THE YEAR IN REVIEW

On July 7 and 8, over 200 people from 22 cities attended the North American Organizers Conference in Miami. The purpose of the conference was to provide information about Maharaji's work so that maximum synchronization among North American participants could take place. Maharaji opened the conference with the following remarks:

I'm really glad all of you have come here to pull together your understanding and be a resource.

1986 was truly an unforgettable year for Maharaji and the thousands of people worldwide who supported his efforts. The progress that took place could be described in many ways, but perhaps the word most suitable is one Maharaji himself used again and again: "evolution."

Maharaji's work took him to 94 cities in 34 countries where he spoke to more than 950,000 people at over 200 events. That, in itself, was quite an accomplishment. But when you consider that he also piloted the aircraft that took him to these events, one's sense of admiration only deepens.

1986 was a year in which Maharaji worked closely with instructors. Four times he participated in training conferences - in Texas, Florida, Los Angeles, and England. By all accounts, the trainings went exceedingly well, increasing both the quantity and quality of instructors. To date, there are approximately 320 instructors worldwide. Most are now "part-timers," offering their services as volunteers.

1986 was also a year of increased participation. The experience that Knowledge brings and the obvious care Maharaji was giving inspired many people to step forward and initiate a variety of helpful projects. The North American Sponsorship Program and the Lear 55 project are perhaps two of the best known. Locally, too, participation flourished, as many people came forward to volunteer their time and financial support.

Throughout the year, the need for increased communication and synchronization was frequently emphasized. This message was delivered in particular detail at a four-day organizers conference, an end-of-the-year meeting attended by 100 representatives from 48 countries.

Clearly, the people who participated in Maharaji's work during 1986 were not the only ones glad for the progress made this year. So were the 21,000 others who received Knowledge, as well as thousands more around the world who are now interested in receiving it.

LOOKING AHEAD To '87

While 1986 was a wonderful year, 1987 promises to be even better. in January, approximately 200 instructors and guests met for a three-day "instructor Refresher Course" in Ft. Lauderdale - a training process scheduled to be repeated every six months. Immediately following that, Maharaji addressed more than 200 North American organizers and instructors, focusing on plans at me importance of working together for a common goal. Afterwards, it was off for a three-day recurrency flight training - a chance for Maharaji to continue honing his Lear 55 piloting skills. Next, came a seven-day South American Instructor Conference in Miami.

Current plans for the first part of the year will take Maharaji to Rome, London, Australia, India, Malaysia, and then back to Los Angeles. In the summer, he will attend a seven-day North American instructor conference. A June/July tour of North America is also anticipated, one that will hopefully accommodate smaller, more intimate, regional programs.

Maharaji's plans for August-December include additional tours of Europe and other parts of the world.