The seed, perhaps, cannot look within but man can.

This looking in is called meditation.

To know one’s truth

as it is here and now is meditation.

Dive into it, deeper and deeper;

there, in the depths, all that is possible

can be clearly seen.

And once seen it begins to happen –

the awareness of what is possible turns it into a reality,

like a seed stirred by a vision of its potential

beginning to sprout.

Time, effort, energy – pour it all into meditation

because meditation is the gateless gate through which

the self becomes aware of itself.

133. Love.

Nothing in life is sure – except death,

otherwise life is another name for insecurity.

When this is realized

the desire for security simply vanishes.

To accept insecurity is to become free of it.

Uncertainty will stay in the mind

because that is its nature.

Don’t worry about it

because that will add fuel to it.

Just let the mind be, where it is,

and you go into meditation.

You are not the mind

so where is the problem of the mind?

Leave the darkness where it is

and just light your lamp.

Are you going to think carefully and then surrender?

O mad one! Surrender is a leap outside thought.

Either jump or don’t jump

but for God’s sake don’t ponder over it!

134. Love.

Theism is another name for infinite hope.

It is patience,

it is waiting,

it is trust in leela,

in the play of life,

and therefore with theism complaining cannot be.

Theism is acceptance,

it is surrender –

acceptance of what is beyond the self

and surrender to the source of the self.

In 1914 a fire broke out in

Thomas Edison’s laboratory.

Machinery worth millions

and all the papers pertaining to his lifelong research

were burnt to ashes.

Hearing of this tragedy his son Charles

came looking for him

and he found him standing by the side

enjoying the sight of the leaping flames.

On seeing Charles, Edison said to him: Where is your mother?

Go and find her and bring her here quickly;

such a sight she will never see again!

The next day, walking amidst the ashes

of his hopes and dreams,

the 67 year-old inventor said:

What benefit there is in destruction!

All our mistakes have been burnt to ashes, thank God!

Now we can begin afresh, all over again!

God’s grace is endless.

We just need the eyes to see it.

135. Love.

Wittgenstein has said somewhere:

Of that which one cannot speak,

one should remain silent.

Oh, if only this advice was heeded

there would be no useless arguments about truth!

That-which-is cannot be spoken of.

Whatever is said in words is not,

cannot be,

that-which-is.

Truth is beyond words,

only silence is related to truth.

But silence is very difficult;

the mind wants to speak even of that

which is beyond words.

Really, the mind is the only barrier to silence.

Silence belongs to the state of no-mind.

A preacher came to address some small children.

Before beginning he put a question to them:

If you were asked to address a gathering

of such intelligent boys and girls

who expect a good lecture from you,

and if you had nothing to speak on,

what would you say?

A small child replied: I would keep quiet.

I would keep quiet.

This child-like simplicity is needed to experiment with silence.

136. Love.

Sannyas is a pilgrimage to Mt. Everest –

naturally there are difficulties on the way.

But the fruits of determination are sweet too,

so bear everything calmly and joyously

but don’t give up your commitment.

Serve your mother even more than before –

sannyas is not a running away from responsibility.

Your family is not to be given up,

rather you have to make the whole world your family.

Encourage your mother to take