Dear reader,

    Distressing energies* harass everyone, but all are not aware of it for the below reasons.

	Many people are not aware of the existence of distressing energies and their relevance in one’s life.
	An average individual (one who does not do spiritual practice) cannot perceive subtle problems like distressing energies, due to a lack of subtle perception.
	Though butter is made from buttermilk, initially the butter is not visible in the buttermilk. Only after one vigorously whips the buttermilk, is the butter noticed. Similarly, more than 70% of the general population suffers from distressing energy problems. However, because of lack of spiritual practice and hence, insufficient sattvik energy to combat distressing energies, the distressing energy remains unmanifest and troubles them all their lives.
	When one does appropriate spiritual practice, akin to churning of the buttermilk, the distressing energies start “surfacing,” or manifesting, and can be overcome accordingly. Hence, it seems that the Sanatan’s seekers, who are making efforts to purify themselves by doing appropriate spiritual practice, are troubled by distressing energies.
	Further, the Sanatan seekers are actively doing collective spiritual practice, which also increases the sattvik energy in others, equipping more and more individuals to overcome distressing energy trouble to lead a Blissful life. Thus, collective spiritual practice poses a direct threat to the very existence of distressing energies in society. Hence, distressing energies make concerted efforts to obstruct the efforts of seekers doing collective spiritual practice, regardless of the path or organization they follow.

   * Refer to Issue 109, Clarification of Doubts section for some symptoms of distressing energy trouble and Issues 183 and 184, Science of Spirituality section for details on distressing energies and measures to overcome them. To combat spiritual factors like distressing energies, seekers in the initial stages of spiritual practice (less than one year), are advised to repeat the Name of The Lord as determined by their religion (refer to Issue 3, Clarification of Doubts section for details). Those seekers who have been doing regular spiritual practice for over one year are advised to determined The Name appropriate for them from the experiment given in Issue 124, Messages to Seekers section.