Press interview, followed by health advice 1986-10-14
Current language: English. Talks available in: English
14 October 1986
Interview
Kolkata (India)
Talk Language: English, Hindi | Transcript (English) - Reviewed | Translation (Hindi to English) - NEEDED
Shri Mataji: ‘Sahaj’ is born. Sahaja means born with you; is the right to get to your yoga. Yoga means the union with the Divine, in ‘Satya Sakshat kumar’ [unsure]. So, everybody has a birthright to get to his yoga, that is your union with the Divine, all right?
Interviewer: So, Sahaja Yoga means born with yoga?
Shri Mataji: Born with the right to have the yoga, ‘sahaja’. Sahaja Yoga means by which - also sahaja also you know in Sanskrit-
Interviewer: Means simple.
Shri Mataji: Means simple. It is spontaneous, spontaneous. Whatever is living is ‘sahaj’. Our breathing is ‘sahaj’. The flower gives the fruit, sahaja. The seed is sprouted sahaja. All living processes are sahaj. In this way, also it means a living process of yoga.
Interviewer: A living process of yoga.
Shri Mataji: These are living forces. A living process of yoga through living forces, within ourselves. All right?
Interviewer: Is it some- there are - I attended last yesterday's evening, we have discussed, is Sahaja Yoga means some of the mudras, or hand gestures? You told to raise the left hand up and right hand down or to keep the palm as an earthen lamp, you told yesterday.
Shri Mataji: Yes, this is not a mudra. But this is how you have to handle your sympathetic nervous system on both the sides. We have got sympathetic nervous system on left and right, and how to clear it out, how to clear out. Just like electrical mechanism, how to clear out? Is that you put the light in front of your finger tips and what happens that the light is the one which drives out all the ‘jadatai’ for you and then passes through here, comes to this side and goes to the Mother Earth.
It's just a scientific, but science of the Divine.
Interviewer: But if anyone suffers from mental anxiety or depression, if he does this thing to just go show the arm, show the palm of the hand.
Shri Mataji: They are left-handed. There's a left-hand problem. Yes, left side problem. That is mental, all these kinds, so called mental, English language is a funny one. You see, better depends on Sanskrit. Whatever the problem of the ‘manasa’, [Hindi] that problem is to be solved by left hand.
[Hindi] or physical right side, you see.
Interviewer: And what are the connections of Sakshat Chakra, because I saw a picture illustration of Sath chakra there.
Shri Mataji: Yes, yes. See, these are the subtle centres within ourselves. When the Kundalini rises through them, then she connects them, not only connects them, but also establishes the awakening of the Deities on those chakras. And these are the Deities which look after those different chakras.
Interviewer: So, in Sahaja Yoga, we should try to stimulate our chakras by tackling the Kundalini?
Shri Mataji: Yes, that's what it is.
Interviewer: That's not good. And how long will it take to achieve that?
Shri Mataji: Some people take it in no time. But you see, the city people are rather complicated. They take more time. You cannot say how much time. But it is just, what happens is, that you get it. That's all I can say.
Interviewer: And Mataji, is Sahaja Yoga is connected with Patanjali Yoga?
Shri Mataji: Of course. Patanjali is the same. But Patanjali was practiced at a time when we had this Chaturashram, you see, Yavastha in our country, where we had Brahmacharis staying in the ashrams. And so much so, the Brahmacharya was, that the Gotra is nothing but the universities, and you could not marry in the [unclear], till today. So you can imagine how much was the Brahmacharya in those days.
And in those circumstances they practiced yoga in the way that, they selected some people, raised their Kundalini, tried to clear their chakras one by one, gradually. Because it was a gradual process. But now the time is of a jet age, so we have to have a jet Kundalini. And we have to give it to the masses. The time has come to give to the masses, not for one inch.
Interviewer: So you need to modify it.
Shri Mataji: Yes, I have magnified it, you can say, that it can be used by all the masses. Unless and until any discovery is used by the masses, it is of no use. But the time has come. This is the same as, the Blossom time, I call it, but as the Bible says, it's the Last Judgment. And also Koran says, this is the resurrection time, the Qiyama, that your fingers and your toes and your hands will give witness about you. This is the time. All of them have said, this is the time.
Interviewer: But Sahaja Yoga then has the root connection of the Patanjali Yoga.
Shri Mataji: Of course, I mean, it's the ancient thing, no doubt. Patanjali used the same thing, but he used the gradual method, because that was the slow method, like, "Use zamane mein bailgadi use karte the na". [In Hindi: - in those times bullock carts were used]. Now we are using motor cars, so that is there. But the time has come. This time has been predicted in Nadi Granth, if you can get hold of Nadi Granth written by Bhrigu Muni, long time back, that such a time is going to come.
Interviewer: Mataji, here Asanas and Pranayams are very popular. We do the postures. In Sahaja Yoga is there any place of doing the Yoga postures?.
Shri Mataji: No, no. We do it whatever is needed. Here, you see, this is a half-baked knowledge. And what happens that like, any half-baked person will take all the medicines from the medicine box. Like that, they go on doing it without understanding whatever is suitable to a personality. Every personality is different.
Moreover when the Kundalini rises, you know at what chakra it is stopping and that is the Chakra you work out. Supposing now there is a chakra in the centre heart, we call it. It is caught up. Then there is an asana you can do. Some people have to do Paschim uttasana if their Nabhi is caught up. But all these asanas are done according to the need of the chakras which, wherever is the Kundalini stopping. But the modern yoga is so funny, that it is just-they just do all kinds of things, left and right ,without understanding what is the matter with them. It's very indiscreet and it causes problems. It can give heart attacks.
Interviewer: So all these, only those asanas are important, which are heart connected.
Shri Mataji: No, we use all the asanas, but which are related to some sort of a problem within us. Otherwise, we don't do any asanas.
Interviewer: And Pranayama?
Shri Mataji: Pranayama also is all right for certain type of people. But not for all. Those who have certain problems can do pranayama. But everybody does pranayama, they will develop into big problems. They will never get Realisation also. It’s very imbalanced.
Interviewer: So pranayama helps, but it is not the central point.
Shri Mataji: No. No, pranayama helps according, according to the chakras. If supposing, your right heart is catching, then you have to do pranayama, but beside. It's a very complicated thing. It is to be adjusted. That's why they said it is to be done by an enlightened guru. Patanjali would not allow anybody who is not enlightened to do all these things. Here everybody is teaching everything, isn't it?
Interviewer: One thing I have noticed that, everyone here, all devotees there, they are all always sitting with their palms upwards.
Shri Mataji: Yes, because this is a sympathetic nervous system. You see, these are one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. All right, these are seven chakras. And these seven chakras get vibrations. This is the All-pervading Power, you see, everywhere. And when they put their hands like this, this power starts flowing into them. In My presence specially, it works faster. So, they want to feel it because it gives you energy, vitality. These are three Powers in this one Power.
So, they want to take this Mahakali, Mahalakshmi ,Mahasaraswati and Maheshwari. All the Powers are flowing in this atmosphere. And they just want to take that.
Interviewer: And yesterday you strongly tap into alcoholism and cigarettes.
Shri Mataji: Did I? [Laughter] Normally, I avoid. But that was the last day. So, I said, I’d better so tell them.
Interviewer: It is very important. So, do you think that Sahaja Yoga also will help to eradicate the drug addiction?
Shri Mataji: Of course, it does. It takes away all your habits. Because you see, Spirit cannot have any habits. It takes away every - overnight people have given up drugs in the West. Overnight.
Interviewer: So, did it just start teaching Sahaja Yoga from London?
Shri Mataji: No, in India only.
Interviewer: Which year?
Shri Mataji: That was in 1970. And then My husband got elected to this job. He got elected to this job of Secretary General of International Maritime Organization.
He was chairman of Shipping Corporation. Then he became the Secretary General of International Maritime Organization. It's like, you see, there are fourteen Secretary Generals in the UN. One of the agencies. Like WHO is one agency, this is one agency. So, I went down there. That's how I was in England.
Interviewer: And then it started.
Shri Mataji: Yes, it's very difficult though, with English. Horrible nuts. [Laughter]
Interviewer: And English here, they are very much involved with you, with your philosophy, with your teachings, with your ideas.
Shri Mataji: Who? Who are involved?
Interviewer: Here we see and there is so much-
Shri Mataji: Ah! I'm sorry what I'm saying about English.
[Laughter]
Yes, yes, it's all right. They don't mind. They know that.
They have themselves facing them. You see, every day they are. [Laughter]
They, poor things, have broken their hands, you see, doing this raising of the Kundalini. They themselves know, they don't mind what I say.
[Laughter]
They are no more English. Now they are international.
Interviewer: They are human beings.
Shri Mataji: They are human beings.
[Laughter]
Interviewer: And is it important, Mataji, to be vegetarian for practicing Sahaja Yoga?
Shri Mataji: No, no, no, no, not at all. The vegetarians are difficult also. They are going to another extremes also. You must have balance. You must have protein food in your body.
Interviewer: And is it important, Mataji, to be vegetarian for practicing Sahaja Yoga?
Shri Mataji: No, no, no, no, not at all. The vegetarians are difficult also. They are going to another extremes also. You must have balance. You must have protein food in your body.
Interviewer: As the Gita said, the satvik food.
Shri Mataji: Yes. No, satvik is the- I don't know what they mean by ‘satvik’. What we say that ‘satvik food’ is the one that is vibrated, which is vibrated, which is being even vibrations. That is for us what ‘satvik food’ is. Not this kind of satvik food that if you eat only ‘bhaji falahar’ [vegetables and fruits in Hindi] then you are satvik. No, they are never satvik.
Interviewer: So, whatever diet should be?
Shri Mataji: Whatever is the balance in one. You see, some people, like in England, I say, "You should become vegetarians". And India, I say, "You’d better become non-vegetarians ". Especially Marwaris, because their ladies have such weak muscles, you know. They can't even walk after fifty years of age. So it's very- and they get all troubles of the muscles. They get the shaking of the muscles. The heart becomes very weak. They get angina, all these troubles come because the muscles are so weak. So they must take protein diet. That's the main point.
And the subtle point, you can say they must have more protein diet. [ab jyada ye khate hain bekari cheez ghee vagarah- they eat all that useless stuff more- clarified butter etc.] That must be given up.
Interviewer: Can you, Mataji, tell me something about your early life?
Shri Mataji: My life?
Now what should I tell you? I slept at four o'clock last night.
Lady: I wanted to know something about that too.
Shri Mataji: Now what should I tell you? I -
Lady: When did you started to feel this?
Shri Mataji: 1970, I started. Actually, I was born like this, in a very enlightened family, I should say. My father, a very enlightened man, and he was member of the assembly, Central Assembly. He was the member of the Constitution, Constituent Assembly, Parliament. My mother was a honours of mathematics and my father was a scholar of Bangala [unclear name].
Interviewer: Acha.
Shri Mataji: Very much, from him I learnt all this.
Interviewer: What was his name?
Shri Mataji: He was Mr. P.K. Salve. We have a road in his name. We have got his statues.
Interviewer: Mr. P.L.?
Shri Mataji: P.K. Salve. S-A-L-V-E.
Actually, we come from, originally from Rajputana. And my - I mean, there's a dynasty called Shalivahana. We are from that dynasty, Shalivahana. You might have heard the name of Shalivahana.
Interviewer: Yes, I have.
Lady: Shalivahana?
Shri Mataji: Shalivahana dynasty. They have also a calendar. Now this dynasty ended up in Ahmednagar, near Ahmednagar. And then my father's mother shifted from there to Indore and that's how we were. Then they came down to Madhya Pradesh. That's how I was born in Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh. Because that's the central point and is the- is on the Tropic of Cancer. That's one, very few places are. Mecca is also on Tropic of Cancer. And this Chhindwara is also on Tropic of Cancer. Cancer is the mother, you see. That's why I was to be born there and in that place.
Interviewer: And from which age you started practicing spiritual practices?
Shri Mataji: No, I was born like this only. And I never practiced anything. Because I was born like this, so what is there to practice?
[Laughter]
Lady: When did you started to feel that you were
Shri Mataji: From very childhood. From very childhood I was born like that. I felt, as you know from your childhood that you are a human being, I knew I was something else from My very childhood. Very conscious of it. Very aware of it.
Lady: And your parents knew also?
Shri Mataji: Of course, My father was very much. Even My mother was.
[Sahaja Yogis give the addresses of the Sahaja Yoga centres.
In 24th and 18th street, on Saturday, 6th, 13th. On Sunday, Saharipa, 9th, Saharipa. ] [Shri Mataji (in Hindi): Namaste, Aye! Jag hai bhi.
Other people: Jai Shri Mataji.]
Interviewer: Mataji, who is your guru?
Shri Mataji: Guru? I have no guru, I am Ma. Ma doesn't have guru. Ma is the guru of the gurus. How can she have guru?
Interviewer: Mataji, can you give us some meditation, easy meditation techniques for our readers which they can practice by reading this article?
Shri Mataji: You see, you give My photograph, all right?
Interviewer: We have taken your photograph. Yes.
Shri Mataji: So, you give My photograph, ask them to put both the hands towards the photograph. They might, most of them, feel the cool breeze in their hands.
Interviewer: They should put their hands like this?
Shri Mataji: Yes. And say that, "Mother, are you the, are you the Divine Mother?" That's all. And they get the cool breeze in their hands, most of them. If they don't get it, they should try to write to these people and they will tell them what is the problem, with their photographs.
Interviewer: With their photographs. Your photograph, they will get from our magazine.
Shri Mataji: Yes, no, that's all right. But when they want to find out what's wrong with them, or if they are sick, supposing they are sick. Jalaal saab ke paas apna photo khud ka photo bhejo [In Hindi: send you own photo to Lalaal saab]
Interviewer: Acha! His own photograph.
Shri Mataji: Yes, their own photo.
Interviewer: And how long they should practice this concentration?
Shri Mataji: No, not necessary, you see, five minutes in the morning, five minutes in the evening. Very simple it is. If they write to him, he will tell them what is to be done. So not much to be spent, because you are in meditation all the time. You are in meditation, don't have to do meditation. You just do a little cleansing, like this, that's all.
Interviewer: Thank you, Mataji, for everything.
Shri Mataji: May God bless you.
In kato, jaraya hai, samne me aapko parkar aade hai. Abhi yoga karte hai kya? [Hindi: Come here in front. Let’s give him Realisation. Are you practising yoga?]
Interviewer: Yes, Mother.
Shri Mataji: Ah! That's why! It's only, you see, you are catching on the right heart, as we say. So, try to understand what is the use of yoga. Because like if a car is moving, and then you know where is obstruction, you know how to turn your car, isn't it? But if you just keeping the car here standing, if you move the car, what's the use? In the same way, when the Kundalini is not moving, you see, if you try to do something about it, then you spoil your chakras.
Se hai bhi aapko jo hai left heart pakar aade, isle paasi naar hai. Isle paas, or left heart jo hai [In Hindi- like now you are catching on your left heart that’s why you are sweating and left heart] is very important in Sahaja Yoga.
So we have to pay attention, actually, to our Spirit, not to our body. If we pay attention to our Spirit, everything is looked after. You get rid of all your diseases, we have cured all kinds of diseases like cancer, this, that.
Interviewer: Cancer?
Shri Mataji: Now of course, of course.
Interviewer: Of cancer?
Shri Mataji: Of course. And those who get Realization never get cancer.
Interviewer: It's very good.
Shri Mataji: Why? That is your own power. I'm doing nothing. You have got it. Just you have to be awakened, that's all. Then you can awaken others.
All right?
Interviewer: That's very good.
Shri Mataji: May God bless you.
What's your name?
Interviewer: My name is Mukulda.
Shri Mataji: Mukul?
Interviewer: Mukulda.
Shri Mataji: Mukulda Acha.
[END OF INTERVIEW]
[To the lady] Are you from some newspaper?
Lady: No, I'm not. But I could be.
[Aapka ya, batai yeh, kunkan yeh?...]
[Conversation in Hindi about a present]
Shri Mataji: Aapka bahag thik hai? [In Hindi: Your home is all right?]
Sahaja Yogi: Two hundred per cent.
[Laughter]
Shri Mataji: I think you should not sit next to him. You sit this side. Because both of you- No, no, but you sit this side. Why I'm saying? The reason is this boy has been affected by the same as you were affected. So you should not share, hana? Yuhusko bhi takli ho jayi. [In Hindi: You should not be affected by the same.]
Sit anywhere you like. And now you move out. Where is your wife?
Sahaja Yogi: She is here. She's just getting up.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF HINDI [uncomplete]
[Shri Mataji now speaks in Hindi]
Shri Mataji: Thank you? It is good, many people. I am very grateful to you. Many people have participated in this programme. You have done it so successfully. And I have a lot of hope. You are our companions who collectively help us in problems. I think that some people are suffering. I am feeling that many people are suffering. What should be done for them? So, for that you all help each other, it is not enough.
In Sahaja Yogis, the problems that are collective, I think it is because the eyes are weak. I kept seeing, lots of people have weak eyes here. What should we do about this. So, for this, you have to help out each other.
After certain age eyes become weak anyways, so give strength to the eyes, so that it doesn’t deteriorate too much.Keep a light in front of the photo, and keep a light in the hand, in any candle stand, and on the back of you head here (on Back Agnya), like you do aarti [bandhan], here do the aarti. The one who is sitting in the front, he will keep his right hand towards the photo and left hand towards ether. And from behind, his Aarti has to be done on Back Agnya. And after the aarti, sit on the ground for some time, keep your hand in front of the light and right hand on the ground.You have been given vibrated water here, add little vibrated sugar and mix it with spoon, and put two drops in your eyes. You can add both to rose water as well. And add it to your eyes. And keep your eyes closed for some time. After the water has come out, it’ll be fine. You can add Honey instead of sugar as well. Vibrate the honey and apply it to your eyes and leave it for sometime. Water will come out of your eyes after a while. Then wash it with vibrated water added to rose water. The light of your eyes will keep on improving. If you are above 50 years of age, your eyes will remain as is, it won’t deteriorate or improve. It’ll stay as is. And this weakness comes from eating too much fish. Fish has Phosphorous. Phosphorous gets burnt in our Back Agnya, hence this issue arises. So, eat a little less fish. It's difficult for Bengalis.
Sahaja Yogini: Mataji, should we do this before sleep?
Mother: Yes, do it anytime. Do it in the morning or before sleeping. Better do it twice in the beginning. Those who have good eyes, even they can do it. Your eyes won’t be hampered quickly then.There is a question that many people ask me, Hamsa Chakra is hard. To make Hamsa Chakra soft, take a little ghee and make it soft and put it in one dropper. And put it on the nose twice a day so that Hamsa Chakra becomes soft and all the dryness is removed.
Those who are dry and have all kinds of ailments, use this and your Hamsa will be cured and you will be fine. Those who use this will feel a lot of sweetness and will sleep well at night. Even those who have allergies due to dust or smoke will be cured.
[Hindi ...]
45:16
[IN English] Sahaja Yogi: Shri Mataji, those who have a heart attack.
Shri Mataji, there are two types of heart attacks. One comes because of the lethargic heart and another comes because of the overactivity. Now depends on. If it is an overactive heart, then you have to put your right hand on the thing, and your left hand towards the photograph and you have to say, "Mother, I am the Spirit ". Am ji na, ho ja. If it is a lethargic heart, then you have to put right to the left, like this. Lethargic heart, right to the left, like this. Then it works out. And you should say, "Mother, I am not guilty".
45:48
[Hindi ...]
56:15
[IN English] Sahaja Yogi: I have a kidney problem.
Shri Mataji: Kidney.
Sahaja Yogi: I have only one kidney.
Shri Mataji: It’s all right, doesn’t matter. After Sahaja Yoga, there is no problem. Take a lot of [bali? unclear] water, that’s all.
Sahaja Yogi: Blood pressure is going up because one kidney is only working.
Shri Mataji: Take [bali? unclear] water. And for blood pressure, which kidney you have got?
Sahaja Yogi: They removed the left, left is completely removed. And only right kidney is working.
Shri Mataji: Left to the right, all the time.
Sahaja Yogi: Left to the right, baas.
Shri Mataji: Left to the right.
Sahaja Yogi: And there is a difference between left hand and right hand?
Shri Mataji: Right hand, left to the right.
Sahaja Yogi: Left to the right. 108. That, doctor Warren told me last time.
Shri Mataji: Left to the right. Left Vishudhi [unclear].
Sahaja Yogi: And footsoaking.
Shri Mataji: Footsoaking.
57:03
[Hindi ...]