New Year Intensive: Online Satsang of December 31, 2023

[Mikael:] Welcome to the Intensive over New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Nice to have you here.

In this Online Satsang you have the opportunity to ask questions if you wish. You can either do this in writing in the YouTube chat, or, if you participate via Zoom, you can do so in the Zoom chat. But you can also ask your question directly, verbally. If you want to do that, you can simply make a hand signal in Zoom and then Simone will make sure that you can speak.

And we now have about an hour and a half, and then, shortly before half past three, I'll say a few more things about Samarpan Meditation, how it works: just a few short tips, it's very simple and uncomplicated. And then there's the possibility, if you would like, to join me and all of us for half an hour from half past three to four. Yes, and we'll do the same thing again tomorrow, again at two pm.

Yes, that's it for the preamble. Simone, are there any questions from those who are already here?

[Simone:] There is a comment from Snow White. She would like to thank you for this wonderful offer. There are no other questions in the chat.

[Mikael:] Nice to have you here. I'm happy to see you everyone. Yes, I also have a few questions in writing by e-mail, and then I'll see if I can just read out one of them to start with.

"Dear Mikael, it's about true fulfillment. That money, career, sex and so on and everything that is in the outside doesn't lead to fulfillment, that's clear to me, I've been through all that. The fulfillment is supposed to be inside, but my experience says that there is also nothing. I've been meditating for a long time. When I go inside, there is nothing. Or to be more precise, there is silence, sad silence. I'm all alone there, and that alone makes me sad. I used to have tastes of fulfillment with Soham, but that's all gone. How do you experience your inner self?"

[Mikael:] Yes, thank you for this beautiful question.

Yes, the fulfillment thing, that's one of those things, because we can't find it directly and can't look for it directly. If you have misplaced your keys, then you go through the house and you look everywhere, and at some point, you see them lying somewhere, and then you find your keys again. And with fulfillment it's different, with fulfillment or finding yourself, finding God. We can't look for that like we would look for a lost bunch of keys, because we don't know what we're looking for at all.

The only thing we know is an old longing within us that we probably don't understand at all. We know at some point: "Okay, everything that I know, that's not it. None of it gives me fulfillment." And we have this feeling that pulls us in a certain direction, but we don't know what we are really looking for, which is why we can't recognize it. And that's what makes this spiritual path so exciting.

You write that you meditate. And with Samarpan Meditation it's like this: you simply just sit down and actually do nothing. Nothing. You don't search for anything. You simply put your attention to the crown chakra, close your eyes, and then you sit there for half an hour. We'll do that together later. It's not like you sit there and wait for something. If you sit there and wait for something, then firstly you have an idea of what you are waiting for, and secondly, you are not meditating.

You have an idea and you waiting. And so, you just have to sit there and meditate, and actually you not know at all what you're doing. In fact, you don't even know what it's all about. And yet you feel: this is good. It's simply good. You can feel how life is gradually changing. But with every step of this path, in every meditation, in every day that you live... Everything you do, you basically have to do without looking for fulfillment.

That's why it also has to do with trust, with trust and with letting go. You hear someone talking about it, maybe me or Soham. You write about Soham... And then you hear someone talking about it and you know it's true. You just know that. You have no idea what he's talking about. You haven't experienced it yourself. You have no idea about it either, what it's supposed to be about, but you know: "That's it. That's where I want to go." You know: that's right. That's all we have in our hands. That's all we know.

I read a nice quote the other day from a very well-known old poet, unfortunately I can't remember the name right now. Oh yes, of course: Rainer Maria Rilke. And he wrote: "Everything, everything in life takes time." And he writes about nature, how nature takes its time with everything and is never in a hurry, and that everything comes from this natural patience.

And this is the case with everything, and also with what grows within us when we meditate and when you set out on the path to find fulfillment, Heaven or God, which is all the same thing. So, if you live your life and meditate and constantly checking, "Okay, have I found fulfillment yet? Where is it?", then you won't find it.

And if you just let go of all your wishes, including the search for fulfillment, and just be here and do what that feeling inside of you tells you, even if you don't understand it, for example meditating, then you are on the right path. It's a long, long time that you spend on this path without getting any results you see. Many mystics talk about this. Some people call it the "dark night of the soul", but I don't like this expression because it gives the impression that one night is enough.

It's more like the time in life that passes when you go from being a child to an adult, this transition of puberty: it takes at least ten years. And after ten years, most people are still not grown up, at least I wasn't. For me, puberty lasted thirty or forty years, but it doesn't matter how long it lasts. You know: this is the right path, and you know: this is where I'm staying, on this path. And then it doesn't matter how long it takes. That's the most important thing for you.

That's the one thing that comes to my mind about this. Thank you for writing to me.

[Simone:] Dear Mikael, there is a question from Maik that I would like to read out.

[Mikael:] Yes, with pleasure. Hello Maik.

Maik: My question is about my relationship. I'm forty-nine years old, and my partner is eighteen years younger than me. We've been together for almost four years, and I've had doubts ever since the relationship began, whether she's the right one for me. This relationship is very special for me because she is the first woman in my life who has a great need to grow together and heal her own wounds.

We've both done a lot of our own therapy and also couples therapy and couples therapy, and yet we keep getting stuck. It becomes particularly clear when it comes to sexuality, how difficult it is for us to let go of the old shells. There are always arguments between us, and in the end, it boils down to the fact that we do not feel seen or valued by the other. This frustrates us and causes us to fall out of love again and again, even though there is love, but it is slowly crumbling, which makes me sad.

Conscious relationships are very exhausting for me, and my head has the idea that it would be better with a woman who will make it easier for me to relax. My relationship is usually quite the opposite of relaxing. However, relaxation in the relationship is a deep desire of mine, which probably has something to do with my childhood and trauma, because as a child I had little room for relaxation and regulation from my parents. What does a good relationship mean for sexuality and is my relationship good for me?

[Mikael:] Thank you, Maik. Thank you, thank you. I received the same question from Maik by e-mail and I was really looking forward to it, to this nice question. Thank you very much.

Yes, you did a wonderful job summarizing a lot in your question about relationship, which I know from my life, from my relationships and what I hear from many people again and again. So, first of all: You ask if this is the right relationship for you. Yes, without a doubt. There's no doubt about it at all, because that's the relationship you have. And a relationship is not there for you to relax with it. If you want to relax then you do it best when you are alone with yourself and when you go inwards.

People always believe they are in a relationship so that they can find joy and have fun, and of course that's partly true. Sometimes it really is fun. But first and foremost, a relationship is a great challenge for us, and that is a tremendous gift. When you are alone with yourself, you can easily fool yourself into anything. When you're alone, you feel great and enlightened, it happens very quickly.

There's this one story about an ascetic who lived high up in some cave in the Himalayas, and he feels totally one with God and everything. And then one day he went down to the city because he needed something, and then he completely lost it, and everything was gone. He had been kidding himself. But if you're in a relationship, then that can't happen to you, because everything that happens there, the nice things and the difficult things, they really bring us down to earth, they ultimately confront us with ourselves.

So much in general.

I also find conscious relationships terribly stressful. I had something like that once, I remember. That was about twenty-five years ago now. Back then, I was with a woman whom I also really liked, of course. And this woman, she also wanted to work with me on herself and on the relationship. That's totally en vogue: working on the relationship.

And I had an incredible aversion to it. I didn't know why at the time. I just realized: "No, I don't like that." I liked her a lot, and we were together for a long time. But to use this togetherness now to work on with each other and the relationship, I couldn't do that. I couldn't. I didn't want to.

The basic problem with all relationships is that one has expectations. Your girlfriend has the expectation that together with you she will resolve or learn things that are important to her. You have the expectation that you feel comfortable with her and relaxed and have nice sex.

And there's nothing wrong with these expectations, except that they are expectations. When you meet a person and you have a certain expectation of how this is going to work and what is now possible, then you don't have a relationship, you have a deal, so to speak. You're making a deal, a barter deal. Do you know what I mean?

Living with someone is different. Living with someone is: "Okay, I am how I am, with my shell. I'm not throwing off my shell, because I don't even know how to do that. I am..." You said you wanted to throw off your shells, but that doesn't really work. And actually, it can't work, because you are just the way you are. You are just like that. You'd both like to be different.

And you both wish that the other would be a little different too. And that is of course very unpleasant. Start by allowing yourself to be who you are, as you are: with your shell, with your traumas, with your tension.

And don't expect her to do the same.

Accept yourself as you are and let her be who she is. That doesn't mean that you have to participate in something that you don't like. But the one thing you have to do yourself is: let go of your own expectations, and then see how it really is.

I said at the beginning of my answer to you that relationships are not there to make you feel good, but that it's a challenge, and a good challenge because we grow in it. And what "relationship" basically teaches us is that another person, no matter how much we love them, no matter how much that person loves us... Another person can never give us what we think we need. That is the great misunderstanding of relationship and love. Sometimes I tell someone something like that and then they say: "But then why should I have a relationship at all?"

You'll find that out when you have a relationship where you expect nothing, nothing at all. Then you will discover a whole new way of human togetherness, but it all starts with yourself. You shouldn't expect that your girlfriend, your partner, will do the same: that she will also let go of her expectations and things like that. It's none of your business. You just have to look in every moment: "Okay, what's good for me right now and what's not? Where do I want to be involved and where not?" And that's a whole new dance, very delicate.

We don't know how to do it at all. It has to be explored from scratch. But if your inner attitude changes, away from what we've all learned, this hoping and wishing that you will learn and get something through the other, towards: "I don't need anything from you. I just love you," and take care of all the other things inside yourself, then everything will be different. Everything will be different. And you will also have no more problems in the relationship.

And that's the beauty of relationships. It throws us back onto ourselves all the time. You say it's frustrating sometimes. Yes! If I have expectations of someone, then I'm going to get frustrated. That's unavoidable. Maybe not the first two or three weeks. When you're together since a very short time you don't see all that yet, but it happens very quickly. And it's your own feelings that show you the way: "Ah, I am frustrated. What did I expect this time? What did I want this time?"

And you say, especially in sexuality it becomes clear with you. Yes, that's my experience too. In sexuality, people are closer to each other than anywhere else, they are more unmasked than anywhere else, more naked than anywhere else. And then it becomes very, very clear. When someone has expectations of you in a sexual encounter or you have expectations of your girlfriend in a sexual encounter, then these expectations are particularly painful, almost unbearable.

And it's good that there's a dispute because these expectations have no place there. That's not going to work. Of course, most people don't know anything else, I know. But it doesn't have to be like this. When I have a sexual encounter with a person, then I have no expectations, nothing, not even that it will be a sexual encounter. And even if it is a sexual encounter, in every moment again: no expectation. The next moment it might be something completely different. And you can meet in this way in sex and everywhere else.

That's the basis of a good relationship, and that simply requires that you take care of yourself. And you learn that through meditation. You learn that by taking space for yourself, getting to know your feelings, feeling your feelings, meditating regularly, and turning inward again and again.

And then you will realize, after a while, that everything you have been looking for out there all your life, with your parents, with your siblings, with your friends and now with your partners, and what you never found, all that you will find inside. That's my experience. And since I found that inside myself, my relationships have changed completely. Completely.

That means you have to take care of yourself, but that is also really good news what I'm telling you, because that means: it's in your hand. You can do what is important for you yourself. You don't depend on your partner in any way. And the more you gradually discover this for yourself through your own experience, the more relieved the relationship becomes, the more beautiful, and after a while you won't have any more problems.

Thank you, Maik. I could talk about this topic for a long time, I've already made a few videos about it, and there will definitely be another one, because relationship is the area where we learn about these things best. That's why relationships are so, so important and valuable to us. Thank you.

Simone, should I read something else, or do you have something?

I can't hear you.

I can't hear you, Simone, I can't hear you. Have I done something wrong? I think you've muted your microphone, Simone.

[Simone:] There are no questions at the moment.

[Mikael:] Yes, fine, then I'll see what else I have here.

"I've been doing the Samarpan Meditation intermittently for four years, but nothing is happening. I wonder if Swamiji has overlooked me. I have a big photo of Swamiji with me and a small one in my wallet, but I do not perceive Swamiji in me. What can I do to make Swamiji notice me?"

The question is about Swamiji, this Indian Guru who brought the Samarpan Meditation that I talk about so much and that we're going to do later... He brought it from the Himalayas into society. He is a Guru, my Guru too, and the questioner now asks: "Why can't I feel him? I want to feel him." There are many people who say that they can feel him and his energy clearly and are guided and carried by it. Yes, how can you feel that? I like the question and thank you for asking. What it's about is this: it's not about Swamiji seeing you. It can't be that Swamiji overlooks you.

It's like the sun. The sun shines in all directions equally and shines equally on everyone. But not everyone sits in the sun. There are also those who are sitting indoors with the windows and doors closed, and then they complain: "Why does the sun not shine on me?" That's how it feels for us, because we have never learned how to open our windows and doors so that the sun can enter us. Then we feel overlooked by God, unloved by God or by life, and we are convinced that we have been forgotten. That's how it feels. A lot of people feel like that.

That reminds me a bit of the first question I answered earlier. The thing with the bunch of keys that you're looking for. You don't know what you're looking for. You don't know what it feels like when you begin to feel God within you, or Swamiji. The only thing you can do is to let go of your expectations, go inward, again and again. And whenever you get impatient... Until now you thought: "God doesn't see me", and then to realize: "Ah, there's my impatience again", and then to let go of this, and to let go of the expectation too, and to rest more and more in yourself.

As long as we seek our happiness and God on the outside, we will find nothing at all, nothing. And you say: when you meditate and go inward, then you feel alone, and it's difficult. Was that the question or am I getting something mixed up? I'm getting something mixed up. That was the question at the beginning. That is basically exactly the same.

As long as we look outwards, and search that which we know from the outside within, in meditation, we will not find anything. And, by the way: then you will also feel alone. That is the same as with the question about the relationship: As long as I believe that someone should understand me, that someone should see me, even if it is the Guru on the outside, I will feel overlooked, misunderstood, lonely.

And it's not enough to simply ignore all of this and go inside and then have the same expectations in this new direction. That's only half the battle.

Through meditation, you learn to go inwards, an inside that you don't even know yet. And you can only take this path if you don't expect anything, not even a Swamiji, not even a God, because you do not know at all what that would feel like. You don't know anything about what could happen. And everything you could be waiting for, everything you could expect, comes from our imagination. Old stuff.

It just doesn't help us here. And that's the crux of the matter, that's the art that you have to learn: to be here, to live, to live life, to know: I am on the right path, but to not have any expectations. And most people don't want that, it's too bothersome for them. But that's the filter, that's the gate you have to go through. So be patient. Be really patient and let yourself be surprised.

Thank you, thank you for your question.

[Simone:] Mikael, there is now a question from Aurelia Samantha that I would like to read out.

[Mikael:] Yes, with pleasure. Hello Aurelia. Aurelia: Do you have any tips on how to detach from objects? Best regards and thank you."

[Mikael:] Of course, I don't know what kind of object you have. Perhaps you would like to tell me. Maybe you can write one or two sentences about what it is and what these objects mean to you. It doesn't have to be long, just one or two sentences. And Simone, if Aurelia writes something about this, please interrupt me. In the meantime, I'll say a few things.

We usually have a hard time letting go of something or detaching ourselves from something when we haven't really lived it, if we're not quite finished with it yet.

I'm like that too. The things that I have, I value them all immensely. I actually only have things in my life that I really like, but I can't keep everything. And sometimes it is really hard to let things go. But I just appreciate them as much as I can. And when I really appreciate and enjoy them as well as I can, and then the time is over that I'm supposed to spend with this object, then that also becomes clear to me.

Then it becomes a burden. I still like it. I might have memories too, but there is no more room for it; other than in my head... as I said: the memories. Most people are plagued by those things they associate with an object. That has nothing to do with the object itself.

I like to throw things away. I like to give things away. I don't throw most things in the bin. But as soon as I realize that I no longer use something, I try to get rid of it as profitably as possible. By profitably I don't mean that I get money for it, but that this object can be reused as well as possible. I give it away.

For example, here near us, there is a social department store where you can hand things in that you no longer need, and these are then sold for very little money to people in need for very little money. I think that's great. And this way, my space and my life remain free of the things I don't need. And if nobody wants it anymore, then I'll give it away or give it somewhere else. And I find that such a relief.

[Simone:] Mikael, Aurelia got in touch: "Things and packaging for crafting, and the idea and memory how much I loved making things as a child. But I don't have enough space in my apartment. My partner and I need the space for something else."

[Mikael:] Yes, that's exactly how I envisioned it. Thank you for the additional information.

It's not about the objects, but about the story, the history attached to the objects. For many people, these are childhood memories, for example, childhood photos. My mom went through an incredible amount of trouble to keep photos and make albums out of them, and I had really great photo albums about my childhood and my youth.

And the woman I live with here, and with her children, she does exactly the same thing. She takes photos everywhere and she keeps all this because she knows how much the children will appreciate it one day. And as long as you cherish these things, like for example, your old handicrafts that are closely connected to what you created as a child, something quite magical... as long as you appreciate things, it's not a problem. But at some point, the time comes when something new takes over, and it just doesn't fit anymore.

You still appreciate it, but it doesn't fit anymore. And I experienced that with those photos I was just talking about, for example. I've moved around a lot in this life, I've moved a lot, and not just from one city to another, but a few times from one continent to the next. And with every move I've made, I had to part with more things again, because it was just too much of a hassle to always put everything into boxes again, and then, six thousand kilometers away, to unpack it all again.

And with every move I have made in this life, at some point I had to travel the six thousand kilometers back again, with every move I've made, I had the opportunity again to take thing in my hand and to think: "Okay, of course I love it, so many memories, so much appreciation, but do I want to take that with me again now? Do I want to make room for it in the moving box, and then in the new home? And my homes were also getting smaller and smaller.

And at some point, twenty years ago, almost twenty-four years ago, I started traveling around with Soham, and then my home was the size of two suitcases. That was the ultimate challenge. Then I really only had the few things that I not only liked, but really just needed. And on this long journey I then gradually learned to accept this challenge that you are now facing with your beautiful childhood handicrafts.

[Simone:] Aurelia Samantha has added something else.

"And also, items that I have received as gifts and have a guilty conscience about giving them away. I am aware that there are many stories and feelings are attached to the many objects. But I also believe that the objects give me support because of childhood traumas, being given away myself. But I was able to hold on to objects. I can follow what you're saying what you say, and I see it the same way. Thank you."

[Mikael:] Yes, thank you for adding that again. As long as an object is important to you, it has a place in your life. If it is an object that still gives you support today, then it has a wonderful function. There is no reason at all why you should have to give such an object away now. It's always about choosing. You have a certain place: "Okay, and which things are most important to me now? And if something like that is most important to you, then you will give it a place, no question about it.

Other things may no longer be so essential for you now, and you can let go of them. Then say goodbye. And sometimes it's simply a question of time. You can tell yourself: "Okay, now it's time to give it up," and then just give it a bit of time to say goodbye, so to speak, again and again. As a man, I tend to be rather insensitive, but I'm always quite amazed when I observe how the mother of the children is with her children. When she knows that a certain matter is pending, for example, something they've been playing with finally needs to be cleaned up or something like that.

As a man, I'm totally pragmatic and completely detached from life. I would just tell them one day: "Okay, that's enough, now it's time to clean up." She does it completely differently. She knows: tomorrow it's time to tidy up. And then she tells them today: "It's time to tidy up", because she knows that the children need time. With everything the children do, they need time to adjust to it; to get used to it, to say goodbye to the game they are currently playing, to adjust to something new, no matter what it is.

Even if they're going somewhere by car in an hour, then she tells them two hours in advance, because she knows they need time. For every change, children need time. And I am always amazed, because this kind of wisdom is completely alien to me. But that's how we are as adults too. Many things simply need time. And it may well be that you know: "Okay, now it's time to let go of that." Then just give yourself a few more weeks time, and then maybe it will be a completely different matter.

As I said: if you have something that is still really helpful to you today, then simply keep it. But I would like to say something about other people's gifts. They are attached to stories and expectations, of course, but these are not your own. This is how I deal with gifts: I accept every gift I receive, simply because it is given with love and because I am happy about this love. And the gift is usually just a vehicle for the appreciation or the love that you share with each other.

But then it's mine, then it belongs to me, I got it. And now I can do with it whatever I want. And that's what I do. I only keep very, very few things myself, because I only keep the things that I really need. I simply don't have the space or the energy in my life for more, because every item needs energy. And that's why I'm giving it all back to people who can really use something like this, and where the item will be in good hands. And I take that right, because then it's mine.

There are people who give something away and then expect you to do something with it, but that's not giving. You're giving away expectations and it's not a nice thing. But I know, a lot of people do this. It's not easy to dance with this. But once you've given back a few things that you've been given as a gift but can't use, and then people realize it, then they'll stop giving you such things that you can't use, and then you won't have the hassle anymore. That's my experience.

At some point, people stop doing that, even though they mean well, of course. I know that. Just now at Christmas we have again gotten gifts from some of the neighbors that we of course don't need, but those people love us. And it's very important for them to do this neighborhood care and we accept that and we're happy about it. And now let's see what we can do with it. We're not going to keep it. It won't work. It simply doesn't. The burden is too great.

I think it's great how these little things in life are just the same big challenge for us as the big ones are. That's why I like to talk about all these things. Thank you.

[Simone:] There is a question from Narashima that I would like to read out.

[Mikael:] Yes, with pleasure. Hello, Narashima. Narashima: "Hi Mikael, there's a lot of uncertainty and doubt about decisions. Do you have an impulse? Thank you."

[Mikael:] Yes, decisions always cause uncertainty. It's like that with decisions: When I have the feeling that I have to make a decision, then it is usually the case that the time is not yet ripe. You have two or more options what you could or should do, but you can't decide. When at some point you do know, then you don't have to make a decision anymore, because then the matter is simply clear. You just do it.

When the answer has come to you, you can tell by the fact that the decision that needed to be made has disappeared. It is simply completely clear: "I'm doing this now". That means: if you are faced with a decision and have the feeling that you can't decide, then that is a clear sign that the time is not right, or that it is not your decision. Other people often want us to make a decision when it's none of our business.

In both cases it's like this: you're not ready to make a decision. And it's very relaxing to see it like this. "Yes, okay, my brain says, my mind says I have to make a decision." Or maybe your partner says you have to decide now, or someone else, and you realize: "But I have no answer to that. I can't do that right now. Maybe tomorrow, I don't know either. Maybe I'll have an answer tomorrow, but certainly not today."

And that makes the whole thing easy and gives yourself a bit of freedom. My experience is that everything that wants to be decided actually just needs time. And when you realize that you can't make up your mind, then it is simply a sign that you either still need time to decide, or that you don't really have anything to do with the question. In that case, send it back to the person who asked you the question, even if it's your own mind.

For example, it's often the case that partners ask each other something.

For example... We were talking earlier about sexuality and expectations. I said, in sexuality, that's where the expectations that people have of each other become particularly painfully clear. When one asks the other: "Would you like to sleep with me?" That's a terrible question. As if you have to decide now. You'll know when your partner wants to sleep with you. It will become clear quite unmistakably. You don't need to ask a question. If you have to ask a question, then it's better not to ask it, because then it's not appropriate.

And that's the case with almost all questions that people ask each other. Then you suddenly have the feeling that "I have to make a decision now". But it's not my question at all. I don't even want to decide. Someone else wants me to make up my mind. And when you realize that, then it's a different story, then return the question back to where it came from. But if it's a decision that you really need and want for yourself, but you don't have an answer yet, then give yourself time.

[Simone:] Dear Mikael, there are still questions. I would just like to take the opportunity to mention people who just want to thank you. "Yes, I would love to." Karin Frei writes: "Thank you! It's nice to be here." And Dorothea Plank: "How nice to have found you. Thank you, Dhyan Mikael."

[Mikael:] How nice that you're here. Welcome.

[Simone:] Elimar also has a question, I'll read it out now.

[Mikael:] Yes, hello Elimar. Nice to have you here. Elimar: "I've been dealing with the topic of 'Samadhist Guru' (Guru who has left his body). Swamiji says that only through a living SatGuru in the body can we attain liberation. If I apply this to Jesus Christ, it would mean that one can no longer attain liberation through him, because he no longer lives in the body.

I also find that presumptuous towards other religions, because there have always been enlightened ones through Jesus Christ, even when he was no longer alive. I think of Christian saints or sages like Theresa of Avila, Meister Eckhart, Hildegard of Bingen and others. Even in this day and age, people continue to be liberated by Jesus Christ or other masters who are no longer alive."

[Mikael:] Thank you for that question. That's a really, really great question. I just made a video about it two days ago. I published yesterday. The video is called "Living God, eternal learning." And I made the video, because I know that Swamiji is right. But I did it because I also know that almost no one else sees and experiences it the way I do. And Swamiji tells it like this. There are people who are connected to a Guru or a master who is no longer alive, for example with Jesus.

He gives an example of a Guru called Shirdi Sai Baba who lived in India a hundred and fifty years ago. And the disciple loved his Guru. But the Guru is no longer in his body. And this disciple then found Swamiji. He didn't know why at all. And Swamiji was then visited by this Guru in his meditation. And this Guru, this Shirdi Sai Baba, then said to Swamiji in Swamiji's meditation: "This disciple there, he belongs to me. He is ready now. Get him on his way for me." And that's what happened.

Most people don't know that Swamiji is right about this because they don't know what is possible. We love Jesus and he makes our lives so much easier. This knowledge of Jesus and this energy that we also have today and can still feel from him, gives us an idea of what a phenomenon this Guru Jesus was. Unbelievable. And yet it is like this, that through this Guru who is no longer living, we can't achieve liberation. It does not work. I want to say two things about this.

My personal experience... I have loved Jesus all my life. He carried me through everything, even though I wasn't really a believer. I don't know at all how that's even possible. Maybe I'm a very old disciple of his, I don't know. And I loved him, I trusted him. I didn't really understand him. But now, since I came to Swamiji..., and I don't know at all why I came to Swamiji. I don't know how that even happened. I never looked for it.

But now, since I met Swamiji six years ago, I suddenly understand Jesus. Now suddenly I understand my old master Jesus. Through and through. That's why I talk about Jesus so often. And people ask me, how did it come about? Where does it all come from? Why do you understand it like that? And then I say: "I don't know."

But now it's as if I... as if he can speak directly to me in a completely different way, but only since this living Guru has been in my life whom I have never looked for. And Swamiji describes that it is exactly like that. You love your Master, you love your Jesus, your Guru, who has not been in his body for a long time. And this master, this deceased master, takes care that now, today, in your life, a living Jesus comes into your life, and then it will flow, then it will work.

Then, everything works very, very, easily. But people of today can't imagine that because they don't know what is possible. They love their Jesus, and they are happy and content with it. And no one has told them that what this Jesus has in mind for you has completely different dimensions. They know nothing about it. You say that also Christian mystics and of course also mystics in other religions have found their way alone, without a living master.

I would like to say two things about this. I'm interested in what works for me. I'm interested in what works for everyone. There are always individual people, who somehow seem to have managed this on their own. All I can say is, it's not like that in my life. And I can only share what happens in my life. I only want to share what I know what I'm talking about.

And the second thing I want to say about that is: we don't know how the lives of these mystics really were, what really touched them and opened them up. We do not know.

We believe Jesus fell from Heaven just as he was, finished. We do not know. No one tells us anything about it. There are stories that are not officially in the Bible that tell other stories; that he did indeed have his masters. I don't know what was there. But we don't know.

Disciples always have a tendency to portray their own master larger than life, that's quite natural. They simply rejoice and worship him, and for the individual disciple, his master is God. But also he had his path. In Indian culture it is quite different. There are these old gods who are also humans and who also went through their own path. And in Hindu mythology and in Indian culture, all these old stories are deeply rooted. They tell of all these paths and how everything played together, so that a person at one point became a living God. But in our Christian culture, it's somehow different.

Jesus is unique and he seemingly came into this world as he was, flawless and heavenly.

It is not my experience that it works like this in life. He too was made that way by life, by God, somehow. And the last thing I want to say is: often we don't even know, how the Master touches us, the living Master. We often don't even know, because we are not at all ready for the master, but the Master doesn't care. He touches you anyway. I once gave the example in a video, that... I was talking about this woman who wrote this beautiful book "Collision with Infinity", Susan Segal.

She had her epiphany and her experience of God at a bus stop, out of the blue, completely unprepared. But years before that, she had spent a few years very intensively with a great Guru, meditated and was with him. He touched her. Maybe she didn't even know about that what he had really sown in her. Years later the seed blossoms. And that's exactly how it works.

There is a person who is touched by someone, and they know nothing about it. And ten years later, twenty years later, he's a saint and he doesn't even know where it came from. That's what I want to say about it. But it's not really about finding out who is right or wrong. For me, everything that has to do with this spiritual path is something very pragmatic. And that's the only reason why all these words are actually spoken, by me, by Jesus or by anyone else: just to help you.

It's like an offer to you. You hear something and you realize, "Oh wow, yes. I don't understand a word of what he is saying, but there's something there; that's for me." And then you listen. But if you hear someone say things where you think to yourself: "Oh that's garbage", then just forget it. The guy is still right, but then it's not for you, your path will be different. That's all okay. We don't have to make things fit. We can't make things fit. That's not the point at all.

When I talk about things like that, for example like in the video which I published the day before yesterday, I only do it for one reason: so someone, to whom something like this happens that he is touched by a living God... that he hears... that this person hears: "Ah, that's normal. That's a good thing. That's no reason to be concerned." I mean, of course it's cause for concern because your whole life is going to change. But my point is simply this: that's just part of it.

But I'm not saying to people who are completely unfamiliar with this and who also don't want to know anything about it at all that they need something like this. That's not what it's all about. Everyone has their own path, everyone discovers their own path, which is unique. And you find your own path by looking at what you resonate with and what you don't resonate with. That's how our soul guides us. And if you don't resonate with something, just forget about it. There's no need to argue.

For someone else, the same thing may be incredibly valuable, and then, for them it is the right way, but for you, it's other things. For you, it's the things with which you resonate. And that's how I live my own life too, every day. I don't copy someone else. I pass on what touches me, nothing more. And I say in every one of my Live Chats and in every one of my videos, I say one thing over and over again: I'm just trying to make you listen to your own feeling, to go your own way, that's really all.

And if we can see it that way, then we can relax with the whole story and then it's much easier for us to accept the wonderful things that life often offers us. You can cherry-pick, so to speak. You can pick out what is right for you. You don't need to eat all the rest. Thank you, Elima. It's great that you're here. I'm delighted.

[Simone:] Mikael, Elimar has written a few more lines, which I'd be happy to read them to you if you like. "I love the example you described very much. And I also had through Swamiji loving contact with Shirdi Sai Baba. What do you say about the liberated saints and sages I have mentioned who attained liberation without the living Jesus? How do you think that happened? I feel just a presumption and arrogance to the Christians living now, even though I myself am very happy and grateful for Swamiji."

[Mikael:] These saints you speak of, they could answer your question.

The one quality that I sense in all of them is such infinite humility.

None of them would say: "I achieved this myself." They all said it in their own way: "God, I am nothing, and yet you shower onto me."

They were so full of humility. And I made the video the day before yesterday precisely because we modern people can't help but believe that we could do everything ourselves. And that's because we have learned that we have to do everything ourselves.

You know, twenty-three years ago I came to my spiritual master Soham, and at that time I thought I really had it down. I thought I was clever. I believed I could do miracles. And then my time with him began and in the beginning, it was a journey of discovery for me of what I really am.

That was sometimes shattering for me, because my whole self-image crumbled. All the things that I imagined I was capable of; I couldn't actually do any of them. I probably thought I should be able to do them. And then I learned very gradually what I can really do, and that is not much. I became more and more quiet and more and more humble.

I can't argue with you about that topic now because I don't know what these saints would say, but what I sense from them their basic quality is this complete humility, this "I am nothing". And that, by the way, is the gateway to Heaven, the one that people don't want to hear about at all, and what they don't want to be themselves. A St. Francis of Assisi would say: "What, I'm supposed to have done this myself?" He'd have a laughing fight.

As I said, we don't know how the Divine touches us and what the living Master looks like.

Maybe he just walked by.

Maybe he just looked at him once, somewhere. That was enough with a Jesus. You don't need to know that there was a Jesus standing next to you.

We don't do this ourselves. We don't do any of these things ourselves.

That's the relief. That's the blessing, when you start to discover that a little.

And then we hear someone like Swamiji say something like that and we think: "What does he dare to say there?" But Jesus said the same thing. Jesus said: "I am the way, only through me do you come to the Lord." And he said exactly the same thing then as Swamiji says today. He did not say: "Only through me, Jesus of Nazareth, I am the only one here." No: "Only through me, Christ", only through a living God, only through someone through whom God flows now. "Only through me will you enter the Kingdom of Heaven." And Swamiji says it today in his own way, in his own words.

We modern people resist against this kind of devotion with everything we have.

This: "Yes, I can't do that. You, do it, God." And Jesus described exactly how it works: "Only through me". Through the Christ. Not through the Jesus, through the Christ: "Only through me do you come to the Lord". And there is no other way. No one can tell me anything else. But we can't believe it. We just can't believe it.

But at some point, everyone comes to the point where one recognizes this. And then, the new life begins.

Thank you.

[Simone:] There are two new questions in the live chat that I would like to read out. And then there is also a comment from Aurelia, who wrote to you about these items that she would like to let go of. And I'll start with Cat-Eight: "Contact ban due to alleged endangerment of the child's welfare, blocking contact with own child, offer by the parent that the child can make contact. What's buzzing? Responding or not? Torn back and forth. Let go, how much?" That's the question, Mikael.

[Mikael:] Are you the father or are you the mother?

Read the next question and we wait a moment to see if something comes up, okay?

[Simone:] Good. Löhne-Fritz writes: "A defiant, stomping, protesting child still lives in me, and for all my love and understanding it seems to prevent me from falling deeper and finding peace. Can you tell me something or can you take me and the little one by the hand for a moment? Thank you and best regards."

[Mikael:] Thank you, thank you for your words.

You can only go on with this little stomping child. Don't worry about silence and peace, take care of the little one. You can also do that when meditating. You can do that when you are alone and become still. Let these feelings from this little one come, and give them your loving attention.

I said earlier: I am a man and therefore rather insensitive, and I experience here how a mother deals with such things. And I experience it every day. The children are ten and fourteen, and every day they have something, sometimes really strong feelings, and then they're angry or annoyed or upset or grumpy or they're annoying or loud and this and that.

And as a man, I then have some things to say about it, none of which are helpful. And what does mom do? Never mind what the child is feeling at the moment, she gives it her full attention and time. When I myself would react a bit dismissively out of my lack of understanding of human nature, she just sits down on the sofa with the child, just takes it in her arms, and is just there.

And then she explains to me afterwards: "Actually all they ever want is attention." And that's how it is with our feelings. Whether that's defiance or fear or loneliness: these feelings are the language of our soul, so to speak, or of our little child, our heart, call it whatever you want. "I want attention. I've dressed up and want to see if you love me the same way when I'm defiant. I want to see if you love me when I'm angry. I want to see if you love me when I'm angry, when I'm unreasonable or stubborn." Yes, that's how these feelings speak. Be there for them.

Give these feelings the stillness that you are actually looking for and this peace that you are actually looking for. Give this to these feelings. And you can only move forward with this kicking child, you can't go on without it. And you don't have to wait for it to stop, that it will stop at some point, it won't stop. But you'll become better and better friends, and at some point, you're one and you don't even think about it anymore. I have that too. I still have it.

But I've gotten used to it, to welcoming all of this always and indefinitely, these things. For me, there is no such thing as contradiction. And I'm happy about your question, because it's so, so important. We adults often think we should be over it. And especially if we're spiritual adults, we sometimes think we should be over it, but that's not true at all. The opposite is the case. That's why Jesus spoke so fondly of children. Thank you. Did we hear anything else from the question before?

[Simone:] No, we haven't heard anything. Elimar has briefly added something and would like to say thank you: "Thank you for your answer, dear Mikael, even if it doesn't feel quite right for my soul."

[Mikael:] Yes, that doesn't matter. Listen to your soul and not to me.

I would like to briefly address the previous question, even though I haven't heard anything more about it now. And then I would like to finish the questions so that I can say something about meditation, and then we'll meditate together. The question was about this situation with the child endangerment, and that contact is limited or regulated.

[Simone:] Excuse me, Mikael, if I interrupt you for a moment, Cat-Eight just wrote that he's the dad.

[Mikael:] Aha, yes, thank you very much. Thank you very much. For me, it's like this: when I feel conflict somewhere, then I know that's not the way.

I've experienced this myself in the house. Not the father of my partner's children, but relatives wanted to force contact, in court. And they succeeded. But the kids don't appreciate it. They suffer from the conflict. For children, everything must be voluntary, easy and simple. Not only for children, of course, but also for adults too. We never change. And my advice to you is: if it requires conflict, it's probably not a good way. Sometimes you are forced into conflict, but in your case, I don't think that's the case.

[Simone:] Now he writes: "Ten years in court."

[Mikael:] Yes, it's endless.

Ask yourself why you're doing this at all. Usually, adults have two reasons to argue and fight there. One is because they think it's important for the child.

But that's not true. It is important for the child to have peace, love. And if that's not possible with you no matter why, then so be it. But most adults do think that they need that and that it's important for them. And that's not true either. You don't need anything from your child. You don't need anything at all from that direction. On the contrary. If you have the feeling that you need something, turn to yourself.

You know, situations like the one you are experiencing touch on ancient things from our own childhood. They have nothing to do with what you're experiencing. I can tell you from my own experience: The intensity with which you experience such things on the outside usually reflects that which you carry somewhere inside you. And that's why it's so healing and so useful when at some point you start to turn to yourself after all. Start meditating.

Start to find what you are looking for, maybe you don't even know what you're looking for, to give it to yourself, to find it within yourself, even if you don't even know yet how it's all supposed to work. But simply by changing direction, you will discover completely new possibilities over the next few years. But I can tell you one thing. No matter what you are looking for: in the battle, which you already know, you won't find it. Never.

I have to stop now. Thank you for your question. I know what situation you are in.

Thank you all for your questions.

I just love this.

And I would like to say a few things now about Samarpan Meditation. We will now meditate together in a moment. I have to mute something here on my end. My computer just started talking, even though it should actually shut up.

So. We're going to do the Samarpan Meditation together, and if you like, then you are very, very welcome to meditate together; to meditate with me and everyone else. And that lasts half an hour. We're going to start right now, in two or three minutes, so that we can finish on time at four o'clock. And during meditation... I'll briefly describe what you do purely outwardly. You sit down comfortably.

It is good if you sit with your root chakra, with your buttocks, with your crotch on the floor. I do this cross-legged, in a half lotus position. If that's not possible for you, it's not a problem at all, then you can sit on a chair, but it is helpful if your bare feet are on the floor so that you have good ground contact. It's helpful to sit in such a way that you can sit comfortably and simply leave your body alone without exerting yourself.

I find it helpful if the spine is as upright as possible. Slouching on a sofa like this or in a bed is not so helpful. But anyone can do as they please. Swamiji, who brings this meditation to us, says again and again: "All the details are completely unimportant." And I'm only telling you about it to tell you how I do it and what I find helpful. But that's all unimportant. The only important thing is that you meditate. The rest is just little things. Yes, then you sit there, and then you take your right hand and you put it on top of your head, just like that.

I'll show you this now, and in two minutes we'll get started, then we'll do this all together again. And then you put your hand on the top of your head, and the hand does three clockwise circles. And then you slowly take your hand down again. And our attention has the natural tendency to go to where our hand was. And that is now up there on the crown chakra, and that's where we leave it now. Then we close our eyes, and now, at the beginning, we say of the meditation a very short, simple mantra. I'll say this now in German: "I am a holy Soul.

I am a pure Soul." That is all. We repeat that three times. This is the reminder to ourselves of what we really are, even if we can't imagine at all what that even means. But you will gradually find out over time for yourself. And then you just sit there, your hands are down again, we have spoken the mantra. I'll recite it and you can repeat it. And now you just sit there with your eyes closed, and your attention is up here on the crown chakra. That's all you do. We don't imagine anything; we don't wait for anything. It's not about achieving a certain state.

On the contrary, it's important that you don't wait for anything, that you don't want to reach a certain state; to just be here, forget everything and be up here with your attention. And another hint: you'll realize that your attention doesn't stay there; it will be drawn back to the thoughts, one floor deeper, into the head, or to the body, because some big toe itches or something else. None of that doesn't matter, it's not a problem. You just keep going back, very gently, very patiently, with your attention back to the crown chakra. That is all.

That's all we do. That all sounds totally unremarkable, but if you do it every day, every morning, it changes your life. Yes, that's all I want to say today and now we're going to meditate together.

I am a holy Soul.

I am a pure Soul.

I am a holy Soul.

I am a pure Soul.

I am a holy Soul.

I am a pure Soul.

Thank you.

You can now slowly open your eyes again.

And I'm looking forward to tomorrow. Happy New Year.