Oh my Guru Maharaj Ji, please give me at least the strength I need to understand you. I had hoped to praise you; I wished to be able to worship you by the power of illusion, but illusion was incapable of serving you, so what could do? I have lost my faith in illusion, so, my Guru Maharaj fi, you just be as you are.

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Letter From Mike Donner

Dearest Brothers and Sisters,     28 May 1975

Jai Satchitanand. First of all I'd like to thank everyone for the really special birthday card and for the wonderful Letters, cards, pictures, and most of all the satsang that you have shared with me. I'd like to be able to write to everyone personally, but it seems to be impossible to find the time to be able to do that.

Satsang is truly the gas that keeps us inspired to run along the road of life. Maharaj Ji said in Australia that no car has ever been designed with a built-in oil well. We too, were not designed (in this world anyway) with totally self-contained, ever-present inspiration. That is why we have communities. That is why we live together and enjoy Holy Company, so that we can inspire each other to live in the constant practice of Knowledge -- thereby automatically moving out of ignorance and self-centeredness. The satsang which you share with me, the experiences that you are having with Knowledge that you share with me, extend our community from the geographical place called Denver to this sometimes lonely outpost called Leavenworth.

There is so much love in the mail that I receive. So much love. Sometimes, when the guard on duty counts out 5,6,7 letters at a time addressed to me in the midst of the crowd that gathers to collect our mail each day - I blush, as if I were being kissed and hugged by dear friends in front of strangers. It's not always easy for me to gracefully accept all the love that flows my way. Your love opens me up, makes me soft, and tender; gentle and vulnerable. It sustains me in this hard place, but it also carries me beyond this place so fast that little ripples of fear surprise me. Our love, simple, warm, friendly, human love--natural love for each other as brothers and sisters, as children with one another--is Maharaj Ji's gift for us that prepares us to become more open and ready for the endless, infinite, supreme love which He is prepared to help us experience. We prepare each other in the same way that Durga Ji prepares Premlata for Maharaj Ti. With our love for each other, we leapfrog our way to Maharaj Ji's Feet. We are together on this path for no other

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purpose. Words are not adequate here to express how much I'm beginning to appreciate and accept your love for me.

I guess I'm just saying Thank You, keep it up, love me more, love each other and accept my love too. Together we are moving towards endless love, forever love. It's beautiful, it's blissful, it's inspiring. It makes each day a day in which service to our Guru Maharaj Ji becomes easy and exiciting. It makes life meaningful, natural and real!

Should I tell you how much this place makes me appreciate and long for our ashram way of life? Sure, there is a little golf course here, a nice softball field, color T.V., basketball court, etc., etc. Country club life. All the illusions of freedom that we saw years ago were meaningless distractions and traps. You might think that it would be easy to meditate here, that a prisoner might have a lot of time on his hands. Well, dormitory life is not very comfortable and if you think that sharing a room with 4 other premies is distracting, try sharing a room with 14 other non-premies! Occasionally we forget to be quiet in our Denver ashrams, forget to encourage each other to meditate by creating a quiet environment. You'd laugh to see me sit on my pillow in a half lotus position while the other guys (almost deliberately) create noise all around me. Give me the most disciplined ashram and the simplest home-cooked vegetarian meals, a bedroom full of brothers any day, and meditation would seem like a breeze.

But obviously, every situation is perfect for us and each is a precious gift from our Master. Before I was transferred to this camp, I was 500 yards from here behind a 40 foot wall, 6 locked doors, in a cell all by myself. "C block" --the isolation unit. Six days with nothing to read, no music, no service to do, no satsang to give or listen to, no exercise. I saw another person maybe 4 times a day hurrying by to drop off or pick up my meal tray. WOW. I never realized so clearly what a grace it is that Knowledge is more than formal meditation. Try as I might, I just couldn't meditate 24 hours a day. And with nothing else to do, those hours when meditation seemed impossible were very, very difficult. God, I missed service, any service, to occupy my time -- to act as occupational therapy - occupying my time until meditation was easier. I missed the

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balanced life of the simple three-legged stool of Knowledge. Maharaj Ji's plan is so simple and so perfect. So tailored to our western life, to our fast-paced conditioning. Service makes us need and desire meditation; meditation makes service and satsang flow from us naturally. When we listen to satsang, we want to meditate and serve. On it goes, naturally, from one leg of the stool to another - a simple, beautiful foundation for our entire life.

Knowledge is more than any one of the legs of that stool. Knowledge is a full way of life that is tailored for each of us and fits us perfectly. I'm so thankful for those 5 days to be able to understand that better from a place of real experience … to see also how much more I must practice meditation, how service-oriented I can become. I'm thankful to be out of there and here at the camp where your satsang comes to me, where there is service (propagation) to do--where there is a better balance for me.

Experiencing that balanced life of Knowledge fully is our service. So often I've forgotten that my service to Maharaj Ji is to experience and realize Knowledge - not the work that I do for Him. The work (service as we call it) is definitely, part of it, but truly our service is to realize the omnipresence of His love … to realize, through actual experience, our unity, our community. My physical separation from you, my family, my community, has been another grace given by our sweet Lord to help me see that. Regardless of physical proximity, we are truly one in love, in purpose, in freedom. Only our ideas and concepts put the limits around us that keep us from experiencing the universal life force that is infinite. Only our mind makes us afraid of being here and now, afraid of letting go of the people and places that give us some love, but are really only vehicles, situations, and reflections of His ever present and encompassing love and Grace.

I love you all very much and I'm very thankful that Maharaj Ji is making it so easy for me through the love of my friends, the community of our Mission, and through His Grace.

Your brother,
Mike

What's Going On? anyway

In recent weeks you may have heard that there are some changes taking place organizationally in the local Philly community or you may have heard a rumor about some system of communication that is being built by the DUO Office. I have often heard the question, "What is the council about?" from a lot of premies.

The idea behind this article is to explain what exactly is going on within the community and why. Perhaps it will answer some questions for you and also fill you in on some things that you haven't heard of yet.

Everyone is aware that Maharaj Ji's "most important Agya this year is to do propagation". When He says this, it may look so vast and unpredictable that it just goes beyond our minds to the point where we have little or no idea what He means.

COMMUNITY: Now it is July, the year is half over, and it might look like propagation hasn't begun. In January Maharaj Ji said that communities are made to do propagation, and that the first thing that we must do is get our communities together, before we can effectively propagate. By getting the community together, it means that premies unite themselves into a dedicated family of devotees who follow the agya of the perfect master through satsang, service and meditation. We need to have consistant inspiration and organization. Love is natural to a premie. A premie's life has been surrendered to the will of the master, making him a reservoir of pure love, which the thirsty people of this world can drink from. To feel that love we need inspiration, which comes naturally from satsang, service and meditation. Satsang, service, and meditation are more readily available through good organization. Movies, pictures, tapes, satellite satsangs, community meetings, festivals, retreats, A.I.I.D., etc … all come by His grace through better and better organization. So it's logical to say that inspiration and organization are closely linked in today's world, because we can't have one without the other.

The community development has come along way this year and it has a long way to go to where it actually represents an alternative society for humanity. Yet the community is definitely on its way to becoming our building block of propagation.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION: If inspiration and organization are interdependent upon each other, then let's look at exactly .that the community organization is,that supposedly is a means of providing inspiration to the premies. What we have to do is try to see a whole picture of what's happening rather than getting too into one of the parts of the whole picture. In other words, when you look at a car, you don't get totally absorbed in looking at any one part of the car, rather you see the whole car, by looking at the combination of parts. I'm going to describe the basic parts of our community organization and their purpose in relationship to Guru Maharai Ji's agya of propagation. When you're through reading, try to see the whole picture.

COMMUNITY ADVISORY COUNCIL (CAC): A group of premies from the community who have volunteered to do the service of communication to the premies plugging them into service through Active Membership Program (10% tithe and Maharaj Ji's League of Volunteers) and serving as a medium of feedback from the premies and a point of direction to the community. The council represents five areas of the city according to the population. Their names, the area they're responsible for and their phone numbers can be found on the Directory page of this newsletter. Presently they are handing out Maharaj Ji's League of Volunteers Questionnaires to everyone in the community which helps us to know what kinds of service you prefer and your available time. They are also inviting premies to become Active Members of D.L.M. through the 10% tithe. One myth that should be dispelled: if you do not earn any income (student, housewife, etc …), you can still be in A.M.P: Any problems you might be having or feedback or suggestions you would like to give, please give your C.A.C. Member a call or talk to them at satsang. Their service is to serve you.

So the council is a vital part of the community organization serving a communication function by letting you know what's happening; are plugging you into service that's being created by the service coordinators in programming (satsang programs, retreats, W.W.A., P.L.A., fundraising events etc.) and operations (food co-op and child care).

PROGRAMMING: Programming is that part of the organization that puts together community meetings, nightly satsang, the rummage sale, films (Power of Love etc.), Mahatma programs, retreats, W.W.A. and other things that are constantly supplying us with inspiration. Ted Levitt is the overall programming coordinator who works with premies coordinating the projects that I described above. For instance, Doug Cox is the Bayberry State Hospital coordinator for W.W.A. and also the satsang coordinator at nightly satsang in the northeast. Ed Gifoli is developing P.L.A. and plugging premie performers into other programming events. Mimi Schwindler is the rummage sale coordinator who has a host of premies working with her on the rummage sale. These are a few examples of what happens in programming.

Programming deals with our propagation effort as a community. Ted is developing the strategy by which our approach to propagation will be taking for the remainder of the year. Same things that are goon to begin are:

1. New weekly schedule, which will include three different satsangs each week, from 2 public programs a week (N.E. Philly & West Philly on Wednesday nights) to satellite satsang on 2 nights and to satsang at the ashram on 2 nights, in addition to the community meeting and a special night in which W.W.A. will be the feature activity. Details on the new schedule will be coming out in a couple of weeks.

2. W.W.A. Community Social Service Projects in West Phila. and the N.E. Anything from cleaning a public park to building a play ground or starting a community garden.

3. W.W.A. Institutional projects like Byberry (not necessarily a State Hospital) in West Phila. It'll be an ongoing project where premies can became active in regular W.W.A. activities in West Philly.

4. Guru Puja '75 - Still in the preliminary planning stages, but it'll be a two day celebration (no overnight) with meditation and recreation during the day and one big program featuring Guru Maharaj Ji's satsang from Caracus. More will be out on this very soon. It has been suggested that we use one of the days where we can invite non-premies to the celebration, letting them in on the love we feel.

5. Rummage Sale and Fair on July 19 and 20 in the northeast.

6. New movies and posters to help us with propagation. The propagation theme is made up of 2 elements. Attractional and informational. The attractional aspect is aimed at people who have no special interest in what we are doing. Our aim is to provide a series of beautiful materials relating to the theme "Discover the Sunny Kingdom … inside through meditation" or to that place of beauty that exists within us all. What we're trying to set-up is a good connection in the minds of those who see our posters through …

1. the beauty of the posters and
2. D.L.M. as the agency who put them there.

The informational element is to help people gain the information about D.L.M. and meditation through materials and programs (self Knowledge posters, meditation posters, meditation brochures, non-premie Divine Times, W.W.A. brochure, small card etc.) and also the aspirant program.

New posters and leaflets will be coming out all summer along with introduction to satsang brochures, meditation brochures, D.L.M. brochures, Knowledge slide shows, and a host of other Propagational tools. Propagation this year is more of an :approach than a campaign. Guru Maharaj Ji described it in January as a "storm in which many different elements combine to make the end result." Locally this is h we must be aimed because materials are being produced in Denver to help in this kind of approach.

So programming is quite extensive in what we're trying to do and in its potential. It's just one part of the Jalopy that's being made into a beautiful car that will turn everyone's head. as it goes down the highway.

OPERATIONS: Operation is the support - basic support systems - we need to help us live in this world and make it a little easier to do service, satsang, and meditation. At this point, operations consists of Shri Hans Productions, Rainbow Food Co-op, and Childcare. Brad Hallock is the overall operations coordinator. He works with the coordinators of the above three services.

Shri Hans Productions are the distribution and sale of publications (Divine Times, A.I.I.D., pictures, posters, leaflets, and brochures) and other inspirational material (tapes, incense, baragons, plaques, films, buttons) which are sold regularly to the premies or are used for fundraising events.

Rainbow Food Co-op is an important part of the community because it saves money for the premies and offers an opportunity of service.

The service of childcare has never been really coordinated in the Phila. community, but it has always been a need. Jeami Petropoulos is coordinating childcare now and is arranging to give each married couple with children in the community a babysitter once a week so that they can attend satsang or do service together in the community.

Operations may expand into other areas like transportation (a repair garage) and laundramat. But these services can only begin when the community is ready to utilize and support them.

COMMUNITY FUND: So now, we've discussed the council which is a vital part of our communications network, programming and operations which are the coordinating functions of the community organization. Now I'm going to explain the community fund which is the financial base of the community organization.

We all know that in order to function realistically in this world, we need money. At the same time in order to propagate the Knowledge in this world, we also need money. We don't need money to give satsang to people but it is needed rather to build the atmosphere and structure around which satsang takes place and to give aspirants the opportunity to hear satsang and do service before receiving Knowledge. Also green energy is needed to run the organization which is maintaining and developing the other parts of this old car we're fixing up. For instance to rent a hall for public sat-sang can cost anywhere from $10 - $50 a night. We will be having two public programs a week starting in mid-July. Th cost could therefore be $160 per month for our public programs if let's say the halls cost $20 per week. Posters, brochures, films, all cost money. They are fairly inexpensive because the mission provides these materials 'in house'. But the cost of production has to come from somewhere. The local DUO operation also has to be paid for. The cost of office supplies, phone bills, rent and utilities, etc. must be paid for by the entire premie community. All of these things support our propagation effort and also the level of inspiration we receive directly or indirectly.

Guru Maharaj Ji Himself specifically said that the funds to support propagation should not come from the earnings of the ashram, residents or from the 10% tithing program. The ashram must support itself by the income of the residents who have jobs. The 10% dedications are every premies' personal dedication to Guru Maharaj Ji, who utilizes this money the way He sees fit to do so. Usually He puts the money back into DLM because it's His arm through which propagation will happen and the link of inspiration and direction to the premies.

So the question is, where does the financial support for propagation come from? Well, this is the purpose of the community fund. It is one of four main cost centers used in the DLM financial system. These four cost centers are: the ashram, the community, special projects, and donations (10% tithe). The community cost center is where the community fund lies. It is like a savings account within the DLM account where income from the community is put into it and expenses for the community are paid out of it. Income from the community has come from fundraising projects like video's and dinners etc. and from donations from premies in the community who have given to the fund for designated purposes. Expenses are those things that I've described as the costs of propagation (above). Presently our income into the fund is much less than the expenses. Our income for the community fund in May was $488.12 coming from profit of sales of Shri Hans Publications and the slide show and film clip program. Our expenses were $986.86 which excludes the labor expenses of the premies. So to eliminate this deficit and to make the income consistant (fundraising projects are irregular and unpredictable), we are going to begin a regular dedication program above the 10% tithe to support our local propagation effort. Most of the DUO communities in America have begun this system and it is working very well.

These four things that I've described in this article (CAC, Programming, operations and the community fund) are a few of the vital parts that make up the whole picture of the community organization. I know it's a big mouthful to understand but it's very important to try to grasp, because it will help each of us in doing our one service to Guru Maharaj Ji. The service of propagation. Jai Satchitanand!

OVER THE RAINBOW

A FEW FACTS AND POINTS ABOUT OUR CO-OP:

If you want to join, call Ann Lynn at IV3-8458.

The co-op garage is located at 34th & Race Streets. (the building is painted many different colors).

ORDERING FOOD: Ann Lynn, and Edie (DE1-2327) take orders over the phone on Thursday and Friday.

PACKING ORDERS: Begins at 3:00 on Tuesday afternoons.

PICKING-UP ORDERS: Orders can be picked-up and payments can be made between 5:30 and 7:30 every Tuesday.

Right now, Rainbow operates out of someone elses building and hopefully it may have a new home by mid-July. That should make things a lot easier for everyone plus we can put up pictures of Maharaj Ji. And that's the whole point anyway - Maharaj Ji. See ya.

All the Way with GMJ!

ACTIVITIES IN JULY

JULY 1: Settlement date for new ashram.
JULY 2: Work begins on ashram.
JULY 4: Holy Film. Independence Day.
JULY 5: Community Meeting
JULY 7: Ashram premies move to new Name.
TULY 8: Knowledge Course begins (aspirant program).
JULY 12: Community Meeting
JULY 14: NEW SATSANG SCHEDULE GOES INTO EFFECT!!
JULY 14: Satsang in the new ashram.
JULY 16: First public program - N.E. & West Philadelphia.
JULY 19: Rummage Sale,
JULY 20: Rummage Sale
JULY 26: GURU PUJA
JULY 27: GURU PUJA

ALL PROGRAMS BEGIN AT 8:00 p.m. FOR HALL LOCATIONS, CALL SA6-6927

(After move, the new number for program announcements and Guru Maharaj Ji's satsang will be recorded on SA6-6927).

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SATSANG BY THE OCEAN … During the summer months, Bruce Hulse will hold satsang at Stone Harbor, New Jersey at 379 96th Street. It will be held every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

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ENCLOSED IN THIS NEWSLETTER, PLEASE FIND THE NEW SATSANG SCHEDULE WHICH WAS DUE TO YOU IN MID-JUNE.

Announcements

STAMP COLLECTION … The mail clerk in Denver is sort of able to see first-hand where premies are in the world and has begun a stamp album from hundreds of overseas correspondence. If you also have any overseas correspondence, save the stamps, give them to the local DUO Office and we'll add them to the album.

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SHANTI … is a beautiful one year old dog who needs a beautiful premie home to get closer to God. If you want to help Shanti out, call Sue at EV6-3790.

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WORK IS WORSHIP … Girl is needed to work one day a week in Roxborough. It would be washing and ironing clothes. Also, you could houseclean there 1 day a week, Call Joy at DUO.

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SEARCH FOR TOMMOROW … Michael Nouri would like it if premies could write his producer to promote the show. Write Bernie Sofronsky, Search For Tommorow, c/o CBS, 524 W. 57th St., N.Y, N.Y.

IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T HEARD … there is a bumper sticker contest in order to get new ideas for bumper stickers. If you have any ideas, send them to National or through the DUO Office. The first prize is a large picture of Guru Maharaj Ji and the first 5 bumper stickers.

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BRIGHTSIDE BUILDERS … When you're in need of home remodeling or repairs, remember the name … Brightside Builders. For the finest craftmanship at reasonable prices. Call Kevin McNicholl or Michael Fiedler at MA6-0134.

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A BAND IS FORMING in Atlanta and they need a bass player and drummer to play jazz-rock oriented music with guitar player and keyboards player (who plays piano, organ, guitar, flute, and harp synthesizer). They have a 4-track recording studio at their disposal by His grace. If you want to do devoted service, call, write, drop by or send tapes to: Joe & Burt Wolff, 1410 LaVista Rd., NE , Atlanta Ga. 30324.(404) 321-4872.

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Sparkling Love

Well … I don't know, but they say that I came the seventeenth of July to America. And, Since that time, it was really a strange story.

First I started from India. All the premies had been collecting the money, getting first class tickets, and all that, and then they sent me. But in India, the planes don't have a first class, so I didn't know what first class was. They just have one big airplane. When we got into the airplane, nobody bothered checkin', and I just sat in a seat in the economic section.

Then we were feeling really hungry; they brought out the dinner. It was non-vegetarian. So I said, "That's just what we needed." We were all hungry, and then this happens.

So finally we reached England, and they say, "Maharaj Ji, how was your flight?" I say, "How do you think it was? They say, "Must have been fantastic, huh?" And I said, "Forget it. I'm hungry."

You know, it was really beautiful though, because every premie was at full speed ahead, though it was only like a Volkswagen bug. Couldn't go much, but it was still full speed ahead. Still, it was so strange then. They said, "Well, Maharaj Ji, we sent you first class tickets," and I didn't know what first class was. Then when I started from England to America, the same old thing happened again -- still hungry.

When we reached to L.A., there we were. It was just really, you know, funny. We thought, "Oh, wow, it will be you know, everything would be just shooting out and everything. But it was just really, really funny. And, on the other hand, it was really beautiful; because everybody was really into trying to do prachar.

I mean, that rate that they were into, if all the premies got now into the same rate of doing prachar, you have no idea how many premies we would have.

It's like, there is this huge bank just waiting to flow' out. And if we keep it closed, it's gonna be closed, it's gonna be closed. I mean, it doesn't open itself; it's gonna be closed. But now, why are we, anyway, witholding it when it should be let out? And that's that love. It's just so beautiful with those premies (you can really see'em) who have opened that tank. Love is just gushed out. I mean, just gushed out. And it's sparkling all over the place.

By opening that tank of Love, it's all around you now. You have gotten rid of those negative vibrations, because the vibration of love is all the way around you. You just let it out, and it surrounds you. Whoever tries to enter that well … It's like a chimney. You blow black smoke in it, and anybody who tries to enter a chimney gets black, too. Or it's a magnet. A magnet has a field around it. And if any of the magnets try to come close to it, it goes "hooooh!", and then it's like, it's you!

So get into it, that love is flowing because it's beautiful.

-- Guru Maharaj Ji - Denver, CO 7/17/74
Third Anniversary of Guru Maharaj Ji in the U.S.A.

ON JULY 17, 1975, WILL BE GURU MAHARAJ JI'S FOURTH ANNIVERSARY SINCE HE'S COME TO THE WEST IN 1971. THANK YOU GURU MAHARAJ JI!!

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8 PRINCIPLES OF YOGA

SATSANG OF MAHATMA GURU CHARNANAND …

I. Yam - which has 5 disciplines

1. TRUTHFULLNESS: Always be truthful in speech. Whatever you feel, speak and whatever you speak, do it sincerely and from the heart.

2. NON-VIOLENCE: Never try to harm any living thing through your thought, words, or deeds.

3. NON-STEALING: Do not steal; be honest.

4. Celibacy:

A. Ashram residents: It's very important for the premies who live in the ashram to lead a celibate life, living with each other with the same feeling one would have living with his own brothers and sisters in his parent's house. In order to maintain this celibate life it is extremely important that ashram premies avoid deeply involved personal relationships with members of the opposite sex. In the beginning premies think these personal relationships are bringing them closer to Guru Maharaj Ji, but in the end they find it leads to personal attachment which eventually leads them astray from the ashram life.

B. Householder premies: It is also very important for householder premies to be disciplined in order to preserve the vital fluid for it becomes directed towards ones spiritual upliftment. The householder's life is meant to raise noble children. It is said that a mother should raise her children to be devotees of the Lord, or to be a charitable person or a hero. If she cannot do this, then it is better for her to remain barren than to bring up a burden for this world.

5. DEDICATION: A man should only keep what is necessary to lead a comfortable life. The rest of his possessions should be utilized for the service of the Lord to benefit all of mankind.

Practicing these 5 disciplines a man becomes loved by all people he encounters and he keeps his environment pure and holy.

II. Niyama - which also has 5 disciplines

1. CLEANLINESS: Physical and mental. Keep your body and clothing neat and clean. Take a bath every morning if it is possible, for our Lord has given us much water for this purpose. Mental purity comes from a life of meditation, satsang, and service.

2. CONTENTMENT: Be satisfied with the fruit of your own work and be contented with your present circumstances and situation. Always be active; this is very important.

3. AUSTERITIES: Always be ready to face difficulties on the path of Truth. Don't stop or linger until the goal is reached. Saint Kabir says love those who criticize you, for those who praise you hinder your progress.

4. STUDY: Study holy teachings of the great masters of humanity. Moreover, study yourself whether you are following the teaching of Guru Maharaj Ji or not. Realize your own faults, but never find fault in others. Love is for others, not for oneself. Justice is for oneself, not for others. Conquer laziness and the habit of judging others. A man who is lazy can never realize the absolute and become a great yogi. Laziness is a great enemy. Correct your small mistakes.

5. DEVOTION: Dedicate the fruit of all actions to the Lord. Perform actions for the service of the Lord with the spirit of devotion. Such actions bring liberation of the soul. We cannot help anyone; help always comes from the Lord. Through His grace, we have been given the opportunity to do service for our fellow human beings. Everything is done by the grace of our Lord - this is the key to realization. Devotees are never looking for any praise for themselves, but are always glorifying the Lord.

III. Asanas (postures) - Physical exercise is very necessary for good health which will enable us to keep active "Work is Worship". The best posture is the Holy Name which can be meditated upon no matter what you are doing. Keep active in propagation.

Pranayama - Balance of inhalation and exhalation. This comes by the practice of meditation on the Holy Name.

Pure Food - Physical and mental. Pure food nourishes a pure mind and in a pure mind there is constant rememberance of God. Therefore, always take pure food. Mental pure food means don't allow any bad impressions to enter into your mind through the five senses.

Determination - One pointedness. Don't stray until the destination is reached. March forward, for he who looks back will fail down. Premies let bad habits keep them down time and time again. A devotee must have a great longing to realize the Truth and become one with that Truth by Guru Maharaj Ji's grace. A person who is bold in his determination will undoubtedly succeed in his spiritual life.

Meditation - After receiving Knowledge by the grace of Guru Maharaj Ji, meditation is very important. Fix your mind by focusing your concentration again and again on the Holy Name. This is the most important step. For without meditation, even if one practices the other steps of yoga, he will not reach his destination or realize the purpose of his spiritual life. Only through meditation and the grace of the perfect master can one unite himself with the absolute. This is the reason for ashrams - to develop our spiritual character. Sow an act, reap a habit, sow a haobit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny.

Samadhi - This is the final step. In samadhi, subject and object become one. The individual soul gets perfect union with God, the Universal Soul. This is the constant demand in the heart of every human being, to identify himself with that supreme power which has its own independent existence. In order to fulfill this demand, one has to dedicate his life at the lotus feet of the perfect master of the present time.

He Really Loves Us

In Phoenix, a rumor began Friday that Maharaj Ji might be going to a program to be held by the. Los Angeles premies on Father's Day. Saturday afternoon, Mahatma Guru Charnanand called the residence to verify it. Guru Maharaj Ji said that He wasn't feeling well and probably wouldn't be going to a program.

Near the end of Mahatma Ji's satsang Saturday night, I heard exclamations from the ashram next door. The acting DUO Director came over to announce that he had just spoken with Bob Mishler who had told him that Guru Maharaj Ji was having a party the next day, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and that we were all invited!

Instantly practical plans were made to provide transportation for the community to go to Los Angeles and at 5:00 p.m., the next day, WPC were directing the cars of about 1200 West Coast premies to parking spaces in the neighborhood of the residence.

Joyfully, we began walking up the steep road for half an hour. Then we formed a single file line to walk down the driveway. Jiva could be heard playing across the ravine.

At the gate to the house, Guru Maharaj Ji announced through a microphone that there was live entertainment, Jiva by the pool, dancing on the tennis court, food and drinks in the garage, and that He hoped we all enjoyed ourselves at the party - because it was what we needed.

The residence is isolated on a hill overlooking the Pacific. It's a modern, white, Grecian house with beautiful grounds, horses, and a courtyard with a fountain. Guru Maharaj Ji, Himself, helped to strew the house with Christmas lights. The premies were on the tennis court, by the pool, and in the courtyard. Guru Maharaj Ji, in a black tuxedo, Durga Ji, Premlata, Raja Ji, and Claudia were around the house itself. Guru Maharaj Ji was the perfect host and asked if everyone was having a good time. He walked all around, chatting, saying to an elderly man at a patio table that He was just a servant.

After, we saw "The Power of Love" movie, Guru Maharaj Ji said that He hoped we'd all been meditating, that we should drive home safely (55 mph) and that He'd like to have more parties like this. He really really loves us.

A PROPHECY

Dear Premies,

We have all assembled here to listen to satsang. Now there are many people who come to satsang, but there are very few who can really, really take the privilege of sat-sang.

We have to understand what a beautiful thing satsang. is. But first of all, we have to understand whom it is coming from, the source of satsang, and then we have to be interested in Knowledge. Otherwise it's a lecture, otherwise it's a phoney talk; it doesn't mean anything.

But if we really have love in our hearts, and we really, really want to realize this Knowledge, then satsang means something to us. Not only something, as a matter of fact, it means a lot to us, because we have always needed a correction in our whole lifetime. We've always been flying off course. We do not know where we are going, we have no idea where we will end up. But when we come under the supervision of Guru Maharaj Ji and of this Knowledge, then everything is taken care of. Everything becomes really beautiful.

People talk about love and they think they are feeling love. But really it's only when this Knowledge is there that everything becomes beautiful. That's when the love comes in; otherwise there will be no love.

And to do that, you have to listen to satsang because that kind of brings us all together.

And this is actually the way to do it: We set up our stage, we have an auditorium, and all the premies come, but most important to all is the satsang part of it where everybody can really relate to each other, really find out and really understand that everyone has this most important Knowledge inside of him. It's inside of us, too, inside of everybody here. And that's when the love starts growing.

Because there is perfection, and once we have realized it, once we have reached the level of realizing that perfection, then our scope becomes really, really open.

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Actually I have really nothing to say, yet I have so much to say. Because, as we are now, we should get together -- all of us -- and then we can really shake down this world. We can. As a matter of fact, we only need four people -one on the North Pole, one on the South, one in the East, and one in the West - to shake it down.

And I'll tell you something: if you are able to shake it down good, all the evil in this world will completely fall apart.

Really premies, all that I am trying to tell you is: "Come along, Let's do something in this world." It's about time we started.

I am ready to get together with you. And so you should be ready to get together with me, and let's shake down this world, really shake down this world so that everybody can understand what we have understood, and how beautiful it is. And really, it's about time we did it.

So, there it is. And really we should get together. Because, you won't believe the way the, obstructions are gonna come in our path. Because if they don't - really, we should even count on them coming - if they really don't come, then I guess there won't be a way left for people to judge between good and bad. It seems like they always come and that distinguishes between the good and the bad.

They're gonna come. And it's gonna come from some people that you don't expect it from. I'll tell you that; it'll come from them. But it'll certainly come, and it's started to come. And it's coming. And it's gonna get very, very heavy.

You know, you might even take this as a prophecy. Take it - I don't care - because it's true. It's gonna get so heavy that it's gonna knock the air outta you. But then, if we are all together, we might end up knocking the air out of them.

And it can be really, really beautiful. And really, this obstruction which is coming up, man, it's heavy alright. It's gonna be really, really heavy.

So premies, do meditation, realize this Knowledge, and everything will be beautiful.

Blessings to you all.

--Guru Maharaj Ji Phipps Auditorium
Denver 5/2/74

All things of this planet have spirit and life including the rivers, rocks, earth, sky, plants, and animals. But it is only man who is a determiner. Our determining spirit can be made whole only through the learning of harmony with all our brothers and sisters. It seems there are times in each of our lives when we are out of balance with things and people around us. We are unable to cetalunicate with ourselves or with the world we live in. And yet each one of us knows of the powerful person, ufio lives within us who can solve any problem no matter what it is. That powerful person is our spirit. Curu Neharaj Ji has awakened that spirit which has been dormant in all of us for so long. Surely the greatest service to Him is to disseminate His message to one and all. This is not only of benefit to all of us, His disciples, who may fulfill our devotion to the master, but also it is of great value to humanity.

Guru Maharaj Ji has given His disciples the opportunity of doing selfless service to mankind for the glory of God in ashrams around the world. As of July 1st, the premies of the Philadelphia community have raised a total of $14,700.00 in a one month fundraising campaign to purchase a new ashram. Individual donations totalled $12,500.00 of that sun and the rest was collected by such special projects as postering, videos, smorgasborg dinner, and a meditation retreat. The cost of the house was $50,000.00 with a $10,000.00 downpayrent, $2000.00 for settlement, and about $2700.00 will go into fixing it up. Painting, landscaping, and carpentry are next on the agenda, all to be donated by premies. Three alters are to be built, some shoe racks, a diningroan table, and a splash of paint. And we are in business. The outside construction is masonry that is stone, with a wooden porch surrounding the entire house. All fire codes are covered due to the fire escape, and the zoning is commercial as opposed to residential. The house consists of approximately eleven bedrooms, livingroam, dining roan, industrial kitchen, baths, a suite for mahatma ji, a full basement to be used as a workshop and an attic which will be insulated and finished

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as a meditation room for the community. It will house minimum 13 residents and maximum 25. In back of the main house is the satsang hall. It is 33' x 34' and will acccomodate anywhere from 100-175 people. Wall to wall carpeting, curtains and an alter are to be donated by members of the community. On top of the hall are a series of offices which will house the DUO Organization in Philadelphia. By July 14th, the first Community satsang will be held at the new ashram.

The ashram is the center of expression of this primordial vibration which eternally creates and sustains the universe. Through it Guru Maharaj Ji's unvailing wisdom takes form in thought and word.

He who devotes his life to Him finds many blessings. He whose thought, word, and action faithfully and consistently transmits the power of the internal plane finds that God is behind him forming his actions and his words, protecting him and keeping his life within his hands. So we who die to the desires of the world find new life and are reborn into the life of the spirit. He who really loves God offers him his life;he counts on nothing as his own. For he resides in God, and God owns everything.

By establishing that one to one relationship with Guru Maharaj Ji, and making 100% effort to make that connection inside, we are the channels of that life power. Clear window panes through which the light of wisdom streams forth into the objective world. It is developed through purposeful concentration, relaxation of the body, stillness of the mind, and one-pointed attention to the real presence of the limitless power of the universe. By doing so. we will he filled with the understanding of His perfect law, and will be guided moment by moment along the path of liberation. From the exhaustless riches of this limitless energy, we can draw all things needful both spiritual and material. We must recognize the manifestation of the undeviating justice in all circumstances of our lives. By His Grace, in all things great and small, we shall see the beauty of divine expression, and in thought, word, and deed we will rest our lives from day to day upon the sure foundation of eternal being. The kingdom of spirit is surely enbodied in all our flesh!

EXCERPTS FROM SATSANG GIVEN BY OUR GURU MAHARAJ JI, JULY 19, 1966
AT THE TIME WHEN SHRI HANS JI LEFT HIS BODY AND TRANSMITTED HIS AUTHORITY TO SHRI SANT JI MAHARAJ.

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THIS IS THE TIME TO TAKE UP
THE FOUR THINGS I TOLD YOU ABOUT
SHOW THEM TO THE WORLD.
SHOW THEM, TELL THEM,
"SEE, THIS IS MY GURU MAHARAJ JI.
THIS IS HIS KNOWLEDGE,
THIS IS MY FAITH,
AND THIS IS MY DEDICATION."

Regional Satsang

Sunday: Larry &Joann Williams: RD 2 High Hill Rd., Swedesboro, N.J. 609 467-3617. 2:00 pm.

Monday: George &Barbara Leighten: 68 Kosoto Trail, Medford Lakes, N.J. 609 654-2573.

Tuesday: Frank &Bobbie Farino: 4 Clay St., Delran, N.J. 609 461-7548.

Wednesday: Kathleen &Winthrop Chamberlain: Kings Highway Towers Apts. D-706. Maple Shade, N.J. 234-1538

Thursday: Barry &Marsha Blitzstein: 219 Twin Lakes Dr. Mantua, N.J. 609 468-5635.

Friday: Kathleen &Winthrop Chamberlain: Kings Highway Towers Apts. D-706. Maple Shade, N.J. 234-1538

Monday: D.I.C. 855 N. Park Rd. Apt. H 102, Wyommissing, PA. 1-372-0626.

Tuesday: Albright College. Student Campus Center. Rm. 1. 7:30 pm.

Wednesday: Carmen &Debbie LaRosa: 3105 Perkiomen. Ave. (422 West). Reading. 779-8453. 7:30 pm.

Thursday: Group Meditation: D.I.C. 855 N. Park Rd. Apt. H 102, Wyommissing, PA 1-372-0626. 8-10pm.

Friday: Chuck &Linda Manzeila: 1035 N. 5th St. Reading, PA 376-3195.

Sunday: Pot-luck dinner: D.I.C.: 855 N. Park Rd. Apt. H 102. Wyommissing, PA 1-372-0626. 5 pm. Satsang after meal.

Monday: Holly &David McNulty: call 717 949-3835 for address and directions.

Wednesday: 608 W. Chestnut St.: no phone. Call 717 949-3835. for directions.

Thursday: Lebonon-Lancaster area. Call 717 949-3835 for directions.

Tuesday: 1502 N. Franklin St., Wilm., Del. 7:30.

Thursday: Judy Twaddell's: Appleton Rd., Newark, Del.-Elkton area, Map available at DUO Office upon request.

DIRECTORY

1. DUO Office:4724 Baltimore Avenue, Phila., PA 19143 SA6-1600. For Maharaj Ji's satsang and announcements call SAt-6927.

2. Ashram: 6037 Overbrook Avenue, Phila., PA 19131. GR7-2800. Tentatively, this address is correct beginning in July.

3. Premie House: 4506 Springfield Avenue, Phila., PA 19143 EV2-1983.

4. Premie House: 428 S. 42nd Street, Phila., PA 19104 EV6-3790.

5. Premie House: 2102 Brandywine Street, Phila., PA 19130 665-8490.

6. Premie House: 3121 Huntington Pike, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009 WI7-8815.

7. D.I.C.: Larry &Joann Williams, RD 2, High Hill Road Swedesboro, N.J. 08085. 609 467-3617.

8. D.I.C.: RD 4, Box 183, Carlisle, PA 17013. 717 243-2588.

9. D.I.C.: Gerry &Claire Tobias: 855 N. Park Road. Apt. H 102, Wyommissing, PA 19610. 215 372-0626.

10. Premie House: Box 369, RD 3, Nazareth, PA 18064. 215 253-0940.

COUNCIL MEMBERS

1. Alan Cohan: West Philadelphia: EV6-3790.

2. Julie Goldstein: Overbrook, Havertown, Bala Cynwyd: 879-8593.

3. Margo Semon: Germantown, Roxborough, Mt. Airy: V19-7245.

4. Sally Jacobson: Center City, North &South Philly: 665-8490.

5. Rich Pattison: N.E. Phila., Bryn Athyn: 885-3830.

"He who knows others is learned; He who knows himself is wise. He who knows himself is wise. He who conquers others has power of muscles; He who conquers himself is strong. He who is contented is rich. He who is determined has strength of will. He who does not lose his center endures, He who dies yet remains has long life." -Laotse-

Be Strong for Maharaji

We need each other, we need each other so badly - if it weren't that way there wouldn't be such a thing as all of us together in this family, and we really are a family. And I'm feeling so much more like a mother to you all the time. Not a physical, material mother, earthly mother, more just that I am connected to you, and I know that -- and I know that Maharaj Ji's mission is His baby, and you are my baby. And it's like I always want to protect you and if I see something happening that may throw some premies off it really worries me. You know, I just want everything to go well and I know that to go well is to stay strong and do exactly what Maharaj Ji has told us to do and He's already told us you know, we don't have to keep asking Maharaj Ji - "What do you want me to do?" You know, it's nice to have Maharaj Ji's personal decision on what to do but He can't possibly do that for 6 million people and He lets you know within what He wants you to do. And so we have to be strong not only for ourselves and each other, but be strong for Maharaj Ji - you know that's the inspiration we need -- just give your everything, give your heart, give your mind, give your life to Maharaj Ji and He'll give it back a million times fold more than that - you know that. It's like people say - Oh Durga Ji, it's so beautiful you are Maharaj Ji's wife, but it's like we all are - it doesn't matter if you are male or female - it's like Maharaj Ji has married all of us and He's brought us so close to Him and I know I could never tell you the love He has for us - never. I know sometimes when I really start feeling that love, it's so powerful that all you can do is weep, because it's just so incredibly beautiful. And if Maharaj Ji didn't put us back into a place we would just cry forever because it's just so beautiful. But He doesn't want us crying forever -- He wants us to go and spread His Knowledge to everyone else who needs it, which is everyone - whether they know it or not. And so premies really the message that I have is just do meditation and do service and have everything that you do be service to Guru Maharaj Ji and you know that's serving Him and if you are in meditation then there is no problem. If you are doing that then it's satsang, it's truth, then there's no problem. It's when we go away that we slip away, and I'm not saying that none of us will ever do anything to step off the path - maybe that will make us a little stronger. I'm' saying now is the time not to even play around - not to test things out; to just stay on it because it's just too precious a time right now.

- Durga Ji

Guru Maharaj Ji opens our inner eye - the eye to our soul, which is love, which is joy, happiness and fulfillment. It's something that some people say does not exist, because they have not experienced it. But when these people experience it, they know that this is what they've been looking for, this is what they've been hoping for all of their lives.-- Durga Ji - Guru Puja in Copenhagen.