Christmas in Prasanthi - 2004

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CHRISTMAS IN PRASANTHI - 2004

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Sai,

Sri Sai RamYou are heartily invited to take part in the Christmas Surprise

granted by our beloved Bhagavn Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

The following excerpts of a devotee´s mail will give Your mind some good guidance ...

This year (2004) I got to experience a Prashanti Christmas and it was was even

more spectacular. The hall was filled with beautiful red and green decorations

including six almost life-size angels, with gorgeous flowing gowns and gold

wings. In fact, the entire ashram was decorated, including the Western

canteen. For two days at Christmas, Westerners are given preferred seating

(...). On the afternoon of the 24th Swami came into the hall in one of His new

carts (...). The hall was full, but everyone seemed to get inside. After Swami

took His seat, the children’s choir presented their program. They gave a

wonderful, energetic performance of songs and carols. Then the 600 member

adult choir presented their program. There were no Christmas carols, but a

beautiful set of love songs to Swami. He seemed very pleased with their

performance, leaning back in His chair with eyes closed in a familiar pose,

raising the energy with His left hand. Swami gave permission for the choir to

sing a couple of encore songs and then requested they sing bhajans while He had

prasad distributed to the crowd (Indian sweet with silver foil on top). The

choir led us in several rousing bhajans. Swami got out of His chair and went

inside the interview room for some minutes then emerged and entered the mandir

where He sat for more bhajans lead by His students. He left the hall in the

cart just after 5:30 pm. That evening, the Western canteen provided a

Christmas meal for 30 rupees, which included shepherd’s pie and mango ice

cream. The canteen staff had put candles on the tables and lowered the lights,

so it was like a real Christmas meal. On Christmas Day (25.12.), at morning

darshan, the World Choir (...) was invited to sit behind the Christmas Choir

(...). Swami came sometime after 7 am in the same cart as the day before,

wearing his normal orange robe. The hall was full and devotees had to sit

outside as not all could get in. After going around the hall in the cart,

Swami took His seat on the veranda and the His students put on their Christmas

program. First, was a small band of older boys who did an excellent job

playing a number of traditional Christmas songs, such as Winter Wonderland

complete with the sound of cracking whip and horse’s whinny at the end. Next

came a performance of the younger violin group who did several carols including

jingle bells while several of the young students in Santa costumes skipped

around the hall throwing candy to the crowd. Swami was enjoying every minute,

tapping His hands to the music and blessing the small »Santa’s« when then came

to kneel before Him. The final performance of the morning was done by a

combination group of students (both younger and older). They did a more

contemporary rendition of some Christmas music, which included vocals. In

between each song, a boy came forward to speak a few words of introduction

about Christmas, Jesus and/or Swami. After they finished, Swami asked them to

lead bhajans and then had prasad distributed (dates). Anil Kumar announced

that Swami would give a discourse at 4 pm. Swami left the hall in the cart

around 9:30 am. In the afternoon (25.12.), Swami came into the hall around

3:30 pm and made the rounds in His cart. He surprised us by signaling to have

a car brought into the hall. We were all wondering what was going to happen.

It was a new car, I hadn’t seen before -- small, but still larger than the golf

carts. Since the crowd was large, the driver had a bit of difficulty, but

finally managed to drive around the hall, up onto the veranda, then back out

and around in front of the veranda steps. We were all still wondering what

this was all about. The driver opened the car door -- sliding door similar to

minivan doors on cars in the USA. We could see the car interior and the

passenger seat. (The car only had two seats). The driver, using a remote

control pushed a button and the passenger seat, swung out from the interior and

then lowered to the ground. The driver then got out and showed how the seat was

easily detached and became a rolling chair. Anil Kumar came on the microphone

to describe how the car had arrived just that morning, unexpectedly, and then

described all the features we had just witnessed. Swami was obviously extremely

pleased and wanted to share His new Christmas present with all His devotees at

the ashram! It was a very happy moment. The driver then reversed the process

by putting the car seat easily back in place and raising it back into the car

with the remote. The car was driven back onto the veranda behind the Ganesh

statue where we could not see it. The afternoon program then commenced with

the head of the Christmas committee introducing three speakers(...).(...) Then

it was time for Swami to give His discourse. The full text will be available on

the web shortly, but in quick summation: He said that there is nothing that is

not God and that all that occurs is His will. He talked about His new car and

how, even though it arrived unexpectedly, it was His will. He encouraged us to

pray, but not to have expectations about the outcome. All prayers are answered,

but not necessarily in the manner we might expect. After the discourse, Swami

had gifts (four-color printed booklets with photos and Swami quotes) and prasad

(cookies) distributed. The students sang bhajans as the prasad was distributed.

Finally, the new car was brought out from behind the Ganesh statue and Swami

demonstrated how the seat worked by getting in while we all watched! He was so

happy and that made us all so joyful. The car was driven back around the men’s

side (the students rushed to be reseated near the aisle in order to have a good

look). The car windows were rolled down and Swami waved blessings to everyone as

He slowly left the hall.

It was a most wonderful and happy Christmas celebration here at Prashanti Nilayam.

Posted on 26.12.2004 by Jay Sai Ram.

sourced:http://om-namo.tripod.com/Christmas04/christmas-2004.htm

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