The Master's plane left Toronto on 1 Oct. 26, 1972, arriving at Chicago at 4:30 p.m. Many hundreds of devotees were anxiously waiting to receive their Beloved. Many of them followed Him to the Belmont Hotel where His accommodations were booked for the seven-day stay.
    While the Master was in Chicago, many of the various meetings were held in the hotel. Others were held at Palmer House, the University of Illinois, the Theosophical Society, and the Unitarian Church, where Master was the guest speaker at the Sunday morning service on Oct. 29.
    In a talk given on Oct. 27, on "How to See God," Master explained that, since the question of whether there is a God or not is baffling to most people, God sends someone who can testify that they have seen:

The first step to take is to still your mind. If there are ripples on a lake, you cannot see your reflection. Until the waters of the mind are stilled, you cannot see the form where God is manifest within. . . .

It is not outer cleanliness, it is inner cleanliness that will let you see God. When we do something wrong and are questioned about it, we tremble like anything. Anything done in darkness, in seclusion—these are bad actions; this is the criterion. Unless we weed out our bad actions we cannot see God.

Do you know what love is? It is a very delicate subject. Love is something that drags the heart. Masters come to give love to the world because God is manifest there. Wherever they go, they radiate love; they always advise that love is within you. . . . It is high time to love God. What have you been doing ever since you got the power of sight? Don't look to anyone except God, or if you look to anyone else, see the God in them. . . . The game of love is God's game. If you win, you can have Him. If you are defeated, He has you. . . . As fish are in water, they cannot suffer separation even for a moment or they will die. The need for water is innate in the fish. God is the water and the need for this contact is innate in our soul. . . . If you are in love with someone, you want to go to an inn somewhere private. You don't want to go to a hotel where there are a lot of people. So mind your own business and love God privately. . . .

Keep the commandments literally, but mind defies everything. We find excuses not to do our meditation. There are impediments on the way. If we come to know what they are we can avoid them. . . . We should stand on our own legs. . . . Watch what you eat. . . . Forgive and forget. If you remember someone has done something wrong, then you have not forgotten. . . . Chastity of thought, word and deed. If you hear ill of others, then you begin to doubt them. Chastity of tongue. Chastity of all the outgoing faculties. If you find something wrong, you may tell the person privately, but don't broadcast it. . . . As you think so you become. Do one thing at a time. If you are working, thank God for your work. . . . SAINTS WANT  REFORMERS----NOT  OF  OTHERS—
BUT OF OURSELVES! ... Be true to your own self. . . . Smile and the world will smile with you. Torment others and you will be tormented. . . . Think twice before you speak: (1) Is it NECESSARY? if not, then keep quiet. MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS! (2) Is it kind? . . . Forget the past, forget the future; the past has gone; live in the living present. . . . Live up to what has been said and you will have success.

    A large number of devotees were waiting at the Cincinnati airport when the Master arrived, and many accompanied Him to the Vernon Manor Hotel, where He was to stay.
During His stay here, the Master spoke at Edgecliff College, the Unity Temple, the University of Cincinnati, and at the hotel itself. One darshan session at the hotel, at 4 p.m. on Nov. 2, has already been published separately; (See "Questions & Answers in Cincinnati," SAT SANDESH, December 1972, p. 10) on the following day at 4 p.m., He was asked, "Is there any way you can tell if an action is a new action or is a completion of a past action?" He replied, "Rise up to the causal plane and you will find out, not before."
    Someone asked, "Is the wife's duty to always submit to the will of her husband?" Master said, "You see, it is companionship. Marriage is no bossism! Husbands have duties and wives have duties. Husbands should earn the livelihood and wives should look after the household. Women are not mere tools!"
    To another question, on whether anything could be accidental or if everything is a result of past karma, Master said, "There is nothing accidental."
    Someone asked Him if there was anything He could tell them to prepare for His physical leaving; He replied, "When you feel separation, put in full attention and you will meet Him inside."
    At the close of the session, He summed up briefly: "If you want to improve, mind your own business and put in six hours daily in meditation. In the old days, disciples were asked to keep silent for two years until the door was opened. Time factor is a necessity in everything. ... I think this is a very good thing. All initiates should keep silent for two years and then their door will be opened. . . . Keep the body as long as you can. Lead a chaste life and develop forgiveness. Lust and anger will shorten your life. . . . You will reach home with the Master, not the mind. You see through colored spectacles. Those who consider that they have become something have been led away by the mind."
    On the morning of Nov. 4, the Master gave Naam to 65 loving souls at the Unity Temple. Later that day, at another session, the Master was asked if it was all right for initiates to study astrology. He replied, "You can study anything you want. The stars only control those who are under the starry sky. Those who have risen above the stars (or are under the protection of a Master who has risen above the stars) aren't affected." Another man said that his company gives its employees hams for Thanksgiving, and asked if it was all right to give it to the hungry. Master said, "Don't accept it. If you give it to others, it is a sin, too."
    At His last talk in Cincinnati, that night at the hotel at 8, Master spoke very beautifully on what is required:

There is one man who is learned and one who is unlearned. The Saint tells them that if they go up the staircase they will see Light. The unlearned man goes right up, while the learned one says, "How many steps?" One hundred steps. "All right." He goes ten more steps and says, "What proof is there?" So the Master goes on reading scriptures and telling stories. He goes ten or fifteen more steps. "What if I slip?" But the unlearned man has gone up! You see how simplicity is a benefit? How much outward knowledge is necessary? Why don't you just follow? We are taken away by letting our mind meddle with it. I'm telling you practical things that can be seen by each one of you. In your attention lies the power of God. He wants nothing from you. Please look, look, look. Do you think it is difficult? No? Then why don't you do it? Try it. Ramakrishna said, "If you sit with no other thought besides God for three days and three nights, you will see God." This is no exaggeration. Can you do it? Try it!

    Many dear ones were waiting at the Denver airport to greet Him on His first visit there. The weather was cold, and there was snow on the ground; the snowcapped peaks of the Rocky Mountains could be seen from the city, and were a very beautiful sight.
    The Master and His party stayed at the William XVI Apartment Hotel, and darshan and meditation sittings were given at the Heart of Denver Motor Hotel. In addition, evening talks were given before huge crowds at Temple Buell College and the Regency Inn, in both speaking to jam-packed halls of more than a thousand people.
    At one of the darshan sessions, Master was asked, "If you are an initiate and your husband is not, and there is a conflict about your attending Satsang, should you go?" He said, "In the East, the woman gets her husband's consent; the West is different. God united you both; the happiness of the home should not be disturbed. Perhaps he thinks that this is not what Christianity teaches; but if he studies the teachings he will see that they are the same. Tell him lovingly and invite him to come with you."
    Someone else said that there was no record of Guru Nanak's having had a Guru, and wondered if it was possible to become self-realized without one. Master replied, "Some are sent; some are made here. If you look at the life of Guru Nanak, you will see that he was teaching from the age of five, and that he visited every religious leader of his time, including Kabir. How does it help you? You cannot go up by reading scriptures only; everyone needs further guidance."
    The Master's evenings in Denver saw hundreds of people sitting in His hotel room for darshan. These gatherings were very sweet; this was His first visit to Denver, and many people had been waiting to see Him for many years. The joy and peace that His presence brought them was evident on their faces.
At another darshan, Master was asked if it was better to listen to the Sound Current alone, or with other initiates; He replied that, "It is good to sit alone or with other initiates, but never in public." He was also asked if it was all right to use ear plugs while doing bhajan. He said that eventually the plugs would affect your ears, and that thumbs were more natural.
On Tuesday morning, Nov. 7, the Master initiated 57 persons into the Science of the Beyond at the Heart of Denver Hotel. The last public meeting in Denver was held that evening at 7:30. The following morning, Master and His party left Denver for Vancouver, British Columbia.
 

    Hundreds of people were waiting for the Master at the Vancouver airport, and, after a long wait, were overjoyed when He finally arrived at 12:40 p.m. More than thirty initiates had traveled on the same plane, and most of them accompanied Him to the Centennial Motor Hotel, where He stayed for the four days in Vancouver.
    Morning meditations and afternoon darshans, and two evening talks, were held at the Unity Centre; the meditation sittings here were especially powerful, and on one occasion, when everyone in the room had had unusually high experiences, the Master asked how many were new. About half the people stood up!
    The evening talk on Nov. 8 was held at Kitsilano High School in the main auditorium and was attended by more than 1200 people; 300 more were turned away by school authorities, on the ground that the hall was already full. This saddened the Master, that people were turned away; and His talk at the same building three nights later was given in the gymnasium, where there was ample room.
    The dear ones came up to Master's hotel room after the talks each night in Vancouver, hoping to get a glimpse of Him; and He usually came out to see them, sitting in a big room down the hall where they could all fit. Among others, seven followers of the Eckankar movement came to see Him, and after many questions, requested Initiation, which Master graciously granted them at the appointed time. Others who came included a man who had written several books on Zen, who enjoyed very much a brief interchange with the Master; a Professor of Religion at a university in the State of Washington; and many people, high and low, with their problems and their love.
    On Nov. 10 at 1 p.m. the Master graciously visited a site for a proposed Ashram in the town of Surrey, 25 miles from Vancouver. About 200 people accompanied Him to the site. He looked the land over carefully, then said to the dear ones, "This land is being offered to you for the purpose of the teachings and meditation. You will have to maintain it. How many are from here and are willing to help?" Many hands went up. He told them that they should think of it as their own home, and that "Water and trees are a great blessing."
    Mr. Khanna said that anyplace that Master put His feet was blessed; but Master said, "All is holy where devotion kneels." Then the Master asked us to sit in sweet remembrance of God, and meditation was held for about half an hour.
During the meditation, a train came by on a railroad track that runs right adjacent to the site; afterward, Mr. Khanna mentioned what was in many people's minds: that Master's ashram in Delhi also had a railroad track running along next to it. Master then personally handed parshad to each person present before leaving.
    On the following morning, Nov. 11, the Master initiated 221 persons at the Unity Centre—the largest number by far on the tour. That afternoon, at the request of some Indian families, the Master held Satsang in Punjabi at the Unity Centre. The final talk was held that night at Kitsilano High School, and the following morning Master left for San Francisco.
 

    The Master arrived at San Francisco airport about 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 12, and was again greeted by hundreds of devotees. He went imediately to the home of Stuart and Shilla Judd, the local group leaders, located in the nearby town of Berkeley. Group meditation sittings and darshan were held in the First Unitarian Church, Berkeley, and the evening public talks were held at the First Unitarian Church in downtown San Francisco. A free kitchen was in operation at a nearby campground, where many of the devotees stayed. In the evenings, after the talks, some of the devotees sat at His Feet at the house, and enjoyed His beautiful darshan.
    At one of the darshans in Berkeley, a little boy told the Master that wherever he goes, outside or inside, even in the bathroom, he sees the Master watching him. The Master told him that He loved him very much, and explained to the others present that children's minds are clear.
    The evening talks at the church in San Francisco were attended by huge crowds: the church, which was very large, was filled to capacity, and people were forced to sit in the aisles and on the stage, and stand in the back. The talks that Master gave here, were as always very beautiful, stressing the importance of love and of first-hand personal spiritual experience.
On Nov. 15 at 9 a.m. Master initiated 103 persons at the San Francisco Unitarian Church. Later that day He visited the home of Walter Baptiste, with whom He had stayed during His previous tours. That evening He left Berkeley by car for San Jose, His next stop.
 

    The drive from Berkeley to San Jose took about two hours; Master arrived at the home of Dr. John Lovelace, His local Representative, at 7 p.m. on Nov. 15. He was followed down by about 200 people in cars.
    Darshan was held right at the house where Master stayed and although it was very crowded, it was very sweet. During the whole stay in Northern California, it had been pouring rain; and that first night at Dr. Lovelace's house, Master said, "Rain! It is God's grace pouring down from Heaven." Then, surveying the jam-packed room, He said, "These halls won't suffice for us. We should sit under the canopy of Heaven. We must apply to the Lord of Rain." A little later, someone asked if Westerners would be allowed to serve at Manav Kendra. He said, "All countries will grow together. It is we who have made the East and West. These impressions have been imbedded in our subconscious. Two kings can't stay in the same country but hundreds of lovers of God can squeeze into the same room."
    Someone asked when the Iron Curtain would be lifted so that spirituality could reach the people there, and Master said, "If they have a strong yearning, God will make the arrangements. In 1958, many Russians were initiated in Germany."
    A dear one asked about coming to India, and Master said, "Do you see any 'No Admittance' signs in the air? Come for meditation's sake only. You must put in six hours daily in meditation."
    During His stay in San Jose, the Master gave a series of exceptionally well-attended talks at the nearby Santa Clara University. He also answered many questions in informal sessions, and conducted meditation sittings there. The four days here culminated on the morning of Nov. 19, when 87 persons were given Naam at the University campus. Later that day the Master left by plane for Los Angeles.
 

    The Master arrived at the Los Angeles airport at 8 p.m. on Nov. 19, and was driven to the nearby town of Anaheim, where the National Headquarters of the Master's American organization, Ruhani Satsang—Divine Science of the Soul, is
located. The Master and His party were put up at the Hospitality House, a lovely cottage maintained by the Satsang for visiting dear ones, located next door to the Sanctuary of the Living Master, a former church which serves as the physical headquarters and as a Satsang hall. A few evening darshans were held here, and they were very sweet; but it was not really large enough to accommodate everybody, so the Embassy Room of the nearby Disneyland Hotel was booked for all day long throughout the ten days stay. Here the morning meditations and afternoon darshans were given, and it was available all day for meditation. The Sanctuary was available around the clock for that purpose.
    During the first week of Master's stay here, He gave a series of talks at the Wilshire Ebell Theater in Los Angeles. These were well attended and appreciated, and concluded with Initiation at the Theater on Nov. 24, when 59 persons were given Naam. During that same week, Master had spent Thanksgiving Day with His children: in the morning, He gave a beautiful Thanksgiving talk at the Disneyland Hotel, stressing the importance of being thankful and grateful to God; and in the afternoon, presiding over the Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors of Ruhani Satsang —Divine Science of the Soul. This was a really historic occasion, as it was the first time the Master had been physically present at a Board meeting, and the Directors were delighted to have Him there. The meeting  was held at the home of Reno Sirrine, the Vice President of the Corporation and, along with T. S. Khanna, the Master's American Co-Representative. The meeting was preceded by a delicious Thanksgiving dinner, served by the Sirrines as an act of love, for the Directors and many other devotees. It was a joyous occasion, and appreciated by all those who were there.
    On the afternoon of the Initiation day in Los Angeles, Master graciously spent the afternoon at the home of Mrs. Lucille Gunn, the local group leader. He was accompanied by about sixty people, all of whom were fed and served most graciously by the hostess. After resting a while, Master gave very sweet darshan in Mrs. Gunn's garden in back of her Glendale home. On this occasion, a dear one asked the Master why Christ was the only Master who had died for the sins of the world. But Master said, "All Masters have died for the sins of the world."
    After the darshan, Master talked with many people individually and in small groups in a room inside. Then Master listened to a tape recording sent from India, where Taiji and other dear ones there gave Him a detailed account of the Satsang activities being carried out in His physical absence.
    That evening, Master paid a visit to Yogi Bhajan (who had previously visited Him at His house in Anaheim) at the Guru Ram Das Ashram, and gave a talk there as the Yogi's guest. The hall was filled to capacity and more. The talk was preceded by singing by Yogi Bhajan's disciples.
    During Master's second week here, He gave a series of talks at the Anaheim High School, and concluded these with another Initiation, this time to 42 persons at the Disneyland Hotel. The following day, Nov. 29, He left by plane for Dallas, accompanied by many dear ones.
 

    The Master arrived at Love Field, Dallas, at 8:30 p.m. on the 29th. As usual, a large crowd was waiting for Him, and He greeted them very slowly and sweetly and was then driven to the Melrose Hotel, where He stayed for the three days He spent here.
    All of the various meetings in Dallas were held at the Unitarian Church, a beautiful modern church which was an appropriate setting. After each morning meditation setting, the Master gave personal interviews on the stage (as He had done at Anaheim). Many, many people took advantage of this opportunity, and were overjoyed that they did.
    A few people also saw the Master in His hotel room, including a group of disciples from the city of Houston, where Master did not go.
    On the morning of Dec. 2, Master gave Initiation to 65 persons at the Unitarian Church. That afternoon, after a beautiful silent darshan at the airport, He left by plane for St. Petersburg, Florida, His next stop.
 

    Master arrived at Tampa airport at 8:30 p.m., and was driven to St. Petersburg Beach, where He was scheduled to stay at the Sandpiper Hotel. A reporter from the St. Petersburg Independent was among the hundreds present at the airport, and she accompanied Him to the hotel; the next day, a very long, perceptive article with many pictures appeared in the paper.
    Morning meditation sessions were held at the hotel; afternoon sessions, preceded the first day by a delicious lunch served to all 400 persons present, were held at the home of Mrs. Sunnie Cowen, the local group leader. These were wonderful times enjoyed by all, on the shore. The police, who came to check on the large number of cars parked on the streets, stayed to hear the Master's talk.
    Evening talks were given at the Unitarian Church, St. Petersburg Junior College, and Eckert College. In the late evening, after the talks were over, Master would come down by the hotel swimming pool and give darshan to the dear ones. One night Master was talking very beautifully and intimately about some of the helping factors He had found in His own practice: He mentioned John Bunyan, the author of The Pilgrim's Progress, whose motto was, "Write something daily." Then He referred to Henry Stanley, the famous African explorer; his motto was, "Finish something daily." He asked us all which was better; then told us: "I think Stanley's is better." He said not to put off till tomorrow what could be done today; He said, "If you work that way, you will wake refreshed; otherwise, that unfinished work will be going round and round in your head." He said to meditate until we were satisfied, and told a story of two farmers who used to meditate every morning until they saw the Radiant Form of the Master. One day they did not see Him; and it so happened, that that was the day they were to take their turn to get water from the canal, which they badly needed for their crops. If they missed their turn, they would be in trouble indeed. But they decided between themselves to continue meditating until they saw His form. And He came up, because they had sacrificed for Him; and with His grace, they did not miss their turn at the water.
    He said further, "Make best use of your nights—don't sleep until sleep overtakes you; help others, do introspection, and meditate." He added very humbly, "This is the way that I have followed."
    At this magical session, there were a group of Spanish-speaking disciples present who knew no English (some of them had come up from South America) and Master wanted His message translated into Spanish. So one translator was found, a dear young man who was invited by the Master to come right up and sit beside Him so he could translate over the microphone. The man was so overwhelmed at being so close to the Master that he kept forgetting what Master was saying, so that Master had to repeat His message over and over again, to the edification and amusement of all. It was a loving and relaxed time.
    Initiation was given on the morning of Dec. 5 to 46 persons at the Sandpiper Hotel. The next morning the Master left for Miami at 6 a.m.
 

    The Master arrived at Miami Airport at 9 a.m. on Dec. 6, and was immediately driven to Fort Lauderdale, thirty miles away, where He was to stay at the Galt Ocean Mile Hotel. At 11 a.m., He gave darshan to approximately 800 people, who had come there from all over the United States and Canada; since this was Master's last stop in North America, everyone wanted to see Him one final time. The Master greatly appreciated the love and sacrifice of these dear ones, who had in many cases come very far to see Him once more.
    At this first darshan, the local satsangis had prepared a huge cake for Him, which they wanted Him to give out as parshad. The Master authorized its distribution, but said that He did not like ceremonies or rituals.
    During the stay at Miami, many meetings were held right at the Hotel; others were held at the Stranahan High School, and the Unity Center in Miami. This last place was filled to capacity, and again the overflow crowd was allowed by the management to sit on the floor in the aisles. About 1300 people attended.
    A very beautiful day was arranged for everyone at Birch State Park, not far from the hotel. Master gave a meditation sitting in the morning, and then gave darshan in the afternoon, at the park.
    The dear ones were feeling increasingly the prospect of physical separation from the Master, and many were very sad. They wanted very much just to see Him. So they would come up to His hotel room after the talks at night, in the hope of just having one more glimpse. On these occasions the entire corridor of the floor of the hotel was lined with initiates hoping and longing for a glimpse of their Beloved. Master greatly appreciated their love, and did come out to see them. He knew the longing in their hearts and what effort it took for some of them to be there.
    At one of the last meetings it was requested that all of those who had followed the Master from the beginning of the tour should please raise their hands. About eighty people indicated that they had. Master gave them His special blessing. Many others, of course, had followed Him for parts of the tour.
    On the morning of Dec. 10, His last day in North America, Master initiated 91 dear souls into the secrets of Naam, at the same time putting hundreds of old initiates into meditation. This was the last three-hour meditation for many, and was greatly appreciated by them. Afterwards He gave a short talk, stressing the need to live up to His commandments and make progress within.
    That afternoon He was driven to Miami airport, and, after a very poignant silent darshan in the airport lobby, with hundreds of devotees gathered round Him, the Master boarded the plane for Mexico City. The North American tour had ended.