Today Gurudeva talks about the New Age and how he responded to a group of Japanese visitors to the aadheenam when they asked, "What is the New Age?" He explained how many of those in the New Age are not committed to any one path, but pick and choose from here and there, and consequently make little spiritual progress.

Unedited Transcript:

Today at Kauai Aadheenam, February 3rd.

We are all sitting here in our Guru Temple. 27 of us, living here, all but two who have late-night vigils all by themselves, in the temple performing daily sadhana, performing evening sadhana. 24 hours a day there is someone in our temple for three hours, taking shifts, doing their japa, doing their meditation, looking inside themselves. Here we are at Kauai Aadheenam, we open our doors into the wonderful world of cyberspace. Over fifty-seven countries are tuning in today. Welcome, each and everyone of you!

We had a large group who flew in from Japan just to talk with me about 'What is the New Age?'. We had a translator. He did a very good job. Well, what is the New Age?

The New Age is when we all recognize there is one world, when we all recognize there is one God. "Visualize a tall mountain," I told them, "with a path all the way around the mountain and many paths to the top of the mountain".

They asked me to explain more and I did. Many new age people are totally uncommitted to any path going up that mountain. They are just walking round and round that mountain taking a little bit from each of the paths and trying to put it together and live in conflict within themselves and hurtfully so with others. They asked me to explain more. "Choose one path and go to the top of the mountain because the top of the mountain and the bottom of the mountain reside right within you this very moment. You are the top of the mountain; you are the bottom of the mountain. Take your choice, where do you want to live? But how to get from below the belt to above the head? You need a path. What is a path? A path is a system of thought, a philosophy that is consistent with your lifestyle, that is consistent in facing every experience and giving you the answers."

Many people asked today. "How do I know if I have made up my mind?" Interesting question! How do I know if I have made up my mind?

Making up your mind is knowing that you have made up your mind. Many people live in indecision. That is a way of life. Most new age people live in indecision as a way of life. This large group of devotional people from Japan understood that you need to choose one path; stay by that path. Go up that mountain neither looking right nor left and never retreating and you will reach the goal that we were all born to reach in this life and that is the realization of the Self.

We are very happy to tune in with you in cyberspace. This is a wonderful experience for us here at Kauai Aadheenam. We are going to ask everyone who has just finished an hour long meditation to greet you saying Aum Namah Sivaya.

Monks: "Aum Namah Sivaya".

Greetings everyone and we will be back with you again tomorrow.