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Sent: Sunday, June 01, 2003 4:24 PM
Subject: From Joan Apter-Woodstock followup report

We had our Woodstock follow-up event tonight and it was terrific! In deference to Maharaji’s repeated requests for teamwork, the mid-hudson team met a few weeks before the event to talk about roles and responsibilities. We also communicated by email a lot, but don’t tell Maharaji!

The program was held at the Woodstock Community Center ($20 rental!) on Thursday, May 29.

Mitch Ditkoff was MC, Harry Schneider came up to speak nuts and bolts about next steps, and how to receive Knowledge. The choice of the videos was Harry’s, the theme was “The Thirst”, one video from last Sunday’s satellite feed, the other a 5 minute clip on the same topic (from the recent Ft. Lauderdale event which was glorious!!) First Mitch introduced the evening, then Warren Bernhardt played two beautiful piano pieces, which really brought people to a quiet place. Then we showed the 30 minute video, after which Harry spoke for about 15 minutes. Then the 5 minute clip, which was really powerful. Then Mitch gave announcements of the two next programs we have scheduled for June and July at the community center. Then we broke for divine refreshments, which were so gourmet people were oohing and aahing. I introduced myself to lots of people I didn’t recognize, and asked how they heard about the evening. Amazingly, many of them came from the letter to the editor that I wrote for the Woodstock Times in which I invited the community to the video event. (See below)
We had a sales table, which did a pretty good business, and a free table, where the video lending library brochure, some prepared pages of “An Interview with Prem Rawat” and “A Conversation with Prem Rawat” were offered. People filled out cards to be informed of next steps, and signed a guest sheet with all their contact information. There was a great brochure handed out to everyone who came (they were put on all the chairs), which had all the information anyone would need to know about learning more, including the dates of the next programs in the mid-hudson region. (thanks to Paul Murtha, who created the brochure.)

There were 34 people in attendance, 20 of whom had not received Knowledge. 2 had come to Maharaji’s New York events, and 2 had attended videos before, but the remainder were all new. The feeling was very good! Many people came up to say they were serious about getting the Knowledge, so we are going to get Harry and Yvette up here soon to do an aspirant meeting.

After we cleaned up, we had a debrief in the manner of Mitch: what we liked about the evening, what were our concerns, and what suggestions could we make to handle the concerns. We got lots of good areas for improvement for next time from this short session. We envisioned the community center filled to the brim for next time. What a great experience, aren’t we lucky!

Love, Joan

This is the letter to the editor in the Woodstock Times for the week before the program:

AN EVENING OF DISCOVERY
A free Video Presentation of Prem Rawat, also known as Maharaji , world renowned as an expert on inner peace, will take place Thursday, May 29, at the Woodstock Community Center on 56 Rock City Road. The event will take place from 7:30 to 9:00 PM, and will feature a video of Prem Rawat, from an address at the United Nations in Bangkok this year. There will be live music and refreshments.

“Know Thyself” is an exhortation that has echoed through the ages. In almost all cultures, people have been told that the happiness they seek lies within themselves. Despite the simplicity of this message, the pursuit of inner happiness has proved elusive to most.

Prem Rawat - also known as Maharaji, a title given to him in India where he began his work – maintains that having a fulfilling life is actually a birthright. He offers a specific means to make this hope a reality. He calls it “knowledge”, which he describes as both an inner discipline and a state of being that can be experienced by anyone with a sincere interest.

“What I offer to people is not just talk,” he says, “but a way to go inside and savor the beauty that is within. I don’t create the beauty. It is within you. The gift of self-knowledge is a practical way to connect with that feeling inside. Without that, all my words would be empty.”

I am a Woodstock resident who helped to invite Maharaji to the west in 1971. Meeting Maharaji in 1970 was a huge turning point in my life. He cut through a lot of pessimism and confusion I had about how to connect with a stillness within. I had read so much, I had studied with so many teachers, but still that experience eluded me. Maharaji has many gifts, but I especially appreciate how he communicates with love, humor and simplicity. I am thrilled to be able to invite my friends and neighbors to hear what he has to say for themselves!

Joan Apter
Woodstock


Revision History
Prometheus - 2/6/03 - 04:11 am