Conditioning

Parents should be aware of what they are conditioning their children -- and the children should be given every freedom to experience the good, the bad, so they can decide on their own. Let them find their way. You simply watch carefully that they don't fall in a ditch. Never say anything to your children that is not your existential experience. Accept your ignorance. That will give more respect to you, more trust in you, but the parental ego wants to pretend that they know everything. Be respectful to the child. Parents expect respect from the children, but they forget that this is something mutual. You respect the children and they will respect you. You trust the children and they will trust you. And then there is a possibility of communication.

Ecology

We are all guests, but don't use this beautiful planet as a railway-station guest house. It is not a waiting room. It is our home for the time being and it will remain the home for somebody else. Don't be so miserly that, "I will be gone -- after ten minutes my train is coming, so who cares if I leave the waiting room dirty?"

Leave this earth a little more beautiful, a little more fragrant, for those unknown guests who will be following you.

Ecstasy

Ecstasy is our very nature; not to be ecstatic is simply unnecessary. To be ecstatic is natural, spontaneous. It needs no effort to be ecstatic; it needs great effort to be miserable. That's why you look so tired, because misery is really hard work; to maintain it is really difficult, because you are doing something against nature.

You are going upstream -- that's what misery is. And what is bliss? Going with the river -- so much so that the distinction between you and the river is simply lost. You are the river. How it can be difficult? To go with the river no swimming is needed; you simply float with the river and the river takes you to the ocean.

The river is already going to the ocean. Life is a river. Don't push it and you will not be miserable.

Watching

Watching is meditation. What you watch is irrelevant. You can watch the trees, you can watch the river, you can watch the clouds, you can watch children playing around. The object is not the point. The quality of observation, the quality of being aware and alert -- that's what meditation is.

Whatsoever you do with awareness is meditation. Action is not the question, the quality that you bring to your action. Walking can be a meditation if you walk alert. Sitting can be a meditation if you sit alert. Listening to the words can be a meditation if you listen with awareness. Just listening to the inner noise of your mind can be a meditation if you remain alert and watchful. The whole point is: one should not move in a sleep. Then whatsoever you do is meditation.

Heaven and Hell

Heaven is here -- just you have to know how to live it. And hell too is here, and you know perfectly well how to live it. It is only a question of changing your perspective, your approach towards life. The earth is beautiful. If you start living its beauty, enjoying its joys you are in paradise. If you condemn everything, then the same earth turns into a hell -- only for you. It depends on you where you live, it is a question of your own inner transformation. It is not a change of place, it is a change of inner space. Live joyously, guiltlessly, live totally. And then heaven is no more a metaphysical concept, it is your own experience.

Death

Death is already happening. Whether you face it or not, whether you look at it or not, it is already there. It is just like breathing. With each inhalation you are born; with each exhalation you die. A person who is really living is not in any way afraid of death. Live life. In living life, death is avoided. In living life, you become so fulfilled that if this very moment death comes and the future stops, you will be ready. You will be happily ready. You have lived your life; you have delighted in existence; you celebrated it; you are contented. There is no complaint, no grumbling; you don't have any grudge. You welcome death. And unless you can welcome death, one thing is certain -- that you have not lived.

Life

Give life to things which are beautiful. Don't give life to ugly things. You don't have much time, much energy to waste. With such a small life, with such a small energy source, it is simply stupid to waste it in sadness, in anger, in hatred, in jealousy.

Use it in love, use it in some creative act, use it in friendship, use it in meditation; do something with it which takes you higher. And higher you go, more energy sources become available to you.

At the highest point of consciousness, you are almost a god.

It is in your hands.