On
May 8, as Supreme Master Ching Hai's Ocean of Love Lecture Tour
drew to a successful close in Seoul, South Korea, thousands of
fellow practitioners from more than thirty countries arrived at
Youngdong Center in Kwangju to attend a six-day retreat and celebrate
Master's birthday.
The
Youngdong Center is situated in a lush valley in a spiritually
uplifting environment surrounded by green mountains, where many
happily chirping birds make their home. The retreat was held in
the beautifully named "Sound Valley," as fine weather
prevailed despite occasional drizzles. The fresh air and cool
weather were refreshing and comfortable, and the Center was made
even more pleasing to the eye with lawns and flower patches carefully
planted along the roadsides and among the trees. In the evening,
lotus-shaped streetlights dotted the tranquil, emerald-green valley
like glittering gems.
This
was the second international retreat to be held at the Youngdong
Center, which had taken on a new look. The Center's roads were
paved and its steep, mountainous slopes had been transformed into
tiers of leveled land, where fellow initiates could pitch their
tents. In addition, the slope on which the meditation hall was
built had been leveled to form tiers of flat, even ground, so
that fellow initiates could meditate in greater comfort. Styrofoam
boards were prepared for initiates as protective shields against
the humid soil beneath their tents. In order to protect the environment
against pollution, the Center provided fellow practitioners with
soap and shampoo made from natural ingredients.
Throughout
the retreat, Master graced the meditation hall during almost every
meditation session, and Her ocean-like love flowed deeply into
the initiates' souls. Glowing with blissful contentment, the faces
of the fellow practitioners grew brighter with each passing day.
Blessed by the divine love of a living, Enlightened Master and
the power derived from sincere group meditation, fellow initiates
meditated especially well at this retreat, and Master was very
happy with their practice. "This time I didn't answer many
of your questions because I wanted to let you find the answers
from within," Master said. She emphasized repeatedly that
we should have faith in our own greatness, and rely more on our
inner power. When we have a problem, we should meditate to seek
the answer from within.
First
Day of the Retreat
On
May 9, the chiming of the Quan Yin bell at 1:00 PM marked the
beginning of the Youngdong six-day retreat. The ethereal sound
of the bell reverberated through the valley and forests, greeting
and welcoming the blessings of a living, Enlightened Master and
the Saints from all realms. Not long after the first meditation
session had begun, Master entered the meditation hall dressed
in a white outfit, with Her normally long, black hair magically
transformed into a stylishly short coiffure with gold highlights.
Her wisdom eye, marked with a red dot, reminded us to concentrate
on our own wisdom eye at all times. She meditated with us for
a while. Later, at the end of the afternoon session, Master spoke
softly to the initiates to arouse them from meditation, and said
that She would see them later.
In
the evening, Master came to meditate with us again, wearing a
loose Korean casual outfit. Then She answered questions from Western
initiates. Responding to a question from a practitioner about
whether the karma between her and her husband remained after she
was initiated, Master asked other initiates to answer. After listening
to the opinions of several practitioners, Master pointed out that
this is a basic teaching with which everyone should be familiar.
There are two kinds of karma. One is "store karma" that
is accumulated lifetime after lifetime and makes us reincarnate,
but it is erased by the Master when we are initiated. The other
is the fixed karma for this lifetime; the Master leaves it with
us after initiation in so that we can continue with this life.
Master emphasized that fixed karma can be lubricated, made smoother
or lighter, or minimized, although it cannot be completely erased,
because the karma of this life is the reason we continue to live.
Encouraging us, She said that after enlightenment we don't care
very much about karma and that we don't feel so bad. Also, the
Master can erase it in different ways, for example, in dreams,
or make it smaller, make it more bearable. Also, when we are enlightened,
everything seems smaller, or less significant.
In
answering another question, Master gave an excellent talk in which
She reminded us to listen to our wisdom instead of the brain.
"We are all God; it's just the mind that troubles us. The
brain is what causes trouble for us, makes us do this, do that,
do all the things that we don't want to do, drink coffee or smoke
when we want to quit, or do any other thing. It is only the brain.
The brain sometimes cannot get the full message from the soul,
because it's like a filter. Sometimes the filter is not very effective,
and all the orders from the soul become 'distorted,' and so we
do things wrong. We do things not in the right way. That's why
we are frustrated with each other, because we cannot be like one.
Without the body, without the mind, we understand each other perfectly;
we don't need to speak at all.
All
of the problems in this world come from the body, the mind, and
the brain. Your intuition knows what to do, but your brain interferes
because of the habits, the experience you learned from the past
-- like 'Okay, if I do that, I'll have trouble.' But this time
is different; it just looks similar, but it's not. And your mind
thinks, 'No, last time I did that and I had trouble; this time
I'd better not to do it again,' -- things like that. So, a lot
of interference from the brain makes us very frustrated. Now,
after we are more intelligent, we should listen more to our wisdom
than the brain, and we will have less problems."
Master
went on to say that She travels a lot and has to live in many
different places, but everywhere She goes, She has to adjust to
a new system. To make things worse, fellow initiates often arrange
very special or unusual things for Her. As a result, She has to
find time in Her extremely busy schedule to adjust to new challenges.
For instance, when She arrived at the Youngdong Center the evening
before, all She wanted was to take a bath and then have a rest.
But the bathroom was full of all kinds of buttons, and looked
like a " Star Wars" ship, from which one could control
the whole universe. In addition, all the instructions and labels
were in Korean; Master theorized that perhaps they thought She
knew everything and needed no translation. Since it was very late
and She was already in the bathroom, She decided not to seek help
from anyone, and eventually spent thirty minutes trying every
switch and button as spray and foam flew all over the place. Saying
that She is not used to such complicated equipment, Master suggested
that it is better to make things as simple as possible for Her.
Sweet
Bliss at the Retreat
It
rained on the morning of the second day, and the thirsty grass
and trees at the Center joyfully drank the nectar from the sky,
just as our initiates drink the nectar from heaven. The air suddenly
became more refreshing and moist as clouds encircled the mountaintops,
adding a poetic look to the scenery. In the afternoon, Master
came to the meditation hall wearing a blue jacket, and Her hair
was dyed completely blonde. Looking refreshed, She answered the
questions of Asian disciples from Malaysia, Hong Kong, Korea,
Japan, and other countries.
In
the evening, Master continued to answer questions from fellow
initiates, one of which concerned genetic engineering (genetically
modified vegetables) related to the implantation of animal DNA
into plants. She then invited initiates who had some understanding
of this subject to share their views from the standpoints of spirituality,
influences on the environment, various species, soil and nutrition,
organic crop cultivation, food issues, and famine. Following this
exchange, Master cautioned us not to eat food modified with animal
DNA. She called on governments around the world to demand that
manufacturers clearly label products containing animal DNA, so
that consumers can decide whether or not they want to purchase
them. Master reiterated that the resources on this planet are
sufficient for all humans, and the problem is the misuse of resources
rather than the scarcity of food. A Japanese sister commented
that she loved Master's new hairstyle, and that She smelled a
very good fragrance during the lecture in Tokyo as well as during
the Korean retreat. An Aulacese sister initiate then said that
she smelled a sandalwood fragrance each time she went into the
house at the Austin Center where Master had stayed three or four
years previously. She said that she also had smelled the same
fragrance during the Thailand retreat and could even smell it
when she was under a blanket. A brother initiate added that he
had a blanket that Master had used and that it still carried a
nice fragrance after five years.
Master
and Disciples Share the Same Ideals
On
the morning of May 11, Master came to see us wearing a white casual
outfit, and cordially received the disciples from Mainland China,
who had longed very much to see Her. Many of them were seeing
Her for the first time, and the emotions and reverence they felt
were beyond words.
Saying
that She could understand their feelings, Master comforted them
by pointing out that God had sent them to their present home because
Hes knew that they were the toughest and the most capable of practicing
diligently in difficult situations. Such spiritual practitioners
are good saints and successfully undergo the tests of courage.
The fellow practitioners in China are pioneers because they have
to open up the road, face painful situations, undergo rigorous
hardships, and find a way to overcome them. This is what pioneers
do. As long as they practice diligently, they will feel free and
easy, regardless of their living conditions. Master assured them
that they could practice well whether they came to the retreat
or not because Her power is omnipresent.
Observing
that we were sitting on a dirt floor, She worried that we might
catch colds during the morning and evening meditation sessions,
so She instructed the working members to buy aluminum foil pads
and place them on the floor of the meditation hall. The staff
acted immediately. By that afternoon, we were already meditating
on warm, clean polyurethane and aluminum foil pads. Everyone was
deeply touched by Master's thoughtfulness.
That
afternoon, Master came to the meditation hall wearing a pink traditional
Korean "hanbok" dress, and continued to receive the
Mainland Chinese initiates. She began by saying, "We have
been cheated life after life, which has deprived us of our confidence.
However, we are all God, otherwise what could we be? We truly
are God; we just think that the mind is 'I.' Don't listen to it.
Concentrate on your spiritual cultivation and be a benevolent
person. If things come too easily, we cannot become aware of our
strong faith."
When
Master led everyone in meditation, the fellow initiates from Mainland
China sitting by Her side had very good experiences. Some perceived
a great light that was brilliant and hot. Several of them could
not resist stealthily opening their eyes to see if it was the
sunlight outside, and found that it was not the outside light,
but the inner Light. After the meditation, Master praised the
initiates from China for their steady meditation. As She prepared
to leave, two Chinese brother initiates presented Her with a pristine
white "hada" (a piece of silk for respected persons
that is used as a traditional Tibetan greeting gift) to show their
highest reverence for Her.
In
the evening, Master again came to meditate with us, this time
clad in a traditional gold Korean long skirt. After the meditation,
She reminded the Chinese initiates and the other disciples present:
"Do not fear that you cannot practice well; fear is bad.
'Fear' is our enemy, so do not fear. You are splendid; you are
great. Don't look down upon yourself. You should admit and recognize
your own greatness. You have rejected yourself life after life
until it has become a habit. There is no one else; we are God
and no one else. We are all one. Since you say that I am a Buddha
(Enlightened Master), then you, too, are Buddhas."
Master
further explained that, although there are innumerable people
in the world, very few can understand Her words, much less observe
a vegetarian diet and the Precepts, pursue spiritual practice,
and travel such a great distance to be with Her. "You are
really great," She said. "You have transcended that
level, so you can practice in happy serenity while you are here.
If you were not cheerful at heart and your wisdom was undeveloped,
you could not understand what I say. I would be talking to rocks."
Master noted that the fellow practitioners were practicing very
well, very diligently, and their inner atmosphere was very comfortable;
they were very good both within and without.
Later,
She asked the contact persons from centers around the world to
join Her on the stage. Since She shares the Truth at a tremendous
pace, centers are sprouting and growing up throughout the world,
so the stage was packed with contact persons. Master asked them
to report their names, their countries, and the centers they represented,
to briefly report on their activities and development, and to
bring up any matters or suggestions that they wanted to discuss
with Her.
When
talking about the development of new centers, Master said that
the quickest way to become enlightened is to help someone else
get enlightened, because we get what we give; that's what it is.
Later
Master commented, "The title 'Supreme Master' gives me a
lot of trouble. But still we have to stick to it, because we stick
to the Truth. I am here not to please people or make people believe
me or not believe me; I'm here just for the Truth, and I'll stick
with it. It's very simple. My way -- only one road."
Then,
a sister mentioned that her imprisoned son felt that Master was
with him twenty-four hours a day when he was in prison. He sincerely
repented for his misdeeds and also advised other prisoners to
refrain from committing offenses. The sister was so touched by
Master's love for her son that tears poured from her eyes as she
related the story.
Next,
an experience from Latin America was disclosed. Some time ago,
the house of a contact person in Costa Rica was destroyed by a
fire. She received a call from her neighbor, who said, "Your
house is no more!" When she rushed home, the neighborhood
children hummed some lines to comfort her, and she saw that her
friendly neighbors had cleared the debris so that she would not
be too upset by the devastated site. The disaster subsequently
brought her loving concern and help from her neighbors, fellow
practitioners, and Master, Who allowed her to stay in Her house
at the local Center. Master jokingly commented that, since she
had nowhere to live, she had no choice but to live in Her house!
The sister then told Master that she used to learn how to give,
but after the disaster, she is learning how to receive with humility.
Everything in her house was reduced to ashes. Only Master's photo
and her passport that was behind it were saved, which was why
the sister was able to attend the retreat. Master pointed out
that she knew her real "house" is up there (in heaven),
not here in this world, and praised the sister's great faith.
(Master promised to build her a new house if she still wants it.)
Master
also asked the translators to come to the stage to sit by Her
side, while She thanked them for being so focused in doing the
translation work: "I'm very impressed by your talent; you
have to really be professional, concentrated, and dedicated. That's
a very good job you are doing. I'm very proud of you; you are
so talented."
Day
Four of the Retreat: Master's Birthday
The
fourth day of the Youngdong Retreat, May 12, was Master's birthday,
and fellow initiates continued to meditate diligently.
When
She came to the afternoon session, wearing a white traditional
Korean Hanbok dress, the initiates sang "Happy Birthday"
to Her. As the conversation turned to sites suitable for international
retreats, Master commented that civilized and prosperous countries
should issue landing visas, making it convenient for foreign visitors
to enter. Master then related a story about a Jewish spiritual
practitioner who had enjoyed constant contact with God, but at
some point in his life, Hes stopped coming to his house. The practitioner
begged God to return and asked what he could do to have Hirm come
back again. So, God appeared to him for the last time and said,
"You don't let anyone else into your house, so I thought
you didn't want anyone, including Me. That's why I don't come
in anymore." "Similarly, any country that is developed
enough should understand that all humankind are God-incarnate,"
said Master, "and let them in easily."
She
then went on to say that recently She has been debating with Herself
about what to do -- whether or not She should teach us anything.
She is aware that we have all we need and are exactly where we
should be now. We have everything inside us, so it's difficult
for Her to bring Herself to act like a teacher. Although we make
Her believe sometimes that we need a teacher, we are very great
inside, we know everything, and we don't need anything. We are
perfect, happy, and strong enough to withstand any obstacles,
so why do we keep looking outside for solutions? She said that
She goes through inner conflicts, wondering whether to be a Buddha
or not to be a Buddha with us. We should hang onto our all-knowing,
all-sufficient, all-perfect, all-wise, and all-contented Self.
She doesn't know why we sometimes choose to forget that we are
great and self-sufficient, but commented that it's also fun to
play dumb and forget for a while, the way She is playing a "dumb
blond" for a change. (As mentioned above, Master had had
Her hair dyed blond earlier during the retreat.)
In
the evening, wearing a white Korean outfit, Master joined us in
the meditation hall. She encouraged us to be our better "Self".
She said, "Sometimes, if you follow everything to the extreme,
there is no fun; you have to know freedom of expression, the freedom
to grow, the freedom to be yourself. I want you to be yourself,
a better Self, only, and not a copy of me. I do things that look
good on me, but when you do it, it doesn't look good on you, because
you are different. I cannot copy you, and I still look good; you
cannot copy me, and you still look good."
"You
have to be yourself, completely free of all kinds of prejudices
and preconceived ideas, all kinds of traditions, and anything
that is no good for you. Just because I tell you to do something
at a certain time, doesn't mean you have to do it everywhere else.
You have to always think, 'In this situation, what should I do
or what would Master do?' It's different. We learn the Method
and have the same wisdom, but we use it in different ways. It
is just like electricity -- it's always the same, but you use
it in different ways. God makes different personalities for different
reasons. You are fine; you should just refine yourself, but do
not change yourself to copy exactly like everyone else."
In
answering a question about teaching the Quan Yin Method, Master
reminded us of the qualifications of a Master. She said, "You
have to be a Master before you can teach. It's not the outside;
it's the inside. You have to have the ability to teach people
from inside, on different levels, not just to transmit the instructions.
The Quan Yin messengers can transmit the oral instructions only,
and they can also answer a few basic questions. But, in order
to teach people the inner teachings, you have to be a Master of
the fifth level, at least."
"Even
if I don't speak at all, if you are in my presence, you will get
something inside. That is the teaching of the Master. It's not
the talking; it's not how I look, even. And even further still,
it's not the physical presence alone. The Master has to be omnipresent,
but She has to also be physically present on this planet. These
are the qualifications of a teacher. Unless we reach these qualifications,
we had better just practice ourselves; that should be enough already
-- five or six generations liberated, and the world will be blessed
with your presence, also, to some degree."
"Some
people can also reach the fifth level, but cannot be teachers.
They are at the Master level, but they can't teach. People don't
listen, or they don't follow. For example, even if you reach the
fifth level and you are a Master inside, somehow, you also have
to have an outside quality. Something need to be there so that
people will feel at ease with you, will feel attracted to you,
and will listen to you. You can convince them instantly that they
know what you are talking about. Like you walk into a room full
of strangers, and give them initiation an hour later, and then
they follow your teachings forever. This is not something that
is easily done, I think. You have to have the commission from
God, or mandate from heaven, or whatever. It must be done so."
Next,
a brother initiate shared a story with us. A week before the retreat,
he had found a growth becoming increasingly larger in his nose,
and began to wonder whether or not he should come to the retreat.
Finally, he decided to come and do what he had to. But the object
in his nose had mysteriously disappeared during his flight to
Korea. Master commented: "Sometimes we have to be determined
to do what is good for us, and put God first and everything else
second."
In
answering a question about sickness, Master instructed us not
to complain about our physical problems and pointed out that illnesses
come mostly from the mind. She cautioned us not to pity ourselves
and concentrate on our illnesses too much, but rather be grateful
for what we have. Master then cited an example: That morning,
She could not come to see us because She had become ill from eating
improperly cleaned salad. She had continued to feel sick in the
afternoon and no medicine She had could alleviate Her symptoms.
However, She had come to see us anyway and did what She had to
do. While in the meditation hall, She had suddenly felt better
temporarily, but as soon as She left us and returned to Her living
quarters, She again became ill. Then She remembered a home remedy
for diarrhea: Heat soy sauce concentrate with black or white pepper
until it thickens, and then eat it with burned toast. Master said
that after consuming this mixture, Her sickness went away.
In
this case, Master had not pitied Herself, but did what She had
to do while also taking steps to treat Her sickness. She pointed
out that we were blessed to have gotten flight reservations to
Korea so that we could attend the retreat, and so we should not
pity ourselves. We should not cling to our illnesses; instead,
we should concentrate on the positive. We should not forget the
blessings we have. What we think is what we become. We should
take control of everything. With this mentality, we will get well
easily.
Day
Five
The
fifth day of the retreat was cloudy and rainy. In the afternoon,
Master came to see us wearing a dark blue casual outfit of Her
own design. She walked around the hall, blessing initiates who
were meditating, and also gave instructions to individual initiates
to help them improve their meditation.
In
the evening, Master arrived wearing a green outfit with a white
collar and white pants. In response to a question from the Korean
disciples, She said, "Koreans are very strong. I do not need
to talk to them much. They understand here and here." (Pointing
to the wisdom eye and heart.)
Day
Six
On
May 14, the last day of the retreat, it was the Formosan Initiates'
turn to sit in the front of the meditation hall and on the stage
during both the morning and afternoon sessions. After sitting
in the back for many days, they were very excited, and cherished
this rare opportunity. Master meditated with us during the early
morning session, and again later in the morning. Afterwards, She
commented happily, "Korea is getting better. The North and
South have spoken to each other for the first time. This is good
for you. I am happy for your country. It is an improvement."
Master then continued, "I did not answer too many questions
at this retreat, because I wanted to let you get the answers inside.
The Korean people are very strong inside, and outside, too, because
of ginseng (the 'national herb' of Korea)." [Laugher]
Master
then praised the initiates for being very good during all the
years that She has been teaching, adding that we need to study
well because we have to teach others. She also noted that the
Formosan disciples (who were sitting near Her) had made much progress,
and that those She has known for a long time always look young
and energetic. Master next had a casual chat with everyone. It
was like a happy family reunion! Both Master and disciples treasured
this short but meaningful gathering.
Heaven
and Earth Celebrate An Enlightened Master's Birthday
On
the afternoon of May 14, everyone anxiously anticipated the celebration
of Mother's Day and belatedly, Master's birthday. Filled with
bliss, fellow practitioners put on their best clothes. Little
fellow initiates, their parents, distinguished guests, and guests
from the neighboring area, all dressed in elegant traditional
attire, happily joined in the festive celebrations. As all varieties
of traditional costumes suddenly dazzled our eyes, the trees and
plants at the Center looked unusually green. Charming little birds
chirped joyfully on the branches, as beautiful butterflies danced
gracefully before our guests.
The
weather was sunny and warm, matching the cheerful mood of the
participants, most of whom had just enjoyed an uplifting and enjoyable
retreat in the beautiful, lush, wooded mountains of the Youngdong
Center. Before the performance, the audience members received
a generous share of lovingly prepared snacks, which they happily
savored while enjoying the program. Greeted by traditional Korean
music and a divine welcoming ceremony, Master was ushered into
the hall, dressed in gorgeous pink Korean Hanbok attire with a
red, silk robe embroidered with gold flowers. A tape of traditional
Korean music played in the background, but was soon replaced by
the lively drumming of a traditional Korean professional group,
which had been hired to open the performance. At the entrance
to the stage area, Master was greeted by a large group of initiates
dressed in colorful traditional costumes. She then held Her palms
together and slowly and affectionately gazed at the guests in
the front rows, blessing each one with a loving look.
As
Master found Her seat, the percussionists continued to enthusiastically
play their drums for several minutes, dancing happily onstage
in white, black and red costumes and pointed hats with long white
ribbons, which they swirled around their heads as they played.
The
first two special programs were performed by a professional Korean
dance troupe that won warm applause for their brilliant traditional
dancing. These acts were followed by a series of fascinating programs
presented by fellow practitioners from around the world. For example,
Korean initiates presented "Arirang," (a traditional
Korean folk music form), featuring many exotic styles of dancing,
singing, and guitar playing. Some depicted firmness and vigor,
while others were lively and fun. Collectively, they expressed
the spirit of struggle for one's ideals. In addition, fellow practitioners
from China presented a variety of programs, including original
compositions and revised songs devoted to spiritual cultivation
and the celebration of Master's birthday, and a dance by a group
of Mongolian dancers performed with sincerity and inspiration.
When
several Chinese martial arts performers demonstrated a dynamic
style and amazing dexterity as they executed their moves, the
crowd showed its appreciation with loud applause and expressions
of awe.
Then,
fellow practitioners from Formosa performed dances and songs dedicated
to spiritual practice, and our new generation of Quan Yin practitioners
from the United States expressed spiritual joy in following Master
through singing, and impressed everyone with a lively and dynamic
aerobic dance; these young saints, who are growing ever stronger,
are the light and hope of the world. A Swiss sister next touched
everyone with her enchanting voice as she sang a beautiful spiritual
song with original lyrics.
After
this performance, several creative musical dramas caused the amused
audience to frequently burst into loud laughter. After the program
ended, Master praised the performers for their tremendous improvement,
and was then invited onto the stage, where She gave a brief talk
and cut the birthday cake that had been prepared for the occasion,
while everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to Her. She especially
thanked the honored guests who had graced the Center that day,
and invited the audience to enjoy the birthday cake.
When
Master left the hall, a Korean brother wearing a traditional Korean
costume led the way in a slow, solemn march, as four Korean disciples
carried Her on a sedan chair around the hall. The magnificent
appearance of our Master was very dignified and divinely radiant.
As She mercifully looked at those lining Her path on both sides,
the bliss they felt in their hearts was reflected by the smiles
on their glowing faces.
A
Fulfilling Ending
That
evening, Master received some fellow initiates from China who
had attended the retreat only during the last two days. She informed
them, "When you encounter any problem in spiritual practice,
remember that it is the mind that is cheating you, and it is temporary.
Life is ephemeral, not to mention its problems. Even if the problems
are not temporary, they will be gone when we die."
Some
Chinese fellow initiates reported that others had wanted very
much to come to see Master at the retreat, but could not make
it. "Perhaps it is because their time is not yet ripe,"
Master said, adding, "No matter how your spiritual cultivation
is, I will not forsake you." Some initiates also shared experiences
about how they had bravely overcome personal difficulties. Some
said they simply "would not die" even under "surely
fatal" situations; and one initiate recounted the miraculous
experience of how the manifestation form of Master had taken care
of her dead son.
It
was already midnight, but, disregarding Her exhaustion, Master
next met with the retreat's work teams to extend Her special love
and blessings to the many initiates who had not been able to see
Her due to their work. She thanked the working members for their
loving sacrifice and efforts in serving the multitude with such
care.
Again
wearing traditional Korean clothes, Master was very impressed
by their loose fitting and comfortable design. She said that the
ancient Korean people must have been very wise to have created
such clothing; it is no wonder that the Korean ladies today look
so free and healthy. She also felt very happy about the dialogue
between North and South Korea and the mitigation of their mutual
tension.
The
Korean disciples invited Master to spend more time in Korea, and
had good news for Her -- the Korean government had officially
approved the registration of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International
Association as a corporate religious body. Once the registration
is complete, the Center will be able to legally develop and launch
construction projects. The Korean government will also give foreign
members of our group a privileged status similar to that of local
citizens. Master was very impressed by the open and cooperative
attitude of the Korean government. She observed that the people
of Seoul had been able to maintain a clean environment despite
the city's dense population, which indicates that they are very
advanced, civilized, and well educated. She also reminded fellow
practitioners to do their best to preserve the trees when developing
the Center.
Before
leaving, Master not only gave each work team member a special
piece of blessed food, but also blessed the snacks brought by
an elderly initiate from China, and instructed that they be reserved
exclusively for Formosan disciples, saying that this was a sign
of peaceful exchange between Mainland China and Formosa.
Then,
under the invisible blessing of almighty love from Master and
the Saints of all realms, the six-day retreat in Korea drew to
a successful close. Because Master would be staying on for several
more days, some initiates postponed their departures in order
to spend more time with Her, while others left for home filled
with immense blessings and loving power.