Life Cycle Management Newcomers Providing a pleasant human experience in associating with us

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!