SOUL AND OVER-SOUL

Kirpal Singh arrived in Bonn, capital of the German Federal Republic, on June 30. Arriving at Bonn Airport he received an enthusiastic and loving welcome from a large group of disciples. A press conference was held, and news concerning the Master's mission in bringing the Science of the Soul to the West, and the purpose of the World Fellowship of Religions, was published in several of the major newspapers. On the following day Kirpal Singh held a meditation sitting, and many people received firsthand experience of the Light and Sound Principle.

During his stay in Bonn, Kirpal Singh called upon the Ambassadors of India and Jordan at their respective embassies and discussed the work of the World Fellowship of Religions. At the Australian Embassy at Bad Godesburg, the Honorable J. A. Forsythe listened with intense interest as Kirpal Singh and Baron von Blomberg outlined the many-sided purpose of the World Fellowship of Religions. He said that all assistance would be extended by the Australian authorities if and when the Master visited Australia. Two press conferences were held in Bonn, and later, on July 3, a representative of the Greek Government called on Kirpal Singh to discuss the W.F.R. and the Master's forthcoming visit to Greece. Before the Master departed for Nurenburg, a reception was given in his honor by Herr Kruger, President of the West German Parliament, and the Master spoke upon the plans outlined for the forthcoming Conference of the W.F.R.

Kirpal Singh gave three public talks in Bonn and presented a unified exposition of the Science of the Soul. He said that to progress on the spiritual path the aspirant must free himself from the five enemies: lust, anger, greed, attachment and vanity. The remedies to the five enemies are chastity and continence, forgiveness and tolerance, contentment, discrimination and non-attachment, and humility. If the aspirant truly seeks God and the spiritual life and makes an endeavor to free himself from the five enemies, he can receive initiation from a competent Master who will guide the liberated soul through the higher planes to the True Home of our Father. Even at the initial initiation sitting a degree of spiritual vision and hearing is experienced which is revelatory in its far-reaching implications.

At the initiation sitting the aspirant sees the light within, and this light grows to the radiance of several suns put together. Normally, the closed eyes are covered by a veil of darkness, but during the initiation the aspirant experiences a supernal brightness, which is the light of the soul within. The aspirant now realizes that the tradition of a lighted candle in churches and temples is to remind man of the divine light of God within. He then experiences the supernal Sound-current within, the Sound which was known to Christ as the "Word" or Holy Spirit, and to the Masters as "Naam" or "Shabd." Eventually, the initiate meets the Master within and talks to him face to lace, and, under his grace and protection, has the Master always with him—even though their physical personalities may be separated by thousands of miles. The Master-Power is ever protecting the disciple and, with evident proofs before him, he is confident of his own progress, his Master, and his eventual realization of God,

Kirpal Singh spent from July 4 until July 9 in the country residence of Herr and Frau Flor at Ueber, about twenty miles from the city of Nurenburg. At the railway station in Nurenburg the platform was thronged with more of the Master's devotees. Kirpal Singh and his party were escorted to a line of cars outside the station, and then the long motorcade set off for Ueber. Meditation sittings were given every morning at the Flors' residence, and three public talks on the Science of the Soul were given in Nurenburg with several hundred people attending each talk. The talks were greeted with great enthusiasm, and many people made immediate enquiries about obtaining initiation into this spiritual science. After the first talk, a group of Indian students came to the back of the stage and asked for permission to make a copy of the tape-recording of the talk.

As always, permission was granted, for the Master's teachings are for all mankind, and his discourses may be reproduced for the benefit of all true seekers. No fee is charged or accepted for any facet of the Master's teachings whatsoever. The Indian students explained that they attended a club where the members discussed all the world religions. In spite of the presence of representative speakers from the various faiths, questions were asked at the club, and almost always received a disappointing answer if any deep problem of spirituality or religion was touched upon. "I am a serious student of religion," one student declared, "but not until now have I ever come across anyone who could give such convincing answers to either simple or difficult questions in the clear and direct way of His Holiness."

Many others in the audience remarked on the spiritually-impelling quality of this quiet-spoken, God-realized man. One woman described a strong, vibrant voice, which welled up within her as she listened to Kirpal Singh's words, and told her that she was face to face with a Godman. Several more people were initiated into the Science of the Soul at a later sitting. On the morning of July 9, Kirpal Singh and his party left Nurenburg for Munich. Many cars were lined up, ready to form a motorcade for the journey. One car had a trailer behind it which was packed with tents and pots and pans. Several devotees could not afford hotel bills, but they were not to be put off, and gleefully solved the problem by bringing everything necessary for camping out.

Kirpal Singh was visited each day in Nurenburg by many newspapermen, journalists and representatives of leading magazines—Mr. Eric Koczian and Baroness Anne Sybil von Blomberg amongst them—and spoke at great length on his task of bringing the Science of the Soul to the whole world. He spoke of the formation of the World Fellowship of Religions, referring to it as a major move for peace and goodwill in the world. At a dignified reception, Kirpal Singh was welcomed by the Roman Catholic Cardinal of Munich. He was also received by His Excellency the Protestant Bishop and by the President of the Bavarian Government.

A reception was held for Kirpal Singh at the residence of Judge and Frau Wuschek, where the guests were able to learn more of his world mission in quiet and comfortable surroundings. Frau Wuschek was delighted to receive some beautiful Indian fruit from the hands of the Master. Some disciples in India had had this fruit flown out specially for the Master's own use, but characteristically, he distributed this fruit as parshad—blessed food—to the guests and disciples around him.

Christian leaders of various denominations, and professors and students from different universities discussed spirituality and the reconciliation of the world faiths with Kirpal Singh. One student asked the Master about the Path of Discipleship and the requirements for treading this Path. Kirpal Singh informed him that the basic conditions for would-be initiates are a willingness to cultivate a flawless morality, truthfulness, non-injury to others, love for all and selfless service. These are the five cardinal virtues. The disciple is expected to be purely vegetarian in his diet, to abstain from alcoholic drinks and narcotics, to earn an honest living and to practice right conduct in all his affairs and transactions. Kirpal Singh left Germany for Innsbruck, Austria, on July 14.

High up on the side of one of the mountains which surround the city of Innsbruck is a small hotel called the Pension Auf dem Hernstein. At this place, amid great scenic beauty, where the air is like wine and the music of the cowbells sounds across the valleys, Kirpal Singh was to stay during his Innsbruck visit. The Master journeyed daily down the pleasant, winding lane into Innsbruck, in order to participate in the busy program which had been prepared. A long conference was held with the Roman Catholic Bishop and his assistants. After some conversation, the Bishop began to question Kirpal Singh about various aspects of spirituality and religious worship.

The Bishop was extremely interested in the answers which he received to his questions until Kirpal Singh mentioned the word "Over-soul."

"If the soul is of the same essence of God," stated the Bishop, "and God is All, how can there be an Over-soul which is other than the soul? This, I am afraid, is un-scriptural. You are teaching something which is not in accordance with the Christian religion." The room was very quiet and still, and the attention of every person present was fixed upon the Bishop and the Sat Guru. "It is true," replied Kirpal Singh softly, "that the soul is the same as God. But the soul has separated itself from the original source, just as a running stream which is pure and cool gets separated from the main flow and some of the water filters through sand and mud, and so forth. The stream is still the same pure drinking water, but the muddy pools are no longer part of the stream. Although the water is still basically the same, no one would even care to wash their hands in these dirty pools. However, if the mud is removed and the water returned to its original source, it again becomes pure and clear and once more part of the stream to quench many a thirst."

Kirpal Singh paused and then looked at the Christian dignitary with great love. "So it is that the soul," he continued, "being the same essence of God—or Over-soul— when separated through the dirt of mind and matter becomes different to the Over-soul or God. When it is cleansed and purified by the living Waters of the Word of God, that very soul becomes One with the Over-soul!" The prelate, a man of wide culture and religious devotion, was pleased with this explanation and thanked Kirpal Singh for being so explicit. After this discussion a press conference was given at the Grauer Bar Hotel in Innsbruck for the Austrian press representatives.

A tea was given for the Diplomatic Corps, and Kirpal Singh conferred with several official observers, representing most of the leading European nations, on the important world-mission of the World Fellowship of Religions. Mr. Gordon Pirie of Great Britain, Mr. M. Stefanini of Italy, Dr. R. van Assendelft der Coningh, Mrs. Weyerberg of the Austria-America Society, Dr. Gundolf Machrichten, Herr Graber Volkbolter and Mme. Schwarze-Haller were amongst many distinguished guests. A film with a recorded message given by Kirpal Singh was made later for screening in European cinemas. Alfred Benesch, film director and owner of the Benesch Film Company, discussed the making of a ninety-minute documentary, to be filmed with the assistance of Sant Kirpal Singh in Delhi, India. The film would relate the many-faceted work of Sawan Ashram, the World Fellowship of Religions and its great President. A radio interview with Kirpal Singh was broadcast on the All Austrian Radio Network. A special conference was held with the various religious leaders, and the preparations for the forthcoming World Conference of the World Fellowship of Religions were discussed.

Her Imperial Highness the Grand Duchess Sofie of the Hapsburgs attended a public discourse given by Kirpal Singh in the Deutsches Museum in Innsbruck. The discourse was also attended by His Excellency Monsignor Huber and other Innsburck theological and social leaders. A number of Roman Catholic priests also attended the talk. It is always well to remember the dictum which the ancient Greeks placed over the door of the Temple: "Man, know Thyself!" And this was the theme of Kirpal Singh's discourse. He spoke on the essential requirement of controlling, restraining and transmuting the lower desires. The Masters in the past were ever aware of the misery caused through man's thraldom to his out-going faculties, those faculties which led him unto further enslavement to mind and matter. Christ went about "his Father's business," which was essentially spiritual, but he was always concerned with the sorrows and suffering of humanity. In Christ's compassion can be recognized an awareness of the panacea to human ills and conflicts: the Divine Word or Audible Life Stream. This is the cohesive God-force of the whole cosmic scheme. It is the supernal energy of universal Love, the supreme Symphony of the heavenly spheres, which is—and ever shall be—the mainspring of all creation.

For the first time in Austrian history a Master from the East was invited to address the student priests at the Jesuit College at Innsbruck. These young men came from all parts of the world—the Philippines, Spain, Germany, France, Britain, Africa and the American continent—and were eager to hear the inspired words of Kirpal Singh. The visit to this college ended with a private conference between the Rector and the Sat Guru. The Rector invited Kirpal Singh to visit the Jesuit Headquarters in Poona, India, and the Master thanked him and said he would be very happy to do so. Kirpal Singh was also received by the Cultural Representative of the Italian Government, and the visit to Austria ended with a Conference given by the Governor of the Tyrol and the Mayor of Innsbruck. The difficulties between Austria and Italy, concerning the problem of South Tyrol, were discussed from a spiritual standpoint. The two distinguished politicians considered the advice given by Kirpal Singh with deep attention and thought. The Governor was highly impressed with the Master's practical spiritual attitude to solving world problems.

Although Kirpal Singh's visit to Austria meant a crowded and busy schedule, the many German devotees who followed the party from Germany were not forgotten. Meditation sittings were held every day, and, whenever possible, the Master would sit with his disciples on the hotel lawn. Relaxing in an easy-chair, beneath the fruit-laden cherry trees, he would discourse easily and informally on many aspects of spirituality. Sometimes he would joke with his devotees, and spontaneous laughter would ring through the mountain air. Often he would listen to these faithful ones as they sat upon the grass and sang the religious songs of their own country. Kirpal Singh— like all the great Master-Saints—expressed that perfect love to his disciples, that love which is manifested through the unfoldment of the spiritual consciousness latent in all human beings. This love is for all mankind, and it has found its planetary enactment in the life and work of Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj.

The aircraft which carried Kirpal Singh and his party to Athens, capital of Greece, sped away from Innsbruck's beautiful mountains on July 22, 1963.