Spiritual Gifts at the Temple of ECK

Christine Akapati

Ever since they were born, my children had been going to a Christian church with my husband. My husband was strict about bringing them up the Christian way, so I let it be for harmony’s sake. Then my kids began sharing vivid dream experiences they were having with Wah Z and the other ECK Masters. I told them that the spiritual name of Sri Harold was Wah Z. I also told them the names of some other ECK Masters. They continued to call the ECK Masters “angels,” but they called Sri Harold by his spiritual name, Wah Z. My son told me Wah Z is “earth angel,” and I let it be. The important thing for me was that they were having inner experiences with the MAHANTA.

When I was planning to attend the 2021 ECK Soul Adventure Seminar in Chanhassen, Minnesota, my kids insisted on coming with me. They told their father about the seminar and begged him to come along with them. Seeing how determined they were, my husband agreed to let them explore the ECK teachings. He supported our travel to Minnesota and even came along to make sure the kids enjoyed the trip.

My son is nine years old, and my daughter is seven years old. When we arrived on Thursday, the kids and I went straight to the ECK Temple in Chanhassen from the airport. This was their first time at the Worldwide seminar, and I didn’t want them to miss any of the youth activities on Friday and Saturday, so Thursday was their only free day to see the Temple.

My intention was to give them a tour of the ECK Temple and outdoor chapel. Months prior to coming, my daughter was eager to go. She often came up to me and asked, “Mummy, are we still going to the place where the ECK is golden?” I always replied, “Yes, we are going to the place where the ECK is golden. I will show you that place when we get there.”

When we got there, both of my children started running toward the Temple. Once we were inside, they hollered, “Mummy, I know this place! I have been here before. Wah Z brought me here. Wah Z took us to the play area!” I told them there wasn’t a play area here. “You don’t play here,” I said. “This is a temple. Please be quiet.”

Then I said to my kids, “Let’s go visit every room in this temple. You can show me the room Wah Z brought you to.” They both agreed. Our visit then turned from me giving them a tour to me discovering the places Wah Z brought them to.

As we stepped into a classroom, both kids shouted, “Mummy, Wah Z brought me here!” They shared how everything in the room was exactly like it was when Wah Z brought them. In one room my daughter pointed to the big golden EK symbol on the wall. I was surprised to find out that there is another golden EK symbol inside the Temple. We went to the sanctuary, then to the outdoor chapel, where my daughter pointed to the ceiling and showed me the six-pointed blue star. I hadn’t known there was another six-pointed blue star at the outdoor chapel. I thought it was only in the sanctuary. We took pictures at the outdoor chapel with the big golden EK symbol.

The kids played and ran around while we went for a walk on the contemplation trails. They were still looking for the play area they had seen in their dreams.  When we returned to the back patio area, it was empty. Immediately both of them hollered, “Mummy, I have been here before. Wah Z brought me here, then he took me inside to the play area!”

I was getting a little tired of hearing about this play area. My son then said, “Mom, the play area is like the play area in the California ECK Center. That place where kids play.” He was referring to the children’s room in the Los Angeles ECK Center. I just said, “Well, maybe Wah Z took you to another Temple. This one does not have a play area.”

When we went back inside, the ECK New Year Celebration had started in the sanctuary, so we could not go downstairs to tour the lower level of the Temple. So that was the end of my kids’ Temple tour. We attended the celebration and left when it ended.

On Sunday, after the seminar, my kids went home on a morning flight with their father, and I went back to the Temple alone. I went downstairs to visit the fellowship hall and had a nudge to tour the lower level. So I did. Near the end of the hallway, the first room I visited was the play area! I could not believe my eyes! It was just as my son had described it. I stood at the door of the play area for a while in total disbelief, shocked! I felt remorse. I cried inwardly for doubting my kids. I immediately took pictures of the play area so I could show my kids when I got home. I noticed the play area was called the family room.

Monday evening, I called my kids and apologized. I told them they were right—there is a play area in the Temple. I told them I found it and I took pictures of it. When I showed them the pictures, they shouted in joy, saying, “Mommy, yes, that is the play area Wah Z took us to.” My son said he played with Wah Z on the blue carpet. My daughter said she played with Wah Z on the small chairs there. I was surprised and happy at the same time.

Then I asked both of them what they learned at this seminar. They replied, “Wah Z is real! The places Wah Z takes us are real!”

My daughter added that she learned Wah Z has many names, such as MAHANTA, Sri Harold Klemp, and the Living ECK Master. And my son shared he learned the beings they called angels are called ECK Masters.

I learned many things from this visit to the Temple too. I learned there is a play area inside the Temple of ECK, called the family room. I learned that I may have been in ECKANKAR a long time, but I don’t know everything. There is always something new to learn in ECK, so I need to listen and be humble. This entire experience humbled me.

Through my children’s experience, I discovered Souls come to the Temple of ECK in the Soul body to study. I also discovered that these statements in ECK are true: “When the student is ready, the Master will appear” and “No force in the universe can keep them apart!”

My husband no longer stops my children from learning the ECK teachings, and my kids now sing HU with me daily.