Bulletin No: 2015.102 – Tuesday September 1, 2015

Andhra Pradesh – Karnataka Tour, Part 2

Monday, 3rd of August 2015, Yemmiganur, Adoni, Raichur

Master was ready by 5 a.m. Some of us were leaving for our respective homes, and so he wished us farewell early in the morning. He said we should always learn to accept what comes our way and Sahaj Marg actually teaches us how to accept things gracefully.

He left Yemmiganur at 5:45 a.m. and reached Adoni, a small centre about thirty kilometres from Yemmiganur. Master conducted the satsangh at 6:30 a.m. for about forty minutes. Two cell phones rang during the satsangh, and Master felt that the abhyasis were not internally prepared for this visit of his. He ate breakfast and immediately left for Yemmiganur, where he rested for some time. He started on the next segment of his trip for Raichur in Karnataka at about 4 p.m.

The essence of religion is spirituality

After reaching Raichur, Master was feeling pain in his right eye and used simple methods to clear this with cold water before continuing into the meditation hall to conduct the evening satsangh. After a short sitting he gave a lengthy talk, emphasising the need to speak out and not shy away from sharing what we do with others, especially students and the younger generation who are in so much need of various methods to channel their energies.

He started by asking, “Spiritual sadhana is not against religious practices. … Then why are some of us who are doing this daily practice giving the wrong impression to the society that we are against religion? We are not against religion. We should not criticise religion because our roots are there. We came from there.”

He also shared that in 1961 or ‘62 Babuji Maharaj wrote a letter to an abhyasi saying, “I am sorry to see that even after fifteen to twenty years of spiritual sadhana, you still have to practise Sahaj Marg. You should have gone much ahead.” He continued, “It is tragic news that abhyasis, after so many years of practice, still have questions about the practice and they still have to meditate. What sort of practice are we doing?

“The entire yogic sadhana, the entire yogic practice from the first point to the thirteenth point, from the pind pradesh to the Central Region, can happen very, very fast. We delay it. The distance between myself and the destination is not long. It can either be achieved today itself or after ten thousand years. The choice is ours. It is up to us to make this path shorter or longer. No guru can shorten it much more than it already is.”

There are no short cuts in Sahaj Marg

“Some people, out of their enthusiasm, ask, ‘Sir, how to progress very fast? Can you show us the shortcut in Sahaj Marg?’ So sometimes, very sadly, with a lot of compassion, with a lot of love, we have to answer, ‘Brother, this path is already a shortcut. There cannot be a shorter-than-short-cut.’

“When we see that so many of us have been practising for so many years, what is it that is keeping us where we are? What is it that is holding us back? The number one reason is that we think that this process is hierarchical (step-by-step). No, it is not. When the great Master can take us from here to there in no time, it depends on our attitude, how we practise, and with what joy we practise Sahaj Marg.

“Hierarchical problems come because abhyasis think that unless they become preceptors they cannot progress, which is a very wrong notion. Some abhyasis have attained much greater heights than the preceptors. You will perhaps laugh a lot when I tell you that Babuji was never a preceptor! He made it to the highest level, unimaginable to mankind.

“So, as abhyasis, we should progress so much that even the preceptors should start wondering, ‘How is he going higher than me?’ … All abhyasis in Sahaj Marg are capable of doing so many things, and I would like you to become aware of those things consciously.”

All can participate in the spiritual awakening

He encouraged all abhyasis to start by giving the relaxation technique to those whom they meet – their families, friends, in schools and offices. He likened it to the Independence movement in India in 1947, when every Indian participated. The spiritual awakening that we are part of is the responsibility of all of us.

“My observation shows that the world is ready for Sahaj Marg. It has been ready for a long time. The great hierarchy is also giving us everything. But are we, as an organisation, ready yet to take that message to people?”

Master closed the talk by saying, "Their blessings are always with us. Be confident and let us move on with courage."

Before dinner, Master watched a few new Heartfulness videos and he expressed interest to have them circulated to newcomers and students who started with the relaxation technique. He later met with a few abhyasis who are teachers and professors by profession, and discussed at length the need to reach out to many students in schools and colleges and help them relax.

Tuesday, 4th of August 2015, Raichur to Gulbarga

Master conducted satsangh at 6:30 a.m. and met with all the volunteers. He thanked everyone for coming and then left for Gulbarga at 8:15 a.m.

On the way he stopped around 10:30 a.m. at a small centre off the highway called Sholapur. The small group of abhyasis eagerly awaited Master and welcomed him with refreshments. After that, he immediately conducted a satsangh for thirty minutes and then continued to drive to Gulbarga.

Upon arriving at Gulbarga, children received Master with a welcome song and roses. He was happy to see the little ones and to meet all the old and new abhyasis.

Master spoke with brother S.A. Sarnad's sons over lunch and reminisced about old times with Sarnadji. He conducted the satsangh at 6 p.m. and gave a small talk highlighting the need to reflect upon on our approach to Sahaj Marg.

Do it with our hearts

He spoke in Hindi and challenged the abhyasis by saying, “We have the most amazing method; there is no method like this in any other system. We say, ‘Who can transmit? Only that yogi who is connected with the Infinite, and we have such a Master.’ In spite of him being there, if we are still beggars in spirituality, then whose fault is it? Whatever we have to do, we have to do with all our hearts. We have to move forward, and at the same time we should be aware of the things that are happening to us.

“It should not be like a small child whose mother feeds him milk in his sleep and he does not know anything. Master gives us transmission, gives us Grace, gives us blessings, again and again, and we should be completely aware of it. We should come to know that, ‘Yes my condition is changing now. Since morning there has been some change in my condition. It is good.’ Slowly we should study these things and go into the details to find out where we are. How are my thoughts? How is my inner condition?

“All abhyasis should read the autobiography of Babuji Maharaj, when he was an abhyasi. … What type of an abhyasi was he? How did he practise? How could he become what he became? We should learn about his lifestyle as an abhyasi.

“What are the four or five things that he used to do? He would ask:

1. What is my inner condition?
2. At which point am I at this time?
3. What will be the next station and what will be the condition there?
4. What are the things that I should not do?
5. And even after all this, he had just one thought, constant remembrance of the Master.

“These things we can also do. It is not only Babuji’s trademark, that only he could do it. We too are his children, right? So he has given us the power, which we all should use. Most of all, we should not act like fools even after knowing everything. If you have to do something, do it.”

He spoke of the importance of the vacuum or nothingness in Sahaj Marg and also of the need to rise above likes and dislikes and stop the formation of samskaras. He encouraged the abhyasis to take interest, and so develop sensitivity, discrimination and wisdom, and finished with, “If we don’t take care of our own responsibility he is not going to do anything.”

Master visited brother Sarnadji's family home and met with the family. He had dinner there and spent some time meeting local people, newcomers and answering questions. He clarified many things on inner regions, points and spiritual conditions and talked to some old time abhyasis on various topics.

Wednesday, 5th of August 2015, Gulbarga to Hyderabad

Master conducted satsangh at 6:30 a.m. at Gulbarga ashram and after breakfast left for Sedam. He inaugurated the Sedam meditation hall after a fifteen-minute relaxation presented in Kannada by an abhyasi.

Master conducted satsangh at 9:00 a.m. after which he reviewed a few drawings and recommended the planting of trees along the fence to give it a good covering and reduce noise levels. He also suggested improvements to the existing toilet block and terrace of the meditation hall. Master then left for Hyderabad by road and reached Kanha ashram by noon.

He took some rest after a long and tiring journey through country roads and state highways. As usual, rain welcomed Master wherever he went, and it poured in the afternoon in Kanha. Around 3 p.m. he started with a meeting and then conducted satsangh at 3:45 p.m. After satsangh he went for a long walk and inspection of the ashram site. He went to the nursery and asked the volunteers who were working with mud if he could have a picture taken with them. The abhyasis were elated to get a photo with him.

He then inspected the toilet blocks, water tanks, roads, paving, low-lying areas, mounds, apartments, new SHPT block, and he toured the periphery of the ashram land as well. He gave many suggestions for improvements, construction and planning.

In the evening, Master held a few more meetings related to the further development of the ashram site. After dinner he went for a short walk and kept looking at the sky while a child was trying to count the stars. He then bid farewell to those abhyasis who left for their homes after travelling with him through Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.