Letter sent by Dr Michael Goldstein to all devotees

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Letter sent by Dr Michael Goldstein to all devotees

Source:

http://www.saiaustralia.org.au/release/222.html

Dr Michael Goldstein, Chairman of Prashanti Council, has issued a letter

relating to Birthday Celebrations which is to be circulated to all devotees in

Australia. This letter is provided below.

An announcement will be made shortly advising of the appointment of individuals

to lead the planning for each of the service programs outlined -

Service to the Individual - International Medical Camps.

Service to the Community - Adoption of Improverished Communities.

Service to Humanity - Public Meeting Program.

Yours, in Sai servicesgd. Neville FredericksCentral Coordinator, AustraliaSathya

Sai Organisation Australia & Papua New Guinea16 August 2004

©Sathya Sai Baba Organisation of Australia and PNG

http://www.saiaustralia.org.au/release/222.html

Dr Goldstein's letter

THE 80th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS OF

BHAGAVAN SRI SATHYA SAI BABA AND THE 8th

WORLD CONFERENCE OF OVERSEAS SRI

SATHYA SAI ORGANIZATIONS

 

OUR LORD

 

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Avatar of this age, walks among us.

He, who is and knows all, teaches us, corrects us, guides us, inspires us, loves

us, and ultimately transforms us. His 80th Birthday, November 23, 2005, is

rapidly approaching. There is only one worthy Birthday present that we have

the power to give Him. We must give Him ourselves and our selfishness, and

thus become Divine and embodiments of selfless love. He has instructed us to

pray to Him only for Selfless Love. He says that if we have Selfless Love, all

else will come. Let us all pray for Selfless Love!

OUR LIVES

 

The small picture seen by small minded people leading loveless lives

is that we are individual identities in a world that is unpredictable,

capricious, and often hostile. We form human relationships with each other.

Nevertheless, we still live in our self-imposed separateness. To the extent

that we are able to achieve selfless love, we shatter the shackles of

separateness.

 

Let’s look at the big picture! The big picture seen by broad minded

people leading loving lives is that we are all Divine and therefore one in the

spirit of selfless love. The world is our projection and we can make it what

it should be. Being Divine, we are one with Bhagavan Baba, who is the very

embodiment of Divinity.

OUR ORGANIZATION

 

The 80th Birthday of our Lord, Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, is

approaching. He has lent His Sacred Name to our Organization, the Sri Sathya

Sai Organization. Surely the time has come for us to unite and to purify our

actions by eliminating selfish motives. Surely the time has come for us to

become mature men and women, dedicated to the realization of our inherent

divinity, and determined to understand and to become living examples of the

Divine Teachings of Bhagavan Baba, to become living examples of Selfless Love.

 

OUR PLAN

 

Our objective is to spiritually transform ourselves, to spiritually

transform our Organization, to spiritually transform the world in which we live

as human beings. We can do this! We must do this!

 

Let us pray to Him for Love and, as He assures us, all else will come!

 

We will serve individuals through our International Medical Camps

Program.

 

We will serve communities through our Adoption of the Impoverished

Program.

 

We will serve humanity through our SAI Public Meeting Program –

Bringing the Divine Message to the World.

 

Each International zone (now 9 in number) will engage in a minimum of 9 of each

of these three events for a minimum total of 81 of the above three Service

Programs prior to the 80th Birthday. In order for us to learn from each other,

inspire each other, and uplift our respective communities, all of the above

service programs as well as other outstanding service activities and major Sai

Events will be recorded on film and written accounts of these events will be

submitted for Sanathana Sarathi and other Sai Publications.

 

OUR SERVICE PROGRAMS

 

SERVICE TO THE INDIVIDUAL - INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CAMPS

We have formed an International Medical Camp Committee

consisting of doctors from all of the zones. The Zone Chairmen have been

requested to appoint a Zonal Medical Adviser who will develop a Medical

Committee comprised of doctors and nurses from the countries in that zone.

These doctors and nurses will become part of medical relief camps that are

conducted in various parts of the world providing medical services free to

people who are in need and deprived of these services. Each Zone will conduct

at least 9 such medical camps between now and September 1,

2005.

 

SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY - ADOPTION OF IMPOVERISHED COMMUNITIES

We will adopt deprived communities and/or families and

individuals to the extent that the resources of our local organizations permit.

Each of the International Zones, now nine in number will accomplish a minimum

of nine “adoption” projects before September 1, 2005. We will render service to

the poor by assisting them with food, shelter, clothing, education, healthcare,

and other essential needs.

 

SERVICE TO HUMANITY - PUBLIC MEETING PROGRAM

 

When we bear witness to the Eternal Truth of the Divine

Message brought to mankind by Bhagavan Baba, we are rendering a great service

to our brothers and sisters. In speaking about His Message, His Works, His

life in a public forum our outer actions become congruent with our inner

convictions. Our thoughts, words, and deeds become one. To the extent that we

do this with Love, we inspire our neighbor to seek and to find himself. We

strengthen our own self confidence so that we are able to follow the dictates

of our conscience without hesitation. Each Zone will conduct at least 9 such

meetings between now and September 1, 2005.

OUR CULTURAL PROGRAMS

 

We are planning a number of cultural programs that will take place

between now and the end of 2005.

International Choir for New Years Day 2005.

International Symphony Orchestra Concert on Guru

Poornima 2005 and/or Birthday 2005.

International Soccer Match between teams of

professionals, active and retired from Asia and Western Countries December

2005.

International Cultural Dramas that will depict the

Divine Message performed by Sai Spiritual Education students and Young Adults.

International Artists of renown will perform in the Divine

Presence.

OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

 

The Prasanthi Council has appointed a sub-committee of accomplished Sai

Educators to deliberate on the current state of Sai Education programs for the

young in all of its forms. The committee will then make recommendations to

the Prasanthi Council regarding the implementation and administration of all

Sai Education Programs in countries outside of India. The chairman of this

committee will be Dr. Pal Dhall (Australia) and the members will be Dr. Victor

Kanu (Africa), Dr. Art Ong Jumsai (Thailand), Dr. Marcos Gomez (Brazil), Dr.

Thorbjorn Meyer (Denmark), Dr. Ronne Marantz (New York), Bea Flaig (Arizona),

Berniece Meade (California), Dr. Tom Scovill (California) and Bibi Ramirez

(Mexico).

 

They will elucidate how the term “educare” applies to Sathya Sai Education in

Human Values, Sai Spiritual Education, and Bal Vikas. They will define the

applications of the Sathya Sai Education in Human Values Program such as free

standing Sathya Sai Schools, adoption of public and private schools, community

Sathya Sai Education in Human Values Programs, and other applications of the

Program. They will review the Sai Spiritual Education Programs (formerly Bal

Vikas) currently being conducted around the world outside of India and suggest

how the programs can be improved. They will develop the relationship of the

Sai Educational Programs with the parents of the children/youth who are

students in the program. They will review all Sai Education materials

currently being utilized in all Programs. They will make recommendations for

the standardization of the Sai Education Programs in a way that enables us to

maintain the spiritual quality of the program and still permit the flexibility

to adapt to different cultures. Their recommendations will be reviewed by the

Prasanthi Council. If deemed feasible and appropriate, they will be presented

for Divine Approval and adopted accordingly.

 

OUR YOUTH

 

The Sai youth must bring their enthusiasm, creativity, and courage to explore

innovations into the Sai Organization. The Sai Organization will be

rejuvenated and benefit from their qualities. The Sai youth must also

recognize that among the members and elders of the Sai Organization, they will

find examples of selfless love and profound wisdom, extensive spiritual and Sai

Organizational experience.

 

The Young adults must have sufficient humility so that they can

optimize the benefits that they will enjoy from being with people of this

caliber. Both the Sai elders and the Sai youth must put aside their

misunderstandings and rejoice in the wonders of each other. The elders must

see themselves as they were at a younger age and marvel how spiritually

precocious are our young adults. The young adults must see the beauty and

goodness that has resulted from many years of dedication to the spiritual life

that has been demonstrated by many of the elders.

They must honor and emulate these exemplary qualities. These are the proper

relationships, the spiritual equilibrium that must prevail between our youth

and the members of the Sai Centers who are no longer youth.

 

The Organization will empower the youth to serve in all areas. A

young adult man and a young adult woman will become members of the National

Central Councils in all countries. In those countries where there is no

Central Council, let there be a young adult man and a young adult woman member

of the Coordinating Committee of that Country. However, the Organization will

expect the youth to comport themselves properly, according to the 5 D’s:

Devotion, Discipline, Dedication, Determination, and Discrimination. This

Organization has this same expectation for all devotees,

youth and elders, members and officer bearers. Swami has advised us to look

upon the youth as the leaders of tomorrow. The leaders of tomorrow must be the

participants of today.

 

OUR PRE-WORLD CONFERENCES

 

Pre-World Conferences will be conducted in each country where

possible or at regional level if necessary on “UNITY – PURITY – DIVINITY”.

Each country and/or region will submit a white paper summarizing the results of

their conference to the Zonal Chairmen who will then consolidate all of these

white papers into a Zonal white paper that will be submitted to the Prasanthi

Council. The purpose of this process is twofold. First, all Sai brothers and

sisters everywhere will delve deeply into Swami’s Message, their own spiritual

experiences, and the relevance of the Programs of the Sai Organization. They

will explore the

relevance of the Divine Message and the Sai Organization to their own

communities and to the world. Secondly, the lessons that we can learn from

each other will be reflected in the Zonal White papers and will be used as the

foundation for the Program of the 8th World Conference of Overseas Sri Sathya

Sai Organizations in Prasanthi Nilayam, November, 2005. (Sample agenda used in

the Rome, Argentina, and Singapore conferences is attached.)

 

OUR 8TH WORLD CONFERENCE

 

In November, 2005, in the Divine Presence of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the

8th World Conference of Overseas Sri Sathya Sai Organizations will be convened.

Our program will address our spiritual needs and reflect our spiritual

experiences which will be demonstrated by the Pre-World Conferences.

 

OUR PERFORMANCE

 

Since we are all inherently Divine, the Human Values are qualities

that we possess. The extent of their latency or manifestation determines the

nobility of our character. When the Human Values are latent in us, but not

manifested, and our interactions in the world are expressions of the mentality

of me and mine, the nobility of our characters will be very low. When the

Human Values are adhered to and they are evident, the great nobility of our

characters will be readily apparent. Swami has said that “the Human Values are

the attributes of God.”

 

In the context of our Organization when these values are not

manifested collectively in our actions and interactions, then the spiritual

integrity of our programs are compromised. Alternatively, when we interact

with Love, recognizing our oneness, we become the Lamps of Love that have been

lit by the Lord Himself. Let us all pray to Bhagavan Baba for selfless love,

then all else will come.

 

Lovingly, in the Service of Sai,

Michael Goldstein,

Chairman Prasanthi Council

 

 

AGENDA SRI SATHYA SAI PRE-WORLD CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS

 

INTRODUCTION

DIVINITY WALKS AMONG US IN THE BEAUTIFUL FORM OF OUR BELOVED BHAGAVAN SRI SATHYA

SAI BABA. WE MUST APPRECIATE AND APPLY THE BLESSINGS OF GOD’S GIFT, HIS

PRESENCE IN THIS HUMAN FORM DURING THE COURSE OF OUR LIVES. TOWARD THIS END WE

WILL CONSIDER BHAGAVAN BABA AS THE DIVINE EXEMPLAR. HIS LIFE IS DEDICATED TO

THE SPIRITUAL SALVATION OF HUMANITY. HIS MESSAGE DEMONSTRATES THAT MAN IS

ESSENTIALLY DIVINE AND THAT THERE IS UNITY IN THE DIVERSITY OF CREATION. HIS

WORKS DEMONSTRATE THAT SERVICE TO MAN IS SERVICE TO GOD. WE WILL APPLY WHAT

IS LEARNED FROM HIS EXAMPLE TO OURSELVES AS INDIVIDUALS AND TO OUR RESPECTIVE

SOCIETIES. WE WILL APPLY WHAT IS LEARNED TO THE SATHYA SAI ORGANIZATION SO

THAT ALL ORGANIZATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS WILL CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT

IS CONDUCIVE TO THE REALIZATION OF THE INHERENT DIVINITY OF ALL MEN AND WOMEN.

FINALLY, WE WILL NURTURE THE SPIRITUAL PERSPECTIVE AND KNOWLEDGE THAT IS WITHIN

US AND TAKE ACTION TO FULFILL THE DIVINE PURPOSE OF THESE GOD GIVEN HUMAN

LIVES. AS A RESULT OF THIS EXPERIENCED KNOWLEDGE AND SANCTIFIED ACTION, THE

SATHYA SAI BABA ORGANIZATIONS WILL BECOME A LIGHT OF DIVINE INSPIRATION IN OUR

RESPECTIVE SOCIETIES THROUGH OUR SELFLESS WORK.

 

In addition to each of the subtopics on the following agenda, each of the three

workshops will consider the following:

How do our Sai Organization Programs contribute to achieving:

UNITY - of thought, word, and deed, and of mankind.

 

PURITY – through transcending the desires that emanate from body

and mind, and from the distractions of the external world.

DIVINITY – realization of our innate heritage, identification with

our spiritual heart, experiencing selfless love.

 

OPENING PRAYER

I EDUCATION - BHAGAVAN SRI SATHYA SAI BABA, THE DIVINE EXEMPLAR

Orientation by Convener

Discussion of Unity, Purity, Divinity as described above in the context of Education.

Acquisition of wisdom.

What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom.

Discuss the fundamental teachings and Divine Works of Bhagavan Baba

How do we assimilate His Teachings and emulate His Works in our lives and in

our organization?

Educare. Compare the use of this term in its broadest sense, as spirituality,

and how it is used with regards to our educational programs for the young.

How do we make our entire life an exercise and demonstration of Divine Wisdom?

 

II DEVOTION - SAI DEVOTEE, A SPIRITUAL ASPIRANT

Orientation by Convener

Discussion of Unity, Purity, Divinity as described above in the context of Devotion

Discussion of the nine aspects of devotion as applied to our organization and our daily lives

What is the meaning of spirituality and selfless love in the context of devotion?

How can we improve our organizational programs so that we experience and

understand selfless love?

 

How do we make our entire life an exercise and demonstration of selfless love?

 

III SERVICE - SOCIETY, THE BENEFICIARY OF SELFLESS SERVICE

Orientation by Convener

Discussion of Unity, Purity, Divinity as described above in the context of Service

The purpose of human life is Selfless Service. What does this mean?

What is selfless service?

Discuss service programs of Sai Organization and make recommendations.

How do we make our entire life an exercise and demonstration of selfless service?

 

CLOSING PRAYER

For Devotees (Final)

 

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