Life Cycle ManagementNewcomers

Providing a pleasant human experience in associating with us

Uconnect@srcm.org

Introduction

• Group Introductions on three consecutive days

• Cultural context and sensitivity• Introduce with considered conversation• Explain the practice properly • Sustain, Nurture the group• Individual sittings in a group

Priorities – First 6-12 months

• Group Satsanghs – over Individual Sittings

• Informality – over Discipline

• Yoga Master or Guide– over The Master

• Timed Release of instruction– Instead of overwhelming with information

• Gradual involvement – Handholding– Transfer management

Transfer Management

• Participants transfer from the group in which they started to mainstream Satsangh over a long enough period of time

• If the participants move to another center, find a uconnect representative in the incoming center to handhold the transference

• Connect the abhyasi with that person via conference or video call

• Keep in touch after handover for a few weeks to ensure proper integration in the new center

Hospitality• Have tea, coffee, snack or meals in a restaurant

– With a few abhyasis of similar background• Invite them to Centers / ashrams or homes after sufficient

familiarity– Have a small group to interact– Talk about personal reasons for meditation

• Our love and devotion to Master and the Mission is personal – Hence not talked about– Don’t take the name of thy lord in vain!

• Introduction to simple mission books and videos– Make sure it is something you have read or watched– Must be carefully selected

• Don’t bore them with too much spirituality– Show your human side

Relationship

• Caring and Nurturing

• Being involved without being attached

• Being Empathetic without interfering

• Each sitting must be given in the best possible condition of the prefect

• Prefects to pray for a profound experience in sittings

• The last two are very important in retaining the abhyasis long term

Do’s

• Lead by example than by preaching– Let them adopt more and more on their own

• Expose them to your “normal” life– Let them know we are all in the same boat

• Let them get multiple perspectives– Slowly increase their social circle in Sahaj Marg

• Share your ups and downs in Sahaj Marg– Sahaj Marg is “flexible” and “natural” not “rigid”

Don’t…

• …insist, only suggest about various things– Wed Satsanghs, Volunteer work, Reading books,…

• …push them to attend every Satsangh– Don’t remind them of a missed Satsangh/Sitting

• …counsel them on their personal problems– Listen but refrain from giving advise.

• …talk about Master unless they want to or time is right– Let them build their own relationship with Master

Schedule of Support

• Build a group around those that participated in the LTM workshops

• Repeat the program and funnel the abhyasis into this group

• Introduction to Social circle• When the time is right take a trip the ashram• When the time is right merge them with the

larger group!