It is true when we look at this world and we observe man’s inhumanity to man we become sort of disappointed, discouraged. We say, “What is happening to this world? What can I do to change it?” The only thing that you can really do in this world is to understand the truth about yourself. This again is why people think that this path, Jnana Marga, is sort of selfish. I’ve heard people say, “Those people think only of themselves. They only care about their own self-realization, they’re not interested in the world. What’s going on with people.” Of course this is not true. For if you understand the self, the self is the self of all. The whole universe is the self. So certainly you don’t want to see things in the universe that are dastardly, horrible. Yet as long as you’re working from your ego, from your mind, you will see such horrible things. But the secret is to realize who sees this. This is a great secret. Who observes these things. Who sees these things that are so wrong and so dastardly. It is the ego. The mind that has been trained and brainwashed since you were a little person, from previous lives, and you are a conglomeration of all your thoughts, beliefs, dogmas, samskaras. That is all you are and nothing else. The idea is to let go of all of these things. To become non-judgemental. To develop loving kindness. To look at everyone as yourself. Always remember there is one self and you are that self. In other words there is not me and you or you and the world. Peace comes when you realize that you are everything. Everything is you. When there is no longer any separation you will feel peaceful. You will feel at ease. But as long as you believe you are separate, troubles ensue.
R.A.