NEWS BRIEFS

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2004

DIVALI CELEBRATION IN CHICAGO AREA

On Saturday, November 13th, 2004, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj visited the Science of Spirituality Center in Naperville for a special Divali celebration. Diwali is an Indian festival of light. Based on the mythology of the Ramayana, the holiday marks the day on which Lord Rama returned triumphantly to his home after vanquishing the evil Ravana. Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj explained that the lights we see at Diwali are a reminder of the inner Light of the soul. We light a candle or a lamp to dispel the darkness and, as we experience the divine Light within ourselves, the darkness of the world is dispelled.

The Masters of Sant Mat have frequently referred to Diwali as a holiday with a profound spiritual meaning. In a talk given at Kirpal Ashram in 1978, Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj said that at the highest level of meaning, Diwali celebrates the return of the soul to its true home. “Having traversed the wheel of transmigration, it melts into the source of all beauty, the source of all purity, the source of all ecstasy, the source of all that is.”

THANKSGIVING IN U.S.A.

Established in 1789 as a national holiday by the first president of the United States, Thanksgiving is a day when people gather with family and friends to eat together and offer thanks to the Lord.

To honor this occasion, on November 25, 2004, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj held an early evening Thanksgiving program at the Science of Spirituality Center in Naperville. He gave an inspiring talk on the many blessings God has provided each and everyone of us. The hand of the Lord, he said, is always with us, so let us be thankful to the Lord on a daily basis. Reciting one of Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj’s verses, he said,

With every breath I must bow to my Friend
For I owe my life to his grace.

PUBLIC TALK IN CICERO, ILLINOIS

On Sunday afternoon, December 5, 2004, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj gave a public talk at the historic Concordia Theatre in Cicero, Illinois, a town midway between Naperville and Chicago. His talk, “Inner Peace through Meditation,” given before a predominantly Latin-American audience, was translated into Spanish. “Peace,” he said, “comes when we can still our mind, be desireless, and live according to the principle of ‘Sweet is Thy will.’ Peace comes when we go within ourselves and discover we are part of God. Peace does not come by anything we can buy in the material world.”

VISIT TO SOUTH FLORIDA

On December 6, 2004, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj traveled to Miami, Florida, for a visit. That evening, people from all over Florida gathered at the Sofitel Miami hotel to hear his engaging discourse. After putting everyone into silent meditation, he opened the floor to questions, then greeted everyone personally.

INTERNET BROADCAST

On Sunday, December 12, 2004, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj gave a discourse that was broadcast to 74 Science of Spirituality centers throughout the world. His talk focused on two verses by Mira Bai, a disciple of Sant Ravi Das. Realizing her true companion was God, the lady saint exclaimed:

In life and death, You are my companion.
In life I cannot forsake You.

Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj explained that we have all been given a karmic role in life, but saints and mystics tell us that beyond this we can experience our true existence. Although we cannot see God with our physical eyes, God is our life source and our soul's nourishment. He is our companion in this life and in the life beyond.

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