Remembering

Q: How come we can't remember past life times - if there even is such a thing?

MM: It is like not being able to remember what you were doing on October 23, at 10 o'clock in 1994. It doesn't matter now, although it may be the reason you are wearing a red shirt.

What needs to be remembered is our future, not our past. "Future" means our destiny. It is where we were before we were born. Our very past is our very future. Our destiny is where we came from. We become conscious of the source of your being.

There are only two paths. Both have infinite variety and combinations. There is the intellectual (scientific, atheist) path, and the emotional path (love, religion).

All paths are like boats you take across the river (life). They seem to be very important when you are on them, but ultimately have nothing directly to do with the destination (God, Enlightenment, Truth); and just before you step on the shore (Truth) you actually have to leave what took you there - the boat that gave safety, and direction. There is no point in staying on the boat once the shore has been reached.

That is the hard part for both the religious and the scientifically minded. Even close to the destination everyone seems to argue about who has the better boat. The whole world is arguing about the best boat - for getting to God, Truth, Enlightenment. This is nonsense. Even swimming will do. Even less - just floating will do. Boats can often be too much trouble.

Q: So is any thinking about Karma - even in terms of how to conduct oneself now for good karma in the future, pointless?

MM: It is OK to use it for "navigation". Navigation uses "points of references" to give some understanding about cause and effect, starting points and end points. It is only useful "along the way" but becomes useless the closer you get to the destination.

Harming Other Beings

Q: Are all things - like even rocks - beings? In terms of harming other beings - how can one possibly avoid harming other beings? Even just taking antibiotics would create bad karma.

MM: When we logically follow this notion of not harming another being the first thing is that we realize that our life depends on the many lives of others. The animals we may still be eating, the medications we depend on that have taken many lives, the ants we step on, the plants we eat, etc, etc.

The important thing is to grow one's awareness of how many beings must suffer for us to live, and then instead of feeling guilty to become deeply humble and grateful. The more our humility and gratitude grows, the less we will require, and the less harm we will cause. But it will never be zero.

As our awareness grows, even stones will reveal themselves to us as beings. And in the end - when the being-ness of all things is understood, as well as the interconnectedness and oneness of all things - who is there to harm or be harmed?

Ugly And Lovable

Q: What can I do about being a more lovable person?

MM: Be more lovable. There is nothing to do, just be more lovable.

Q: But I feel that I am fat and ugly and that on first impression already people decide I am unlovable.

MM: There are "fat and ugly" people who are very lovable and people are instantly drawn to them. Socrates was one of them. It is all a question of what occupies your thoughts. It is only thoughts that are fat and ugly. You get rid of fat (repetitive) and ugly (negative) thoughts against yourself and others and you will be free. Freedom is very attractive to everyone. Serenity, peace, compassion... all show up even on an ugly face. They are irresistible. Become irresistible.

Good Or Evil?

Q: I cried myself to sleep last night when I had the thought: "I really don't know whether I am good or evil." I was deeply moved and upset but in a very calm way. Can you explain this to me?

MM: Even God does not know whether he is good or evil. People question it, too. How can God let people suffer so much in wars and with diseases, especially little children?

You were upset because most of the time, thinking that you are a rather good person, at least a person trying hard and having good intentions - for the first time you considered being evil also. No more hiding this from yourself. The calmness came from holding both ideas of good and evil in regards to yourself at the same time, and knowing deep down beyond language that you are neither both, nor neither - but something different entirely.

Imagine

Q: Can you imagine a world religion?

MM: Yes - kindness. Kin-ship. Brotherhood. Not out of fear of God, or desire to sit next to him, but out of that which is neither of fear, nor of desire.

Q: That's not really a religion.

MM: O.K. A not-really-religion then.

Q: But don't we need teachers, leaders, places to gather and support one another? An organization to pull it all together?

MM: Students will always find teachers. Jesus, Mohammad, Buddha...they were not found in churches. Churches serve their purpose, but they are not a necessity for realizing truth. It would not be just.

Good People - With Or Without Religion?

Q: Do you think a person can grow up to be a good person without any religious upbringing?

MM: Kindness and compassion are universal, and our true nature. A child knows instantly when something bad, mean, or unjust has happened. Children observe cruelty and injustice and then decide either for or against it, for their own behavior. This is often a decision based on their individual instinct of, and physical make-up for survival,as well as their environment. So - yes - a person can grow up to be a good person without any religious upbringing. Discerning between kindness and cruelty is inborn.

Most Atheists would ask - can a person grow up to be good person in spite of their religious upbringing? Religions have "raised" a lot of callous and cruel people. At the same time, religions all over the world have also taught kindness and compassion to people who needed to "re-learn". Sometimes all a religion can do, much like the legal system, is scare cruel people into behaving kindly.

So whatever upbringing we chose for our children - we need to model kindness and generosity, rather than criticism and cruelty, and give children courage and hope in the face of the injustices in the world.

The Veiled Truth

Q: What exactly is this truth you mentioned that Jesus speaks about when he says: "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free"?

MM: It doesn't matter. Don't concern yourself at all about what it might be, or might be like. Just know - deep down, and with your complete trust and all the love in your heart - that you will indeed know it. Accept that this is a 100% reliable source making this promise to you. Then you become ready to receive it. That is all that matters, that you become receptive. Don't concern yourself with this truth in any other way. You will not need your intellect, your understanding, or any past experience to recognize this truth to be The Truth. It will be self evident and beyond doubt. It will not be a thought, an idea, an image, a feeling, or anything else you are used to or could possibly imagine. That all has to get out of the way.

That is what meditation is - just practicing getting all thoughts, ideas, opinions, feelings, images...out of the way, so that the veil can get lifted from your eyes.