The arrival of the Golden
Age has brought the world fresh vitality and a sense of renewal. This
fact was confirmed by a recent encounter I had with a sincere Chinese
Truth-seeker and aspiring fellow initiate.
The would-be initiate, who is
in her fifties, practiced many spiritual methods in her lifelong pursuit
of the Truth and the meaning of life. Being pure and trusting by nature,
she fully complied with each instruction she was given by her teachers
during her spiritual quest.
Some years ago, the sister was
sent to a labor camp for practicing a method that has a large and influential
following in China. Whenever our conversation touched on this sensitive
issue, the incredible joy she felt left me somewhat bewildered. Her
happiness stemmed from the fact that she viewed every experience as
a steppingstone on her spiritual path. She even felt grateful to the
government for giving her the opportunity to reflect during her incarceration.
While at the camp, she watched films about good people and good deeds
that were shown daily to the inmates, and realized that a spiritual
practitioner should not go to extremes in any area of life. Being alone
much of the time, she had the chance to quietly ponder the method she
had been practicing and began to doubt its value since it emphasized
exclusivity and forbade followers to pursue any other spiritual technique,
especially the Quan Yin Method. Then she suddenly became enlightened
and thought, "The Quan Yin Method must possess some divine power
and wisdom." Next, when she was released from the labor camp, she
began to seek information about the Method.
A severe blow such as being sent
to a labor camp might have shaken many people's faith and diminished
their longing for the Truth. However, in this sister's case it created
a renewal of her spiritual quest and a more open heart. Many practitioners
from her previous path pressured her and some even slandered her, but
she managed to hold her own and move on.
Then one day she obtained a copy
of Master's sample booklet, and felt as though a most valuable treasure
had come into her hands. Every word Master said generated an echo in
her heart, and her longing and determination guided her higher. She
earnestly studied all of Master's teachings that she could find and
admired Her broad, all-embracing viewpoint on various religions and
sects. This was the initial reason that the sister accepted Master,
and after reading Her books, she began to pine for Her so much that
she often wept.
Once a group of initiates and
I invited the sister to go hiking with us and she happily invited another
would-be initiate along. While we all meditated together in the mountains,
it suddenly began to rain and everyone got wet. But the two would-be
initiates still remained in samadhi. Reluctant to disturb them, the
rest of us waited quietly until they arose from their peaceful state,
and then both said that incredibly, they had had the same blissful experience
of seeing the inner sun and beautiful lights! The methods they had practiced
in the past yielded only physical benefits without such wonderful spiritual
fruits, and so these inner visions increased their desire to quickly
receive initiation.
The sister now has very good
experiences and her inner light has become increasingly bright. She
feels a lightning-like flash at her wisdom eye even when she is not
meditating. Once she prayed to Master to quickly give her initiation,
and she heard Master's voice reply very clearly, "You're in such
a hurry!" She is overjoyed about her sense of rebirth and about
meeting the most powerful Master and most compassionate Mother in the
world, and continues to look forward eagerly to initiation.
Anyone such as this sister who
has an open, longing heart will not easily let go of the chance to gain
enlightenment. When we are ready, the Master will appear and hold our
hands to lead us Home! 
