The Art of Giving Group Sittings

by Chariji, April 1, 2012, Chennai, India.

Dear brothers and sisters,
I was so engrossed in today's sitting, with a particular intention – that a group sitting, however large it may be, however many thousands of abhyasis there may be, a prefect must be able to give it in such a way, transmit in such a way, that every abhyasi feels that he has received an individual sitting. This is very important. I think the prefect has to make a particular resolve that this shall be so, and not just think he is transmitting to a big group.

It is like feeding a large group of people, of guests. Each one has to be fed individually. Each one has to be respectfully fed, received well, with courtesy, with honour and treated as an atithi – ‘atithi' in Sanskrit meaning one who is not expected or one who comes out of time. ‘Atithi' does not mean just guest. It means anybody who comes, even without an invitation, at the most unexpected time – it may even be midnight.

So, our prefects must learn this art of giving group sittings, whether the group is five or five thousand or fifty thousand, with this idea in mind that he is transmitting to each one of them in such a way that they are receiving an individual sitting.

The second part of this, which I forgot, is that from next Sunday my brother Kamlesh Patel will conduct the satsangh. He has to train himself in this art of giving sittings to large groups, very large groups and, I hope in the future, groups where there will be lakhs of people. It really needs training. Of course, I am here. I will be here sometimes to give sittings, too. But it may not be a Sunday; it may be a weekday also. So, be prepared!

Thank you.