Tens of thousands gathered online for the 28th Global Meditation in Place event with Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj today. As the world bears witness to record numbers of individuals being impacted by the pandemic, he called for global unity and compassion to meet the magnitude of the challenge before us.

We are all going through a difficult time, he said. The pandemic has hurt the lives of many, many people around the world. When we face a challenge that impacts so many people, the solution to that challenge must also include many people. We cannot find a solution to this virus by ourselves, or as just one town, one state, or one country. We need to come together and deal with the situation in a compassionate manner, and follow the scientific guidance to practice social distancing to help curb the spread of the virus.

Each of us will need to think clearly and act in a way that will improve the situation. This is a moment that calls for each of us to be giving, caring, and generous. The spiritual Master said we should help not just those we know, but those whom we do not know. Generosity comes from within. It is a gift from God. It is a state in which our heart opens, and we strive at every opportunity to use our resources to make the lives of others better, whether they be our family, our friends, or strangers.

To get to a state where we want to help each other, we need to we feel connected, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji pointed out. We can attain this state through meditation. As we experience God’s Light within us, we realize that the same Light shines in everyone and that we are all connected through God. This realization inspires us to embrace everyone as our own, and we reach the stage in our journey where we become loving, compassionate, and generous to all.

In his webcast today, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj expounded on the need for sustained effort and a ruling passion in order to succeed on the spiritual path. He described the key ingredients that are needed for the seed of spirituality to sprout and bear fruit.

It is a human tendency to expect overnight success in our spiritual endeavors, the spiritual Master said. Like any other pursuit, spirituality requires consistency in effort and patience if it is to bear fruit.

Relating an interesting anecdote, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji illustrated how sustained effort can reap bounties beyond imagination. To harvest spiritual riches requires the fertile foundation of ethical virtues, the nourishing waters of God’s love, and the air of God’s grace—while we nurture the seed of spirituality with the Light of God through regular and daily meditation.

An ethical life of love, compassion, nonviolence, humility, truthfulness, and selfless service provides the foundation our soul needs to embark on the inner journey. Like the air around us, unseen but present, God’s love and grace are always with us and can be experienced as our faith in God strengthens. Further, contact with the inner Light of God through daily meditation nourishes and strengthens our soul as it gravitates toward its Source.