The Aspirant Program

A year ago an inspired premie would call DUO and ask, "I've been having a lot of satsang with some people at work; where should I bring them?" The uninspiring answer was inevitably, "well … uh … maybe you better cool it … there's not much propagation happening right now."

Well, it seems "prachar" (remember that word) is on the upswing. A number of new initiators have been appointed by Maharaj Ji. He is requesting that aspirant preparation (which is presently about one year) become a three month process. He is encouraging public programs. He is inspiring the premies through frequent darshan programs. Maharaj Ji seems to be awakening our memory of his promise in the Peace Bomb satsang that his task is to bring Knowledge to the people of this world.

So, what happens to an interested person? Two Introductory Programs are presently being held on Thursday and Friday evenings. Both are informally conducted in comfortable settings where a person has an opportunity to ask questions and interact freely with the premies and other newcomers. On Thursday, the program is held at the home of Jerry and Karol Thursh (1220 E. Cedar) and is especially appropriate for middle aged and professional people, although everyone is welcome. On Friday evening, the program is held on the 2nd floor of the Community Center; refreshments are served after a shortened satsang program and people are invited to stay and interact on a person to person basis. Five to ten new people have been coming every week and many, wishing to become further involved, are being channelled into the aspirant program.

Fifty aspirants are presently active in several seminars and forty more are about to begin a new one. In the seminars, the aspirants have an opportunity to focus on the fundamental aspects of Knowledge. Through satsang, sharing interactions, films, videos, initiators and retreats, their understanding and experience is deepened. When a person has recognized the value and need of Knowledge in his life, through the depth of his own experience, he may be initiated.

The response from the aspirants completing this process has been an overwhelming acknowledgement of its support in their growth. Brian McDermott compared the situation of an aspirant to that of a golf ball which being hit, having its core propelled in one direction and its covering in another. The momentum and conditioning of our life drives us one way and the experience of satsang opens up a whole new alternative. The seminars and aspirant program try to respond to this predicament and create as much support as possible for the people opening themselves up to the experience of Knowledge.

So, if you have any interested friends, feel comfortable in bringing them to Introductory Satsang and encouraging them to become involved in the aspirant program. And it looks as though the days of waiting months and years for Knowledge are changing. Also, as premies become clearer and more focused on their individual experience of Knowledge and dedication to Guru Maharaj Ji, then everywhere aspirants turn they will find the support of satsang.

SAT CHIT AROUND

Light Reading encourages all Denver premies to consider this community News page as a forum to help keep us all more connected – externally as well as internally. We'd like to include the following in addition to our present content.

* Birth announcements

* Ego deaths

* Arrival of new premies to Denver

* Unique services you can offer

* Helpful consumer information (good bargains in town, home repair info etc)

* Daily miracles

* Darshan stories

* Favorite quotes

Please consider this a service opportunity and a chance for us to manifest the love of our community.

"If we who speak of unity do not unite, who will?"

Mail all submissions to Sat Chit Around, c/o Light Reading, 1607 Race St., or call us at 377-8856.

BACK TO NATURE

Dr. Nelson Vetanze, Chiropractor, will provide free chiropractic services to all premies and aspirants who sincerely cannot afford treatments. Fridays only. 6:00-7:00 p.m. at 275 University Avenue.

"When the mind gets annihilated, it happens not through its own somersault or gymnastics, but by an act of divine grace. We can neither deny nor explain this divine grace which transcends all of the graded orders, together with all their laws, in the spiritual panorama. With the wiping out of the mind, there is the wiping out of all minor and major miracles. This is the only miracle worthy of the name and which is spiritually necessary. All other miracles, despite their imposing gradations in the panorama, are like the evanescent waves which rise and fall on the surface of the ocean without being able to fathom its immeasurable depths.

The miracle of wiping out the mind brings with it complete disappearance of all forms of manyness. The many divisions, of which mind makes too much and in which it becomes enmeshed, are all within the domain of the illusion or the self-created objects of the mind. All separateness vanishes as soon as the mind, which is the creator of this separateness, comes to its termination through the act of divine grace."
– Meher Baba

A tear and a dewdrop
On the cheek of my Beloved
Leave the same trail.

"Illusions are like mistresses. We can have many of them without tying ourselves down to responsibility. But truth insists on marriage. Once a person embraces truth, he is in its ruthless, but gentle, grasp."
– Rabazar Tarz