The Tree of Life - Gaur Gopal Prabhu at the RWC16

Summary

In this enlightening discourse, a spiritual guru emphasizes the importance of spiritual wellness, drawing a compelling analogy between a tree's roots, trunk, and crown with the aspects of human life. He stresses the significance of strengthening one's spiritual roots through practices like meditation and prayer to ensure emotional and physical well-being. The guru also touches on the importance of self-care to be able to contribute effectively to society, likening it to securing one's oxygen mask on a flight before helping others. His message culminates in the powerful idea that living a life of purpose is the ultimate contribution to the world.

Takeaways

• 🌏 India's unique selling proposition is its rich spiritual tradition, which attracts people from all over the world.
• 😄 The speaker humorously highlights Indian frugality, showing it as a cultural trait that is both endearing and practical.
• 🚗 Material success, such as owning a Lamborghini, does not equate to inner peace or happiness, as illustrated by the story of a wealthy man's tears.
• 🌳 The 'Tree of Life' analogy is used to explain the importance of spiritual roots, physical and emotional trunk, and the contribution of the crown.
• 🧘‍♂️ Spiritual development is likened to the roots of a tree, which are unseen but crucial for withstanding life's storms.
• 💔 The pain of personal loss, such as the death of a parent, can shake one's emotional stability, emphasizing the need for inner strength.
• 😢 The speaker shares a personal story of being blamed for his father's death, highlighting the impact of others' words on our emotional state.
• 🌐 The importance of not giving others control over our emotions is stressed, advocating for self-regulation of feelings.
• 🌿 The physical and emotional well-being of the 'trunk' of the tree can only be strong if the spiritual 'roots' are deep and healthy.
• 🌸 The 'crown' of the tree represents our contributions to the world, including our actions, creations, and the legacy we leave behind.
• ✈️ The speaker uses the airplane oxygen mask example to illustrate that self-care is essential before we can help or contribute to others.

Q & A

Who is the spiritual guru mentioned in the transcript?

The spiritual guru mentioned in the transcript is His Holiness Taj Mahal, a disciple of Radha not Swamiji and a member of ISKCON Mumbai.

What is the unique selling proposition (USP) of India according to the speaker?

The unique selling proposition (USP) of India, as mentioned by the speaker, is its contribution to the field of spirituality.

What is the analogy used by the speaker to explain the importance of spiritual wellness?

The analogy used by the speaker to explain the importance of spiritual wellness is the 'tree of life', which has roots, trunk, and a crown, representing spirituality, physical and emotional well-being, and contribution to the world, respectively.

Why did the speaker mention the example of using a shampoo bottle until the last bit?

The speaker mentioned the example of using a shampoo bottle until the last bit to illustrate the frugal nature of Indians, which is a cultural trait that distinguishes them from others.

What does the speaker suggest is the key to not being affected by others' opinions?

The speaker suggests that the key to not being affected by others' opinions is to take control of your emotions and not give the remote control of your feelings to someone else.

What is the importance of the 'roots' in the context of the tree of life analogy?

In the context of the tree of life analogy, the 'roots' represent spirituality and inner development, which are unseen but essential for providing strength and stability to withstand life's challenges.

How does the speaker describe the 'trunk' of the tree of life?

The 'trunk' of the tree of life represents physical and emotional well-being, which can only stand strong if the roots (spirituality) are deep and strong.

What is the significance of the 'crown' in the tree of life analogy?

The 'crown' signifies contribution to the world, where the fruits, flowers, and leaves (benefits) are for others, emphasizing the importance of selfless service.

Why did the speaker recount the story of the man with the Lamborghini?

The story of the man with the Lamborghini was recounted to highlight the disparity between external success and internal struggles, and to emphasize the importance of spiritual development over material success.

What advice does the speaker give regarding handling criticism or insults?

The speaker advises not to allow others to control your emotions by their words, whether they are positive or negative, and to maintain emotional stability.

What is the main takeaway from the speaker's story about his father's death?

The main takeaway from the story about the speaker's father's death is the importance of not letting others' opinions affect your emotional state and to maintain control over your own feelings.

Outlines

00:00

🌏 Spiritual Wellness and Cultural Identity

The speaker begins by introducing himself as a spiritual guru with a significant online following, known for blending humor with philosophical teachings. He discusses the unique selling points (USPs) of various countries, highlighting India's contribution to spirituality. The speaker humorously notes Indian frugality and resourcefulness, then transitions into a discussion on spiritual wellness. He emphasizes the importance of spirituality as a cornerstone of Indian culture and its global impact, suggesting that people worldwide are drawn to India's spiritual teachings.

05:00

🌳 The Tree of Life Analogy

The speaker shares an analogy about the tree of life, explaining that a tree consists of roots, a trunk, and a crown. He likens the roots to spirituality, which are unseen but foundational, while the trunk represents physical and emotional well-being. The crown symbolizes one's contributions to the world. The speaker uses a personal anecdote about a friend's Lamborghini to illustrate the superficiality of material success without strong spiritual roots. He argues that true strength comes from nurturing one's spiritual roots.

10:02

💧 The Importance of Inner Development

Continuing the tree analogy, the speaker stresses that without strong spiritual roots, one is vulnerable to life's challenges. He recounts a personal experience of receiving a phone call about his father's death and the emotional turmoil it caused. The speaker reflects on how external validation can sway one's emotional state and the need for inner strength. He concludes that emotional stability is crucial for navigating life's storms and that one must not let others control their emotions.

15:04

🌸 Contribution and Selfless Service

The speaker discusses the 'crown' of the tree, which represents one's contributions to society. He uses humor to illustrate the fleeting nature of life, comparing it to ice cream and a candle. The speaker emphasizes the importance of selfless contribution over selfish enjoyment. He suggests that true beauty and handsomeness come from how one contributes to others, not from physical appearance. The speaker concludes by urging the audience to care for their spiritual and emotional well-being to enable them to contribute effectively to the world.

20:05

🌱 The Tree of Life's Lessons

In the final paragraph, the speaker summarizes the three key lessons from the tree of life analogy: connection to the divine for spiritual growth, cultivation of emotional and physical wellness, and contribution to society. He reiterates the importance of self-care to be able to help others and concludes by thanking the audience for their attention. The speaker encapsulates the essence of living a life of purpose, suggesting that one's beauty is a gift from God, but living beautifully is a gift to God.

Keywords

💡Spiritual Wellness

Spiritual wellness refers to the state of being in tune with one's spiritual nature, which often involves a sense of inner peace, purpose, and connection to something greater than oneself. In the video, the speaker discusses the importance of spiritual wellness as a foundational aspect of overall well-being, drawing a parallel with the roots of a tree that provide stability and strength. Spiritual wellness is seen as the 'root' of life, essential for withstanding life's challenges.

💡Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

A unique selling proposition is a marketing term for a distinctive attribute or collection of attributes that makes a company's product or service stand out from competitors. The speaker uses the concept to highlight what each country is known for, such as liberty in the USA or royalty in the UK. In the context of India, the USP is identified as spirituality, which is a key theme of the video.

💡ISKCON

ISKCON stands for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, a spiritual organization that the speaker is associated with. The mention of ISKCON situates the speaker within a specific spiritual tradition and underscores the authenticity of his teachings on spirituality and wellness.

💡Roots

In the video, 'roots' are used metaphorically to represent the spiritual aspect of life. The speaker explains that just as the roots of a tree provide stability, so too does spiritual wellness provide a foundation for enduring life's storms. The concept is central to the speaker's message about the importance of nurturing one's spiritual roots for overall life strength.

💡Trunk

The 'trunk' in the tree analogy represents physical and emotional well-being. It is the part of the tree that supports the branches and leaves, and in the context of the video, it symbolizes the need for emotional stability and physical health to support one's ability to contribute to the world.

💡Crown

The 'crown' of the tree, as used in the video, symbolizes the outward contributions one makes to the world, such as acts of service, creativity, and sharing. It represents the fruits, flowers, and leaves of the tree, which are all given for the benefit of others, emphasizing the importance of selfless contribution.

💡Remote Control

The speaker uses the metaphor of a 'remote control' to describe how people often allow others to dictate their emotional state. He encourages the audience to take control of their own emotions, rather than being passive recipients of others' opinions or actions. This concept is integral to the discussion on emotional well-being.

💡Inner Engineering

Inner engineering refers to the practice of cultivating one's inner self through techniques such as meditation and self-reflection. The speaker mentions this term to highlight the practices that can strengthen one's spiritual roots, contributing to overall life strength and resilience.

💡Selfishness

In the video, 'selfishness' is initially presented as a negative trait, but the speaker then reframes it by suggesting that one must first take care of their own needs—symbolized by securing one's oxygen mask in a flight analogy—before being able to help others effectively. This concept underscores the importance of self-care as a prerequisite for contribution.

💡Contribution

Contribution is a central theme of the video, where the speaker encourages the audience to think beyond personal gain and to consider how they can give back to the world. It is tied to the 'crown' of the tree analogy, emphasizing that the purpose of life is to live a life of purpose and to contribute positively to others.

💡Emotion

Emotion plays a significant role in the video's narrative, with the speaker discussing the importance of emotional stability and the dangers of allowing external factors to control one's emotional state. Emotions are portrayed as a critical component of overall well-being and are integral to the message of self-mastery.

Highlights

Introduction of a spiritual guru with a unique approach to conveying philosophical messages.

The guru's affiliation with ISKCON Mumbai and his role as a disciple of Radha not Swamiji.

The concept of a country's unique selling proposition (USP) and how India is recognized for its contributions to spirituality.

Humorous anecdotes illustrating the frugal nature of Indians.

The importance of spiritual wellness in the context of overall wellness.

An analogy of the tree of life to explain the importance of roots, trunk, and crown in personal development.

The significance of the roots representing spirituality and how they provide strength during life's storms.

A story about a wealthy man's material success versus his inner turmoil due to a divorce.

The idea that material wealth does not equate to spiritual or emotional well-being.

The importance of not allowing external opinions to control one's emotional state.

The trunk of the tree representing physical and emotional well-being.

The impact of emotional state on one's experience and quality of life.

A personal account of the guru's father's death and the emotional turmoil it caused.

The concept of not giving the control of one's emotions to others.

The crown of the tree as a symbol of contribution to the world.

The importance of selfless contribution versus selfish enjoyment in life.

The message that one should be selfish in caring for one's own well-being to be able to help others.

The conclusion that beauty is God's gift, but living a beautiful life is one's gift to God.

The final message of the Tree of Life teaching connection, cultivation, and contribution.

Transcripts

and YouTube phenomenon a spiritual guru

who's garnered tens of millions of views

on YouTube because he has this innate

ability to mix wit and humor to convey

life-changing philosophical messages is

the disciple of Radha not Swamiji and he

relates of ISKCON Mumbai who am i

speaking about

ladies and gentlemen our pleasure to

invite His Holiness

Taj Mahal

bucum karate vechile Mpumalanga theorem

yet Kripa tomorrow monday sri guru

munathara shri chaitanya Schwerin param

anand the motto it is my great honor and

pleasure privileged to be amongst all of

you here this evening

oh this afternoon I am still in Germany

and my sincerest gratitude extends to

Colonel David she Monte ray Lucca G and

the whole radiant group for having

invited me over for this wellness

Conclave and to be with all of you to

share a couple of thoughts this

afternoon the subject matter I was asked

to speak on is a spiritual wellness I

travel a lot and I see that every

country has a USB a unique selling

proposition when we talk about the

United States of America it has a USP

liberty freedom comfort for the citizens

when we talk about the United Kingdom it

has a USP royalty the supremacy of the

Queen when we travel to Japan Japan has

a USP technology you travel to the

Middle East Middle East has a USB oil

and when we talk about India India also

has a USP a unique selling proposition

something that all of us are known for

sometimes they say how do you recognize

an Indian an Indian is known by a man or

a lady who will use the shampoo till the

last bit by putting water to the bottle

how do you recognize an Indian you would

know an Indian by a man or a lady who

will use the beylin the rolling pin to

squeeze the last bit of the toothpaste

out of it at least how do you recognize

an Indian Indian is a person who gives

another person a missed call that

culture doesn't exist in the world

there's nothing like a missed call in

the world by the way ladies and gents

how do you know an Indian you would know

an Indian by a person who will use a

t-shirt till there's a hole in it and

once it's used unusable in the day

because as a whole of it you would

probably start using it in the night and

if it's still not usable in the night

any longer you keep it for Holi and if

it's not even usable for Holi then you

use that pocha then you know for sure

you know then that you are truly an

Indian

yes ladies and gentleman we are known

for a sparing nature no wonder a lot of

people this world of super wealthy in

this country a super wealthy

India is known for Bollywood India is

known for its cricket

India is known for its beautiful

architecture magnificent edifices India

is known for its similares India's known

for his literary contributions in there

is known to be a developing economy now

indeed India is known for many many

things but what India is specially known

for on this planet Earth is its unique

contribution in the field of

spirituality wherever I travel in the

world

I see people glorifying talking about

eulogizing the principle of spirituality

that comes from this great land

hopefully people from America people

from Europe people from different parts

of the world come to India to see the

beauty of India but if you go to

Rishikesh you go to the Himalaya there's

a lot of people out there we're coming

here to learn spirituality we're coming

here to learn yoga were coming here to

learn the inner engineering the inner

ecology of life

of course when we talk about wellness

how can we neglect the principle of

spiritual wellness this afternoon I

thought I would share with you an

analogy that one of my spiritual mentors

his holiness Sachin undone Swami was a

German by birth once told a it's a

beautiful analogy it's called the tree

of life whenever they look at a

beautiful tree one of the most essential

parts of the trees its roots a tree has

three aspects to it essentially one is

the roots the second is the trunk and

third is the crown of the tree and when

we talk about the roots a healthy tree

has healthy roots the deeper the roots

the stronger the roots the tree stands

strong in storms cyclones hurricanes and

tornados and the roots are not seen to

our eyes ladies in German those roots

are compared to our spirituality our

achievements are seen to people our

gadgets are seen to people or money is

seen to people or accolades is seen to

people our charisma is seen to people a

success is seen to people what's not

seen to the eyes of the people is a

roots a spiritual development and

therefore I always say if we do not work

on what is unseen it's very difficult to

sustain more the same one of my friends

in Mumbai he purchased the very slick

Lamborghini

he's a wealthy guy he purchased a very

slick posh yellow Lamborghini

he's a Gujarati she called me from the

showroom and he said to me Swamiji Hindi

I'm available

so amici up palaka ringi I said to him

by dunya Puglia a boorish Coppola

hearing it he said naming in Gujarati

buglar means will you kindly touch your

feet to my car Pegula car Kapil

occurring a gaudy Kapil occurring a or

fiscal occurring a which basically meant

will you bless my car

I said to him by lamboginny a Cohen

occurring a pug ler Sadhguru KaBlam

bogie decoupling I said please cover

lock it haha

the gentleman wrote to where I lived and

he said to me well we'll go for about 15

minutes drive I said fair let's go

we started off as we were driving I was

in the passenger seat the guy in the

driver seat car halted at a traffic

light and there was another guy right

next he kind of turned around and he saw

the slick yellow Porsche Lamborghini in

Mumbai a rare sight to see and his eyes

went big Wow and straight after he

looked inside the car and he saw me and

his eyes went bigger and he had this

expression on his face

Joshua me gob I wanted to pull the

window off and said marry by you marry

garden a map Agatha joke o'clock or

never I it's not my time at the 15

minutes drive had turned into 2535

rather at the end of 35 minutes I said

to him look I need to get by because I

need to attend a meeting can I can you

drive back what this man did shocked me

to the core probably will shock you to

the core this man started crying like a

baby

these weren't tears of joy this these

were tears of anguish and pain you know

how to detect tears of joy and sorrow

you just use your thermometer to check

maybe because tears of joy are cold and

tears of anguish are warm of course next

time anyone cries don't take a

thermometer thing are you happy you're

I asked him to park the car on your

sidewalk I said to him what happened the

great difficulty he spoke and he said

this three days back my wife has filed

papers for divorce I love her my

children love her she's one of the best

mothers that one can ever have and we

don't want to miss her tried everything

possible just doesn't work and of course

I tried to console him pacify him and

then I was thinking to myself the world

sees his Lamborghini

the world sees his success the world

sees his bank balance the world sees his

popularity the world sees all of these

things and I sit with the who's who in

the country and when they confide with

me I see what's happening inside ladies

and gentlemen yes the trunk of the tree

is visible to our eyes ladies and

gentlemen he has the crown of the tree

is visible to our eyes but the roots of

the tree which are underneath the soil

which are invisible to our eyes is our

inner development a spiritual

development and unless we make that

spiritual development and our spiritual

growth strong the storms the Hurricanes

the cyclones of life do get over to us

and bog us down pull us down in life

therefore I say some people are the so

poor so poor so absolutely poor that all

they have is money and as I say if you

want to know how rich you are

then count all those things you have

that money cannot buy I'm not saying

money is bad

I'm not saying we shouldn't have money

I'm just saying that we can't connect

that as the be-all and the end-all of

life Krishnamoorthy gee thank you for

your financial advice and I'm sure that

advice must be taken very seriously in

order to really keep it going and life

going at the same time we also need to

look at the roots and that's why I say

the roots

strengthening the roots happens by

connection connection to our own selves

connection to divinity that's why

meditation yoga chanting prayer is

gaining such popularity all over the

world because everyone says that the

unseen routes need to be strengthened so

that the tree is strong and when those

roots are strong the second aspect which

is the trunk of the tree the trunk of

the tree is a physical and emotional

well-being

that's the trunk I'm a trunk can stand

strong and a trunk and stank's table

only the roots are deep and strong if

the roots aren't deep and strong the

trunk is dodgy and wobbly a hurricane or

a cyclone can shake it sometimes even

uprooted from the very core I remember

very well in the year 2009 18 I believe

it was 9th of July I receive a phone

call from my mom half 1:00 in the

morning and she was crying on the phone

I guessed it the inevitable has happened

my father was bedridden from Parkinson's

disease I knew something untoward had

taken place obviously my father had

passed away I went for the cremation my

father's body was lying on stage a few

family friends a couple of relatives

were all there talking a few good words

about my father it's quite amazing you

know when you're born people love you

and when you die people love you in

between you to manage it's quite funny

when you were born hey they'll do all

that and when someone dies a chata

either a may bolna me born

in America too move on let me talk

something good about that person they

started talking about my father always

good thing in all of that and then one

member who was the leader of the

community I belong to and who also

happened to be family spoke a few words

about my father

he said he said actually this man would

have looked longer but the cause of this

man's death is a son he called me the

killer of my father did you hear that

could there be an insult worse than that

that night when I went to my mom's house

even after years of my spiritual

practice I was tossing and turning as

this words rang in my ears that I was

the killer of my father it was because

of my me that my father had died

ladies and gentleman my mind was

restless my emotional state had been

disturbed and when your emotional state

is disturb you can't sleep you can't get

anything after life your experience of

life is proportional to your emotional

state therefore William Blake said the

mind can make heaven out of hell or hell

out of heaven that night as I tossed and

turned I remember one statement my guru

rather not Swami the author of the

journey home did if you can grab it read

it beautiful book he said do not give

the remote control of your emotions to

someone else

that man by what he was saying was

pressing a button on the remote control

and making me feel trash I depend on you

to say that your talk was great and feel

good and I depend on you to say that my

talk was bad and I feel trash that means

I've given the remote control to you I

feel good because you make me feel good

I feel bad because you make me feel bad

and how shallow is life well I don't

have the guts to take the control of my

emotions in my own hands ladies in

general we have to learn how to take the

control of our feelings in our own hand

I I will not allow any damned person

under the Sun to make me feel good or

bad by what he or she says if they say

good fine that's good appreciation nice

I'm happy with it and even if they trash

me fine it's their opinion it's the way

they think lady in German the trunk is

our physical and our emotional stability

and I'm not getting too into the

physical well-being because of paucity

of time obviously and the last one is

the crown the crown is a contribution to

the world the crown is where the fruits

come the crown is where the leaves come

the Crown's where the flowers come and

the fruits are for others the flowers

are for others the leaves are for others

the shade that the crown of the tree

gives us for others our contribution to

others sanskrit is an amazing language

because in sanskrit if you want to call

someone an ass or a donkey

you call him way shockin and then now

next time if you want to call someone a

donkey say hey why shucks ed and then

God he'll think you're composing a

poetry on him I must tell you I must

tell you you know and Sanskrit is

amazing because in Sanskrit ice-cream is

called Duke - our Carra uke the he

McGonagall Agha - now if you want to say

mango ice cream you would say amra Duke

- our kara uke the he McGonagall Agha -

and if you want to order it God to say

amra Duke - ayer keroh uke the he

McGonagall other to Aniyah

by the time you order it it will melt

away

you know I am saying this I'm saying

this because people say that life is

like an ice cream you should enjoy it

before it melts it'll indeed melt away I

say life is like a candle

you should bring light to others before

it melts

but the ice cream melts and the candle

mates but the ideology behind the ice

cream is selfish enjoyment and the

ideology behind the candle is selfless

contribution selfless service to others

and each of us in our own ways must

learn how to contribute like the crown

of the tree I must end with this little

thing that I want to say this last one

point I would like to mention is this if

you have ever been on flight the members

of the cabin crew will come there and

say ladies and gentlemen this is a

seatbelt I know this you have buckle

look I know I know some pilots are

sitting here I must apologize if there

be a lack of oxygen supply in the cabin

oxygen masks will drop from the cabin

above your heads secure your mask

properly and breathe normally

make sure your oxygen mask is secured

properly before you help others god I

thought this is the height of

selfishness but if you don't keep

yourself in place you can't help others

if you don't have resources you can't

share your resources if you don't feel

love you can't share love if you don't

feel hope you can't give hope if you

don't feel uplifted you can't uplift

others therefore be selfish first care

for your roots

care for your trunk because only when

your roots and trunk are in place than

the crown can give others how many of

you look to like to look beautiful any

of you like to look handsome those who

are not raising the hands thing they are

already good-looking anyway that's

another that's another story of it one

lady came to cloth teacher came to class

and wrote on the whiteboard I am

beautiful which tense is it the students

is past tense madam you know our hour

late late president shri abdul kalam ji

said a very nice thing which left a deep

mark on me he said if you really want to

look handsome give your hand to some and

you will automatically look handsome

because handsomeness is not about beauty

and looks it's about how we contribute

to people I conclude by saying if you

are beautiful it's God's gift to you if

you live your life beautiful it's your

gift to God and therefore the Tree of

Life is about three things

roots unseen to the world deepen them by

connection to the divine connection to

God your spiritual practice your

meditation your prayer the trunk which

is about cultivation of emotional and

physical wellness emotional stability do

not allow others to remote-control you

and three the crown is about

contribution giving returning back a

sense of purpose because the purpose of

life is a life of purpose and thus the

Tree of Life teaches us three things

connection cultivation and contribution

ladies and gentleman I wish to thank all

of you very very much for your kind

attention thank you very much

you