Kanha Shantivanam 24th December 2023

Daaji woke up very early in the morning and got busy with his upcoming book. Later he went back to rest.

A very foggy morning dawned on Kanha. The meditation hall was filled with mist. Daaji reached the meditation hall by 8.55 am and sat in his office for a few minutes before he came to conduct the morning meditation from 9.01 am to 9.35 am. Around 2611 members were present including the 31 Korean practitioners and 85 volunteers from Gulbarga and Rajasthan. 

After the meditation, Raja Luis Alvarez from the Transcendental Meditation team was requested to come and give a talk. He paid his respects to Daaji as he came on stage. Raja Luis is the principal coordinator for the upcoming event of Transcendental Meditation being held at Kanha Shantivanam from the 29th of December to the 12th of January 2024.  He said that it is very lovely to be in Kanha in Daaji’s august presence for them all. Around 15000 practitioners of this meditation system are expected here for their event for which they have hired our premises. Raja Luis in his gentle manner congratulated the Heartfulness practitioners on having such a method, mission, and Master. He said, “You are all very lucky indeed.” He invited Heartfulness practitioners to join a joint research project which will be conducted on the two meditation techniques in the coming days. There the practitioners of Sahaj Marg could learn Transcendental Meditation for that purpose. He said that their work has been closely researched for several years now because science convinces the world that meditation can achieve world peace. 

Daaji stood up and walked to the podium to speak briefly. In response to Raja Luis’s talk, he said that it would be good if those who were to participate in this scientific experiment were people who are in residence in Kanha so that they could be present for the entire period of the experiment. He said it would be good that many of us can also learn the Transcendental meditation technique. Daaji’s unique ability to unite people from all horizons with a sweeping gesture of unusual openness left everyone in awe. 

While walking off the stage Daaji invited Raja Luis to accompany him for breakfast. Daaji went back to his backstage office to meet the team from Rajasthan who wanted to provide updates on the proposed land for the Ashram in Sikar and on the Har Dil Dhyan program in Rajasthan. Colonel Kunwar Singh met Daaji to present a photo frame of the picture which was taken with Daaji and the visiting army officers during the Bhandara in September. Daaji was happy to receive this photo, so well framed and ready.

Daaji watched gloomily as many people rushed outside towards his office. Seconds later the office too began to be suddenly filled with people. One lady told Daaji to bless them with a lot of work to which Daaji replied that work is always, so just do it with enthusiasm, not with a lazy approach while mimicking it a little. 

This loosened many tongues and they began asking questions for the sake of simply asking. Daaji seemed to get somewhat annoyed. 

It reminded me of a time when a few years ago, sister Namita Mehta had asked Daaji, “Why are you always so glum and composed? Is something the matter these days? Are you sad about something? Upset with us? Do tell us if we have in any manner upset you.”

Daaji gave a beautiful reply which often echoes in my heart. He said, “You see, I am not sad or upset. But if I began joking and laughing and speaking with you all in a light vein then you would no longer focus on the inner condition. Your focus will scatter rapidly. There is no need for small talk. Which is why I generally refrain from such interactions. There is much good to be found in silence, in solemn inner absorbency which can make us sensitive to the spiritual work going on when we are together. It helps in interiorization.”

This was a nice example that after Satsang, which was so profound, it took just a few words to scatter an entire group’s focus in a matter of minutes. We have indeed much practice to do to even know how to behave in his holy presence so that we can become tuned into those vibrations that create our spiritual destiny.

Then he left for home along with Raja Luis in his car. During the breakfast, they spoke about collaborating between TM and Heartfulness in Overseas countries like Brazil, and Belize, and Daaji’s upcoming trip to the US in May. Raja Luis offered all the help they could to join hands between the two organisations. After breakfast, he took leave of Daaji and Daaji went for a walk in the forest behind his home. During the walk Daaji looked at every plant with so much care and attention, removing extra fruits off a papaya tree, straightening a few sunflower stems with sticks next to them, and removing dry leaves from the ground with his stick. His attention to minute details which all others pass by but don't notice is a testimonial to the 360 degree awareness which he tells us about.

A young boy was waiting on the road and overcome by a sudden bout of shyness, as happens with many of us in Daaji’s sudden presence, he stammered to Daaji that he was leaving for the US to study. Daaji gently said, “Do you know anyone there?” He said, “No, Daaji”. So Daaji told brother Santosh Khanjee who was with him to share his phone number with the young boy. Then Daaji asked the boy, “Do you know how to cook?” The boy said ‘No”. So Daaji told his mother who was standing a few feet away, “Let him learn to cook in the few days which remain in India and let him make you taste all that he makes so that you can instruct him.” 

Then he walked on and again paused a few yards away. He sent Santosh bhai back to the boy to tell him to purchase the right warm thermal garments to match the winter weather in Ohio where the boy was going to be attending university. A little later the boy ran up again and asked Daaji for a photograph. Daaji posed with the young flushed and beaming boy for this once-in-a-lifetime moment for the boy. It was as though in all that was going on their hearts were being woven into a loving bond which would forge the boy’s abhyas for the trying years ahead for him in a foreign land. 

As he finished his walk he was met by Gulabrao ji, Harshal Jawale, and Anjali Bapat who were leaving for Pune. Daaji showed them the hydroponics near the car parking of his home while telling them about the green initiatives. While saying goodbye he simply took off the scarf he was wearing around his neck and placed it lovingly on the shoulders of Gulabrao ji who was bending to say pranams in front of him. This endearing gesture drew a collective gasp of surprise and joy from the others.

In the evening Daaji came to the Madhuvanam clubhouse to meet the Korean practitioners who have come to Kanha. The team presented a gift to Daaji. He then conducted the meditation from 7.06 pm to 7.32 pm and then he took leave from them. 

Later after dinner, Mr & Mrs Haresh J. Buxani along with Dr. Moon met Daaji. Daaji opened the gift box presented to him and saw a beautiful Korean royal dress. Daaji presented his recent book Spiritual Anatomy to Dr. Moon.