Sahaj Marg: the sure fire way of gaining the Spiritual Goal

by Chariji, July 29, 2003, Dayton, Ohio, USA

I start off by welcoming you all to participate in the seminar, participate not just physically or with your dollars, but with open hearts.

 I have been a little concerned about the way this Mission is going in the United States. It seems to have sort of got bogged down, mired down, and one of my main concerns is that it is not serving the local native American population as it should. I have been voicing this concern for many years, and people have attributed it to so many factors, social and this and that. But I believe there is something basic, more basic to it than just Indian food, and Indian customs, and Indian methods of socialization. I don't think we people, whether we are black or white or brown or gray or blue, are so easily affected by just the taste of the food or the taste buds on our tongues.

There is something that we are lacking in offering to the local people, the American population, for whose sake the Mission exists here. Of course, it exists to serve the Indians, too, but it is not an Indian Mission. But, it is a Mission which was started in India. Its guru is not an Indian guru, he happens to have been born in India, and therefore he is an Indian. And the system is not an Indian system, though it is based on the ancient yogic systems. These are accidents of birth, nationality and geography. You know like Christ is not only for Jerusalem, and Mohammad, may His name be blessed, is not only for Saudi Arabia or Jeddah or wherever. They are all personalities recognized as universal, whose philosophies, whose teachings are for all mankind, for those who are willing to accept them, as is the case with the Buddha, too, so also with my Master.

So, I would like the Mission to shed its Indian-ness and stick to its uniqueness, which is its method of making available a spiritual system which is easy to practise, which is effective in its working and operation and which, if practised diligently with devotion and dedication is a sure-fire method of gaining your goal, the spiritual goal.

So I would like all of you to give thought to all these things - how to shed its Indian-ness without making it American or Mexican or what have you, you see. The United Sates of America is famous for its Taco Bells, and Pizza Huts and what not, you see, separatists tendencies where food is and gastronomy is concerned. But that should not apply to spirituality.

I would after this meditation request all of you, I mean during the meditation, keep this question in mind, how to make this system effective for all, acceptable by all, without any prejudice as we say of colour, caste, race, creed, sex, etc. They should not remain merely manifestos as in a political organization but real, sure-fire methods of human integration. Please give some thought to this and feel free to write to me, confidentially, in sealed envelopes, what you think the Mission should be doing, how it should be going about its work, any changes you think you should propose in the hierarchy of management. Absolutely free and fair and frank. I would appreciate it and I assure you that it will be confidential, with me only.

So for the moment this is all I have to say. I hope you will respond with as much frankness and concern for the Mission as I am expressing myself. Thank you.