om shanti

When we say ‘Om Shanti’ we become peaceful and the intellect goes up above. When the intellect goes up above this
physical world we become clear enough to realise what is right and what is wrong, what is truth what is falsehood, what I
should be doing and what I shouldn’t be doing, what is charity and what is sin. Secondly, in the state of ‘Om Shanti’ I become
aware of what I should do and the fact that I should do it right now. There will be no need to think, everything will become
clear. In body consciousness the soul asks how to do something but in the state of soul consciousness there is the
awareness and the experience that God helps.
The realisation that I am soul residing in this body brings true happiness. This body is made of five elements and I the soul
reside in this body. When we realise this then we can then start working on making the intellect still. Only when the soul
enters the body (of a child) can the body grow. The body is made of five elements; there is the sky, air, fire, water and earth.
If we don’t have air inside, we cannot operate. The soul is imperishable while the body is perishable.
The soul has three faculties; mind, intellect and sanskaras. Many say they want peace of mind but the mind cannot become
peaceful until the intellect understands and ‘holds’ the knowledge of the soul. Just as we say ‘my eyes’ so too, we say ‘my
mind’. I have a mind… When someone stays only in the awareness of the body there is ego of the body. The thoughts are
then according to that; filled with ego. Moving into a state of soul consciousness answers the age old question ‘Who am I’?
Whatever thoughts we have create a vibration and further… an atmosphere. What we talk about also affects the
atmosphere. When people come here (to Madhuban) they feel the atmosphere and through the atmosphere their hearts are
touched. The soul is in the body but there is also the heart…
There are four types of thoughts:-
1) Positive Thoughts. Positive thoughts bring a great deal of power to the heart and the experience of true happiness.
There is so much power in being positive.
2) Ordinary thoughts. These are thoughts based on body consciousness; I am this, I look like this. These thoughts are
based on the ego of the body.
3) Wasteful Thoughts. Those thoughts which are ‘extra’, that is they are not necessary. When we have waste thoughts
we waste a great deal of energy.
4) Negative Thoughts. Those thoughts which are based on vices or subtle vices (such as jealousy). Nowadays people
are caught up in the vices; they can’t stay without them.
There is a vast difference between positive and negative thoughts. Dadi pays a great deal of attention to having clean and
pure thoughts. For this, it is essential to keep the intellect clean. There is great benefit in this. The mind is the subtle organ
that stumbles around and when I keep my intellect clean it has the power to order the mind to be peaceful. The intellect
keeps the mind in order. Whatever may happen, Dadi keeps her feelings pure. There is a great deal of satisfaction in being
able to maintain pure feelings no matter what happens on an external level. When we then sit to remember God, we can feel
the cleanliness of our thoughts and meditation feels easy.
The mind has two main ailments; desire and attachment. There are three levels of desire: the first is a craving – I must have
this. The second is the deep feeling of wanting to have something. People ask God for what they want in their prayers – not
usually for peace or love but for physical things. The third is the subtle hope of getting something…
Desire is the reason that people cannot experience peace. Where there is desire there will also be attachment. This is why
we need to finish desires and attachment. When we finish them then the sense organs, the eyes, ears, mouth, nose, come
under our control. When they are under our control the head becomes very cool. You will feel that you are wearing a crown
of light with a garland around your neck and a tilak of victory on your forehead. It is faith that leads to victory. When there is faith the quality of thoughts becomes very good.
Through the mind and intellect, subtle sanskaras (character traits) are created. These can be both negative and positive.
Through the intellect we realise and we can start to transform any negative character traits. You are starting to understand
this but in order to change you need to keep good company and to practice on a personal level. There is no greater
happiness than realising you are freeing yourself from negativity for all time.
Nowadays subtle vices such as laziness and jealousy are prevalent. Jealousy will never allow a soul to experience peace. It
does its constant but subtle work on the soul. Through understanding we can free ourselves from these. If you free yourself
from these you will become an example in front of many people.
To become an example pay attention to four things:-
a) Keep the awareness ‘I am a child’ of God. I am a child of The Bestower of Fortune. Keep this awareness and you
will have wonderful experiences. If you are honest and courageous God will help you at every step. It will be your
one step and God’s 1,000 steps. The Lord is pleased with an honest heart. When I do something good, God
becomes my companion.
b) I am a student. Dadi has been studying at this university for seventy seven years but always considers herself as a
student; there is always much to learn. Every day there is something new to study. By studying well I can become
God’s good example and thus an example in front of the world. People find it very inspiring when they see a good
example. They want to change and become like that themselves. This is how service has expanded throughout the
world. To become an example in front of the world I don’t need to follow what society is telling me but rather those
spiritual teachings which can be found here. To get caught up in ego and trying to show oneself to have material
success is a waste of time in this invaluable life. Use your time in a worthwhile way and you will be a true ruler.
c) I am an instrument. I do my duty with responsibility yet without ego. In the awareness of being an instrument there is
no question whether there will be success or not.
Another five useful things for life Dadi would like share with you are:-
1) Purity. When one pays attention to imbibing total purity in life then if even a little impurity remains inside it becomes
obvious. That little impurity that remains does not allow the mind or body to become healthy.
2) Truth. Through purity one is able to realise what is truth and to imbibe truth in life. Truth brings strength; there is a
great deal of power in truth. Through purity everything internal gets cleansed and truth does its work in life.
3) Patience. Nowadays people are becoming more and more impatient. Everything has to happen quickly or they lose
patience. If you become impatient you cannot possibly have a peaceful mind, a still mind.
4) Humility. Humility is very useful in life. Humility allows us to stop trying to prove ourselves to be right. Humility says
that whatever you say is right. I do not need to show myself to be right. Humility allows one to be like a tree laden
with fruit that bends down so that other people can share its fruit. In silence I know that the truth will automatically
reveal itself eventually.
5) Sweetness. Where there are the qualities of purity, truth patience and humility, sweetness is always present. The
words of a soul who has these qualities will always be sweet. They will be filled with meaning and will touch others…
Om Shanti