Om Sri Sai Ram
Welcome to Workshop 1
Mukund Patel & Shyam Jamnadas
Workshop Outline
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Introduction
Transforming our lives into His Message
Transformation through His Organisation
Discussion
Conclusion
The essence of spirituality is mental transformation- BABA
sss23-07
Introduction
Words of The Avatar
Whenever disharmony (asanthi) overwhelms the world, I
incarnate in human form to establish the modes of earning
peace (prasanthi) and to re-educate the human community in
the paths of peace.
The establishment of righteousness (dharma): that is my aim.
The teaching of dharma, the spread of dharma: that is my
object.
My mission is to spread happiness, so I am always ready to
come among you not once, but twice or thrice —as often as
you want me.
Introduction
Words of The Avatar
Avatars like Rama and Krishna had to kill one or more
individuals who could be identified as enemies of the
righteous (dharmic) way of life, and thus restore the
practice of virtue. But now there is no one fully good, so
who deserves the protection of God? All are tainted by
wickedness, so who will survive if the Avatar decides to
uproot?
Therefore, I have come to correct the intelligence (buddhi),
by various means. I have to counsel, help, command,
condemn and stand by as a friend and well wisher to all, so
that they may give up evil propensities and, recognizing the
straight mark, tread it and reach the goal.
Introduction
Words of The Avatar
Embodiments of Divine Love! Man's life is determined by his
qualities. The transformation of the world is related to the
transformation of the individual. The world will change only when
the individual changes. When individuals are good, society also
becomes good. We tend to attach importance only to the
external forms of social institutions. We lay stress on the
conditions prevailing in the political, economic, social and
environmental spheres. Changes in these spheres alone are not
enough. Mental and spiritual transformation is more essential.
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba SSS 21-20
Sathya Sai Avatar
His Divine Mission
Peace on Earth
through Individual Transformation
into divine messengers of Love, Peace, Happiness
Your virtue, your selfcontrol, your
detachment, your faith,
your steadfastness —
these are the signs by
which people read of my
glory. You can lay claim
to be a devotee only
when you have placed
yourself in my hands
fully and completely with
no trace of ego. You can
enjoy the bliss through
the experience the
Avatar confers.
Part- 2
Transforming Our Lives into
His Message
“Love My Teachings”
To Make Our Life His Message, we need to
•Know
•Love
•Understand
•Practise
•Live
•And Share
HIS WORDS in our daily lives.
Only then, can we be His True Reflections
“The Geetha declares that though a person may have deep
devotion to the Lord, he cannot be called a Bhaktha if he
lives without regard to the commands of the Lord.”
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Geeta Vahini, pg 226.
“The day when you resolve to practise My advice, to follow
My directives, to translate My message into acts of service,
and to engage in saadhana---that day is My birthday for
you.”
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, 2nd World Conference 1975
Swami’s Words
in Our Life
1. Which of Swami’s Words have a unique appeal for you?
If possible, please quote His Words as you remember.
2. How do you practise these in your daily life?
Please give brief example (s) from interaction in family, workplace,
community, Sai Centre etc
5 minutes; Please put your Name on the sheet provided
SAI DARSHAN
The Lord Amidst Us
SAI DARSHAN
The Lord Amidst Us
As you watch Swami’s Darshan, please
note down the feelings that are being
As you watch
Swami’s
Darshan, please note
generated
within
you.
down the feelings that are being generated within
you.
SAI DARSHAN
The Lord Amidst Us
When we watch Swami, holy and uplifting feelings are
experienced by everyone.
We find that Swami and His Words and Teachings are
not different.
SAI DARSHAN
The Lord Amidst Us
“The Avatar behaves in a human way so that mankind can feel
kinship, but rises into his superhuman heights so that mankind
can aspire to reach the heights, and through that aspiration
actually reach him. Realizing the Lord within you as the
motivator is the task for which he comes in human form.
Bring something into your daily practice as evidence of your
having known the secret of the higher life from me. Show that
you have greater brotherliness. Speak with more sweetness and
self-control. Bear defeat as well as victory with calm
resignation.”
SAI DARSHAN
The Lord Amidst Us
I know the agitations of your heart and its aspirations, but
you do not know my heart. I react to the pain that you
undergo and to the joy that you feel, for I am in your heart. I
am the dweller in the temple of every heart. Do not lose
contact and company, for it is only when the coal is in
contact with the live embers that it can also become live
ember.
SAI DARSHAN
The Lord Amidst Us
Cultivate a nearness with me in the heart and it will be
rewarded. Then you too will acquire a fraction of that
supreme love. This is a great chance. Be confident that you
will all be liberated. Know that you are saved. Many
hesitate to believe that things will improve, that life will be
happy for all and full of joy, and that the golden age will
recur. Let me assure you that this divine body
(dharmaswarupa) has not come in vain. It will succeed in
averting the crisis that has come upon humanity.
Our Daily Lives:
Can We Aspire to Be
One with Sai
Taking your examples of Swami’s words,
how can we put those into practise in our
day to day Activities?
Part- 3
Transformation through
His Organisation
Transformation through
His Organisation
• Purpose of Swami’s Incarnation: Our Transformation.
• Purpose of Swami’s Organisation: Our Transformation
Swami founded the Organisation for our ‘Chitta Shuddhi’Purification of the Mind and Intellect- along the
prescribed paths of bhakthi (devotion), karma (action)
and Jnana (knowledge). These are embodied into the
activities of the 4 Wings- spiritual, service, youth and
children (SSE).
‘One With Sai’
through Our Organisation
You know that these organisations--Seva Samithis,
Bhajana Mandalis, Seva Sanghams are for awakening in
man the consciousness of the Divinity inherent in him and
to encourage him to cultivate it, so that he could blossom
into a real Saadhaka and then into a Saadhu (detached,
devoted, virtuous, wise, aspirant), and finally into a
Liberated Personality merged in the Supreme.
SSSpeaks/ Volume 07/46
Unique Activities of
Sai Organisation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Bhajan Singing (GDS)
Jyothi Meditation
Service – Love in Action
Spiritually Integrated Education (SSE, Youth)
Human Values
Interfaith Spirit
Nine Point Code of Conduct
Bhajan Singing (GDS)
…………………… of the Divine Name is
the easiest path to liberation in this age
- Baba
Bhajan Singing (GDS) in
Organisation - uniqueness
Members of the Sathya Sai Seva Organisation must
not cavil at other names and forms of God; they should
not become fanatic, blind to the glory of other names
and forms. They should join the group that honour
those other manifestations and demonstrate that all
forms are MINE. They should contribute to the joy and
happiness of all without giving up their faith.
Sathya Sai Speaks/Volume 6
Jyothi Meditation
Why is Jyothi (Light) Meditation prescribed in
the Organisation?
Master the …………….. mind,
Be a …………………………..
BABA
Jyothi Meditation in the
Organisation - uniqueness
For one who desires to practise dhyana or meditation, it is
advisable that jyothi (light) is taken as the dhyeya or
object of meditation and not a form of Divinity such as that
of Rama, Krishna, or Easwara; for these forms, too, are
subject to change and ultimately perish. Jyothi or light
does not perish or change. Moreover, a flame can kindle a
million others without getting extinguished and is therefore
inexhaustible.
Summer Showers/ss1979/ss1979-15
Service
……………gives by giving and forgiving,
…………….lives by getting and forgetting.
………….all, …………..all
………………..in the Forest; …………in Society
Do all acts as offerings to ………………..
What is extraordinary about service
in the organisation?
Service in the Organisation –
unique feature
There are any number of service organisations in the
world. The uniqueness of the Sathya Sai Seva
Organisation consists in the fact that it regards seva as a
form of service to the Divinity that is in each being. The
bliss that is derived from such service is incomparable. It
is a spiritual experience.
Sathya Sai Speaks/Volume17/27
Spiritually Integrated
Education (SSE, Youth)
………….of Education is ………………….
……………the Master, …………..the Devil, ………..to the
End, ……………..the Game
Tell me your ……………….., and I shall tell you what you
are
Spiritually Integrated
Education - Uniqueness
It is not enough if a student is endowed with scientific and
worldly knowledge. He should have essentially moral and
spiritual knowledge also.
The aim of education should be to bring about an allround development of the personalities of the students.
Education should make all virtues emerge and shine forth
in students
Sathya Sai Speaks/ Volume 27
Human Values
Speak……………., practise………………………
God is …………….., Live in……………………..
……………is selflessness,
Selfishness is ………………
Human Values
Unique Role for the Organisation
The task before mankind is to plant the seeds of Truth,
Righteousness, Peace and Love in the heart made ready
for their reception, to foster the saplings and watch over
them with love and care until they grow into trees yielding
a rich harvest of sweet fruits, and to enable all to share in
that sustaining repast. Sages who had succeeded in this
beneficial culture have laid down the means and methods,
the steps and slips, the helps and hindrances, that men
have to consider while engaged in this task, and millions
have benefited by their counsel. But never before has this
become an organised movement in which the entire
humanity was involved.
Sathya Sai Speaks/ Volume 13/20
Interfaith Spirit
All life is ………….My Dear Son,
Be …………… to everyone
There is only …………..religion,
the religion of …………….
Let the different ………….. exist,
let them flourish and let the glory of God be sung in all
…………………and in a variety of ……………...
Interfaith Spirit
Uniqueness in organisation
The symbol of the Organisation is "the Harmony of
Religions, the Unity of all Faiths, the Acceptance of all
Approaches.“
Sathya Sai Speaks/Volume11/sss11-35
The same paramatman is called by different names like
Rama, Krishna, Christ, Allah, etc. This is the cardinal
principle on which Sathya Sai Organisations work. The
unity of all faiths is the main plank of Sai Organisations.
Seva Dal, 4/83, Page 4
Code of Conduct
It is the code of conduct which is responsible for the
Organisation moving forward growing from strength to strength.
The office-bearers should exercise maximum care to see that
the code of conduct is adhered to and guide others also in the
right path. When a cook in a house works with integrity, the
master on his own will entrust him with the keys of the house.
Similarly, God also will appreciate only men with integrity. The
desire to please God should be the fundamental
motive.
Discourse to active workers of the Sri Sathya Sai Organisations, Tamil
Nadu at Abbotsbury, Madras, 19 January 1983
Sai Organisation
D: How do we work for Sai's mission as true servants of the
Lord?
Baba: For this Baba has given you the Sai organisation. Make
use of it to your best capacity by doing service, by devotion and
by being loving to all. Sometimes you're very impatient with the
organisation. I know, I know……I watch everything.. .Baba
makes rules and regulations for a specific purpose. Without
rules, without discipline, soon it becomes a zoo! Discipline is
the watchword in any spiritual path.
Sai Organisation is not like Rotary or Lions Club!! It is not a
family club; it is a purely spiritual and service organisation.
.
Transformation through
Sai Organisation
The very name SAI stands for (S=Spiritual Transformation, A=
Association (Social) Change and I=Individual Transformation)
...all these have to be achieved through the organisation. But if
you're not interested in transformation, better to stay home and
not waste your time.... time is precious, life is speeding fast,
make best use of every minute. Make every minute the best
minute for you and all around you. Have as few connections as
possible. Have few attachments as possible. There is only
God...wife, husband, daughter, son, this, that....all are mere
passing clouds. Fix your attention on God only. Focus on God,
do selfless service and be happy.
Part- 4
Discussion- Topics
Ceiling on Desires
Interfaith Programme
Practical Human Values
Service
Ceiling on Desires
9-Point Code of Conduct
Meaning of
Ceiling on Desires
It’s inner meaning is to put a check on man’s desires. By
curbing our desires, we will be able to save some money
too.
This money may be used to help and support our fellow
human beings. This apart, we would be able to execute
some noble tasks with the money and thus be able to
put the money into good use. This money could also be
used to alleviate the suffering of members of our own
family, who are not doing well.
How to Practise
Ceiling on Desires
•
•
•
•
Don’t waste money
Don’t waste food
Don’t waste time
Don’t waste energy
Correct Approach to
Ceiling on Desires
“Sai has not started this Organisation with the desire for
money. My wish is that you must control your desires,
walk along the path of detachment and enjoy the Divine
Bliss. But without understanding these sacred feelings of
Mine, you all have considered the saving and offering of
money to the Organization as the prime purpose of the
practice of “Ceiling on Desires”. This is not the correct
approach”.
How to Practise Ceiling on Desires
Discussion 1
If I can donate sufficiently and do Seva more
than anyone in my social circle, and yet have
adequate funds for all my WANTS, why should I
deny myself this joy of fulfilling my desires?
• Pointers:
1. Purpose of Ceiling on Desires Programme.
2. What desires do to us.
How to Practise Ceiling on Desires
Discussion 1
The real goal of a person's existence should be giving up of
desire. Giving up of desire involves giving up of lust, anger,
greed, hatred, etc. Presence of desire implies the presence
of these harmful tendencies; these other feelings and
emotions are its natural attendant reactions. These together
are veritably the gateways to hell. Envy is the bolt and pride
is the key for the doorway to hell. Unlock and lift the bolt you can certainly enter in! Hence the fundamental
renunciation should be that of desire!
Baba
How to Practise Ceiling on Desires
Discussion 2
How can I know whether I am fulfilling a basic
necessity for me and my family, or if I am
indulging in wasteful expenditure prompted by
my desires?
• Pointers:
1. Will fulfilling this need/want create further such
desires?
2. Can I or my family afford to do without this?
Practical
Human Values
9-Point Code of Conduct
There is no meaning in repeating parrot-like words
Sathya, Dharma, Santhi, Prema and Ahimsa. One
must strive to experience divinity. All the chaos and
conflict prevailing in the world today are due to the
absence of fear of sin and love of God. Human
values are disappearing from society. Evil thoughts
and bad intentions are mining the lives of people.
These should be totally eschewed. Sai workers
should not indulge in slanderous gossip or talk ill
about others. They should see the Divine in every
one and feel that when they speak ill of others, they
are demeaning themselves. Sathya Sai Speaks
Practical Human Values Discussion
1.How does one express oneself when one
confronts unpleasant situations?
2.Is it better to maintain silence in such situations
and let events unfold as God wills?
3.Is it a sign of ego to speak up?
Service
9-Point Code of Conduct
Service
Discussion 1
… But do not believe that you can by means of
service reform or reshape the world. You may or
may not; that does not matter. The real value of
selfless service, its most visible result, is that it
reforms you, reshapes you. Do selfless service as
a spiritual discipline; then you will be humble and
happy.
Sathya Sai Baba1967.3.29
Service
Discussion 1
Is there a difference between Service and
Charity?
Pointers:
1. Attitude for Service
2. Focus of Service
Service
Discussion 2
Whatever you do, do it as an offering to
God. Do not make a distinction between
"my work" and "God's work."
Service
Discussion 2
As office-bearers one may be frequently called to make
personal sacrifices.
• How does one cope with simultaneous responsibilities to
one's family, work and Sai Organization? Is there a
sequence of priorities?
• How does one learn to see unity in all types of work? Or
is there a difference between doing one's duties at home
and office as an offering to God and participating in Sai
Organisation activities. Is one activity more pleasing to
God than the other?
Interfaith Programme
‘Main plank of the Organisation’
Interfaith Programme
Discussion
Let all Faiths exist; let them flourish and let the Glory of God
be sung in all the languages and in a variety of tunes.
Respect the differences between the Faiths and recognize
them as valid as long as they do not extinguish the flame of
Unity. The basic Truth in all religions, irrespective of country
or race, is One and the same. All religions exhort man to
cleanse the heart of malice, greed, hate and anger.
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
Sai Interfaith Conference, Prasanthi Nilayam 2005
Interfaith Programme
Discussion
1. What are some ways in which office-bearers
can ensure that the Sai Organisation is always
committed to embracing all religions?
2. There are ever so many new teachers
preaching new forms of spirituality. Should the
office-bearers be discerning in accepting these
influences or should they welcome and
promote all forms of spiritual practices?
Conclusion’
Discussion
FEEDBACK
Ceiling on Desires
Practical Human Values
Service
Interfaith Programme
Peace on Earth through
Individual Transformation
D: What about the Golden Age, Swami?
Baba: Yes, what about Golden Age? When is it coming?
No, it comes only when your behaviour is Golden, your
attitude is Golden, when your heart is Golden! Lead
exemplary lives. As members of the Sai organisation, I want
you to have good behaviour, good conduct. Remove anger,
remove jealousy, remove falsehood and enmity, stay far
away from the wicked and the manipulative. ..and then the
Golden age will begin. Lust, anger, hate, jealousy, and
selfishness - these are the strands that weave a cobweb
around you, clear these and you are free – Blemish-less.
D: Swami, what's the first step in Sadhana?
Baba: Silence, silence of all the senses...now
go and practice Swami's words and don't
waste time in gossip. I bless, I bless all.
JAI SAI RAM
D: Before we leave one last question?
Baba: Yes, you may ask anything.
D: What should be our daily medication for a divine life?
Baba: Medication or meditation? You need both. Be good,
do good, see good...don't fight, stick to the discipline of
Sadhana (spiritual practice), sing the Name of God always;
love all, serve all...accept everything that happens to you as
the will of God done for your own good...then no worry, no
pain. But first, always act with dignity... that you are God, not
animal, not animal.