Encountering
the Divine:The spiritual path – an alternative for modern man?
January 2002 Volume 7 No. 6
Aum Sri Sai Ram!
A very happy and prosperous New Year to you all! The past year has been eventful to say the least. As we get ready to welcome the New Year, it is time to pause and reflect on our thoughts and actions during the past year, and resolve to achieve purity and perfection in our thoughts, words and deeds. For, it is not war or governments that win the battle against evil - it is the combined strength of all humanity's pure thoughts and actions that can bring peace and harmony on this earth. Let us resolve to work hard and diligently, no matter how big or small the task at hand is, no matter what the reward or compensation might be. Let us not forget that Work is Worship! May God bless us all!!
We dedicate this issue to a dear Sai youth member and an active volunteer of the Canadian Sai Book Centre Vani Kanapathipillai who passed away on the morning of 30th December 2001. We offer our heartfelt condolences to her family and we pray to Swami to provide them with all the strength to bear the loss.
We have just received copies of Sathya Sai Speaks – Volume 31 priced at $7.25 & Sathya Sai Speaks - volume 32 Part I and Part II each priced at $4.25. We now have in stock, the copies of all the four volumes of Sathya Sai Baba's biography titled Sathyam Shivam Sundaram priced at $5.00 each and Sai Baba – Man of Miracles written by Howard Murphet.
Encountering
the Divine:The spiritual path – an alternative for modern man?
The purpose of the book is to help us understand that humanity is one
and that there is only one God to whom different names and forms have been
given. This message is conveyed in the form of questions and answers, as
given by the finest representatives of the spiritual heritage of humanity.
These questions are very relevant to one and all.
The title of this book itself poses a key question. Answers to
that question being many and subject to individual understanding, the author
has extracted them from several faiths. As one goes through
the first few pages it becomes clear that this book is a result of an intensive
research.
Some of the other questions the author raises in the book are: the spiritual realm – a reality? Man – a spiritual being? The spiritual master – a danger or a necessity? The self and the Self? Answers quoted are the extracts from Sufism, Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and many other respected spiritual representatives. An example of the coverage is the beautiful illustration of true humility from the New Testament showing Christ, in a most ordinary way, with careful attention to details, preparing to wash the feet of his disciples. To quote one more example on miracle is the words of Frithiof Schuon, a respected representative of the religio perennis, “What miracle seeks to produce and what it does indeed produce….By means of a “therapeutic shock” it delivers the soul from its shell of ignorance…”
To every question the author has also extracted answers from the discourses of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba on topics which are very relevant to the current environment e.g. “Science and spirituality”, “The predicament of man today”, “God, man and cosmos” and many others. It is a book with wealth of answers to many of our unanswered questions and I am sure it is a treasure to all. Price: $7.50; US$5.25
SAI VANDANA 2000 – A REAL HOMAGE TO OUR LORD
SAI BABA
This is a book of real homage to our Lord Sai Baba, in celebration
of the 75th year of his advent. Seventy-five people from all walks of life
contributed to this offering with very moving stories filled with personal
experiences, thoughts and feelings about their life with Sai Baba. Many
have been educated at Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, and
some of them still are.
It is wonderful to read about their individual paths, with so many
expressions of praise for Swami. Praise for a way of lifting up our spirits
and become Sai students, whether it is through attending the Sri Sathya
Sai Institute of Higher Learning or through any other way Sai Baba leads
us. With a better chance to love all and serve all, following Sai Baba's
guidance.
And praise for the many works and projects that Sai Baba has spearheaded,
such as the provision of a better education for life, better medical facilities
and fresh drinking water to many rural areas in southern India, all free
of charge.
Sai Vandana 2000 leaves the reader with an incredible sense of awe
to realize how fortunate we are indeed to live at this time of Sai Baba's
walking amidst us; to realize that his life is indeed his message for us
all. Price: $9.00;US$6.30
SUMMER SHOWERS IN BRINDAVAN 1974
The present volume contains Swami's discourses in the summer course
of 1974 on Indian culture and spirituality held in Sri Sathya Sai Baba's
Ashram in India. The purpose of the course is to prepare the educators
and the youth of today for the task of reconstruction of humanity based
on the 4 human values namely Love, non-violence, Truth and righteousness.
Swami speaks very effectively about behaving in a righteous manner.
He speaks about the purpose of education and our own lives. He says
that only if an individual is good, the society or the country in which
he lives will be good. We are trying to move from body consciousness
to God consciousness. Swami says we have to reverse the process and
move from God consciousness to body consciousness. Only then we will
be able to perform good deeds. The entire book contains such wonderful
gems of knowledge about us. This summer course is dedicated to understanding
the words "Brahman" which is so commonly used in spiritual literature and
the word "Bharata" which is the other word for "India". Swamiji spends
his time during the entire 30 days explaining the inner meaning of these
two words. This is a perfect book for adolescents. Also serves
as a wonderful motivating book for anybody who is seriously trying to acquire
wisdom and knowledge about there own self as Swami is such a motivating
and persuasive speaker. Price: $2.50; US$1.75
IN SEARCH OF A MIRACLE – Review by Ron Nater
"In Search Of A Miracle" is Teri O'Brien's story of his two year journey
with his wife Carolynn from the time of the diagnosis of Carolynn's breast
cancer to her eventual death in 1995.
After Carolynn is told that she has cancer Teri immediately resigns
from his job to care for his wife full-time. It is during a visit to friends,
who are Sai Baba devotees that they learn about the many amazing experiences
and miraculous cures of serious illnesses people experience while in Sai
Baba's presence. So both Teri and Carolynn wish to be near Sai Baba with
the hope that Swami will cure her, and travel with a group of devotees
to India. This is the start of extended periods of staying with Swami in
Puttaparthi and Whitefield.
Teri's candid coverage of this very emotional part of their life together
leaves the reader with a sense of great compassion for Teri and Carolynn
in their suffering. The sheer gravity of turmoil, caused by the many fears
Carolynn experiences during this final phase in her earthly life, take
a heavy toll on both Carolynn and Teri and their relationship together.
Teri expresses the weight of this turmoil in vivid language, and shares
with us the many miracles he experiences with Carolynn while they are in
the presence of Sai Baba, both in India as well as back home in Australia.
The many interviews they're granted are just a token of Swami's immense
compassion for our suffering in this life, and a wonderful assurance of
his closeness to us at all times. Price: $6.50; US$4.55
TRANSFORMATION OF THE HEART – Review by Gopal
Mehta
This book is the collection of stories from the individuals who found
true meaning and purpose of life after visiting Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
It reveals the transformation that took place in their lives on several
fronts - mental, social, professional and spiritual.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba blessed this book before being published, with His
message on what the transformation should be. The central theme here
is the new awakening accompanied by blissful daily life that is experienced
by the writers who come from various social and religious backgrounds.
As the old saying goes, "Experience is the best teacher", those who go to Sri Sathya Sai Baba get to know what the divinity in motion is. "They get the taste of divinity", as one of the writer says. These visitors to Sri Sathya Sai Baba get the shower of His unconditional love and most of them realize that they are in the presence of God. They witnessed a nine year old boy who could never walk before coming out of the interview room at the ashram, serious illness of cancer of a tearful patient cured and materialization of the rings, pendants, lingams, vibhuti for many. The contributors in this book as well as thousands of others have experienced one thing in common – the joy felt like the ocean waves bathing the tired and depressed pilgrims in the midst of a long journey. The articles in this book appear to be authentic and inspiring to people of all faiths. The book will be a valuable help to those who know about the message of Sri Sathya Sai Baba and those who are still in search of God in their journey of life. Price: $3.95; US$2.80.
LIFE - THE GREATEST ADVENTURE - Review by Marianne
This book is written by late Prof. Kasturi's son, Dr. M.V.N. Murthy,
a geologist by profession. His life was totally guided by Swami since he
first visited him in 1949. As a post doctoral student for 15 months in
Canada, Swami insisted that he come back to India to work when his own
inclination was to remain in Canada. He tells us he had many lessons to
learn in the school of life, having to cope with tragedies and the highlights
and disappointments of a busy career. In 1981, he retired and came to live
at Prashanthi Nilayam where he wrote his book The Greatest Adventure. This
is not an autobiography in the accepted sense; his personal life forms
only an introductory dedication at the beginning. Comprising 66 chapters,
each chapter takes a saying of Swami, and through Murthy's knowledge, insight
and experience of Swami, he discusses the meaning of Swami's words. It
is very enlightening on topics such as `Why fear when I am here', `Time
waste is life waste', `Tension is Good', `Wait Wait' and `The Universe,
a University'. He introduces incidents and examples of what Swami means
which are more profound than the clichéd statement may initially
appear to be. Because of its format, this book would make a wonderful study
circle book, as each chapter is short enough to read as a basis for discussion.
Dr Murthy passed away in the early 1980's soon after the book was published.
Price: $5.00; US $ 3.75.
NEW VIDEOS COMING SOON!
The following new videos are now going to be available:
- Rama Navami 2001 (celebration of Lord Rama's birth);
- Onam 2001 (Onam is an Indian festival);
- Buddha Purnima 2001 (Buddhist festival);
- Gokulashtami 2001 (Celebration of Lord Krishna's birthday).
All of the videos above are priced at $15.00; US$10.50.
Jai Sai Ram!