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Earth is 4.5 billion years old. We have been on this earth as modern human beings–only as "modern human beings" for around six thousand years. What have we done? What have we done? What have we done?

On one hand, we stand at the brink of extinction. As human species created— this problem created by ourselves, not by somebody else, not by Martians, not by people from moon, but by us.

And on the other hand, we are here today to talk about Kind Malaysia. We're not here to discuss war. We're not here to discuss the extinction of mankind. We are actually here to talk about the very fundamental thing that can make a huge difference in this world. What this world needs is kindness, compassion, understanding.

And that... as Datuk said, the word that hit him is ‘noble.’ And that indeed is noble. Because those people who understand the necessity of compassion carry a bigger burden on themselves than those who don't.

And this is what I mean. There is a law, a very fundamental law of nature. And you really have to understand this law because this is the law behind that one word called ‘kindness,’ of what it means.

There are so many NGOs here, so many people with good wish and will to help humanity. And I know that sometimes it's very disappointing. You make your effort–you make your effort day after day after day after day–and nothing happens. Or seemingly nothing happens. Another war takes place, more innocent people get killed–stupidity. And you wonder, is it going to make a difference?

I started speaking about peace when I was 4 years old. I started taking this responsibility of spreading the peace, first in my native India when I was 9. I was around 13 years old when I went to the west, to England, America and brought this message to outside of India. So, here I am, and I'm sure there's a lot of people, "Oh, Ambassador of peace, Ambassador of...". What does "Ambassador of Peace" mean anyway? You're all Ambassadors of Peace, don't you know it? I'm not the only one. You're Ambassadors of Peace. And it is your responsibility too, to make sure that the peace spreads in this world. Because what other option do we have, by the way? What other option is there?

So, what is this law that I am talking about? This is what gives me heart. My effort that has been going on for such a long time. This is what gives me heart. And what is this law? Here's the law. If you take two candles - a lit candle and an unlit candle, and bring them together. Guess what happens? The lit candle will light the unlit candle–not the other way around. That's the law of nature. A lit candle will light the unlit candle–not that the unlit candle will put out the lit candle. No. Not even 50-50. Every single time, the lit candle will light the unlit candle.

- Prem Rawat

In our lives, we want to hear about how we can be prosperous, but really it takes a little bit of thinking. But there is no way that you can be prosperous without peace.

How many of you take baths? Thank you. How many of you like to go swimming in a swimming pool? So, it’s nice. It’s nice to be in that water. It’s nice. So, it’s nice to soak. It’s nice to swim in that water. Flex the muscles and feel that warmth or the coolness of the water. It’s refreshing, isn’t it? And how many of you would absolutely love to be in this beautiful Caribbean place – crystal clear water, cool wind, nice perfect temperature water, step into it and just float? Because of the salinity and feel the rejuvenation of the salt - and the water – and the wind. How many of you would do that?

Okay. So let’s take that one step further. So now I have established that you do like the ocean. If I were to take you and put you in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, thousands of miles from any land, would you like that?

So wait a minute, here we go. We do like the water, but there has to be something that has to be available as the comfort factor. And that comfort factor is land.

Well! In my analogy, peace is that land. Prosperity is the water. It feels good; it’s warm; it’s cool; it’s this, it’s that. The waves, the frolicking, the this, the that. I mean all of that good stuff. That’s all fine. So far it is in the context of something because you are not water based. Even though seventy percent of you is water, but you are land based.  You need to breathe the air. You need to be on the stability of earth.

Terra firma under your feet when all is said and done. And in the same way, peace, joy, tranquility, serenity, clarity, understandings are your “terra firma.” When you are with these, all is truly well. And you may venture away from this, only if you are able to come back to it. Because this has to be readily available at all times.

-Prem Rawat

You know, in our lives, we have learnt a lot of things. As we are today, this is not the way human beings used to be. We have learnt how to make buildings; we have learnt how to make airplanes; we have learnt how to make cars; we have learnt how to make this, have that—everything that you have in this world—even wars. We have learnt how to make wars. And we have learnt how to make the instruments for the wars, but we have not learnt how to be in peace...how to be in peace.

Not how to make peace. You have to be very careful what words you use, because if you have to make peace...? If human beings were responsible for making peace, they would do something so completely bizarre with it, that it would be unbelievable.

How to be in peace—because peace already is in the heart of every single human being. Being so close, and being so far.

But for those who are interested in peace, there is a whole another chapter. There’s a whole other field. There’s a whole other thing to understand, of how we can be fulfilled. That this life is not about just birth and death. That this life is about fulfillment; that this life is about peace; that this life is about understanding; that this life is about clarity; that this life is about feeling that gratitude.

Gratitude is the highest expression of a human being. But it can only happen when there is truly a reason for it. If you’re not thankful...? Just by saying it, it’s empty. What are you thankful for in your life? What are you thankful for?

Oh, see, it’s very strange. You tell people...they sit down in a room. You ask them, “What are you thankful for?” And it’s, “Oh, I am thankful for so many things. I am thankful for my family; I am thankful for my job; I am thankful for this, and I’m thankful for that, and I’m thankful for that, and I’m thankful for that, and I’m thankful for that.” And all I have to say is, “Really? Really? Really? Really, are you thankful for being alive? Are you?”

How many times during the day do you say, “My goodness! I am alive. Thank you for this life”—during the day? Do you really, really, really, really—you get up in the morning and the first thing you say is, “Oh my God. I am alive.” Or is it, “What time is it? What do I have to do?”

How many times during the day do you feel gratitude for being alive? How many? Once? Once a day? Twice a day? Three times a day? Four times a day? How many times a day do you feel thankful for being alive?

How many? Once a day keeps the doctor away? At least...and sometimes not even that? At least he’s honest. If he is honest, he can learn! He can learn. Because that’s the reality. Once is not enough; two times is not enough. Every time you feel alive, your heart will fill with gratitude. You see, you don’t have to make your heart feel full of gratitude. It needs to be naturally filled with gratitude. And naturally being filled with gratitude only happens when there is a focus in your life.

– Prem Rawat

The amount of joy you have is boundless! This gift of breath that you have is relentless! And what is possible is beyond imagination. But do you fundamentally take and understand that or not?

Do an audit in your life sometime—all the things you go through, that go in your head, how many you know, because you know—and how many have been dumped into your head? It’ll drive you crazy! It’ll drive you absolutely crazy—you’ll be like, “Oh my God. Oh, oh my God! Oh my God.” You’ll be shocked.

So it’s just one series of misguided information on another, on another, on another, and another. And we actually have a word for it: “If it’s been said enough times it must be true!”

Then, my shoes are not black. And if thirty people say, “They are. They are. They are. They are. They are. They are,” do you think they’ll become black? But there are people who believe they will. Because “it doesn’t matter! This is what people have been saying, and so it must be true; it must be true”—even though it’s not.

So this is what it means to be aware, to be conscious, to say, “Wait, wait, wait, wait. Let me find this out. Let me feel this. Let me experience this.”

I say to you, “Peace is inside of you.” Do you agree with me? Do you agree with me because I’m saying it or because you have felt it? Clear as mud, huh? That’s it! That’s the point. Just because I am saying it...just because I am saying it doesn’t make it true. If you feel it, then it makes it true. That’s reality!

– Prem Rawat

A few years back, a scientist decided to do an experiment—and he took a huge mirror and he put it in the jungle. And of course you know monkeys are the most curious, right? So they came! And they stood in front of the mirror—and they started screaming! Showing their teeth, hitting the mirror—and freaking out. Then they would run away.

Then ... a big gorilla came, and he went in front of the mirror, and he screamed! And he beat his chest to say, “Who are you?”

And he was angry! He was very angry. And he screamed, and he beat his chest again—and he paced back and forth, and back and forth, and back and forth—why? Do you know why? Do you know why? [Audience: No!]

He did not recognize himself.

That gorilla he was seeing was not an enemy—it was him!

Are we seeing ourselves in the mirror, and not recognizing ourselves? When we kill each other, we kill ourselves! When we rob from each other, we rob from ourselves! Because you ... and you, and you, and you, and you ... are my reflection. You, and you, and you are each others’ reflection in that mirror.

When you become angry at each other, you become only angry at yourself! When you tell a lie, you tell a lie to yourself! When you harm each other, you only harm yourself! Because you do not recognize it’s you.

[End]
– Prem Rawat

Religion has its place. Absolutely, religion has its place, and politics has its place. But so does humanity. You are human, first. If you lose your humanity, you lose everything. Then you become poor; then you become weak.

But so far that, on the face of this earth, we do not lose our humanity, we will be strong enough to help each other.

– Prem Rawat