Web Content Display Sahaj Sandesh No: 2008.37 – Monday, 29 December, 2008Dear Sister/Brother: Master's visit to Malampuzha, Kerala (December, 2008) Master visited the SMSF retreat centre at Malampuzha, Kerala from December 17 to 20, 2008. It was Master's 4th visit to this center and the first time he would stay at the retreat centre, to the delight of the local abhyasis and volunteers who worked to prepare all aspects of the facility for their Master and his guests. The Scholarship Training Program for 2008 was conducted at the Malmpuzha retreat centre, so a group of nearly 40 scholars and coordinators from around the world were present at the retreat centre during Master's stay. Master arrived shortly after 9:30 am on Dec 17th under a beautiful sunny sky and first cut the ribbon at the cottage entrance, then proceeded to garland Babuji's photograph and offered Prasad. He rested for a few minutes in his bedroom where beautiful photographs of Rev. Babuji Maharaj, Master's mother and wife had been placed. After a short tour of the cottage, Master walked down to the meditation hall and inaugurated it. He gave a sitting to the abhyasis who were present and headed back to his cottage for rest. It was very refreshing to see Master happy and relaxed during this stay, with his cottage open to visitors throughout the day, and several sessions of Master sitting with abhyasis – each filled with a lot of laughter as well as pearls expertly cast for those ready to receive them. For instance, as he was crossing the threshold of his cottage on one occasion, he greeted two sisters from Japan with a few words in Japanese. Seeing the surprised look of people around him, he said:
"Once you have the gift of not forgetting what you learn, time doesn't mean anything. There are two things for which time is important: learning and retaining. Then you overcome time. Samskaras retard, so you have to beat the samskaras and have a good memory to overcome time, together".
The Malampuzha retreat center feels like a place beyond space and time where individuals can introspect in silent communion with Nature and transcend the limitations of the material world. Some interactions with Master are paraphrased below: Master: Nothing is difficult. You just throw away everything and you will find that you are as happy and comfortable as you were before you got hi-tech. What does it take? Leave your computer at home, disconnect your telephone, disconnect your electricity: you are back in the beginning. It doesn't take much. What is civilisation? It's nothing but a few instruments of communication and illumination! What else is civilisation? You sleep out one night and look at the stars - you are where your original forefathers were. It's beautiful. And then you begin to wonder why on earth you went where houses are air conditioned 24 hours of the day, where you don't know from inside whether it's raining or not. The wind is blowing and you think it's cool outside and you go and it's 120 [degrees]! You wonder because it's all artificial. So to cut off artificial is natural. There is nothing primitive about that. Natural was always natural. Master: There is a difference between somebody who does not at all, somebody who does reasonably good, and somebody who is perfect. The one who does not at all will talk a lot without knowing what he is talking about. The one who does, you know, pocco pocco – little by little – he will have something to say, not much. And the one who is perfect will say: 'Well, just do it!' You say "What is prayer?". He says: "Just pray!" What is there to talk about prayer? About diary writing, he explained: Master: Babuji once praised my diary. He was telling someone: 'Look at this, he is writing everything I don't even remember. I speak and he remembers nicely.' I memorised everything in time and wrote it much later. I have written pages of his dialogues. Abhasi: How could you remember all these details? Master:Because by using it my memory has become trained. See, memory is a faculty. Like all faculties they can be used, like will power. Like this bodily function, with all your will power there comes a time where your will cannot rule the body. You can make it last longer, do more at that age than others would be able to do. Or under extraordinary circumstances do something which nobody else can. But that is only once in a life time or something like that. But where the mind is concerned, it's absolute, you can do anything. And in the spiritual field……! That's why such guides are known as Masters. No limitations of space and time! On Dec 19, He made a day trip to the Thrissur and Pallakad ashrams. At Thrissur, He inaugurated a new meditation hall and conducted satsangh, followed by a speech to the abhyasis assembled there. On the way back to Malampuzha, he visited the Palakkad ashram where he conducted Satsangh. On the day before his departure for Coimbatore and Chennai, Rev. Master addressed the group of scholars in the new library. Some exerpts from this speech are given below:
"If people are coming to the spiritual life only to change the world, they will not achieve anything. I assure you. If you come to change yourself, there is guarantee of success, provided you apply yourself to changing yourself."
"When you change yourself, the law says, your world changes for you. You don't change the world but you change your world. You learn to live harmoniously, you learn to have compassion, you are able to really love people, you are able to beat those class consciousness, colour consciousness, rich-poor and therefore, you are the center of harmony not the periphery of harmony. Unless you are in the center of harmony, the center of peace and the center of love, you achieve nothing. If you want the world to change, you can wait forever."
"Self conquest is the only conquest. And self conquest means the conquest of this world. This is what spirituality offers, this is what spirituality gives free to any one who wants it with the promise that you too can achieve. I hope that you all realize the seriousness of the method, realize and understand the seriousness of the practice. It is your purpose, your chance; it is your opportunity in life to change yourself. By changing yourself you change the world."
Some photographs taken during this period can be viewed at: BENELUX SEMINAR (Spring, 2009) We would like to invite you to the Benelux seminar taking place in the South of the Netherlands. The Theme for the seminar will be: "Personal Character is the Foundation for a Spiritual Life" The venue selected is a beautiful hostel in natural surroundings! The invitation letter can be viewed at: And Abhyasis may register online at: Further information and program details will be provided shortly. We looking forward to welcoming you all in Dordrecht. - The Seminar Coordinators |