By brother initiate Valentin Ivanov, Bulgaria
(Originally in English)

Dear Supreme Master Ching Hai,

Last year I read a book that described You and the Quan Yin Method. This awakened my interest in learning the Method personally. This year, 1999, I was in Sofia and met some of Your disciples on the street who gave me materials announcing Your lecture. I looked at Your photograph and something incredible happened to me. I looked into Your eyes and at that moment, through the contact with our eyes, time and space became one. I knew You and knew that You knew me. We have been together in the past. I felt that You were waiting for me. I felt a strong desire to see You and embrace You as my friend. Immediately, I decided to attend Your lecture.

Before the lecture, I took my place in the upper section of the lecture hall on the right side of Your platform. When You appeared and sat down, I felt a great deal of satisfaction that I was seeing You and enjoyed so much Your divine presence and emanations. I felt the waves of the ocean of love flowing toward me.

After a while, I saw a large pillar of energy descend upon me, a cylinder made of some kind of rotating energy about 15 inches in diameter. It flowed over me with its awesome power and then directed itself toward You. I found myself very interested in seeing how You would react. There is no way to adequately describe the phenomenon; its beauty was incredible. I felt I wasn't here but somewhere else, in a most beautiful place.

When this energy pillar touched You, You immediately turned Yourself in the direction from which it came and closed Your eyes, with slight movements to the left and right. You fixed Yourself in the right direction, and then opened Your eyes and our glances met. I felt great joy. This happened twice in the same way I just described. I understood that everything has a meaningful place. I left the hall to receive initiation. There, our glances met again and from Your smile the waves of the ocean of love and compassion washed over me.

I'll be pleased to see You again, to sit down looking eye-to-eye with You and to relay the waves flowing from the ocean of love and compassion.