Baba says, ‘Children, the shadow of Ravan is cast over you. Now, according to the drama, the kingdom of Ravan has to end.‘

On this spiritual journey, there are times when I am going along just fine, happy as can be, and then suddenly, out of nowhere, there is a wave of discontentment. And what’s worse is I don’t know why! It feels as though I want something but I have no clue what it is. I start to think: maybe I need a vacation, maybe I need to get a new job, or a new house, or in some cases, a new spouse! Before I do any of it though, it’s worth pausing to dig a little deeper and recognize what is going on.

This world that I am living in is not my world. This is not what my Father created for me. This is hell, Ravan’s world. This is a dirty old world, says Baba. There is a lot of cheating in this world, Ravan has made everyone into cheats. In fact, it’s hard to imagine how anyone could bear to get up in the morning without God in their life. It’s tiring to see and hear of everyone fighting with each other over senseless things. The news is full of stories about how a father was killed by his own son for money, and how anyone who has money can get away with anything…it’s scary and disgusting. Those who do good, well, most of them do so to be seen, to be noticed, to get applause, to be well thought of. Baba says, ‘this old world is like stinking cow dung’.

But here’s the good news: one day, it’s all going to be over.

But until then, I cannot expect to really be fully satisfied, peaceful or content. There cannot be peace, happiness and contentment in the world of sorrow, in hell, Baba points out. I desire a better world, the world that my Father had built, I want that world back because that’s where I belong. But Ravan casts his shadow over me and tries to convince me otherwise. He tries to convince me that in fact, what I need is a limited attainment of some kind – that new house or job or relationship. He tries to distract me from seeing the reality of his world and tries to take me off course. When I fall for it and chase after the attainment, I always come back tired and empty, realizing that it wasn’t what I needed.

Human beings don’t realize the self by themselves, says Baba. The Father has to make us realize ourselves. He comes and gives me the knowledge of who I am and Whom I belong to. He explains the cycle of time and the beginning, middle and end of my story through the cycle.

I did not create this world, He tells me, the world I created was VERY different. It’s very name is heaven!, He says before He attempts to describe it to me. There, He says, the entire city is made of gold…not just the streets, but the palaces, the stores, everything. And the walls are studded with diamonds and precious gems like rubies and emeralds and diamonds and others you don’t even know of, He says. There aren’t so many people there, just you children who become My helpers, My companions now. The rest, they go to the soul world and wait there, He explains.

You live in heaven like a small family- everyone loves each other, no one is jealous or manipulative or selfish. In fact, there is ignorance of even these words there. There is just the one deity religion, and code of conduct that everyone abides by. There is no trace of sorrow, no such thing as death- souls simply leave their body at will, with happiness, when it’s time and take on a new body. This is an occasion that is celebrated, not mourned! Everyone has natural beauty there, nothing artificial is needed. There will be no hunger, you’ll eat but never feel hungry. You’ll be princes and princesses and so you will study in such schools. The planes there will be foolproof, even an eight year old can fly one with ease. There is no crying for anything, there is only laughter and happiness. The Father says: I now tell you deep, entertaining things. He wants to tell me so much more but, heaven, His creation, is so exquisite, so awesomely, unimaginably breathtaking and perfect, that even the Creator Himself is short on words. And so, He simply says, ‘heaven, is well, heaven!’ Even those who have visions of it, have a hard time describing it. They are so overcome by the purity of the love they experience in those few moments, so mesmerized by the beauty they see in everything and everyone that all they can manage is tears of joy and disbelief.

That, He explains, is where you belong. You are deity souls, the residents of heaven. Then, as you took rebirth after rebirth, you forgot who you are and became impure and the world became impure with you. Today, even nature groans, He says. Even the elements have enough sense to know that this is not how things ought to be! ‘Now, according to the drama, it is time for the kingdom of Ravan to end, He explains. Don’t love this old world or the things of this old world, only remember the Father and the creation‘. When I do this, Ravan is unable to cast his shadow over me and steal my contentment. He is unable to take me off course and I stay committed to helping God recreate heaven.

It’s like when a new home is being built, I take my mind off the old and start dreaming instead of how it’s going to be in the new home. I already start planning the décor, what things will go where, start picking out new furniture and wallpaper, I pay attention to every last detail – I want it to be perfect for myself and my family. Baba asks me to have the same attitude here. I am now planning for heaven, my new home. I won’t be taking any of the old things there and so I am now learning how to treat people with respect, how to love unconditionally, how to forgive, how to not get angry or jealous, how not to judge, label or criticize, how to be selfless rather than selfish. I use challenging circumstances to practice being happy – I don’t want to take sorrow with me. I am learning how to protect my inner peace in the midst of the storm and celebrate the every day joys. This is all the use I have for the old world- it is just a place to learn and practice, nothing else.

I come in Bharat, every cycle, when it is the height of irreligiousness. I come and once again teach Raja Yoga through which Bharat and with it, the whole world, becomes heaven again. Don’t ever doubt this, He says, and wonder how long all this might take. The praise is that it didn’t take God long to change humans into deities. So don’t become weary, O My traveler children of the night, says Baba, only a few more days remain. Soon, it will be heaven again!