The beginning of 2003 was a time of great change for the planet. As war broke out in the Middle East, the world was going through a spiritual purification on a much grander scale due to the grace of a great spiritual Master. This purification began with the 2002 Christmas retreat, during which 2000 initiates meditated in silence for five days, and Master explained that She was “cleaning up our group.” At the end of the retreat, She disclosed that one initiate had reached a very high level of enlightenment.

Even while Master was attending to disciples during the retreat, She began the laborious task of overseeing the repair and relocation of several buildings at the Florida Center. Master supervised everything down to the types of screws and nails we used. The work continued until late at night on some of the coldest nights of the year. This was the time when Master was supposed to be resting, to cleanse the karma collected during the retreat. For a period of weeks, construction also took place in the room adjoining Her bedroom so Master was never able to rest properly. She would often meditate in the morning amid the noise of hammers, drills and circular saws. It was like a construction site where workers passed through Her bedroom, and could even see Her clothes stacked neatly in the corner. She never complained about the situation but walked around calmly, as if nothing were happening.

Then on February 20, 2003 Master announced that four days earlier She had achieved another great level of realization in Her spiritual practice, explaining that there were levels of enlightenment that could not be described in worldly language. At 2:00 AM on February 24, Master called the Hsihu Center with the wonderful news that many of our Quan Yin Family members, including some resident disciples, had achieved the non-regressing state of consciousness. During the phone call, Master kept leafing through a pile of papers, explaining that over the last few weeks She had been keeping count and that the information would come at any time. Thus She had to write it down wherever She could. After finishing Her call to the Hsihu Center, Master was in a state of great excitement and continued to drink tea with us until 5:00 AM. Then She suggested we immediately go to the meditation hall without sleeping although none of us had slept since the previous night.

After we had meditated, Master called us again and told us that this was a good day, and we should go to a certain place at 2:00 PM. and meditate until 9:00 PM. This was unusual, and we would never have expected what happened next. She called us after about four hours and said we had meditated enough. Upon returning to our rooms, we noticed that something was different. One of the senior monks came out and asked what was going on — someone seemed to have taken a shower in his bathroom. We then realized that what had actually occurred was that Master had come and cleaned all of our bathrooms!

Three days later a mysterious notice appeared in the kitchen, stating that it was not necessary for the day’s cooking team to prepare the meal. When we came for lunch we found that someone had prepared a pot of the most delicious noodles, large enough to last until the next day. For the next three days, Master came secretly each morning and prepared the meals for the entire resident group. Master thus completely turned the tables on the residents. In two hours, She would prepare more than enough food for the whole group, without making a big fuss or using many utensils, and they were the most satisfying meals we had ever eaten! She prepared just one dish per day — one day it was noodles, another day curry with bread — containing both protein and vegetables, blended together harmoniously. It was such a joy to eat in this simple way that we decided to follow Her example with our regular cooking teams in the future.

Master also encouraged us to live a balanced life, checking each person’s daily schedule, making sure that we all balanced our indoor work with doing outdoor labor and cleaning the environment. She jokingly said that otherwise our muscles would sag to the floor and we might step on them! Master was even concerned about what kinds of soaps, shampoos and similar items that we used, telling us which brands to buy — generally the milder and more natural varieties. Another excellent suggestion Master gave us was to put little signs that said ‘Remember God’ at various places around the Center. It is amazing what a positive effect these two simple words have!

Another new instruction was to use the title “saint” instead of our first names, or perhaps our “Tong” names; however no one was given extra respect. Beginning with the first saints, as each new saint was elevated we would refer to him as saint so-and-so. This created a very elevated atmosphere at the Center, similar to when we look at each other’s wisdom eyes. This also encouraged those who had not yet been elevated to practice harder.

Master once asked one of the saints how she had progressed so quickly. The resident replied that she had been very happy for a long time. Master explained that when we are happy and relaxed, it is easier for Her to pull us up. Perhaps this is why She let us celebrate so much at that time, often inviting us for tea and telling jokes. One time She laughed for a whole hour at a single joke, which She told and retold in many versions. (Please see the “Newspaper Ad” below.) Master also watched films with us although She sent those who needed to meditate off to do so; as She knew immediately who needed to practice more. When one brother had to take a retreat, Master personally sent a resident disciple to bring him blessed food every day.

Master was especially generous to the first saints, even lending them Her car when they went out, and supervising the renovation of four small houses for their personal use. The climax came when Master sent members of the resident group shopping for two days to buy whatever they liked, such as clothes, books and movies. One resident did not want to go out in order to finish some work, but Master told her later that sentient beings have been suffering for thousands of years so we should not think our work is so important that we cannot celebrate. When we returned from shopping, we found that Master had prepared sandwiches and fruit salad for us and placed them in a beautiful concentric arrangement.

A few days later, Master came to dinner and gave a final gift to everyone who had helped construct the house for Her birds. She rewarded us with red envelopes containing cash! Master truly takes nothing from this world. After She handed us the presents, She apologized and said that She had to leave to take care of some business. While we were out enjoying ourselves, Master had been on retreat. She stayed in a remote part of the Center the whole time, and was so quiet that we were unaware that She was still in the area. She did not ask us to bring Her food or anything else, doing everything Herself. Sometimes, however, residents would see Her late at night going out to check on the animals.

On April 24, we received news that millions and then billions of sentient beings had reached sainthood since the last retreat. This was a great surprise to us — while Master was training the residents personally, She was also blessing the whole world. This period was a great test for the Florida residents. We were thus very joyful when Master called at 5:00 AM on May 15 to inform us that everyone who had stayed at the Center through this period had reached a high plane of consciousness — except one — a ‘bad boy’ who had gone even higher and was the first resident to reach the Fifth Level! Although no one had told Her, we were just finishing a two-day retreat, Master could tell. As we huddled around the cell phone outside the meditation hall, we could all hear Master’s cheerful voice like a songbird heralding the new day!

We will all forever cherish this amazing time, a great turning point in the evolution of the planet. Whether or not we have been blessed with Her physical presence, Master has elevated us all. Thank You, Master! Thank You, God!...Next page