The Courage to Stand Alone

Part I: You Don't Have to Do a Thing Part II: I Cannot Create the Hunger in You Part III: What is Left is the Courage Editor's Note In July 1978, U.G. invited me to come to Bangalore, where he was staying and from where he arranged his travels in those times. My immediate answer was, “Yes Sir, I would like to.” At the same time I reminded him of my invitation to him a year before to come to Amsterdam: “Many people are there waiting to see you, Sir.” U.G. finally came to Amsterdam in 1982, and stayed (much to his own surprise) for 21 days in a beautiful house offered by some friends. U.G. fell in love -- as most foreign visitors do -- with Amsterdam and its beautiful canals and flowers. The city must have affected him, as could be seen in his clear and powerful talks. Many visitors came to see and talk to him. Among them were psychologists, publishers, spiritual journalists, and sannyasins, hashish-smoking “freaks” and “flower” people. One of them was a well-known poet who had j

Q: U.G., do you agree with me that you live in frictionless state? U.G.: Not in conflict with the society. This is the only reality I have, the world as it is today. The ultimate reality that man has invented has absolutely no relationship whatsoever with the reality of this world. As long as you are seeking, searching, and wanting to understand that reality (which you call ultimate reality, or call it by whatever name you like), it will not be possible for you to come to terms with the reality of the world exactly the way it is. So, anything you do to escape from the reality of this world will make it difficult for you to live in harmony with the things around you. We have an idea of harmony. How to live at peace with yourself -- that's an idea. There is an extraordinary peace that is there already. What makes it difficult for you to live at peace with yourself is the creation of what you call “peace”, which is totally unrelated to the harmonious functioning of this body. When yo