Lecture
Eventually prayer must become the realization of the ‘divine stream’ within oneself, i.e. self-realization, which is accomplished through frequent meditation and selfless acts of charity.
Next Mrs. Balroop gives a short lecture. While she does not have the intimidating presence of a religious pandit, the aura of calm and intense devotion that emanates from her teachings give her an understated spiritual authority. Her teachings take the form of personal observations and practical advice on how to live a selfless life. She stresses the need to develop a personal relationship with god through meditation and individual study of religious ideas. Central to her teachings is the notion that the guru, or divine spirit, is in everything and everyone. Eventually prayer must become the realization of the ‘divine stream’ within oneself, i.e. self-realization, which is accomplished through frequent meditation and selfless acts of charity. Each of her lectures takes on a distinct character that usually revolves around a specific anecdotal metaphor and there is ample room left within and afterwards for spiritual questions or comments from the temple members. Mrs. Balroop’s teachings do not resemble a pastoral sermon but rather are reminiscent of a professorial lecture. This is a conscious attempt to involve the members in the creative worship process, as well as to stress the importance of dialogue and religious growth in spiritual development. To hear Mrs. Balroop’s teachings directly, refer to the archive taken from multiple personal interviews under the section Satya Balroop in Her Own Voice.
