in the finite." - Nikolaj Krarup

"You become good at what you practice." - Johan Drejare

"Feel the gratitude." - Melissa June Burnand

"A day without practice is a day wasted." - Asandra Lamb

"Even in your darkest hour I will not abandon you." - Teresa Wooldridge

"25,500 days." - Craig Klawuhn

"To get what you want without wanting is surrender."- Jan Herbert

"One second of being clear can save you a lifetime of being miserable." - Frieda Hill

"Practice." - Chris Cantrell

"Peace is within inside." - Kathy Lorenz

"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink (but you can put salt in its food)." - Chris Hamerton

"You are capable, valuable, and loved." - Louise Amm

"Be grateful you are alive." - Joyce Czarny

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PremRawat.com
TimelessToday.com
The Prem Rawat Foundation

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:37 PM | Comments (2)

January 15, 2019
The Long Walk Up the Hill

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Excerpts from 9/7/15
Excerpts from 9/8/15
Excerpts from 9/9/15
Excerpts from 9/10/15
Excerpts from 9/11/15

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:54 AM | Comments (0)

December 20, 2018
Practice Being Human

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TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:04 AM | Comments (0)

December 09, 2018
When People Are at Peace

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PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:18 AM | Comments (0)

November 27, 2018
PEACE: The Most Practical Tool

PremRawat.com
TPRF.org
TimelessToday.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:05 AM | Comments (0)

November 19, 2018
Carry a Lot of Matches

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Words of Peace Global

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:27 PM | Comments (0)

October 28, 2018
Words to the Wise

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Click here if you breathe
Click here if you know someone who breathes
Do not click this link

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:12 AM | Comments (1)

October 25, 2018
Right Now

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October 04, 2018
Simplify!

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September 03, 2018
Prem Rawat Excerpts: Amaroo, 9/8/15

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Excerpts from 9/7/15
PremRawat.com
Words of Peace Global
The Prem Rawat Foundation
Rawat Creations


PHOTOS #17 & #19: Chris Corbett

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:29 PM | Comments (3)

August 13, 2018
Prem Rawat Excerpts, 9/9/15

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Field 7.jpg

Red 12.jpg

Lamp 8.jpg

Sky 9.jpg

Clarity 10.jpg

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Butterfly 14.jpg

Green 18.jpg

Tether 16.jpg

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Excerpts from 9/7/15
Excerpts from 9/8/15
PremRawat.com
Words of Peace Global
The Prem Rawat Foundation
Rawat Creations

AMAROO PHOTOS by Steve Brenman: #3, 7, 10, 13, 15, 18

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:41 PM | Comments (1)

July 03, 2018
Prem Rawat, Amaroo, 9/10/15

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You 4.jpg

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Excerpts from 9/7/15
Excerpts from 9/8/15
Excerpts from 9/9/15
PremRawat.com
Words of Peace Global
The Prem Rawat Foundation
Rawat Creations


AMAROO PHOTOS: Chris Corbett, #6, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:07 PM | Comments (2)

April 28, 2018
The Relaunch of PremRawat.com

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Want to stay focused on your journey towards inner peace? Get the latest news and content from around the globe? Introduce friends to the world of Prem Rawat? The new PremRawat.com website is the place to go.

Enjoy a wealth of new tools and resources to help you stay informed, in touch and engaged: from an interactive timeline of Prem's activities through the decades to a monthly series about our changing world and a glimpse of the new personal peace program, PEAK (coming soon).

Find out about events with Prem that you can attend or enjoy online. Check out video and audio clips about topics relating to personal peace. Learn about Prem's work...and get involved yourself!

PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:40 AM | Comments (0)

April 22, 2018
Prem Rawat Excerpts: Amaroo, 9/7/15

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PremRawat.com
Words of Peace Global
The Prem Rawat Foundation
Rawat Creations

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:20 PM | Comments (2)

March 30, 2018
Enjoy Every Day

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Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:14 PM | Comments (1)

March 27, 2018
What Do You Practice?

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The Pleasanton Express, a Texas newspaper just quoted Prem Rawat -- an inspiring quote about the power of practice.

TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:03 PM | Comments (0)

December 12, 2017
After Seeing Prem Rawat in LA

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Here's one thing I experience after seeing Prem Rawat, who I just had the good fortune to see at the LA event in celebration of his 60th birthday: After being in his presence, there is nowhere to go. Nowhere to go, because I am already there. And by "there", I mean here -- the only place there is.

Event over, Prem having left the stage, I find myself absolutely where I need to be no matter where I am. The urge to go anywhere, see anyone, or do anything is completely gone. It feels, to me, like the proverbial snow day where, suddenly, with no effort on my part, whatever it was I thought I had to do is now on infinite pause.

Free. I am free. Totally free. My time is my own. But there is no time. No future, no past, no plans, no thing. And yet, this nothing is everything -- a wonderfully wide open space of love where anything can happen, but nothing needs to.

Weightless is how I feel. Buoyant. As if something unnecessary I had been carrying around for God knows how long has been taken away. Gone. It is gone. Light. I am light. Like the bubbles at the bottom of a perfectly chilled bottle of champagne, newly opened, now rising to the top.

If you want to listen to Prem Rawat
TimelessToday
iTunes preview of new TimelessToday app

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:36 AM | Comments (4)

December 08, 2017
PREM RAWAT Livestream from LA

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This is the link to view or listen to the livestream of Prem Rawat's December 9-10 event in Los Angeles. If you can't make it, the livestream is the next best thing. Video: $60. Audio: $20

Yes, it is a dark time in the world, but remember "the bigger the circle of darkness, the bigger the circle of light." You don't have to be a fan or student of Prem Rawat to get value from the livestream. His message is like type "O" blood -- the universal donor. It's for everyone, no matter what path you walk or don't walk.

TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:17 PM | Comments (0)

November 27, 2017
Singing for Your Supper and Every Other Meal Under the Sun

This is how I felt the last time I saw Prem Rawat.

TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:50 PM | Comments (1)

November 15, 2017
You Want a Miracle?

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PremRawat.com
Words of Peace Global

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:42 PM | Comments (0)

November 04, 2017
What Is a Student?

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Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:08 PM | Comments (0)

October 24, 2017
The Divine is Touching Us Both

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TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:48 PM | Comments (2)

May 27, 2017
The Supreme Art of the Teacher

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TimelessToday

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

May 07, 2017
You Are Here!

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Inspiring, new releases on TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:23 AM | Comments (0)

April 28, 2017
MIAMI AUDIO of PREM RAWAT: Olympia Theater, 4/12/15

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Just released, on TimelessToday, a 60-minute downloadable audio of Prem Rawat, at the Olympia Theater, in Miami -- April 12, 2015. Also available: a 2:25 preview audio of his talk.

TimelessToday
Streaming video
Short articles

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:11 AM | Comments (0)

April 27, 2017
Something Worth Listening To

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As children, the first time we spoke we were celebrated by our parents. But the first time we listened, no one said a thing. As a result, we all seem to be much better talkers than listeners. Listening, in fact, seems to be going the way of the dodo bird. And so, as a public service to all Heart of the Matter readers, here is something worth listening to -- 54 brief audios of Prem Rawat waxing on about what really matters in this life. Most of the audios are less than 3 minutes.

TimelessToday
What you get when you google "listening"

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:45 PM | Comments (0)

April 23, 2017
What's New on Timeless Today?

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NEW RELEASES: Inspiration for everyone

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:33 AM | Comments (0)

April 11, 2017
What Makes You Happy?

PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:44 PM | Comments (1)

March 25, 2017
41 Minutes of Cape Town Radio Fun

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Click here for Part 3 of the Wild Wise Women Assembly Radio interview of Prem Rawat on May 9th, 2016. Engaging. Energetic. Casual. Inspiring. And profound.

TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:35 AM | Comments (0)

March 20, 2017
Stepping Lively

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TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:52 PM | Comments (0)

March 18, 2017
Wild Wise Women Radio Interview with Prem Rawat (Parts 1-2)

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Click here for the first two parts of a very entertaining radio interview with Prem Rawat in Cape Town, South Africa. The final segment will be released next week.

TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:51 AM | Comments (0)

March 12, 2017
CAPE TOWN: Delightful Wise Wild Woman Interview of Prem Rawat

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Very spunky 20-minute interview of Prem Rawat on Assembly Radio in Cape Town, South Africa. (The first in a series of three. Stay tuned!)

TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:45 AM | Comments (0)

March 06, 2017
New Releases on Timeless Today

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New releases for your enjoyment

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:28 AM | Comments (0)

February 09, 2017
Heart of the Matter's Top Ten Posts

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The Heart of the Matter blog began nine years ago in January, 2008. Since that time, the 1,817 postings on the site have been viewed a total of 1,390,444 times. What follows are the ten most popular postings since the blog was first launched.

1. We Were Made for These Times
2. On Being an Instrument of Peace
3. Prem Rawat: Miami Beach, 4/9/16
4. Dance!
5. When the Rain Begins
6. Prem Rawat in Johannesburg
7. Excerpts from Asheville
8. Prem Rawat: Amaroo, 9/10/15
9. Prem Rawat in 24 Minutes
10. You Are the Water

PS: Subscribing to the blog is easy. Just enter your email address in the space provided in the sidebar, then click "subscribe." Immediately after, you will receive a verification email. (If you don't get it, check your spam folder). Once you click the verification email, you will begin receiving alerts, to your inbox, whenever something new is posted on the blog.

TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:34 AM | Comments (0)

February 08, 2017
Your Morning Wake Up Call

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TimelessToday
New releases
Review of Timeless Today

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:17 AM | Comments (0)

February 07, 2017
A Website That Is Timeless

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There are approximately one billion websites in the world, servicing the virtual needs of 3.6 billion people -- an astounding 40% of the earth's population. Given the fact that the average human being spends about three hours online, daily, human beings are living in cyberspace for an astounding 10.8 billion hours every day.

That's a lot of time. True. But time isn't the only game in town. There's also something beyond time. And for want of a better word, let's call that something else the "timeless" -- that which is lasting, ageless, abiding, permanent, unfailing, immortal, unchanging, and everlasting.

Recently I've discovered a website that addresses the essence of this timelessness in a most elegant way -- the appropriately named TimelessToday.

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Launched in September 2016, this fresh, new site offers a breath of fresh air (and a healthy dose of inspiration) through the spoken and written word of Prem Rawat. And it does so in a way that avoids the kind of proselytizing and evangelizing that all too often accompanies these kind of high-minded efforts.

Clearly, the people behind the scenes at Timeless Today, a hardworking team of web savvy and multimedia professionals, know a thing or two about the modern-day mindset. Rather than create a one-size-fits-all website, they've created an online experience that offers something for everyone -- no matter what their religion, philosophy, or attention span: everything from two-minute audio teasers to in-depth 80-minute videos.

Though still in its start up phase, Timeless Today is already seeing results. To date, it has hosted more than 133,000 web sessions for people in 140 countries and continues, in it's uniquely upbeat way, to provide a variety of free, pay-to-download, pay-to-stream, audio, and video.

What does the future hold for the website whose mission is to reach all 7.5 billion people on planet Earth with a message of hope, peace, and humanity? No one really knows, but if you ask the TimelessToday team, you can expect the following:

- More free content on the website and Facebook page
- New and different themes
- A YouTube channel of free content
- The TT crew following Prem Rawat around the world and providing footage that will be made available in a variety of formats: streaming video and audio, and downloads from his interviews, conversations, and live addresses.

A Quick Tour of TimelessToday

HomePage
About Prem Rawat
About TimelessToday
New Releases
Watch
Streaming Video
Listen
Read
Focused Listening (audio books)
Splitting the Arrow (book)
Store
Themes
Full Catalog of Products
Crowd funding Campaign
Contact

Want to help TimelessToday make its mark? Here's how:

- Join the mailing list
- Stay up-to-date with it's latest releases
- Purchase video, audio, and articles
- Participate in its crowd funding campaign
- Like it on Facebook
- Share posts on Facebook
- Recommend it to your friends

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:31 AM | Comments (0)

February 05, 2017
The Power of Gratitude

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Here is a collection of expressions of gratitude from people around the world who have experienced some of the benefits of Prem Rawat's message of peace via their participation in the Peace Education Program.

About Prem Rawat
TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:59 PM | Comments (1)

February 04, 2017
Prem Rawat Radio Interview on KAYA FM in Johannesburg

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Click here for a lively December 6th South African radio interview with Prem Rawat, referred to by millions of people around the world, as a "Peace Ambassador." In this day and age of ultra-strange politics, terrorism, fake news, environmental collapse, and the escalation of nuclear arms, here is a voice of sanity and wisdom. I have been a student of this man since 1971 and want to invite you to consider his timeless message of peace, so needed in today's chaotic world. 29 minutes. Free.

TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:43 AM | Comments (0)

January 30, 2017
When People Are at Peace

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PeaceQuotes music/slideshow
PremRawat.com
Words of Peace Global

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:01 AM | Comments (0)

When People Are at Peace

Prem Rawat Peace Quotes.jpg

PeaceQuotes music/slideshow
PremRawat.com
Words of Peace Global

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:01 AM | Comments (0)

January 21, 2017
Prem Rawat on South African Radio

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Free streaming audio of Prem Rawat's December 8th radio interview on South Africa's oldest radio station. 13 minutes.

TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:09 AM | Comments (0)

January 18, 2017
Home Sweet Home

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Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:20 PM | Comments (0)

January 11, 2017
In the Beginning Was the Word (and then the Huffington Post)

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You may not know this, but during the last few years, the author of this blog has published seven articles in the Huffington Post about Prem Rawat, his books, and his message of peace. If you, perchance, missed any of these, all you need to do is click and read. Enjoy!

Splitting the Arrow
Here Comes the International Day of Peace
The Power of This Moment
Jeremy Gilley and Prem Rawat on Peace
It's Time to Speak Your Peace
How to Go Beyond Self-Improvement
Take a Look at the Box You Want to Get Out Of

More about Prem's message of peace here

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

January 01, 2017
Prem Rawat in Sebokeng

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Prem Rawat speaking in Sebokeng, South Africa, December 9th. Treat yourself to a New Year's Day present!

TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:23 PM | Comments (1)

December 24, 2016
50th Anniversary Amaroo Gift Set Now Available on TimelessToday

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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)

December 21, 2016
You See Differences

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Photo: Ira Meyer

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:02 PM | Comments (0)

November 28, 2016
A New Book by Prem Rawat

Pot With Hole cover.jpgFollowing the success of Prem Rawat's first book produced in Japan by Bunya Publishing in 2015, Splitting the Arrow, a second book of his was released in August -- a delightfully illustrated children's book, entitled The Pot with the Hole.

The book, to date, has been very well-received and a number of prominent authors and media outlets have helped get the word out.

A famous Japanese author, Seiko Kageyama, featured The Pot with the Hole as one of her 30 top recommended books out of 5,000 storybooks.

Fuji FM, a national radio station in Japan, hosted an on-air book reading of The Pot with the Hole. More than 200,000 listeners tuned in.

During his 2016 visit to Japan, Prem was interviewed by Professor Maeno for Reiro magazine -- a publication with a monthly circulation of 35,000.

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Additionally, this year, The Pot with the Hole played a key role in the Fukushima book donation event. Prem personally handed out the book to all of the children in attendance. And the book has been donated to every school and nursery in the Fukushima region.

Here are two of eight book testimonials provided by the children:

"Even though the pot was broken, thanks to the wisdom of the gardener, the pot was still able to do something wonderful and play an important role".

"I was touched by the fact that you lost your father at the age of 8 -- about my age -- and yet you had the courage to take on the responsibility of spreading this message about the importance of having a peaceful heart".

The English version of The Pot with the Hole will soon be available on Amazon in the UK and US, but not in time for Christmas.

Currently, the book is only available on the Bunya website. If you are thinking of buying it this holiday season, consider pooling your order with friends in your area to help defray the cost of shipping.

More about the book on TimelessToday

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:44 PM | Comments (0)

October 15, 2016
Seven Videos from PremRawat.com

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Here are seven direct-to-camera videos of Prem Rawat -- all posted on his website and all less than 22 minutes each. Inspiring. Clear. And a simple way to tune into his universal message of peace.

No Need to Measure
The Match of All Matches
That Fundamental Balance
Facing the Day
Lifting the Blindfold
You Are the Actor
99% of Our Well Being Begins from the Inside

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:03 AM | Comments (1)

August 06, 2016
Prem Rawat's Recent Events in India with English Translation

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Chenai
Surat
Jaipur
Kolkata
New Delhi

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:36 AM | Comments (0)

July 29, 2016
TimelessToday Launches on July 31st, 10:30 am Indian Standard Time

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TimelessToday launches on Sunday, July 31st at 10:30 am India Standard Time. I am not sure what time that is for YOU, but it's simple to find out. The launch is timed to celebrate the moment, 50 years ago, when Prem Rawat, at the age of eight, gave his first public address as a teacher.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:29 PM | Comments (1)

July 25, 2016
In Honor of Ray Belcher

Rest in peace, bro!

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:10 PM | Comments (2)

June 18, 2016
Off the Coast of Love

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Off the Coast of Love

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:24 AM | Comments (0)

April 24, 2016
Prem 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, 2016
PREM RAWAT: Miami Beach, 4/10

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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)

April 04, 2016
In You Dances the Divine

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Illustration: Leslie Dietrich

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:50 AM | Comments (0)

February 01, 2016
The Three Questions

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Some years ago I attended a 5-day conference, in Miami, with Prem Rawat and 50 other people. On the first morning, during his opening remarks, Prem explained that he wanted everyone at the conference to feel absolutely free to ask their questions whenever they had one. Made perfect sense. After all, we were there to learn.

The first morning passed in a questionless mode for me. Everything he said was absolutely clear and I was content simply to sit, listen, and enjoy the feeling of being in the room with him.

The afternoon was a different story. About an hour after lunch, he said something that baffled me. No kapish. I had a question. But I also had something else -- and that was the fear of asking.

One part of me -- the respectful part -- thought I'd be interrupting him if I raised my hand. Another part -- the educated part -- thought I should already know the answer. Yet another part (hey! how many parts did I have?) didn't want to be the focus of attention.

My right hand twitched, but hung at my side like a slacker. Then I remembered what Prem had said the day before: "If you have a question, ask."

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I raised my hand and asked.

"That's the stupidest thing I ever heard," he replied.

Ouch! Oy! Now it was official. I was a fool, a moron, a complete idiot -- something I'd always suspected, but now had all the proof I needed.

I could feel myself shrinking, slinking back into my chair.

Prem had answered my question, but I barely heard a word. My mind was out to lunch, but had no idea where the restaurant was. A hundred over-caffeinated PR guys inside me, hell bent on damage control, did their best to save the day, but their efforts were a joke.

I didn't sleep too well that night.

The next morning I took my seat with an extra dose of humility and some last-minute effort to gracefully manage my emotional meltdown from the day before.

Thirty minutes into Prem's morning presentation, he said something that made only partial sense to me. I kind of understood it. I mean, I sort of got what he said, but not really.

I had a question.

No way was I going to ask it. No way was I going to reveal yet another questionable side of my questionable self -- not only to him, but to 50 of my peers, some of whom, I knew, already had their doubts about me.

But then I remembered what he had said on Day One. "If you have a question, ask."

I raised my hand.

"That," he replied, "is a really good question."

Hallelujah! I was back in the game -- now hanging ten in my semi-comfortable hotel chair, waiting for his response to my now, officially-declared, good question.

I barely heard a word he said -- consumed, as I was, by his acknowledgment of my question being "good." I could see he was talking, but I was suddenly deaf. My mind, once more, was out to lunch. OK, maybe not lunch, but out for a meal. Like... maybe breakfast.. or a light snack.

Day Three came quickly.

I woke, took a shower, practiced Knowledge, drank coffee, ate a bagel, and took my seat.

The morning session was smooth as silk. Prem spoke, told some jokes, and showed some slides -- me enjoying my new found status as a question-free human being.

The afternoon?
Don't ask.

An hour into it, I felt an old familiar feeling coming over me. I wouldn't exactly call it cluelessness, but I was clearly in need of a clue.

I took a breath. I raised my hand. I asked.

Prem listened. Then he spoke. His response, this time, was neutral. My question wasn't good. My question wasn't bad. It was just a question.

Three days. Three questions. Three different responses.

Looking back at this conference with my favorite person on the planet, the metaphor that comes to mind is one a friend shared with me some years ago.

"Imagine yourself," she said, "as a sword in a stone. It's stuck and won't come out. You pull to the left. You pull to the right. You pull to the left, again. Back and forth, back and forth you go between the extremes: good and bad, up and down, black and white, rich and poor, this and that. With each movement between the extremes, the sword gets looser and looser until it gets loose enough for you to pull from the stone. That's how it works some times -- all this going back and forth, until we're finally free!"

I'm glad I took Prem up on his word and asked my questions. In a curious way, I may have learned more from the act of asking than I did from the answers I received. That's one of the cool things about being in relationship with someone like him. Every interaction is amplified. Every conversation has the potential to reveal something extraordinary.

I'm glad I didn't play it safe. I'm glad I didn't hide behind my simulated mask of understanding. Yes, it's a risk to speak up. But a risk to what? Only that self-serving, legend-in-my-own-mind character more concerned with other's opinions of me than the experience of truth.

Did he know that the three different ways he answered my questions put me through some changes? I doubt it. But it doesn't really matter.

Prem Rawat is not a mind reader. He is not a psychic. He is not a therapist. He merely holds up a mirror. What we see -- and what we do after we see what we see -- is completely up to us.

My Amaroo question
PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:57 PM | Comments (13)

Inspiration, Past and Present

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While it is absolutely true that the past is over, the future is yet to come and NOW IS ALL THERE IS, sometimes it's inspiring to reflect on sweet moments of inspiration. Here are some from Prem Rawat's five-day Amaroo event in Australia last September.

His new book, Splitting the Arrow

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:56 AM | Comments (0)

January 21, 2016
Practice Being Human

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Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:11 AM | Comments (0)

December 10, 2015
Happy Birthday to Prem Rawat!

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A big shout out, from Woodstock (and everywhere else in the world) to Prem Rawat for his unending commitment to bring a timeless, universal message of peace to people everywhere. Happy birthday! And thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for all the years of inspiration, joy, laughter, focus, freedom, and fun. Whoo! Whoo!

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:49 PM | Comments (0)

November 02, 2015
150,000 People Attend Prem Rawat's Public Event in Calcutta, India

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PremRawat.com
Words of Peace Global
RawatCreations
The Prem Rawat Foundation

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

October 18, 2015
Remember What Freedom Is

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Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:31 PM | Comments (0)

October 10, 2015
Feel

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PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:11 PM | Comments (0)

October 04, 2015
There Is a Song That's Been Written That Has Never Been Sung

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:13 PM | Comments (0)

September 27, 2015
BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE: Prem Rawat, Amaroo Excerpts Continued

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Excerpts from 9/7/15
Excerpts from 9/8/15
Excerpts from 9/9/15
Excerpts from 9/10/15
Excerpts from 9/11/15

PHOTOS: #1 (Thom Adorney), #5 & #9 (Ira Meyer), #10 (Chris Corbett), #14 (Steve Brenman)

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:38 PM | Comments (2)

July 15, 2015
Prem Rawat in Baltimore

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A few people asked me for a report on what Prem Rawat talked about, on July 12th, in Baltimore. Since I did not take notes, I cannot share any excerpts. That being said, here are some impressions of mine:

1. He is a very happy man.

2. His main message: everything you need is inside you.

3. If you want to experience "heaven" later in life, experience it now.

4. He is neither religious or spiritual. He is free.

5. He has an extraordinary ability to uplift, inspire, and awaken.

6. He has an extraordinary sense of humor.

7. I think the reason why he seems to move so quickly between humor and seriousness has best been described by Peter Ustinov who said: "Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious."

8. He is, at once, extremely modern and extremely ancient.

9. It's up to each one of us to experience peace within ourselves. It's not about going to a mountain top or monastery or pilgrimage. It's about accessing the gift we already have.

10. The people I met on the street who attended the event were all radiant, present, and exceedingly alive.

Prem Rawat video (not from Baltimore)

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:30 PM | Comments (0)

June 25, 2015
Heart of a Child

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PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:24 PM | Comments (4)

May 16, 2015
Something to Sing About!

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Two beautiful songs by Prem Rawat are now available for downloading on a newly launched website, Rawat Creations.

Each download is variably priced, depending on format, and includes a PDF of the lyrics. Other songs will be posted on the website as time goes by.

Brief message from Prem Rawat
Other videos

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:38 PM | Comments (0)

May 03, 2015
Introducing Rawat Creations

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Click here for the preview website launch of Rawat Creations -- an exciting new project of Prem Rawat that will feature his photography, music, poetry, design, and other forms of creative expression.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:09 PM | Comments (1)

April 25, 2015
Something Dramatically Beautiful

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Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:33 AM | Comments (0)

April 15, 2015
A Clean Slate

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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.

PremRawat.com
Prem videos

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:06 PM | Comments (0)

April 13, 2015
Prem Rawat Miami Excerpts: 4/12/15

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Bio of Prem Rawat
PremRawat.com
Prem Rawat videos
The Prem Rawat Foundation

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:29 PM | Comments (2)

March 16, 2015
All You Have to Do

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PremRawat.com
Words of Peace Global

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:30 PM | Comments (0)

March 11, 2015
Home Sweet Home

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One of the great gifts Prem Rawat gives is helping people find their true home in this world -- not the fairy tale mansion, house on the golf course, or perfect apartment in the BIG CITY. Nope. The home inside. Home base. The manger within. The peace that passes all understanding.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:29 PM | Comments (0)

March 10, 2015
Dust in Motion

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PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:21 AM | Comments (0)

March 03, 2015
That's the Beauty of This

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2 minutes more
PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:36 PM | Comments (0)

February 08, 2015
The Momentous Moment

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Photo & quote excerpted from the Valentine's Day Love Quote show

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If you like our Valentine's Day show, please consider making a donation to The Prem Rawat Foundation, a non-profit charity dedicated to bringing a whole lot more dignity, peace, and prosperity in the world. Stuart and Mitch have set up their own Social Fundraising page to make donating easier for you. Our goal is $50,000. Every little bit helps. Just $1.00 feeds a hungry child for a day.

PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:11 AM | Comments (0)

December 24, 2014
Twas the Night Before Isness

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All of the above quotes excerpted from YOUR MOMENT by Prem Rawat

Available on Amazon $11.45
Download eBook from WOPG.org: $4.50
Book reviewed on Huffington Post
21 excerpts

All of the above illustrations and photos are from YOUR MOMENT, though the combo of illustrations and quotes have been done specifically for this blog post.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:12 PM | Comments (0)

December 21, 2014
Excerpts from Prem Rawat's Wonderful New Book: YOUR MOMENT

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"You are the ocean of hope. You are the ocean of kindness. You are the ocean of peace."

"I'm not trying to change you. I'm just trying to tell you that what you are looking for is inside you."

"What I talk about is not becoming better. What I talk about is seeing yourself, realizing who you are."

"When you came into the world, people laughed and you cried. Do something, so when you go, you laugh and people cry."

"Come a little closer to yourself and you will understand the preciousness of this existence."

"My message is about the shortest sentence there is: 'I am.'"

"Don't believe a word I say. Don't. Know for your own self. Experience!"

"Consciousness, when? With every breath. Joy, when? Every day. Peace, when? NOW!"

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"Know the art of looking within."

"There is one thing you never have to search for. Do you know what that is? Peace."

"Focus not on society, but on the building block of society -- the individual human being."

"A miracle is happening every second inside of you."

"Embrace this life, not with sadness, but with great delight."

"You need to know two things: how fragile you are and how strong you are."

"What is the value of NOW, for you? What does a moment mean to you?"

"Do you know the material you are made of is also what the universe is made of?"

"Do you want to look really good? Be in peace and you will look the most beautiful."

"The breath comes into you is your drop. It comes into you and it splashes you with life. Are you waiting? Or are you ready?"

"Everything I am saying you already know because it comes from within you."

"People search but not within themselves. Some search on top of the mountain. Some search in a holy place. And where is it? In you!"

"Live your life consciously, in gratitude, in knowing, in clarity, in simplicity. Prosper and bloom!"

Huffington Post review of the book
Frappucino?
Buy on Amazon

PS: The photo and illustration are two of many from the book.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:27 AM | Comments (0)

December 11, 2014
Everything You Are Searching For is Within You

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PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:53 PM | Comments (0)

December 05, 2014
Today

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PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:37 PM | Comments (0)

December 03, 2014
The Question of the Day

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PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:35 PM | Comments (0)

November 14, 2014
Prem Rawat on Words of Peace

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In case you haven't seen this yet, here's a very nice overview of the message, work, and life of Prem Rawat on the newly redesigned Words of Peace Global website. Definitely worth a few minutes of your time.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:04 AM | Comments (0)

August 20, 2014
Being Alive

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More

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:25 AM | Comments (0)

July 26, 2014
Pasadena Music Slide Show

Excerpts, with music, from Prem Rawat's 7/19 event in Pasadena.

PremRawat.com
Words of Peace Global
The Prem Rawat Foundation
PeaceCast

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:54 AM | Comments (0)

July 22, 2014
Prem Rawat in Pasadena: 9 More

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PremRawat.com
Speak your peace
The Know Thy Selfie video

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:01 AM | Comments (3)

July 20, 2014
Prem Rawat in Pasadena

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12-minute video of Prem Rawat
PremRawat.com
Words of Peace Global
TRPF
Submit a video to PeaceCast

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:55 AM | Comments (1)

June 12, 2014
Mime Meme

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Words of Peace Global
PremRawat.com
TPRF on Facebook

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:26 PM | Comments (0)

May 27, 2014
Asheville, Part 3

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PremRawat.com
Words of Peace Global
Words of Peace Global Facebook

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:39 PM | Comments (0)

May 25, 2014
More Excerpts from Asheville

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PremRawat.com
Words of Peace Global
The Prem Rawat Foundation

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:05 AM | Comments (4)

May 23, 2014
Excerpts from Asheville

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PremRawat.com
Words of Peace Global

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:47 AM | Comments (1)

May 21, 2014
Inside of Each and Every Breath

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We are never more than a breath away from every thing we want and need in this life.

PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:24 PM | Comments (0)

May 08, 2014
Prem Rawat Coming to Asheville, North Carolina, on May 22!

You are invited to listen to Prem Rawat speak in Asheville, NC, on May 22nd. Admission free.

More info
To send an eCard to a friend

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:43 PM | Comments (0)

April 26, 2014
You Are the Angel

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PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:04 PM | Comments (0)

April 21, 2014
Volunteering for Peace

I Volunteer 131203 V4 from WOPG Productions Inc on Vimeo.

Words of Peace Global
PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:13 AM | Comments (0)

April 13, 2014
The SoCal Global Peace Initiative

Very nice 20-minute video, created by the Southern California Global Peace Initiative, to communicate the work (and play) they are doing to communicate the value of Prem Rawat's timeless message of peace.

PremRawat.com
Words of Peace Global

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:12 AM | Comments (0)

April 10, 2014
Prem Rawat Interview on Nepal TV

The first 1:45 introduction is in Nepalese. The rest is in English. Enjoy!

PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:38 AM | Comments (0)

March 29, 2014
WOPG's Media Sponsorship Campaign

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Find out what goes on behind the scenes when Words of Peace Global (WOPG) creates the many videos it produces to support the message of Prem Rawat -- videos seen at events around the world, videos of his events made available online, and Words of Peace TV episodes. This inside look at WOPG's inspired media production efforts is part of a newly launched campaign to raise the funds necessary to continue this important work. Please give what you can.

Words of Peace Global
PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:34 AM | Comments (0)

March 28, 2014
Do You Have the Eyes to See?

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PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:01 AM | Comments (0)

March 09, 2014
The Divine is Touching Us Both

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PremRawat.com
Words of Peace Global

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:43 AM | Comments (0)

February 20, 2014
The Core of Your Being

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PremRawat.com

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

February 12, 2014
A Surprise Collaboration with Vivek

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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."

Here it is.

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PremRawat.com

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

February 10, 2014
Out of the Mouths of Babes

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PremRawat.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:31 PM | Comments (0)

February 01, 2014
The Shortest Sentence

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Prem Rawat's new website

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:34 PM | Comments (0)

January 27, 2014
NO ORDINARY BOX: 12 Excerpts

Here is a colorful slide show of 12 excerpts from Prem Rawat's new book, NO ORDINARY BOX. Enjoy!

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:43 AM | Comments (0)

January 23, 2014
PremRawat.com Launches!

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Good news for those of you who enjoy the message of Prem Rawat. He has just launched his own, personal website, PremRawat.com

"The purpose of my website," he explains, "is to share my interests with you -- what fascinates me, in addition to the message of peace most people know me for. What you see here is just a beginning, a hint of what's to come."

The 3-minute introductory video of him speaking, on the homepage, clearly sets the tone for the site -- a venture, he explains, that will evolve in time.

On the contact page, Prem invites people to write to him, noting that he will respond, via video or email, to some of the questions he receives. Stay tuned. And enjoy!

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:29 PM | Comments (1)

December 27, 2013
Seasons Greetings from Prem Rawat

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More

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:49 AM | Comments (0)

December 22, 2013
One More Thing to Learn

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5 minute video
More

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:22 AM | Comments (1)

December 15, 2013
You Are Magnificent

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Excerpted from NO ORDINARY BOX

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:10 PM | Comments (0)

December 12, 2013
Two Quotes from NO ORDINARY BOX

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Excerpted from Prem Rawat's new book, NO ORDINARY BOX.
Painting: Lisa Dietrich

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:31 PM | Comments (0)

December 08, 2013
Another Mask Comes Off

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Excerpted from Prem Rawat's new book, No Ordinary Box, now available on Amazon.

Painting: Lisa Dietrich

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:36 PM | Comments (0)

December 07, 2013
This Thirst

All of us, at one point in our life, feel the primal thirst for something holy, sacred, and divine -- beyond the commerce and conditions of daily life. This one's for you!

Excerpted from Full Moon at Sunrise

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:58 AM | Comments (4)

December 04, 2013
VIDEO: Prem Rawat in Long Beach

Thanks to Matt Miller for the link

Words of Peace Global website

Words of Peace Global on Facebook

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:33 PM | Comments (2)

December 02, 2013
Prem Rawat in Miami: MORE EXCERPTS

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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

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Paintings: Lisa Dietrich
Words of Peace Global
Words of Peace Global on Facebook

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:58 AM | Comments (0)

November 18, 2013
Prem Rawat in Boston on 11/24/13

This has been a very good month for the city of Boston! On October 30th, its major league baseball team won its third World Series and on November 24th, it's highly regarded Berklee Performance Center will be hosting Prem Rawat for a public presentation of his message of peace. Baseball! Music! Joy! Hope to see you there.

More about the event

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:42 PM | Comments (0)

November 11, 2013
Celebrate Life Events in London

Here's a 2-minute video that will give you a feeling for a cool, new music-themed initiative in London dedicated to bringing about positive change in communities. Inspired. Fun. Celebrational.

More about Celebrate Life Events

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:16 AM | Comments (0)

November 09, 2013
Stone Walls Do Not a Prison Make

If you have four minutes and an interest in the possibility of peace for people everywhere, listen to Premlata Hudson Rawat (the daughter of Prem Rawat), talk about the Peace Education Program (PEP) -- an innovative educational program that helps people discover their inner resources. The four videos below provide a clear picture of the impact the program is having in prisons and other places around the world.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:36 AM | Comments (0)

October 31, 2013
Don't Let the Lamp Go Out!

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Words of Peace Global

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:33 PM | Comments (0)

October 29, 2013
Four More from Long Beach

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Words of Peace Global

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:47 PM | Comments (0)

October 24, 2013
Inspire for Peace

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Hoping to see you at the Inspire for Peace event in Long Beach, California -- Saturday, October 26th.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:28 AM | Comments (0)

September 28, 2013
Prem Rawat and Jeremy Gilley Video Now in the Huffington Post

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Click here for the newly published article, in the Huffington Post, about the inspired work of peace activist, Jeremy Gilley, and the 28-minute video of his revealing conversation with Prem Rawat about peace, life, anger, and what it really means to be a human being.

Words of Peace
Peace One Day

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:09 PM | Comments (0)

September 21, 2013
A Conversation Between Jeremy Gilley and Prem Rawat

This is an extraordinary video. Peace Activist and Founder of Peace One Day, Jeremy Gilley, has an animated conversation with Prem Rawat. Their exchange is deep, revealing, inspiring, and very timely. If you are interested in the topic of peace, this one's for you.

Words of Peace Global
TPRF

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:44 AM | Comments (0)

September 04, 2013
Big Doings in Ecuador

130605_Peguche_stadium_mk_815.png On June 5th, 2013, an unforgettable celebration of peace took place at the International Peace Festival in Otavalo, Ecuador.

After receiving invitations from the District Director of Education and the Mayor of the Imbabura Province, Prem Rawat arrived in Otavalo and delivered a rousing address in the foothills of the breathtaking Imbabura Mountains. He spoke about the possibility of every human being to live in peace and clarity, saying:

"An unhappy king cannot make his citizens happy. An unhappy father cannot make his family happy. And this is how it is in the world. What do you practice? Whatever you practice, you will get very good at. If you practice peace, you will get good at it. If you practice clarity you will get good at it. Only that person who knows how to receive a gift will truly understand the value of that gift. Accept this gift of being alive. Accept this gift of having peace within you. And watch your life change."

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After the event, spirits were high as the people of Otavalo expressed their immense gratitude for Prem Rawat's visit and spoke of the profound need for his message of peace in their lives.

The Mayor captured the collective feeling when he commented, "I believe that this is what has been missing in this world. We need to start thinking about our inner selves, so we can understand where we want to go."

My interactions with people at the event were coursing with enthusiasm and passion for the message, the festival atmosphere only enhancing the level of enthusiasm. I feel that the event was a milestone in the lives of many and that it will inspire great things in Otavalo.

-- Rose, freelance reporter


NOTE: If you haven't seen it yet, you can watch the entire event on The Premium Channel or purchase it for your home collection.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:39 AM | Comments (0)

August 02, 2013
Where Is Peace?

Here is the next video in TPRF's Peace For People 2013 campaign. These videos can also be seen on TPRF's YouTube channel as well as the TPRF website. The first video in the series -- Peace is a Feeling -- was released on July 1 and has received over 17,000 views from 120 countries!

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:44 PM | Comments (0)

July 06, 2013
Focus!

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More

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:44 PM | Comments (0)

June 14, 2013
It's About Letting Go

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More

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:44 AM | Comments (0)

June 11, 2013
Prem Rawat in Amaroo: 9/10/12

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More

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:24 PM | Comments (11)

June 08, 2013
Peace on the Outside

Words of Peace Global

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:51 AM | Comments (0)

April 24, 2013
New Prem Rawat ADI Book Just Reissued with New Cover

The new book of 21 talks by Prem Rawat has just been reissued with a new cover. Available on Amazon. Also on WOPG as an eBook.

Check back here tomorrow to view this slide show with a fabulous sound track by Stuart Hoffman.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:30 PM | Comments (0)

April 22, 2013
Yo Yo Mastery and You You

This guy is completely off the charts. Wow! Think about what YOU are committed to and WHAT you need to do to develop the kind of mastery this young man demonstrates.

On practice
The Best Archer in All of China

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:37 PM | Comments (1)

April 19, 2013
You Have a Choice

More videos

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:29 PM | Comments (0)

April 11, 2013
The Core of Your Being

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More

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:08 PM | Comments (0)

March 28, 2013
Happiness

Words of Peace Global

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:32 PM | Comments (0)

March 24, 2013
Falling in Love

More videos

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:09 PM | Comments (0)

March 20, 2013
Feel the Zero

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Feel the Zero

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:00 AM | Comments (0)

March 08, 2013
But I Already Know This!

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Two and a half years ago, I emailed a friend of mine who saw Prem Rawat for the first time in my home town of Woodstock, NY.

Knowing she had thoroughly enjoyed the evening and had started to find out more by watching The Keys a few days later, I was curious to know if she had any questions.

She didn't. But she did have an interesting observation about herself. As she watched The Keys, she explained, a recurring thought kept running through her mind.

"But I already know this."

I've heard the same thing from many people over the years -- especially friends of mine who are just starting to hear about Prem Rawat's message.

This time, maybe because he had just come to my hometown, it gave me extra pause. Why, I wondered, was it so common for people to respond to his message with the potentially dismissive "But I already know this" comment?

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Could it be they weren't quite open? Not sufficiently humble? Too full of concepts? Well, that describes all people -- Prem Rawat's students, as well.

The real reason is simpler.

The real reason why so many people respond to his message with "I already know that" is because they do. Indeed, this is one of the recurring themes at the core of his message. If it seems familiar to you, that's because it is.

This is where things really get interesting. In fact, if there is a place where the "path" begins, this is it.

A good teacher does not invent anything new. He (or she) does not recycle old truths. A good teacher turns theory into practice. Makes the potential kinetic. Activates the process where seeking comes to an end and finding begins.

For most of us, the essence of who we are has long been forgotten -- like we've all gotten a bad case of amnesia. We know the time, but not the timeless. We know our phone number, but not our heart. We know where we want to be tomorrow, but not where we are today.

Big difference.

Bottom line, Prem Rawat is waking people up to the most ancient thing within them -- the essence of what makes life worth living. And not only that. He's also providing the tools and inspiration to maintain steady contact with this glorious place of being. How cool is that?

The second reason why some people respond to his message with the "I already know this" mantra is because it's very likely they've heard his message before.

Prem Rawat is not the only one talking this talk. What he's saying has been preached, written about, sung, danced, sculpted, painted, whispered, dreamed, and yodeled since the beginning of time.

Strip away the jargon of any path and you'll find his message at the core: What you are looking for is within you!

What, then, is the value of Prem Rawat when his message is as old as the hills -- and the time before hills existed?

Simply this: He helps people make it real. He helps them apply it in daily life.

He has an extraordinary gift for helping people close the gap between theory and practice -- helping people understand, in their bones, that this is it -- that the promised land is beneath our very feet right now, if only we would keep our promise to ourselves.

He's a wake-up call -- not with a bugle, but a breath.

More

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:41 PM | Comments (1)

March 03, 2013
What Is Real

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More

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:24 PM | Comments (0)

February 22, 2013
Video Highlights from African Tour

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Highlights of Prem Rawat's recent tour of Africa

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:16 AM | Comments (0)

February 18, 2013
President of Italian Senate Honors Prem Rawat

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Read about it here

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:11 PM | Comments (0)

February 07, 2013
Feel at Home in this Moment

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Prem Rawat on this subject

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:35 PM | 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

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December 27, 2012
Prem Rawat Declared Honorary Mayor of San Antonio



More

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December 16, 2012
An Introduction to Prem Rawat

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December 14, 2012
Prem Rawat's Message

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The Greatest Truth of All: You Are Alive -- 21 talks of Prem Rawat

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December 05, 2012
Beautiful Photos from Prem Rawat's Fall Tour of India. Can You Feel It?

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All photos from Prem Rawat's Fall Tour of India

Words of Peace Global
Videos of Prem Rawat

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December 01, 2012
Wishes Coming True in Benin

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This is the fifth in a series of "Into Africa" reports from the delightful Louise Roenn.

Putting on an event for 6,000 people at an outdoor stadium in Cotonou, Benin, can be a challenge even for one of the world's most experienced crews, the Words of Peace Global event productions team.

"The big screen is not working," Event Director, Leila Koren, says into her headset, shortly before the event with Prem Rawat is about to begin.

The electrical supply has been coming and going all day and the crew has been working for hours in 95 degree heat.

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"We'll go with Plan B," Leila continues. "No videos. Have the MC welcome the Speaker onto the stage right away."

Apsath Bapaya, the MC for the event, gets up from her seat and walks out on stage. With a huge smile on her face, she welcomes, first, the audience, and then Prem Rawat. Even with the last minute changes to the event, Apsath remains cool, calm, and collected.

Looking out at the audience, she see 6,000 smiling people, many of whom are wildly waving their handkerchiefs, just like we saw at the Ghana event just just a few days ago.

Many people in the audience are seeing Prem Rawat, in person, for the first time, Before today, the only times they've seen him have been on TV.

Families with children and grandparents are sitting on the grass. They fill the stadium with their laughter as Prem Rawat tells story after story.

"As this is the last event of the year, I want to wish you all a happy New Year," Prem Rawat says at the end of his talk. "All your wishes have already come true in this life because you are alive."

Excerpts from the Benin event
More

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November 25, 2012
Sneak Preview of the Ghana Event

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Story to follow later tonight...

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November 24, 2012
Prem Rawat in Johannesburg

The third in a series of reports, by Louise Roenn, from Prem Rawat's events in Africa.

The lobby of the Gallagher Convention Center, in Johannesburg, is packed with the most diverse audience I have ever seen at one of Prem Rawat's events.

2,200 South Africans dressed in saris, indigenous African robes, suits, summer dresses, and surfer shorts have arrived to hear Prem Rawat address this rainbow nation in person.

Since his first visit to South Africa, in 1972, and all through the years of apartheid, Prem Rawat has consistently reminded his audiences to go beyond color, religion, and race so they can look at each other as human beings.

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Winifred Rampa has traveled from the Johannesburg suburb, Soweto, to see Prem Rawat for the first time. She first heard about his message in a book she inherited from a cousin in 1986.

"When I read the first page," explained Winifred, "it hit me. This man is speaking my thing. Through my religion, I had been taught that I had to die in order to be at peace. But now I know that peace exists here."

Thembi Madliwa, a resident of Cape Town, has been listening to Words of Peace TV, every Sunday, after church, on channel Cape TV, since 2011.

"Prem Rawat tells me about this peace that is within us. For me, it is a journey that takes time. The work that Prem Rawat is doing cannot be compared to any leader I have ever known. My wish is that there could be more Prem Rawats out there, and that people will listen to his TV program."

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November 18, 2012
Prem Rawat in Johannesburg

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November 16, 2012
Prem Rawat in Madagascar

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Traveling guest blogger, Louise Roenn, checks in with another onsite report from her series of "Into Africa" posts. Next stop: Johannesburg.

"I've been waiting for 30 years to see him in person. Now, he is here!" says a smiling Mbolatiana Andrlamahefarivo in the Carlton Hotel lobby in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar.

Mbolatiana has been listening to Prem Rawat's message of peace since 1980 and has maintained a strong wish to see him, in person, ever since. Today will be his moment.

The lobby, this morning, is buzzing with anticipation and excitement prior to today's historic Words of Peace event.

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Not only is it Prem Rawat's first visit to Madagascar -- for most of the 450 attendees, it is the first time they have ever seen or heard him live.

"We want to thank you for coming," an elderly gentleman says to Prem Rawat 30 minutes into the event. "We have been waiting for so long."

"Because of you, I'm here," Prem Rawat responds, acknowledging the extraordinary efforts made by people everywhere -- both local and half way around the word -- to make today's event possible.

Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world. The majority of its 20 million inhabitants make less than 2 USD per day. The island is covered by desert, mountains and rain forest, with species, fauna and flora found nowhere else on Planet Earth.

Thanks to the generous support from people around the world, Madagascans from even the most remote parts of the island have arrived for the event after days of traveling by bus, train, and airplane.

"I know this country is poor, but the hearts of people here are rich. That is the true wealth," Prem Rawat declares to the rapt audience. "I know you are going to go forward, and that wonderful things will happen here after this event."

I didn't think the smiles on the faces of Mbolatiana and the other people I met in Madagascar could get any bigger until I saw them after the event. Wow.

"We can't find words to express what we are feeling on the inside after this event," two young guys tell me on their way out. "It is one of the best days of our lives."

Photo 1: Mbolatiana Andrlamahefarivo (in the middle) and other volunteers from Madagascar.

Photo 2: Rozelia Harisoa Antenaina (right) and two friends who helped with seating at event in Madagascar.

Prem Rawat, on TV, in Africa
Benin, Acra, and Johannesburg events

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November 12, 2012
Prem Rawat in Mauritius

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Big thanks to Louise Roenn for gathering these excerpts.

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November 11, 2012
The Day Before the Mauritius Event

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Welcome to Part 2 of Louise Roenn's "Into Africa" series -- reports of her travels to Prem Rawat's events in Africa.

"Just because our island has never been to war, we still need peace," explained Veekash Issory, a member of the Mauritian police force. Veekash is one of many people who have volunteered to help produce the Words of Peace event in Mauritius, on November 12th.

"Even in the absence of war, we still need to feel peace every day," he continues. "Prem Rawat and his message remind us of that."

Both of us and several others are now inside the hall at the Swami Vivekananda Convention Centre, in Port Louis, to help set up for the event. Volunteers and staff are positioning plastic chairs, row by row, in front of the stage.

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"The Hindu holiday, Diwali, starts this Tuesday," Veekash explains. "Ramadan, Christmas, Easter, and many other global holidays are also celebrated here. Diwali is the festival of light. For many people here today, Prem Rawat's visit to Mauritius is the highlight of the holiday season," Veekash adds.

Thirty five hundred of Mauritius' 1.4 million inhabitants, representing a multitude of world religions and beliefs, will attend Prem Rawat's event tomorrow and I got a sneak preview this morning, waking up to the sound of Muslim prayers, then, on my morning run, jogging past gardens with statues of Buddha, Hindu Gods, the Virgin Mary, and the crucifix.

Upon my return, my host family insists that God created Mauritius before he created heaven. After having enjoyed stunning mountain and ocean views on this paradise island and met so many warmhearted people, I'm starting to think they might be right.

Photo: Veekash Issory and Kevin Michael during the Saturday setup for the Words of Peace event in Mauritius

More

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November 07, 2012
Into Africa, Part 1

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Heart of the Matter's guest blogger, Louise Roenn, has just arrived in Mauritius. She will be blogging about the Words of Peace Global (WOPG) events, with Prem Rawat, in Africa throughout November.

The moment the steam from the black vanilla tea meets my nostrils at 38,000 feet, my past, sweet memories of Mauritius come flooding back to me once again.

I haven't tasted this distinctly, local tea since 2008, the last time Prem Rawat visited Mauritius. And I forgot how breathtakingly beautiful the island was as it appears beneath me, rising out of the deep, blue Indian Ocean east of South Africa.

"Welcome to Paradise" a large colorful banner announces at the arrival hall.

"Four years is a long time," says Roopesh, driving me past swaying sugar cane fields and coconut palm trees to the house where I'll be staying. .

"And yet it feels like only yesterday," I respond, looking at the clear blue sky ahead.

Roopesh has greeted me, at the airport, every time I arrived in Mauritius for Words of Peace events in 2005, 2006, and 2008. He always looks the same, only with more glowing eyes as the years go by.

"Preparations have really kicked off now," Roopesh adds. "There's only eight days to go before the event. We have a volunteer briefing today at 2:00 pm."

We pull up to a large, two-story yellow house decorated with flowers. Roopesh's aunt, uncle, and two cousins live here, in Curepipe, and for the next nine days, so will I.

"I've been to all of Prem Rawat's events in Mauritius since his first visit in 1985," Aunt Rani says, pouring more vanilla tea into my cup.

On Sunday, November 11th, Rani, her family, and 3,500 other islanders will listen to Prem Rawat present his message of peace once again, in person.

"So what are your plans while you are here, Louise?" cousin Preeya asks.

"Other than drink tea with you, enjoy life, and the event? To capture some of the magic, via words and photos, and share it with people around the world," I explain.

Photo: Preeya, Roopesh and Aunt Rani outside their home in Curepipe, Mauritius, preparing for the upcoming Words of Peace event with Prem Rawat.

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October 24, 2012
Be Still

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More

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October 11, 2012
Be Thankful!

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Words of Peace Global

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October 08, 2012
Just Down the Road From Woodstock

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If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know I'm a big fan of Prem Rawat and his message of peace. I've been his student since 1971 and can say without a shadow of a doubt or any sentences that end with a preposition, that what he's offering is the real deal -- a simple way to connect with the deepest part of who you are. Now, unless "are" has been turned into a preposition while I was out to lunch, everything I've said so far in this blog post is totally true. With great respect for who you are, I invite you to watch a video of him talking about his message of peace.

"But I Already Know This"
What some locals say about his impact

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October 07, 2012
Simply Put...

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Prem Rawat
A few videos
A few stories

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October 05, 2012
Comtemplate This

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Confirmed events
Exploring the Keys

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October 03, 2012
You Have a Choice

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Prem Rawat on TV
Recent news
Volunteer opportunities

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September 29, 2012
Prem Rawat Honored at Peace Forum

More about this on TPRF.org
Videos of Prem Rawat
Humanitarian aid

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September 24, 2012
Right Now

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More

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September 22, 2012
Prem Rawat's Peace Day Message

Here is a very clear, 2-minute video of Prem Rawat talking about the need for peace -- his contribution to International Peace Day, sponsored by the United Nations. It will be shown at the Peace One Day Concert 2012 featuring Elton John and James Morrison, available live on YouTube.

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September 18, 2012
Simple Words to Live By

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More

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August 20, 2012
It's Really Very Simple

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More where this came from
Words of Peace Global

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August 19, 2012
A Word to the Wise

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More goodies
Words of Peace Global

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August 15, 2012
Close to Saugerties on August 23rd?

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If you
live within
walking distance,
driving distance,
or hang glider distance
to Saugerties, NY
(10 miles
from Woodstock),
please join me
and some
other locals
for a brief
introduction
to the
life-affirming,
heart opening,
inspiring,
message
of Prem Rawat.

Admission is free.

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August 09, 2012
The Beautiful Sadness of Longing

A big thank you to Fernando Garcia for using one of my poems, and Stuart Hoffman's music, along with a variety of beautiful images, to create a moving slide show about a topic not often talked about.

The poem
Words of Peace Global

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July 22, 2012
What Prem Rawat Said in Chicago

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Other, upcoming Prem Rawat events

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July 19, 2012
Sign of the Times in Denver

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Check out this sign advertising Prem Rawat's event in Denver on July 22nd. The bus goes back and forth on the pedestrian mall just two blocks from the Denver Convention Center where the event is being held. If you want to request an invitation, click here. The event is open to everyone and admission is free.

Words of Peace Global

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July 16, 2012
What Prem Rawat Said in DC

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Prem Rawat's North American events
Illustration
Words of Peace Global

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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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July 12, 2012
What Prem Rawat Said Last Night

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Next Prem Rawat events

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July 11, 2012
Words of Peace Billboard in Denver

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THIS JUST IN!

The above billboard, advertising Prem Rawat's July 22nd event in Denver, has just gone up in that city's busiest highway interchange. And it was given to the event organizers for free.

To request an invitation to the Denver event.

Denver event music video

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June 28, 2012
Searchin' USA

Here's a fun musical slide show announcing Prem Rawat's July 29th event in Long Beach, CA.

Melody: The Beach Boys.
Everything else: Stuart Hoffman, Jennifer Edwards, and Hannah Blake.

To request an invitation

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June 27, 2012
Prem Rawat in Montreal: July 11

Beautiful 3-minute slide show (with French sub-titles) announcing Prem Rawat's upcoming event in Montreal. Music and show produced by Stuart Hoffman.

Click here to request an invitation.
Other North American events

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June 23, 2012
Excerpts from Munich: 5/31

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Here are some brief excerpts of Prem Rawat's May 31st talk in Munich, Germany.

If his message speaks to you, feel free to request an invitation to one or more of his July/August events in North America.

His events are open to everyone. Admission is free.

Toronto: July 8
Montreal: July 11
Washington, DC: July 15
Chicago: July 19
Denver: July 22
Los Angeles: July 29
Asheville: August 4

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June 18, 2012
Prem Rawat in Denver: July 22

If you live within 10,000 miles of Denver, Colorado, you might consider attending an inspiring event there on July 22nd. That's when Prem Rawat will be speaking about his timeless message of peace. Open to everyone. Admission is free. To request an invitation.

Prem Rawat will also be speaking in Toronto, Montreal, Washington, DC, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Asheville.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:08 AM | Comments (0)

June 12, 2012
How to Request an Invitation to a Prem Rawat Event in North America

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I just got an email from a friend who is interested in attending one of Prem Rawat's events in North America this July, but was confused about how to get a ticket.

HERE'S HOW:

1. Click this link of confirmed events.
2. Scroll down to the event you want to attend.
3. Click that city (for example, Toronto)
4. Click "Request an Invitation" and follow the instructions.
5. Space allowing, you will receive a confirmation, via email.

NOTE: If you want to let someone know about Prem Rawat's upcoming events (Toronto, Montreal, Washington, DC, Chicago, Los Angeles, Asheville -- and soon-to-be-announced, Denver), simply click the "Tell a Friend" button on any one of the event announcements.

Videos of Prem Rawat

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Now Is the Moment

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Prem Rawat's message of the peace helps people live fully in the moment. Not yesterday. Not tomorrow. NOW -- the only time there ever is.

Hear him speak in Toronto, Montreal, Washington, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, and Asheville this summer.

The events are open to everyone. Admission is free.

If you want to attend, please request an invitation. Simply click the city of your choice. Space allowing, you will receive a confirmation, via email.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:26 AM | Comments (0)

June 11, 2012
Prem Rawat in Montreal on July 11

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Montreal, consistently rated one of the world's most livable cities, will hear a little more about what makes life livable on July 11th.

That's the day when Prem Rawat will be addressing an audience of 2,300 people interested in learning more about his much-celebrated message of peace.

If you want to attend, you will need to request an invitation.

Admission is free and the event is open to everyone.

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Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:29 PM | Comments (0)

June 03, 2012
Facebook Announcements of Prem Rawat's North American Events

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I like the way Prem Rawat's upcoming North American tour is being announced on Facebook -- an elegant way of getting the word out via social media.

Feel free to invite your Facebook friends to any of the pages below or to this page on the Words of Peace Global website that lists Prem Rawat's upcoming events for Europe and North America.

Toronto: July 8
Montreal: July 11
Washington, DC: July 15
Chicago: July 19
Los Angeles: July 29

Denver; Date TBA
Asheville: Date August 4

More

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Prem Rawat in Toronto on July 8th

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Toronto is one of the world's most diverse cities, with about 49% of the population born outside of Canada.

On July 8th, residents of that fine city, along with lots of other people, will get a chance to hear about what they all have in common -- regardless of birthplace, language, or religion.

That's the day Prem Rawat comes to town to speak about a simple way to find personal peace.

Admission is free and the event is open to everyone. To request an invitation, click here. Or here. Or here.

More

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May 31, 2012
Prem Rawat in Chicago: July 19th

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There are two things you probably don't know about Chicago: 1) It got its name from the French rendering of the Native American word shikaakwa (meaning "wild onion"); and 2) Prem Rawat will be speaking to 1,400 people there on July 19th.

If you are interested in his message, you are most welcome to request an invitation. The event is open to everyone. Admission is free.

More

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:28 PM | Comments (0)

May 29, 2012
Prem Rawat in Washington, DC

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Prem Rawat, widely known as an "Ambassador of Peace", will be speaking in Washington, DC, on July 15th.

If you are interested in his message, you are most welcome to request an invitation.

The event is open to everyone. Admission is free.

More

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:06 AM | Comments (0)

May 25, 2012
Prem Rawat in Birmingham, June 18th

How to request an invitation
More

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May 24, 2012
A Simple Wish

Prem Rawat in Birmingham, June 18th

Producer: Pierre Boquie

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May 23, 2012
Believe in the Strength of People

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More

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May 22, 2012
Prem Rawat TV Interview in Lima

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Prem Rawat, internationally known as an Ambassador of Peace, will be appearing, on TV, in Lima, Peru, on May 25th.

A known humanitarian and international speaker on the subject of personal peace, Mr. Rawat recently gave two presentations in Lima, as part of his 2012 World Tour -- a tour that also included four other South American cities: Santiago, Sao Paulo, La Plata, and Guayaquil.

During his visit to Lima, he gave an exclusive interview to the well known journalist and interviewer, Cecilia Valenzuela, from the Peruvian TV channel, Willax TV.

Ms. Valenzuela, a Peruvian lawyer, newspaper columnist, and journalist is currently the host of the "Look Who's Talking" program on Willax TV, in Peru.

Elisa Cabal, who translated the interview, shares her impressions:

"In this extraordinary interview, Prem Rawat expresses his unique and very personal views on the human heart, peace, and his commitment to taking his message to all who feel that need in their lives. I heard him speak of human dignity in terms I had not ever considered; very clear and so profound. He answered questions about the current state of the world and spoke of the endurance of the human spirit, of all that humankind has lived through and about the power of hope."

The TV interview will be aired in Peru, on Willax TV, on Friday, May 25th at 10:00 pm. It can be viewed by the rest of the world direct through http://willax.tv/vivo

NOTE: The interview will also be retransmitted at 2:00 am -- which is 9:00 am in Madrid on 5/26 and 5/27. Starting on Monday, 5/28, the interview will be posted on the Willax TV website (on Cecilia Valenzuela's blog).


More about Prem Rawat's message

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May 20, 2012
Prem Rawat Coming to Milan in June

Request an invitation
Music and producer: Stuart Hoffman

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:07 PM | Comments (0)

May 16, 2012
Prem Rawat Coming to Milan

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Time to visit Milan!
Graphics: Birger Pohl

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:52 PM | Comments (0)

April 30, 2012
Prem Rawat Coming to Europe

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If you find yourself in Europe between the dates of May 27th and June 24th, you are in the right place at the right time. Prem Rawat will be speaking at events in the following cities:

May 27 -- Barcelona
May 31 -- Munich
June 10 - Madrid
June 13 - Porto
June 24 - Copenhagen

Other events in Europe are possible. Dates are pending. Admission is free and the events are open to everyone. If you would like to request an invitation, click here.

Here's what people in my town of Woodstock, NY, had to say about seeing Prem Rawat for the first time.

More

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:53 PM | Comments (0)

March 29, 2012
Prem Rawat Speaking in Argentina

Here is a wonderful music video invitation, in Spanish, announcing Prem Rawat's upcoming events in La Plata, Argentina (near Buenos Aires) on April 6th and 7th. Music by Eduardo del Signore. Video produced by Stuart Hoffman. Enjoy!

Click here to request an invitation to the events

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:36 AM | Comments (0)

March 19, 2012
The Marriage of the Finite and the Infinite

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Just released song, video, and slide show from Words of Peace Global thanking everyone for their support.

Words of Peace Global

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:26 PM | Comments (0)

March 09, 2012
Seeing (and feeling) the Invisible

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During the past two years, I've asked more than a thousand people what they see when they look at the FedEx logo. 80% say "letters" or "colors" or "shapes" or "the word "FedEx." The other 20% tell me they see an arrow -- a white arrow.

When I ask the baffled 80% if they see the arrow, most of them shake their heads and shrug. Only when I point to the arrow (in between the second "E" and the "x") do they see it -- a moment that is usually followed by their favorite exclamation of surprise and a chuckle.

This little phenomenon, methinks, is a great metaphor for life.

There's something right in front of us and we just can't seem to see it.

It's been there for a very long time, but for us it doesn't exist. In fact, if someone were to ask us if it existed, our answer would be an emphatic "no" -- not because it doesn't exist, but because we can't see it.

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This explains a lot of things.

Cognitive psychologists boil it down to just three words: "Motivation affects perception."

In other words, we see what we're primed to see and miss the rest.

Shakespeare had a more poetic way of referring to this phenomenon. He called it "rose-colored glasses."

Think about it.

When you're driving through a town and you're hungry, you see the restaurants. If you're running out of gas, you see the gas stations. If someone close to you is dying, you see the funeral homes.

And so it goes.

Our entire existence becomes a kind of oversized FedEx logo -- full of colors, shapes, and letters -- but all too often we miss the white arrow.

What we need, is a background/foreground shift -- the ability to see what we never knew was there.

Good teachers have a knack for helping their students make this kind of shift. Good coaches, too.

They have, it seems to me, a kind of X-ray vision. They see what their students (or their players) can't see and help them discover it on their own.

Simply put, they know how to prime the experience of truly seeing, truly feeling, and truly enjoying what was formerly inaccessible.

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In my experience, this is what my teacher does -- not just for me, but for thousands of people around the world.

And while their description of what he does may differ widely, the twinkle in their eye is universal.

Mystery solved. Peace discovered. Life lived to the fullest.

Also published here
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Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:26 PM | Comments (0)

March 06, 2012
Barcelona is Overflowing!

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In Barcelona, the request for invitations to hear Prem Rawat speak on March 11th was so overwhelming (1,200 more than available seats) that an additional event has just been scheduled for Saturday, March 10th to accommodate the overflow.

Seating priority will be given to two groups: 1) People who requested an invitation to the March 11th event, but were unable to be accommodated and; 2) People who were unable to attend the March 11th event.

Seats are still available for the newly scheduled event -- that is, if you are not already registered for the March 11th event. One event per person, please.

1:17 video of Prem Rawat

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:29 PM | Comments (0)

February 25, 2012
Prem Rawat on Premium Channel

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If you didn't get a chance
to listen to Prem Rawat,
at the Long Beach Convention Center,
on 1/29,
now's your chance
on Words of Peace Global's
recently launched Premium Channel.
Find out what
all the good vibes
are all about.
79 minutes worth.

"If there isn't the rain of gratitude on this field, it will remain a desert. If there isn't the rain of that deep, beautiful experience of being alive, then this field will remain a desert." - Prem Rawat

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:34 AM | Comments (0)

February 10, 2012
Prem Rawat Speaking to Lisbon's YPO

In 2011, Prem Rawat spoke about leadership and success to members of Lisbon, Portugal's Young President's Organization. Here is a three minute excerpt.

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Thanks to Paul Bloomfield for the heads up.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:12 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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