How Should We Change Ourselves?
Things of the past are in the past, they cannot be
changed by any means. But from this moment, you can change
yourself and for that, every assistance is available, every
power is available. And what is the higher sin even than that?
It is to deny this opportunity for self-correction and go
on, on the path of evolution, and seek to remain as we are,
with foolish ideas, animalistic ideas of pleasure, enjoyment,
freedom, things like that. So Master said, "That is a
bigger sin than any sin you can possibly commit with your
body."
Why do we come to a Master? I think it is by an inner feeling
of this truth, an inner realisation of this truth, that
most people who come to spirituality come here at all. It
shows an inner discontent with what we are. Otherwise, there
is no reason, I mean, I cannot imagine a possible reason
for trying to change yourself. No one will attempt to change
himself or herself if they are really happy with themselves
and their circumstance. So the seed of change, inner change,
comes from discontent with what we are, discontent, dissatisfaction,
disappointment, whatever it be.
Unfortunately, human beings try to handle this discontent
by further satiation in the pleasures that they are having.
By imagining that the pleasure which one bottle of wine
could not give, could be given by a second bottle, or by
a third bottle. So, stupidly, self-destructively, we indulge
in repetitive activities of this sort. So we are faced with
this rather fascinating but un-understandable fact that
the highest education, the highest technology has only created
self-destructive tendencies. And these tendencies have to
be corrected, and therefore there is all the more need for
yogic pursuits.
The only thing which goes on eternally without any help from us is the
Devil. God needs our help to help us. And what is this help that we have
to give Him? Babuji called it cooperation. Co-operation - to work together
with. God can lift a mountain. God can revolve a planet. He can twist the
universe around into nothing. But He cannot change a human being, because
what changes a human being is not God - it is himself.
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