This Is Very Simple… I Don’t Understand It!

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This Is Very Simple… I Don’t Understand It!

Written by Tony Clark

Friday, 04 February 2011 11:56

Those were the words I heard from the security agent sitting opposite me in a small, dingy room at the security police headquarters in Thessaloniki, Greece. I was only eighteen and had been enthusiastically telling people in this city about Maharaji’s message. The only problem was that Greece was under a military dictatorship at that time — people meeting and talking about anything was not allowed.

So I had been called to the security building to explain what it was all about. The officer interrogating me was holding one of the booklets I had printed containing two of Maharaji’s talks translated into Greek. Waving it, he said, “This is very simple… I don’t understand it!” In other circumstances the statement may have seemed quite amusing, but I didn’t think smiling or laughing was the best thing to do at that moment.

And yet, amusing as it may seem, I would say that the statement probably holds true for a lot of us. We are convinced that what we want or what we are looking for has to be something difficult or complicated. An old Monty Python TV comedy sketch had a football match between two teams of famous philosophers. The starting whistle blew and the ‘players’ strolled around the pitch holding heated discussions while the ball remained in the centre spot. Eventually, one of the philosophers had a brilliant idea, held his finger up in the air and ran over to the ball. He dribbled it all the way to the goal and scored!

Maharaji’s message and the Knowledge he reveals is simple. But if we have convinced ourselves that there must be ‘something more’, perhaps we miss the beauty of that simplicity.

The officer who spoke to me didn’t want to continue the conversation. He simply told me that — because my uncle was a well-respected lawyer in the city -— all he would do was ask me to leave the country the next morning. The following year I returned — to Athens this time — with two friends who were extremely keen to help. So I wasn't completely alone, as I had been in Thessaloniki. The military dictatorship was still there and you still had to get permission to hold any kind of meeting, but perhaps I was a bit more experienced or mature. I explained to some other security officers in the Athens headquarters what it was that we were going to talk about and this time they gave permission.

300 people came to the first meeting to listen and several of them followed it up. For those people it wasn’t ‘too’ simple — it was simple. I often remember that scene with the officer in Thessaloniki — the image of him waving the booklet is well embedded in my memory — and sometimes I wish I could find him and speak to him again. Nearly 40 years later that simplicity is still there and I’m still enjoying it.

Illustration by Sara Shaffer.

10 Comments

rohn makes this comment

This Is Very Simple… I Don’t Understand It!

Wednesday, 27 April 2011

I love this. Thanks Tony. It's compelling, humorous and memorable. When I was 19 I saw a poster someone had stapled to a telephone pole in Grand Rapids Michigan, it had a picture of Maharaji, a quote and a program date. It changed my life. I'm sure your valiant and enthusiastic efforts were appreciated too.
Domingo Rodriguez makes this comment

Esto es muy sencillo… ¡No lo comprendo!

Wednesday, 23 February 2011

Hace más de 37 años que dispongo de este regalo y me sorprende aún su sencillez,de tal manera que aprendo cada día también a ser más sencillo para poder seguir disfrutándolo.El Maestro es un reflejo de sencillez y de sabiduría, por lo que viendole y escuchándole nos ayuda a poder ser más sencillos para comprenderlo.
Marco Antonio Paz makes this comment

Esto es muy sencillo… ¡No lo comprendo!

Sunday, 20 February 2011

De verdad, es muy sencillo. Al principio uno no lo cree porque este mundo nos ha vendido la idea que todo tiene que ser complicado y difícil. Más no es así. El Maestro me ha enseñado y yo lo he experimentado que lo sencillo es la máxima expresión de la vida. La claridad y la lucidez para afrontar las complicaciones de la vida diaria, son el garante para que uno realmente se sienta feliz sin necesidad de otro ardid o aderezo. Desde hace 28 años experimento esta maravilla y todavía no puedo creer el caudal de cosas nuevas y maravillosas que hay dentro de mí. Felicitaciones al autor de este artículo porque creo que las palabras sobran, sólo el sentimiento se hace participe de tan bello y gratificante regalo. Millones de gracias.
barbara kristaly makes this comment

This Is Very Simple… I Don’t Understand It!

Saturday, 19 February 2011

I am very thankful for this beautiful stories because I can refresh my English on one hand, and on the other hand I am truly excited about what will the next story have to tell me. In each story I can find myself.I feel reminded of situations of my own live.They help me to understand what was going on in my live. I also like the graphical illustrations very well.
Kim makes this comment

This Is Very Simple… I Don’t Understand It!

Tuesday, 15 February 2011

Awesome story, well written. Very inspiring, thankyou!
julian west makes this comment

This Is Very Simple… I Don’t Understand It!

Friday, 11 February 2011

I second what Steve has said. I really like this. It's a great little story with a very simple, succinct and true message, really well told. Let's hear some more from you.
Steve Kowarsky makes this comment

This Is Very Simple… I Don’t Understand It!

Thursday, 10 February 2011

I love this post. With ease and grace, you have combined a fascinating story and a wonderfully relevant message. I felt engaged and deeply touched. Thank you.
Adriana makes this comment

This Is Very Simple… I Don’t Understand It!

Sunday, 06 February 2011

Really cool story!
Vera makes this comment

This Is Very Simple… I Don’t Understand It!

Saturday, 05 February 2011

Thank you for this story the title of which in a nutshell states what is Knowledge all about. In one of his talks, M said that we had not been trained for our inner feeling. His message is so simple, that we often miss it. We really have to ask ourselves how and when we have become so complicated.
Amnon shemesh makes this comment

This Is Very Simple… I Don’t Understand It!

Saturday, 05 February 2011

Yes, it is very simple and in that simplicity there is so much wisdon. thank you amnon