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.
REJOICE '87More than 8,000 people from throughout North America gathered this summer "ready to learn anew," as Maharaji put it, "to approach the practice of Knowledge with a clean slate." Six programs, called "Rejoice '87," took place in four states - New York, Colorado, California, and Florida. They were intended to give participants the opportunity to have the techniques of Knowledge clarified and reviewed directly by Maharaji. "The experience is up to you," he explained, "but I want to make sure you understand how to practice the techniques. If you're doing it right, it will be confirmed. If you're doing it wrong, it will be corrected, and if you've forgotten, you'll be reminded."
Providing not only guidance but great humor, Maharaji spent long hours each day speaking before his audiences, telling stories and then succinctly giving instruction. Sessions took place in rooms seating approximately 200 people. This size afforded a more intimate atmosphere than that of previous programs and enabled Maharaji to observe personally the participants' command of the techniques. As many man as a dozen instructors also were on hand in each room to answer questions and give additional direction to those needing it.
The idea for the Rejoice '87 series stemmed from Maharaji's realization that many people were practicing the techniques incorrectly. Some were deviating from the way they were originally instructed, while others were confusing Knowledge With cultural habits learned from early instructors.
Besides cautioning against "progressive deviation" in practicing the techniques, Maharaji also stressed the importance of giving Knowledge "prime time." "Fall in love with Knowledge all over again," he urged. "Give it your best." He said it takes three things to practice Knowledge successfully: "Trust, trust, and trust. Trust in Knowledge, trust in yourself, and trust in your ability to have the experience. Of course, there's also your trust in me," he added.
Rejoice '87 required the coordination of six conventions in four different cities within little more than a month's time - an extremely challenging task. And yet the entire series of prograrns went very smoothly. In fact, the arrangements were so successful that two of the resort conference centers described the event as among the best they have ever hosted.
LAURA CERWINSKI
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.