If someone comes to tell you such things, discourage them. Don't believe it.
If someone blames you directly, know that they are taking away your bad karma, and let it go. Don't believe in it, and if you're one of the Guru's close ones, you will take all of the blame of the world with a smile.
Conflict is the nature of the world; comfort is the nature of the self.
Amidst the conflict seek the comfort.
* When you are bored with the comfort, get into the games of the world.
* When you are tired of the games of the world, get into the comforts
of the Self.
If you are one of the Guru's close ones, you do both simultaneously.
Trying to end a conflict, prolongs it. Face the conflict by seeking the
comfort of the Self.
God is alive in the world, and has been putting up with all the ongoing conflicts throughout the ages. If God can put up with all the conflicts, you can too. The moment you agree to be with the conflict, the conflict disappears.
People who love peace do not want to fight, and those who fight do not love peace. Those who want peace want to run away.
What is needed here is to be peaceful within and then fight.
The whole message of the Gita is to be peaceful yourself and then fight.
Krishna tells Arjuna to fight but be in peace at the same time. Does this ring a bell?
In the world, you resolve one conflict and another one comes up. For example, Russia is solved and then Bosnia arises. You make one better, and then another starts up. Your body gets a cold, then you get better; then your back hurts, then it gets better. Your body gets better, and then the mind goes. The world runs like this, isn't it?
Without any intention, misunderstandings happen. It's not up to you to try to resolve them.
Ignore them and be alive.
(Toronto, Canada, July 4, 1995)
© The Art of Living Foundation