The state of your mind depends on food. If you are overcome by unkind thoughts while eating, these thoughts will affect the food you eat, which, in turn, will affect the state of your mind. The mind is formed from food. As the food is, so is the mind. That is why our ancients advised eating only sattvic food.
The gross part of the food we eat turns into feces, the subtle part nourishes and renews muscle tissue, and the subtlest part of the food is transformed into the mind. Likewise, the gross part of water is excreted as urine, the subtle part becomes blood, and the subtlest part is transformed into prana. The fact that water contains prana is indisputable. That is precisely why beads of sweat appear on the face of a person who has lost consciousness. Water helps a person regain consciousness because it contains prana.”
Thank you for continuing to enlighten us here with the sayings of the Holy Gurus. Very informative. I liked the part about food and water, and how they are distributed throughout our body.
The most serious illness is the absence of Peace (Shanti); if the mind is at peace, the body will be healthy. Therefore, everyone who wishes to enjoy good health should pay attention to the emotions, feelings, and impulses that motivate them. Just as you send your clothes to be washed, you need to regularly wash the dirt from your mind. Otherwise, if the dirt accumulates and a “habit” has already formed, it will be difficult for the washerwoman, and the clothes will suffer as well. Therefore, this process must be daily. You should ensure that no dirt settles on your mind. In other words, you should keep company with people who are free from dirt. Lies, injustice, indiscipline, cruelty, and hatred—all of these form “dirt.” Truth (Sathya), Righteousness (Dharma), Peace (Shanti), and Love (Prema)—all of these are cleansing agents. If you breathe their pure air, your mind will be freed from the bacilli of evil, and you will gain mental health and physical strength. As Vivekananda said, you should have nerves of steel and muscles of iron. In other words, hope, joy, and an uplifted mood should be enduring features of your character, not despair and despondency.
Sathya Sai Baba. Sathya Sai Speaks. Volume I. Ch. 28
A vast number of people come to Me seeking help.
However, “seeking help” is an inaccurate description for some. They are not looking for help; rather, they are looking for someone who would help them to such a great extent that they would do everything for them, solve all their problems, and take all their difficulties upon themselves.
But My task is to help you in such a way that you help yourselves.
I am not a self-service store for lazy people or for those who want to achieve their goal without making a great effort.
I offer you the Highest Goal: Sat, Chit, Ananda—Being, Consciousness, Bliss.
And what do you need to offer Me?
Discipline, diligence, faith, morality, love, and trust.
If you practice all this and rely on Me, you can attain the Highest Goal even in this life.
Everything is in your hands. But nothing falls into your hands by itself.
Self-respect is the salt of life. There are all kinds of flavors that are needed to give life a good taste. Among them, self-respect is the most important. Salt can turn bland gruel into a wonderful meal.
The same is true of self-respect. Most people today experience all kinds of spiritual suffering because they lack self-respect and awareness of their own worth.
A strong awareness of one’s intrinsic worth is the best remedy for spiritual problems.
Where does such profound self-respect come from?
From the experience of many lives.
You must gain the experience that everything has one mind and that God is on your side. Then nothing can defeat you.
Since we are speaking of Self-respect (German: Selbst-Achtung), this inevitably relates to the Self (German: Selbst = self, I) and, at the same time, to God within you.
Only each person can find this God within themselves.
God can show the way, arrange things, and make the path easier.
But you must walk this path.
Therefore, seek God in your immediate surroundings, and especially in nature, and recognize how selflessly everything in nature serves. From nature, turn to yourself—that is, inward—and from there to service to those around you.
Ask for God’s guidance, and you will surely find a sacred place in the Heart where your Self (Selbst) shines, and with it your Self-respect (Selbstachtung) as well.
Look at the wind, how effortlessly it blows over the earth.
Nothing binds it. Nothing holds it.
In motion, it overtakes what is still. Sometimes it is very gentle; at other times, very strong.
Sometimes it takes something with it—for a while. But in the end, it lets everything go.
It takes nothing for itself for long. It attaches nothing to itself. The wind is free, and yet it helps everyone and is essential for sustaining the world. Today you have the name given to you. When I call you “wind,” will you notice Me and respond?
In Kali Yuga, there are more diverse paths than in previous yugas that enable a person to develop the ability to discriminate (viveka). For those who wish to receive an education, there are enough schools and other educational institutions. For those who strive for wealth, there are many honest ways to make a fortune. But we cannot say that people have become happier and more peaceful as a result. On the contrary, suffering has increased compared with previous ages!
What, then, is the reason? The reason lies in human conduct, in the very way people live… Human life is undoubtedly the highest stage of evolutionary development, and to give it meaning, one needs a spiritual aspiration that is pure and holy. Character plays a paramount role in such a way of life. Character makes life immortal; it surpasses even death. Some say that knowledge is power, but this is not so. Character is power. Even acquiring knowledge requires good character. Therefore, every person should strive to develop flawless character—character in which there is not the slightest trace of evil.”
When a person engages in benevolent activity, the clouds of illusion disperse and awareness of the Supreme Reality (the Higher “Self”) arises. Remember: all beings and all Souls are pure by nature. Good deeds can wash away all the impurity from bad actions and restore the Soul’s Original Purity. Thus, a person (the individual Soul) sets out on the path leading to God. And the aspiration toward God purifies and transforms all of a person’s thoughts, words, and actions!”
Life in itself is transformation. As long as you live on the earthly plane, changes will occur constantly. Only when you are in complete harmony with the infinite will you be able to observe these changes without reacting to them in any way. At this stage, you will be in a state of constant bliss and realize that there is nothing in the world but God. You and He are ONE.
Virtue is always the best protection. Without virtue, nothing can remain successful for long.
If you think you know examples to the contrary, be assured that it only seems that way to you.
I know the human heart and I know the consequences in which you become entangled, so I repeat: without virtue there is no good fortune.
Marriage is no exception. Without love, fidelity, honesty, care, patience, and a willingness to sacrifice oneself, there can be no happiness here either.
Arguments are very common in modern marriages. Although there are guides that supposedly teach people how to argue properly, I tell you: arguing in itself is wrong.
In an argument, there is an opportunity to inflict wounds so deep and so quickly that this means of resolving disputes must be approached sensibly.
Of course, some people need to argue. I know that. But they need to understand that this should not be a prolonged state, only a transition to some gentler form of communication.
Marriage lives through explanations. Without explanations, any relationship withers.
Therefore, your goal should be to learn to explain yourself without arguing.
This is the path of love that leads to peace.
Your life is so saturated with aggression that you no longer think at all about how dangerous a feeling of aggression is.
Moreover, in Western countries it is almost as widespread as the air we breathe. This is an unambiguous sign of how deeply your culture, morality, and ethics have declined.
I place the main responsibility for this catastrophic development on cinema, as well as television.
Film producers want to make money. And what is the easiest way to make money? By catering to the animal tendencies in people. Therefore, unworthy sexual behavior and terrible aggressiveness are considered suitable topics for polite conversation—in other words, they have gradually become so.
This negative development was directed so skillfully that few noticed the extent to which their souls had been polluted and the dangerous path they had embarked upon.
If you are prone to great aggressiveness, work to free yourself from it and make it lose its power over you. But always bear in mind that your goal should be to live entirely without aggression: at peace with yourself, and therefore with your loved ones and everyone around you.
See and honor God in everything and everyone, repeat His name (27.II), and you will notice how your life changes. How happiness and peace enter you, and how increasingly you are able to feel unity with all creation.
This is peace. This is Grace. This is the fulfillment of your life that you sought for so long in other places.
The Guru is the mediator between you and God.
If you consider the Supreme Consciousness your Guru and practice spiritual disciplines with unwavering Love in your Soul, then the Lord
Himself will appear to you and give you advice, just as the Guru does.
Having heard your prayers, He may give you His Blessing, and then you will meet a Guru capable of initiating you into the highest
Truths.
In the word Guru, “gu” means a person who has transcended the three qualities of nature, while “ru” means that this person has realized the formless aspect of Divinity.
The Guru is a physician who heals the illness that causes suffering and arises from birth and death.
He knows how to cure this illness.
If you do not have such a Guru, pray to the Lord Himself to show you the Way,
and He will come when you call.
Do not try to find for yourself a Guru who himself suffers from false perception and inner problems.
Do not ask alms from one who is poor himself.
Avoid pride and rivalry with those who, like you, are walking the Path of Spiritual Self-Improvement.
Let everyone proceed at a different pace;
the Lord only points out the direction of the Path.
The Guru is an intermediary between you and God.
If you consider the Supreme Consciousness your Guru and practice spiritual disciplines with unwavering Love in your Soul, then the Lord
Himself will appear to you and give you advice, just like the Guru.
Hearing your prayers, He may grant you His Blessing, and then you will meet a Guru capable of initiating you into the highest
Truths.
In the word Guru, “gu” means a person who has transcended the three qualities of nature, while “ru” means that this person has realized the formless aspect of Divinity.
The Guru is a physician who heals the disease that brings suffering and arises from birth and death.
He knows how to cure this disease.
If you do not have such a Guru, pray to the Lord Himself to show you the Way,
and He will answer your call.
Do not seek for yourself a Guru who himself suffers from false vision and inner problems.
Do not ask alms from one who is himself poor.
Avoid pride and rivalry with those who, like you, are walking the Path of Spiritual Self-Improvement.
Let everyone proceed at their own pace;
the Lord only points out the direction of the Path.
Thank you. This is very enlightening about the Guru. I have a certain fondness for Osho, but somehow I don’t feel that any of the Enlightened or spiritual people is truly my Guru; I learn from everyone . Perhaps I’m not ready yet for my Guru to come to me!
In summer, when it is hot, you long to find a cool place and rejoice in any coolness.
In winter, when it is cold and snow and ice cover the earth, you dream of summer warmth and forget how much you longed for the winter chill back then.
What I want to show you through this is a very important mirror of your behavior.
People especially miss what they do not have and value little what belongs to them.
Such behavior seems designed above all to be dissatisfied and ultimately unhappy.
Enjoy every day. Regard it and everything you encounter as a miracle. Regard everything that happens as created especially for you.
Be grateful. Be grateful, happy and content—that is the very best thing you can do for yourself, those around you and the whole world.
Sweat with joy. Shiver with joy. Experience what it means to be alone.
Experience what it means to be in company. Experience what it means to have difficulties.
Always think that everything is God. That God is constantly meeting you.
Do you understand? God is meeting you!
How often do I need to repeat this to you, until you finally believe it, see it and feel it?
11313, I am very grateful to you for posting texts from books about Sathya Sai Baba here; reading them is like darshan of Bhagavan himself. They guide me and, at the same time, make my heart peaceful and loving.
Purity is divinity.
Order is a blessing.
Keep yourself and your home in order; this is of decisive importance for your inner and outer success. Choose one day a week to clean your home. This is very important.
Do you know that disorder consumes energy?
A drawer that is not in order consumes approximately fifteen minutes’ worth of energy each day. A wardrobe consumes between half an hour and an hour. In an untidy apartment or house, you have hardly any energy left, if any at all.
Disorder leads to depression. Impurity makes you ill. Therefore, pay attention to order and cleanliness.
Think of all the animals and plants around you: how many of them are clean or even fragrant.
Keep yourself clean inwardly as well.
This also applies to the body—eat clean, balanced food and fast one day a week.
The same applies on the spiritual level—repeat the name of God (27.II), the Gayatri mantra, and meditate (25 VII).
If you maintain inner and outer purity, you will also easily be able to give up stimulants such as tea and coffee, because you will be filled with energy.
There are no failures in life, only alternatives: whether you can or cannot draw conclusions from your experiences that will help you.
Your mind is your destiny. The mind evaluates. The mind distinguishes between good and evil—or it helps or harms.
Therefore, direct it toward God, so that you may gain true benefit from everything you encounter.
With My teachings and My love in your heart, nothing bad can happen to you on Earth.
Because the essence of everything is the understanding that everything has one consciousness.
There is nothing on Earth without consciousness, let alone anything unconscious that you might encounter.
On the contrary, if you believe in chance and unconscious events, you prove only how little you have understood about life so far.
Do not be confused when something happens differently from how you imagined it. First of all, it is best for you, and secondly, it is a good opportunity for you to explore what deep meaning lies behind it.
Instead of thinking so much pointlessly and in vain—as you often do—ennoble your mind: think of God and try to find Him and His work in everything that happens to you, within you, and around you. Then even the most mundane things can become filled with the greatest awareness.
You meditate every day (25.VII), you repeat the name of God (27.II), and yet you feel that nothing at all is changing within you.
But do you believe that something can change? In this connection, a little story: Once there lived a little boy who loved doves. He pleaded with his parents for a very long time until they gave him a pair.
He was immensely happy. Every free moment, he would sit beside the large cage and joyfully watch his doves. Then the birds built a nest. The little boy’s joy knew no bounds: now they would hatch chicks, and soon he would have even more doves to watch and admire, as he dreamed.
Whenever the boy approached the cage, he checked whether there was already an egg in the nest. One day he saw two eggs. “Soon I will have two more wonderful little doves,” he thought. “And when they grow up, they will also hatch chicks. Soon I will have six, then eight, ten, twelve—I will have an entire dove colony that will live happily in a large aviary with beautiful bushes,” he dreamed in silence.
The days passed. Again and again, he inspected the nest and checked what had happened in his absence. He did not notice that, because of the great disturbance he caused, the doves could not hatch the chicks, and the eggs could never hatch into little doves, because the disturbance prevented the eggs from being warmed regularly.
Learn from this little boy, who knew no better. Gain confidence that everything will happen in its own time. You do not always need to watch, check, and compare. Trust that God, to whom you have connected yourself, is automatically guiding you to where you need to be. Trust, be happy, and many, many wonderfully beautiful doves will adorn your sky.
Anyone who has no thoughts other than thoughts of Me, anyone who constantly remembers Me, will undoubtedly breathe their last through the center of the head and reach Me. I am as close to them as they are to Me. How can I forget one who never forgets Me? Forgetfulness is a human failing, not a quality of God—let Me tell you that! There is no need for yoga or tapas, or even jnana; whether you have given them up because you are too weak, or, despite having the strength, you feel no inclination to strive to master them, it does not matter. I do not ask for yoga or tapas; I ask only that your mind be focused on Me. Dedicate your mind to Me, surrender it to Me—that is all I ask.
Gayatri is the Mother of all Sacred Scriptures (the Vedas). She exists everywhere Her name is uttered. She is very powerful. Gayatri is the One who nourishes every living being. She grants pure thoughts to everyone who worships Her. She is the embodiment of all Goddesses. Our very breath is Gayatri; our faith in existence is Gayatri. Gayatri has five faces, which are the five life principles. She has nine descriptions: “Om, Bhur, Bhuvah, Svah, Tat, Savitur, Varenyam, Bhargo, Devasya.” Mother Gayatri nourishes and protects every living being, and She directs our senses along the right path. “Dhimahi” means meditation. We pray to Her to grant us good intellect. “Dhiyo Yonah Prachodayat”—we pray to Her to grant us everything we need. Thus, Gayatri is a universal prayer for protection, support and, ultimately, liberation.
Sai Baba
(Divine Discourse: “My Dear Students,” Volume 3, Chapter 2, March 19, 1998)
