by Alexandra Nindl
I grew up in Austria in the Alps, a very picturesque and beautiful part of the world. One would think that peace would be a given, being surrounded by all this natural beauty. My experience was quite different.
Even though I enjoyed my childhood, and it was a privilege to grow up with fresh air, fruit and vegetables from the garden, as a teenager I found myself in turmoil. I didn’t understand why there was so much unrest in people around me, in school, at home, and in myself. I was looking for answers, but also for inner strength and happiness.
Most books and seminars I came across didn’t help much, but I had learned along the way that happiness is inside of me, even though I didn’t know how to get to it.
I moved to London at 19 and, within the first year of my “British adventure,” I got introduced to Prem Rawat’s message of peace. (Prem Rawat is a motivational speaker originally from India who now resides in the USA).
It made sense to me. The more I listened to it, the more it grew on me. Soon after that, I asked to learn the techniques of Self-Knowledge by Prem Rawat.
It’s difficult to put it into words how this practice has impacted me, but it has lightened up my life in many ways and helped me grow as a person. It takes effort and focus, like anything I want to get proficient at. For me, the effort to practice Knowledge bears incredible fruit, like enjoyment and tranquillity, forgiveness and clarity.
One of my favourite quotes from Prem Rawat is: “What happens today, may or may not be up to you. But how you feel is up to you.”
For me, the effort to practice Knowledge bears incredible fruit, like enjoyment and tranquility, forgiveness and clarity.
Several years ago, I fell ill with some chronic and very debilitating health problems. The first 10 months were particularly difficult. The symptoms were strong, and it took a while to get diagnosed with a condition that had no definite cure. I felt close to despair at times. Thankfully, I was still able to connect to the peace inside myself which helped me stay connected to myself and get some distance from the chatter in my head that seemed much louder than ever before.
Practising Self-Knowledge helped me to get through this very difficult time in my life.
There is still a way to go. But throughout this challenging time in my life, I realised that I didn’t have to suffer – that I could feel good by connecting to the peace inside myself.
In the past few years, when things haven’t gone my way, my inner resilience has grown. I am better able to remember the gratitude for simply being alive and the possibility of being fulfilled. I feel happy a lot of the time. I feel very grateful for that, for having access to Prem Rawat’s wisdom, and the gift of Self-Knowledge.
And when I forget who I truly am, I am grateful that Prem Rawat is there to remind me of what really matters – the peace in my heart!
(This reflective piece by Alexandra Nindl, who now resides in London, was earlier published by Prem Rawat.org)