The following talk is from “A Promise for the Family of Man”—a lecture given by Maharishi at Jones Hall, Houston, Texas, in 1972.





Bliss consciousness is the goal of all activity

“The nature of the mind is to go to a field of greater happiness. All the streams of the mind are in the direction of greater happiness, greater happiness. Deep within, the source of thought is that unbounded awareness, unbounded consciousness. Its nature is bliss.

“This bliss consciousness is the goal of all the streams of activity—the goal of all the channels of activity. Wherever one goes, whatever one does, it is in the direction of greater happiness, always. Progress is in the direction of more and more, in the direction of greater happiness. And deep at the source of thought is the unbounded bliss consciousness. And therefore the mind takes that direction spontaneously, not through practice.”

The nature of the mind moves in direction of greater happiness

“I am emphasizing the effortless nature of Transcendental Meditation. It is not the practice of taking that direction that succeeds. It is not the practice. But the very nature of the mind to move in the direction of greater happiness takes the mind spontaneously, completely effortlessly, and gives it that status of unbounded awareness. This is because the very nature of life is progressive in the direction of more and more; and this unboundedness is more than the most. The simple technique of naturally bringing the awareness to that unbounded field of life succeeds in maintaining that unboundedness—for this the practice is needed.”

The alternation of meditation and activity establishes unbounded awareness

“The practice is not needed to reach the goal. The practice is needed to drag the goal out of the transcendental area to the area of activity. And that is why we meditate morning and evening, and then put ourselves to activity, and again repeat the experience morning and evening, and again we repeat the experience of activity. So activity and meditation, alternated—this practice establishes a permanent state of unbounded awareness, no matter what one is doing then. And this is the state of life that everyone has to lead now with this knowledge.”

Unbounded awareness spontaneously comprehends harmony in all the various aspects of living

“Successful people—take the example of an architect. When he sits on the table, his mind has to incorporate so many different items. What materials are available in the market; what is the site—the structure has to suit the background of the hills or the plains; what is the wind pressure here; and if there are earthquakes, what shocks, what strength? Innumerable aspects he has to take into account, and then considering all that, when he comprehends so many different values, delightfully he says this should be the structure, this way, this way.

“A calm, collected, and therefore comprehensive state of mind can take in all together so many various aspects and produce a harmony of all these aspects—all these various aspects bring out together, combined in a beautiful project. But if his mind is not able to comprehend the whole thing, he will be making something beautiful and losing something beautiful somewhere, here or there.”

Awareness becomes cultivated to be at home with everything—enriching all phases of life

“Life is a composite of innumerable diversities. Every man has so many phases of his activity—so many points of love, so many areas of happiness, relations are innumerable—and every aspect has to be first class. It can’t be done on the basis of thinking and planning for every area—no. That awareness has to be cultivated which is at home with everything. And that is that unbounded awareness, which knows no restrictions and which promotes the ability of focusing very penetratingly on any point one attends.

“This is the knowledge that has been lacking. It is the knowledge of the fundamental value of life—how we can handle something, which is within us, and something which is at the basis of all our activities of thought and action. That something is hidden from our view. Through a natural procedure, we open our awareness to that and thereby enrich all our aspirations, all our activities. It’s worthwhile spending 15–20 minutes on this morning and evening.”

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