Om Sri Sai Ram

1. Om Sri Sai Ram Welcome to Workshop 1 Mukund Patel & Shyam Jamnadas

2. Workshop Outline Introduction Transforming our lives into His Message Transformation through His Organisation Discussion Conclusion The essence of spirituality is mental transformation- BABA sss23-07

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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

6. Sathya Sai Avatar His Divine Mission Peace on Earth through Individual Transformation into divine messengers of Love, Peace, Happiness

7. Your virtue, your self-control, 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.

8. Part- 2 Transforming Our Lives into His Message

9. “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

10. “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

11. Swami’s Words in Our Life • Which of Swami’s Words have a unique appeal for you? • If possible, please quote His Words as you remember. • 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

12. 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 generated within you. As you watch Swami’s Darshan, please note down the feelings that are being generated within you.

14. 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.

15. 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.”

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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?

19. Part- 3 Transformation through His Organisation

20. 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).

21. ‘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

22. Unique Activities of Sai Organisation • Bhajan Singing (GDS) • Jyothi Meditation • Service – Love in Action • Spiritually Integrated Education (SSE, Youth) • Human Values • Interfaith Spirit • Nine Point Code of Conduct

23. Bhajan Singing (GDS) …………………… of the Divine Name is the easiest path to liberation in this age - Baba

24. 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

25. Jyothi Meditation Why is Jyothi (Light) Meditation prescribed in the Organisation? Master the …………….. mind, Be a ………………………….. BABA

26. 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

27. 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?

28. 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

29. 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

30. 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 all-round development of the personalities of the students. Education should make all virtues emerge and shine forth in students Sathya Sai Speaks/ Volume 27

31. Human Values Speak……………., practise……………………… God is …………….., Live in…………………….. ……………is selflessness, Selfishness is ………………

32. 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

33. 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 ……………...

34. 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

35. 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

36. 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. .

37. 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.

38. Part- 4 Discussion- Topics Ceiling on Desires Interfaith Programme Practical Human Values Service

39. Ceiling on Desires 9-Point Code of Conduct

40. 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.

41. How to Practise Ceiling on Desires • Don’t waste money • Don’t waste food • Don’t waste time • Don’t waste energy

42. 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”.

43. 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: • Purpose of Ceiling on Desires Programme. • What desires do to us.

44. 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

45. 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: • Will fulfilling this need/want create further such desires? • Can I or my family afford to do without this?

46. Practical Human Values 9-Point Code of Conduct

47. 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

48. Practical Human Values Discussion • How does one express oneself when one confronts unpleasant situations?   • Is it better to maintain silence in such situations and let events unfold as God wills? • Is it a sign of ego to speak up?

49. Service 9-Point Code of Conduct

50. 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