Sri Sathya Sai International Organization

Keep the mind above the upper lip, between the two nostrils, right in front of the bridge of the nose. Inhale through the left nostril, closing the right with the right thumb. As the breath goes in, it utters So (meaning, He); then exhale through the right nostril, closing the left nostril. As the breath goes out, it utters ham (meaning, I). Inhale and exhale slowly and deliberately, conscious of the identity of He (the Lord) and I (yourself) which it asserts, until the breathing and the awareness grow into an unnoticed process. Keep the mind as a watchman, to note the incoming and outgoing breaths, to listen with the inner ear to the Soham that the breath whispers, and to witness the assertion of your being the Divine, which is the core of the universe.

Meditation (Dhyana) is the process by which it (the mind) is trained to acquire concentration. As a result of meditation on the highest Atma (Paramatma), the mind will withdraw from sense objects and the sensory world. Just at that time, the intellect (Buddhi) must assert its authority and command the mind (Manas) not to entertain any feeling except the thought of the Fundamental Basis (Atma). When its basic truth is known, the mind will not be deluded by the evanescent, the untrue, and the unblissful. Instead, it will welcome the blossoming of joy, happiness, and truth, and it will not be affected by sorrow and grief.

Focus your love only on God. God is present everywhere in the form of love. You should never entertain doubts in this regard. The stream of love should flow in you incessantly. Only then can you have the divine vision. No doubt, you have the desire to see God but you are not expanding your love. If you are interested, I am ready to grant you the vision of God. But you can see Him provided you cultivate true and eternal love in you.

Fear of sin, love of God---these two endow man with peace and joy, save him from sorrow and grant him aanandha (bliss).

Love all beings - that is enough. Love with no expectation of return. Love for the sake of love. Love because your very nature is love. Love because that is the form of Worship you know and like. When others are happy, be happy likewise. When others are in misery, try to alleviate their lot to the best of your ability. Practise Love through selfless service (Seva). By this means, you will realise Unity and get rid of the ego that harms.

Do all acts as offerings to God; do not classify some as ‘my work’ and some as ‘His work.’ All work is His; He inspires, He helps, He executes, He enjoys, He is pleased, He reaps, He sowed. He alone exists, for all this manifoldness is but He, seen through the mirror of Nature! Everything is for the attainment of the Supreme to be utilised for that high purpose. Nothing is to be used as itself, for itself. For Sai devotees (Sai Bhaktas), this is the only proper way of life.

Your life is a long journey. You should have less luggage (desires) in this long journey of life. Therefore, it is said: less luggage more comfort makes travel a pleasure. So, ceiling on desires is what you have to adopt today. You have to cut short your desires day by day. You are under the mistaken notion that happiness lies in the fulfillment of desires. But, in fact, happiness begins to dawn when desires are totally eradicated.

Consider mother as God; consider father as God; consider preceptor as God. Speak the truth; act righteously; do not adopt other ways.

Be always saturated with love (Prema); do not use poisonous words against anyone, for, words wound more fatally than even arrows. Speak soft and sweet; sympathise with suffering and loss and ignorance; try your best to apply the salve of soothing words and timely succour. Do not damage the faith of anyone in virtue and divinity. Encourage others to have that faith by demonstrating in your own life that virtue is its own reward, that divinity is all-pervasive and all-powerful.

You should not be weak; be brave and welcome troubles. It is only with such a courageous attitude that you would be able to bring out the forbearance (Kshama) hidden within you. It is only your own tenacity and firm determination that will help you cultivate this virtue. You must be resolute and ready to face any difficulty in the quest of your goal. Life is a challenge; meet it!

When you get rid of the five evils associated with the pollution of speech, sight, hearing, thought and action, you will be able to realise your own Divinity and become a Supreme Soul (Paramatma). If the senses are fed with polluted food, you cannot become pure merely by taking milk and fruit. You must partake of pure Satvic food through all the five sense organs.

Always love and follow only truth; falsehood is never beneficial.

Where there is Self-confidence, there is truth. Where there is truth, there is bliss. Where there is bliss, there is peace. Where there is peace, there is God. Hence you must cultivate Self-confidence.

The body is the temple of God; God is installed in everybody, whether the owner of the body recognises it or not. It is God that inspires you to good acts, that warns you against the bad. Listen to that Voice. Obey that Voice and you will not come to any harm.