In Benin, fellow practitioners study Master’s teachings while sitting leisurely on the veranda.

Spiritual practice is not new to most Africans, who have highly developed cultures deeply rooted in spiritual cultivation, and beliefs and customs that existed long before the arrival of Christianity and Islam. Being tribally based, these indigenous traditions contribute to Africans’ hospitable nature, open-mindedness and warm appreciation of the Quan Yin Method.

In recent years, The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association’s centers in West Africa have been growing rapidly. For example, in Benin (a country bordering Nigeria and Togo), the Cotonou Center has been overwhelmed by the tremendous success of its radio broadcasts, which have attracted so many new Truth-seekers that the Center’s main building will soon be too small to accommodate everyone for group meditation even though it can easily hold over a hundred people.

In Benin, Convenient Method practitioners awaiting initiation earnestly participate in group meditation, and assimilate Master’s wisdom from Her teachings.

The West African centers are well organized in their promotion of Master’s teachings, and have created facilities specially suited for Truth-aspirants to easily acquire priceless spiritual knowledge. Each country in the region has an established meditation center and also an information center located either in the meditation venue itself or in another location easily accessible to the public. The information centers are open six days a week from morning till evening, providing access to Master’s books and News magazines and featuring daily presentations of Her video lectures. Each day, many local people spend hours reading and watching videos at these facilities, which thus provide a valuable service to West Africans.

After gaining knowledge of Master’s teachings, many of the centers’ visitors learn the Convenient form of meditation and become full vegetarians in preparation for initiation. It is truly heart warming to see so many sincere spiritual seekers deeply appreciating this great opportunity to learn the Truth. While preparing for initiation, the Convenient Method practitioners continue to visit the information centers regularly, showing their genuine enthusiasm for knowledge and understanding of Master’s wisdom. Convenient Method group meditation sessions, which are held twice weekly, always have excellent attendance, demonstrating that many have had direct personal experience of the divine and attained greater inner peace while practicing meditation.

In addition, most West African initiates meditate continuously for four hours at Sunday group meditation sessions. And when asked about the difficulty of meditating for such a long period, one sister replied, “Initially we meditated for six hours without stopping because we wanted to progress more quickly!”

Before a group meditation session at the Togo Center, sincere Truth-aspirants greatly cherish the precious opportunity to pursue spirituality — a blessing that may come only once in a millennium.

Having practiced diligently for a number of years, some West African initiates began to feel a need to share their blessings with their sisters and brothers in neighboring countries. So recently, several practitioners from Togo and Benin have moved to the nearby countries of Niger and the Ivory Coast to spread Master’s divine teachings to local communities. Soon these countries will establish their own centers, thus offering spiritual refuge to many more longing souls. So as Africa continues to develop spiritually, its inhabitants can look forward to a brighter, better future during the Golden Age!