Prem Rawat (Prem Pal Singh Rawat) whose devotees call him Maharaji (meaning Ultimate Ruler) first came to attention in the West as Guru Maharaj Ji - the self-proclaimed Perfect Master and Lord of the Universe ridiculed in the media as a fat, squeaky-voiced God boy. He had inherited his titles and position as the Satguru, The True Revealer of Light and Spiritual Master of the Divine Light Mission, India (Divya Sandesh Parishad) when his father died in 1966. His father, Hans Rawat, was a successful Indian guru, self titled HRH (His Royal Highness) Yogiraj Param Sant Satgurudev Shri Hans Ji Maharaj. As a child the youngest Rawat son was informally called Sant Ji, more formally Balyogeshwar ("Born King of the Yogis") and even more formally Param Sant Satgurudev Shri Sant Ji Maharaj. In the West Rawat dropped these more verbose titles in the early 1980's and instructed his followers to call him Maharaji. He has also changed the names of his organisations many times: Divine Light Mission (DLM), World Welfare Association (WWA), World Peace Corps (WPC) and Divine United Organisation (DUO) became Elan Vital in the early 1980's and in 2001 The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) was created and from 2010 his major orgs are Words Of Peace Global (WOPG) registered in Holland, Words of Peace International (WOPI) in the USA, HDSK (Human Development through Self Knowledge) in Great Britain and Raj Vidya Kender (Royal Knowledge Society) in India. He no longer claims to be an Incarnation of God but an internationally famous humanitarian leader and teacher of peace. He's neither.

DIVINE LIGHT MISSION INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS

511 16TH STREET POST OFFICE BOX 532 DENVER. COLORADO 80201 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (303) 623-6280

GURU MAHARAJ JI
SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR

EXECUTIVE OFFICE

Dear Premies,

I arrived in Denver on the evening of August 18th. Coming over it was beautiful. I felt very positive about what I was going to do in Denver.

All things are going to be OK, to say the least. There are a few changes that are going to be brought about which are imperative, and I hope are for the best of all the premies as individuals, communities, and the organization as a whole.

Specifically, I will be looking at the different ways to insure the growth of the communities, reviewing the initiation process, and clearly defining the purpose and role of the ashram. I am also really concerned with developing the communication with all of you.

I would like to point out and remind you of a few things. First of all, we are all brothers and sisters, existing under the great umbrella of the Almighty, and we commonly share the experience of that which is sustaining us. Secondly, that to be able to grow more and more in the path of Knowledge, we have to surrender, not the worldly possessions but that which is the thorn on the path of realization. Also, in not knowing which way to proceed, you heed to the direction of the Master, so that he may be able to guide you through -- so that we may be able to realize the aim of human life.

Therefore, we have to really open ourselves and do satsang, service and meditation, and be coming always from the right place so that we may proceed smoothly on the way of realization. And having experienced it, we have realized the beauty of life which is love and love which is truth and truth that is the source, the source of all existence.

Having realized that, we have all determined to work together so that we can help to help ourselves spread the Word, the Word of God to all human beings who equally have the right to know and experience what we have. We have to really open ourselves to these points, abide by them, so that we can accomplish what we have set out to do.

There are many more things that I have to say to you, so I will get back to you in a second letter.

Keep on doing satsang, service and meditation and there is nothing in the whole world that can shatter you.

Love and blessings to all the premies.

Yours sincerely,

Guru Maharaj Ji

Prem Rawat's "Knowledge" has three parts: regularly listening to his speeches, doing voluntary work for organisations serving him or donating money and daily meditation correctly practicing the four techniques he recommends. The techniques are so simple it's hard to see how they could be practiced incorrectly. First technique ("Divine Light") involves sticking your thumb and middle finger on your eyeballs (NB: with eyes closed) and your index finger between your eyebrows. Second technique: ("Heavenly Music") poking your thumbs into your ears and listening. Third technique: ("Holy Name") thinking about your breathing (NB: continue to breathe). Fourth technique: ("Nectar") curling your tongue backwards and tasting. Rawat's father taught slightly different techniques but either way it's difficult to see how these could produce the benefits claimed for them especially as Rawat claims His Knowledge is the only method of attaining real happiness and love in this life.