Question on faith/confidence

[Guest guest]

Sai Ram everyone. It's Amit. Ever since Sai Baba brought me closer

to him I've become a better person and I have been able to limit my

ego, and follow Swami's teachings. I continue to want to do seva.

 

I am a teacher and I teach 5th grade students. I love what I do and

I serve Baba, the children, and myself in this seva. I am very eager

and excited about what I do because I want to prepare the children

for their older grades and I really want to teach them and give them

a good experience because education is so important and empowering!

 

I have very few desires. I care for my health and safety, as well as

my family's health and safety. I do not care for material items, nor

do I want fame or fortune.

 

My question is this:

 

What are Baba's feelings on confidence? Does He want us to be very

confident people who have no fears OR does He want us to be level-

headed and not get over confident? I know Sai says "Why fear when I

am here." and I'm trying to understand that more. I want my faith to

be so strong yet I don't want to let Baba down by becoming arrogant.

What does Baba say?

 

I want to put all of my faith in Baba and say to myself: "Amit you

need not fear anything, Baba is with you always, protecting you,

taking care of you, watching over you."

 

Thank you all!

 

OM Shanti Shanti Shanti

 

May Baba bless all of you,

 

Amit

[Guest guest]

Brother Amit, Embodiment of Love....

I must commend you on the wonderful seva you are doing, by fostering the minds

of all these little ones..what a blessings it is! You are doing the greatest

seva of all, by imbiding your EHV to innocent minds. At such tender ages, these

little minds are so perceptive and grasp at these values more than we realize. I

commend you on all your efforts. May Swami continue to guide you, protect you

and give you the strength and divine energy to carry on with your seva! Keep up

the good work you are doing.

I read once I cannot remember if it was the Sanathana Sarathi or one of the

Sathyam Shivam Sundaram volumes, but however I did come across an article to

the extent of what Swami was talking about..CONFIDENCE. I will try to put in

writing what I remembered...

Swami mentioned that, "People who believe in themselves take charge of their

actions." Whether it is good or bad...and to be confident we must all act

assertively, speak calmly and listen properly. Being confident, can make you

become flexible towards people, circumstances and all things new.The divine

soul is able to give genuine praise-(not for selfish purposes or reasons) and

to accept constructive criticism. Swami goes on to elaborate on the point of

being able to fully evaluate ourselves realistically,realizing our achievements

not merely based on egoism but also learn from our mistakes.

Swami says, when an opportunity comes up WE MUST say 'Why not?' rather than

'Why?'

Swami also says that,Confidence is within all of us, but whether it shines

through or whether it remains hidden can depend on how we are treated as

children." It's not for nothing that there is a saying 'show me the girl at

seven and I'll show you the divine personification of motherhood'.

Swami has also said, being embodiments of love, we are like life itself and can

definitely change and it can start with self reflection. We have to know

ourselves, like ourselves and accept ourselves. As Swami says, once all this is

taken in consideration you will have the confidence to realize Swami's words

"WHY FEAR WHEN SWAMI IS HERE?"

I am not sure if I helped you at all, but this is what I remember

reading...hopefully someone else will bring some light to the topic...

Again, may Swami bless you abundantly for your wonderful efforts....

Lots of love ...Your sister in Sai

Radhey of Canada

I offer my humble pranaams at the lotus feet of the lord of the Universe..

Om Jai Sri Sai Raam.

[ ®Åе£¥]

[Guest guest]

is no "I" or "EGO" All is "HIM/HER", the Shiv Shakti. The SAI EDUCARE movement

is to instill this self confidence in the Individual so that the Individual is

not steered by the darkness of the materialistic world. I hope this answers the

question In Sai service Meena Chintapalli

[Guest guest]

Dear Amit,

 

We have to be self confident, but not arrogant, only HUMBLE knowing that all we

have and all we do is because Lord give us so. We do this work and get our

salary because Lord wants to be so.

And there is no fear and no arrogancy as well.

When Swami says: "Why fear when I'm here?" He wants that we are confident but

grateful for everything we have in this life.

It is a combination of SELF CONFIDENCE and HUMBLENESS.

 

God bless you,

you do great job and Swami wants you to do this the better you can.

 

HELP AS MUCH AS YOU CAN,

AS EFFICIENTLY AS YOU CAN,

AS SILENTLY AS YOU CAN,

AS LOVINGLY AS YOU CAN,

AND LEAVE THE REST TO GOD, WHO GAVE YOU THE CHANCE TO SERVE !

 

Sai Ram,

Tanja - Croatia.

[Guest guest]

Om Jai Sai Raam

Brother Amit, Embodiment of Love....

I must commend you on the wonderful seva you are doing, by fostering the minds

of all these little ones..what a blessings it is! You are doing the greatest

seva of all, by imbiding your EHV to innocent minds. At such tender ages, these

little minds are so perceptive and grasp at these values more than we realize. I

commend you on all your efforts. May Swami continue to guide you, protect you

and give you the strength and divine energy to carry on with your seva! Keep up

the good work you are doing.

I read once I cannot remember if it was the Sanathana Sarathi or one of the

Sathyam Shivam Sundaram volumes, but however I did come across an article to

the extent of what Swami was talking about..CONFIDENCE. I will try to put in

writing what I remembered...

Swami mentioned that, "People who believe in themselves take charge of their

actions." Whether it is good or bad...and to be confident we must all act

assertively, speak calmly and listen properly. Being confident, can make you

become flexible towards people, circumstances and all things new.The divine

soul is able to give genuine praise-(not for selfish purposes or reasons) and

to accept constructive criticism. Swami goes on to elaborate on the point of

being able to fully evaluate ourselves realistically,realizing our achievements

not merely based on egoism but also learn from our mistakes.

Swami says, when an opportunity comes up WE MUST say 'Why not?' rather than

'Why?'

Swami also says that,Confidence is within all of us, but whether it shines

through or whether it remains hidden can depend on how we are treated as

children." It's not for nothing that there is a saying 'show me the girl at

seven and I'll show you the divine personification of motherhood'.

Swami has also said, being embodiments of love, we are like life itself and can

definitely change and it can start with self reflection. We have to know

ourselves, like ourselves and accept ourselves. As Swami says, once all this is

taken in consideration you will have the confidence to realize Swami's words

"WHY FEAR WHEN SWAMI IS HERE?"

I am not sure if I helped you at all, but this is what I remember

reading...hopefully someone else will bring some light to the topic...

Again, may Swami bless you abundantly for your wonderful efforts....

Lots of love ...Your sister in Sai

Radhey of Canada

I offer my humble pranaams at the lotus feet of the lord of the Universe..

Om Jai Sri Sai Raam.

saibabanews/message/14228

[Guest guest]

saibabanews, "gobullsgo513"

<gobullsgo513 wrote:

>

> My question is this:

>

> What are Baba's feelings on confidence? Does He want us to be very

> confident people who have no fears OR does He want us to be level-

> headed and not get over confident?

 

SaiRam, Amit.

In our study circle years ago, we had an opportunity to discuss

confidence/over-confidence/under-confidence/no-confidence and its

relationship to spirituality/spiritual practice. Since that time, I

have explored the topic off and on. Please allow me to share which

will help me to streamline my thoughts too. Can we contemplate

together?

 

Your question is totally and completely answered by Swami in a

famous quote, though it is difficult to grasp fully. The quote is:

 

Self-confidence is the foundation;

self-sacrifice are the walls;

self-contentment is the roof;

Self-realization is the life.

 

The term self is used in this quote with multiple meanings.

1) self (with a small s) = ahamkar = ego = i am a separate and

distinct individual being = i am this and that = i can do this and

that = i am the doer

2) Self (with cap s) = Aham = Atma = I am = Universal Divine being =

No separation from anything nor anybody = Oneness

3) self (with small s)= mind = manas

 

The foundation is Faith in (Self) Atma. That is one's faith in one's

divinity = I am divine. This is not the confidence in one's ego

(separate beingness). "self-confidence" we learn in schools and

colleges and in the external world is ego-confidence = "i can do

this and that" = "i am the doer" ="i deserve all the credits for my

work". To teach us ego-confidence, we do not need any scriptures or

gurus or avathars. Without any of them, 20th/21st century humans are

already doing extremely well. Take a moment to look at the status of

humanity ...

 

The walls are self-sacrifice = "sacrifice of the feeling of

individuality" = "sacrifice of manas (lower mind)" = Mano-nasha

= "die-mind to become diamond"

 

The roof is self-contentment/self-satisfaction = "desire free"

= "desirelessness" = Moha kshaya = moksha.

("Who is the poorest man in the world? = One who has most desires")

("Who is the richest man in the world = One who has no desires")

 

Swami, the master of masters, the avathar of avathars has defined

the whole spiritual path and spiritual practice along with

sequential steps in a single quote!

 

So Swami teaches - start with faith in our own divinity, sacrifice

the separateness (individuality), become desire-free and realize

inherent divinity. Let's note the starting point of sadhana is the

faith in one's divinity which is also the goal of any spiritual

practice.

 

I can not start with a faith "i am an animal" and hope to realize my

divinity. It is simply impossible. So also I can not start

with "faith in my separate ego" and hope to overcome it. It is not

possible either. Only truth can free us and the truth is we are

divine. That's why Swami takes great delight in addressing

us "Atmaswarupalara" and "Divyaswarupalara".

 

So our starting point is faith in Atma. Does this make any sense?

 

>I know Sai says "Why fear when I

> am here." and I'm trying to understand that more. I want my faith

> to be so strong yet I don't want to let Baba down by becoming

>arrogant. What does Baba say?

 

One of the most misunderstood spiritual terms is "humility".

Humility is much deeper than politeness. Swami gives the sharpest

definition: "Humility = Ability to forgive and forget."

 

Therefore arrogance is not just being impolite or rude or adamant,

it is inability to forgive and forget and accept others as they are.

Arrogance is not having strong faith in whatever we believe in but

looking down or putting down others for their own belief.

 

SaiRam. kc.