The reality of looking at our confidence in ourselves.
None of us are perfect.
And we practice meditation to find out who we are,
How we are,
How we feel.
So we need to see the reality,
Not to force some false image on ourselves because we won't accept it.
And to be pleased with ourselves.
Learn to be satisfied with who we are.
And there's nothing more satisfying than knowing that you're doing something useful for yourself.
We've been taught to not be selfish and things like that,
And we've taken it the wrong way.
It's not to be selfish physically.
But you need to find out who you are and to be proud of who you are.
And so self-confidence comes when I begin to see,
And it is there,
It is there,
The wonder of the self.
I don't know if I'll say it properly,
But it's Wāre Mi,
Wonder of me.
It's the wonder of,
Everyone's a wonder.
Everyone lives in this world,
This world's a bit tricky now,
And everyone does their best.
But when we are lucky enough to have chosen meditation,
It means that I'm giving myself some natural space which will encourage me to think more clearly.
Because the greatest energy,
Which we say every time,
Is to become calm and peaceful.
And as we become calm and peaceful,
So we're able to see what's going on.
We're able to see not just what's going on out there,
Which eventually we will see a bit more clearly,
But that's not what it's all about.
It's first of all to see what's going on in here,
In the self,
And see situations that we find daunting,
And teach myself it's okay,
It's okay not to be fantastic.
It's okay to not get it right,
It's okay to fail.
But if you keep doing meditation,
You won't be speaking to yourself like that,
Because you'll see that you're seeing more and more clearly,
You feel more and more capable,
You feel more and more confident in yourself.
So more and more,
This amazing energy which belongs to every human being is the power of peace.
And if we honestly,
We don't have to have to do meditation to see this,
But if you look out to the self as well as the world,
There's so many things happening.
The challenge is that peace.
How can I be peaceful?
Someone says this,
And someone needs that,
And this needs done,
And that needs done,
I have to go there and I have to be there,
And this one and that,
And that's all changed,
It's changed again,
And here we go,
And it goes on and on and on.
How can I be peaceful?
How can I even think that I'm peaceful?
And what's further,
We quite enjoy sometimes the chaos.
Why?
Because we've got used to it and trained to it,
And if we're good at it,
Good at managing it,
Then it's not so bad.
That's okay.
You could go on like that for years,
But you haven't found out who you are,
And you haven't found out about the wonder of the energy of being peaceful.
And this energy of peace needs me to sit still,
And when I come like this to a place like this,
Everyone doing their best to look at their energy is creating a vibration of peace that's very strong,
It's stronger than our personal vibration,
Because we're all involved,
And even a tiny little bit from someone is adding to the vibration of peaceful atmosphere.
When we come to somewhere like this,
It's like we're power assisted in a way.
Everyone's energy is helping,
And I'm able to become calm when I listen to the meditations,
I can become more still,
I start looking and listening to what's going on inside,
Listening to the commentaries,
Thinking how it can fit,
Trying to put pieces of a jigsaw in place.
But eventually it becomes very natural,
And more and more that energy of peace that is our original energy is coming forward.
And yes,
We still have to go out into the chaos,
And we might forget that we were peaceful,
But however,
When we come back again,
We just keep going.
And after some time I can guarantee that even amidst chaos,
You've enough peace to remind yourself to just don't get into that,
Just step back,
Just observe,
Don't say anything.
And if you're going to say something,
Say something helpful to the situation.
So this is what Raj Yoga is teaching us.
We say become a self-master,
And it's so simple,
A self-master of peace,
Of your own peaceful nature.
And within peace is everything you ever have strived and worked and done everything to achieve.
It's all within peace.
So to choose when you sit in meditation,
The thoughts you're going to think to do with your feeling of empowering yourself.
And so your confidence,
Look at this,
Look at that,
Say,
It's okay,
I'm aware,
But I'll get there.
I'm sorting this out,
Or,
Well,
That's okay,
I'm just learning.
Whatever it is your thoughts are,
Understand and be kind to the self.
The first thing is to uplift the self.
You uplift the self when you don't blame the self,
When you don't force the self,
When you don't find fault with the self,
When you encourage yourself.
Because when we think in a way that's helpful,
I've changed my thinking pattern to something really useful.
And these thoughts will lead me to feelings and awareness,
And that will also become part of my experience in my daily life.
When I get out there,
Some of this will still be working away inside.
The more I practice,
The more of a skillful self-ruler,
This is what we call people who practice Vraja Yoga meditation,
That I will become.
And when we tune into our original peaceful nature,
That's when all those good qualities can begin the journey of coming back to me.
They're my own qualities.
And for short times,
I'm away from the bustle,
I'm away from all of that.
Actually,
It makes you better at whatever responsibilities you have when you're within the bustle.
It doesn't take anything away.
Meditation,
Calmness and peace always adds to whatever it is we have to do or have to achieve,
Physical or spiritual.
So relax and use this time to enjoy quiet meditation and keep looking at your inner world of thoughts and feelings.
And again,
The soul is a tiny point of living energy,
And you are the soul.
So practice looking after yourself,
Giving time to yourself.
Om Shanti.
I'll just finish with a minute.
Om Shanti.
I appreciate the time I've made for myself.
Just a few moments in peace will make such a huge difference to my energy.
And I make it easy for myself.
I begin with a second.
I can just begin with one word.
Peace.
I am peace.
I am a peaceful soul.
Om Shanti.
