On a typically breezy Dublin afternoon at the end of July, 800 people from all over Ireland, Britain, and the European mainland filed through the grand stone façade of the Royal Dublin Society to listen to Prem Rawat. After watching a powerful video documentary about the effect of his message on the lives of three people and their families — people who had lived through war, disease, and death — he spoke.

Here are some excerpts from his talk:

I have something so incredible, so beautiful, that it can put you in touch with the passion of your breath. It can put you in touch with what existence is all about. It can open the tap of peace. That’s what I can do. That’s what I do. Here is a possibility. Not for today, not for tomorrow, but for the rest of your existence.

You must remember one thing in your life: the point isn’t to win every battle. The point is to win the war. A battle can be won by brute force or cleverness. But war requires not only strength, but strategy. I can provide you with the strategy. You have to provide the strength.

People feel overwhelmed: 'Where is this life going? When will I be truly successful?' In the realm of peace you realise that success has already taken place. It is not something that needs to happen; it needs to be discovered. You can try to create success, but will you be successful? There’s only one way to know — if you feel successful or not.