Past teachings of Prem Rawat: Encyclopedia II - Past teachings of Prem Rawat - The message

Past teachings of Prem Rawat - The message

Past teachings of Prem Rawat - Early days: less emphasis on the message and more emphasis on Knowledge

Supporters say that today, Prem Rawat's message is the same as it always was, albeit presented without the Indian cultural overtones. In essence, in the ‘70s and ‘80s, the emphasis was less on message and more on experience and practice.

There was less distinction between the message and the teachings in the ‘70s and ‘80s than there is now. The initial focus was on his practical teachings in the form of inspiration and guidance to practice four techniques for finding peace within. He calls these techniques of Knowledge. In the ‘70s, there was more public interest in an experience and a spiritual discipline—an entire generation was interested in inner experiences. Twenty-first century audiences have less time and tend to be less interested in a spiritual discipline or practice than in inspiration and guidance to help them lead a life fulfilled. Many of those who were initially attracted ended up not having sufficient affinity or what they thought was required ability to studiously follow the lifelong discipline which the practice of Knowledge requires. Some people left the practice and remained interested in the message.

According to the foundation that carries his name [1], the number of people attracted to Rawat’s message has grown over the years. These people are not always interested in a practice or to learn the techniques of Knowledge. Some find inspiration in listening to his addresses and in reading his prose and poetry.

Rawat has emphasized that he welcomes people who have an interest in his message only. In many of his recent addresses in public forums or universities, he did not mention the word “Knowledge”, and his message was praised by leading academics and public servants as “unique” or “noble.” [2]

Past teachings of Prem Rawat - The possibility of inner peace as offered by Prem Rawat

Prem Rawat's students assert that the foundation of his message has always been about the possibility that Rawat says exists for each person to find peace within, about his having a gift and being able to help people get in touch with it, and about the possibility for each person to have their life transformed by this experience, providing they follow his guidance and allow the transformation to take place. They assert that this was the foundation of his message when he was eight years old, and it remains so to this day.

In 2003 he was offered to communicate the essence of his message via a 30-second video clip to people in the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain at the occasion of the worldwide launch of the Universal Forum of Cultures[3].

Supporters present this as proof that his message, in its essential form, is the same as it always was and what he said that day was congruent with his early message.

Past teachings of Prem Rawat - World peace versus inner peace

Prem Rawat did express when he was a child that he would bring peace to the world, and this was understood as promising world peace. At the same time, he also made it clear that what he was speaking about was his offering the possibility for each person to find inner peace. Over the years, Rawat has reiterated many times his views on the relationship between world peace and personal peace.

Rawat's students assert that while labels, religious and cultural trappings, and the environment of his presentation have evolved or dropped away over the years, the fundamental message and teachings have endured.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "The message", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki