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our work, and fulfill our lives until we experience a state of inner completion, perfection. That is called liberation. We all are evolving toward that point."
"What are the common denominators in all religions?".
"That quest for higher consciousness. All teach that we must reach something divine, something subtle. The quest for the light is the same; the means are different."
Betty noticed how Gurudev took a moment or two to allow each question to sink in before he would answer. It seemed as if something would start to click inside and then he would begin to talk. She recalled, "Just sitting across the table from him for the very first time was an experience. I could feel this energy. It was a kind of push and pull magnetism. I heard things which were to become a very deep part of my understanding, my life, and it felt right.'
On October 19, Gurudev spoke on Jain Transformation in Thought and Action' at Princeton Theological Seminary. The next day, he and Swami Ranganathananda spoke to students at Sarah Lawrence College, and a few days later, on October 24, Gurudev addressed the New York Universalist Unitarian Church. It became the first of many engagements with that liberal-minded institution.
Having concluded his speaking tour for the Temple, Gurudev flew to Chicago where Pramoda had arrived one day before. It was a joy for them to see one another again after such a long absence. The past four months in which Gurudev had traveled to Africa, Europe, and America had brought tremendous changes in both his inner and outer life. He adjusted to each change with enthusiasm, ease, and a wellspring of energy.
For the next three months, he and Pramoda acclimated themselves to day to day living in the United States, and awaited the birth of their first child. A former disciple and his American wife were kind enough to share their home with them. It was during that time that Heidi came to Chicago to study with Gurudev. It was far from anything she had expected. According to Heidi, "It was like falling into an Indian family of sixty! I'd hang out with him, do laundry with him, be
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