"For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them." Jesus the Incarnation (Matthew 18:20)

Those not familiar with Eastern languages and philosophies, may want to know: "What is satsang? What does it mean?"

Satsang is a common term from the ancient Sanskrit language, and is comprised of two parts: "sat" and "sang." Translated into English, "sat" means God or Absolute Truth, and "sang" means gathering or company of devotees or seekers of God or Truth: thus Satsang. Satsang is a word that is literally thousands of years old, and you can search the internet for references to the ancient language of Sanskrit, and find hundreds of beautiful Sanskrit terms that are still being commonly used today, such as Satsang.

Based on our research, study, and experience, we feel that the term Satsang, like most concepts and principles found in modern religion and sprituality, has lost much of its original and eternal meaning and intent for serious Spiritual seekers and students of life.

Merely coming together with other people, even those with a professed passion for God and the Higher Life, does not necessarily mean that the Presence of God is there among and within the gathering. A person, or group of people, cannot be leading the ordinary, natural, and self-absorbed life of the masses, and realistically expect the Eternal Consciousness and Essence of Life, or God, to be Present and powerfully Active in the being and life, within and without. There are immutable Laws and Physics, or Metaphysics, that cannot be suspended by or for any man.

Many spiritual-types like to feed their vanity by thinking that they are already Spiritual, or even already Enlightened, or they at least like to believe that "I already have God in my life," but closer observation, behind the spiritual veneer or facade, can easily dispel any such notion.

A serious seeker of Truth must first be willing to see and admit the truth of himself, before he can begin the realistic Path to the Higher Life. The real obstacles to Freedom, or God-Realization, must be addressed and gradually overcome, in order for the Higher Life to become real, and not imaginary. If there were no obstacles, everyone would already be Free.

Only when God is truly invited and allowed, in and through the being and life of an individual, can a gathering, or Satsang, of such individuals, realistically include God. Coming together with God merely on the lips means nothing, except for feeding the vanity, and perhaps a temporary distraction from the rest of the miserable life. The self-absorption, arrogance, and puffiness of the people in some "spiritual" gatherings, can be quite nauseting to those who see it for what it really is: just another vanity feed, and some pleasure-stimulation from the socializing. "Look at me, and see how spiritual I am." Many "satsangs" are little more than mutual validation of everyone's high "spiritual" status, and not a sharing of That which already truly existed in the being and life, while alone, and certainly not a testimony to God and Its Grace. In some way, it is all about "me," and not about God.

The one Higher Life, for a serious seeker and student of life, is the gradual freeing of the mind and heart from the clinging to oneself, and freedom from the clinging to the external world of form; or, stated another way, the Higher Life is about freedom from clinging to the things and ways of nature within and without. The Higher Life is, in essence, freedom from the subtle and core-level mechanics of clinging, and freedom from the underlying fear which causes the clinging. God-Realization is perfect and absolute freedom of mind and heart, based on the eventual "turning-about" in the deepest seat of consciousness. True God-Realization is the irrevocable death of the separate or isolated consciousness.

The Higher Life, and eventually true God-Realization, are achieved through profound Sacrifice, Faith, and Prayer, and, above all, by Grace. The one Path is not easy, and requires the dedication of one's life to that goal, above all else, and while alive and living in the world.

Many seekers have come to believe that true Spirtual Freedom, or God-Realization, is achievable only after death, in some form of after-life. That is neither true nor realistic. Your life, and all its Higher possibilities, are here and now.

Only when individuals are truly inviting and allowing God in and through their beings and lives, can a Satsang, or gathering of those seekers and students, also be about God.

That is one purpose of our Temple: to help individuals realize a truly Higher and Godly life, and to then come together to share that life, in real Satsang.