Sahaj Sandesh No: 2010.28 Saturday, 20 November 2010

1. Travel to Manapakkam Ashram during the European Seminar in December 2010

Please note that the European Seminar will now be held in the Babuji Memorial Ashram, Manapakkam between the 18th and the 23rd December 2010.

In view of this, abhyasis from all other centres are requested to plan any visits to Manapakkam only after the 24th December 2010. Only registered participants will be permitted into the Ashram during the seminar dates mentioned above.

2. The Third SCHOLARSHIP TRAINING PROGRAMME for abhyasis from INDIA - Allahabad, 22nd to 31st October, 2010

The Third Scholarship Training Programme (STP) for abhyasis from India was held at the Allahabad Ashram from the 22nd to the 31st of October. The Programme was attended by abhyasis from 4 zones- Jammu-Kashmir & Himachal, Haryana & Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh (West). The objective of this nine day programme is to train abhyasis from under represented areas of the Mission, who have shown an inclination to serve and deepen their understanding of the 3 M's-Master, Mission and Method. It is hoped that they will become the future “torch bearers” of the Mission.

The STP is continually evolving and the three themes that were focused upon for this programme were- "The Practice", "Working Together" and "Being like Him". The daily timetable included time for the individual Sadhna, Satsangh every morning, a time for reading and reflecting on a selected message from "Whispers from the Brighter World" and two sessions of either talks or group activity. To make the group activities more absorbing and participatory the candidates were divided into groups of 8-9 facilitated by two coordinators each. The faculty which delivered talks on various topics included- Br. Uma Shanker, Br. Gyan Sarin, Br. Sachin Sinha, Br. Alberto Lafranchi and Br. Ashish Singh.

This Programme was also notable for an increase in the number of exercises that were included in it. Experience seems to show that a greater amount of information is retained if it is obtained through direct experience rather than listening to a lecture. To this end the participants performed small skits on "working together" and engaged in small group activities on "how to keep a centre active" and "as inside so outside".

Introspection formed another big part of the programme. An hour of "Golden Silence" was part of the daily timetable in which participants were encouraged to take pause and be truly within themselves. Beside this there were also exercises where all were asked to look within and try and identify what prejudices they had and what different personalities they adopted in different situations.

With the loving cooperation of the Allahabad team of volunteers and functionaries and above all with the blessings of beloved Master the programme concluded successfully on the 31st of October. It had been over a week spent living and practicing together and a great spirit of camaraderie and brotherhood had been created. Everyone could identify with the heartfelt words uttered by one of the speakers- "He is in Me".

Towards the end of the programme beloved Master sent an email message which he wanted conveyed to the participants. It read -"Please tell participants that training is useful only when absorbed with the heart and later put into practice in one's own life. Blessings to all.”

3. Photographs from Manapakkam

A photo gallery of photographs taken during Diwali celebrations at Manapakkam ashram can be found at https://www.sahajmarg.org/media-gallery/photos/diwali-2010