Last year has taught us several lessons. It put a mirror in front of our face. (It) has definitely made all go within, introspect, learn so much more about our own selves than the people around us. An opportunity to express our love, to express our compassion. And that has made us better human beings than what we were in 2019. This year humanity has definitely taken a giant leap. The world has learnt a lesson that we are all together in it. When we suffer, we suffer together, when we rejoice, we rejoice together. The idea of living selfishly only for one sake, to a great extent has been wiped away from the minds of people. One unseen, invisible organism has changed the way we think, we say, we do things in our lives. Much of the time were spent in the spiritual studies to understand our true nature, to overcome the vagaries of mind, to dwell in the realms of the spirit, to experience that oneness within and without and I have heard so many wonderful stories from our people.

These are important steppingstones. They can teach us a lot, what bad times teach us, good times don’t. Good times or bad times we should kind and compassionate to everyone around us. Few months from now probably life will be back to the old normal. But we should not be the same old again, we should continue to do what we have learnt in this year. When we open our eyes, we are serving everyone around us, and we close our eyes we are reveling in the divine bliss that is within. There was an imbalance earlier, when the eyes are open, we are definitely serving others but when eyes are closed, we just don’t know who we are. And then there was the other aspect; when we close our eyes and enjoy the divine connection within and felt so unwilling to serve outside when we opened our eyes, both are not real. A Jeevanmukta does not live like this. He is always reveling in the knowledge of the truth within, but without is extremely active for the welfare of all.

But definitely I do wish that this year let there not be any sorrow, let there not be any grief, let nobody be sick and suffering, let there be joy, peace, harmony in the whole world. I am sure as the restrictions open; I would again travel and see you all in your own countries or you will all travel here and see us here and that time is not far. I will meet everybody in their own countries. As you all miss coming here, I all also miss you all very much. I think we have become closer as a global family of Swami and that is the boon that we have received this year.