Bulletin No: 2015.94 – Tuesday August 18, 2015

Andhra Pradesh Tour, Part 1

Thursday, 30th July 2015, Bangalore to Anantapur

Anant ki yatra – the journey towards Infinity

After satsangh and breakfast, we left Bangalore zonal ashram around 7:30 a.m. and began our journey to Andhra Pradesh.

Our first stop was Anantapur. When Kamlesh Bhai came to know the place's name, he was very happy and in his excitement said, "The journey towards Infinity has started – Anant ki yatra."

After a three-hour journey, the moment we reached there he was on the job. He conducted satsangh and then gave a talk in which he emphasised the importance of Guru Purnima as a time to consume oneself in the remembrance of the Guru.

He also asked everyone to please read the article ‘Travel Light' by Babuji Maharaj, from Complete Works of Ram Chandra, Volume II, where he compares our journey towards God Realisation to a train journey. When we travel on a train, we make sure to travel light for a comfortable journey. Similarly, we must do the same in our journey towards the Infinite, by removing our samskaras and becoming lighter every day.

In the evening, he was busy with emails and talking to people about how to approach others with Heartfulness. He explained to them that Heartfulness is an approach, Sahaj Marg is the system that we follow, and Shri Ram Chandra Mission is an institute.

After dinner he went for a brisk walk. As soon as he came back, he went to the meditation hall and conducted a spontaneous question and answer session. During this session, he emphasised the importance of spending time with elderly people and learning from their experience. He posed the question to all the youngsters, "How much can you learn from your own age group?" He said that we should not be embarrassed by the elderly, but should help and give them loving care.

It was 9 p.m. and he joined everyone for the 9 o'clock prayer. After prayer, he invited all the abhyasis to provide help and care to elderly people in their day-to-day lives as well. He said to go and meet them and spend time with them, because this is the time that they need love and help the most. He wished that Sahaj Marg should be known for this kind of seva, calling it Anant Seva, a statement that was met with applause.

While returning from the meditation hall, one abhyasi came with tears in his eyes and asked for rain. There have been no rains, so life has been difficult all over Andra Pradesh. Kamlesh Bhai said he would pray to the Masters.

After saying good night to everyone, he retired for the day.

Friday, 31st July 2015, Anantapur to Nandyal

Today being Guru Purnima, everybody was ready with open hearts. After the 6:30 a.m. satsangh in Anantapur ashram, in which five preceptors were made, he gave a talk on the spiritual journey and again emphasised the need to ‘travel light'.

How to travel light?

"In Sahaj Marg, once and for all we should give up our burden, surrender it and free ourselves from this burden. It is only a mental process. All kinds of burden that we carry are only at that level. So it is a mental submission. Of course it has to be done heartfully, with willingness."

More and more of less and less

"'More and more of less and less.' More and more of less and less of samskaras. More and more of less and less to the extent of zero burden, zero luggage with us."

The quality of unreality is being, but Reality has no quality

"The quality of unreality is being, but Reality has no quality." While emphasising the meaning of this, Kamlesh Bhai said that it has a very deep meaning. To explain it simply he quoted Ghalib's Gazal:

na tha kuch to khuda tha, kuch na hota to khuda hota
duboyaa mujh ko hone ne, na hota main to kya hota

When there was nothing, then God existed; if nothing existed, then God would exist. 'Being' drowned me; had I not existed, what would I have become?

"Ghalib has given non-existence priority over existence. He says that when the world was not born, then there was only the Lord himself. If this world of possibilities had not been, then too there would have been only the Lord himself. Thus my existence, as it manifested itself, established me as a separate entity and having assumed a form, has ruined me. If I had not been, and did not exist, then just think what I would have been! That is, I would have been God!"

Kamlesh Bhai further added, "Becoming or being has spoilt everything. As long as I was ‘non-being' I was godly. Reality is ‘non-being'; Reality is God. Or you can also say, ‘God is the only Reality.' Being also means something which is manifested, and anything that is manifested has imperfection. Anything manifested is from the Source and moving outward, expanding away. In a real sense, when you want to return back to the Source, reverse the outward journey, make it inward, and you will start contracting. The attention and the energies are focused towards this inner mergence with the Source. Only then you become ‘non-being' again. Attention, which was earlier directed outward, has now turned inward. To facilitate this, sit with your folded limbs brought together as per our Maxim 1 and meditate. So in a way you bring about your own individual pralaya from being to non-being, instead of waiting for Mahapralaya."

On the way, we visited our ashram at a small centre called Tadipatri. The local abhyasis were delighted to inform Kamlesh Bhai that they had received Babuji Marahaj at the same place, followed by Chariji Maharaj, and today our beloved Master. After conducting satsangh, there was a Heartfulness session.

The local abhyasis offered snacks to all, and then we headed towards our next stop, Nandyal, reaching at 2 p.m. where we had an overnight stay. Even though it was a very tiring journey, with the temperature reaching 48 degrees Celsius en route, and already past lunchtime, he requested everybody to sit for satsangh if they were not too tired or hungry. He jokingly assured everybody, "It will be a short satsangh."

While having lunch, another abhyasi also requested Kamlesh Bhai to do something to make it rain. He replied, "I have offered prayer to our Masters for the same."

The Sri Sai Guru Raghavendra Banking Coaching Centre had invited us to conduct a Heartfulness program at 6.00 p.m. Four brothers, Dr Venkat Edara, Santosh Khanjee, Alain Desvigne and Christian Duerr, went to conduct the program.

In the evening there was heavy rain, and all of the locals were very happy. So the tradition of rain following the Masters wherever they go has continued!

After 6 p.m. satsangh, there was a question and answer session with Telugu translation. He said to take Sahaj Marg as a movement in which there is participation by each abhyasi, not merely by preceptors and functionaries.

After saying goodbye for the day Kamlesh Bhai returned to his room. After dinner the four abhyasis who had conducted the Heartfulness session came filled with joy and excitement. One of them said that he had never had such wonderful session in his life, where the students were so receptive. There were almost three thousand girls and two thousand boys. At the end of the programme two of them explained that they could feel the difference between meditating with and without transmission. They all expressed their willingness to meditate regularly.

Saturday, 1st August 2015, Nandyal to Kurnool

At 6:30 a.m., there was a Heartfulness relaxation session in Telugu followed by satsangh. It was a long and profound sitting. After having breakfast with the children, Kamlesh Bhai said goodbye to all of the abhyasis, and once again we were on the road.

Another Heartfulness workshop was conducted at the Brindvan Institute of Engineering and Technology for the Executive Director, Director, Dean and other faculty, as well as more than five hundred students. They could only accommodate this number, but 2,300 students were interested to participate. The Heartfulness session was conducted by the same four brothers. The students responded very nicely and a couple of them gave wonderful testimonials about the programme.

Our next stop was the Nandikotkur ashram. It is a beautiful property of five acres. Abhyasis welcomed us with fresh coconut water. While having coconut water, sitting under a tree on a village cot, Master felt nostalgia for his village in the olden days. There was a group of fifteen children who sang a welcoming song. After enjoying some nice fruits, he conducted satsangh at noon in the small meditation hall.

We left there at around 1:00 p.m. While in the car, he shared an observation that every time there is satsangh around noon, without any exception, it is very intense and deep.

We arrived in the Kurnool centre, welcomed by many abhyasis who served lunch with open hearts filled with joy.

The Sahaj Marg movement

After 6.00 p.m. satsangh, he gave a talk in which he emphasised again the importance of all abhyasis participating in the Sahaj Marg movement and also the importance of Anant Seva for the elders.

"Sahaj Marg is an organisation. At the same time, it is also a Sahaj Marg spiritual movement. Unless and until every member of this Mission understands the cause that is entertained in the hearts of the Great Hierarchy, we will not be able to create the river of this movement."

He also said that the number of our senior abhyasis are growing. Jokingly he added, "I too am becoming a senior citizen." "Slowly, those abhyasis who used to be there during Babuji Maharaj's lifetime are disappearing from the equation. They are going, rather, most of them are gone. Imagine hearing beautiful stories from their lives, about their association with Babuji. Now, with our beloved Master, so many of us had so many interactions. Soon we will be disappearing. If the youngsters are not there to listen to us, we will also be gone. Untold stories will disappear."

Some more valuable pearls from his talk:

"Asking for things from others is like insulting the very being that resides within my heart; it is against Nature. Asking for things from others is like going against one's own nature."

"In Sahaj Marg, we not only teach how to fish, but how to survive even when there is no water and no fish. We may be in the Sahara Desert, but the Great Master will teach us how to survive under any circumstance. I can only receive that message, that inspiration, when I am meditating. So to be guided under all circumstances, my heart must be ready all the time, in the receiving mode, in the Infinity. When is that receiving moment made possible?"

He requested the local abhyasis to implement an experiment in the Kurnool centre, which they have been doing successfully in Bangalore: to decentralise satsangh locations according to need. For example, he said that our ashrams are very far for some people, and many newcomers, sisters and senior citizens are not able to attend satsangh. If we decentralise and make many places for meditation, within walking distance, they will also be able to participate.

After saying good night to everyone, he retired for the day.

Sunday, 2nd August 2015, Kurnool to Yemmiganoor

The day started with 7:30 a.m. satsangh. There were around six hundred abhyasis. After the satsangh, Kamlesh Bhai gave a talk, urging us to care about others.

Sahaj Marg must become better than a family, and we must be united under all circumstances

We cannot refuse to help someone by saying it is his samskara or his bhoga. If we continued to move on with such an attitude to let people suffer as per their bhog, then what will happen if our Masters say, "This is your samskara, you go through it, why should I interfere?" If we want the Masters help, then we must start from our level by making a difference in someone else's life, however small a step that may be. If nothing else, when we witness someone's miseries, we can at least pray. It is better to remain in the Heart Region than moving on to the Central Region in arrogance, doing nothing about anybody else. How long one can last in the Central Region with such an attitude? Under all circumstances, develop humility, simplicity and a loving heart. Only that will take us forward together.

After breakfast, Kamlesh bhai left for Yemmiganur at around 10 a.m. He arrived at an abhyasi's ancestral home, which was built in the 1950s, in this little town tucked away from the hustle and bustle. The big family welcomed Kamlesh bhai and the abhyasis who were travelling with him.

After lunch and some much needed rest, he drove to Yemmiganur ashram on the outskirts of the town. It is a very scenic ashram at the base of a hill covered in huge rocks, a sight typical of this part of Andhra Pradesh.

Master conducted evening satsangh at 6 p.m. and after that a question and answer session.

Q: How can we make the Master happy?

K: By presenting ourselves to the Master better each day, and by changing ourselves from yesterday to today.

In answer to another question, he said that the ultimate answers come only from our heart. He explained by giving an example: if you ask for any suggestion from your wife or husband, whatever answer they give, instantly your heart knows whether it is right or wrong. If your heart agrees with what they are saying, you know that it is the right answer. The same thing applies to the Guru as well.

Jokingly, he gave one more example of young men coming with marriage proposals and asking Master to choose the right girl. When Master asked, "Will you marry anyone? They happily nodded their head, ‘Yes, yes Master. I will marry whomsoever you say.' But when Master would show one of them a photo of a girl, if she was not up to his expectation, immediately he felt resistance in his heart. So, it shows that the ultimate answer comes from your heart, so why ask for answers? To get the right answer from your heart, you need to meditate so you can receive guidance from above.

Q: How to regulate our minds when we go outside of the ashram?

K: Babuji has explained it very nicely in his book Reality At Dawn. Please read it.

He ended this session by saying that there were not many questions, and this means preceptors are doing a good job here.

After this, Kamlesh Bhai took a walk around the ashram grounds and then sat outside enjoying the cool breeze by the hillside as the sun set, surrounded by abhyasis. He continued to share his thoughts spontaneously and address a few more questions, about being able to maintain one's condition even after the bhandara, and about how one should serve others, especially elders, when it comes to externalising the inner condition and putting it into practice.

When asked how we could continue to spend all our time basking at his feet, he jokingly replied that it would create a problem for his feet! He continued by saying that we should create an inner condition rather than waiting for his physical presence.

Somebody asked him why we do not provide service activities in the community like another organisation does. He said, "I agree. Please go ahead and do it, if you have the money and time."

Take the essence of religion

Kamlesh Bhai said that people have this wrong assumption about Sahaj Marg that we are against religion. Instead, Sahaj Marg takes the essence of religion. He posed the question, "What is the essence of religion? First, God is everywhere, and second, love is the fundamental of religion. That is what we do."

He gave an example by citing chapter 12 of the Bhagavad Gita, in which Lord Krishna describes how to do all our work in Divine Consciousness. That is constant remembrance in Sahaj Marg. Rather than memorising the slokas, we aim to apply that essence in our lives.

After this wonderful session, he returned to his host's family home and after dinner again sat outside to enjoy the evening air with a group of abhyasis. The day ended very sweetly and the morning brought a new journey.