I would like to welcome you on this auspicious evening. It's the brightest moon in one hundred and thirty-three years. It's just one of other auspicious excuses to get together to celebrate that fullness, that brightness. Let us center ourselves for a moment and acknowledge that brightness which is our true Self "Satyam Shivam Sundaram". Satyam which is the one and only unconditional truth that the essence of all is the Divine. Shivam means the absolute, and Sundaram means the beauty that is our true Self. We are that pure essence. Without coverings, without packaging of any identifications or memories, without aspirations or doubts, welcome that breath with the acknowledgment that "I am Brahman". When we forget this truth, layer after layer after layer of coverings shroud the light; please know that even though it is covered under so many layers, the light is always shining.

On the occasion of the full moon celebration, we are acknowledging that brightness and that fullness which we are, nothing more. If we experience anything more it's that we have forgotten our true Self, our true nature. With that fullness we find this question arising in us constantly: What can I do for humanity? How should I live so that my life becomes a meaningful gift to mankind?" When we forget that fullness, all kinds of confusion arises; I should do this, or I should do that. I should be like this, or I should be like that. There is no focus or clarity. All this confusion comes just because we've forgotten our true Self.

Bare bhag manus tan pava. We are so fortunate to have received this human body. What is the purpose? The purpose is to keep walking very straight toward that realization of who we truly are, and to become established in it.

We live our normal life with all the distractions that come. The sooner we remember they are only temporary, the better off we are. Try to remember this many times during the day. Detach yourself from it all and take a moment to go deeper in that stillness, touch base with that purity, that essence which has no name, no form, no identification, and no boundaries. Sometimes you experience it to be very still and sometimes it's so vast, so vast.

That art of being able to detach from it all and touching base with that purity is the essence of our practice. Our practice is very simple, absolutely simple. The remembrance of that which we are, and of our mantra, is our own responsibility. The more we remember it, the more we come back home, and the easier life becomes. If our goal is to come to that realization and to be established in that, without getting lost in this and that, then keep walking straight, keep walking straight.

The holiday season is here. Everyone I talk to is consumed with presents, shopping and packaging and this and that. So much is on the surface. Just stop for a moment and ask what am I doing, why am I doing this? What is the purpose? Am I doing this because it's the custom, because it's expected? Do I really want to do this? As I have mentioned in past Sunday satsangs, if you really want to give something, remember that the act of giving is a kind of sacrifice. Often you make sacrifices of things that have no real value or meaning to you. You go and look around the house for what is useless, and wrap it up to give. If you want to give something that is really precious, make a sacrifice.

"Daan" or giving, is one of the greatest virtues. Giving something that is truly my own, what could it be? The Self is the only thing that is truly my own. Giving of the Self is all I can give. I may offer only my Self to the other person. I may give my acceptance, my love, my forgiveness.

We may have to make some sacrifice for this giving, the sacrifice of our own ego-self. It is the resistance of ego that does not allow you to take space in my heart. You may have done something wrong to me. I may have been hurt by your act, so whenever I think of accepting you, loving you, forgiving you, something stands up like a wall. It is very hard to sacrifice that ego. True giving happens when despite the 99 bad traits in you, I find one good and positive trait in you and I acknowledge it, nurture it, and allow it to grow. In this way I have truly given something to you, something that is truly my own.

Such present giving starts around Christmas. Christ has been portrayed as someone who gave of the Self. Yet this has been brought down to a superficial level of wrapping so many presents and sending them around the world. It seems so meaningless to me. We can show appreciation for the other person so easily. We can be generous with our words, by writing a few lines of appreciation to that person, so they might feel like they are loved. That's the best gift we could give to each other.

What else can we give? We give something that is truly our own. Truly, what is my own? My Self. Giving one's self is the spirit behind Christmas. Christ gave himself in the form of that kindness, love, forgiveness, and acceptance. You may notice that when you're trying to bring these virtues in some form into your life for someone who has done harm to you, a part of you rises and says "yes but.." Although you want to make amends with this person, you want to give them a little space in your heart and overlook many shortcomings - the very moment you want to do that, the ego self will say "yes, but..." and a big wall of "yes but..." is created which separates you.

If you are really going to give, make a sacrifice, sacrifice that ego self. I'm going to give with humility. I may look humiliated, I may appear cowardly, ... But none of this head talk matters as long as you are giving from a pure place.

The other person never thinks the same thing that we think. You never know how your gesture of giving touches the other person. You make a sacrifice of your ego in order to bring the virtue of giving into living reality. Think of a good virtue in that person and point it out, remind the person of it, and that will be the best gift. But before you do it, try to give a gift to yourself. Look at your virtues that are within you, and bring them into your daily life.

The virtue of mindfulness is practiced when you pay attention to how you are interacting with the people you are living with. Are you really participating fully in that environment? Is your presence causing disharmony? These things are very important. As Baba used to say "paying attention is much more important than doing meditation". Paying attention is meditation. As you become aware of what's happening to your left, to your right, in front and behind , you can think how you can make things smoother. Being mindful of signs of disharmony and being willing to help provide balance is a reflection of your fullness within. Otherwise you are self absorbed and unaware of what's going on. It is as if you are wallowing in darkness.

Make a change. This is the right time to make a change. The brightness of the moon is a good excuse. The coming of the millennium is a wonderful excuse. Set yourself free from things that are limiting you. If you have to be humble, be humble. Being humble is not a weakness.

I'm very grateful that you are here, although I really don't care too much about celebrating my birthday, but any excuse to get people together to share, to feel a part of community, this is what I feel I'm doing here. Trying to create a community of people who are caring, who are mindful, who are there for each other. Whenever this happens, I feel I am doing something meaningful. All the things going on next door, the kitchen and the hall, etc. I'm not building it for myself. Many wonderful people have joined in, have asked what can I do today. Without being called for a work party, they just show up and say "Well, I have a little time, what can I do?" This is how it's done. And whenever I see a person with that attitude, I feel this is a person who is really here with me, tuned in with my vision, my dream, my aspirations. And it makes me feel inspired.

That's a great present. I take it as a present. We are creating this community with such inspiration: "What can I do to make this a better place?" We are not doing it for ourselves. It's for our children and the community. I love to see this in each person's heart, because it's not somebody else doing it. Everybody is responsible for it.

If you find time to go to a party, to go do this and that, I'm sure you can find time to come and ask at the Ashram, "What can I do here today"? This attitude is really, really a present for me. I'm being very frank, very honest. This is in my heart. This is what I want to see from the participants in this community. Everybody's creating it together, not just a few people. Many people have been working here every day. You don't have to know construction, you can just come and offer a cup of tea or a little water to those who are working, or ask, "Can I fix a sandwich?" This is how a community is built. It's not built by saying "Oh no I don't know construction, so it's not for me. It's for someone else to do". You can do your part. Together, we create a place, which is here for us, for our children, for our friends, for our family, and for us in our time of need.

The ashram community we are building feels like this yurt. Outside there is so much going on, but we come in here and we feel protected, we feel safe, we feel warm. This is what community is all about. As a birthday present, this is the best present you could give me. I'm asking very clearly today. I've never said what I want from you before. If you really want to be a part of the community, you really have to be honest and come with your heart and say, "What can I do today?" Or even better, see what might need to be done and do it. Just pick up a broom and sweep something. If you think it's your ashram, participate this way, and we'll have a beautiful, harmonious place in our community.

So what am I doing here? My job here is to help create a place in this community. Maybe it can become a model, to inspire another ashram community somewhere else.

The best birthday present for me is to see people in the ashram, loving and being kind, being mindful that they are not here just as a visitor but as a participant. It's their responsibility equally as those who are living here. If I see that, I really truly feel honored, and that is the best birthday present. It's our own intention charging this place, anyway, so this is my wish, for everybody to be kind and honest, and care for this place. The ashram is a great gift to the community. It's charged with Shakti from all the jap, all the puja, all the things that go on charges every particle of the ashram. If you are connected with it, you get charged the very moment you set foot on the grounds.

I don't want to take much of your time. I just want to say this because sometimes truth must be spoken. I don't want to keep you in darkness, I want to communicate very clearly with you. We have created a beautiful place from very few resources. It is praiseworthy and it will be here for us. Slowly, slowly, slowly. My hope is that it nurtures every person who sets foot on this ground.

Whether I am here or not, I want to see this place maintain itself. I would like to see each person develop friendships with every other person, becoming ashram brothers and sisters, not just coming to talk to me. You come and whoever you meet try to bring out their virtues and touch their heart. Then you will feel you've come back home.