June 15, 2008
“THE LANGUAGES OF THE HEART AND MIND”
OM…OM…OM…
Sai Ram
With Panamas at the Lotus Feet of Bhagavan,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
It is nice to have a meeting with you after such a long gap of time. Although we could not meet because I was in Singapore, every Sunday there reminded me of our satsangs (spiritual meetings) here.
I am happy to share with you some very good news from Singapore. The service activities of the Singapore Sathya Sai Organisation are recognised by the Government of Singapore. After a visit by the Vice President and the top Ministers to the Service Centre, a letter of appreciation was sent by the Vice President to congratulate and thank the Sai devotees working there. I pray that Baba will shower His choicest blessings on the Singapore brothers and sisters for the excellent work they are doing.
Singapore is known as the country of science and the latest technology, and you could see that at the Service Centre in the wheelchair transport for an elderly person. Watching that motorised wheelchair in action was unbelievable! You just press a button and there it is all ready for an old man. And nobody has to push it; the wheelchair just moves along like that (displays the action). And it can climb steps also! Humans may err and drop the old man, but machines are transporting people carefully. (Laughter) I was very happy to see that and even now can hardly believe how it worked! Of course, I wanted to sit in it—but perhaps, thank God, I didn’t! (Laughter)
WONDERFUL SERVICE FOR THE OLD PEOPLE
There are also alarms at the residences of the old people. If they want anything, they just press the alarm button in their house, which is answered at the Sai Service Centre. Immediately the Sai people go and attend to them. Unbelievable! There are a few hundred people who are the beneficiaries of the Sai Service Centre.
Well, although I saw it all for myself, I still find it hard to believe the wonderful service for the old people who have problems because of their age. In this modern age when men and women both go to work, the old people are left at home—all alone! They need some care, but not all can be admitted into the homes for the aged. But it is possible for them to stay at home and have the services of the Sai Centre in Singapore. Wonderful!
I also saw groups of aged people in another Service Centre, playing cards or carom ball, or watching TV. There was a group practicing exercises, too. Thus even old age can be made interesting. Old age is not a curse; certainly not. With all the exercises they do and the fun and frolic, I thought “Good . . . though rheumatic with joint pains—they are still romantic!” (Laughter) It is so nice, so nice!
By God’s grace, I was able to see many Sai Centres elsewhere—but the Singapore Sai Centre, particularly in their services for aged people, comes first. Outstanding work! Those working for the Centre, I’m sure, take it seriously as sadhana (spiritual practice). The services are of such magnitude that it has come to the notice of the government, and of the society in general. It is a blessed land.
Well, with a word of appreciation to the Singapore sisters who are here, and who will be leaving tomorrow, I request that you convey our appreciation and greetings to all there. Tell them that we are very thrilled and excited in the way you give joy and service to those people in need. Thank you very much for your time here. (Applause)
There is an oft-repeated quote of Bhagavan’s which is . . .
There is only one language, the language of the heart.
Students and speakers often quote those words. But all of a sudden, I began to think about their actual meaning. What is the language of the heart? Can there be a language of something else? Can there be a language of the head, of the eyes, of the legs? What is this ‘language of the heart’? What does Baba mean?
The heart is inside the body, as we know. When the heart inside speaks to us, how is it possible to understand what it says? For instance, when we speak directly to people, some of them don’t understand—or they may decide to misunderstand! (Laughter) So when this happens with direct speech, how can we expect to understand ‘the language of the heart’? Is it possible?
Well, I was thinking along those lines because Swami’s statements are profound, with a deep significance. We have to go into depth to understand their import and meaning. When people just quote His statements like a parrot, there can only be superficial understanding.
So let us spend some time on this particular matter of ‘the language of the heart’. First of all, what do we know about language in general?
One: language is a means of communication—we all use it to communicate to each other. All over the world, we have different languages for the same purpose. This is to have others understand what we have to say.
Two: language is comprised of syllables that form words. When the words are put together, a sentence is created. So a language is something we speak, using words and sentences in order to be understood. I cannot speak to you if I am silent—it is not possible. In other words, language is verbal and vocal, a means of communication. We use it to be understood by others.
THERE ARE TWO LANGUAGES
The purpose of language is to communicate what we have in our mind. Therefore, my friends, this language can be called ‘the language of the mind’. But Baba speaks of another language: ‘the language of the heart’. So now we have two languages: ‘the language of the mind’ and ‘the language of the heart’. How are we to know which one is which? What are the differences between the two?
The first point is this: being a teacher, I teach point after point, because old habits die hard. After forty-five years as a teacher, what else can I do? I can’t help it. (Laughter) Well, the language of the mind is logical. The words I use are supported by logic, reasoning and explanation. If I spoke to you here irrationally and illogically, nobody would come to hear me. People would run away because a language that is illogical and irrational is the language of a mad man. Fortunately up to now, I am not that! (Laughter) As of now!
When it is the language of the mind, you can also question the person: “I don’t find any logic or rationale in what you say. Please explain your reasoning.” Therefore, my friends, the first point is that the language of the mind is very clear and logical, and it is open to questioning.
Then what is the language of the heart? The language of the heart is the language of love. The second point is that love has no logic or reasoning.
If you ask a young man, “Why do you love her? She is the ugliest creature that I have ever met! Why do you still love her?”
He will reply, “Shut up! I know the reason—you don’t know the reason.”
This is because there is no logic as to why he loves her. “No reason for love, no season for love.” (Taken from a Sai devotional song) (Laughter)
Suppose I say, “I love this flower.”
“Why?”
“There is no reason; I love it, that is all.”
Therefore the language of the heart is based on love, while the language of the mind is based on logic. The main difference is that logic is given to questioning—love cannot be questioned. Even if you should question the other man in a matter related to the heart, he won’t want to engage in giving you an answer. This is because love is independent of all logic; it can’t be defined through questioning. It goes beyond rationality or reasoning.
Then we come to the third point. Love knows no gimmicks. If one loves God, it is simple and straightforward. You don’t need to elaborate on it, or spend time in explaining it.
Someone says to us, “I love God.” We just reply “Oh I see . . . good!” We don’t ask him, “Will you please explain, or will you write an essay on why you love God?” If we did, he would reply, “Why should I care if you understand or not?”
Therefore, the third point is that the language of the heart is simple and straightforward. Nobody says, “I think I love you.” “Oho! You think you love me—but I don’t think so!” (Laughter) It is not like that. There is no complicated ‘love scale’ which we use in defining our love. “I love you”, that is all.
That is why Swami simply says:
Love is God. God is Love. Live in Love.
No one has expressed it in that way before now.
The language of the mind is not simple. To give you one example: some people who speak on spirituality don’t have a clear idea of the subject or what it is they want to communicate to us. We don’t want to listen to them again because they make what is simple, very complicated. Man is an expert in complicating simple things; we want to use words that need a dictionary to understand their meaning. (Laughter)
Here is an example. Dr. Johnson was a great author in English literature who wrote A Dictionary of the English Language in the 18th century. To describe a man getting out of his bed, he said, “He rose from horizontality to perpendicularity.” (Laughter) The man got up from his bed—that is all! This great author wanted to give the idea that, because he was a scholar, he was not to be easily understood. We should keep our distance from such people.
You can understand the most difficult philosophy when it is communicated simply. The great prophets, Jesus Christ, Lord Buddha, Mahavir, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, all conveyed Vedic philosophy that way; whereas man makes the most simple things hard to understand. The language of the mind is full of proposals, arguments and counter-arguments, and explanations. God is always simple and straight, and the language of the heart is simple and straight. That is the third point.
The fourth point: the language of the heart is based more on the way it is said; whereas the language of the mind depends upon what is said. We may hear ten scriptures, twenty quotations, ten songs, four languages. “Aha, what did he say?” “Plenty!” So the more said, the more scholarly it is! There is the introduction, the development, and then the conclusion. That is the language of the mind.
The language of the heart concentrates upon the way it is said. Speaking about love generally is different to actually speaking to someone you love. When you love someone, you speak softly, in a delicate and tender way. You cannot handle the petals of a rose in a rough way, can you? A rose has to be handled sensitively and softly, so that the petals don’t break off. The rose is not a piece of hard rough wood that you can chop into pieces and toss around. So the language of the heart is tender, sensitive and soft—it is all in the way it is said.
You can easily see this when Swami talks to the devotees in the language of the heart. He speaks about the Veda (Indian scriptures) or the Bible, or the Quran, but the way He talks to us is more important than what He is saying. The people love Baba not because of what He talks about, but because of the way He says it.
This is the fifth point: it is only the language of the heart that will bring about transformation. The language of the mind is only to convince people. It is violent because it speaks emphatically and forcefully. It shouts repeatedly (as I do!) You are violent, aggressive, and forceful! Why? To convince your audience of what you are saying. The language of the mind, the pedantic, scholarly jargon from the platform, will never change anybody. The language of the heart is full of compassion; it transforms!
When Swami talks to people, His words are full of love and compassion, the language of the heart. When Bhagavan talks to you, you will notice one thing. He will listen fully and He won’t cut you off halfway. He allows you to argue to the end, exposing all your ignorance and showing what a fool you are . . . and then He starts speaking to you. (Laughter)
As Swami listens, you think you are telling Him things that He doesn’t know; this is an opportunity to inform Him, you think! That is sky-high foolishness—but nobody on earth can help us in this regard because God listens to us just like an innocent child.
“Oho, ha!” “What happened next?” “Oh, I see, and next?”
And as He nods His head and goes on listening, you don’t stop talking! (Laughter) But if a limit is reached, He knows how to put a full stop to it. Suddenly He will say, “We will think of it later” or He may say, “You know only that much about it; but I know a little extra.” And He will tell you that something extra. So He knows it all.
THE LANGUAGE OF THE HEART ALWAYS THINKS OF YOU
The sixth point: as Swami talks to us, we realise that His language of the heart is concerned solely with you. You are the focus of attention. That is why people are up in the air when they come out of the interview room. (Laughter) You are the central point, because the language of the heart always thinks of you. That is why Baba wins our hearts.
In the language of the mind, I am important. In the language of the heart, you are important—we know that is so because Swami wants to help us. So, in the language of the heart, the intention is to help you; whereas, in the language of the mind, the intention is to help oneself. That is the difference.
With the language of the mind, the aim is to build up your personality, to build up an image in the public’s sight. The egocentric self says, “I don’t want to help you. Instead I want an invitation from you for me to give plenty of talks! And, if possible, bring in lorry loads of people from nearby villages to hear me talk!”
All this has to do with self-praise, self-glory, and the ego. The language of the mind is self- centred; while with the language of the heart, you are the centre.
THE LANGUAGE OF THE HEART THINKS OF THE INNER YOU
This is the seventh point. The language of the mind is concerned with outer appearances. That is, it looks at the container. Is it an earthen pot, or is it made up from glass or stainless steel? Is it made from silver or gold? What quality is it? The language of the heart relates to the inner aspect or the contents of the container—the inside is more important than the outside.
I don’t know how far you will agree, but it has been my experience that in 5-star, 7-star, or super star hotel, containers are important—even if they contain next to nothing! (Laughter) You will be given the bare minimum of rasam (Indian spicy soup) in a very attractive soup plate, served nicely with a broad smile. The container and the table cloth are very important, and for that, you are charged fifty rupees!
The language of the heart thinks of the contained, the inner you, while the language of the mind thinks of the container (which should be attractive), the outer you. For instance, when I speak, my language should be flowery, with good intonation and pronunciation, even if what I say has no meaning or substance to it.
I would also bring to your notice the eighth point. The language of the heart talks only to the heart. It is called ‘heart-to-heart’. A dialogue can be present even when there is no talking. For example: there are two people who love each other very much. They don’t talk, but yet there is so much being “said”. That is, there is a flow of feeling, sentiments or thoughts between them. It is not vocal—it is heart-to-heart. That is why people may sit silently, but they still know what the other is feeling, and sometimes thinking. Those seniors who share memories going back thirty or forty years will agree with my statement.
So many things don’t have to be said, but still can be communicated. Suppose there is a fight between the two of them (a couple). They are not talking, yet each one will follow the other’s dialogue. The fellow returns home after office work . . . she is not talking, she is not shouting; she doesn’t open her mouth at all! But nevertheless, he is disturbed and upset. There is no talking; it is all heart-to-heart. The love between them created a bond, regardless of the argument.
So, in heart-to-heart language, the talk is non-vocal, without the help of words. In love, there is no need to talk. Here is a simple example. Baba sits there in the evening and He does not talk, but we feel like looking at Him. He sits there, that is all. He is not talking to you. So why don’t we go home? He is just sitting there. But not so, He sits silently, yet He talks heart-to-heart. It is a silent, wordless talk. It is a sound heard in silence, because many people say to us afterwards, “Do you know what Baba said to me?”
“But He sat there silently. He did not speak.”
“No, no, no! I got a message.”
“What was the message? “
“He told me…” and the person tells of his experience.
THE LANGUAGE OF THE HEART IS THOUGHT-TO-THOUGHT WITHOUT NEGATION
Baba is sitting there silently, but some people get messages because it is heart-to-heart. The language of the mind is not like that.
Suppose I say, “This is a very bright morning”, the other person will say, “No sir, it was brighter yesterday.”
“Today is very pleasant.”
“No, no, no! Yesterday it was more pleasant!”
There is argument in the language of the mind. There is no argument in the language of love, the language of the heart. We don’t argue with Baba; how can we? You can’t open your mouth! He does not ask you to shut up, but you are always in that state! Why? He knows His love that locks your mouth, and the key is in His pocket. He will open it up when He wants to. You sit there for hours and hours. Why? “I don’t know” is the heart-to-heart reply.
Without being asked, you will do what the other man or woman wants; whereas the language of the mind is full of argument and debate. Suppose I say, “Let us meet at two o’clock this afternoon.” Somebody will say, “Three o’clock is better.” Then the advantages of the earlier or later time are debated—a lot of unnecessary debate and argument. This is the language of the mind; whereas the language of the heart is thought-to-thought without negation.
The ninth point to this: the language of the heart gestures. We see Swami move His hand and some people will say, “I got a message.” “What was it?” “Swami wanted me to go home.”
Another person might say, “Sir, I got this message from Swami: what I am doing is fine—carry on.”
So the same gestures, the same smile, the same look means many different things to many devotees.
A person might say, “He looked at me and I was so afraid that I started to sweat.”
The other man says, “He looked directly at me! What a blessing it was!”
Or, “He looked straight into my eye. I feel released like a fountain full of joy.”
When Swami smiles, one man will feel, “Ah! It is like moonlight.” The other man will say, “It is like a rainbow.” Then another says, “I was up to mischief so He gave me a mischievous smile!”
He does not speak; He gestures. Sometimes I see Him simply move a finger and the correct fellow understands that he is required. That man will go directly to Him; whereas you and I, even if we shout the person’s name, somebody else comes to us, certainly not the right person! Even if I call out a name loudly over the microphone, the right man never comes. Yet He simply communicates like that (gestures), and the exact wanted person will be there. The language of the heart can be conveyed through gestures, looks or a smile. But the language of the mind has to put it in words only—there being no other alternative.
THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE IS THE LANGUAGE OF THE HEART.
Therefore, the final and tenth point is this. Once we are in front of Swami, all our doubts go, whatever they are. But until then, we have these doubts . . . whether I should do it or not . . . should I get His guidance . . . should I get clearance . . . what does He mean by that? But when you are in front of Him, no doubts! However, when the interview is over, the doubts come running after you again. Why?
The reason is that when there is total love, you face reality directly. There is no question of “To be or not to be.” No, duality is gone when there is love; it is love that dissolves duality. This language of love is the language of the heart.
So as Baba said:
There is only one language, the language of the heart.
We will meet next week.
Thank you very much for being here. (Applause)
My talk to you today does not mean that I am going to talk to you in the language of the heart next week. No, no, no! I will make use of the language of the mind only. If I go to the classroom and say to the boys, “I will talk to you in the language of the heart”, they will successfully fail in the examination. (Laughter) So I use only that language there, too.
But Swami’s statement made me think seriously about the meaning of the language of the heart. So let us collect the gems of Truth, these diamonds of Swami’s statements, and reflect upon them. We can discuss them in detail so that we can understand and enjoy them, instead of meaninglessly repeating them like a parrot.
Thank you very much for your presence.
Sai Ram.
Om Asatoma Sadgamaya
Tamasoma Jyotirgamaya
Mrutyorma Amritamgamaya
Om Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu
Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu
Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti
Jai Bolo Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Babaji ki Jai!
Jai Bolo Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Babaji ki Jai!
Jai Bolo Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Babaji ki Jai!