Yogi Bhajan Lecture: Paying Attention to Reach the Heart of Everyone

An impromptu lecture given by Yogi Bhajan on December 3, 2002 and published in Aquarian Times, Spring 2003.

The very fact that a man is born is so he can study and see deeply into the life around him. From his first breath of life, if he doesn’t get into the habit of penetratingly paying attention to everything, to reach to the core of creativity, he loses the chance to be certain, and doesn’t understand the message and doesn’t understand the Universe.

God created so many things. Ultimately, everything is in balance. Nature is neither a friend nor an enemy; it is simply indifferent. When a human pays attention, then he understands the meaning of indifference, the life purpose of it, the glory of it. And also he can see the darkness and sadness of it. Such an involved human being comes out of all circumstances with absolute sensitivity and fairness of purpose. He enjoys life and extends that joy to his own self and to others, and lives a very fulfilled life.

On the other hand, people who do not pay attention are unfortunate; they want to get attention. They forget the purpose of life. When you want to get attention, you have to play so many games, show so many colors and shadows; you have to lie and tell bigger lies to get people to hear you.

In the long run, people who get attention paid to them by unnatural means are very dull and extremely cunning. They do not have strength of character. They cannot see that they can be liked and loved for their organic beauty, nor do they develop wisdom to replace their organic existence so that they are naturally liked. 

If you develop the habit of paying attention, then you reach the heart of everyone. By paying attention, you attract warmth, wisdom, analytical reach, and superior understanding of another person and his qualities, faculties, and facets, which are the elements of his character. That can add to your own character and characteristics. In this way your life runs smoothly, sincerely, cozily and warmly and there is great dedication and strength of character in your words. Everybody likes you, even though you do not know why.

There are none in this world who don’t have wealth, value, virtue, and the sixth sense. If you can realize this, you will look on any individual and his universe and his space in a simple way. You will know the beauty, the essence, and the exaltedness of the person.

When I became an adult, I reversed my childhood cycle of getting attention to paying attention and I was so loved, so liked, so gifted that I couldn’t believe how, with that one little change, my life could become so vast and I could cross any hurdle. Instead of pretending to have tears in my eyes, I tried to put on a face of smiling beauty, and I got what I wanted. No doubt I was born rich but that was the time when I understood and liked the meaning of richness.

In the same way I understood courage; in the same way I learned to walk tall in my life. I found out another secret. God walks with me in every nook and corner of my life. I always have a companion. I simply pay attention to it. It is there all the time, through thick and thin, and my journey of life is getting completed. Walk with me and pay attention. Surely we will enjoy it and we’ll make the journey so happy that we’ll never get tired. That is the way to walk.

(As of 3/14/2022, the only known reference to this lecture is from Spring 2003 Aquarian Times Magazine).