Sri sathya sai center of chelmsford STUDY CIRCLE

Sri sathya sai center of chelmsford STUDY CIRCLE ON ‘SAI-THE PATH OF TRANSFORMATION’ 09/01/2018

THE THEME OF SATUDY CIRCLE TOPICS ( FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS) MAHASAMADHI B. A – BE ALERT BE AWARE SAI INTO ACTION LOVE IS THE SOURCE, PATH, GOAL MAMA DHARMA SADHANA THE INWARD PATH QUEST OF THE SELF THEME FOR CURRENT YEAR: SAI- PATH OF TRANSFORMATION 20 QUALITIES REQUIRED FOR A WISE ARE LISTED BY SWAMI IN GEETAVAHINI. OUT OF WHICH 6 QUALITIES ARE TAKEN UP TO FORM THE 6 TOPICS FOR THIS YEAR. THEY ARE 1. ADAMBITHWAM- SIMPLICITY 2. RJUTHWAM – STRAIGHTFORWARDNESS 3. SOUCHAM- PURITY 4. EKANTHAVASAM – DWELLING IN SOLITUDE 5. STAHIRYAM – STEADFASTNESS 6. TATWA JNANA DARSANAM- VISION OF UNICERSAL PRICNIPLE

SAI – THE PATH OF TRANFORMATION S - SPIRITUAL TRANFORMATION A - ASSOCIATION TRANFORMATION I – INDIVIDUAL TRANFORMATION REFERENCE FROM SWAMI’S TEACHINGS: Sathya Sai Speaks volume -28 , CHAPTER 31 Man today has to go through transformation at three levels: First and foremost is spiritual transformation. Second comes transformation in the attitude towards society. The third change is at the individual level. When spiritual transformation takes place, there is an automatic change in the attitude towards society. When society becomes harmonious and prosperous, the individual also changes. How is individual transformation to be achieved? One's personality can blossom only when he leads a moral life. Whatever your language, religion, nationality or custom, ; you feel as one here. This is great spiritual saadhana. No one brought about this transformation. It was an-individual transformation, each by himself or herself. How did they effect this transformation? Out of their love for Svaami. That love accounts for this prodigious transformation. How should one's attitude to society be changed? One should give up talking ill of others, feeling envious of good people. People should develop friendly and loving attitude towards their fellowbeings in society. To develop a sense of helpfulness, there should be the spirit of sacrifice. People should also cultivate the feeling of sympathy and understanding. For spiritual transformation, the qualities that are needed are Daya, kindness, love, forbearance and compassion.

WHAT IS LIFE AND PURPOSE OF LIFE Life is a sequence of moments with experience. Purpose of life is to experience in right manner to expand our level of existence. Now I feel that I am this body and due to this my existence is very small and limited. At the mind level my existence becomes little wider than the physical sense. At knowledge level my existence may extend little further. In reality my existence is infinite or unfathomable. Animal life vs human life Animal leads an instinctive life with intelligence limited to fulfilling their surviving only. Human intellect is highly developed to become sharp as well as subtle. This enables the human being to know himself. Also man has reasoning or analytical capacity; decision making skills and intellect to relinquish the unwanted. These three capabilities are not found in animals. The spiritual life is one in which the focus is only on God/Self/atma. The whole life – thinking, speaking, feeling and actions are oriented towards God/Self/atma. How one gets into Spiritual life? One starts disciplining their lives, take care of health by healthy food and activity. Then for mind disciplining they start follow certain values and principles. Next stage will go into rituals to have connectivity with the divine. Finally the efforts are put in to go for serious and deeper practices like being in solitude, meditation, self inquiry etc.

Is spiritual life should be secluded from day to day life or otherwise called ‘materialistic life? No. Spiritual life is to practice sadhana and to exhibit the good qualities with others. It may be with family, work colleagues or community. All the spiritual Masters have come to teach man so that transformation happens within him. Entering into a spiritual life is an indication of inner transformation. Difference between change/ Transformation are – change is mostly outer or physical; transformation is more of inner level. Change is temporary and it tends to get changed often; transformation is permanent and sustained. What triggers the transformation? Swami has written a letter to Devotees in 1973 in which He indicates about ‘spiritual Hunger’. Swami explains spiritual hunger as ‘Dissatisfaction and restlessness in spite of all comforts; Divine discontent; will not get resolved until one comes to know the true nature. Real progress cannot happen without spiritual hunger. ’ Spiritual life has three aspects : Shed selfishness, develop spirituality, and realize the divine - Swami The transformation can happen gradually in a period of time or instantaneously. Sometimes people gets transformed by reading a book, by an incident, by a statement.

One of the virtues or qualities taken for discussion from Gita is ‘adambithwam’. Dambham means – pompousness, pretentious, hypocritical Adambithwam means not having these negative qualities. More discussions on ‘Simplicity’ will happen in the coming weeks.