The community, the society and the world at large are made up of different sorts of living beings. Whether we like it or not, we have to coexist with each other. In fact if we have the chance to make out a questionnaire and ask everyone: What would make you really happy? I guess, though I might be wrong, most people would want to have some peaceful space to breathe and sleep without any anxiety.

I want to thank Guru Sangamam organisation for inviting me to attend a very interesting spiritual gathering a couple of days ago. It was a very colourful gathering with gurus from Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism coming together. Everyone seemed to be interested in each other and wanted to know what is really the true information behind each religion and behind each sect. No matter what were discussed and expressed, it’s quite sure that everyone wished for unity and harmony. But some skilful methods which come in the shell of compassion and love may be lacking in the past, with more communications there will definitely be a solution to support each other.

Without activating or cultivating compassion and love, we are living in our own shell or dungeon, not knowing what is happening with others and with the world outside. Most of us are simply living in a world conceived by ourselves, without making much reference to others. We live in our own imaginative world. Then afterwards we would really become nutty, because by lacking an interdependent relationship with others, we will not be able to cultivate compassion and love. We eventually become nuts, we just want the world to evolve around us. To live comfortably, peacefully and happily in this world, we have to interact with other beings, with nature. Our happiness depends on others, and their happiness depends on us too. We have to jump out of our shell and walk on the path. Until then, you are just a nut trapped in a shell.

I am daringly copying what my friend, Sadhguru, said, “If you do not get out of your shell, you are just a nut.” It is very true and very easy to be understood.

As much as we are very different from the other spiritual beliefs or sects, we need a very thoughtful platform to allow us to be understood and also to give us a chance to know others. Otherwise, whenever we hear about a certain religion, because of a lack of the chance to understand, we always have very wrong ideas. So we all should be coming out of our shell and not be a nut.

For example in the photos you will see gurus wearing masks and not wearing shoes, that is because of the Jainism practice of compassion. They don’t want to breathe in any beings and to have their shoes hurt any beings, so they wear a mask and go around barefooted.

I especially like one of the things said during the gathering, “Unity in Diversity”. This is exactly what I have been trying to say – Respect and Appreciate. Respect our differences and appreciate our harmonious relationship. This is the way our life and the world can be a peaceful place. We don’t have to look elsewhere for a pureland, if we are able to respect and appreciate, I think we are already at the door of a pureland or a paradise on earth.

I know that life is full of difficulties and surprises. This is why we always say that life or samsara is impermanent. However you can either moan over the impermanent situation and keep complaining about everything that is not going according to your wishes, or you can take this as an opportunity to practise. Respect impermanence and also appreciate it. This will easily make your life not only bearable, but also enjoyable.

People who are suffering a lot are mainly those people who are grasping too much. Just think, how it is possible that every thing in this world has to be going according to your egoistic wish. Even if Buddha or God is in front of you, they will not be able to promise you all your wishes will be fulfilled according to your ego. If they do, don’t believe it. In our prayers, we only pray that our wishes are fulfilled according to the Dharma, not to our ego.

We cannot change others or try to improve others, the best we should be doing is to change ourselves or to improve ourselves. Then this is when we truly break the shell, and stop being a nut. Otherwise most of the time, we are always trying to change others, wanting others to follow our wishes. But we never consider their wishes and their conditions. There is no two way traffic, only one way traffic. By doing this, we are asking for troubles, because misunderstanding will keep on happening and friends will become enemies and the situation will get worse and worse. This is actually very childish. If you continue to force others to do whatever you want, not only you are the nut trapped in the shell, but you will one day become really nuts, because the world will not change according to your taste, people will not always agree with what you wish for. Every minute, you become so unhappy, so angry, full of negative emotions. One day, you will get physically or even mentally sick, if you don’t stop yourself in time.

Although the gathering at Guru Sangamam was only for a day, I was very happy that I accepted their invitation and attended this gathering. All the gurus who shared their comments and ideas really have put a lot of effort in their activities, trying to help others. I am praying from the depth of my heart that their activities will continue to help many more beings, and that there will be more of the interactive communication in the future for all of us to get to know more about each other, so that we will all progress in diversity and in unity.