The distressing energy trouble is more severe on the full and new moon days. The trouble also starts two days prior to such days and exists even two days after. Seekers should therefore do maximum chanting and prayers on these five days.

    We keep photographs of our worshipped deity (upasya devata), His Holiness (H.H.) Dr. Jayant Athavale and H.H. Bhaktaraj Maharaj in the temple room. We keep these photographs in front of us whenever we are chanting, having distressing energy trouble or doing satseva. The distressing energy puts a black covering even on the photographs, just like they put on our mind/intellect, or they make some changes in the photographs so that bad vibrations emit from them. Seekers should therefore examine the photographs everyday, and see that they are worth worshipping. If they are not, apply vibhuti to them and pray. Use the photographs only if there are no bad vibrations. In case the problem persists, give the old photograph to your local ashram and take a new one.

    At the organization level, different kinds of satseva were being performed for GP. In such satseva, distressing energies create problems every year. The distressing energies also create a lot of trouble for seekers. Seekers, however, overcome all the hurdles due to Guru’s grace, along with chanting, prayers etc. They also get spiritual experiences in this regard. Seekers can convey their spiritual experiences to Ms Rajashree Mamaledar, Ramnathi ashram, Goa (India) by email: dspgoa@gawab.com.

    Presently, in the Sanatan organization’s periodicals, under the heading ‘Seekers should avoid such mistakes’, mistakes committed by seekers that are of a serious nature and detrimental from the viewpoint of their individual and collective spiritual practice are regularly published. Some seekers just read them and leave it at that. These mistakes are not published only for reading but are for their guidance. Seekers must read and introspect that similar mistakes are not committed by them.

    Whenever we get some thought, we also transmit it into the atmosphere. This thought meets the universal mind (‘Vishwa-man’) and universal intellect (‘Vishwa-buddhi’), and accordingly, the action takes place. This principle applies to positive as well as negative thoughts.

    With the slightest negative thought while doing satseva, one faces obstacles; however, if along with prayers, we are positive in our thinking, the satseva can be completed successfully. The case is similar with saints. As saints have merged with the ‘Vishwa-man’ and ‘Vishwa-buddhi’, a thought generated in Their mind works as Their resolve (sankalp) and the thought is converted into action.

    Presently, the distressing energies are trying to get their work done by putting negative and bad thoughts in us. We can overcome it only with prayers. If we pray that “the negative and bad/wrong thought in my mind is not my own, but is put there by the distressing energies. Let the distressing energy which is giving me such thoughts be destroyed.” With this prayer to the worshipped deity, we can overcome the negative thoughts.

    To know the truth about improvement in our personality due to making efforts towards PDR, we take help of persons we regularly come in contact with, for example, our family members and co-seekers.

    Seekers, send the information on your efforts for PDR and the resultant changes in your personality, by email or in writing, to the nearest ashram. While sending such information, kindly also send your photograph, along with the views of those in regular contact with you and also those of co-seekers. This information should include the following points:

1. Personality defect (PD) and improvement; for example, if a seeker has tried to remove his defect of talking unnecessarily, it may be explained as follows: earlier, most of the time, used to unnecessarily talk in the meetings. The unnecessary talk has reduced by 50%.

2. Names of the persons or co-seekers

3. Make a mention of the responsibilities entrusted to these co-seekers, for example satsang conductor, seeker responsible for ashram, responsible for area or district, responsible for reports, etc.

4. Names of the area/zone, ashram, area/district

5. While sending information on child seekers, please also send their age and standard/grade in which they are studying.

    Seekers are sometimes offered a house to stay by other seekers or well-wishers. Seekers should ensure that they use the premises with utmost care. For example, they must keep the things of the owner seeker/ well-wisher under lock and key in one of the rooms. Before returning the keys, make sure that the house is neat and clean. In case any repairs or provisions are required, get the same done only after obtaining consent of the owner seeker/ well-wisher.

1. Keeping late nights needlessly and sleeping during the day

2. Not registering calls in the diary after using the mobile phone

3. Not informing about going out , not returning on time

4. Not making a note in the register kept in the Reception Cell before going out or after coming back.

5. Not filling out charts regarding cleaning of ashram.

6. Not doing satseva of cleaning the ashram properly.

7. Talking unnecessarily while having meals

8. Whiling away time allocated for satseva, in chit-chatting

9. Talking about others’ personal matters

10. Talking loudly

11. Talking rudely

12. Talking in such a way that it would create doubts in seekers’ minds

13. Complaining against seekers doing satseva of cooking and kitchen management

14. Not doing time management for satseva

15. Not participating in collective satseva

16. Wasting water and electricity

17. Preparing food items as per one’s own liking

18. Using others’ belongings without their permission

19. Not respecting others

20. Not taking initiative in getting to know visitors/unfamiliar persons

21. Having malice, prejudice or hatred towards a seeker and behaving accordingly with him (not having forgiving nature)

22. Giving irrelevant and improper explanation to a query

23. Not accepting mistakes

24. Not attending meetings

25. Not reporting to the concerned responsible seeker

    If a review is taken of the points applicable to us from the list of above mentioned points, it will help us in developing seeker-ship qualities faster.

    Seekers, please ensure that the mistakes committed by responsible seekers from your ashram or district are discussed openly in the meeting, from the viewpoint of making them aware of their mistakes leading to their progress, and are not discussed behind their back. At such time, our stance should be that we are helping others by telling them their mistakes. Further, if we are unable to tell them their mistakes openly, how can we pursue ‘Kshatra-dharma (protecting seekers and destroying evildoers) spiritual practice’?

    Seekers must remember that the journey of our spiritual life must progress from gross towards subtle. Even if Guru is not present in His gross form, the Guru-principle is equally active in every part on the earth. It is therefore important to perceive the presence of the principle in subtle, rather than the Guru’s presence in His gross form. Always keep in mind the rule that subtle is more powerful than gross.

    The distressing energy trouble is growing day by day. Initially, seekers from the Subtle department used to give spiritual treatment to seekers having distressing energy trouble. As these seekers (from the Subtle dept.) themselves started facing such troubles, they stopped treating others. Presently, the two pouches used by H. H. Dr. Athavale are emitting fragrance; one of which is in the Miraj ashram and the other is in the Ramnathi ashram (both are in India). It has been observed that when seekers who have distressing energy trouble smell these pouches, they get relief. This indicates that now these pouches are giving treatment to affected seekers. That God had to select an inanimate object for treating seekers instead of other seekers, signifies the extent to which seekers need to increase the intensity of their spiritual practice.

    When a seeker is paying obeisance for invoking spiritual emotion (bhav), it is beneficial to keep a gap between the palms of both hands. For invoking un-manifest spiritual emotion, the gap is not necessary.

    How to identify between seekers and workers? To clarify such doubts and to make it easier to identify, the following acid tests are given:

• Having the spiritual emotion of gratitude and surrender towards the Guru

• Intense urge and perseverance regarding Guru’s mission

• The spiritual emotion that ‘Guru’s mission is my mission’

• Taking initiative and shouldering responsibilities while doing satseva and trying to implement the eight aspects of spiritual practice, namely: chanting, satsang, satseva, sacrifice, spiritual love, reduction in ego, removal of personality defects and efforts to invoke spiritual emotion, in your spiritual practice.

    The presence or absence of these characteristics is the distinction between a seeker and a worker, respectively.

    Seekers who used to do spiritual practice under the guidance of the Sanatan organization, have drifted from the organization due to some misgivings. Some of these ex-seekers ask our existing seekers “Are you still in the organization? Do you give donations to the organization? Why do you waste your time by going there? We are now going to stop the satsangs conducted by the Sanatan organization. We’ll see how you do spiritual practice” and have started threatening seekers.

    In this way, if someone opposes seekers, tries to impede them doing spiritual practice, or tries to create doubts in their mind, they should not get perturbed but instead continue their spiritual practice. This is a sign of the impending war in gross. Presently, fight such opposition with the weapons of prayer and chanting.

    Many times at book exhibitions or other such places, we get to meet curious individuals who get inspired to start spiritual practice; but due to non-availability of seekers in their area, it becomes difficult to start the Sanatan organization’s activities. This also makes it difficult for such curious individuals to continue spiritual practice. It is therefore essential to keep in contact with them.

    A seeker doing spiritual practice under the guidance of the Sanatan organization for the past 4-5 years, feels closeness towards various sects and he does ‘seva’ (satseva) for each of them for a few days. Although the seeker has been advised suitably, he feels what he is doing is right.

    There are different paths for attainment of God. For faster spiritual progress, doing spiritual practice as per ‘Gurukrupayoga (the path of Guru’s grace)’ is the right course. We must also remember the principle of ‘Going from many to one’. There is nothing wrong if you have affinity for all sects; but we are not to get trapped in any one of them. We must not overlook our ultimate aim of attaining God.

    Obey every order of the Guru with the spiritual emotion that every word uttered by the Guru is your breath. Do not obey His orders for His happiness, but do it because it is very much crucial for you. With this attitude, if you obey Him, you will benefit, as His order will activate His resolve. Reinforce your faith in Guru and become eligible for His grace by this Gurupurnima.

- Lord Krishna (through the medium of Miss Megha Nakate,
July 8, 2005, 15.15 hours).

    It has been observed that seekers present costly things like clothes or sarees to each other. As far as possible, seekers should avoid giving presents to each other at the personal level. On occasions, if a present is required, give something that is not costly. While giving presents to seekers’ children, also keep this in mind. Do not present costly school-bags or toys to children.

    If you want to present such things, present them to the ashram, so that responsible seekers will give the appropriate presents at the appropriate time on behalf of the Sanatan organization. Whatever donations seekers feel like giving should be for the right cause. Still in future, if anyone offers such presents to a seeker and makes him accept it, he can give the same to the ashram.

    Christian missionaries narrate to Hindus the experiences that they and other Christians have had at various holy shrines/places. They thus influence others to convert to their religion. Comparatively, how many Hindus do we find narrating their experiences from places of Hindu faith? Leave aside to people belonging to other religions, but even to their own people and thus helping them to develop or reinforce faith in their own religion?

    Seekers should pay attention to removing their personality defects (PDs) while doing satseva. Seekers overlook their defects like forgetfulness, lack of planning, irresponsible behaviour, etc., and when they face problems due to these defects, they pray to God; for example, not carrying umbrella during rainy season, starting late from home to go to a place, misplacing valuable things (like ornaments). If you pray to Him for such mistakes, He will come to your rescue, but your spiritual practice will be wasted and PDs will not reduce. To avoid this, it is necessary that seekers try to remove their PDs very seriously and sincerely.

    The Sanatan organization will be publishing a coloured calendar comprising of 12 pages for the English year 2006. There will not only be information on yearly almanac, auspicious timings (muhurat), festivals etc., but it will also have interesting articles on various subjects like creating awareness about righteousness, spiritual background of festivals, celebrations and rituals, series of articles on “Spiritual practice for leading a happy life”, knowledge obtained by seekers from deities, educative thoughts about awakening Hindus, series of articles on “O Hindus, learn to live righteously!”, ‘Bodh-chitras (educative pictures) for awakening lifeless society and ‘sattvik’ pictures of the deities.

*If one is not currently doing any spiritual practice, or to complement one's current spiritual practice, one can begin with the simple, but powerful spiritual practice of chanting or constantly remembering God's Name according to one's religion. Chanting also acts as a useful complement to any spiritual path one may be already following. It is a practice recommended for the current times by Holy texts and Saints of all religions.

• Seekers in the initial stages of spiritual practice (less than one year) can repeat The Name of the Lord as per their religion (refer to Issue 3 Clarification of Doubts section for details).

• Seekers who have been doing regular spiritual practice for over a year or so can determine the appropriate chant for them from the experiment given in Issue 124, Message to Seekers section.