Learning Through Reading

1313 · Jun 26, 2021

Life consists of so-called contradictions.
One of them, for example, is that on the one hand you need to act, but on the other hand you need to become detached from action.
How can you act if, ultimately, you must refrain from action?
Some peoples think they can resolve this paradox by simply doing nothing. They live by the principle: “God will take care of everything.”
What a strange idea of God they have! Why would a farmer need a cow if he could produce milk himself? Why would a watchman need a dog’s help if he himself enjoyed barking?
Did I need to endow you with all sorts of gifts only to do everything for you myself in the end? If that were so, then those who think that creation is “just a coincidence,” with neither meaning nor purpose, would indeed be right.
You and your awareness of your identity are the purpose of creation. Therefore, your actions are of decisive importance. But detachment from action is no less important, so that, carried away by action, you do not become stuck in maya (the external world, illusion).
You will attain the golden mean between action and detachment from action by offering your actions to Me (7.1) and always keeping in mind that I am the Doer.
And thus, the seemingly irresolvable contradiction between action and detachment from action will resolve itself.

Sai Baba

1313 · Jun 27, 2021

16 Sayings by Omar Khayyam That Capture the Essence of Life

Omar Khayyam was not only an outstanding astronomer and mathematician, but he also left the world a rich poetic legacy—poetic aphorisms known as "rubaiyat." It is true that there is a widespread belief that many of them were attributed to him, since numerous authors feared that their sharp statements would be criticized, but history remains silent on whether this is actually true.

Let us set these intrigues aside and immerse ourselves in quatrains imbued with subtle Persian philosophy, enjoying their reading.

Keep fewer friends; do not broaden your circle.
And remember: a close friend who lives far away is better.
Cast a calm glance over everyone sitting around you.
In the one you saw as support, you may suddenly see an enemy.

Call neither on a friend nor on the heavens
For help. Seek the balm within yourself.
Stand firm in adversity. When you wish to call on a friend,
Endure your misfortune on your own.

To be captive to love, my heart, is sweet for you;
Bow your head into the dust, beloved, in supplication.
Do not resent the whims of your beautiful beloved.
Be grateful to fate for being loved.

Do not mourn, mortal, yesterday’s losses,
Do not measure today’s deeds by tomorrow’s yardstick,
Trust neither the past nor the future minute,
Trust the present moment—be happy now!

Until you have journeyed along the path of wandering, you wait for happiness in vain,
Until you have shed the tears of suffering, you wait for happiness in vain,
And why—that is known to anyone in love:
Until you preserve yourself within yourself, you wait for happiness in vain.

In this world, are you considered wise? So what?
Do you set an example and offer advice to everyone? So what?
Do you intend to live to a hundred? I’ll allow it—
Perhaps you’ll live to two hundred. So what?

You will be among proud learned donkeys,
Try to pretend to be a donkey without a word,
For these fools immediately accuse anyone who is not a donkey
Of undermining the foundations.

Be gentler with people! Want to be wiser?—
Do not hurt them with your wisdom.
Fight boldly against fate, that cruel offender,
But swear yourself never to offend people!

One person cannot tell what roses smell like.
Another can make honey from bitter herbs.
Give one person a trifle, and they will remember it forever.
Give another your life, and they will not even understand.

In this world of fools, scoundrels, and traders,
Wise one, stop your ears, securely sew up your mouth,
Tightly close your eyes—at least think a little
Of keeping your eyes, tongue, and ears safe!

Instead of gold and pearls with amber,
We shall choose another wealth for ourselves:
Cast off your finery, cover your body with rags,
Yet remain a king even in wretched tatters!

As it turns, the vault of heaven presses and weighs upon us,
The world grows empty, and many friends are gone.
To snatch even a moment from fate for yourself,
Forget what has been, and do not look ahead.

When you leave for five minutes,
Do not forget to leave warmth in your palms.
In the palms of those who wait for you,
In the palms of those who remember you...

You cannot look into tomorrow today,
The very thought of it constricts your chest with anguish.
Who knows how many days you have left to live?
Do not waste them; be prudent.

Though it is not new, I shall remind you once more:
Before both friend and foe,
You are master of the unspoken word,
But of the spoken word—you are the servant.

Beware, my friend, of falling for a beauty!
Beauty and love are two sources of suffering.
For this beautiful kingdom is not eternal:
It pierces the heart—and slips from our grasp.

1313 · Jun 28, 2021

Live in truth. Truth is indeed a mighty force that can lead you to liberation from all oppression, all difficulties, and death itself.
But living in truth does not mean only speaking the truth, falsifying nothing, and—quite literally—leading no one astray.
Truth also means psychological truth. To what extent are you still attached to your past? How often are you still preoccupied with what happened in your childhood? What did you inherit from your parents or your childhood without gaining it through your own experience?
What is your attitude toward your parents? Can you be honest with them, or are you, for example, polite when you meet them but angry or speaking badly about them once you leave?
Define your attitude toward your parents and your entire family. Forget grievances and free yourself from anger. There are many good techniques that can help you work with your feelings.
Whatever you decide, do it. Because your task is to understand that your parents have absolutely nothing to do with your destiny. You created your parents for yourself through your karma, and no one else did.
Perhaps you think that Saint Francis of Assisi and Hitler will have the same parents in their next lives?
If that were possible, then, firstly, the world truly could not be saved, and secondly, it would have perished long ago.

Sai Baba

1313 · Jun 29, 2021

There are foolish people and wise people. Which category do you place yourself in?
I consider those who make little or no effort toward their spiritual development foolish. By contrast, I consider those who study divine lessons, reflect on them, and put them into practice wise.
Unfortunately, many, many people are foolish—that is, lazy. Laziness is a particular form of foolishness, because a lazy person believes that by postponing putting current affairs in order, they can avoid them.
No one can avoid this. Everyone needs to develop. But whoever wastes time squanders life. That is foolish.
The length of your life is predetermined. Make use of it. Ask God to give you tasks that will best help you grow and develop in the way intended for you.
If you have succumbed to the delusion that doing nothing is a gift, abandon such thoughts today.
Doing nothing is a burden that weakens anyone for a long time and exposes you to many negative traits and vices.
Work is grace. Activity is an opportunity to develop. Rejoice in everything you are able to do, especially if it serves others.
Helping someone, calming someone, being there for someone—this is bliss that you can attain on Earth. Doing good is wisdom that gives you everything you vainly seek elsewhere.
Be wise, walk with God, and God will bless you with even greater wisdom.
This is—in general terms—the path of light that everyone seeks.

Sai Baba

1313 · Jun 30, 2021

In many cases, I am against psychotherapy. Here I defend the generally accepted view that many therapists themselves urgently need treatment, and therefore they are not a help to their patients but a great danger.
The therapists I am talking about are pure neither in their feelings nor in their thoughts. Their love is not developed, nor do they live by positive, stable ideals. Therefore, it would be better if they underwent treatment themselves, because I know how unhappy they are deep in their hearts.
However, there are therapists whose work I consider useful. I support them and send people who need help to them. These therapists are helpers in My mission.
Why am I saying this? Because some people who pray have misconceptions. They live according to the attitude: "God will take care of everything!" In a certain sense, this is correct, because I really do help wherever I can.
But you also need to do something; you need to work on your development.
Therefore, I say: there are three categories of people who pray. Some do very little. They waste their time and, along with it, their lives, waiting for a kindly daddy who will arrange everything for them. They do not achieve much.
Others do too much. They run everywhere there is anything interesting. They try more or less every method offered to them. They study one theory or another. In a word, they are constantly "on guard," create no peace, and spend all their energy searching rather than finding.
The third group are My favorites. They search seriously. They check, weigh, investigate, ask for the right decision, and act accordingly. Moreover, they meet with decent people.
If you make a decision about something, then stick with it. When you encounter difficulties, do not allow yourself to be misled; instead, ask for and rely on God's help.
True people who pray are those who, when necessary, actively work on themselves. Those who use the help of professionals to untie some knot. They do not believe that God will arrange everything for them or that God is obliged to do so.
Therefore, I help them, and along their path they find exactly the help they need.

Sai Baba

1313 · Jul 1, 2021

Today, go out into the world with the determination to see and hear only what is positive.
Pay no attention to anything you dislike, anything that hurts your aesthetic sensibilities or does not conform to your morality.
See and hear only what is beautiful, good, and perfect.
Many people are as if in a fog; they curse about things they themselves cannot change.
A person mocks what surrounds them—in other words, the world around them. Yet they are on Earth only because they are so strongly attached to it.
Look at and listen to what is perfect, and in this way you will become free.
Hearing and seeing what is good and beautiful means actively opening yourself to new energies. This means changing your perspective and consciously choosing the positive while leaving the negative aside.
Try it sometime, and you will see how much you suddenly discover in what seems to be such a hidden God. Because God is always visible.
It depends solely and exclusively on your point of view.

Sai Baba

1313 · Jul 2, 2021

Keep to the middle path. Do not let extremes rule you. Extreme feelings create problems.
Do not trust the “surge of feelings”; they can quickly lead you to unhappiness.
Excessive joy, anger, and hostility harm your soul because they prevent you from staying on your middle path.
Also beware of passionate feelings toward any person. Passion always leads to disappointment, because passion is riding a mad horse named maya (the external world, illusion). One day it will throw you off, and you will be glad if your fall is gentle. For if you fall onto a hard stone, you may break all your bones or even your neck. And you will not be the first. Keep to the middle path.
If you want to be excessive, you are going against God. He can deal with that. He is the Only One who will never truly let you down, although He sometimes behaves differently from how you wish. “Keep to the middle path” therefore means: learn to wait, be patient, do not exaggerate anything. Whoever exaggerates things loses both himself and the things. Detachment is the most important prerequisite for right action. Offer your work to Me (7.I) and act with the awareness that I am the Source of your will, your strength, and all your abilities.

Sai Baba

1313 · Jul 3, 2021

First, a doctor makes a diagnosis, and then prescribes a course of treatment. Similarly, through self-examination, you must diagnose your illness—that is, suffering, torment, and pain. Examine yourself bravely and attentively, and you will discover that your true nature is Bliss! You mistakenly identify yourself with what is temporary, insignificant, and petty, and this attachment brings sorrow. Realize that joy and sorrow are passing periods, like clouds in the blue sky. Learn to treat prosperity and misfortune, praise and blame, victory and defeat equally. A fish can live only in water. In the same way, people can live only when they are immersed in Bliss. You should have Bliss at home, in society, and in the world, but above all in your heart. Your heart is the source of Bliss. This source must be touched through spiritual practices: prayer, meditation, constant repetition of the Lord’s Name, and contemplation of His glory. Never give in to doubt and despair.
SSB

Wishing you a happy life in Love, Unity, and Harmony.

1313 · Jul 4, 2021

Watch your mind. Your mind is a great treasure and an even greater danger.
With your mind, you can stray from the path or remain on the path to God. With your mind, you can examine everything to determine what benefits you and what harms you, whether something is pure or impure, sacred or bad.
The mind, as viveka—the ability to discriminate—is a great gift that God gave people so that they could express themselves.
The mind is an immeasurable inner power. If you use it correctly, it blesses your life. If you do not use it or use it incorrectly, it may cost you your life.
And how can you use it correctly?
Direct your mind toward God. Repeat God's name (27.II), repeat the Gayatri Mantra, meditate (25.VII). Think positively.
Positive thoughts are an enormous power. Through positive thoughts, you can positively influence your future and protect yourself from the consequences of negative thoughts.
Do not become a victim of doubt if things are difficult for you at first. Your karma also has a role to play. The Gayatri Mantra and namasmarana (repetition of God's name) will free you from negative karma in any case.
Shape your life yourself. Make it positive through spiritual practice. This way, you are sure to make your life positive.
Consider every failure an incentive to do even more. Repeat, repeat, repeat God's name. Do this, and God will be on your side.
Because namasmarana inevitably draws God to you. And if God is with you, nothing can harm you. You will think positively and positively influence your destiny.
At the same time, think: it is God's wish that you be successful. He truly does everything to ensure that you succeed. Your good fortune is His joy.

Sai Baba

1313 · Jul 5, 2021

And do not believe in summoning spirits.
There is no need to learn or practice this.
That way, you will only be able to see evil spirits.
God is not so easy to reach.
God, who is the embodiment of Sattva guna, will never stoop to such a low level and speak with you.
A human being is seven levels below God.
Evil spirits are six levels below God.
God’s aura falls across all these levels.
Evil spirits are slightly stronger than humans.
And with this additional power, they disguise themselves as gods. Do not let evil spirits deceive you.
Be careful!

Sathya Sai Baba,
Karunamba Ramamurti,
"Sri Sathya Sai Anandamayi.
A Journey with Sai".

1313 · Jul 5, 2021

Desires accompany you throughout your entire earthly life.
Desires arise because you come to Earth with some very strong desire: your Self longs for the bliss you experienced in the heavenly realm.
Your ego fulfills this desire by seeking happiness in the world. It searches for it all your life—and through many lives. The purpose of this search is to refine your consciousness.
As a result of your experiences and deep reflections, you eventually come to understand that happiness is sought and found within yourself, not in the external world.
When you arrive at this understanding, both your desires and your search come to an end. The path to this is a long one, because maya (the external world) portrays everything you seek as something you could find in the world. But the only thing you find here is chains that bind you to Earth.
I do not mean that everything the world offers is bad. The problem, as always, is not in the world but in you—that is, in your mind. It is characteristic of the mind to become attached to something material. Thoughts create bonds, because of which you will sooner or later have to suffer, since everything worldly has its own lifespan. Everything passes eventually. If you become attached, you experience loss as pain.
Therefore, the golden rule is this: enjoy your life. Enjoy everything good that God gives you. Use it and enrich your life. But do not become attached either to things or to people. Live so that at any moment you could give everything away without feeling even the slightest pain.
Constantly think: "God gave this to me. Everything is in His hands. If He takes it back, there should be only gratitude within me for having been allowed to keep it for so long."
Enjoy the world and constantly be aware that detachment is also part of enjoyment. Those who cannot let go cannot enjoy either, because the fear of losing constantly resides in their minds.
Love life. Love the splendor that surrounds you. Love God, who gave all this to you. And be happy that He has given you the ability to let go, which allows you to enjoy everything and ultimately keeps you from having to suffer because of it.
Sai Baba

1313 · Jul 6, 2021

Youth Does Not Depend on Age

Everyone is talking about Swami’s approaching seventieth birthday. The body consists of five elements, five sheaths, five vital currents (pranas), and five senses. A person is usually considered young if they are at least under fifty. Youth (yuvanam) is a time devoted to beneficial and purposeful activity. Youth does not depend on age. Bhishma was 112 years old when he took command of the Kaurava army. Your age depends on the strength of your will. According to the Bharata tradition, a person who reaches the age of sixty performs a shanti puja in order to pacify the inner enemies (lust, vanity, and so on). When a person turns seventy, they attain the state of the Seven Sages, the Seven Oceans, the Seven Musical Notes, and the Seven Colors. The sun’s ray consists of these seven colors. Sunrays are inexhaustible and eternal. The seventieth year of life symbolizes attaining the sanctity of the Seven Rishis (the seven divine sages shining in the constellation Ursa Major). When you turn eighty, you should become one of the ashtagras (eight planets). Upon reaching the age of ninety, you should acquire the power of one of the navagrahas (nine planets). At the age of one hundred, a person is prescribed dissolution into the indriyas (the organs of sense and action) and liberation from bodily consciousness.
The main goal of members of the Sai organization is to attain love for God. The spiritual path is the easiest of all paths. Giving up desires is much easier than clinging tightly to them. Hold fast to God.
Bhakti, devotion, is not orange robes, a begging bowl, a walking stick, participation in religious festivals and sacrificial ceremonies, a shaved head, or matted hair. A pure heart, constant contemplation of God, the feeling that everything around us is God’s creation and therefore one, indifference to the lures of the senses, love for all creatures, and truthfulness in speech—these are the signs of true devotion.

BHAGAVAN SRI SATHYA SAI BABA. “SATHYA SAI SPEAKS.” VOLUME XXVIII.
Chapter 30. “Fill the World with Love.”
The Divine Inaugural Address by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba at the opening of the VI World Conference of the Sathya Sai Baba Organization
18-11-1995, Prashanti Nilayam.

MAY ALL BEINGS IN ALL WORLDS BE HAPPY!

1313 · Jul 7, 2021

Not believing in the existence of past lives is not only foolish but also heartless. But the worst thing about it is that it creates a completely false idea of God.
Can you imagine that I would be so cruel as to condemn any soul to destruction, and eternal destruction at that? How can this be reconciled with My infinite love? You are Me, and I am you. Why would I want to lose any part of Myself? It is impossible.
Everyone will be saved. This is what I have always repeated. And I stand unshakably by My words. Believe this firmly. In any case, I will lead you to liberation.
Do not be frightened by the harshness that you sometimes see, hear, or even experience in the world. All of it will be repaid tenfold.
Without suffering, your heart would remain closed. Without your suffering, you would be the greatest enemy to others, and especially to yourself.
Now you ask: "But why must the world be so harsh? Could God not have arranged everything differently?"
The answer is: no! God has no other choice as long as human beings have free will.
Free will requires that people learn through suffering. Free will, which no one would want to give up, means that a person can and wants to learn not in lessons, but solely from what has happened to them and what they have experienced.
God must fulfill human wishes because, if He intervened, free will would be nothing more than empty words, an empty sound, and smoke.
But so that everyone has the opportunity to learn from their mistakes, reincarnation and the law of karma exist.
In this way, everyone has the opportunity to learn precisely what they need to learn. And this remains so even though a person’s free will may be limited. Therefore, I can say that everyone will be saved and that the plan of creation is perfect. And that everyone is a hostage to My love.

Sai Baba

1313 · Jul 8, 2021

A PERSON MUST CONTROL THE ORGANS OF THE SENSES

God endowed human beings with every power.
The human body is connected with the senses, which are responsible for both good and evil.
Therefore, the proper use of the organs of the senses is a person’s foremost duty....
Anyone who cannot restrain the senses is worse than an animal. Even animals develop the ability to control their senses. But a human being, despite being endowed with all kinds of wisdom—vijnana, prajñana, and sujnana—makes no effort to control the senses.
Desire, anger, greed, passion, pride, and jealousy (kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada, and matsarya) are all animal qualities.
Today, such animal qualities have appeared in human beings, and people themselves are becoming animals.
A human being is neither an animal nor a mass of inert matter. In reality, a person is an embodiment of consciousness and bliss.
Indulging in animal qualities is a disgrace for a human being.
First and foremost, one must learn to control the senses. There are spiritual practices prescribed for controlling the senses...
What is the purpose of human life? It is not merely to eat, drink, and have fun. “The human body is meant to do good to others.” A person should devote themselves to serving society.

Sathya Sai Baba. God is born in a pure heart.

1313 · Jul 9, 2021

The essence of everything is divine light, that is, love directed toward a particular purpose.
The core of every stone, every metal, is light. All you need to do with familiar metals or precious stones is polish them, and they already shine.
They shine because there is light within them. If there were no light in them, they would absorb the light that comes from outside and would not shine.
The fundamental structure of everything, absolutely everything you see on Earth, is light.
That is why it is so easy for Me to change everything or materialize anything I desire.
In the most literal sense of the word, there is light in My hand. Light creates whatever I wish. It cannot do otherwise.
Think about all this when you enter the consciousness of your body or are within it: you are light. Therefore, you are not your body. Your body is mortal. You are not. Your bodies have not escaped a single death. But you have escaped countless deaths.
Respect, preserve, and care for your body. But identify yourself with what you truly are: limitless light—the essence of everything.

Sai Baba

1313 · Jul 10, 2021

What are the duties and privileges of every educated person? Bhagavan lovingly reminds us today.
Education should not be viewed as the process of filling an empty vessel and then emptying it, only to fill it again. The purpose of education is not to fill the head with knowledge, but to purify the heart, expand it and fill it with light. Education is necessary for living, but it is not life itself. The mark of an educated person is a humble understanding that they have still been unable to know the immeasurable, and that the exploration of the unknown has no end. An educated person should understand that they have more duties than privileges and rights. They should serve the society in which they live and the heritage handed down to them by their ancestors. They should take joy in serving and have no desire to rule. Service itself is divine and fills life with meaning. Service is the best way to use one’s skills, intelligence, strength and resources.
Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
Divine Discourse, 1 April 1973
You are all vessels of Divine Love—share it, spread it, and express this love through service, empathy and compassion.
BABA

1313 · Jul 11, 2021

Self-transformation is a widespread “advertising cliché” today. Anyone who wants to can put this magic word on their shop sign and achieve a fabulous turnover.
Crowds of false gurus and prophets can be found everywhere, making a great deal of money from your blindness and laziness.
They like to live comfortably while at the same time keeping life tense and exciting.
And these false teachers can transform themselves as well—by deceiving you three times!
First, they attract you with cheap slogans and false fervor; then they take money from your pocket; and finally, by using you and your money, they become so famous that they attract even more people. As a result, their false slogans spread even further.
Life is a gift. Work is grace. If you do not see this, you should not be surprised when you stumble upon the seducers of our time.
Do not deceive yourself. Do not take the path that seems easier; it is definitely not the easiest one. Do not fear work or effort, but regard them as God’s grace, through which you can transform yourself.
But this time in the true sense.

1313 · Jul 12, 2021

Being Free is your birthright! When you follow the Path of Truth and Righteousness, you become truly Free; if you stray from the Path of Light, you become dependent. What some call “freedom” is actually a certain kind of attachment. True Freedom is attained only when delusion is absent, when there is no identification with the body and senses, and no enslavement to the objective world. It is necessary to break free from this bondage and attain Freedom in the true sense of the word. Slavery lies in every action performed with awareness of the body as one’s “I,” because in that case a person becomes a plaything in the hands of the senses. Only those who have escaped this fate are Free; this Freedom is the ideal state to which Truth and Righteousness lead. By constantly holding this state in mind, a person, even while immersed in daily activities, can become Liberated.
SSB

Freedom and Happiness lie in the awareness of “WHO I AM.”

1313 · Jul 12, 2021

Divine order is the breath of the Universe. Everything in the Universe occurs in the highest harmony. Divine order is harmony. Whoever does not live in accordance with such human values as prema (love), sathya (truth), dharma (righteousness), shanti (peace), and ahimsa (nonviolence) is in harmony neither with themselves nor with their surroundings.
Nothing in the Universe happens by chance. Nothing egocentric or even selfish. Nothing that could happen without complete agreement with My laws.
Your breathing is also divine order. Do you know this? Do you know that without divine order you would not be able to live at all?
Everything in your life happens only because I want it to happen to you this way, and My will and My love have made your life safe.
All of this is manifested in your breathing. Your breathing is the manifestation of the Divine through you.
Therefore, for as long as you breathe, with every inhalation you proclaim that you are connected with Me.
And on the day when you part from your body, your final breath will be the moment when you realize that you are Me.
With this knowledge, from this day onward, live consciously in the divine order that is within you. Transform yourself, and you will reach Me before you leave your body.

Sai Baba

1313 · Jul 13, 2021

Be silent, be silent, be silent!
Do you really not notice at all how much you talk?
If you think you speak little, you still talk too much.
You talk so much because you can convince yourself that through your long conversations you can give someone something.
But you do not give. You take.
Those who talk a lot dissipate their own energy and that of others.
Talkativeness is not evidence of exceptional sociability; rather, it is a sign of unsociable behavior.
On the contrary, you think that you remain silent a lot.
You stand out as a great silent one. What you are doing is not silence. It is your inability to speak when conversation would be appropriate—but you talk to anyone when you should be silent.
The foundation of the silence I have in mind is knowledge of the power of the word.
There is a time when this power needs to go outward, and another time when it needs to remain within you.
If you switch these times around, the power is lost.
I could say much more, but now silence is recommended.

Sai Baba