Journey to Northern California, Day 14 morning: Closure of the Group Life, Some Reflections
Saturday morning after meditation, there was the final meeting of the big group. Sri Kumar presented all the organisers of the group life – 13 couples, mostly the second generation of the WTT, had carried out the work:
“Their parents have been associated with either Master EK or me during the last 40 years. They grew up in a spirit of service, got married, secured their job and also have children. The Indians believe in greatest importance of education and to settle in society. Then they think of marriage and it is all carried out by 35 years’ time – the first cycle of Saturn. They do not set the cart before the horse; they make sure that they are good enough to pull the cart and then set out to enjoy the life in a good manner. They grew well in the presence of Master EK and later of me. They are very well oriented to service. They have the good luck of not being selfish from childhood because they have the touch of the hierarchical teachings and the hierarchical teacher. Whenever we relate to this 2nd generation group, it is always full of the spirit of offering and service.”
Photo by a friend
Then the Master presented his entire family that had accompanied him on this journey.
As an expression of thanks, the group offered to the Master and his wife Kumari-garu as traditional gifts coconut and clothes. For the closure of the group life, Sri Kumar spoke the Group Invocation: “It is for the group protection, group sharing, group enlightenment and ensuring there is no malice between the members of the group.” A beautiful and profound group life thus came to a close.
Normally, with a superficial glance, you might think of such group livings as easy-going, but when writing these lines, some challenges and obstacles group members had encountered came to my mind:
A dear friend who had planned to come had to change plans and flew from the US to India because his father just had died at arrival in Kumbhakonam for May Call and my friend wanted to assist his mother. Another friend fell at Frankfort airport on a moving stairway, broke some bones and had to stop her journey. Another friend had to return home during May Call due to severe pain; some time before, she had broken a number of bones when during skiing she dashed into a tree instead of into her daughter. She nevertheless came but had to go to a hospital even during May Call. Many caught a cold or even fever during the group life or on the journey back. Another person, when helping with cooking for group members burnt her hands in boiling oil. Some friends could not come from India because the American embassy did not give them a visa. Many had to struggle to overcome financial or private difficulties before the journey. And many group members did great sacrifices to help making the May Call celebration successful.
Such group livings can ignite profound spiritual aspiration; they give strength and determination for continuing the Path.
One group member, a dear friend aged 85, wrote me that he will stay at Mount Shasta until mid-August – he is determined to climb to the top of the mount ( 4,322 m) and is training hard. He just wrote, “I was today at over 3000 m”. Strive to the top!
June 13th, 2019 at 4:50 pm
Thanks for sharing a valuable message.
June 13th, 2019 at 5:06 pm
Divine Living Group!
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti!
June 13th, 2019 at 5:08 pm
Thank you María for your feedback!
June 16th, 2019 at 5:15 pm
Wonderful ay of putting memories together.i could visualize all the notes .