St. Germain (through Elaeenah) selected a few Core Group Members to channel the energies of our various Masters, for the purpose of this Initiation and carried out Sohrab’s Initiation.

Jade Fire explained that in order to understand ‘free-will’ we have to first understand WHO WE ARE. (He explained that the physical, mental and emotional all have three levels each, at which they function, which is important for us to know)

It was explained that Sohrab would have another ‘Initiation’, the last in this phase and then move on to another phase. Then a few selected Core Group Members were requested to come and stand in front, facing Sohrab. These would act as channels for our various Masters, for the purpose of this initiation.

To Irawati: You will channel the energy of Jade Fire

To Sylla : You will channel the energy of Mother Mary

To Piloo : You will channel the energy of High Lord Maitreya

To Pervez: You will channel the energy of Master Lady Kwan Yin

To Yasmin: You will channel the energy of Sai Baba

To Yezad : You will channel the energy of Meher Baba

Elaeenah would channel the energy of Sohrab’s Master St. Germain.

Each one will channel the energies of these Masters. Germain will speak (through Elaeenah) but all these Masters through you will channel their energies for Sohrab’s Initiation. The final one is this stage in this phase as he moves into another one.

As you enter into this new phase, all the Masters standing before you will work with you as one, or individually . . .

You undertake to be their personal messenger on Earth. And each Master will now use you in whatever manner they choose. Through these Masters you now undertake to ‘heal’, to ‘protect’, ‘to teach’ and ‘to control’.

Do you recall that before you went away, you were told not to be scattered.

In your focus and in complete connection with your Higher Being, you were given two choices, of which we now make you aware.

The choices were to remain in the country of his birth (India), or to leave and teach the Masters’ message in the country of some of your previous births (America). You have chosen this country of your birth, as you have already in several incarnations helped the country of your previous births.

These Masters will use you as their focal point, through which their energies will transmute.

(To the ones who were standing before Sohrab) In this capacity, each one will be told which Master wishes to work with this child (Sohrab) at which time and you undertake to become the pure messengers of these Masters and inform this child of the Master’s desires. Each one in your own right has proved a capable and pure channel and your responsibilities get further strengthened with this task.

Move into your next phase little one, (To Sohrab) with courage and strength. Transmutation will be the keyword in the next phase. You know what we speak of. Transmute without fear, without hesitation.

Good evening little ones!

Another celebration! Thank you!

The work of these two (Sohrab and Elaeenah) must now undergo a change. It is therefore time to train quickly and rapidly, those who can take their place here. Their time is fast approaching to leave this small circle and move on to larger ones. But we cannot leave this circle unattended. And though the decision has not yet been made, soon, at least two will be chosen to take their place.

I see disappointments in the hearts of many. These two in embodiment are not important. Those who sit here before you will be as pure as these two and will give as much selfless service. But their time has come. And it is with joy that we announce this. Their missions include your world. And soon they will take their first steps towards this large world.

(To Irawati) You cannot be with them always, for your task is here. Always to ensure that the place of the Masters here is secure. You are not being left behind. You are being given a task, because we know that in you this task will be faithfully served. Be as pure a channel for me as you can. It would give me the greatest joy to have you occupy the seat of this child (Elaeenah).

A few instructions to you little ones.

(To Sohrab) As the Leader of groups, we ask you to address the other city (Pune) at least once in 3 months. You must be there to channel your Master.

As they (Sohrab and Elaeenah) move out, slowly at first and then more rapidly, we urge that these meetings NOT be interrupted. Initially, there may be no one to channel. But Masters have given you so much knowledge which you have got. When my little ones are away, come together in as large a group as this, in order to recall and share that wealth of knowledge.

There are a few that we ask to take on this task:

To Divya: You, my child, will be one. Remind them. Read, explain, share.

To Sangeeta: You my child will be one. Undertake the responsibility of bringing this knowledge from out of the pages of a book into the minds and hearts, so that it is again recalled and put into practice.

To Syrus: You my son, we ask you to take this responsibility, to ensure that they meet and that all meetings go as you know they should, so that these (Divya and Sangeeta) get the opportunity to spread this wisdom. You must take on the responsibility of ensuring that they go on uninterrupted.

These two (Elaeenah and Sohrab) may not be present, but every time the group meets, the Masters are here, their energies are here. Your growth is constant. It does not rely on their (the two mediums) presence. Do not make them your crutch.

To Pervez: You, my son, we ask to ensure that all the work that has been started, in the healing process, continues without interruption.

THESE FOUR will take on our responsibility. We have chosen well and we have chosen with care. And we know that you four will not let us down.

And now the rest of the group. For them to work successfully, they need your love. Your support. Recall these words in a future time when these two are not present. Yes you will be tempted to say: ‘Why should I waste my time and go to a meeting when the Mediums are absent?’ You will not waste your time. These four will ensure that you will not waste it. You will come away refreshed, revived. Your learning and knowledge will be given a spring-cleaning. And that is very essential from time to time. Give them your whole-hearted support.

To Kaushal: Child, you could do another task for us. You can ensure that you speak to one and all and help them to see the truth of such meetings. Help them to understand the wealth of knowledge such meetings also can give to them. You can do that little one.

There is so much despondency in so many hearts. But you knew this day was coming. Would you rather, that your small need was looked after and that their further growth and the greater need of the world be kept aside? Then accept this with joy. And accept this with a commitment that each one will ensure that this group will grow, with or without the presence of these channels.

And that brings us to another subject. Each one of you now has come to a stage where energy exchange needs to be made. With whom? Not with these channels. Recall, we have told you that this was the path of their karmic resolution. Energy exchange with the Masters. How will you give us this energy? One way alone. Each one will take on the responsibility of BRINGING ONE LOST SOUL into our group. If each one can save ONE soul and ask them to save one soul, soon there will be no lost souls. Make that your commitment. You may not be able to bring one soul every week. But I’m sure you will do it once every three weeks. Two weeks? Any one is welcome. But if you feel that the person you are bringing cannot afford to pay the money that you are collecting, we will ask our son (Sohrab) to exempt them from payment.

Lack of that (referring to the ability to pay the entrance fee) must not stop them from coming here. If you feel that you would like to pay for your friend, of course you can. But even that is not completely essential. Our purpose is to ensure that all my lost sheep are brought, where I can give them the shelter of my crook. I ask YOU to be my shepherds. My sheep are scattered far and wide and they do not hear the call of this old shepherd with a weak voice. This old shepherd needs new young shepherds who can run behind the sheep who can catch them and cradle them and bring them to me. So you see, each one now has been given a responsibility, to be the Shepherd’s shepherd.

To Anaaita: Little one, your training must start now. We ask you to undertake ‘trance training’. We know that it is not what you desired, but we need you. Through trance you will speak and through trance you will heal. Your training must start this week. We will explain the procedure at the training. But I must warn you. We are going to throw you in at the deep end. We know you have the strength to swim. So it won’t be slow and gentle like the training for this one (referring to Yezad). It will be fierce and rapid. As will the cleansing also be fierce and rapid.

And if you had been told would you have said ‘yes’? (Sohrab laughed) Are we so foolish? (Laughter)

Yours or your Higher Self? You have NO free will! Your free will has been taken away by he who is waiting and pushing! (St. Germain)

He pushes! Even his new position has not stopped the pushing! (Laughter)

Go. Go into a trance.

You are not going anywhere so fast! (Laughter) He thought he should pack his bags! (Hearty laughter)

I said the time had come. I did not say ‘leave’!

To Ernie: Will you heal for us every week?

As other healers come here, you should come too. But you will sing in order to heal. Place your hand upon the area where you know there is dis-ease and let the music of your heart go through your palms and release the pain. Do not look for harmony and rhythm and melody. Sometimes it just may be sounds. Let it heal. The energy through your palms and the rays that emit from your throat will do that.

So! You thought I had gone away?

This child will be channeling differently today.

The energy structure of his cells, as you are aware, has been changed and the input of the last two days . . . . (Sohrab found it difficult to remain in trance)

Elaeenah: Can we help him in some way?

Both children (Sohrab and Elaeenah) must learn to contain Entities and Guides without the appearance of a trance. The time has come, my dear one, to train both of you.

This child (Sohrab) must be taught to contain the energies of the Master with no appearance of a trance. Is this clear?

Elaeenah: Perfectly. But should this training must be done by you, or someone else or . . .

Two Masters, including myself.

Children you will all support this child (Sohrab) with energy while this child (Elaeenah) will force from him a normal appearance.

Sohrab : Now I’ve lost the connection.

Yes children! Such must be the training. Indeed this child is ready for it, as are you (Elaeenah) my little one.

Free-will! (Laughed heartily). Of course this child has free-will! His Higher Soul undertook all the imminent changes that are about to begin. He himself has no conscious recognition of these changes and that is why his physical body is seizing up today. His anger levels have increased and the conditioning of sitting in front of a group has not permitted him to express his anger. Hence his body has gone into seizure! This child must learn to relax and slowly continue simple . . . . . .(Sohrab again had difficulty maintaining the connection )

Three simple questions may be asked of this child today, simply to test whether he can contain the link and appear normal.

His primary trainer for the initial stages will be the child ‘Scheherezad’. The child Khursheed (Khoor-sheed) will simply be present to construct energy grids about them, to help this child (Yezad) raise his vibrations. There is to be no fixed pattern or schedule, at this moment in time. He will have to travel to the other city, but it may be initially at the convenience of the three.

Elaeenah: Is there any minimum number of times he must have these meetings?

That will be instructed as the course proceeds. Initially, my child, you (Yezad) will simply be made accustomed to dealing and sensing energies. Instructions will be passed through the little ‘Scheherezad’. It is a period of allowing you my son (Yezad) to adjust to what you consider traumatic changes! Once you are accustomed to the process, the training will change. Son, (to Yezad) what form of Mediumship do you wish for?

And so it is. No pressure and no coercion are to be permitted. You are permitted an initial period of adjustment and acclimatization, beyond which you will be ‘shaken up’.

Child, at least once a month is recommended, but once again we permit initial flexibility. You may combine the training sessions with your trips.

To Elaeenah: Child, you must force this child (Sohrab) to appear normal as he is speaking to you.

Elaeenah: Sir NOW - you are talking about?

Elaeenah: Sohrab just tell me – Sohrab at the training meeting do you and I have to be present?

Sohrab as Sohrab: No. No.

Elaeenah: Only the three of them ?

Sohrab as Sohrab: Yes. Only the three of them. We are permitted but it is not necessary.

Elaeenah: So if he is not comfortable with it, we can skip those?

Sohrab: It is preferable that we are NOT present. However….

Elaeenah : Sohrab talk the way YOU talk .. .

Sohrab as Sohrab: It’s better if we’re not there. If he wants us, we can go, but it’s better if we’re not there.

Elaeenah : At your personal meetings on Thursday, can he have a meeting at the same time if Scherry and Khursheed are there ?

Sohrab as Sohrab: Yes he can. Yes he can.

Elaeenah: Can we now ask you your questions?

Sohrab: I’m losing it now.

Sohrab as Sohrab: Darshana, it’s been explained to us before by our ‘buddy’ Jade Fire – see I’m using my own words now (Laughter) that ‘LOVE stands for Light of Violet Emission’. It’s the most magnificent thing -- I can’t do this it’s really hard. . .

Elaeenah: You can. You can.

Sohrab as Sohrab: Darshana, YOU need to speak to the group at some point if you can, about LOVE IN TERMS OF ENERGY VIBRATIONS. Love has been addressed at this circle many times, in many different forms. We’ve talked about Light of Violet Emission, we’ve talked about the outpouring, we’ve talked about how love circles all, - I’m trying my own words and I’m going crazy with it – but YOU now need to be given responsibility to talk, using VIBRATIONS as your base of the subject. The reason being, as will be explained by Elaeenah, the meeting yesterday and indeed this whole weekend has been filled with various discussions about ENERGY CHANGES that are occurring in and around us right now. It is a crucial moment. This very weekend, as a matter of fact, is a crucial moment in the placement of the Earth’s Grid and its adjustment. This may interest you too, Elaeenah, to know that the Earth’s grid as we are all aware is in the process of being placed, moved, adjusted all around us. This weekend has had . . . .

Thank you. This weekend has had a great impact on the physicality of all those in the South East Asian region specifically. And that has also impacted around the world. Most of you may be aware of finding strange feelings in your body over the last two days in particular. You may find unusual aches and pains, where you did not have them before. You may find a tingling sensation up and down your spine, in the knee and finger area particularly, or the nape of the neck. Some of you may have experienced sensations of nausea. Am I correct in this surmise? There are many other symptoms. Do not be alarmed. They are simply impacting upon all of you as the shift of the grid is being slightly speeded up at this moment in time. It is a little too complicated to explain, but this will pass.

Along with this physical change, has brought up obviously, huge emotional upheavals. You will find suddenly that your friends and family have become either antagonistic or very dependent upon you. You may find people, particularly children, becoming whiny and cranky. I think you all have experienced changes in the last two days. Simply observe them. Do not fight these changes and use LOVE ENERGY to surround yourself and your loved ones. That and that alone will help you stabilize in this insecure moment. Trust us. This will not last. It is simply a temporary phase.

‘How’ is your next question?

My answer (Sohrab’s answer) is ANY way that works for you. You may choose to open your heart chakra, pour out LOVE and surround your house, family, your friends and of course yourself with this love. You may choose to direct simply Universal energy and Light over and around everything. You may use words, prayer, you may use‘thought intent’, the ways are countless. Use INTENT, simply that and weather this storm.

What is the significance/importance of FREE-WILL, if it is not free-will of the conscious mind? That is your question, which must be addressed.

But first, for that you must understand WHO YOU ARE.

When you restrict the definition of yourself as the ‘conscious mind’ then you limit your Self. Yes you ARE the conscious mind. But that is not all that you are. So we must first explain WHO YOU ARE.

It would be very simple for me to say that you are mind, body and spirit. But the time for that answer has gone. You have grown with our answers. So our answers too must expand.

So who are you? We will take this question on 3 levels: physical, mental and emotional. For the purpose of this answer, we may include mental and thought as one, although it is really a different aspect altogether.

On a physical level, it is easy to understand who you are. This body that you are at present occupying, the ‘first level of physical’ is the most insignificant of all. And yet in your 3-dimensional world, it is extremely important. It is insignificant because in the evolution of a Spirit, that in its natural course has no physical structure, the physical does not play such an important part. But because you reside in a 3-dimensional world, it is the physical which has to CONTAIN your ‘Spirit embodied’. In order to contain the Spirit well, in order to permit the Spirit to expand and grow and in order to contain that expansion, the physical body plays a part.

This physical body in its perfect state only shows youth. It never ages. As soon as you perceive signs of age, this must indicate to you that the physical body is unable to contain either the ‘expanded spirit’, if you have been working at it, or is unable to contain even that part of spirit that you desired it to. When physical body is influenced by chemicals and drugs, it affects the physical cells. Some of you are confused about the use of nicotine, alcohol, and you wrongly assume, that it will harm the Spirit. It will do no such thing. But it will certainly harm the cells within this physical body that must contain that Spirit. And as you work and expand Spirit, the physical needs to be in perfect balance, in order to contain this expansion. From that point of perspective, the physical body is vital.

We come to the next phase of the physical that is the ‘Physical Structure of Spirit’. It sounds as though it is a paradox, but it is not. For any energy to take any form there must be a physical structure. Do you recall our definition of ‘physical’? ‘That which is influenced by the laws of physics’. So your ‘Spirit energy’ has a ‘physical structure’. It is NOT influenced by the laws of physics of your 3-dimensional world. It is influenced – and now hear this carefully – it is influenced by the laws of physics FROM THE REALM THAT YOU HAVE REACHED as THE HIGHEST VIBRATORY ENERGY. I repeat again. It is ruled by the laws of physics that rule THAT REALM, WHERE YOUR HIGHEST VIBRATORY ENERGY HAS REACHED. And this can be in ANY incarnation.

If in one incarnation you are able to reach a very high realm of vibrations, till that realm is EXCEEDED, for ALL ensuing incarnations, you will be ruled in ‘Spirit structure’ by THAT realm.

Often, when this realm is reached but subsequent incarnations do not for some reason permit do not you to move to THAT realm, there is great conflict, between ‘physical structure of Spirit’ and physical embodiment (your body). Often this is seen as ailments that just cannot be cured. The reason for this is, there is NO cure for such ailments, because the imbalance is NOT in the physical, it is in the ‘physical structure of Spirit’! There can be no 3-dimensional cure. In fact, no healing will also work. The only healing is for this ‘embodied Spirit’ to reach the realm of highest vibratory that it had reached. Once it reaches there will be no ailment.

That is your next step in the ‘physical structure of Spirit’. But this Spirit that we speak of is still the ‘embodied Spirit’. That part of Spirit that has agreed to be influenced in another form of physical dimension which you call ‘body’. The next step is that part of Spirit that is NOT included in the ‘embodied process’ that ALSO has a physical structure. Now THIS physical structure is ruled by laws of physics of the REALM that your MASTER ENERGY HAD REACHED. So in fact, the higher that your MASTER ENERGY has reached, the more difficult is the connection between ‘embodied spirit’ and ‘disembodied’.

Now we come to EMOTION. Again the first level, are the emotions and feeling that you feel: love and hate, laughter and grief, irritation, frustration, envy, jealousy. All of these come under ‘physical emotional state’, at the lowest level. It is still part of you, as each part of the 3 physical levels are part of you, it is YOU. You exist at all these levels.

Then you reach exactly the same as the 2^nd physical level that is ‘emotion of the Spirit’ – remember, still the ‘embodied Spirit’. Now what are the emotions of the ‘embodied Spirit’? They take two forms: One – those emotions, because they are not at a conscious level, but have gone beyond the physical level emotion, are often what you call ‘emotions that are suppressed or not looked at’. Those emotions you bring with you from past incarnations. What you call ‘suppressed’, is really not suppressed, but have been brought with you, to be dealt with at a time when your ‘physical emotional self’ is strong enough. When the ‘physical emotional self’ is strong enough, it accesses the 2^nd level of the emotional self and pulls down into conscious awareness, an emotion that you earlier had no conscious awareness of. Is this clear?

We come to the last stage, when you have ‘pulled down’ ALL the emotions from the ‘embodied spirit self’, ‘Embodied spirit self’ is clear of any resolution, and it automatically becomes a vacuum, which is filled instantly with the highest master energy emotion, which is ‘love’.

So you see little ones, you cannot attempt to love. That is not in your control! If you wish to access that Master Energy, you must first clear your embodied emotional self. Make it strong enough to ‘pull down into conscious awareness’ the 2^nd stage. As soon as that is emptied, Master Energy will flow in. Now it is important to understand that you will ‘pull down’ only that which you have ‘chosen’ to deal with. Because your 2^nd level is empty, it does not mean that in another incarnation you will NOT have this. You CHOOSE for yourself ONLY A FEW, which YOU BRING WITH YOU AND place in the 2^nd stage. But that Master Energy which fills this ‘empty second self’, BECOMES A PART OF YOUR ‘PHYSICAL STRUCTURE’. And every incarnation henceforth will have a cellular structure that includes that Master Energy. That you do NOT lose.

We now come to ‘mental’, the one where you think resides ‘Free-will’ and you will realize that ‘free-will’ has nothing to do with ‘mental’. The Conscious mind as you know it is the FIRST level, the lowest level of ‘mental’. It is vital, in order to be able to think, to deduce, to reason, to discern, to be logical. This is vital. But it must NOT be permitted to take the place of the ‘2^nd Mind’. Which is the 2^nd level Mind? The 2^nd level Mind is that mind of the ‘embodied Spirit’, which HAS been able to access and reach other energies. Although it is ‘embodied’, it is not RESTRICTED. We understand this is slightly difficult. Let us take this again.

The conscious mind helps you to have conscious thought. But do you not know that there are several ‘unconscious thoughts’ that flit by? You may not be aware of that, because then they would be ‘conscious’. But at least you must KNOW that they exist. These thoughts come and go unchecked and without you being conscious of them. The more you CLEAR the 2^nd level emotion, the purer will be the thoughts of the 2^nd level mental. The 2^nd level mental thinks FROM and IN RESPONSE TO the 2^nd level ‘emotional’. Have you not often used the words ‘I didn’t MEAN to’?

You genuinely didn’t mean to consciously, but haven’t the Masters told you that of course you meant it? But you meant it at the 2^nd level emotional, 2^nd level mental. As soon as ‘clearance’ is attained in 2^nd level emotional, there is ‘clearance’ in the 2^nd level ‘mental’. Clearance in 2^nd level mental means an IMMEDIATE CONNECTION to first level mental. The conscious mind with THAT connection does not think from the first level any more, but from the 2^nd level.

The 3^rd level mental is always connected to the ‘disembodied Spirit’. The disembodied Spirit ‘thinks, reasons, chooses, decides’, seeing a picture that is wider than the 1^st level mind.

Now which ‘mind’ makes the ‘free-will’ choice? NONE. The mind at any level makes NO ‘free-will’ choice. It is the 3RD LEVEL EMOTIONAL that makes the choice. So it is a free choice. FREE. Unencumbered by 2^nd level decisions. It is FREE. How simple to understand the word ‘free’ and how complicated you make it.

It is free of encumbrances. ‘How’? You are asking, ‘how’ does emotion have a Will? What else would have a Will? Your Will to grow comes out of an emotion. Your Will to succeed comes out of an Emotion. It is THAT Will, which subsequently makes you think of how to access and get that Will attained. The Will does not come out of mind. EMOTION. You may THINK that ‘I want to be this or that’. That is not Will. That is the decision of the conscious mind that has a limited vision. It is a decision.

At which level is intent. INTENT IS AT THE 3^RD LEVEL MENTAL. Do you understand? You have been thinking of ‘intent’.

So ‘free-will’ RESIDES IN THE 3^RD LEVEL EMOTIONAL. Now you may think that all these are different levels, but they are not that complicated. They only sound so, when we verbalize a very natural process. If we were to describe to you your breathing, you would wonder how you ever breathe! Do you pay conscious thought to this process? Do you know how many tiny physical structures exist within you? It would be very complicated (to explain). And yet take a deep breath. How easy!

When ‘feeling’ is associated with the mind, IMMEDIATELY the mind begins to think from 1^st level. It decides: ‘I do not wish to move, I am comfortable in this city. I have a job. I have a family. Moving is NOT the reasonable, logical decision to make!’ Decision has been reached. BUT there is an EXTERNAL pressure. Who exerts that external pressure? 3^rd level physical. That pressure exerted on 1^st level mental, which has taken a decision and which is now being ‘pushed’ to move away from that decision, will take the help of its greatest ally : 1^st level emotional. ‘Let us fight this person together’.

Anger! But you see how quick it is? Would it be this quick, if you were not all ‘one’? You are 1^st level, 2^nd level, and 3rd level physical, mental and emotional. You are ALL. But when there is a well-administered business, don’t you have different departments that look after different jobs? Do they all do the same thing and become chaotic? Think of yourself as a ‘successful business’ and you have these departments running well.

Do you understand now WHO YOU ARE? Now don’t ever ask us: ‘don’t we have free-will?’ I am tired of this child (Elaeenah) asking me that. Now there is another one! (Laughter)

The 1^st level mental has been ‘attacked’ by 3^rd level physical and 3^rd level emotional.

‘Which one’ has?

Don’t put yourself down. You would not be here, if you had not been able to transcend ALL three ‘first levels’.

Let us answer that. Each one accepts, each one expects, and each one aspires. You accept completely that which you are. You expect help, guidance, love, wisdom. You aspire to different goals, as per Will. The Universe is placed in such a manner to help you fulfill these aspirations. But at every level, you have to work with the Universe. You may ‘aspire’ for complete and total spiritual ‘sainthood’ in one lifetime. But you have to WORK towards it. You have to HELP the Universe grant you that aspiration. That is the deserving the Masters speak of. "Ask and you shall receive". Certainly. But nothing is given to you ‘out of turn’.

Do you remember when we spoke of the ‘Karmic Board’? If you have WORKED enough on an issue, the rest that needs ‘resolution’, will be at once pardoned. ‘Ask and you shall receive’. But you HAVE TO WORK, hand in hand with the Universe. And little one, work does not mean only ONE incarnation. For YOU this limited period of time is important. The Universe is looking at a period that has gone on without stop. Do you understand?

Let us explain you this. You are looking at this relationship from THIS INCARNATION, little one. It comes from the 1^st level mental. You have transcended this in many, many ways. The vision has to be widened. That which you DO NOT receive, you receive – yes you do not receive it in the FORM that you wish to receive, which the 1^st level mental will recognize, which the 1^st level physical will accept. You receive it, at 3^rd level physical, 3^rd level emotional, and the 3^rd level mental. There is NO instance, NONE, of asking and not receiving. But beloved ones, do not ask us to give it always, in forms that you recognize. You are limited by your ‘form’. But do not make our gifts limited. Give us the freedom to give you all that we can.

Jade Fire blessed the group and the meeting ended.