Words from the Master

Yes…

(A lady shares her views) Swamiji, you ask us to be as we are. But how can we live in society just as we are? I think we have to change according to the family, the society.

Yes, everybody faces this problem on a practical level. You say, “Swamiji, I have to act according to the other.” I ask you, why not also make sure that others act according to you? True, in society, we have to be dependent on each other. There is no other way. But be very clear of your limits.
Be independently dependent!

Be very clear, which is your space and which is the other’s. Try your best to enrich your own life, without disturbing one another.

Of course, I can’t give you a foolproof solution… if I could give you a chant that would solve all the problems between husband and wife, I would be the most popular man in the world!

(Loud laughter and applause!)

Swamiji…can’t the other person’s Muladhara chakra be opened, so that he drops his expectations?

(Swamiji laughs!) How will you do that? You can only make sure that your own expectations are dropped – so that from four people sharing one house, you at least come down to three!

How to change the other person...? These days marriage counselors suggest even hypnotism! I think it is gross interference in the other person’s freedom. It is completely wrong.

The other day, I read about a case where a woman wanted to bring down her husband’s anger levels. You may have read - the Chicago University is now performing some research where they implant electrodes in a person’s brain and completely control anger!

When they asked for volunteers to participate in this research, it seems hundreds of women forcibly brought their husbands!

(Laughter!)

After the experiment, 72 women – this is a fact – 72 women came back and told the university, “Please remove these electrodes. I want my old husband back! I want my old angry husband back!”

They say, “Life has lost its taste! Unless we fight, there is no interaction. He pays me no attention!”

Everybody needs attention! Behavioral psychologists say that a normal man can survive without food for up to 90 days, but without attention from others, only for 14 days! He will start going insane.

What has happened is, we have forgotten how to love each other, care for each other. Love is a forgotten language! So the only interaction and attention we can hope to have is by fighting with each other!

I think even the people sitting here and complaining that their husbands or wives are not spiritual – if their spouses become spiritual, they may come back and complain that they want their old partners back!

(Laughter and protests from audience!)

Alright! You say you are different! Let us see!

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This excerpt has been taken from the book: Guaranteed Solutions.