KINDLE YOUR SPIRIT

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KINDLE YOUR SPIRIT

WRITING ON THE SAND

A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. During some

point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one

in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything,

wrote in the sand: "TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE."

They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a

bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning,

but the friend saved him. After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote

on a stone: "TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE."

The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, "After I hurt

you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?"

The other friend replied: "When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand

where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something

good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it."

LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND AND TO CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE.

*****

GETTING SPIRITUALLY BETTER

ANALYSE THE RISK, BEFORE YIELDING TO ATTRACTIONS AND DESIRES

Some of the points mentioned earlier must no doubt have seemed scary. However,

we should not take an unnecessarily dim or gloomy view of the current state of

affairs. Rather, we must learn from history what we must do and what we ought

not to do. If there are deficiencies in us, we must firmly resolve to correct

ourselves and eliminate those defects. That is the right and proper thing to

do.

OK, agreed we have to transform; but how to go about it? Actually, there is no

shortage of rulebooks that prescribe all the Do's and Don'ts. In fact, such

rulebooks have been there from the distant past; yet, mankind today is deep in

trouble. Why? Because man today is not convinced that following spiritual

discipline is beneficial to him.

Swami says this absence of conviction is the result of a lack of deep analysis.

Man analyses in depth when he has to buy a house, or make a financial

investment. But when it comes to matters spiritual, he has no time to enquire;

he takes the easy way out by ignoring the ancient golden rules. Some would say

that man today is guided more by "short-term" gains rather than "long-term"

benefits. Swami says that if man clearly understands the dangers involved in

some of the actions that seem so attractive, he would refrain from engaging in

them.

Baba gives a nice example. There is a marriage feast, and a tasty sweet pudding

is about to be served. This is the dish that all guests have been looking

forward to. The serving has commenced. Just then, a person who is associated

with the host announces: "Attention everybody. We regret to inform you that

while the pudding was being prepared, a poisonous insect fell into it.

Therefore, kindly do not eat the sweet dish. Please reject it. We are very

sorry and we apologize." Baba says that the pudding, which tills then everyone

were eagerly awaiting, is now looked upon with revulsion. Why? Because,

everyone is aware of the danger. In the same way, all things of the world that

promise sensual pleasure of one kind or the other, have lurking dangers

associated with them. Once the dangers are identified by clear

analysis, then people would not be tempted to do what earlier seemed very attractive.

This is true, and the revulsion to smoking that followed the discovery that

smoking causes lung cancer and heart diseases proves the point. However, not

all are convinced, and that is because they have not analyzed matters in depth.

Some take an escapist view. Take corruption, for example. In a corrupt society,

an individual often says, "What is the point of my trying not to be corrupt?

OK, I will not take bribes, but to get anything done, I have to bribe left and

right; otherwise, nothing happens. Under these circumstances, does it make any

sense for me to be idealistic? In fact such a step would be stupid, and like

Don Quixote tilting at the windmills." This kind of argument is quite common.

Basically, such arguments arise because the individual concerned (a) does not

have faith in the power of Dharma, and

(b) does not realise that one day, he has to pay the price, even though it might

not be immediately. In fact, it is the false sense of security provided by the

idea that one can 'get away' that makes most people to ignore in-depth

analysis, the price one eventually has to pay, etc. The consequences of evil

Karma, Swami says, will finally chase one like the 'bloodhound from hell'.

There is no way to escape from that bloodhound. But people labour under the

illusion that there is no such retribution, and that they can really get away

with anything, provided they are smart. Dharma can never be outsmarted, nor

cheated. To think so is utter stupidity; yet, 99% of the people firmly believe

that there is nothing to worry.

The seeker must get rid of such false notions. In fact, the true seeker should

say: "I don't care about success or failure. I will NOT violate Dharma under

any circumstance, because that would mean being untrue to myself." Shakespeare

said therefore, "Above all, to thine own Self be true." Who is this Self that

Shakespeare is talking about? It is none other than what Swami refers to as the

Real Self, the true Inner Being, the Atma, etc.

Following Dharma requires courage, especially when Adharma becomes the norm.

That courage can be got through prayer. One must be determined and have the

feeling, "Come what may, I shall not flinch." Suppose a soldier decides that

his life is precious and flees during battle, even though it might cost his

country. Would the average citizen accept such behavior? He would feel

revolted. Yet, this very same person would not mind reneging on his own duty!

One cannot have one set of rules for others and a different set for one's own

self. But this precisely is what many people seem to want these days. No, if a

soldier has the duty to sacrifice for his country and Society, so does every

member of the Society; no one is exempt, though individuals may imagine that

certain rules apply only to certain people. The

entire Universe is delicately built around a chain of balanced give and take, of

selfless sacrifice. No one has the right to tamper with this delicate balance.

Taking everything together, it should be clear that spirituality is intimately

related to many day-to-day matters, matters that affect individuals as well as

society. It is thus a very practical affair and not something far-removed or

esoteric, as many mistakenly imagine. If any proof is needed, then Swami's life

provides the best example. The million things that Baba does as a part of His

daily routine that everyone takes so much for granted, reflect nothing but the

principle of selflessly giving the most and receiving the least.

ADDITIONAL NOTES RELATING TO THE ABOVE

·         The above material deals with the problem of avoiding what is bad.

·         Drinking is a bad habit. Nobody is born a drunkard. People get

addicted to drink after they have first tasted it. It is the faulty first step

that is often very fatal.

·         One must be careful even while walking. If one is not careful, one

would stumble. And if one is unlucky, the stumble may even result in a bad

injury like a fracture, for example.

·         Likewise, while going through life, one must be very careful. In

particular, one must have a clear agenda of Do's and Don'ts. One must be able

to say: "This I shall do, and this I never shall!"

·         Actually, it is quite easy to draw up such lists. Moses gave a famous

one thousands of years ago. The problem is in following the list! Baba's

approach is very practical. Analyse the risk before you venture to do anything.

 

·         In many areas of the world, troubles erupt. These may be famous

tourist destinations but when troubles erupt, many governments issue travel

advisories. They say: "We advise our citizens to avoid travelling to such and

such a country." And most citizens take such warnings quite seriously. Why?

Because they are afraid that if they did go to that destination, they would be

in danger. They are not prepared to take the risk of travel.

·         But curiously, people who are quite prepared to take seriously the

warnings of governments, do not take seriously the warnings of the Wise or even

the Conscience. This shows the power of the senses to delude.

·         The senses are outward looking. That is the way God has made them.

However, they easily overstep their boundaries, and tempt man. If the Mind is

not strong, then the Mind falls for what the senses say, and trouble follows

immediately.

·         What Baba is saying is that one should not just jump when the senses

tempt. One should think calmly and reflect. One must analyze the dangers and

then only act. Once one clearly understands the danger involved, one would

surely not go astray.

·         Some people are very much under the control of the senses. Yet, deep

within, they want to change. They say: "I want to change but I am unable to.

What should I do?" There are many strategies one can adopt. Supposing there is

a poor man who wastes all his money on liquor. This poor man has a child whom

he loves very much. The child becomes very sick. Money is needed for treatment.

There is little money and if even that is spent on drink, the man has to lose

his child. In such a case, love triumphs. The man says, "Enough is enough; I

must save my child's life. I will not drink. I shall instead use that money for

treatment." This is a case where love provides the anti-dote.

·         Love for God, love for Baba can do similar if not greater wonders.

Thousands of people who thought they could not live without meat, who thought

they must have their smoke and drink, have given it all up, because they felt

that they must do so, if they truly loved Baba.

·         People may argue: "Listen, all this is more easily said than done.

Have you not heard of withdrawal symptoms? You can't always just cut off from

drinks and alcohol that easily." Swami has a solution for that! He tells a

story.

·         Once there was an opium addict. One day, a Wise man came to the

village where this addict lived. This man desperately wanted to give up the

drug habit but try as he might, he could not succeed. He then decided to seek

the counsel of the Wise one. The Wise man heard the young addict patiently and

said, "You don't have to give up the opium habit overnight. But you must

strictly follow my instructions if you really want to get over the habit." The

young man agreed. The Wise man then told the addict, "Take a piece of chalk and

with it write the word OM three times. After that you can take opium, but only

corresponding to the size of the chalk; not one bit more." The young man did

precisely that; day by day, the amount he consumed decreased until one day, he

was totally cured of the habit.

·         It must be mentioned that not always is such a slow withdrawal the

proper procedure. Sometimes, it becomes necessary to let go instantly. To

stress the point, Swami says, "You pick up something thinking it is a rope and

then you suddenly realise it is a cobra. Would you keep holding it or slowly

release or let go instantly?" The answer is obvious.

·         In modern times, people often get drawn to bad habits on account of

two important reasons. First there is the strong persuasion from what might be

called the Sin Industry, especially via most distracting advertisements. Second

is peer pressure. The young, particularly, want to "belong" and be counted by

their peers. So, for gaining acceptance, they readily plunge into doing things

they would otherwise not quite be willing to. As a matter of fact, peer

pressure is the consequence of fashions, which are often shaped by the

Desire-cum-Sin Industry. In short, there are many rackets to trap the gullible,

and it therefore becomes all the more important to analyse thoroughly for

oneself, the various risks involved in giving in to the temptations proposed by the senses.

·         Today's situation is such that often these battles against temptations

have to be fought alone. This is where inner courage becomes very important.

·         People can be quite careful when they want to. For example, Westerners

are often shocked by the way people drive in South Asian countries. With great

astonishment they ask, "Don't these people understand that if they drive like

this they are likely to kill and also get killed?" But unfortunately, what

seems blatantly obvious to them, is not to the crazy drivers! It is the same

with giving in to the senses. In this game, the Wise are like the westerners

while the foolish and indulgent people are like the crazy drivers. What is

obvious to the Wise is not so to the people who are led by the senses.

·         It is worth stressing that while risk analysis is important and

necessary, there must be a greater compelling force urging one to stay on the

right path. One must stick to righteousness and not pander to the senses

because it is one's DUTY to do so! This is a very important point and must not

be lost sight of.

·         A person who truly loves God must say, "I will simply NOT do this,

because God would not like to see me do it!" That is the way to fight off

temptation. If love for God is strong, even the greatest of temptations can be

kept at bay.

·         In short, risks apart, we have a DUTY to be moral. We must avoid being

immoral not because it would be advantageous to our health etc. No doubt,

preserving one's health is an important point. However, the over-riding

consideration must flow from one's conviction in morality.

POINTS TO PONDER OVER

·         List some of the common attractions that people easily yield to, and

then analyse the defects in them in the sense Swami wants us to.

·         Devotees regularly swear that they Love Swami; yet He often declares

that He is all the time waiting for a true devotee! Is there something wrong

about the Love that people profess? If so, what precisely is the defect?

*****

MOTHER SAI, OUR SAVIOUR

Ramani SambharaAtlanta, Georgia USA

Arriving in Puttaparthi was one of the happiest moments of my life. Even though

I had previously been to Parthi several times, this trip meant so much more.

It's hard to explain my unbelievable experiences in Parthi. How do I explain

the feelings of knowing that we had an appointment with God, yet unsure if the

appointment was still on? How do I express the feelings of sitting in front of

the Lord of the Universe, and hear Him talk to us like a normal human being? It

was inexplicable happiness, as though the world suddenly came into focus. Swami

had blessed our family by performing the 'Upanayanam' for our two sons, Vivek

and Deepak. Tears kept running down my cheeks and the bliss I experienced was

so intense and complete that I cannot find words to express my feelings. It was

like I just got out of a

whirlwind that has been spinning me around for years and, I found myself

pinching myself… wondering if it was all just a dream. An impossible dream…

that came true in a larger way than I allowed myself to believe possible and

yet, I knew would happen. Now there is a tendency for most people to explain

feelings of happiness or unhappiness in terms of the external events of their

lives. They explain happiness by pointing to the positives and unhappiness by

pointing to the negatives. The implication is that events determine whether or

not they are happy. I was no different and of course was on the ninth cloud

during this trip as I was given so much attention from our beloved Bhagawan.

On our return to Atlanta, we continued to float in this blissful state when

Swami decided to give us a major test of faith. Swami says, "Difficulties alone

can toughen your character and make your faith firm. When you hang a picture on

the wall, you test the firmness of the nail to determine whether it is firm

enough to bear the weight of the picture. In the same manner, in order to

prevent the picture of God (His image in your mind and heart) from falling and

being shattered to bits, the NAIL (i.e. God's Name) driven in to the wall of

the heart has to be tested by shaking it, to ascertain whether it is firm and

steady". Swami wanted to find out whether our faith in HIM was unshakeable.

On March 10, 2002, a major fire broke out in the apartment building where we

lived. The fire started out around 12.45 p.m. and spread quickly, destroying

many apartments and leaving several families homeless. The fire began on the

ground floor and eventually overtook the third floor where we lived. However

the good thing about it was no one was injured, but the fire destroyed most of

our material possessions. We became homeless in matter of seconds. Even though

I am a trained social worker by profession, I was always under the impression

that to become homeless one must be poor or have alcohol or drug problems. It

never occurred to me that becoming involved in a fire or flood or tornado or

other natural disasters could also be the reason for becoming homeless, and

these natural disasters do not distinguish

between the rich or the poor. So here we were out on the street watching in

utter disbelief as our apartment came crumbling down. While viewing this

horrible scene the only thing that was going through my mind was "What will

happen to the sari and clothes that Swami recently gave us?" My husband on the

other hand was worried about the passports and all our I.D's. Very soon the

building management came and asked all the residents to gather in the main

office building, about living arrangements for the next few days. Families

whose apartments were not heavily damaged were escorted into the apartments to

retrieve valuables. However, we were not one of them. Our apartment was totally

gutted, and therefore we were advised that it was dangerous to even attempt to

enter the premises. I was devastated and felt my whole world shatter right in

front of my eyes. This feeling was in total contrast to what I had felt when I

was basking in the attention given to me by of our beloved Bhagawan.

A group of 6 members from the Sathya Sai Atlanta center stayed with us through

out this difficult day. The building management was now pressurizing us to make

a decision on whether we wanted to move into a hotel or find family members. Our

Sai family immediately came to the rescue and made the decision. We were whisked

away to Ram and Mala's home. My family continued to be in a state of shock and

just could not believe that such a traumatic event should happen to us. It is

common that emotions can run amok during stressful moments; I could not stop

crying at the loss. My husband however was a pillar of strength. He had so much

faith in our Bhagawan that he kept reminding me that Swami was beside us every

minute and HE would take care of everything. He even had a dream the same night

where Swami came and told

him that HE would not put us through the hassle of getting new I.D's.

After that Swami not only took care of our I.D's, but also the things that had a

great deal of sentimental value. We were able to salvage some of the most

important things, like the clothes that Swami gave us (they were in the same

condition as on the day they were given) many pictures of Swami (A huge picture

that Swami had signed was still in the tube, untouched by the fire or water) all

my Sai books, cassettes, videos of Sai discourses and many other things. Most

importantly, our Canadian Passports and documents kept in plastic folder

sitting on the bed were untouched by the fire, although the bed burned down to

ashes. If this is not HIS grace what else could explain this miracle? I was

really happy, and could not stop thanking Swami for his kindness and love.

After that everything happened like a sweet

dream. Swami showed us a brand new town home in close proximity to my husband's

workplace and son's school. Here we regained our material belongings and our

physical strength. The difference now is that we have everything brand new- but

no attachment to these material possessions. Seven months later Swami decided to

move us into our own home, (on November 23rd 2002) where we reside today. This

was Swami’s birthday gift to us. We moved into this home on Bhagawan's 78th

birthday. Throughout this experience we were encouraged by Bhagawan to reflect

constantly upon the insignificance of material assets and their impermanence.

On February 23rd 2003 my husband was granted an interview with Swami. In the

interview Swami reminded my husband of the power of "Gayathri Mantra", and how

it actually protected us. Swami clearly indicated that HE saved us not only

from this fire but also from a car accident that took place about 12 years ago

at which time we were not yet in Swami’s fold. It is important to know that

Swami takes care of everyone whether one is Swami’s devotee or not. HE

confirmed that HE has always been with us every moment of our lives, in all

three interviews during August 2003. Swami emphasized the immense powers of the

Gayathri mantra, which is truly amazing. Gayathri means, "That which saves, when

repeated". Swami had once said "The Samskara of Upanayanam is beneficial not

only to the boys who were initiated, but, for

every one of you, who witnessed it and drew inspiration from it." Repeating the

Gayathri and constantly remembering to surrender to our beloved Bhagawan has

definitely helped us to recognize that we are looking at a spiritual

achievement - and one worth aspiring for. In conclusion I want to remind each

one of us who reads this of what Swamy has always asked us to ponder about:

Happy moments, praise God.Difficult moments, seek God.Quiet moments, worship

God.Painful moments trust God.Every moment, thank God.

(Mrs. Ramani Sambhara is the wife of Dr. Prakash Sambhara , DVM PhD, an

Associate Professor, Emory University and a visiting faculty at the Biosciences

department of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Prasanthi

Nilayam)

Source: Volume - 2 Issue - 1Radiosai Journal - PSN 2004

 Sent with Sai love - ''

 

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