<1>These spiritual centers can be built for each
community.
<2>The purpose of their existence is to have a place of
gathering for the community, a training center, a place for the
offering of prasadam
(spiritual food), all types of spiritual activities,
Satsang,
service,
meditation,
education, etc.
<3>These spiritual centers can be built for each
community which consists of (12 x 12 x 12) which is "1,728" people
(or around 2,000 people). <4>However, these centers do not
belong to a special community or religion but to anyone who would
like to go to them.
<5>There should be a main floor for
meditation,
Satsangs, lectures,
community discussions, solving of community problems, etc.
<6>There should be kitchen facilities large
enough to prepare food for those in training at the center and also
for preparation of the spiritual food for
prasadam.
<7>There should be enough rooms and facilities
to provide a place for training in the center, and also enough room
for guests and travelers on their way from one city to another.
However these facilities should not necessarily be luxurious. The
minimum should suffice (according to time, place, and people).
<8>The training is mainly for sannyasins
(renunciates) and other seekers (these people should become
renunciates at least during the training) who have dedicated their
lives to pursue a restricted spiritual life and are there to become
spiritual leaders of the future of society and the communities.
<9>However, these centers will be used for
community discussions only when a public discussion is necessary.
There should be a separate place for discussions between leaders of
the community. And if there is a big and better place for community
discussions, that instead should be used. <10>The spiritual
centers should be used for spiritual purposes as much as possible.
<11>If a sannyasin (renunciate) decides to
become a family person, he should be free to do so. <12>Also
if a family person wishes to come to the center and learn, he should
be allowed to do so only if his family is secure (financially and
supportively) and he leaves the family for the time of being in the
center.
<13>The altar should be positioned in the
houses, community
Satsang buildings
(community building or center), and in any closed area which has
been set up especially for
meditation in such a
way that preferably people will be facing north when sitting for
meditation. This
means that The
Greatest Sign
will be directed toward the south, so people who sit in front of it
will be facing toward the northern top of the world.
<14>However, the altar in the
Temples will be
set up in the center of the
Temple on the top of a pillar. In the
Temple all will face toward this center in their prayers and
meditations.
<15>In the outdoors when the person does not
know what direction is north, or when sitting toward the north is
not possible, or for any reason (personal or impersonal), a person
can do his Reminder and
meditation
(attunement) in any direction which is most feasible.
<16>By accepting the practice of facing toward
the positive pole of the earth, not only will all humanity be facing
a very positive point on the earth, but also, because the north pole
is not a livable place, it will not be a point of dispute as any
place (like a city) on earth would be.
<17>As we know
God
is everywhere, so, in any direction we face, He will be there.
<18>However, the positive pole of the earth and the top of the
world have a positive effect on the spiritual and mental progress of
the meditator.
<19>In the
Temple, the
central point there represents the most concentrated spiritual
energy of the
Temple. <20>So
to face this point will intensify this quality, and also will be
beneficial to the meditator.
<21>When a person is doing The Reminder,
prayer or
meditation in an
open field, that person can choose the most pleasant direction or
the most convenient place which will help his ideation toward the
Supreme. <22>This will prevent people from being
superstitious that they have to face a certain direction.
However, if they prefer to face a certain direction, so be it.
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