Thursday, June 30, 2016
Baba's Storytime - Don't Chase the Shadow
On a hot day, a man was walking along the road. The afternoon sun was scorching and the shadows had already started lengthening. The man was thirsty and could not see any water source to quench his thirst. Fortunately for him, he saw a tall coconut tree throwing a long shadow in front of him. There were lots of coconuts visible in the shadow and he thought he would quench his thirst with some coconut water. He went to the top of the shadow and tried to pluck a coconut from the shadow. Obviously he could not get one.
He realised his stupidity and with great difficulty, he climbed up the real tree and got hold of a coconut and was drinking the water! Then a great truth dawned upon him. Instead of running after the worldly life, which is only a shadow of the Reality, if we anchor to the substance itself, our needs in the material world will also be automatically taken care of.
If we run after the world, the world runs away from us, but if we turn away from the world, the world runs after us.
(From the Divine Discourses of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba)
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
Spirituality
Spirituality is not merely singing
bhajans, performing worship,
going to temples or on pilgrimages or undertaking any other good activity.
Spirituality is recognising oneness of all beings.
going to temples or on pilgrimages or undertaking any other good activity.
Spirituality is recognising oneness of all beings.
~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(From: First Conference of Sri Sathya Sai Schools,
Valedictory
Address, 21-11-2001, Prasanthi Nilayam)
Monday, June 27, 2016
Sunday, June 26, 2016
We are Loved
The other day my two sons and I got into my old car to drive to the local post office. I backed out of my drive slowly like I normally do and then pulled to a stop at the side road that leads to the main highway. When it was clear I pulled out and stepped on the gas. As I stepped on the clutch and tried to shift into second, though, I immediately knew that something was wrong. The normally solid gear shift now felt like a spoon in a bowl of soup. I tried quickly to get it to lock into any of the gears but to no avail. Thankfully, the steering wheel was still working fine and I allowed the car to coast to the end of the side road where I was able to pull safely into a wide spot and turn the engine off.
My sons and I walked back to my house, borrowed my daughter's car, and drove to a local garage to arrange to have my car towed in for repairs. It was only later in the day that I finally realized how blessed and watched over I had been. I could have been on the main road when that stick shift failed. I could have been doing 55 miles per hour instead of 15. I could have been in the middle of a curve with no place to turn off the road. I could have had a car too close behind me that wouldn't have been able to stop in time. A hundred things could have made this incident dangerous or deadly. Yet, the gear shift broke at just the right moment to keep me and my boys safe.
Far too often we only see the bad things in life. We get angry with God when things don't go our way, and we fail to see the thousands of times that they do. We are loved and watched over in this life more than we can ever know. God loves us and His angels protect us every single day. Yes, my car broke down. Still, my sons and I are safe. We are loved. And we have been given more time here in this world to share our own love and light. Thank you God!
~ Joseph J. Mazzella
What God Wants from Us
The Master of the Universe, at whose glance The Suns, Moons, Stars, and Planets quiver, runs behind man and asks:
“Can you give me your affection? Can you love Me, your Creator more than what I have created for you?”
And man says, “I am busy right now. I have things to do… work pending… just hold on.”
And God says “Yes, I’ll wait.”
The saints and seers of yore have churned the ether with the ladle of their devotion and have brought forth the spirit of that Divine Mother in this Beautiful Form.
Now, when a child refuses to partake its food, the mother very lovingly takes the child into her embrace, shows to the child with a pointed finger, the full moon which is floating in the star studded sky, and then, when this child is fully engrossed in its appreciations for this queen of night skies, the mother very lovingly feeds the child even without it’s knowledge.
Similarly, when man refuses to imbibe the teachings of the Lord, that in God alone one can find everlasting joy, then He takes us into His embrace, shows us His moon-like miracles - which are no doubt enchanting - but in the very course of these miracles, He feeds us with the morsel of truth that God alone is the Nearest of the Near, the Dearest of the Dear, He alone is the one who is Closer than the Closest.
(Source: Radio Sai)
Do Not Forget God
"You may forget anything but do not forget God which amounts to forgetting yourself! In ancient times, people lived longer because they led their lives constantly thinking of God. They never suffered from any diseases. They used to eat simple food. They had no knowledge of vitamins and proteins. They never took any vitamin tablets. There was no need as they offered their food to God first. You can achieve anything in life if you strengthen your faith in God. In fact, you can become God yourself! You are no different from God. Do not underestimate this truth; attain the state of Oneness."
~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(From the book "Sai Smaran" by Dr.D.J.Gadhia)
Friday, June 24, 2016
Thursday, June 23, 2016
Climb Until You Reach Your Dream
Often your tasks will be many,
And more than you think you can do.
Often the road will be rugged
And the hills insurmountable, too.
But always remember,
The hills ahead
Are never as steep as they seem,
And with Faith in your heart
Start upward
And climb 'til you reach your dream.
For nothing in life that is worthy
Is ever too hard to achieve
If you have the courage to try it,
And you have the faith to believe.
For faith is a force that is greater
Than knowledge or power or skill,
And many defeats turn to triumph
If you trust in God's wisdom and will.
For faith is a mover of mountains,
There's nothing that God cannot do,
So, start out today with faith in your heart,
And climb 'til your dream comes true!
~ Helen Steiner Rice ~
Sai Madhuryam
Oh spiritual aspirants!
Whether one is a renunciant or a householder,
whether one is attached to the world or not,
whether one performs actions or not,
when one realises that the same Atmic principle is present
in oneself as well as in others,
one will always experience and enjoy the company of God
in all three states of existence.
~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Monday, June 20, 2016
Quotable Quotes
“When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you
don't blame the lettuce. You look for reasons it is not
doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or
less sun. You never blame the lettuce. Yet if we have
problems with our friends or family, we blame the other
person. But if we know how to take care of them, they will
grow well, like the lettuce. Blaming has no positive
effect at all, nor does trying to persuade using reason
and argument. That is my experience. No blame, no
reasoning, no argument, just understanding. If you
understand, and you show that you understand, you can
love, and the situation will change”
~ Thich Nhat Hanh ~
Purify the Atmosphere
"Today in many parts of the world, Nature is causing various disasters such as earthquakes, famine, floods and volcanic eruptions. What is the reason? The spiritual lapses of man account for these calamities. Disturbances in the heart (human heart) are reflected in earthquakes. Fill your mind with good thoughts and engage yourselves in good actions. Chant the Lord's name. When the ether is surcharged with the vibrations of the Divine name, the entire environment gets purified. Those who breathe this sanctified air will have pure thoughts. Purify the atmosphere which is now polluted."
~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(From the book "Sai Smaran" by Dr. D.J.Gadia)
Baba's Storytime - Sincerity Rewarded
Two sadhus were doing penance sitting under a tree. One day they heard a divine voice from above saying, "Listen, you will get liberation after as many lifetimes as there are leaves on this tree."
One of the sadhus got up in disgust and said, "I am fed up with this penance. How can I wait for innumerable lifetimes to attain liberation?" He walked away disillusioned. The other sadhu felt happy that his liberation was certain and his final release was guaranteed in the course of time. He immediately continued his penance. The Lord was pleased with the steadfastness of this devotee and gave him instant liberation.
This shows that it is the attitude and sincerity with which the actions are done that is important and not the mere action itself. God evaluated a devotee purely on his love and sincerity and purposeful striving towards the goal of liberation.
(From the Divine Discourses of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba)
Friday, June 17, 2016
Thursday, June 16, 2016
Chain of Righteousness
Once upon a time, there was a boy who always liked to listen to his mother's story about the legend of the statue standing beside their humble house. The statue's name was Miriad, he was a legend of righteousness in that very village where the boy lived. The statue of Miriad is being preserved to be a model of the rising generations and to symbolize the greatness of their village. People who walk by the statue give their respect through bowing themselves in front of Miriad's statue. It became tradition in their village that every man who died honorably will be glorified as Miriad the legend, through sculpting their names on the statue's body and will imprint there as long as the earth stands.
The boy wondered how Miriad gained so much respect and honor from the villagers. One night he asked his mother about the subject to answer his questions about the legend Miriad and how he gained his glory from the people of this village. ''He was just a simple and upright man," the mother was saying. ''He served his fellows selflessly, putting others first as priority before his,'' she added. ''Well, I can also do that,'' the boy proudly told his mother. ''That is the reason why they made Miriad a statue, for you children to emulate and not to forget.'' the mother counseled.
One morning the boy saw a crying orphan about his age standing under a mango tree. ''What is the reason of your weeping?'' the boy asked. ''I am hungry and weary. I was trying to get myself some fruit from this mango tree and suddenly I fell on the ground,'' the orphan was explaining. ''Let me do it for you,'' the boy smilingly uttered. He started to climb up the tree and take its fruits as much as he could. After a while, the boy went down from the tree and gave all the mangoes to the orphan. The orphan did not expect the boy's kindness to him. ''Thank you very much,'' he said. ''No worries,'' the boy responded. ''Who taught you to climb a tree?'' asked the orphan. ''Miriad taught me.'' he answered.
Then the boy walked away with his dream that someday his name will be written on the statue of Miriad the legend.
Moral: If we strive to live righteously, we will sculpt a wonderful statue in the heart of the next generation leaving them partly, because our righteous actions will continue to be with them, forever and ever and will not be forgotten.
~ Michael Acera ~
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Greatness Lies in Practice
"One should not be unduly attached to the physical
body, but it has to be taken care of properly. Sometimes you are afflicted with diseases because of negligence on
your part. I take the sufferings of devotees because of My
love for them. It disappears in the same way as it appears.
Here is a small example. A young boy was suffering a great
deal because of mumps (swollen cheek). The doctor said
that it would take a minimum of 20 to 25 days to get cured.
He was crying bitterly unable to bear the severe pain. I
called him inside and consoled him saying, “When Swami
is with you, why do you cry?” I materialised a sweet for
him and made him eat.
I took his pain upon Myself. For
any other person, the pain would have been unbearable.
Srinivasan was very worried about conducting this conference,
when Swami was undergoing so much pain. As the
swelling was between the two jaws, it was not possible to
eat or speak. What does it matter if the body is not given
food for a few days? Hence, I did not care for it.
I told the
organisers to go ahead with the conference. He asked,
“Swami, how are you going to deliver the inaugural address?”
I said, “I feel the pain if I think that this is My
body. But this is not My body, it is yours.”
All your bodies
are Mine. Hence, I take your suffering upon Myself. That
is My duty. This is not My body, so I do not care for it. Not
only now, at any point of time, I do not care for any suffering.
I practise whatever I preach. That is why I say, My life
is My message. It is not possible for all to understand and
realise My Divinity. I do not want to say it in public. I do
not indulge in advertisement. All that is Mine is yours and
vice-versa. I have no desires at all. All My desires are meant to give you happiness. Greatness does not lie in preaching,
it lies in practice. A true acharya (preceptor) is one who
practises and then preaches. That is what I am doing."
~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(From Bhagawan's International Seva Conferences Inaugural
Address,
21st July 2002, Prasanthi Nilayam)
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
Quotable Quotes
“People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize - a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child - our own two eyes. All is a miracle.”
~ Thich Nhat Hanh ~
Monday, June 13, 2016
Duty
There seems to exist a confusion among people today as to what one's duty in the world is. Is it right to renounce one's duties in order to wholeheartedly follow the spiritual path? Do I still have a duty to my married children? The answer is that as long as you feel as an individual entity, you do have a duty. When you merge in the Absolute, the question about duty will not even arise.
Remember whatever you are bound to do will happen even after realisation. Realisation does not mean that one disappears from the world. On the contrary, there will be no question about one's duty; but one's duty will be performed much more efficiently. So egolessness is to uproot one's bad tendencies and sense of doership. It does not stop us from performing the actions we are supposed to perform. If the enlightened beings had not continued to act, there would be no examples for mankind to follow, no teachings, no spiritual books.
Seer and seen, knower and known, are contents of the mind. Practice lies in transferring the attention from the seen to the seer. Hold on to the seer - in due course, one will experience that the seer, as a person, disappears. What remains? That which is Atma. It is uninterrupted awareness. This is liberation.
Many people come to their Guru saying, "I want peace". It is very simple - give up the "I" that wants something, let go of desires and you have peace!
Bhagawan Baba says, "Are we not at peace in the interval when one thought ceases and another does not yet rise?"
(From the book "I am I" by Ratan Lal)
Sunday, June 12, 2016
Baba's Storytime - The Efficacy of Mantras
Once Lord Vishnu asked Narada to recite the mantra "Om Namo Narayana" in the ear of a bird. The bird immediately fell dead on the ground. Again Lord Vishnu directed Narada to recite the same mantra in the ear of a calf. It is a heinous sin for a Brahmin to kill a calf. Remembering the previous instance, Narada obeyed the command with trepidation. The calf immediately died.
A baby was born to a king in his palace. Lord Vishnu told Narada to go there and recite the same mantra in the baby's ear. Narada was nervous. He thought that if the king's son died, his own life would be in danger. Yet he obeyed Lord Vishnu's command and went to the king's palace. Narada was wholeheartedly welcomed, as the presence of a holy person to bless a newborn child was deemed auspicious. As Narada recited the mantra in the baby's ear, the child burst into laughter and said, "I heard this mantra both in a bird and as a calf. Hearing it again now after having been born as a human being, I will surely be liberated."
Mantras are very helpful in order to purify the mind. But remember that while reciting a mantra one should always synchronize the mantra with the in breath and the out breath. If each word of the mantra is recited with the throb emanating from the spiritual heart, the peace of your true nature can be experienced.
(From the Divine Discourses of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba)
Saturday, June 11, 2016
Thursday, June 9, 2016
Welcome Pain
Why should we welcome pain, trials, obstacles and tribulations?
Bhagawan lovingly reminds us:
"All the pains and difficulties that you get will ultimately turn out as a means to give you happiness and pleasure. Even a diamond of high quality does not get its value unless we cut the facets on it. Pure gold will not be turned into a beautiful ornament unless it is repeatedly put into fire and moulded. Whenever you experience pains, trials, obstacles and tribulations, you should recognise them as paths for obtaining ultimate happiness. So we should be prepared to accept pain. To seek pleasure alone and not to welcome pain is not right. Pleasure comes out of pain. We should recognise that all pain will ultimately end in pleasure."
(Divine Discourse, Summer Roses On Blue Mountains, 1976, Ch 3)
(Source: Radio Sai)
Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Little Dots of Light
I was in my backyard the other night. The evening, Autumn air was blowing. It was fresh, clean and cool without being cold. My dogs were sitting on the freshly fallen leaves and looking up at me, wondering why we hadn't gone back inside yet. The reason was that I was taking some time to gaze at the stars. The sky was almost completely clear of clouds and the heavens were twinkling.
It had been too long since I last looked at the billion stars in the night sky. Those little dots of light felt so warm to my heart and inviting to my soul. They seemed to radiate peace, joy, and Heavenly love to all who watched them. Suddenly, one of the few clouds left in the night sky drifted over the large patch of stars I was pondering upon and they disappeared. I frowned as the sky grew a little darker and finally decided to go inside.
As I opened my backdoor I thought of how each one of those little dots of light was special. Each one of them made the night sky a little brighter. Each one of them made the heavens a little more beautiful. I thought too of each of our lives here and how much our light was needed as well.
Don't let the clouds of this world block out your light. Let it shine everyday for God and for yourself. Your light comes from love and love is brighter than a billion galaxies. Let your own love glow from your smile, your laugh, and your life. Let it blaze in your acts of goodness and kindness. Let it be a beacon to help others to share their light as well. Let it be so luminous that the angels sing and God smiles. You may think that you are just a little dot of light in this universe. But without you everything is darker. Share your light always then and bring brightness with you wherever you go.
~ Joseph J. Mazzella
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
Quality, Not Quantity
"It is quality that God values, not quantity. You may perform Narayana Seva on a large scale but you cannot please God without purity of heart. God will be pleased even with one morsel of food offered with sacred feelings. All that you do with purity of heart will find fulfilment. Do your work properly and perfectly, even if more time is spent in the process. But do not be in haste and do not work half-heartedly."
~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(Divine Discourse = 19.10.1999)
Hands in Society, Head in Forest
At times one is asked the inner meaning of such Divine utterances. They imply that one should play one's role in society, without forgetting one's true identity. One should not get identified with the part one has to play in the world. This can be done only by remaining awake to the Real Self, and asleep to the world. This in turn means merging the relative consciousness into the Absolute Consciousness. This can be achieved through constant self attention, keeping the mind unaffected by the events of the world.
(From the book "I am I" by Ratan Lal)
Sunday, June 5, 2016
Saturday, June 4, 2016
Baba's Storytime - The Ever-Present Presence
A man had stayed ten years with his guru in an ashram in India. Due to compelling circumstances, he had to go elsewhere leaving his guru.
With tears in his eyes, he approached his guru and cried, "After ten years with you, I have to leave your gracious presence."
The saint looked at him and said, "Is that what you had learned after years of stay with me here? How can you ever be away from that Presence? That presence is the core of your being, your true Self. To be that is the ultimate experience! Knowing becomes Being! With your eyes closed, be in a contemplative mood and say silently to yourself, "I do not exist." Feel that you are saying this in the presence of the enduring background of silence."
(From the Divine Discourses of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba)
Friday, June 3, 2016
Bad Habits
How to get rid of bad habits?
Baba explains:
Once, a devotee confessed to Swami that he was struggling with his bad thoughts and was unable to get over them. He happened to hold a letter in his hand as he put forward his plea to Bhagavan. Swami took that piece of paper and rolled it. He then gave back the letter to the devotee and asked him to straighten it. The person did that, but every time he left it, it would roll back. This happened three or four times. Then Swami took it back again and rolled it in the reverse direction. And there it was! The letter stood straight as it was before.
Bhagavan then remarked, in His inimitable way, that instead of working on our short comings, we must start or develop a new habit. If we focus our energies this way, the bad traits or activities of lower energies will shed on their own.
(Source: Radio Sai)
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Sai Madhuryam
This body is a den of dirt and prone to diseases;
it is subject to change from time to time;
it cannot cross the ocean of Samsara.
It is nothing but a structure of bones.
O mind, do not be under the delusion that body is permanent.
Instead, take refuge at the Divine Lotus Feet.
~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
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