Q&A: Meditation in action

Should a person shut himself away all alone and reject humanity in order to meditate?

Humanity is part and parcel of God. By rejecting humanity, how are we going to embrace divinity? We have to accept the world as it is now. If we don't accept a thing, how can we transform it? If a potter does not touch the lump of clay, how is he going to shape it into a pot? He who meditates has to act like a divine hero amidst humanity.

Humanity at present is far, far from perfection. But we are also members of that humanity. How can we discard our brothers and sisters, who are like the limbs our own body? If we do that we will only limit our own ability to act effectively in the world. We have to accept humanity as our very own. If we are in a position to inspire others, if we are one step ahead, then we have the opportunity to serve divinity in the ones who are following us.

We have to face the world and realise the Highest in the world. We do not want to lead the life of an escapist. Who escapes? He who is afraid, or he who feels that he has done something seriously wrong. We have not done anything wrong and we do not have to be afraid of the world around us. If we are afraid of the world, then we shall be afraid of everything.

Now we see a giant world of imperfection around us. We try to escape it in order to protect ourselves. But I wish to say that a far more formidable enemy than the present-day world is nothing other than our own mind. Even if we go and live in a cave, we cannot escape our mind. We carry that mind with us-a mind which is full of anxiety, jealousy, confusion, doubt, fear and other undivine qualities. This mind of ours forces us to remain in the battlefield of life. If we do not conquer our mind while living in the world, what good will it do us to merely remove our body from the everyday world?

We need not and must not enter into the Himalayan caves in order to meditate. We have to try to transform the face of the world on the strength of our dedication to the divinity in humanity. Meditation is not an escape. Meditation is the acceptance of life in its totality with a view to transforming it for the highest manifestation of the divine Truth here on earth.

Those people who only want to meditate for their own inner peace and progress, and who do not want to offer anything to the world, are selfish. Again, there are those who want to give to the world, but do not want to meditate in order to attain something worth giving. This is foolishness. If we do not possess something, then how are we going to give it? There are many people on earth who are ready to give, but what do they have? So we have to play our part. First we have to achieve, then we have to offer. In this way we ca please God and fulfil mankind.

Do you want to change the world? Then change yourself first. Do you want to change yourself? Then remain completely silent inside the silence-sea.