NEWS BRIEFS

NOVEMBER 2006

INDIA:

From October 4 through 6, 2006, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj visited Rudrapur in the Indian state of Uttranchal. Bordering Tibet in the northeast and Nepal in the southeast, Uttranchal is known for its natural beauty. To the north are the glorious Himalayan mountains while the southern part of the state is densely forested. The two mighty Indian rivers, the Ganges and the Yamuna, originate from the glaciers of Uttranchal and are fed by the many lakes and streams of the region.

People from all over India traveled to Rudrapur, where Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj’s program was in a huge stadium before an audience of 30,000 people. In his first discourse, he explained the process of meditation in which we can connect with the inner Light and Sound of God by focusing within at our third or single eye. He said to know ourselves and know God is our birthright, and it is through meditation we can fulfill the purpose of our life. The next day his topic was drawn from the verses of Swami Ji Maharaj which spoke about the soul’s longing to be united with the Lord and the fact that when the soul begins its inner spiritual journey through meditation, it experiences the divine Light of God.

On October 6th, the spiritual Master spoke about the link between spirituality and science at the G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology. This university has been called the "harbinger of the green revolution" and is considered one of the country's top academic institutes. Students, professors, and other university officials gathered to hear him speak about how, through meditation, we can discover the mysteries of the universe. The answers that scientists seek to their questions about existence do not reside in the world outside, he explained, but are within each and everyone of us and can be uncovered as we go within.

From October 16 through 18, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj toured Nagpur, situated in the very center of the country in the Indian state of Maharashtra, a major trading center for citrus, Nagpur is also known as the City of Oranges. Here he took verses of Sant Kabir Sahib for his theme, explaining that the only barrier between the union of the soul with God is the mind.

EUROPE:

After leaving India, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj visited Munich, Germany and Salzburg, Austria. During his three-day stay from November 3 to 5, he met with everyone and gave spiritual discourses and meditation sittings. In Salzburg, he spoke in an indoor stadium on “Living Without Fear: Developing the Power of the Soul through Meditation.” He explained that we begin to fear when things happen in our lives contrary to what we want. Oftentimes, he said, fear is a state of mind and not a reality. The spiritual Master then explained that the saints and mystics from time immemorial have offered a remedy to fear: They say reality lies within us, and as we invert through the process of meditation, we can connect with the source that gives us stability, our soul.

In Munich, on November 5, the spiritual Master gave a talk entitled, "Change Yourself and You Will Change the World." He said although it may be difficult for us to realize, everything in our life is progressing according to God's will. Our vision is limited, whereas the will of the Lord is unlimited wisdom that knows no bounds. Because God knows exactly what is right for each and everyone of us, he told us we should live under the principle of "Sweet is Thy Will." He also said whereas we live in a fast-paced world where things seem to occur instantaneously, what brings about true change in our life is time and effort. Through persistence, we reach our goal. He also spoke about the transformative effect of meditation on the divine Light and Sound of God.

USA:

Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj arrived in Chicago from Munich in the late afternoon on Monday, November 6th, 2006. He came directly to the Science of Spirituality Center in Naperville, Illinois where he greeted everyone and spoke about his recent European tour and the September and October programs in Delhi, India. He commented on the programs in Munich and Salzburg, describing them as being well-attended and organized. He then spoke about recent events in India, including the 23rd International Human Unity Conference. Many in the audience had traveled to India from other countries and were given a chance to share their experiences. Talking about how inspirational the trip was, people remarked on how much time Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj spent meeting people individually and in groups in addition to giving spiritual discourses and leading meditation sittings.

On Saturday, November 11 at the Science of Spirituality Center, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj spoke on "Meditation for Inner Bliss." He offered an interesting distinction between happiness and bliss. Happiness, he said, is an emotion, whereas bliss occurs at the level of our soul. Happiness and sadness are two sides of the same coin of life itself – bliss is an experience of knowing we are not away from God. He then offered a metaphor for why we are not experiencing the bliss that resides within our own soul. He asked, "If God is everywhere, then why are we unhappy?" He said just like an airplane that flies through the clouds and breaks through into a realm of light, we too can break through the clouds of our thoughts into the realm of stillness which is all Light. All we need do is look within ourselves. Life has a higher purpose – to experience ourselves as we truly are and have our soul merge back into God.

On Sunday, November 12, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj spoke at the Unity Church on the North Shore in Evanston, at the invitation of its minister, Reverend Festus Umeojiego. Unity Church on the North Shore is a Christian based congregation with the mission “to empower and affirm individuals to experience a direct relationship with the Divine.” To this end, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj was invited to speak and conduct a meditation sitting.

In his introduction, Reverend Umeojiego said those who possess a special consciousness, as does Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj, surpass the ordinary qualifications of most human beings. He also said he was honored to have Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj speak in the sanctuary of his church. The spiritual Master began by saying as we all head into the holiday season; we focus on the meaning of abundance in our lives. But the true meaning of the holidays is to recognize and give thanks for the gifts the Lord has given us. His talk, “Meditation: An Abundance of Spiritual Gifts,” attracted people from diverse backgrounds throughout the Chicago area. Taking as an example the lyrics from “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” he delineated the twelve spiritual gifts the Lord has given us all, the last of which is to become an embodiment of peace and joy, attaining Truth and All-consciousness. His talk concluded with meditation instructions and a chance for the audience to experience meditation for themselves.

For more information about Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj and his schedule, click here.