To transform the world, transform the individual. To transform the individual, transform the mind.

When an individual becomes good the world becomes good. When an individual becomes virtuous, society also becomes ideal. Today, if you want the world to be peaceful and prosperous, the individual must first become good.

If the world is suffering from lack of peace and sorrow, what is the reason? It is because man’s conduct is not proper.  What is humanness? The proper study of mankind is man. Humanness is in the unity of thoughts, words and deeds.

God is the great power that is in everyone, all the time. Some people may doubt as to how God, who is omnipresent and is in all beings, is not visible to us. Here’s a small example. Now, Swami’s speeches and Swami’s songs are being recorded on a tape. But, if you look at the tape, you won’t be able to find the talks or the songs there. Even if you cut the tape into small pieces, you still won’t be able to find them. But, once you connect the tape to the current the songs can be heard.

Likewise, God dwells within your body. But you won’t be able to find Him, even if you cut the body into small pieces. But, once you turn your mind towards God, God manifests Himself.

It’s said, mind is the cause of man’s bondage and liberation. There is a door. I have a lock on it. If I turn the key to the right, it opens; if I turn it to the left, it closes. It’s the same lock and the same key. Only turning is different. Similarly, the heart – not physical heart – but the spiritual heart is the lock. Mind is the key. If you turn the key towards God, it’s detachment. If you turn it towards the world, it’s attachment. 

But, we use this mind constantly to think about worldly matters. Because of this, we are bound, and become restless – without peace. 

People from across the world come here. If we ask why they come here, they say, “I want peace”. Peace is not in the world, it’s not in worldly objects, it’s not in worldly issues. Peace is within us. 

But, how will it manifest itself? Even though peace is within us, we hide it in various ways.  There are three words in “I want peace”. ‘I’ is ego. ‘Want’ is desire. If we remove these two, we will have ‘Peace’. These days we have hidden peace with our ego and desire. 

First, we have to distance ego. Why do we have an ego? There is no reason other than ignorance. Why would you feel egoistic, when you are so small and the universe is so big. You look at a map of the world, and you see how big it is. Take Australia, for example. In the world map, how small is Australia! In Australia, how small is your village! In that village, how small are you! Is it not ignorance to feel proud of yourself? 

Do you feel proud because of your body? But, the body is a water bubble. It can die anytime. It’s not permanent. Do you feel proud because of your wealth? But, wealth comes and goes, like passing clouds. Wealth is not permanent. Do you feel proud of your mind? It’s a mad monkey. On what basis do you feel egoistic. The first thing you have to do is to destroy your ego. 

Then the desire. What should you desire? You say, I want food. Does food give you happiness? For how long? Once you partake food, you are satisfied for two hours. Then you feel hungry again. Satisfaction and dissatisfaction constantly follow each other. If you multiply your desires, your agitation grows. Some men say, ‘I want a wife’. Some women say, ‘I want a husband’. Even dogs and monkeys crave for such experience. How are you better than the animals? These are all temporary, momentary. 

Transformation cannot happen through external things. The world cannot be transformed by politics or economic policies or scientific development or social changes alone. In addition to all these, transformation of mind and spiritual transformation is also important. 

Excerpts from an interview Swami gave to Italian devotees in the 1990s.