Sai Ram, dear Alexandra, I have gone through those dry spells

[Guest guest]

Sai Ram, dear Alexandra, I have gone through those dry spells you mention and

have suffered much while they lasted, but they do pass. My closest Sai devotee

friends also go through those stages, when it seems we have been deserted by

our beloved Swami, but these have to do only with our perception, not with the

reality. The reality is Swami is always with us.

 

I call those stages my time traversing the desert. And the thirst for the

feeling of the Divine Presence grows stronger every second. It would seem like

the world has ceased to exist during those difficult times, that everything, in

fact, has ceased to exist, and that we are walking endlessly through a parched,

unmerciful land, where there is no water, no shade, no relief, no joy.

 

However, I have learned (and my closest Sai devotee friends agree on this) that

these apparent too quiet times when Swami seems "distant", because we do not

feel His Divine Presence with the same immediacy and force we usually do, are

actually part of being "on the Path" with Him.

 

Though we do not notice anything, spiritual growth is taking place just the

same, sometimes even too much of it at too an accelerated pace for us to be

consciously aware of it and, at some point, we suddenly realize it. Then

Swami's Love seems to be suddenly pouring on us constantly, like summer rain

restoring the land, and the dry spell is totally forgotten.

 

You and my friends and me are not the only spiritual aspirants confronting these

"dry spells". It has happened to many others before, even saints, and will

happen to many others after because they seem to be part of the process. I do

not know exactly why, but that seems to be the case.

 

St. Theresa of Avila narrated, in one of her books, a similar experience. She

said: "I feel totally dry of devotion. I do not even pray anymore." And this

coming from a saint that shortly after complaining this way levitated while

praying, in plain view of all the other nuns in her convent! Not to mention her

many direct experiences of the Divine Presence in the Form of Jesus, angels,

etc.

 

The best thing about you is that you have not given up, you have not abandoned

your sadhana and that is what really counts. The Lord knows it. He is always

with you. You may feel it some times, and some other times you may not, but He

is always there, with you, inside you, around you, before you, behind you,

above you, underneath you, at your sides... Always!

 

Have this firm conviction in your heart, insist on love, insist on service,

insist on Swami... And He will very soon reward you with a beautiful Sai

Surprise.

 

May our Swami bless you with the awareness of His Divine Loving Presence now and always.

 

With much Sai love,

 

Gina

saiyeled284 (AT) comcast (DOT) net

Sai Ram

Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu

 

-------------- Original message -------------- Dear Friends:I am most curious to

know if anyone feels that Baba withdraws his personalattention/communication

from us at times. .....