On the 25th, Baba explained about three stages of experiences on the spiritual path — enthusiasm, depression and hope:
There are three states of experiences. When a seeker enters the spiritual path, for twelve years he has the experience of enthusiasm. Then comes the period of depression. This depression goes deep to such an extent that the aspirant neither feels interested in the world nor in God. This period lasts for twelve years. After the period of depression comes a period of hope when the aspiring pilgrim starts feeling interested in God again. This period is also for twelve years. At the end of this period, the pilgrim achieves God-realization by the grace of the Qutub.
In some cases the pilgrim gets the experience of enthusiasm for three years, and he also experiences [a dark] depression for three years. Then comes hope for 20 years, at the end of which he gets glimpses of God.
There are various experiences in the gross sphere, such as health, food, sight, [hearing, smell], et cetera. But when an aspirant experiences the subtle world, all those experiences of the gross world become insignificant. The experiences of the subtle world are as innumerable as those of the gross world.
In the mental world, there are few experiences. When a pilgrim enters the mental world and experiences it, the experiences of the gross and subtle world become insignificant. In vidnyan-bhumika [the seventh plane] there is only the experience of God. When an aspirant experiences vidnyan-bhumika, all the experiences of the gross, subtle and mental worlds become utterly insignificant for him.
When one achieves God-realization by the grace of a Perfect Master, it is either at midnight or at five o’clock in the morning. But the Avatar can give God-realization at any time.
Baba ended by quoting these lines:
When the Sun flew the flag at the top of the mountain at the appointed hour of dawn,
The Beloved knocked at the door of the lover and said to him, ‘Lo, I have come!’
-www.lordmeher.org, p5036
June, 1963; Guruprasad