KT Retreat-Dec 11-Jan-12
Spirituality means waking up, and understand yourself deeper.
Most people, even though they don’t know it, are asleep. They’re born asleep, they live asleep, they marry in their sleep, they breed children in their sleep, they die in their sleep without ever waking up.
They never understand life and the beauty of this thing that we call human existence. Though everything is a mess, all is well. Strange paradox, but they used to the messy things of life, they live in the vicious cycle from clinging to the happy moments and reject the suffering ones, cyclic of ups and downs. They never transcend and look from outside. They never think out of box, how to live life outside this vicious cycle. They never try their best to understand what life is all about. They like to sleep.
When they encounter suffering, they rumble and crying and blaming others. But they never look at themselves. They don't realize, it is very easy to get into the vortex of unhappiness; just continue thinking negatively and follow your mood, you get it! On contrast, when they are happy, they think life should be like that, and stay on forever. Basically, I am telling you; you are responsible for your own happiness or unhappiness, it is up to you to choose! Strange, but people always prefer to indulge and blame others for their bad moods. That create more suffering, get out from there! Tragically, most people never get to see that all is well because they are asleep. They are having a nightmare. Sometimes suffering is a good antidote for people to wake up. Unfortunately, seldom people take it as a lesson and opportunity to learn and understand life deeper.
Last year on a television I heard a story about this gentleman who knocks on his daughter’s door. “Mary,” he says, “wake up!” Mary answers, “I don’t want to get up, Papa.” The father shouts, “Get up, you have to go to school.” Mary says, “I don’t want to go to school.” “Why not?” asks the father. “Three reasons,” says Mary. “First, because it’s so dull; second, the kids tease me; and third, I hate school.” And the father says, “Well, I am going to give you three reasons why you must go to school. First, because it is your duty and responsibility; second, because you are twenty-eight years old, and third, because you are the teacher of the school. You have responsibility for your own life!” Wake up, wake up! You’ve grown up. You’re too big to be asleep. Wake up! Stop being pampered of yourself.
Most people tell you they want to get out of kindergarten, but don’t believe them. When unfavorable situation arises, they still want to stay back to the usual comfort zone of the past. All they want you to do is to mend their broken toys. “Give me back my boyfriend, my wife, my mom. Give me back my freedom, my trips and holidays. Give me the job I want. I don't want this job, I am not interested. I want this and that.” This is what they want; they want their toys replaced. That’s all.
In all, this is the life they want to live and they call human existence. They are lazy even to ponder a bit deeper, why unpleasant things, sufferings are still coming to their lives, even though they don't want them? But all they want are so called the positive sides of life. They want pleasant things only, is that possible? If you don't wake up and bravely face yourself, you forever cannot understand, what life is all about. If you cannot understand what is life and want to run away from things you don't like, then you suffer forever! Because only from things make you suffer, that exactly the same things can wake you up! You can't just run away from unpleasant situations or hate them, if you want to live your life fully, then you simply have to accept both the pleasant as well as unpleasant, that is life!
Even the best psychologist will tell you that, that people don’t really want to be cured. What they want is relief; a cure is painful. Waking up is unpleasant, you know. Waking up is to live in the present. Present moment is forcing you to look closely at your inner self. It is not easy to face yourself, and nothing nice things to see. So people want to escape and indulging to the past or hope for the best in the future. They plan, wish and dream, forget that the present is the solid footing for their future dreams to come true!
It is plainly simple, but very difficult to do it. So people never stay in the present! The present is so tiring and horrible, no one wants it! So they keep asleep, forever, and don't want to wake up!
You are nice and comfortable in bed. It’s irritating to be woken up. That’s the reason the wise guru will not attempt to wake people up. I hope I’m going to be wise here and make no attempt whatsoever to wake you up if you are asleep. Becasue present moment is unbearable. In fact, it is really none of my business, even though I say to you at times, “Wake up, Baby! Be present”. My business is to do my thing, to dance my dance. Truth is always hurt and unpleasant, but I have to say. If you profit from it, fine; if you don’t, too bad! After all, it is YOU to face your own life, choice is yours!
As the Arabs say, “The nature of rain is the same, but it makes thorns grow in the marshes and flowers in the gardens.”
