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It is an ancient habit; for many, many lives you have practiced it. You have put so much energy into it, into forgetting yourself.

You remember money, you remember others, you remember the world – all these things which Taoists call “the ten thousand and one things.”

If you want to remember those ten thousand and one things, you will have to forget yourself because your eyes will be focused on things, on people, on the world, and of course you will fall into their shadow.

It is a long, long habit, just a habit.

You are there – you could turn inward. But turning inward seems to be difficult because your neck has become paralyzed. For how many lives have you remained in this forgetfulness? Now, suddenly, you want to remember.

For one or two seconds at the most you can remember, then again you will forget. But those one or two seconds open the doors of hope.

Don’t be worried: if you can remember for only a single moment, that’s enough, you have the key. You are never given more than a single moment at a time; you are never given two moments together. If you can remember for a single moment that’s enough, the key is there – now you can work it out.

You know how to be alert, aware, in a single moment. After this moment is gone, another moment will be given to you – be alert and aware in that one too.

Remember, you will forget many times, but don’t be repentant. Otherwise one starts feeling guilty and creating complexities which don’t help, which in reality hinder.

If you forget, so what. For millions of lives you have been forgetting – accept it. And the moment you remember that you have forgotten, it is good. Remember that you will forget again. When you forget, forget; when you remember, remember; but don’t make a problem out of it.

Slowly, remembering more and more, by and by, gradually, the forgetfulness, the habit, will be broken.

Mrs. McMahon went berserk one afternoon. She broke every dish and cup and reduced her usually spotless kitchen to a shambles. The police arrived and took her to the city’s mental institution.

The head psychiatrist sent for her husband. “Do you know any reason,” asked the shrink, “why your wife should suddenly lose her mind?”

“I am just as surprised as you are,” answered Mr. McMahon. “I can’t imagine what got into her. She has always been such a quiet, hardworking woman. Why, she has not been out of the kitchen in twenty years!”

For how many lives have you not been out of the kitchen?

For how many lives have you remained in a state of forgetfulness, in a state of unconsciousness? Now, suddenly, you try to be aware – the weight of the past is too much, the chains of the past are too heavy. But they can be broken; all that is needed is perseverance and patience.

And you have to be very, very intelligent about it.

Otherwise, I observe, people try to remember and when they cannot, they start feeling very guilty. That too is part of your habit: if you cannot do something you immediately start feeling guilty.

And if you feel guilty it will be more difficult to remember. If you feel frustrated, sooner or later you will stop the very effort of remembering. Be intelligent. Because for many lives you have not remembered yourself, it is natural that you forget.

Even if you can remember for a few moments, feel grateful, feel thankful – you are doing the impossible.

A little intelligence is needed.

Otherwise, so-called religious people, rather than becoming religious, become simply guilt ridden. They become repentant, they start feeling as if they are condemned, as if they are not the chosen ones; as if God has thrown them into the dark night and has forgotten them: “It may have happened to a Buddha or a Kabir or a Krishna or a Zarathustra, but it is not going to happen to me.

They were special people, that’s why it happened to them. They were already born enlightened, that’s why it happened to them. It can’t happen to me, I am an ordinary person.”

Just to avoid remembering, people have created all kinds of theories. Hindus say Krishna is an incarnation of God. Christians say Jesus is the only begotten son of God – the “only begotten,” mind you, and all others are bastards?

The Jainas say Mahavira is a tirthankara, very special, not an ordinary soul. Not even an ordinary body: Mahavira does not perspire; he is not an ordinary human being. He does not defecate or urinate; no, he is not an ordinary being – he is very special, his body is special. Jesus is born of a virgin mother; he is not an ordinary mortal, even his birth is special, and so on and so forth.

Every religion has created these theories, and on the surface it looks as if you are paying great respect to Mahavira, Krishna, Buddha. You are not. In fact you are simply trying to avoid remembering yourself.

You are saying, “They are special and I am not, so they can remember, they can realize, they can become enlightened. I cannot.” This is a very political strategy, but very unintelligent. This is how you are preventing yourself from becoming enlightened.

Nobody is special, or everybody is special. Nobody is an incarnation of God, or everybody is an incarnation of God. Choose either, but don’t make a few people special. That is a trick, and it is a very stupid trick.

Because of it you have not remembered who you are yet. Be a little more intelligent. You have not remembered up to now because you have not yet decided to remember, that’s all. Now decide to remember.

This decision to remember is going to create many, many problems for you. Forgetfulness is easy, habitual, it has become second nature. Now you are going against your habits, and they will create every kind of hindrance, obstacle.

You will only be able to pull yourself out of your habits for a few moments, and then they will drag you back into the old mire again. But don’t be worried: if it is possible to remember for even a single moment, it is possible to remember.

That one moment is enough proof. And that one moment will give you such joy and such freedom that you will not be able to relapse back into forgetfulness forever.

But don’t make a fuss about it. If you forget, it is natural, accept it. If you remember, that is something great to rejoice about. Rather than repenting your forgetfulness, rejoice in being able to remember.

Just a little intelligence…

The Irish paratroop trainees were flying out for their first parachute jump after several weeks’ training. “Remember, lads,” said the instructor. “Yell ‘Geronimo!’ jump out, count to eight, and then pull your ripcord.”

The door opened at 10,000 feet, one by one all the lads jumped out, and Paddy went last. The instructor shut the door, and the plane flew down and landed. The instructor got out and saw Paddy still frantically clutching the plane’s wing.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” yelled the instructor. “Sorry, sir,” said Paddy, “but I forgot the name of that bleeding Indian!”

That “Geronimo!” is not the name of any “bleeding Indian” – it is just an exclamation like “Hallelujah!” It is irrelevant too: the whole point is that after counting to eight you pull your ripcord. And counting to eight is also not to be followed literally – you can count to ten, you can count to six; that would do.

Don’t become too unintelligent in what you are doing, particularly when you are moving toward inward consciousness. Remember, everything is just a formal support; anything can be of help.

For example, you are sitting here.

Just use, and remember, these words: “I am here.” And feel it – “I am here.” Not just the words, but the existential feel of “I am here” – a sudden remembering, a witnessing.

Whenever you want to remember, repeat it: “I am here.” And then slowly, slowly, when you are capable of remembering “I am here,” and it has become a feeling in you – not just words in the head, but a feeling in the guts of “I am here” – then drop the word here.

Then simply say: “I am,” and that will do, that will do far better. Just “I am” – a great remembrance, a great light, a great feeling of being rooted in existence.

But don’t become attached to the words.

When you have become capable of remembering “I am,” drop the I. Then simply use the word am. Whenever you want to remember, just say: “Am.”

But, finally, that too has to be dropped; these are just simple devices, not mantras to be repeated. Drop am, and simply remember without using any word. You can just give a small shrug, a nudge, and remember. Then even the nudge should be dropped.

All devices have to be dropped because the human tendency is to become more attached to the device than to the purpose.

You say, “Why do I go on forgetting myself?” – because you have been living in forgetfulness for many lives. This may be your first chance to remember.

There are people who have tried to remember in their past lives; when they come, it is easier for them because nothing is ever lost. If you have meditated in your past lives, everything that you have done in those meditations will have remained part of your being, and whenever you meditate again that energy will become available.

But a few people are meditating for the first time; then it is a little more difficult, but not impossible. Take up the challenge.

Never feel repentant. Just rejoice in the positive that happens to you and never be worried about the negative. Accept the negative as it is and rejoice in the positive – the positive will go on growing and the negative will reduce on its own accord.