This Voyage

Be Watchful

Meditation is not against action. It simply teaches you a new way of life; you become the centre of the cyclone.

Meditation has to be only a watchfulness; then it is possible to have it twenty-four hours a day. Even while going to sleep, be watchful. To the last moment, when you see that now sleep is taking you over – the darkness goes on growing, the body is relaxing and the point comes when suddenly from wakefulness you move into sleep – watch up to that moment. And first thing in the morning, as you become aware that the sleep is finished, immediately start watching; soon you will be able to watch even while you are asleep.

Watchfulness will become a lamp that goes on burning day and night inside you.

This is the only authentic meditation. All else that has been told to you in the name of meditation is simply a toy to play with, to deceive yourself that you are doing something spiritual. With this meditation you will come across the inescapable. Everything illusory will disappear.

But everything in existence is not illusory. That which is not illusory is inescapable, and what are you going to do with the inescapable? Perhaps you have never thought about it.

This very inescapability itself is meditation.

If you go on watching even the inescapable, you will be able to see clearly that that which disappears while watching is illusory; that which becomes even more clear, more crystal clear, which was before hidden behind the cloud of your illusory dreams, desires, now stands absolutely clear.

I would like you to become so capable that you can remain in the marketplace and yet meditative. I would like you to relate with people, to love, to move in millions of relationships – because they enrich – and yet remain capable of closing your doors and sometimes having a holiday from all relationships… so that you can relate with your own being also.

Relate with others but relate with yourself also. Love others, but love yourself also. Go out! – The world is beautiful, adventurous; it is a challenge, it enriches. Don’t lose that opportunity! Whenever the world knocks at your door and calls you, go out! Go out fearlessly – there is nothing to lose; there is everything to gain. But don’t get lost. Don’t go on and on and get lost. Sometimes, come back home. Sometimes forget the world – those are the moments for meditation.

Each day, if you want to become balanced, you should balance the outer and the inner. They should carry the same weight, so that inside you never become lopsided.

This is the meaning when Zen masters say: “Walk in the river, but don’t allow the water to touch your feet.” Be in the world, but don’t be of the world. Be in the world, but don’t allow the world to be in you. When you come home, you come home – as if the whole world has disappeared.