Interview on Self Development

Excerpt from an Interview with Bob Zanotti from Swiss Radio International, Bern (1995) on Self Development.

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B. In spite of your multicultural background, you don’t seem to have any problem synthesizing east and west nor do you have an identity problem. Can you tell us how you manage that?
M. No I don’t have a problem synthesizing east and west. In time I learned to accept my roots. My eastern traditional upbringing is very conservative and classical and this generally holds one back from moving forward. My western education and experiences have taught me, however, to free myself from these cultural chains and I have learned to do this successfully, without losing my roots and remaining true to myself.
B. You help people with self development, self realization, personal development and so on. Can you define for us what you mean exactly by self development?
M. The easiest way for me to explain this is to share my favorite quote with you, which comes from a Sufi Master. He tells us that: There are three forms of culture: ‘worldly culture’ which is mere acquisition of information; the second is ‘religious culture’ which is following rules; and the third is ‘the elite culture’ which is self development. That explains my work. Self development deals with the self, the inner self, not just imitating or repeating knowledge you acquire but, taking this knowledge and experiences, then contemplating, reflecting, digesting, interpreting and understanding this mentally, emotionally and physically. You learn to be in touch with yourself, to be who you are, to like yourself, to understand yourself. When you are in touch with yourself, you project an inner peace, you gain inner strength, you radiate and other people inevitably feel this.
B. How do you get this mystical message to people?
M. Well one can’t force this on anyone. One has to be open and receptive in order to receive this message otherwise it falls on deaf ears.
There is a world movement going on in expansion of consciousness and this is why there are many teachers on all levels all over the world passing on this message to whomever is open and ready to receive. People in general have realized that material acquisition does not guarantee happiness and everybody is searching for the self and for truth.
B. What is your advice on how to deal with the changes around us?
M. Change of attitude makes things much easier. To accept the changes and to adapt to the new circumstances is better than to fight it.
B. Can you please give us a few examples?
M. Well we are moving from a world of selfishness to a world of altruism. So one could develop a new attitude towards fellow human beings and environment in general, develop a new awareness and an enthusiasm and love for life. Be less selfish, less negative and more open and giving.
B. There is a lot of pain involved in going through changes though?
M. Yes a lot of pain is involved, but that’s why we say ‘where there’s no pain, there’s no gain’. It takes a lot of effort and commitment to change, to grow in consciousness and awareness. Often we spend our lives depending on others to entertain us, to help us, to do things for us. This makes it very easy for us to put the blame on others when things go wrong. Taking responsibility for the self is one of the first lessons to learn. Responsibility for our thoughts, for our actions and for our lives.
B. Do you think that one needs to be alone and in silence with nature perhaps to be in contact with the self?
M. Yes absolutely. To be centered and balanced. To gain contact with the inner self we need to quiet our thoughts, to be alone, to meditate and so on. We need silence, no music, no books, no other entertainment to distract us. We need to meditate.
B. What about physical exercise in the gym. Doesn’t that do it? And isn’t that the same as meditation?
M. No it is not. Meditation is emptying the mind of all that inner chatter. Its relaxation, contemplation and concentration at first and after that its letting go to emptiness and bliss. This needs a lot of practice in solitude and silence. Once practiced one is then in a constant state of higher awareness.
B. What about mantras? Do they help us to achieve a state of happiness and bliss?
M. Of course mantras are one way of helping us to focus and to meditate to contact the self. People have begun in general to realize that material acquisition does not guarantee happiness nor bliss so everybody is searching for answers, for the self and for other values. To be centered and balanced within is the way to inner strength and to happiness.

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