Om Sai Ram

I am happy to be amongst you this morning. We are half an hour delayed because Swami was still in the Mandir and Bhajans were going on up to 10.30. We don’t have a choice. To stay with Swami we have developed choicelessness, and this choicelessness is spirituality. Getting ourselves into the frame of the Divine, that is choice less awareness.

We have two parts in our personality, one that is going on thinking, observing, analyzing, comparing, concluding, rationalizing, reasoning, scientific questioning. We want to know why, when and what. We begin to rationalize, we begin to understand the reasons, we speculate, we imagine and develop some idea about it and start spreading it, this is what we generally do.

The other part is when we ask: Why am I born? Where do I come from? Where am I going? For what purpose am I experiencing whatever I am experiencing? How is it that nature is in such perfect order? The sun, the moon, the rivers and all that is growing on earth and all that is living on earth is in perfect harmony. Only the human beings seem to have gone astray. Why is a smile of a baby or any genuine smile so beautiful? Why do we love someone and where is this love born from? We usually don’t analyze and try to find out the reason for that, we simply accept. I cannot give you the reason why the flower is beautiful, why the song of a bird is so lovely, I cannot give you the reason why we sometimes feel so happy, so strong and so soft and loving. This part I accept, without reasoning. One part is the logical part and the other the irrational part.

Advanced countries usually like to explore the logical part, the questioning and doubting part. Because of this, these countries have developed the scientific part of understanding. Now what is happening? Many people from these advanced countries have understood that science is not enough and have started to turn to the world of spirituality. Yoga, meditation has slowly but successfully been adopted by the western countries.

Countries like India and other eastern countries are all in the other extreme, the irrational part, reasonless and illogical. That is why spirituality and religion has advanced in these counties. The Vedas are here, Upanishads are here, spiritual literature is here. Now what is happening? The eastern country starts to develop and advance in science and technology

The east and the west are starving for what has been missing in their culture for so long and they absorb everything that they feel is a missing link in their culture. The east is moving towards the west and the west is moving towards the east.

What is Baba saying about this and what kind of life does He expect from us. Is it rational or irrational? Is it scientific or mystical?  Baba’s way is balanced. Any extreme is bad, you can be a scientist and also a spiritual person and you can be religious and technological. You can be materialist and also spiritual. This balance is very much needed and necessary today and for the time we are moving in to. The concept of Baba’s teaching is balance.

It is based on the transcendental experience where all quality and kinds of life is in perfect harmony. Science and religion, east and west meet and get to use the best in each side. Baba makes sure we supplement each other, complement each other and fill the gaps where there are any. So we will have a holistic way of life, the totality of life. This I understand is the approach of Bhagawan today. Never move into any extreme, always live a balanced life.

I will fall on the ground if I lose my balance while on a bicycle; or a boat crossing the river when all are sitting on one side, will sink. Life is meant to be balanced. Sai´s philosophy is based on balance. The whole world is a circle, where is the east, where is the west?

Baba said: “There is no doubt there is an empirical diversity in the physical Universe. However, man must see beyond the apparent diversity and go to the roots. If he does so, he will see nothing but Unity, Purity and Divinity. If, however, his discrimination becomes blunted, he would see only the diversity that is superficial, and from this illusory perception, many problems follow.” 

In the name of religion I do not have to starve and remain naked. In the name of science you cannot have all the money and positions and forget God. We need both. That’s why we in this Ashram find decently dressed people, three canteens who provide the food you want and at the same time, Bhajans, meditation, prayer, people who read Holy Scriptures and repeat mantras.

 There where the west and the east meet; we are one. With oneness in our life we may be able to transcend to an even higher level of understanding and awareness. God is total, God is whole. He is not a part, He is not a bit or a piece He is total.

Baba said: “There is simple ways of setting things right; first have firm faith in God. Strong faith in God promotes Selfless Love. Where there is selfless Love there is Peace. Where there is Peace there is Truth, and where there is Truth, there is God. You do not have to go here and there in search of God. You are yourself God. All you have to do is recognize that.”

Now I welcome questions.

ü I will make a spiritual film; is it ok from the moral point of view to use Swami’s Mandir as a background. Also to use the decoration in the Mandir in my film?

Fantastic, yes you can use the Mandir as a background in your film; it will be very well received. If you give more emphasis on human values, and also focus on Swami’s projects in your film, that would be very appropriate; display Swami’s service activities and His perfection. Let the film clearly show Baba’s philosophy of unity of religion. Also how the whole world is benefitted by Him, how transformation is taking place at the global level.

If you ask the security for the permission you can go and film anywhere.

ü Does any main spiritual institution exist in the world?   

We don’t need a separate institution for spirituality in the world. We have institutions for science and technology; most of them are for that. What we need is integrated education. We need education in human values and what will bring out the good and The Divine in everybody. It is called Educare. Today we find most of the schools just giving the students technical information and do not care for what is within the students. Educare brings out what is inside and education will keep you informed what is outside. We will have sharp intellects, sharp minds while we at the same time experience the soul. That is an integrated, integral education. Discrimination is very important for all of us Baba said, because worldly knowledge without Spiritual Discrimination amounts to nothing. 

ü We will build a temple, a temple for united religion. One area for each religion. Now we would like to build an area for Swami also and I would like to know if that is possible without Swami’s personal blessing.

You are a spiritual man; we cannot expect Swami to physically bless all our plans. This idea to build a united Temple and to give Swami a place and a space in that temple is prompted by Him. In that way we do not have to expect Baba to bless the Temple project personally. Go ahead build the Temple, there is nothing wrong in it.

If you like to give Baba a letter about it you just bring the letter with you to the Mandir every time you go there and pray that He will take it. You can also send it by courier post.

ü  You said in the beginning to go the middle way. Is that something which has a confirmation or is it a goal in itself.

To go the middle way of spirituality and science is not a goal it is a method. Balance is the procedure and the duty right now, in the moment. Goal is the future and uncertain. The balanced life is the life of Prasanthi Nilayam. We have early morning Bhajans, morning and evening Bhajans related to all religions. That in itself is a perfect balance at the spiritual level. All of us are moving together without any differences as brother and sisters; it is an expression of balance. All are eating the same food; all of us are staying in similar rooms or the apartments given to us. The university and hospital staff are working for Him while living a normal life, which is the practical proof of balance.

To live an unbalanced life will lead to confusion and fragmentation. Balanced life is total.

You are coming from Russia which is a materialistic country at the moment. You travel to India and develop spiritual qualities to deepen you spiritual knowledge, which is a balance in itself.  Your head is full of logic, reasoning and questioning and your heart is poetic, blissful and spiritual. If you feel you are not in balance,then you are moving towards balance. It is for that purpose we are all here. Baba will look after each and everyone so we will achieve what we really want to.

ü Did Swami make a lingam during this Sivarathri?   

I already have spoken on this last Sunday. The Lingam materialization implies the following point. Baba said many times, the Lingam which merges out of me is within you also. The Lingam is a sign or a symbol of the Divinity. It symbolize the creator and the emergence or back to the soul of the whole creation. Lingam is also a sign of awareness or self experience of the knowledge of the self. Baba brought it forth, which is in every one of us.

ü Did Swami materialize a Lingam in private or did it not happen at all?        

Well, it is happening in the interview room and he presents that Lingam for the devotees in the room. You don’t have to be given a Lingam once you know there is Lingam in you. If you have the need to show this is a Lingam given by Baba he needs to give you one. If you believe in Babas words that Lingam is within you, you do not have to be given a Lingam. People are very interested what He is producing but we should be more interested in the teachings of Baba.

Thank you for all your smiling faces today. God is never sad, sorrowful, God always smiles. Smile always. May Baba bless you forever and ever. 

“You too have the Sai Principle in you, but the difference is a matter of voltage”. Baba