Cologne

Master’s first program was set up at Köln – Cologne –, where about a hundred brothers and sisters were waiting at the airport in tears of joy. The Master met each one of them individually and asked about their welfare. All of them followed Him to the Dom Hotel, where He was to stay. A little later He had personal meetings with a few of them before addressing them jointly at 5 p.m. in the conference hall of the hotel, which was packed to capacity. Pin drop silence prevailed as the Master answered questions from the floor on a wide range of subjects. Regarding meditation, He explained that out of the many sounds that can be heard inside, those that are stronger and clearer should be attentively listened to.

When concentrating, no attention should be paid to the body below, nor to the eyeballs which should not move, nor to the breathing going on.

Regarding selfless service, the Master explained that we should serve others selflessly without any desire for any reward, and added that even animals and birds serve themselves and their own children.

In reply to a question about a doctor putting to sleep a dog who was in agony, the Master commented that the questioner had love for his dog and could not bear to see him in pain, so he submitted to the doctor’s decision. When asked whether giving food to a wild animal could be regarded as service, the Master explained that animals are our younger dumb brothers in the family of God. He related the very sweet story of Rabia Bassi, a Muslim lady Saint, who was making a pilgrimage to Mecca. On her way there she saw a dog dying of thirst. Leaving the caravan, she went to a nearby well but found there was no rope for the bucket. She made a rope out of her clothes, but it was not long enough. Finally, she tied her long hair to the rope and was able to reach the water, bring up the bucket, and save the dog. By this time her caravan was far away; but the Voice of God told her that she had fulfilled her pilgrimage right there.

Explaining the potency of thought, the Master said that even poisonous snakes respond to loving thoughts and will not bite. They attack because of the reaction of the person they are confronting, full of fear and hate. But there are instances of young innocent children playing with them and not being bitten. Someone asked about touching others.

The Master said,

You love your daughter, son, sister, and pat them with a clean and innocent mind. No harm, if it is done with pure thoughts in time of need for sympathy or service.

In response to a question about karmic debt, the Master explained that man was in the highest rung of all creation and had been endowed with the power to discriminate between right and wrong. He should do right actions, pay off his karmic debts cheerfully, and along with that, work for reaching his True Home. He suggested that the questioner might like to read ‘The Wheel of Life.’

In connection with Inner Spiritual Development, the Master stressed that the dear initiates who have already been put on the way must be regular in their meditations and maintain the self-introspection diary and weed out their failures day by day if they wish to have progress within. He further explained that physical association with the Master cannot be underrated, as the initiates are benefited by His direct presence – one-third by word of mouth and two-thirds through His Radiant Eyes. Yet those who are living far away are not deprived of Master’s Grace if they develop receptivity – just as a radio message can be heard from a vast distance. Finally, the Master explained that we must not drift around; we should decide what we want and then work for it whole-heartedly. We have to rise above body consciousness to have Inner Progress, and we should do that daily if we wish to reach our True Home. This can only be done with the help and Grace of a Competent Master, Who are few. We should take full benefit from Them. You have been put on the Way: now work whole-heartedly and regularly, and progress within.

At the end of the talk, everyone was sitting quietly gazing at the Master and imbibing His Grace, and no one wanted to leave.

After a while the Master said,

You are feasting in me and I am feasting in you.

That night many people came to meet the Master and seek guidance for their personal problems. He cheerfully satisfied them all.

The next morning – 27^th August – the dear ones assembled in the Conference Hall of the hotel for meditation. The Master gave a thorough explanation of the theory of the Light and Sound Principle and instructed them very carefully in the correct way to meditate. About 110 people, the vast majority of those sitting, had wonderful Inner Experience. Many saw the Radiant Form of the Master within. The Master emphasised the importance of putting in regular time and told them to be earnest in their practices, as this was the way Spiritual Experiences can be increased with His Grace.

An initiate brought her old mother, who had never met the Master. She asked Him for Grace. The Master touched her forehead and told her to look very minutely between the two eyebrows. She was overjoyed to see Divine Light within. The Master advised her to concentrate regularly so as to make progress.

Some people asked about initiation, and the Master was willing to give it to them; but it was not possible, as the extremely crowded schedule in this city left no single three-hour period of time available.

A wonderful meeting was held in the afternoon, at which many people had to stand as the seats were filled. When the talk and questions were over, again no one was in a mood to leave! They just sat on, looking at their Beloved’s charming face and getting radiation to quench their thirst. Sometimes the Master broke the silence with remarks going deep into their hearts. At last, the meeting came to an end about 6 p.m., as another public meeting was scheduled for 8: 15 p.m. in the Cultural Hall of Cologne.

There, to a capacity audience, the Master spoke on the mystery of life, telling them that we are all brothers and sisters in God, with no high and no low. Outwardly and inwardly both, we all have the same organs, and God has given us equal privileges. We must therefore love one another, since we are all His children. We may have joined different social bodies, but all the same we are men-ensouled bodies – and we have to transcend the body and contact the God-into-Expression-Power within; but we are identified with the body so much so that we have forgotten ourselves. We are helpless, and need the help and guidance of a Competent Master-Saint, Who will help us solve the mystery of life and take us to the True Home of our Father. This talk had a profound impact on everyone. The Master advised everyone to give serious thought to the subject and act accordingly, in the interest of their Spiritual Welfare.

After the talk, a few people asked the Master for private interviews. Despite His incredibly full day and the lateness of the hour – it was now 10:30 p m. –, He readily agreed, and many people derived benefit.