Bulletin No: 2015.22 – Monday March 16, 2015

Dear sisters and brothers,

In February of 2015, respected Kamlesh bhai announced that the Hierarchy of Masters of Sahaj Marg has enabled preceptors worldwide with new responsibilities, in order to better facilitate the growth of the Mission.

These new permissions do not replace the existing practices of face-to-face individual, group and introductory sittings. Instead, they are an additional way of working, required for the increasing expansion of the Mission worldwide.

The following changes are a result:

1. New seekers are welcome to join a group meditation, without first having to take separate introductory sittings.
2. Seekers can be introduced to the practice of Sahaj Marg in groups on consecutive days if individual introductions are not possible.
3. Preceptors can give individual sittings to groups of abhyasis at one time.
4. Preceptors can give individual sittings remotely when required. Remote sittings can be given only if the preceptor confirms just beforehand that the abhyasi is available and both sit at the same time.
5. Preceptors can conduct group sittings remotely in cases where no local preceptor is available, or where conditions are really too difficult to attend, e.g. bad weather. They can also include those abhyasis who are unable to attend in person for genuine reasons in the satsang.

Care and wisdom are needed with our newfound freedom. For example, respected Kamlesh bhai said recently, "It should not become a scenario of, 'Oh, brother, I would like to have a long distance individual sitting now,' even though that person is less than a kilometre away. No. That is what I call abusing the system. So be careful. The greater the freedom that has been given to us, the greater the responsibilities are on our shoulders.”

Preceptors have been permitted to give remote sittings when there are genuine requests, and not in instances where it would defy the spiritual culture, e.g. when an abhyasi wishes to avoid taking a sitting from a local preceptor they do not like, as this would lead to disharmony. Unity and brotherhood remain the culture of Sahaj Marg.

Please talk to your local functionaries and preceptors if you have any questions. We also invite you to listen to respected Kamlesh bhai’s talk explaining these changes at: http://www.sahajmarg.org/literature/online/speeches/chennai-20150225